{___} that is Kati's comments, not part of the story
When its in two of these (( like this)) that means its Chels-dawg is talking, its not in the fanfic!!!
Underline is the beginning of a chapter
-~-~-~-~-~- Means around same time, different setting, same character(s)
_-_-_-_-_-_ Means Around same time, different people
*-*-*-*-*-* Means years apart baby!! Long time no see
Chapter Four: Cheese Cutters and Too Much Milord
"Hurry up, girl!" Chiizu Setsudanki, demon rogue, yelled at his servant.
"You could call me by a name." The black haired girl grumbled struggling with the baggage she was to carry.
"Nuhi then." The tall golden haired youkai said arrogantly, without looking at her.
She glared at him with her watery brown eyes.
"We've passed the border by miles and ran into no resistance besides the border guards. Where is the almighty lord Sesshomaru? Hiding?" He taunted.
"He'll come. I'm sure of it…" Nuhi sighed.
"He'd better."
_-_-_-_-_-_
"Lord!" The voice emanating from the small green reptilian was high and squeaky and grated against Sesshomaru's eardrums harshly. "The border has been laid open for half a mile, all the border guards have been slaughtered by a golden weasel demon. We've sent out troops but they haven't returned!"
"Who ordered these troops to be sent out?" He knew the answer but it amused him to have Jaken fear for his life and well-being.
"M-m-m-me M-milord." Jaken cringed.
"Then you shall accompany me to find and exterminate the youkai doing this." Sesshomaru could practically smell the toad's fear.
"Yes Milord!" Jaken scrambled to get the staff and was helped along by a flick from his lord that sent his small body crashing through the paper door of the chamber into the hall. "I'm-on-it-Milord." He gasped.
-~-~-~-~-~-
Sesshomaru traveled to the border and not finding the demon he was looking for started back into the western lands, still searching. Jaken accompanied him, and Rin had stayed behind under the care of her attendants
Rinku walked along, in the same direction but on the main road, her wolf friend –Kannokki- trotting quietly by her side, his golden eyes gleaming as he scanned the path looking for anyone
Sesshomaru appeared in front of her and Jaken ran to catch up.
"Rinku. It's been a long time."
Kannokki growled as he spotted Jaken and bared his fangs. Rinku looked up at Sesshomaru "Yeah, so?"
"Milord? Who is this nuisance." Jaken called catching his breath.
"She is an old acquaintance." He responded
Rinku just sighed, "Who's the toad?"
"Jaken." Sesshomaru did not let the distaste show in his voice.
"Humble servant of Lord Sesshomaru" Jaken added
"Heh, Kannokki's sorta like him... only he's no servant just a… friend" Kannokki snorted as Rinku compared him to Jaken.
"Kannokki is the wolf, I assume" Sesshomaru inquired
"Yeah, but he's no ordinary wolf... he's called a Mist Wolf, the very last of his kind"
"N-n-n-n-nice doggy." Jaken hid behind Sesshomaru, peeking out only when he knew it was safe.
"How... intriguing." Sesshomaru, glared Jaken out of his hiding spot
"Heh, coward." She shot a glance to append the remark aimed at Jaken. "Yeah, but my friend isn't as puny and ugly as yours."
"I prefer not to call it a friend."
Jaken blinks as he catches the meaning in the phrase.
"Oh i see, playing Mr. Tough, whatever, ill buy that." Rinku smirked.
"Do not insult Sesshomaru-sama!" Jakken positions the staff with the Old One facing Rinku "This shall teach you!"
Like lightning Sesshomaru's hand darted out and snatched the staff, then planted it firmly on Jaken's head
"Heh, stupid toad"
"Owww!" Was the reptile's strangled response.
"What might you be looking for in the western lands?" Sesshomaru asked coolly
She looked down ashamed "I'm.... Looking for Inuyasha's... g-grave" a single tear ran down her cheek, she immediately wiped it off
"As I thought." He said, "He is not here."
She turned and with one more growl to the cowering Jaken Kannokki followed.
"He was sealed to a tree nearly fifty years ago. In the forest now termed Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said to her retreating back.
She spun around with a surprised look on her face "He was what?!"
"Sealed to a tree, by a human" he spat the word "priestess. He let her get close to him and she killed him in the end." Sesshomaru remained aloof.
More tears ran down her face and she turned, not wanting him to see that she was crying. "And how do you know of this?"
