Inuyasha; A Feudal Fairy Tale – The Sesshoumaru Blues

Chapter Ten – In Desperation

Sesshoumaru sat in a hot spring, finally a moment alone. He was being driven mad to keep up the reputation of being big, bad, and ever so cold in front of Jaken and Rin. Sesshoumaru ran his fingers through his hair. Fleas fell into the water. Sesshoumaru frowned. Jaken never did a great job with his hair. Sesshoumaru could see Zayane's face and how it looked when he'd ask for baths. It was always terrified more than anything, even after they had become close. He loved the look. Sesshoumaru sighed.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" His memories of her voice ringing in his mind. He hated her so much so leaving him all alone. He hated her for putting her soul into caring for him like no other human would. He hated her for loving him the way he was. He hated her for dying. Most of all, he hated her for stealing his heart. Her laughter was distant. "That's not how you hold a baby!" She yelled at him, he saw her agitated face. Sesshoumaru remembered holding Rikkimaru by his ankles when he was a few months old. Sesshoumaru smiled, drifting out of the memories.

Sesshoumaru sank into the waters of the hot springs, allowing them to swallow him up. Sesshoumaru seemed to sink deeper and deeper into the cleansing waters. His hair flowed away from his body acting like a blanket. He opened his eyes partially, looking up at the blue sky under the water. It felt like true peace. He swore he felt Zayane's gentle fingers running throw his hair, but it was just bubbles rising from the bottom of the hot spring. He pulled himself up, the water running down his face, his hair dripping. He was the true image of the Bishounen (1) hotness that young maidens envisioned of him. He moved his sunken bangs out of his eyes with his index finger.

Sesshoumaru rested his arms on the side of the hot spring. He was facing the natural wall of the hot spring, putting his chin on his hand. Sesshoumaru let out another sigh. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe that Zayane left him with such cold words on her way to the Nether world. I'm free of you. I'm free of you. The words repeated in his head. His heart swelled with such embarrassment that he didn't say anything relevant to her. That he didn't speak the words that could barely describe how he felt out her. I love you. Sesshoumaru knew there was one person he could see about what he was thinking about having carried out. And she would be tough to deal with.

BLUES

Kikyou sat in a dead tree; all the leaves had fallen and would never grow back. She was only a couple feet from the ground. Her Soul Collectors made a great substitution for fire flies, as some carried the souls of young maidens. The souls gave of a faded blue light. Kikyou had one of her legs on a branch and the other kind of dangled. She didn't have her hair tied back because she was relaxing. Nothing was on her mind, not even Inuyasha. Kikyou was just simply put, chilling.

A Soul Collector dropped a soul into her body while passing by. Kikyou closed her eyes, assimilating the soul into her body. She opened her eyes, and noticed a figure. She put a twisted smile on her face. After all, Kikyou had become very corrupt in death.

"I knew I smelt washed up demon." Kikyou said to Sesshoumaru. Jaken was trotting along side of Sesshoumaru, and Rin was instructed to stay with Ah and Un because Kikyou had a reputation of being a bag girl. Sesshoumaru swallowed his pride and let her get away with the comment.

"How dare you talk to Lord Sesshoumaru that way, you insolent human?" Jaken was enthusiastic as always. Sesshoumaru held a hand in front of Jaken to silence him. "Sorry, my lord."

"Jaken, go fetch her from the Necromancer." Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Right away, my lord!" Jaken said, rushing away from the two. Sesshoumaru took a deep breath. Finally—more peace.

Kikyou was polite enough to sit up to face Sesshoumaru. "Well, what is it that you want?" She cut to the point.

"I need your help." Sesshoumaru said quietly.

"You what…?" Kikyou smirked wanting to hear it again.

"I need your help." Sesshoumaru said louder. Kikyou was pleased, her hands pushing her hair back into her usual ponytail. Her fingers worked with the tie as she kept up the conversation.

"What do you need help with?" Kikyou asked.

"I have the raw materials and a caster for the summons, but I need you to retrieve a soul from the Nether world for me." Sesshoumaru said. Kikyou finished tying her hair. She looked at Sesshoumaru with a mean stare.

"If I go back now, my soul will be lost." Kikyou glared at Sesshoumaru for even suggesting that she put her new life on the line for him. She owed him naught and he had no favors owed.

"Can't you figure out something?" Sesshoumaru wasn't happy about Kikyou's response. She was being an egotistical cunt in Sesshoumaru's opinion. She was the wall in his path and Sesshoumaru would not settle for that.

