AN: I know it's been FOREVER so, I won't chatter for too long, I'll just let you read. However there is a warning which I cna't give you details, I just don't want you to kill me until I get part eight up! It will be remided I PROMISE! SO bear with me! (And don't come after me with pitch forks)
Seven
"So, I want you take this." I handed the wad of yen to Gram.
"What is this for?" She looked surprised, just as Gramps did as he stood beside her.
"My rent. For staying here and then some for keeping my things."
"No we can no keep this!" She held it back out to me and I pushed it back at her.
"I don't need it where I'm going, so you should keep it, maybe take that trip to Okinawa you wanted to."
"You sure?"
"Yes absolutely positive." I looked out the open rice panel to see Sesshomaru waiting with the two bags I had crammed most of my stuff into and then hugged Gramps and Gram tightly.
"I'll come visit I swear."
"No, you be far too busy, just think and remember." Gram said and I nodded as she patted my hand.
"Alright, I'll do that."
"Lin you look sad. What trouble you? He not make you happy?"
"Uh…
"Come on, it is getting late." Sesshomaru was angry and I knew it, but his tone didn't change. I gave them each one more hug and then walked to Sesshomaru.
"Well then let's move it." Sesshomaru had the straps of the bags over his shoulder and then I stepped into his unwelcoming outstretched arms or rather arm. He wrapped his hand tightly around my waist and I pressed my face into his fur-covered shoulder and I felt his knees bend and then the jolt that told me we were in the air again. Before I could stop them tears were making trails down my face and I started to shake a little. I felt Sesshomaru hit the ground but I kept my face in fur and kept crying. I didn't want to be this helpless and weak looking, I was by nature tough and sarcastic, why then was I crying like a baby?
Finally the tears stopped and Sesshomaru moved, and then took another leap. I felt a rush of wind then his feet slammed on the hard ground. The smell around was damp and musty and I knew we were back in the well.
"LOOOOORRRDDD SESSSHOOOMAAARUUUU!" Rin's voice echoed down from the opening and Sesshomaru leaped out of the well and onto the grass beside Rin where he dropped me. I landed hard on my butt. Sesshomaru strapped my two bags to Ah-Un.
"That hurt!"
"Get up." I stood quickly, while Sesshomaru glared down at me.
"Jaken bring me one of those kimonos." Sesshomaru held out his hand.
"Yes my Lord." Jaken scrambled over to Ah-Un and returned just as quickly with a kimono folded neatly. He handed it to Sesshomaru who shook it from its neat folds and then held it out to me. I looked at the pattern. It was exactly like his except where red should have been there was green.
"Oh I don't think so!"
"Change."
"NO! I will not look like your female counterpart!"
"You are my… companion."
"Hell no! You know that I don't like it!"
He threw the kimono at me and then grabbed my shirt and tossed me a few feet so I landed behind some trees.
"OUCH!" I got up and then giving the kimono one last look of disgust I took off my clothes and started to change.
Sesshomaru waited impatiently while Lin was changing she hadn't been gone for thirty seconds when he heard an unmistakable voice.
"Sesshomaru!" He turned to see his little half brother Inuyasha standing poised with the Tetsusaiga out and ready.
"Hanyou."
"I've got a name you know!"
"I am aware of that."
"What do you want here!"
"I have my reasons."
"I saw you in Kagome's world! What do you want to do to her?"
"Not a thing pitiful hanyou, she is a mortal nothing more to…"
"Inuyasha! I'm EEK!" Kagome had just emerged from the well and was now behind Inuyasha.
I heard Kagome's voice from my position behind a tree. What the heck was she doing here? Well no better time then the present to find out, but I had to do this the right way, the disgusting way.
"I want nothing to do with you. I have other matters."
"What like hunting for Naraku, or do you want the Tetsusaiga?"
"Both, not that you should have any interest."
"SHUT UP!" Inuyasha charged at Sesshomaru who merely stepped aside and Inuyasha stopped and turned on his heel.
"Pitiful."
"I don't want to…"
"Sesshomaru? What is going on here?" Lin asked as she emerged from the trees.
I came up beside him and linked my arm through his. Rin and Jaken had suddenly disappeared. I looked up at Sesshomaru looking as innocent as I could and that included batting my eyelashes. Sesshomaru gazed down at me.
"Move out of the way fool."
"No. Tell me what's going on, please." I false pleaded with him and to my surprise his gaze softened.
"As you can see this pitiful hanyou is trying to spoil my day once…"
"LIN!" Kagome hit me full force and I had to let go of Sesshomaru or lose an arm. I chose to let go.
"Oh my gosh! You're all right! What are you doing here? And why are you with him!"
"When you get off of me,"
"Oh sorry!"
"I'll explain the situation. Hey Fluff Wad simmer down or Doggie Boy will do you in!" I growled at Sesshomaru and both he and Inuyasha spun on me and began to walk towards me.
"So my brother got himself a whore." Inuyasha sniggered, Kagome looked repulsed and she shouted,
"SIT!" Inuyasha hit the ground with a thud, but Sesshomaru kept coming.
"I said calm down Fluffy! If you don't then I'll…" Oh shit I was on cracked thin ice. What could I possibly do that could make him afraid of me. Then it hit me.
