Affliction by Mynameishuman

Chapter 1

Moving to Kyoto was not Sesshomaru’s idea of a good time. His father's business ventures had relocated the family halfway across Japan. There was little he could say to change it, being heir to his father's company.

It was all for the good of the company. Or so his father insisted.

“Why don’t you boys go out and do some sightseeing,” Izayoi, Sesshomaru’s stepmother, suggested.

“Not interested,” Sesshomaru said immediately, but it would seem his brother had other ideas.

“I love it,” Inuyasha said around a piece of toast. “Let’s do it.”

“No. Take your girlfriend.”

“It’s been a month, Sesshomaru,” his father said, strolling into the kitchen straightening his tie, briefcase in hand. “You’ve been cooped up in the house the whole time. School starts soon. Why don’t you go enjoy the rest of the summer? Outside.”

It was the last thing he wanted to do, and as he opened his mouth to once again object, Inuyasha began talking.

“You’re coming,” he said firmly. “Or I’ll start charging you interest for that money you borrowed from me when we were kids. It’s been, what? Ten years? That’s a lot of interest.”

Blackmail, Sesshomaru thought, regarding his brother narrowly.

“Fine,” he sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”

Grabbing his phone and keys, he stalked out of the kitchen. 

“I worry about him sometimes,” he barely heard Izayoi say as he stepped into the garage.

Rolling his eyes, he hopped into the driver’s seat, waiting for Inuyasha to get in the passenger side.

“Where should we go?”

“I haven’t the slightest idea. This was your idea.”

“It was mom’s idea,” Inuyasha corrected.

“To which you readily agreed. Figure it out.”

Thinking a moment, Inuyasha went through all the places Kagura had taken him since he’d met her. One sight, in particular, caught in his mind, and he smirked mischievously.

“Head toward the Shijo-Ohashi Bridge in Gion.”

“Why? What’s there?”

“Sights. To see,” he said cryptically.

With a sigh, Sesshomaru backed out the garage, switched gears, and sped down the long driveway, the gate at the end already pulling open for him.

He didn’t stop as he breezed by the gatehouse, turning onto the secluded private drive that led down the hill to the busier part of the city.

xAx

“Pull in there,” Inuyasha instructed, and Sesshomaru pulled into a parking garage. “We have to walk from here.”

Sesshomaru hadn’t spent any time in Gion but had a general knowledge of its history. As the Geisha center of Japan, it was well-known for its tea houses. Did his brother bring him here for that?

“Why are we here, Inuyasha?” He asked with some irritation.

As they walked, Inuyasha began to give him a bit of backstory, to which Sesshomaru listened with half an ear.

“So, supposedly there was this Miko like…four hundred years ago or so. Apparently, she was the most powerful Miko Japan had ever seen, single-handedly defeating a power-hungry youkai, or whatever. I don’t know. Kagura said he was a giant spider or something.”

They continued walking, coming up on a shrine, and Sesshomaru followed Inuyasha as he took the stairs up, two at a time.

“Anyway, he was crazy powerful, but she still kicked his ass. But plot twist! With his dying breath, he cursed her, and she turned to stone right where she stood.”

“Fascinating,” Sesshomaru deadpanned.

Truly, it was an interesting story - if you were into fairytales. Sesshomaru was an adult. He didn’t have time for children’s stories.

“That’s not even the best part,” Inuyasha continued, leading them around the back of the shrine where there was a significant reduction in shrine-goers. “The legend says that she’s doomed to stay that way until her soulmate or whatever sets her free.”

Up ahead, a statue stood erect. A young female carved perfectly from stone. It was eerie, even to Sesshomaru, how lifelike it was. Her frozen face was one of determination as she looked down toward the ground before her. She held a katana out in front of her, the tip of the blade pointed at the ground. Her free hand seemed to hang limply – and empty – at her side.

She wore the traditional attire of a shrine priestess, her hair falling as stone over her shoulders in waves.

