Chapter 2: Sesshomaru Appears

A man is walking in the trees. He hears her scream, "get the fuck away from me!" He turns to see what is going on. He sees a woman running from five men. 'How pathetic five men against a single female.' He keeps watching the scene unfold but does nothing to intrude. 'This is beneath me.' He watches as one of the men throws a rope that wraps around her legs and she falls to the ground. He sees her as she punches the one holding her legs down and can hear the snap of his nose. She punches again but the other one dodges. The man holding her left arm smacks her across the face. She appeared dazed but continues to struggle. She soon begins to tire. 'I know what would happen next. I have no interest in watching any further.' He turns his gaze to the sky and watches as it slowly darkens and the colors became more vivid. He can hear the man call for assistance. 'How pathetic.' He could hear the sickening sound of him forcing himself on her. He hears her screams strangled away as he quickly smells a lot of blood. He assumes he has slit her throat. 'Nothing but animals, no worse than animals. Monsters.' He hears a struggle. He figures she must be fighting with her last bit of energy as her life would soon fade. He turns his head and is surprised to see it was the male struggling.

Blood is pouring from her mouth but it isn't hers. She holds him in place with her teeth. The man pushes against the tree behind her and with a final tug he is free from her grasp but he isn't going to last. He has lost too much blood. She spits his tongue on the ground. Now this is interesting. She is smiling. He watches as the four men stare in horror as the fifth man scrambles away from her trapped and bloodied form. 'What loathsome creatures.' He finds himself angry as the four men approach her with blades drawn. 'She is fighting for her very life and managed to kill her attacker with hands tied behind her back.' He moves closer to the scene. He sees her starting to stand. She is looking down, "at least let me face death on my feet." 'Proud woman.'

Then she looks up and her whole disposition changes. She sees him. She did not look so sure anymore. He slits one man down the middle head to toe. The other three turn as he lets loose his whip and slices them to pieces. He steps from the shadows. She is watching him closely and he sees a spark of recognition and hope before her head goes down.

The woman knows instantly who is her savior, it is Sesshomaru. Her heart just about leaps out of her chest. She has an overwhelming sense of relief. Then it strikes her hard, 'I'm in Inuyasha and Sesshomaru is not the hero. It all depends on where in the series I'm at.' She quickly looks and sees that he has both arms and only Tenseiga. She bows her head 'Oh no, he hasn't even met Rin yet. I finally get to meet my favorite character and he is more likely to slaughter me than anything else.'

Sesshomaru approaches the female and notices that she has bowed her head.

"Please forgive my boldness by looking upon your form."

"Hmmm?" 'Strange does she know how to act in my presence?'

She can tell he is not expecting that to come from her mouth. "I am but a lowly ningen and you are the great and powerful Lord Sesshomaru."

'This woman knows my name and title, have we met?' She watches his feet as he walks behind her back and she hears a soft snap and feels the bindings go slack. She quickly lowers herself into a ball and covers her modesty the best she can. She hears him speak in a cold and collected voice but demanding as well.

'To show such pride and defiance one moment and then to cower in a ball pathetic. I feel myself becoming frustrated with her.'

"Get up."

She rises with those words. She is shocked Sesshomaru was talking to her. "Yes my Lord."

He grabs her chin roughly to make her look at him.

She meets his eyes with determination. 'I don't know what he wants but I won't show him fear.'

"What is your name ningen?"

"Avalon."

'No hint of fear in her eyes. Perhaps it was not fear but simply modesty that made her act that way but Avalon an odd name and not Japanese. I smell the other man's sex on her. I do not like the way it clings to her. She smells of cream and melon but with that man's scent added it is nauseating.'

"You need to bathe."

With that he releases her face and turns to leave. She moves her hand to grab at his sleeves that flutter behind him then drops her hands with a slight frown on her face.'Does he mean to leave me behind?'

"Please wait Lord Sesshomaru!"

"Oh?"

He turns back around to face her, a slight scowl on his face. She looks in his face trying to discern his motives but she cannot come up with an answer.

