CHAPTER 2: The Deal

The leaves rustled on the branches of the tree as the wind gently blew on them. Kikyou moved leisurely towards the village where she used to serve as the village miko. So many had changed and yet so many remained the same. She saw the familiar sight of the hut she used to live in. She knocked lightly, knowing full well that Kaede would still be waiting for her despite the lateness of the hour.

“Kikyou,” Kaede greeted as she opened the door for her older sister. “You wanted to talk to me.”

The undead miko walked to the middle of the room and settled comfortably. She waited until Kaede was seated across from her before relating her reasons for coming. “I need to tell you about the prophecy,” she said serenely.

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The time is near. You must fulfill your destiny… Do not resist it.

Kagome sat up from her sleeping bag. Somehow, the voice seemed familiar. She looked around and saw that everyone was still asleep. Looking up, she saw that the moon was still high above indicating that dawn was still far away. She sighed. It was pointless to try and get some sleep. She had always been like that, once she woke up it is difficult for her to go back to sleep.

Making sure not to wake Shippo, Kagome stood up gingerly. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. She shrugged. He couldn’t be far away, his over protectiveness wouldn’t allow him to leave them all unprotected.

She remembered passing by a stream on their way here. Kagome decided to go to that area to practice the use of her miko powers. Arriving at the stream, she removed her shoes and waded into the cold water. She was splashing water on her face when she felt a familiar strong aura. The hair on her arms stood on end as she recognized the presence standing just behind her. She froze, something she seems to be doing quite often lately.

A few moments later, Kagome felt someone breathe on her ear. “We meet again, Miko,” Sesshoumaru said.

Kagome jumped away from the taiyoukai. She knew he was playing with her but she didn’t know what he would gain from this. “What do you want?” she said, raising her chin a fraction. She refuses to cower in fear before him.

Sesshoumaru’s eyebrow rose. “What do I want?” he said, pondering the question. His face was as unreadable as ever. Slowly, he inspected her from head to toe. “This Sesshoumaru requires your assistance.”

Her eyes widened. Sesshoumaru needs her help? Is the world coming to an end? “What is it?” she asked warily.

The taiyoukai remained silent for a minute before he spoke again. “You will retrieve something for this Sesshoumaru,” he said, the authority in his demand ringing clear.

“And if I don't?” Kagome challenged although her fear of the taiyoukai is almost paralyzing her. She couldn't just let him push her around. It's high time she stand up for herself. “We are not actually in good terms for me to just help you, you know.”

The demon's eyebrow rose. “I am not asking,” he said regally. “This Sesshoumaru is telling you that you would retrieve something for me.”

Kagome's eyes narrowed in annoyance as she completely forgot her fear. The nerve of this arrogant jerk! She placed her hands on her hips and glared at Sesshoumaru. “I am so not going to help you,” she said. “And who are you to order me around?”

With a blink of an eye, Kagome found herself pinned on a tree with Sesshoumaru's claw wrapped threateningly around her neck. “You will obey, Miko,” he said coldly. The only sign of his irritation was his slightly narrowed eyes.

Her eyes widened in fear for a second but she immediately glared up at him. “I will not get Tetsusaiga for you!” she said stubbornly as she held on to his wrist. Although Inuyasha was a jerk to her most of the times, they were still friends. And Inuyasha has always been there for her. Not even a gorgeous taiyoukai who could make her knees weak just by looking at her could change her friendship with Inuyasha. She would rather die than betray their friendship. With that thought in mind, she resigned herself to her fate.

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So the miko thought he was still after the Tetsusaiga. He was amazed as she fell limp. Her eyes were closed, no doubt waiting for his final blow. It was curious how she would rather die than betray that stupid hanyou when Inuyasha always seem to belittle her. He looked at her critically. Her long eyelashes caressed her creamy cheeks.

“You can open your eyes,” he drawled. “This Sesshoumaru is not going to kill you... yet.”

Her eyes flew open. “You're not?” she asked, surprised.

“It is not the Tetsusaiga that I wish to acquire,” he said haughtily. “This Sesshoumaru has no need of that fang.”

Her eyes rounded. “Not the Shikon no Tama!” she cried.

Sesshoumaru almost rolled his eyes in exasperation. The miko has a habit of assuming things. “The jewel is of no importance,” he said in a bored tone.

Kagome sighed in relief. “Then what is it?” she asked, her curiosity evident.

“You will know when we get there,” he said. It was not necessary for her to know until it was time for her to retrieve it.

“No fair!” she cried childishly. “And why should I do it?”

Sesshoumaru smirked and let her go. Taking a small bottle from the sleeves of his kimono, he showed her five gleaming shards of the Shikon no Tama. “You will get this in return,” Sesshoumaru said. He saw her eyes rounded in disbelief.

“How come I didn't detect those shards?” she asked skeptically.

Placing the shards back in his sleeves, he smirked again. “I placed a ward on the shards,” he said.

The miko sighed in resignation. “Oh, all right! It's a deal,” she said. “I'll do it. But you promise to give the shard afterwards?”

“You have my word,” Sesshoumaru said.

She nodded and started to head back to their camp. However, Sesshoumaru have other things in mind. With the speed he was born with, he grabbed the miko and took to the sky, towards the Western Lands.

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Kagome didn't have time to react. One minute she was on her way back to camp to tell the others that she was leaving, the next she was flying as Sesshoumaru carried her like a sack on his shoulders. “Hey!” she cried when she finally got back to her senses. “What do you think are you doing? Put me down!”

The stoic youkai remained silent. There was not even an indication that he heard her.

“I can't just leave without telling the others,” she said impatiently. “Besides, my things are at camp. I would need those.”

