Hahaha I was in a TERRIBLE mood when I wrote this chapter and I took is out on poor Sesshomaru in this chapter… DAMN he gets his ass kicked by our dear Hanako-chan… its kind of funny though. I was laughing while I was reading it earlier. But I will let you read it for yourself!
Ps: Yeah the chapter title sucks get over it. I couldn't think of anything else.
Pss: Yes I know it is WAY too early to be thinking about sequels but guess what I have! I have two really good ideas and I can't choose which one I should do! I'll tell you what, if I get five reviews on this story, I will post mini summaries of them and I will let you the people vote for which one I should do. Or maybe I should do both? Then which one should I do first? Oh well…
Yeah I'll shut up now so you can read
(Goes away)
Chapter 18: When Slaves Revolt…(dun dun dun)
"I still don't see the point in looking for him…" Chika grumbled while clinging to Aun in the sky. Out of pure boredom, she filed her nails on the sharp, metal part of the saddle on Aun.
Jaken pulled on Aun to make him go faster. "Lord Sesshomaru left without saying anything! And it has been quite a while… I want to see if he's okay."
"Lord Sesshomaru can handle anything!" Rin said happily, her eyes shining, "He is so strong!" She hummed a song as she fiddled with a flower chain she had made for Hanako. That gave her an idea.
"Maybe Lord Sesshomaru went to find Hanako-chan? She has been gone for a lot longer than usual…" Rin wondered aloud.
"Ehh… I don't think so…" Jaken said, "You mean you still don't know…?" He nervously tugged on Aun's ropes.
"Know what?" Rin asked innocently.
He lowered his gaze away from Rin. He didn't want to see her cry when he told her the news. "Erm… eh-hem… I don't really want to be the one who tells you this… but you see-"
"Your Lord Sesshomaru ditched that bitch in the middle of the woods a long time ago. She's not coming back," Chika said for him. She went back to inspecting her nails, her facial expression still as blank as ever even though she had just crushed a child's dreams.
Jaken glared at her. "Where did you find that out?"
Chika rolled her eyes. "Oh please. You were talking about it. What you do think I am? Deaf? I'm not stupid ya know!" She spread out her hand again, seeing her nails in perfect shape and size. She grinned slightly.
Rin stared at her in disbelief. "No. She went to the village to get money. Isn't that right, Master Jaken?"
Jaken shook his head slowly. He began to wonder if Lord Sesshomaru would truly approve of him acting once more on his own and telling Rin information that he wasn't really sure he could tell. "I'm afraid not Rin…"
"No!" Rin shouted at him, "Lord Sesshomaru would never get rid of Hanako!" She clasped her hands together and wore a dreamy expression. "They are destined for each other…" She could see them together holding hands and smiling; just as her own mother and father used to. She beamed up at the sky happily, remembering one of the fond memories of her family that were ever so dear to her. Maybe she would be able to see that kind of love again someday, if Sesshomaru and Hanako would ever truly be together like she had imagined.
Jaken's head snapped around at her words. "What did you just say?"
Chika laughed dryly. "So the guy has got himself a lover, has he? His own slave? Now that's new…" She paused, realizing how absurd and wrong it sounded. "Isn't that illegal?"
Jaken screamed at all of them. "YES! It is VERY illegal! Rin! Never say anything like that ever again! Do you understand what I am saying? You could get Lord Sesshomaru and Hanako in a lot of trouble if anyone hears you!" He caught his breath and directed Aun forward again. He despised traveling with others.
Rin lowered her head. It all seemed so perfect to her. "But I don't understand, Master Jaken… I just don't understand…"
Chika rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't. You are far too young and foolish."
Jaken spotted Sesshomaru on the ground below them. He directed Aun downward and through trees. The branches cut at their skin, but they were soon past them. Jaken landed Aun next to Sesshomaru. He did not look pleased.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" he yelled coming up to him at his feet, "Why did you leave without saying anything?"
Sesshomaru wore an expression of pain. He stared at Hanako. Jaken turned around to see her there. He gasped.
"Hanako? But Lord Sesshomaru, I thought you got rid of her because she was a bother to you!"
