Kiyomisa: Hi everyone. Thanks to Sasali who gives helpful suggestions ^-^, and to Kaylana, Totally-Wicked, Demonblade and Jaide Skywalker who reviewed the last chapter! Reviews really do inspire me to keep writing, otherwise this story would never have gotten this far. It would have sat all alone in my binder complete and unfinished. Arigatou minna-san! ^-^
* * *
"Take her with us? What good would she be?" Inu-yasha scoffed.
"I have to say, Meinu doesn't seem suited for all the…action we see," Mousse said, trying to be tactful. Shampoo nodded in agreement.
"Meinu no fighter."
"That's why we should take her with us! If we left her here alone, she'd just get taken over by another person. If she were with us, she'd at least have some protection," Kagome argued.
"Humans can be worse than youkai," Miroku interjected calmly, grimly. "If Meinu were living alone, and a band of rogue samurai happen upon this place? Do you think they would just leave her in peace?"
The others became somber at this speech and looked down at the floor. Inu-Yasha thought about it, and he remembered her words, "I know I'm not a very strong youkai. My parents abandoned me when I couldn't do anything besides transform..."
While his parents hadn't exactly abandoned him, they had died while he was very young, and he'd had to prove his strength to the other youkai to survive. It was amazing she'd lasted this long.
"All right, she can come with us," he said. "But if she doesn't want to come, that's her problem."
Kagome smiled knowingly at him, and Inu-Yasha was disgruntled to feel his face heat up slightly.
* * *
Meinu had been so happy to go, that she had flung her arms around Miroku's neck and cried heavily. Miroku surprised everyone else by keeping his hands in check.
Now they were continuing on in search of Naraku and the jewel.
The sky was bright and sunny and Meinu walked between Sango and Ukyo, smiling shyly and laughing softly as Ukyo worked on bringing her out of her shell. Sango paused momentarily, frowning. Ukyo and Meinu paused as well.
"What's wrong, Sango-chan?" Ukyo asked.
Sango's frown deepened and Meinu involuntarily took a step back. The exterminator frightened her at times, with her dark, closed off manner and her exceptional fighting skill.
Sango shook her head. "Nothing, Ucchan. Just felt...strange...for a moment there.
"Konnichiwa rediizu(a/n ladies). How are you today?" Miroku inquired cheerfully.
"Konnichiwa Miroku-san," Ukyo replied just as cheerfully.
Meinu nodded shyly at him, still slightly embarrassed at being so open with him.
"We're fine, Houshi-sama," Sango replied coolly her burgundy eyes narrowed at him.
Miroku noticed this and raised an eyebrow in question. "I was merely being polite, Sango."
"Polite is not in your vocabulary," Sango snapped and strode forward to walk with Mousse and Shampoo.
Ukyo frowned after her. Meinu tugged lightly on the cook's arm and whispered, "What's wrong with Sango-san?"
Ukyo gave Miroku a pointed look. He raised his hands in defeat. "Fine, fine, I know when I'm not wanted." and he walked over to Ryoga and began talking with him instead.
Meinu blinked in confusion and looked at Ukyo expectantly.
"Sango-chan likes him but she won't admit it, because Miroku tends to let his hands wander."
"He does?"
"Yes. He's pretty lecherous, but he usually stops when the girl tells him to. He's very nice, but I think Sango gets jealous when he flirts with other girls. But he hasn't flirted with anyone lately, so I have no idea what she's mad at him for now."
Meinu knew. That hug she'd given him had obviously upset the exterminator. Until lunchtime, Meinu stayed quiet and thoughtful, gnawing over the guilt of hugging Miroku.
Meinu ate quietly, listening to the other's chatter when a thrill went up her spine. She noticed Inu-Yasha stiffen, and knew that he had felt the same thing. She leaned closer to him and whispered, "there's a youkai coming…"
"I know," he growled and stood up.
A low rumbling in the ground became apparent and everyone stopped talking. Moments later a large double-headed dragon slinked into the clearing, bearing some familiar figures on its back.
"Sesshoumaru…" Inu-Yasha growled.
Said youkai raised a fine eyebrow and leapt gracefully to the ground. "Inu-Yasha." He glanced at the group lazily. " I see you've picked up some more strays."
Ryoga looked furious, but Ukyo and Ranma clamped their hands over his mouth before he could shout a challenge.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I'm hungry…" a small voice called out as a white and red blur rushed forward to attach itself to the demon-lord's leg.
A look of annoyance and resignation flashed across Sesshoumaru's face before it returned to its normal expressionless state. "You had breakfast," he said to Rin as she tugged a little on his clothes.