Sesshomaru looked into the face of the maiden, impressed by the talent of the artist who carved her.

“Is that all?” He asked, eyeing his brother askance.

He didn’t like the toothy grin that spread over his brother's face.

“Go touch her,” Inuyasha dared, gesturing toward the statue with his chin. “Maybe you’re her soulmate and can free her from her centuries of torment.” 

He laughed at the ridiculous idea but didn’t pass up the chance to tease his reclusive older brother.

Sesshomaru looked at the sign, posted very obviously, instructing guests not to touch the statue.

“There are rules for a reason, Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru sighed in annoyance.

“Come on! Do it. You never know. You could end up being her knight in shining armor.”

Inuyasha dug in his pocket for his phone, readying it to snap a picture.

“Inuyasha, I refuse to –”

“Oh, lighten up. Do it, or I’ll tell dad what really happened to his cellphone last week. You know how pissed he was, having to get back all the contacts he lost.”

Of course, Sesshomaru destroying his father's cellphone had been an accident, but he wasn’t about to own up to it. Besides, why was it in the middle of the driveway, anyway? It was his father's fault it’d gotten crushed beneath a tire.

Still, his father's wrath was nothing to joke about.

“Fine,” he said darkly, looking around for witnesses before stepping toward the statue. Lifting his hand, he reached out to poke her shoulder but was stopped short.

“No, no. Grab the hand. I’ll get a picture of you love-birds.”

“You first,” Sesshomaru growled, glaring at his brother over his shoulder.

“I already did when Kagura brought me here,” he shrugged. “It’s no big deal. Just grab her hand, I’ll get a picture then we can go, and you’ll always have something to remember this moment by.”

“You know, Inuyasha, you’re a dick.”

“I’m just fucking with you, Sesshomaru. Lighten up.”

Sighing, Sesshomaru glanced around once more before rolling his eyes and grabbing the delicate hand of the statue. A click reached his ear as his infantile brother took a picture.

“There, happy now?” He asked, pulling away. “Can we go?”

“Guess you’re too cold for her,” Inuyasha laughed, jokingly nudging his brother in the side with his elbow.

“Inuyasha, touch me again, and I will break your arm.” Sesshomaru had to have an infinite depth to his patience to put up with his brother.

As they started to walk away, the sound of stone cracking and falling to the ground had them looking over their shoulders.

Sesshomaru was the first to face the statue fully as hairline fractures split its surface before crumbling to the ground in large and small chunks. Inuyasha’s eyes widened as colors revealed themselves beneath the gray stone of the statue.

The red and white of the chihaya. Black, silken hair. Ivory skin. The stone fell away from the katana, revealing a sharp-edged blade in black and silver, it’s hilt gold and black.

And finally, a heart-shaped face was revealed. Full lips and bright blue eyes that blinked in confusion for a moment.

No one uttered a word as the three exchanged looks. Inuyasha in complete disbelief, Sesshomaru’s face was blank, but inside he was just as shocked as his brother. The Miko, standing only about ten feet away, eyed them both with seriousness.

“Where is he?” She demanded, lifting her katana in front of her, it’s dangerous point directed at them.

Inuyasha’s phone slipped from his fingers to clatter to the ground.

“Wh-who?” Inuyasha asked, eyes still impossibly wide.

“Naraku,” she growled, “that vile hanyou.”

“Hanyou?” Sesshomaru finally spoke. “There is no hanyou here, woman.”

Narrowing her eyes, she studied him. His short, silver hair. Amber eyes. He had no markings she could observe, but he was wearing strange clothing.

Youkai? She wondered, flaring her reiki. But she got no response. She couldn’t sense anything demonic from him at all. 

“You. What are you?”

Inuyasha, still dumbfounded, pointed stupidly at his brother in question.

“I’m a man,” Sesshomaru said slowly. “What are you?”

She had, after all, been a statue not moments before.

“Are you youkai?” She demanded, clarifying.

