Disclaimer: Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. However, the story concept is entirely mine.
He floated in oblivion. Which was actually a nice change of scenery. Er, or lack thereof. He did not know how much more his frail, old body could handle in the real world. True, he was a demon. So his healing process would be much faster than that of any lowly human. But he had sustained quite a few injuries. Even his demon body would have trouble coping with such a variety of wounds.
He could now feel the ground underneath him and taste the blood in his mouth. No! He didn't want to return to consciousness and continue on in this cruel world. He clung tenaciously to the last few fragments of sweet Nothingness. And then light filtered in, and he was completely back. Alone in the forest, lying bruised and battered on the ground.
He groaned and pushed himself up into a sitting position, peering about. Where was everyone? Where was his Lord, Rin, that lowly halfbreed, or his witch? Had not they just been here?
Jaken firmly grasped a hold of his Staff and used it to push him up until he was fully standing, and then he leaned heavily against it.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?" He turned round and about, vainly searching for any sign of his Master.
"This is just great! He's gone and deserted me! Left me for dead even! How could he?!" Jaken twisted his head around, continuing to search. "This is all that stupid, little child's fault! If she had not tempted me into trying to kill her, none of this would have ever happened. But nooo! The human child just had to taunt me."
He began to pace, well... Hobble would be more accurate. He moaned pathetically at his current situation. "Oh, cruel and unjust Fate! What Gods have I angered to deserve this tortuous life!?"
Jaken stamped the end of his Staff against the ground angrily. "What have I done to anger you, Lord Sesshoumaru? I, your most loyal retainer, have served you avidly for many a year. How could you just leave me here as if I were already a rotting corpse!" He stamped his Staff on the ground again, trying to take his righteous anger out on something. Anything. "Ever since you adopted that wretched child, things haven't been the same between us. Well, maybe its for the best. I don't need you, Lord Sesshoumaru!"
"Oh, is that so?"
Jaken twirled around, greeted by the lovely sight of his Master and the small human clinging tightly to his white pants leg. "If you do not need me, perhaps I really shall leave you out here to be torn asunder by wild beasts."
Sesshoumaru stared emotionlessly at his gaping retainer for a short moment, and then turned around and began to calmly walk away with elegant grace that only a demon of his stature could possibly possess.
Rin stayed where she was, a look of sorrow plain on her face. Jaken shifted his hurt gaze to the human child, his own face a visage of emotional turmoil. He wanted to run after Sesshoumaru and beg his forgiveness, but his own stubborn pride and Sesshoumaru's harsh words kept him from doing so. And why was Rin still staring at him? Had his swollen nose suddenly become a point of interest for her?
Rin spun around and ran after Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru! Don't leave Jaken!" She grabbed onto his pants leg and tugged on it slightly, pouting up into his beautiful face. "Rin will miss Jaken too much! Rin doesn't want Jaken to leave!" Her chestnut brown eyes began to water.
Sesshoumaru suppressed a growl. The child was fixing to cry if she didn't have her way. He couldn't bear to hear her sobs and smell her salty tears. It always made his chest hurt in the most odd of manners. "Very well, Rin." He looked over at the small toad demon. "Jaken, if you beg for forgiveness I shall allow you to continue to serve me."
Jaken hurriedly hobbled over to his Master, a look of utter glee plain on his face. Sesshoumaru had apologized. In his own unique way, of course. Jaken bowed deeply, kissing his Lord's feet. "Forgive me, Powerful Lord Sesshoumaru! I did not mean those rash words! Please, spare this lowly Jaken so that he may continue to walk in your footsteps."
"Very well, Jaken. I shall spare you... This time." Sesshoumaru flexed his claws to help make his point. He then turned around and began the journey back to his castle, with Rin and Jaken in tow.
"By the way Lord Sesshoumaru, did you prevail in battle and finally acquire the Tetsusaiga? I missed the ending of the fight. That human whore who trails after Inuyasha is quite... feisty." Jaken unhappily rubbed his knotted head at the memory of her beating him with his Staff.
Sesshoumaru growled, turning around to glare down at Jaken. "You've made me think about that disgusting, half-youkai thing." He started to reach for Toukijin, but then paused. An even more cruel and just punishment coming to his mind.
Jaken simply stared wide-eyed up at his Master.
A blood curdling scream resounded throughout the room, one that would raise the hairs on the back of any cold-hearted and fearsome demon. It was the scream of unimaginable pain and torture. Not only of the physical, but also involving the mentality and sanity of the one being tortured.
"Jaken!" Rin giggled out. "You don't look that bad! You are pretty now!"
Jaken stood in front of a tall mirror, eyeing himself with disgust. He was bedecked in a quite beautiful pink kimono that had elaborate flower prints all over it, and silky, white frills on the sleeves. Sesshoumaru had forced him to play dress-up with Rin.
Lord Sesshoumaru, you should have just slain me with Toukijin. It would've been far more merciful.
Author's Note: Sorry if this chapter didn't have enough torture in it. I felt like having this chapter deal with more of the emotional type of pain, than the physical. But! If you people insist, the next chapter will be nothing but Jaken being tossed and/or thrown about, flogged, beaten and eaten, burned, etc.