"I'm warning you! If you don't stay back I'll rush up and kiss you until your lips are sore! Yeah that's right I'll even do it willingly!" Sesshomaru stopped. The look in his eyes showed if nothing else disgust. I was catching up (Sesshomaru: Some big number, Lin: 4)
"KAGOME! Get away from her!" Inuyasha shouted.
"No! Lin why are you here?"
"Hell if I know! Sir Frownsalot here just plucked me out of the New Year's festival and now I'm supposed to be his 'companion'."
"That's horrible! Sesshomaru well he's… well…" Kagome couldn't seem to find the words. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were in agreement; for once they were both profoundly confused.
"We're leaving wench." Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and grabbed my arm.
"No we're not!"
"Yeah let her go!" Kagome added meekly.
"Hmph." Sesshomaru flung me up onto his shoulder and then leaped into a nearby tree.
"DAMN YOU! PUT ME DOWN YOU STUPID SON OF A… EEEEKK! DON'T YOU DARE DROP ME DAMN IT! I SWEAR IF I KNEW HOW I'D…"
Inuyasha and Kagome stood there in the clearing listening to Lin's outrageous cursing as the two faded into the distance. Inuyasha looked at Kagome.
"You want me to go get her?"
"Well of… wait!" Kagome threw out her arm to stop Inuyasha.
"What?"
"What if… maybe… it's possible… yes maybe that's it! Oh wouldn't it be wonderful!" Kagome was looking all happy and jumping around as if it was her birthday.
"Uh Kagome what are you talking about?"
"Oh you don't see it! You are thick headed!"
"Kagome!"
"Can't you see it! Sesshomaru's in love with Lin!"
"Huh?"
"Yeah isn't it great! They'd make such a cute couple! Who would of thought?"
"Huh?" Inuyasha was starting to panic a little now. His brother in love? No, that was too much.
"Oh I can see it now a beautiful scene with cherry blossoms and he sees her and she see him and then…"
"He rips her heart out."
"NOOOO! That's not how it goes! They see each other and then she runs into his arms, uh she runs to him and then they share a heart felt kiss of true love!" Kagome sighed. Inuyasha looked at her wide-eyed and his mouth agape. Then shaking his head he began to walk away.
"Damn I knew women were crazy but…" He let out a shiver.
"Hey Inuyasha wait up!"
"Yeah I'm waiting." Kagome took Inuyasha's hand and the two headed off.
"You are the worst of them all! I hate your stupid demon guts!" I yelled at Sesshomaru and slapped him across the face in the forest. Rin and Jaken were cowering behind Ah-Un, who was a little restless.
"Then we have reached common ground." Sesshomaru stated icily. The place where my hand had touched his skin was red and bruising already. Oops, that's adrenaline for you.
"Don't you take that tone with me! I'm sick and tired of you being so COLD! Maybe if I lit a match and set fire to your fur…"
"You wouldn't dare." Sesshomaru's hand drifted up to grab the fur on his shoulder. I smirked.
"Oh wouldn't I though? Personally I would love to watch you go up in flames like straw! It would make my day!"
"It most certainly wouldn't make mine."
"Why should I care? You don't give two shits and wink about me!"
"That's not… you are correct." Sesshomaru tried to recover his slip, but too late. So the jerk did have an inkling of feeling towards me, oh well, the knife was in so why not twist it.
"Well then I suppose you wouldn't care if I told you I'd never like no… love you in a million years no matter how much you might profess it. I don't do demons."
"I've despised you since the beginning and my attitude will not falter." Sesshomaru countered.
"Oh, that just warms my heart, oh right I forgot, it froze over the moment I met you!" I retorted.
"This was NEVER a question of the heart."
"Well silly me for mistakenly believing you had a heart!" I shoved a hand into his stomach and pushed past him where I promptly hopped astride Ah-Un who was still unsaddled. Rin jumped up behind me.
"Get down now." He ordered at Rin and myself. The both of us shook our heads and I grabbed Ah-Un's reins.
"Oh so you're suddenly concerned for my safety! Is that it? Well for your information I'm out of here! You can kiss your demonic power goodbye! I won't have you treat me like this anymore! You somehow convinced me to give up everything I ever had and my happiness! That morning at your castle I decided to give you my trust and you trampled it! I'll never forgive you! I hate you so much it hurts!" My eyes were misting over but I shook the tears away and gave Ah-Un a nudge to get going. Rin grabbed onto my waist as Ah-Un left the ground.
I urged Ah-Un on in whatever direction I saw fit, just so I didn't have to see Sesshomaru ever again. The last of my words echoed through my head, 'I hate you so much it hurts!' Why on earth had I said it hurt? Why would it hurt to hate someone as terrible as him? Why wasn't I relived to be away from him? Why was I even thinking about it? Those thoughts reverberated in my head while I rode.
"My Lady… it's almost dark, and look Ah-Un is so sleepy." Rin said softly. I looked up at Ah-Un and one of his heads was lolling.
"You're right, but all there is here is forest, wait there is a river. There, Ah-Un, let's go down there." The lizard let out a little grunt and then dived. He landed smoothly on the small clearing beside the river. I jumped down and helped Rin who kept her arms around my neck and began to sob.
"Rin! What's the matter?" I asked and sat in the grass with her in my lap.
"I'm scared!" She whimpered.
"Why?"
"Because Lord Sesshomaru is far away." So she was attached to Sesshomaru.
"But Rin he doesn't…"
"Yes he does! He protects me and he loves you!" She cried and then pressed her face into my chest.
