Chapter 1 - Unintentional Rescue
Mirouku sank to his knees, clutching his wrist. "Damn it..." he hissed, vision blurring. The sudden mononoke and youkai ambush had almost seemed deliberately planned, throwing the entire group from their original path and into turmoil. Having been separated for over an hour, the monk's Kazaana was having the workout of a lifetime and he swore the black hole was actually becoming full.
Mirouku squinted through a haze of colors until he focused on a blob of white. "Inuyasha...?"
Sesshoumaru scowled at the delirious monk's assumption of being his pathetic half-brother and turned to leave when he heard the soft rustling beside him. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried, bursting forth. A frustrated Jaken followed, mumbling under his breath.
Mirouku's dull blue eyes widened and he struggled to his feet with the help of his staff. The forest behind him shook, cracking under thunderous footsteps, and he started losing his balance.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!"
"Rin."
The young girl climbed onto the youkai's back, clinging tightly as he took to the air. Sesshoumaru took hold of the fur wrapped over his shoulder and lashed it outwards, catching the injured monk and bringing him back, his arm holding the body.
"Sesshou...maru," Mirouku groaned.
Sesshoumaru landed gently and deposited the body beside the two-headed creature Rin had graciously named Ah-Un. "Mister, are you okay?" said girl question. Rin leaned close then jumped back with a gasp as Mirouku yelled, digging his fingers into his cursed arm.
"Don't die in front of her," came the harsh whisper and the monk found himself being lifted by his left arm. He was pushed in the direction of Ah-Un, where Rin had ran and seated herself.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, is he coming with us? Are you going to take care of him? Can Rin take care of him?" Her voice rose with a childish gaiety at the last question.
"Do whatever you want with him," Sesshoumaru muttered, concentrating his energy to lift himself from the ground, Jaken with him. With Mirouku laying haphazardly across her pet, Rin tugged the reins gently and the took off after the Western lands' lord.
"Don't come!" the ebony-haired male screamed, backing away from his friends. His arm convulsed tremendously, the rosary bursting away.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha grabbed the girl, leaping out of the path of destruction despite her protests and attempts to escape his grip. "Sango," he yelled. "It's too late!"
"No! Houshi-sama!" Kirara roared, tossing her owner onto her back, Shippo already there. "No! We can't leave him!" Sango reached out as the youkai took to the air.
Mirouku raised his head slowly, a weak smile on his face. The Earth around him shuddered, rocks and pebbles beginning to float. "I'm sorry... everyone. Forgive me." The blue eyes widened and Mirouku body went rigid as the Air Void in his hand expanded, drawing him slowly in.
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The claw to his throat strangled and cut short the monk's scream. He waited for his vision to return and stared up at a very angry Sesshoumaru. He gagged, tilting his head to indicate his need for air.
"Sesshoumaru-sama..." Rin tugged on the empty sleeve, her way of conveying for him to stop.
The youkai lessened his grip, but didn't remove his claw. "Keep your nightmares silent, no matter how gruesome. I'd rather Rin come running to me when it matters," he snapped. Sesshoumaru drew back, eyeing the red marks left on the other's neck, then glanced down at Rin. "Go to my room."
Her brown eyes widened with excitement. "Really? Rin can?" The lord's expression never changed, but she knew her Sesshoumaru-sama and ran off, squeals echoing in the large halls.
"How long have I been out?" Mirouku finally choked out, rubbing his sore neck. "And why did you rescue me?"
"Don't think so highly of yourself. That Inuyasha is bound to come looking for you: your life for reliable information on Naraku."
"I can think highly of myself if I'm pitted for Naraku information." The monk smiled despite the cold glare and stretched out comfortably on the surprisingly large bed.
"You've also been sleeping a week."
His smile faltered and he suppressed his trembling at the thought of the problem extending so far already. He'd kept it from the others-the recent dreams and bouts of pain in his right arm-because he didn't want their sympathy. Even Inuyasha's gaze at times reflected that he actually cared. To rid his mind of the-thoughts, Mirouku gingerly turned his head, admiring the copious room; he felt it could be more inviting.
The stone walls were bare and he assumed the only reason a full-length mirror inhabited one of the walls was because this room belonged to the young girl. He spotted a chest to the side and one at the foot of the bed he lay in. Turning his gaze upwards, Mirouku smiled at the still-standing male. "You're going to watch over me? Right, right. Don't think so highly of myself. I assume you need a place to sleep?" He scooted over, turning down the thick covers.
The youkai's lips curved up into a small smirk, and he tilted his head faintly, loftily. "A lowly monk who travels with a hanyou and useless humans. I'd rather share a bed with Jaken."
