.
...Lifting the veil...
...
"The earth is rude, silent, incomprehensible at first; Be not discouraged - keep on - there are divine things, well envelop'd; I swear to you there are divine things more beautiful than words can tell."
―Walt Whitman
...
High up on the weathered branches of an ancient oak, Sesshomaru watched his new charge warily inch towards the enormous scarab youkai. The said creature had flipped foolishly onto its back, exposing its softer belly to any predator scouting for an easy lunch. Desperately it beat its wings and pawed at the air with its spiny, segmented limbs, only succeeding in exhausting itself further.
"Dammit", he heard her mutter despairingly from behind a tree. "Why me?"
This should be interesting, the daiyoukai thought, a rare smirk blooming on his lips in the solitude of his verdant hideaway.
Pavid green eyes took note of the strong mouthparts and the large forked horn on the head of the beetle, wincing a little at the loud buzzing of the wings. "H-hotarou", she stammered, prompting the fluorescent- yellow orb to appear above her shoulder. Its size had decreased from when he had first set eyes on it- now it measured about the size of a closed fist. However, the shrewd eyes of the daiyoukai didn't miss the subtle surge of power that emanated from it. It looked like the orb, whatever its purpose was, had become a tad bit stronger.
Interesting indeed.
The forest went silent as the creature momentarily ceased its struggle at her approaching footsteps. Then the wings began to beat rapidly, the gust of wind in their wake almost sending her flying. To her credit, the woman stood her feet, arms shielding her face against the debris that rose at the insect's frightened writhing. Ebony hair flew unbound around her face as she stepped forward, the force of the wind pushing against her impeding her progress.
"That's enough", Sachiko said through gritted teeth, "Calm down and let me help you!"
At once the insect stopped struggling. An expression of surprise briefly flickered across her face before she composed herself and walked over to the youkai. With a surprisingly steady hand, she began pushing at the insect's shiny black thorax, attempting to put it back on its feet. When that didn't work, she pushed at the huge body of the insect with her back, teeth clenched into a snarl, thrusting her feet against the ground for momentum. Then, panting, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and took a piece of paper from the folds of her clothing, bringing it to her lips.
"Super-strength", she muttered, holding the paper between her lips. With renewed vigor, she pressed her back against the beetle and pushed, kicking her feet against the ground. To Sesshomaru's genuine surprise the insect rolled over, causing her body to slide up against the demon's smooth exoskeleton. He watched her eyes widen in horror as her feet were lifted off ground with the force of the beetle turning, before she disappeared under the massive insect with a high- pitched yelp.
On the ground, Sachiko was beginning to think she should have put more thought into her particular situation. She was also realizing that life could be lived in milliseconds, especially when one had foolishly brought one's lifetime to an abrupt, untimely end- in this case by being trampled into mush by a ginormous insect. In the space of barely a second, she was exhilarated at having flipped over the beetle youkai, confused at why she was suddenly airborne, then horrified at the realization of her impending doom. The world tipped over and she scrunched her eyes shut, waiting for her brief life to flash behind her eyelids. When the beetle took off in a buzz of iridescent wings, she found herself floating. Stupidly wondering if she had suddenly gained the ability to levitate, her mouth dropped open as she gazed at the handsome, impassive face of Sesshomaru looking down at her.
Oh. The pieces clicked together in her head.
"Thank you!" Sachiko said hastily. "Y-you can put me down now", she squeaked, studying the strange shades of amber that colored his eyes. Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow. The strong arms supporting her vanished. With a jarring thump, her unprepared bottom hit the cold, hard ground.
"Ow! You jerk!" She glared up at him, all embarrassment forgotten.
"Such ingratitude", he taunted, arms tucked in the voluminous sleeve of his haori, "Perhaps I should have left you to be crushed by the kabuto."
Her backside throbbed. "Perhaps you should try being more considerate", she snapped. "My body isn't built like yours, y'know."
"Is that so?" He said in an infuriatingly patronizing tone, turning away from her. "Yet here you are, gallivanting freely, chasing after creatures that wouldn't hesitate a moment to tear you apart."
"Aww", she drawled, knowing it would irritate him, "I didn't know you worried so much."
"These foolish ideas you seem to harbor are quite amusing", the demon lord scoffed.
