Fukai Mori
Chapter 2: Scars, Fresh and Old
loupgarou7(loupgarou72@gurlmail.com)
hehe! I finally did it! I finished this stupid chapter! Ok so this fic's chapters are probably going to take a long
time for me to crank out but the length compensates right? Just a warning, the same's going to apply to my new fic
White Rose!!! ENJOY!
NOTE: Even if you've never seen, never heard about Inuyasha, you can probably read this
anyway. Up until about chapter 8 all I give up is basic information about 2 characters
from Inuyasha and some made up information. (Around chapter 8 is when the Inuyasha
anime starts, and that's when I write about things from the anime). So please read! Please?
Maybe it'll inspire you to go out and get the anime(when it's available in stores)! Oh yea!
If you want to know what Sesshoumaru looks like why don't you got to Anipike and go on the
Inuyasha links. I think there's a couple of sights dedicated to him, so on the first page
there's going to be a picture of him(without the tempting spoiling character info below).
As for Jaken....just thing ugly, big, walking toad with a cloak on.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
She was cold. She was so cold she imagined that she could feel frostbite creeping
up to her fingers and feet. She shivered and huddled closer to Hotaru. As she glanced over
at her companion she noticed that Hotaru although asleep was also shivering. In an attempt
to warm her muscles Usagi slowly got up, being careful not to to disturb the girl. As quietly
as she could she gathered together a considerable pile of leaves and pushed them onto
the sleeping girl hoping that as little as it may be that it would give the young girl some
extra warmth. She gritted her teeth to keep from shivering and wrapped her arms around herself
as she walked. Although walking probably wasn't the best way to warm up, running was
out of the question for her sore muscles, and the idea of being caught doing jumping-jacks
was simply too humiliating. And besides with a moderate exercise such as walking her mind
could think of issues such as where Sesshoumaru was. Usagi frowned. 'That jerk! Just
walking away telling us to sleep. He didn't even give us a blanket! I'll bet he's
at some cozy restaurant eating cheese fries and pizza*!' A gust of wind swept by, and
she shivered once more. 'Where...?' She looked around realizing that she had walked
much further than planned, and then her eyes caught on something. The forest was dark
trees were barely lit by the moonlight, but on the branch of the tree, she saw a
ghostly white form his figure outlined by the moon. 'Sesshoumaru...'She blushed and
turned to leave. Although grateful for the extra warmth in her cheeks, she didn't want
to stay her any longer. It just seemed WRONG to see a man other than Mamoru or her
father or brother sleeping.
"Wait," a strong commanding voice stopped her in her tracks.
'Geh! He's awake?!?!' Usagi tensed. She slowly turned her fingernails digging
into her hands. "I-I was cold..." she explained.
He stared at her, and Usagi bit her lip. "Your friend seems much more
capable of dealing with the cold than you." He finally said.
'And what's that supposed to mean???' Since she had already passed the test,
Usagi figured she didn't exactly have to kiss the ground he walked on anymore.
"Yes, she is," she replied curtly.
He raised an eyebrow as if questioning her new behavior. She shifted from
foot to foot under his unwavering stare made even more uncomfortable by the
deafening silence. Finally when he decided to open his mouth (or when he had
decided she had suffered enough, Usagi thought to herself) he said, "It is
unusually cold, and you are weak from having not eaten in a long time*."
Usagi gasped. How had he known? Could he read minds? Did he know then
about Mamoru and how she was planning to collect his blood? "How...?"
"I could hear your stomach growling," he said flatly.
"Oh..." Usagi sweatdropped.
He continued on, "Your body is too weak from lack of nourishment, the cold,
as well as...your activities earlier today."
"So I see," Usagi grew annoyed as she looked at the various leaves blowing.
on the forest ground. What was the point of telling her all these useless facts
she knew already?
"Therefore stay with me," he finished. Usagi head snapped up. "Your friend
is too cold herself to lend much warmth, and if you do return there is a chance
your body may give out during the night." His cold eyes narrowed. "I did not wait
for you for twenty-four hours simply to have you die during the night."
'Why do I have to be subjected into these things?' Usagi frowned 'But
still....even if he didn't mean it to be, even though his cold gaze feels like
it's going straight through me...the thought was kind.' She flashed him a
bright smile as she leaped with Sailor Moon's superhuman jumping ability to
the strong thick branch he rested on. Even though his manner was cold, even
though she felt icy shivers when he looked at her, Usagi thought, as she
settled down beside him on his kimono and although she tried to avoid it
his long, silky platinum hair, despite all that he was remarkably warm.
She closed her eyes as she let his warmth wash over her limbs. But then a
sudden thought struck her like a bullet, and she snapped her eyes open. The
youkai next to her was male. She was female. Sometimes humans and youkai
interbreed. "What?" he demanded. Usagi turned her head to him. 'That same
look...' Surprisingly she found herself relieved. The look reminded her of
the contempt with which he had spoken about how his father had loved humans.
Surely because he held so much contempt for his father involving himself with
humans, he would never dare to try anything on her. She smiled at him ignoring
his gaze and closed her eyes again to sleep. 'But I shouldn't be getting friendly
with him like this...' she realized as she felt sleep take over her brain,
'...because sooner or later...I'll kill him...'
