InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Strength of Bond ❯ Race and Rules ( Chapter 11 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: Edited 11/11/05.

Translation and Pronunciation Guide:

Ahalya Kumari- (ah-hah-lia coo-mah-re) Indian (India) for night princess.

Ani- (ah-knee) Elder brother.

Baka- (bah-kah) Moron, idiot.

Gavan Lyel- (gah-vah-n lie-el) Scottish for white hawk river.

Gehin- (geh-heen) Vulgar, coarse, mean.

Inu no Taishou- (ee-new noh tie-show) Dog of great victory. Name used to refer to Inuyasha's father in the manga and anime series thus far.

Ko-inu- (koh-ee-new) puppy.

Kong Fang- (koh-ng fah-ng) Chinese for glorious wind.

Konoama- (koh-noh-ah-ma) Bitch.

Mateus Roque (ma-teay-oos roh-ck) Portuguese for gift of god rock

Mercede Cira- (mur-chay-dehz cheer-ah) Italian for merciful sun.

Naraku- (nah-rah-coo) Hell.

Sakura- (sa-ku-ra) Japanese cherry blossom.

Sarah Lilac- (sair-rah lie-lack) Sarah as in princess in Hebrew, lilac as in plant- also means blue in Persian.

Temee- (the-mehh) Bastard.

Zahara Kamaria (zah-hah-rah kah-ma-re-ah) Swahili for flower like the moon.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha characters. Story is my own creation.

Warnings: none

Chapter 11

“So what're in the envelopes?” asked a now overly excited Kagome. Her face was flushed and a happy glint tinted her eyes. She twirled once outside the room before allowing her bonded to shuffle her off to an alcove to await the bombardments of questions and people. In a matter of moments the huge weight of anxiety she had inside was lifted away.

Inuyasha noted as soon as they had left the hall with the other bonded, her fear had completely disappeared. In fact, she was so happy that even he could not hide the grin upon his face. He thought that at that moment she resembled her ten-year-old self perfectly. It was the same smile and giggle that he could just picture her playing in the mud with her little brother- one of the pictures of her in the vid he saw six years ago. How could someone be so innocently happy?

Shaking himself from his thoughts he answered her question, “We'll read it later in a room at the library. Right now you should be prepared for people to come around and greet the new bonded. That will include the Council members as well, when they have relinquished their sashes and robes.”

Her smile faltered a little. “What kind of questions will they ask?”

“Depends on the person. Some of the people here today are Japanese and will only give warm wishes and non-prying questions. Some, however, come from cultures that find that nosing into other's business is their job.” He placed the two envelopes on a stool behind him, so that no one would see or reach for them without notice. Then he reached for her hands to warm the suddenly cold fingers. “There won't be any questions asked that will make you feel uncomfortable, Kagome. If there are any, you and I have the right to not answer.”

She nodded her head, thankful to have such a strong individual beside her. When he released her hands she waited a moment for her bonded to become distracted with the crowd before she reached down for the envelopes. His hand upon her wrists brought her away from her target and she sighed in defeat. “Can't I have just a little peak?”

“Iie, koibito.”

She pouted cutely for a moment, before her bonded placed a sweet chaste kiss to her forehead. A soft blush tinted her cheeks and she ducked her head slightly, her hairstyle hiding her embarrassment. “Okay, so if you won't let me look as those, maybe you could tell me what all those questions meant in the chamber? Like how my eyes were silver instead of gray-blue? Or why the Dalai Lama's eyes changed color?”

“Later, Kagome. The crowds are here.”

She lifted her head to see people steaming into the hall, and finally noticed how all the bonded pairs were spaced evenly down the hallways leading from the Council Hall. A cold chill swept through her as two people, linked arm and arm, and were headed purposely toward them. She had never seen them before, but she could swear one of them was her twin. A growl from Inuyasha turned her gaze toward her bonded, and she noticed that he was rigid and his fangs slightly bared. Whoever, was coming toward them, her bonded knew and apparently did not like. She moved her hands to relinquish the grasps on her wrists and intertwined a hand with his, her other hand wrapping around the linked hands.