"Jaken..." Mirouku toyed around with the name in his head, then shrugged, rolling onto his side, away from Sesshoumaru. He yanked the covers over his head, sighing deeply, and muttered a muffled "good night". 'I don't want to go yet...' The young man raised his hand slowly, staring at it, then clenched it into a fist before letting his body relax and eyes slide shut.
"Mister. Mister. Mister!"
Mirouku sat up sharply, bags under his eyes, eyelids drooping. "What...?" he droned.
Rin squeaked, stepping back. She leaned forward slowly, tilting her head. "Mister. Jaken-sama said to ask you to watch over me while I bathe."
Mirouku's eyebrow rose and he gave a lopsided grin. "You're serious?"
"Hai!"
His grin fell.
"I'll show you where."
The monk groaned and tossed back the sheets. He allowed his feet to touch the bare floor and stood, wobbling slightly. "Where's my staff?"
"Sesshoumaru-sama took it," Rin replied, standing by his side. "Ready, mister?"
"It's Mirouku."
"Mirouku-sama."
"Not... Oh," Mirouku sighed and shook his head. "Forget it. Let's go."
"Un." Rin took his hand and pulled him from the room, the monk barely able to slip his feet into his recently spotted sandals.
It was only upon leaving the castle and glancing back did Mirouku truly see how large the structure was. "Why the hell does Inuyasha complain?" he muttered, stumbling after the girl while still surveying the palatial estate. "I would die to live here."
"Mirouku-sama. Pay attention." Rin tugged on his hand and he yelled, tripping and falling along his side on the rocky ground.
Sesshoumaru scoffed and turned away from the open door, the sounds of Rin's wailing cries of concern over the human fading the further he moved down the front hall.
The little child helped the monk to his feet, tugging on his arm with all her strength and took his hand again, starting back at a pace that would ensure no one got hurt.
Once there, Mirouku sat on the dirt bank, splashing water on his bruised arm while keeping a sharp eye on the girl splashing in the water. He smiled at her youthful energy, admiring it for remaining so pleasant after living with youkai and witnessing such interminable death. "Rin?" he called out.
Rin glanced over with a large grin at being addressed as such. "Hai?"
"Are you finished? And do you intend to drip-dry?"
"Rin wants more time," the girl protested. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please?"
Mirouku's eyes crossed in confusion and he looked over his shoulder. The youkai's sudden closeness caused his heart to stop for a total of five seconds and his hand shot to his chest, squeezing to encourage it back into beating. "Can't you stomp around like your brother?! I like to have some sort of warning—"
"Get out of the water," the youkai interrupted as though the human's words never reached him. Rin pouted but did so.
"Don't ignore me!" Mirouku yelled, standing so he was face-to-face with Sesshoumaru.
The cold and empty eyes regarded him for a few moments, before the elder male replied, "If I choose to acknowledge you, I might kill you, because you presence annoys me immensely."
The monk laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Ignore me, then. Rin, come on."
"Rin's coming!" The girl was tugging her kimono back on and struggling to get it closed properly. Mirouku bypassed Sesshoumaru and headed toward the child, kneeling to help her at a more workable pace, then lifted her into his arms, standing. "I'll make you some breakfast, okay? Just show me where the kitchen is... if it has one." Rin opened her mouth to answer enthusiastically, but snapped it shut at the small shake of Sesshoumaru's head.
"We're leaving," the youkai said curtly. "The sooner I have my information, the better."
"He also wants to get rid of me," Mirouku whispered to the little girl, using the sleeve of his robe to dry her hair.
"That too." A shiver ran up the young man's spine for the lord was standing right behind him again when he answered.
"Let's go get Ah-Un," Rin giggled.
"Ah-Un?" Mirouku blinked. She wiggled in Mirouku's arms and he let her down, his eyes following her small form as she ran through grass almost taller than her. The monk turned to confront Sesshoumaru but the silver-haired male had disappeared. He sighed and folded his hands into the sleeves of his dark robes, waiting for Rin to return.
Mirouku closed his eyes, listening to the wind through the leaves and imagined himself actually living in a demon-free world like Kagome's. 'Am I even alive long enough to carry out a family of my own? Maybe I should ask her to look me up.' His thoughts dispersed at the yelling of his name and he looked up, grinning. He waved to the girl on the back of the two-headed scaled beast, realizing this was how he must have gotten to the castle; he doubt he walked and highly doubted Sesshoumaru carried him.
"This is Ah-Un, then?" Mirouku asked the creature landed.
