Disclaimer: By jiminy, I DO own Inuyasha – in my dreams apparently . . .
A/N: I was watching a few episodes of Inuyasha the other day when an idea popped into my head and I decided that Sesshoumaru-sama needs some luvin', baby! DON'T flame unless you want to fried, barbecued or grilled. And I'll warn you here that my grammar is definitely not the best – as English is not my native language. Review or something, yeah?
Page 26
Chapter 1: Demon Be Gone!
It was doing it again.
Sesshoumaru glanced at the sword by his hip with a grim expression before lifting his eyes back towards the ancient tree as Tenseiga kept stirring in its scabbard.
"Ah, I see what you imply, Sesshoumaru-sama." Bokusenou remarked thoughtfully.
"What is causing it?" The Taiyoukai questioned icily, trying to ignore the sword's odd behaviour.
Bokusenou closed his eyes a moment, humming softly. "There are rumours swirling about the land. That Naraku is up to something big." Sesshoumaru growled angrily, clutching his hand around the rattling blade to keep it still – however, it did not work.
"When is that bastard not up to something!" He grumbled. Even thinking about that lowlife had his blood boiling to a point where he couldn't almost control it.
"I'm afraid that this time it is something far more personal to both yourself and your half-brother, Inuyasha." Bokusenou explained carefully. Sesshoumaru waited patiently for the magnolia tree to continue. "If Tenseiga is acting in this manner, I do not doubt that Tessaiga is doing the same – they are, after all, the blades of the same youkai warrior, your Father. And only one thing can rouse the swords of heaven and earth is . . ."
". . .the sword of hell." Sesshoumaru finished for him. "Sou'unga."
"Correct." Bokusenou would've nodded if he wasn't a pretty magnolia tree. "The rumours tell that Naraku has lured Sou'unga from the deepest pit of hell with the help of a dark sorcerer whose existence has been unknown until this day. But apparently something went wrong when they tried to summon the sword."
Sesshoumaru let a smirk show. He should've known Naraku wasn't capable of doing anything properly. He was, of course, just a filthy hanyou. "Continue. I must know the fate of Sou-unga."
"Well, it seems that everything was on form until the sorcerer's power wavered and Sou'unga disappeared like smoke into thin air." The tree told him truthfully.
"Is it back in hell?"
Now Bokusenou would've shaken his head if he was not a pretty magnolia tree. "No, I'm afraid not. But it has gone missing somewhere in this world where it do not belong. Even I do not detect its ancient aura."
"How will I find it?" He asked quickly.
The tree blinked a few times and let the bark over his eyes sink into a frown. "Sou'unga ought not to be wielded, Sesshoumaru-sama. At all. You remember what nuisance it caused the last time Gokuryuuha was released. My forest was almost perished as well and I didn't like it." Bokusenou sounded irritated, which didn't clash prettily with his monotone personality.
In a second or so, Tokijin was out from its scabbard and dug into the bark on the right side of Bokusenou's 'face'. The youkai Lord did not look satisfied with the information he had thus far.
"How will I find it?" Sesshoumaru growled out from behind bared fangs.
Bokusenou gulped fearfully. "With a map."
"With a map . . ." He repeated slowly as he sheathed the evil blade. He suspected the tree must've gone mad from being a tree so long if all he could come up with was 'with a map'. Ridiculous! "What map? Where will I find it?"
But it seemed that Bokusenou would hear none of it. "Sou'unga must be sent to the underworld, Sesshoumaru-sama. I do not doubt your ability to control it, but it has a mind of its own and will seek to the hands of the most evil being. Sou'unga will want to join forces with Naraku."
"This is exactly why I must find it before him. Now where do I find the map?" Sesshoumaru enquired unfeelingly, giving the poor tree a frosty glare.
"You will send the sword back to where it belongs with the assistance of Inuyasha? For he will find out sooner of later . . ." Bokusenou said warily not to upset the dog demon any further. Nothing good could come out of it.
"Never." Was the stubborn answer from Lord Sesshoumaru. "The hanyou will be left out of this. It is my duty to see that Sou'unga lands where it belongs."
"And where do YOU think it belongs, Sesshoumaru-sama? In your possession, perhaps?"
