Hey peeps. For now, I am still in the process of building things up. So hang with me... When things get steamy between our lovely couple, I will probably change the rating of this story to M if you know what I mean mwahahaha. As always, I hope you enjoy it. My main goal is to spread KaguSessh joy anyway. I'm learning a lot and I hope my writing improves with each chapter ^.^ please review and leave anything on your mind: your thoughts, questions, constructive criticism, fortune-telling for the story, etc!

Also, y'all I'm starting to like Rin and Kohaku the more I write about them? They're too sweet. They understand each other's hardships and backgrounds more than any other kids in the feudal era. They've both been through so much (together?) LOVE?! It's sooo perfect the more I think about it! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Also, thank you so much for your lovely reviews Luka, kimboslicesalami, and RondaKoropokuru. I appreciate it a lot.

Chapter 2: Return Confirmed

It was a sunny day and there wasn't a single sign of rain. This allowed for the clear brightness of day to shine through the leafy trees, and onto the dog demon passing through them. The cirrus clouds in the sky were sparse with only a few streaks, which made the clouds seem more like individualized characters overlooking them. As Sesshomaru walked through the deep forests, his steps made crisp sounds against the grass. His facial expression revealed that he was intensely concentrating on something.

Rather than flying, he decided to walk. His destination was nearby.

Sesshomaru was to arrive at Kaede's village soon, carrying the still unconscious Kagura over his shoulder. The Wind Sorceress had her eyes closed like she was in a peaceful sleep. The air was dry but light, making it easier for the dog demon to carry her for a few miles, although the powerful dog demon was not one to be sensitive to temperature.

Back in the village, Inuyasha had sensed Sesshomaru's presence before he had arrived.

"Sesshomaru? Why would that pain in the ass be coming back here? It's only been less than a week" the half-demon grunted as he crossed his arms with the swoop of his red sleeves.

Hearing his loud and obnoxious voice, Rin shook Kohaku's excitedly as she beamed with joy. Kohaku wondered if he was here to give her another kimono. To that, Rin responded that she'd hope not, for she had way too many already. Kohaku chuckled as he thought about the powerful dog demon.

"You know, Sesshomaru is really not as bad as I'd thought at first" Kohaku had commented
"He spared me, when he really had no other reason to" he continued. His deep, brown eyes gazed into the young girl sitting next to him.

"I'm so glad you noticed this Kohaku! Finally someone who agrees with me. In fact, Lord Sesshomaru is a big softy the more you get to know him!" Rin exclaimed.

"Ehh I'm not so sure about the soft part," the young boy mumbled while scratching his head, but seeing Rin's bright smile caused him to liberate a small grin.

Kohaku had just finished his fight training. He was working on becoming a strong demon slayer, and today was his training day, which is practically synonymous with everyday. The teenager who had already been through many unusual experiences worked hard to chase his dreams. He hoped to one day become the man his father would have been proud of.

Kohaku had on his black outfit with the cool-green accent, along with his armor plates that were made of demon parts. On his back, he had his favorite weapon, kusarigama. Also made of demon bones, it was newly upgraded by Totosai the other day. It was slightly heavier, but Kohaku had gotten used to it.

There were stories circulating around the village that Kohaku had saved Rin from demons that had sneaked into the quiet town. Rin had been surrounded by the ogres. She'd plea for help, and it was to note that the boy's name naturally came out of her mouth, calling Kohaku for help. That day, Kohaku fought them all off by himself, proving to the girl that he was a truly adept demon slayer.

The whole town practically shipped them together, and made secret insiders to act whenever they were seen together. Sango awed whenever the young couple were around, jokingly envious herself of their growing puppy love.

"Don't worry, Sango, for we have our own growing love" Miroku pronounced as his hands found her backside. A few seconds later, naturally the monk had found a red hand mark on his cheek.

In regards to Sesshomaru, the powerful demon had originally detested any human, including Kohaku. He had especial distate for Sango's young brother, Kohaku, but he had grown to no longer see the boy as a brat. He approved of the boy with time. Kohaku was a good soul; hard working, strong, and kindhearted. He knew he was responsible, and would never hurt Rin. The boy had protected her when Sesshomaru himself couldn't. With that, the dog demon gave a silent nod and approval for the boy to take companion of his human child.

Across from the street, and a few houses down, Inuyasha loudly grunted. His rowdy voice was easily heard among the villagers.