With the instinctual movement from his bonded, his growl lessened slightly. She understood his dislike and the soft scent of fear from her meant she also recognized the threat coming. He stepped forward slightly, easing her into a position slightly behind him, showing an active defense move.

Kagome returned her gaze to the ones bearing down on them. The woman wore a long red Chinese dress with slits on either side to the middle of her thigh. Her hair was pulled back slightly in an elegant twist, baring her barely exposed neck. A small diamond shape cut out in the middle of her chest to show a bit of cleavage, platform red shoes, and a black fur cape completed the attire. She was very beautiful with light makeup to accentuate the grace and beauty already there. Exception of cold brown eyes that seemed lifeless, and thinned lips that clearly stated annoyance, Kagome would have envied being her.

She turned her gaze to the man, the one that truly sent a cold chill through her body. His dark brown hair was loose and free, showing the numerous spiral curls that appeared silky and soft. His eyes were also a deep brown color, but flecks of red swirled in its depths. He wore black slacks and a white buttoned down shirt with a red tie to match the woman's dress. He appeared to be a normal businessman, but it was the cruel smile and leering gaze that made her sick and uneasy. Not to mention that the man appeared to be trying to see through her many layers of kimono, mentally undressing her.

The couple stopped a mere few feet from them, the man's eyes gazing up and down Kagome's form, and the woman's doing the same with Inuyasha. A tense silence fell before the man reached out his hand to extend to Kagome. Inuyasha hit it away with a threatening growl, causing the smile to falter on the man.

“Don't even think about it, Gehin. You know the rules, so keep your damn hands off of her.”

The man's gaze flickered over to Inuyasha, and Kagome cringed at the amount of hate and loathing there. These two were more than just non-friends, they were bitter enemies. The real question is why were they? She turned her gaze to the woman, whom was licking her painted lips ever so slightly, eyes locked to Inuyasha's figure. Was she the cause of all this? Old girlfriend, perhaps?

“Of course, I know the rules, Inuyasha. I was just extending my hand to introduce myself to Miss Higurashi,” he said. His voice was as slippery and oily as his hair, with exceeding amounts of sarcasm laced beneath the harmless words.

Kagome shifted closer to Inuyasha, her grip on his hand tightening. There was no way on Earth she touch that man, even if it was just his hand. She knew for certain that this man was not human, even though for all appearances he looked that way. She didn't trust someone that hid their true form from others of the same class and species. To hide in such a place as this, meant that this particular creature was not one that needed to be associated with. Which brought her back to the question of how her bonded knew them.

“She doesn't want to make your acquaintance, Gehin. Furthermore, it's Lord and Lady Taishou to you, temee.”

“Konoama or whore is a better term for her,” snapped the woman. Her voice was hard and full of scorn. “After all, she stole my intended mate. She's nothing more than a-”

A harsh growl cut of the woman's sentence. “Go fuck yourself, Kikyou. I never intended to pick you in the first place. You were an annoying self-absorbed brat who blackmailed people in order to conform to your wishes. Just because I never fell for your stupid tricks, doesn't mean you can stake a damn claim on me. You're ugly and tainted, so don't flatter yourself into thinking otherwise. You are, after all, Naraku's konoama anyway.”

Kagome's jaw dropped. She had the urge to just wash her ears out, then the mouth of her bonded, and the finally the woman that called her names. She had never seen Inuyasha so vulgar and rude to another person. Still, it was nice to know that Inuyasha didn't find the woman pretty… but was that a compliment to herself or an insult? She decided to ponder that later. Right now they needed to get in control of the direction of this encounter before they gathered too much attention. In fact, people were already glancing their way, avoiding direct eye contact, but clearly listening in.

Naraku smiled thinly, turning his gaze back to his true target. “Kagome, koibito, I just wanted to introduce myself to you. I was originally going to be your mate, had the idiotic half-breed beside you, not broken the rules. In fact, I am quite sure I can still convince the Council to give you to me. It was highly unjust for the Holy Child to give you away out of turn. Therefore, I think we should get better acquainted. After all, you will need to learn what your new role will be in regards to myself.”

