Avalon can't help but gasp in pain as he tears her wrist apart. "Sesshomaru please," she says in a whisper as tears slide down her cheeks, falling onto his nose and along his teeth. "Please, don't do this."
His mind tells him to dominate her, to own her. He forces her onto her knees, pushing her head into the ground, snarling over her back as he forces himself between her feet.
'What can I do?' her mind races as she knows what he intends to do. She starts doing the only thing that has calmed him in the past, other than her scent and starts singing a slow and calming song. "Playground school bell rings again. Rain clouds come to play again." She tries to sing the next lyrics between cries. "Has no one told you she's not breathing?"
Seconds, for just seconds he can hear her voice, smell the tears and knows he should stop. Blood pounds in his ears but then his primal nature takes over again. He slashes through her underwear and the back of the kimono, shaking as if trying to gain control of himself. A part of him knows she is his, but something is missing between them.
Avalon grits her teeth, when he tears her clothing away. She tries to continue her song, praying it would work, "Hello, I'm your mind, giving you someone to talk to. Hello. If I smile and don't believe. Soon I know I'll wake from this dream." She takes a deep breath trying to swallow the tears, so she can continue to sing.
His bottom lip trembles, then his hand. 'What am I doing?' He can see Avalon beneath him, but he's so hard, so aroused and something feels so wrong inside of him and inside of her. Her voice washes over him like a cold stream, her internal plea, begging him to stop. He grips her shoulder fighting an internal battle between himself and what his body needs, until his claws dig into her skin drawing blood.
Avalon groans in pain as his claws sink into her flesh, she takes another breath. "Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken, Hello, I'm the lie living for you so you can hide, Don't cry."
Sesshomaru's hakama drop. His desire is so strong he can taste it on his lips and feel it on every millimeter of his skin. He inches forward, his shaft rubs into her slit. "Give me a child," he threatens, resting against her opening.
Avalon's body shakes with fear and her eyes fill with tears. He is pressed against her and she knows he is going to take her against her will. "Please don't do this."
Salt and tears pierce his senses. His she isn't supposed to cry when he takes her. His hand begins to tremor on her shoulder and he jackknifes over her, his nose falling into her back as he trembles behind her, fighting to stop himself from penetrating Avalon. "S-s-sing."
Avalon realizes she is reaching him and sings. "Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping." She takes another breath. "Hello, I'm still here."
He pulls her back, sitting on his haunches, holding Avalon protectively over the shoulders against his chest, struggling to get enough air in. It hurt, he ached with the need to release himself inside of her. He searches for the part of him that is supposed to be connected to her and can't sense it, making his anger flare. "You t-t-took it...give it back!" He pushes her onto her back, holding her down by the shoulder, forcing her legs apart with his knee.
"W-w-w...hh..at?" Her lip trembles in fear.
His head bobs up and down as he swallows, blinking, trying to regain control. "N-n-not mine. N-n-not mine."
"Not mine?" she asks, confused.
His pulse sounds in his ears. His body begs for release. "N-n-not mine. T-t-take it back." His knees inch closer into her thighs, widening her hips. "Take it back."
"Our bond?" she asks, finally wondering if this was what he meant.
"Not mine. Not mine. Not mine." He drags his tongue up her neck, tracing her lips, repeating the same words over and over without end.
Avalon gasps. She had been purifying the yoki before. 'Is this the result?' She hesitantly presses her lips to his, not sure if it was the right move or not.
He tastes her lips, opening his mouth, curling his tongue around her teeth. Then he feels it pricking at his senses from the kiss, slowly growing within her. "More." His mouth comes down more forcefully.
Avalon allows him the access he wants kissing back with equal fierceness. 'I hope I don't regret this.'
The kissing calms him but he needs more. The need to be with her never left him, despite what Avalon did to herself. His lips dance in tandem with hers as his body finally falls against hers and he dry thrusts into her crotch. 'I will not force you.' He cups her chin, more firmly than he wants, but his control is so fragile. "More," he snarls out.
Avalon keeps kissing him. Her hand delves into his hair pulling his face to hers. Her other hand runs along his right arm.
A feral growl emits from his lips and he shoves Avalon away from him backing into a cleft in the rock face. He rakes his claws over his face, cutting into his skin, over and over. He shakes his head back and forth. 'Not like this.'
Avalon approaches him slowly with her good arm outstretched. "Sesshomaru?"
He continues muttering, "not mine," over and over again. When his face drips with blood, his claws move to his chest, raking lines into his skin.
