"You're getting better." Sesshomaru commented as he felt his arm go limp after Reina acutely pressed his pressure point. It was certain that he won't be able to move his arm for a while. Better than the previous few attempts she had tried. Sesshomaru looked up to see the girl scratching her head as she studied a sketch she made on humanoid shaped bodies. She had added notes with Sesshomaru's and Jaken's help on extremely vulnerable pressure points on demons.
"Thanks, but I really don't like this idea of experimentation on my patients." Reina paced around the demon as he nodded. "Good. Don't let the idea of disabling one arm get the best of you. There can be all sorts of tricks so you should stay on edge." The moment Reina was within his reach, he aimed to kick her hard on the side of her stomach. Reina realized this a bit too late and was only capable of raising one arm to soften the blow. He paused before he was able to actually land a kick on her and Reina felt a sigh of relief escape from her mouth as she loosened her arms. Sesshomaru then gently "tapped" the back of her knee, causing her to fall forward onto the ground.
An almost amused smile climbed onto Sesshomaru's face as he saw Reina's arms wobbling because she wasn't able to stand back up. The doctor gritted her teeth as she used her right arm to grab a rock and throw it towards the large demon. Sesshomaru caught it with easy, no doubt, and in addition, he even commented on how much she looked like a bug. "I also told you that you should always be on guard." Reina frowned and asked meekly: "Does that mean I have to be alert in my sleep."
"Ideally."
Reina then clutched her hand in frustration and had a muffled scream in anguish. Sesshomaru left Reina to her suffering as he sniffed the air. He turned his head, as if he was looking at something. Narrowing his eyes, he called out to Rin and Jaken. "We're going to start moving. Rin, Jaken. There should be a dead demon somewhere ahead. See if you can find it."
"Ugh, morbid." Reina shakily stood up as she felt the blood drain from her face. "That's not what children like to play with, unlike you Sesshomaru. You also have this distaste for attaching rotten and poisonous things onto your body."
Sesshomaru placed his hand on Reina's head, his grip tightening ever so slightly. Reina felt tears prick the corner of her eyes as she repeatedly cried "ow". Sesshomaru sighed. "You're not being cautious about speaking around me. Maybe I should make you hang around death more often so that you are more aware of your situation." As Sesshomaru said that, he began to follow the running imp and Rin. Reina followed behind them while she mimicked him wordlessly.
When Reina and Sesshomaru caught up with their other companions. There was, indeed, a dead demon. Reina followed him as he knelt down to examine the monster, particularly its fangs. He motioned Reina over and asked: "What do you think of his fangs."
Reina carefully lifted the corner of its mouth and responded with: "Really healthy and well sharpened. Extremely well sharpened. Is this why you want this. Please don't tell me you want to do more body experimentation, I won't support -"
She was cut off as Sesshomaru lifted the head of the decapitated demon over his shoulder. "No. But we are going to do some forging." He left off while Reina felt her left eye twitch. She was getting extremely tired from his impulsive decisions. While they were walking, Sesshomaru turned his head towards Reina, with curiosity. "How did a cowardly small human like you become a doctor. At times I look at you I think that a premature brain resides in that head of yours."
Reina glanced up at him. She then looked front. "I've been alive for a long time too, you know? I've had a long time to perfect being a doctor."
"How did you become the Guardian?"
"..." Reina fidgeted with a strand of her hair uncomfortably. "It's a stupid story of a naive girl."
"I'm sure it is." Sesshomaru stopped as they reached their destination. An old cottage was located in the idle of a swamp filled with fossils of demons. As Sesshomaru confronted the residence, Reina sat down on a rock outside. As she rubbed her arm, she thought about the journey with Sesshomaru. She could say that her naivety was being killed the more she hung out with him, but it also brought back many nostalgic memories that she wished was forgotten with along of others. But like everyone else, the embarrassing ones tend to stick around for a long time. It feels like she hasn't learned a thing since centuries ago.