Sesshoumaru glanced at her. “I will retrieve your things but you are not to tell the others where you are heading,” he said.

“How can I tell them where I am going when I myself don't know?” she asked exasperatedly.

“Hn.” Sesshoumaru turned around and went back to the direction they came from.

Her eyes brightened when she saw the light of the camp. However, her happiness was short -lived as they sped past it. “That's our camp over there!” she cried. Maybe Sesshoumaru just didn't notice it. Fat chance. He handed her yellow bag to her and turned around again. She sighed in resignation.

“I don't want them to worry,” she whispered.

Sesshoumaru remained silent and didn't even falter as they sped past the trees.

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Back in Kaede's village...

“Is this true?” Kaede asked incredulously. “When did you find out?”

Kikyou looked thoughtful. “Two years ago,” she said. “I saw the prophecy.”

Kaede fell silent as she digested the fact. She sighed. “What will happen now?” she asked.

“There is nothing we can do. It is her destiny.,” Kikyou said. “She will fulfill it.”

“I can understand her duty as the protector of the Shikon,” Kaede said quietly. “But I do not understand why was she chosen to change the fate of the Palace of the Moon? And how will she go about that? It is not fair for her. She is but an innocent child.”

“The Fates have decided,” Kikyou repeated the words. “And we must all obey.”

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They have made good time in traveling back to the Western Lands. They had been traveling since midnight and it was already near noon. Sesshoumaru felt the miko squirm again. He knew that the position he had decided to carry her with was not the most comfortable of positions. However, he does not particularly care for the miko's comfort. The woman had chattered endlessly and had only stopped when dawn came. Since then, she had been quiet and by her steady breathing it is easy to conclude that she is already asleep.

As Sesshoumaru landed in front of his yard, he dropped the miko unceremoniously. “Ow!” the miko cried, instantly awake as she landed on the ground. “What did you do that for?”

Without another word, he turned to go inside fully expecting the miko to do the same. After a few steps, however, he stopped when he realize that the miko was not following. He turned around and his eyes narrowed as the miko stood frozen, her eyes glazed. It was as if she wasn't there at all. Slowly, she walked as if in a trance towards the castle.

“Miko,” he called. She continued on her slow walk forward, her eyes focused on something just behind him. She doesn't seem to hear him. He glanced behind him to find nothing but the entrance to his dwelling.

“You're... Inutaisho...” she whispered in awe before promptly falling unconscious right in Sesshoumaru's arm.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened as he heard the miko call out his father's name. What had just happened?

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Kagome felt like she was floating in space. She was lying on something soft. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She sat up when she realized that she was lying on a fur pelt not unlike the one Sesshoumaru always wear on his shoulder. Looking around, she found herself under a sakura tree. Where was that arrogant youkai?

“If you're looking for Sesshoumaru, then you'd better wake up,” an amused fatherly voice said.

Her head snapped to her left where the figure sat leaning on the tree. One knee was drawn up. His left hand rested on the raised knee. The wind gently blew. His silver hair swayed lightly. For a moment, Kagome was speechless. Finally, she found her voice. “Did your son finally kill me?” she asked boldly.

Inutaisho gave a bark of laughter. When he was finally calm, he looked back to her with a smile. “No, he did not kill you,” he said with amusement. “I have been with you since the moment I passed away. I promised you we would meet again and here I am.”

She frowned. As far as she know, she had never met Inutaisho before. “Uhm... When did we exactly meet?” Kagome asked, obviously confused.

“When you were born,” Inutaisho answered, suddenly serious. “I held you in my arms on that day. I held the child that would grow up and change the fate of the Palace of the Moon.”

She frowned. Now she was really confused. “Are you talking about me?” she asked doubtfully.

The former lord of the western lands smiled fondly at her. “Yes,” he said. “You're the one who will change the fate of my line. Here, I want you to have this.” He handed her a small chain with a crescent moon pendant.

“I don't understand,” Kagome said as she shook her head, taking the necklace and putting it on. “How am I suppose to do that? And why me? And how come you held me in your arms when I was born? As far as I know, you were already dead when I was born.”

He then began to fade. “You will know all in due time,” Inutaisho said before completely vanishing.

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“Wait!”

Sesshoumaru's head snapped to the miko when he heard her suddenly shout. She was already sitting down on the futon. She was wearing a confused expression on her face. She looked at her lap. It was obvious that she was in deep thought. Soon, her head snapped back up as she remembered something. He waited until her eyes landed on him.

“What happened?” she asked, confusion all over her face.

“You fainted,” Sesshoumaru said in a deadpan voice. He looked intently at her and saw her frown.

She wrinkled her nose. “Then it must be a dream,” she said brightly after a while of contemplation. Her hand flew to her neck and her eyes widened.

Sesshoumaru's gaze followed her hand and even he was confused. On the miko's neck lies his father's pendant. How did it get there? When his father passed away, he had looked for that pendant but he was unable to find it. And he could not remember her having that pendant before. He would have noticed it if it was there. “That is my father's,” he said unemotionally.

Kagome looked at him. She fingered the necklace and started to remove it. However, the pendant glowed and refused to be removed. “What is happening?” she asked in panic.

The moment the pendant glowed, Sesshoumaru felt his father's youki. Whatever is happening, the old man wanted the pendant to remain in the miko's possession. “You will not be able to remove it,” he drawled. “It is my father's will that you wear it.”

“Oh,” the miko said before looking curiously at the pendant. “This is weird.”

Sesshoumaru's face remained impassive but his mind was swirling with so many questions. He does not understand what is happening but he will soon find out. “Indeed,” he said.

End chapter