Disclaimer: Yes, people, I DO own Inuyasha, and you can't say I don't! Now, if you excuse me... *kneels down and pats her thighs* Here, Inuyasha! Here, boy! Come here, boy! *enters Ruby's new doggie, which she has named Inuyasha*
Random person: That doesn't count, Ruby.... -.-;;
Ruby: Nuuuuu.... ; _ ; *huggles her Inu*
A.N: Woooo! After ...um...*checks* ...over two months of being lazy... Wait, wait a second! IT HAS BEEN OVER TWO MONTHS SINCE I LAST UPDATED? O__o Holy cow!!! Bad Ruby, veeery bad Ruby... I'm so sorry, but I've been really busy with stupid school and all... But I'm back now! Aren't you all surprised? XD Anyhoo, I'll cut back the chit-chat for now, because you all have already waited long enough, so... I present you chapter 03 of Unraveling Melody, "Distinct Resemblance"!! Enjoy, my cute beans! ^_^
Unraveling Melody
by Ruby Moon
Chapter 03: Distinct Resemblance
The sun had just risen a few minutes ago, its bright, fiery colors still entangling themselves around the dark shades of the night. Following Sesshoumaru's orders, Jakken attaches a saddle on Ah and Un's back, getting his master's dragon-like horses ready for the upcoming journey, while Rin cheerfully holds Kikyou's hand and tries to pull her along.
"Come, Kikyou-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama is waiting for us!"
Kikyou glances around and spots the demon prince sitting under the cozy shadow of a short, leafy tree, just a few meters from them. As if feeling her presence, he turns around and his eyes meet hers, in a glaring kind of way. Even though it hasn't been long since they agreed to work together, exchanging suspicious looks has already turned into a habitual motion of theirs.
"We're ready to leave, Sesshoumaru-sama." - Jakken informs his master.
"Can Rin lead Ah and Un this time, Jakken-sama?" - the little girl asks, poking Jakken's back with a stick.
"This is no job for you, girl." -he sounds annoyed, hitting the girl's poking device with his Staff of Heads. - "I'll do it."
"Aww, don't be mean, Jakken-sama! Let Rin do it!!"
"Rin, let Jakken do it." - Sesshoumaru walks toward the group, barely glancing directly at any of his acquaintances. - "You will be riding it."
"OK, then…" - she sounds a little disappointed. - "But Kikyou-sama can ride Ah and Un with Rin, right?"
Sesshoumaru falls silent for a while, annoyed at Rin's request. He still feels quite uncomfortable about having this Kikyou person around the girl, but he also knows that, if he declines her request, she will be even more upset. Rather disdainfully, he moves his narrow pools to look at the priestess and asks:
"…Would you?"
"Certainly." - she simply replies before going toward the dragon-like creature and climbing on it.
"Rin, follow the miko and let us go at once."
"Rin is trying, but…"- she jumps up and down, unsuccessfully attempting to get up on the weird creatures. - "…it's too hard! They're very big!"
"Here, let me help you." - Kikyou reaches out her hand to help the girl.
"Thank you, Kikyou-sama!"
"Jakken, let's go." - Sesshoumaru walks forward, heading the small party.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." - he pulls the straps that were attached to the dragon-like creatures, commanding them to walk.
And so they leave on their journey after the ever-so-hateful shape-shifter known as Naraku. Time flies by since their departure, and no one dares to say a word, Jakken's occasional mumblings -"Too much human company!"- being the only exception. The silence doesn't bother Kikyou at all, for she has long gotten used to having its dreadful presence around, although the same doesn't apply to her young companion. Being the energetic and quite talkative girl she is, Rin is not able to stand that situation, which has become awfully annoying and boring for her likings, at last speaking the first words the group has heard in a while.
"Where are we all going, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"After that meddling youkai, Naraku. - Faint drops of hatred slip through the demon's lips as he speaks.
"You mean hanyou." - Kikyou corrects.
"Hanyou?" - he asks, slightly surprised. - "Naraku is merely a hanyou?"
She pauses and lets out a small sigh before continuing. - "He used to be a human called Onigumo, fifty years ago. One day, however, his thirst for power led him to allow several youkai to feast on his body as long as they would grant him a new body, stronger than the old one. Naraku was born from that malign merger."
"Hanyou?" -the demon prince thinks to himself, paying nearly no attention to Kikyou's words. - "I, Sesshoumaru, was tricked by a mere hanyou…?"
