Hey everybody! Sorry this took a while- the sad part was easy, but figuring out where to go from there was surprisingly hard. This chapter is DEFINTENTLY going to have swearing, heart-wrenching sad moments and gore, so if you don't like that you have been forewarned! I do not own Inuyasha or Fairy Tail; I do own my OCs and plot twists.
Now, cue the sad Fairy Tail theme (I listened to it a lot while writing this) and let's get started on Chapter 10!
North of Magnolia, Country of Fiore, World: Earthland.
Yasmine turns to face her shell-shocked partner.
"Ryo, why did you tell Jade like that?" Yasmine's voice whips through the air, unforgiving.
Ryo opens her mouth and shuts it, shaking her head mutely.
"She had no warning- none. There are ways to soften the blow, but did you use them? No. No, you did not." Yasmine shakes her head, disgusted.
"I-!" Ryo starts to squeak but Yasmine slashes her hand, silencing her.
"Ryo, your words are oft bitter and angry, but you had no right to delight in Jade's pain- don't shake your head at me, I felt it through our pact."
Ryo's face pales and she takes a step back. Yasmine smiles coldly at her.
"Even if I had not felt it, that dark pleasure is one I recognize very well- it was one of my favorites, after all…" She lets her words trail off as she purrs the last bit.
Ryo flinches and nearly falls over in her haste to get away from Yasmine. Yasmine lets out a low chuckle as she starts to stalk Ryo.
"I didn't mean-!" Ryo denies, temper sparking.
Yasmine tilts her head.
"You didn't mean to- what? Hurt her? Confirm her worst nightmare?" Her voice is dangerously sweet as she questions the irate mage.
"She was already hurt! She was being reckless, despite what I told her! Of course I lost it!" Ryo snaps, finding her backbone.
Yasmine laughs outright at that.
"For that-? You- for that?" She gasps, wiping her eyes.
Ryo glares at her belligerently.
"Fine, I made a mess of it- happy?! Are you happy now, you freaking-!"
Yasmine puts one finger on her lips, silencing Ryo's next words.
"No. I am not happy, mageling. There is a bright side to this, however." Ryo tilts her head, annoyed by her games.
"What?"
Yasmine smiles cheerfully.
"Jade's in another world so I don't have to worry about her beating you to a pulp!" Ryo stiffens and then crumples.
"Do you think she'll forgive me?" Ryo whispers, a trace of fear in her voice.
"… I do not know, mageling. Time will tell." Yasmine tells her finally, hugging her briefly and then walking away.
Country of Japan, World; Earth.
…
They're gone.
It can't be true!
They're gone.
It just can't!
They're gone.
"NO!"
Jade howls into the forest, trying to deny what she heard, what she saw. Pain throbs through her arm, her back, her ribs, as she walks deeper into the woods heedless of the direction. Acid burns the foliage and earth as Jade's emotions grow more and more out of control.
"You remember the S-Class exams, Jade-nee? The ones you were supposed to help out with? Well, everyone there was wiped out by that flying disaster Acnologia. Tenroujima is gone and so is most of Fairy Tail with it."
Jade covers her ears, trying to not hear Ryo's voice, a keening sound coming out of her mouth as she stumbles.
"It's true, Jade." Her keening turns into snarls as she blindly melts the trees in her way, furious. But it wasn't enough to block out Yasmine's words. Not nearly enough.
"We checked in on Fairy Tail after it happened- the core members, aside from yourself, are gone."
"FUCK THAT!" Jade roars into the darkness.
"FUCK IT TO HELL AND BACK!"
Her fist meets rock and melts through it- in a frenzy she punches it again and again. It didn't satisfy the wrath and loathing inside of her, not by a long shot. She makes short work of it and moves on. Everything in her path she destroys and she glories in it, being able to hurt the world the way she was hurt. Demons hover around her, wary but drawn to the scent of her grief and rage.
Jade's head snaps around and her eyes glow green as she glares them down; most freeze and skitter away. Her lips curl back at the ones too foolhardy to stay. A short silence is broken by the demons' war cries as they charge. A rumbling snarl explodes from Jade's throat as she charges in turn, happy to attack them, to kill them.
The fight was short- too short for Jade's liking. The demon corpses melt as she roves on, seeking more demons to battle with. Many hours and many dead demons later, Jade rests against a tree and something drips onto her hand. Jade blinks and another drop falls, then another. Trembling, Jade touches her face with one hand and feels the tears streaming down her face.
"Shit…" She gasps, trying vainly to hold the waterworks back.
But the tears keep falling and Jade feels a sob building in her chest.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!" Jade slams her fist against the ground over and over, trying to distract herself.
It doesn't work.
How could it?
Fairy Tail was gone.