The younger brother of the dog demon jumped up as he stuck his nose in the air. He sniffed searchingly as he unveiled a puzzled look on his face.

"Wait, I smell another scent coming with him!" Inuyasha remarked.

Kagome curiously looked at Inuyasha as she put her finger on her chin with interest. "Could he have brought someone along with him?"

..::Kagura::..

I would rather die than be under Naraku's control again. He's so cruel, that creep. I am more of a demon than that half-demon, but he was even more heartless than me. To think that he was once human... Demons aren't the only ones that are scary. The human heart must sometimes, be even darker.

I'm scared. If Naraku ever shows up near me again, there's no telling what he will do. He hurts me. I'd almost forgotten what pain feels like, and I'd like to keep it that way, thank you. And those disgusting tentacles, what an eye sore. Also, his home was no place for a woman to stay, I'll tell you that.

Honestly, a world with Naraku is a world that I would rather not be in.

Currently, all I'm seeing is black. It's all darkness. I'd like to turn on the lights around here. I think I may have fainted. I wish I could open my eyes or something. But I can't. What is happening? Whatever it is, this feels strange and unsettling.

I hate not knowing what is going on. I hate being unaware of something, especially if everyone does and I'm the only one being left out. It's a dirty feeling that eats you from inside.

Not only do I find it incredibly annoying, but it's also quite terrifying. We always tend to think up the worst case scenarios, given nothing concrete. Imagine not knowing the exact answer to where you are or what is in front of you. Just like this, fear stems from the unknown.

And what if Naraku has awoken me just to complete another one of his grueling tasks? Or could it just be because he got bored? Would he torture me further by rubbing it in my face?

Right now, is this world swallowed entirely by Naraku's bloodlust and darkness?

No. I refuse to believe that. Inuyasha was reckless, but him and his team... they were on to something. I'm sure of it. Not only him, but Koga was stupidly stubborn. That mangy wolf could never give up. Also, there's Sesshomaru.

Naraku has had his fair share of enemies. I remember I witnessed Karma with my very eyes when Naraku had tricked Sesshomaru. In the end, he got what he deserved. Naraku has had his fair share of enemies. If that bastard received what he put out to the world, Naraku couldn't have possibly survived up until now.

But the world isn't always crystal clear like that. There's an abundance of unfairness. So I have no way of telling.

I'm not ready. I feel like I've been thrown into an ocean when I haven't swam for years. I'm not ecstatic about being back here, because being the wind has been a blast. I had no more feelings to feel. Being an air-head for three years was quite refreshing, as stupid as it sounds. It was just what I needed. It was like an excessively long period of meditation that erased everything from your mind. Once I woke up, I started to regain all of my memory back.

Memory... I remember the most recent events. Sesshomaru's intense presence, yes. Naraku piercing my heart and flooding me with miasma, yes. I'm continuously starting to bring everything back. I'm sorry to say that any, almost all, of my memories are tragic. What a pity. But I guess I had no choice in the matter back then. Control. Ownership. It's nauseating.

I was a wind demoness, who preferred to just mind my own business half of the time. I don't care about the irrelevant people if they stay out of my way. I enjoy getting what I want, so once I have my mind set on something, I'm not the type to give up.

Then again, I do have some fond memories as well... like watching over Kohaku. He was a good kid. The kind of kid your heart easily goes to. He was human, but I don't discriminate anymore. I hate demons and humans all the same. That human boy was another broken soul, but I admired his bravery and his unwavering inclination to make things right with his sister.

I really liked that kid, Kohaku. I wonder how he is doing now. If he out of everyone isn't alright now, the world can go to hell, because he deserves much better.

What else?

My mind automatically seems to go towards that powerful dog demon. I really thought he could have been my ride to freedom. I really wished, in fact, that he could free me. I guess he wasn't the one in the end. I thought I saw him clutch his Tenseiga during my departure. Did he want to save me? His expression was incomprehensible that one. But him, he's always like that.

Sesshomaru? He has a fine face, but what's it worth if he is still an arrogant, stubborn ice block? Sometimes I wonder if he even breathes. It's that stifling character he has. He never fails to anger me. In fact, I can never have a full conversation with him without storming off with rage. Amazing. That's the kind of guy he is.

But I wonder how he's been holding up now. Recalling him from earlier, he looked like he had been doing well.

Did he kill Naraku?

Is Naraku dead?

I need to know. I am dying to know.