Sesshomaru came up from behind her and asked: "What are you so afraid and ashamed of?" Reina turned around, confusion painted across her face. Sesshomaru knelt down in front of her, which surprised her that such a noble demon would do so. It was as if he was attempting to understand her by lowering himself to her level. She began to laugh at the thought, causing Sesshomaru to stand up again, with irritation. "It's very like you to view others as lower than you. I wish I had that confidence to self respect myself."
Sesshomaru watched Reina kick a nearby rock.
"I think you are stronger than you take yourself for granted. At least strong for a small human. Demi-human perhaps."
"Nope. Definitely human." She stopped grinning as she responded to his question. "I don't know, Sesshomaru. There are so many things that I just can't keep track of anymore. Having my time frozen on the mountain made me numb to so many memories because of the obligation I have to my patients. I'm not dying. I'm healthy. I'm safe. Others are suffering. I don't have time for self pity. And I enjoyed my time helping others. But after I stepped away from the mountain...memories I didn't want to keep came back and I just saw more flaws."
"Do you regret leaving?"
At that, Reina spun around immediately, as if to protest but nothing came out of her mouth. Sesshomaru closed his eyes as he acknowledged her silence before leaving. "I see." Hours passed as Reina pondered his question. Most of the questions he asked today, she didn't know the answers to. Suddenly a loud noise was heard from the cottage and Reina ran in, followed by Sesshomaru. As Sesshomaru brought the imp back to life and questioned him, Reina began to stitch him together.
"What a douchebag, he stole your loot." Reina scowled at where the swordsmith they commissioned once sat. Sesshomaru sheathed Tenseiga without saying anything about the situation. "Let's go."
—
"I didn't have you hired as a drinker, but as a drink pourer." Bankotsu sighed after everyone woke up from a massive hangover, and headed out of the village. It was also the night after they've awakened the alcohol demon within Reina. Reina sweatdropped before the man then slapped her hard on the back. "But what a drinker you are! I much rather have you as a drinking companion. You'd probably just spill the precious sake everywhere." Sarcastically, Reina commented: "Wow, you know me so well boss."
"Since you're such a good companion, why don't you just become my wife?" Bankotsu grinned as Jakotsu dropped his cup of water. Reina began to choke before the boy with the braid laughed. "Just kidding. Who wants a flat chested, alcoholic, wimpy sacrificial woman as a bride?"
"Apparently a demon." Reina groaned as she rubbed her temple, suffering more from the memory rather than the hangover. Jakotsu shielded his eyes as he pointed at a village. "Out of anger, for your old village. Do you want to join us in a massacre? Well, you probably can't do much so you can sit on the side and watch too."
"...What?" Reina felt the blood drain from her face. Bankotsu and Jakotsu grinned excitedly as they counted the members of the club before pulling out their weapons and approaching slowly. As she watched Bankotsu pull off a thick brand from a tree and set it on fire, before tossing it into the first house, Reina remembered who her saviours were.
—
As the pair had finished slaughtering everyone, they approached Reina, who clutched a small child from the village. Bankotsu raised the same sword used to save her, at her. Reina didn't know if the trembling was from herself, or from the crying child in her arms.
"Hand the kid over. Otherwise our fun isn't completed. If you keep refusing, we will peel the child out of your hands."
"Y-you...you demon." Reina felt tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Sure. We enjoy killing. But this village is a cult that nurtures children then uses them as sacrifices. Who're the demons, us or them?"
"But...he's still a child." Reina glanced down at the child. Jakotsu yawned as he twirled with a strand of loose hair. "He's at the age where he's accepted the teaching of his village. If you let him leave, he could grow up following his village's footsteps. Of course this is just some bandit's nonsense."
Reina looked into Bankotsu's eyes, which were void of emotion and completely merciless. Reina loosened her grip as Jakotsu lifted the child from her arms. Bankotsu then killed the last child of the village. "Next time, I won't warn you if you get in the way."
As the two left, Reina stared at the child's body, tears refusing to stop falling. Did she do the right thing? No, no matter what the excuse was, even the child could reintegrate into another village and he could have easily been influenced and change his ethics. But Reina still gave him up because she wanted to hold onto her feeble life. She will forever carry the burden with her.