“Demon?!” Inuyasha exclaimed.

“No,” the elder brother drawled. “I’m human.”

“And him?” She asked, gesturing to his brother.

“Also human.”

“Yep,” Inuyasha squeaked. “All human, here. Not an ounce of youkai in me.”

Raising her chin, she eyed them both critically from down the slope of a regal nose, and they watched in fascination as a violet light surrounded her before fading away.

Relaxing visibly, she sheathed her katana and finally glanced around.

“This place…is not –”

“Oh, great Omoikane,” someone breathed from behind the two males, and three sets of eyes turned to the Shinto priest just as he fell to his knees in a deep bow. “The curse has been lifted. Lady Kagome has returned.”

“What are you talking about, priest?” The Miko – Kagome – asked.

“Wow,” Inuyasha breathed before a chuckle left his mouth. The laugh quickly turned maniacal, and soon, he doubled over, clutching his stomach. “I was not expecting this.”

Reaching to the side, Inuyasha tapped his brother insistently, still bent over in laughter. “Guess you weren’t too cold for her, after all!” He said, his voice rising several octaves as he thoroughly amused himself.

Sesshomaru shook his head and looked at the confused Miko.

“I apologize for my brother's behavior. He’s an imbecile.”

“I can see that.”

“Hey!” Inuyasha said grumpily, straightening. “You’d still be a statue if it weren’t for me!”

“You lifted the curse?” The priest questioned, stepping over to them before falling into another bow for the Miko.

“No way. That was him,” Inuyasha said, gesturing at Sesshomaru.

The priest glanced at the ‘no touching’ sign before looking at Sesshomaru who shrugged.

“I had no way of knowing this would happen,” Sesshomaru said, looking the priestess over.

“Do you make it a habit of breaking the rules, young man?” The priest asked sternly.

“Most certainly not. However, when annoying younger siblings are involved, things tend to get…messy.”

“I understand that,” Kagome offered, a small smile touching her lips as her bright blue eyes shined up at him.

Sesshomaru’s heart skipped a beat, and, unconsciously, he straightened, standing a bit taller.

“Hmm. All of you, follow me,” the priest instructed, turning to walk toward a building further into the property. “Lady Kagome, you must be quite troubled.”

“I will admit,” she said, hesitantly. “I am a bit confused.”

“Allow me to explain everything.”

The priest slid a door open and led them down a hall and into another room, closing the door behind them. Tapestries hung on the wall, depicting a great and bloody battle, demons of all shapes and sizes honing in on a lone priestess, dead center of it all.

“Please, sit down,” he gestured to several cushions placed around a tea table and rang a bell. Moments later, a shrine maiden stepped in with a bow. “Bring tea, please, Hana.”

With another bow, the shrine maiden left to go complete her task.

“Let me tell you a story,” the priest began, catching their eye. “Lady Kagome was a fearsome warrior with the greatest power of her time. No other held the sheer amount of reiki she did within her soul, and she used it for the betterment of those around her.”

Kagome’s brows pulled together slightly as she eyed the priest. Sesshomaru, in turn, was studying her. He hadn’t had a chance to consider what all of this meant, but he felt that in a short amount of time he’d be forced to make a decision. And an important one.

Inuyasha, for his part, sat quietly as he looked around the room.

“Trained from a young age in the way of the warrior, she also held extensive knowledge of healing. She was revered as the greatest Miko of all time.” Here, he paused as the shrine maiden returned with the tea.

Meanwhile, Kagome’s face was darkening with each word the priest spoke. There was something ominous about his words. The entire situation since…waking up…had thrown her. Blinking, she forced herself to keep it together. She was a warrior, after all. She could handle anything life dealt her.

“Tell me, Lady Kagome, about the last year of your life,” the priest prompted, serving her tea first, then Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and finally himself.

His wording didn’t go unnoticed, but she humored him.