Something cold is on my forehead. Do I hear children somewhere? And do I smell human food?

I slowly opened my eyes and saw five people crowded around me. Oh, give me a break.

The Wind Sorceress was a spectacle to see. Kagome, Inuyasha, Kaede, Rin, and Sango all gathered around her in the room as they took turns theorizing what was happening. Kagome had a concerned look on her face. It couldn't be that Naraku had come back, they had finished him for good.

"Maybe it is possible, that Kagura has come back without a single connection to Naraku," Sango had pondered out loud. This is all what they had hoped.

The woman of attention wore Lord Sesshomaru's white cloth over her slim body. Her wavy, raven hair was sprawled out onto the floor she was laid on. Looking as if she had drifted off to a peaceful sleep, her eyes were naturally closed. Her nicely formed eyelids were bare, absent of her usual scarlet eyeshadow. She was not wearing a single substance that could be called makeup in this light.

Kagome was otherwise glad to see Kagura once more. The young miko had always felt some guilt for not doing what she could to protect Kagura's life. She knew that Kagura was not the one to blame, but Naraku for ordering her around.

"I wonder why Sesshomaru, out of all people, brought Kagura over to us" Kagome questioned.

"I think I know why, Lady Kagome," Rin beamed, but she did not say anything more than that.

Sesshomaru was waiting outside. He did not sit, and appeared to look annoyed. The human village was nonetheless, a human village. Sesshomaru closed his eyes to avoid looking at the atrocity.

"Milord! There you are! I was wondering where you have been!" Jaken remarked. The little demon ran up to the handsome, silver-haired demon, but tripped on a rock. Oww, he screeched.

No response.

Rin, having heard this ruckus from inside, rushed out to see for herself. Kagura was still sound asleep, and nothing new was happening. As she had expected, the imp had been turned upside down with his eyes spinning. The young girl gave out a hearty chuckle.

"Master Jaken! It's so good to see you again. Will Lord Sesshomaru be staying with us tonight?" Rin beamed.

"Rin! Grow some sense. Lord Sesshomaru has a very busy schedule hunting down powerful demons! He will be leaving soon" the imp said, after regaining composure. He brushed off his brown clothes as he put his crossed his arms and had a smug look on his face.

"Silly Jaken! Lord Sesshomaru is staying to see Kagura wake up! Isn't that right Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin interjected.

With a grunt, Sesshomaru did not disagree, but remained put where he was.

"I merely need to know if Naraku is back or not. That is all," he stoically commented, a bit late.

This was not true. There was not a hint of Naraku's scent anywhere. This was only Kagura's own presence in this world. And, unlike the others in the village, the dog demon knew it from his sharp senses.

Suddenly, there was a scream that came from inside of the house. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he unconsciously took a step closer to the house. Startled, Rin ran inside to see what was going on.

It was Sango and Miroku's daughters. They were playing around and one had gotten hurt from running around too fast. She had a cut on her knee and was crying. Kaede gave her some ointment as Sango comforted the little child, hoping to keep the room quiet for Kagura. Seemingly reacting to this commotion, Kagura twitched her eyebrow as she remained laying.

Suddenly, Kagura opened her ruby eyes. She took a good look around the room.

"W-where am I?" she questioned them. Seeing the younger brother of the man she last saw, she couldn't piece things together. When had they become alliances? They have always been mortal enemies.

"Inuyasha? What are you doing here?" she continued.

"That would be my question, Kagura! We have no idea why you are here!" Inuyasha spit back. As blunt as it was, it was a question in everybody's minds, including Kagura herself.

Kagome, after "sitting" Inuyasha, calmed down the atmosphere by explaining what she knew to the Wind Sorceress.

The news about Naraku's defeat was described in full detail. Kagura listened with breathtaking patience and attention. After hearing the news, the Wind Sorceress was overjoyed and ecstatic to hear that she was officially free from Naraku, forever.

"Sesshomaru brought you to us a couple hours ago. He said that he found you at the nearby meadow and that you had fainted. Is everything alright? Do you feel okay Kagura?" the young miko asked her in a concerned tone.

Kagura furrowed her brow in deep thought.

"I... See. I must have fainted when I suddenly rushed up to save the dove I saw earlier. I think I need to get used to moving around more," the Wind Sorceress reckoned.

Sesshomaru was listening to the women as he stood outside the door. Then, Rin opened the door to excitedly let him know that Kagura had awakened. She left the door open for Sesshomaru to see inside.