"News travels fast if you are the lord of many lands."
"And how…" Rinku took a moment to calm herself "Did a lord such as you come by such a… Disgusting toad as an associate?"
Sesshomaru said nothing.
"Speaking of your most humble servent... might you remove the staff, Milord?" Jaken croaked, the staff was still planted firmly in his green forehead
Kannokki perked his ears for his answer, enjoying himself thoroughly
Sesshomaru ignored Jaken.
"Then... mightn't we be on our way…" Jaken flinched as Sesshomaru applied more pressure "Milord?"
Rinku just stood there waiting for an answer, she was proud of her question, glad to buy some time to cool down from the news he had just given her.
"We have a hunt to return to Jaken." With that he dropped the staff and walked past Rinku and Kannokki.
Jaken snatched up the staff rubbing his head, then hastened after his lord. "Wait Milord!! Wait for me!!" Kannokki bit Jaken as he raced by.
"Owwoww!!" He thwacked Kannokki with the staff then ran as fast as he could, following his master into the dense under growth beside the road
Kannokki itched his head were Jaken had hit pretending that Jaken was a stupid, harmless mosquito. Rinku just sighed and watched the two disappear between the trees walk off
_-_-_-_-_-_
Rinku started to search for Inuyasha after her visit from Sesshomaru, so she could pay her respects, and to see him again. It was a long journey, and every time she would stop to rest she would have the same dream, constantly. It wasn't exactly a bad dream, it was of when they were little, and she still roamed the village relatively freely.
In the dream they were running through a field with some flowers. It was their secret clearing in the forest, where they went to play, and not be bothered by the demon-hating villagers. They were laughing as the flowers sparkled and glimmered under there feet. After that they laid in the field and talk about the future and of demons. Though that never really happened she guessed it was just part of her imagination. They would be happy, and their love lived on. Inuyasha would lean over and smile at her, and then become older -what she pictured he would look like now, if he were alive- and she would smile back, they would both bend forward to kiss, but the dream would end there.
She was happy back then, at least more than now, now she was all alone, despite Kannokki. She knew no one else who would befriend her, except Sesshomaru, but could she really call him a friend? She didn't think so, and last was Unmei, but she'd disappeared a long time ago.
She got up and brushed herself off, she had been sleeping for longer than she thought, she shrugged and walked off in the direction for what she "thought" to be the direction of the tree were Inuyasha was sealed, Kannokki wandered off ahead as she continued her even pace.
_-_-_-_-_-_
"This Lord Sesshomaru character you keep mentioning is lower than dirt if he can't come welcome me." Chiizu sniffed disdainfully. "He is a coward to hide."
"Lord Sesshomaru does not hide when there is scum about." A rather annoying voice came from behind them.
"Who makes a mockery of Lord Chiizu Setsudanki?" They turned around simultaneously. And seeing nothing he glanced about. "Where are you, come out and fight!"
"Ahem! Down here." Nuhi and Lord Chiizu's gaze traveled down at least three feet before coming to rest on a rather green toad-like creature holding a staff horizontally with two heads on it.
"You puny little reptilian. You dare call me scum?" Chiizu leapt into the air, readying his weasel claws and the toad only just managed to get out of the way.
All the while the frog was screaming "Sesshomaru-sama! Lord Sesshomaru!"
"Stop." A sleek voice cut through the noise.
Jaken scurried off to the source of the voice "Make way for Lord Sesshomaru." He squeaked.
"Jaken, who is this lowlife?" Sesshomaru said.
"I am Lord Chiizu Setsudanki. I've come to take over the western lands." The offending demon said, rather sure of himself.
"Then, let us fight."
Chiizu fell into a fighting stance, then launched himself headlong at Sesshomaru. Jaken and Nuhi just stood by.
"Poison claw." Chiizu's momentum sent him stomach first into Sesshomaru's attack. He gasped.
Sesshomaru extracted his hand from Chiizu's gut and dropped him distastefully on the ground. "Fool."
"That's what he was. Always, and forever." Nuhi commented.
"Human." Sesshomaru said shortly. But he could do no more than that as the girl dropped the luggage and shot off, into the forest. Sesshomaru could hunt her later if he felt like it, humans rarely made it out of demon territory without assistance, but the black kimono that had spilled out of one of one of the bags was tugging at his attention. He went over and picked it up with one claw. A wave of familiarity washed over him. The garment had fire hemming, in red silk.