Her friends, her silly violent lively friends, are gone.
Jade opens her mouth and lets out a roar, full of the things she can't say and can't express.
Rage. Self-loathing. Despair. Grief.
After the roar fades away, Jade buries her head into her hands, heedless of the poison still dripping.
"Gramps, Erza, Mira, Gildarts, Natsu, Gray, Loki, Cana, Elfman, Laxus, Freed, Ever, Bixlow, Happy...! I'm sorry! I'm so goddamn sorry!" Jade whispers, crying.
The poison soaks into her hair and black curls start to change to silver where the poison touches it.
"I should have been there-! I should have been there-!" She hiccups, starting to rock back and forth.
"I'm sorry! If you can hear me, everyone, I'm sorry-!"
The pitter-patter of small feet interrupts her lament and Jade lifts her head with a snarl.
WHO..?!
A small girl with a side-ponytail runs towards the Dragon Slayer, closely followed by a green toad thing holding a wacky staff.
"Run, Rin!" The green thing bellows, turning and sending a fireball the way they came.
A pained scream of several demons being roasted alive hurts Jade's ears and she stands, glaring at the little bastards. The little green demon hurries along after 'Rin' and both stop, staring at the Dragon Slayer in shock. Jade ignores them and scans the forest, scenting the air.
What the hell?! Why is there a small army of these little shits?!
The vile stench of many demons, all disgusting and putrid, is coming from behind the two intruders. Charred flesh and ash hangs in the air as she takes a deep breathe.
20… 30… 40… almost 50 of the little shitheads.
Jade advances towards the hoard of demons, cracking her fingers.
"Stay behind me." Her abrupt order catches Rin and her green companion off-guard.
"What?! How dare you order about a vassal of-!" The green creature protests, wildly swinging his staff towards her.
"Shut. It."The ice in her voice stops his tirade and he gulps, nervous.
Jade faces where the scent of the demons is thickest and waits; she doesn't have to wait long. Suddenly they burst out from hiding and launch themselves at the Dragon Slayer. Jade impales the first one, grabs another and starts swinging it as a bat. The first wave falls over as she smashes them back, but the demons behind them try to dart around her, aiming for the weaker opponents.
"Earth Dragon's Obsidian Sword."
Jade's uninjured arm transforms into a shiny black blade dripping with poison. She whirls and cuts apart the demons trying to sneak past her, teeth bared in a snarl. More than a few pause in their attacks, shocked- a lethal mistake Jade takes full advantage of. The body count rises but the demons press forward regardless.
Shitty little-! Jade bites back her howl of pain when one uses an ax on her broken arm. She cuts that one in half and lunges to kill one sneaking past her. Behind her, she can sense the little imp thing flinging fireballs at the ones evading her. Rin's cries of pain and fear, and the scent of her blood, breaks Jade's control. She snaps. Her frustration and sorrow crystallize to fuel her newfound purpose: no one hurts those Jade is protecting.
ENOUGH!
Her lips draw back and she howls, the pressure from her bellow knocking back the marauders.
"Earth Dragon's Wing Strike!"
The scales break free and pulverize the enemy. She quickly finishes off the demons knocked prone and focuses her magic to finish the remaining demons.
"Earth Dragon's Roar."
Her mouth opens and crystals explode forth, slicing the area before her to pieces. The few demons that escape the initial aftermath try to run- only to find they are melting. The crystals, normally a rich green, are transparent and hiss as they start to corrode everything around them. Anything that was touched by one melts and some crack open to release deadly gases. In short, everything dies.
Jade wearily surveys the destruction and sighs loudly before turning to examine the two companions.
Jaken's Point of View
Wha- What is she?! Who is she?!
Jaken thinks, panicked as the foreign woman turns to observe them. Her strange clothes are torn in revealing places, battered from hard use and covered in spattered gore. One arm is in a split while her ribs are bound with bandages, her shoulder tattoo visible. Her green eyes critically survey both of himself and Rin, assessing them. His fingers tighten on his staff and he tries not to tremble; a rather difficult task since she's as threatening as Sesshomaru-sama!
"Are you hurt?" The stranger's voice startles him but when he processes her words a frown puckers his forehead.
Rin steps forward and raises a hand.
"Rin is a little hurt, but Rin will be fine!" She cheerfully tells the stranger.
"Of course I'm fine, no thanks to you!" Jaken blusters; under different circumstances he would have basked in someone else asking after him.
But Jaken forces himself to stay on guard- he doesn't know this woman! She could be an enemy or a powerful monster waiting to devour them whole!
"But, Rin is wondering what Rin should call you onee-chan." She says, staring up at the rigid form of their surprising guardian.
"… Jade." She finally answers.
