Characters profile:
The other Shiomi
Real name: Unknown
Status: Unknown
Gender: Unknown
Age: Unknown
Species: Unknown
Eyes color: Red iris with slit gold pupil
Weight/Height and Hair/Skin color: The same as the original Shiomi
Abilities: Immense strength and speed, Regeneration, Flight
Nanase
Occupation: Lady of the Inu Youkai clan of the South
Status: Traveling with Sesshomaru, Shiomi, Rin, Jaken and A-Un
Gender: Female
Age: 200+ (Physical appearance: 18)
Species: Inu Daiyoukai
Height: 168cm
Weight: 50kg
Eye color: Gold
Hair/Mokomoko color: Light brown
Skin color: Fair
Outfit: Red Uchikake with golden Phoenix decoration
Abilities: Enhanced senses and speed
Mate: Sesshomaru (Claimed to be)
- Our love destination is lost within the white fog -
Chapter 24
Nanase is now sitting by herself on a huge tree branch on the ground, facing her back to Rin and Jaken.
"I hope Sesshomaru-sama will be able to find her." Rin looks up into the sky, waiting for their return.
"Are you saying that you doubt Sesshomaru-sama ability?!"
Jaken yells. Having enough of her whining and nagging to come along searching for Shiomi.
"I'm not… I'm worry about Onee-chan, I wonder if she's okay."
"You're just getting anxious for nothing, Rin. It's not like the girl's going to die."
By then Nanase's ears twitch and she turns around.
"And why are you so sure about that? There's no human being be able to survive falling from such height. And even if she does, that girl still won't be able to escape from drowning in the ocean."
Despite her logical explanation, Rin protests. "I know, but onee-chan will make it somehow!"
"And how will she?" Nanase raises her eyebrow at Rin, confused at how much faith they can put into a weak and harmless human girl.
"It's simple. Because she cannot die."
Jaken repeats his words from earlier and Nanase instantly gets up from her seat, eyes widened in shock.
"What do you mean she can't die? Do you even realize what kind of nonsense you are spouting right now?!"
Seeing that the female Inu youkai being confused like a clueless monkey, Rin starts to explain.
"I suppose you haven't known about this yet but onee-chan has a very special regeneration ability."
"What? Regeneration ability?"
The woman frowns. A tint of frightened can be seen in her expression.
"Indeed. Whichever fatal damage she receives, the girl will only die for a moment then come back to life as good as new."
Jaken adds, recalling to the times Shiomi has actually revived herself from the death. "Heh! I highly doubt that you can kill that girl even if cutting her into pieces!"
"But how can that be?! Isn't she human?"
"We don't know if the girl is human or not. But there is one thing for sure about her is that she is not normal."
"How come I can only smell human scent from her?!"
"How am I suppose to know?! She never tells us anything to begin with!"
No longer able to subside her emotions, Nanase shouts at them. "You mean that girl even hides her secret from all of you?!"
"Not really. It's more like onee-chan doesn't know much about herself just as we do." Rin speaks up to ease the misunderstanding.
Nanase bites her lips, terrified that her secret may get exposed sooner or later by that filthy human once she's found.
So that's why Sesshomaru was so eager to search for her! Because he knew that wench would still be alive!
*Flash back*
30 minutes ago.
"W-We were hiding from those angry boars earlier at the cliff nearby then the girl suddenly tripped and fell off on her own! I did try to save her but her hand got slipped away from mine, and then she disappeared into the ocean!"
Nanase explained the accident to the group in tears.
"What?!"
While Rin and Jaken were still trying to comprehend the terrible news, Sesshomaru had already headed off to search for Shiomi and of course, Nanase was not going to let him.
No! You are not going anywhere when I'm still here!
"Sesshomaru, wait!"
Nanase shouted and he halted. "Do you know how the ocean is at the moment?! Finding her within those waves and currents is nothing but a suicide mission!"
"Suicide mission?!" Jaken's jaw dropped once hearing how dangerous the situation seemed to be and turned to his lord. Hoping for him to reconsider his decision.
However, Sesshomaru ignored them both.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama!"
Leaving with no choice, she rushed forward to stop him by standing in his way.
"It's already too late to save her now! You know that no human can survive from such fall!"
