Author note: Sesshomaru and Shiomi theme: Oriental Blues by Eric Chiroyku
"..." Normal chat
ABC Thought
- Just once, let me hear you say that you only want me -
Chapter 20
Early in the morning
I stir, slowly awake and the very first thing gets into my view is Sesshomaru's emotionless face.
"Morning, Sesshomaru."
Without thinking I greet him, yawning out loud. Wait, Sesshomaru?
My body freezes in realization before jolting up. "W-What?! Why am I sleeping on your lap again?!"
"You fainted after we eliminated Azusa."
After hearing his answer, my eyes widened. Has he been keeping me by his side all night just because I fainted?
Then I recall being completely blacked out after that centipede's attack. Could it be that I changed again?
"Uhm… Did I mess anything up? I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"
Afraid having done something I should not have, I ask him about the details of out last incident. And Sesshomaru halts a bit before replying back to me.
"No."
Somehow his answer doesn't sound convincing to me.
"Is Kagome-chan and the others alright?"
After seeing Sesshomaru nods, I sigh in relief.
"That's great. Then does that mean Chiyo is-"
"She's dead."
Sesshomaru ends my question with his calm words. And before I can even ask why, he adds.
"Naraku's Shoki."
That straightforward explanation sends a chill down my spine. It's already a fact that no human being is be able to withstand Naraku's deadly shouki.
If I was normal, I would have also…
Poor Chiyo, she was betrayed by her own mentor and friends even though doing nothing wrong. Such a cruel fate.
I rest my head onto his right shoulder for a little peace of mind and Sesshomaru embraces me closer. None of us seems to bother about anything else. Just staying like this, not speaking any word.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru. For keeping me company."
After having calm down, I release him and to regroup with Rin and Jaken. For some reasons Jaken doesn't seem to be too happy to see me but doesn't explain why.
Hours later...
"Hurry! Onee-chan, Jaken-sama! I see lots of berries over there!"
Rin urges us, running up ahead as I try to catch up with the girl's speed from behind.
"Okay, I'm coming."
While Jaken's taking his time at the further back, nagging nonstop. "Sheesh, How troublesome!"
Since Rin isn't looking at where she's running, she ends up tripping onto something big lying on the ground in front of her and fall flats on her face. Hearing her painful yelp from afar, both I and Jaken rush to the girl's spot.
"Rin! You okay?"
Rin nods to us, pointing at something below the bushes. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. But look!"
"What? What did you find this time, huh?!"
Assuming that she has found another bizarre thing to mess with. Jaken stomps his feet toward to that direction in annoyance.
"A woman!"
Lying there is is a long straight, hime cut style light-brown haired woman who looks around 19 or 20, wearing a red Uchikake (highly formal kimono) that has golden phoenix designs. Fair skin color, red cherry lips, slim body and slender fingers with sharp nails.
Curly orange stripe on each side of her cheeks. Eyes shut tightly and seems to be sleeping, or fainted. Overall, this lady is an absolute beauty. Much more than anyone I have ever met.
Well, except for that you-know-who guy...
Curious, Jaken observes her closely and gasps once noticing a long fluffy light-brown tail coming out at the bottom of her kimono.
"Wait, this woman is… She is an Inu youkai!"
"Inu Youkai? You mean like Sesshomaru-sama?"
"Indeed. However this one is a different breed."
Curious, Rin shakes the lady's shoulder gently to wake her up. However, there's no response from her. When it's my turn to observe, I notice there's a sight of red color on the ground near her stomach and realize something is wrong.
Huh? Blood? She's injured!
Quickly I turn her body around and finds that her stomach's got a cut.
Hmm… Sesshomaru-sama definitely won't be pleased if we get ourselves involved into irrelevant matter such as this. Figures this situation is getting out of hand, Jaken declares.
"Come on, let's go back."
Doesn't have the heart to leave an injured inu youkai alone with no one around to help, Rin suggests to save her out of sympathy.
"Jaken-sama, Can we bring her along?"
