#sess x kagome

[a-writers-blurbs]

Be on the lookout for not one, but TWO new updates to Curiosity Killed... the Dog? later today!!!

*wip, still needs 3rd round of editing*

[thedarkheretic156]

IX Eternal Flame IX

Parts: ❧ I II III IV V VI VII VIII❧

❧ Warning!: Gore, violence, mentions of blood, loss, grief, mourning, ANGST.

❧ As the blood moon rises for the feast of manana, It's time Wei faces the greatest gamble of her life." ❧

- -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾The feast- part I. -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -

Sesshomaru stared into the sky, the ghoulish moon would climb up over the horizon in a few hours. urgh. 

He could practically taste the strange magic in the air. It's ominous pull was making all kinds of ayakashi stir in their hiding. By nightfall, this place would be flooded with them. 

How inconvenient. 

It was only appropriate that he got rid of them, swiftly. That was one way of getting his mind of this ebbing anxiety. Something about this moon deeply unsettled him. 

He gritted his teeth, until they don't cross over the village, everything will be fine.  And he himself will be here when the dreadful moon is on their heads. 

maybe my death will teach you that. 

Something bitter curled in his mouth, why was he remembering her rambling all of a sudden? 

And why was he so bothered by it? 

Despite his anger, his mind recounted the memories of last night. He hated how she had said that, over the thick haze of the hot springs, he had expected her to be angry, fire flashing in her eyes. But she had sounded so... defeated. Like she was reciting something inevitable. 

His shoulders slumped, every day the mountain girl kept getting stranger and stranger. Death seemed to follow her like a plague, not a moment of peace since she had joined them. Why couldn't she just... sit quietly. Like Rin.

Why did she have to be always on the run, always itching to take action, always so eager to push the limits of her own mortality- 

He pressed his temple, how did a human like that rile him up so easily?  He tried to funnel his thoughts, killing ayakashi yes. 

Jaken jogged up behind him, the heads on his staff clattering their teeth. "I put down the runes as you asked my lord!" He said, "No yokai can cross over the boundary I set around them." 

Good.

"You drew it around the entire village as I asked you?" 

"Just as you asked my lord" He said bowing deeply, and to his surprise, sniffled, "Who would have thought lord Sesshomaru would grow to care so deeply abou-"

Sesshomaru slammed the hilt of bakusaiga on his head, making him stumble forward mid-sentence. 

nonsense. 

"Keep up Jaken." he sneered out, kicking off into the air. Jaken yelped, scrambling up to cling to his Armor. He set loose a series of apologies but Sesshomaru drowned the sound out. His grip on Tenseiga tightened, Maybe my death will teach you that. 

Nothing would ever happen, not while he was around. But. If tragedy was to befall, if it truly was inevitable, his useless sword would finally come in handy. 

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

My eyes felt like they had been sewen shut. Man, this was potentially the worst sleep I had ever gotten. My throat was dry and still kind of tasted like dirt, and my body ached like i had been thrown around until i was sore... which technically I was.

I tossed under the coarse bamboo mattress, the smell of the dying fire curling around the cottage. With the filtering sunlight, i could head the faint chirp of a morning bird outside. Everything about it was exactly like every other morning I had woken up to for the past 14 days. 

My chest tightened. My fingers reached for Mrutunjai's hilt, slipping over the cold metal. If I say I wasn't scared I'd be lying. The truth was that I just wanted to curl up under the mattress until the bad part was over. 

But i forced myself to move, Rin squirmed from the sudden movement.

One moment. I told myself. One chance. 

I wouldn't know when it would come, but death would dawn for me today and all i could do was wait for it. 

oh well.

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

After last night's confrontation Sesshomaru and Jaken had both disappeared. 

I stretched my limbs out in the field, a stiff sort of pain ran along my muscles. To think what could be my last day would be more... 

But we had spent the morning lazily, sleeping in until it was too hot and we absolutely had to crawl out of the cottage.

Even now as Rin and I sprawled under the shade of the  grove, I felt lazy. My fingers reached for mrityunjay's hilt every few seconds. Just to remind myself that I was on a ticking clock. But the world around me was anything but anxious,  The air thick with the smell of ripe fruit, a lazy breeze played around us. The two of us had eaten the tangerines until we couldn't, and sunk down into the grass. 

Between the tangerine smell, i kept catching a whiff of a very strong odor. I groaned into my arm, "What the hell is that smell?" I asked, "Has the fruit gone bad?" 

Rin continued to peel another one beside me, her fingers sticky from the juice. "Its the smell of gosberries!" She babbled "Don't they smell amazing wei? now that its time for them to be ripe the entire forest would be full of them!" she said handing me a neatly peeled tangerine, 

The sickly sweet smell was making my head hurt, we didn't have gosberries in the east so i had no idea what that tasted like or what it was. But if they tasted anything like they smelled i was perfectly content never having any.  

"I see." I mumbled, 

"Can we go pick some?" she asked, 

"No!" I yelled. Rin's face fell and I instantly felt guilty for raising my voice, "I mean... I'm too full with all the tangerines," I managed, "we'll go get those gooberries later." 

"Gosberries." 

I waved my hand, "Yes that." 

There was no way I was taking Rin anywhere near the forest. Not when I knew certain death was coming. The sun was still high in the sky, it encased me with some relief, I had until the moon climbed up. And I could only hope Sesshomaru would be back by then. 

I hadn't so much as seen Sesshomaru after last night. Not that I blamed him. He already had a horrible ego, and after last night, I had pretty much squashed out any chance of building anything with that mutt.

