Prologue
The village of Edo, Japan, the Feudal Era, The day after Naraku’s defeat –
Sesshomaru, powerful daiyoukai and Lord of the Western Lands, felt confused. And for someone like him, feeling confused did not happen very often and when it did he really did not relish the experience. What's more he did not understand it either. That bastard Hanyou, Naraku, that had dared to try and use Rin to further his plight with Sesshomaru, was finally destroyed. With his ultimate destruction the Shikon no Tama was finally complete and in one piece again. Naraku would not be harming Rin, or anyone one else Sesshomaru had come to care about ever again. Perhaps even people he had not realized the true nature of his feelings for yet. He saw the lecherous monk and his lady youkai hunter embracing in the shadows some feet away and even Rin was dancing with the little kitsune as they both had joined in with the village children's celebration. Sesshomaru didn’t feel much like celebrating though, and he was starting to get annoyed with the strange emotions that had been plaguing him even more since he had temporarily allied himself with his brother's measly little band. Across the fire he saw his Hanyou brother embracing his once dead, and newly mated, love. He couldn't believe that the idiot had given the heavy price of half his own soul to bring her fully back to life. It was such a ludicrous set of events that even Sesshomaru couldn’t resist the urge to snort aloud. Especially considering that the ridiculous gesture had halved InuYasha’s own lifespan as the price. Sesshomaru, however, did not see the little miko that his half-brother seemed to be forever in the company of until the battle had ended yesterday.
More and more his thoughts seemed to be pulled in that direction; seemingly without his permission. His bestial nature told him that she was a strong and beautiful miko in both spirit and body. Her scent also seemed to call to both sides of his nature whenever he was near her. If not for the fact that she seemed to be constantly in the company of his damn half-brother, and was just a human besides, he would have allowed his beast to discuss her suitability as a bedmate. Now that his half-brother was mated to someone else, and the miko was definitely not attached anyone, it seemed his beast had taken that fact as permission to become quite vocal about the idea. His interactions with his half-brother’s friends, and Rin as well, had slowly impressed a strange effect on his thinking. Indeed, more than he had truly realized, if he was indeed thinking of lowering himself enough to rut with a human. Not to even mention the ludicrous, presumptuous thoughts his beast whispered of more.
Disgusted with himself, Sesshomaru walked away from the celebrating villagers and toward the forest where he hoped to find some peace and solitude. For those were sensations that seemed to be completely escaping him lately. Even inside his own mind. He almost found himself looking for Jaken before he remembered that the little imp had been killed in the crossfire and the Tenseiga couldn’t revive him a second time. If only there was a way to bring that baka Naraku back. Only so Sesshomaru could take pleasure, and his frustrations out, to torture and kill him again. This time however it would be far more slowly to make up for all the death and grief the evil Hanyou had caused everyone unfortunate enough to ever hear his name. Reaching the Goshinboku, where he had left Ah-Un after the exciting events of the day before, he was surprised to find he was not the only one that had sought the solitary surroundings of the forest. Of all whose presence he felt, it had to be the little miko that had been plaguing his thoughts since it was made quite clear she was not attached to his half-brother any longer, if she ever had been.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” she exclaimed in surprise when she finally noticed him standing next to her. She suddenly stood up as soon as she noticed his presence. “Forgive me, I did not hear or sense your approach,” she went on. He raised an eyebrow at this uncharacteristic outburst and the nervousness that was pouring off of her aura at the moment.
“This Sesshomaru did not want anyone to sense him, so you did not,” he told her with his usual stoic mask in place, but for a slight smirk that in no way gave away his true emotions. “Miko,” he called out to her then, “Why are you sitting by Ah-Un? Why are not celebrating with the others of your kind?” he asked, a quirk of one of his silver brows was the only sign that he was truly curious. He saw her face flush suddenly before she looked down to her feet. Interesting reaction, he thought, and most uncharacteristic of her as well. He tried to shush his beasts’ thoughts about how she looked lovely in the full moonlight with her dark hair and pale skin gleaming.
“I was actually hoping to find you here,” she said looking up at him sheepishly while her cheeks glowed a bright red. It shouldn’t be affecting him like this, but her sudden submissive attitude since his approach piqued more than his curiosity. “As I’ve said goodbye to most everyone else, I thought I should say goodbye to you as well,” she went on and he felt a wave of what could only be panic and worry streak through him.