*****************************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************************
She was cold, hungry and wet as she huddled against the floor. She could hear the
mean woman a couple feet away, shifting in her sleep. Usagi squeezed her eyes shut. This
wasn't supposed to happen, she didn't know that wandering away for a couple of seconds would
lead to...this. She shivered and balled up even more. Suddenly something soft and warm wrapped
around her exposed legs and caressed her cold face, and she drifted off to sleep.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"Usagi-san?" Hotaru gently shook her, "Usagi-san, please get up."
Usagi stirred and half opened her eyes. "Hotaru-chan..." she mumbled, "It's so early
and cold...lemme just sleep a bit longer..."
"Sesshoumaru-sama's orders."
That stopped the closing of Usagi's eyes right in its tracks. "Sessh..." Usagi bolted
up only to find herself in the same clearing she and Hotaru had tried to go to sleep in and
to have the blanket slip off her body.
For her confusion, Hotaru supplied an explanation, "Usagi-san, a couple minutes
ago, Sesshoumaru brought-"
"Sesshoumaru-SAMA," Usagi absentmindedly corrected interrupting her.
Hotaru blinked. "Ummm...yea, Sesshoumaru-sama brought you to me with a blanket. What
happened during the night? Did he...?"
Usagi groaned. It was too early for Hotaru to be thinking dirty thoughts. "Hotaru-chan,"
she smiled reassuringly, "It's ok. I was just cold and," She paused, "I ummm...it's kind of
embarrassing but he wanted me to sleep next to him for the night. For warmth. I mean for me
to be warm, not him. So, what were those orders?"
"Eat before we journey."
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"This place..." Hotaru breathed in the scent of liquor and dinginess, "wouldn't
my history teacher love to see this."
Usagi giggled. "But still isn't this SO cool? It's like a fairy tale!"
"I just hope it has a happy ending..." Hotaru murmured unheard by Usagi.
As the two girls approached the restaurant/pub's counter Hotaru took time to really
evaluate the place now that her eyes had adjusted to the dim light.
Despite the slightly unpleasant odor and how drab the place seemed in the
few light that was available, the counter and seats upon close inspection were
nearly spotless although not untattered by the years gone by. Many of the drunkards
were sleeping on the tables and one was enjoying his drink in the company of many
women. But there was another presence in the corner different from the others. She felt
Usagi stiffen beside her. Following Usagi's gaze to the corner where the presence was,
what Hotaru discovered made her suddenly dizzy. The menu Usagi had been holding fluttered
to the ground as Usagi raised her hands to cup of her mouth. Although Usagi all but whispered,
Hotaru clearly heard her, after all it was the name that had been roaring in her ears
since seeing him. "Mamo-chan?"
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in the direction of the village.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken exclaimed, "What is the matter?"
Sesshoumaru ignored him. After contemplating for sometime, he started walking to
the village leaving Jaken to catch up.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
'No...no, it isn't Mamo-chan," Usagi's brain told her, however her heart
was not so easily swayed. Usagi could still hear it beating, and she could
still feel the pain in her chest, as if someone had ripped her heart away.
She could still feel it: the longing to feel his arms around her, taking her
pain away, taking her responsibilities away. He approached her, the Mamo-chan
look-alike. She could see now that his hair was a deep purple as well as looser
and longer. His face was different than Mamoru's, but still the similarity was
uncanny.
"It's rare to see two beautiful women such as yourselves in bars. Are
you in need of assistance?" he asked them kindly.
Hotaru taking one look at her leader's distraught face quickly
substituted an answer. "We would like something to eat please."
He quietly observed their kimono's and once again Usagi saw Mamoru
in his deep eyes and his chiseled features. "You two are much too finely
dressed for this place. Be you himes? Perhaps the famous Akane-hime and
Kasumi-hime of Yamamoto-dono?"
"N-No," Usagi found her voice, "No, my name's Usagi, and she's Hotaru."
He bowed, "You may call me Sora." The sound of a dog howling outside
filled the air. His eye twitched, "Hey, bartender! Serve them whatever they
want. Put it on my tab." He turned to them again and smiling slightly said,
"Usagi-san, we will meet again."
As they watched him leave Hotaru muttered, "What, no good-bye for me?"
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"It WAS your fault," the younger mini version of Setsuna(think 5 inches)
blatantly pointed out. "If you hadn't been watching him..."
"Charon*," Sailor Pluto sighed, "Don't you think I know that?"
"But still!" Charon pouted.
"But still..." Sailor Pluto leaned against her garnet staff as the mists
in the Time Gate played with her hair. "I have to make things right again."
Charon raised an eyebrow as she hovered eye level. "YOU have to make things
right or you have to make HER make things right?"
Sailor Pluto smiled. "Charon, don't ask questions you already know the
answers to."
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"Come," Sesshoumaru commanded, "We leave now."
Usagi stopped mid chew of a whole chicken breast. Hotaru calmly put her
chopsticks down, and stood up. "But wait!" Usagi grabbed Hotaru's arm before
Hotaru could step forward, "Sesshoumaru-sama! Couldn't we finish our meal first,
PLEAAAAAASSSSEEE????"
Meanwhile the men at the tavern were intimidated by the strong presence
of Sesshoumaru. "Could he be a lord?" they whispered amongst themselves as they
cast jealous glances at his rich clothing. "THAT...THAT MAN!" the bartender
shouted as he pointed at Sesshoumaru, "Y-YOUKAI! He's a youkai!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered in displeasure. "How annoying."
As the villagers fled in every direction Usagi's breath caught in her
throat. "Hotaru," she whispered hoarsely, "Oh, God. What are we supposed to do?