Rin continued to say something about gooberry stuffed fish and i lidded my eyes. The sun hot on my face. I knew If I sat up, the sweat would have drenched my entire back.

But the breeze that swept in now and then was pleasant enough to make me surprisingly comfortable. It was a good day for such a terrible prophecy. 

Closing my eyes I could pretend I was back in the eastern lands, spending another lazy summer laying down in the crocus fields. Before my aunt Hathor found me and dragged me back home by my ear. 

I felt the pang of pain on my knuckles as I remembered that old bat. She used to hack her demon bone whip on my knuckles for any misbehaviour, sometimes until the flesh would cleave and I could see the bone. 

It had left scars across my hands I still had. I absently ran a finger over my knuckles, realising they were all smooth now. 

I wondered how they would react to my death. Even if they did find my body, no one would recognise me. Not that they would mourn me if they did.  

As much as my clan loved victory, they loved a bloody death even more. They would sing of them, embellishing tragic ends like they were the greatest achievements of a hero. 

I was taught to yearn for a death like that. There was only one goal, chase glory all your life and never stop, but when death does stop you, make it so that they sing about it for eons. 

I remembered my uncle ashtur, bot bellied with a spotted bald head. Nostrils flaring while he sang in his loud awful voice, his fingers slamming the traditional drums completely out of tune as he bellowed out verse after verse. 

It was quiet the show if you were unlucky enough to witness it. After his 4th bottle of ashfire, the next thing he would reach for was the drums of some unfortunate court musician. It would send the younger ones giggling palms pressed to their ears. the court musicians who's drums he had confiscated, would line up behind him waiting dutifully. Their arms crossed eyes pinned to their feet because no one in their right mind tells Warlord Ashur, sea boiler, ocean churner that he can't sing.

And my uncle sang the death song of some long lost cousin. 

the guts spewed out and the young lords entrails

went glopping down the throat of the whale.

man, I wouldn't even get a song. All of my past felt like a stranger's memory now. Incidents lived in a different life. Places, people, names, nothing that I could actually go back to. Nothing I could do other than just remember.

All the more reason to stay alive. 

I pulled my eyes open, "hey Rin, have you ever heard about this whale yokai in the east?" 

The silence that met the end of my sentence made me arc my neck towards her. was she sad about the gooberries? 

"Rin?" I called out again. 

The tangerine peels were scattered where she was moments ago. I blinked, sitting up. The wind made waves in the grass, the world around me as unsuspecting as it had been all morning. The horrid gosberry smell wafted around me as i felt the panic curl in my gut. In a breath, I picked mrutyunjai off the ground and dashed towards the forest. 

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

The forest grove was heavy with the smell of ripe fruit, the tall Gos fruit trees swaying in a lazy breeze. the fucking gosberries smelled so bad, overly sweet, littering the forest trail in ugly splashes of orange. The shrubs were heavy with them, so many had over-ripened and dropped to the ground, their fuzzy skin ripped open with decay. 

I ran through the striped barks as fast as I could, eyes scanning for even a glimpse of that child. The forest path was muddy, soft soil sinking under my feet.   She just had to run away now. My heart hammered, sides cramping but I dared not stop.

This was bad. This was very very very bad.

I ran further into the forest, the canopy getting thicker with every step.

When the fuck did Rin get this defiant? who taught her that? scratch that, How did she even run this fast? I must have missed her for only a few minutes, how did-

My eye finally caught sight of her ribbon, sticking out like a curious robin on a branch. Blood roared in my ears as I paused. Eyes stilling on the worn kimono, too big for her frame, yellow and brown checks in all that green. Stupid. I thundered towards the undergrowth, anger rising until I could taste it in my mouth. Naive, careless, STUPID child.

calm down. 

But my flaring anger drowned out any logical thought.  

She didn't know.

I yanked her up by the collar of her kimono, "Rin!" I cried out, anger raging forward, only flaring more as she turned towards me unsuspectingly. She dropped her basket in surprise, the murky orange gosberries spilling at our feet. I shook her by her shoulders,

"What were you thinking????" I yelled out.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" I demanded, my voice still high.

Rin's mouth sagged, genuine shock flashed in her eyes,

"i thought-m I though" she gulped in a breath, trying to talk. 

My legs felt like jelly as the adrenaline rush faded, i felt myself drop to my knees. It drained my anger, leaving behind relief and guilt. My fingers dug into her wiry arms, forcing her to look at me, "You must- never." I tried, my voice breaking as I steadied her, "No matter what, you cannot wander away like that Rin." I said, unable to keep my emotions at bay anymore. She had scared me. She had really, really scared me. "I might not be there next time-"

"Why do you talk like that?" she finally said, I watched her clench her fists as for the first time frustration pooled into her voice.

The reaction made me falter, Rin looked back with a stubbornness i hadn't seen before, "Why do you always talk like you're going to leave us again?"

Her words rang through the forest, stunning me into silence. My grip on her arms loosened, all I wanted was for her to not carry that weight. Wei's loss had gutted me when I had dozens of Ayakashi years on me. How do you weigh that loss in fleeting human years, gone in a blink? They must have to grieve all their lives.

I pursed my lips, "I'm sorry." I said finally. 

I put a hand on her shoulder, "let's just go back and-." 

There was a hiss, like fabric fizzing under acid. 

The arrow that sizzled past us, lodged itself in the gos tree bark. The sound of it cutting through the air still rang between us as the other one sliced through my wrist. 

The world around me slowed, I watched as Rin's eyes widened. Now slick with blood, my hand on her shoulder slipped and within a fraction of a second, both of us lurched backwards.

