Conversations with a Taiyoukai by Demonlordlover

The Successor

A/N - This is Demonlordlover.  Wiccan has done such a wonderful job with Dokuga.  All things Sesshomaru and Kagome have flourished here thanks to the moderators and all others who continued the journey uninterrupted.  I had some ugly life events draw me away from everything I once loved - but life does not just take.  It also gives back.  A lovely man who believes in me has been my reward and now I am back with a vengeance.  I will upload this story in parts as I edit them and then will move on to finish Creed of the Other Breed.  I know, I know.  Finally.  But at my rate of uploading other works I am completing, I will make sure I upload a minumum of one chapter a week for Creed and this one I am going to upload every day for the next five days so it is up before Halloween in complete form.  THEN I have a holiday surprise add-on for Wiccan.  Lady, I am a fan of your personal perserverence and editing fortitude. For the readers - I don't think you know just how integral Wiccan has been to keeping some of your favorite authors sane.  Give her a cookie.

-Demonlordlover

Chapter One- They Won The Day

“Mama!”

Calling down the stairs while hopping on one foot, Kagome put one shoe on while the other one was tucked under her arm. Waiting for a reply from her mother, Kagome switched feet and was soon tapping the toes of her shoes on the hardwood floor of the hallway to adjust the fit of her brown loafers. Impatient, the miko practically flew down the stairs.  She almost fell on her face when she reached the bottom and her slick-soled shoes skidded on the freshly waxed floor.

“MAMA!!!” Her voice rose in volume as she once more called for her mother. The sound of her voice echoed throughout the empty living room.  

Where is she, Kagome wondered, It’s Monday, so she should be in here making breakfast.

Seeing the stove devoid of any pans and the microwave suspiciously empty, Kagome felt a surge of fear in her gut. Even Souta was missing. His boisterous antics had always woke her up before her alarm could ring. Her mind went into a whirl of ‘what ifs.' What if another demon had come out of the well, just like the Mistress Centipede and the Noah Mask, and made off with her family? What if Naraku had returned from the dead and found a way here to get the jewel?

Just the reminder of the cursed jewel was enough to put her in a foul mood. Its purification was to be today. Yet, without proper training, Kagome couldn’t make the jewel whole again, at least not on her own. No, Kikyo was going to be there. She’d asked Kaede to help her, but without being the jewel’s Guardian, or at least possessing a piece of the Guardian soul, as Kikyo did, even the small amount of taint in Kaede’s soul would ruin the efforts to purify the jewel. Not wanting another repeat of Naraku, Kagome had bowed down to Kaede's wisdom and accepted that Kikyo was the only one who could help her.

Not that she resented her for it.

Kikyo hadn’t chosen to be a Guardian of the jewel when she was alive.  She certainly hadn't wanted to continue after her death.  Kagome felt pity for the woman, Kikyo, who had suffered such loneliness in life only to be resurrected and have it compounded tenfold by her undead state. The villagers who remembered the mortal miko that had been the former protector of the Shikon no Tama regarded her in near reverence.  Those who did not remember Kikyo saw her as a tainted golem who stole the souls of young women for evil purposes.

Neither case offered the traveling miko any companionship or understanding.

That was one of the reasons that Kagome was so understanding about Inuyasha’s desire to see Kikyo. While Sango often told her she should force a choice on him, Kagome knew it had already been made. It hurt, as her heart yearned for his love, but Kagome knew Kikyo needed someone, too. Who knew better the feeling of not belonging, of feeling as if you just don’t fit in, than a girl who was 500 years removed from her own era?

Besides which, Kagome was never able to turn on an ally or friend, feeling Kikyo was both. After their many encounters she had seen a small piece of the woman Inuyasha had fallen in love with so long ago. Saving her, once in the cave that drained the miko soul and then again after Kikyo had been attacked by Naraku and almost drowning in the process, Kagome knew Kikyo’s heart wasn’t as dark as everyone, with the exception of Inuyasha, assumed it was. She may be a true golem, with a clay body and a need to sustain her own existence with the souls of young women, but her heart was still human. That was where the strength of her hatred had come from.

Only a human heart could feel such betrayal at a former love striking out on their own and not forgive him his unwitting part in her demise at the mechanizations of the evil Naraku.

Yet, buried deep within, Kikyo also housed the capability to feel compassion. Kagome was sure of it. Something about the way she looked after having been saved from the gash that had been leaking her life force into a pool of miasma had given Kagome hope. Briefly, before the mask of indifference had once more covered her features, Kikyo had looked lost.  Like she was a child abandoned in the marketplace and had no one to turn too. Her hand, pressing against the spot Kagome had healed, did not leave the place of her injury before she left with her soul-stealer youkai trailing behind her, twirling gracefully to comfort the undead miko.

An unspoken bond had formed between the two.  After the incident by the pool Kagome never feared for death at the hands of Inuyasha’s love. Kikyo had even protected her during the final battle against Naraku. The time had come to let her arrow fly, timing it with Inuyasha’s backlash wave.  A hulking oni that had been summoned from Kagura’s army of the dead charged her position. Holding her ground, Kagome was determined to see her goal through and fired her arrow at Naraku.

Unfortunately, she had run out of time to deflect the path of the oni coming her way and could only stare for the brief few seconds before he made impact with her.  The giant eight foot demon with purple skin and bulging muscles had lowered his head till his sharp horns were pointed towards her, ready to impale her soft flesh. A bright flash of light, and then he was gone in a whirlwind of dust and smoke while an arrow fell to the ground to clatter on the stones underfoot. Standing behind Naraku, Kikyo prepared another arrow and let it fly, adding her own energy to the ball of light surrounding Naraku.

