Photograph: The Retake! by Reishii-Chan

Snap

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Photograph: Snap

—"Hello darkness, my old friend

I've come to talk with you again

Because a vision softly creeping

Left its seeds while I was sleeping

And the vision that was planted in my brain

Still remains

Within the sound of silence."

- The Sound of Silence by Simon & Garfunkel.

~ ~ ~ ~

Kagome sat on the lip of the Bone-Eater's well, her ebony hair bathed in the highlights of the sunrise. Wishing she had brought a sweater, she gazed around the clearing, shivering. The faint streaks of sunlight touched her face; morning dew shimmered all around her.

It was peaceful. And she was anything but. 'Why do you insist we meet at dawn, and yet, YOU'RE the one who's late?' She heard the birds then. Kagome mimicked them, feeling a bit more peaceful after exchanging a few songs. She spied an orange coloured bird near her, perched on a nearby branch, fluffing its dazzling array of feathers.

She pulled out a tiny pouch of birdseed. "C'mon," she said, "I'm not going to hurt you."

Remaining as motionless as possible, it took a few moments. Then, the bird flew over, resting on her palm and gobbling up the seeds within seconds.

Kagome snaked her other hand into her knapsack, retrieving her camera. The shudder of the lens snapped in rapid succession, capturing a dozen photos in seconds. The birds in this era of Japan were so unique; she saw feathers of every colour combination. In the fall seasons they'd fly in unison as a kaleidoscopic display; it was what first drew her attention to photographing them. Kagome believed there might not be two of the same colour at all.

The pictures she developed when returning home always came out perfect. Mr. Tsukihaku, her professor, boasted her for the expert photo-shopping skills. Nothing like the birds of Feudal Japan existed in this world, leading her professor and colleagues to assumed she'd used digital enhancements and Photoshop. Of course, Kagome wouldn't ever correct them. She was proficient in digital photography, and had been using Photoshop since middle school; but they didn't need to know these creatures once existed.

The sun's rays breached the horizon, and a light breeze swept through the meadow. Neglecting the thoughts of the hanyou, Kagome strolled through the meadow, chasing the birds. For one reason or another, she possessed an affinity for the avian creatures of Feudal Japan. Perhaps her miko powers somehow attuned her with nature. So far, she had yet to attract anything bigger than a house cat, and only hoped it remained that way.

Besides, in a few centuries this land would be completely different. Cities, and new countries would develop—nothing of what is here now, except the God Tree and the Well, were still there in her time. It tugged at her heart strings to see the plumes of noxious smog hovering above the city skyline whenever she returned home. In her time, she couldn't even appreciate the sun's total warmth. Pollution, tsunamis, earthquakes, landslides, global-warming—this is what waited modern Japan. And it was not caused by demons.

She couldn't stop it. So, at least, she could capture its memory.

Kagome pointed her camera at another bird, pausing just before taking it. Completely entwined in her thoughts, the priestess failed to sense another within the clearing. How she initially missed the heavy shroud of youki blanketing the clearing, she wasn't sure. The moment it hit, her powers surged forward, enveloping her in a pink cloud.

A chill crawled up her spine, and she had little time to react. Clawed hands wrapped themselves around her throat, squeezing hard enough she coughed. Her camera fell from her hands, the shutters lens going off.

The hard and uncomfortable armour of her enemy dug into her back and shoulder blades. In the periphery of her vision a strand of silver thin hair swayed in the breeze, and she noted magenta stripes on the free arm of her captor.

This wasn't Inuyasha. Then...

The pressure abated, just enough for her to gulp in air. "What is that?" he growled.

"Describe 'that,'" Kagome said, wheezily.

"Do not be play coy." When she said nothing, the abductor hissed, tightening his grip. "'That' being the device you held in your hands and pranced around the meadow with, miko."

"A camera." The pressure slackened.

"Say it again."

"It's a camera," she croaked.

Released, Kagome stumbled, then fell hard on her shins, coughing hard enough to make her eyes water. The captor walked into her field of vision, his plated armour shining bright in the morning light. His ivory hair, saturated with orange hues of the sun, made him look even more striking and dangerous than usual. His topaz eyes bore into hers, demanding answers. His youki prodded her, impatient.

Collecting herself, Kagome answered. "It's a metal device used to... draw pictures. Of anything you want, automatically, and instantly."

"Some sort of dark magic? Sorcery?"

Kagome stifled a small giggle. "No, Lord Sesshoumaru—it's, uh, technology. You know. Engineering, and all that. From another country, of course."