Through the door, he saw the ruby-eyed lady with all of her black hair down, and in the white dress. She met his eyes and his golden eyes met hers for a second.

Then, it started raining. It was not just raining, but pouring down onto the village.

"It's a miracle!" Kaede shouted.

The trees, the flowers, and all of the crops seemed to be smiling. It was truly refreshing, how the water showered out from the sky and onto the village. It had been a long time coming. The crickets outside were chirping in the night rain, and all was well.

Kagura sensed the happy atmosphere and absorbed it for herself. She was safe, surrounded by good people. Naraku was dead. She could feel something warm stir up inside of her, something radiating out of her skin. Kagura felt sheer joy.

Then, she blinked her eyes when she realized how heavy they were. Kagura was excruciatingly tired. She was not used to this body just yet. In fact, the same thing had happened when Naraku had first brought her to life.

Kagome pestered her husband about something. Then, after a few seconds, Inuyasha pouted as he walked over to the door, looking outside. Reluctantly, Inuyasha was about to be civil and invite his half-brother inside, but before they knew it, the powerful dog demon had disappeared.

"Hey Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha hollered, but there was no response. The rain dripped down his dog ears and off this shoulders. His bare feet could feel the wet grass underneath him. The sky was now dark, with the occasional sparkling star, but was mostly covered by thick clouds.

Sesshomaru had left without a trace. Jaken was gone as well.

Rin had a disappointed look on her face, but she stayed next to Kagura as she slowly got up.

"Oh, also... Where's Kohaku?" Rin asked.

Kaede explained that he was safe in his training house tonight. That was like his second home, considering how crowded Sango and Miroku's house was these days.

"I hope he is doing okay with all of the rain," the young girl continued, thoughtfully. She knew that she shouldn't be worried, because if Kohaku could take down demons and ogres, he would be just fine with little puny rainstorms. However, Rin couldn't help but think of him at times.

"Just get a good night's sleep tonight, we can discuss everything else in the morning," Kagome said to the house.

"Yeah, that sounds good." Sango replied.

Kaede offered her and Rin's room for Kagura to sleep in. The three of them fit comfortably in the snug house, that smelled of sweet wood. Rin brought out the extra blankets from the other room and set up Kagura's bed.

Soon, the three women were all tucked into their respective sleeping bag-esque beds. Shocked by the humans' kindness, Kagura told them thanks as she laid down in her spot in the middle. It was oddly comforting, she realized, to sleep with an old woman on your side and a young girl on the other.

Kagome and Inuyasha had went home to their own space. On the way back, Inuyasha had told Kagome that Kagura had not smelled like Naraku at all, not even a hint. Of course, Inuyasha's senses were not as sharp as Sesshomaru's, so he could not recognize Kagura's scent alone before, but he made sure to remember it for the future. She was no longer an enemy.

Kagome sighed in relief, and told him that she had also sensed a strong demonic aura coming from the Wind Sorceress, but it was not at all a familiar one at all. It was notably pure, with a strange type of power that the young miko had never sensed before.

Sango went home with her two twin daughters in each hand. They jumped and danced around in the rain, exclaiming various words in delight. Sango chuckled warmly as she skipped with her daughters.

Her daughters loved playing with Rin, so they wanted to follow her to visit Kaede's house for the evening. When Sango arrived at her own home, she had Miroku waiting at home with their sleeping infant.

"You wouldn't believe who came back," Sango cheerfully told her husband.

The village fell into a peaceful sleep. There was a lot ahead of them for the next day.

When the sun rose, the world looked new and sparkly. The rain had stopped, but its remnants were visible on the nature it touched. The dew occasionally dripped from the leaves, and the birds chirped along with harmony.

Kagura woke up with Kaede and Rin sleeping next to her. The Wind Sorceress stared at the old woman and the young girl for a few seconds, in wonder. Kaede snored ever so slightly, but then stopped. Later, it continued. It was a sporadic occurrence.

Humans were weird. Kagura sat up and stretched her arms out above her head. She softly fixed her hair to look more presentable.

At that moment, she felt something soft and delicate. Once she was able to grasp it again, she brought it out of her hair and in front of her to see. It was a white dove feather.

She pondered about where it came from, and then remembered the dove that she saved back at the cosmos meadow. Not having a place to put it, she tucked the feather safely behind her ear.