"No! We come here to get food, not to bring back some stranger you find on the road!"
As expected, Jaken refuses her within a heart beat.
"Please Jaken-sama, we can't just leave her like that! She's hurt!"
"No is no! We're going without her." He walks off, without looking back.
Ignoring his orders, I remove the woman's kimono's layers till reaching her skin. "Let me have a check at her wound first. Then we will bring her back to our camping spot."
"Wha-What did you just say?! Who gives you the permission to make decisions for us?! Huh?!"
He resists strongly, but it's already too late as I have taken out the first aid kit to treat her.
"Don't know. Don't care."
There's a lot of blood but the cut isn't too deep, maybe she's healing herself. Gently, I clean her wound and cover the cut with cotton pad and bandage.
"Alright, this should do."
After washing up everything and putting the first aid kit back inside the backpack. I hand it to Rin.
"Onee-chan, are you going to carry her?"
"Yeah, Here we go!"
Letting her rests onto my back, I prepare myself and stand up. Immediately stumble due to the unexpected weight. Wow, she's heavier than she looks!
On our way back, Rin runs up ahead to lead the way as I'm struggling to lift my feet off the ground. While Jaken groans in despair from behind.
Great, now how I suppose to explain to Sesshomaru-sama when we return?!
Back to their old spot
"Sesshomaru-sama, we're back!"
Rin calls out to him as soon as we reach to our destination. At his seat from afar, Sesshomaru frowns upon seeing me carrying someone unfamiliar, who is not human, on my back. Both irritated and curious, he approaches us.
After finding a suitable spot, I lay the female youkai down and flops onto the ground next to her, panting heavily. Immediately searching for the bottle inside my backpack for a drink.
"Jeeze, that was tougher than I thought."
The moment Sesshomaru's here, his terrifying appearance instantly frightens Jaken. And he questions him in such a deadly low tone like he's about to eat him alive.
"Jaken, explain. Now."
Jaken stammers and not even dare to face his lord.
"Uh...Uhm...S-Sesshomaru-sama..Well…she's…"
Not wanting for the guy to get scolded because of my action, I speak up.
"Sesshomaru, it was me who decided to bring her here. Jaken is not at fault."
What?! Since when this wench can address Sesshomaru-sama without honorific so freely?! Jaken's jaw drops in confusion.
After hearing my explanation, he orders. "We're leaving once she's awake."
After that Sesshomaru returns to his resting spot and Jaken flops onto the ground. Sighing in relief and wiping the cold sweat off his forehead. Phew, that was close.
By noon.
Once the woman gains back consciousness and opens her eyes, Rin immediately alerts us. Once seeing three unfamiliar human surrounding around her, she backs away to defend herself.
"W-Who are you people?! Don't come near me!"
"Wait, don't move just yet. We aren't here to hurt you."
Afraid that her wound may open up from all the moving, I ease her and she snarls.
"Do you think that I would believe in those filthy lies of you human?! What have you done to me?!"
Out of reflex, she touches her stomach and finds cotton bandage covering around her hips. Completely surprised and confused.
"Rin found you in the middle of the forest a while ago. You're heavily injured so we brought you back with us to heal your wound."
After hearing Rin's explanation, she's stunned by her unconditional kindness.
"You saved me…? Why?"
"Why not?"
"We're suppose to be enemies, not allies."
The woman turns away, muttering.
"Since you're willing to talk instead of snarling or striking at us right now. I believe that we will be able to get along just fine."
Hearing my explanation, she looks at me like I'm growing two heads. It makes me wonder whether her kinds and human are at war or they just simply don't like us.
After a while, she raises her voice again.
"Nanase."
Confused by her random answer, we look at each other utterly clueless and she huffs.
"Since you have brought me all the way here and treated my wound, I thought at least you should know my name!"
Following Nanase, I introduce the our mismatch team to her. When it comes to Jaken, Nanase raises her eyebrows in confusion.
