Hey everyone! It's Kyuuketsuki-san again and her trusty vampire bats. I think I may have been partially exposed to sunlight because here is yet another story about dear Sesshy-chan! Not all of it is peaches and cream though so let that be a warning of content in future chapters. Okay, this is going to be a SesshoumaruOC pairing and I'm telling you this in advance to give you time to grimace and press the 'back' button on your browser to look for SessKag, SessKagura or Sesswhatever pairings and completely forget about this one. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of SessKagura pairings (for proof of that please take a look at my poems in 'Stirrings in the Wind'), but sometimes I feel the need to write about something completely different.
As it says in the summary, 'Amber on a Silver Chain' is about Sesshoumaru getting sealed as punishment for something he did and I know that there are plenty of stories out there and especially floating around this site that talk about the same kind of thing. This is not one of those stories. Okay well maybe in some aspects, but I will try my very hardest not to make it as repetitive. Believe me, I hate those types of fanfictions where Sesshoumaru mistreats a human who turns out to be a witch or priestess and he gets put under a spell or sealed up somewhere and then later Kagome or someone else breaks the spell and blah blah blah and they live happily ever after with lots of babies. NO. Many of these stories, if well written, can be quite interesting but as for the rest of them, stories like these are BORING. No offence to those who have written these types of fanfics here and are raring up to send me a nice juicy flamer, but I'm just expressing an opinion here and in no way am I obligating you to pay attention to it.
Well, I sure rambled on and on, I wonder if there's any story space left in here. Okay then, to those few who have stayed to read my humble little story (thank you both) I hope you'll enjoy it and please send me any comments you might have. Constructive criticism is also welcome. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I'd be sure to start World War three if I were to claim ownership of Inuyasha. So I'll say, no I don't. (Grins) That'll be interesting though, Rumiko Takahashi and Manga writers versus Kyuuketsuki-san and all of the Inuyasha fans, (chuckles and shakes head) we would soooo win.
Amber on a Silver Chain
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"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Hm?"
"Where are we going?" asked the adorable human child skipping alongside him.
The toad-like imp, Jaken, spluttered with shock. "Insolent child! The Great Lord Sesshoumaru has better things to do than answer your constant questioning!"
Rin pouted and slowed her skip to a walk. "I only wanted to know!" she said, but Jaken's reprimand had calmed her curiosity and had awoken guilt from pestering the demon lord continuously. But she couldn't let Jaken know that. She glanced at her guardian.
"Anyways, Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't have to answer if he doesn't want to." She told Jaken, sticking out her little pink tongue at him. Jaken gasped in outrage and began to chase after her, waving his Nintoujo around.
"How dare you, stupid human! Come back here!" screeched the little imp as he followed her around. Even the giant, two-headed steed Aun groaned as he witnessed his two companions zoom past him. On any other occasion Sesshoumaru would have found this scene amusing but he was troubled with more grievous matters. He had noticed Naraku's foul scent on the wind and though it was rather faint, it still meant that caution was to be had. Sesshoumaru was well aware of the fact that Naraku had indeed grown stronger over the passing months and that was due to the nearly completed Shikon no Tama that he held in his possession. Though Sesshoumaru was a very powerful and not to mention formidable warlord, that didn't mean he could afford to underestimate Naraku, because the last time he had, Rin had been kidnapped by one of the many incarnations Naraku controlled and she had nearly been killed. Sesshoumaru would have gladly slain the little demon slayer boy, had it not been for the intervention of his meddling half brother Inuyasha and his wench.
"Ha, ha! You can't catch me!" laughed Rin, snatching Sesshoumaru away from his thoughts. Deciding that enough was enough, Sesshoumaru put a stop to the fun.
"Rin."
Rin froze in her tracks, making Jaken crash into her back and topple over into the grass.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked, beaming her bright smile. Sesshoumaru slowed his pace to a stop and turned to look at her.