Avalon rushes forward grabbing his arm, trying to stop him from clawing himself. "Stop. I'm not going anywhere," she says soothingly.
His light is blossoming inside of Avalon, but his mind doesn't stop flooding him with the primal need to take her. He falls on her neck, staining her skin with his blood. His forearm forces her body against his. He's desperate now for what was controllable before and guilt washes through him for what he nearly did to her. He shakes his head into her neck, pushing the material off her bleeding shoulder and sucks forcefully on the wounds he inflicted.
Avalon hisses in pain but her other arm wraps around him to comfort him.
The taste of her blood in Sesshomaru's mouth brings him a modicum of comfort. He laps at the lines on her neck, slithering the tip of his tongue in between the broken skin. His eyes slowly change from red back to white and gold but he still can't speak.
Avalon grits her teeth at the pain. "I am here," she says softly.
He drags his nose down to the folds of cloth covering her heart and pulls them down, exposing her breast. His mouth opens over the flesh and then his nose inhales deeply, fear hitting him the strongest. 'I need release. I can't ask.' So he clings to her, alternating between inhaling the scent of her breast and licking her skin. 'What happened?'
Avalon keeps saying in a whisper, "I'm here," over and over to him. 'What am I going to do?'
The sound of blood boiling in his ears dies down enough for him to bring her hand down to his shaft. Instinctively he knew he needed her, worse than before, whatever it was that had crippled him on the hill. He sees the burn of acid from the demon she fought and moves his lips onto the tattered skin, licking slowly, to speed its healing as if apologizing and begging at the same time.
Avalon's hand remains still unmoving and unresponsive against his shaft. She can't bring herself to pleasure him after everything he did to her. Not after he slapped her and nearly raped her.
'Blood. I still smell blood.' He lifts the wrist that has been injured, pushes the material back and sucks gently on the thick broken pieces of skin to sooth her ache. His tongue flicks against the bones, up the pink muscles. When he finishes, he nuzzles his nose into her neck, rocking back and forth as if he is comforting Avalon.
Avalon's lip trembles as tears pour from her eyes. "I can't," she finally whispers.
"I can't," he echoes her, still struggling with the cyclone in his mind. "Leave. Leave me." But he can't let go.
"I should," she says, trying not to move away from him. "You promised not to hurt me," she whispers as her head falls on his shoulder.
His fingers tremble. His mind tries to clear. It's as if he comes up for air long enough to speak. "Leave." He brings her fingers to wrap around his shaft again. "I can't...it's too strong. Leave before-" He moves away from her, folding his knees into his face and covers his head. 'Why does it control this Sesshomaru like this?'
Avalon wars with herself. She can't do this but she wants to help him. She stands in place, unsure what to do. "Sesshomaru?" she says, leaning down by him.
He gasps at how her scent draws him in and stumbles away from her, turning his back as he pulls his knees against his eyes again. 'Leave Onaga...before I become one more who takes you against your will.' He rocks back and forth. Whatever robbed her body of his yoki has made the yearnings worse than in the past.
Avalon gets on her knees behind him touching his shoulder gently. "What can I do?" she asks softly.
He shakes his head. 'What happened?' His sanity is holding on by a thread. 'Why is it so strong?' He starts muttering the thoughts in his head over and over, not understanding what happened or what robbed him of his control and has reduced him to this.
Avalon bites her bottom lip 'Was this because I tried to purify the bond?' "I...think...it was me," she says ashamed.
"What?" His head snaps up but his body doesn't stop shaking.
"I...uh...um...tried to purify the yoki inside me," she says sheepishly.
"Baka," he whispers, putting his head back into his knees. "I should hate you." He closes his eyes and attempts to focus on the details between his feet. The green of the grass, the way it scrapes against his shoes. The ladybug whose speckled back lands on a tiny yellow flower. He needs and his body isn't listening to him.
Avalon grits her teeth and backs away from him. Her own tears blossoming. "You don't want to be bonded to me anyway," she says bitterly, running away from him.
"I don't," he mutters, trying to force his body to stop burning and aching. He listens to her leave, refusing to follow, knowing that if he did, he would only take. 'Is this the only way? Can it not be satisfied some other way?'
He stays in place, watching the leaves and grass bend against the wind. If he can focus, he won't follow and that is all that matters. 'Why isn't there another way?'
Avalon runs into the woods and stops leaning against a tree. Bitter tears fall uncontrollably. 'Why do I even try? Why do I even care?'