"Jaken, Aren't you a youkai? Why are you traveling with these girls?"
Being asked the same old question that he has been asking himself ever since the beginning, he shifts his head away in irritation.
"Hmph! It's not like I did that because wanted to! Beside, what am I doing is none of your business!"
Just as she's about to complain about his attitude, Nanase catches an interesting scent within the air and scans the area to find the source.
It's him!
Her breath's immediately taken by a specific handsome silver haired man sitting under a huge tree not too far away. That man's bestowed with an extraordinary aura that she has never felt before, and what's more, he is also an Inu Daiyoukai, just like her.
"Hey, you. Tell me more about that person over there…"
Looking to Nanase's index finger direction, Jaken explains proudly.
"He is Sesshomaru-sama, our master. Also known as The Lord of the Western lands."
My jaw drops for the first time hearing Sesshomaru's high status. Lord of the Western lands? Sesshomaru?!
"Are you telling the truth? He's a lord?"
Though it seems like the title alone is enough to spark Nanase's interest.
"This Jaken never lie. Sesshomaru-sama indeed is the greatest!"
Satisfied about something we are not aware of, Nanase sighs in awed. "Is he so…"
"Say, what happened to you? Why are you injured so badly?"
Then Rin raises her voice, snapping the female Inu Daiyoukai from her daydreaming.
"I was wandering around and got attacked by a mad youkai resides in this forest."
She replies, her eyes still not leaving Sesshomaru's spot. While Rin stares at the fancy clothes on her body, assuming that she's probably coming from a rich family.
"Why are you wandering alone in the forest? You don't look like any traveler we're seeing around here. Do you have a home?"
Hearing so Nanase bites her lips and shakes her head in response. "No..Not anymore…I'm all by myself now."
"Do you have anywhere else to go, Nanase-san?"
I take my turn to ask and Nanase sighs, barely looking at me.
"Not that I know of."
Her pity situation easily earns Rin's sympathy and not waiting for anyone else to voice their opinion, she claps her hands to draw everyone's attention. As if about to declares something important.
"Alright, if that's the case!"
In instant, both mine and Jaken's face darkens. Oh boy, I have a bad feeling about where this is going.
"How about you stay with us till you're recovered?"
Hearing her suggestion I gulp, shifting my gaze back to Seshomaru's spot and seeing that he's staring back at us. If Sesshomaru is here, he will definitely not be pleased with where this conversation is heading at.
Having to slow down for an injured person, who he is not even acquainted with, has been a taboo that I've learnt from the past experience.
Still, Sesshomaru had wait for me for several times, whenever I had to return to my home world for exams and restock. Hopefully having one more person into the group wouldn't change the situation much.
"Didn't you hear what Sesshomaru-sama said?! We have got to get going when this woman wakes up!"
Jaken yells to stop her from doing anything more stupid.
"But it would be dangerous for an injured person to be on her own!"
"No! An order is an order!"
Failed begging the little servant, Rin turns to me for aid and looks like she's about to cry. Seeing her pitiful face and voice, I have no choice but to give in.
"Maybe we should let her tag along for some days? I and Rin will watch over her."
"But will that be alright with your lord?"
Nanase wonders about Sesshomaru's decision and Jaken strongly agrees.
"That's right! Sesshomaru-sama will never agree with this!"
"I will try to persuade him." Therefore I volunteer to take the risk, much to Rin's joy.
"Hah! Try all you want! It's useless!" Jaken laughs at the ridiculous idea.
Once settled both in mind and physical, I approach to Sesshomaru's spot to confront him. And from afar the others can clearly see a displeased expression on his face.
A while later I return and Jaken snickers. "Let me guess, he refused. Didn't he?"
"He agreed actually."
"Wha-What?! Is this some kind of a joke?!"
"If you don't believe me, then go and ask him yourself. But I won't guarantee your safety, okay?"
Jaken's lost for words and glances at his lord, who is really not in a good mood right now and sighs in defeat.
"Relax, you're safe with us now."
