Fukai Mori
Chapter 3b: Injuries...
loupgarou7(loupgarou72@gurlmail.com)




Hmmm...why do these asterisks look so ugly on fanfiction.net's page? They look all pretty on my word pad...*shrug* I
use windows xp so...hehe! Thanx ^-^ everyone's so nice in the reviews. Awww!!! hehe Galexz-san you're so sweet!
I would've been like 'Like I care about your computer!' or something... As for Tenshi no Nozomi-san's review
Ohohoho!!! Sess/Usa? Hmm...well of course it'd be natural to assume coz Inuyasha and Miroku are already matched up
but...hehe...Naraku's ummm...let's say de**tch*ent (so I don't spoil anyone) Musou's pretty damn hot!!! Umm...a
name isn't a spoiler...is it? SORRY!! I just couldn't help myself...but Musou...he's so far into the story...ummm
it's chapter 4 and Inuyasha and Kagome have STILL yet to make their scene so...

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Usagi clutched her blanket tightly drawing it in closer to her. Maybe if it was close enough...it could
erase what had just occurred moments before. She winced as he inspected her shoulder, and from the corner of her
eye sneaked in a glance at his face. To any other man she would have thrown something. To any other man she would have
have accused of being a pervert. To any other she would have slapped. But why not this one? She couldn't understand
it herself, the feelings and attitudes he drew from deep inside her. There was something amiss in his face. His lips
drew the same horizontal line it always did, his brows were slightly furrowed as he inspected the wound, and his
cheeks were the furthest away from smiling that they could possibly be. But his eyes...his eyes had- Her thoughts
were interrupted as she realized that she had reverted from stealing glances to full on staring and currently he
was staring back. Surprisingly it was he who broke the gaze as he turned his attentions back to her shoulder focusing
in on the wound surrounded by the torn raggedy edges of her skin. By some miracle (also known as the Ginzuishou)
it had stopped bleeding, but the tint of green on the wound and on the surrounding skin was most definitely not
healthy. But her mind was on much more important matters. 'This can't be happening, can it? He looked away from ME?
And his eyes...they were so-'

"I gave you this, didn't I? I should have been more careful."

Usagi's eyes widened. 'This CAN'T be happening!!! He almost apologized...' "I-"

"The other minor scratches you had are gone," he said as he replaced the bandages he had taken off to
inspect her shoulder, "I assume that they are due to...your healing rate."

Usagi bit her lip. Was he going to probe and further and talk about how much faster it was than other humans?

"You had two more major injuries*. Show me them."

Usagi nodded deftly and reaching down pulled up parts of the blanket to reveal her bandaged leg. He took
her leg into his hands and began unfurling the wrapped bandage. Usagi blushed and looked away at the sight. 'That's
right...this is the Sengoku Jidai...showing a man I'm not even married to my legs even up to my knees would be...
He must thing I'm really...' She looked down in disappointment. Only then did she see the bloody pile of rags and
her equally bloody kimono across the room which brought to mind another bloody kimono. "Sesshoumaru-sama, your
kimono..." She glanced at his crisp, white one looking new as usual.

"Blood washes off it easily."

Her bloody kimono brought to mind another question. One that she could have lived without thinking.
"Se-Sesshoumaru-sama," Usagi could feel even her ears grow a flaming shade of red, "W-who exactly umm...undressed me?"

"The local doctor. Why?" he glanced at her sharply. "Who did you think undressed you? Or should I ask who you
hoped undressed you?" he demanded his tone of voice biting.

Usagi's face grew redder but from anger this time. 'What's with this attitude!? And after he SAW me, too!'
"I DON'T CARE who saw my body as long as it's not YOU!" she shouted. Despite the fact that she knew it was stupid
and despite all the effort she tried to force them back tears of frustration sprang into her eyes.

His eyes grew vicious, almost savage. "And _him_? He whose revolting scent still lingers in this room.
Did you show _him_ your body as well?" He pushed her back in a second easily overpowering her. The bandages
forgotten the unwrapped fell to the floor while the few remaining on her leg slid down and began to unravel themselves
Usagi could feel her breath quicken. His left hand pinned her uninjured shoulder while his right hand was forcing her
chin up so even if her eyes were looking elsewhere, she would still be facing him. Despite all that, Usagi noticed he
was careful to keep her weight off her. Even the hand pressing down on her shoulder, it pressed down lightly but firmly.