"Why would one wish to own such device?"

"To take pictures." She looked about the meadow, drinking in the stunning view, instead of him. She would not gawk at how resplendent the inuyoukai was, surrounded in his element. "To always keep your memories. Or to appreciate something forever once it's gone. Sometimes, people keep them for fun. There's no one reason to want a camera. Besides, nothing last's forever. It's important to preserve history for future generations." Oh god. She was blabbering now. Her ardor for photography always managed to loosen her jaw.

"Pictures?" echoed the demon lord. "Another invention from this foreign land?" Her excitement was palpable; her excitement augmented her purity. His nose twitched, tingling, as her powers sparkled and swelled.

"A picture is an imprint of an object, or person, on a surface, kind of. Sort of like, if your reflection in the mirror froze, I guess, and you could take it anywhere." Kagome never imagined she'd have to explain this to anyone. Let alone the strongest taiyoukai in Feudal Japan!

Sesshoumaru's calculating eyes assessed her, scowling. He probably thought she was imbecilic, downright insane.

But then, he said, "Show me." In his palm, he revealed her camera.

Kagome plucked her camera from his hand and fiddled with its settings. Readjusting to produce a natural photograph, she raised her arms, camera poised. "I'm going to aim it at you, but it won't hurt you. It'll blink red a little red light, but don't feel threatened." The taiyoukai inclined his head, saying nothing. She framed him in the lens, and muttered a nervous, "Say cheese."

Flash. Snap.

In an whirlwind of silver, her camera was gone; and so was Sesshoumaru, whom only been standing there just a second ago. His youki flared, and her powers rose to stop it. Oh, he was not happy. Wide eyed, Kagome glanced all around until she spotted the demon, just a few feet from the well. Squeezing her camera, his eyes flashing red—

Crunch.

Her camera turned to dust. Kagome sighed.

"That," she said woefully, "had a lot of pictures on it. Did you at least spare the memory card?"

Sesshoumaru wiped his palms clean, averting her gaze. "You told me it would pose no threat."

"And it didn't. You're fine, are you not?" Kagome didn't expect him to answer, and he didn't. She noticed a sudden change in his expression, but it was gone too quick for her to pursue it. Fuming, but internally sulking, the miko began sifting through the ashes of her camera.

"If I lose that memory card, I'll be screwed!" The pieces were so little, and the SD card was so tiny, too, it would take her forever to find it...

A not so subtle nudge of youki interrupted her. "Show me how it works."

She peered up at him through her lashes, realizing just how intimidating he was when she was kneeling. Hell, he was a giant, even when she was standing. His feline eyes flashed expectantly.

"You... broke it." Kagome deadpanned. Did he forget that he mangled it?

"You must have another," he said haughtily.

Now she stood, barely reaching his shoulders in height. Ire rekindled the inner warmth in her navel whenever her powers stirred.

"You are certainly rude." She waggled a finger at time daringly. "And no, I don't have another one with me. It was the only one I had!"

"Not only can I smell your blatant lie, miko." Sesshoumaru seemed to reached for the pommel of his sword. "I also already have your

other ca-me-ra in my possession." Instead, he untucked his yellow and blue obi sash, and revealed her other, larger, more expensive, camera. Her heart ached.

"Show me how it works," he intoned, now toying her remaining camera. He was testing her, or teasing her—she wasn't certain which one it was. Just please don't break it. Please don't break it...

She expelled an audible gasp when he proffered her camera back. She also noted he had reigned in his oppressing youki, and was no longer glowering over her.

Kagome gingerly took it from his hand, scanning the camera for damages. Oh good, at least this one's spared.

It was her first camera, her favourite; it was her father's camera. Back in his twenties, he was an amateur photographer. He never made it anywhere past selling a few pieces for commission, as he'd been content to keep most of them. Kagome still had a few of his most fancied portraits, hung up on her walls back home.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Why mortals treat insignificant items with such fondness and devotion is beyond my understanding. It's especially wasted on such trivial items." He noted with faint intrigue that her powers were heavily tempered by her emotions. Understood why her pink aura sibilated in tandem to her words.

Indignation burned in Kagome's chest, and her eyes starting to sting. "It's been part of my family for years, and is very special. It used to belong to my dad. It's not like you'd understand what it's like to cherish something a father gives to you." He'd struck a nerve by mocking her father's gift; so she'd hit him where it hurts, too.

