Midnight: We're back!!
Yami Midnight: Again...
Midnight: We'd like to say thank you to all the people who have reviewed so far. You really have helped us.
Yami Midnight: If you're going to get mushy, I'll leave.
Midnight: [blows raspberry]
Challenge
It was the middle of the night, and Katiyo was still asleep. It had been three weeks now since Sesshoumaru had saved her life, again. He had left three days ago on a mission he said was important. He said it would only take a few hours, but he still wasn't back.
"Where could he be? What could he possibly be doing?" she wondered out loud. She let out a sigh.
"This is hopeless! I'm never going to fall asleep. Maybe I'll go read a good book." She threw off the covers and, without changing out of the nightshirt Sesshoumaru had given her; she slipped out of her room without putting her boots on. She wanted to make the least amount of noise possible. Halfway down the hall, she tripped.
"I hate being a klutz! At least I haven't fallen on my face in front of Sesshoumaru...yet." Katiyo got up and continued on to the library. She had been there so many times, she knew the way by heart. When she passed the doors, she took a deep breath.
"I love it here!" Looking around, she spotted a nearby ladder. "Maybe I'll find something up there!" She climbed up and started looking. Running her fingers over a few books, she found one that sounded interesting and started to carry it down the ladder.
"Katiyo, what are you doing up so late?"
Katiyo was so surprised to hear Rin's voice she dropped the book and fell off the ladder.
"Rin! That hurt!! What are you doing up so late?" she got up form the floor and rubbed her backside.
"I heard you trip." Katiyo made Rin a face. In the time since Katiyo had arrived, she and Rin had become fast friends. Rin knew only too well that Katiyo was clumsy.
"I couldn't sleep." She replied.
"I'm worried about him, too." Rin said softly.
"What? I didn't—" There were times when Katiyo wondered if Rin had more power than she led on. The six-year-old certainly had a way of making her feel awkward at times, especially when the subject was Sesshoumaru. Katiyo looked over and saw Rin yawning and rubbing her eyes.
"You'd better get back to bed, missy! Here." Katiyo's fingertips glowed a little as she touched Rin's forehead.
"You'll have sweet dreams tonight! Now, off you go!" She watched Rin leave the room and smiled. She turned to pick up the book she dropped when she heard the sound of cloth behind her.
"Why are you always so nice to her all the time?" Sesshoumaru said behind her.
"She's like the little sister I never had." She answered, still bent down. When she turned to put the book on the table behind her, she dropped it again and gasped.
Sesshoumaru was a mess. He could hardly stand. His armor was completely gone and he was all scratched.
"What happened?" Katiyo asked moving closer to him, her hands glowing.
"It seems my little brother has mastered his sword quite well, for a half demon."
"A sword did this to you?" she whispered, her hand inches away from his chest, ready to heal.
"Don't bother. I can take care of myself." Sesshoumaru said in his expression-less voice.
"You do realize that I can put you to sleep and heal you then, right?"
"Fine." Katiyo placed her glowing hand on Sesshoumaru's chest and relief washed over him in a wave.
"Can you walk? I need you to sit down." Sesshoumaru tried to walk, but only got a few paces when he nearly fell. Katiyo was there to help him. She steered him to a chair she had drawn and he sat down. He hated the thought that he needed help.
"So, your half-brother's sword can do this?" she muttered as she cared for his many scratches, several of them deep, her hands glowing blue this time.
"Yes, it is most formidable."
"So why try and take it if he always beats you with it? Obviously, if he can use it properly, you should just leave him alone." She said matter-of-fact, as she continued healing him.
"How did you know that? Did Jaken tell you? I'm going to behead that toad!"
"It was a wise guess. From your reaction, I guessed right! Don't move." She was now healing the scratches on his face. She pressed a cool fingertip on the tip of his nose and the scratches on his face vanished. Sesshoumaru, thinking she was done, tried to get up, only to wince and be pushed back down by Katiyo.
"I'm not done yet! You still have several cracked ribs." She now placed pink hands on his sides. Sesshoumaru was so wide; it looked like she was hugging him.
"So what weapon did you use?" she asked, genuinely curious.
"Poison claws and a power whip." He answered, expecting her to be awed.
"Well, no wonder you always lose!" she said with a laugh.
"Once again, you are lucky I like you." Sesshoumaru said through gritted teeth.
"You need to beat him before he calls on the power of his sword. Those things are way to slow!" she said, her hands gradually moving down, caring for each set of ribs.
"What do you use in battle, then?" Done, she held out her hands in answer, which were now they're normal color.
"These. I use hand-to-hand combat. My master told me no one could beat me for speed. I also use these sometimes" She said simply, with only the slightest trace of pride. When she lifted her sleeve, Sesshoumaru saw two small talons where her thumb met her wrist.
"I'm done now." Sesshoumaru got up without any pain.
"Thank you." He finally managed to say.
"My pleasure! You really should leave your little brother alone, you know. You should also not go anywhere for the next few days." She said, stepping away from him.
"Why should I stay here?" he asked. He had wanted to run another errand.
"Because, I said so!" Sesshoumaru shot her a death glare. Katiyo giggled.
"You need to rest and Rin was worried sick. Besides, I can knock you out for a couple days, if you prefer."
"Rin was worried?" he said mockingly.
"All right! I was worried. What took you almost three days anyway?" she retorted, her cheeks slightly red.
She's blushing! I can feel her embarrassment! "I had to wait for that Kagome girl to leave. Her sacred arrows are dangerous."
"I see. Anyway, unless you want me to spell you, I would go to bed, if I were you."
"What about you? You are always tired after you heal."
"I'm going too! Don't worry!" As they headed towards the door together Katiyo yawned then said,
"I would like to give this brother of you're a piece of my mind. I'd like to mash him up a bit while I'm at it."
"Why would you want to do that? He's an idiot, just leave him." Secretly, he did not want Katiyo to challenge Inu-Yasha. He was afraid that he would rip her to shred with the Tetsuaiga.
"Maybe I'll challenge you then! Test my skills against a demon lord, you know?" Katiyo said, and then yawned until her jaw cracked. Then she tripped. Sesshoumaru fought hard to keep his face strait.
"Rin was right. You are a klutz. I find it hard to believe that you fight hand-to-hand." He leaned down to help her up and she said,
"I'm going to hurt that girl!" Once again, he had to fight to keep his face strait. Once she was up, she tried to take a few steps, only to collapse again.
"God, I'm tired!" She got on her knees, and then yawned hugely again. She was startled to find herself being lifted off the ground by strong arms.
"I can walk by myself, you know!"
"Be quiet." Sesshoumaru's arms were under her knees and at her shoulder blades and her head was leaning against his chest. It was very comfortable, she had to admit.
Sesshoumaru walked through the halls of his dwelling until he reached Katiyo's chambers. Gently, he laid her on the bed and dragged the covers on top of her. He started to walk out of the room when he heard Katiyo say,
"What of my challenge, Sesshoumaru?" she said sleepily.
"You are on, Katiyo!"
Midnight: Wasn't that cute?
Yami Midnight: Your definition of cute is somewhat vast. Explain for the good people.
Midnight: You know! The whole cutesy healing thing and the carrying thing!
Yami Midnight: You've been watching WAY too much Fushigi Yuugi!!
Midnight: What else are you suppose to do with the box set? Leave it on the shelf to collect dust?
Yami Midnight: It's better than watching it all in one shot (almost).
Midnight: Chichiri 's my favorite, you know!
Yami Midnight: [groan] Not that again! [Sigh]