What are we supposed to do?"
But it was Sesshoumaru who supplied the answer. "Kill them."
"But-!" Usagi protested.
"THOSE WOMEN! THEY'RE WITH THE YOUKAI, TOO!!!" The men were back armed
with hoes, sticks, and one with a katana.
"It's your responsibility," Sesshoumaru informed them, "Take care of
the situation." He left them to face the angry villagers by themselves.
*************************************************************************************************
"So I see, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said, "So you've only kept those
girls around this long to dispose of them now!" A harsh look from Sesshoumaru
told Jaken that this was not the case. "No, I mean, It's not, I am not presuming
your decisions but rather, what I meant to say was!"
"Jaken," Sesshoumaru addressed him, "Stay here." Sesshoumaru exited
the village leaving the short youkai clueless in the middle of the road.
*************************************************************************************************
Usagi felt her back bump against the wall. She was cornered. She
heard a scream from the opposite side of the room. 'Hotaru?!' Usagi rushed
to try and save her but was knocked back by a stick. 'Hotaru...! I'm sorry,'
tears threatened to spill, 'I'm so stupid! I should've just let you transform
and kill them, and now...you probably can't reach your transformation stick now!
But Bellona...I just CAN'T summon Bellona! She's too powerful! I just can't!'
She clenched her fist. What were these villagers doing? Usagi and Hotaru had
done nothing but consort with a youkai and it was only because of her decision
not to let Hotaru kill them that they were still standing and yet they..! One
of the villagers closed in sneering, but what she had expected, a blow, a punch,
or a kick, was not what came. He grabbed her chest roughly as he forced her to
the ground, and suddenly Hotaru's scream was given a horrifying new meaning. She
had assumed that Hotaru was crying out because of pain, but what if that wasn't
the case. She stared up from the ground at the faces of the other men as the one
on top of her ran his hands up her legs and underneath her kimono. They stared at
her back smiling lewdly. 'They're enjoying it!' she realized, 'They're enjoying
such horrible things...' She clenched his first tightly. 'Even if they're human
I won't forgive this! I'll never forgive this!!!'
Freeing her hand from the man, finally she decided to conjure the power
she had been fighting all along. she raised it up to the sky and shrieked
with all her might, "BELLONA STAR POWER, MAKE UP!!!"
*************************************************************************************************
The village from Sesshoumaru's great view from the cliff exploded in
a ball of light. He smiled faintly staring down at it. The smile disappeared
as he saw that he, too, had underestimated her power. The explosion would
reach him with thrown debris and dirt filled air. Nothing to be alarmed about
but nevertheless annoying. He was about to jump away when a glint caught his
eye. The smile returned, and he stayed patiently waiting for the clouds of
dust to reach him. As they came, the smile grew wider as his suspicions were
confirmed. A barrier was what had caught his eye, and a silver barrier was
now what was keeping him clean. In the midst of the dark dense clouds
surround the barrier something different crashed into it, Jaken burnt to a
crisp now pressing his pudgy face against the barrier.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Save me!" Jaken pleaded.
*************************************************************************************************
Sesshoumaru picked himself through the wreckage, carefully making sure
his kimono did not so much as brush against the charred remains of buildings
coated with the ash that carpeted the ground. Jaken hobbled along behind him
using the staff of heads for support. At last Sesshoumaru found her, the remains
of her silver glow still shimmering around her. Hotaru glared up at him
protectively holding sobbing Usagi curled up in a ball, Hotaru's gaze warning him
not to come. But of course he did. For a second he stood over them staring. In
another he had gripped Hotaru's shoulder and pushed her roughly away while he
took hold of Usagi's wrist and dragged Usagi half-stumbling, half-being hauled on
the ground away. Hotaru shouted a protest and would've ran after them if Jaken
had not conveniently placed himself between them planting the staff of heads
on the ground menacingly. Hotaru narrowed her eyes. Although her time here had
been short, she was certainly no idiot. She new that the staff as cumbersome
as it was must serve some function to be worth being carried around. Reluctantly
Hotaru gave up, but her eyes still held a promise of death for Sesshoumaru as
well as Jaken.
*************************************************************************************************
He flung her to the side of the lake. She stayed there still sobbing,
her plump tears falling to the ground. Sesshoumaru growled with annoyance.
"You regret it? Killing them? How pathetic!"
"I know..." she said quietly, "I know I'm pathetic."
Sesshoumaru face remained stoic. That was most certainly not the answer
he had anticipated.
"I know that," she continued on, "I always pledge my purpose to be
love and peace, but in the end..."
"In the end?" he urged her to continue.
"I'm just a hypocrite. You don't understand. I could've saved them if
I wished. I could've healed them, but I chose for them to die."
"They deserved it," he stated.
"To you, every human deserves to die." Sesshoumaru was taken back. Had
she really learned so much about him in such a short period of time?
"True."
She suddenly sprang up enraged. "What do you know? Who are you to
judge? Who gave you the right to-"
He grabbed her hand tightly and Usagi winced at the pressure.
"Foolish girl," he growled, "And what do you think you know? You're young,
still a girl. You've been sheltered from reality all these years. You think
you know humans? Humanity, humane, what complete nonsense. Humans are
by nature evil. Why do you think they fear the dark so much? Why do you
think they fear the dark so much? It's because they fear the darkness in
themselves. It's about time you learnt that. They fear us so much because
we embody what they truly are, but of coarse they're too weak to harm us.
