#am i overhearing one half of a violent regime change in action?

[thatswhatsushesaid]

every time i catch myself thinking i'm way too spicy for mdzs fandom discourse, i just have to spend five minutes listening to my husband talk about the batshit drama happening in the local roller derby community and i realize that, just like jon snow, i know absolutely fucking nothing

[nocturne-inuyasha-ff]

Chapter Twenty: Infallible Cure

Author's Notes: I would like to take an opportunity to have a moment of silence. The moment is for reflection during the uncertainty of our time and also because someone I know passed away unexpectedly. In the blink of an eye, we can lose anyone and it is all too easy to take things for granted. Please hold your loved ones close and cherish what you have because grief is the price we pay for that love.

Nocturne - Chapter Twenty: Infalliable Cure

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

o - o - o - o - o

Time has a way of settling things. It moves for no one, always at its own pace, steady and sure, but never-ending in itself. Like anything, time has a way of feeling different for each who encounters it. For the impatient, it moves slow. For the zealous, it moves fast. For those with temperance, it can push on stoically.

Kagome could not fathom which group she may fall into. At any point in time, she felt her category shift.

It had been five years since she had first encountered Sesshomaru in a cave under a spell. It was magic that had turned both of their lives on end and pushed their paths to entangle. One may assume that their lives were bound by destiny, and that may be true for nothing happens without reason, even if it does not make sense.

In the beginning, Kagome had feared the retribution that their new nemesis, Fan Tsenpo, had promised them. Anxiety had her on edge for nearly a year. During that time, Sesshomaru had constantly urged her not to let her fear consume her. He assured her countless times that she had not only his protection but his love as well.

The land of the West was guarded by Sesshomaru, so nothing came in or out without him learning of it. He'd also advised her that a long-lived yokai would take their time putting any plan of vengeance into play. A yokai's idea of swift could be translated into something different in human terms. Kagome figured that might be true. A couple of years are nothing to a being that has lived centuries. That knowledge eased her fears somewhat and gave them the time needed to prepare for whatever may come.

As the months and years ticked by with no sign of their enemy, Kagome allowed herself to settle into a routine. It wasn't hard to do. The Sengoku Era was one of routine for its people. Daiyokai and their families were no exception.

Sesshomaru was a demon lord and had lands to maintain. Though he did not usually deal with humans directly, Kagome helped to bridge the gap. People trusted her due to her status as a miko more than a yokai who was beautiful and frightening to behold.

Most vassals assumed she was a retainer of the lord Sesshomaru, a servant, but that was to her liking. People had a way of becoming fearful or, at worst, disagreeable if they learned the truth. Much to Sesshomaru's chagrin, Kagome preferred it this way.

He had often attempted to convince her to dress her part as the Lady of the West, usually by bringing her clothes cut in the best fashion of the time, but she would turn her nose up at those items. They did not suit her. He would agree, almost begrudgingly, but yet continued to bring new items back from any journey. Kagome had developed quite the collection that sat unused in a spare room.

It had taken much more convincing for Sesshomaru to allow the people of their lands to even think of her as lower than her exact position. That was a much harder sell. It had taken nearly a year to wear him down, which was a fantastic accomplishment that in of itself. Kagome had pegged him to hold out much longer.

Kagome's status not notwithstanding, Sesshomaru held steady with his opinion that his daughter would be held with the utmost regard. He refused to tolerate intolerance, which was a perplexing conundrum to deal with. She was to be treated with class and decorum and any who did not comply would face the personal wrath of the Lord of the West.

Kagome had a secret thought that Sesshomaru felt regret over his younger, half brother's situation and his lack of involvement. It was something Sesshomaru would never admit, but it became increasingly evident in his actions. His protectiveness over their daughter could border on the extreme at times.

Sesshomaru was a very dutiful and doting father, Kagome learned. It made her heart swell to think about it. He ensured that Setsuna yearned for nothing while maintaining a structured learning regime.

As a mother, Kagome wanted to nurture her child, but Sesshomaru disagreed, stating that Setsuna would need to learn, and it would come easier if she started sooner than later. Kagome would begrudgingly agree since she always felt at a disadvantage with her miko training picked up later in life.

He had crafted a blade fit for a small child and began to teach her swordcraft, and they explored her other yokai abilities. However, being the child of a miko, there were other traits she had inherited that her father could not help her with. Setsuna was, after all, half daiyokai and half miko.

