Disclaimer- I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters. However, Mitsuko is of my own imagination and I own all rights to her.
Chapter 6 Meeting the Family
And so the little group continued on in a sort of limbo for the length of a moon. Mitsuko always walked to the back of the group. She kept to her self, took care of Rin, and did any little tasks Sesshomaru deemed important. Jaken and Ah Un could feel the tension in the air between Mitsuko and Sesshomaru and were waiting for the final battle between the two. Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was silently enjoying watching Mitsuko wriggle around and try to stay out of his way. The little human was proving to be quite entertaining to the great taiyoukai.
As he walked, Sesshomaru thought back to the night before when he had brushed his claws across her hand. She had jumped so quickly and so far she very nearly leapt into the fire. The edge of her kimono had been smoldering when she stood up. Inside Sesshomaru had laughed at her look of complete surprise and uncertainty.
Coming back to the present, Sesshomaru sniffed the air with a delicate sniff. A human village was just over the next hill. He went over their provisions in his mind. They needed rice; Rin needed a new kimono, and other small things that amused a little girl. He liked to buy her the small things that made her happy because she had never had them before. With the thought of pleasing Rin, Sesshomaru made up his mind to pass through the village. He did not need to say anything to his companions they would know what to do. He merely had to stay near them to ensure no one tried to take advantage of them in any way.
As the group entered the village, Sesshomaru noticed Mitsuko put her hands up to her hair and then run them down her own shabby, threadbare, and faded kimono. Her hair had begun to grow but was still much too short for society. Perhaps he would allow Mitsuko to purchase a new kimono and some combs for her hair. For some strange reason the thought of making Mitsuko happy for a moment made Sesshomaru smile inside.
The village was full of happy, harassed, and hurried mothers shepherding their energetic children through the market place. Women and men were selling their wares in small stalls hung with brightly colored cloth, while shoppers haggled with the stall keepers about price and quantity. The whole area carried a happy aura. Even the presence of Sesshomaru's group did not dampen that aura. The people merely stepped politely out of their way and made small bows of respect to Sesshomaru. This particular village had learned long ago how to keep a youkai from destroying their village. The only way to keep a youkai happy was to treat them with great respect and usually the youkai left the village in peace.
Sesshomaru moved between the stalls stopping whenever one of his companions stopped to look at a certain stall. Soon the group had made all of their purchases concerning food and other essentials. Sesshomaru then began to walk purposefully to a stall containing fine silk and kimonos. Rin looked at all of the brightly colored kimonos looking for that one perfect kimono. While Rin looked for a kimono, Mitsuko examined some made of the finest silk. She soon found one that she fell in love with. It was a light blue background with dark cerulean flowers embroidered on the wide sleeves and flaring hem. The sash was also a cerulean color and tied in a wide bow at the wearers back. The under clothes were of the most pristine white and had the same cerulean flowers embroidered on the flowing sleeves and wide hem. Mitsuko had never seen anything so beautiful and soon replaced the kimono and turned at Rins squeal of delight. She had found a pretty orange kimono with little flowers on the hem that angled up to the waist. Rin turned the most pleading eyes upon Sesshomaru, silently asking him for the kimono. When he agreed, Mitsuko was astonished. The kimono was expensive and Rin would only tear it and stain it in her endless innocent quest for flowers. The thought of the cost did not seem to matter to the great taiyoukai though nor did the little combs Rin chose to go with her kimono. What astonished Mitsuko was when Sesshomaru ordered the light blue kimono and a set of white hair combs inset with blue jewels for her. She could not believe he would buy her such an expensive kimono but he just had.
Sesshomaru turned to Rin and Mitsuko and handed them their new kimonos. "Go and change behind the curtain." It was one of his "I don't care if you do this or not but do not waste my time" commands. Sesshomaru waited while his two females changed and was not disappointed. Rin looked like a little ray of sunshine and was extremely happy with her new clothes. Mitsuko looked angelic in her new clothes and would have many human males following after her. Sesshomaru would have to be careful or they would take advantage of her.
The little group left the village just as peacefully as they had entered it and began their long walk again. Sesshomaru saw out of the corner of his eye that Mitsuko ran her hand alone her hip and up her waist slightly feeling the soft whisper of the silk under her hand. The picture gave Sesshomaru too many ideas and he turned his head and quickened the pace just slightly.
The day continued to wear on in peaceful silence. Mitsuko heard something ahead of them at midday. She heard voices and some very irate voices at that.
"Kagome, speed up. Stupid human you're slowing me down." The voice of a young male came to Mitsuko's ears. At the sound of the voice Sesshomaru sped ahead leaving them all behind. Jaken and Rin did not seem to be concerned about his leaving and them and continued to walk on.
When Mitsuko reached Sesshomaru, what she saw amazed her. Sesshomaru was fighting with a young male who had long white hair and were those dog ears? He was a hanyou. He also resembled Sesshomaru the two were obviously brothers. Mitsuko looked at the battle before her with disbelief on her face. Why would Sesshomaru fight his own brother?
"Hi. My name is Kagome. This is Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara." Mitsuko looked into the young girls welcoming face and then looked into the faces of Kagomes' friends.
"What is going on? Why are they fighting?" Mitsuko was very confused.
"Because they hate each other." All four of the companions said in unison.
As Mitsuko watched the battle, she realized she was getting some joy out of watching the hanyou battle Sesshomaru. Granted he was not doing any damage but he was making Sesshomaru work for every hit. Mitsuko soon found herself rooting for the hanyou, Inuyasha. The battle was not very even; so far Inuyasha had not hit Sesshomaru once.
Before the spectators' eyes, though Inuyasha swung back the Tetsaiga and charged Sesshomaru with a mighty roar. Sesshomaru thought Inuyasha meant to attack him head on but at the last minute Inuyasha struck Sesshomaru from the side and buried Tetsaiga into his brothers' side. No emotion crossed Sesshomarus face at the wound but he drew back from his brother. He needed to think about this. He ended the battle with his brother quickly.
Sesshomaru spoke to his brother who was lying on the ground bleeding "You have improved slightly little brother. You are still inept with your sword." Sesshomaru turned and walked away from the battle ground. His companions followed behind him.
"Who was the human female?" Inuyasha questioned.
"We're not for sure. She never gave us her name." Miroku was slightly upset with himself because he did not even get her name or where she was from.
Jaken had a fire burning gaily. Rin was already asleep and Sesshomaru was off alone. No one seemed to mind that he was seriously wounded and not with the group. Mitsuko stood and walked off in the direction Sesshomaru had taken. She found him not far from them. He glared at her and ordered her back to camp.
Mitsuko did not want to leave him. He looked like he was in great pain. So, she sat down a short distance from him. She was going to sit and watch him all night to make sure he was all right. All night turned into only fifteen minutes though as her eyes drifted closed and she fell into a deep sleep.
Sesshomaru watched her sleep for a moment and then glanced up at the moon. He spent the rest of the night in slight repose healing himself. His brother was coming along fine in his training with his sword. Their father would be pleased.
Authors' Note
More chapters will be coming much quicker now.
Lady Morganna