Rin looks clueless at the other two, as if searching for an answer. As she realizes none of them would say a thing, she moves her curious pools up to Kikyou and asks:
"What's a hanyou?"
"Hanyou is someone that is partially youkai and partially human." - she picks her words carefully, making sure to give a clear explanation. - "You do know what a youkai is, don't you?"
"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama is a youkai, right?"
"Indeed, he is."
"Then Rin wants to be a youkai, too! Rin wants to be just like Sesshoumaru-sama!"
"You can't be a youkai, Rin." - Kikyou lets loose a soft, rumbling sound that slightly resembles a laugh. - "You're human."
"And what if Rin was a hanyou? Could Rin become a youkai then?"
"Yes…if you were a hanyou…"
Kikyou loses herself in her own thoughts at the very mention of that familiar situation. She feels rather vulnerable for a moment; her mind is assaulted by flashbacks from the past, a horde of stubborn memories from that time when she first met a certain hanyou who longed for getting rid of the human blood running through his veins, but later on decided to become one of them, just so that he could be with her. After all, that hanyou had fallen in love with the miko... and she certainly returned his feelings back then...
"Inuyasha…" - a small, silent sigh trails off.
Sesshoumaru observes the human female from the corner of his wary eyes and notices how absentminded she has looked since Rin brought that subject up. It was quite clear for him that the priestess still had some lingering feelings for his filthy younger brother, and that bothered him. Should they run into Inuyasha, there is a possibility that she will weaken, soften, and maybe she will even be more concerned about his life than about Naraku's demise.
"Um…Kikyou-sama…" - Rin waves her hands before the priestess's eyes. - "Are you alright?"
"Hmm?" - she finally snaps out of her momentary trance. - "Yes, I'm fine, Rin."
"You seemed distant…Were you thinking about something?"
"Yes…" -she moves her pools down for a short while. -"But it's nothing important, it was just…huh?"
Kikyou suddenly interrupts her speech as she senses a shivering presence around. The demon prince also seems to have noticed something suspicious hovering in that dark atmosphere, for he pauses in mid-step and then silently sniffles the air.
"I feel his presence. - the miko says, grabbing a hold of her bow. - "He's near."
He nods, glaring at his surroundings. - "This rotten smell is rather peculiar."
The priestess browses around, her careful eyes searching the area for any sign of the shape-shifter. A couple of seconds later, she spots an intense purple light coming toward them.
"He's bringing shikon shards." - she quietly climbs down the dragon-like horses, gesturing at her new friend to stay there.
Sesshoumaru glances briefly at the miko, still very wary of Naraku's whereabouts. Upon hearing a buzzing sound followed by a poisonous scent, his ears twitch ever-so-slightly as his eyes narrow considerably, turning to the little girl afterwards. - "Rin, don't move!"
The taiyoukai jumps toward Rin and uses his claws to easily strike a few bee-like insects that were approaching the girl. However, as he slashes the creatures, a thick, black substance comes out of them, sticking to his skin. For a brief second, he casts a disdainful look upon his arm, as a very concerned Rin calls out:
"Sesshoumaru-sama!"
He moves his narrow eyes up, as a few more of those bee-like creatures fly by. - "Naraku's poisonous insects…"
"Kukuku…" - a very familiar, threatening laugh is heard. - "Sesshoumaru… Will you ever learn…?"
At this point, a giant three-headed youkai comes out of the shadows, followed by the loud sound of falling trees, torn apart as it makes his way to the forest clearing, along with Naraku's poisonous insects. On top of the huge creature, a man covered in baboon fur stands, still laughing in a very malicious way.
"Those who dare to meddle into my business meet an unpleasant end, courtesy of my miasma..." - he keeps on talking, casting a pair of slender eyes upon the miko. - "Except for your new ally, it looks like…"
"Heh." - an enigmatic smile sprouts on her face, as if defying her nemesis. - "What's the matter, Naraku? You seem so surprised to see me…"
"Rather amazed, I must admit." - he replies dryly, his tone filled with fake politeness. - "After all, I -did- see you falling down that cliff toward the miasma river…"
"And you really thought that would be it? That I would cease to exist that easily?" - her challenging smiles turns into a smirk. - "So feeble of you."
"Perhaps." -he admits, returning her smirk. - "I should have predicted that you would come back, though I would've never guessed that you would join forces with him..."-his eyes turn back to Sesshoumaru, studying his features for a moment. - "On a second thought, however... This is somewhat likely of you, Kikyou. The same silver hair and amber eyes..."
