Chapter Twenty-one
How long had it been ? Three, four months ? I had stopped counting after the first two. My fingers gently touched my collar. I winced as it burned them slightly. It continued to pulse. Naraku had placed this collar on me not moments after I had awoken. A collar that bound my magic and powers. I looked at my single candle in my room. I wore a brown kimono with paler brown bamboo stalks on it. I could feel the tears falling down my cheeks as I watched the flame flicker. I absently wondered if it was day light yet. Kanna was the one who came and got me from my room. As long as I stayed with her, Naraku didn't come near me. I looked up when the door opened. " Narkau wants you to wear this today. " Kanna said handing me a short pink kimono with long sleeves. I quickly wiped my eyes clear before taking it.
" Why the hell does he want me to wear pink ?" I snapped with a frown.
" I don't know. I think he's going to have guests today and wants you to look nice. I told him that you didn't like pink and he just said that it would look good on you. " she said with a shrug. I sighed.
" Alright. Give me a second. " I said standing.
" You were crying again, weren't you ?" she asked softly. I looked at her. If you took Naraku away, she was just a child.
" Iie Kanna, I wasn't crying. " I lied with a smile for her. She looked at me and believed me.
" Alright. " she said as she turned and walked out of the room waiting for me. I quickly changed careful not to disturb the collar.
" I am really thinking about killing that bastard, no matter what this thing does to me. " I growled as walked out of the room tugging on the knee length skirt trying in vain to get it to go down longer. She looked at me and wrinkled her nose but said nothing. I sighed and followed her. Naraku was waiting for us in the main dinning hall.
" Arashi-sama, you look wonderful, does she not Kikyo ?" the hanyou asked. I had learned in the time that I had been here that Kikyo was now Naraku's mistress. I hated the bitch.
" Hai, I think that pink is her color. " she said with a smirk. My eyes narrowed but I kept my mouth shut. I had learned to hold my tongue since they were the ones who basically held the remote control of my little collar. I could die if my body was put through too much more of that pain.
" Why did you send Kanna-sama to me ?" I asked coldly. He smirked. I hated that smirk.
" We're going to have a guest today and you are going to be the entertainment. " he said. I couldn't help but snap at him.
" I'm not some toy for you two to play with. I do not feel like singing, so I won't be singing today. " I said stiffly as I turned to leave. That was stupid. I felt the pain shoot through me worse then lightening. I fell to the hard wood floor my head only braced by my forearm. I convulsed as the pain increased. I couldn't help but finally cry out in pain the tears streaming down my cheeks. Finally it stopped and I lay there in a heap trying to pull air into my lungs. I felt Kanna's cold hand on my cheek.
" Arashi ?" she called softly.
" I am fine Kanna-sama. " I said weakly knowing how to address her. I could barely move but was able to slowly push myself up.
" You will be singing tonight and you will do as your are told. " Naraku said his eyes narrowing slightly. I just nodded barely able to pull air into my lungs.
" Good, now go. " he said with a wave of his hand. Kanna had to help me stand but after that, I was able to walk on my own.
She lead me to a room and let just lay there on the pillows. " I must go Arashi. " she said as she stood. I nodded weakly and just lay there catching my breath. She stood and left letting me be on my own. Naraku didn't want me out of my room alone, but Kanna did a lot of things that he did not want. There were three things that were keeping me here. The collar, Kanna, and what he would do to Sessho-maru and Rin. He would show me things that he would and could do. I closed my eyes and took a shaky breath in as I carefully stood.
Arashi had to use the wall to keep herself steady as she moved from the room into the back gardens. The only reason that there were gardens here was Kikyo. Alright, so she was useful for some things. She took a breath of the semi fresh air. Closing her eyes she turned her face upward to the sky. " I miss you Sessho-maru. " she whispered.
" I've missed you too, as has Rin. " a voice from behind her said. Arashi's eyes widened as she turned quickly. Sessho-maru stood there with a small smile as he looked at her.
" Iie, this can't be happening. " she said hoarsely as she backed up her hands going to her mouth. Sessho-maru raised an eyebrow.