Clutched his right arm, she pleaded. "Please don't go. It's too risky! How am I suppose to live on without you?!"
"Out of my way!"
Getting irritated by their redundant warnings, Sesshomaru snarled and shoved Nanase aside. She then fell on her knees and watched him fly away helplessly.
"Sesshomaru!"
*End Flashback*
It's her body yet she doesn't know anything about it? Who are you trying to fool?! I bet that she has lied to them!
Even so, why would she keep her identity away even from Sesshomaru? Aren't they really intimate?
What kind of terrible secret is she trying to hide? I want to know!
Can no longer stand having a bunch of unanswered questions haunting inside her head, Nanase decides to find the truth on her own.
"Nanase onee-san, where are you going?"
Seeing that the female Inu Youkai is leaving the group by herself, Rin calls out to her.
"I need some fresh air, sitting in one place is boring. Beside if being lucky enough, I may even run into that human girl."
Nanase shifts her head back in response, unwillingly.
"Oh okay. Be careful."
'Hmph! Who do you think you are talking to?"
Nanase huffs and dashes off into the thick forest up ahead. I can't stay here chilling like any of you morons. When that damn pest is still being alive somewhere in this land!
Back to the cliff
After searching all over the area plus countless time diving into the deep water near and far. Yet there's still no trace of the female figure that Sesshomaru's looking for.
Just how far exactly has she got carried away?
While standing in midair above the blue sea, he notices something floating on the water's surface and instantly approaches to grab it.
This is Shiomi's backpack. It must have been separated from its owner by the accident earlier.
Sesshomaru holds it up close for a better check, but Shiomi's scent is completely washed off by the cold sea water and he frowns, tightens his grips on the lace backpack.
No! I cannot lose her this easily! Shiomi, as long as I know that you're still alive. Then I, Sesshomaru shall not stop searching. Even if having to turn this world upside down!
At Inuyasha's group.
Catching that nasty scent in the air, Inuyasha informs his team.
"Hmm...Sesshomaru's coming."
Just as he's predicted, Sesshomaru lands before them and creates a strong gust of winds blowing at their faces.
"What do you want now? Huh? Bastard."
Annoyed by his uninvited visit, as always, Inuyasha groans and steps forward to deal with whatever his brother is planning through his thick skull.
He insults him as soon as they meet. No wonder their relationship never gets any better…
Shippou watches them with a bored expression while Kagome shakes her head, thinking that they are going to waste more time into another sibling rivalry.
Jeeze, are they going to fight again? How troublesome…
Surprisingly this time, Sesshomaru doesn't respond or make any move. Confused, Sango whispers to Miroku.
"That's strange, isn't he suppose to mock Inuyasha back and demand him to draw Tessaiga or something?"
"I don't know, he's just standing there and staring at us." The monk shrugs in response. Pretty much as clueless as she is.
Not waiting for Sesshomaru to request anything like he always does, Inuyasha draws out his sword first. "Heh! I don't know what you're scheming right now but…Whether you want to test me or trying to steal my Tessaiga, I'm still going to kick your ass!"
"I have no business with you today, Inuyasha."
However his half-brother turns him down and causes the guy to be taken aback. "W-What?!"
Same goes to the rest of the group. "Eh? You're not picking a fight Inuyasha?!"
"If you're not here to fight with Inuyasha... Then what are you here for?"
Curious about his intention, Shippou asks. Only to receive another silence from the silver haired lord.
"Shippou's right. There has to be a reason for you to be here, hasn't it?"
Kagome decides to speak up. Judging from his strange attitude, she figures that something must have gone wrong with Sesshomaru's group. And it's only until then that Sesshomaru finally asks for what he truly needs.
"Shiomi."
Notice is a tint of desperation in his tone, it must means Shiomi's in trouble.
"Huh? Senpai? You're here because of Senpai? Why? What happened to her?"
She approaches and throws a bunch of questions at him. Hoping to gain at least some info about her Sesshomaru refuses to open his mouth again and turns away.
So she hasn't seen her either…
As the guy attempts to leave, she calls out. "Wait! Don't go yet! Please tell me what is wrong, maybe I will be able to help you!"
Despite her plead, Sesshomaru flies away while Kagome follows him from below hopelessly. "Hey! I say wait!"