"That is not up to you to decide." He answered curtly, giving the tree a cold stare. "Where is the map? Where will I find it?"
Bokusenou sighed, knowing he was defeated in this verbal spar. "You will not find it . . . it will find you."
Sesshoumaru would not show through his mask that he was confused but he supposed that the wise magnolia tree knew otherwise. The Taiyoukai turned and marched away in the direction in which he came, because at the end of the path, his travelling companions were waiting for his return.
"And I suppose you have an idea when this incessant rattling Tenseiga is keeping will end?" He threw over his shoulder.
There was a pause. "When the map finds you. Farewell, Lord of the Western Lands. Sou'unga's fate rests in you."
Then he could no longer see the proud Taiyoukai.
X
The high-pitched tune of the Sponge Bob Theme woke her up in the middle of her stretched beauty sleep.
"'Ello . . ." Seiji Misato mumbled into the receiver of her cell phone, groping around the nightstand for the alarm clock which was supposed to wake her instead of Sponge Bob.
"Where the HELL are YOU?" A livid voice spat into her ear. "Do you have any FUCKING idea what TIME it is!"
She sat up like a bolt at the sound of her raging boss and scrambled to get a look at the time. "Oh no . . . Oh no, oh no . . . Holy shit, it's 10:30!" She banged her head against the bedpost and prayed to God she wasn't going to get fired.
"Yes! You got that RIGHT, Seiji." The man's wrath was like a pissed off lion. "You were s'posed to be at the office TWO hours ago. You fucking overslept . . . AGAIN!"
Misato cringed as she scuttled out of bed, tangled in pink sheets, to tug the curtains aside so she got a lovely view of the bright summer morning and a large Shrine yard bathing in sunlight. The Higurashi family was her new neighbours but she had yet to get to know them.
"I know, but I'm truly sorry, I swear! But I was having a fantastic dream about Brad Pitt and me. We were dancing foxtrot on top of my brother's car naked-"
"Enough, Seiji. I really don't care if you would've dreamt about the bloody EMPEROR! This was the SIXTEENTH time you slept in, for Christ's sake!" He yelled aggravated.
She bit her lip as she hurried out of the bedroom in search of the bathroom, nearly tripping over some cardboard boxes that lay strewn in the hallway after she moved in a couple of weeks back. Still, the apartment was fairly foreign to her.
Where the hell is the freaking bathroom? She thought panicking, wildly searching for the right door to enter.
"I should FIRE your damned ass . . ." Her boss continued screaming from the cell phone. ". . . But I WON'T, because no one else is willing to take the FUCKING job!"
"I wonder why . . ." Misato remarked sarcastically as she spotted the bathroom and planted down on the toilet seat with a plop. "Though it's not my fault I'm late again. That little shit of an alarm clock isn't functioning properly, bossman. Honest!" She defended heatedly.
He growled menacingly from the other end of the line. "Then FIX it for fuck's sake. I don't care WHAT you do or HOW much it's gonna cost you, but this has GOT to be the LAST time you're late or I'm firing you. Seriously for once." Her boss barked angrily. "Drag your bony little butt over here in five minutes or I'm done with you. I WANT my coffee at NINE from now on."
Misato heard the unmistakably sound of a fist being thumped against a table and it left her gaping slightly. "Nine?" She repeated grimacing. Impossible . . . "I can't do that. I need at least thirteen hours beauty sleep, otherwise I'll get wrinkles! Do YOU want a secretary with wrinkles, hmm?"
There was a short silence in which Misato guessed he was actually thinking it over.
" . . . No." He answered.
"See, I told you so." She said with a bright smile.
"Be here in five minutes." He finally said. "Five. Not ten or fifteen, but five."
She scrunched up her face in thought. She'd never be able to get there in merely five minutes. He knew it, she knew it. But she answered with a happy "Okay!" anyways.
"Good."
"See you later, sweetheart!" She stuck up her middle finger at the cell phone as she faked an overly sugary voice.
"Heh heh. It's funny when you call me a sweetheart." He commented conversationally.
"Yeah. Absolutely side-splitting." She deadpanned and slammed the phone shut with a frustrated "ROOOAAARGH!"