Everything slowed, growing hazy as if I was trying to remember a distant dream. I felt my breath grow hot under the sun, my heart hammering weakly in my chest.

Wait, wait. wait.

I watched Rin's face mirror mine as she spun to see what had happened. I tried to follow her gaze, my reaction painfully slow. Maybe it was just the realization that made me stumble. Maybe it was the poison-tipped arrow.

This wasn't promised. not now, please, not like this.

The sweet sap of the gosberies still waffled in the air.

"I told you not to shoot that close to the face didn't i?" a gruff voice called out.

He swatted the young boy holding the bow, "You'll fucking cost us 15 silvers on the price if you scar the face." He screeched at him. 

three men. 

one armed. One-

"WEI" Rin scream out as one of them dragged her back by her ankle. My vision hazed so badly that I could only piece together broken fragments. The colours of the forest bled into one another and i tried to reach out for her, but a strong grip yanked me back by my braid.

The sun was still high. The pain made me scream out. I was promised until the moon was out.

The one holding me up by the hair, was burly, with ugly stubby fingers, his grip painfully hard. And definitely illiterate enough to not know that you shouldn't go after someone who has a sword.

The burly one continued to yank up my hair, "how much would we get for this one? has a full set of teeth, that ought to be something-"

I pulled out Mrutunjai, spinning it up in a practiced arc. The swing wasn't powerful enough to gut him, but my sword sliced into his stomach. Not deadly enough to stop him, but it instantly loosened his grip on my hair. I pulled free of him and stumbled onto my feet. At once the world around me spun, my vision so blurry i could only make out silhouettes. This was too much. My body... this human body was shutting down. 

"fucking hell she stabbed me!" Grabbing the wound on his stomach, the burly man pulled out his own short-sword. My grip on Mrutyunjai's hilt felt weak.

I had put it through too much. It wanted the rest it was promised in 14 moons, but i couldn't. Not like this. The tendons in my arms felt as if they were about to snap, the blood-slick hilt of my sword slipping. I grit my teeth, legs shaking violently from the exhaustion, No. I will not allow myself that moment of weakness, I can't.

I was the demi-god of the east, i was born from hellfire, I had taken down armies I could h-

But I wasn't her... The realization struck me for the first time.

I wasn't some demi god with a great destiny. Not anymore. He charged angrily, he way he wielded his sword was too unsophisticated, amateurish. But i still wouldn't win. I pulled mrutunjai forward, the sword weighing me down. The tip of my sword hung low, and it was taking all of my strength to keep it from touching the ground. 

I was just Wei. Bony, ugly, mortal, weak. I thought, as i dodged through his haphazard attacks. The forgettable mountain girl that bleeds when she's cut and can't even lift up her own sword.

I had fought and fought and fought in this world like I still had my immortality. But I had finally worn it out. The man huffed angrily everytime he bought his sword down, my reactions were so sloppy that the ragged tip of his short sword kept snagging into my skin. I felt little bit like the boar i had killed.

Great beast slain in sport, great beast slain in leisure. Goddess of the moon, i prayed bitterly, is this your will?

This time when he raised the sword i saw the sunlight glow on the blade, in that moment i knew he wouldn't miss and I pulled up mrutyunjai with all my strength, the swords clanged together with a deafening sound, it rang through the grove, humming through my body and the forest around me fell completely silent.

The man's face was still contorted. Stuck mid-way in a scowl, the sword still raised in the air but unmoving. The moment that would have altered my destiny was as mundane as I was. No special power, no lighting falling from the heavens. There was nothing miraculous about the small opening in the undergrowth.

There it was, plain as day.

The chance mocked me so blatantly, that I could hardly believe it. This was the chance she gave me? The unyielding, all-powerful goddess of the moon, was asking me to run. A silent buzz rang in my ear,

if i take this chance... if i dash forward into the undergrowth...

They will not follow you, daughter of the hills, said the forest. 

Run now and break free, said the sky. 

the goddess herself granted you this.

choose it, said fate. 

Take it and you live, 

restored to your past glory, take it and you get your flames, 

take it -

"WEI!" The sound of Rin's cry cut through the strange magic. I spun around to find her as the buzzing stopped and time flowed around me again. The burly man's sword swished down inches from my body and i aimed mrutunjai for his gut again. The blood splurged out as i cut out the wound deeper. That should keep him down.

The man holding her was still up ahead. Rin tried ferociously to wring away from his grip but he held on to her fast.

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾Why did you do it Wei? I had asked her.-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

The moment stood there for a millisecond as i made up my mind, a flap of a butterfly's wing and it was gone, dooming me to the original end of Manana's prophecy.

I could almost hear the gears of time shifting, clicking as I dashed past the undergrowth. The original prophecy grounding itself, rearranging my stars.

Damn my flames. 

Damn my life. 

Damn the fucking chance to alter fate.

Nothing matters if she doesn't live.

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ When you knew what you happen to you? -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

The one standing between me and Rin was the young boy. His skinny frame trembling as he tried to steady his bow and arrow. The arrow pointed at me as the burly one continued to howl with pain in the background. The smell of his blood and insides hung heavy with the gosberries. The bow string was drawn gaunt but the boy looked frozen with fear, wide eyes bewildered, still pinned on burly guy i had just cut open. 

"SHOOT HER YOU FUCKING IDIOT." The man holding Rin screamed,  The boy's jaw quivered as he shut his eyes. Oh no.

He jumped reactionarily, releasing the arrow while his eyes were still shut close. Thankfully, that's the only reason i managed to dodge it. 