“It has been a hard year for everyone,” she said slowly. “Crops have failed across the land. Youkai have become bolder, targeting villages everywhere. They have been killing humans ceaselessly. They were all counting on me to end the madness.”

“Yes, continue,” the priest nodded, taking a sip of his tea.

“I tracked it all back to Naraku,” she growled again. “It was a difficult battle, though I still defeated him.”

Sesshomaru was, almost, inspired by her passion.

“How did you kill him, might I ask?” The priest questioned curiously.

She grinned, almost sweetly, and touched the hilt of her katana.

“Awaremi has served me well through the years,” she said, lifting the katana – still sheathed – from her waist and resting it in her lap.

“You know how to use that thing?” Inuyasha asked skeptically, finally speaking.

She scoffed, offended by the brat's words.

“Would you like a demonstration?” She asked mildly.

“Young lad, I do not recommend challenging Lady Kagome. My lady, why don’t you continue with your explanation.”

“Awaremi is anointed with the blood of Hachiman and Raijin. I met Naraku on the battlefield during a storm, which happened to be to my benefit. Naraku was blood-thirsty. He yearned for power, and conquest was his only desire. He tore his own into shreds before my very eyes simply because they stood in his way.

“Through Awaremi, Raijin stood beside me in battle, and he offered his support by way of lightening. Channeling his holy power, I was able to cut Naraku down where he stood. He and his mindless followers were no match.”

As she spoke, Sesshomaru’s eyes went to the tapestry on the wall, depicting the exact battle she described.

“Lady Kagome, look around the room and tell me what you see,” the priest requested, and the Miko looked around, her eyes scanning the tapestries.

“It appears to be a battle of some sort,” She said, unable to comprehend his meaning.

“That’s correct. It’s your battle.”

Her eyes hardened, and she looked at the priest narrowly.

“That battle just occurred. This tapestry could not have been created in such a short time.”

“It hasn’t been a short time, Lady Kagome,” the priest said gently. “Do you recall what happened after you defeated Naraku?”

“Of course. I –,” she paused, trying to recall the events after the battle – any event, any moment, anything. But she came up short, and suddenly the ominous feeling returned with a vengeance. “What is the meaning of this?”

“The truth may be difficult for you to hear, Lady Kagome. But if you would like to listen, I will gladly tell you.”

“Yeah…I’m just gonna go ahead and get out of here,” Inuyasha cut in, inching back toward the door. “It’s been fun. Nice to meetcha’, but we gotta go. Come on, Sesshomaru.”

Without moving, Sesshomaru snatched the collar of Inuyasha’s shirt, halting his movement.

“We’re not going anywhere, little brother,” he said, his voice threatening. “This was your idea. Take responsibility. You will hold yourself accountable this time.”

“If you two are quite finished,” Kagome drawled, fingering Awaremi’s hilt.

“Please, continue,” Sesshomaru nodded to the priest.

“Lady Kagome, you have been afflicted with a powerful curse. The accounts of Lady Rin have been passed down for generations to each priest who cares for this shrine. In the words of Lady Rin, Naraku placed a curse on you, at which time you were made everlasting,” he paused to give her a moment, but she nodded for him to continue. “The key to breaking the curse was a cruel and unfortunate one. You see, there was only one person on Earth that could release you from your affliction.”

Kagome’s eyes cut to Sesshomaru, making the connection.

“And I am to understand that this man is the one who has released me from this…curse?” She asked, and the occupants of the room were surprised at how calm she sounded.

“By his accounts, yes.”

“I am not a liar,” Sesshomaru said, his eyes shifting from the priest to the priestess.

She held his eye, weighing him as if she could see into his very soul. He watched in fascination as blue eyes flashed violet.

“I believe you,” she finally said, then cut her eyes to Inuyasha. “You, however, have much growing to do.”

“Hey!” Inuyasha sputtered.

“He can’t help it,” Sesshomaru said with a smirk. “He is coddled at home.”

“I’m not coddled!”

“Aren’t you?” Sesshomaru asked, daring his brother to deny it.