"I know I am just a chore as far as you are concerned", she admitted, "But it's not like I am doing such things by choice." Falling into step behind him, she tucked a stray lock of hair into her ponytail and dismissed her shinshi. "I have to fulfill wishes as they come- whether it be a human or a youkai."
"Especially an overgrown beetle ten times your size."
"It's an honor, I'll have you know", she declared, slightly offended. "To be able to fulfil a wish made by the soul of a living being is a precious responsibility."
Sesshomaru seemed to consider this for a moment. "What happens when a wish is unheeded?"
"A soul with unfulfilled wishes will start to wither, until it passes, unable to carry out the purpose it incarnated for", Sachiko offered.
"So", the demon lord surmised, "you do have a choice to ignore a wish."
"That's your takeaway?" She asked incredulously.
"If you do have the liberty to ignore these obligations, I suggest you stop wasting time."
Sachiko rolled her eyes. "Geez, for someone claiming to be immortal, you sure are in a hurry all the time."
"I have better things to do with my time than fending for a mortal woman", he stated imperiously.
"Yeah?" She said, slightly miffed. "Like what?"
"The path I walk is the way of supreme conquest. A human like you would not understand."
"Yeah, I don't think so." Sachiko muttered.
Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks, looking over his shoulder at her with hard, steely eyes. "What did you say?"
Sachiko shrugged, her wrists held up. "No chains", she said. The demon lord's claws twitched momentarily, and for some reason Sachiko had the distinct impression that he was barely refraining from wrapping them around her throat.
"Do not bother me with your worthless assertions." He was walking away again, silver tresses swaying with the motion.
There was an inexplicable tightness in her chest, and Sachiko found herself opening her mouth unwisely. "But it's true! If supreme conquest was your soul's purpose, it would have formed a wish the moment it was spoken, or even thought of!" She said before she could stop herself. And then Sachiko found herself pushed roughly against the trunk of a tree, a steel arm pinning her shoulder firmly against the coarse bark. That's gonna leave a bruise, she observed dazedly, then remembered that she didn't really bruise anymore. Strange how she missed marks of injury on her person.
"Ahahaha", she laughed nervously in the daiyoukai's shadow, "Aren't you standing a little too close? You are not gonna try anything, are you?"
The daiyoukai regally ignored her attempt at jest. "Know your place, mortal", he demanded, looming threateningly above her. "Your opinion means nothing to me, so cease blithering about things you clearly do not understand."
Stupid Sachiko. You had to push it, didn't you?
"Okay, I get it. It wasn't my place to talk about such things." The young woman winced at his hard grip on her tender flesh. "Could you let go now? You're hurting me." The daiyoukai failed to comply, instead steadily increasing the force against her shoulder as if to drive his point across. Her lips parted in a silent yelp, hands fruitlessly clawing against his arm.
"I said let go!"
The pressure on her shoulder released instantly. She curled away from him, soothing her offended flesh. "I thought you were supposed to keep me from harm!" she reminded snappishly.
"What did you just do?" The daiyoukai's voice seethed dangerously low.
Forgetting her throbbing shoulder for a moment, she turned, questioningly gazing at the daiyoukai. "Huh?"
Sesshomaru's face was stoic as usual, but there was a hardness in his eyes as he gazed at the palm that had pinned her against the tree just moments ago. Worry fluttered in her stomach. Was he somehow hurt?
"Um, are you alright?"
His eyes were cold as he gazed at her. Without a word, he walked away.
Sachiko suppressed a sigh as she watched him leave. She was sick of this. Although Sesshomaru didn't realize it, he was her only lifeline in this strange world, and him being so distant was affecting her in more ways than she had anticipated. This, of course was a foolish move from her part, no doubt. She was at a time and place she didn't understand, away from everything she had ever known in her life, away from her friends, her family. She was dying and had to kill an actual god if she wanted to live. Her powers were mostly a mystery and her shinshi was the size of a fucking golf-ball. Suffice to say, she was freaking out. It was truly a testament to her distractibility that she didn't go into a panic attack every other minute of the day just thinking of her situation.
She really didn't want much, just conversation, a little bit of encouragement, a sliver of guidance. Just a bit more than she had right now. She needed an ally, a companion.