Inuyasha opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by another. “Excuse me, but my name is Lady Taishou. I am not Kagome or koibito to you,” began an enraged Kagome. “So keep your sick fantasies to yourself. Furthermore, let me tell you that the Holy Child is an honorable and most respectable individual. For you to degrade such a figure, makes you vile, evil, and pathetic. As for being your mate? Get real. I wouldn't mate with you if you were the last organism on the planet. I will never become acquainted with you, nor would I ever want to. I'd sooner kill myself than let your filthy hands on my person or listen to your sordid words.”

Naraku's smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed. “You will change your opinion of me, soon enough. I always get what is mine, and you are mine.”

“She is mine, temee. She will never be yours as long as there is still breath in my body. I suggest you watch what you say around here, Gehin, or you could find yourself in a cell for breaking the rules of the Council. Go to hell.”

“In other words,” came a new male voice, “my brother asked you to leave Mr. Gehin. I, the current Lord Inu no Taishou and Youkai Counselor of Magera, Sesshoumaru insist that you do so, immediately. You and that thing you call a miko are not fit to stand in this Sesshoumaru's presence. Oh, and keep yours and your minions hands off my sister-in-law or the loss of a hand will be the least of your worries.”

Kikyou and Naraku glared at Sesshoumaru, standing back behind Inuyasha to the left, before they departed from the hall and onlookers. When they were out of sight, Sesshoumaru moved forward to reveal himself to the bonded pairs. “It is rather rude for my own half-brother to not even notice my arrival, let alone introduce this Sesshoumaru to his new sister?”

Inuyasha growled, but unlike the one he had used on Naraku, this one held no true bite. “I was a bit too distracted to easily acknowledge your presence without interrupting my mate's tirade to the temee.”

“You need to learn to watch your tongue, little brother. You are in a public place that deals in all ages of individuals. Such wording would prove quite disastrous if the young catch wind of it.” Kagome stifled a giggle at the reprimand, covering her mouth with her free hand that had been wrapped around the intertwined pair. “Apparently, my new sister agrees with me on your crass language. She even was able to insult Gehin even better than you and she didn't even curse once.”

Kagome smiled and bowed her head slightly to introduce herself to a more esteemed person than herself. The extension of one's hand is still primarily a Western ideal that has yet to truly catch on in the Japanese culture. Personal space is strictly left to those of close familiarity.

“I pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Higurashi,” he replied with a short bow.

“Kagome would be a better way to address myself, Counselor Taishou, as we are to be family.”

A small smile flitted along his usually emotionless face. “This Sesshoumaru can see why Inuyasha was so eager to bond with you, Miss Kagome. Bold and beautiful, not to mention possessing all the skills and manners he lacks.”

Inuyasha grumbled at that, but thankfully did not respond to it. Now was not the time to get into a stand off with his brother. Now later when they were in the privacy of his brother's home would be a much more ideal situation. That way he could break a few expensive items just to see his brother cringe. Yes, Sesshoumaru- the unemotional, unaffected, unprovoked youkai- was prone to fret over his fancy pieces and collector items. After all, most of those items could never be replaced as Sesshoumaru was over three hundred years old now. So to see the horror fill his face for just a millisecond was well worth the effort.

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze from the blushing bride to his brother's honeyed orbs. “Make sure you read everything in the envelopes, especially the miko. It's for your safety, not to mention the plus side to saving my sanity. I have enough problems with one child, I do not need two more- especially ones that will more than be prone to loud sounds in the night.”

A severe blush spread over the bonded' faces, jaws slightly lowered. Kagome turned her head to look at her bonded and stated in a semi-hushed whisper, that both youkai heard anyway, “He's worse than you with the double entendres.”