“Whatever,” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and avoiding everyone's eyes.

“Priest, may I see what Lady Rin has written? The parchment is in your possession?”

“Of course, Lady Kagome,” the priest said, rising to rummage through a trunk along a wall before pulling out an ornate lacquered box and sitting it on the table in front of the Miko. “As I was saying, this has been passed down to each priest who cared for this shrine. Subsequently, we were also given the task of watching over you until you returned."

Kagome opened the lid on the box carefully, setting it aside on the table. Pulling out several pieces of parchment, she read through them quickly before sighing and replacing the pages. The lid returned to the box, and she placed her hands in her lap over her katana.

“How long has it been?” She asked.

He knew the parchment was dated centuries before, that she had been displaced from all she’d known. He would be there to support her, though, as the gods had tasked him.

“Centuries, Lady Kagome,” he finally said. “But I will be here to guide you in this new age.”

“And what is your role in all of this?” She asked Sesshomaru.

“I’m not quite certain,” he said honestly. “What did the parchment say of the curse?” He asked, gesturing at the lacquered box.

“Lady Rin wrote down what she heard of the curse Naraku spoke, it was chaotic, though. She could have heard wrong.”

“What is it she wrote?” Sesshomaru asked, leaning forward.

“That only one, the one connected to me by work of the God’s themselves, had the power to release me from the curse.”

“Holy shit. So, the legend is true?” Inuyasha asked then laughed. “Sesshomaru, you finally have a girlfriend. Now you can remove that stick that’s stuck up your ass."

In a movement faster than he could see, Kagome lifted her sheathed katana and smacked Inuyasha on the head.

“Language, brat. You are in a temple. Continue with your disrespect, and you will spend the remainder of the day shining the floors.”

“As if,” he grumbled.

Ten minutes later, Kagome was supervising as Inuyasha used a rag and his momentum to shine the shrine floors.

“Impressive,” Sesshomaru said, as he stood beside her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him clean a thing his entire life.”

“This sucks!” Inuyasha cried. “Sesshomaru! You come help. You’re the one who broke the rule and touched her!”

Sesshomaru shook his head with a chuckle.

“You seem to have it well in hand.”

“Jerk,” Inuyasha grumbled as he scooted his way down another section of the floor.

“What will you do now?” Sesshomaru asked, glancing at the Miko he’d somehow saved. The Miko he had some connection to.

Curious, he thought as he watched her think his question over. She seems so…unaffected.

“The priest has offered me shelter. I suppose I will remain here until I can figure out what to do. I…” she paused, and he saw uncertainty cross her face for the first time. It made her seem more human, and he felt somehow responsible for her current predicament. “I do not understand this world I have woken up in.”

Unsure what to say, he remained silent for a moment. He hadn’t expected his day to go this way when he woke up that morning. If he was being honest, it was all very…science fiction. He felt as if he had stepped into a fantasy novel, and that wasn’t exactly Sesshomaru’s choice of reading material.

But, he couldn’t deny that he was intrigued by the situation he’d found himself in. To think, he’d stumbled upon a living legend. And he was connected to her in some way.

Glancing over at her, he observed her in profile as she watched his brother buff the bamboo floor of the shrine. She was a native, but her blue eyes seemed to suggest otherwise. Her hair was long and looked soft. Her hand tightened on the hilt of her sword, now back at her waist. The flowing sleeves of her kimono stirred as a breeze blew past.

She’s…pretty, he thought.

“I can help. If you’d like,” he heard himself say, without actually having the conscious thought to do so. “I’m…actually new to the area, myself. We can learn it together.”

Inuyasha glanced at his brother as he heard his words. As much as he wanted to say something snarky, he didn’t want to ruin this opportunity for his brother. As much as they got on each other’s nerves, Inuyasha looked up to Sesshomaru, and truth be told, he was glad his brother was willing to put himself out there.

Shifting his eyes, he watched the timeless Miko subtly, waiting for her answer while continuing with his punishment.