More than anything she needed hope in such a desperate situation.
How was she supposed to explain such very bizarre, very human feelings to a youkai such as Sesshomaru? She buried her face in her hands, wanting to have a good cry. And a nap. And some chocolate.
What a fine mess I have got myself into.
Sachiko watched from behind a rock as Sesshomaru laid waste to a bunch of ogres who seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
He leaped and pirouetted in graceful arcs, his poison whip elegantly following his movements in a stunning, lethal dance. She found that she couldn't look away from the gory scene, despite the pitiful screams of the oni as they were cut down mercilessly. An enraptured Jaken was singing praise from the side-lines, doing everything short of dressing up in a miniskirt and waving a pom-pom around. Sachiko even heard him belt out a limerick favoring the daiyoukai, engrossed in the heat of the battle.
No wonder his master has such a humongous ego, she thought sourly, turning back to the battle, if one could call it that. It was more like Sesshomaru was giving them a one-sided beating, effortlessly waltzing away from their puny counterattacks. It was obvious that this lethal grace was just a manifestation of his overwhelming strength. Sachiko wondered irately if the demon had to make everything a show of power as he landed softly on the ground, the last of ogres perishing behind him. The green hue of the poison whip retracted smoothly into his chiseled claws.
Then he turned and glared at her. Sachiko, a stab of irritation lancing through her, glared back.
What is his problem?
"That's the third time since yesterday!" Jaken crowed, picking away the leaves that had stuck themselves to him. "Do these demons have a death wish? And in a group, no less! Whoever thought the day would come when oni band together like that? But of course, you were magnificent as usual, Sesshomaru- sama!"
Ignoring the retainer, Sesshomaru turned to the north. Sighing, Sachiko picked up her bag. If she had a coin for every time she sighed in the feudal era, she would sigh again because she had way too many coins and nothing to spend them on.
"Say Jaken", Sachiko said, swigging some water in their pitifully short break, "What exactly does Sesshomaru mean by supreme conquest?"
"Huh?" The imp said. "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"
"…Just curious."
"It is only natural that someone possessing such overwhelming power would want to rule over those inferior to them", Jaken huffed.
"Really?" She squirmed against the tree root she was sitting on. "Isn't that too much of a responsibility? Ruling over everyone?"
"What is it to you?" The imp sounded suspicious.
"Well, I always thought of him as a…erm, wanderer? You know, like a hermit."
Jaken's eyes became even more bulbous. Sachiko briefly toyed with the notion of them falling out of their sockets before the staff of two heads squarely hit her head with a loud smack.
"Ow!"
"How dare you say something so preposterous!"
"What's with all the physical violence today?!" Sachiko cried.
"Mind you, lord Sesshomaru is not a hermit! His charisma is so captivating that women practically throw themselves at him, enchanted by his resplendence." Jaken sighed dreamily, stars in his eyes, leaving Sachiko wondering if he weren't a little enchanted as well. "Not that he ever gave them the time of the day."
"I sure haven't seen anything female hurling themselves at him." Sachiko rubbed at her offended skull. Jaken crossed his arms, reminiscing.
"Well, there was that woman, Sara."
"Oh?"
"She was quite beautiful for a human. Good at playing the flute too! I think she was some kind of a princess. Too bad, she died pathetically." Jaken shook his head as in pity. Sachiko froze.
"Did Sesshomaru kill her?" She whispered hoarsely.
"Of course not!" The kappa bellowed with indignation. "Lord Sesshomaru saved her pitiful soul before it was condemned to eternal damnation."
"Ah…Wait what?"
"Then there was that wind sorceress- Kagura", Jaken continued, ignoring her. "Oh she was a total whack-job! An incarnation of that filthy Naraku, seeking to overthrow her own creator!"
"Incarnation? Wasn't Naraku the guy who was defeated by Kagome and the others?"
"Lord Sesshomaru is the one who arrested that damnable wretch's regenerative ability!" Jaken declared. "His mighty slash with the Bakusaiga made it so that Naraku's body crumbled into pieces just as it grew back." Jaken waved his staff as though swinging a sword.
"Oof, gory."