Rin smiles and bows slightly to her.
"Thank you Jade-onee-chan! Rin was really scared and so was Mister Jaken but you saved us from the nasty demons!"
Jade glances at Jaken then kneels.
"You said you're hurt, Rin was it? Can you show me?"
Rin bites her lip but nods, rolling up one sleeve to show nasty cuts. Jaken feels faint when he sees that.
"Rin! Oh no! Why didn't you tell me?!" Jaken wails, terrified, images of Sesshomaru-sama crushing him into a pulp.
"But Rin did-!" Rin protests but Jaken's wails drown her reply.
"Mi lord is going to be so angry! I've failed mi lord and he'll demand my head for allowing you to be hurt! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" He continue to blubber.
An unexpected kick to the face shuts him up.
"God, you're loud! Use your brain, idiot, there's still demons about!" Jade snaps.
Jaken drags himself off the ground, glaring at her.
"You dare-!"
"Shut. It."
He shuts up. Jade sighs and lifts her face to the air, like she is smelling it.
"Ok, here's what we're gonna do. First, bind Rin's wounds. Second, find shelter or make one. Three, wait for dawn and do further medical care. Got it?"
Rin nods.
"Okay!"
Jaken eyes Jade suspiciously.
What is she playing at?!
Jade glances down at her fingers and sighs when she sees the poison still leaking.
"Shit. Okay, Jaken, in my back pocket there is a roll of bandages- pull it out."
"Why can't you do it?!" He demands querulously.
Jade glares at him.
"I can't grab it because it will melt if I touch it right now. Just do it!"
He opens his mouth to argue, rethinks it, and grumbles as he awkwardly yanks out the roll of gauze. Jade nods in approval.
"Okay, now, wrap the wound- we want it to stop bleeding." She tells him.
Jaken grumbles louder but does as he was told. It's not the prettiest thing but does the job.
"Good. Alright, time to go." Jade stands and leads them towards a cliff she passed earlier.
Jaken and Rin trot after her and blink when she pauses by the rocks.
"Why are we stopping here?" Jaken whispers loudly.
Jade steps aside to let him see a large crack in the side of the cliff-face, then she starts to claw at the opening. The stone melts and she starts carving out an entrance wide enough for one of them to slip through.
"I can sense a larger space beyond this point- probably a natural cave. Watch out for snakes." She tells them as she works.
Rin nods. Jaken stares at her in shock.
"What are you?!" Jade glances at him but keeps working.
"A wizard." Jaken frantically tries to remember if he had ever heard of 'wizards' before and sags when he comes up with nothing.
Jade finishes up and meets both Rin's and Jaken's eyes.
"I'll scout it out- be on guard." She goes through the opening and vanishes.
Rin peers around her and Jaken growls at further orders from Jade. A minute passes and Jade emerges, several dead snakes draped over her splinted arm.
"It's safe."
Rin nods and goes in, excited to explore this new place. Jaken is more unwilling but follows after Rin.
"Amazing!" Rin gasps, staring about the cave.
Jaken gawks. The cave walls and ceiling are covered in glittering crystals: some smaller than a fingernail, others larger than Rin. Jade points above them and Jaken can see a crack in the ceiling, letting in the moonlight.
"If that weren't there, I wouldn't allow a fire in here. Caves can trap smoke and smoke suffocates you, given time." She tells them, arranging twigs and branches.
Rin crouches next to Jade and helps, soon getting a merry blaze going. Jade offers the dead snakes to Rin, who happily preps them as a late dinner. Jaken sniffs at such plebian fare, but gives in when Rin uses her sad eyes on him. Jade ignores their interactions, eyes steadily on the cave entrance.
"Jade-onee-san? Do you want dinner?" Rin asks her, offering a roasted snake.
"I ate earlier." Is the curt reply.
Rin nods, undeterred by Jade's response. Jaken, on the other hand, is livid.
"Why you-! How dare you speak to Rin that way! I'll roast you for that!" He screams at her, flailing his staff at her again.
Jade simply glares at him.
"Try it." Her voice is cold as she dares him to do his worst.
Jaken unconsciously steps back at the absolute lack of fear in her expression and the deadly air of violence growing around her by the moment.
"Jaken-sama! You're being very rude! Jade-onee helped us while Sesshomaru-sama is away!" Rin huffs, breaking the tense atmosphere.
Jade frowns slightly at the familiar name.
Where have I heard that before..?
"But Rin-!" Jaken whines, trying to justify himself.
"Go to sleep, I'll keep watch." Jade orders, returning her attention to the cave entrance.
Jaken starts to protest, but Rin's grip on his sleeve and her trusting eyes convince him to give in. So, they settle down and pass out, leaving Jade awake with only the flames as company.
