Author's note: Starting from the next chapter I will be following the original's plot. Therefore, I will try my best not to screw everything up. So yeah, wish me luck.
"..." Normal chat
ABC Thought
CHAPTER 7
Shiomi, together with Rin and Jaken are now flying through the air on Ah-Un's back while having Sesshomaru's leading in the front.
"U-uhm Sesshomaru-sama?" I call him as we're gliding side by side and he glances back. I quickly drop my head, avoiding his eyes in embarrassment for causing so much trouble. "Thank you, for saving me earlier. I'm really appreciate it."
To be honest, back there in the youkai's cave I was still having a huge doubt about his sanity (If he ever has one) that he wouldn't come back to save a stranger, and a human no less, like me.
Sesshomaru, a cold and heartless monster, with a mindset that every living's lives are lowly (Except Rin and Jaken?) and not worth wasting his time for. But right now, I guess I have somewhat changed my point of view about him...Just a bit though.
"Hn" Is the only thing he has in return and Jaken comments, having his arms warped up to his chest. "Hmph! Is that all you have to offer for Sesshomaru-sama saving your lowly life?!"
"I thanked him, didn't I? What else do you want me to do?" Annoyed by his nagging, I huff and earns another Hmph! from him.
Rin, who is curious about the object in my hand, slightly touches it. "Onee-chan, Where did you get that?"
"Oh this? I found it at the youkai's nest back then." I raise it up, reveals to be a long red Naginata.
The girl tilts her head. "A Naginata? Do you know how to wield it, onee-chan?"
"Of course I am! Just so you know I joined a Naginata club back when I was still in junior high." I explain confidently.
Except I've never use this for a single real life situation back in my home place. And now we are talking about self-defense in the middle of a world full of monster here...
Oh well, I need to stay positive, right? It's still better having a weapon by my side to slash something, or at least be able to threaten anything than having nothing!
"Club? Junior high? What are those?" Rin's completely confused by those non yet existent words and I giggle, patting her head gently. "They are places where people gathering together to learn about many things and share one's experience of something to another."
Soon after the conversation ends, Sesshomaru picks an empty space on the ground to land and we quickly follow. Which I suspect it will be our next resting spot. As usual, Sesshomaru settles himself under a huge tree and stays silent.
"What a joke, as if a weakling like you can harm anything. Talking about a youkai. Hah!" Jaken smirks at me while getting down Ah-Un.
What he said wasn't wrong, but they still give quite an itch to the ears.
Once done helping Rin to gets down on her feet, I approach the little guy and Jaken immediately stays on his guard. "What are you trying to do?!"
"Hai-ya" I whack him in the head with the Naginata's middle part and he yelps "Bweh!"
Tears begin to appear in the corner of Jaken's eyes and he rubs his head, grumbling. "Why you…What was that for?!"
I squat down before the little thing, asking him a pitiful tone. "Does it hurt?"
"Of course it is! What do you think?!" Jaken jumps, both in pain and anger.
"If it is then that means it works, to some youkai, at least! Come on Rin. Let's go find ourselves some fruits?" I grin and give Rin a gentle push to the opposite direction.
From the back, Jaken keeps throwing tantrum and prepare to charge at me. "How dare you insolent human! Using me as a practice dummy! I'm going to kill you! You-"
His rampage doesn't end until Sesshomaru stops him. "Jaken, enough"
"But…but" Jaken shifts his head back and protests but immediately gives up upon catching his lord's deadly glare...
Within the forest
We begin our searching as I check the small branches up on the trees while Rin checks the bushes below. Luckily, I spot some red apples and start snatching them off to take a bite. Good, they are edible.
With that, I gather some more that enough for three people to eat. Just in case either Jaken or Sesshomaru wants any.
After I finish, Rin rushes over to my side and shows some pretty bright red round berries inside her palms. "Onee-chan! Look!"
Erm, don't they look a bit…dangerous? I stare at the suspicious berries, somewhat having an uneasy feeling about them. "Rin, are you sure they're safe to eat?"
Therefore I earn a confident nod from her. "Yep! I've tried them many times before! I think!"
You think…? I frown, picking one up from Rin's hand to examine the strange thing better. It look ripe enough to eat and does have a similar look to wild cherries, no wonder Rin's confused by it at first.
I haven't seen this type of fruit before, not in my school book at least... Now i feel so much regret for not reading more about these kind of things back home. "Say...Have you tasted any of them yet?"
I sigh in relief when the girl shakes her head in response. "Not yet! I snatch them from the bush and bring it here right away! Aren't they pretty, onee-chan?"