"..." -Kikyou tightens her grip around the bow, striving to to keep that victorious expression upon her face. She knows Naraku only wants her to lose control, but, of course, she would never give in to his pathetic attempts.
"Kukuku... Makes one wonder..." -his smirks grows larger, and even more devilish and teasing. - "But what did strike me the most was to see that you, Sesshoumaru, actually accepted her help... Are you, by any chances, softening for humans?"
"Enough!" -the demon lord raises his tone considerably. - "I do not care for human lives."
"Do you not?" - Naraku shoots a sharp, menacing glance at Rin.
"..." -he merely quirks a brow, wondering if the hanyou would dare to attack.
A pair of wretched, stretchable tentacles suddenly comes out of the baboon pelt, rushing towards the little girl. Rin's scared eyes widen at that sight. Springing off the ground for speed, the demon prince jumps forth and lands before Rin, protecting her with his own body. As he grabs her by her tiny waist, one of the tentacles strikes his arm, making a long, deep tear through his flesh just seconds before he manages to nearly fly his way to safety.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" - Rin exclaims, horrified at the rather serious wound on the demon's arm.
"Go to the miko. Now." -he speaks in a rushed, yet soft way. He doesn't really want to leave the girl in Kikyou's hands, but whatever little trust he held for the miko was far more than what he did for Naraku.
As soon as he sees Rin is safe in Kikyou's arms, Sesshoumaru unsheathes his Toukijin and dashes at an unmatchable pace to the hateful hanyou, longing to put an end to his useless existance. Naraku barely dodges the attack, but the demon lord soon charges once more against his opponent and finally gets a hold of him, tearing the baboon pelt into two.
"Just another puppet…" -he slightly grinds his teeth as he speaks. - "As usual, you are too much of a coward to do the dirty job by yourself."
"Oh, but the job has been done." - the shape-shifter's voice can still be heard, echoing through the forest. - "Take a good look at your arm, Sesshoumaru…"
"…" - he glances down and notices that the miasma that had earlier stuck to his skin is now being sucked in by the wound on his arm.
"That miasma will slowly but surely kill you… As for you, Kikyou…I have other plans for you… But for now, have fun with my insects and my newest creation, Kudotsu. Kukuku…"
His evil laugh echoes through the woods for a while and then slowly fades away, as Kudotsu, the three-headed youkai, growls in a terrifying way, getting on a fighting instance.
"Kikyou-sama, Rin is scared!" - the little girl hides behind the miko.
"Don't worry, Rin." - she replies in a soft voice, trying to keep her calm. - "I won't let them hurt you."
"Stupid insects… Have a taste of this!" - Jakken shoots flames from his Staff of Heads, as he unsuccessfully tries to get rid of Naraku's bee-like creatures.
"…Ridiculous." - Fillef with rage, Sesshoumaru simply jumps high, his katana glowing an intense shade of red, and slashes through Kudotsu's body, tearing it into two bloody pieces.
"AAAAHHH!!" - Rin shuts her eyes closed, scared by that horrific sight.
"Shh, it's ok." - Kikyou kneels down and speaks warmly. - "There's no need to be afraid now, alright?"
"Okies…" - the girl holds on tight to the miko's garments, trying not to look at the unsuitable scene.
"Humph." - Sesshoumaru sounds quite annoyed by these happenings. - "Such a weak creature… is that the best he can do?"
Suddenly, his arm burns as if fire from hell was wrapping around it, consuming every little inch of his flesh, while it glows in a scary shade of purple. He growls silently in pain as he drops his sword on the ground and looks at his burning claws.
The sound of his katana bumping to the ground comes to Rin and Kikyou's attention. The girl soon forgets about her fear as she notices something was not well with the demon and runs toward him, worried.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, are you feeling good?"
"Naraku's miasma…" - he thinks to himself, unintentionally ignoring Rin's question. - "It was not supposed to hurt this much…My youkai blood should be strong enough to fight against the poison, but it only seems to make it worse…Perhaps I should give it some time…"
"…Sesshoumaru-sama?" - Rin insists, as she gets no answer.
"Yes, I'm fine." -he finally replies, still staring at his hand.
"But your arm is purple…"
"It is nothing to worry about." - he walks away from the monster and toward his dragon-like horses. - "This little inconvenient should not interfere on our quest. Let's go."
"Hai!" - Rin agrees and starts hopping to Sesshoumaru, but then turns around and runs to pick up something left behind. - "Oh! Sesshoumaru-sama forgot his sword!"
