Disclaimer: IY iz knot myne. Me two dum too ohn grate shoh IY.

Warning: The rating for this fic has gone up to R: Restricted, due to the brief nudity, and blood in Chapters 20a and 20b. Be advised.

Strange Interlude

Chapter 20a

Sesshomaru continued down the dark and lonely halls of the large mansion, searching for the foul demon Naraku. He feared that Naraku had sent a battalion of human soldiers to slow Sesshomaru. Of course, Sesshomaru barreled through the humans easily enough, but it was the second level of Naraku's security force that had disturbed him. The little human without a soul. Obviously she was not mortal, but Sesshomaru's curiosity lay with the use Naraku had of her. Did he consider the little thing a weapon, meant to harm him, son of the Great Dog General? Why would Naraku employ such a puppet against him?

So Sesshomaru wandered the halls, very aware of his surroundings and on the lookout for enemy ki. His search led him to the end of on the better-lit hallways. At the end of this particular hall were two doors—one directly in front of him and one to the left. The large door in front of him had dark aspen siding and thick, expensive paper. The door on the left was smaller, constructed of cheap wooden siding, stained dark to match the other, also made of the cheaper, much more common, door paper.

It was a test. His decision would probably lead him to or away from Naraku. So which would lead him to Naraku? And which would trap him in this maze of a place? Sesshomaru reached out, letting his hand hover over the smaller, less aesthetically pleasing door on the left. The aura that emanated from inside the room was faint, but definitely malicious in nature. Was this the trap Naraku had left for him?

Sesshomaru withdrew his head and after a second's thought reached for the fancier door. From this one he felt a similar, but much smaller aura.

"A child?" thought he.

Listening closely to the contents of the room, Sesshomaru could hear the uneven breathing of a small child. Occasionally its breath would quit and it let out a slight hiccup. Was he crying? What use does Naraku have with these children, locking them in his castle?

Sesshomaru rested his hand on the door and effortlessly slid it open. A pitch-black room lay behind the decorative door. His action caused the breathing to cease. After sliding the door into its fully open and locked position, Sesshomaru took his first step from the fully lanterned hall to the cavernous black room. With light streaming into the dark room from the hall, Sesshomaru could now see the outline of a low kotatsu table in the room's center. After scanning the room, he felt that the child's ki was nowhere to be found.

The room, like the rest of the house, was eerily quiet. Last time the mansion's eerie calm was interrupted by the mysterious phantom child. Surely Naraku had something similar planned for him.

Sesshomaru knew to keep his wits about him. Right now his eyes were focused on that out of place low table. Out of place because the rest of the room was set up as a parlor/ guest room. Sesshomaru took in the scent of the room, noticing the odd chill that had befallen it since his entrance. He flinched as suddenly he felt a strange muscle contraction in his left leg. Sesshomaru turned his gaze downward to find a furry headed human wrapped tightly around his leg. Sesshomaru could only stare. Was this to which the child-like aura belonged?

"Thanks you! Thanks you, sir!" her voice cried in imperfect grammar. Her tiny hands clinched tightly onto his pants. She shook her head and rubbed her face on the cloth of his leg, spreading the tears onto the noble's fine clothing.

Sesshomaru growled at this inconvenience, but was more concerned with this second little girl. Was she not the same as the one in the hall?

The girl continued to cry, "It was so scary! Sir saved one from darkness."

Sesshomaru's unusual curiosity quelled his impulse to dispose of the sobbing young wench. In interest he peered down at her, and lightly touching her little shoulder knelt down to peer more closely at her face. The child sniffled and dried her eyes, turning her large round eyes toward the stern face of her supposed savior.

Sesshomaru was compelled even further to notice that the face he saw was exactly that of the ghost of the foreign girl, although some differences did exist. This ghost was older, if only a year or so, and the cute shoulder-length curls the other ghost had were gone on this one. Her hair was singed—uneven and short. But her eyes, her freckles and face were the same.

"What is this?" Sesshomaru pondered aloud, not particularly to anyone.

The girl's eyes were welling up again, "This one was supposed to guard to. Master sent this one to be a guard."

"A little child?" Sesshomaru marveled. "He employed a scared child to protect her? But why?"

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru asked the girl, maintaining his grip on her shoulder and his gaze into her eyes.

"It's in there," she pointed, "but it's scary—something wrong in there."

Sesshomaru stood and turned his head in the direction of the girl's fingers. He assessed what he knew: "Naraku had used a bird incarnation to capture the one known as Jennifer and had set her in a room adjoining this one. The two little girls Sesshomaru had encountered were charged by Naraku to guard the human from me. And by this one's words there may be yet another creature in that room with her. But, why? Did the sinister half-demon actually think one as great and as mighty as Lord Sesshomaru to be taken down by such children?"

The little ghost's renewed shouting interrupted Sesshomaru's thoughts.

"Do not leave this one alone! It's very scary!!" the crybaby wailed, running over to and clinging once more onto Sesshomaru's leg.

