A glistening green. So deadly a wisp. Why are the most deadly things on earth so beautiful? Like a flame licking at his hands it was, and yet it was doing nothing to him. Was he like the fire-like poison? Was his whole form, the mere sweat on his brow-Was it made of said poison? Behind the icy stare, is there someone so deadly that all he really fears is contact? A creature destined to be alone, unless he found someone who can withstand his acidic saliva; his burning seed even. No one should blame him for his ways. Perhaps even his hatred of human is because that they can touch each other, hold each other, and even have children together. Even some demons can withstand such a curse from a fellow demon lover. Unfortunately, this is not the case for him. To have great power, one must be balanced with a great weakness. His was not one of physical strength.
The great youkai lord fisted the palm of his hand, and the poison was gone. His brow furrowed, before he stood up. With a great rage, he produced a golden whip from his fingertips, and began whipping at a tree near him. Crack! Crack! Crack! He thought for sure no one would be near enough to hear him. Even if there were, he knew no one would be stupid enough to come and see what was going on after hearing such a sound. His rage hid his despair and the longing. If only there was someone, just one person for his being. He would give anything and everything for them. Dissipating his whip, he walked over to the tree before him and laid his head upon it. The demon closed his eyes, trying to calm his emotions once more.
'At least I'm not sweating a lot currently. This tree would be gone. This is why I fear when I must save Rin, or anyone else for that matter. All it would take is one touch from even the sweat on my body to cause the painful sting of the toxin swirling within it.'
His thoughts ended, as he sensed one of his vassals coming. Standing up straight, he composed himself. He couldn't let anyone think anything was ever wrong. He watched as Rin emerged for the forest green.
"Milord? Jaken and I have been searching for you everywhere. I woke up from a nightmare and woke up Jaken as well."
She looked still scared to her lord's eyes, but he could not comfort her. "We shall return to camp now," was all he said. Seeing her nod, he followed close behind her back to camp. 'How can I care for someone whom I can't even calm when they are scared?' he thought to himself. Stopping a moment, he looked up at the shining stars, and the moon within those heavens. It was the same moon as the one upon his forehead. Perhaps the Kami have a purpose that he knows not yet about.
....
Baboom...Baboom...Baboom... 'You are almost there, Kagome.' Baboom... Baboom... Baboom...
"What in the hell is Kagome doing again?!"
"Shhhhhhh!"
"Don't shush me!!!"
Baboom... 'Come on Kagome. Just ignore them. This is your chance-my chance.'...
"Inuyasha, she is trying to bring out her full potential! Even though her soul is not whole, she still has greater power, even more than my sister Kikyo had. All she needs do is bring it forth!"
Ba-'I...Can't...do this...!'
Standing up from her meditative sitting position, she opened her eyes to glare at everyone. "Can't you all go somewhere else while I'm doing this?! It's hard enough to concentrate knowing I'm being stared at! It's even harder when people won't shut up!"
"It's all Inuyasha's fault," spoke up Shippo.
"Don't try to blame this all on me Shippo! I don't even know why she has to do this! It's not like she does most of the fighting anyways," yelled Inuyasha.
Kagome growled out in frustration. "That does it! Sit boy!" A large thump was heard, where a new recess was created in the ground. "I'm going somewhere less annoying to concentrate. Kirara can come, if she wants, since she can alarm me, if my senses are out of whack during meditation. NO one follow us! You hear?!" Grabbing up her bow and arrows, she stomped off into the forest. In her mind, she dared anyone to follow her. Kirara, in her kitten form, followed right next to her. Usually, Kagome would do this alone, but she wasn't always 'in contact' with the world around her, when she was delving into her soul like that. If she doesn't have a physical contact with something, she may not realize if something is coming towards her, until it is too late.
The sun beat down through the tree branches, and Kagome could already tell that it would be late night before she may even be near done with this test of will. Finding a nice, small clearing, she sat back down, placing her bow and quiver beside her. Crossing her legs, she closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She could sense Kirara laying down near her.
As she began to block out the world, and look into her heart, her anger began to ebb away. Hopefully, she would soon know all the strength she really had.
....
Night had fallen once again, and the demon lord asked his vassals to stay at camp. He threatened Jaken with his life if anything were to happen to Rin. Of course the green imp would do as ordered. Making his cloud underneath him he took to the skies, wishing to be alone during this time. Usually he could ignore this pain within him, but more and more often that feeling has been worsening within him. 'It started when I first saw that human miko with my half brother. To see him able to have someone, my jealousy has grown. He may have thought it was the sword I desired the most, but it in was the fact he had something so wonderful and he could not see how much she had cared for him.' He used the word 'had' for good reason. More and more he could sense the miko's love lessen for his brother. 'And why wouldn't it? He is in love with a dead clay pot. For someone who could have what this Sesshomaru can not he surely is an idiot about seeing these things.'
As he flew, he tried to take his mind off of it. Closing his eyes for but a minute, he tried to imagine clouds. They were always good to imagine when he needed to hide thoughts in his subconscious. That's when he caught it. His eyes shot wide open, and he looked down over the forest. There he could see the pink light glowing from below the trees' branches. While it not only looked like the mentioned miko's power, it was as if he could feel her warmth emanating from it, from all the way up where he was.
"What is she doing?" he questioned, as he began to float down to her. If that much power was coming from her, then he could only think she could be in danger. That was not what drew him though. In all truth, he had never expected to see such power coming from said source!
...
"Whoa! Look at that light! Is it Kagome, Kaede?" asked the little fox demon.