"Oh, Rin. I don't doubt that he protects you, but… well…"
"He loves you I can tell! Master Jaken even said so!" Rin stated defiantly. I smiled down at her.
"I'm sorry Rin, he doesn't and I don't… I can't… it just wouldn't be right."
"It doesn't matter if it's right or not my Lady! You made him sad and me too!" I looked at Rin and then out across the river, I had no idea as to what to say to that.
"Aren't you going to go after her my Lord?" Jaken asked Sesshomaru softly as they sat in a tree that night.
"No, she will return on her own."
"I have a feeling not my Lord. You saw what she looked like today, you know how mortals and their emotions are."
"Humph. She'll be back soon enough. However for the time being we will seek out my half brother and Naraku. Jaken take Ah-Un's saddle and the wench's things back to the castle and then return to me."
"How am I supposed to carry all of that?" Jaken screeched.
"You will find a way, now, go." Sesshomaru pushed Jaken out of the tree and then leaped off.
"Ah, my Lord you most certainly are in love with her." Jaken then grabbed a tie strap on Ah-Un's saddle and tying it to the Staff of Two Heads he began to drag the heavy packages off into the darkness.
As the days wore into weeks in the feudal era, the father of Sesshomaru looked upon (from wherever it is that demons have that leisure) his son and the woman known as Lin, on their separate travels. The two were both heading to the northeast; only Lin was at least two days ahead of Sesshomaru and going nowhere in particular, while Sesshomaru was on a mission to hunt down Naraku. Things were going as best as they could. Sesshomaru was more stubborn then he had thought, but then throwing in the equation of his other son Inuyasha to the mix, things were about to get interesting and the winds would change, in which way… well that was beyond his help it was up to the couple in question.
"Do you have any idea as to where we are going Rin?" I asked. We'd been traveling for fifteen days, barely ten miles a day I figured. Rin certainly stopped to play a lot.
"Nope. Other then we are going northeast I have no idea, I've never been this far with Lord Sesshomaru."
"Alright, we just have to keep going then I suppose, we'll run into someone or something eventually." I shook my head; if there was one time I needed Sesshomaru it was now. Over the past two weeks I had realized that I might hate him, but I couldn't forget either. It was his damn fault that I was roaming the feudal era like a lost time traveler in a novel. Hell I'd be writing a novel about this if I ever made it back to Tokyo.
I felt Ah-Un jerk the reins and I looked back at him.
"What is it boy?" He let out a growl and then lifting both of his heads he sniffed the wind blowing from the south.
"What is it? Is something coming?" Rin asked and petted Ah-Un. Ah-Uh nuzzled her.
"I'm thinking he wants us to go back south, you think we should?"
"Uh-huh."
"Okay." I mounted Ah-Un, despite my legs, which were chafing beyond belief; thank god for my jeans they had helped some. I had kept them on under the kimono that made me look like a Mrs. Sesshomaru. It was untied and I had undone the obi to form a sort of tube top underneath the eri and kimono itself. I looked like something out a People magazine, not that I cared. Rin was still in the little pink kimono I had finished for her in a hurry. She clambered up behind me and as soon as we were both on Ah-Uh took off at a faster pace then he had had the energy in the past few days.
"Rin! Hang on tight to me! I've got a feeling that wherever we are going it's going to be a rough ride…" And it was. Ah-Un slammed down in the middle of a rice patty, which sent water splashing everywhere. Before I had the time to dismount I heard Sesshomaru's voice horse and gruff as he threw the both of us off Ah-Un and mounted.
"Get out of the damn way wench!" Both Rin and I scrambled out of the rice patty towards the little path.
"Lin! Here let me help you!" I heard Kagome and then I felt several pairs of hands pull me to my feet. One hand however had drifted to a rather uncomfortable place, but I couldn't seem to spot the source of the hand.
"Who is she Kagome?" A woman dressed in pink and black with a huge boomerang over her shoulder asked.
"Oh right! Lin this is Sango, she's a demon slayer, and Sango this is my friend Lin."
"You're with him?" Sango gestured to Sesshomaru who was on Ah-Un and dodging Inuyasha. Talk about brotherly love.
"Uh I was. Not anymore."
"Well he seems to care a great deal about you. Judging from the way Inuyasha used you to taunt his brother and then the reaction." A dark haired man made his presence known and I jumped.
"And who are you!"
"I am the honorable monk Miroku you must be the lovely Lin that Kagome speaks so fondly of."
"Miroku…" Sango warned but he continued.
"Since you are no longer the company of Sesshomaru would you be interested in bearing my children?" I stared at the monk that I just realized was a pervert. I then smiled sweetly.
"Why monk I do believe that is the most flattering offer I have ever received…" Everyone around me looked shocked including the little boy who was cowering behind Kagome.
"Really?" Miroku's eyes lit up.
"But first… YOU HAD BETTER FIND A SMOOTHER APPROACH, YOU LETCH!" I smashed my fist into his face and then wiped the little bit of blood off on my jeans.
"Wow, you had us scared there for a minute." Sango breathed a sigh of relief and set down her boomerang.
"Does he ask every girl he meets that?"
"Yep."
"Well…." I then gave the monk laying at my feet a kick in the stomach.
"Oh and while your at it stop grabbing asses you greedy pig!"