As she hauled her tired body into the shower, she was still muttering about an 'evil, capslocky tyrant with a dry sense of humour' and decided to give her boss's mother a call later that day, intention being that she'd ask her why she gave birth to Satan himself.
By the time she was ready with her shower and clad in her official secretary's suit, the puny five minutes had passed long ago and she wandered off in search of the kitchen.
But, regrettably, the fridge stood quite empty (excluding a mouldy slice of pizza) and for the first time in months, Misato actually pondered why she had no food in there. She assumed that all her money went to clothes and bags and shoes and other stuff she loved more than food . . .
Now she needed to get to work faster than light or she would be barbecued. Misato sprinted out of the front door into the freshly green garden and spotted her means of transport that stood leaning against the fence; a shiny black motorcycle she had named Rex. It was her joy and pride, the love of her life and she adored it immensely.
She put on her helmet, started the engine and shot off towards the tall office building where the corporation that imported diapers resided at. Why she had chosen that job in the first place was way beyond her . . .
X
After Misato's working day was over and after she had been shopping and had stopped in the grocery store, she headed home with a nice plan to get to know her neighbours. She had parked Rex in its usual spot and skipped home, humming Jingle Bell Rock as she went.
She had thought this plan through carefully and even the little accident at work couldn't dampen her spirit.
Misato had unintentionally spilled her boss's coffee on his crotch in the middle of an important business meeting with other companies that imported diapers. He had started screaming like a girl and when he stood up, it looked as if he had wet himself. Misato had been the first to hurry out of the room and burst into laughter in the corridor.
She was still pondering why he hadn't fired her . . . probably because she was the only person dumb enough to be a useless secretary in a company that imported diapers.
Oh well, she sighed as she proceeded to change clothes; an impressing Versace summer dress; knee-length, spaghetti strapped and creamy light pink with frilly laces trimming the hem that clashed nicely with her light brown locks and rich brown eyes. It had cost her a fortune but she wanted to make an impact on her neighbours. What if the Higurashis had a really, really good-looking son in her age? She wouldn't mind some romance at the moment, for it was rather lonely living in a medium sized apartment with only a clown fish in a bowl to accompany her . . .
The cookies she had planned to give the Higurashi family were bought from the corner shop, because she admitted being a hopeless cook and would just have blown up the whole neighbourhood if she tried to bake something.
Half an hour later, she stood nervously outside their door, fidgeting with the plate of cookies in her hand. She had already envisioned the door being opened by a strong handsome hunkwho had just finished his shower and came to greet her in only a towel, dripping water. He wouldn't say much, just check her out and drag her inside so they could advance to have wild hot sex in the middle of his entrance hall . . .
A giddy giggle escaped her as she knocked on the door and waited.
Oh shoot! No lip-gloss! She thought briefly and quickly applied some, before stuffing the tube back inside her Louis Vuitton designer bag (it was a copy, but everyone still thought it to be a real one).
She heard footsteps and the door opened (Misato plastered a sexy smirk onto her lips) and in front of her stood a short wrinkled excuse of a man. Her fantasy faded into nothingness, as did the sexy smirk as the two stared at each other in surprise.
"Um . . . You must be Mr Higurashi, I presume?" Misato remembered why she was there. Maybe that handsome guy was in the shower right NOW and this was his shrivelled grandfather? She really hoped so . . .
"Yes, I am. And who might you be?" He asked in a suspicious tone as he took in her clothes and the plate of cookies.
He probably thinks I'm here to poison him. Misato thought fleetingly.
"I'm Seiji Misato." She extended her hand politely and they shook hands. "Pleased to meet you."
He stared at her incredulously and then glanced at the ring on her middle finger in the hand he was shaking. Just then a pretty woman around thirty-five in age appeared behind the old chap and gave Misato a dazzling smile.
"Hello there. I'm Mrs Higurashi. I see you've met my Father?" She said kindly.
"Ah, yeah. I'm Seiji Misato from the new house built next to this Shrine." She clarified.
"Well, come on in; don't let my Father hold you for any longer." Mrs Higurashi opened the door wider and let Misato in.
As the door closed behind her, she heard Grandpa whisper "A suspicious nature, that one is," to Mrs Higurashi as they led her into their home.