That's why they attack in numbers just as they did to you and Hotaru. That's
why humans are such despicable, sniveling, stupid wretches, and that's why
if I were interested enough, I would cleanse the earth of every single one
of them."
"That's not..." Usagi's mind was in turmoil. It was too much to handle.
It was too contradictory what she had believed in in her last two years of
fighting. "That's not..."
"True?" he supplied the answer. He pulled her closer and said,
"But it is true. Every word." She could feel his hot breath brushing
against her mouth. "It's about time you learnt that." And for the first
time she noticed that the marks on his cheek weren't just red streaks,
they were scars*.
'What horrible scars. But he's a youkai, those wounds must have been
terrible to leave a mark like that...' Her eyes softened, and he reached out
her hand towards his face tentatively. "Your face..."
He abruptly turned away from her. "Don't touch it!" he commanded,
"I'll kill you if you ever touch it." Usagi widened in alarm as she thought
that for just a second thought she saw his hand tremor.
"Even you must have sorrow and pain, even you must suffer as humans
suffer. I know that human's aren't perfect. Some are evil, some are good, but
none are perfect. None can escape the darkness in their hearts, but isn't
that the same with youkai?"
"Don't compare me with such despicable creatures." was his only reply.
*************************************************************************************************
"Usagi-san?" Hotaru stared at her with wide questioning eyes.
Usagi smiled. It was funny how she seemed to know the exact words that
Hotaru was dying to say. Perhaps their short journey had made their bond stronger.
"It's OK." Usagi smiled reassuringly as she readjusted the bundle of sheets, food
and basic necessities on her back.
Hotaru and Usagi walked along silently trailing behind Sesshoumaru and
Jaken. Hotaru after a few moments said, "I think it's my turn to carry the bundle
now."
Usagi smiled and twisting Hotaru's wrist so she could see her watch laughed.
"Hotaru-chan, I've only been carrying this around for ten minutes! I still have
another twenty before we switch! You're so sweet, trying to carry it for me!"
Hotaru smiled back but after a second her countenance darkened, "Usagi-san.
What REALLY happened between you and Sesshoumaru...sama?"
Usagi's face quickly changed to that of annoyance "Leave it alone, Hotaru!
Just mind your own business! What are you jealous?" she snapped. Seeing the
expression of complete hurt and confusion from her behavior on Hotaru's face,
Usagi softened. "Sorry, Hotaru-chan. I-I don't really know what came over me. I
didn't mean it, I just wish you'd stop asking."
"Usagi-san," Hotaru said solemnly, "You're no-"
Her words trailed off as Hotaru saw in front of them that Sesshoumaru had
stopped and was now currently staring at the two of them. Now having their full
attention, he spoke. "I have sensed something to the east, which may be connected
to the grave, but it is in the opposite direction of where the Staff of Heads tells
us to go. Hotaru, you shall go with Jaken to where the Staff of Heads leads us.
Usagi, you shall come with me to investigate. We shall catch up with you later.
Now go."
"But Usagi-san and I could go investigate!" Hotaru protested.
Sesshoumaru looked annoyed, "The two of you are too slow. Do as I say."
Hotaru having pledge her allegiance to him for the time being had no choice
but to obey.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Usagi once more strained her legs to catch up with Sesshoumaru. "Hey,
Sesshoumaru-sama, is it REALLY necessary to walk this fast. Couldn't we take a
nice break...PLEAAAAASSSEEE?" she clasped her hands in front of her in prayer
form. An annoyed look was his only response. Usagi sighed as she struggled to
keep in pace with him. Somehow although it was taxing to her legs, to Sesshoumaru
the rigorous pace seemed nothing more than a summer stroll through a park. In
fact now that she looked at him, it was more like he was walking rather than
speed-walking like her. In her hurry she kicked up a flurry of fallen leaves as
she resisted the urge to pick up the skirts of her kimono and just start
jogging. The wind was crisp and clear as they hurried along, but she had no time
to feel cold as she avoided hidden tree roots on the ground weaved her way around
the trees. Finally they reached a clearing and a small cliff. Usagi gasped as
reaching the edge of the cliff not 20 feet below were the corpses of five women
each of their kimonos bloodied at the chest.
"This is..." she raised her hands up to her mouth, "how horrible. I
absolutely won't forgive this!" Her eyes took on a determined look,
"Sesshoumaru-sama, could we track down the one who did this?"
Sesshoumaru looked, "Why do you care for them. You don't know them. You
have no idea who they are, what their names were. You should not feel anger or
sorrow for their deaths." He turned back towards the edge of the cliff. "Their
village is not far from here, but the trees are blocking the way."
Usagi was about to respond when she was suddenly snatched from behind.
Sesshoumaru turned as she gave a cry of protest. The male voice from her behind
her sneered, "So this is your new toy, Sesshoumaru. Can't say you have bad taste."
*Yes, I do know that there were no cheese fries and pizzas back then, but this is
20th century USAGI thinking this.
*Refer back to Chapter 1 when Luna says, Usagi hasn't been out of her room in
three days and barely touches the food.
*Charon is the moon of Pluto
*I have no clue if those red things are scars or paint or marks. I always thought
they were paint until Inuyasha got scratched and his marks looked kinda like
Sesshoumaru's except more jagged, so this is just an assumption. They're probably
just red marks, but for the sake of the story...