Sesshomaru's Point of View
Sesshomaru was not pleased to find Rin and Jaken gone from the camp he had chosen. A-Un was still there tied to a tree, but of his two wards there was no sign of them. He restrains a pensive sigh and smells the air for their combined scents. Their scents are strong and easy to track, so he felt little worry until he ran across the putrid aroma of a demon horde. Undisciplined and violent, they attack anything that is perceived as weak- and unfortunately, Rin and Jaken are in that category. Sesshomaru picks up the pace, eyes narrowing as he spots sites of conflict, marked by burnt patches.
They grew more and more frequent as he followed their trail and he actually starts to feel concern- then he smells a shockingly familiar scent.
Her.
The warrior named Jade. Abruptly he could not smell anything other than her; it was as if the land had been bathed in her scent! A break in the trees appears and through it he can see the aftermath of battle- clearly, Jaken and Rin had found Jade and she had protected them. Sesshomaru frowns as he surveys the scene. Something about it is- off.
His senses tingle as he walks slowly forward and his eyes widen when he realizes what the difference is. The last time he had seen Jade use an attack of this scale, the destruction was horrific, true. But trees had not been melted nor the ground smelling of dissolved demons. This was something new. Curious now, Sesshomaru extends his yoki to feel the area to confirm it was Jade who had done this and stills.
Not possible!
But it was there- proof it was possible. His poison, his yoki, entangled with her magic.
How?!
Sesshomaru forces himself to stay calm, taking a slow measured breath as he critically analyzes what his nose is telling him. Yes, his yoki is present, but overshadowed by Jade's emotions and her own magic.
Anger. Pain. He can smell those clearly, mixed with other, darker, emotions he had not thought her capable of. Despair, strangely. It disturbs him, how strongly he can sense it. Loathing- for what? Or whom? Puzzled, he sets that aside.
Grief. Sesshomaru flinches at the overwhelming, helpless grief Jade was feeling. Never one to allow his emotions to have this much of an effect on his mental state, the fact she was feeling these emotions so strongly and still be able to fight surprised him. Protectiveness and determination color the other emotions, leaving him very thoughtful.
But it was the scent of blood that made him see red; Rin's blood.
How could Jaken allow Rin to be injured! He thinks furiously as he quickens his pace once more. Soon, he comes upon a cliff, frowning as he looks at the crack.
Did she carve this open? He wonders, inhaling to be sure that his quarry are inside. Sesshomaru clearly smells Rin, Jaken and Jade further inside the cliff. Stoically, he enters, nearly making a face when he realizes he will have to crouch to get inside.
His eyes pick out strange illumination as he goes further and blinks when he witnesses the cave's features. The moonlight, faint though it is, glitters through hundreds of crystals, gently bathing the cave in silvery light. In the middle of the cave, remains of a fire smolders, Rin and Jaken curled up next to it. His tense muscles relax slightly when he sees both of his wards safe and sound. But he stiffens again when he feels something grip his throat tightly.
"I advise against causing trouble," Jade says coldly, fingers squeezing in warning.
Sesshomaru raises a sardonic brow at her.
"You have something of mine, Warrior Jade." She frowns then glances back over her shoulder at his wards.
Sesshomaru takes instant advantage of her inattention, breaking her grip and pinning her to the ground, his own claws around her throat. She snarls in pain when her back hits the ground and struggles to throw him off of her. He nearly is bucked off before he bare his own teeth at her and growls in warning.
"This Sesshomaru has little patience for your antics; you will tell this Sesshomaru how you possess this Sesshomaru's yoki!"He spat, temper fraying as she tries to punch him.
"Like I fucking know! I don't even know what yoki is!" She hisses, her good hand gripping his wrist as she tries to pry it off her throat.
He stares at her disbelievingly.
"Do not be absurd." He tells her flatly.
"Even a child knows what yoki is!"
Jade glares at him.
"Well, I don't, despite asking around!" She retorts viciously, clearly pissed off.
Sesshomaru draws in a breath to snarl at her again- and pauses. His eyes widen in disbelief.
She… is not lying!
"Get off me!" Jade growls, poison dripping onto his wrist from her fingers.
He releases her throat only to grab her good hand and stare at it, ignoring her attempts to tug free. Experimentally, he sniffs it, eyes narrowing.
This poison smells like mine, but some of this is hers as well…
"Get. Off. Me!" Jade barks, lifting hard with her legs to throw him off.
Sesshomaru shifts his weight and braces his feet on either side of her hips to avoid a disgraceful fall. He gives her a baleful glare and licks some of her poison off his wrist. Jade blinks and starts to look panicked.
"Oi, oi, oi! Why did you-!"
"Be silent." He orders, taking another lick to verify the taste.