Her powers were unusual and strong, much stronger than Sesshomaru could have anticipated. Kagome had nothing to go on, but of all the things she had seen and learned, Setsuna's abilities were not a stretch by any means. However, if Sesshomaru had cause to be amazed, then Kagome figured there was something worthwhile there. He must have assumed that she may be weaker due to her mixed heritage, but if his brother were to be used as an example, then there could be no telling just how capable Setsuna may be.

So their young daughter grew and learned in the ways of both her mother and father. Of course, it would be cruel not to count the things Setsuna learned from her grandmother, who had lingered on, deciding her time was best spent near her son's family.

Sesshomaru had done his best to banish his mother back to her palace in the sky, but the demoness would casually wave her son off and stress her interests in her only child and his family. What interests the demoness had was beyond anything Kagome could fathom. When she wasn't spending time with Setsuna, she would seek out Kagome while she was alone and henpeck her like a proper mother in law.

The woman was nearly impossible to get along with, and she constantly belittled Kagome in a passive-aggressive manner. On more than one occasion, the woman had hinted at overhearing Sesshomaru's and Kagome's overzealous lovemaking sessions and berated Kagome for her shortcomings. These particular conversations were always held far and away from Sesshomaru. He would not entertain such behavior from his mother and would promptly put her out. But Kagome would never tell him about it if she could help it. Her mother in law was a proud, indomitable woman whose beauty was beyond comparison, but inside she was lonely, and Kagome could sense it. On the bright side, she was an infallible tutor for court life and political intrigue, things that neither Kagome nor Sesshomaru had a care for.

On one such day, Kagome had an interesting altercation with her mother in law.

"Even throughout the years, I am surprised you can still satisfy my son. To be quite honest," she teased, "I am even more astonished to see you survived the ceremony. I have not told you that, girl.'

"You have told me that," Kagome would remind her, "many times before."

The ceremony the demoness was alluding to was nothing more than a commitment ceremony, similar to a wedding. According to her, the rites required some barbaric stipulations like bloodletting and marking. Kagome was sure that she was being lied to when her mother in law told her all this.

Sesshomaru had looked mortified when Kagome asked him to confirm, stating there was no way she would ever be allowed to participate in such a beastly display. He declared that the only worrisome part of the ceremony would be the lack of sleep she would get the night of the ceremony and the nights afterward. It would seem his inner demon had to be satiated as well, which was the core of the problem, but he was hesitant to harm her.

Kagome had learned that Sesshomaru had kept his yoki at bay and also that he did so at great pain to himself. She had difficulty wrapping her mind around what he had meant. He was always in command of himself, so Kagome was not entirely sure what he had meant when he told her of this.

"Like you are able to access your spiritual powers within, I, too, access my yoki. Albeit in a different manner. It is a part of me in my duality," he had told her.

Whatever that had meant, she pondered. Sesshomaru had not yet hurt her in any of their sometimes violent lovemaking sessions, why would that start now? She would be lying to herself, though, if she did not admit the curiousness from after those sessions. Often she would be so sure that some body part or the other would sport a bruise, but that was never the case.

Even after the ceremony and that evening when Kagome had finally been presented with Sesshomaru's red-eyed demon, nothing much had changed. Sure, she had expected to bear love bites and scratches, but there had been nothing outside of delicious soreness that accompanied hours of passion. She joked to herself that if she could withstand his constant stabbing, then she could withstand anything.

Something was different this time when Sesshomaru's mother teased Kagome. "For the years that have passed, I would have expected more from you, dear human girl."

Kagome was beyond rolling her eyes at the woman. It was easier to be patient and allow the demoness to grow bored and move on than it was to attempt to bandy words. "What's that, mother?" Kagome asked sweetly.

"Ah, girl, you know I despise when you call me that," the demoness chastised, but even Kagome's subtle diversion did not stop her tirade. "I have watched my fine granddaughter spring up in the blink of mine eye, blossoming into a beautiful and capable child. However, I look at you, a mere human who has bespelled my only son, and I see nothing."

She could feel her patience being tested with the woman's trying words. "For that, I am glad that Sesshomaru is not as short-sighted as you, mother."

The demoness shook her head and gave a smirk that held a secret. "Hnn. You've been too long around our kind girl. Never questioning anything." She said no more and left Kagome to her thoughts.

The demoness was being as mysterious as ever, Kagome thought. The words were no more cutting than usual, but today they plagued Kagome enough to take action. She swiftly sought out a mirror in the large manor. There was only one on the premises as Kagome had a distaste for them for a singular reason. Anytime she looked into a mirror, she had thought there would be something she did not want to see on the other side. Often, the time in Fan Tsenpo's palace came to mind when he had tried to pit her against Sesshomaru by showing Kagome her deepest fears.

