Following is a short list of ideas and premise used in this story.  Please read it before starting on the story.  It will make more sense.

Sesshoumaru and Kureha had studied together since they were children.
Kureha's mother and Inu no Taishou had an alliance against a foreign youkai invasion, and since then their kin kept their alliance.
Kureha was entrusted to Sesshoumaru's mother while she received lessons from sages gathered at Sesshoumaru's mother's palace.
They met every few years, and Kureha stayed about half a year each time.
Kureha's Orochi (Great Serpent) clan and Sesshoumaru's Inu Daiyoukai have different customs and social structure.
Youkai do not have convention of marriage.
In my universe, Inupop was an absent father.  He did not live with Sessmom, and he visited Sessmom and Sesshoumaru from time to time, occasionally giving Sesshoumaru lessons when he was around.  (as seen in Young Sesshoumaru 6 and 6B)
Kureha has a special ability to create "apparitions" of herself, and they act on her behalf.
These apparitions will transform into giant spirit serpents when attacking. (not relevant to this tale)
The numbers of apparition she is able to create correponds to her age and power.
Sesshoumaru is carrying a short sword at this time, which he will give up during his rite of passage ceremony.
In their youth, youkai has similar aging speed as humans, and it slows down as their body matures.

So, on to the story!

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"An Emergence"



Sesshoumaru and Kureha had come to the last year of their study.
At the end of that year, they both were to go through ceremonies for rites of passage.
For Sesshoumaru, that meant to gain the right to build own stronghold.  He would be given his armor and fur, and be recognized by his pack as a new competitor.  For Kureha, that meant to replace her mother as the new Matriarch.  She would assume her duty of leading her clan, and she would be expected to bear the next Matriarch.
Kureha might or might not produce a female heir in her lifetime, and she could only conceive by her own kind.
It was very rare for an Orochi (Great Serpent) Daiyoukai to conceive a female offspring.
Thus her Orochi clan members were mostly males with very few females, and they operated collectively around their Matriarch.
Inu Daiyoukai on the other hand, had more free-forming social structure.  Each members were left to his or her own choice and ability to build their own stronghold.  Some did (Sessmom), and some chose not to (Inupop).  Their number were also much fewer than Orochi Daiyoukai.

On the promised day at dusk, Kureha arrived at Sesshoumaru's mother's palace with dozen of her Orochi clansmen and two handmaidens.
She only allowed her handmaidens to accompany her into the palace.

This time, something was different.
Kureha ran into Sesshoumaru after greeting his mother in the meeting room.
They both inspected each other as if they have met for the first time.  It had been 3 years since the last time they met for their study.
Kureha had grown to be an alluring young woman.
She was never daunted by Sesshoumaru's harshness, and she was one of very few strangers whom Sesshoumaru had some degree of respect for.
Sesshoumaru's appearance was remakable.
His presence naturally drew attention, especially from females.  Although, their attention was always returned by his indifference.
Kureha was always fond of his graceful bearing.  She noticed that he had become more virile.
However, what drew her to him most, was something lurking beneath his harsh and impassive stance.
It stirred her curiosity.  Whenever she thought she came close to knowing it, it eluded her.

"I will be staying again, for the last time."  Kureha said to Sesshoumaru.
He did not reply, except with the slight change of the light in his amber eyes.
This was all familiar to her.
They both started to walk away from each other at the same time.



As their days went by, Sesshoumaru had noticed that without intending to do so, he was looking for Kureha when he was not around her.
He did not question himself why.  He chose to dismiss it.
Kureha became aware that her own interest in Sesshoumaru was more than mere curiosity.
She wondered what he thought of her.  It was difficult to know, except he was not so surly to her like he was to most others.
She imagined what would be like to touch him.
He sometimes seemed like an illusion, just like an apparition that she could create.
Though she did not control it.  It haunted her.
Knowing that she would soon have to leave, Kureha decided to leave things alone.
Her duties as the new Matriarch of her clan awaited her.