I take a seat near Nanase as she drifts into her deep sleep.
In the afternoon (Around 3pm)
From afar, Nanase notices Sesshomaru says something to Jaken before flying away and disappears into the blue sky.
"Where is he going?"
Curious, Nanase asks me and I tilt my head in thought.
"Oh you mean Sesshomaru? He just goes out to take care of his own business."
Once knowing that Sesshomaru leaves his group quite often, Nanase looks somewhat disappointed. Yet when I ask what is wrong, she turns silent. Suddenly Rin's stomach growls and draws our attention to her.
Knowing what to do, I take out a bag of potato chips and a chocolate bar from my backpack.
"Which one do you want?"
"Chocolate bar!"
Immediately Rin picks her favorite flavor and grins happily once receiving the treat. While I open up the potato bag and offer it to Nanase.
"You want some?"
"No, I don't eat human food."
She refuses them in a heart beat and I hold the bag to Jaken instead. Smelling the delicious smell of potato chips, Jaken shifts his head back and approaches me to grab a handful of fried potato slices, putting them all into his mouth.
"Hmph! I prefer the other flavor!"
"Alright, I will restock it for you once I get home."
I chuckle, also taking a bite at the snack and enjoying our peaceful afternoon. However, our happy moment doesn't last too long until we hear a big rustle coming out from the bushes nearby.
"I've finally found you."
Approaching us is a bunch of aggressive looking boars which about two-sizes bigger than human. Walking on two feet and carrying different type of weapons.
Sensing danger we, except for Nanase, stand up and stay on our guard immediately.
There have gotten be at least 30 of them here. What's going on?
Soon I notice that they've surrounded us into a circle. Scared, Rin quickly hides behind my legs and Jaken asks out loud. "What do you boars want?!"
"For someone who is injured you're still such a good runner."
The biggest one that is wearing the most fancy armor steps up and introduces his whole squad, which he has taken time to gather up just to find her. While also giving Nanase compliments about her incredible endurance.
"It's you!"
His pervert face instantly reminds Nanase to the painful incident back then and she cringes her teeth in disgust.
"Was he the one who hurt earlier?"
Rin whispers to her and Nanase nods, recalling that thing has jumped at her out of nowhere and declared that she would be his wife.
"Of course I refused and he stabbed me with his sword out of anger."
Jeeze, sounds like a serious case of mental illness alright.
"That's awful! A man shouldn't hurt a woman like that!"
Rin's displeased to find out at how poorly the boar treated her. And I shake my head in disapproval to this definition of so called *man*
"Yeah, except that thing isn't even a man to begin with."
Ignoring our insults, the boar smirks. Tapping the sword on his hand.
"Now be a good wife and come to me. Or you don't want that to happen again, do you?"
While that thing is distracted, I call out to the two-heads dragon to fly to my side to cover both Rin and Nanase with its body. Once settled, I whisper to Jaken.
"Do you think you can fight them with your staff?"
Jaken flinches at my suggestion and bursts into cold sweat.
"O-Of course I'm gonna burn them all!"
And before I can say anything else, he yells. "I-I'm not afraid of them!"
Seeing how nervous Jaken is right now, I figure that we are already screwed. Great, let's just hope that we will find a way to buy time till Sesshomaru return…
As Nanase refuses to come to his side and even hides further away from him, the leader growls.
"What? You still decide to disobey me?! Men! Kill 'em all and get me the woman!"
Every single armored boar within the area obliges and charges at us. Immediately, Ah-Un fires blue beam at the crowd while Jaken summons fire from his staff, wielding it everywhere like a maniac.
"Nintoujou! Nintoujou! Nintoujou! Nintoujou!"
Even so, those attacks don't seem to affect them too much and they smirk. "Heh! Those weak attempts of yours can't stop us! If you value your life, better give up and hand her to me!"
"We have to run! Rin, hurry and get on Ah-Un"
I pick Rin up and put her onto the dragon's back. But when it's Nanase's turn to go, she hesitated.