"No more games for now." He said, and he turned to begin to walk on. Smiling, Rin nodded more to herself than to him and saluted his back. "Hai!" She cried happily and gazing down at Jaken, who was grumbling and groaning in his position on the ground, she grabbed his small arm and pulled him up, ignoring his screeches.
"Let go of me human!"
"Iie! Come on Jaken-sama!" she laughed and dragged him along as she resumed her skipping at her guardian's side.
Hidden deep within the vast walls of his palace, Naraku sat assessing the implementation of his new plan in one dark corner of his chambers. This plan had consisted of months and months of careful preparation…completely secret preparation. Only Kanna knew of it. She was the most trusted, most loyal of all his incarnations and only she formed part of this plan that would most certainly succeed, if it was carried out correctly.
Naraku was going to destroy Sesshoumaru.
Ever since the demon lord discovered his true intent shortly after making use of the human arm he was provided with, Naraku knew that Sesshoumaru was going to be a problem. Matters got worse when he decided to send one of his more rebellious incarnations to kidnap the small human companion that had joined Sesshoumaru in his travels. He was well aware of the alliance Kagura had formed with the demon lord, but Naraku already had plans for her…future. She was the least of his worries. Kidnapping the human girl was not one of his best strategies in trapping Sesshoumaru but it had worked…up to a point. Naraku had almost succeeded in absorbing the demon lord along with his tremendous power but it failed the moment Inuyasha's wind scar ripped through the limbs keeping Sesshoumaru captive. And that was another thing. He had discovered from a very reliable source that the combined forces of both inu brothers were something very powerful and very effective. This was not to be taken lightly, especially when he himself was liable to be at the receiving end of their swords.
Inuyasha could be easily dealt with. He was an untamed mongrel with a soft spot for beautiful priestesses, and would pose no threat at all. But his older brother…well at least Naraku now had the solution in his hands. Literally.
He gazed at the small leather pouch that sat in the palm of his right hand. It contained a lethal powder made of ingredients not easy to get hold of. When he was attempting to absorb Sesshoumaru all those months back, he had extracted, unnoticed by the dog demon, a portion of his blood, just in case the absorption didn't work. Naraku was glad that he had thought of it because now, he had the means to permanently drag Sesshoumaru down from his throne and bury him into the ground. Six feet under, to be precise.
On the full moons of every month he had added and mixed each ingredient and the foul substance had boiled and re-boiled for each of the thirty day periods until it evaporated, leaving deep, blood red crystals clinging to the sides of the boiling pot. These crystals had then been crushed into a fine powder that when inhaled by the blood donor, would cause them to lose control of their minds completely. This permanent insanity would drive them to commit unspeakable acts and make them desire their own deaths, a wish that would be fulfilled by their own hands. Naraku chuckled evilly at this thought. In the end, the Great Sesshoumaru would not be slain by a terrible adversary, but would take his own life to end the madness that will have wrought havoc on his mind with a simple sprinkle of powder.
Naraku had been getting rather impatient for the day to come when he would finally be able to eradicate the most powerful of the inu brothers from the face of the earth- After that, the rest was simple, he would eventually destroy Inuyasha and his band of followers and be free to rule over the darkness with the Shikon no Tama sitting comfortably in his palm.
A flash of white caught his gaze and he glanced up, his eyes locking with the vacant, black ones of his most trustworthy servant, Kanna. Naraku smiled.
"Ah, Kanna…Have you come to show me something?"
Kanna stepped forward, holding her mirror up so that he could see what images it contained. Naraku watched as Sesshoumaru stopped to let his little companion rest and had the small toad demon set up camp for the night. Sesshoumaru sat himself down, leaning his back against the trunk of a large tree, stretching one leg out in front him and draping his arm over the knee of the other. Naraku noted how the demon lord's gaze particularly softened as he observed the human child bounce around the campfire, playing games with the irritable toad.
