Peach Tree by Rylias R. Shadow

Never Forget Us

Kagome ran through the trees into a clearing before the castle of Inu No Taisho, the Lord of the Western Lands. The small child gasped for air and tried to quite the noise she was making. He would find her that way. She snuck toward the groves off to her left many yards away and soon found herself under her favorite peach tree. She smiled at it. He knew to look for her there, but she wanted him to find her. She climbed the tree and hid in its branches, waiting for him.

Moments later, Sesshomaru broke through the tree line, sniffing the air for her. They were playing hide and seek, one of their favorite pastimes, in his father's woods. He wondered if Father knew where she went, but he was inside, and probably busy. He caught her scent as the wind changed and he took off towards the groves from whence her scent came.

The little demon boy stopped and looked around for the human miko. Kagome watched him from her perch, considering her options...then a second later, flew at him with a wild yell. Sesshomaru looked up to see her above him a second before they hit the ground, wrestling and laughing.

"I win, Sesshomaru!" She squealed in her high pitched child's voice that never seemed to hurt Sesshomaru's ears. He laughed and pushed the girl from him.

"Alright, Kagome, you win! Now get off!" She stood wiping tears of laugher from her eyes. He stood too, dusting himself off. He examined the dirt that stained them and the tears from their scuffles.

"Father won't like me ruining my clothes, Kagome." He said, trying to be stern. She laughed her tinkling laugh that brought him indescribable joy.

"You'll be ok, Sesshomaru, you have more." She pulled a peach from the branch above her and took a bite of the sweet furry fruit. He watched her, smiling, and turned the fruit away when he offered it to him.

"You know we don't eat it, Kagome." He said.

"Then why does your Papa grow them?" She asked. He shrugged and the two children shared a laugh. Suddenly she reached out and touched Sesshomaru's face with her free hand. His heart faltered.

"Promise me something, Sesshomaru?"

"Anything, Kagome."

"Never forget us."

Sesshomaru opened his bleary golden eyes, the morning light from his window ripping him from sleep. He sat up with an almost inaudible sigh and recalled his dream. This was not the first dream he had recently had of his childhood companion, a human miko named Kagome. He had not thought of her in centuries. He had known her so long ago, back when his father was still alive, well over five hundred years ago. He felt a slight pang in his heart as he remembered his promise...never forget us...

Kagome...I have failed you and forgotten you these long years without you...I will not do so again. He thought.

He knew she was no longer alive after all this time; she was a human, albeit a miko. With his thoughts on a human girl from the past, he stood and headed down the hallway to where Jaken no doubt waited with breakfast.

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Kagome stirred restlessly...what had that dream been about? Something about her in a peach tree with a boy. A boy with silver hair. What was his name? She couldn't remember. She sat up and raised her arms over her head. The bright morning sun filtered in through her open window, bringing a warm gust of wind. She stood, leaned outside and smiled.

Today was a beautiful day! It started her new job and a place her friend told her about. He had also secured this job for her, he'd been able to becasue his older brother actually owned and operated the company. She was still grateful to Inuyasha, even though it was only a desk job. It would pay her very well, exactly what she needed to finish school.

She was 20 years old and needed the money to complete her education. Her old job just wasn't cutting it. Inuyasha, concerned for her, told her that his brother's company needed a secretary. It wasn't a great job, but it would pay her double what she was earning at her other job. Elated, she asked him to get her the job, which he soon got for her. Today was her first day at Taisho Production Industries. Taisho? Why did that sound familiar? She brushed it off, she had to get going.