"Aye, it is, young one," she replied.
"No way! That's Kagome?!" The hanyou couldn't believe his eyes.
"She truly does have great power within," added Miroku.
....
"What...? Is-Is this mine? Is this...my power?" In her soul, Kagome's eyes were closed. Her arms held loosely to her legs, which were brought up to her chest. Nude as the day she was born, she could tell that there was light all around her. Her body spun around slowly in the center of a pale golden place. Her eyes opened slowly, fragmented images and memories showing before her eyes. "Where am I?" She asked out loud. Even though the images could not speak it was as if the images had answered her. These things flashing before her were memories that had triggered her power before, in this and any other life she may have had. "Other...Lives? Or...other versions of me?"
Then, the images stopped and there was a dark yellow ball before her only the size of the center of her palm. Letting go of her legs, and letting them float down almost straightened out, she placed her hands on either side but not touching it. One more memory flashed and she spoke out the word she could see, as clear as day.
"Purify."
It was as if more than one of her self had spoken. All of the sudden the ball began to glow pink, as her normal miko powers were, only slightly darker. It spread out through the golden area. Then, she felt her physical body. Any wound or pain she had been feeling seemed to dissipate now. The ground she sat on below her, she could feel the ground seeming to be fresh with life. She could feel as one of the wisps of pink light touched Kirara. She was to be worried about her, until she noticed what was truly happening. Not purifying the demon, but it was purifying an infected space that had gone unnoticed upon the cat. "So this-"
"This is my power..."
She felt a demonic aura she knew all too well, and she brought her power back within her. Brow furrowing, she picked up an arrow, and quickly, after grabbing the wooden bow, notched it. Pointing it right at Sesshoumaru, who looked to be standing there longer than when she had sensed him, she spoke out in a serious tone.
"What do you want, Sesshoumaru?"
...
Sesshomaru could not believe the sight before him. He could almost feel the purifying energy about him. When he noticed how calm the cat demon before him had been, he knew that it must not be her normal purifying energy. 'Then, what exactly is she doing before me?' Before he could try to answer himself Kagome's power returned within her, and she had an arrow aiming right at him.
"I merely came to see what this power you had was. I could sense it as I flew over." Noticing her complete lack in any fear towards him, he could not help but add," You have changed quite a bit, miko."
"That's it? No fights with Inuyasha? I don't believe it," and on accident, the arrow slip, and fear crept in quickly for Kagome, as her face went pale.
Sesshoumaru had known it was accident, but he couldn't stop himself from glaring. His hand quickly, out of instinct, stretched out a shot poison at the arrow. Worry soon stepped in, as he realized he used too much, and shot it too far. Not only would it disintegrate the arrow, but it was going to hit Kagome.
"No," he spoke out, only enough for just Kagome and Kirara to hear. His worry turned to amazement, as her power came before her and purified the poison as it hit. 'It...can't be.' He saw Kagome crawling backwards, apologizing as she went. He couldn't help but step forward.
...
'Oh crap! He's going to kill me now!' Kagome found her back meeting the trunk of a tree. Now she had nowhere to go. She couldn't figure out why Kirara was just standing there. 'Isn't she going to help me?!' when he was right before her, she lowered her head, and closed her eyes, just hoping he made this quick.
Then, nothing. She could still sense him right in front of her, but he wasn't doing anything. That's when she felt something touch her hand. Opening her eyes, she blushed seeing his hand on hers. Her hand glowed pink, purifying the poison upon it. Kagome looked at his face, seeing him watching the occurrence. 'What's...going on?' she questioned. The miko then watched as he lifted her hand to his face, placing it on his cheek and his eyes closed. The pink began to purify the sweat coming off, making it just plain sweat.
"I...can touch you. I can really touch you," spoke Sesshoumaru. Now Kagome was confused. She watched as his eyes opened, and those honey eyes gazed at her. It wasn't an icy glare that stared into her eyes. They were gentle, more relieved. In fact, everything about him seemed so kind, so gentle. This too brought her heightened nerves to a much more calmed state. She then asked him.
"What do you mean?"
...
Sesshomaru smiled softly. "Kagome, you are the first person I could truly touch, without the toxic horrors of my lineage destroying you. Your powers...Your powers can purify it, without changing who I am, or even who you are." Letting go her hand, he placed his on her face. "Kagome, this Sesshoumaru would like to get to know you more. This Sesshoumaru has a feeling that you may be the one destined to cure my loneliness. I will let you decide this though. I do not wish you to have to do that which you do not want, but I must insist. You have no idea what it is like to never be able to be held, to be able to even give someone a pat on the back...Please..."
...
Kagome never thought she'd see such a side from the demon lord before her. Even if the sadness she felt from him wasn't there, this kindness she felt-He really meant what he said. 'To be without the touch of anyone...That would be a true curse,' she thought. Smiling gently, as to help lessen that desperation he had, she nodded slightly. "All right, Sesshomaru. You'll have to join our group though. Don't forget to bring those who follow you along too. If I'm to get to know you I'll need to be able to see you more often than a random fight with Inuyasha." She may not have said it, but she was lonely too. Sure, it was not as bad as what he may be feeling, but it was there. Feeling his arms wrap around her, she too did the same for him. He spoke almost in a whisper in her ear.
"Thank you, Kagome."
...
This was written for Priestess Skye's Toxic Challenge. Coming out 2,406 words long, I hope that this will be enjoyed. ^.^ I do not own any of Takahashi-sama's characters, nor do I write this for a profit. This was written out of the true drive to just write it.