"Maybe, just maybe that these things aren't suppose to be eaten? How about we throw them away?" I try to convince the girl to get rid of them. Since none of us are sure if these things are safe to consume.
"Nuh uh! I want to keep and eat them!" But she yanks her hands back and hides them behind her back, shaking her head vigorously. The girl looks like she would run off anytime soon if I try to snatch them away from her.
Figures that it's impossible to explain for Rin to understand. I have no choice but to try out my final option, which isn't so pleasant. "A-Alright how about this. I will try one and if it's not edible. We forget about them, okay?"
With that, I take a small bite at the berry in my hand and begin to chew slowly. The texture is fine but at first but then the taste hits me hard to the brain. Holy moly it's too sour and bitter, what the heck?!
I spit it out immediately and wipe my lips continuously. Telling Rin to get rid of the rest of the berries in her palms. "We can't eat these, Rin. They aren't edible at all!"
"Awww, okay." The girl pouts but obliges. Thanks god...
"Don't be so sad. We still have these, right?" I say, showing her the apples in my backpack and walk my way toward to our resting spot. "Come on, let's get going."
Unbeknown to me, Rin has sneaked some of the pretty berries on the ground into one of her pocket before getting back with me...
Around two hours later...
While sitting with Rin, suddenly I feel dizzy.
"Onee-chan, what's wrong?" Aware of my uneasiness, Rin asks me as I try to lay down onto the ground to rest.
Why do I feel so hot and cold at the same time? all of my energy has just drained out and my mouth feels so dry too...To make thing worse, pain begins to hit my stomach in turns from the inside and I start shaking heavily.
I must have gotten food poisoned. But from what? Holding back the urge to throw up, I look at Rin. Her face is starting to look fuzzy but at least she doesn't seem to be suffering like I do. If she's totally fine then... It must be the berry's fault!
"Onee-chan! Why is your body so hot?!" Rin gets worried and touches my hand. She gasps in shock as they are now burning hot.
Notices the girls have once again causing a fuss, Jaken approaches them in a bored attitude. "What now?"
Rin goes panic like a headless chicken when my face bears a painful expression. "I don't know, Jaken-sama. She just suddenly collapses."
Shutting my eyes tightly, I hug myself into a ball and try to explain the situation. "I..think...It's because of…something I've eaten…"
"Didn't I see you two ate apples together just now? How come Rin's totally fine but you're not?!" Jaken raises an eyebrow and suddenly realizes his shadows on the ground turns bigger than normal. He spins around and finds Sesshomaru is standing right behind them. "Sesshomaru-sama!"
"This girl is..." Before Sesshomaru can even finish asking, Jaken chips in. "I think she got food poisoned, Sesshomaru-sama"
Then he turns to urge me. "Why don't you just cure yourself like you normally do?"
Just because my body can regenerate doesn't mean I can cure myself from poisonous, you idiot! I cringe, wanting to yell that into his face but the pain in my throat and stomach are just too ridiculous for me to even move a muscle. "Sorry, I… cannot…do that"
I see... her ability isn't working against sickness and poisons. Sesshomaru watches the girl in deep thought. It seems that she's not as flawless as I thought she would be.
"Uhm...Sesshomaru-sama? It's true that we did eat some apples together earlier but..." Rin approaches the lord and hands him a bright red berry out of her small pocket "This berry I found here was actually the first thing she tried. Perhaps it's the cause?"
Sesshomaru takes it from the girl's hand and begins departing into the air.
Jaken, in a really fast reflex, jumps up and grabs the white fluffy thing which is warping around Sesshomaru in order to get carried away with him. Leaving Ah-Un behind to watch over Rin and Shiomi.
"Urg!" I yelp in pain again. Now that it's gotten up to my head and my ears can't even identify any sound anymore. Soon after my eyes, along with my consciousness start giving up on me as Rin's image and voice slowly fade away. "Onee-chan, hang in there! Sesshomaru-sama will surely find a way to help you!"
Around 20 minutes later
Sesshomaru returns with Jaken by his side. For some reasons, the little servant's face doesn't look so happy. Or you can say, irritated.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru glances at him and he awkwardly nods. "R-right away, Sesshomaru-sama...!"
He walks up to Rin's and the girl's spot, unwillingly hands Rin a small warped brown paper bag and takes a small peek at the annoying human girl, who seems to have fallen into slumber.
Rin opens up the bag right away and surprised to see it's full of dried herbal medicine. "Where did you get these, Jaken-sama?"