Both brothers coughed in a choking like way. Neither had wanted to hear that said, and glancing around, neither did some of the other good hearing youkai. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, deciding that he should move along and greet other people, said, “I expect to see you both at six o'clock at the Higurashi Shrine for the Sake ceremony. Please do try and remember not to get the outfits dirty, nor disheveled in any way unfitting for a wedding.” He emphasized this point by picking a piece of lent off his brother's sleeve, checking to make sure no added wrinkles had become too obvious from the morning routine and Council ceremony, and wrinkling his nose slightly to give an heir of reluctant acceptance. He bowed his head slightly, when he finished, and turned to leave, parting with the words, “Six, Inuyasha. No later or I will draw out your punishment for the desecration of my rose garden.”

Kagome's lips twitched, giving her bonded an evil eye. “Got them from a friend?”

Inuyasha responded with a smirk. “I was wondering when he would confront me about his green house rose bushes. I expected immediate retaliation the very night I took the petals. I think he's getting soft in his old age.”

“Old age?”

“Well I'm actually fairly young, only seventeen. My father didn't meet my mother till way late in his life and by then it was acceptable to have human mates. Sesshoumaru should be turning three hundred and twenty-six this year.”

Kagome blinked. “Do all youkai live that long and look so young?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “Not really. Depends mostly on how strong their youki energy is. Some youkai live normal human life spans… others are practically immortal. It really depends.”

“Ano… Where are your parents, Inuyasha?”

“They should be still beneath the Sakura trees in the Yukimo cemetery for Youkai,” replied the hanyou casually.

Kagome gasped. “I'm sorry. I didn't know.”

He glanced down at her in surprise. “There's nothing to be sorry for.” He paused for a moment and sighed as he continued. “It happened a long time ago. I've lived with Sesshoumaru since I was five years old.” He squeezed her hand to show that he really wasn't upset about the topic of discussion. He was actually rather glad to be able to divulge a piece of his past, which had at one point being a painful time in his life. Now that it didn't hold as much bite, he found that he was finally beginning to move on.

The conversation paused as they greeted people coming to say hello or some form of congratulations. It did not go unnoticed that several people purposely skipped over them, but the awkward space was usually filled by some over ecstatic person exclaiming about them being the only soul bond completed in the last year. They were also able to meet every single Council member.

A lovely feline (tiger) youkai, wearing an orange dress in a manner much like that of a sari, bowed with her hands in prayer. A red dot was upon her forehead and her skin was a warm light brown. Her name was Ahalya Kumari and she lived most of the year in Calcutta, India. She was most interested in how young they were to be a soul-bonded pair. She commented on how bonds of this kind were very rare, but truly a sight to see. There was a man, Gavan Lyel from Glasgow Scotland, with auburn hair and glowing green eyes. He was a magician wearing a kilt and shirt to match, and had no trouble at all with cracking jokes to the pair to see how red they could possibly get. Many of them would have been rather vulgar comments to the Japanese, but his easy smile and twinkling eyes kept insult at bay. Then there was Mercede Cira from Florence, Italy whom had a lovely olive skin and dark brown hair. She was also a magician, but an almost complete opposite of Counselor Lyel. She spoke in soft tones and asked them some questions on how they felt about the ceremony itself.

After several more groupings the Dalai Lama also came by to wish them some luck, wearing long flowing yellow and orange robes. He came with a small entourage of people, presumably to make sure he was safe and capable of doing things. He mostly rolled his eyes at them while he spoke just a brief congratulations, with a subtle wink to the pair, and then yielded to their guidance down the line of new pairs of bonded. Kong Fang was the high counselor houshi and hailed from Chengdu, China. He merely bowed his respects and murmured some questions he had upon the awakened aura. Mateus Roque, the male dormant human from Campinas, Brazil was a bit more persistent on discovering exactly what had caused her aura to awaken. Many of these question were done right inappropriate, that eventually had Inuyasha growling his displeasure. This particular man did not seem to notice as he was too busy trying to pry out information. Eventually, an annoyed counselor, Zahara Kamaria, dragged him off. Counselor Kamaria was the female dormant human from Tanzania. She wore a lovely cream-colored gown, her chocolate colored skin radiant and glowing, and her hair held up with gold circlets of hair ropes. She barely acknowledged them other than to say congrats and then dragging the other counselor away by the ear.