Sora? Was he talking about Sora? Was he mad about Sora? "I..." she chose her words carefully, "His scent
I know lingers on me, so I know I cannot lie, but...you have seen far more than he has." When there was no response,
Usagi felt herself grow despondent. He wouldn't let it go just like that, she was sure. And also, there was the
fact that she had actually had to make an excuse for herself and Sora. What did this mean about her feelings? Her
hands trembled, and she forced herself look up. His eyes no longer held the rage it had, rather he simply stared
at her something akin to hunger present in his eyes. Then the moment was broken as he finally got up off of her, his
soft tail brushing against her cheek in the process, and Usagi couldn't help wonder if that had been purposeful.
Gathering up the blanket around her chest again, she sat upright. Although she tried to collect herself and for the
most part succeeded she couldn't help her breath from shaking. Had that been...jealousy?

"Your leg's healed. You no longer need these bandages." He tossed the slightly red away into the bloody pile
while Usagi looked herself in amazement at her fully healed leg. "Now, it's time for your stomach." Reaching
across to new kimono he had brought he handed her the obi*. "Tie this around your chest."

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"You're very sweet aren't you?" Hotaru gazed up at him.

He blushed and scratched his head. "Well..not really."

"You rescued a girl who had been traveling with a youkai. To me that's sweet, Akira-san."

He blushed even more his red cheeks contrasting with his bluish hair. His body was obviously lean from his ninja
outfit, and Hotaru glanced at his mask and various weapons lying on the table. "Well it's easy to when the girl is
as beautiful as you are."

Now it was Hotaru's turn to blush. Was he hitting on her?

"But something troubles me...Why were you traveling with that youkai anyway?"

Hotaru glanced at him. If he knew the truth, would he condemn her? "I..." She glanced down at her hands.
What would he do if he really knew the truth?

"It's alright!" he smiled at her, "Don't worry about it. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. All
that's important now is that you gain your health back."

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"The wound on your stomach is gone as well..." Sesshoumaru remarked. Usagi blinked and nodded in agreement
immediately feeling foolish for having done so because he hadn't been looking at her but her stomach. Finally,
Usagi thanked the fact that he had the decency to at last stop staring and start looking at her face. "Your
leg and stomach are fine, but your shoulder injury has not healed yet."

Usagi frowned. "But why would that be the only thing not healed?"

"My poison must've entered into it. I didn't mean to. I was...mistaken."

"Oh." Inwardly she thought, 'that's about as close to an apology I'm ever going to get."

"Go into the next room after you change. There's a meal waiting for you there. After you're full, I'll be
waiting in the front." He stood go.

"Wait! Sesshoumaru-sama." He merely raised an eyebrow waiting for her to continue. "I...umm...thank you.
Really, truly thank you."

He nodded at her simply before taking his leave.

Alone, by herself she looked down at her hands. "Sesshoumaru..."

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"Hotaru-hime*! Hotaru-hime, where are you going?" Akira frantically skidded around a corner to face Hotaru, the
bundle she had been traveling with on her back and caught in the act of putting on her geta*.

"Hotaru...hime???" she questioned her eyebrow raised.

"I..umm...that is..!" His face turned a beet shade the predicament at hand forgotten for the time being. "I just
thought that...you seemed very much to be a hime...of some sort or another. So.."

She smiled at him. "So I see...but Akira-san, please. I have friends to go to. They must be worried about
me."

"Don't go," he said simply, "Stay here with me...stay with me..." His soulful eyes stared at her pleadingly.

"I..." Hotaru took a moment to catch her breath, "What're you saying, Akira-san? We only met a few hours
ago."

"I know but...I don't know why, but I wish for you to stay by my side..."

Hotaru sighed. She had obligations, she had roles to play, she had her Princess to protect but...for once
couldn't she indulge? To tell the truth she wasn't ready to go back to Usagi and back to the ill foreboding that
rang off in her head when Hotaru was with her. 'Just one night. One night and I'll disappear back to the shadows from
whence I came. Maybe a day here will give my head enough clarity for me figure out what the meaning behind my illness
is.'

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"Pluto..." Charon addressed her master softly watching the scene in front of her unfold.

"Yes?" Sailor Pluto momentarily wrenching her eyes away to look at her. She brushed away a stray piece of hair.
"What is it?"

"Pluto, you...you're kind of mean..."