Naraku gave a small smirk. Destroying Sesshoumaru was going to be more fun than he thought. Any demon that inhaled the lethal powder would automatically be driven to exterminate anything that posed a threat, and that's where insanity kicked in. Since they would be stuck in combat mode, their minds would warp their own senses, making them believe that anything around them was potentially dangerous to their wellbeing. Naraku was almost certain that after slaying his little child companion, Sesshoumaru would most definitely lose his mind. Permanently.
"Thank you Kanna. Make certain the wasps are prepared." He told her and with a curt nod of his head, he dismissed her. She gave him a small bow and retreated from the room.
Naraku began to reflect on how his plan was to be set up. He knew exactly of Sesshoumaru's whereabouts, his poisonous insects had been watching the demon lord on his orders for a while now. Naraku wasn't completely sure that the demon had any knowledge of this but there had been no cause for concern so far.
Tomorrow…tomorrow was the perfect day for everything to take place. Kanna was having the insects' legs and wings covered in a solution of the powder and a little water that had formed a paste and would make the application to the wasps' bodies a little easier. Tomorrow Naraku would send them to Sesshoumaru and his group of companions and the heat of the day plus the constant breeze would help dry the water, leaving only the powder which would inevitably shower down upon the dog demon. Sesshoumaru was obviously going to discover what was happening but by that time it would be too late and the powder would have already taken effect.
Naraku let out a deep, rich chuckle that sent chilly echoes through the halls of his palace.
He just couldn't wait.
Lord Sesshoumaru was up long before his companions, beginning the day by awakening his vassal Jaken throwing a stone at his sleeping head. Jaken yelped with pain and looked around to see who had hit him and as he glanced upon his master he threw himself to the ground in a pathetically respectful bow.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Forgive me for over sleeping, I did not know-"
"We are leaving." Interrupted Sesshoumaru in his monotone. "Awaken Rin."
Jaken looked up and then lowered his head further down to the ground. "Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama!"
Sesshoumaru turned and began to leave, Aun getting up slowly and following behind. Jaken got to his feet quickly and rushed to the small girl tucked up against the trunk of a tree and tried to rouse her.
After a few moments they were all walking at an even pace through the thick forest, the sun was only just beginning to rise and apart from the sound of footsteps, the melodious singing of the morning birds rung through the treetops. It was a morning that seemed worthy of a perfect day.
Rin hummed to herself as she kept close to her lord's side. She never told anyone this, not even Jaken, but she was scared of the forest, the trees looked so much like people as they pointed their gnarled finger-like branches at her and the sun was blocked out by the canopy of treetops, leaving only a dim light which Rin had difficulty seeing through . She knew she had nothing to worry about, since Sesshoumaru was with her, protecting her. But when he left to see to important matters, which was often, not even Aun's or Jaken's presence was enough for her to feel really comforted and secure.
Humming, she felt, was the best way to forget her fears and keep herself entertained at the same time, even though it irritated Jaken to no end, which was also entertainment in itself. She stopped humming when Jaken's complaints became too much, and instead, she contented herself with looking up at her lord.
His facial expression, normally void of emotion, held a slight frown as he walked along and it was relatively to do with the fact that he had caught just the tiniest whiff of Naraku on the breeze. It was very small, but it was there, and it had Sesshoumaru wondering what the demon was up to and where he could be hiding. The evil hanyou certainly had the knack for keeping his secrets well guarded and Sesshoumaru's energy spiked at the thought of Naraku laughing at his expense, sitting comfortably in his chambers while the demon lord travelled round and round in circles in a wild goose chase. Sesshoumaru wanted to find out what exactly Naraku was planning.
If only he knew what was in store.
A/N: This is just the start, and I want you people to comment on whether you see any potential in it or not so I know if I should continue or just forget about it. Okay, I'll probably write chapter one soon any way and for you guys who are interesting the title will be 'Chapter 1: Slaughter of the Innocents'. Hope you review!