Kiyomisa: Hiyo Minna-san! Oooh, I'm getting close to a hundred reviews!! Well…not really but kinda ^-^'. Um…is it just me, or is this becoming more and more Fluffy/Meinu?? Well, if it is…I'll just have to roll with it -_-' But I'll get back to the other couples soon!! I promise!! *bows*
* * *
Ryoga sat glumly looking at the fire. He still hadn't forgiven Ukyo for her harsh words and wasn't talking to her. Miroku tried to cheer him up by telling him many wise sayings with innuendos. It was working until the monk told one that caused Ryoga to faint from a bloody nose and Sango to flatten him with her boomerang.
Inu-Yasha sat next to his friend, studying him with a concerned expression. He knew all about the lost-boy's heart of glass and had found him crying under the tree when the fight had taken place. Now he looked almost on the verge of tears again.
"You wanna talk about it?" the silver-haired teen asked uncertainly; he still wasn't very good with all the emotional stuff.
"Not really…" Ryoga said. Inu-Yasha nodded and looked at the flames quietly. "It's just," the lost-boy began again then sighed shakily. "Somehow, none of Akane's rejections ever hurt this bad," he finished, head bowed as a single tear trickled down his cheek.
"Hunh," Inu-Yasha grunted, not comfortable looking at such a strong fighter cry. "Maybe 'cause Ukyo's more important to you than 'Kane is."
Ryoga glared at him. "What do you know about it," he snapped.
"Only that she worries about you and was the first one to accept the fact that you were P-chan. Forgot how she stuck up for you then, didja?"
Ryoga blushed with shame and stared at his hands. "I wish I could make up with her…"
"So why doncha?"
"How easy is it for you to make up with Kagome?" Ryoga countered. Inu-Yasha frowned.
"Feh, that's completely different. Ukyo's just Ukyo."
But Ryoga looked thoughtful as they drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Taking Sesshoumaru at his word, Meinu got up the courage to fully dress and explore the castle, mansion...whatever it was that she was being kept prisoner in. Several youkai flitted through the massive place, occasionally pausing to look at her curiously before hurrying on with their work.
Before long she caught a whiff of a large mixture of flowers and Meinu curiously followed her nose to the source. She paused before a door which looked heavy indeed. There was no way she'd be able to open it.
"Umm...excuse me," she asked an elderly tanuki that was meandering down the hall with a large group of scrolls in his hands.
"Yes Little Miss?"
"What's behind this door?"
"Ahh," the tanuki nodded sagely. "That is milord's mother's garden. It has been locked for oh...nearly a century."
Meinu's eyes widened and a hand lifted to her mouth to politely cover her surprise. "Oh! Arigatou...umm...Tanuki-san."
The tanuki grinned broadly at her. "Of course Little Miss. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get these records to milord. " He bowed respectfully, and Meinu thought that the perilously balanced scrolls would fall to the floor, but they didn't and the tanuki went on his way.
Meinu turned to study the doors. "How sad. No garden should ever be locked up..."
* * *
Inu-Yasha led the group on tirelessly, refusing to let them rest even more. Kagome began to get worried.
"Inu-Yasha, what's wrong? What aren't you telling me?" she demanded gently from his back where he was carrying her. Inu-Yasha glanced at Miroku and Sango, who were riding Kirara, then Ukyo and Ryoga who were marching along resolutely, not quite tired yet.
"..."
"Inu-yasha," Kagome said warningly.
"I'm worried for her safety," was his succinct reply.
Kagome gasped. "But...he wouldn't...would he? I mean, wouldn't he have killed her right then instead of kidnapping her?"
"There must be something he wants from her. He'll give her some time to give it to him, then he'll either take it forcefully and/or kill her," Inu-Yasha said grimly. Kagome shivered and burrowed into his warm back. She suddenly remembered when Inu-Yasha had almost become full youkai...the blood-lust look in his eyes..
"Inu-yasha..."
"Hnh?"
"Thanks for being you," Kagome whispered before kissing his cheek in a gesture that was more to reassure herself that he was still there. That he was still the gruff yet loving boy that she knew.
Inu-Yasha glanced back at her in surprise. Then his expression softened, and he raised one of her hands to place a reassuring kiss on her palm. "Don't worry. I won't let my brother hurt anyone."
* * *
It was that time of the month for the exterminator, and Sango closed her eyes momentarily against the familiar nausea. It was times like this when she wished she'd been born a boy.
"Daijoubu?" Miroku murmured in soft concern from behind her.
"I'm fine!" she snapped. Another wave of nausea hit her and she took a deep breath; sometimes that was enough.
She heard a long suffering sigh from behind her. "Sango-sama, it is obvious that you are not feeling well-" Miroku began.
"It's all right, happens every month," Sango grumbled, feeling heat rising to her cheeks.
"Oh, that time of the month," Miroku replied sagely. Sango snarled at him wordlessly. Then to her surprise, the hands that had been resting almost safely on her hips moved to her sides and gently pulled her back so that she was reclining against him.
"N-nani-!?"
"It's easier on your muscles if you stretch out and relax a bit. The cramping won't hurt as much," he explained softly, not letting her up.
"How the hell would you know!?" she retorted irritably.
"It is much the same as the birthing process I would assume. It is usually less painful if the mother reclines or sits up fully. Munshin would often doctor women during childbirth. I made sure to pay attention to what was going on when he let me in to help occasionally."
Sango almost asked why he'd wanted to learn such a thing, then realized the reason why. Miroku wanted to be sure that his family line continued until Naraku's curse was broken, of course he'd be interested in childbirth. And, much to her consternation, Miroku was right. The cramping and nausea was fading.