Avalon weeps for a while and finally her tears dry and she realizes he never followed her. 'Is he protecting me?' She slowly walks back to where he is, surprised to find him still huddled in on himself. "Sesshomaru?" she asks hesitantly.
His eyes come out of his knees. He opens his eyes as if asking what she needs. He's covered in sweat from head to toe with new cuts along his wrists and shoulders.
Avalon leans down and places her hand on his shoulders gently where he is cut "What have you done to yourself?" she asks, concerned. 'Is this all to stop himself from harming me?'
He shakes his head, not sure how to respond or to express that it feels like a part of himself was sucked out of his chest and the wound still aches.
Avalon finds new tears filling her eyes. "What can I do to help you?" she asks quietly.
"I will not ask," he stammers out.
Avalon swallows thickly before leaning down and kissing his lips while moving her body to be in front of his. "You need me," she replies sadly.
He nods, putting his forehead in his palm. "There must be another way."
Avalon shakes her head while reaching for the strings of his armor. "Perhaps," she responds, kissing him.
He takes her hands off him, staring at her completely confused. "You want this?"
Avalon bites the inside of her cheek. "You need this," she replies.
He nods again, knowing that's the truth, but he can't move from his place. He's hard and his skin tingles and his mind is racing faster than he is used to. "Do not do this again. If I had known," he grits his teeth, trying to catch his breath but he can't continue speaking.
She nods. "I know," she says softly. 'You have been protecting me from you.' Her hands go to the straps of his armor again.
This time he lets her, leaning forward and resting his forehead against her shoulder. Her scent is marred with the smell of the samurais who held her, musk and salt and fear. He kisses her neck softly. "Forgive this Sesshomaru."
Avalon doesn't answer, tears roll down her cheeks. She pulls his armor off. "Lay down?" she questions quietly.
He massages the back of her neck with his hand and shakes his head. "Something else," he says again. "I need you but I cannot ask you for this."
"I am offering," she replies, cupping the back of his head.
"And if you get nothing from it? No release, then what is it? Sating an animal's lust?" He tastes her neck again.
"You're not an animal," she says. "I care about you, Sesshomaru. If I didn't, I wouldn't be offering myself. Please, take what you need."
He smiles into her neck, pressing his nose against it and then kisses her lips, hand shaking against her shoulder. He lays on his back trying to catch his breath.
Avalon gets up and pulls his hakama down. She positions herself above his shaft, taking him into herself. She closes her eyes as more tears fall. She starts rolling her hips mechanically, setting her mind on autopilot. It was still difficult for her to give this. As much as she cares for him he had just put her through so much.
Sesshomaru responds by gripping her hips, almost like the action is causing him pain, but before he can adjust to the feeling, it intensifies with the rocking of her hips.
Hate would be easier and annoyance fills him that there isn't some other way to connect with her. Yoki rises up as if filling a void, creating a vortex, a whirlpool to replace what was lost. His mouth drops open and he grips her hip tightly, pushing his hips to get where he needs. 'Something else,' his mind burns. There had to be another way.
Avalon's body moves with Sesshomaru's. Though the situation was different and this was her choice, it was all too reminiscent of her time with Naraku. More tears slip down her cheeks as she considers that Sesshomaru had stopped himself. She was so grateful for that, but the whole experience was laced with so much pain, blood and death. 'I should not have tried to purify the bond.' She leans down kissing his lips. "I'm sorry," she whispers against them.
He dips his tongue into her mouth, knees rising up slightly. He caresses her cheek, equal parts appalled with what he is doing and asking for forgiveness for what he did. He rocks harder, rolling deeper until he finishes and feels a small measure of relief that some of what was lost is replaced.
Avalon feels his release and cries. Her body slumps and goes limp on top of him. Her arms curl around his shoulders. Her body trembles as she weeps bitterly.
Sesshomaru shakes his head against her cheek, feeling somewhat more himself, but sullied by what just happened. He strokes her back and rubs her shoulders, staring at the darkened sky in disgust.
"Th...i...s is...n't rrr….ight," the words stumble out through tears. She feels like she is mourning in a way but she doesn't know what has died.
He nods in agreement, sliding her off his body and sitting up. He palms his chest, just over his heart, where it's still tender and feels like something is healing, but there is no injury.
Avalon curls herself into a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees. The tears won't stop and she feels like she is trying to keep herself from tearing apart. She cares for a man who could harm her one moment, but would protect her the next with his very life. It's too much for her to bear right now.
