The Golden Inu - The 14 Symbol Challenge by Yuuki Kaora

Cherry Blossoms

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of the series Inuyasha! Rumiko Takashi does. I own only the plot and my devious little muse!

Chapter 1. Cherry Blossoms

The world was peaceful, birds were singing and crickets playing their own little violins. Kagome enjoyed the beautiful west's forests, and was currently relaxing in one of them. Of course, she knew that the lands belonged to Lord Sesshoumaru, but she couldn't bring herself to care. The forest she was currently in was special to her. Every time Inuyasha had hurt her, she would come here. There were sakura trees adoring one clearing, and she just loved it. Now, when it was spring, the trees had cherry blossoms on every branch, and the smell of the blossoms was divine. The animals here were living in peace, and the humans and youkai were getting along too. When Naraku was destroyed and the jewel was wished upon, it was nothing like this..

~Flashback~

Naraku was dead, finally. Miroku's wind tunnel was gone, Kohaku was still alive and Kagura and Kanna had their freedom, the tough Kanna decided to serve Sesshoumaru. Everyone was happy, except for her. Kagome was soon snapped out of her musings by Inuyasha's yelling. "Oi, wench! Hurry up and wish on the damn jewel so that Kikyou can have her life back!" There was the reason to her misery. Kikyou. Inuyasha would mate with her. Tough, it was not that which bothered her, but it was the fact that for Kikyou to live, she had to die. "But Inuyasha, don't you see? If you want her to live, I have to die. Do you really want that?" Right there, she saw the bitch smirk. "I don't care wench! Just bring her back!" That's all it took. Kagome made her wish with tears in her eyes, whispering silently to the jewel; "Shikon No Tama, I wish to bring Kikyou back to life, and for everyone to be happy." With that, the jewel glowed, and everything went black.

When Kagome woke up, she was surrounded by white light, and a feminine figure was walking towards her. "Kagome, my dear! Finally I'm able to meet you!" Right in front of her stood Midoriko, and she had to gasp for air. "Midoriko-sama! It's an honour." She bowed deep and long, or at least tried to. "Dear, there's no need for such formalities. Besides, we don't have much time." Midoriko smiled at her, or more like her baffled expression. "Midoriko-sama, I don't understand. I'm supposed to die for Kikyou to come back to life. How come we don't have much time?" At that Midoriko's expression saddened. "Kagome, dear. You are not going to die, but change. Kikyou will have your human soul, and the part of your soul that is not human, will stay with you. That's why your soul is so large. Because you carry two of them. A human's soul.. And a Youkai's soul." Kagome was dumbstruck. "WHAT?! So I carry two souls?! How's that even possible?!" Midoriko just chuckled at her antics. "Kagome, you are special. The Kami's made every inch of you themselves. They even made it that way so you would look like Kikyou. But all that's going to change. Your going to become the rarest Youkai in the world, Kagome. You remember that Sesshoumaru's a silver inu, correct?" A small affirming nod from Kagome told her she remembered, and was listening. "Well dear, your going to become a golden inu." Now Kagome was truly speechless. A golden inu?! "But Midoriko-sama, why? How?" Midoriko just moved over to hug her, and whispered in her ear. "Everything's going to be all right Kagome, dear. You'll find out eventually. But now our time together is over. I will see you again, I promise. Sleep well, my child." As everything went black again, she felt her friends circle around her laying form on the ground.

As she slept in Kaede's hut, a week had passed and her changes were very much visible. Her hair was now midnight black with golden streaks and her markings were crimson in colour. She had two streaks on her cheeks, two on her wrists and a golden crescent on her forehead. Her claws were also golden in colour, and her lips and breasts were now fuller. Her cheekbones were a little higher, and her lashes longer. She had also a black tail which was golden at the tip. Even her outfit had changed. She now wore hakama's and a Haori, both black in colour with a golden dragon going down from her shoulder to her lower back. Everyone was baffled, what had happened to their dear friend? They were all startled out of their thoughts though, when Kagome opened her eyes and sat up on the bed. As she excepted, Sango lunged at her with tears in her eyes. "Kagome! We were all so worried about you! What happened? You scared the hell out of us during the week by your changes!" Kagome hugged Sango with a smile on her face, stroking her hair in a comforting manner. "Shh, Sango, it's okay. I'm a Youkai now, but I still love you guys." Miroku saw it fit to butt in on their conversation before Sango came up with more questions. "Kagome-sama, it's great to have you back. You are more lovelier now than ever." At that comment he got cold looks from both of the women, which ended up with all three of them laughing at the familiar atmosphere. "It's so good to see you guys laughing again! Now, I just have to check my mirror image on the river, I'll be right back!"