"Lin! I had no idea you were so… well tough." Kagome noted.
"I have just spent the past few weeks wondering around the countryside killing my own food and then the time before that with that scum over there!" I pointed at Sesshomaru who had now left Ah-Un and was clashing swords with Inuyasha.
"Oh we had no idea that you thought so little of him, but I wouldn't tell him that." Sango muttered.
"Oh he already knows how I feel and he can't do a damn thing to change it, except get himself killed… so how long have they been at it?"
"Who?" Miroku asked. He was now upright, but looked in pain.
"The brothers."
"Oh since noon! Hi I'm Shippo! I'm a fox demon!" The little boy or rather demon had moved from the ground to sit on my shoulder.
"Hi Shippo. It's nice to meet you."
"You too! Hey who are you?" Shippo hopped down and looked at Rin who was hiding behind me.
"I'm Rin."
"I'm Shippo! Do you want to see my crayons? Look at this one!" Shippo pulled something out of his pocket and I saw it was a red Crayola crayon.
"See Kagome brought them back from her world."
"Oh, wow." Rin took the crayon from Shippo as he held it out and looked at it carefully.
"What do you do with it?"
"You draw pictures with it! Come on I'll show you." Shippo took Rin's hand and Rin's other hand grabbed my kimono.
"You'll tell Lord Sesshomaru where I'm going won't you my Lady… uh I mean Lin?"
"Of course, go on." I smiled at her and then the pair ran off down the path. I sat down on the edge of the path and watched Inuyasha and Sesshomaru fight.
"Look Inuyasha is tiring down, yet Sesshomaru doesn't seem to stop." Sango commented. I chuckled.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh Sesshomaru's getting tired, I can tell. Look how his form is a little shaky and then watch his steps. He has to do a double step in order to keep balance when Inuyasha slams his sword against his. That's the Tetsusaiga right?"
"Yeah. Inuyasha has the Tetsusaiga and Sesshomaru had the Tokijin and the Tensaiga."
"Oh and the two swords the Tetsusaiga and the Tensaiga are made from their father's fangs, right?"
"How did you know?"
"I spoke with the toad man Jaken and he told me quite a bit. Of course he was really the only other thing I had to talk with for a month or so aside from Rin." I shrugged. That conversation had occurred one lazy afternoon while Rin was asleep in the grass and Sesshomaru was gone.
"Hmm. You know what the Tensaiga does right?"
"Yeah it brings whatever it cuts back to life. Sesshomaru saved Rin with it."
"Yes about Rin…" Miroku inquired.
"Don't you even think about it pervert!" I balled my hand into a fist and Miroku looked nervous.
"No never in a million years. I simply was inquiring as to what she was doing with Sesshomaru."
"Now that part I can't tell you. You'd have to ask her, but I have a feeling it has to do with some pretty tragic stuff so…"
"Right, and you used to be with Sesshomaru because…"
"Hell if I know! Two months ago I'm minding my own damn business when he swoops down out of nowhere and takes me from Tokyo to here!"
"He forced you to stay with him?"
"I could have run away at almost any time, but where would I go?"
"You could have gone to a village." Sango suggested. I gave her a 'yeah right' look.
"I stayed with him, because I had really no idea where I was and I was getting three squares a day, a feather futon and a roof over my head. Besides the guy has silks and brocade out the… uh well he's got a lot. I could have a different kimono every day for ten years. That's way better then wondering around somewhere I don't know, barefooted in a festival kimono and very tired."
"That would seem to be the best option wouldn't it?" Kagome stated and I nodded. I didn't tell them how I had somewhat enjoyed my short time with Sesshomaru, but even I wasn't ready to admit that fully to myself. I went back to watching Sesshomaru and Inuyasha duke it out, there wasn't anything better for me to do. As Kagome handed me a rice ball from her backpack I heard Inuyasha shout,
"WIND SCAR!" Everyone whipped around just in time to see blasts of light and winds absorb Sesshomaru. Then a flash of blue light and nothing.
"What the hell was that!" I asked almost shouting while rubble rained down between the two brothers. My heart was beating way too fast. Where was Sesshomaru and why wasn't he fighting back and what the hell was that thing Inuyasha did?
"That's Inuyasha's wind scar. He can use it to wipe out enemies with a single blow. It usually disintegrates them I guess." Kagome explained. I gulped.
"So then he got…"
"Well it's a very high… oh I guess not." Sango looked slightly put out as the dust cleared and she saw Sesshomaru still standing.
"So I didn't finish you off then?" Inuyasha snarled.
"You shall not defeat me little hanyou, you may try but in the end I will kill you." Sesshomaru raised his sword and was about to strike when his armor completely shattered on him. Sesshomaru ignored it.
"I knew it!" Inuyasha chorused and made an attack stance. The fight then resumed as it had before, but the sun was setting faster then I wanted it to. I could see Sesshomaru was getting sloppy in his movements, so the demon wasn't so strong after all. I finally jumped up and dashed back into the rice patty and towards Sesshomaru. When I was close enough so I could hear Inuyasha's insults most of which involved me in some form or another I shouted,
"YOU IDIOT! Give it up and get out of here! It's a waste of time!"
"I warned you to stay back." Sesshomaru snapped as he blocked Inuyasha's sword. His eyes drifted over to look at me as he held Inuyasha at bay with his one hand.
