So. I recently bought a Shouto Todoroki figurine. I know, I know, wrong anime, but unfortunately I have not been so lucky as to get my hands on a Sesshomaru figurine. I'm gonna count myself pleased with my favorite MHA character. While we're on the subject of My Hero Aca, I actually have a MHA fanfic going on called Dark Illusions that you should totally check out. It's currently on hiatus in anticipation for season four, which gives you plenty of time to get caught up before I start updating it again! And now I am done self advertising. Please enjoy The Demon's Lotus.
"L-Lord Sesshomaru! It's wonderful to see you again!" I hastily shoot back to my feet. Despite how obvious it is, it takes me another second to realize it was him that killed the beast. I bow deeply. "Thank you! I owe you my life!"
"Hmph." His golden eyes glaze over towards the trees. "I did not do it to save you. I merely found his prattling irritating."
I can't help but snicker. "His voice really was awful. And even if it wasn't your purpose, you still saved my life, so of course I have to thank you."
He lowers his hand, my eyes following, and I suddenly become aware of the emptiness of his left sleeve. So he doesn't have an arm. Half of my pictures were correct. I suppose that means all my drawings were correct, so long as he wasn't born without that limb. I wonder how he lost it.
Sesshomaru's eye narrow and he twists away. Before he can take more than a step I rush, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare!" My heart jumps when he stops, allowing me to speak. "I won't ask about it. But My Lord, if you would allow such a thing, could I possibly be allowed to travel with you? I've built up my strength and stamina so I won't slow you down, and I've solved another affliction of mine that would have caused you inconvenience as well! I would be honored if you would let me stay at your side!"
Before he can respond, a quiet moan suddenly reminds me of Yukari, and both of us look to the child on the ground. I kneel back down and help support the awakening girl.
"Do you intend to take that human along?"
I blink, meeting his gaze. "Ah, no, I should probably return her to her village...if there's anything left of it."
"And if there isn't?"
I seal my lips as I consider this, gaze drifting to the ground. "Then, if there's survivors, I'll leave her with them. If there's not…" I really can't abandon her to die, but from the way Sesshomaru spoke, it sounds like it would displease him to have her tag along. The thought hurts to think, considering how desperately I want to stay, and how perfect a time this is for me to begin accompanying him, but with the circumstance, I force myself to concede, "I'll find her somewhere safe she can stay and then look for you again. That is, if you'll grant me the favor of staying with you."
The girl stirs in my arms. As she comes to, her eyelids flutter apart, and it takes her a moment until she's able to focus on my face.
"How're you feeling?" I ask, helping her sit up. She rubs her eyes before quietly scanning the ground. The sight of the severed bird demon causes her to flinch back against me, but the moment she lays eyes on Sesshomaru, every muscle in her body freezes. He stares back firmly.
"Yukari, this is Lord Sesshomaru," I introduce. I rub soothing circles on her back as I speak. "He just saved our lives. You should thank him." She doesn't make a sound, but shrinks into me and curls her fingers into my dress, refusing to take her eyes off of him despite the way she presses her head against my chest. "He's not going to hurt us, I promise." When she still doesn't say anything, I sigh and lift my head. "Sorry, she's too scared to talk. Please forgive her."
He doesn't reply. Instead, he turns his head towards the faint smoke visible through the trees. "Is that her village?"
I nod. "Yeah."
Without another word, he starts in the direction the two of us came. I quickly pull myself and Yukari to our feet. When she refuses to walk, I heave the girl into my arms and begin to follow after My Lord, thankful for the leisurely pace he's chosen.
Much like Yukari, I find myself unable to tear my gaze away from Sesshomaru as we walk. His hair sways minutely, shining white sweeping slightly with every step. His long strip of fur floats by his feet, lifted only high enough not to dirty itself on the forest floor. I've only ever drawn his face, his front, but staring after his back like this somehow arouses a vague sense of familiarity in me. Kind of like the feeling I got when I first caught the scent of the forest from the other side of the well. I must have done this before, followed him around, in a dream. I can't count the number of times he's appeared in my sleep, after all.
We run into two more bird creatures, each of which shrink back at the sight of the dog demon, and he quite simply decapitates them both with a swift swipe of his claws. Yukari begins to tremble in my arms. I continue to quietly reassure her of our safety until Sesshomaru scolds me for being noisy. Still, I hold her tight and offer her a smile whenever our eyes meet.
The village comes back into sight soon after our run in with the second monster. As I suspected, the smoke originates from it, but to my relief it appears as if only a few houses have been burnt. That means even if the villagers have been ravaged, Yukari will still have shelter. Maybe it would be safe to leave her here even if she's alone.
As we close in, movement becomes evident, and none of the shapes are covered in feathers. I beam at Yukari, who seems to relax a bit at the sight of her home. Bright colors litter the ground, some darkened by what is probably blood, but living, breathing humans move amongst the mess, evidently tending to each other and assessing the damage. They apparently did all right. I guess they have experience, considering they were attacked so often before. Still, I wonder what changed. Was there something that made their god stop protecting them? Or maybe, since Tsukuyomi's the god of night, he can only offer his protection while the sun is down. But they said the demons in the area didn't like to attack in the daylight when they're exposed, so what drove them to make this assault?