"Un," Rin chirped. He swung up behind Rin and sat for a few moments before mumbling the question of where they were going. "To look for Naraku," Rin answered knowingly.
"Aa..."
"Ah. Jaken-sama!" She waved to the diminutive frog youkai trailing behind Sesshoumaru who'd recently appeared. Ah-Un's left head snorted, shaking. Mirouku and Jaken shared a mutually murderous glare as they remembered how they'd met.
'That's right. I hate them both. Rin's an innocent in this.' Mirouku ran his fingers gently through her hair in unconscious gesture and returned the smile she gave him. Sesshoumaru watched the two humans carefully then turned away with a scowl, a cloud appearing under his feet to take him and Jaken into the air. Ah-Un followed the youkai lord after Rin's gentle snap of the reins.
Traveling through the air for what seemed like hours, Mirouku became more chilled then when he used to move by ground. Also, Sango wasn't here to keep him warm-her slaps allowed the hot sting in his cheek to transpire through whatever parts of his body it could reach. He shuddered involuntarily and tucked his hands under his arms, hunching forward. "Rin, aren't you cold?"
"Nope." She shook her head, smiling faintly. Her grip on the reins loosened so her pet could follow the Sesshoumaru that started to descend. The dark-haired male straightened up as they entered into the forest through its canopy, raising an arm to protect himself and Rin from the more elongated branches managing to reach them. In a matter of moments, Ah-Un had landed and lain after its passengers had departed.
Mirouku sat with his back to a broad tree, pulling his knees to his chest as a way of trying to force out the cold. Rin appeared before him, leaning down with her hands pressed against her knees.
"Mirouku-sama. Come with me to pick some flowers," she requested.
"Not right now."
"But, Mirouku-sama... I would have made you a pretty crown."
"I'm sorry, Rin," the monk smiled apologetically.
"Go." Blue eyes raised to meet golden orbs at the other side of the tiny clearing, Sesshoumaru having gave the order.
"Aren't you worried I might run off?" the human male asked. It was the mocking, almost sadistic, smirk that made him reach for the rosary on his right hand. Mirouku gasped at the claw pressed against his throat and forced himself not to swallow.
"You'd be dead before you started the task of revealing that Kazaana, monk," Sesshoumaru hissed right next to the human's ear. He pulled back his claw and stepped away. "Jaken," he called out, Mirouku already forgotten.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," the frog said in a sing-song voice.
Rin tugged on the dark robes, pulling Mirouku's arms down, and took his hands with a small smile. "It's all right," she said. "Sesshoumaru-sama wouldn't hurt you." He felt bad drawing a smile from the girl's naïvety, but felt that if Rin could believe it with all her heart, there must be some truth behind her words. Maybe, deep, deep down somewhere, Sesshoumaru did have compassion.
Or not.
Decorated with bright yellow and pink flowers as Rin had promised—but from head come all the way down to the makeshift flower cuffs—Mirouku sat atop Ah-Un, the prize of the siblings' quarreling. The chances of them happening across each other were slim to none, because he had had no idea they came back to the place where everyone had been separated.
"Houshi-san, are you all right?" Sango called out.
"Y—"
"He's fine."
The monk threw a scowl at the back of Sesshoumaru's head for having answered for him, then nodded at the worried taijiya.
"You've gone too far this time," Kagome yelled.
The youkai lord glanced her way. "One thing about your humans—you can't control them. If I hadn't come across him, he would've been killed days ago." Kagome's anger waned at the thought, but her scowl remained, feeding off of Sesshoumaru's cynical smirk, which was also being fed from the girl's faint embarrassment.
"I know you, Sesshoumaru," the hanyou growled softly. "What do you want?"
"Information about Naraku. Anything you have that's new and of use to me."
"We don't have any!"
"Then you're short one human."
"Inuyasha!" Shippo screeched. "You could've lied."
The white-haired half demon punched the fox in his head. "Shut up..." he mumbled, avoiding his brother's gaze.
"I would've found out, and disposed of all the humans you call friends." His speech ended at that and he called for his servant. Jaken stepped forward, leering at Kagome as he was lifted into the air by Sesshoumaru's cloud.
"Mirouku!" Shippo wailed.
"Houshi-san!" The taijiya pulled her choice weapon from her back, but Inuyasha held out Tetsusaiga to halt her. They could only watch sullenly as the other travelers disappeared over the tops of the trees. With a growl, Inuyasha slipped the Fang back into its case sharply. 'Damn you, Sesshoumaru!' He hissed through his teeth, claw tightening around the sword's handle.