Hanako scowled. Sesshomaru turned away from her, taking every bit of energy he had to hide the way he was feeling at that moment. "I have decided that I would like her back in my company," he stated, hoping that maybe she would forget their differences and come back from hearing him say that. He waited. Nothing happened.
Rin gasped and covered her mouth. "L-lord Sesshomaru! So it is true?" She ran up to him and lightly tapped his leg to get his attention. "You got rid of Hanako-chan and lied to me saying she would come back?"
Sesshomaru had not noticed Rin there. He turned around to see the innocent child, whom he secretly adored so much, looking at him with teary brown eyes. "It was not your business," he responded.
"Hanako-chan!" Rin shouted, "Please forgive Lord Sesshomaru! I bet he didn't mean it! Did you my lord?" She turned to him in hopes for him to back her up, but he said nothing. He gazed at her again, burning the image of her glaring at him in his mind.
Chika looked at Hanako. She had wanted to meet the girl that everyone seemed to be so fond of. Her crystal white hair shone in the sun and her golden eyes glittered with anger. A pretty girl she was. No wonder Sesshomaru wanted her. She did not look like a slave at all. Chika stayed silent for the first time in her life and watched, for she knew that something interesting was about to take place before her.
"The gangs all here…" Inuyasha mumbled. Kagome, Miroku and Sango came up beside him. "What's going on?" Sango asked.
Inuyasha smirked, knowing that Hanako was about to tell Sesshomaru off. "Just watch," he said. "Watch."
Kagome looked at Sesshomaru for long moments. He actually did come back for her… she thought, a little surprised. That didn't seem like something he would normally do.
Sesshomaru shook his head. She was going to come back with him, whether she liked it or not. The past days had been hell to live through. No one to talk to but an idiot that called himself his servant and a little girl who was far too young to understand anything he would say. "Nonsense…" he said in disbelief, "Come now, Hanako."
He took her arm and dragged her from her spot. She walked silently. What was this? She felt her anger boil over, as if she had reached her limit, her boiling point. Normally she let people push her around, but she had truly had enough of Sesshomaru treating her like dirt. She no longer wanted to take orders. She felt a strong urging sensation of something new: independence.
She lifted her arm and gripped his wrist as hard as she could, digging her nails into his skin so he would let go, focusing all hate on that spot. "Just… who… the hell…" her voice started of faintly. She threw his arm off of her. He turned around in complete surprise.
"Do you think you are!" she shouted at him.
He froze. She had just yelled at him.
Jaken gasped. "You… you dare…"
Hanako rolled her eyes. "Dare? Me? Oh yes, you bet I dare!" A flash of mischief came across her face. She raised her arms mockingly. "I dare to assault the ever powerful Lord Sesshomaru! Oh God, help us all! Strike me down, oh powerful and mighty lord, I have been a bad, bad, naughty girl! Oh, dear me!" she mocked.
Sesshomaru couldn't move. People had insulted him before, but she was the last person he would ever expect to have. He would not strike her down. He would never lay a hand on her. Inuyasha was cackling in the background. Chika had to hold in bursts of laughter. She liked this Hanako character.
"You did not answer my question, Sesshomaru!" The name Sesshomaru without the "Lord" in front of it rolled off her tongue like poison dripping from fangs. He hated it. He could not respond to her. He couldn't think of any wiser move than to just stand there and look at her. She had never once yelled at him before, nor did she have the right. This would be a proper time to beat her like everyone had always told him to do but he did not move. Something told him not to move from that one spot, and he listened to it.
"Well let me tell you something," she began, "I am Hanako! Not just some thing you can toss away and then come back for just like that! I am someone! A living, breathing being! I HAVE FEELINGS YOU KNOW! If only that could get through your thick skull… you… you bastard!"
Rin gasped.
"What the hell are you doing here anyway? Go back to all of you rich goodness and leave me here to die! You did once, and you could probably do it again! I am never, I repeat, NEVER going to be seen with you ever again! You make me retch!"
He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Her words were stabbing his heart straight through. Never before had he felt such pain from simple words; words that so many other people had yelled at him before. It was as if when coming from her, they were new words with far worse meanings that were ten times as insulting and ten times as disrespectful.
"What do you look so surprised for? What, did you expect me to come running back into your arms?"