"Anyway, that despicable woman was always baiting my lord for her own devious purposes. Always going on and on about her freedom. So persistent that one- did you know that she even sat before him topless that one time we saved her from the river? Even after I specifically asked to put her clothes back on?" Sachiko was impressed.
"Sounds like a gutsy lady."
"Well, she is dead now, so, so much for that!"
"Her too?"
"That devious Naraku killed her of course. Injected her with a bunch of miasma and left her to die alone in a field, as I heard. Lord Sesshomaru was there with her when she passed."
"He...went to see her as she was dying?" She breathed, "That is a very sweet gesture."
Sachiko could almost see it, Sesshomaru, standing regally in a field, the wind in his hair, before the doomed woman who loved him. She must have been glad, Sachiko reflected, as she could see the object of her affections one last time before she disappeared. It was painfully romantic, and she felt a twinge of sadness in her chest at this unexpected display of compassion.
"You know", Jaken whispered conspiratorially, "Now that I think about it, perhaps lord Sesshomaru did have feelings for-" A resounding thud was heard as a rock sailed through the air and made direct contact with Jaken's skull.
"Ow! Forgive me milord!" The imp cried, sprawled on the floor, without even needing to turning around to verify who the offender was.
"Ah!" Sachiko stood up, looking towards the direction the pebble came from, to find Sesshomaru leaning against a distant tree. Without sparing them a glance, he commanded them to stop wasting time and to get moving before turning his back to them.
I don't get this guy, Sachiko thought, pulling the straps of her backpack over her shoulders as Jaken, moaning, tried to pull the reluctant Ah- un to its feet. One minute the daiyoukai went around acting like everyone was beneath him, the next minute he turned around and displayed such deep compassion that brought tears to her eyes.
There's more to him than he's letting on, she thought, watching his retreating back.
In front of his pack the demon lord strode regally, memory of a pale face with ruby red lips briefly flashing in his psyche. The wind witch was long gone, her ashes feeding wildflowers that bloomed in the meadow. There was no point reminiscing about her sad existence and yet…
And yet the memory of her rose from the dark waters of obscurity at the most inopportune moments- when the wind lifted his hair in certain ways, at the sight of a lone feather gently floating down to the earth, at a flock of birds taking off, the scent of musk…
The dark top of a head bobbed up and down in his peripheral vision, cutting into his reverie. Eyes narrowed in irritation, he glanced at the woman, who was analyzing him with wide jade orbs.
"Umm, you seemed to be in deep thought. Are you okay?" Sachiko smiled as his lip curled in displeasure. "You can talk about it if you want. Or not. I won't pry."
"What are you doing?" The demon lord demanded.
She blinked, looked down at herself, then looked up at him. "Walking?" She deliberated.
"I do not remember asking you to walk beside me."
"I was tired of looking at your back all the time", she shrugged evasively. "Don't take me wrong, it's a very nice back, as far as I can tell. With the armor and the poufy pants and all."
"Feeling adventurous today, aren't we?" the youkai taunted, lengthening his stride. Pretty soon he was walking in front again, much to Sachiko's irritation.
Two can play that game. Narrowing her eyes, she clicked her pen with vengeance.
"Well, there's no time like the present as they say, especially for me." The demon lord's jaw tightened as his anger rose. The woman was matching his stride effortlessly. Then his gaze fell on the piece of paper in her hand.
Super-walker? He raised an eyebrow.
"Gets the job done, doesn't it? Although it wears off after a while." She grinned sheepishly, waving the talisman. "Look at me, I'm not even breaking a sweat!"
"Stop being ridiculous."
"Stop being difficult", she said. "Can't you see I am trying to make conversation with you?"
"I do not care for idle chitchat."
"Come on, I might kick the bucket any day now."
"And I am supposed to care?" The demon lord inquired.
"Don't you care even a little bit whether I live or not?" She asked solemnly, and for a brief moment he thought of Rin sitting next to some tombstones on the road.
If I died one day, will you forget me?
"My only concern is making sure you reach mount Akakura", he deadpanned.
"I see." Sesshomaru did not miss the note of melancholy in her voice. "That's a shame. Here I was thinking we could be friends."
