Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Inuyasha or related characters. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 1: Ai Meatarashii
The gentle breeze blew her raven tresses across her face as she watched over the lands that she had agreed to keep. She jumped off the castle balcony and walked around, rather bored. Suddenly, she sniffed out some very interesting scents. 'Three ningen, two youkai, one hanyou'. She relayed in her mind as she walked to her Lord's study.
She knocked on the door lightly and peeked her head in, her Lord nodding her to enter. "What is it?" He asked her as she approached his desk.
"Sesshoumaru-sama." she bowed. He nodded, motioning for her to continue. "Hai. There are three ningen, two youkai, one hanyou. The youkai are of low level, the hanyou seems to be somewhat strong, one of the ningen is a miko. But that is all I could tell. I apologize for not bringing more information, but they were headed this way at a rather quick pace and I thought that you should be informed immediately."
He nodded. "Yes.... I see."
"Would you like for me to 'greet' them?"
"No, I think I shall make a personal appearance." Her eyes widened slightly, but she put up her unemotional facade. "I also would appreciate it if you came with me." She nodded and bowed, waiting for Sesshoumaru to rise.
"Come, Sakura"
She nodded and followed Sesshoumaru out the door.
As they were walking, Sakura began to relive the day that she had been found and taken in by Sesshoumaru...
She was running through the brush, her body getting cut from it. She tripped and fell, her chest getting cut open by a root. The demon was catching up.
"Damn.... you..... what did I....ever do.....to you....? Na...ra..." Suddenly, everything became black. The next thing she knew, she felt the cool breeze brush on her face. She slowly opened her eyes and looked around and realized that she was in the sky. She cuddled something soft, and felt it was warm.
She looked up to see the stotic face of Sesshoumaru.
So, he had taken her in. He had taught her how to act properly. He had dressed her and fed her. She had vowed that she would train up and help him protect his lands. However, during the weeks and weeks of her rehabilitation, she had fallen in love with him.
She had decided to keep it a secret, for she had watched him, and found that he did not have any real emotion. She had adopted his views on life, it was her way of showing respect. She had become void of all emotion as her Lord had.
She hadn't realized it, but they had already arrived to where the intruders would meet them. She wondered how he would deal with them, she had never seen him in action before. She almost blushed at the vision of his sweaty body after a fight. Almost.
Sesshoumaru could tell that she was tense about the upcoming battle. "It will be fine. Just take care of the ningen." She nodded and looked ahead as a figure in red appeared in front of them.
"Sesshoumaru!" The figure growled.
"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said cooly. Sakura hid behind Sesshoumaru, slightly. Just slightly. 'They.... they know each other?' She looked over at the others, and locked her eyes with a young girl who was wearing a very queer attire.
As Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha engaged in battle, Sakura charged at the others with her sword. Sango threw Hiraikotsu at Sakura, which she cut in half. Sesshoumaru, watching out of the corner of his eye, smirked. He actually smirked.
She then charged at Miroku, throwing Kirara to the side in the process. He unveiled Kazaana, which caught her by surprise, and she screamed as she began to get sucked in. She stuck her sword into the ground to keep herself from getting sucked in.
Sesshoumaru's head snapped around at the sound at her terrified voice, and immediately went to her aid. Before he could harm the monk, however, the miko stopped him, and Sakura fell onto the ground inches in front of them.
"Oww...." She mumbled, then suddenly looked up, and saw a look on Sesshoumaru face, his eyes bleeding red, in pure fury. She quickly stood and mounted her sword once more, getting ready to attack.
"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru growled. "Dare you trespass on my lands?"
"Get the fuck outta my way!" Inuyasha spat.
Sakura grabbed her side in pain, she realized that as the monk tried to suck her in, rocks and other such items had hit her, causing more damage than anything else. Sesshoumaru looked down to Sakura, then up to Kagome. Sakura nodded, and lunged at Kagome.
Kagome screamed in fear as Inuyasha tried to save her, but Sesshoumaru got in his way. Inuyasha had no choice but to fight back, hoping that Kagome would be okay.
Sakura slashed Kagome with her sword somewhat, but Kagome wasn't fighting back. "Fight back, Miko! I know you can." Kagome was slightly surprised at her voice, such an emotionless face, but a voice full of emotion.
"You have the jewel shards, don't you?" Kagome asked her. Sakura stopped suddenly, staring at Kagome, her eyes wide in suprise. How could she have known? 'She has the gift....' Sakura thought as Kagome pulled out an arrow and shot it at her, Miko powers taking full effect. Sakura screamed in pure pain as the arrow pierced through her body. White, hot pain.
Three jewel shards fell to the ground, and Kagome picked them up, trying to purify them, but realizing they were already pure. She looked down at Sakura, who's life was now fading away. Kagome looked at her sadly. Sakura glanced to where Sesshoumaru was, he was approaching her fast. A tear ran down Sakura's cheek.
Kagome gasped when she realized what she had done. As soon as she was about to do something, Inuyasha grabbed her and they took off, Inuyasha carrying Kagome. Miroku, Sango and Shippou riding on the back of Kirara.
Sesshoumaru picked Sakura up and held her to his chest, looking down at her lifeless form. "Inuyasha." he growled. 'your bitch will pay' He vowed as he carried Sakura in his arms, bridal style back to his home.
She stirred. Her green orbs opened slowly. She sat up and looked around. 'I....I am in Sesshoumaru-sama's quarters...?' She heard the door open and she quickly lay down, pretending to be asleep.
"Sesshy-sama!" Rin called to her father figure. "Sakura nee-san is still sleeping!"
The sound of someone else in the room indicated that Sesshoumaru had come inside. He sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her, his emotionless facade on. She stirred and sat up, opening her eyes to see Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru-sama..." She said then suddenly flopped back on the bed, still too weak.