She smiled as she got up and walked outside the hut, only to find Inuyasha waiting for her with Kikyou. As she saw her incarnation, her smile fell instantly only to be replaced by a frown. "Inuyasha, Kikyou." Inuyasha just narrowed his eyes at her, and Kikyou clenched her fists. "Wench, what the hell have you done?! Your supposed to be dead, not turned into a youkai!" He looked outraged. "Yes, reincarnation. Have you sold your soul to the devil like Naraku? You are more pathetic than I originally thought." Kagome's eyes were tinged red, but she kept her cool. "I haven't sold my soul to anyone, this is my original soul. And I'm not your reincarnation, you filth." Now Inuyasha was raging, and soon found himself thrown at a tree and knocked unconscious. As Kikyou tried to purify her, she just laughed at her pathetic little powers, and then growled at her, which made her run in fright to check on her love. Kagome continued her journey to the river, and when she saw her reflection, her attention was immediately drawn to the eyes peering back at her. They were not golden as she had first thought, but they were as green as the forests in the west.

~End flashback~

After that, she had moved to the western forests with Shippou, and Miroku and Sango had settled own on the old slayers village. Though she was sure Sesshoumaru had sensed her youki by now, he hadn't come to kill her, obviously because she had no ill intentions towards him or his lands. As she walked back to the little hut she and Shippou had made for themselves to live in, she hunted down a deer for dinner. When she got to the hut, Shippou came running at her at top speed. "Momma! Your back! And you brought dinner!!" She couldn't help but smile and laugh at her little kit's enthusiasm towards dinner time, it was just so cute! "Hi Shippou, would you start the fire so we can put some of the meat in store and boil some water?" He was already on it before she even got to finish her sentence. He was such a sweetie. After they had eaten and had some tea Kagome put Shippou to bed inside the hut and went on to her nightly walk. Little did she know that her walk would be disturbed this time around..

Sesshoumaru had sensed the new youkai on his lands, and though he couldn't put his finger on it, the demoness felt familiar. He had decided to go and inquire her of her presence on his lands.

He was walking quietly towards his destination even tough it was already evening. When he came to the clearing he saw some kind of inu demoness sitting on a rock, watching the moon. Her sent was familiar to him, but he still couldn't pinpoint why. "This Sesshoumaru will ask only once; what are you doing on my lands without my permission?" That got the demoness's attention, and she stood up from her natural bench. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I mean no harm to you or your lands, I would just love to live here in peace with my kit." She said, bowing to him, and showing her respect. "Hn. This Sesshoumaru detects no lies from you, you and your pup may stay." At that she smiled and bowed again. "Due to all respect, Sesshoumaru-sama, he is no pup, but a kit." At that Sesshoumaru lifted an elegant eyebrow. "Are you not an inu demoness?" She smiled again. "I am." His brow disappeared in his bangs. "How is it possible then that you would produce a kit other than a pup?" The wind decided to play a little with her hair, which mesmerized him, though he wouldn't admit it. "Sesshoumaru-sama, my kit is adopted, as you may know. He has been with me since I traveled with your half-brother." Now he was confused, and he didn't like it one bit. "Explain." Was the cold demand from the cold demon lord. "I am Kagome, the miko who travelled with the half-breed, slayer, monk and the kit. I wished that Kikyou would be returned to life, and thought that I would die in the process, but Midoriko-sama told me that I was never human to begin with, but a rare Youkai, a golden inu. I wished to get away from that half-breed, and came to your lands, My Lord." She said, bowing respectfully. He could smell no deceit from her, and believed her. And she truly was what she had said, a golden inu. She was beautiful, her hair was flowing freely like his, and he felt drawn to her. His beast was whimpering for him to get to know her, and silently he agreed. "You shall stay on my lands Kagome, and be protected from any harm along with your kit. I see that you have finally noticed that my half-brother doesn't deserve someone such as you." With that he walked back where he had came from, leaving a blushing Kagome at his wake in a storm of cherry blossoms.

Early the next morning, Kagome got up and made breakfast for her and her kit in a silence. She was thinking of her encounter with Sesshoumaru the other day, his words still ringing in her ears. He thought she was worthy. She was touched deep within by his words, and her emotions for the cold youkai startled her. Sure, he was handsome and perfect in any sense of the word, but she didn't think she'd fall in love with him. Though she knew for sure that he didn't didn't feel love for her, after all, he was emotionless. He couldn't feel love or affection. His heart was made of ice, right? Those were her line of thoughts the whole day.

Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru was in his study, fighting with his beast about Kagome's place in their life.

'This Sesshoumaru told you already, she will not become our mate!'

'She will be ours! I will have her! Our mate!'

'Fine, I'll think about it! Go back to your cage! Now!'

'She will be ours.'

Finally his beast left him alone, though he couldn't get Kagome out of his mind. His beast was obviously in love with the demoness, but he was not. Or so he thought. Sure, granted, she was more beautiful than any demoness he had seen throughout his life, and would be an excellent mate and mother, but he didn't need a mate. A mate was a nuisance, a liability, a weakness. He had no place in his life for a weakness. Though her youki was almost as strong as his.. No! He would not bend on this subject. 'We will see about that' came the reply from his beast, which he growled at. He would go over to the woman and sort this out as soon as possible.

During mid-day, Kagome felt Sesshoumaru's youki, and her youkai purred in content. She was puzzled, to say the least. Her beast had never - EVER - purred before!

~Flashback~

Kagome and Shippou were traveling towards the western border, and the kit was already asleep on her lap. They had made camp a few hours ago, and were now just relaxing after a long day. Kagome started to meditate, and soon found out that she wasn't alone in her mind.

She walked along the misty and dark path, until she came to a stop before a set of large doors with seals on them. She watched with fascination as the seals burned away, and the doors opened only to reveal a golden inu with a set of red eyes. The inu stepped toward her, and she, by instinct, raised her hand for the inu to sniff. After awhile, there came a soft rumble from the inu; 'Master', as it receded back to it's own place in her mind.

After the encounter with her inner beast, Kagome felt complete and free, a feeling she hadn't had in a long time.

~End flashback~

When Sesshoumaru came to a stop before her, she bowed for him and he gave her a slight nod. "Kagome, this Sesshoumaru would wish to take a stroll with you. Will you come with me?" Kagome was a little taken aback by that, but she smiled non the less. "I would love to, Sesshoumaru-sama." With that said, he begun to lead her in the forest they had met in. Along the way both of their beasts were getting antsy, and wanted out. Kagome's beast was whining and Sesshoumaru's clawing at it's cage. Soon they came to a stop by the rock Kagome had sat on when they met.

They both sat down on the rock, and Sesshoumaru began speaking. "Kagome, I do not know how to say this, so I'm going to be blunt about it. My beast has chosen you as it's mate, and I would wish to court you. Will you accept?" Kagome's beast was doing 'the happy dance' in her head, and she was really wondering if Sesshoumaru was okay. "Sesshoumaru-sama.." She didn't get the chance to finish though, when Sesshoumaru interrupted her. "Kagome, you can call me just Sesshoumaru, and I wish that you would do so. It's.. unnerving to hear you speak so formally with me." His brows formed a slight frown, which soon disappeared. "Well, then, Sesshoumaru, truth be told my beast has the same interest in you, which would mean that I accept." She smiled brightly at him, her love shining in her eyes, the rain of cherry blossoms making her look angelic.

~Later in their lives~

Sesshoumaru had courted Kagome a few months now, and she had moved to his castle with her kit. Rin was of course happy to have a playmate, and also happy for her Sesshoumaru-sama's happiness. Sesshoumaru had realized that he loved the demoness named Kagome, and couldn't live without her by his side, which also applied to Kagome. They were planning to mate the next spring, under the same sakura tree they had met, behind the rock they had sat on.

They went hunting every night in their demon forms, Sesshoumaru as a giant silver Inu, and Kagome as a smaller golden Inu.  They were truly happy together. They had twelve pups, six boys, three of them were golden-, and three silver inu's and six girl's, three golden-, and three silver-. Add Rin and Shippou, they had total of fourteen pups. And still they managed with all of them. The first girl they had, they had named Sakura, since she was born in spring, the time when sakura's bloomed. Their first son was the heir, and Sesshoumaru named him 'Yasahiro'. The other boys were named; Sasuke, Chitose, Eiichi, Junichi and Raiden. All named by Sesshoumaru, of course. Kagome got to pick the girls' names tough; Akimi, Chikaze, Fujiko, Gina and Hideyo.

With their pups and each other, they didn't need anything else..

A/N - Don't worry, it's not over yet! >8D

~Yuuki K.~