It is mine, but there is another flavor here- it almost has a metallic taste…
"Sir Floofy, its freaking common sense to not. Lick. Poison!" Jade grits out.
Sesshomaru smirks at her.
"This Sesshomaru will not die from poison produced from the likes of you. Especially," He leans closer, almost purring in her ear.
"When it was originally my poison, Warrior Jade."
Jade makes a face at him.
"Well, excuse me for not knowing that!" She snaps.
Sesshomaru chuckles in a very arrogant and self-satisfied way. Jade narrows her eyes at him.
"Are we done with the interrogation?"
"No." He says, something akin to amusement in his eyes.
"You have not told this Sesshomaru how you possess this Sesshomaru's yoki and poison."
Jade rolls her eyes, trying to keep her temper under control.
"Maybe," Jade says through clenched teeth.
"Because you stabbed me in the stomach with your fancy poison claws? Or do you not remember?" Her tone becomes sarcastic and Sesshomaru looks at her thoughtfully.
"You believe this Sesshomaru's attack did this?"
Jade glares at him.
"Well, I sure couldn't purge your poison! I had to eat so many rocks just to keep your oh so superior nasty ass poison from eating me inside out! It was a fucking nightmare!"
His eyes narrow.
"You… ate rocks to defeat this Sesshomaru's poison?" He says in disbelief.
Jade tries to punch him but is foiled by his grasp on her wrist.
"Yeah, I did! So what?" She challenges him.
"Do not be ridiculous, humans cannot eat rocks!" He snaps back.
Jade smirks at him.
"Wanna bet? I can prove it here and now."
He glares at her, frustrated her scent is not colored with deceit. Abruptly, he stands and moves off of her.
"Humiliate yourself then, but this Sesshomaru will have the truth." He informs her as she pushes herself onto her feet.
Jade nonchalantly waves off his warning.
"Yeah, yeah. I just hope you can swallow your pride," She tells him before pulling off a small crystal.
"Nice example of quartz," She remarks, before offering it to Sesshomaru.
He raises an eyebrow at her.
"I'm letting you see I'm not tampering with it." Jade explains, still holding it out.
"Stop stalling, Warrior Jade." Sesshomaru commands.
Jade gives him a stink eye and then bites the crystal in half. She chews, swallows, and eats the rest of it easily. Then she opens her mouth to let him see she had actually swallowed it.
"Told ya," she tells him before noticing the poison stopped leaking from her fingers again.
"Ugh, why does you have to be so bloody unpredictable?" Jade growls, glaring at her fingers.
Sesshomaru ignores her side commentary as he processes what he has learned.
She can eat crystals… but that does not explain how she did not die from this Sesshomaru's poison.
"Why would eating crystals and rocks enhance your resistance to this Sesshomaru's poison?"
Jade blinks and gives him a raised eyebrow.
"Uh, because I'm an Earth Dragon Slayer?"
He gives her a 'What is that?' look. Funny how much he can say without actually saying anything. Jade's mouth quirks into a small smile.
"I'm a magic user- Dragon Slayer magic gives me aspects of a dragon to defeat one. In my case, my elemental affinity is earth, so if I eat gems or rocks I get a boost to my magic and healing. Doesn't seem like anyone in your world has magic, beyond your mikos and monks." Jade remarks, sighing.
Sesshomaru narrows his eyes.
"'Your world'?" He interjects silkily.
Jade rolls her eyes.
"Yeah, your world. Honestly, did you seriously think I was from here?" She chides him, glaring.
"My clothes are weird, Soren isn't a native animal, I have unknown magic, I'm from a country that doesn't exist here and I don't know half the shit I need to know! So yeah, Sir Floofy, I'm from another world and I'm pissed off that I'm stuck here with no clear way back! But it gets even better! My guild, my comrades, are freaking missing and might be DEAD! AND I CAN'T HELP!" Her voice grows louder and louder as she rants, all her pent up frustration breaking loose.
Sesshomaru is unsurprised by the ferocity of her emotions, but the revelation of Jade being from another world was shocking. And yet… It makes sense. Her overall strangeness and 'magic' is far more easily explained if she were in fact from another world.
"And of course it had to be at the fucking S-Class exams! Of course it did! Fate is such a fucking bitch! And it had to be that shithead of a dragon Acnologia! I hate his goddamn guts! I'll rip his intestines out, stuff them down his throat and watch him choke on it!" Jade doesn't seem to even notice he is there anymore as she continues to rant.
Sesshomaru feels his face twitch at the profanity of her language. Then he realizes Rin and Jaken are stirring and decides to take action. He blurs and clamps his hand across her mouth, glaring at her.
"Be silent." He hisses, showing off his teeth.
