The Dream Eater
Chapter 3
Sesshomauru
"Look, Sesshomauru-sama," said Rin, pointing to a spectacularly jewel toned butterfly. "Pretty!"
"Silence, Rin," said the Lord of the Western Lands. He sniffed the air, his youkai senses detecting what no human nor hanyou could have known.
"It seems my spies were correct, Jaken," he said, "My brother is indeed coming this way. And he brings that human wench of his with him."
"How dare he invade your territory, Sesshomauru-sama!" said the lackey Jaken indignantly.
"I wonder for what possible reason he would dare such an intrusion?" asked the Taichou-inu to himself. "He cannot be such a fool as to think he will not be met with a challenge."
Rin watched with wide eyes, only comprehending part of the tall dog youkai's words.
"Are they coming to play?" asked the tiny human girl, her eyes wide with curiosity.
The youkai lord almost chuckled wickedly at the innocent question.
"Play?" he repeated coolly. "Yes, we will play a game with my brother, Rin. Go with Jaken-sama and entertain yourself elsewhere for now, girl. I will send for you when I need you."
"Yes, Sesshomauru-sama," said the girl obediently. She tugged on Jaken's sleeve and practically dragged him away.
Sesshoumauru smiled faintly as he heard Jaken yelp as Rin clubbed him with his own staff.
"So Inuyasha," he mused to himself, "Finally, you come to pay your older brother a visit. I must prepare a suitable reception."
He glided away into the inner courtyards of the castle, a faint smile still upon his inhumanely handsome features.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I can smell him everywhere now," said Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippou clinging to his back as he leapt from tree to tree and over obstacles at a pace only his superhumanly strong and fast body could withstand.
"How much further?" whined Shippou, voicing Kagome's own question.
"Only a few leagues now," he said. "An hour's journey at most."
"Good," said Kagome. "We need to get back to Miroku and Sango as soon as possible."
The rest was left unsaid. They all knew what eventual fate awaited the monk if they could not find the reason for his soul depleting nightmares.
Suddenly, Inuyasha froze and began to twitch his ears and nose. "Someone or something is coming," he said.
"Sesshomauru?" asked Kagome.
"No, I'd know his scent," said Inuyasha. "This is a demon of some sort, though."
"There!" he exclaimed as the bushes and trees ahead of them finally parted.
A two headed dragon-like creature with four legs and two heads emerged. Kagome recognized a creature similar to one Sesshomauru himself often rode.
Upon its back was a small human girl, in a richly decorated silk kimono befitting a shogun's daughter, her hair dressed with a silver pin.
"Hello!" she said in a high childish voice. "I'm Rin!"
Kagome gave Inuyasha a disbelieving glance out of the corner of her eyes.
"It's a trap," growled Inuyasha.
"Come out here, you cowardly bastard. I've heard of low, but using a child to hide behind?" he scoffed loudly. "Show yourself, you piece of .."
He was cut off in his challenge by Kagome stepping down hard on his bare foot. He yelped.
"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed. "There's a little girl here!"
Kagome stepped forward, "Hi, I'm Kagome." She gave a little bow.
"I'm here to take you to Sesshomauru-sama," Rin said brightly.
"See, I told you it's a trap," Inuyasha looked around him, sniffing again.
"He's not here," said Rin. "He sent me."
"Well, I can't smell him here," admitted Inuyasha. "At least no more than anywhere else."
"We're going to play," said Rin, smiling at them. "Hurry, it'll be dark soon. Rin doesn't like to be outside at night."
"Play?" said Kagome, giving Shippou a puzzled look. He shrugged. "Maybe she just wants to play."
"Don't bet on it," Inuyasha growled. "Don't forget where we are."
They followed along behind the small girl astride the dragon, Inuyasha watching and sniffing warily the whole while.
After a few minutes, the elaborately tiled roof of a large edifice began to protrude through the surrounding trees, nestled at the foot of a large mountain.
