I'm back! Fear me! My arm is back in action (even if the wrist isn't totally healed yet, but it's gonna be!) I typed most of this last night, so after the plant convention today, I might type more. I feel like this was a bit evil. And just to answer question I know people are asking in their heads, I don't think a fever could be as jumpy as Sesshy's is, but I've been studying viruses and bacteria, so that may be part of the reason he's not totally better yet. Coulda been worse. He coulda been attacked by prions...ignore me...

Ch. 11 Reviews

ChibiFluffy: I know. It was cute, wasn't it? This story has to end NOW!! Too much mush!!

Aura Black Chan: I loved writing that fluffy moment. (Wipes eyes) Finally, they're connecting. Don't ya just love the impossible becoming possible?

Ani-talk

&Kirara& (used to be equal signs because they look like whiskers, but the site is evil...)

Ch.12

Sesshoumaru woke up before the others. He went to where Kagome was, pulling from her fingers the small Tupperware container that housed the flower-paste from last night. Unless he was mistaken, the paste would serve as eye drops and maybe if he ate the rest, he'd be relieved of the headache-causing fever.

Well, here goes nothing...

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and rubbed the paste onto his eyelids so that it flowed slowly into his tear ducts. He shuddered as the grainy stuff entered them.

After a while, the taiyoukai rubbed the remainder off and opened his eyes, blinking a few times.

His vision was back.

Nice. Very nice.

He stared hard at the remainder of the flowers.

This doesn't look the least bit edible. I guess some things are just better left unknown; I am not going to attempt to eat this snot pile.

Without another thought, he lidded the container and placed it next to Kagome. Now that he was more or less healed, he wanted to leave very badly. But to him, what was the point of leaving? He no longer really had anyone to go back to...

Jaken was sprawled next to Miroku, clutching the Staff of Heads close to him. Sesshoumaru looked down on the little imp with a bit of care in his eyes.

Jaken is all I have left. He may be...irksome...but at the least he was a good traveling companion. Before Rin, he was my only outlet of feelings. It can always be that way...

Inwardly, Sesshoumaru groaned. Nothing could ever be the same without Ah-Un and Rin. He missed them terribly, something he would never admit to anyone but himself...but perhaps that was part of the problem? He was too stiff, regulatory...stoic, even.

I would change my ways, if only you would come back to me, my...friends...

&Why so melancholy?&

Sesshoumaru didn't need to turn to guess who had addressed him. The soft meow was plenty evidence.

::Why do you care, neko?::

&I have a name. It's Kirara. Perhaps you figured it out earlier?& the fire cat mewed in sarcastic tones.

::Leave me alone.::

&...do you need to talk?&

::No.::

&Okay, well if you ever do, I have nothing against Dogs...known some respectable ones, really...&

Sesshoumaru transformed and trotted away.

Kirara sighed in a catlike fashion.

Hopeless.

Sesshoumaru dove into the stream and retrieved his armor.

It is fortunate that my armor is made partially of bones and partially of rust-resistant metals, he thought to himself as he reverted back into humanoid form.

With difficulties arising from having only one arm, and an injured one at that, he tried to squirm into his armor...

&Need help, Koinu-sama?&

Puppy lord?!

::Neko, you are infuriating.::

&Not infuriating. Kirara.&

The said cat leapt from her vantage point and helped the disgruntled Lord of the West into his armor.

&No thanks?&

"Hn."

Sesshoumaru pondered on Kirara's first words to him.

Why so melancholy?

"Rin. You have faired well I hope?"

"Ah and Un and I behaved very well. However, Master Jaken has grown quite melancholy..."

::What do you want to talk about...Kirara?::

&About you. I can tell you are sad just as well as Inuyasha and Shippo can. Difference is I'm as old as you are, so I know how to better deal with it. Inuyasha slept with you last night, you know. He could sense your unrest, and his instincts of sibling comfort clashed with sibling rivalry to cause that.&

"Hn."

&That must be your favorite sound.&

"Hn."

&...well...Back to what I was saying...I think you feel really bad about Ah-Un and all. So perhaps you should find them and apologize...&

::I already tried that. They will not listen; besides, perhaps it is better this way...::

&Don't lie to yourself! Without them, you feel like you are missing part of yourself. A vital part...&

::How do you know?::

&...I miss Midoriko too...and when Sango is not around, I miss her. We animals need companionship, be it human or youkai...&

Sesshoumaru's shoulders sagged as he realized Kirara was correct. He got to his feet.

&Need a ride?&

::It could not hurt.::

Sesshoumaru rode astride Kirara and together, Cat and Dog went in pursuit of Ah-Un and Rin.

'Ah, you sense it, don't you?'

-He nears us. Shall we slow down, or proceed?-

'I believe slow down. Maybe we should hear his plea.'

-That I can agree on, Un. Forgiveness, however, I can not guarantee...-

The dragon slowed down, and eventually the fire cat reached them, astride her back their former master.

::Ah-Un!! Please wait!::

Kirara pulled alongside them.

::Ah-Un. Please come back.::

-Give us a reason to.-

::I ask your forgiveness. I was being rash, and have been behaving so since this illness of mine began. I have been under much stress and I took it out on my companions, my...friends...::

'...friends?'

::Yes,:: the taiyoukai barked. :: Friends. I am truly sorry that I have been...what were your exact words...ah, yes...an emotionless wart?::

Ah sniggered.

::Can you find it within yourselves to forgive me?::

-...What do you say, Ah? Give the koinu another chance?-

'Why not? He will learn...'

::I am not a koinu!::

-you're our koinu, though!- Ah said kindly. –We forgive you.-

Sesshoumaru smirked.

::So. How did you and Rin do for a day?:: he asked, nodding to the sleeping child.

-She missed her master terribly, but for the most part, she slept it out,- Ah told him.

Sesshoumaru let his shoulders sag again.

'M'lord, does something ail you?' Un asked.

::I want to go back to the way things were. I was more content that way.::

-However, that is not possible for a while. You must stay with your brother until you are fully healed. You saw how easy it is for you to relapse into a fever and your temperature is still several degrees high.-

::And I think it is rising a bit more, for my headache is becoming unbearable.::

Ah-Un sniffed at Sesshoumaru.

-It is rising. We must get you to the ground once more. You didn't eat the paste, did you?-

::I did not think it would be hygienic or helpful,:: he admitted.

'Good thing, too. The plant causes a violent bodily reaction if it reaches your digestive system...'

::Elaborate.::

-What Un means is that it acts like a sort of...laxative...and cleans your whole system out. Effective, but it makes one miserable, I've heard.-

::Then I suppose it is lucky that my curiosity is learning its place.::

So saying, Sesshoumaru rested on Kirara's back with a sigh. His world was starting to spin a bit.

&I think we should get him out of the air.&

End fluffy sequence. And I don't mean "fluffy" as in Sesshoumaru. I find that a little more degrading than Sessho or Sesshy. Anyway, enough of my dribble. You got enough of that in the chapter.

R&R please!!