"..." Normal chat.
ABC Thought.
Author's little note: Yay! Here comes another chapter!
Time envelops both love and pain until they fade away.
But I still remember them, and always will.
Chapter 53
Thanks to Megumi's divine blessing, I've been forced to travel back in time with zero preparation. No food, no water. Nothing but a simple T-shirt with a pair of jeans and flip flops. Alone in the middle of the woods full of malicious youkai and having no idea of a way out.
Cold wind constantly blowing against my skin, the familiar scent of wild flowers and grasses once again coming up to my noses. It's as if I'm reliving that day all over again.
Seriously, this deja vu is giving me goosebumps...
Since staying in one place whining won't solve anything, I begin my search for an escape route. Swiftly walking through the tall bushes in order to find the main road, while praying that I won't be encountering any Oni or weirdo along the way.
If my memory serves me right, there should be a small village nearby.
After wandering aimlessly for a while however, everything seems to be the same. Or even worse, I may have gone deeper in instead of out.
For god's sake. Where the heck am I?!
At time like these, I can only blame my ignorant for depending too much on Ah-Un, and sometimes Sesshomaru, to carry me around back then.
Seriously if I wasn't being so lazy, I would have at least known a thing or two about this region by now.
Gosh, it's way past noon already and I really don't want to spend the night by myself in this woods...
Huh? Wait, isn't that...!
My lonely journey ends faster than expected when I recognize that ridiculous silhouette from afar. Sitting alone by himself by the cliff and having his back facing me. He seems to be staring at the sky and talking to himself.
"Jaken, is that you?"
A few hours ago.
Again today, Jaken accompanied Rin on her little trip toward to the Bone-Eater's well.
"That day, Sesshomaru-sama was about to destroy this well out of anger. He really had us scared to death."
Standing by the old well, Rin recalled to that dangerous moment back then. Not too long after Sesshomaru had heard of Shiomi's last message, he rushed to this place and attempted to dispose the whole thing.
If it wasn't for Inuyasha's and Kagome's quick interference, the Bone-Eater's well would have been ceased to exist.
"Better give up, Rin. You can't go through it."
Seeing Rin climbed over the edge and jumped in. Jaken reminded her.
It didn't work, as expected. Still, Rin didn't give up and kept on trying again from time to time, hoping that one day she would be able to go through to find Shiomi.
"Let's go back."
As there's nothing left to do, Rin decided to head home. Though this time Jaken didn't follow and stood at the cliff nearby. Watching Rin carefully until she disappeared from his sight.
Now that he's free again, Jaken sat down and stared into space.
"I wonder where Sesshomaru-sama is right now."
Looking up at the blue sky above once more to seek for a certain figure, Jaken sighed. He had gone away for a while now and there was still no news of him.
Thinking back to that day, when Sesshomaru left the area while not being in his right state of mind, Jaken got anxious again. If only he was faster and grabbed onto his lord back then, he wouldn't have to sit here and kept pondering about his whereabouts.
That girl... still causing us nothing but trouble even after she's gone.
While reminiscing about the past, Jaken heard someone calling his name from behind.
"Jaken, is that you?"
It was that dangerous feminine voice, something Jaken had wished to never have to listen again ever in his life, was now ringing by his ears. Sending a chill down his spine and causing his core to tremble in fear.
Hearing my voice, Jaken flinches and almost drops his staff. Yet he doesn't turn around but standing up from his seat and and walks off. Much to my confusion.
"Hey, Jaken! It's me. Shiomi!"
I try to approach him while keep calling for his name over and over. Still, Jaken doesn't answer and keeps on walking, then I notice he's actually speeding up. As if he's trying to get away.
Therefore I chase after him. Our absurd race only ends when I grab his collar and pick him up from the ground.
"What the heck?! Why are you ignoring me?!"
"Begone! Evil spirit!"
The moment I turn him around, Jaken yells and whirls his staff in attempt to hit my face. Seriously, three years have passed since our last met and he's still as annoying as ever.
"What are you doing here all alone? Where is Sesshomaru?"
While trying to gain some info about Sesshomaru's whereabouts, I end up receiving more insults.
"Don't you dare mention his name ever again! Drop dead! You imbecile! Traitor!"
Jaken whacks my head with Nintoujou to set himself free from my grip and jumps off.
"What the hell?! Why are you being so angry with me?!"
Having enough of his yelling, I shout back as well. And just as I'm about to catch him again to settle things out, something about Jaken's words hit me. Wait a minute, did he just call me a traitor?
"Traitor? Is it because of my message?"
Seeing how Jaken's frown has deepened, I figure that is indeed the reason behind his difficult attitude.
It's been a week since then and if he's still being this mad, I can already imagined that Sesshomaru's wrath will be one hundred percent worse.
Going through everything just to save someone and only to be ditched by that same person right after. Safe to say I'm still lucky that they haven't cut ties with me.
"It's because I wasn't ready to leave everything behind. I needed more time to consider."
As I'm trying to reason with him to calm his anger.
"Hmph! Who asked for your excuses?!"