Kagome had been swiftly reassured when she once questioned Sesshomaru about that time. He told her that it had been a setup, a trick of the eye, and nothing had happened. As unbelievable as it sounded, she had no cause not to believe him, and he had never once given her a reason to doubt his words, but still, mirrors were also notorious for showing the truth, and for Kagome, that truth was of how time was a harsh mistress.

The only mirror in the manor was located in a guest room that received seldom use outside of a good cleaning, and the only reason that Kagome had not requested it removed was due to its beautiful cast work encasing the mirror. That was a reason she had allowed herself, but she knew that deep down, she was morbidly curious to see, from time to time, what Sesshomaru saw. Knowing that she aged and he did not was a constant battle for her.

When Kagome walked into the room, she hesitated for a moment, afraid of what she might see. She was only 28 years old, but wrinkles and grey hair weren't necessarily discriminatory. Taking a deep breath, she held it and finally took a step in front of the mirror.

The demoness' prodding seemed to be getting the better of her. As she looked in the mirror, ensuring to move her head to see from different angles, she did not notice anything unusual. A small sigh of relief escaped her lips from a breath she did not realize she'd been holding. Kagome had nearly expected to see laugh lines or crows feet, possibly even a crease in her brow from the occasional frown, but there was nothing. So, she stood in front of the mirror, simply looking and wondering. It was there, moments later, that Sesshomaru found her.

"You are still beautiful, beloved. Time has not changed that."

Kagome gave a small start, not expecting to be found examining herself in a mirror, like some vain woman. "Sesshomaru, you startled me." She quickly turned away from the mirror in guilt.

"Hnn," he said in mild amusement. "Do not be ashamed to behold yourself. This one is not." His lip rose in a tiny smug smile.

"I am not ashamed," she responded, folding her arms.

Sesshomaru grabbed her and turned her back towards the mirror, stroking her hair and looking at their reflection. "I shall dispose of her yet. Her words have pushed you to doubt yourself," he told her, speaking of his mother. He only tolerated the woman being around at Kagome's discretion; otherwise, he would have put her out long ago.

Kagome tensed. She'd been found out. But she should have expected the woman to go running to her son. "So, she told you I would come here?"

He moved her hair from her shoulder, pulling it back to expose her neck and placed a gentle kiss there. "No," he said softly. He planted more small kisses up her neck, stopping only at her jaw. "I must depart soon, so I intended to seek you out."

She had closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth of his breath upon her flesh, but his words made her feel deflated. "You have only just returned. These days you are away more than you are here." Her voice had a ring of stark disappointment that she could not hide.

Sesshomaru kissed her neck one last time before fixing her hair and grabbing her by the shoulders. He still looked at her in the reflection of the mirror. "There are whispers of movement along the coast."

Kagome had heard enough. "There are always whispers and rumors. Can you not send someone else to check every little bit of gossip that passes our doorstep?"

They had had this battle many times before. Sesshomaru was very dedicated and thorough about his promise to protect Kagome and Setsuna. There had not been a hide nor tail of Fan Tsenpo or the DaiOzuko in years. It was not that Kagome doubted the severity of the threat Fan posed, but the amount of time that his lack of retribution took up from their lives. So, anytime unknown things transgressed, Sesshomaru was diligent in his mission to hunt it down personally.

"We shall not discuss this again," he said with an air of finality. His grip on her shoulders tightened to demonstrate his distaste at her complaints on the topic. "You of all people know why this one must go. Would you risk yourself? Or our daughter?"

He knew just where to strike, and even his words were perfectly aimed to do the most damage with little exertion on his part. Kagome grit her teeth and turned, pulling out of his grip. She knew he could have held her had he wanted to, but he was always delicate with her. Kagome glared at him for good measure. "Don't patronize me! As if I don't understand what is at stake."

His eyes turned hard. "Then you know the importance of investigating each rumor. The first time one is overlooked will be the time that Fan slips through."

Kagome turned her head petulantly. This was not something she wanted to discuss, either. He was right, of course. She would only begrudgingly admit it to herself, though.

"My, my, a lover's spat?"

Kagome rolled her eyes once she recognized the voice. Why was she here? What other harsh words did she forget to share?

"What do you want?" Sesshomaru asked impatiently in response to his mother appearing in the room unannounced and unwanted.

The demoness gasped at his words. "The outrage! To know that my son is so contemptuous towards his loving mother."