"Let go!" he spat at her.

The girl pretended not to hear. "Don't go in there!" she pleaded, "It is bad! A bad girl!"

Sesshomaru looked once more at the sliding wall, temporarily forgetting the blubbering child. It seemed that door to the hall, when completely opened, shut the two rooms from each other. So when the door was shut, the rooms were one. He then thought of the two energies in the rooms. The child's was timid and hidden, not revealing herself until he had opened the door, thus shutting off the adjacent room and the evil presence within.

Sesshomaru thus concluded that what he sought would be in that room. He stepped forward on his right foot and reached out to touch the sliding paper door.

"No!!" the girl begged, tugging hard on Sesshomaru's pants, "Tall man doesn't understand. It the girl evil. Tall man must not open the door!"

Sesshomaru kicked at the girl, dislodging her from his leg and several feet across the floor to the kotatsu. Neither her presence, nor her confusing manner of speech would he stand anymore. The child cried of course, but Sesshomaru did not waste another thought on her. He flung open the door, slamming it into the opposite wall, shutting the door to the hall and his only source of light.

...

In the darkness, Sesshomaru's golden eyes peered into the hidden room. Through the dark, as black as night, Sesshomaru detected not the evil presence he deduced had to exist, but he could determine the faint silhouette of a long humanoid form sprawled on the floor. He narrowed his eyes to focus on the finer details of the obviously female figure.

Sesshomaru crossed the threshold into the new room, and the sleeping figure did not stir. Another step. Sesshomaru took in the smell of the room, but stopped mid-breath. The scent of the room was one he had not smelled in a long while. The sweet scent of sweat, dirt and human stink, the scent of the one he had come to reclaim. The scent of his—

Four large oil lamps suddenly flickered to life. The small room was immediately lit and Sesshomaru could full gaze upon the clothed young human. Wearing the loosely tied shirt of Sesshomaru and what remained of the shredded pants, she lay as if flung haphazardly across the ground.

Sesshomaru was no doubt and excited and relieved at the same time, but if asked would have flippantly denied ever experiencing either emotion. And yet his countenance displayed wariness. He thought on how easy it was to find her.

Sesshomaru took another step into the room, suspiciously gazing upon the face he had not seen in so long. The beautiful face was no different than he had last seen her. She had a long, mature face, with freckles adorning her pale cheeks; her long frizzy hair lay about in elegant tresses against her face and on the floor.

Before Sesshomaru could take his next step, bringing him to no more than three feet from the girl, her eyes fluttered open.

With this, Sesshomaru became excited, but quickly masked this sign of emotion with cool indifference.

She looked around the room blindly at first, and groggily pulled herself to sitting position, holding her head in her right hand. Her head turned toward Sesshomaru and after a second of letting her eyes re-focus, she smiled at what she saw.

"Sesshomaru!" she exclaimed.

Sesshomaru didn't know how to respond. The girl he had planned on rescuing was there before his eyes. Right there. Naraku must have left her and fled. Now Sesshomaru could take her back.

But why?

What purpose did he have with her? How will it be once they returned to the cave? Does life go back to the way it was before—separation and lonely isolation of the girl and himself? It wasn't like he personally felt for the human, but over the month or so of having known her, he felt that she was his to protect from the world.

The teenaged woman rose wobbly to her feet. Sesshomaru u moved forward on instinct should she stumble. Her sweet smile never fading, she nearly floated toward Sesshomaru. Her arms outstretched, she grasped him in to a hug. Her arms gracefully avoided the sharp barbs of his armor, her gorgeous head of hair lying gently on his fluffy pelt.

For several seconds they stayed like that, Sesshomaru at a loss for words. Quickly recovering he reached his only hand to take hold of her left shoulder, gently pushing her away.

"Off," he said, almost as if he wished he didn't have to be so hard. But his insight piqued when he moved her away from him. He shoulder...It was

"Thank you for saving me," she said, quickly moving herself from his grasp. She did not seem angered, and even playfully put her arms behind her back, swinging her shoulders from side to side like a child.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He had done nothing. She had awakened by herself.

"You know..." she began, looking away as if she was fighting within herself to finish, "I really missed you." She looked up with a big smile.

Sesshomaru still said nothing.

"I can't wait to get back to the cave with you and Jaken," she said to his silence.

"She is rather happy," Sesshomaru thought, "Has she completely about her imprisonment? Would she really so happily return to that mundane existence?"

Then her expression changed, "Did you even care that Naraku captured me?!"

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. Such a sudden change in mood, surely this was she.

"Well?" she demanded of him, stepping forward and increasing his unease.

Sesshomaru pained himself to speak, "How were you captured?"

"Oh awful!!" she exclaimed, her expression changing once more, "It was so scary! He just appeared out of nowhere and transported me here."

"Who?" Sesshomaru asked with an edge of suspicion in his voice.