Rin carefully approaches the sword, which was dangerously close to the dead Kudotsu, and reaches out to pick it up.
"Rin, do not touch it." - Sesshoumaru warns in a somewhat concerned tone.
"Oh... okies." - She backs off a little and spares one last scared look at the creature and then walks back to her Sesshoumaru-sama.. However, Kudotsu's claws begin moving, very slightly at first, then dashing toward the little girl.
"Rin, watch out!" - Sesshoumaru shouts.
"Hmm? WAAAAH!!" - she cries, as she realizes those claws were too close to her.
A swift, well-aimed arrow crosses through Kudotsu's claws, stopping them from attacking. Rin runs crying to the miko and hides behind her. However, the two halves that had been torn apart by Sesshoumaru's sword start glowing in a strange tone of purple, shaking frantically and then attracting each other as two opposites sides of a magnet, managing to become one once again.
"So that thing is still alive…" - he says, a little surprised to see the monster he had just killed standing again.
"It has a Shikon shard on one of its heads." - Kikyou warns, still holding her bow up. - "That's why it managed to put its halves together."
"Interesting." - he smirks and dashes forth, picking up his sword.
"Indeed." - she gets another arrow and carefully places it in the middle part of her bow, aiming at the creature. - "It was stupid of Naraku not to remember I can detect Shikon shards, though."
The priestess's arrow flies speedily toward the monster, being surrounded by a bright purple energy. It hits Kudotsu's middle head's forehead where a small shard comes off from, falling to the ground right after. The huge creature stomps the ground furiously, then it runs toward the group on a rampage.
The demon lord then holds his sword up and, once again, charges a powerful attack against the youkai with one quick motion of his arm, casting a blast of pure sinister energy upon Kudotsu and finishing it off at once
"Humph." - he looks at the dead creature, full of despise, then he sheathes his Toukijin and kneels down to get the Shikon shard. - "So a tiny fragment like this can make even such a weak youkai regenerate that easily… No wonder a mere hanyou such as Naraku got so strong."
"You can come out now, Rin". - Kikyou speaks to the girl who was hiding behind her with her eyes closed. - "It's over."
"Are you sure?" - she asks, hesitantly cracking one eye open.
"Yes, I'm sure. Come on, everything is fine."
"Okay… Sesshoumaru-sama!" -she runs to him once again and looks at the shard on his hand. - "Is that a Shikon shard? It's pretty!"
Sesshoumaru just stays silent, even more than the usual. The miasma on his arm has started burning again in a nearly unbearable way, but he couldn't show any signs of pain or weakness, not in front of humans…and especially, that human priestess…
"Kikyou-sama! Come see the shard!" - she calls for the priestess, who is quietly walking up to them. - "Isn't it beautiful?"
"It's indeed very pretty, Rin." - she replies, not really paying attention to her words, for she has other thoughts in her mind.- "What is he going to do with that shard? Is he going to use it to become stronger? If he does, he might get too strong even for me to handle…Not that he's not already dangerous enough without any shards…"
He gives one emotionless gaze upon the shard on the palm of his hand, then hands it Kikyou. - "It will be better guarded if it's in your hands."
Sesshoumaru's present demeanor surprises the miko. Wasn't he the one who did not trust humans? The one who thinks humans are inferior beings whose pathetic lives are meaningless and not worthy of any mercy?
"You could keep it instead." - she starts, testing his motives. - "You could use it and improve your youkai powers."
"My powers do not need improvement." - his voice has turned slightly less cold than the usual, due to the awful pain he's feeling, although his arrogance can still be felt miles away. - "I can kill Naraku without the jewel's help. Furthermore, you were the priestess who originally guarded it."
"I see." - she nods in agreement, thinking: - "So that is really what he wants… To prove his superiority over Naraku on a fair fight… He's not power hungry like the other youkai I've encountered before…"
"…What happened to your arm?" - she inquires, noticing the unusual color on his limb.
He takes a while before answering, letting loose an annoyed sigh. Why did that priestess have to shower him with questions all the time, anyway? -"Some of Naraku's miasma got inside it through my open wound."
"Oh. My purifying powers can heal it for you…" -she cautiously reaches for his arm.
"I do not need your help, woman." - he withdraws, avoiding any skin contact with the priestess. -"I can heal it by myself."
"I am sure you can heal your wound alone, but the miasma running through your arm can not be…"
"…" - he narrows his golden eyes at her, gesturing for her to make silence.