Sesshomaru wanted to laugh at this ridiculous notion. "And of what use would your friendship be to me?" The demon lord accused. At her wounded silence, he continued, "A friendship forms between those of equal stature. Whereas I am a feared daiyoukai, the heir to the western lands, you are nothing but a weak human girl entirely dependent on my protection, with no power of her own and barely any sense of direction. Your position is beneath mine, no matter how you spin it."
In the backdrop of her mind, shadowy voices began to snicker at her. Squishing her apprehension, she stood her ground, hell bent on negotiating a friendship.
"Okay, ouch", she said, "But you see, I do have the powers of a god. Doesn't that count for anything?"
"The powers of a god, you say." Sesshomaru smirked mirthlessly. "Yet if I choose to leave, you will survive not a day in the forest, much less make it to your destination", the demon lord said derisively. "It does not matter how much power you hold. True strength comes not just from possessing power, but knowing how to wield it, which it seems, you are yet to comprehend."
Double ouch. She winced. And she had nothing to say in retort to his accusations since they were all true. However, in the back of her mind, amidst all the discouraging voices jeering at her, there was a small voice telling her not to give up. So Sachiko squared her shoulders and looked him in the eye.
"Is there anything I can do to convince you?" She asked quietly.
The demon lord picked up his pace, spurning the unwanted conversation.
"There must be something I can do", she wheedled at his taciturnity, catching up.
"There isn't", Sesshomaru grit his teeth.
"Come ooon, Sesshomaru!" She groaned petulantly. "Just give me a chance here!"
"Enough!" Sesshomaru snarled. The woman stopped in her tracks, speechless, allowing Sesshomaru to take the lead. The Lord of the West was not known for his patience and the damned woman was currently pushing him towards the uncharted boundaries of his forbearance. Usually such a conundrum would have been resolved with a mere swipe of his claws, but unfortunately, unfortunately his honor teetered precariously in a position that forbade the use of violence.
"There is no reason I should heed anything you say. To gain respect you must prove yourself, and the only way to prove yourself to me is by besting me." Seeing she was too stunned to respond, the demon lord allowed himself a measure of relief, resuming his promenade. "Cease your whining and get back to your place", he commanded imperiously, putting and end to her tirade.
So when the woman began to talk again, he was more annoyed than usual.
"So you are saying…", she began slowly, "if you are to take me seriously, I must beat you in some way?"
Sesshomaru remained silent, alarm bells ringing in his head.
"That's what you said, right?" She insisted at his reticence.
"And what if I did? Do you intend to fight me?" He cracked his knuckles threateningly, taking sadistic pleasure in watching her knees knock in fear.
Sachiko swallowed thickly. "First of all", her voice faltered, "I am only taking such liberties with you since you are honor- bound not to harm me in any way. And secondly," watching the telltale narrowing of his eyes, more confidence seeped into her voice, "It is unfair for me, a human with no basic training, to go against someone well- versed in battle with centuries of experience-"
In a flash, Sesshomaru was right in front of her, causing her to step back in fear. "Enough with this charade", the demon lord's tone was impassive despite the red seeping into his eyes. "Tell me what you are really after."
Unnerved by the scrutiny of his amber eyes, Sachiko felt a tremor pass through her body. A whimper escaped her lips as she steeled herself to speak. "All I want", she said, eyes locked with his, voice trembling at his overbearing presence, "is for you to be a friend. A-and stop looking down on me." Sachiko couldn't help but cringe at how childish her words sounded, as she watched the daiyoukai's eyes narrow.
Over the years, Sesshomaru had met countless beings, many of whom were soon dispatched to the afterlife, who had all wished to "be his friend", instead of revealing what they really wanted. Slay this youkai for us, they'd say without saying. Please save us, milord, or spare us, lord Sesshomaru. Or border dispute or let's teach them a lesson or marry my daughter. His inscrutable logic and infallible instinct always saw through their trickery, hearing the words beneath the words. Never had he ever heard someone say they wanted to be his friend with no hidden motives. Sesshomaru took a delicate whiff, failing to pick up any trace of deceit. He even double-checked, causing the woman, who was trembling all over, to look at him questioningly.
Eyes narrowed analytically, Sesshomaru stepped back, watching the woman exhale a long-held breath in a loud whoosh. Perhaps she wants me to kill the fallen god for her, he surmised. It wouldn't be a foolish decision on her part. In fact, he could even understand the logic behind her strange actions in this light.