One day, one of the sages brought a rare specimen of moth to their lesson.
The moth fed on corpses and dusts of youkai remains.
When it lived long enough repeating its consumption, the moth would eventually emerge as the youkai it had last consumed.
Kureha was fascinated to see a creature that could make such transformation, and her face brightened up with delight.
Sesshoumaru was pleased by seeing Kureha's reaction.
For a moment, he was seized upon by an ardent impulse to possess her.
However, he became disturbed to realize she had such effect on him.  He resented her for intruding in his mind so clandestinely.
While Kureha marveled at the details on the moth's wings as it flew around her, she saw the moth suddenly split in two in the air.
The half of its remains landed softly on her lap like a petal of peony.

"A vile creature."
Sesshoumaru said dispassionately, as he sheathed his short sword.



For many days, Kureha had been hiding.  It was getting too difficult for her to be in the presence of Sesshoumaru.
He was becoming increasingly irritable around her.  Her handmaidens also became concerned, and advised her to keep distance from him.
She needed some peace until the time she would leave.
Peace in hiding was far from what she wanted, however she chose that over disappointment.
"What is it that I am expecting from Sesshoumaru?" Kureha asked herself.
No matter, she decided to leave things alone, and hiding herself was a way to do so.
Kureha stayed inside of the warded "male off-limits" area within the palace "studying".
She met with sages for lessons without Sesshoumaru, and used her apparitions to run her errands.
Though he acted as if he would rather see her go away when he was around Kureha, Sesshoumaru was perturbed by her disappearance.
He became angry at himself for letting her absence get to him, and at her for disturbing his mind.
He needed to rid of the source of his disturbance as soon as possible.
It was difficult to track Kureha's apparitions, because they could disappear without leaving any scent to follow.
Of course, this aggravated Sesshoumaru even more.

One afternoon after his training, Sesshoumaru caught a sight of Kureha's apparition.
He tracked it down successfully this time, and found Kureha in the forest.
She was playing a game of go stone with another of her apparitions on a small island in the middle of a small lake.
A single magnolia tree had grown on the island, and it was in full blossom above them.
Kureha felt a breeze that moved petals on the ground.
Sesshoumaru stood behind her.

He grabbed her wrist forcefully and asked.  "Speak. Why do you hide yourself ? "
She winced slightly at the pain he caused her.
The forest fell silent, sensing his tremendous youki (youkai aura) being stirred.
Sesshoumaru looked sharply into her eyes, and tightened his grip.  It would have quickly crushed a human arm.
Kureha was speechless for a moment.  It was unusual for her to get flustered.
"I...hid myself because...."
She was starting to feel glad to be found, and she thought she would simply reveal what was in her mind all this time.
Hiding herself did not keep her safe from what she wanted.
However, as she looked into his eyes, she realized that she had lured him out, and it was he who was caught.
Sesshoumaru listened to her intently, but he did not wait for her to finish what she wanted to say.
He remembered the moment when Kureha saw the moth.
This time, he had made a different choice.
He chose to simply respond.

Kureha thought she heard Sesshoumaru murmur, "Enough." as he drew her to him.  She saw his face approached her.
Their lips touched.  He supped the rest of her words from her lips gently.
However, grip of his hand was still firm.  He was not going to let her go.
As she felt his fang on her lip, she clutched his garment.
"We are each other's prey."  Kureha thought.



Later that day, Sesshoumaru's mother called Kureha to the meeting room for a conversation.
Kureha entered the room.  She looked to have just come back from cleansing.  She brought with her fresh scent of spring water.
Her face had slight flush, and she was wearing new kimono.
Kureha bowed to Sesshoumaru's mother in her usual graceful manner, but she seemed to be a little bit preoccupied, which was unlike her.
She also did not talk much about her day, except she said she took a break and spent some time in the forest nearby.

The mother could smell faint but distinct scent of her son from the girl in front of her.
She did not pry, though she understood what had transpired.
When Kureha left the room, the mother sighed.   ".... Sesshoumaru...! "
She regretted that she did not consider a warding rosary to protect the next Orochi Matriarch who was entrusted to her.
How would the Orochi clan receive this incident if they find out?
However, those were just momentary thoughts.
Why, a mere rosary would not do anything except to insult them with my presumption.
This would not have happened if either of them did not wish it.
Kureha is a clever girl.  Let her handle the situation.
No one needs to know what happened between them.

The mother glanced toward the direction where Kureha had exited, and shrugged.
"They will do as they please."



End


Continues to "An Emergence 2"