"It's pleasant to get to know some neighbours around these parts." Mrs Higurashi pointed out as they entered the living room and Misato took a seat in the couch, putting the platter on the table in front of her.
"I believe you don't often get visited by neighbours then?" She asked and both of them shook their heads. "Well, I'm born in a small town in the west and we always used to visit the neighbours so I guess it just became a habit for me. Oh, I brought you some cookies too." She nudged the plate towards Grandpa with a smile.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Her smile fell.
Gee, what do I look like? Some sort of demon? She thought, hurt.
"That's nice of you. Would you like some tea to go with them?" Mrs Higurashi called as she ventured into the kitchen.
Misato told her yes. Where was that handsome son they hid upstairs? Couldn't he come and save her from this utterly embarrassing gathering?
"Do you know that the history of home-baked cookies reach way back in time to the–" Grandpa began.
"Father, bring Souta, please will you?" Mrs Higurashi's cut him off and Misato's eyes widened. "Souta is my son. My daughter Kagome is . . . at a friend's house at the moment, but I'm sure you'll see her around." She explained.
Yess! It was really happening! This Souta person was in the shower and would descend the stairs over there in only a towel, dripping water. He would lock Grandpa and Mrs Higurashi in the kitchen so he and Misato could have wild hot sex on the very couch she was sitting on! Bad Misato, these people are really nice! She scolded herself mentally.
"Oh, that's fun." She replied and watched as Grandpa went upstairs, throwing mistrustful glances over his shoulder at her.
Mrs Higurashi arrived with the teapot on a tray and took a seat on the couch opposite to her.
"So, how long ago did you say you moved into the house?" Mrs Higurashi asked, making up with a conversation.
"Three weeks ago, but I've been awfully busy with furnishing the apartment so I haven't had time to come over sooner. This is a really nice neighbourhood; I like it especially with this Shrine. How old is it, do you know?" Misato questioned and she heard the unmistaken sound of footsteps descending the stairs.
"Around a thousand years. You should ask my Father; he knows more about it than any archaeologists do." Mrs Higurashi said and sipped her tea.
Misato was taking a sip herself when two persons appeared at the bottom of the staircase; Grandpa and ten-year-old boy. The tea she was drinking was suddenly sprayed all over her lap as she coughed and stared wide-eyed at Souta.
Oh. My. God. I've been fantasising pervy sex scenes about a boy who's half my age! Misato wanted to punch herself. I'm a paedophile! She set down the tea cup and smiled friendlily at the boy, trying hard not to think of any of the things she had planned to do with him . . .
Gah!
"This is Souta. Souta, this is Seiji Misato our new neighbour." Mrs Higurashi introduced them.
Souta noticed the cookies and attacked them. "Yum! Have you made this yourself, Miss Misato?" He asked between his munches.
Misato bit her tongue from deeply apologising to Souta for thinking kinky things about him. He was cute, but too young. She was NOT a paedophile, she decided. "Call me Misato. And no, they're bought from the corner shop. I would've baked some myself, but I didn't have much time." She explained with a little white lie and glanced at Grandpa.
Ha! Take that, old man. Bought cookies can't be poisoned! She grinned to herself.
He seemed to consider this and took one to eat with his tea. "I shall tell you the history of purchased cookies." And a boring story followed, during which Misato was afraid she'd fall asleep. Souta actually did fall asleep, but his mother prodded him awake.
And just when Misato started patting her back for an evening gone well, the unforeseen happened.
Grandpa was taking a large bite of his chocolate chip cookie, but suddenly started choking.
"Mr Higurashi? Are you alright?" Misato asked gently, setting her teacup down on the table as a ghastly feeling stirred in her abdomen. He was choking and turning slightly purple when Misato realized what was really happening. "Good grief, he's suffocating!"
Mrs Higurashi and Souta looked at her as she sprang up from her seat and scrambled behind Grandpa to get a strong grip around his middle. She performed the Heimlich manoeuvre and with a gurgle, the cookie piece flew out of his throat and landed square on Souta's forehead.
The first words to escape the panting man's mouth were; "I knew it! You are a DEMON who is here to devour us all! No other young lady would VISIT her neighbours without a CRUEL intention! I felt your EVIL spirit the moment I lay my eyes on you!"