"YEAH, WELL I DON'T NEED YOU GETTING YOURSELF KILLED! YOU'RE GETTING DAMN SLOPPY!" I stomped my foot in the patty which made water and mud splash up around me. My tennis shoes were now officially soaked. Sesshomaru took a leap above Inuyasha and in mid air sheathed his sword. When he landed his hand was spraying a green mist of some kind at Inuyasha, who coughed and then fell into the rice patty unconscious. Sesshomaru grabbed my arm tightly and pulled me away from him. I heard Kagome splashing through the patties towards Inuyasha; I ignored her when Sesshomaru spoke.
"I see that your concern for my well being caused your return. That or you are incapable of handling your self. Look how skinny you've become."
"Nice of you to notice! For your information it was Ah-Un that dragged me back here! If it wasn't for him, Rin and I would still be walking away from you!" I yelled.
"That is none of my concern, though having Ah-Un was of assistance. However your interference was an inconvenience."
"I should think not! Look at you! You're covered in blood and mud and your armor is in a thousand pieces! All Inuyasha needs to do is give you another sweep with his…" I brushed my hand across his stomach and my hand came away covered in blood.
"Oh so he really did get you, didn't he?" My blood was on the verge of boiling over at Sesshomaru's stupidity.
"It matters not, I heal."
"Hmph. I guess the Tensaiga protected you then, didn't it?"
"That is a possibility, however,"
"I know it isn't any of my concern, but why are you doing this?"
"I need the Tetsusaiga, and my brother is incapable of handling it as you should have guessed."
"Yeah only you can harness its unbelievable power." I mocked. He raised an eyebrow.
"Sorry, I'm bad at mocking."
"So is that hanyou. He gives you too much credit for a mortal." I decided to take that comment as a compliment.
"Oh thanks for defending my shame, there went that Hallmark moment, but seriously if you're going to get yourself killed at least go out in style." I grinned. He was so pigheaded there was no way I could stop him or discourage him, so why not let him lead his own life and if it ended that meant I could go back to Tokyo. I took the ponytail I had in my hair for good luck and undoing it I slipped it over the hilt of his Tensaiga. If he was going to die and inevitably leave me alone, why not be sympathetic and be kind. His eyes held a note of surprise and softness that I had seen to some degree when he looked at Rin, but I could tell this was different. I averted my gaze and shivered a bit in the waning light. His finger rested under my chin and lifted my face to turn to him.
"You have proved to be an amusement. What is this for?"
"That doesn't change a damn thing, but just in case, you aren't heartless…" I didn't finish. Hell I didn't even know why I was saying it! I hated him and yet here I was kissing distance from him. I could have ignored Ah-Un and kept going, but again here I was. I guess I was just a silly mortal with a heart, oh well, I can't hide it and I can't change it.
"Li… wench." I heard Sesshomaru mutter softly, but I kept my back turned to him and joined Miroku and Sango who were now with Rin and Shippo. I sat on the edge of the path again and Rin crawled into my lap.
"So this is who Lord Sesshomaru goes to see all the time when he leaves Master Jaken and me."
"Oh, well this is certainly going to be a long fight, but I think it will be over soon."
"Will Lord Sesshomaru win?"
"I don't know." That was my honest reply. I could give her my opinion, which was grim. Based on the way he was fighting, I could tell he was trying too hard, but he shouldn't have been this tired now, it didn't make sense. He might have had an injury on his stomach from the Wind Scar, but that hadn't stopped him from getting back up or stopping. He should have healed from the wound I had given him, so why…
I then remembered the flash of light on the top of the school building back in Tokyo. I jumped up which sent Rin out of my lap and shouted as Sesshomaru leaped above Inuyasha's head.
"DID YOU GET HIT WITH THE WIND SCAR IN TOKYO?" Sesshomaru landed in an almost kneeling position in front of me in the rice patty.
"Ye… yes."
"Oh, then be careful, WATCH OUT!" I dove out of the way grabbing Rin by the collar as Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga slid right through Sesshomaru's back and out his stomach. I couldn't look away as much as I wanted to but I made sure that I kept Rin's face pressed into my chest as we sat in a neighboring patty. There was no reason for her to see this, not now not ever. The look on Sesshomaru's face was unchanged he didn't do anything but look emotionless. For a minute I thought he was dead and apparently so did Inuyasha who sheathed the Tetsusaiga and was smiling broadly. I saw Sesshomaru's shoulders rise shakily and with almost lightening speed he whipped around and grabbed Inuyasha by the throat and lifted him off the ground.
"Stupid… pitiful half-breed… you think it would be that easy to… disgraceful."
"Sesshomaru put him down!" I ordered.
"No… did you not see that this… pest just ran me… through?"
"YES! I did see it and yes I have the authority to tell you to put him down! You've both beaten the other to near death! It isn't worth your time to go this far!"
"Shut up wench! This… this is… none of your business… it's a matter of…" I watched as Sesshomaru panted and his grip loosened on Inuyasha. I scrambled out of the patty and dashed over to Sesshomaru just in time, as he dropped Inuyasha and fell backward.
All of his weight fell on me and I barely had time to position my hands to guide him to the ground. The two of us hit the water a little heavily and it splashed as my knees rested at the bottom of the patty, I rested his head on my knees. His body was partially submerged and blood seeped out into the water turning it red in the first rays of moonlight. Kagome rushed to my side.
"Is he okay?"