Blue eye blinked up at him. "But that was hours ago!"
"Rin," Jaken began warningly, but Sesshoumaru held up his hand and stopped the toad from finishing.
"Rin, we do not have any food right now. You can eat later, when you get some."
"She can have mine," Meinu offered, squatting down and holding out a small bowel of rice to the girl.
Rin's eyes lit up, but she looked up at Sesshoumaru for permission. His eyes were narrow as he studied Meinu with his cold expression, but he nodded and Rin cheered before grabbing the bowl and eating rapidly.
"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?" Inu-Yasha growled.
"I have heard that Naraku is somewhere in this region, and I have some…business with him."
Meinu shuddered at the icy tone in his voice, and his eyes snapped back to her. She swallowed nervously and ducked her head.
"I see you still have the Tetsusaiga," Sesshoumaru commented boredly.
Inu-Yasha gripped the sword protectively. "It's mine."
"Relax, I have no intention of taking it from you…yet."
As they continued their tense banter, Meinu turned to Sango and whispered, "Sango-san, who is that?"
"Sesshoumaru, Inu-Yasha's older half brother. He's the heir of the great western domain, and his heart's like ice. What I want to know is why he's got that little girl with him…"(A/n I don't think the Inu-gang has ever met Rin before...)
"I have no time to waste on you. Jaken, we're leaving." Sesshoumaru suddenly said and returned to the dragon.
"Rin!" Jaken called to her impatiently.
"Haaaai!" she called back, a hint of annoyance in her voice. She handed the empty bowl back to Meinu and rushed over to the dragon.
Inu-Yasha let a string of colorful curses and insults waft after his half-brother, but the dragon was already slinking away and Sesshoumaru gave no indication that he had heard.
* * *
That night, Meinu couldn't sleep. Everyone was sleeping peacefully, with the exception of Kirara, whose feline eyes were reflecting the moonlight eerily.
Meinu stood up and wandered over to the small pond in the trees. She stared at her reflection. A timid, helpless woman stared back at her. She sighed and closed her eyes. Some youkai she was. All she could do was switch forms, she thought bitterly. When she opened her eyes again, glittering gold eyes bored into her from behind her reflection.
She yelped and jumped back into something solid. She spun around to come face to face with Inu-Yasha's older brother. Well, face to shoulder really; he was about eight inches taller than she was.
"Ses-Sesshoumaru-sama," she stuttered.
"You are full dog-demon?" It was more of a statement waiting for confirmation than a question.
Meinu nodded, not trusting her voice.
"Your name," he demanded softly.
"Me-Meinu."
"Your father was one of my father's vassals?"
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." She couldn't face those staring eyes and kept her head bowed.
"His name."
"Maruchiizu, Sesshoumaru-sama."
"A proud family," he murmured thoughtfully. "So many have collapsed, become degraded…" He tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him, and Meinu felt a horrendous blush spread across her cheeks.
Then, to her immense surprise, he kissed her. It was soft, but commanding, as if he were sealing a pact. Meinu stood frozen for the brief moment. Sesshoumaru ended the kiss and moved to whisper in her ear.
"I claim you, Meinu. You-are-mine.
Meinu shivered, and he was gone. She stood there, shaking like a flower, her eyes wide and blinking in utter confusion. She heard someone behind her and she jumped again, dog ears and tail popping out and twitching.
"Meinu-chan?"
"Kagome-san! What are you doing here?" she squeaked.
Kagome ignored her question and stepped closer. "Meinu-chan, you're all red. Is something the matter?"
Meinu blushed even further and mumbled some excuse before fleeing to her bed.
* * *
"Sesshoumaru-sama, why her of all youkai!?" Jaken demanded incredulously.
"She is dog-demon," he replied easily.
"Not much of one, sire. She can only transform!"
"She comes from a noble family."
"She is still below your station!"
"Silence Jaken!" he commanded, his limited temper snapping. "I have claimed her and she will be mine. She is stronger than you think." And she can give Rin something I cannot… he thought, then frowned, wondering how such a sentimental thought could even occur.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken replied, bowing, but he could not hide the sulk in his voice.
* * *
Kiyomisa: Whew! Fluffy-fans don't hurt me! *hides behind Ryoga* I wasn't going to have him show up so early or get involved so fast…but *glares as Fluffy* *he* didn't want to wait! But, I told you I'd update before Nan Desu Kan! (It's this weekend, I'm so psyched! I'm going as Pai from 3x3 Eyes ^-^) Oh and Meinu's name means 'female dog' and Maruchiizu is a type of dog apparently (I found an on-line Japanese dictionary ^-^ Soooo useful for names!) See ya next time!