Sesshomaru, the mighty demon lord, had also showed up for the final meeting with the one who had dared to use him and his ward. A blast of Tokijin and then it had ended. The four energies, miko and demon, collided to sever the life force of their enemy from the face of the earth. The pieces of the Shikon No Tama fell to the ground in front of Inuyasha and with a crow of victory he’d scooped them up before waving his fist in the air. Sango and Miroku, injured in their battle to keep Kagome safe until she could aid Inuyasha, had limped up to their friend and added their own shouts of triumph to the air.

For once, Inuyasha was unaware of Kikyo’s departure.  Only one set of eyes, brown ones so similar to her own, followed the undead miko’s path to venture off alone once more while tears of happiness and gratitude flowed down her cheeks. Wiping away her silvery trails, Kagome considered walking after the woman, but decided against it. She was proud, Kikyo, and would not deal well with thinking she had the pity of her reincarnation.

The battle had changed so many lives. Free of his curse, Miroku and Sango were now planning their wedding. He’d vowed that his hand was also free of its lecherous tendencies. Though, that was still doubtful as the bone boomerang of his exterminator was still kept busy punishing him for his transgressions. At least they were only against her poor derrière. Shippo was overjoyed at their wedding, having never been present to see one before as youkai did not follow the practice.

Kikyo had stopped in the village to speak with Kaede briefly before the others returned with the news of Naraku’s downfall. She didn’t stay long.  The villagers were too nervous in her presence.  She volunteered her guidance to Kagome to make the jewel whole once more before leaving. She vowed to return after a week's time passed.

Sesshomaru, their unlikely ally, had stayed in the forest surrounding the village of Edo while Rin, his ward, enjoyed her first taste of human company in many months. Taking responsibility for her, Kagome and Sango both looked after the little girl and took the time to explain certain facts of life to the adolescent.

Both women imagined a demon lord and his side kick toad wouldn’t be much help in describing the changes her young body would go through. She was a budding young woman and Kagome wondered how Sesshomaru would handle the reality of her leaving to marry as one of such a sweet nature would. He stayed clear of the village and only those with enough spiritual presence even knew he was there, watching over his ward.

As for Kagome and Inuyasha, well, with all the shards accounted for, he only had to wait for the jewel to be whole once more to make his wish. It was for this reason that Kagome left to go home after two days of celebrations to see her family. She couldn’t explain it, but she had a feeling something bad was going to happen. She felt silly as she couldn’t imagine what could possibly go wrong. Naraku was defeated, they had the jewel and everyone was happy, or would be soon. What else was there?

Now, four days after her return home, her family was missing and her mind was awash in fear for their safety. Frantic, she searched every corner of the house, leaving behind a mess of over turned chairs and scattered papers. Her last hope, Kagome slid open the back door to look outside when she was greeted with a bright flash of light.

“SURPRISE!!”

Giggling, her little brother Souta had jumped out at her, snapping a button on the disposable camera he held and momentarily blinding her with the bright light. Placing a hand on the doorframe, Kagome leaned against the wood while she waited for her vision to return. Her heart was another matter as she didn’t now how long it would take the rapid tattoo against her chest to fade.

“SOUTA YOU LITTLE TWERP!” she yelled. Vision restored, Kagome ran after her brother.  She tackled him to the ground and then sat on his back. Merciless, her fingers attacked his sides while he gasped for breath between giggles. Remnants of the fear she’d felt upon thinking they had been taken prompted her to let him up sooner than normal.  She pulled him close to her and placed a small kiss on his forehead.

Making a face, Souta whined, “Eeew…sis, don’t do that! I have a reputation to protect! What if someone saw you getting mushy all over me?” Wiping her kiss away with the sleeve of his ‘Anime Rocks’ t-shirt, Souta jumped to his feet while her mother approached from the walkway.

Standing, Kagome watched as her mom carried a huge cake on a silver platter towards her, grandpa following close behind. Confused, Kagome wondered what she’d missed. It wasn’t often that her mom made a cake, preferring to keep the occasions that she did special.

Meeting her half-way Kagome swiped her skirt, dislodging the dirt that had gained hold during her short tussle with Souta and asked, “Mama, what’s this for and why are you all outside?”

Her grandfather walked passed them to grab a small three-legged table off the walkway behind them.  He brought it over to his daughter, helping her set the cake down on it while she wiped her hands against her apron.

Her mother smiled brightly and began to slice the cake. “This is for all the special times we couldn’t be together. I know you have to go back today and wanted to surprise you with a little something before Inuyasha came. “

Feeling like an emotional mess, Kagome leapt to her mother and pulled her into a ear popping hug. “I love you Mama!”

She knew it was hard on her family, even Souta, to deal with her continual absences. They never complained, however, and she didn’t know any other parent who would trust their child enough to let them travel through time and be on their own. Sure, she was nineteen now and technically an adult, but she’d been hunting shards and fighting demons since her fifteenth birthday while other kids her age were going to the mall and discussing fashion statements the stars were making. It was telling, how much her mother had suffered the absence of her only daughter, that she held on to Kagome tightly even after her own arms had slackened.

Pulling back, Kagome saw the tears threatening to fall in her mama’s eyes and leaned into her comforting warmth once more. She whispered, “I know, Mama. I miss you too. I miss all of you when I’m on the other side of the well and think of you often.”

Pulling back, Kagome stepped to the side slightly to place an arm around her mother’s waist. The older woman returned the gesture, neither woman wanting to lose the comforting closeness.

“So,” the miko asked in an attempt to break up the morose atmosphere while licking her lips, “What flavor is it?”