Especially when his hands began to gently knead and massage her abdomen almost absently. Sango knew she should yell at him (his hands were definitely not in an appropriate place) but she was worried enough about Meinu without picking a fight with someone who was just trying to help.
So she gave in and let the monk continue as Kirara carried them towards their destination.
* * *
After much arguing with Kouga, Ayame finally convinced him that she was the best choice to send in and scout things out. Kouga was fast, but Ayame knew how to be subtle and silent.
So, with the cover of nightfall, Ayame quickly and quietly scaled the nearly sheer cliff up to the back of the castle. Once at the top, she flattened herself against the wall and looked for the possible entrance she'd spotted earlier. There, an open balcony, perfect!
Ayame slinked forward until she was standing directly below it, then jumped as high as she could. Her hands just barely caught the ledge and she pulled herself up with a small grunt. She paused, listening carefully for any sign that someone had heard her.
All she could hear was a soft, even breathing. She peered into the room and felt her stomach drop at the sight of Sesshoumaru sleeping in his great arm-chair.
Great, I just had to pick the master bedroom, she thought to herself bitterly. Well, no hope for it now. I'll just try and get past him into the main part. Then I can find Meinu...
Ayame crept forward cautiously. Her heart was beating faster than she'd ever thought it could. Her breath seemed incredibly loud in her sensitive ears as she worked her way towards the door. She carefully unhitched the latch and began to open the door silently.
"I don't take well to intruders in my home," a cold voice said from behind her and Ayame caught a glimpse of cold gold eyes before she slipped into unconsciousness.
* * *
In Meinu's second day in the castle, she explored the next wing. She found a small courtyard from which she heard happy singing.
"Rin is safe, Rin is fed, Sesshi-sama saved her! Eyes like bees, hair like moon, Sesshi-sama saved her!"
Meinu blinked in surprise at the young girl who was singing the tuneless song while kicking a small red ball rhythmically into the air. She missed the ball and it rolled away from her.
"Drat! Oh, hiyo! You're the one Sesshi-sama brought back!" She said brightly.
"H-hai. My name's Meinu...what's yours?"
"Rin. Are you going to stay here? You seem nice, not like Jaken," she made a face and muttered, "smelly toad."
"I-I don't know if I'm going to stay here..." Meinu said. Rin's face fell momentarily.
"Oh...will you play with Rin while you're here?"
Meinu smiled and picked up the ball. "Hai. Demo...you'll have to teach me. I don't know many games."
"Okay!" Rin smiled sunnily once more and began teaching Meinu games that they could play with the red ball.
Near lunchtime the girls got an unexpected visitor. He entered the courtyard silently and the first time Meinu realized he was there was when she felt the intense gaze resting upon her.
"Catch it Onee-san!" Rin called out, and Meinu barely caught the ball, laughing. She turned to run with it, and turned towards the visitor. She stopped laughing immediately and halted in her tracks.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin launched herself at him and latched onto his waist.
"Rin," he said, warmer than usual. For a moment there was a small, soft smile on his face before it was replaced by his usual, emotionless mask.
"It is time for lunch Rin," he told her, carefully unwrapping her arms from about his waist.
"Okay! C'mon Onee-san!" she grasped Meinu's hand and tugged on it. Meinu glanced at Sesshoumaru, who raised his eyebrows and smirked slightly. She blushed and glared at him in return.
"Well? Will you be joining us, Meinu-san?" There was a hint of teasing mockery in his voice. Meinu glared at him even further and opened her mouth to decline, but Rin tugged on her hand again.
"Plee-ease Onee-san?"
"All right." Meinu couldn't stand up to Rin's hopeful smile.
"Yeay!" Rin cheered and began leading her away, but not before Meinu caught the satisfied look on Sesshoumaru's face. She briefly wondered if she was going to survive lunch.
* * *
"But where could they be?" Akane demanded yet again.
Shippo rolled his eyes. "I told you they went to rescue Meinu!"
"But why didn't they get us too!?" Ranma retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
Shampoo shook her head. "No time. Meinu taken quickly, need follow quickly," she explained with a frown.
"So what do we do?" Mousse asked.
"Go after 'em 'course!" Ranma said.
"Shippo know where are?"
Shippo fidgeted. "Not really, I know which direction they went in."
"Then we go that direction. Airen, get water," Shampoo said, taking charge.
"Nani?" Ranma blinked, looking a little fearful.
"Shampoo smell much better as cat," she replied absently as Mousse produced a bucket of water and gave it too her.
"So we can track them," Akane nodded in understanding. Ranma began shivering and hid behind Akane.
"Umm…are you sure 'bout that?? Can't Shippo sniff them out??"
"I can, but it's useful to have an extra nose to compare notes," Shippo answered mercilessly.
"Suck it up and deal with it Ranma!" Mousse said impatiently.
Shampoo upended the water over herself and was soon shaking the droplets out of her fur. Ranma's eyes widened almost impossibly and he began stuttering.
"Merwp!" Shampoo said disapprovingly, taking a moment to lick some of the damp out of her fur.
Shippo tossed a small ofuda onto Shampoo and Ranma relaxed instantly.
"Merp??"
"What did you do Shippo?"
"I made her invisible to Ranma. C'mon, they're ahead of us by an entire day!!"
"Yosh!" the group nodded and went in search of their comrades.
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Kiyomisa: well, there's another chapter ^-^…umm…stuff should happen soon. Until then, thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope to see you again next time ^-^1 Bai bai!
