I don't own Inuyasha or it's characters, I am merely borrowing them. They're due back by midnight so hurry up and read and review.
Click that review button, click it real good. You know you want to... Don't be shy, honey.
Melissa was glad to be back in her traveling clothes, even if she wasn't traveling any further than the dojo. She could at least move with ease for once. She followed Granny to the dojo where Kimiko was already waiting for her in a simple, lavender kimono with close fitted sleeves, not to different from her own in style.
"Today I will simply show you battle stances and blocks. Once you have mastered them I will expect you to use them to defend yourself from me. Due to the limitations of your human body I will be gentle with you, I have no desire to kill you, but expect pain. Pain is an excellent teaching tool and motivation to learn quickly.
And I do expect you to learn as quickly as you can. These lessons while important may be short lived, they will have to cease once my son has impregnated you. An injury could prove disastrous to a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Even if the blow is not to the stomach injury could result in a miscarriage. It is one of the reasons youkai breed so slowly."
"Miscarriage?" Melissa asked, not knowing the word in Japanese.
"That is when a woman's child dies within her womb."
"Oh." Melissa replied softly. "That happen to youkai also?"
"Yes."
"So what I do first?" Melissa asked, glancing around the dojo. Kimiko looked at her closely for a moment, then Kimiko showed Melissa where the wooden training weapons were stored. She chose one roughly the same size as Raven and held it out to Melissa with both hands, the wooden blade and hilt laid across open palms.
"A blade is given and received in the same manner as a gift. The blade of this weapon is pointed toward no one and poses no danger until the hilt is grasped." Melissa took the wooden dagger and Kimko chose a weapon for herself. Melissa spent the rest of the evening watching and copying the various blocks and stances.
It was two days later when Kimiko told her she would be demonstrating what she had learned in her Kendo classes. They took up their weapons and Melissa bowed to Kimiko, the youkai inclined her head. Then Melissa took a stance. Kimiko made sure she was standing properly and holding her weapon right before taking up her own.
There was no countdown or warning, Kimiko swung her blade up and brought it down from over head. Melissa moved to block it but overreached and the wooden blade struck her in the back of the upper arm. She cried out in pain and dropped her weapon as she clutched her arm with her free hand.
"Never drop your weapon!' Kimiko admonished. "Do you realize where you made your mistake?" Melissa picked up the weapon with tears in her eyes and nodded.
"Then I will not waste time explaining it. Prepare to defend yourself." Melissa got back into stance and seeing the youkai move she raised the blade over her head, leaving her ribs unprotected. Melissa didn't scream this time as the breath was knocked out of her. She doubled over in pain, but didn't drop the weapon this time.
"Never assume your enemy will use the same attack twice." She waited for the human woman to get her breath back before taking another swing at her. This time Melissa got the wooden blade to the right place, but to slow and received another blow to the ribs.
"That was better. I think we will conclude todays lesson now, I do not wish to over tax you." Kimiko replied walking away to put her weapon away then leaving the dojo.
On the way to her room Melissa decided she needed a hot bath. Granny helped her out of her Kimono to change into a bathing yukata and shook her head. "I will have to speak with the lady on your behalf, she hit you far to hard!" The big mama bear lamented seeing the black and purple bruises on her charges body.
Melissa looked down at the bruises on her rib cage, touching them gently with her fingertips. Then she shrugged, "I get hit worse before."
"You have? By who?" Granny demanded fiercely. The idea of someone striking her cub...
"Husband."
"Sesshomaru?! He was raised better than that! I'd never have thought-"
"No! Different husband, first husband! I married once before, Josh was bad man, not Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru promise he never hit me."
"I see. I must admit I did wonder why you were not married at your age. Did you ever tell your father the man he chose for you you hit you?" Granny asked, gently.
"No, father hit me also. He not want me. Before I marry he say I not his daughter."
"Your father disowned you? Why?"
"He was bad man. Not want girls. Not want to keep me after I become witch. My grandparents took me when I was 15."
"You are a member of a different family now, both Maruchan and his mother have claimed you. Dogs are known for their loyalty. They are your family, your pack, for the rest of your days. You will never again be abandoned."
They both fell silent as they walked out to the bathhouse. Kimiko had also decided to have a bath. They heard her talking quietly with Kumiko as they entered the bathhouse. They came around a corner and saw Kumiko was kneeling beside the tub with her elbows resting on the edge as she spoke with her lady. As soon as she saw they were not alone she jumped up and stepped away to an appropriate distance.