"Sesshoumauru's house," said Rin, smiling and pointing ahead.
"Rather more than a house," said Kagome.
"It's big!" said Rin. "Rin gets lost sometimes, but then stupid old Jakin finds her."
Kagome almost giggled, but a fierce look from Inuyasha reminded her what they were approaching.
They came up to the huge double doors of the main building.
"Come in," said Sesshomauru's voice. The voice sounded vaguely amused.
Inuyasha drew his sword on reflex, standing defensively in front of Kagome and Shippou.
"You gotta be kiddin!" yelled Inuyasha loudly.
"Up here, brother," said Sesshomauru. He was standing upon the flat tiled rooftop of the highest part of the castle.
"You've let us come this far," said Inuyasha. "What are you up to, Sesshomauru?"
"Me?" asked Sesshoumauru, still in the same coolly amused tones. "Why, nothing brother. I am..pleased you finally came to show respect to your elder brother."
"FEH!" said Inuyasha in disgust. "You're up to something, or we'd have been attacked already."
"You wound me with your suspicions, dear brother," said Sesshomauru with faint sarcasm.
"What do you want?" asked Inuyasha bluntly.
"Ah, still no manners, young cur," said Sesshomauru. He sighed elaborately with false drama.
"Perhaps you shall have to learn some. I have been remiss as your elder brother in teaching you common courtesy." His richly timbered voice dropped to a growl at the last words.
"Get inside, Rin," he growled, dropping from the rooftop in front of Inuyasha soundlessly.
Rin ran behind Jakin, who stood inside cowering at the sight in front of him.
"That's more like it," said Inuyasha, extending his claws as he reached for Tetsuaiga.
"Wait!" Kagome shouted. She had drawn her bow, fitted with a sacred arrow.
"No fighting," she commanded. "Not until you hear why we came."
This last was directed to Sesshomauru, who gazed at her with no expression.
"Tell your wench the Lord of the Western Lands takes no orders from mere humans," he said coolly.
Inuyasha looked at Kagome incredulously. "Are you out of your mind, Kagome?" he asked loudly. "Stay out of this!"
"I won't!" said Kagome. "This fighting is totally unnecessary. We only want to ask a question."
"You wish to beg I, Sesshomauru, for knowledge you lack?" he asked.
Surprisingly, his tone betrayed a slight interest.
"We came to ask you about the existence of a yurei or youkai who invades dreams," said Kagome. "It seems to feed upon nightmares."
"I gather my brother is too ignorant to know of such things,' said Sesshomauru.
Inuyasha ground his teeth, but said nothing, still holding Tetsuaiga.
"Well, he's only ignorant because you never told him anything!" yelled Kagome, her patience giving out.
"She has more courage than you, brother," said Sesshomauru.
"Enough with the insults!" shouted Inuyasha.
"But, your stupidity begs insults," the youkai said smoothly.
"I'll make you an offer, young cur," he went on after a pause.
"What is it?" asked the hanyou warily.
"If you can hold off an attack from me with the Tokijin for the turn of an hourglass, I will give you the information you need."
"Sounds good," said Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, he just wants to test the Tokijin against your Tetsuaiga!" Shippou yelled.
"I know," gritted Inuyasha between his teeth.
"Bring the fight to me!" he roared, leaping forward with the huge sword.
Sesshomauru smiled a cold, soulless smile and drew the Tokijin.
Jakin turned over the hourglass.
The air rang with the tremendous clash of metal and the grunts of Inuyasha as he parried the slashes of the Tokijin. Sesshomauru was his better in skill and size, but in his desire to survive, to win, he had never bested his half-youkai younger brother.
"You cannot last, brother," said Sesshomauru through clenched jaws. "Your strength is no match for mine."
"I have to win!" retorted Inuyasha. "My friend's life depends on it!"
He ran with a slashing attack, attempting to down his opponent with pure momentum.