Chapter 2: Scars, Fresh and Old
loupgarou7(loupgarou72@gurlmail.com)
hehe! I finally did it! I finished this stupid chapter! Ok so this fic's chapters are probably going to take a long
time for me to crank out but the length compensates right? Just a warning, the same's going to apply to my new fic
White Rose!!! ENJOY!
NOTE: Even if you've never seen, never heard about Inuyasha, you can probably read this
anyway. Up until about chapter 8 all I give up is basic information about 2 characters
from Inuyasha and some made up information. (Around chapter 8 is when the Inuyasha
anime starts, and that's when I write about things from the anime). So please read! Please?
Maybe it'll inspire you to go out and get the anime(when it's available in stores)! Oh yea!
If you want to know what Sesshoumaru looks like why don't you got to Anipike and go on the
Inuyasha links. I think there's a couple of sights dedicated to him, so on the first page
there's going to be a picture of him(without the tempting spoiling character info below).
As for Jaken....just thing ugly, big, walking toad with a cloak on.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
She was cold. She was so cold she imagined that she could feel frostbite creeping
up to her fingers and feet. She shivered and huddled closer to Hotaru. As she glanced over
at her companion she noticed that Hotaru although asleep was also shivering. In an attempt
to warm her muscles Usagi slowly got up, being careful not to to disturb the girl. As quietly
as she could she gathered together a considerable pile of leaves and pushed them onto
the sleeping girl hoping that as little as it may be that it would give the young girl some
extra warmth. She gritted her teeth to keep from shivering and wrapped her arms around herself
as she walked. Although walking probably wasn't the best way to warm up, running was
out of the question for her sore muscles, and the idea of being caught doing jumping-jacks
was simply too humiliating. And besides with a moderate exercise such as walking her mind
could think of issues such as where Sesshoumaru was. Usagi frowned. 'That jerk! Just
walking away telling us to sleep. He didn't even give us a blanket! I'll bet he's
at some cozy restaurant eating cheese fries and pizza*!' A gust of wind swept by, and
she shivered once more. 'Where...?' She looked around realizing that she had walked
much further than planned, and then her eyes caught on something. The forest was dark
trees were barely lit by the moonlight, but on the branch of the tree, she saw a
ghostly white form his figure outlined by the moon. 'Sesshoumaru...'She blushed and
turned to leave. Although grateful for the extra warmth in her cheeks, she didn't want
to stay her any longer. It just seemed WRONG to see a man other than Mamoru or her
father or brother sleeping.
"Wait," a strong commanding voice stopped her in her tracks.
'Geh! He's awake?!?!' Usagi tensed. She slowly turned her fingernails digging
into her hands. "I-I was cold..." she explained.
He stared at her, and Usagi bit her lip. "Your friend seems much more
capable of dealing with the cold than you." He finally said.
'And what's that supposed to mean???' Since she had already passed the test,
Usagi figured she didn't exactly have to kiss the ground he walked on anymore.
"Yes, she is," she replied curtly.
He raised an eyebrow as if questioning her new behavior. She shifted from
foot to foot under his unwavering stare made even more uncomfortable by the
deafening silence. Finally when he decided to open his mouth (or when he had
decided she had suffered enough, Usagi thought to herself) he said, "It is
unusually cold, and you are weak from having not eaten in a long time*."
Usagi gasped. How had he known? Could he read minds? Did he know then
about Mamoru and how she was planning to collect his blood? "How...?"
"I could hear your stomach growling," he said flatly.
"Oh..." Usagi sweatdropped.
He continued on, "Your body is too weak from lack of nourishment, the cold,
as well as...your activities earlier today."
"So I see," Usagi grew annoyed as she looked at the various leaves blowing.
on the forest ground. What was the point of telling her all these useless facts
she knew already?
"Therefore stay with me," he finished. Usagi head snapped up. "Your friend
is too cold herself to lend much warmth, and if you do return there is a chance
your body may give out during the night." His cold eyes narrowed. "I did not wait
for you for twenty-four hours simply to have you die during the night."
'Why do I have to be subjected into these things?' Usagi frowned 'But
still....even if he didn't mean it to be, even though his cold gaze feels like
it's going straight through me...the thought was kind.' She flashed him a
bright smile as she leaped with Sailor Moon's superhuman jumping ability to
the strong thick branch he rested on. Even though his manner was cold, even
though she felt icy shivers when he looked at her, Usagi thought, as she
settled down beside him on his kimono and although she tried to avoid it
his long, silky platinum hair, despite all that he was remarkably warm.
She closed her eyes as she let his warmth wash over her limbs. But then a
sudden thought struck her like a bullet, and she snapped her eyes open. The
youkai next to her was male. She was female. Sometimes humans and youkai
interbreed. "What?" he demanded. Usagi turned her head to him. 'That same
look...' Surprisingly she found herself relieved. The look reminded her of
the contempt with which he had spoken about how his father had loved humans.
Surely because he held so much contempt for his father involving himself with
humans, he would never dare to try anything on her. She smiled at him ignoring
his gaze and closed her eyes again to sleep. 'But I shouldn't be getting friendly
with him like this...' she realized as she felt sleep take over her brain,
'...because sooner or later...I'll kill him...'