My movement was still so slow that the side of the arrow grated my face, cutting open my cheek. To dodge it i had to drop mrutunjai, but it didn't fucking matter, not anymore. My sword was nothing but an albatross hanging around my neck right now. 

The boy barely registered the blow as i slammed into him, the arrows strapped to his back spilled out around us. 

The impact knocked him off his feet. I dove for an arrowhead as his fingers dug into my shin, trying to drag me back but I kicked him off. 

The man holding Rin was equally horrified, i pointed the arrowhead at him and arched it up like a knife. The sharp arrow tore through the flesh on his hand easily. He let out a harrowing scream as the blood splattered everywhere. It rained down on us, the splatter blinding me as well, but Rin managed to wring away from his grip. He howled out from the pain screaming profanities as he stumbled back, other hand pulling at the arrowhead lodged in his wrist. 

Rin slipped from his grasp and I grabbed her by the shoulders. Her face hazed in my vision, intelligent eyes wide from the shock. 

 "Run." I mouthed to her, a singular thought echoed between us, "find him. Get Sesshomaru." Her mouth opened to argue and i gave her a knowing smile, 

"I'll be right behind." 

The silent look of determination she gave me told me that she would make it, that she would run until the grove opened into the clear sky, not stopping until she did find him. 

But it would be too late by then.

The man's eyes widened, "No you don't!" he turned to sprint behind her but I dove forward again, pulling him back, with a chokehold, pinning him down into the earth. His grimy fingers tried to grab onto her collar, but slick from all the blood they slipped. 

The bamboo sandal flew in the air as she almost tripped trying to make the run. The soft earth sinking under her weight. time slowed again as i watched her dash. Maybe it was poison, or the prophecy finally coming to its end, but as she ran, I saw the trees around her contorted, pulling her farther and farther away with every moment. 

Pull them down, until the checked kimono is swallowed by the undergrowth. Hold the line, until I can't hear the hasty steps anymore. 

Rin's figure disappeared and my grip faltered. Before i could get back on my feet, one of themtossed me off like I weighted nothing. i heard the crunch as i landed on my side. I groaned into the soft earth, my hands shaking as i tried to lift up my torso. 

move. I told my body. 

But she was too tired. And now that the one thing that was keeping her standing was comfortably away... 

My palms skid on mud underneath them. 

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾Why did you run out there Wei ? I had asked her. Against a dying flame, within the walls of a moss covered shrine. -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾She had answered strangely, words in a language I knew, but their meaning completely alien. -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

"NO you idiot don't!" one of them yelled alarmingly, but I just couldn't tell who was who anymore. The world around me had continued to grow darker and just like that, the first blow cut through my shoulder. 

I knew by the touch of the blade that he had picked up my sword. 

when I realised what will happen to the child, it was like my body acted on its own.

I realised the goddess had indeed kept her word. I had begged her to make sure he wouldn't get my flames, to do anything so that he can't carve out my heart. And with her divine cruelty, the goddess of the moon made sure Mrutyunjai drove through my heart. 

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ I'd do the same a hundred times over.-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

My sword was as ruthless as always. It dug through my skin, tearing through my flesh until the tip lodged into the bark of a tree behind me. I felt the bark of the tree press against my back, the warm blood dribbling down my chin, the bitter coldness of my sword as it charred into my heart. He tried to drive it out, tear it through me again, but mrutunjai was too stubborn. My heart clamped around the blade, pinning me to the tree.

"Where's the child?" someone cried out overhead. 

"Escaped." someone grumbled out. The voice came out grumbled until they drowned out completely.

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ I'd have no regrets.-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

The voice blurred into the song of the forest spirits. For a moment I wished there was more pain, something so horrifying that it would have seared its memory into my soul. So that i could have carried the scars of my mortal life, the feeling of being alive, into the afterlife. But there was just... nothing. My breath just continued to sink lower and lower in my chest. The ancient voices of the strange forest spirit sang around me in the language of the old, greeting death like an old friend. 

The sun felt warm on my face, as i pulled my face up to look at the sunlight filtering through the canopy. 

I could have laughed at the realisation.  

I finally understand Wei, i thought. I finally do.

-̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾ -̶̨̛͍̣-̶͚̟̲̫̤̈̇̾

Sesshomaru smelled the blood before he saw the corpse.

Rin had looked hysterical, her checked kimono was soiled in blood. But none of it was her's. She pointed towards the grove haphazardly, tripping over her words. Jaken had run to her side at once, trying to coerce a straight answer. Sesshomaru felt the world around him slow. 

What in the world?

It smelled Sap sweet, curling around in the humid evening air. Human blood. There was so much he could taste it. He knew in that moment that she hadn't survived. 

He found her against the bark of a tree. The corpse was bathed in the evening sun, as it filtered through the canopy, washing her body in a pattern of leaves. The wind teased the strands of hair that had escaped her bun. Their lazy movement a contrast to the cold stillness of the body.

Sesshomaru found himself rooted to his spot. Behind him Jaken coaxed Rin's soft sobs.

There weren't many things that unnerved the daiyokai of the east. But this visual before him, chilled him to the bone. The girl wore a smile, kind and soft. Like she was smiling at him through her lidded eyes, as if they had shared a secret.

She had died.

Her own sword impaled through her chest, pinning her to the bark of the tree.

Like every human before her.

He had seen human's die before. He had greeted death in passing far too many times. But... this was...

It was all quiet, too quiet. The thump of her raging sword gone with her. 

Why was it so hard for him to turn away?