Jade knocks his hand away and lashes out with a kick, eyes flashing as she focuses her ire squarely at Sesshomaru.
"Like hell, Sir Floofy!" She snaps back, fingers cracking as she flexes them.
He blurs and slams her into a wall, crushing her throat.
"Be silent. This Sesshomaru will not have Jaken and Rin awaken to such profanity!" He snarls, getting right into her face.
Gritting her teeth, Jade sucker punches him the gut, ignoring her lack of air. His grip doesn't loosen so she tries a trick Yasmine once showed her and slams her stiff fingers into a pressure point on his shoulder. He hisses and Sesshomaru's grip goes slack, letting Jade free herself from his grasp.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Her voice is low but filled with menace.
"I'm at my goddamn limit and you sure as hell don't have any right to dictate anything to me!"
Sesshomaru feels his own temper fraying at that.
She DARES defy HIM?! Unacceptable!
His vision goes red…
Jade's Point of View
She barely has time to block when he suddenly lashes out with his poison whip, wrapping it around her bad arm. Jade bites back a howl of pain as the poison burns through the bandages and splint. Stubbornly she yanks towards her, dragging Sesshomaru closer and stomp kicks one of his knees. He darts to the side but is hampered by her grip on the whip.
Jade hisses and roughly pulls it the opposite direction, stopping his movement for a precious moment. She plows into him, smashing her elbow into his ribs and winds up for a second strike when Sesshomaru gut punches her. Jade's face goes pale as she feels several ribs audibly 'snap' and she stumbles back, trying to breath.
"Ugh..!" She wheezes, trying to not pass out.
Sesshomaru presses the advantage, this time yanking her to him and kicking her feet out from under her.
"Gah!" Jade tries to not land on her bad arm or back, but Sesshomaru wasn't having it.
He slams her into the ground hard and pins her down, his claws clenched around her throat. Jade feels the wound on her back split open and starts feeling dizzy from the blood loss. Desperate, she digs onto the pressure points on his wrist, squeezing hard but his grip doesn't falter.
"Ack… le…t… go!" Her voice is a thread of sound but Sesshomaru still hears it.
"No." He snarls in her ear.
Jade tries to growl but when he unexpectedly shifts onto her ribs for better positioning, she finally blacks out.
Sesshomaru's Point of View
He blinks when he realizes she had passed out, the red haze in his vision fading away as he stares down at the frustrating woman. Sesshomaru contains a sigh and frowns, scenting fresh blood. With very little care he flips her over to see fresh bloodstains on the bandages. Nonplused, Sesshomaru stares down at it, uncomprehending.
She is injured?
A frown crosses his face at the memory of how her arm was in a strange contraption- one he had melted through. Curious, he drags it out and examines the damaged limb; the poison burns he had expected, but the discoloration and odd shape indicates an older injury.
But no older than a week…
His attention returns to the rest of her and he eyes the bandages on her ribs; clearly they are there for a reason. Sesshomaru unwraps them and his eyes narrow- her ribcage is strangely shaped and her skin is bruised black almost everywhere. Sesshomaru tries not to notice her top is even more revealing than it was previously, with curious holes in random spots. Everything is covered in blood. He sits back, stupefied. Sesshomaru is no expert healer, but he does know fighting when injured is a swift way to die.
Warrior Jade is no inexperienced pup; so why fight if she is injured, short of necessity? And whom had she fought that managed this?
Sesshomaru settles down next to Jade, brooding and wondering why her being injured irritates him.
Jade's Point of View
Throbbing, dull aches wake Jade as she tries to roll into a more comfortable position.
"Ugh..!" Her good hand goes to touch the painful spot- only there are a lot of painful spots.
Groaning, Jade opens her eyes and blearily tries to figure out why she feels even worse than before. She pokes at her broken arm and feels new welts- almost burns, all over and a lack of a splint.
Okay… arm is worse now… what about ribs?
Gritting her teeth she tries to sit up and fails miserably. Jade glares at the ceiling, then carefully pokes her ribs with a finger; she almost blacks out again.
"Dammit…" She swears, feeling pissed that even breathing is difficult now.
"Ok… arm, worse. Ribs, broken and bruised. Back..?" She catalogues aloud, trying to remember how she ended up like this.
"Bleeding." A curt voice replies and Jade's head spins as she frantically tries to pinpoint it.
Her eyes settle on a familiar stoic figure and her memory snaps into place.
"… Sir Floofy." She says icily, glaring him down as best as she can, lying prone on the floor.
He arches an aristocratic eyebrow at her, unimpressed.
"You will call this Sesshomaru by our proper name, Warrior Jade."
Jade snorts loudly then winces as the movement hurts her ribs.
"Nope," She says when she catches her breath.