"What soul would you want from the Nether world?" Kikyou seemed interested now.

"A human soul, if that's what you're getting at." Sesshoumaru said.

"…A human soul?" Kikyou was stumped. "Don't tell me, you've taken after your father."

"Shut the hell up." Sesshoumaru said, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Are you going to get the soul for me or not?" Sesshoumaru sighed. "Because if not, I can always find some one else."

Kikyou hopped out of the tree, landing on her feet. "I'll retrieve the soul for you Sesshoumaru, at a price."

"I'm listening." Sesshoumaru said, putting his good arm on his hip.

"I want the Tokijin."

"No deal." Sesshoumaru said turning his back.

"The Tenseiga then."

"No deal, bitch." Sesshoumaru tacked on to make sure she didn't ask for anything else. Sesshoumaru could find some one else. The tables had turned and it was Kikyou starting to beg.

"Wait!" She said to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks. He had a smile on his face that Kikyou couldn't see behind that head full of hair. "I'll get you the soul, if you set up Inuyasha to meet me in the Sacred Forest." Kikyou reasoned.

"Simple enough." Sesshoumaru smirked. "Now, will you go get the soul?"

"Yes, just tell me the name and the approximate time of death. Not exact time but the day, month, year." Kikyou said sighing.

"Her name is Zayane and…"

"Wait, Zayane…?" Kikyou questioned.

"Did I stutter?" Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. Kikyou was wasting his time now.

"Inuyasha's guardian, your servant? You want me to fetch her soul?" Kikyou was confused. "I thought you hated Inuyasha. Why would you bring back the person that was protecting him from you?" Sesshoumaru cleared his throat.

"What does it matter if I tell you? You're technically dead… Rikkimaru is my son."

"With Zayane?" Kikyou pointed. She began laughing. "You've got to be kidding me! Hahahaha! You? And a human? This is the best joke ever, Sesshoumaru. No, really. Why are you looking for her soul?" Well Sesshoumaru tried.

"I'm doing Inuyasha a favor. He misses her so much. He just recently found out that she died 40 some odd years ago."

"That's weird… Wasn't she a Mistress of Time?" Kikyou asked. Sesshoumaru nodded his head. "How did a girl like that end up dead?"

"I guessing Naraku knew about her eye, and kept her from opening it."

"Naraku?" Kikyou exclaimed. Naraku was truly in their social circle deeper than she had thought. "Naraku took her life?"

"He… He slit her throat." Sesshoumaru looked away. Kikyou had a new reason to go diving for Zayane's soul in the Nether world.

"Now I have to do this. I have to do this to piss Naraku off." Kikyou looked at Sesshoumaru's long face since he talked about Zayane's death. She gave a real smile, for once. "You loved her, didn't you?"

"Get the soul." Sesshoumaru ordered. Kikyou was starting to believe that when Sesshoumaru said Rikkimaru was his son, it was the absolute truth.

BLUES

Kikyou sat in front of the tree with her legs crossed, her arms resting on each knee. She was sacrificing one of her Soul Collectors to go into the Nether world rather than her new body. Kikyou surfed the bowels of the dark region. It was hard for her to concentrate with the fear of her own soul getting sucked back in. The Soul Collector, cooed as Kikyou tuned her mind with Zayane's soul. She remembered her presence when she stanched her arrow out of the air.

Zayane was in chains, but she was enjoying herself. She played with a water lily as she sat a lake. Zayane's eyes looked up. Her eyes were dull and had no life to them. The Soul Collector covered over Zayane's chest, extracting what Sesshoumaru was looking for. The Soul Collector darted to the living realm. Kikyou gasped, taking a deep breath of air. She started coughing, the strain on her soul was intense but she still survived the dive. Sesshoumaru kneeled to Kikyou, to help her up. Kikyou took Sesshoumaru's warm hand. It made what heart she had left go THA-THUMP against her chest. Sesshoumaru's eyes pierced her soul. Kikyou hid her blush.

"B-behind you…" She managed to say. Sesshoumaru turned and Kikyou had turned the Soul Collector red to separate it from the rest to avoid taking in Zayane's soul by accident. Sesshoumaru smiled with a sigh, but then turned back to Kikyou.

"If you've gotten me the wrong soul, I'll kill you for a second time." He scolded.

"I kept up my end of the bargain, Sesshoumaru. It's time you held up yours." Kikyou was on her feet, steady, and wielding her attitude. Sesshoumaru grabbed three Soul Collectors by the tail. He leaped off into the distance. He was back quickly. Kikyou started to glare. "What was that about?"