To finish off the counselors was Kagome's mother who gave each of them a hug, shocking both teens and her comments on wanting grandchildren as soon as possible. Lastly, they encountered Sarah Lilac from Spokane, Washington, USA. She was a hanyou- golden eagle with large golden wings and large eyes with keen eyesight. Beside her stood a male houshi that bore the hanyou's mark and claim. She smiled at them. “It is always good to see that there are still hanyou around to be a part of this ceremony.” She glanced over at her bonded with a soft smile before turning serious eyes toward Inuyasha. “Don't let the populous get to you about your heritage, hanyou. Even as a council member, I am still not completely accepted for what I am. Don't lose heart. The ways are changing, slowly, but in time you will no longer feel the pinch of racism. Good luck.”

After she left, Inuyasha leaned over and picked up the two envelopes. “Let's go,” he stated, “we don't need to stay for the remaining people.”

Kagome smiled slightly as he offered his hand to her. She took it and said, “You can be sweet sometimes.”

He began to guide her down the hallway to the elevators, “Get out of the way jii-jii!”

Her grin spread at that and other crude comments as they made their way through the more dense crowds. As the crowds thinned ever so slightly, Kagome took in the sights around her, finally paying attention to them since she was no longer under nervous tension. If she hadn't been closely studying, she wouldn't have noticed the people skipping over them in line, nor would she have missed the subtle change in the hallway as she passed different groups of people. She noted that women were openly gazing at them with curious and mixed looks before whispering to their friends nearby. Males of the human race glared with hostile intentions directed toward Inuyasha. Youkai males pointedly ignored them, avoiding glancing in their direction.

She turned her gaze to her bonded and her heart broke. His ears were flattened harshly to his head, pushing further and further down as they passed various groups. His jaw taunt, as if he was consciously grinding his teeth together. It was his eyes, however, that truly were enough to break one's strength. Hurt filled them, with a touch of crimson swirling in its depths. If she didn't do something her bonded would retaliate, and more than likely not in a good way.

She turned her ears to listen into the conversations along the hallway and her blood boiled. “A hanyou?! Can you imagine the poor girl's shock? Poor thing,” “A miko that powerful deserves to be with her own kind,” “I heard the filthy monster asked for her out of turn in the Choosing Ceremony,” and “Barbaric if you ask me. That girl must still be blind to the ways of the world,” were just a few of the comments she heard. She stopped her walking in the middle of the hallway, her anger finally overpowering her need to retaliate to those people who didn't know her or her bonded.

Inuyasha paused and turned to look at her in confusion. “Is something wrong?”

A few people made snide comments about the nature of their relationship with crude words and descriptions. A particularly loud group even talked about it as being a rape crime instead of a soul bond. Kagome winced. “How do you do it? Listen to all these people make vile comments about you?”

He shrugged. “Grew up with it. Usually it's not hard to tune them out, but with all the people around it does get a little loud. Are you all right?”

Kagome shook her head. “I am not all right. Come here.” She beckoned his face closer to her own. He complied, a bit wary, as she had a look upon her face that wished for blood shed. When his face was mere inches away, she took a pointed glance at her surroundings before placing her hands on either side of his face. With a confident move, she brought her lips up to his for a kiss.

Inuyasha froze, his ears perking up in surprise. He had never been kissed by another person of his or her own free will, let alone in front of others. He gasped in shock, which allowed for the girl to slip her tongue into his mouth to explore its depths. His ears twitched forward, and with a soft whimper he closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to his body.

What had started out as a simple kiss to shock and annoy the people around them, had turned into something far more serious and heated. The moment he began to equally respond to her, her hands slipped behind his head to draw him even closer. Fiery heat radiated off of them, and the force and passion of the kiss would have burned anyone else to ash. Of course, Kagome thought she should have been burned to a crisp by now. Every one of her senses was inflamed and in serious danger of never being able to work properly again.