Jaken simply spat and walks off. Leaving me hanging behind, completely speechless.
Fine, whatever.
Later on...
"Did Sesshomaru tell you where he was going?"
"I'm not telling you!"
Even after being asked for almost a hundred time, his answer remains the same. And I'm starting to get convinced that he actually doesn't know where Sesshomaru is either.
"Did he leave you by any chance?"
Seems like I've hit the mark as Jaken freezes for a second before yelling back at me.
"Of course not! Sesshomaru-sama's simply needed some time alone!"
Some time alone, huh? Right, sure.
"Then can you take me to Rin at least?"
Since getting to see our infamous Sesshomaru is out of the option, I try asking to meet Rin.
"Don't know where she is."
And instead of saying no, he lies. It's so obvious that I don't have to spend a second to doubt.
"And quit following me around already! Go away!"
Seriously, I would love to. Except I have no idea where else to go right now.
"Say... How about you help me get out of this forest?"
With no other choice, I make a deal with him that once I'm out of here, he will never have to see or hear of me ever again. Eventually Jaken agrees and begins to takes another route.
Thanks god, finally.
Night falls...
And Jaken hadn't cracked a word to me ever since. For the whole day I was actually hoping that he would share to me a bit about Sesshomaru, or how they were doing during the time I was being absent.
"Can't you at least try to get along with me for the last time?"
Getting tired of us bickering all over and over, I suggest us establishing a temporary partnership before we're going on our separate ways. Yet he doesn't respond and just lying there, not even bother facing me.
Fine, so be it.
"It's cold, let me borrow this for a second."
Ignoring Jaken's strong protests, I take his staff to create some fire since I don't have any light or matches with me. After copying his exact movement and chanting however, nothing comes out from any of those mouths.
"How do you even use this thing?"
"Give me that!"
Jaken snatches his staff back and with the same gesture, he summons a line of fire at our small campfire with ease. Once done, Jaken sits down and turns his head away from me.
"So warm..."
The more I watch the fire burning, the more it reminds me back to those peaceful days, when all of us used to sitting around the campfire chatting and sleeping, waiting for the morning to come.
If only Rin and Sesshomaru are here as well...
Suddenly we hear leaves rustling behind our backs and immediately get up on our feet. Only to find ourselves being surrounded by several human-sized red skin ogres, all armed from heads to toes. Full of intend to kill.
A human girl and a little imp(?) Not a surprise if they see us as easy targets.
"Do you think you can burn them all with Nintoujou?"
Hearing me ask, Jaken bravely steps forward with Nintoujou in hands. "Just you watch!"
However, one of them appears from behind and snatches his staff away before he can cast anything. Watching the ogre whirling Nintoujou in the air laughing, his confidence fades.
Guess I have no choice but to step in.
"Your true self is right here, Shiomi. Do not close your eyes."
Remember one of Sora's *wise and encouraging* words from before, I take a deep breath to focus.
Seeing my eyes turning red when activating youkai's energy, Jaken gasps in shock. Thinking that I will go rampage and start killing everything on sight just like before, he immediately runs away to find a place to hide.
"Don't worry, Sora is no more. There are only you and me here."
Hearing me speak casually instead of growling and cursing, Jaken halts his footsteps then slowly turns around. Watching me charge forward and knock out everything with bare fist within seconds.
Once peace returns, he approaches cautiously. "What the heck are you now?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure."
Actually, I hadn't thought about that until he asked. Since I was too occupied with getting back to my ordinary life and the Bone-Eater's well's issue to care.
And the fact that I was trying to avoid touching anything that could remind me of my time staying in this world. The memories I had shared with Sesshomaru and the others, didn't help much either.
At result, everything's being left in the dark for three years long.
It's shouldn't be that much important as long as I'm still myself, right?
However, since I'm going to stay here from now on, I better start getting into it. Though this is going to take awhile for me to able to get a hold of everything.
Especially this strange youkai's energy, after breaking free from the soul realm I have no use of it ever since. Mostly because unlike in Feudal era, life in modern era is safe and there is no monster lurking around the place 24/7.
Except for that one time with Kuchisake-Onna, which just happened out of nowhere. Seriously, what's with that all about?
Though there's one thing for sure that whether being human or youkai, it's not going to change the way Jaken acts toward me. Even if there is, it will probably making him disliking me even more.
"Does it really matter?"
"Hmph! Not that I care anyway."
Jaken stomps off as I follow him from behind. Leaving the area before any of them wake up and see us.
The next day.
After a while walking non-stop, we come across a river.
Looks like there's no other way going around so we have to cross it to get to other side. Still, the river seems deep and the current is quite strong. It's going to be dangerous if we mindlessly jump in and walk through.
Fortunately, I soon find several rocks laying in a perfect line right in front of us.
"Get on my back, I will carry you through."
Thinking that it will be faster for us if we go together, I suggest.
"I don't need your pity help!"
After seeing me offering my hand, however, he refuses.
"Alright, suit yourself."
Not going to waste time arguing, I leave him be and jump onto the rock. Carefully making my way toward to the other side. When almost half-way through, I turn around. Notice that Jaken hasn't left his spot ever since.