Misato, Mrs Higurashi and Souta gaped at the standing senior who pointed an accusing finger at Misato.
Note to self, Misato thought with a grimace, never ever bring food when visiting new neighbours: they will think you are only there to kill them . . .
"I . . . What?" She raised her carefully trimmed eyebrows.
Grandpa jumped back from her and picked up three rectangular paper bits that held prehistoric spells from his ancestors for demon extermination. He started chanting furiously with his eyes closed and hands clapped together in front of his chest.
What's going on? Misato thought panicking and had to scoot away from the crazy fossil when he dashed forward to tower over her and waved the paper bits over her head.
"Stop this nonsense, Father!" Mrs Higurashi was also on her feet and tried to drag Grandpa away from the frightened young woman who was watching wide-eyed at her father. "I'm so sorry; he is obsessed with demons and magic and such. I apologise on his behalf!" She explained as she pushed him out of the room. He was still chanting and humming something insane.
Misato nodded slowly as she too got up. It was time for her to leave. And she could kiss that 'evening gone well' goodbye. This was a catastrophe! She would never be able to look at the Higurashis in the face again for the rest of her pitiful life!
"You should probably leave, Miss Misato. It takes a while until he calms down." Mrs Higurashi hung her head sadly.
"Yeah . . ." Misato agreed as the two of them headed for the door. "Bye Souta!"
"Bye!"
Souta was over the whole incident and sat by the television playing his Xbox like this was an everyday event in his life.
"Oh I'm sorry once again. I should thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. You saved his life and I'm sure he realizes that as well when he comes around."
"Um . . . It's okay. I'm still in a bit of shock with everything happening so fast – it's a bit overwhelming really." Misato said with a smile. "Thanks for the lovely evening – apart from that . . . y'know."
"Yes, yes. Would you like a tour around the Shrine? We could talk a little without him being there chanting spells." Mrs Higurashi tilted her head to the side and Misato nodded. Maybe she could save the day after all, if anything else didn't happen during the tour.
The sun was almost setting as they walked around the courtyard; Mrs Higurashi was explaining a lot of interesting facts about the Shrine and the well house where a Bone Eater's Well dwelled in. Misato had always liked history in school (though she was not a fanatic like Grandpa Higurashi).
"How old are your children?" Misato asked as they rounded the Goshinboku and set towards the well house.
"Souta is turning ten and Kagome is fifteen." Mrs Higurashi answered.
CRASH!
"Oh dear. It's Souta again." Mrs Higurashi rubbed her temple. "Could you wait for a moment?"
"Yes, of course." Misato nodded and sighed the second she was out of sight. It wasn't too embarrassing – only slightly. Grandpa hated her, Souta was indifferent and Mrs Higurashi was welcoming because she was a kind person. They all thought she was a complete loser with no life if she bothered to visit her neighbours, I mean come on; who does that anyways?
From the corner of her eye she could see Grandpa disappearing into the well house. And now he was probably planning to attack her. She rolled her eyes.
Misato figured she should beat him to it and slinked into the dark hut after him.
"Are you in here, Mr Higurashi?" She questioned as she came to stand beside the well. "I just wanted to apologise and I honestly wasn't trying to kill you. I swear I'm no demon!" She laughed uneasily. Something about that place was seriously creeping her out.
She dared to look inside the shadowy abyss of the well. Strange. A draft blew from the black depth and caressed her tanned face.
"Demon BE GONE!" A voice yelled into her ear, starling her half to death and making her lose her footing.
Misato shrieked as she tumbled over the edge of the well into the dark pit of nothingness.
Grandpa stared dumbly after her. He looked into the well and blinked several times.
There was nothing there.
"Father?" Mrs Higurashi appeared at the entrance to the well house. "Did you see where Miss Misato went?"
"The demon? Oh, she fell down into the well." He explained with a grin. Mrs Higurashi froze.
"WHAAAAAT?"
A/N: Was it good? Bad? Average? Crazy? Stupid? Strange? Boring? Is Misato an okay character or do you think she is totally obnoxious or something? Please tell me your opinion in a review (no flames though . . .)! Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next chapter!