"Naraku..." Jennifer replied, "Who else?"

Sesshomaru, "But Naraku was not the one who took her."

"It's a good thing he did not harm you." He prodded.

"Oh yeah, I know! I guess it's pretty strange that all he did was lock me in this room."

"Yes..." Sesshomaru agreed, "very strange."

"Strange that there are cuts and scars on her legs, and yet she admits not their existence."

Sesshomaru stepped forward. The girl looked up and blinked her eyes. Sesshomaru inwardly scowled.

"This copy is almost convincing."

Sesshomaru called her name. She only continued to stare and blinked.

A second later, "What?"

A second too late.

Sesshomaru now had the proof he needed; this thing was not Jennifer. He rushed forward bring forth his right hand, like a dagger.

In an instant the copy reacted and grabbed him by the wrist. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and Jennifer smirked. Sesshomaru leapt backward and charged again, pulling his arm back. A bright yellow light shone around it as he flung it forward, lengthening and throwing the light whip at Naraku's puppet.

She merely ducked, taking the opportunity to come up on the inside. She smiled and launched a high kick. Sesshomaru leaned back just in time, her flexed foot just missing his chin. The ghost of Jennifer stepped forward, keeping the distance between them short. A second later, she launched her fists at him. Sesshomaru was too quick, however. He jumped back flawlessly and Jennifer only continued her pursuit.

Sesshomaru defended from her advances, leaping back into the parlor and onto the low table. The puppet strolled nimbly after him. She paused some five feet from him and moved her hand through her hair, smiling seductively. Sesshomaru merely stood and looked down upon the dirty, non-human. Sesshomaru, reflecting the copy's technique lasciviously moved his hand through his long, silver hair, slow and painstakingly deliberate. Sesshomaru felt the false one's anger (as well as some other things) arousing.

She growled lividly and immediately sought to counter his last attack. A flash of insight came into her otherwise dull pupils as she wrapped her hand around the yellow and purple sash around her waist. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow as she pulled loose the elaborate sash, letting the large, torn pants to fall to her ankles.

Fortunately the shirt she wore was long enough to cover her, but the removal of the ribbon, also caused the folded shirt to fall, revealing cleavage.

Sesshomaru faltered. Even he was male and, although against his wishes, reacted to these desperate actions of the insane, although female, human puppet.

But this was only temporary, for she soon resumed her charge against him, breaking Sesshomaru from his current conscious reality. Once seeing the trap she was trying to put him in, his determination increased. This would go on no longer.

The right instant before her punch would reach, the mighty Sesshomaru jumped high into the air, his head nearly touching the spacious 20ft. ceiling. Where Sesshomaru had just been, the girl's fist slapped only air. She tossed a furious glance upward just in time to see Sesshomaru to fall and land on her back.

He sprung lightly from the girl's crumpled body and raised his right arm forward, palm flexed and ready to spread the noxious poison from his claws as soon as she stood.

The slumped body of the girl puppet lay facedown on the table. Her eyes were closed and her body no longer moved from taking breaths. But Sesshomaru still stood poised; this was not over yet.

A second later Jennifer's eyes opened and her non-life was revived. In rage of remembrance she pushed herself up to her palms, letting the robes she wore hang open as well as her—

Sesshomaru did not waste his perfect chance. The girl was about to stand, when Sesshomaru lashed out and seized the girl by the throat. He dug his nails into the soft flesh of neck, crushing her vocal cords and windpipe. Blood spattered from the punctures in her throat as well as her mouth. Her eyes widened as she gasped for breath, but found none.

Sesshomaru was merciless, refusing to loosen his grip. He squeezed her torn larynx, releasing the poison held beneath his nails. The flesh around Jennifer's throat wrinkled to a gray-green color. Her puppet mouth opened to release a silent screech, more blood, dribbling down her chin and chest. Her eyes became glassy and wet, tears forming in their corners. With hesitant breath she gasped for the little air there was. Her eyes rolled over to look at Sesshomaru. She gazed into his eyes, and unwavering, he stared right back.

Tears welled and fell, emotional pain temporarily overwhelming her great physical pain.

"I...I love you," she mouthed.

Sesshomaru listened not, instead preferring to end her non-life.

The bloodied corpse fell to the floor.

Sesshomaru stared not at the mangled puppet, but at his blood-stained fingers. He turned his head toward the half-open door and wiped his hand on the fur cloak on his shoulder.

This would only be the first blood to fall.

And with that, Sesshomaru crossed the threshold in to the hall, determined more than ever to find and kill Naraku. Upon leaving, the girl, face contorted and sad, evaporated, any evidence of her death, even blood, fading along with it, until even the hair and Gollum from which she was created, blew away on an invisible wind.

()()()()(endpart-a)()()()()

This chapter's really huge, so as a benefit to you, it's split in half, so you can have a break to comment on what you've read so far. But please so hurry on to Part B. You don't want to forget something you've just read if you take too much of a break...Thank you!