"Then your friend will die," said Sesshomauru, breaking Inuyasha's slashing attack once again.
"No!" screamed Inuyasha, "You're dead when I find the Wind Scar!"
Sesshomauru resumed his stance. Faster than Kagome could see, the two opponents met in a spectacular mid-air clash. Inuyasha was thrown hard to the ground.
"Get up," said the youkai. "We're not finished."
Inuyasha pulled himself up with the Tetsuaiga. His firerat haori was cut in several places, and shallow slashes bled freely.
"Feh, can't you do any better than that?" snarled Inuyasha.
"Yes," said Sesshomauru simply. He lunged forward again, catching Inuyasha off guard once again. A resounding clang of metal almost deafened Kagome, who continuing to watch with horrified eyes.
"Ungh!" Inuyasha groaned as the Tetsuaiga was wrenched from his hands.
He scrambled awkwardly after his weapon, rolling to avoid another attack from Sesshomauru.
"Inuyasha!" screamed Kagome.
He grasped the sword's hilt just in time to parry another attack from the Tokijin.
"Master!" said the croaking voice of Jaken. "I regret to tell you the hourglass has run out."
Sesshomauru raised one thin brow. "It appears you have fulfilled your part of our agreement," he said to the hanyou who knelt panting on the ground. "Barely."
Inuyasha panted as he raised himself from the ground.
"Tell us what we need to know so we can leave," he ground out between gasps.
"Very well," said the Lord of the Western Lands.
"Jaken," he said, "I need The Scroll of Vengeful Spirits. Go fetch it immediately."
"Yes, my Lord Sesshomauru." The toad youkai scurried off inside of the castle.
Inuyasha and Sesshomauru continued to glare at each other intensely.
"You didn't beat me," rasped Inuyasha.
"I would have, given more time," said the youkai calmly.
"Don't bet on it," said Inuyasha, giving his brother a feral smile, showing his fangs.
"Here is the scroll, Lord Sesshomauru," said Jaken, handing his master a very old looking scroll bound in cracked leather.
"I hope you have not damaged this, Jaken," said Sesshomauru silkily, which caused the toad youkai to quiver in fear.
"I was most careful, my Lord Sesshomauru!" he protested loudly.
"Bad Jaken!" said Rin slapping him on the back of the head and giggling.
Kagome gave the child an odd look, but said nothing.
"The Scroll of Vengeful Spirits recounts a yurei that feeds off the nightmares of men," said Sesshomauru, as he examined the scroll.
"A ghost?" asked Kagome.
"A female ghost," said Inuyasha.
"How do we do away with this ghost?" asked Inuyasha.
"The unfortunate spirits of wronged women often take such forms," said the inu-youkai.
"You must appease the wrong that was done to her in life."
"How?" said Kagome.
"Obviously, wench," he said in a faintly irritated tone, "you must first discover what that wrong was."
"So, we have to ask this yurei what wrong was done to her and then make it right?" asked Inuyasha.
Sesshomauru merely looked at him disdainfully.
"I must warn you, the wrong is usually grave to invoke the wrath of the spirit. Often, they are the spirits of females who were murdered."
"How do I invoke the spirit to ask it?" wondered Kagome out loud.
"A powerful miko such as yourself should have no difficulty with that," said Sesshomauru.
"Now, go, I weary of this conversation," he said, turning as he rolled up the ancient scroll. "I have told you everything that you need to know."
"Thank you, Sesshomauru-sama," said Kagome, bowing deeply.
Sesshomauru looked over his shoulder, "The wench at least behaves properly," he said, finally.
"Feh," said Inuyasha, folding his arms stubbornly and sneering.
"The day I bow to you is when the nine hells freeze!" he spat.
"Charming," said Sesshomauru with faint sarcasm. He turned his back as Jaken, groveling, opened the doors for him.
"You must come for another visit sometime, brother," he said, his fangs glinting as the doors closed.