Yes, that must be it, he decided. Desperation had got the better of her and now she has come to the sensible realization that she needed his aid. In that case, the daiyoukai cogitated, it would perhaps be prudent to take the bait. Wasn't that what he wanted after all - to defeat the strongest and assert his strength before he can finally surpass his great and terrible father? And who could be stronger than a god? A proper god, he thought, watching the woman nervously bite her lip. And an evil one at that.
"Very well", he said, looking down at her, "I accept."
Bug- eyed, Sachiko stared at him. "Really?" She whispered, her tone disbelieving.
"Do you doubt my words?" The demon asked imperiously.
"Nuh- uh!" She shook her head.
"You only get one chance, and if you lose, you will stop wasting time with wishes and whatnot."
"Ignoring wishes is not something I can agree to", she said earnestly. "How about this - you will be released from your oath of escorting me to mount Akakura if I lose."
"That hardly seems fair. I should be the one deciding the terms", the daiyoukai said, clearly displeased.
"How is that not fair? I will be gone from your life, and then you won't have to worry about me wasting time." Sesshomaru mulled over this for a moment. That did seem a better option. Although, why was he even agreeing to this foolish wager? If he wanted to kill the fallen god, couldn't he do it himself without the vexatious woman tagging along? Why was he going along with her whims?
The best manipulator is the one that does not know they are being manipulative, his father's voice echoed from across the gulf of centuries. Sesshomaru frowned. If his suspicions were true, he needed to be a lot more careful around her.
"I shall accept these terms", Sesshomaru said, his eyes flashing deviously, "However, remember this- once my oath is nullified, there is nothing at all holding me back from doing what I want to you." Sachiko's mouth dropped open, the rush of blood to her head almost making her lose balance. "Your insolence will be paid back in kind, and I suggest you prepare yourself for your inevitable failure."
Oh it was just another threat to my life. Nothing to see here folks, move along!
Something clicked in her mind. "Umm…Sesshomaru?"
"What is it now?"
"I think...we are forgetting something."
Lagging far behind with Ah-un's reins in his tiny hands, Jaken bent down and panted. "Lord Sesshomaru!" The winded retainer called out despairingly, seeing no trace of his master.
"Why did you leave me behind, milord?"
That night, in the solitude of a lake, Sachiko thought about Scheherazade and her plight, somehow similar to hers. The queen had woven a tapestry of fantastic tales, enchanting the cold and cruel emperor, leading him to spare her life. Perhaps she could do the same, but instead of stories, she could offer information?
I am from the future, after all, she took a dip in the cool water and resurfaced. I know how this world would change in the coming years, and that is a valuable asset in its own right.
But what if the information she divulged would set into motion some horrible butterfly effect that would mess up the delicate balance of the universe? Or would the future as she knew it be shaped by what she revealed? Sachiko groaned. She was really no good with time- travel paradoxes. Maybe saying nothing was for the best, she decided.
More importantly, did she really want to pursue such a camaraderie with the daiyoukai? Before her challenge to him, if one could call it that, their relationship was distant, with mutual understanding of each other's roles – him the guardian and her the charge. Why did she want to change that comfortable arrangement? She watched the multitude of tiny winged insects throwing themselves surreptitiously against her emergency light and questioned her own motives.
Because I am utterly alone here, she mused solemnly. Because he may be the only one who would know me in my last moments, and I don't want to be another person he just brushed past in his life. She lifted her gaze to the dark, moonless sky.
I want to be remembered, as an equal.
So that was it then, she realized. All of this stemmed from the desperation of the doomed. She submerged herself in the coolness of the water and held her breath. It was strange, knowing that she could stay in the water like that forever and not die. What would kill her though, would be the eventual disintegration of her body. She resurfaced and took a huge gulp of breath, although she technically didn't need it.
"What do I do", she wondered, looking at the dark silhouettes of the branches. "I only get one shot a this."
"Your position is beneath mine, no matter how you spin it"
He thinks he's better than everybody else. Resolutely she set her jaw. Just you wait, I'm going to make you eat your words. Stepping out of the lake she dried herself off, finding that the heaviness that plagued her heart had lightened just a little.