"Are you going to move or just stand there all day?"
And I ask him whether he has considered my offer earlier. But it's still a no.
"Shut up! I'm just taking my time!"
Seriously, just how much more stubborn can this guy be?
However after taking two steps, the rock's slippery surface causes him to trips and falls into the water below. Watching him struggling to get back up within the strong current, I have no choice but to return to help.
Only within his life and death moment, Jaken stops acting all mighty and holds his staff to me. Just as we're half-way there however, I lose my balance as well and we both fall into the water again...
"Just how much more useless can you be?!"
Desperated, Jaken curses out loud as we're trying to stay afloat to find something nearby to grab on, drinking multiples mouthful of water at the same.
Holy hell, is that a waterfall?!
Turns out not getting drowned is not the only thing we have to worry about when the end of this river is getting near. No time to waste, I grab Jaken's arm and starts channeling my youkai's energy.
"What are you doing?! Let go! I refuse to die with the likes of you!"
"Shut up and let me concentrate!"
What is coming has to come, we both drop down from a ridiculous height. And Jaken's constant screaming by my ears only stops when he notices that we're standing in the air.
"What- You can fly?!"
Though I wouldn't call this flying, it's more like floating...
"Let's get to safety first then we can do the talking."
Hearing so, he calms down. But another problem starts to raise, and that I have no idea how to move around while in mid-air. As I've only figured out how to float quite recently. (As in just now)
Though going down should be easy, all I need to do is deactivate my power and let myself fall.
"What do you mean you don't know?!"
Jaken loses his cool again and starts yelling.
"Stop squirming or I'm going to drop you!"
Once those words slip out of my lips, Jaken's arm also slips out of my hand and just like that, he drops into the oblivion. Following his multiple screams, I dive downward in full speed to catch him.
For a second I thought I saw Jaken's soul flying out of his eyes as he fell.
By the time the sun almost set, we're able to land our feet onto the solid ground. Barely alive...
The following morning.
"We've made it!"
Now that Jaken and I are finally out of that cursed forest, our deal is done. Meaning from now on I will be traveling all by myself. Staring at the wide mountainous area and clear blue sky before me, I begin to get nervous. Not knowing what kind of disaster is waiting for me up ahead.
Looking at the bright side, finding food will be the least thing for me to worry about.
Turns out after spending days wandering in the wild and constantly skipping meals, I have come to realize that my hunger happens to be much less than before, when I was still a normal human being and having to consume three meals per day to survive.
Now, I can easily get by with one and still having more than enough energy to do anything. From running to climbing, swimming or even fighting. Whatever you name it.
It seems like not only power and vitality, but my endurance's gotten boosted as well.
While I'm still day-dreaming about the changes in my body, suddenly there's a big shadow passing over our heads and we both look up. Seeing a giant silver dog flying by and carrying something that looks like a youkai's head, which is also huge as well, in its mouth.
"What in the world...?!"
That has got to be the biggest dog I've ever seen in my life.
We both standing there in awe, watching it lands on the vacant spot way ahead of us to drop its prize onto the ground and sniffs the air. Even from this far away, I still can hear its growling.
Everything about that dog is screaming bad news. I'd better pick another route to avoid it completely.
"Ahhh! Sessho-!"
All of a sudden, Jaken shouts and jumps in excitement.
"What the hell are you yelling for?! Do you want to be eaten like that youkai's head?!"
In instant, I tackle Jaken down to shut him up. While praying that wild dog hasn't noticed any of us.
"Wench, are you blind?! That is Sesshomaru-sama right there!"
THAT is Sesshomaru?! Is he serious?!
Because all I am seeing right now is a gigantic, bloodthirsty youkai with heavy malicious aura. There's no doubt that we are going to get mauled to death by those claws whether trying to get near.
Plus that dog is clearly having four legs, shouldn't there be three if Sesshomaru only has one arm?
"Are you sure that is Sesshomaru? Because he doesn't look that friendly to me."
But then again, has Sesshomaru ever looked friendly to begin with?
"Of course a lowly human like you would never be able to appreciate the beauty of his Daiyoukai form."
And thanks to Jaken's unnecessary praise, I am reminded that Sesshomaru's father is also an Inu Youkai and he's twice, or three times as big as this one from our last time visiting his grave.
"Still, I think we should be cautious... Ah-!"
Ignoring my warning, Jaken jumps out and charges straight up ahead, right to where that dangerous youkai is standing at. While I quickly find a place to hide since I'm not looking for a death wish.
"Sesshomaru-sama! I've been searching everywhere for you!"
Once getting close, Jaken launches forward in attempt to hug him. However instead of witnessing a happy, tearful reunion between the master and his loyal servant, I see a Jaken being stomped by the thing-so-called-Sesshomaru's front paw and falls silent.
Damn, is he dead?
While I'm still debating whether to jump in to save him, the giant dog must have noticed my presence and starts making its way toward to my hiding spot, which is just behind a boulder surrounded by a bunch of bushes.
Sigh... This is so not going to be fun...