"I just released your Soul Collectors near the place that Inuyasha is staying. He'll sniff them out and follow the sent back to the Sacred Forest. So I suggest you'd better get going." Sesshoumaru said, grabbing the red Soul Collector.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Kikyou asked.

"You said it yourself, that I love her. I wouldn't want to do anything to make this backfire on me." Sesshoumaru said, pulling the red Soul Collector. Kikyou watched him walk away and gave a slight chuckle to herself.

"How'd that demon ever manage to get his heart won over by a human servant…?" Kikyou rushed towards the Sacred Forest.

BLUES

Kikyou and Inuyasha did meet in the Sacred Forest. Just as Sesshoumaru thought, once he caught a whiff of Kikyou's scent, he'd give some lame reason and leave the inn. Inuyasha walked over to Kikyou in a cautious manner, as if the ground was laced with mines. Kikyou stood in her place, the Soul Collectors rolling and twirling around Kikyou quite protectively.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked.

"I was going to ask you the same thing, Inuyasha. Since when did Sesshoumaru have a son…?" Kikyou crossed her arms, Inuyasha still approaching.

"He's had a son for a while now." He said. The glorious smell of Kikyou's hair flowing into Inuyasha's nose. He dropped his guard and rushed to Kikyou taking her in an embrace. "Oh Kikyou." Inuyasha purred, lavishing her in love and affection. Kagome has slipped Inuyasha's mind. He was being rather flirtatious lately. Kikyou raised her arms around Inuyasha, returning the hug. Kikyou didn't know why she would settle for meeting Inuyasha rather than getting her hands on the Tokijin, or the Tenseiga. She thought she hated Inuyasha, but Kikyou had to admit she was becoming so lonely hating Inuyasha all the time. It was nice to be held and loved. Kikyou sighed with a smile on her face, rubbing her nose into Inuyasha's chest, taking a deep breath of him.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru…" Kikyou said, quiet as a mouse. She was thankful to Sesshoumaru for not being a demon and betray her for no apparent reason…

BLUES

Jaken, Rin, and Sesshoumaru leaned over the beautifully crafted body. The body was crafted by a Sorceress/Necromancer for hire. She used the soil, bones, and ashes from Zayane's burial site and made a body for her. Due to the soil, bones, and ashes—when the Sorceress was crafting the body, it started to take shape on it's own to resemble Zayane. Before she had time to package the lump of clay and place her in the enchanted kiln, Zayane looked complete. The Sorceress was generous and gave Zayane extra hair, to style her hair how ever she'd like since long hair was the thing during that period.

Jaken was the one to retrieve the body. Sesshoumaru grabbed the red Soul Collector, squeezing it tight to force it to release Zayane's soul.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why didn't you just have that Sorceress practicing necromancy resurrect the human?" Jaken asked. Sesshoumaru wanted to hit Jaken more than ever.

"Exactly that, Jaken. She's practicing necromancy. I don't want her to mess around and make Zayane end up like that shrew Kikyou." Sesshoumaru said, watching the soul slide into Zayane's new body. Zayane's new body was covered of course by a kimono of hers that Sesshoumaru had been saving. Staring at the kimono on the days he was tired of killing stuff, and on the days he just wanted to be petted.

The kimono was a lavender color, with deep purple flowers all over. Her obi was red and tied in O-daiko style, courtesy of Jaken. Rin was fascinated.

"What now, Lord Sesshoumaru?" She asked in her tiny voice. Sesshoumaru reached for the Tenseiga. And this time, it allowed him to unsheathe it. Sesshoumaru squinted his eyes to see the chains wrapped around Zayane's new body by freshly spawned goblins. Sesshoumaru hid his smile as he sliced them down. He sheathed the Tenseiga.

Sesshoumaru heard with his keen hearing, Zayane's heart starting to pulse. There was a weight taken off his shoulders. He wanted to dive to her, scoop her up and run away but he kept calm. He took a big gulp from anticipation. He was waiting for Zayane to open her eyes. Zayane cracked her eyes slowly. Sesshoumaru kneeled to her to get a good look into her maroon eyes. She opened them looking at Sesshoumaru. For but a moment, both of her eyes were maroon. Zayane tried to blink but found her right eye frozen.

There was a stream of white light from her right eye, suddenly. Zayane reeled in pain. "My eye!" She screamed kicking and screaming.