Desperately she clung to that feeling, a drowning woman grasping at straws, struggling to keep herself afloat.
Sesshomaru regarded the woman walking towards him warily. Wordlessly she brushed past Jaken, who was sleeping upright against a tree. The flames of the evening fire bathed her form in golden light as she stood before the youkai lord, lips set in a thin line. She donned a simple yukata instead of the soft bedclothes from the future she usually wore at this time. Her damp, black hair was unbound, spilling over her shoulders.
"Come with me", she said.
She walked through the forest in the dark, her footfalls brisk and sure against the crunch of dry leaves and the clatter of pebbles, the nettled youkai lord following silently. Pretty soon the fire at their campsite was only a bright dot at a distance, hemmed by the dark silhouettes of trees.
Sachiko stopped and gazed at the branches. The night was dark and the forest surrounded them on all sides. She hoped to god she didn't make a fool of herself, because she couldn't bear to carry the embarrassment to her grave. If she would be so lucky as to get one.
Moving on! She thought brightly, turning her attention away from the portentous thoughts.
"Is your plan to bore me to death?" Sesshomaru scoffed. She turned around and shot him an annoyed look.
"You remember what you said, right?" She asked. "You told me, if I were to best you somehow, you would consider me an equal."
Sesshomaru studied her, his expression impassive, his mind working overtime to puzzle out her intentions. Raising her arm, clad in the lavender fabric of the yukata, she pointed to the trees.
"There", she said, "Do you see them?"
Lifting a snobbish eyebrow, Sesshomaru looked towards where her finger pointed to. His eyes darted between the fine details of bark, leaves and the occasional animal that darted across the branches, but saw little else. "Are you mocking me?" The demon lord said, his voice dangerously low.
Her whole posture seemed to relax. "So you can't see them", she breathed, almost relieved.
"Are you implying there's something in the branches that I cannot see?" He accused skeptically.
"Exactly." Holding out her hand to him, she smiled. At his questioning glance, she said, "Don't you want to see what I can?" Sesshomaru regarded the offered hand with suspicion.
"I assure you that this is not a trick", she said earnestly. "You can see for yourself."
More than anything, the daiyoukai was curious. Amber eyes scouring bright green ones for deceit, he held the offered hand. Her palm was soft and warm, almost feverish to the touch, a sure sign of the illness within her.
"Well?" the daiyoukai said.
Sachiko closed her eyes. Sesshomaru felt a gentle pulse of energy from their linked hands. Something moved in the branches. Was that his imagination?
"You have to believe they are there to see them", she explained. "What? You can't expect me to do all the work", she shrugged at his dubious gaze.
Sesshomaru scowled. How was he supposed to believe in something he could not see? Her hand was still in his grasp, and for some reason there was an annoying sense of tranquility trying to worm its way into his psyche. Stubbornly he ignored the feeling, which was no doubt a product of the woman's divine powers, and focused on the branches, registering occasional tiny movements. He frowned. There was something in the trees, but what?
"Look", she whispered fiercely, her verdant eyes taking on an otherworldly sheen. Sesshomaru felt her fingers tighten around his claws.
Hazy at first, and then suddenly clear, the demon lord could see them. Tiny, bizarre creatures in the trees, glowing in phosphorescent green, gazing down at him from the branches with their bulbous eyes. Some were jumping up and down on the boughs, as if with joy at being seen. Most were regarding him warily, although he could not be certain for their blank faces. The tiniest ones were curled up against the larger ones, snoozing peacefully. Incredulous, he turned on his heels, taking in the sudden change in scenery, as if a veil he didn't know existed had suddenly been lifted from his eyes, staring at dozens upon dozens of the strange creatures high up on the trees.
Impossible, the daiyoukai thought, watching their sheer numbers as they glowed softly in the night, not quite of this world. Had they been here all along? Right in front of him and yet unseen, all this time?
Beside him, the young woman smiled. It was quite a nice change, she thought, to see him flummoxed by her for once rather than the other way around. "They are called the kodama", Sachiko explained, a twinkle in her eye. "They are spirits charged with the upkeep of the forest. Centuries ago, they were visible to all. They were always around caring for the trees and vegetation. Gradually, people became used to seeing them- they became so commonplace that they were ignored, like the air we breathe, or our own heartbeat. Slowly they began to disappear- or rather, the need for them to be seen did."