" Is this how the rescue party is treated ?" he asked with slight tease. He was overwhelmed with happiness to see that she was safe. It had been three months since he had seen her and he had begun to get scared. The only way that he had been able to find her was through rumors that Naraku had, had her. Now here she was standing before him. He wasn't a baka he knew that Naraku probably had a trap for this, but he didn't care. He just cared that she was with him now.
"YOU DUMBASS ! IT WAS A FUCKING TRAP !" Arashi yelled with tears falling down her face.
" YOU DON'T THINK THAT I KNEW THAT !" he shouted back. He could not believe her. Here he was trying to save her and she was yelling at him.
" I CAME HERE SO THAT YOU AND RIN WOULD BE GODDAMN SAFE !" she shouted as she stomped her foot down. Sessho-maru glared at her. His eyes slid over her form. She was wearing a knee length pink kimono with long sleeves. He could see the pain in her eyes and knew that she was hurting here, but he was angry.
" I DON'T NEED A NINGEN TO PROTECT ME OR WHAT'S MINE !" he said loudly as he took a step towards her. He would not let this female talk to him like that. Alright he would, but he was not in the mood. He had not slept in almost a month and a half.
" WELL TOUGH SHIT ! I DID AND THAT IS THAT ! NOW GET OUT OF HERE BEFORE YOU GET CAUGHT !" she shouted as she took a step toward him. She was furious. After everything that she had done to make sure that he and Rin would be safe...here he was trying to play the hero, plus her head was pounding.
" I DON'T LET WHAT'S MINE GET TAKEN FROM ME !" Sessho-maru shouted as he took another step forward as she did the same. Now he was looking down at her while she up at him. That did it for her. She was tired of being thought of as a possession and he would not do this to her.
" I AM NOT YOURS SESSHO-MARU ! I AM MYSELF AND NO ****" Sessho-maru cut her shout short when he moved in, he just couldn't help himself. Wrapping his arms around her waist he pulled her to him in a fiery kiss.
" You are mine and that is that. " he whispered when he pulled apart and rested his forehead on her own. Arashi took deep breaths as tears fell down her cheeks her eyes wide in surprise. " Arashi, I love you and there is nothing that you can do about it. I will not let him keep you here. Plus I do not believe that you would enjoy wearing pink for the rest of your life. " he said with a smirk. He just couldn't help but poke fun at her right then. Arashi smiled up at him before pulling down into another kiss.
" I love you too. " she whispered gazing up at him and gently caressing the side of his face with her finger tips.
"Arashi ? What is this ?" I asked softly as I gently traced the black choker around her neck. She winced slightly as the thing pulsed slightly.
" It's my collar, one of the things that are keeping me here. " she said softly as her eyes were cast downward.
" Arashi, let me get it off. " I said softly as I gently tilted her face up to look at me.
" I don't think you can. " she said softly. I smiled at her as I gently brushed her tears away with my thumbs.
" Let me try. " I said softly. She looked at me and nodded. Carefully I tilted her head up exposing her neck so that I could look at the choker that wrapped around her slender neck. Then I quickly sliced it in half. She winced again but at the least she wasn't bleeding. As her face lowered again I pulled her close nuzzling her cheek. Her arms around my neck tightened. She was breathing heavily but other wise seemed alright. " Let me take you home. " I said softly Suddenly a voice interrupted our world.
"Well isn't this sweet ?" Naraku said as he clapped and came up to us. I froze in Sessho-maru's arms. I kept expecting the collar to turn on and for the pain to start flowing through me, but it didn't. I felt a small bit of relief when I remembered that Sessho-maru had gotten rid of the piece of crap.