His silence was expected—however, he wasn't ignoring her. Rather, his expression reflected one of deep contemplation. "No," he said at length. "I suppose not. For the longest while, I believed I was never given something worth my while. My gratitude towards my father was received late. Perceptions can shift as swiftly as the seasons; or as often as the full moon. Others... aren't easily as changed."

He had no idea just how much she related to his words. Was it possible he regretted being so judgemental with his father? Acting like a selfish, spoiled brat when bequeathed Heaven's Fang? Rebellious to the point of driving away the ones you loved. She understood more than he knew what it felt like to leave relationships on a sour note.

Becoming alarming aware of just how close they were to each other, Kagome's breath stilled. He was just a brush away, his molten eyes burning into hers, asking questions she had no answers to. A jolt of fear spiked through her heart. Her powers responded, sizzling his invading aura and purifying the small space between them.

With a small, distasteful growl, Sesshoumaru stepped back. Unharmed, but her little antic pissed him off a degree. It seemed to jar him back into his normal approach of threatening and tormenting her.

"If you do not explain this device to me until I am satisfied, I will end your life sooner rather than later." Amber eyes held hers steadily. "Am I clear?"

"As mud," she said, fidgeting with her camera. She demonstrated. "This takes the photograph, which is the same word as picture. This lets you zoom—uh, I mean, see up close with it. And this will flash a white light before taking the picture, so you can see it at night."

"I can see perfectly at night."

Kagome repressed a sigh. "I'll take a picture of you, and then you do one of me. Okay?"

Kagome's thoughts focused on capturing the perfect photograph of the inuyoukai, who was standing in front of her. Adjusting the camera's settings and focus, she peeked through the lens, and her breath slammed out of her lungs.

Somehow, Kagome was able to admire Sesshoumaru in his true form.

Fur the colour of moonlight; ruby eyes as haunting as the first time she gazed into them. His maw was abundant with pearly white fangs as long as her arm, as thick as a tree-trunk. Paws the size of her small Chrysler were accompanied by talons capable of utter destruction. His was the size of a four-story building! She'd only ever seen him like this once, within the tomb of the Inu no Taishou—when she'd hauled the Tetsusaiga from its resting place, and was subsequently used later to dismember him. It was unlikely she could ever get rid of the image of his limb being severed by Inuyasha from her memories, or unhear his howling cry of pain as he retreated, wounded and defeated.

Her finger hesitated on taking the shot.

Strength, power, intellect, perfection—Sesshoumaru lived up to his name. And somehow, that day, she'd been lucky enough to escape his clutches. Witnessing him returned to his former glory was enough to ease the small bit of guilt she carried.

Staring in awe at his beauty and grace, she took her photos, reminding herself he was untamed, wild.

Regenerating his limb, while also fashioning a weapon as an extension of himself, all in one day, was only a feat Sesshoumaru could do. Bakusaiga being a formidable blade, capable of disintegrating anything, meant Sesshoumaru wielded an unparalleled weapon. He also possessed a transformed Tenseiga, capable of summoning the Meido Zangetsuha. It was amazing how he made it look like only having one arm hadn't set him back in the slightest.

Okay, she'd gawked long enough. Tinkering with her camera, she repositioned her aim for one last shot and said, "Cheese!"

Flash. Snap.

Blinding white light stunned her, then she felt the world tilt. The world was spinning, then she belatedly realized it was her who was tipping. Forcefully shoved down, a hand back cupped her throat. A heavy body pinned her down; her nose burned from the nauseating smell coming from his dokkaso. Oh no, I accidentally hit the flash!

"What did you do to my vision?" the taiyoukai roared. His pupils dilated, as he affixed her with a glare that made her tremble.

"It'll stop in a few minutes!" she gasped out between breaths, finding her powers rising to her aid. She willed it to remain dormant, lest she tick him off more. She wasn't confident she could purify him in this current state. "Just let it wear off! It's from the bright light, like I explained to you earlier! It's not going to hurt you."

Stupid. You should've known his eyes would've been sensitive to that. Hell, Inuyasha gets high off of my permanent markers! Their senses are acute, making them highly delicate creatures to certain things.

Only until he could finally focus on her face did he relinquish his hold. In a blink he was standing, a good distance apart, subtly fixing his hair, looking anywhere but at her.

Regaining her composure, albeit at a slow rate, Kagome grabbed her camera. She scanned through the digital gallery, disappointed. So much for all of that... it didn't even capture his true form.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head. "What is it, miko?"

Oh yeah, she thought. I suppose I should tell him...

"Well, it's just when I looked through the camera earlier, I, uh... this wasn't what I saw, I guess you could say."