Chapter 3
Sesshomauru
"Look, Sesshomauru-sama," said Rin, pointing to a spectacularly jewel toned butterfly. "Pretty!"
"Silence, Rin," said the Lord of the Western Lands. He sniffed the air, his youkai senses detecting what no human nor hanyou could have known.
"It seems my spies were correct, Jaken," he said, "My brother is indeed coming this way. And he brings that human wench of his with him."
"How dare he invade your territory, Sesshomauru-sama!" said the lackey Jaken indignantly.
"I wonder for what possible reason he would dare such an intrusion?" asked the Taichou-inu to himself. "He cannot be such a fool as to think he will not be met with a challenge."
Rin watched with wide eyes, only comprehending part of the tall dog youkai's words.
"Are they coming to play?" asked the tiny human girl, her eyes wide with curiosity.
The youkai lord almost chuckled wickedly at the innocent question.
"Play?" he repeated coolly. "Yes, we will play a game with my brother, Rin. Go with Jaken-sama and entertain yourself elsewhere for now, girl. I will send for you when I need you."
"Yes, Sesshomauru-sama," said the girl obediently. She tugged on Jaken's sleeve and practically dragged him away.
Sesshoumauru smiled faintly as he heard Jaken yelp as Rin clubbed him with his own staff.
"So Inuyasha," he mused to himself, "Finally, you come to pay your older brother a visit. I must prepare a suitable reception."
He glided away into the inner courtyards of the castle, a faint smile still upon his inhumanely handsome features.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "I can smell him everywhere now," said Inuyasha, Kagome and Shippou clinging to his back as he leapt from tree to tree and over obstacles at a pace only his superhumanly strong and fast body could withstand.
"How much further?" whined Shippou, voicing Kagome's own question.
"Only a few leagues now," he said. "An hour's journey at most."
"Good," said Kagome. "We need to get back to Miroku and Sango as soon as possible."
The rest was left unsaid. They all knew what eventual fate awaited the monk if they could not find the reason for his soul depleting nightmares.
Suddenly, Inuyasha froze and began to twitch his ears and nose. "Someone or something is coming," he said.
"Sesshomauru?" asked Kagome.
"No, I'd know his scent," said Inuyasha. "This is a demon of some sort, though."
"There!" he exclaimed as the bushes and trees ahead of them finally parted.
A two headed dragon-like creature with four legs and two heads emerged. Kagome recognized a creature similar to one Sesshomauru himself often rode.
Upon its back was a small human girl, in a richly decorated silk kimono befitting a shogun's daughter, her hair dressed with a silver pin.
"Hello!" she said in a high childish voice. "I'm Rin!"
Kagome gave Inuyasha a disbelieving glance out of the corner of her eyes.
"It's a trap," growled Inuyasha.
"Come out here, you cowardly bastard. I've heard of low, but using a child to hide behind?" he scoffed loudly. "Show yourself, you piece of .."
He was cut off in his challenge by Kagome stepping down hard on his bare foot. He yelped.
"Inuyasha!" she exclaimed. "There's a little girl here!"
Kagome stepped forward, "Hi, I'm Kagome." She gave a little bow.
"I'm here to take you to Sesshomauru-sama," Rin said brightly.
"See, I told you it's a trap," Inuyasha looked around him, sniffing again.
"He's not here," said Rin. "He sent me."
"Well, I can't smell him here," admitted Inuyasha. "At least no more than anywhere else."
"We're going to play," said Rin, smiling at them. "Hurry, it'll be dark soon. Rin doesn't like to be outside at night."
"Play?" said Kagome, giving Shippou a puzzled look. He shrugged. "Maybe she just wants to play."
"Don't bet on it," Inuyasha growled. "Don't forget where we are."
They followed along behind the small girl astride the dragon, Inuyasha watching and sniffing warily the whole while.
After a few minutes, the elaborately tiled roof of a large edifice began to protrude through the surrounding trees, nestled at the foot of a large mountain.