"I sorry, not mean to interrupt." Melissa told them.
"Do not be sorry, this is your home. You have every right to be here. Come, join me. Kumiko, she is family now, such strict formality is unnecessary." Kimiko explained.
Kumiko returned to the side of the tub to continue talking to Kimiko as she bathed and Melissa stripped while Granny got her wash water. As they spoke Kimiko glanced at Melissa and then held up her hand to silence Kumiko. "Melissa, come here, now."
Melissa approached the tub and Kimiko stood and came to the side. "Show me your arm." She examined the limb, squeezing the bruised area and made Melissa wiggle each finger. Then pressed her hands against her bruised ribs and instructed her to take deep breathes as she did.
"Nothing appears to have been broken, but those bruises are more severe than I thought they would be. Either I underestimated how hard I was hitting you or I over estimated how tough humans are. You really are a delicate species."
Granny stepped forward and cleared her throat, "My Lady, if I may make a suggestion, as delicate as she is perhaps she should be trained like a puppy."
"Like puppy?" Melissa asked, looking from one to the other.
"Puppies are often targets for assassination because they are weak and helpless so they are taught self defense early in life. However they are fragile, easily hurt. Puppies are trained much the same way as an adult except each strike is halted just short of making contact so they avoid injury. Perhaps Ume is correct, if you are capable of learning without pain it might be best to avoid hitting you. Well, are you going to wash so you can have a bath?"
After the bath Granny fetched salve for her bruises and helped her dress for dinner with Kimiko. Melissa smiled and greeted the still silent guard outside her door before being led to the dining room by Granny. Dinner was pleasant, followed by sake and conversation about Kimiko's orders for the gardeners come spring. She reminded Melissa about the flowers that did not grow then showed her the new seed she'd just procured from another grower. Thousands of tiny black seeds, poppy seeds.
"I mentioned to the grower my household included a human while I was purchasing the seed." Kimiko Informed her as she refilled Melissa's sake. "Though I am growing these flowers for their beauty he said humans use the resin from the seed pods to make medicine. I am unsure of the process, but if you are familiar with this medicine you may help yourself."
Melissa gaped at her, "You growing opium?"
"What is opium?"
"Opium is drug! Is medicine but is dangerous. Not allowed because is dangerous."
"Not allowed in your country. Of course if it is dangerous you do not have to use the poppy resin, infact I would advise against it as it seems likely you are unfamiliar with how to do so safely. So what medicines are you comfortable with?"
For the rest of the conversation Melissa explained about various herbs and plants she had used and what they were used for. Then she found herself talking about weed and Kimiko asked her to describe the plant, which she did. Kimiko whispered something to Kumiko who scurried away and returned with a small ornate box.
"This herb you are describing, Weed, sounds quite like cannabis. Is this the herb in question?" She opened the box and showed Melissa a small silver pipe and several Marijuana buds. Melissa's eyes widened in surprise and she nodded, Sesshomaru's mom smoked weed?
"You seem surprised. You just intimated to me that you enjoy the effects of this herb, though it is illegal in America. I have no such legal limitations to what I may partake of. Running a palace is at times stressful, as you are now aware. Sometimes, once my responsibilities are done for the day, I like to relax by smoking. Infact, now would be a good time, would you care to join me?"
Melissa accepted the offer and Kumiko began packing the silver pipe. Kimiko took a long draw from the pipe then passed it to Melissa. She coughed as she took a draw then tried to hand it back but Kimiko pointed to Kumiko. Granny shook her head and tried to keep her disapproval from her voice as she announced she would inform the kitchens they would need refreshments.
Kumiko blew a smoke ring then asked "You coughed, has it been long since you smoked, Merissasama?"
"In America I eat. Cook in sweets, called brownies."
"Interesting concept, a snack that makes you hungry." Kimiko replied, taking another draw.
Melissa had been slightly frightened of Kimiko, but after that night she didn't seem quite as stern or intimidating. Infact Melissa soon began to appreciate the Youkai for her wisdom and her sassy sense of humor. They spent many hours together outside of her lessons talking and getting to know one another
And Kendo went very well. She was no longer black and blue at the end of the lessons, though she didn't doubt for one second she would be if she slacked off. Her Japanese lessons were going well too, though she still had trouble sitting seiza. She even got her guards to start greeting her with a brief 'hello'. All in all she quite enjoyed her new life, the only thing missing was her Sesshomaru. Though she knew he would return soon she still missed him.