"Feh! Just leave it That guy can handle his own business just fine, there's no need for you to worry about."
Inuyasha sheathes Tessaiga and Kagome sighs in defeat, watching the lord disappears into the clouds above.
"I just hope that Senpai is okay..."
..
...
It hurts...
...
I... can't breathe...!
..
Why do I feel so cold...?
...
..
Am I.. going to die…?
..
...No!
...
Somebody, please! ...Help me!...
..
...
I'm...Scared...!
...
"Gasp!"
My eyes snap open and I jolt up from the deep slumber, panting heavily. Without second thought I check myself and find that I'm still intact and breathing. Holding my hand up to my chest, I sigh in relief when feeling my heart racing every second.
I-I'm alive…
Soon, I find myself surrounding by the darkness.
Where is this place? There's nothing here but darkness. Could it be that I'm having another dream? Does that mean I'm not conscious right now? But why? What happened?
After spending a couple of minutes brainstorming, the memories from earlier slowly come back to me.
Okay, so I was hiding with Nanase from those Boar youkai at the cliff…And then we…
My train of thought suddenly gets cut off by a feminine voice inside my head.
"Welcome back. It's been a while, isn't it…?"
Right before my eyes, a familiar figure steps out from the black void up ahead.
"…The other me?"
"Y-You are…! The girl from before! Who are you?! What are you?! Why are you carrying my appearance?!"
I throw a bunch of questions at her on our first meet and she just chuckles, standing naked before me.
"Who am I, you ask? As much as I want to answer your question. It's still too early for you to know."
Again with that *too early* excuse. Jeeze, how long is she intending to play the mystery game?
"And it's not just you that I can transform into."
The girl starts to turn herself into other animals, one after another. Including the same old white fox and even the human I've met, then change back to my appearance.
"Out of everything, I prefer your body the most."
Strange, why do I have a feeling that she's messing around with me?
"Fine, whatever. Do you have a name?"
The girl tilts her head in thinking for a bit. "Name, huh? You may call me Sora."
"Sora? Isn't that my fake name?"
"And I favored it. Didn't you want to know my name? So there, you may call me that from now on."
"Right."
Man, I will never get used to facing with myself like this, talk about sharing a conversation.
"You don't look so good compare to the last time I see you here. What's wrong? Still scared of the dark?"
The girl squats down in front of me. She speaks in a half mischievous and curious tone, her red eyes staring straight into mine.
"W-Why would I? I have been here plenty of time already!"
I instantly protest, trying to get away from that piercing gaze.
"Of course. What else is there to be afraid of when you cannot die, right?"
Sora snickers and I flinch at her words. Since she has been staying inside my body for a while now. I guess it won't be too surprising if she knows at least a thing or two about my abnormal ability.
"There still are. Like losing my friends and families, get kicked out of school, can't find a job, not be able to achieve my dreams and many, many more."
While at it, I list out all the possibilities of worries and nightmares according to my ordinary life. For some reasons the other self pauses at my ranting then bursts out in laughter.
"Friends, you say?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
Confused and irritated for suddenly being laughed at, I raise my eyebrow in question and the girl grins.
"My dear, your overly friendly attitude always amaze me to no end. You love to get to know with everyone you first meet without a single doubt. But tell me... How does it feel to be killed by one of those so called friends?"
Killed by a person you want to be in acquaintance with?! Is she trying to say that I was killed by...
Nanase's screams and the moment she releases my hand, how she let me fall into the depth of the sea swiftly coming back to my mind all at once. Overwhelmed, I choke on my own breath and wanting to vomit. But nothing's coming out.
"Angry? Disappointed? Sad? Disgusted? Which one is it? Or perhaps all of them at once?"
Sora giggles then leans closer and whispers into my ears.
"That woman said she despise you, letting you fall off the cliff without a second thought. I don't get it, is that how *friends* are suppose to treat each other?"
"No…"
I answer in murmur, averting her eyes.
"No? Does that mean it's just you who is too naïve to believe that everyone will treat you the same way as you treat them?"
"...Perhaps I really am too naïve."
"Aww... Poor thing. But worry not, my dear. Because you still have me on your side! It's not too late for us to give her a payback."