*****************************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************************
She was cold, hungry and wet as she huddled against the floor. She could hear the
mean woman a couple feet away, shifting in her sleep. Usagi squeezed her eyes shut. This
wasn't supposed to happen, she didn't know that wandering away for a couple of seconds would
lead to...this. She shivered and balled up even more. Suddenly something soft and warm wrapped
around her exposed legs and caressed her cold face, and she drifted off to sleep.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"Usagi-san?" Hotaru gently shook her, "Usagi-san, please get up."
Usagi stirred and half opened her eyes. "Hotaru-chan..." she mumbled, "It's so early
and cold...lemme just sleep a bit longer..."
"Sesshoumaru-sama's orders."
That stopped the closing of Usagi's eyes right in its tracks. "Sessh..." Usagi bolted
up only to find herself in the same clearing she and Hotaru had tried to go to sleep in and
to have the blanket slip off her body.
For her confusion, Hotaru supplied an explanation, "Usagi-san, a couple minutes
ago, Sesshoumaru brought-"
"Sesshoumaru-SAMA," Usagi absentmindedly corrected interrupting her.
Hotaru blinked. "Ummm...yea, Sesshoumaru-sama brought you to me with a blanket. What
happened during the night? Did he...?"
Usagi groaned. It was too early for Hotaru to be thinking dirty thoughts. "Hotaru-chan,"
she smiled reassuringly, "It's ok. I was just cold and," She paused, "I ummm...it's kind of
embarrassing but he wanted me to sleep next to him for the night. For warmth. I mean for me
to be warm, not him. So, what were those orders?"
"Eat before we journey."
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"This place..." Hotaru breathed in the scent of liquor and dinginess, "wouldn't
my history teacher love to see this."
Usagi giggled. "But still isn't this SO cool? It's like a fairy tale!"
"I just hope it has a happy ending..." Hotaru murmured unheard by Usagi.
As the two girls approached the restaurant/pub's counter Hotaru took time to really
evaluate the place now that her eyes had adjusted to the dim light.
Despite the slightly unpleasant odor and how drab the place seemed in the
few light that was available, the counter and seats upon close inspection were
nearly spotless although not untattered by the years gone by. Many of the drunkards
were sleeping on the tables and one was enjoying his drink in the company of many
women. But there was another presence in the corner different from the others. She felt
Usagi stiffen beside her. Following Usagi's gaze to the corner where the presence was,
what Hotaru discovered made her suddenly dizzy. The menu Usagi had been holding fluttered
to the ground as Usagi raised her hands to cup of her mouth. Although Usagi all but whispered,
Hotaru clearly heard her, after all it was the name that had been roaring in her ears
since seeing him. "Mamo-chan?"
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in the direction of the village.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken exclaimed, "What is the matter?"
Sesshoumaru ignored him. After contemplating for sometime, he started walking to
the village leaving Jaken to catch up.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
'No...no, it isn't Mamo-chan," Usagi's brain told her, however her heart
was not so easily swayed. Usagi could still hear it beating, and she could
still feel the pain in her chest, as if someone had ripped her heart away.
She could still feel it: the longing to feel his arms around her, taking her
pain away, taking her responsibilities away. He approached her, the Mamo-chan
look-alike. She could see now that his hair was a deep purple as well as looser
and longer. His face was different than Mamoru's, but still the similarity was
uncanny.
"It's rare to see two beautiful women such as yourselves in bars. Are
you in need of assistance?" he asked them kindly.
Hotaru taking one look at her leader's distraught face quickly
substituted an answer. "We would like something to eat please."
He quietly observed their kimono's and once again Usagi saw Mamoru
in his deep eyes and his chiseled features. "You two are much too finely
dressed for this place. Be you himes? Perhaps the famous Akane-hime and
Kasumi-hime of Yamamoto-dono?"
"N-No," Usagi found her voice, "No, my name's Usagi, and she's Hotaru."
He bowed, "You may call me Sora." The sound of a dog howling outside
filled the air. His eye twitched, "Hey, bartender! Serve them whatever they
want. Put it on my tab." He turned to them again and smiling slightly said,
"Usagi-san, we will meet again."
As they watched him leave Hotaru muttered, "What, no good-bye for me?"
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"It WAS your fault," the younger mini version of Setsuna(think 5 inches)
blatantly pointed out. "If you hadn't been watching him..."
"Charon*," Sailor Pluto sighed, "Don't you think I know that?"
"But still!" Charon pouted.
"But still..." Sailor Pluto leaned against her garnet staff as the mists
in the Time Gate played with her hair. "I have to make things right again."
Charon raised an eyebrow as she hovered eye level. "YOU have to make things
right or you have to make HER make things right?"
Sailor Pluto smiled. "Charon, don't ask questions you already know the
answers to."
*****************************************************************************************************************************
"Come," Sesshoumaru commanded, "We leave now."
Usagi stopped mid chew of a whole chicken breast. Hotaru calmly put her
chopsticks down, and stood up. "But wait!" Usagi grabbed Hotaru's arm before
Hotaru could step forward, "Sesshoumaru-sama! Couldn't we finish our meal first,
PLEAAAAAASSSSEEE????"
Meanwhile the men at the tavern were intimidated by the strong presence
of Sesshoumaru. "Could he be a lord?" they whispered amongst themselves as they
cast jealous glances at his rich clothing. "THAT...THAT MAN!" the bartender
shouted as he pointed at Sesshoumaru, "Y-YOUKAI! He's a youkai!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered in displeasure. "How annoying."
As the villagers fled in every direction Usagi's breath caught in her
throat. "Hotaru," she whispered hoarsely, "Oh, God. What are we supposed to do?