Tenseiga trembled in his hands, he gripped the hilt hard, fangs slipping out from the frustration. He couldn't understand why he was feeling this way. It wasn't rage, it wasn't sadness, just- this absence that threatened to bring him to his knees and scream.

"L-lord Sesshomaru." Rin stuttered. "please, please bring her back."

Sesshomaru pulled out tenseiga wordlessly, this curious mountain girl was always too much trouble. Then why does her lifeless corpse make something move inside you?

He growled at his own thoughts. Slender fingers coiling around the hilt of the sword, just wake up and let me see that gaze again, He thought. The anger, the grin of a woman that should have been born with fangs. He held the tip of the sword over her chest and waited.

There was a nervous stillness in him he had never felt before. He waited for the green yokai to appear and carry her soul. All he had to do was slice through the yokai and it would bring her back that easily. that was the one use of this pathetic sword, that was the one thing he could do. 

The Daiyokai of the west held the blade ready, pointed towards her body, waiting for the minions of the afterlife to show themselves.

But there was nothing.

The corpse looked hallowed out already, a broken shell no longer of any use. Empty like nothing ever lived through it. 

no.

The tremble in Rin's voice, rang in his bones, "What's wrong?" she choked, "please.. p-please Lord S-Sesshomaru, just bring her back, you can bring her back, right?"

It was him, he was trembling.

it had failed him again. When it mattered the most it had failed. He had failed.

"how could this happen?" Jaken whispered out.

Rin dropped to her knees behind him, "i-if i hadn't run into the grove-" she sobbed out, her voice strained and tired, "if only i had-" she tried again but the words died in her mouth.

if only i had stayed.

what did it matter now? What he had feared had come true, the human girl had stayed too long and now after her death they were left gathering her bones. He was left alone, haunted by the life he so miserably couldn't protect. Wretched, cursed was this night of the blood moon.

Sesshomaru turned around, unable to keep his gaze on the corpse, "There's nothing to be done" He announced, "Let us leave then."

Jaken stilled, "B-but Lord Sesshomaru, we can't just-"

Sesshomaru bared his fangs and Jaken shut up at once. "We leave."

"no." Rin said, hurt flashing in her eyes. Jaken's jaw dropped. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, something like shock flooding his senses, this was the first time she had interjected him... ever.

"no?" he asked, venom slipping into his tone.

Rin's didn't falter one bit. "I want to give her a burial." She stated. Sesshomaru, stared at her defiance, unwavering, brazen and arrogant.

Looks like the mountain girl left her marks. The voice said. He growled at it's unwelcome comment. His amber eyes snapped back to Rin, "Do whatever you want." He said turning around, he stomped out of the grove, half hoping that Rin would apologise quickly and run after him. But he didn't hear a single footstep.

Now, you're bit of a fool aren't you, great daiyokai of the west? Sesshomaru pressed the budding voice in his mind. He didn't like the voices of the dead ringing in his head. But then again, the mountain girl was never the kind to shut up.

-------------------------

LORD this chapter was so heavy to write, smol pat on my back for powering through.

Ofcourse this isn't the end of the story, but i'm wonder what ya'll think will happen next heheh. I promise the next update will be quicker, I have already written most of it anyways. In the meantime THANKYOU FOR READING! XOXOXO

Tags @misspendragonsworld because you asked for the tag! <3333

[mikodaiyo]

I saw everyone else drawing a full moon & wanted to join!

[avionvadion]

Playing around with Sesshomaru colors using an older drawing I did. The purple and magenta are based off his manga colorings.

[cobaltsunflower]

literally over a decade now and i still don’t understand how sesshoumaru x kagome got so popular when it’s obvious that sess x kaguya is the objectively cooler ship (with actual subtexts as well)

[procrastinatorrexii]

“We’ve got incoming.” Sango’s voice was flat and emotionless over the comms, but Kagome immediately swiveled back to her main command flat. There was nothing immediately threatening, but– “I’m reading three signals, two federal channels, one… unidentified. It’s not matching anything in the log.” She tried to copy the weapons specialist’s cool confidence but couldn’t quite stop her hands from shaking as they flew over the console. “It’s not an approved fed sig– I’m thinking youkai.” 

Her only reply was static. Then, still cool but with a hint of urgency now, Sango’s voice came again. “Lieutenant Yataki is still in the med bay. You’re going to need to get up here, Higurashi.” 

Kagome exhaled through her teeth, watching the wavering red line on her main screen. It kept hopping frequencies, marking it apart from the two standard comm lines the Federal Planetary Alliance kept open throughout Federal Space. Someone was working hard to keep the burst signals moving, unpredictable and quick. Whatever they were saying, they didn’t want to be overheard. It’s just another enemy. Nothing to worry about. 

She tapped her comm. “I’m on my way.”

[love-sapphirerose]

I think her immense popularity (and how she's so viciously protected) in fandom is attributed to a number of things

-Self Insert Main Character Syndrome. Kagome is more relatable to modern women (especially other teenage girls) than any of the other women in the cast because she was designed to be that way. While she does have more personality than say, a Bella Swan, Rumiko Takahashi did intentionally design Kagome for young girls to relate to as easily as possible and self insert. Hence, we we see see crazy pairings like Sess x Kagome having such incredible popularity, not due to any in-story canon tension, but simply because Sesshomaru is the most lusted after by fans and Kagome was the easiest character for them to slip into in order to explore their fantasies.