"Payback?"
"Correct, since we now know that she's an enemy. What do you say if we eliminate her?"
Sora explains as if taking someone else life is a very small matter.
Terrified by the crazy idea and her over the top carefree attitude, I refuse to give in to her temptation. "Eliminate?! What the heck?! You want me to kill her?!"
"Yes. She hurt us, didn't she? That means she deserve to die."
"No way! I'm not going to end someone life just because you're telling me to!"
Before I can make a run, Sora has grabbed my face with both of her hands and held me closer. The grip is so strong that I cannot even struggle to get free. Without a choice, I have to talk my way out.
"I know that what she did was purely out of jealousy and wrong, okay? but I just can't imagine doing that to Nanase, it's not right."
I understand how painful it is when watching the person you love being with someone else. And trust me, it's not that easy to control or hold back your emotions when you're being drowned deep within resentment.
Counting the fact that both I and Nanase are coming from two different eras and races. Of course our action and thinking would be different. Perhaps that it is normal for Nanase to get rid of any potential rivals but not for us? We can never know...
"So what you are trying to say is that you are going to forgive her? Even after what she has done to you?"
Sora emphasis every word slowly and clearly, causing me to stammer.
"Well…I…"
Holding onto uncertainty that I'm showing, she points at my chest.
"Stop lying to yourself, Shiomi. I know that deep inside your heart, you hate that b*tch and want her to die as much as I do."
"Admit it. You wanted Nanase gone ever since the beginning, knowing that she would become Sesshomaru's mate in the near future"
My eyes widened by her soul piercing words and she smirks.
"There's nothing you can hide from me, Shiomi. I know you much more than anyone else in this world. Think about it, once we get rid of that pest…There will no longer be any obstacle gets in between you and him. "
Meanwhile, at some unknown shore (One day has passed, Noon time)
"So this is where you were hiding. Shiomi."
Nanase approaches the figure lying stiff on the hot yellow sand, in the middle of the wide seaside and stops in front of her. "I see that you're alive quite well. Your persistent really amazed me, you know that?"
"You had all of us worried sick these days, even to the point that Sesshomaru had gone crazy looking all over for you. And I hate to admit that I'm quite envious."
Nanase kneels and removes Shiomi's wet, messy hair off her face. "What is there so special about you? No matter how many times looking at your annoying face, I can only see that you're nothing but a plain and fragile human."
"And yet Sesshomaru chooses you over I, who has everything that he's ever wanted. I just don't understand at all."
Nanase turns her body around and let Shiomi lays on her back. "What kind of sorcery have you done to Sesshomaru that he's only having his eyes on you? Why can't you die? Where did you get that regeneration ability from? Just what exactly are you?"
"Come on, why are you so quiet?! Say something! Have the sea water make you go deaf?!"
Feeling ignored, Nanase loses her temper. Her face turns sinister and her voice becomes louder. "Is it because you find me too irritating to answer, is that it? Just like how Sesshomaru always considering me to be.. Is that what you are thinking?!"
"I know that you despise me, girl. So much that you want me die a painful death…"
And that's why I have to act before you do.
Nanase grabs Shiomi's neck and begins to strangle her with all the strength she has.
"I was so certain… So certain that the fall back there could have killed you for good. And yet here you are, still breathing and recovering well. Is it because that damage wasn't strong enough?!"
"I never asked you to come back! Why couldn't you just stay still at the ocean floor?! I hate you! I hate you so much that seeing your face would only cause me throw up! It wouldn't be this exhausting if you lowly human had known your place from the beginning!"
Nanase smirks when the girl starts to react and choking. "I will never hand Sesshomaru to the likes of you! Never! You hear me?!"
Suddenly Nanase hears an unfamiliar voice from behind and she flinches.
"Now, now…. Instead of torturing the poor little girl like that, Nanase-sama. How about you give her to me?"
"Who's there?! How do you know my name?!"
Nanase growls and withdraws her hands, turning to the voice's direction and there she sees a man with straight long black hair, pale skin and red eyes, wearing spiky armor approaching them from afar.
"Greetings, Lady of the Inu Youkai clan of the South. I am called Naraku, an old friend of the person who will become your future mate, Sesshomaru."