Sesshoumaru flexed his claws.

Kagome backpedaled. "I saw your true form, not your... your human form. But it didn't get captured on the photograph."

Stunned was an understatement to how she truly felt. How could they capture ghosts on cameras, and yet she couldn't get a picture of a real-life inuyoukai? Maybe it had something to do with his youki, creating some sort of barrier her lens couldn't penetrate through? It was hard not to look so disgruntled.

The Western Lord made a sound of impatience. "Is this supposed to intrigue me, or threaten me?"

Kagome shrugged. "Neither, I guess. It might not mean anything. How am I to know? I'm not exactly an expert on demon photography."

"What is 'photography'?"

The questions relating to everything there was to know about photography was short lived. Sesshoumaru changed subjects, a warrior changing his strategy; deliberate and adapting to the pace. She passed him the camera for him to inspect.

"Why do you take pictures of birds?" Browsing through her gallery, he was intent to look through every file she contained, asking if she had any more of her 'micro S and Ds."

Unable to gauge how interested he was in her answer, she said, "They're beautiful, of course."

"Yes, but they're everywhere. Why the desire to take their pictures? And why must a photograph have something beautiful?"

Inquisitive, relaxed and maybe even a bit excited—Sesshoumaru was having a conversation with her. Which didn't involve killing, maiming, poisoning, or beheading her—among other threats he'd given her. Even years ago, the memories of his wrath haunted her nightmares. Often when she was finding herself missing Inuyasha.

She refused to jeopardize this moment. This could be the turning point. Maybe leading down a road where the taiyoukai may not threaten her life anymore. Or, at least, keep them to a minimum. She was bound to annoy him at some point, whether intentionally, or not.

"I want to remember them." Kagome glanced at the birds surrounding them.

"As if they will not be here forever?"

How could he have sensed the aching in her heart over having to lose these creatures just then? Her cerulean eyes glossed over, a wave of sadness hitting her in the belly.

"Nothing lasts forever. Everything gives way to change. Places, people, objects—if things remained the same, nothing could ever grow. Never become stronger. We evolve to be the best, and if we're not, we'll get wiped out. But in our place, something else will grow, and it will grow stronger. Be better than us."

Inuyasha, she reflected, unwilling to give into the feelings she'd been suppressing. Where is he anyway, baka? As if she needed another reason to stress over. It was supposed to be easy, coming back here, resuming her old life.

Now, she was stuck here, being bullied by the taiyoukai of the West. Teaching him about photography and cameras, and what pictures meant to her. A topic which tugged at her heart with each thought.

"You say this as if it's guaranteed," remarked the taiyoukai. "I suppose you are correct in this. I sense you are speaking from experience."

Kagome faked a small laugh. If only you knew the truth. "Where I'm from, these birds don't exist. It's why I keep coming back."

"I can smell you are being deceitful with me as well, but I won't press you for more answers tonight. That is, if you can answer me just one thing."

Of course, she rolled her eyes, but obliged. "And that is?"

"I want you to take a picture, and I'm going to ask you a question. Answer honestly, and I shall allow you your freedom for this evening." There was a slight lilt to his tone, unfamiliar to her. Sesshoumaru acting amused was strange.

"Of what?"

The demon lord stalked up to her, handing back the camera. "Take a picture of yourself." She could've sworn his amber eyes danced with entertainment.

Self-consciously, Kagome smoothed out her hair and made sure her blouse wasn't wrinkled. Sesshoumaru snorted, so faint she thought maybe it'd just been her imagination. She dabbed a small amount of pink gloss on her lips.

Flipping the camera around, she poised it so that it would capture from her shoulders up. "Here." She handed it to him. He declined by glancing away from her. "What?" She pouted.

"What do you find beautiful in that picture?" His voice sounded of rumbling thunder on a balmy summer night. Electricity sizzled through her every fiber. She was acutely aware of how much his youki fluctuated and expanded, as if it were its own entity. When she could no longer manage to hold his breathtaking gaze, Kagome stared at the image of herself.

She looked into the profile of a girl who'd clearly broken a time or two—who still needed to be patched back together. A girl who endured falling through time via a well as a portal, entering into Feudal Japan. Meeting monsters from her nightmares, who only wanted to devour her flesh and soul. Running into an ill-tempered and rowdy hanyou who wanted to kill her when she first met him. Then, winning his trust. Falling in love with him day by day, and he with her. Gathering trustworthy comrades, sharing an experience unlike any other.