The post-battle bustling slows as the three of us approach the village edge, heads turning our way. I nearly smile at the folks, barely managing to catch myself before I do. That would probably be inappropriate considering the circumstance.
"Do you see your parents?" I ask Yukari in a murmur. She shakes her head, so I pass Sesshomaru and approach the closest villager. The woman's expression is grave, her eyes shadowed with caution and lips pressed thin with unfriendliness. Minding this, my voice is soft when I implore, "Do you know where Yukari's parents are?"
"No," the woman snaps. "Just leave the girl and get out."
I blink. Get out? "I just want to make sure she—"
My throat cinches when the woman scowls venomously. "We want no business with a witch like you."
"Excuse me?"
"YUKARI!" Another woman stumbles out of nowhere, one sleeve of her dress severely shredded with blood staining the fabric. Even so, she grabs the child from my hands and trips back away from me, holding Yukari in a death grip as she stares at me wide-eyed.
I'm lost for words. A couple seconds later, I manage to collect myself enough to ask, "So you're her mother?"
Before I can get an answer, a hard shove on my shoulder forces me to stumble a step backwards. A man then plants himself between me and the first woman, his glower as hard as ice in contrast to her seethingly poisonous glare. Arms crossed firmly over his chest, he booms, "Get out of our home, or we'll either force you out, or force your heart out of your chest!"
I gawk, dumbfounded by the sudden death threat. "Excuse me? What did I do?"
"Oh don't you play dumb!" The woman pokes her head around the man, using him as a shield as she scalds, "I saw what you did. You killed one of those beasts with a mere touch! Without inflicting a single wound on the thing! Don't pretend like you didn't!"
The image of the convulsing, luminescent bird demon flickers to the front of my mind, and I stammer, "I-I didn't do anything! I swear, i-it just...I don't know what happened to it!"
She grits her teeth, nails digging into the man's shoulder. "You filthy lying witch!"
"Hey Daddy, if she's a witch, then did she tell those demons to attack our village?" I pale, and my eyes fly to a little boy nearby who pulls at his father's pant leg for attention.
"So that's what happened!"
"Then," some other soul starts, "did she bring another one to finish us off?"
All eyes turn to Sesshomaru.
"No." I can barely even hear the word, with how quietly it trembles out. Then their thoughts become clear to me and I blurt, "No! He has nothing to do with this!"
"Look at those ears!"
"Are those fangs?"
"I said he's not a part of this!" I rush and place myself in front of him, hands up pleadingly. "He's not here to hurt anyone! Everything will be okay if you just leave him be."
"She's not denying that he's a demon."
"That's because he is!" Silence falls after I say this, and I rush to amend, "He is, but he has no reason to hurt you! So please, don't give him one!"
"Ren."
I startle when he speaks my name. Various emotions sprout within me at his voice, and I turn my head to meet his eyes. "Yes, My Lord?"
"How long do you plan to linger here?"
"Oh, not much longer!" I twist to face him fully, hands folding in front of me. Guilt simmers inside of me at the realization that I made him wait. Simultaneously, I can't help but be overjoyed that he actually waited for me! "I just have to get my belongings. I promise to be quick."
"She called him her Lord!"
"Then that demon's more powerful than the witch!"
I wilt, once again facing the villagers. I need to go and get my stuff, but will they leave him alone while I do? Something tells me they won't. Even though I haven't really seen the full extent of his abilities, it's clear he's far more powerful than those bird demons from earlier. And he can go head-to-head with Inuyasha, according to Shippo, and that halfling is pretty strong. Meaning if the villagers gave him a reason, he could wipe out all of them in a heartbeat. I guess that doesn't necessarily concern me, but the Fujiokas were nice to me, and I went through all that trouble to save Yukari. It would kind of suck if they died just because some fool thought it was a great idea to throw a rock at Sesshomaru.
"Ren, dear." A familiar middle aged woman stands before me, having approached me while I was lost in thought. In her hands, she holds my folded clothes and cleaned boots. "I don't know about this whole witch thing, but it seems it wouldn't be best for you to stay here anymore."
"Thank you, Mrs. Fujioka." I give her an apologetic smile and take my stuff from her.
"I wish you safe travels," her eyes shift behind me, "although I have no idea what it's like, traveling with a demon. I shall pray that Tsukuyomi gives you his protection."
"Please don't worry, Lord Sesshomaru isn't just any demon. He's a magnificent one!"
She sighs, placing an anxious hand to her cheek. "I do hope you haven't been bewitched."
Bewitched, huh? Considering how he's always appeared in my dreams and occupied my mind and art, I guess that's a pretty accurate word for me.
A shift in the jittery villagers makes me realize Sesshomaru has begun to take his leave, so with a quick nod of appreciation to Mrs. Fujioka, I hurry to follow.
The ball has begun to roll. Where shall it take us next? Only the upcoming chapters will tell. Any thoughts? Desires? Predictions? I do so crave to hear them. Oh, and if anyone else has a specific way they imagine Ren to look, I'd love to hear another one of those. I find it fascinating how different people imagine the same character. That's why I like leaving out physical descriptions of the main character when they're not pivotal to the story. But. Anyway. I will see you all next chapter. You all can look forward to some interesting stuff coming your way!