"I am unsure what you wish of me and I do not know the area."

'So, she did not understand why I freed her. I will have to be patient. Perhaps her trauma affects her comprehension.'He levels his gaze at her and slowly states,

"you proved entertaining. This Sesshomaru decided to free you. Come, this one will lead you to water."

"I wait, I was entertaining? You mean, I see. Thank you."

She finishes her sentence with a softer voice and lowers her eyes.

'I feel such a fool of course he would find my torture entertaining. I still need his help though and I had something he would appreciate, knowledge.'

"I can be of use to you."

He raised an eyebrow at her. 'This ningen thinks she can be of use to me? How humorous and presumptuous.'

"How can a ningen be of use to this Sesshomaru?"

"Entertainment for one apparently."

'Does she think I found her rape to be entertaining? Was that why she seemed so sad before? Pathetic.'Sesshomaru internally ludicrously scoffs and shakes his head but gives no further acknowledgement of what Avalon just said.

"Alright if not entertainment then how about information?"

'Does she think this Sesshomaru is a fool?'

"You just stated you do not know the area. What information could you have?"

Sesshomaru is surprised to see the look of concentration crossing Avalon's face as if she was debating something very important in her head.

'Oh God would this really work? I've watched the series several times and I am fairly familiar with it but what if I messed up the timeline and then the info was invalid? Shit would this even work? I would have to give him bits and pieces just enough to keep me valuable but not enough to affect the series, shit. I CAN DO THIS!' With sudden determination registering on her face and an excessively loud proclamation

"I know your future Lord Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow and looks at her incredulously.

"You know this one's future?"

'Impossible the simple fact that I am bound by no fate but my own making. How could one know my future. This ningen must be trying to trick me.'

"Yes, well parts of it and I know you are looking for your father's tomb, are you not?"

Quicker than Avalon can move or think Sesshomaru moves to grasp her throat and lifts her off the ground. He holds her at eye level as her feet dangle inches off the ground. With both her hands she grabs onto his wrist that is wrapped around her throat and uses her strength to ease her breathing. She has no illusion of being able to fight him off.

"What would you know of the goings on of one such as this Sesshomaru?"

'How would she know that I search for my Chichiue's tomb? Did she hear of it from my retainer?' Avalon tries to speak but all that comes out is a gurgling noise and Sesshomaru realizes he holds her too tight and is crushing her throat. He releases his grasp and she lands on her feet. He glares at her but also a part of him is surprised at her being able to land on her feet.

"SPEAK"

She brings her hands to her throat and massages the soreness and attempts to speak,

"I I …. (coughing) told you I know your future."

"How?"

She looks into his eyes and see the demand behind the simple question but knows that he would never believe her if she told him the truth. She notices her body starting to lean away from his penetrating stare and corrects the unconscious move to straighten once again.

"I just do. I wouldn't lie to you. I am not that foolish."

'She intends to keep her secret I see.' "Do you know where the tomb lies?"

"I do."

"You will show this Sesshomaru."

Avalon quickly realizes he wasn't asking he was telling her. Her hands start to shake as she tries to come up with another plan to get what she needed. She quickly makes a fist to stop the quivering 'No I have to get his protection out of this. If I speak, act, or step wrong I can be killed. I know a single man isn't a match for me but a group or even a single demon could over power me. How do I fix this?'

"I can give you more than just its location. I can tell you other things that would be of help to you but as with everything there is a cost."

'What could she be playing at? I would humor her for now.' "What do you require of this one?"

"A promise on your honor to have me as your advisor of sorts allow me to follow you as I wish and to help keep me safe."

Sesshomaru's expression does not change but his eyes hold a burning anger that slowly dies as he considers her words.

'To think this woman would seek a place at my side, what would she know of what she asked?'

"You are very bold for a ningen."

"I am very bold for an onna."

"Hn, I will grant your request if you do in fact know where the tomb is, if you have lied, this Sesshomaru will make you wish that you were left to those men."

Avalon nods and has no fear since she knows exactly where the tomb is.

'Well at least I can save Inuyasha from being tormented by the image of his dead mother.'