Just because of one single useless human girl, Sesshomaru-sama had come all the way to the human village to find a cure?! Even threatened to slice the doctor in pieces if he provided the wrong one! Jaken cringes his teeth, recalling to what happened back at their little visit to a human village. Irritated by his lord special treatment to a complete stranger.
As he's about to open his mouth to give them a big lesson. The servant notices Sesshomaru's sharp eyes are aiming at him. As if they're saying. "Don't you dare mention a thing"
Leaving with no other option, Jaken has to gulp down his anger and decides to let thing slides. "I found it! Now hurry up and give them to her!"
"But Jaken-sama, we need fire to boil water," Rin looks between the bag and him, hesitated.
Jaken groans and eventually gives in. "Arg! Fine! Whatever, I will lend ya a hand! Go gather some water! Take Ah-Un with you, it's faster and safer that way."
"I'm on it!" Only waiting for that answer, Rin nods happily and jumps onto Ah-Un's back to fly away. While Sesshomaru takes a seat under the tree and stares into distant again.
Watching his lord acting as if nothing has happened, Jaken can only sigh and starts collecting the branches scattering around him. Goodness this girl, bringing nothing but trouble to us...
The next day
After the horrendous nightmare, I finally be able to move some of my body parts and open my eyes.
Rin's face is the first thing to jump into my view. "Onee-chan, You're awake!"
Her smile is as bright as ever and I rub my eyes. Still being exhausted from that crazy fever. "Rin? How long have I been sleeping?"
"You have been unconscious for a whole day! How are you feeling now?" The girl explains while helping me to sits up.
For some reasons my body feels much lighter and it's not in pain anymore. Even if having fallen asleep for that long, I couldn't just magically cured myself from food poisoning, right? "Did you call a doctor to cure me?"
"Nuh uh. It was Jaken-sama who brought back the medicine when you collapsed." Rin points at the little guy sitting under a tree some steps away.
"Jaken?! Did you seriously say that Jaken help me?" My eyes widened by the shocking information.
She nods and shows me a brown paper bag. "Yup, I'm totally sure! He was the one who gave me this"
Accepting the bag from her, I take a peek inside and it does spread out a faint scent of dried herbs. With some leftovers. Wow, he did that for me? Unbelievable...
"So the human's awake, huh?" Speak about the devil, the little youkai approaches us with an annoying manner as always to check on my condition. I glance back and forth between the bag in my hand and him.
Then I take big gulp of air before opening my mouth to speak. "Uh...T-Thanks..." I mumurs under my breath but still enough for him to hear.
Yet Jaken moves his ear closer, acting as if I haven't said anything. "Huh?! What did you say?"
I swear he's doing this on purpose! Cringing my teeth at his arrogant attitude, I decide to make him suffer by shouting with all my mind into his little ear. "I said... THANK YOU, JAKEN-SAMA!"
As expected, the annoying servant falls backward at the sudden change in volume and covers his ears in pain. "D-Damn you! Is that how you pay appreciation to your life savior?! You ungrateful little brat!"
"Fine. Sorry." I turn away and Jaken looks as if he's about to explode like a volcano. Instead of bursting out his anger like usual, he just spins around and stomps away. Much to our surprises "Eh?"
I still don't understand why Sesshomaru-sama had to go that far just for her! When we could just easily left the girl alone there to death! Jaken stops at his old spot flops down. Shifting his head slightly toward to Sesshomaru, whose eyes have been watching him from the very beginning of their conversation, and sigh. It's so hard to figuring out what Sesshomaru-sama is thinking. He isn't considering to keep this strange girl with him, is he?
One week later
On one usual morning
It's been a week since I've left home, how fast. I watch the white clouds floating away from the high cliff of a remote mountain. Apparently, Sesshomaru has led us here earlier in the morning and left on his own once again.
"There's nothing to play here." Rin's sitting on the ground next to Ah-Un, pouting for having nothing but rocks and wild grasses to play with.
Annoyed by her overly playfulness and constant nagging, Jaken yells. "Quit whining! We're here to investigate, not to play!"
Curious about the reason we're here. I ask him. "But what is there to investigate in such a remote place?"
Yet Jaken shifts his head away to avoid seeing my face. Why does this guy have to be always so grumpy?
Oh well, at least he doesn't ignore me completely and answers my question. Despite not really that informative. "Whatever it is. That is none of your stinky human business!"