Sailor Pluto smiled but once sure that Charon had turned all her attention back to the screen, she sighed silently
and her smile drooped. Did Charon think she wanted to do this? Did she think she had fun causing them pain? It would
hurt if the answer was yes, but nevertheless this was her duty, just as it was their duty to endure their pain.

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"A yukata*?" She held it up before her face. Elaborately designed with delicate black and red flowers
contrasting with the white background, Usagi traced her fingers over it gently. "But Sesshoumaru-sama, it's fall."

From where he was walking on a trail in the middle of the forest in front of her, he took the time to turn and
give her a 'Duh,' expression before turning back again. Usagi resisted the urge to laugh as a rather humongous leaf
fell from the shedding tree directly on top of his silvery mane creating a appearance of a hat.

"Sesshoumaru-SAMAAAA!!!" She ran to catch up with him, "You don't mean to say that..." Ignoring her he stopped as
she finally reached their destination which she had failed to take note of. "A river???"

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"I am NOT agreeing to this!" She said point-blank and stamped on the ground to emphasis her point.

"Then, what should I do? Shall I just carry you over and force your shoulder underwater for ten minutes?"

"Like you could!" Usagi retorted, but immediately regretted it as he gave her a look as if daring her to try
it out. She looked away first.

"Change into your yukata and wear it inside the water. I'll let you know when it's been ten minutes."

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"I am NOT agreeing to this!" Usagi muttered softly as she waded around the river. Although she loved the feeling
of being cleansed of all the days grim, dirt, injuries, and unpleasant situations, the yukata made heavy with water
didn't let her feel totally cleansed. While it did afford her some modesty if some wandering hunter should come, there was
emphasis on the SOME. In short, in the water the bottom was not tied to her body like her waist had a tendency to float up,
giving clear view of her legs in the crystal clear pond, and when out of the water, the yukata made heavy with water clung
to her like a second skin. Despite her worries, she loved it. The last time she had been able to bath in a river was...never
in fact. She loved the purity of the water free from all the chemicals and grime of the modern world, with only occasional
worries about fish pee popping into her mind now and then. Yup, she enjoyed it to a certain degree. The only thing that kept
her from LOVING it was the fact that it felt like zero degrees outside.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!!!" she called out, "How much longer????" She received no reply just as she hadn't for the last
fourteen times she had asked the same question. A cloud of doubt began to form in her mind as to whether he really was
keeping track of time. She turned deciding that it had been WAY to long to be in freezing water, but her heart skipped
a beat as she caught sight of something. There, by the banks in the bushes, she had seen him. The face she had been
enduring everything for, the face she long to see, longed to kiss, longed to be with. "Ma-" her voice caught in her throat
and in a second, his face was gone as if it had been just an illusion. In the river, she scrambled for the banks where
she had caught sight of his face and her throat unclogged. Paying no heed of the unraveling yukata, she pushed through
the water screaming his name. But once she had almost reached the banks, she caught her self. What was she doing? That
couldn't have been him, there was no way... Suddenly she realized what she was doing, chasing after an illusion in water
waist-high freezing water, free from her yukata, and the same exact moment she realized that a presence was behind her.
An arm snaked its way around her and something was whispered into her ear, before she felt a burst of pain from her
shoulder. She struggled at first, but she could feel herself sinking into his warmth, and suddenly the pain wasn't
so bad as she slipped into unconsciousness.



*Sorry if the injuries weren't to clear. She got the shoulder injury when Sesshoumaru got too mad and took it out on
her. The stomach was from Hakaitekimaru and the leg was from being flung off a cliff.

*An obi's the thing of the kimono that ties around the waist.

*These are the clacky sandals...umm...opps. Did I forget to mention that Sesshoumaru gave them that??? -_-' Well anyway
they're the ones that have the two little things at the bottom. A good example is Otaru's in Saber Marionette J.

*The title hime extends out of the meaning of princess. In the Sengoku Jidai (warring period of Japan) the daughters
of noblemen specifically diamyo (I think...) were also addressed as hime.

*Yukata- Traditionally for wearing after bathing. It somewhere along the line also became summer clothing, dancing
clothes, and night clothing. It's basically a kimono except lightweight and made of cotton.

^-^ sorry to disappoint with the post-blanket slipping scene! Hehe well Usagi was lenient, but Hotaru still has yet
to find out...