His golden eyes narrow.
"And why not?" He demands, looming over her.
She rolls her eyes at his dramatics.
"Since you A, stabbed me and I got freaky-but-also-cool-poison claws I can't control reliably. B, broke my already cracked ribs and made all my injuries worse. And C, for just being an insufferable shithead on one of the worse days of my life. So, no, I'm not going to call you by name Sir Floofy. Not today, so suck. It. Up!"
Her tone is reasonable but Sesshomaru can sense the anger and pain behind her words. He eyes her brooding face and finally gives in to curiosity.
"Why is today one of 'the worse days'?" Sesshomaru asks.
Jade stares at him.
"Were you not listening? Or do you have cotton for ears?!" She hisses in disbelief.
Sesshomaru stiffens, angry at the insinuation that he failed at something as simple as listening.
"I said my guild, my friends, are MISSING and probably DEAD! And I wasn't fucking there to help fight! I couldn't since I'm stuck here! AND IT SUCKS, YOU HEARTLESS ASSHAT!" Jade yells at him, struggling to sit up to attack him.
Sesshomaru pushes her firmly back onto the ground with his hand and glares at her in turn.
"This Sesshomaru is growing tired of your continued disrespect and thoughtlessness! Rin and Jaken sleep and yet you bellow and brawl like a barbarian!"
"Oh, shut up! I'm grieving you son of a bitch! Or have you never lost someone before?!" She snarls, breathing hard.
Sesshomaru stills and his expression becomes cold.
"It makes no difference if this Sesshomaru has lost someone- your behavior is reprehensible." He retorts.
Jade opens her mouth, then pauses, staring at his face. Her eyes widen as a revelation occurs to her.
"You did lose someone."
She makes it a statement, not a question, maintaining eye contact. Sesshomaru conceals a flinch and his demeanor turns glacial.
"You dare presume-!"
"Oh stop. You're just like Masa-nee; burying your emotions under icy control, hoping they go away. Yeesh, it took ages for her to loosen up!" Jade reminisces, ignoring the incredulous expression on Sesshomaru's face.
"You dare compare this Sesshomaru to a human?" He hisses, flexing his claws.
Jade rolls her eyes.
"To Masa-nee, who's one of the most badass people I know but yeah, basically."
Sesshomaru struggles with the urge to slaughter her, for being compared to a human wench of all things.
"She couldn't talk about it."
Sesshomaru blinks, distracted from his bloodthirsty thoughts. Jade stares up at the ceiling, remembering.
"When we lost our foster parents, Masa-nee didn't say anything. But each day she would go out, hunting for their scents. She never found them, but she'd kill something for dinner. Without fail, every single day. Masa-nee couldn't tell me if she was fine or not, but," Jade turns her head to meet Sesshomaru's eyes.
"She still grieved, same as Ryo or me. I don't know if she couldn't talk about it or wouldn't. But you remind me of how Masa-nee did what needed doing and kept her grief solely for herself. I never understood that, but I'm not a perfectionist or stoic." She shrugs awkwardly.
"…"
Sesshomaru stares at her, struggling to understand why she would reveal something clearly personal with him, the Killing Perfection. Unable to think of a reason, he does what any good tactician does- redirect.
"Who gave you these injuries," He changes the subject abruptly.
Jade grins.
"A demon dragon called Ryukotsusei! Nasty bugger, but he's dead now." She tells him cheerfully.
Sesshomaru stares at her in complete disbelief.
"… What?"
Jade blinks at him.
"Did I say something weird?"
"… Whom did you fight?" Sesshomaru asks aggressively, getting into her personal space.
Jade frowns at him.
"I told you- Ryukotsusei. He was a big dragon demon thing and we had to beat him for Fluffy Ears to make his sword lighter; I think it's called Tetsusaiga! Anyway, it was seriously dangerous but really fun- except when Ryukotsusei woke up and Fluffy Ears went rabid, but otherwise it was fun! I haven't gotten to fight a dragon in a long time…" Her voice trails off as Jade notices Sesshomaru's icy expression.
"You okay?" She asks, worried.
"… You speak of Inuyasha."
Jade tilts her head at him.
"Inu-? Ah, Fluffy Ears. Yeah, what about him?" She says dismissively.
"You are aiding him?"
"Uh, I mean I'm traveling with him and Kagome, Shippo, Sango, Kirara and Miroku, so yes?"
"… I see. And where were your… companions while you fought demons injured?" Sesshomaru's mouth twists in distaste.
"I told them to stay behind or they probably would die." Jade tells him honestly.
He cocks his head at her.
"Why?"
Jade huffs a sigh and her face grows moody.