-Being the character we're first introduced to and learn more about, it does make sense that fandom would have a bias for Kagome over Kikyo, who we don't learn much about until later. Not to mention, Kagome emotions are more simple and easier to understand. Jealous teenage girl is easier to understand than traumatized grudge ghost. Kikyo's intentions and trauma take a lot more thought to process and unpack and some fans don't care to really do the work to understand her do due their bias for Kagome and their fixation with her relationship with Inuyasha.

-Compared to Kikyo, Kagome is lighthearted, constantly smiling, and very expressive of her emotions. Though I do think it is unfair that some people attribute her kind nature to how she was raised as opposed to simply inheriting that kind nature from Kikyo like she inherited her love for Inuyasha but...

People ignore Kikyo's circumstances and how Kikyo's wish was literally to be free from her life-long oppression and *be* as emotionally open and happy as she ends up being as Kagome but...go off I guess.

---Sammi Sweetheartts Bonnet.

[a-writers-blurbs]

Update!

Hey everyone, sorry I've been MIA these last 2 weeks. I've had some medical stuff going on & wasn't in a good head space to write anything coherent.

My son got a staph infection, my lupus flared up & I developed a blood clot in my calf. On top of medical, my cars transmission is shot & I have to get my house tested for lead by the city before I can have my roof redone. It's a lot 😅

But I managed to pump this chapter out & have 2 more almost done. I've kind of lost direction with this story, so for now I'm going to just see where it goes lol. I'm going to try to post more than one chapter at a time going forward because I'm going to *attempt* to write a few drabble style chapters (just to move things along).

I'd like to get this story done by December so I can work on finishing some of my other ongoing works that have been on hiatus for years.

Anyway, here's the latest chapter of Curiosity Killed... The Dog?

Ao3

FFN

WTTPD

[inukag-archive]

Inuvember Part 2

In honor of @inuvember InuKag Day, the Archive Mods have put together a 30 day InuKag recommendation list: one fic per event prompt, all with a distinct InuKag (as OTP and OT3) flair. Since this is longer than our usual lists, we split it into two parts. Enjoy!

Day 16 Kohaku

Three Is A Crowd by Happy_Ocelot (G)

While stopping by to babysit his cute nieces and nephew, Kohaku comes to the horrifying realization that his beloved sister is in some kind of strange exhibitionist relationship. There were only so many times he could listen to his brother-in-law talking about hitting the ten or twenty children mark before snapping.

Good thing Kagome is there to help.

Humor, post-ending.

Day 17 Kaede

If We Fall Anyway by @soliska (M)

What if the shikon jewel didn’t exist and Naraku never came to be? What if Kagome fell down the well anyway and met a gruff, young inu-hanyou. Would they still become friends? What would be their story?

A tale told in snippets.

Day 18 Totosai

Mamorinuku by Nindeoronra (T)

Inuyasha commissions Totosai to make a new sword. Is it for him or for another?

Day 19 InuKag

Little Family by @xoxopandapanda (T)

Post Canon and A/U: Inuyasha and Kagome's family grows in time, starting with a little child who needs parents to teach him to love.

Day 20 MirSan

Shelter by @lavendertwilight89 (E)

Song fic inspired Stuck with You and Shelter

Inuyasha has been alone most of his life and one moonless night he gets caught up with a young priestess. She saves him and he, in return, helps her. What he doesn't realize is this priestess holds a lot of secrets which may or may not cost both of them their lives...

Day 21 InuKik

Kokoro no Kakera by @callmegri and @kirrtash (M)

She didn’t remember how she got there, only knew that it was warm, and soft. She hadn’t felt warmth since she was brought back to life. Where was she? What happened to her? The last thing she remembered was her reincarnation sitting on the ground next to that waterfall… She didn’t understand why Kagome helped her, again.

When a tired heart starts beating again, gravity itself has to rearrange to make space for it. But old wounds ask for closure before unspoken feelings can bloom, so all the pieces of shattered hearts can fit together.

Day 22 Sess Ships

In Hindsight by @mrfeenysmustache (T)

Hindsight is 20/20. Or.. it’s supposed to be anyway. A Drabble series about overcoming our misconceptions and all the little ways we talk ourselves out of happiness. InuKag Post Canon

Day 23 Kouga Ships

From the Hearts - and the Wrapping Company by @clearwillow (NR)

A gift for UnderwaterOphelia in the IYFF Book Club Secret Santa exchange. Christmas isn't going according to anyone's plans, except Koga's. Between the heat in the apartment making it feel like it's July and the endless boxes Inuyasha and Kagome keep finding, there has to be a good reason for the devious look in their boyfriend's eyes.

Day 24 Other Ships

There's Something In the Mist by @splendentgoddess (X)

A gruesome discovery in the forest is a warning that goes unheeded by the Inu-tachi who have no idea what demonic influences are at play. They will soon have intimate knowledge of what fate awaits them...intimate knowledge of each other.

Day 25 LGBT

The Real Me by @fawn-eyed-girl & @kalcia (E)

Kagome Higurashi is one of the top music journalists in the country, and her latest assignment is to write a story on one of the biggest rock bands in the world: Inutachi. She is immediately attracted to the lead singer, Inuyasha Masaki, a brooding, edgy hanyou who is battling his own inner demons. As Inuyasha and Kagome are increasingly drawn to one another, Kagome becomes more and more determined to discover just what has happened to Inuyasha that caused him to turn down such a dark path, and why she cannot seem to stay away from him.

Day 26 LGBT

Three's Company by @anisaanisa (E)

Threesomes were good. Threesomes were fun. Threesomes were safe. Threesomes didn’t involve feelings. Inuyasha’s in love with his best friend, and it takes five years and long-distance for him to get his head out of his ass.