"Say your piece and go. I have little patience for your games," he warned.

She shrugged and smiled, "Fine. I only came to apologize to your human woman. My words were not designed to inflict pain, though clearly, they have done that."

He sneered, "You knew exactly what you were doing. I shall warn you this now, one final time. Keep your nettlesome tongue to yourself. You are only here by the grace Kagome affords to you. It is only by her discretion that you are allowed to stay. Otherwise, I would not tolerate an insufferable supplicant such as yourself."

Kagome had enough. She stalked past the demoness to escape the madness and her rising disappointment. Any chance of her and Sesshomaru reconciling before he left had been dashed the moment that the demoness stalked into the room.

However, the demoness did something entirely unexpected. She grabbed Kagome by the arm as she walked by, holding her firm.

"Girl," she said with her mysterious smile, "I do apologize. I meant nothing untoward by my words. I just worry as any good mother would. For my son, my granddaughter, and for you."

Kagome had been living in close quarters with the demoness for some time now, and anytime they did share company, it was filled with subtle jabs at Kagome's expense. Had it not been for Setsuna, Kagome doubted they would see each other at all, and she certainly would not have stopped Sesshomaru from showing her the door. Kagome could not recall once that the demoness had ever touched her and quickly pulled from her mother in law's grasp.

Kagome winced as she was left with a nasty gash on her arm right through the fabric of her kosode from an errant claw. The demoness gasped, having the decency to look surprised and covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh, child, I am so sorry. I had forgotten how delicate a human's skin was. Please forgive me!" she urged.

Sesshomaru was at Kagome's side in an instant, sending hateful glares in his mother's direction. He gripped Kagome's arm and held it tight while blood began to soak through the white fabric. Kagome took in a sharp breath through her teeth. "It's fine," she reassured Sesshomaru. "It was an accident."

"You're bleeding," he said as if she had not noticed. Kagome pulled away from him to examine the wound.

"It's just a small cut. They bleed the most. It's nothing," she tried to sound confident, but her words shook. Pulling the sleeve up, she could see a long line down the side of her forearm, neatly sliced. The cut ran deeper than she had expected, but something curious began to happen before her eyes. The edges of the skin seemed to close on its own, and the throbbing that she had started to feel began to dull.

Kagome looked up in mild horror. Sesshomaru stood a step back, a look of concern showing on his face, but his mother sported a look of bemused triumph. She looked back down at the wound, watching as the red of her flesh turned to a bright pink and then a silver sheen and finally, the healthy glow of freshly washed skin. Taking a delicate finger, she prodded where the cut had been but a moment ago. Nothing. No cut, no pain, and no blood, but the drying stuff on her sleeve. "What-what's happened? What is this?" she raised her bare arm.

Sesshomaru said nothing.

The demoness smiled, "I knew it."

He shot a look at his mother that spoke volumes. Kagome gave him an accusatory look; he knew something. He did not seem surprised or disturbed by this.

"What's happening to me?!" Kagome demanded.

Sesshomaru stepped forward and tried to grab her uninjured arm, but she took a swift step away. "Explain!" She demanded again, keeping her healed arm up for all to see.

"Let us go somewhere private, and I shall unravel this," Sesshomaru began.

She was not going to let him commandeer the situation and cut him off. "No! Here. Now."

"Have you eaten anything strange lately, child?" The demoness questioned.

"What? No, nothing out of the ordinary. Why?"

The demoness shook her head, "It would not have necessarily been recent, girl. Think back."

"Silence, mother. Your meddling has done damage aplenty. You are dismissed."

The demoness stuck up her nose. "It is unseemly to lie to the girl to assuage your own pride, my son. I would have taught you better than that." With that, she stalked from the room, finally dismissing herself after putting her clever ploy into motion.

Kagome felt on the verge of tears. "All of your words and promises to love me even after I became old...that was easy for you because you knew that would never come to pass."

His gaze softened, but he stood in place with his head held high. "I stand by my words, Kagome."

A couple of tears slid down her cheeks. "What was it? Tell me what you did to make this happen. Am I still human?"

At seeing her tears, he was compelled to comfort her, though only with his words. "Your humanity is what I love about you."

"That doesn't answer my question, Sesshomaru," she said in flat tones.

"Yes," he answered, guilt blooming with a crease in his brow.

Kagome spun around to face away from him. His guilty look was more than she could bear, and her anger did not need to be dampened. Her mind sifted through memories to finally land upon the evening of her arrival years ago. The night where Sesshomaru had promised her everything in return for her acceptance. But what had she accepted?