"Fine by me." Guessing that there is nothing for me to do here either, I decide to take a book out of my backpack to entertain myself. Except something appears right in front of my eyes and stops me from doing so. "Hey, that looks like a…."
The creature sits just right behind Rin, looks exactly like the fox from before at the shrine. It's definitely that sneaky little thing! But why is it here? Did it follow me?
Awared that I have somehow noticed its presence, the white fox turns around and runs off. Not wasting any second, I throw my backpack to Rin and take the Naginata with me to chase after it. "Stay here! I need go somewhere real quick!"
"Onee-chan, where are you going? Onee-chan!" Catching my backpack, Rin asks but I have already gone out of sight. While Jaken can only shouts to the nothingness. "Hey you! Where do you think you're going!"
That's odd, as if it disappears into thin air or something. After following the fox for god knows how long, I end up losing its sight. Along with my conscious about my whereabouts. Oh great, now I'm lost.
What a perfect time to test my amazing sense of direction. I take a quick scan all over the place but everything looks the same to me. Best I can identify right now is rocks, unfamiliar dead end, tree, and more trees...Hm? A monk?
I spot an unfamiliar man, who is in monk's clothes with a traditional straw hat on his head and carrying a bronze staff in his hand, making his way through the rocky route not too far away. Without thinking, I follow the guy.
"Excuse me, sir!" I approach him from behind and he pauses, turns around to greet me with a polite bow. "Oh, good morning miss. What are you doing here, in such a remote place?"
Quickly I bow back in return and ask for direction. "H-Hello! I..Uh.. Kind of got lost. May I ask if you know the way to get down this mountain?"
"I see... You want to get to the mountain's feet, huh..." The monk nods in understanding and responds in something that I've been waiting to hear. "Just your luck, I'm on my way to the shrine at the foot of this mountain. How about you accompany me?"
Yes! So much yes! Look likes I'm not totally doomed! "Really? Thank you so much!"
"The pleasure is mine. Say, you aren't from around here, are you?" The kind man stares at my clothes.
And I flutter, immediately find an excuse. "U-uhm, that's right! I came here from a faraway land to visit my relatives. A-Anyway! Shall we go?"
After wasting more time walking, the surrounding changes but doesn't look like how I expect it will be. Confused, I ask him, "Are you sure we're going the right way? It seems like we're going up not going down."
"Ho ho, It seems to be like that at first for first-timer. But we will reach to the mountain's feet soon." He states.
Maybe he's right about me not being used to this place. But still, something inside telling me that it's just not that simple. "But there's even mist surrounds us now. Are you sure that's normal?"
"Yes. That's mean we're getting close. Come on, this way." He nods and fasten his steps. While I struggling behind trying to catch up with his sudden change of speed. How can a human walk that fast?!
Soon after we reach to a small, old looking shrine. Though if my tuition isn't wrong...We're now standing on top of the mountain, instead of its foot. As I stop in front the shrine's gate and hesitate to go in. The monk turns back and urges me. "What's wrong? Come inside"
"No sir, I'm good. On second thought. I think I will head back to find another route. I'm really appreciate for your help earlier." I shake my head to refuse his invitation and take some steps back.
But the man instantly grabs my arm to stop me from leaving, his strong grip makes me flinch. "Why in a hurry? How about you rest here for a while, then I will lead you back later."
"There is no need to. Beside, I need to leave now so can you let me go?" I still refuse his offer and try to get away but failed. Suddenly, the monk laughs manically. "Heh heh heh"
Such strange reaction totally catches me off guard. "What's so funny?"
"You're going to stay here, little girl. Whether you like it or not." He smirks then transforms into a black crow, as big as a human being that looks a lot like a Tengu and my eyes widened in shock.
In reflex, I slash him on the stomach with the Naginata on my other hand to push him away. "Ack!"
Unfortunately he dodges, but at least it makes him let go. Taking the opportunity, I run as fast as I can back to the old route. However, more of them appear before me and immediately cover my only exit. What?! There's more?!
I struggle among the Tengu's grips until one of them with a fancy hat on his head orders his subordinates. "Quick! Corner her!"
And within a mere second, I'm surrounded by a bunch of Tengu at the end of the area. "There's nowhere else to run now, little girl. Better give yourself up to us!"
Now what? I keep my defensive stance, looking around for an exit and my eyes soon land onto the end of the cliff.
Guess there's no other choice but to jump. Another crazy idea immediately comes up to mind and I take a faithful leap off the mountain, leaving the Tengu behind watching the scene in shock. "That girl is crazy!"