Day 27 Platonic

Snoring Is the Sixth Love Language by @superpixie42 (T)

Somewhat against his will, Inuyasha finds himself sharing a hut and its one small futon with Shippo after a thunderstorm traps them in a foreign village. But Shippo's snoring means Inuyasha won't be getting any sleep, and instead spends the night alone with his thoughts. A three-year-gap, There Was Only One Bed Prompt fic, filled with found family feels. Rated T for language. Featuring art by Artnisa (AnisaAnisa) !

Day 28 AU

The Captain and the Hanyou by @goshinote (T)

In a world in which youkai have been forced into hiding after the Great War, Captain Higurashi is known as one of the cruelest youkai-hunting pirates. After Captain Higurashi kidnaps Inuyasha, a prized hanyo, a plan is set in motion. Inuyasha will find out Captain Higurashi is nothing like the stories say, and he will discover that nothing is truly as it seems...

Day 29 AU

Aurora by @thunderpot (T)

"It is said that a long time ago in the age of heroes — when Mother Earth was awake and the Gods walked among mortals — there was once a beast created by the Sun that fell in love with a great warrior."

A creative exercise from inuvember prompt: Myth Au

Day 30 Fandom Day

Like Shards of the Shikon (a multi-author/artist collaborative AU)

A little craziness that got too big for Tumblr. "Like Shards of the Shikon" is a live action television version of the popular manga 'Inuyasha'. Follow the actors as they live, learn, and laugh together. Expect fluff, laughs, a little romance on and off screen. A mixture of art and text - we're just making it up as we go. Join the general craziness!

READ PART (1) HERE

--

A special shoutout to friend of the Archive @sometimes-icanstillhear-sitboy for creating a series of Inuvember fic-rec TikToks based on this list!

[inu-yasha]

let's talk about how kikyo was a 18/19 yr old trying to be w a 15 yr old half demon, with her weird ass

Let's talk about how the 15 year old Kagome bonded with the much older hanyou. Even though Rumiko said he's 15 and ages differently, it doesn't change the fact that centuries have passed between the two.

kagome is from modern times, and inuyasha from ancient times. For her, he could be an ancestor.

Now hold on. The age between InuKik is 3 years. This is not a pdo because Kikyou is also a teenager. The age of adulthood in Japan was 21 when this series was written. I think in 2020 they changed it to 18 for one reason(i'm not sure),The age of consent for s*x is 13 in Japan, which I disagree with. It doesn't work like in the west. A 3 year age difference doesn't make it a pdo. Do you understand? For all of you, even a guy/woman who is a year older than their love interest makes it a p*do, but between Inuyasha and Kagome there is this significant difference because she is a 15 year old child who liked a guy who is many many centuries older than her. And no matter how Rumiko would like to defend it. She comes from the future and he from the past. But I don't care because their relationship was shown differently to a certain other and I really don't care. This ship has other problems than what I have the right to criticize. I have never mentioned their ages in my criticism, although I could have. So logically, Kagome bonded with 'grandfather', who could be her ancestor. And you point out the 3-year difference between InuKik, where both are teenagers, only Kikyou had to mature faster because she had to take care of her sister, be her father and mother and take care of the village, it won't change the fact that she is a teenager and died as a teenager.

Pdo is between Sess///Rin,also Sesshomaru is a groomer. But that's not the case with InuKik and Inukag. They work differently. Age has never been an argument for me, but yours clearly is. It's a series based on a girl traveling to the past. Everyone there is older than her, and I have the impression that because of Kagome's similarity to Rin, Rin may be her ancestor.

And the best part is that she will grow old and die in the future, and he will stay young 🤣 He would have to become human to grow old with her and die before or after her, but that will never happen. He will watch her grow old, weaken and take her last breath, and he will remain young and in the same young body 🤣

If my hatred of Kagome bothers you so much, if you block me and your life will be better. You didn't understand my post. Love however you want and however much you want, I don't care. I will express what I want on MY blog and I am against Kagome and you won't change that.

I'll repeat this: I'm not here to argue, just to express my opinion. I don't persecute anti Kikyou, although I've seen you guys complain a lot, also you guys specifically looking for drama. Not here. The fandom is diverse and it's time to understand that everyone has the right to say whatever they want about fictional characters. Not everyone will like Kikyou, someone can write whatever they want about her and the same goes for kagome. She's no different than Kikyou. You may disagree with me like I do with you, but that's all.

Your whining to me about how much you don't like my hatred and trying to make the worst Kikyou in my eyes doesn't work. You're the one showing how much you hate the fact that I criticize Kagome so much.

Oh, and one more thing. I haven't been interested in ship wars for a long time. I separate Kagome from ships and I hate her as an individual, not because she's with Inuyasha. I have other reasons to dislike her and this is entirely her fault. Not the ship.

It's funny how you point out Kikyou's age and her relationship with Inuyasha, which is a small difference between them, but you don't see how big the time gap is in your ship. I hope I helped. No thanks, lol.

Now seriously. I think that between InuKik and InuKag age plays the smallest role here because it is fantasy and none of these relationships despite the age difference makes sense to bring up as an argument because logically it makes no sense in this series for some reasons that I understand. I do not consider inukag a p*do ship and the same with InuKik.

I, as Kikyou stan, can admit the flaws and advantages of Kikyou and my ship, but you can't move on and understand that Kagome and Inukag are not perfect and have flaws that people have the right to point out, instead of discussing you like to create drama and argue with others who don't love Inukag and don't worship Kagome as a 'divine figure without flaws'

time to move and accept Kagome will be criticized and hated as much as a ship, if not me then someone else will say it. Don't make yourself a victim because you are not better. Can't you stand it? At least you know what InuKik/Kikyou fans feel being attacked and humiliated by you for years. Your anger and your arguments are pathetic. Move on and accept what you have no influence on.