'She is calm I can detect no hint of fear coming from her. Perhaps she truly believes she knows where it is, we shall see.'

"LORD SESSHOMARU! LORD SESSHOMARU! Where are you my Lord? LORD SESSHOMARU!"

Avalon turns her head towards the familiar voice of Jaken. He can be heard from the trees behind her. Sesshomaru also looks in his direction but does not grace Jaken with a reply. Jaken finally emerges from the line of trees and bushes and his eyes bulge out of his head even more than normal when they land on Avalon.

"Wwwhhatt isss that?"Jaken lifts a shaking hand pointing at her.

'Oh yeah I forgot I must look quite scary.'Avalon fixes her gaze on Jaken and smiles menacingly at him. He steps backwards and seems to fear for his life.

"Jaken, can you not recognize a ningen onna?"Sesshomaru barks. 'What an embarrassment my retainer is, afraid of a ningen.'

"Go, you will get her some decent clothing and footwear."

"Yyyeesss Milord!"

He runs in the opposite direction turning around to grab his staff once again.

"Thank you my Lord."

"This Sesshomaru cannot have a blood soaked leech near me." 'It would be embarrassing enough traveling with a ningen at least she could look presentable.'

Avalon can feel the bite to his words. It is not out of kindness she is to be dressed. It is out of his pride. She assumes he didn't like the smell. 'I know Inuyasha hated the smell of human blood on his claws perhaps Sesshomaru did as well, However I knew he would not hesitate to kill if he felt it necessary.'

Avalon walks to where her shorts are and scoops them up being very cautious not to expose herself to Sesshomaru and shimmies them up her body behind a tree. She goes over to the leader and strips him of his kimono as it is the only one still intact, bloody as it is. She inspects the man's katanas. She gathers 3 as 2 were completely destroyed by Sesshomaru's attack. She decides to keep "okashira's" as it is in the best shape. None of the footwear will work for her since they are all too large. Sesshomaru watches as Avalon is sorting through the carnage.

'Interesting she is calm and calculating. I cannot see a hint of pity. Is she as cold as I?'

Once Avalon gathers what she could she walks over to Sesshomaru and looks him in the eye as her lips twist up into a half smile.

"Can you please lead me to the nearest place to bathe?"

He starts to walk away and Avalon follows him. She takes in the seen around her. Though it is dark the moon offers some lighting and she can see the large trees reaching skywards. She shivers a little. It has nothing to do with the temperature. She keeps forcing the moment of her recent rape to the back of her mind. She knows it will not help her to dwell on it. She already killed the perpetrator. She compartmentalizes it and stores it for later. They soon came upon a slow moving stream. Avalon walks over to the water and kneels over and places her hand in the water."Brrrrrrrr," she quickly withdraws her hand. 'Guess I should gather some wood and start a fire.'She turns and walks towards the wooded area and starts to gather sticks and wood.

"What are you doing? DO you intend to make yourself a warm bath?"

"No, my Lord but I will need a fire once I exit the water. I could get sick if I do not have a source of warmth after I bathe."

"Hn, get in the water this Sesshomaru will start the fire."

"Hai my Lord."Avalon walks back to the water. She places the katana on the shore and gets in the water with the kimono. 'Didn't expect that. Must be about efficiency.'

Avalon starts to scrub the kimono trying to get rid of as much blood as possible and then tosses it up on shore. She then starts to scrub her body as best as she can still being clothed. She can feel the crusted blood loosening from my hair and body. She knows her clothes are stained beyond repair but she won't discard them. They have value still so she scrubs them as best as she can while on her body. She looks into the water and notices a flicker of light. She turns around and can see the flicker of the flame on shore. 'He must be finished with the fire.'She heads back to shore and as she is about to step out of the water Sesshomaru surprises her when he asks

"What are you doing?"

"I am done with..."

"Remove your clothing."

NEXT UP CHAPTER 3 REMOVE MY WHAT!?

A/N I could not do this without elohiniar. She is an excellent Beta Reader and you should check out her stories they are amazing.