"Sesshoumauru's house," said Rin, smiling and pointing ahead.
"Rather more than a house," said Kagome.
"It's big!" said Rin. "Rin gets lost sometimes, but then stupid old Jakin finds her."
Kagome almost giggled, but a fierce look from Inuyasha reminded her what they were approaching.
They came up to the huge double doors of the main building.
"Come in," said Sesshomauru's voice. The voice sounded vaguely amused.
Inuyasha drew his sword on reflex, standing defensively in front of Kagome and Shippou.
"You gotta be kiddin!" yelled Inuyasha loudly.
"Up here, brother," said Sesshomauru. He was standing upon the flat tiled rooftop of the highest part of the castle.
"You've let us come this far," said Inuyasha. "What are you up to, Sesshomauru?"
"Me?" asked Sesshoumauru, still in the same coolly amused tones. "Why, nothing brother. I am..pleased you finally came to show respect to your elder brother."
"FEH!" said Inuyasha in disgust. "You're up to something, or we'd have been attacked already."
"You wound me with your suspicions, dear brother," said Sesshomauru with faint sarcasm.
"What do you want?" asked Inuyasha bluntly.
"Ah, still no manners, young cur," said Sesshomauru. He sighed elaborately with false drama.
"Perhaps you shall have to learn some. I have been remiss as your elder brother in teaching you common courtesy." His richly timbered voice dropped to a growl at the last words.
"Get inside, Rin," he growled, dropping from the rooftop in front of Inuyasha soundlessly.
Rin ran behind Jakin, who stood inside cowering at the sight in front of him.
"That's more like it," said Inuyasha, extending his claws as he reached for Tetsuaiga.
"Wait!" Kagome shouted. She had drawn her bow, fitted with a sacred arrow.
"No fighting," she commanded. "Not until you hear why we came."
This last was directed to Sesshomauru, who gazed at her with no expression.
"Tell your wench the Lord of the Western Lands takes no orders from mere humans," he said coolly.
Inuyasha looked at Kagome incredulously. "Are you out of your mind, Kagome?" he asked loudly. "Stay out of this!"
"I won't!" said Kagome. "This fighting is totally unnecessary. We only want to ask a question."
"You wish to beg I, Sesshomauru, for knowledge you lack?" he asked.
Surprisingly, his tone betrayed a slight interest.
"We came to ask you about the existence of a yurei or youkai who invades dreams," said Kagome. "It seems to feed upon nightmares."
"I gather my brother is too ignorant to know of such things,' said Sesshomauru.
Inuyasha ground his teeth, but said nothing, still holding Tetsuaiga.
"Well, he's only ignorant because you never told him anything!" yelled Kagome, her patience giving out.
"She has more courage than you, brother," said Sesshomauru.
"Enough with the insults!" shouted Inuyasha.
"But, your stupidity begs insults," the youkai said smoothly.
"I'll make you an offer, young cur," he went on after a pause.
"What is it?" asked the hanyou warily.
"If you can hold off an attack from me with the Tokijin for the turn of an hourglass, I will give you the information you need."
"Sounds good," said Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, he just wants to test the Tokijin against your Tetsuaiga!" Shippou yelled.
"I know," gritted Inuyasha between his teeth.
"Bring the fight to me!" he roared, leaping forward with the huge sword.
Sesshomauru smiled a cold, soulless smile and drew the Tokijin.
Jakin turned over the hourglass.
The air rang with the tremendous clash of metal and the grunts of Inuyasha as he parried the slashes of the Tokijin. Sesshomauru was his better in skill and size, but in his desire to survive, to win, he had never bested his half-youkai younger brother.
"You cannot last, brother," said Sesshomauru through clenched jaws. "Your strength is no match for mine."
"I have to win!" retorted Inuyasha. "My friend's life depends on it!"
He ran with a slashing attack, attempting to down his opponent with pure momentum.