" I will give you half a second to say your last words, before I kill you. " I growled as my head bowed and my hands gripped Sessho-maru's sleeves tighter. I heard that hated laugh of his that was joined by Kikyo's. Suddenly both their laughter stopped, and I knew that they knew. " I see that the laughter has left you. Are you afraid ?" my voice was changing and I was glad. This was the change that I would welcome. Sessho-mru looked at me in wonder as my form begins to shift. " Well, are you going to speak. You can't lie, I can smell the fear that's coming from you. " I said coldly as I gently pulled from Sessho-maru's gentle grip. The next couple of minutes were a blur to me, but I do remember that InuYasha, Kagome, and Koga appeared sometime. My change was only half way done and I knew that I would have to have it to defeat Naraku. Hoards of youkai were everywhere and more were coming. I had to finish this. ' Nigeana, Nalla, we must finish. ' I sent to them.
' Arashi, you're too weak. ' Nigeana said.
' I know, but if I die, I'll die happy. ' I said. ' Now, please. ' I said.
' Alright. ' they said and then I changed.
I turned. I just felt something was wrong. And something was. Arashi was floating high above the warring groups. I instantly knew that she was going to do something that I would not like. She suddenly began to glow a blinding white. Everyone was silent. All turning their faces upward. When the light dimmed She wasn't there, but she was. Her hair was now a dark gray and she seemed older. Her eyes had become a deep gray color. Her clothing had become a long flowing white dress. Out of her back were a pair of great leather wings. She looked at me and I instantly knew what she would do. " Iie. " I whispered as I looked up at her. She looked down and our gaze met. She smiled and I saw a tear slip down her cheek. " I'm sorry. " she mouthed before her face turned upward. InuYasha, Kagome and Koga had joined the fray, not unexpected though, I had made sure to keep them in the loop about my search for Arashi, so they came. I had been surprised when I saw that Kagome and Koga had actually come. Because about a month ago she had given birth to a beautiful female pup. I had seen her right after the birthing. I had also seen Aoi's pup, also female. And seeing both those pups made me want a family of my own. I had adopted Rin about two months ago and now I wanted Arashi and I would have Arashi.
" Arashi ! Iie !" I called as I jumped and tried to get her, but she was just to high. Even Naraku had stopped to stare at her. And then she pulsed.
All I felt was a warm breath of air pass my cheek, but everything, except for Kagome, Koga and Inuyasha was destroyed. Even Naraku was obliterated. Kikyo though, was not. She ended up running. Arashi suddenly began to fall like a rock in the water. I ran to her and caught her just in time, by the time I had her in my arms she was back to normal. " Sessho-maru-sama ! Is Arashi-chan alright ?" Kagome cried as she ran over to us. I listened hard and heard her heart and breathing slow but there.
" Hai, she will be alright. " I sighed as I pulled her close burying my face in her hair and breathing her scent in as deep as I could. I had missed that scent like no tomorrow.
" Kikyo got away and I haven't seen Kan *" InuYasha cut himself off as he looked past me. I turned and saw the ghost child there. She stood before us with a purifying arrow sticking out of her heart. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kagome gasp, believing that it was her arrow, but I could tell that it was not. She seemed dazed and came closer.
" Is...Arashi, alright ?" she asked slowly as she stumbled. InuYasha, surprisingly caught her as she tripped on her feet and fell.
" Hai, Arashi will live. " I said as I looked down at her. We all blinked in surprise as she smiled.
" Good. " the child whispered.
" I, protected her, she protected me. " she continued with a dazed smile.
" Protected her ?" I asked. She glanced down at the arrow protruding from her chest. And it hit me, Kikyo's arrow, had been meant for Arashi.
" I want to be with Kagura-nee-chan. I want to be lain there. " she said quietly as a small trickle of blood flowed from the corner of her mouth.
" Alright. " InuYasha said. Kanna smiled again before closing her eyes and breathing her last breath.
I went with Kagome, Koga and InuYasha to the place where Kagura had died. We were all surprised to see that it was now a proper grave. " Arashi-chan must have come and redone it. " Kagome said in awe.
" I wouldn't doubt it. " I said softly as I looked down at her softly. Kagome smiled at us.
" Well, we'll be taking our leave then. Aki must want her mother now. " Koga said with a smile as he wrapped an arm around the miko's waist. I gave them a nod before taking off to my own home. Arashi would be alright and when she awoke, I would tell her. I would ask her the question that had been burning a hole through my brain since she had first left.