"Kodama", he whispered, remembering bits of stories told to him in those early days with faded edges - long, long ago- about the benevolent forest spirits that gradually vanished from sight. But not from existence, he realized. It was like watching a story unfold, seeing these long- forgotten creatures that were suddenly brought to life.
"Now that you know they exist, you can see them all the time. They are very helpful- I always ask them for directions or when I need help to find stuff I have misplaced. Surely they can assist you in better ways", Sachiko prattled on, his hand in hers, "although I wish you wouldn't use them for anything violent. They are very gentle creatures you know."
"Well?" She beamed, tilting her head like a puppy, "What do you think?"
Sesshomaru said nothing. The spirits crowded around her in the low branches, and in their soft light she looked almost ethereal. Never in a million years did he think that he would be trounced in such an extraordinary way. One of the braver spirits clambered onto his head experimentally. Following suit, a couple of others dropped from the trees onto his mokomoko, curiously examining his armor and his colorful obi. Discomfited, the daiyoukai could only watch, not quite certain if he were under attack or not.
"I think they like you", Sachiko noted.
Sesshomaru growled softly, regaining his composure. "Off", he commanded, and the tree-spirits took off in a cacophony of squeaks and yips.
"Aw, don't be mean, Sesshomaru", she laughed.
"Hn", Sesshomaru said, gazing at the spirits.
Discreetly peering at their joined hands, part of her wondered if she were actually dreaming. The daiyoukai's palm was strong and calloused- a warrior's hand, she silently observed, and knowing that even an unwitting movement of his claws could easily snap the brittle bones of her fingers sent a strange thrill down her spine. Although they technically didn't need to be holding hands anymore for him to see the kodama, Sachiko piously determined that she didn't mind the touch at all. Perhaps he didn't too, she reasoned, as her arm was still in one piece and had not been sheared into a bloody stump.
Oh well, she happily dismissed her concerns, focusing instead on the magical, close-to-perfect present that they shared, where the forest had transformed itself into a scintillating vision for just the two of them, for just this bright, brief moment in time. A blush warmed her cheeks as she studied his profile, softly lit by the glow of the forest-spirits. Her lips parted.
"Say, Sesshomaru-"
"You wretched woman! What are you doing to Sesshomaru- sama?!"
Just like that, the enchantment was broken. Sachiko gasped, her hand slipping away from the warmth of the daiyoukai's. Somehow it felt like she had been caught red-handed. The kodama scattered into their arborous hideouts, the forest darkening into its familiar opaqueness once again.
"Way to go Jaken!" Sachiko admonished, "You've scared them off!"
"Scared what off? Milord, has this woman affected you with her insanity as well? Huh?"
"Jaken", Sesshomaru warned. The atmosphere tensed and Jaken trembled like a leaf at the familiar nuance in his master's tone, throwing himself to the ground at once and bowing surreptitiously.
"Aaah! Forgive me, lord Sesshomaru! I didn't mean to insinuate that you would be so weak as to be swayed by a mere human, but it is possible you are susceptible, since a fondness for human women does seem to run in your family, what with your great father and now the half-breed brother of yours -"
A series of loud slaps and whacks resounded in the forest, causing a flock of birds to flutter away from the branches above them.
With a final glare at his clueless retainer, Sesshomaru left the clearing. "Serves you right", Sachiko muttered venemously to the crumpled heap that was Jaken, turning to return to the camp.
The image of the fearsome demon lord being cuddled by the tiny forest spirits flashed in her mind. A tiny giggle threated to burst out from her lips and she gave in, hiding it behind the sleeve of the yukata. Although the demon lord hadn't admitted it explicitly, in her heart she knew that it was she who had won this time.
Stupid Jaken, getting in the way.
Cookies to anyone who find out why Sesshomaru thought Sachiko didn't know she was being manipulative.
Thank you so much for reading! Thank you for all your reviews, favorites and follows too! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. Please continue reading although I can't update very often. I am quite busy these days, what with my exam and all. Please don't forget this story though T-T
Also it is soooo difficult to keep Sesshy in character.
Any corrections, queries etc are more than welcome. Stay tuned for the next chapter!