"What are you all waiting for?! You have wings, don't you?! Catch her!" The leader orders and the others quickly follow.
Jeeze, they don't know when to give up, do they... In mid air, I shut my eyes tightly and hope to get to the bottom as soon as possible. Only a couple of seconds later and I land onto the ground, which is much comfortable than I thought it would be.
Huh? Isn't that a little too fast to reach the bottom? Slowly I open my eyes to take a peek and turns out it isn't rock that I landed on but Sesshomaru, who has caught me with into his right arm.
"Sesshomaru-sama?!" I almost shout into his ear due to the surprise. How does he know that I'm here?!
Oh right, I almost forgot he has sharp noses…
I stare at his expressionless face before fear takes over my curiosity. He's mad, isn't he... Cause I left the group on my own without permission and such..
At that very moment, I realize he doesn't have a left arm as his left sleeve is flapping within the strong wind. I wonder what happened to it.
"Hand her over! Or we're going to kill you too!" Finally catch up to us, the Tengu's leader points at me and demands for my return.
Sesshomaru smirks and draws out one of the swords at his hips. "Try if you dare"
"Get 'em!" Angered by the youkai's cocky response, the tengu shouts and they all launch forward.
However, just by a single swing, Sesshomaru destroys more than 3 Tengu at once. A minute gone by and more than half of the pack have been eliminated. Much to the leader's terror. (There are around 20 of them)
Jeeze, and I thought he's already shown too much back at the orge's cave. But this is definitely a whole new level. The scene just now looks as if coming straight out of a action/supernatural movie. Seriously, this guy has never ceased to amaze me...
Figured that he has activated the killing machine, the tengu gestures his subordinates to withdraw. "Everyone, hurry! Retreat!"
Unfortunately, Sesshomaru has decided to chase after him instead of the rest of his pack. "Don't even think about running away from me"
"Please don't kill me! I didn't- Gyah!" The other Tengu cry in pain as the terrifying youkai slashes his way to their leader, for a split of a second I can see their frightened expressions before being completely destroyed under Sesshomaru's sword.
I know it's really unbelievable and ridiculous to say this but... I kind of feel bad for them... Just kind of.
After a while of thinking through and through. I finally take up my courage to open my lips to call him. "Sesshomaru-sama...Uhm... You see...They haven't done anything to me yet. So please, can you let them live?"
"I mean the leader has already ordered them to retreat, so there is no reason for you to chase after them, is there?"
Hearing so Sesshomaru instantly glances at me, a glimpse of surprise can be seen in his eyes.
"Beside, Rin and Jaken must be worried sick by now. How about we head back?" I say, having expected that my plead wouldn't be working out to him that easily, yet only seconds later and his movement gradually slows down before completely stops. Much to my surprise. Eh? He actually listen to me?
We stay there watching the leader and the rest of the pack fly away for their lifes until they disappear into the mountain. Then Sesshomaru spins around and begins to fly back.
"U-uhm." I try to apologize to him but Sesshomaru cuts me off, much to my disbelief that he actually speaks a proper sentence this time. "Bring Ah-Un when you are going to wander off again."
Too shocked by his sudden permission, I almost bite my own tongue but still manage to respond correctly. "Eh? Y-yes, I will. Thank you Sesshomaru-sama"
Right after he leave me hanging with his dead silent. Not a surprise I guess, he did speak to me more than he *suppose* to be...
I let go of him as soon as we reach to our old spot. Once Rin sees me, the girl instantly stands up on her feet and rushes over to my side. "Onee-chan! Where did you run off to?! We were so worried!"
"Who says that I'm worried?!" Jaken shouts from afar and I shake my head. Not that I was expecting him to or anything. Of course, as if he ever would...
"Where did you go, Onee-chan?" Rin asks me and I glance back and forth between Sesshomaru and Jaken. Trying to find the most suitable response in order not to cause a fuss. "U-uhm nowhere specifically. I went to search for a toilet then couldn't find my way back. Luckily, Sesshomaru-sama appeared to guide me here."
"Cheh! Human." After listening my lame excuse, Jaken huffs but at least he caught the bite perfectly. Wow he actually believes that.
Once everything is settled, Sesshomaru leaps into the air again. Understanding what his lord's up to, Jaken points his staff to me and Rin. "We're done here. Let's get going"
Huh, that fast? But we just got back. I look down as Rin she grabs my hand, smiling that looks like she's excited to be able to get out of this boring place. "Come on, onee-chan"
Therefore, I follow her onto Ah-Un's back and continue on our bizarre journeys.
