Chapter 3: Sesshomaru's dilemma
I don't own Inuyasha or any other character from the manga "Inuyasha".
I am not Japanese, I have tried to use a few Japanese terms to try and preserve the flavour of the story. So if there are any mistakes, please forgive me and do point out the necessary corrections with the right meaning.
I read that Matsurika means Jasmine in Japanese and is pronounced as "Ma-Ri-Ka".It was a beautiful day; bright and sunny. The mountain air was cool and balmy. Sesshomaru was satisfied that he couldn't detect any other hostile demonic presence in the surroundings. It was an ideal day for a picnic. The youngsters splashed and squealed in the little stream trying to nab fishes. Jaken pretended to be disinterested although he too soon joined the fun. Sesshomaru sat under a tree and closed his eyes, enjoying a much needed break.
It should have been a perfect day. But it was not to be so. Rin and Shippo were standing in the water which reached well above their ankles. All of a sudden there was a piercing scream from Rin. "Sesshomaru-samaaaaaaaaa something bit Rin!". Sesshomaru was in the water in a flash and grabbed a water serpent before it could disappear amongst the stones in the stream. He recognized the species with a sinking heart. His own poison claws dug into the reptile for causing Rin agony and in a fraction, the snake dissolved in a green puddle. Rin had been bitten by an anali snake, an extremely rare and the deadliest water snake known to humans. There was supposedly no antidote for its poison. The normally unflappable Sesshomaru was himself rattled though he did not show it.
"Sesshomaru-sama ….Rin is feeling faint..". Sesshomaru turned just in time to catch the falling girl. Rin was a pale shade of blue. Shippo started to cry "Sesshomaru-sama is Rin going to die? I don't want her to die". Sesshomaru sighed and without turning to look at Shippo, said "Kitsune, Don't be foolish. Stop crying and behave like man. This Sesshomaru is going to need your help in saving Rin; so stop behaving like a child." "Ye..ss…. Sesshomaru –sama" stammered Shippo who was startled to hear such a long sentence from Sesshomaru. He was shocked to hear that Sesshomaru would need his help! It was better than anything Inuyasha would ever have told him and dried up his tears effectively. Sesshomaru placed the now unconscious Rin gently on Ah-Un and hastened back to Kaedae's village.
Inuyasha and his gang watched anxiously as Kaedae examined Rin. Kaedae addressed Sesshomaru, "If Rin has been bitten by an anali, then I must say regretfully that I have no antidote for it. She is alive now, but it is well-known that a person bitten by an anali doesn't survive beyond midnight". Sesshomaru heard Kaedae confirm his worst fears with a sinking heart. As Rin had already been revived by Tenseiga once, there was no way he could use the sword to bring her back to life. Damn it! Sesshomaru would NEVER give up on Rin. The child meant more to him than he could ever bring himself to express. There had to be a way. He would find it.
Sesshomaru started to leave the hut. Inuyasha saw this and exclaimed "hey! Where are you going?"
"This Sesshomaru will find an antidote before midnight."
"Wait! Sesshomaru! I will come with you too." Kagome's jaw dropped on hearing Inuyasha volunteer to go with Sesshomaru.
"No! You stay here. That filthy Naraku may be dead, but now lesser demons hope to kill the miko of the Shikon-no tama in the misguided belief that it will increase their powers. If you come with me, this would be the perfect opportunity for them to attack. Moreover, you would only be in my way"
The group was stunned to hear of Sesshomaru's concern for one of their own.
"But where will you go?" growled Inuyasha. "This Sesshomaru doesn't know yet." "But this Sesshomaru will find a way" this was added silently.
Then Miroko spoke up "Sesshomaru-sama, when I was but a child, I remember my father talking about a healer who lived in the village of Aaiyouri in the Eastern lands who alone could treat an anali's bite. I don't know what manner of a healer she was, but I remember him saying that her technique was known to none. I can only hope that she is still alive or would have passed on her knowledge to a pupil."
On hearing this Sesshomaru turned without a word and was up in the sky in a flash. He was painfully aware that Rin didn't have much time left. And he, Sesshomaru, Lord of the West was actually feeling helpless and scared. Scared of losing a little human girl. He flew as fast as he could to the said province and located the village without much difficulty. Now he was confronted with another problem. How could he have a conversation with any of the villagers without them first screaming and running off in fear? Ah…humans could be really stupid! At last he managed to corner a man who had nowhere to be run. The cowering man fully expected to be eaten by the annoyed-looking demon when the demon spoke, "Human, do you know where I can find this healer who can cure the poison from an anali bite? Speak up or your life will be forfeit." The trembling man replied, "You muuust be speaking of……. Ll..lady Matsurika (I read its pronounced Ma-Ri-Ka). She is the only healer who can treat this poison. She lives in a cottage by the lake in the forest."
"This healer of yours, how long has she been here? Tell me what you know of her" Sesshomaru commanded.
"She has been here for a very long time, even before I was born. We are not encouraged to ask her anything except about our illnesses. So I know nothing else my lord. Pleaseeee don't kill me my lord.. pleaseee".
Before the hapless man could complete his pleas, Sesshomaru had taken to the skies again. So this Matsurika was the same healer Miroku's father had spoken about. Strange for a human to have lived so long. She would be very old indeed. These were Sesshomaru's thoughts as he flew into the forest.
In the forest, Sesshomaru saw the cottage by the lake. It was a rather large place in the centre of the forest surrounded by many plants which seemed to be medicinal. He wondered how an old woman could live in a dangerous place by herself. He went over to the cottage and knocked, but there was no answer. He couldn't detect any presence within the walls either. However, Sesshomaru could detect a faint scent in the air. Of jasmine.. So faint that no human could possibly detect. Puzzled, Sesshomaru followed the scent to its source. It led him to the lake. He looked in the waters and saw the source of this scent. And Sesshomaru froze.