When the battle with Naraku ended, the cloud over their relationship finally disappeared. Giving way to a far clearer reality; she loved her half-demon more than anything in the world. Gave everything up just to be by his side the moment he claimed his vengeance.

She saw a girl that, even when the well swallowed her back up, her inner resolve never shook. Her sheer will to be with Inuyasha willed the portal to reopen. To where she thought she'd always belonged, anyway. Hadn't that alone proved how strong their bond was? It didn't explain how so easily it shattered.

She saw a girl with a heart still mending, her love strong but wavering with each day. When she returned home for good the second time, she had the next three years to think about that moment which changed everything.

Kagome couldn't find anything beautiful in this picture.

Before the miko could reply, Sesshoumaru announced his departure. "I smell your hanyou close by. You may keep your camera. I do expect an answer."

Sesshoumaru disappeared, leaving Kagome standing awestruck in the meadow.

The sound of his arrival reached her, the echo of breaking tree branches a sure sign. Steeling herself, Kagome took in a few deep breaths, calming her powers down to a dull roar in the background of her mind.

It was only two years, eleven months, and forty eight days. It wasn't a long time. To youkai, it was merely a blink of an eye, a whimsical thought—concept of time was different to them.

To Kagome, three years felt like three decades.

It had been her decision to separate; to let things fall where they may. To allow fate a chance to sort their destinies out. It worked in the past. The sole reason for her being in Feudal Japan was due to fate wanting the Shikon no Tama removed from the world. It had been her destiny, bequeathed to her since birth.

So she accomplished her destiny. In the end, everything worked out right. She knew sacrifices in the name of good intentions would never be in vain, nor regretted. Sometimes, the heroine must endure another grueling challenge to prove her strength. This logic never steered her wrong before.

Why was she so afraid to use it now?

He emerged from the canopy of trees in true Inuyasha fashion. Bounding high up into the air, he floated for several seconds, coming to land just a few paces away from her. Bright golden eyes welcomed her. His familiar smile greeted her, and a knowing hand beckoned her. A small breeze picked up, her scent hitting scent. Familiar. Safe.

Without understanding what she was doing, Kagome leaped into his arms. He always fumbled before he embraced her, never getting over being openly affectionate. He feared his pride would tarnish if his soft side became exposed in any way. This made Kagome hug him even tighter, just to spite him.

"Oi, woman, you're going to suffocate me." His arms embraced her finally, his chin resting on her shoulder. Her face nuzzled into the crook of his arm, taking solace in the familiarity and feel of him.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

"Miroku's 'exorcism' didn't exactly convince the villagers this time."

"You got banished from the village, didn't you?"

"And they threw stones at us. Those villagers were bastards." Inuyasha stilled, his breaths coming in shorter bursts. "I smell Sesshoumaru. Why was he here?" His voice still held the same resentment when mentioning his elder brother's name.

"Calm down. It was just a wrong place wrong time kind of thing."

The hanyou sniffed even more excitedly. "He was here a while. What were you guys talkin' about?"

Wrestling out of his embrace, Kagome bit back her irritation. This is exactly the kind of behaviour she wanted to escape from. This incessant jealousy, or whatever you wanted to call it, was unnecessary. And meaningless, given they weren't in item any longer, anyway. It stung

Kagome to put things so objectively, but it was the truth. And the only option she could think of to fully get over him.

"He just wanted to know what my camera was. When he couldn't understand after I tried explaining he left. We both know how unpredictable he is."

"Ain't that the truth." Inuyasha appraised her, then sniffed in disapproval. "Your eyes are too dark."

"It's just allergies," she rebuttled.

Inuyasha wasn't clever enough to detect her lies like Sesshoumaru—at least, she hoped he wasn't. She didn't know how much about him had changed—how much she had changed. There was still a lot he didn't know about, and she preferred it that way.

"Look, I get you're just making sure I'm okay. But I can handle myself! I'm no longer a weakling, Inuyasha." She had meant to say it with more conviction, but instead found it sounding pitiful. "I'm sure it'll never happen again. He got what he wanted. I think I just caught him in the middle of his period, or whatever daiyoukai go through."

The hanyou merely shook his head in exasperation. "You're just as odd as always."

Not questioning why the sudden tension between them had evaporated, Kagome eagerly diverted onto a different subject.

"Oh, just forget about it," she said. "I want to see Sango and Miroku—I haven't met their recent son yet!"

"Um, they just had a girl, actually."

Kagome sighed. "I can't keep track of them all!"