"Can you stand up?"
Nanase shakes her head in response. No time to think, I bend down and push her up. When she finally gets up there, I have also run out of breath.
"Onee-chan, Ah-Un won't be able to carry all of us!"
"I know, that's why he will get you two out of here while I and Jaken find another way to run."
Needless to say Jaken doesn't favor this emergency plan of mine. "W-What?!"
"I'm sorry, Jaken-san. But I need someone to accompany me because I have no weapon to defend myself."
Thankfully, he agrees and gets on with the plan. "Arg! Fine! Fine! I get it!"
Then I gesture my hand at Ah-Un for it to halt its attack to fly away. Notice his unwilling soon-to-be wife is getting away, the leader orders his men to go all-out attack.
"Don't let her escape!"
Before they can reach to us however. A white orb appears from the sky and lands right in front of me and Jaken, pushing all of the angry boars off their feet.
"Sesshomaru-sama!"
Jaken's overjoyed that his lord is finally here for the rescue.
Getting interrupted by no one else but a male Inu youkai, the leader growls in jealousy. Pointing his finger at Sesshomaru, he yells and his minions change their target without thinking twice.
"You dare to stand against me?! Everyone, kill him!"
Only waiting for them all to jump at him brainlessly. Sesshomaru calls forth blue stokes of lightning toward the beasts. "Soryuha!"
Instantly it sweeps them into dust in a blink of an eye. Witnessing many of his subordinates being destroyed under a single blow, the youkai gasps in despair before getting himself killed under Sesshomaru's enormous strength.
"Wow, amazing! Has your lord always been this powerful?"
From above, Nanase's awed by Sesshomaru's power.
"Heh! Do you even have to ask?! Among the living youkai, Sesshomaru-sama is the strongest of all!"
Jaken snickers proudly as they're returning to the ground below. As Sesshomaru's walking back to where we are standing, Nanase jumps off Ah-Un and approaches him. Much to my surprise. Eh? She can walk already?
"You are…"
Not recalling any memory about Nanase, he questions her. Therefore she bows to him in the most polite and elegant manner that we've ever seen.
"Greetings, Sesshomaru-sama, Lord of the West. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm known as Yukinari Nanase, Lady of the Inu youkai clan of the South."
Needless to say her out of the blue self-intro causes Jaken, Rin and I to gasp in shock.
"What?! Lady?! Inu youkai clan of the South?"
Noticing Sesshomaru has yet to get a hang of the situation, Jaken begins to explain.
Therefore we learn that the Lord of Inu youkai clan of the south isn't well-known among the youkai world. As he desires to live a quiet, peaceful life without blood shred. At result, their military forces aren't so powerful and to avoid any possible threat, the lord hides his entire clan away from the mortal's eyes.
Up to now no one knows exactly where they are and how the clan's condition is. While the Lord of southern lands title belongs to another youkai from different race.
"But why would a lady doing here? Isn't she suppose to stay in her castle?"
Confused about her background, Rin asks her and she sighs.
"Indeed, little girl. I was suppose to…"
"But…?"
"But I ran away from it."
"So you lied to us?"
After a short moment of awkward silence, Nanase simply declares.
"Because I had no trust on any of you human."
Her cold words break Rin's heart and her face saddened. However she doesn't seem to bother much about her feeling and turns away.
That's harsh. I wonder what make her despite human so much.
"Is there any reason for you to abandon your home like that?"
Turned out her parents were going to marry her off to the Lord of Southern lands in exchange for his wealth. And she sneaked away before it could happen.
"I will never sit around wasting my whole life with that old, ugly thing! This is my body and it's my decision to live however I want!"
Nanase growls, recalling to the time being forced to wed back in her palace.
"But why are you telling that to us now? What are you scheming, huh?"
Jaken raises an eyebrow her for the irrelevant information.
"Please worry not little servant, I guarantee to be no harm to either you or your lord. In fact, you can treat me as your ally from now on."