What are we supposed to do?"
But it was Sesshoumaru who supplied the answer. "Kill them."
"But-!" Usagi protested.
"THOSE WOMEN! THEY'RE WITH THE YOUKAI, TOO!!!" The men were back armed
with hoes, sticks, and one with a katana.
"It's your responsibility," Sesshoumaru informed them, "Take care of
the situation." He left them to face the angry villagers by themselves.
*************************************************************************************************
"So I see, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken said, "So you've only kept those
girls around this long to dispose of them now!" A harsh look from Sesshoumaru
told Jaken that this was not the case. "No, I mean, It's not, I am not presuming
your decisions but rather, what I meant to say was!"
"Jaken," Sesshoumaru addressed him, "Stay here." Sesshoumaru exited
the village leaving the short youkai clueless in the middle of the road.
*************************************************************************************************
Usagi felt her back bump against the wall. She was cornered. She
heard a scream from the opposite side of the room. 'Hotaru?!' Usagi rushed
to try and save her but was knocked back by a stick. 'Hotaru...! I'm sorry,'
tears threatened to spill, 'I'm so stupid! I should've just let you transform
and kill them, and now...you probably can't reach your transformation stick now!
But Bellona...I just CAN'T summon Bellona! She's too powerful! I just can't!'
She clenched her fist. What were these villagers doing? Usagi and Hotaru had
done nothing but consort with a youkai and it was only because of her decision
not to let Hotaru kill them that they were still standing and yet they..! One
of the villagers closed in sneering, but what she had expected, a blow, a punch,
or a kick, was not what came. He grabbed her chest roughly as he forced her to
the ground, and suddenly Hotaru's scream was given a horrifying new meaning. She
had assumed that Hotaru was crying out because of pain, but what if that wasn't
the case. She stared up from the ground at the faces of the other men as the one
on top of her ran his hands up her legs and underneath her kimono. They stared at
her back smiling lewdly. 'They're enjoying it!' she realized, 'They're enjoying
such horrible things...' She clenched his first tightly. 'Even if they're human
I won't forgive this! I'll never forgive this!!!'
Freeing her hand from the man, finally she decided to conjure the power
she had been fighting all along. she raised it up to the sky and shrieked
with all her might, "BELLONA STAR POWER, MAKE UP!!!"
*************************************************************************************************
The village from Sesshoumaru's great view from the cliff exploded in
a ball of light. He smiled faintly staring down at it. The smile disappeared
as he saw that he, too, had underestimated her power. The explosion would
reach him with thrown debris and dirt filled air. Nothing to be alarmed about
but nevertheless annoying. He was about to jump away when a glint caught his
eye. The smile returned, and he stayed patiently waiting for the clouds of
dust to reach him. As they came, the smile grew wider as his suspicions were
confirmed. A barrier was what had caught his eye, and a silver barrier was
now what was keeping him clean. In the midst of the dark dense clouds
surround the barrier something different crashed into it, Jaken burnt to a
crisp now pressing his pudgy face against the barrier.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Save me!" Jaken pleaded.
*************************************************************************************************
Sesshoumaru picked himself through the wreckage, carefully making sure
his kimono did not so much as brush against the charred remains of buildings
coated with the ash that carpeted the ground. Jaken hobbled along behind him
using the staff of heads for support. At last Sesshoumaru found her, the remains
of her silver glow still shimmering around her. Hotaru glared up at him
protectively holding sobbing Usagi curled up in a ball, Hotaru's gaze warning him
not to come. But of course he did. For a second he stood over them staring. In
another he had gripped Hotaru's shoulder and pushed her roughly away while he
took hold of Usagi's wrist and dragged Usagi half-stumbling, half-being hauled on
the ground away. Hotaru shouted a protest and would've ran after them if Jaken
had not conveniently placed himself between them planting the staff of heads
on the ground menacingly. Hotaru narrowed her eyes. Although her time here had
been short, she was certainly no idiot. She new that the staff as cumbersome
as it was must serve some function to be worth being carried around. Reluctantly
Hotaru gave up, but her eyes still held a promise of death for Sesshoumaru as
well as Jaken.
*************************************************************************************************
He flung her to the side of the lake. She stayed there still sobbing,
her plump tears falling to the ground. Sesshoumaru growled with annoyance.
"You regret it? Killing them? How pathetic!"
"I know..." she said quietly, "I know I'm pathetic."
Sesshoumaru face remained stoic. That was most certainly not the answer
he had anticipated.
"I know that," she continued on, "I always pledge my purpose to be
love and peace, but in the end..."
"In the end?" he urged her to continue.
"I'm just a hypocrite. You don't understand. I could've saved them if
I wished. I could've healed them, but I chose for them to die."
"They deserved it," he stated.
"To you, every human deserves to die." Sesshoumaru was taken back. Had
she really learned so much about him in such a short period of time?
"True."
She suddenly sprang up enraged. "What do you know? Who are you to
judge? Who gave you the right to-"
He grabbed her hand tightly and Usagi winced at the pressure.
"Foolish girl," he growled, "And what do you think you know? You're young,
still a girl. You've been sheltered from reality all these years. You think
you know humans? Humanity, humane, what complete nonsense. Humans are
by nature evil. Why do you think they fear the dark so much? Why do you
think they fear the dark so much? It's because they fear the darkness in
themselves. It's about time you learnt that. They fear us so much because
we embody what they truly are, but of coarse they're too weak to harm us.
