For days they had been traveling, mostly in silence. Miroku was in the dog house once again, and Inuyasha was still miffed that Sesshoumaru was traveling with them. The normally noisy children were with Kaede, so there was no break from the silence.
Kagome had an idea. She dashed to catch up with Sesshoumaru. She had to battle to keep the pace, but was doing well. "Sesshoumaru," she said, drawing his attention from the horizon down to her.
"Miko," he replied, glaring at her.
"What did you want to be when you grew up? At first, I wanted to be a ballerina, when Mama got me a dancer's costume when I was five." She continued on as if he asked her to go on. "Then, at seven, I wanted to be an astronaut. Barbie was an astronaut, I could be an astronaut. Then I wanted to be a teacher!"
Sesshoumaru looked away from her.
She took his silence for another ok to go on. "After that, it was a computer repair tech, a submarine operator, a novelist, a sandwich artist, and a photographer."
"The supreme ruler of Japan," he said, and left it at that.
Kagome shook her head. "I doubt you wanted that from birth."
His eyes darted left and right, looking for any eavesdroppers. "As a child, this Sesshoumaru wanted to be a kabuki star."
"A kab-"
"Do not interrupt," he said, holding up his had. "Yes, a kabuki star. Father took me to Kyoto and I escaped to a theatre. The music and costumes mesmerized my childhood eyes; there were human men on stage pretending to be oni. As a real youkai, my career would never end."
"A kab-"
He held up his hand again. "This Sesshoumaru will not tolerate another interruption. A few hours later father discovered me and gave me the beating of my life. He said I was destined to be a great ruler, not a low life actor. From that day on, my dream was to defeat him, to be the best."
"That was your motivation?"
Kagome thought about what he had told her. Rather than follow his dreams, he had been punished by his father because the great general didn't approve of his son's dreams and desires.
"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru," she whispered.
"I'm not."
"At least you don't feel sorry for yourself."
"Why feel sorry for myself? You've just been had, miko." He winked at her and walked ahead.
Kagome pouted. Sesshoumaru sure could spin a yarn.