Inuyasha reluctantly broke the kiss for air, seeing with satisfaction the loss of breath of his bonded. Her eyes, slowly opening, were smoky gray the blue barely noticeable. Her lips swollen, her flushed cheeks, and her rapid breathing were undoing what little restraint remained there. If fury could be so easily pushed into such an outlet, he worried that he may get a bit too rough for his bonded. Still, what better way to go than up in the flames and waves of passion's grasp?

Kagome smiled as she felt a sense of pride wash over her. The darkened gaze of the hanyou and his slightly pink cheeks were enough to make any girl gloat. He looked ready to eat her up at any moment, not that she would complain if he did. Still, the biggest pride she had was from the silent hallway. She flashed a satisfied glare at the people staring at them with undiluted fear, disgust, and surprise. Now that's what she called making the masses faint. With a soft tug on her bonded's hand she said, “Come, Mate. I want to know what the council has to say to us.”

Inuyasha's face cracked ever so slightly into a smile, before lifting her hand to his lips. With exaggerated care, he gave a soft open-mouthed kiss to her knuckles. “As you wish, Koibito.”

Kagome's face flared red at the motion and the husky tone he used. Okay, so he could give just as good as she… okay he could dish out better than she on such moves. How was it that one could take such an innocent move and make it so much more provocative than a lip-locked kiss? The silence in the hall was deafening and with a soft gulp, she froze on what to do next.