The strange meal came to mind. It had been prepared by his own hand, he'd told her. Kagome could not recall another instance where he'd taken a direct role in cooking a meal for her again. "It was that night," she murmured, knowing he could hear her clearly.

"Indeed, it was."

She began to speculate on the possibilities. "Was it some kind of spell?"

"No, something much more potent than a frivolous spell. You consumed the flesh of a ningyo, beloved."

A ningyo? She ran the word through her mind. Where had she heard it before? And then it hit her. "You had me eat a mermaid? A yokai?"

"The consumption of a ningyo flesh may grant a mortal years untold."

She fumed. He used words of uncertainty and risk. "May grant? Not will grant? And what would have happened had that not been the case?"

"Nothing more than an exotic meal prepared by the hands of one who loves you."

"And my arm?"

"A pleasant yet unexpected side effect, beloved."

Part of her was overcome with glee, relief even, to know that she would live alongside Sesshomaru and Setsuna for countless years, but the other part was livid at being deceived.

Kagome decided that she would let Sesshomaru stew with her dismissive behavior. She said no more and walked out of the room as calm as she could muster herself to be.

She hadn't gotten far when she noticed she was being followed. He kept a healthy distance but did not try to stop her. When Kagome reached the garden moments later, she found Setsuna at play with her small blade that Sesshomaru had crafted for her.

The girl had straw dummies set up and was practicing her amateur sword skills on her own against the defenseless targets. Even though Setsuna was nearly six, she was growing tall, and her silver hair reached past her shoulders, where it was not swept up into a messy half ponytail.

"Setsuna," Kagome called, interrupting the girl mid-swing.

Setsuna finished her chopping motion, landing a fatal blow to the dummy's neck. "Did you see that, Mother?! I showed him! Just like Father!"

The girl dropped her sword and ran over to her mother and squeezed her middle. Kagome ruffled Setsuna's hair, dislodging it even further from the hair tie. A disheveled child was one of Sesshomaru's pet peeves, she knew, and he would be rounding the corner on her tail any second.

Kagome smiled, always happy to share a word of encouragement to her child, no matter her own internal struggle. "It was lovely. That target didn't stand a chance! But now I've decided to go and visit your aunt's and uncles. You need to go and grab your things. We'll be leaving within the hour."

Setsuna did a little happy dance, bouncing on her toes. "Really? I haven't seen my cousins in forever, Mother! I can't wait to show them my new moves!"

"I don't believe it wise to travel," Sesshomaru warned as he approached.

Kagome did her best to keep a grimace to herself. Setsuna, with no idea of her parent's quarrel, bounded over to him and leaped into his arms, "Father! Did you see me? Did you? I eliminated the enemy. Just like you taught me."

Sesshomaru smiled and cast a covert glance at Kagome, who did not look amused. "Splendid, child, yet you must never throw your blade to the ground."

The girl wilted a little in her father's arms, dismayed at her father's chastisement. "We shall practice upon my return," he said.

"Are you coming with us to see uncle Inuyasha?" Setsuna asked. She'd all but forgotten her father's words in an instant.

He frowned and gave Kagome a disapproving look. "No, there are other matters that require my attention."

Setsuna looked disappointed for a brief second but put on a beaming smile. "Are you going to kill more of our enemies, Father? I want to see!"

Kagome moved in hastily and snagged the girl from Sesshomaru. "I'm afraid it will be a bit more boring than all that. Come, let's go pack."

She ushered the little girl back to the palace to pack some necessities for their trip and this time Sesshomaru took a different path. Kagome knew that Sesshomaru would stew the entire time she was gone, and she intended to allow that to continue for as long as it took for him to feel sorry.

At this point, though, he didn't seem the least bit upset that he'd done it, only that she'd found out about it. The fact that he could not understand why this would upset her angered her all the more.

Time and space would help her to cool off and allow her the opportunity to catch up with her friends that she hadn't seen in months.

~ - ~ - ~ - ~ - ~

A/N: I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the readers. First, to those who take the time to review, your words are always so appreciated and cherished. Second, to those who follow/favorite the story, just knowing that you care enough to click that button speaks volumes. Lastly, to those who just read, I know you lurkers are out there just trying to read a good story and I am happy that you made it to mine.

I won't say I have a favorite (cough*cough*reviews*cough*cough), because each thing is a wonder to me. I know I am guilty of not reviewing or favoriting/following stories I enjoy, so no hate goes to people who enjoy a story without leaving a little something-something. Of course, I would enjoy it if you do :)

Until next time.