You are angry with me… he thought gravely. Please do not be angry with me…
"WELL DID YOU!" she screamed.
Well actually, yes. He thought back to what he had imagined there meeting would be like. Not like this. He never would have expected her to become angry. He wished he had never given her up. When he had done that, he had given up so much more…
"WELL THEN," she screamed, "YOU OBVOUSLY DON'T KNOW ME, DO YOU? I AM NOT ONE TO BE FOOLED WITH! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TOOK ME THIS LONG TO FIND OUT…" She took a deep and encouraging breath, "I DO MATTER! SLAVES MATTER! I AM SOMEONE IMPORTANT!"
Kagome stood close behind her, as if silently rooting for her. Sango came up behind her as well.
Her anger turned to tears. Her face quivered slightly. Her eyes still flaring with hatred, tears fell from them; dripping down her cheeks. She sniffled slightly.
Sesshomaru winced at the sight. "Oh, Hanako…" he started to say with deep sympathy and sorrow. Kindness was something that Inuyasha was not used to hearing in his elder brother's voice. Inuyasha stared at him, taking in what he had just heard.
"And… and to think… for all this time…" she wept, her voice becoming cries and whimpers and constantly choked, "For all this time… I trusted you above all others. T-to think… I called you the kindest man I have ever met… and… and you…" She gently touched the jingle bell collar around her neck, which he had kind of given to her, and lightly wrapped her hand through it. "Y-you…" She gripped it with all of her strength and ripped it from her neck as hard as she could. The ribbon frayed and tore.
"You betrayed me…!" she sobbed as she ripped it.
Sesshomaru gasped. She had loved that necklace so… and because of him, she had broken it.
"WELL NO MORE!" she shrieked, "FORGET YOU! YOU CAN GO TO HELL!" She threw the necklace at his feet with full strength. Sesshomaru felt himself split in two as he stared at it on the ground, torn and battered, the little bell tarnished by the grip and fingerprints. He recalled shining it himself.
She turned away from him. "From now on… I no longer know you…" her voice boomed.
She walked back towards Inuyasha. "When will we be leaving… Lord Inuyasha?" She shot one last look at him, one that was very similar to the one he had shot her when he abandoned her. He cringed at the sound of her voice calling his flea-bitten brother "Lord". He realized she was trying to make him jealous by using Inuyasha. It was working.
Sesshomaru did not care what anyone else thought of him anymore. He wanted her more than anything, and he knew he had to apologize. He no longer cared if she knew the truth of why he had left her there that day. Anything. Anything to ease her anger. Anything to get her to come back to him. He picked the necklace up off the ground and ran after her.
"Hanako… let me…" he began, touching her shoulder and turning her around.
Hatred glazed over her golden eyes. She clenched her fist and raised her arm; spreading her hand straight and…
He was greeted with a hard slap across the face that nearly knocked him senseless.
Totally unexpected. He stood there before her, completely blank of any thoughts, any feelings. He raised his hand to where she had hit him. A bright red mark marked the spot. It still hurt.
"Don't you touch me… you ASSHOLE!" she shouted at him, her words echoing about the forest. Or maybe they were just echoing through his mind. She turned around again to Inuyasha.
He gained back his senses and once more began to try to reach her. "Hanako…" he crooned, "Just let me-"
She turned to him, her eyes narrowed into a stare colder than ice that pierced his gaze. She gritted her teeth.
"Let me alone…" she growled under her icy breathe, "I hate you…"
That one phrase almost knocked him over. Wh…what…? He thought in complete shock.
She whipped around, one hand on her hips. "May we leave now?"
Sesshomaru saw them all: Inuyasha's companions all looking at him like he was the worst thing that had ever happened. He watched her leave. With each step she took, a small shard of himself was being trampled over. She hated him now. Hated him. He did not hate her. Is that what she thought? He almost shouted out "I don't hate you, Hanako" but luckily stopped himself. He already looked like enough of a fool. Shame overcame him and he fell silent.
Kagome observed him silently. Pure devastation written all over his face. She had never seen him look so upset. She had never seen him with any kind of expression on his face at all.
Could it be… that Sesshomaru likes Hanako? And she likes him too? Or liked really…
She walked off at Hanako's side. Hanako was still crying.