"… I was raging and when I'm like that I'm way more likely to punch everyone, not just the enemy. None of them have what it takes to survive a fight with me, so I told them to stay put and I walked away."
"Hn."
"…"
"…"
"… Hey, can you do something for me?"
Sesshomaru quirks an eyebrow at Jade.
"Can you give me a couple more of those crystals? And rewrap my bandages? I'd rather not die from bleeding on a cave floor."
Sesshomaru considers her requests and finds them reasonable. While not the most befitting of tasks, he had worsened her injuries, so Sesshomaru was willing to humor her. Decided, he stands up and pulls a few more of the crystals off the walls, eyeing them curiously before handing them to Jade. She immediately starts eating them at a frantic rate, her eyes closing in bliss. Sesshomaru waits until she had finished and lifts her to rewrap her ribs. Jade hisses and bites her lip, trying to stay quiet. He sits behind her and braces her with a propped up leg, carefully balancing Jade upright.
"Your back is still bleeding." Sesshomaru's voice rumbles into her ear.
"Eh? Wait, seriously? Ack, that's such a pain!" Jade grumbles irritably.
"Dang it, I was hoping eating crystals would help with that- no such luck, huh?" She sighs.
Sesshomaru doesn't answer, critically inspecting her wound.
… Her bandages will not keep this from bleeding. Since that is the case…
He licks the wound; Jade flails at the unexpected touch.
"Wah-!"
"Be silent. This Sesshomaru has a congealment in our saliva."
"Uh-! Y-yeah, great and all but ya know I'm not super used to tongues or anything like that, even for medical purposes and oh geez I'm babbling aren't I? Yup, nothing weird going on over here, just Sir Floofy licking my back… That sounded better in my head. Way better in my head. Are you done yet? Not that it doesn't feel good, but I'm getting weirded out… where do you get your clothes, by the way? They don't melt do they? Cause if they don't then I would really like to get some- most of my shirts are melted and I hate kimonos 'cause they're super restrictive around the legs. I hate not being able to move the way I want to, don't you? Ack, where're you licking?!"
Sesshomaru idly listens as he seals the wound on her back with slow passes of his tongue, hiding his amusement at her confused discomfort.
"Hush." He orders, carefully inspecting his work.
Nodding in satisfaction, he reaches for the discarded bandages. Methodically, he winds the bandages around and around her ribs, ignoring her winces. Eventually he finishes, but doesn't move to lay Jade back down.
"Thanks, Sir Floofy," Jade breaks the silence, trying to not feel awkward.
Oooookay, when is he gonna lay me back down..? Not that this isn't nice but I don't know what to do now! Think Jade, think!
"You should rest." Sesshomaru interrupts her thoughts.
She turns her head to glance at him, raising her eyebrows.
"That usually requires being horizontal…" She says hopefully, all too eager to get away from him.
Sesshomaru conceals a smile.
"But we would not want to damage your ribs further," He counters smoothly.
Jade frowns at him.
"Well sure, but I'm not gonna fall asleep sitting up," She argues, glaring at him.
"Do not worry- this Sesshomaru's mokomoko will make it comfortable for you."
Jade blinks and then looks at the mokomoko.
"That?" She asks, pointing.
Sesshomaru nods. Jade bites her lip, then sighs.
He HAD to tempt me with the floof… She grumbles in her head, disgusted with her weakness for all things fluffy.
"… Fine, you win." Jade grumbles, missing Sesshomaru's smirk of triumph.
The mokomoko moves and gently cushions Jade's back as Sesshomaru has her lean back against his chest. She yawns and drops off to sleep relatively quickly, snuggling into the mokomoko for warmth.
Sesshomaru's Point of View
She is relatively quick to trust… He muses, watching the Dragon Slayer sleep.
Still… Rin and Jaken are alive because of her. Besides, it was rather amusing how she reacted when I licked her wound closed. Do they not do that in her world?
Sesshomaru wonders, picking up her injured arm and looking it over. After deciding it too could use a medicinal lick, he sets to his task.
Hn… For a human, she does not have an unappealing scent- save for the half-breed's stench. So presumptuous of him!
When he finishes with Jade's arm, he lets it fall back onto the mokomoko. Sesshomaru grimaces at Inuyasha's scent and deliberately covers it with his own, knowing full well it would drive Inuyasha crazy that Jade has Sesshomaru's scent all over her. Done with scent-marking, Sesshomaru leans back, looking forward to dawn and a show.
Naraku's Point of View
"Jade is a problem," He muses aloud, considering possibilities.
Her skills are primarily combat-oriented, but she has shown excellent teamwork and leadership skills- I cannot allow her to stay with Inuyasha and the others! It is time to see how my other incarnations deal with her…
"Kanna. I have a task for you and your sister Kagura."