Blue eyes shifted to Sesshomaru as she considered his offer. The priest had already offered to help her navigate the new era she’d found herself in, but…this silver-haired man had been the one to save her from the curse. They were connected.

Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to take him up on his offer. However…

“You know…Miko live solitary lives,” she felt the need to point out.

“Hn. The rules have changed,” he said. “However, I make my offer as a companion, not a love interest.”

“What do you mean ‘the rules have changed’?”

“It is no longer a requirement that a priestess remains…pure,” he said, for lack of a better word.

“No longer a requirement?” She asked as if to herself. “It is not for a simple human to decide. It is decided by the gods' themselves. No longer a requirement,” she scoffed. “The audacity.”

“Today’s society is much different than it was centuries ago, priestess.”

“What do you mean?” She looked up at him with a mix of curiosity and wariness, and he held her eyes.

“If you walked down the street wearing this,” he pinched a small amount of the fabric of her sleeve, rubbing it between his fingertips. “People would look at you oddly, believing one of two things: you are wearing this because your job requires it, or you are simply playing dress-up.”

At the disgruntled – albeit cute – look on her face, he continued, not allowing her to cut in.

“If you walked down the street carrying your katana, you’d be arrested. Weapons are against the law.”

“But…how does one defend themselves without a weapon?”

“There are police officers for that.”

“There are what?”

“It’s a…type of an organization responsible for finding and punishing criminals. They provide justice and keep the streets as safe as they can.”

“You mean like…vigilantes?” She asked, turning toward him and tipping her head.

Sesshomaru had eyes; he had seen beautiful females before. But, he had never really paid them any mind. Sure, he’d had a girlfriend or two, but they were so much work. And needy. And he just didn’t have the time or energy to deal with them. So, he didn’t.

But something about the way she tipped her head in gentle curiosity tugged at him, pulling him just a bit closer to this side of interest.

“Not vigilantes,” he corrected, leaning in a bit without realizing. “Vigilantism is illegal. The police can’t just go around punishing whomever they please. They have a lot of rules and regulations to follow. They can’t punish a person without evidence the person committed a crime.”

“Fascinating,” she said, her brows pulled together as she hung on his every word. “What are the requirements for being a –,” she stopped, looking up at him. It was a foreign word, and she didn’t want to say it incorrectly.

“Police officer,” he reminded softly.

“Yes, police officer."

“I’m not entirely sure. They go through extensive self-defense and weapons training. Though, there is also the military.”

“How does the military differ from my time?” She asked.

“I’d have to open a history book to give you an exact difference, but it is likely similar in terms of ranking system. They have rules and regulations to follow as well.”

“So…no pillaging villages? No raids? No senseless brutality?”

“Exactly. Especially not in our homeland.”

“Interesting,” she said, turning away.

The sun began to set behind the shrine.

“Inuyasha,” she called, and part of Sesshomaru was envious of the sound of his brother’s name on her lips. “You may stop once you have completed the room.”

“Sweet!” Inuyasha said, flying through the rest of his chore with renewed vigor.

“My parents will never believe this,” Sesshomaru said with the ghost of a smile as he watched his spoiled little brother rush across the floor with a rag.

A moment of silence passed between them.

“Sesshomaru,” she started, and his heart skipped in his chest. “I accept your offer. I look forward to learning with you.”

She bowed at the waist, and when she straightened, her bright blue eyes met his with determination. And he wondered just what he’d gotten himself into.

“Wait a minute,” Inuyasha said, his head popping up from his work. “If you had to be touched for the curse to break, then why was there a ‘no touching’ sign? That seems counter-productive if you ask me.”

Her melodic laughter filled the room.

“One must have faith that the Gods' know what they are doing. Never lose faith, Inuyasha. The Gods' will always do right by those that have earned their favor.”

Inuyasha broke into laughter.

“Oh, man. Sesshomaru, you have your hands full with this one.”