"Does it look like it?" I snapped.
"No it doesn't, but isn't the Tensaiga supposed to protect him?"
"Hell if I know! He's been hit with the Wind Scar twice in the past month as far as know. Kagome did he get hit anymore times then that before I got here?"
"Well Inuyasha tried it once that I know of where he didn't miss… and then four where Sesshomaru dodged, um and then the one Backlash Wave…"
"Whoa! Slow down! Backlash Wave?"
"Yeah the Tetsusaiga's ultimate technique Inuyasha tried to use it and…"
"It barely brushed him!" Inuyasha panted.
"Hmm so he was hit a total of three times and then add in the fact that I impaled him with the Tokijin a month ago…"
"How do you figure three?"
"Once in Tokyo, when the two of you were undoubtedly there, then here the one I saw and then the one I didn't see. On top of that and the Tokijin and now being run through I'm sure this is the end of the…"
"The end of the what?" Rin asked grabbing my arm on the other side.
"Uh, the end of the battle Rin, it's alright. Shippo, why don't you take Rin to where you guys are camping." I suggested. She didn't need to be here. Shippo nodded and took Rin's hand.
"Come on I've got a really cool top!" Rin followed him down the path but I saw she kept looking over her shoulder at us. I changed and focused on Sesshomaru. His breathing while I couldn't see it was rapid I could feel it. His whole body was twitching.
"Lin, what do you think is going to…"
"He's going to die." I stated and then looked up at Inuyasha. His smile was no longer in place and he looked serious.
"So that's it?" He asked.
"That's it."
"You are not at all sorrowful should he pass on?" Miroku wondered.
"No. I didn't ask to ever meet him in the first place."
"But you seemed happy to." Kagome rested a hand on my arm.
"Why would you say that?" I retorted.
"I don't know maybe it was the way you were crying right inside my well house. You looked comforted with him being there."
"You saw that?" I was glad for the darkness because I was blushing a little bit, even though I didn't want to.
"Yeah I saw it and then today and now. Come on it's obvious, look your even stroking his bangs."
"I am not!" I yanked my hand away from Sesshomaru's hair. Kagome giggled and then sobered.
"Wench…" Sesshomaru muttered. I looked down to see his eyes were still open and gazing up at me.
"What?" I asked softly. His hand came out of the water and then halfway to his swords he set it back down as I laid a hand on the hilts.
"Get the half-breed away from me. His followers…"
"Yes of course." I nodded and helped him sit up and then standing grabbed Kagome's arm and Inuyasha's ear with the other hand.
"Hey! You can't push me around!" Inuyasha snapped I kept walking until I hoped we were out of Sesshomaru's earshot.
"Look you think I'm letting him order me around because I want to?"
"Well you are his…" Inuyasha started.
"Shut it Terrier Boy!"
"Fine!"
"Look there isn't anyway in hell he'll make it through the night at this rate so if you won't be kind then I will! It's almost my fault that he was run through by you! Here I was thinking he was the only heartless one!" I turned on my heel and stormed halfway back to the Sesshomaru and then I softened my footsteps. I stepped back to the patty and stood over Sesshomaru.
"We should probably get you out of here, I don't think the villagers want red rice." I chuckled, and he glared up at me.
"Here give me your hand."
"I don't need assistance from a mortal." He panted. I reached under the water and grabbed his wrist. When I found it I pulled as hard as I could. I felt his resistance and then much to my surprise he stood on his own. The change in balance caused me to fall into the rice patty. I quickly stood with my hands on my hips.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Perhaps." He then let a snarl escape his lips as he wiped away some of the blood from his lips. He tried to walk evenly and look all right as he went towards the woods, but I wasn't fooled he was walking in the most crooked line I had ever seen and his heavy breathing was a dead give away. I shook my head and stayed a few paces behind him. May as well let him steam and if he fell then I would be right there.
"Oh there by that tree there, uh well at least it gets you out of the water." I pointed to a tree just inside the woods and Sesshomaru sat down beside the tree but the effort caused him not only energy but blood as well. I leaned against a tree nearby and studied him as he slid the fur from his shoulder and attempted to form a makeshift pillow. How he was able to stay so calm in his state was beyond me.
"I guess you aren't as immortal as I thought." I kneeled next to him and adjusted the fur, which seemed to have grown in size.
"I never claimed I was immortal."
"You act like it."
"I can practically taste your hatred and loathing on my tongue." He announced.
"Funny I thought that you would be tasting your own blood and oncoming death."
"Stubborn for something so helpless." Sesshomaru retorted.
"Yeah well I'm not the one with one arm and a gaping hole in my stomach. Now who's the helpless… wait is that your armor?" I looked and saw a piece of gray metal sticking out unattractively from Sesshomaru's side. It must have been lodged there from the Wind Scar.
"Possibly," Sesshomaru answered.
"You really want gangrene and tetanus don't you?"
"What are those?"
"Never mind, take off that kimono, we'll use it for a bandage."
"What?"
"Oh right it's too difficult. Looks like I get to rip something off you after all." I grabbed his kimono and ripping the front open I then peeled it away and ripped the back off as well.
"That is the third thing that you have destroyed! I will not tolerate…"
"Oh shut up and let me work!" I cried and stuffed one end of his fur into his open mouth.