“Goodbye?” he questioned, “Are you going somewhere, miko?” he asked, trying to keep his conflicting emotions hidden behind his ever-present stoic mask.
“Umm, kinda,” she told him confusingly as he felt worry and sadness in her aura. “I’m going home after making the wish on the Shikon jewel tomorrow,” she continued quietly, “And I don’t know if I will be able to come back to visit everyone again, so I’m saying goodbye to you all. Just in case.” She smiled shyly up at him when she finished and he felt more confused than ever. The miko’s sudden appearance last year was still a subject he was not entirely clear on and he hadn’t really ever thought that she would suddenly go back to wherever she had come from for good when her task of completing the Shikon Jewel was finally done. He was conflicted about the whole situation. On one hand, he thought that her going away would most likely be much better for his peace of mind. And on the other hand he felt like he would never get to explore what it was the miko caused him to feel if she simply disappeared. He felt even more annoyed and conflicted than he had in the village surrounded by humans. Sesshomaru did not like the feeling at all.
“Well,” he said trying to clear his mind, “This Sesshomaru wishes you good travels then, miko,” he told her as unemotionally as he could, which was pretty darn. He looked down at her when disappointment suddenly infused her aura. Curious, he lifted a brow without meaning to, and was suddenly caught within her brown eyes that were luminous with what could only be unshed tears. Before he could even guess why she was holding back tears, or what she was doing, the little miko lunged at him. He tensed and automatically reached for his sword instinctively before he realized that she was just hugging him. Her arms sliding around his neck, somehow bringing them face to face.
“Goodbye, Sesshomaru,” she sniffed back her tears, “I hope you find what you’re looking for and have a happy life. And please don’t kill InuYasha after I leave. Or me for this,” she added in a voice that sounded more like herself. Her tone would have caused more than an uncharacteristic snort from him if she didn’t suddenly shock him beyond words, and herself it seemed, when her lips brushed very lightly against his cheek. He was so surprised that all he could do was stand there in shock as she hurriedly retreated toward the village. It wasn’t like he knew the proper reaction; or any kind of reaction at all, to this situation anyway. The hint of attraction to him that sizzled in her aura seconds before she kissed him and their eyes met was for him the most shocking part of the whole affair. Coming out of his daze slowly he unknowingly just let her run back to the village. For she was hurrying as if she were afraid he might pursue her and ask her what the hell that was all about, or something worse like kill her. Which, of course, was why she had asked him not to before sideswiping his forced mental calm like that. But perhaps if she was indeed leaving for somewhere tomorrow then going after her was not the best move. The fact that he was in such a state of confusion and inner turmoil had him questioning himself. This fact caused a very loud, frustrated growl to burst from him before he could stop it. Sesshomaru felt a strange feeling deep inside at the thought of never seeing her again, but he had no name for it and it just made him even more frustrated. Deep in thought, his body physically and emotionally drained, he fell asleep leaning against the Goshinboku.
Upon waking early with the sun the next morning, an insane fear gripped him that the miko had somehow already left and he would never see her again. Taking off at a run that was so fast that the human eye wouldn’t be able to track his movements, he made it to the center of the village proper in seconds. He followed her scent and sighed in relief when he saw that she was still there for him to see and smell at all. That relief was short-lived however as he saw that she had the Shikon Jewel in her hands and her eyes were now closed. The rest of her friends, including his half-brother, stood around her, watching and waiting tensely. A great deal of fear and sadness was present in every one of their auras. The miko smiled then, and she opened her eyes to look directly at him. Her smile brightened briefly when she realized who she was looking at. They looked into each other’s eyes a moment or two before a bright pink light enveloped the little miko. She was in front of him one moment and gone the next. She completely disappeared in front of him and a whole village of stupefied humans in less time it takes to blink. And in the place where she had been standing the only signs that she had ever really been there to begin with were the imprints of her strange shoes in the dirt and her fading scent lingering in the air. The fact that it was fading, and much too quickly for his liking, caused a silent growl of frustration and anger to force its way out of him. A collective gasp was uttered by the rest of the crowd that had been gathered around her when they realized what he, his half-brother, and her friends had already deduced. The Shikon Miko had disappeared and would most likely never be coming back again.