He watches her cry, feeling his heart clench. This isn't the way things were meant to be between mates and he knew it. He reaches down and picks her up by the upper arm. "Get up, follow me."
Avalon rubs her face with her sleeve. She stands on weak legs and follows him.
He leads her to the lake he had swam in before and removes his hakama, leaving his fundoshi on, then takes off his hankimono and hanjuban, hanging them on a tree. Setting the bag on the bank, he removes sobanso, a comb and a cloth. "Remove your kimono."
Avalon lowers her head and slips the tattered kimono off not wanting to meet his gaze.
He takes her wrist and brings her into the water until it comes up to his knees and then pulls her down to sit. He sits behind her, setting the cloth on his knee and rubs the sobanso in it. He pushes her hair over her shoulder and rubs her back in steady circles, removing the flecks of dried blood from her shoulders and back. When he's finished, he pulls her hair back over her shoulder and then begins cleaning her shoulders, her breasts and her stomach. He scoots back, gathering her hair to hang over his knee. "Did I hurt you anywhere else?"
Avalon thinks of the wounds he inflicted on her and new tears fill her eyes. He didn't hurt her anywhere else. He stopped himself from hurting her further and he stopped himself from taking her against her will and with those thoughts a small smile graces her lips. "No," she says breathlessly.
He breathes a sigh of relief. He smooths her hair out behind her back. "Lean back. Lay in my lap."
Avalon's smile falters and disappears. She nods and reclines into his lap.
He picks the sobanso up again and runs it into her hair, massaging her scalp, saying nothing. He smooths it around her temples and the top of her head and then slides his fingers in soothing motions along the base of her scalp.
"What is this?" she asks quietly, with her eyes closed, tears just behind her lids.
"What is what?" He begins cupping water and gently washing the soap off her scalp.
She smiles sadly, shaking her head. 'How do I ask what are we? What happened? Why was he the way he was when I purified the bond? Why did he stop himself? Why does he care about me? What is this?'
He finishes with her hair and then leans back in the water against his arm. She should be sleeping, at this point he wonders if she would be able to tonight.
Avalon sits up and turns around looking at him but not wanting to look in his eyes. She feels a sense of shame. "Is this what our lives will be?" she finally asks.
He lowers his gaze to meet hers. "No. After Naraku, you will find a home of your own."
Avalon lowers her head, tears trickle down her face dripping into the water causing ripples to form. "So it will be like this, we come together when necessary and that is all."
"Did you expect something else? I do not love you."
"Why did you stop?" she asks flatly. "You had the strength, the power. I couldn't have stopped you. Why did you stop yourself? And no, I did not want you to take me against my will. I just want to understand why you stopped."
"You will give yourself freely," he says, coldly. "Not like that."
"This isn't how things should be," she says sadly. "Sesshomaru, I don't want to live a life where I only have sex. I want to have meaning behind it." Her head drops down. She feels cold inside.
"That is why you will find a life of your own when this is over. I cannot be what you want."
She shakes her head. "Will I be able to have a lover?"
"No."
"Then my life may be filled with other things. But still, loveless and meaningless sex." She wraps her arms around herself.
Sesshomaru doesn't answer. All of this was why he sought a way to break the bond. He gets up and leaves the water, picking up his hakama and putting them on, but only throws the hankimono and hanjuban over his shoulder. Jaken would need to fix them.
Avalon sighs. "And there is no way to break the bond without one of us dieing?" she whispers.
"No," he answers shortly and then takes out of the washing bag a midnight blue kimono. He leaves it on a tree for Avalon and walks back to the camp.
Avalon starts rocking in the water as the truth washes over her. Tears fall and her body feels like it is so tightly wound it will snap at any moment. She starts hyperventilating, but she grits her teeth and takes several deep shake breaths to calm herself. 'This is my life. He cares for me but he will not love me and I will never have love.'
Avalon shakes her head slowly getting out of the water and letting herself dry before slipping on the new kimono Sesshomaru gave her. It was pretty, with intricate stars embroidered into the midnight blue material. She smiles sadly at the kimono thinking it's missing the crescent moon. She slowly walks back to camp composing herself the best she can. This was never what she wanted.
Sesshomaru exhales staring at the bodies around them. He grabs one by the ankle and drags it away into the bushes and then melts it and repeats the process until they are gone. He sits next to a tree, closing his eyes, attempting to understand how it was he could lose control.