That's why they attack in numbers just as they did to you and Hotaru. That's
why humans are such despicable, sniveling, stupid wretches, and that's why
if I were interested enough, I would cleanse the earth of every single one
of them."
"That's not..." Usagi's mind was in turmoil. It was too much to handle.
It was too contradictory what she had believed in in her last two years of
fighting. "That's not..."
"True?" he supplied the answer. He pulled her closer and said,
"But it is true. Every word." She could feel his hot breath brushing
against her mouth. "It's about time you learnt that." And for the first
time she noticed that the marks on his cheek weren't just red streaks,
they were scars*.
'What horrible scars. But he's a youkai, those wounds must have been
terrible to leave a mark like that...' Her eyes softened, and he reached out
her hand towards his face tentatively. "Your face..."
He abruptly turned away from her. "Don't touch it!" he commanded,
"I'll kill you if you ever touch it." Usagi widened in alarm as she thought
that for just a second thought she saw his hand tremor.
"Even you must have sorrow and pain, even you must suffer as humans
suffer. I know that human's aren't perfect. Some are evil, some are good, but
none are perfect. None can escape the darkness in their hearts, but isn't
that the same with youkai?"
"Don't compare me with such despicable creatures." was his only reply.
*************************************************************************************************
"Usagi-san?" Hotaru stared at her with wide questioning eyes.
Usagi smiled. It was funny how she seemed to know the exact words that
Hotaru was dying to say. Perhaps their short journey had made their bond stronger.
"It's OK." Usagi smiled reassuringly as she readjusted the bundle of sheets, food
and basic necessities on her back.
Hotaru and Usagi walked along silently trailing behind Sesshoumaru and
Jaken. Hotaru after a few moments said, "I think it's my turn to carry the bundle
now."
Usagi smiled and twisting Hotaru's wrist so she could see her watch laughed.
"Hotaru-chan, I've only been carrying this around for ten minutes! I still have
another twenty before we switch! You're so sweet, trying to carry it for me!"
Hotaru smiled back but after a second her countenance darkened, "Usagi-san.
What REALLY happened between you and Sesshoumaru...sama?"
Usagi's face quickly changed to that of annoyance "Leave it alone, Hotaru!
Just mind your own business! What are you jealous?" she snapped. Seeing the
expression of complete hurt and confusion from her behavior on Hotaru's face,
Usagi softened. "Sorry, Hotaru-chan. I-I don't really know what came over me. I
didn't mean it, I just wish you'd stop asking."
"Usagi-san," Hotaru said solemnly, "You're no-"
Her words trailed off as Hotaru saw in front of them that Sesshoumaru had
stopped and was now currently staring at the two of them. Now having their full
attention, he spoke. "I have sensed something to the east, which may be connected
to the grave, but it is in the opposite direction of where the Staff of Heads tells
us to go. Hotaru, you shall go with Jaken to where the Staff of Heads leads us.
Usagi, you shall come with me to investigate. We shall catch up with you later.
Now go."
"But Usagi-san and I could go investigate!" Hotaru protested.
Sesshoumaru looked annoyed, "The two of you are too slow. Do as I say."
Hotaru having pledge her allegiance to him for the time being had no choice
but to obey.
*****************************************************************************************************************************
Usagi once more strained her legs to catch up with Sesshoumaru. "Hey,
Sesshoumaru-sama, is it REALLY necessary to walk this fast. Couldn't we take a
nice break...PLEAAAAASSSEEE?" she clasped her hands in front of her in prayer
form. An annoyed look was his only response. Usagi sighed as she struggled to
keep in pace with him. Somehow although it was taxing to her legs, to Sesshoumaru
the rigorous pace seemed nothing more than a summer stroll through a park. In
fact now that she looked at him, it was more like he was walking rather than
speed-walking like her. In her hurry she kicked up a flurry of fallen leaves as
she resisted the urge to pick up the skirts of her kimono and just start
jogging. The wind was crisp and clear as they hurried along, but she had no time
to feel cold as she avoided hidden tree roots on the ground weaved her way around
the trees. Finally they reached a clearing and a small cliff. Usagi gasped as
reaching the edge of the cliff not 20 feet below were the corpses of five women
each of their kimonos bloodied at the chest.
"This is..." she raised her hands up to her mouth, "how horrible. I
absolutely won't forgive this!" Her eyes took on a determined look,
"Sesshoumaru-sama, could we track down the one who did this?"
Sesshoumaru looked, "Why do you care for them. You don't know them. You
have no idea who they are, what their names were. You should not feel anger or
sorrow for their deaths." He turned back towards the edge of the cliff. "Their
village is not far from here, but the trees are blocking the way."
Usagi was about to respond when she was suddenly snatched from behind.
Sesshoumaru turned as she gave a cry of protest. The male voice from her behind
her sneered, "So this is your new toy, Sesshoumaru. Can't say you have bad taste."
*Yes, I do know that there were no cheese fries and pizzas back then, but this is
20th century USAGI thinking this.
*Refer back to Chapter 1 when Luna says, Usagi hasn't been out of her room in
three days and barely touches the food.
*Charon is the moon of Pluto
*I have no clue if those red things are scars or paint or marks. I always thought
they were paint until Inuyasha got scratched and his marks looked kinda like
Sesshoumaru's except more jagged, so this is just an assumption. They're probably
just red marks, but for the sake of the story...