It was still dawn, and Kagura had woken up earlier than everyone else.

She got out of her covers as she decided that she needed to get herself some real clothes today. She craved some accessories as well. Her wavy hair was also getting in her way often, she wanted to put it in a bun. She decided to go hunting for a stylish kimono that suits her taste, some accessories, and a dash of makeup. That would be her mission for today.

Kagura stood up, as she began to wander off around the village. Before she left, she decided to write a letter to Kaede and Rin. She was grateful for everything that they had done. No one had ever been so kind to her before, from what she had remembered.

Taking flight, she could feel her body had rejuvenated fully, back to her usual self. The dove feather was now hers to use, for the small dove had given it to her in gratitude. It transformed to a large size as she softly blew onto it, and she got onto it with her usual ease.

After a short flight, she landed in a rich village, when she encountered a large market next to it. It had the finest kimonos and jewels.

Kagura then realized that she had nothing to trade it for. How was she going to get her items? Before, she had been taught by Naraku to use fright to get what she wanted. Naraku was an expert at manipulating people, and she could sometimes see the traces of the remnants of his original character, which was a vicious bandit.

The Wind Sorceress shook her head of the thought. No more thinking of Naraku. She thought back to Kaede and Rin, and Sango and Kagome, who had all been nothing but kind to her.

Therefore, Kagura couldn't bring herself to harm humans today, after all of that.

Suddenly, there was a bandit of cat demons that invaded the market. The owners shrieked with fright and attempted to run away from the attackers. They left their stands as they prioritized their lives.

Looking closely, Kagura could see that they were female demons. They had feline faces, one with brown hair and one with black. They each had a long tail behind them and were wearing a furry crop top with a velvet type of skirt. They had leg warmers and wore furry sleeves up to the middle of their upper arms. They both had another thing in common: they had eye-catching sparkly jewels around their necks, wrists, and dangling from their ears.

Using this as her chance, Kagura searched for a new kimono to change into. She found the perfect kimono that was sitting on one of the smaller, more low-key stands. It was a sky blue kimono with a soft, raspberry red accent. Although the colors were calm, the fit was exceptional. It hugged her curves just right, and was comfortable to move around in.

She was also able to acquire royal gold earrings that dangled gently whenever she turned her head. In addition, next to the jewelry she found a ribbon to tie her hair with. She gracefully gathered her hair into her signature bun, and decoratively put her feather into it for the last touch.

Kagura was ready to leave at that moment. She was all set.

The two cat demonesses were strutting across the market street while knocking over various stands that did not interest them. They snatched the occasional jewelry, the most valuable ones, as Kagura noticed. The humans cowered in fear when the brown one scratched an old man's eyes out to death, in one stroke.

"Stop! Please! I have five children..." another middle-aged man pleaded.

The man looked like he was loaded. He was draped in gold and had a tall hat on. He appeared to have had some relation with royalty.

"I'll give you anything, just take it! You don't have to kill me!" he continued. His face was stricken with anxious fear.

The two demonesses chortled as they looked at him. They made it look like he was speaking a different language. It was fascinating, how in sync the two were, like a pair of Siamese twins. They let out a theatrical sigh with a fake pitying look on their faces, one that belonged in an overly dramatic musical so that people seated far way in the audience could still see the expression on their faces.

Suddenly, they caught eye contact with the Wind Sorceress, who was walking towards the scene.

"Seriously? That necklace with those leg warmers? Are you out of your mind?" Kagura badgered with a smug smile on her face.

The Siamese twins stopped what they were doing, to focus on Kagura. They eyed her up and down as they looked at each other.

"Who does this bitch think she is?" the black-haired one growled. They sharpened their nails as they got ready to pounce.

Kagura wished she had her fan with her. She could have ended the cat demons by now. Instead, she had to use her mind. She closed her eyes and gathered her energy within herself. She searched for her demonic connection to the air, it was all inside of her, she just needed to search for it.

The Wind Sorceress felt it well up inside her. It felt like a rush, sort of like wind itself. She had her power in the palm of her hands now.

Next chapter, I'm going to delve more into Kagura's actual identity! She is stronger than we all think... Stronger than even she thinks! Let's just say she has her own origins, apart from Naraku. This will all be uncovered sometime later. But for now... let's just brace ourselves...

Also, sorry about the lack of Sesshomaru in this chapter. He will definitelyyyyy be very present in the next chapter.

Until next time, bye guys.