"Rin! Get back!" Sesshoumaru warned. Jaken grabbed Rin's hand pulling her away from the demented Zayane. Zayane screamed as the white light shot at least ten feet away from her face.

"Take it out! Take it out! I don't want it anymore! Take it out!" She pleaded. It was the same struggle she went through to take on the mastery of time. It pained Sesshoumaru to see her like this. What had he done in his desperation? Zayane started to sound like a banshee as the light grew taller and hotter. She lifted her hands, finally, to try and cover her eye, but it didn't work. The light didn't burn her hands as it kept growing in intensity. "No! Don't give it to me!" The trauma was too much for her mind. Zayane began to have seizures trying to fight off the price of being a Mistress of Time. Sesshoumaru pushed his right hand in the center of Zayane's chest to stabilize her.

"Look at me! Zayane look at me!" Sesshoumaru said, as Zayane tilted her head backward to avoid her right eye touching Sesshoumaru. Her left eye rolled down slowly, looking into Sesshoumaru's eyes. It was calming her down. "You can over come this. Just accept the power." He told her. Zayane closed her left eye—the right one unable to close. The light, heat, and the screaming died down. Both of her eyes were closed and her body sunk to the ground, relaxed. Sesshoumaru looked at her. "Jaken, the eye patch." He ordered.

"Right away, my lord!" Jaken rushed up to Sesshoumaru and put the eye patch over Zayane's right eye for her, his little green hands working to tie it around her head. Sesshoumaru started to smile once Jaken had it on her. That's how he remembered her.

Zayane slid her hands on top of Sesshoumaru's. Sesshoumaru had noticed that he did have his hand in the middle of her chest, where her plump bosom was. She pressed his hand down harder. Sesshoumaru hid his blush the best he could. He yanked his hand away. Zayane slowly sat up, the tears forming in her eyes. She tried to form words, but her new voice box was difficult to use because it was dry.

"Jaken, something to drink." Sesshoumaru ordered as he wanted to hear what she had to say. Jaken rushed over to Ah and Un and dug in a nap sack. He pulled out a flask. The flask had wine in it but it'd have to do. Jaken handed it to Sesshoumaru, and he passed it to Zayane. Zayane took moderate sips, the red wine bitter to her lips. Her words were started to form.

"You… You did all this for me?" Her eye holding back the tears.

"Yes I did… I couldn't live with out you." Sesshoumaru said extending his arm to embrace her.

"Do you really mean that…?" Zayane cried softly.

"I'm not ashamed anymore, Zayane. And I mean that with everything that I am." Sesshoumaru said putting his arm around her pulling her in for a tight embrace.

Zayane even smelt the same. Zayane grabbed hold of Sesshoumaru as they held one another resting on their knees. Zayane took deep breaths of Sesshoumaru, crying on his boa. Sesshoumaru took his hand and placed it on the back of Zayane's head, pressing her closer.

"Cry was much as you'd like, Zayane." Her eyes became big saucers.

"You're calling me by my name…" This was a first. Sesshoumaru pulled her away from his boa for a moment. He used his thumb to whip away her falling tears. Her face was warm unlike the undead Kikyou whose resurrection process did not go as according to plan. "Sesshoumaru… Are you… Sure about this? Everyone will see that you… And a servant…"

"Shut the hell up." Sesshoumaru said, moving in for a kiss. Their lips met. Sesshoumaru could taste the wine on Zayane's luscious lips. Jaken covered Rin's eyes and Rin tried to get Jaken to remove his hands.

"This isn't for children, Rin!" Jaken said. Sesshoumaru didn't let her go, as if the kiss would be their last. They pulled away from each other, as a strand of slobber ran between them. They were intoxicated by each other's smells, feels, and over all presence. Jaken nearly vomited seeing the drool trail. Jaken wanted to lose respect in Sesshoumaru for kissing a human, but Jaken could tell in Sesshoumaru's eyes, there was something that completed him when she was beside him. If it wasn't for her, his lord wouldn't even be able to wield the Tenseiga.

Sesshoumaru and Zayane slowly smiled, but Zayane killed the mood when she spoke the words, "What the hell happened to your other arm?"

つづく(Tsuzuku)

Author's notes/Translation notes

(1)Bishounen is a Japanese term for young male beauty, I.E. HOT GUY ALERT –sirens blaring-

I hope you all are happy! Gosh couldn't wait till she came back xX lol Sesshoumaru is a one armed bandit. Please endure!