Chapter 2: Lavender Essence

Sesshomaru raised his nose and hastily drank in Korari's scent. He had now regained his strength and was completely healed. He had been running for about four hours, wondering how the wench could have gone so far in such a short amount of time. He finally found her resting on a large branch that was several feet in the air.

She had her eyes closed and seemed as though she was sleeping, but her ears were lightly twitching. He took a few more steps until he was few meters away from the tree. He waited a few seconds. However, when she didn't acknowledge his presence, and she knew he was there, he lightly growled.

"Get down here, wench." He called, calmly.

"No." she replied coolly.

Her attitude was beginning to annoy him.

"Get down, now." He called again.

"Why?" she asked, not caring whether she got a reply or not. She yawned, showing off her sharp, white fangs, and then turned to a more comfortable position on the branch. Now she had her back facing him and by doing so, made him burn with rage.

He fiercely drew out his Whip of Light and slashed the branch into dust. When the dust cleared, he was able see and smell where Korari was located. She was resting on another branch, but this time her violet eyes were half-open and she was facing him. She waited until he had put away his weapon.

"What do you want from me?" she asked in haste.

"Tell me, how did you learn to fight with such speed?" he asked with a hint of interest.

"Is that all?" she yawned. She then stood up and swiftly hopped from one tree branch to another. On instinct he went after her. She was very fast and would have been out of Sesshomaru's range of vision if she weren't so tired. The chase went for about two hours and the Sun was just about to set.

Sesshomaru was now dangerously close to her. He was just about to grab her when she lost consciousness just as she was about to jump to another branch. Since he didn't expect this, he had gone five trees ahead of her before he jumped and gracefully landed on his feet. When he arrived at the spot where Korari had fallen, she was no longer there.

Instead, there was a woman with lavender colored hair that went down to her ankles. Her skin was also full of health. She wore a more feminine kimono than the one Korari had been wearing and it was a light plum color. However, it still bore the same ivory dragons. Her obi was silver, speckled with blue, and cradled a sword in a long, silver sheath.

He stood there, his gaze fixed on her. She was definitely asleep. She probably knew what happened to the red haired wench. After this train of thought, he went over and took her in his arm. After finding a safe and cleared area, he placed her at the side of a tree bark. He then set up a small fire, using a few broken branches and his whip, and rested on a tree opposite the girl.

After what seemed like ten minutes, he saw the onna slowly shift. Then slowly she opened her eyes, revealing amethyst orbs. She let out a light yawn and rubbed her eyes. Her ears twitched and rotated and she surprisingly turned to him. She jumped to her feet and gave a quick bow.

"Oh, I'm so sorry to have disturbed your peace, I will leave immediately." She said embarrassed.

"Sit down, onna." He ordered raising an eyebrow. She surprisingly did as she was told. "Now tell me, where is the red-haired wench?"

She blinked a few times before she started scratching the back of her head.

"Well, about that…um, yeah." She smiled.

"Answer me." He said curtly.

"That would be me." She nervously laughed.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Then tell me, why is it that you say that I do not rule my land properly?"

"I would never say that. You're perfectly capable of ruling over your land. I'm sure your doing a very good job with whatever it is that you're doing." She replied innocently.

He glared at her coldly and she smiled at him nervously. He gracefully got up and pulled out his sword, the one that was not the Tenseiga, and pointed it at her. She blinked several times. Seeing that she was obviously dense, he decided to inform her of his intention.

"You will fight me, now." He said coldly.

"Um, no." she replied with her eyes closed.

He didn't accept her answer and so he charged at her. He was just about to cut off her head when she disappeared. He heard a slight breeze and he swiftly turned and jumped to the tree on his left where she perched on a branch. Just when he was dangerously close to slicing her, she disappeared again. Before he even got a chance to pick up a sound, he felt a felt a sharp object on his back.

He growled, and not accepting defeat he swiftly withdrew his sword and brought out his whip. He lashed at her but she easily dodged the onslaught. Every time she dodged his attack, he grew more enraged and more desperate. She soon realized that he was practically foaming with rage and she decided to end this. She swiftly and fluidly drew out her sword, and laid a deep cut across his chest.

He stifled a howl and crashed to the ground with tremendous force. The impact nearly knocked the wind out of him. Korari wiped the blade of her sword on the grass and placed it back in its sheath. She then sauntered away, leaving him there by the fire. He tried to move, but the immense pain that shot through him stopped him from doing so.

He closed his eyes but peeled them back open when he heard the slapping of water. He slowly turned his head and saw Korari with a small bucket of water and piece of cloth that she had obviously torn from the bottom of her kimono. She knelt beside him and reached out to take off his shirt-like clothing and he growled at her, making her draw back her hand. She looked at him with a stern face.

"Hey, I'm trying to help you." She whined.

"I didn't ask for your help, onna." He replied coldly.

"You're the one who got yourself into this, mister, and with that kind of rage you're going to keep ending up like this if you keep fighting like that." She scolded.

He narrowed his eyes, but that's all he did. She reached for his shirt again and when she only heard a low growl, she decided it was okay. She lightly but quickly cleaned and bandaged the deep wound that she had given him and closed up his shirt. She then picked herself up and headed back into the dense trees. She came back, without the bucket, and found him with his eyes closed. She sat down by the fire, which was a few feet away from Sesshomaru, and warmed her hands.

"You will teach me this technique of yours, onna." He said without opening his eyes.

"Wait, What?" she asked shocked.

"You will teach me your fighting technique since you criticize the way I fight and reign." He repeated.

"I didn't criticize you!" she exclaimed.

"No, but the red-haired wench did." He answered with a little annoyance.

"Then why don't you tell her?" she cried.

"You will teach me." He said conclusively.

"But, um, why…fine." She sighed, accepting defeat.

"Tell me, onna, how is it that the red one is also you?" he asked, with a hint of interest.

"Well, she's my dark side." She simply answered.

"But she emerges in the day?" he stated more than asked.

"Yes." She responded.

"How did she come to be?" he asked.

"I would rather not answer." She said sadly.

"Answer me." He commanded.

"No." she sorrowfully replied. She then got up, jumped high up into the air, and lightly landed on a tree branch that was several feet in the air. There she curled up against the bark, her back facing him. He had been dismissed.