Examining him further now I saw several other razor sharp gashes covering his once perfect, pale chest. The huge horizontal gash and roughly oval piercing were my first concern. Every time he took a breath more blood spilled out. I removed my own soaked kimono. It was just heavy and in the way, thus exposing my bare shoulders and partially exposed chest to Sesshomaru's wandering eyes. Doesn't enjoy mortal pleasures my ass! I ignored him and reached for the piece of metal when Sesshomaru spit the fur from his mouth and snapped.
"It will fall out." I smiled.
"Oh is little Sesshy squeamish? I promise I won't make it hurt too much and I'll even give it a kiss to make it all better." I teased a tiny voice.
"I am not a weak child."
"Well you're acting like it… so I suggest that you stop it and grow UP!" I held the piece of armor up so he could see it.
"You just ripped that out of me." He growled.
"I just ripped this out of you." I parroted. Sesshomaru looked suddenly in pain.
"BITCH!" He snarled.
"Wow that's my second upgrade! Maybe next time you'll remember my name! Now if you excuse me I'm going to find Kagome!" I got up and grabbing my kimono I walked off. When I stopped to look back I saw Sesshomaru fall back against his fur and close his eyes. I let out a sigh and headed into the village.
It didn't take me long to find Kagome and the others. When I walked in the hut Rin jumped up to greet me.
"Lin! Lin look at what I drew!" She held up a fairly good crayon drawing for a six year old. It was of herself standing next to Jaken and Sesshomaru and I. It was almost disturbingly happy with me in a wedding kimono and Sesshomaru holding me in his arms and Rin was in her nice blue kimono.
"See that's what it will be like when we get to the castle!" I let out nervous laugh.
"Of course Rin, of course." I then went and sat between Kagome and Inuyasha instead of between Miroku and Inuyasha, I was safe on at least one side. Inuyasha sniffed my sleeve and then scooted from me, before hissing,
"Why did you help him? He's gonna die, you can't do nothin' about it."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome reached across and whacked him. She then looked at me.
"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."
"No I'll answer him. Sesshomaru took the time and trouble to bring me here and screwed up my life, but heck it's been a novel worthy adventure and after all I am his 'Lady' and I will serve my Lord until he passes on. Besides, he has to take care of Rin. I'm no mother, I haven't even finished high school." My voice was now down to a whisper. That was enough to shut Inuyasha up. Kagome handed me a bowl of instant ramen that I assumed she had brought with her. I took it and ate in silence. I didn't finish the bowl however. The group talked quietly as if they were afraid I would burst out and kill them all at any moment. I learned quite a bit about that Naraku guy that they all seemed so concerned about though.
Finally Miroku put out the fire and asked who wanted first watch. I volunteered.
"I'll do it."
"But you're unarmed." He pointed out. I pulled up my jeans and yanked out the hunting knife I had in a rather large and uncomfortable sheath. I had put it on before I left Tokyo. Not that I went hunting in Japan, but in America… well I was an excellent marksmen. I showed him another ankle sheath with a small dagger.
"Hmm, I never would have guessed." Miroku smiled, Inuyasha snorted, Kagome and Sango looked shocked. I grabbed my bowl of ramen and sat just outside the hut in the moonlight. I waited until I couldn't hear any more voices, especially Inuyasha's; I headed for the woods promptly.
It was hard to see once I reached the woods but when I saw a break in the trees that cast Sesshomaru in moonlight I let out a sigh of relief to see he was still breathing as I approached. I decided this would have been very romantic had he not been covered in blood and on my list of people/demons I despised.
"You certainly are loud." Sesshomaru grunted and opened his eyes.
"Well if I was disturbing you so much then I'll just take this instant ramen with me."
"Get over here woman."
"What was that?"
"Get over here… please."
"Coming!" I came and sat down beside him and pulled out the chopsticks I had eaten with earlier. I was about to hand them to him when I realized that he wouldn't want to eat off of them after a mortal had. I held out just the bowl instead.
"Here you are, sorry I only have dirty chopsticks." Sesshomaru looked away for a second and then asked.
"Do you honestly think I can eat that, myself?"
"Yes I do."
"I can barely lift my hand, let alone maneuver chopsticks."
"So you want me to feed you too?"
"Humph."
"I just think you need a little nourishment, it might make you feel a little better and the Tetsusaiga missed your stomach so far as I can tell or else you would be burning in your own stomach…"
"Your chattering mortal."
"Okay, here we go." I took the chopsticks and grabbed some noodles and held them up.
"You can open your mouth you know. It would help." Sesshomaru obliged and swallowed the noodles quickly and with a small wince of pain he nodded and I got more in-between the chopsticks. Yup, under different circumstances, this would definitely be high on the romance scale. I fed him in silence until there was nothing left and then set the bowl aside.
"See you're already on the mend. Those noodles helped a bunch I think."
"Humph."
"Well you're a bit grumpy aren't you?"
"Woman, what made you return today… Not that I care I'm just…"
"Curious?" I finished for him.
"Perhaps."
"Well, I don't really know it just sort of happened and before I knew it, you were laying on my lap in a rice patty dying all the rice red. Then this…" I grabbed part of his kimono from earlier and pressed it to his wound. His whole chest was light purple now and starting to look irritated. As I worked wiping away the mud, and grass I noted the blood had begun to clot. That was a good sign, but Sesshomaru just kept getting paler and his breathing more ragged.