With a confidence that any man should be smacked for, Inuyasha interlocked their fingers and lead her from the area with smooth graceful steps. The hall broke out in excited chatter as soon as they were gone from the immediate vicinity. Needless to say, the chatter was not that of insult, but that of surprise. Women of all kinds were blushing and relaying how they wished men in their lives would act romantic that way. Even youkai men grudgingly thought that the hanyou did very well in handling his mate in such a way.

~~~-~~~

They entered a small room with a round wood table and matching chairs. After leaving the hall where the ceremony was held, Inuyasha and Kagome had headed up to the second floor of the library. Inuyasha placed the two envelopes upon the table, turned around, picked up Kagome by the waist, and placed her daintily upon the table. As she situated herself into a more comfortable position, Inuyasha pulled a chair around, placing the back of it in front of her, and sitting down with his arms resting on the back and his legs straddled over the seat.

He reached over and picked up the larger envelope. “I guess we should start with what the Council has to say.” Using a sharp claw he slit the top edge of the manila envelope. Slowly he withdrew a large stack of papers, and under close inspection, dumped small items out of the packet as well.

“I guess I won't need a letter opener around now.”

“Feh.”

Kagome picked up the first paper in the stack, a very official looking letter with the crest of Magera in red upon it and an embossed seal. It was basically a congratulatory letter for the successful completion of the bond. All ten members of the council signed it. As she read aloud, Inuyasha became distracted by the fact that she swung her legs while she read. This could ultimately prove to be a problem for the busy miko.

She placed the letter aside picking up another one. “What the? `Rules to Follow for Soul Bond?'” she asked looking at her bonded. “There are rules?”

He lifted his gaze from her legs, annoyed that he could barely see the tips of her toes instead of the luscious curves he had been between this morning. Did she really expect him to pay attention to this nonsense? Seeing her waiting for an answer, he grumbled and turned his attention fully to her. “Aa, but not many.”

Sighing, she cleared her throat and began to read the first one. “Rule number one, `Bonded individuals are not allowed to touch a member of the opposite sex unless approved by their bonded.' Uh, is that why the man in the hall was going to get into trouble for trying to shake my hand?”

Inuyasha growled slightly and gave a shallow nod, his ears flicking back as he waited for the shout.

“Why didn't you tell me?! I felt guilty not introducing myself to half of those people! What if I had decided to greet your brother in a less formal way?! I could have been in trouble!” she whined.

He stood up leaning over the chair and placing his nose to the exposed area of her neck, just above the kimono collars. Her aura was pulsing, and she had no idea what it was doing to him. She swallowed as his mouth neared her ear and nipped it ever so slightly. The aura retracted instantly, and he pulled back to resume his seat.

“That was cheating,” murmured Kagome, her eyes glazed, ever so slightly, over. This morning she had barely any time to truly describe the impact he dealt to her. Now she was overwhelmed. Sure he had looked a bit too handsome for his own good, with his sleep tossed hair and soul bared eyes of molten gold, but that had been only a few moments she could discern with clear thoughts. At the moment she knew he was arrogant, a bit rough and crude, and yet unbelievingly romantic in a gruff sort of manner. The question now remained how he had managed to worm his way into her heart when she hadn't even seen him physically for one day. Whoever said, “Love is Blind,” wasn't kidding.

“Who said I had to play fair? Besides it wasn't my fault I didn't tell you. It was your mother who interrupted us this morning, then it was my baka ani's servants, then we were being shoved into a car, and then the yase ookami shows up, and then it-”

Kagome placed a finger over his lips to silence him. “I get the point.”

Inuyasha sat there in mute shock. Did she just cut him off? What the hell gave her the right to do something like that?! And why in kami was he not defending himself for his dominate position being knocked down slightly? With that in mind, he gently bit her finger when she started to pull it away.

She paused at the action, and seeing the heated look he gave her, pulled her hand back returning her gaze to the paper, bowing her head slightly to hide the rising blush. Now was not the time to be having a battle of wills. “Rule number two. `Miko or houshi must listen to their bonded when siphoning of energy is required.' What does this mean?”

Inuyasha ran a clawed hand through his hair in frustration. Did she truly have to go through each of these damn rules? “Basically, miko and houshi have the ability to draw in energy from the environment. As a result, bonds are used in order to remove the excess energy. If the energy is not removed in a decent time limit, the energy could kill them. And before you ask, it's the same action used in the bond formation for siphoning.” A knowing smirk flitted over his mouth.

Kagome's face brightened having a very good idea what was needed to complete a bond. “Rule number three,” she began. “Unbelievable. I have to go to school?!”

Inuyasha was only vaguely listening, his attention once again caught by the movement of the kimono. He was having a difficult time controlling his instincts as the time in the small private room continued. He craved to bury his nose in her scent, to taste the skin he had just barely done earlier, and most of all he craved to feel her skin. Of course, there was really no harm in feeling her, as long as he kept his attentions on not doing something too extreme, like mating with her in the `public' library. He covertly began moving his right hand down toward the miko's ankle, his head tilted down slightly, his ears focused on the girl's rant about school to give the illusion of paying attention.

“Do I have to go?” she whined again.

He grunted in response.

“I'll take that as a yes. What kind of school is it and where will it be?”

“It will be in the papers on the table.”

She nodded her head, glancing down the rules, realizing that her mate obviously already knew them, and reading them silently, protesting to various things until she came to one about new housing arrangements. “Inuyasha? It says that we are to live in new accommodations. Does that mean I will have to leave my home?”