Nanase assures us in great delight. Her mysterious smile gives Jaken a bad feeling. "Ally? What are you talking about?"
"It's simple. Because I, Yukinari Nanase is going to become Sesshomaru's mate"
In instant, we gasp in shock and Sesshomaru frowns at her statement.
"And why would you think Sesshomaru-sama would accept you?!"
While Nanase's daydreaming about Sesshomaru and her being together ever after. Jaken yells his lung out to wake her up from delusional.
"I do not expect him to right away. Therefore from now on, I will be staying by his side until he accepts me."
Nanase smiles and attempts to approach him closer but Sesshomaru has moved away.
"Hmph! I have no interest in such matter."
As cold as ice he states, only to make her finds him even more captivating.
"Yet my sense speaks the otherwise my lord, somehow I have a good feeling that you will."
At this point her voice has gotten to Jaken's nerve. "No one's allowing you to follow us!"
"Allow or not. That is not your choice to make, little servant."
Nanase goes on saying that the moment she has her eyes on someone, she will make him become hers. No matter what it takes. Also reminding us that while her clan isn't born to fly. they are gifted with great stamina and speed.
Therefore whether Sesshomaru plans to abandon her, she shall always be able to catch up.
"Onee-chan, what do you think?"
Suddenly Rin asks for my opinion and I almost choke on my own breath.
"W-Why are you asking me!?"
It's too late to back out now, we've promised to look after her until she's recovered. We can't just breaks it off simply because of her making a fuss about her future mate. Right?
"Get in my way and I will kill you."
In the last moment, Sesshomaru declares before walking off. Assuming him has given her permission to stay, Nanase bows in appreciation and quickly follows him.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama."
Watching the two Inu youkai walking almost side by side, Jaken nags in jealousy.
"There! See what you have done now?! This is why I told you not to save her from the start!"
"Well... At least we know that she's harmless."
Seeing him about to erupt from all the raging, Rin tries to brighten up with her positive thinking. Except it doesn't help for one bit.
"No! She is not!"
A couple of hours later
As usual I, Rin and Jaken gather into a small group under a big tree far away from Sesshomaru. And then there is Nanase, who has pick the nearest seat to her mate claimed-to-be from the beginning. Explaining that the reason she is doing so is to keep an eye on him.
"To maintain our glorious species, there is no doubt that I have to find a suitable mate and that person is no one else but Sesshomaru."
For some reasons her words to Jaken from just now are still ringing in my head.
"Once we are together, Sesshomaru will officially become the Lord of Inu youkai clan of the South. A faithful servant like you must think what is best for his lord!"
To prove her determination, Nanase keeps her words well and never leaves Sesshomaru's side. Taking all the chance she has to get intimate with him yet always receiving rejection. However none of those failures discourage Nanase, even just a little bit.
I fully aware that their relationship has nothing to do with me, but still...
Why can't I just stop thinking about them? And what is this irritated feeling that keep growing inside my chest?
"Onee-chan, you've been really quiet. Are you alright?"
Rin shows her concern when I haven't spoken a word for a while. Pulling me back into reality from my day dreaming.
"I'm fine."
Taking a quick glance at the Inu youkai couple once more, I notice that Nanase has managed to sits with her back against the same tree as Sesshomaru. Nanase's smile at her successful effort of getting close to him makes me instantly regret for watching the two.
"I'm going back."
Can no longer suffer from this anxious and upset feelings for any more second. I get up from my seat and approach Ah-Un for a ride home.
How tiresome. I need to get my head out of this.
Confused for my sudden departure, Rin follows me from behind. "Eh? You're leaving already?"
"I... suddenly remember having something to take care of at home."
After hearing my excuse, Rin releases my skirt and let me go.
After Shiomi's gone out of sight, Rin let out a sigh. "I wonder if onee-chan's upset."
"And why would she?"
Jaken raises his eyebrow and she shifts her head to Sesshomaru, who has stood up from his spot just now, to look at the orange sky up above.