Inuyasha, "The Unquiet Winds" ch. 14
Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Title: No Coincidence
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters: Sesshoumaru, Kagura's reincarnation (inevitable Kagura/Sesshoumaru)
Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural/Suspense
Rating: PG-13 (overall)
Universe: Canon divergence, Modern
Notes: This new serial was started to follow the themes for contests at Livejournal. This is the 15th installment, written for the "Ahem" prompt at i_b_4_y.
Story Summary: Natsumi dreams of another woman's past, a woman who desperately wants to reunite with the man she loves, even if Natsumi has to suffer in the end.
The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Fourteen: No Coincidence
Natsumi had to admit that Sesshoumaru Taiki’s book on Japanese youkai was interesting. Not only that, it read like a guidebook rather than a book of myths, as if youkai were actually real.
Well, at least I’m certain they’re real, thanks to my past life, she thought. She used to believe Kagura had been nothing but a dream, but now, she realized the truth.
Engrossed half-way through the book, Natsumi heard a light noise behind her in the stacks. Furrowing her brow, she rose quietly from her table and started weaving through the shelves. Upon a ladder, the flashy library aide that helped her earlier was returning books onto the shelves.
Arching an eyebrow, she found it just a little suspicious that he was still hanging around her. It might have been a coincidence, but since she met Sesshoumaru, she didn’t believe in them.
“Ahem,” she said, trying to get his attention. Startled, the poor guy almost dropped the stack of heavy books he was balancing against his chest. His face flashed with momentary annoyance before giving her a smile as bright as his red hair.
“Yes?”
“Ah, Shippou-san, I was wondering...did you give me this book?” She held up Sesshoumaru’s book, and his eyes fell on the cover.
“Oh, yes. I found it in the returns, and I thought it’d be helpful. Was it?” he inquired grinning.
“Uh, I wasn’t expecting such a book. You see, I’m looking for books on genealogy; this is a mythological guide for youkai,” she said bluntly, eying his reaction intently.
“Oh,” he replied with a frown. “So I was wrong. I’m sorry; I’ll put that back for you,” he said, climbing down from the ladder. He reached out his hand.
“Well, actually, it’s perfect,” she said, pulling the book against her chest. “But it’s odd; I wonder how you knew about how perfect it would be, despite it having very little to do with my original request.”
“I seem to have a knack for such things,” he boasted with a confident smirk.
“Yes,” she said, still peering at him intently. Shippou seemed immune to her hard stare, so she started pacing around him like a predator with its prey. “I wonder how good you are. You see this author?”
He didn’t even need to look. He nodded and met her eyes. “I know of him. Excellent with details, but a little pompous in his tone. Sometimes he can be dreadfully boring, and other times, his writing reads like a lost memory.”
Natsumi’s lip curled in a slight smile. “I’m sure you have no idea.”
“I’m sure I do, ma’am” he said, meeting the challenge in her tone.
“Did he write any more books?” she asked, and Shippou’s face burst with delight.
“Oh, lots,” he said, crossing his arms. “I assume you want those books as well?”
She nodded fiercely. “Please,” she said, and she flushed when he grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
“Well, then,” he said invigorated. “Let’s get started!”
Title: The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Title: No Coincidence
Author: Paynesgrey
Characters: Sesshoumaru, Kagura's reincarnation (inevitable Kagura/Sesshoumaru)
Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural/Suspense
Rating: PG-13 (overall)
Universe: Canon divergence, Modern
Notes: This new serial was started to follow the themes for contests at Livejournal. This is the 15th installment, written for the "Ahem" prompt at i_b_4_y.
Story Summary: Natsumi dreams of another woman's past, a woman who desperately wants to reunite with the man she loves, even if Natsumi has to suffer in the end.
The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Fourteen: No Coincidence
Natsumi had to admit that Sesshoumaru Taiki’s book on Japanese youkai was interesting. Not only that, it read like a guidebook rather than a book of myths, as if youkai were actually real.
Well, at least I’m certain they’re real, thanks to my past life, she thought. She used to believe Kagura had been nothing but a dream, but now, she realized the truth.
Engrossed half-way through the book, Natsumi heard a light noise behind her in the stacks. Furrowing her brow, she rose quietly from her table and started weaving through the shelves. Upon a ladder, the flashy library aide that helped her earlier was returning books onto the shelves.
Arching an eyebrow, she found it just a little suspicious that he was still hanging around her. It might have been a coincidence, but since she met Sesshoumaru, she didn’t believe in them.
“Ahem,” she said, trying to get his attention. Startled, the poor guy almost dropped the stack of heavy books he was balancing against his chest. His face flashed with momentary annoyance before giving her a smile as bright as his red hair.
“Yes?”
“Ah, Shippou-san, I was wondering...did you give me this book?” She held up Sesshoumaru’s book, and his eyes fell on the cover.
“Oh, yes. I found it in the returns, and I thought it’d be helpful. Was it?” he inquired grinning.
“Uh, I wasn’t expecting such a book. You see, I’m looking for books on genealogy; this is a mythological guide for youkai,” she said bluntly, eying his reaction intently.
“Oh,” he replied with a frown. “So I was wrong. I’m sorry; I’ll put that back for you,” he said, climbing down from the ladder. He reached out his hand.
“Well, actually, it’s perfect,” she said, pulling the book against her chest. “But it’s odd; I wonder how you knew about how perfect it would be, despite it having very little to do with my original request.”
“I seem to have a knack for such things,” he boasted with a confident smirk.
“Yes,” she said, still peering at him intently. Shippou seemed immune to her hard stare, so she started pacing around him like a predator with its prey. “I wonder how good you are. You see this author?”
He didn’t even need to look. He nodded and met her eyes. “I know of him. Excellent with details, but a little pompous in his tone. Sometimes he can be dreadfully boring, and other times, his writing reads like a lost memory.”
Natsumi’s lip curled in a slight smile. “I’m sure you have no idea.”
“I’m sure I do, ma’am” he said, meeting the challenge in her tone.
“Did he write any more books?” she asked, and Shippou’s face burst with delight.
“Oh, lots,” he said, crossing his arms. “I assume you want those books as well?”
She nodded fiercely. “Please,” she said, and she flushed when he grabbed her hand and pulled her along.
“Well, then,” he said invigorated. “Let’s get started!”