This is my last answer to you.

[moonieamv]

Season 1 Episode 5 Cosplay Mode Unity is an anime music video tribute to cosplay, featuring cosplayers from all over the world showing their love for the hobby. Enjoy this AMV and follow the amazing cosplayers in this episode to see more of their work! Note: This episode is a 2024 remake of episode 12 from the original 2014 Cosplay Mode series

Cast: Yuuki Asuna (Sword Art Online) · CN: Haruka.Roslie · Photographer(s): Xeno Photography Saten Ruiko (A Certain Scientific Railgun) · CN: Tenori Tiger - Photographer(s): Dimich Uiharu Kazari (A Certain Scientific Railgun) · CN: DariaAmbrosia - Photographer(s): Dimich Inosuke (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) · CN: Wendell Cosplays · Photographer(s): jcramos_photography Liliel (2.5 Dimensional Seduction) · CN: KoKoa Yuki Fashion & Cosplay · Photographer(s): Cato Kusanagi Mitsuri Kanroji (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) - ~CN~ Jett - ~Photographer(s)~ Subject Troubadour Satanichia Kurumizawa McDowell (Gabriel DropOut) · CN: KayaKirkland · Photographer(s): Mezurashi Cosplay Ruri Gokou (Oreimo) · CN: LuckyElie · Photographer(s): Chops Bardos Photography Ika Musume (Shinryaku! Ika Musume - The Squid Girl) · CN: Ika-Xin Cosplay · Photographer(s): Nutcase23 Photography Aqua (Konosuba) · CN: Nihil Cosplay · Photographer(s): Senketsu Photography Nowa (Queen's Blade) · CN: KICKAcosplay · Photographer(s): Stregatt0 Cheelai (Dragon Ball Super: Broly) · CN: Afrococoapuffs Cosplay · Photographer(s): Sixth Raikage Cos Broly (Dragon Ball Super: Broly) · CN: Sixth Raikage Cos Yoko Littner (Gurren Lagann) · CN: Kawaii Ringo Mako Mankanshoku (Kill La Kill) · CN: EviiCosplay · Photographer(s): Ayatsu Cosplay Melona (Queen's Blade) · CN: Giuzzys · Photographer(s): KNami, fabiovento Noko Shikanoko (Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan - My Deer Friend Nokotan) · CN~ Catiescos Torako Koshi (Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan - My Deer Friend Nokotan) · CN~ Saya_scarlet Isuzu Sento (Amagi Brilliant Park) · CN: Mangoe COS · Photographer(s): Novii Photography Leone (Akame Ga Kill!) · CN: Eviblu Remon Yamano (Ano Natsu de Matteru) · CN: Torati · Photographer(s): Sess Yor Forger (Spy x Family) · CN~ Yuki Crissy · Photographer(s)~ vibe_ography Kagome Higurashi (InuYasha) · CN: Akira Meyer Cosplay · Photographer(s): romai_lee Hikaru (Angelic Layer) · CN: Ichigokitty Cosplay Marin kitagawa (Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru - My Dress-Up Darling) · CN cheheavencosplay Misaki Ayuzawa (Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama!) · CN: Konohanauzumaki · Photographer(s): Ivanovich

[yumanichan]

Ok, it’s official now. Shirtless Sesshoumaru has taken over my life.

[procrastinatorrexii]

Mushin spoke only to her now, lifting the glowing pink jewel until it was level with her heart. “Now, Kagome, it is time— focus on the jewel.” Kagome had seen initiations before— more often than most, as the years had drug on, but never since her first disastrous attempt had she stayed for the whole ceremony. As the dull pink orb was held out before her she held her breath, praying to every god and spirit she could think of that it wouldn’t reject her again, that her life could finally start, that after this evening there would be something else, anything other than eternal sweeping and dishes and lessons and sympathetic looks from teenagers as they traded their acolyte robes for the crisp white kosode of the miko while she tied her sleeves back once again, getting ready to clean the floors they trained on. Please, gods, please let my life begin. Nothing happened. The jewel might as well have been made of oddly colored glass. Kagome’s eyes burned, but she didn’t dare close them. Her chest burned, but she didn’t dare take a breath. She was about to give up, about to let the sob jump up from her throat and drown her when a spark of light suddenly kindled inside the jewel. Before she could realize what was going on, before the relief could come, she was drowning in something else entirely.

It was like nothing she'd ever experienced before.

Pink light spilled out of the orb, brighter and brighter until it was all that Kagome could see— until she was in the center of an ocean of reiki. It was hot, like lava. It poured over her like liquid searching for low ground, burning her away until she was sure there’d be nothing left.

Vaguely, somewhere far away, she was aware that someone was shouting— maybe more than one someone, but it didn’t matter because in the next second the burning was inside her.

[shoalfoodblog]

Maybe I’m the only one, but I wish Sesshomaru hadn’t regained his arm. Just like, coming into his own strength, that story, feels more poignant to me if it’s inclusive of his disability.

[shierak-inavva]

happy tanabata! 🎋

managed to finish my yearly sesskag doodle, whew!

[lostlunaticprincess]

Drawing prompt? Say no more!

SessKag - Papamaru and Mama-Kags on a family outing with Rin and Shippou

Thanks for the prompt!! 🍙🍉 I love them as a family ❤️

(Pls click the image for higher resolution)