"Then your friend will die," said Sesshomauru, breaking Inuyasha's slashing attack once again.
"No!" screamed Inuyasha, "You're dead when I find the Wind Scar!"
Sesshomauru resumed his stance. Faster than Kagome could see, the two opponents met in a spectacular mid-air clash. Inuyasha was thrown hard to the ground.
"Get up," said the youkai. "We're not finished."
Inuyasha pulled himself up with the Tetsuaiga. His firerat haori was cut in several places, and shallow slashes bled freely.
"Feh, can't you do any better than that?" snarled Inuyasha.
"Yes," said Sesshomauru simply. He lunged forward again, catching Inuyasha off guard once again. A resounding clang of metal almost deafened Kagome, who continuing to watch with horrified eyes.
"Ungh!" Inuyasha groaned as the Tetsuaiga was wrenched from his hands.
He scrambled awkwardly after his weapon, rolling to avoid another attack from Sesshomauru.
"Inuyasha!" screamed Kagome.
He grasped the sword's hilt just in time to parry another attack from the Tokijin.
"Master!" said the croaking voice of Jaken. "I regret to tell you the hourglass has run out."
Sesshomauru raised one thin brow. "It appears you have fulfilled your part of our agreement," he said to the hanyou who knelt panting on the ground. "Barely."
Inuyasha panted as he raised himself from the ground.
"Tell us what we need to know so we can leave," he ground out between gasps.
"Very well," said the Lord of the Western Lands.
"Jaken," he said, "I need The Scroll of Vengeful Spirits. Go fetch it immediately."
"Yes, my Lord Sesshomauru." The toad youkai scurried off inside of the castle.
Inuyasha and Sesshomauru continued to glare at each other intensely.
"You didn't beat me," rasped Inuyasha.
"I would have, given more time," said the youkai calmly.
"Don't bet on it," said Inuyasha, giving his brother a feral smile, showing his fangs.
"Here is the scroll, Lord Sesshomauru," said Jaken, handing his master a very old looking scroll bound in cracked leather.
"I hope you have not damaged this, Jaken," said Sesshomauru silkily, which caused the toad youkai to quiver in fear.
"I was most careful, my Lord Sesshomauru!" he protested loudly.
"Bad Jaken!" said Rin slapping him on the back of the head and giggling.
Kagome gave the child an odd look, but said nothing.
"The Scroll of Vengeful Spirits recounts a yurei that feeds off the nightmares of men," said Sesshomauru, as he examined the scroll.
"A ghost?" asked Kagome.
"A female ghost," said Inuyasha.
"How do we do away with this ghost?" asked Inuyasha.
"The unfortunate spirits of wronged women often take such forms," said the inu-youkai.
"You must appease the wrong that was done to her in life."
"How?" said Kagome.
"Obviously, wench," he said in a faintly irritated tone, "you must first discover what that wrong was."
"So, we have to ask this yurei what wrong was done to her and then make it right?" asked Inuyasha.
Sesshomauru merely looked at him disdainfully.
"I must warn you, the wrong is usually grave to invoke the wrath of the spirit. Often, they are the spirits of females who were murdered."
"How do I invoke the spirit to ask it?" wondered Kagome out loud.
"A powerful miko such as yourself should have no difficulty with that," said Sesshomauru.
"Now, go, I weary of this conversation," he said, turning as he rolled up the ancient scroll. "I have told you everything that you need to know."
"Thank you, Sesshomauru-sama," said Kagome, bowing deeply.
Sesshomauru looked over his shoulder, "The wench at least behaves properly," he said, finally.
"Feh," said Inuyasha, folding his arms stubbornly and sneering.
"The day I bow to you is when the nine hells freeze!" he spat.
"Charming," said Sesshomauru with faint sarcasm. He turned his back as Jaken, groveling, opened the doors for him.
"You must come for another visit sometime, brother," he said, his fangs glinting as the doors closed.