"You alright?" His huff was a reply so I kept working. The moment I turned away to get a cleaner kimono piece, Sesshomaru let out a cough that was somewhat strangled and I felt something warm splatter on my back.
"Oh I hope that wasn't the ramen." I groaned and turned around. It wasn't ramen but his blood, splattered on his chest and on his chin.
"Damn I think I'm bad luck." I sighed and wiped off his chest. I was about to wipe his face when he jerked his head away from me tiredly.
"You ashamed of having a mortal wiping up your blood?"
No answer.
"I thought so. Here I am trying to be nice when the fact is it's hopeless and all you can do is be a jerk!" I threw the blood-soaked rag down in the grass with a slap a few drops splattered on my face. He still didn't answer me.
"Fine! Die here for all I care! You know I don't care much, but contrary to popular belief there are a couple of persons that do! There's Jaken and even though he won't admit it your half-brother Inuyasha and most of all there's Rin! What about her?"
"She isn't my concern."
"Yes she is! How can you say that! She looks up to you so much and if she saw you now, she'd cry! In fact she cried the night I left you, because she was scared! Guess who comforted her when her nightmares came! I did! You know whom she was calling for? YOU! You know what she drew today…" I cried exasperated but stopped when Sesshomaru closed his eyes.
"Continue." He croaked. That one word cost him more energy that I knew he didn't have.
"She drew us today, wedding kimono for me and everything. Yes crazy and stupid for us to understand, but she believes, I know your 'heart' or lack thereof can't comprehend that but try! She cares she wants to see you happy and apparently I'm the only one that can do that!" I grabbed his cold hand and squeezed it tightly in mine.
"You had better be listening! I'm only gonna say this once! I've done more thinking about this then I should and I've decided I can't hate you either, well at least not as much I thought, that's why it hurts! Not because I hate you but because I don't and say I do, if that makes any sense. I don't know what you did, but something happened, but I just can't… well it shouldn't be… we're very different…"
"You're chattering again… mortal." He gasped.
"Don't you die damn it! You can't! Not until you take me back to Tokyo! Not until Gram knows that…" I stopped when he opened his eyes again.
"Not only are you unattractive as mortals are and when you're sleeping… but even worse covered in blood and weeping like an infant."
"I'm being serious here!" I shouted when Sesshomaru closed his eyes again. He was silent and I was ready to shake him when he asked,
"How is it?"
"What?"
"My hair."
"Well that's awfully random."
"How is it? It feels wretchedly dirty." Sesshomaru muttered. I took my free hand and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. I could feel the cold sweat on his forehead and could see it glistening on his chest. I then ran my fingers through his long hair as it cascaded over his shoulders.
"It's perfect."
"Hmph. The Tensaiga… take it to… here… this as well…" Sesshomaru dropped what appeared to be a black marble into my hand.
"Yes where? To where?" I inquired, his sentences were do disconnected I couldn't grasp it.
"Your mortal… hag… she wanted to know…"
"That isn't important right now! Where am I supposed to take the Tensaiga?" Sesshomaru's hand tightened around mine, which wasn't very tight considering he could probably break my fingers without trying.
"You were… wrong. I can feel… it… it's there…"
"Now you're the one chattering!"
"Just in… case…"
"What?" I gasped, I couldn't stop the single tear that began its journey down my cheek. Sesshomaru's hand left mine and I help guide to where it came to rest uncertainly on my cheek. His clawed thumb brushed the tear away. I looked down into his amber eyes trying to understand what he was saying but before I could decipher what I saw they disappeared beneath his eyelids and the small sigh that escaped his mouth told me that I would never find out.
I sat there with his cold hand on the side of my face, not moving or doing anything for the longest time. Finally I stood and taking the Tensaiga from his belt and I set it on the grass. It then unsheathed my smaller dagger and after braiding a small section of his hair I cut it off and tucked it inside a little silk pouch in my pocket along with the black marble. Grabbing the Tensaiga I leaned over brushing his bangs out of his face again and whispered,
"I needed you even if it was just a little. I guess you can't have a mortal who needs that much attention. I suppose I can't trust a demon either." I kissed his cheek and then headed back towards the village without looking back.
Rin and I could find Ah-Un with Kagome's help and then we would have to find Jaken and figure out what I'm supposed to do with the things Sesshomaru entrusted me with. If we could do that first then that would give me time to figure out what to do with Sesshomaru. After that I was free to go back to Tokyo, of course Rin would come with me, and we'd stay with Gram until I finished high school and after that… who knew? I didn't, that was for sure, but it was just the sort of thing that would be good for me to figure out.
"You were supposed to be on watch! It's a good thing I don't trust you!" Inuyasha hissed as I approached the hut. I simply glared at him.
"You were helping Sesshomaru weren't you? I knew it! So how's it feel to be his devoted little human? He was supposedly too cold hearted to give a rat's ass one way or the other about y…" I interrupted him.
"I would never tell you how it feels to be his… with him! But will tell you what I feel like right now! It's the same feeling you might have deep down when I tell you, he's dead!" Inuyasha to my surprise, instead of throwing back a nasty word or two, just sat down in the dirt and stared out at the horizon.
"So Inuyasha let me ask you something. How does it feel to know you have killed your own brother?" With that I walked into the hut without another word.
I KNOW! HOW COULD I? WELL YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO REVIEW ADN READ PART EIGHT TO FIND OUT!