"…I merely wished to spare you from such frustrating and unpleasant experience…" - she finally gives up on helping the proud taiyoukai, and a smirk is formed on her lips as an amusing thought strikes her. - "But, if you insist…"
"...I only need some rest." -he quirks a brow, sparing a suspicious glance at the miko and her victorious expression. - "Our quest is going to be delayed for a while, though." - he informs her before walking off and taking a seat by a tree, supporting his back against its thick trunk in a rather relaxed fashion.
"Be as you wish."
"Kikyou-sama..." - Rin tugs on the miko's red hakama, trying to get her attention. - "Is Sesshoumaru-sama's wound very serious..?"
"Not really, but he needs some rest, so we'll be staying here for a while."
"Oh, okies... Well Rin's getting hungry! Rin's gonna look for food! You think there are any fish on that lake?" - the enthusiastic girl asks, pointing at a nearby puddle.
"I believe so." -she kneels down before the girl with a welcoming smile on her lips.
"Ok, then Rin's off for fishing!" - she exclaims, running toward the lake.
"Jakken." -Sesshoumaru commands, eyeing the toad-like creature standing near the tree. - "Go with her."
"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." - the greenish youkai replies, sounding a little annoyed.
"Aww, Jakken! You're gonna scare the fishes away!" - Rin complains.
"I am not!"
Kikyou's smile grows slightly larger as she watches the little girl pulling Jakken by the collar, while he waves his staff around, in a display of bottled up anger. Suddenly, though, she gets the feeling that someone is watching her, then she turns around and realizes the silver-haired youkai is staring at her with his narrow piercing pools of golden color.
For a small fraction of seconds, she almost mistakes him for Inuyasha, and she had her reasons. Just as the shape-shifter had pointed out earlier, the two brothers had the same long silver hair, and even the same intense amber eyes, glaring at her in an obvious demonstration of mistrust, just like Inuyasha had done when he first met her. She doesn't feel very comfortable about that situation, but she would get used to it, just like she has done it before.
"They are indeed so alike…and yet so different." - she finally stands up and turns around, watching in amusement as Rin and Jakken venture into the fun world of fishing.
~~**~~End of Chapter 03~~**~~
A.N: And so Naraku-poops makes his "great" appearance! Lol! How did you like it, people? This chapter was a bit longer than the other two, so, please, accept it as my humblest apologies for taking sooo long to update this... thing which I dare to call a fanfic! XD Anyways, now for my favorite part... time to reply to my kind reviews! Looks like I got quite a lot of those, huh? Teehee, I'm so happy!^^
May Oak: Hi, May!^^ Oooh, blushing? Well, I don't really see how Kikyou could blush, seeing as she's dead and all... and Sesshie... nope, can't picture him blushing either o.o; Gomen ne^^; But thanks for reviewing!^^
Ryukku: Teehee... Well, I wouldn't call it "soon", but I did write the next chapter, hehehe^^; Mwah!
Jazz: Yay! Double review!! Thanks much!!! Oh, and I see you also joined my Kikyou/Sesshoumaru fanlisting, huh? Then here goes a double "thank you"!!! ^-^
Deon: Um... I'm sorry, but the chapter had to end sometime, right? o.o; And please don't call me mean, I swear I don't do it on purpose...u.u
Cypress: Hehehe, thanks for your compliments! And I did check and reviewed your other fic. It was funny^^
Youkai Princess: Yay! Double review again!! Thankies!!! Here's more of my fanfic for you, enjoy it!^^
Lynnxlady: Very, very, very, VERY special thanks go to you, not only for your two nice reviews, but also for being my beta-reader for this chapter! *clings and gives cookies* Thank you so very much!!!
Gisela: Lol! I, too, love that part where Rin drags the toad away... I wish I could have more comedy scenes in this fic, though...
Lonely Elven Gurl: You're welcome!^^ And why would I NOT e-mail you? o.o By the way, where did you first find this fic? It still had that lame, old title...
Sadistic Shadow: So we're finally down to Shiara, one of the reasons why it took me so long to update... That girl and her ridiculously ADDICTIVE RP's kept stealing all my free time...o.o; *chokes Shia, then gives her cookies* Teehee! XD Thanks for your double review, anyway!^^
I'd better not be leaving anyone out... but just in case, THANK YOU!!! Anyway, I hope you all have enjoyed this, and stay tuned for the upcoming chapter, "Signs of Fondness". See you on the next update, people! Ja ne!^^