"Why?" he asked her.
"Why what?" she asked him, although she knew of what he was asking.
"Why did you not tell me of the jewel shards in your back?"
She fidgeted a little. "Well....." She started, reliving the memory once again...
"Wake up..... miss, wake up...." A cearly masculine voice said. She slowly opened her green eyes and looked up to see a man with wavy, black hair, and intense red eyes.
"Where am I?"she asked, trying to sit up but realizing she was in pain.
"You are in my castle, with me. I found you almost fatally wounded. Luckily, I had some shards of the shikon with me, so I implanted them into your back to keep you from dying."
Her eyes widened. "Shards of the shikon?!" He nodded. "But- they are nothing but evil!" She tried to sit up once more, but still withdrew in pain.
"Please, stay still. Do not cause yourself pain. The jewel shards may be used for evil or good. In this case, they were used for good by saving your life." He shook his head and lightly slapped himself on the forehead. "Forgive me for not properly introducing myself. My name is Naraku"
"And my name.....?" She began, thinking. Her eyes widened in realization. "I... I don't know... my name...!"
He looked down at her sympathetically. "You poor thing...." He leaned down and buried his nose in her hair. She stiffened. He inhaled deeply. "Your scent...." He said, seemingly very dazed.
He withdrew from her hair and smiled kindly. "....Smells of sakura and ichido. Would it be alright if I called you Sakura?" She mused over the name for a moment. "Sakura.." she let the word roll off her tongue.
"Yes. I like that name..." She said up to the kind man.
"Now, I want you to rest. You need to build your strength." She nodded in understanding.
He turned to leave. "Matte! Um..... Naraku-sama....." he paused and turned around. "Yes?"
She blushed lightly. "Would you.... ano.... stay with me...please?" He nodded and walked over to her, laying down and wrapping his arms around her. She blushed even more, but drifted into a deep sleep.
"Aishiteru, Naraku-sama....." She said, kissing him passionately as he held her in his strong arms. "Must I leave you, Naraku-sama?" He nodded.
"I understand how you must feel, Sakura... But you need to find yourself, find your past..." She nodded sadly.
It had only been a few days scince she decided to travel the world, to find herself (and in this case, the 'world' was the country of Japan). When suddenly, a hoard of demons had attacked her, mentioning something about the shards. A demon floating on a feather smiled maliciously at her, as she hopped down to Sakura's level. She grabbed Sakura by the collar of her kimono.
"Give me your jewel shards" Kagura ordered. "I can't..... Naraku-sama gave them to me... I love him..."
"Fool" the demon spat. "He does not love you. He was tricking you. Hand over the jewel shards or I will have to take them by force."
"IIE!!" She screamed as she ran away. A strong wind gashed at her leg, and another her side. She fell to the ground and not soon after, she had passed out...
She sighed. "Gomen nasai, Sesshoumaru-sama.... Naraku-sama gave them to me so I could live, but..." She stopped abruptly when she saw the expression on his face.
"Naraku?" Sesshoumaru asked. She knew Naraku? She called him a Lord... what has she been misled to believe? It seemed she spoke of him in fondness.... He would never save someone, why did he give her jewel shards?
"Yes..." She fidgeted a little. "Is there something wrong?"
"What did he tell you?" Sesshoumaru snapped.
Her eyes widened slightly. "Well, he... he told me.... that jewel shards could be used for evil or good, and in saving me he used them for good.... and also...." She blushed, barely noticeable.
"Spit it out." Sesshoumaru said, growing impatient. "He told me that he loved me and he would find me after.....um..... you know..."
Sesshoumaru nodded. When he had found her, she had no recollection of her past. Not at all. He was angered at Naraku's deceit of her. How could he tell her he loved her? The better question was, did she love him?
"That was a lie, Sakura. Naraku does nothing but deceive. You can say it is what he lives for."
She stared up at him in disbelief. "I...I'm afraid I do not understand, Sesshoumaru-sama..."
He put his hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me. HE WAS LYING. He doesn't love. He is a deceiving, lying hanyou...."
Before she could say anything else, Rin ran in and practically pounced on Sakura. "Sakura nee-san is okay! Rin is happy!"
Sakura laughed lightly as they chatted.
"That was way too easy!" Inuyasha laughed.
"Speak for yourself!" Sango said. "She cut Hiraikotsu completely in half!"
They were all resting, bandaged up and sore. Three jewel shards. They had gotten three jewel shards. Kagome was still confused on how they were ALREADY pure.
"What about that woman...?" Kagome said suddenly. "Who was she? I have never seen her before, with Sesshoumaru..."
"I agree." Miroku said. "I also wish to know of her origins.."
"I think she is in love with Sesshoumaru..." Kagome said, thinking out loud.
"What? You think that lady is in love with Sesshoumaru? Why would somebody be in love with HIM?" Shippou asked.
"She isn't a cold, emotionless monster like Sesshoumaru.... I saw the way she was looked at him, she looked like she adored him, trusted him, loved him..."
"Feh." a certain hanyou said. "She's just lucky I didn't kill her."
"But, Inuyasha, If Kagome-sama took the shards from her, would she not die?" Miroku asked, assuming it was Naraku's work. That guy really needed some better plans...
"Um....." Kagome said.
"What's wrong, Kagome-chan?" Sango said, looking concerned.
"I didn't exactly.... take ALL of her shards away..."
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"
"Sakura...." A husky voice breathed. Naraku watched her in Kanna's mirror. "Sesshoumaru-sama is very wrong... I had to have you... but couldn't..." He felt the lust for her return.
"You are too pure, I trust Sesshoumaru-sama would care for you properly.... however, it seems you are falling for the taiyoukai.... remember our promise, Sakura..."
End of Chapter 1
Ja ne!