“Keh. The council has to separate the bonded groups in order to keep track and disperse our kinds. Don't worry. They aren't horrible living conditions and we won't technically have to fork over any money for it either. More than likely we will be placed with another blood bonded group to further secure the safety of you and them. That and living together with multiple people keeps humans from becoming suspicious when they see children or young adults living on their own in nice homes.”

“Oh. Where will we live?”

“It's in the stack of papers, wench.”

She glowered at him. “Should I be angry at you calling me that?”

He smiled, his hand almost reaching his destination. “Probably.”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “Why do we have to leave our home though? We both have family within the community.”

“That ruling was instigated a century ago when a family quarrel that arose after certain bonds being formed. Not all miko or houshi come from families that have the heritage of the power in their blood. Normal humans can have miko and houshi, and vice versa where a miko could have a normal human. As such, problems arose to a degree about certain children that were bonded to unacceptable families. Therefore the council decreed to place new bonds into new places and homes.”

“Wouldn't that further agitate parents and relatives if their children went missing?”

Inuyasha turned his head up to smirk at her. “Magic prevents this.”

“Magic?”

He nodded his head as a reply.

“You know you tend to not answer my questions very well most of the time. I tend to have more questions when you say stuff like that.”

“Feh. School will teach you all you need to know.”

“What about you?” she smiled with a bit of an evil glare fixed upon him. “Won't you be coming with me to school too?”

“Me? Go to Miko School?” he asked in a shocked tone, a look of utter horror flitting across his face. “I'll drop you off and pick you up, but I will not in any way, shape, or form go to school with miko and houshi. That's just asking for a death sentence.”

Looking thoughtful for a moment, she responded, “Well if you can't come to mine, are you going to attend one for youkai?”

“I already graduated from the military academy this past year. I'll be working from now on.”

She blinked at him. “Graduated?”

“Yep,” he said with a roll of his eyes. “Of course, I am younger than most are when they graduate the school, but what can one say when their father was the Initiator.”

“So what will you do for work?”

“Whatever the council has said in that stack of papers.”

“You mean you don't get to choose what kind of job you want to do?”

“No one does. Positions are based upon strength of your specific powers and experience. You'll get to choose, to some extent, a human career. Typically they draw the line at too extravagant and renowned jobs. Most mages actually do performance and theater jobs to a point that they may never encounter this way of life first hand.”

“So I don't get to choose the actual job I'll do for the rest of my life? That sucks! What if I get stuck as a janitor or something?!”

Inuyasha chuckled. “You won't have to worry about that Kagome. I said jobs are based on your powers, didn't I? You are already well above the normal levels. They'll want to put you to use as soon as possible, and in the most advantageous way. Besides, it's not like you'll be stuck with the same job the rest of your life. If you don't like it, you can always appeal for different positions after base level entries. School will teach the career paths that are to your disposal.”

“School, school, school. I hate it already.”

Another rumble of laughter emerged through him, and he lowered his head back down. His hand was in position. Now all he had to do was reach out and find an ankle. Easier said than done with all the cloth in the way.

She turned back to the paper and read the following rules with a roll of her eyes, basically reinstating exactly what her bonded had just said. “All right, final rule. `Do not ever speak of the world or your real life outside the areas established for safety by the Council.' Well, I guess Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka won't be able to pry into my personal life anymore. That's a plus.”

A brush of his fingertips upon her leg, paused her legs in mid swing. She glanced down to see him hunched over, ears trained on her voice, but his hand clearly delving under the hem of her layers of silk. She rolled her eyes, realizing what he truly had been after, instead of being respectful and listening. She shifted forward, giving him more access so she could reach his ears. “Sneaky little ko-inu.”

Inuyasha turned a glared up toward her. “I am not a pup.”

Kagome grinned, grasping one ear delicately between her fingers. “I'm not too sure about that,” she said, rubbing the ear gently. “You certainly are cute enough to be one.”

He leaned in, bowing his head to give her better excess. A giggle from her, followed his indulgent grumbling growl. He responded to the giggle by dragging his clawed hand up her leg to her calf muscle, drawing the cloth up with his movement.

She gasped at his bolder move that sent her hair on end, gooseflesh rippling along her body, and heat rising in one too many places. “St-stop…” she gasped, as his hand continued to stroke her leg, leaving her incapable of scratching his ears any longer. “We already know how hard it is to breath… in a three layer… ah, kimono,” she whispered out between heated pants. “I'm wearing… six this time… and the ties are much tighter.”

He nodded his head, drawing his hand out from under her kimono. With a smug grin he stated, “We will finish it later, anyway. Let's get through these papers though. I would rather not be very late to my brother's appointed time at the shrine. He'll just love to see me late to my own wedding ceremony.”

The blush that stained their cheeks at the comment, had them quickly picking up papers from the stack to fill the awkward sensation that had fallen over them. The remaining envelope stayed sealed, deciding that it should be looked at in the privacy and comfort of one's home instead of in the library. Clearly, there was a reason why the Dalai Lama had given them the envelope, and yet it appeared that no one else knew what was contained in it. What could possibly be so important that they were given such a rare token from the Holy Child?

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