Avalon comes out wearing the new kimono. She tosses the destroyed kimono in the fire. 'Forgive me, but I will never wear it again.' She glances over at Sesshomaru. Her eyes glisten with tears. 'You were right to want to break the bond. This was never the way things were supposed to be. And now I want you to love me so I don't just have meaningless sex with you.' Avalon sits by a tree by the fire. 'Why did I never try to find love? I was so afraid of being attacked again, but fuck, I could have. Shawn was hot and sweet. He tried so hard. I still remember the poems he would write for me. 'Avalon the lovely, hair of ebony eyes of sea, to be the dream of every thing, voice of an angel, songs of the harald to be with such a lovely queen.'' Avalon sighs. 'He really was something else, but I was so afraid. And now it's too late. Avalon sings in a whisper,
"But it's too late, too late, too late
Too late, too late for love
Well it's too late, too late, it's too late, too late
Too late for love, much too late for love"
She shakes her head. "Well only one thing to do," she whispers in English. 'Make the best of what I have I suppose. What do I have? I'm alive. I will live as long as he lives.' She glances over at Sesshomaru. 'Maybe I can get back to my artwork.' Avalon smiles softly. 'I drew him didn't I?' She thinks back to when she drew the life size poster of Sesshomaru that she put on her door. She laughs bitterly. 'Your an ass sometimes, but you did try to free me and for that I'm grateful.' She lets her mind wander and her eyes start getting heavy. She lays on the ground and falls asleep.
Avalon finds herself running and being slammed into a rock face by a rabid Sesshomaru. His eyes are red and his stripes on his cheeks are jagged. His teeth are longer and his claws are extended. She struggles to get away from him. He tears at her flesh and forces her legs apart. She screws her eyes shut as he pushes himself into her and his claws sink into her back, crushing her into his body.
Sesshomaru scents Avalon's fear while she sleeps. Guilt his companion because he knows he is the cause. He should be angry with her for tampering with the bond, but he had tried to find a way to end it and doesn't hold her at fault for trying. Granted the results were rather dismal and terrifying. He approaches the area where she fell asleep and leans over her body, touching his crescent moon against her forehead. 'What did I do to you? And then to pressure you afterwards?'
"Let me in." His yoki rises up. His senses enter hers, until he is in the forest and his mouth falls open at the sight. 'I am a monster,' he tells himself as his yoki melts the scenery and takes Avalon back to her room. He dresses her in clothes similar to what she had worn before and sets her on her bed, while he slinks back into the corner of the room. He wants to leave her, return to consciousness but he knows her mind will go back and haunt her, so he suffices to explore her room, trying to understand who she was before she was sent to him.
She lays on the bed silently as tears trickle down her face. It was so horrible what happened to her. She couldn't move or speak.
A part of Sesshomaru wonders what she needs and why her view of him is so skewed. A smirk crosses his face as he flips through a stack of hard, square things with strange silver circle discs inside. 'What are these?' He creates another version of himself, giving her control of the other Sesshomaru. He knew that she thought she knew him, his future, who she thought he would become and so the other Sesshomaru approaches her bed.
Avalon glances at Sesshomaru and scrambles away from him, falling off the bed. "No!"
"What's wrong?" the other Sesshomaru asks her, climbing over the bed. "Avalon, what happened?"
"You stay away!" she warns, quickly crawling to the far corner of the room.
He doesn't relent. He kneels down in front of her, pulling her face out of her knees. "What happened?"
And then something so odd to the real Sesshomaru happens. Yoki rises in the room, almost like a feeling and floods into Avalon, sending waves of comfort. 'What the hell is this?'
Avalon looks up at him, wrapping her arms around Sesshomaru and crying into the fur on his shoulder. "You hit me and then you...you took me," she sobs against him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have tried to get rid of our bond, but you hit me."
The pads of his fingers trace an odd mark on the juncture of her neck and the yoki rises again. "It was a mistake," he whispers, kissing the bite mark.
'Bite mark?' The real Sesshomaru's eyes roll into the back of his head and he starts palming his forehead. 'Whipped.'
Avalon shakes her head. "Not a mistake. You meant it," she says bitterly as more tears fall from her eyes.
The real Sesshomaru closes his eyes. 'If you would learn, it would be unnecessary.'
The fake Sesshomaru hugs her tightly, rubbing her back. "It won't happen again."
Avalon cries "Please don't hurt me again."
"Forgive me. It was a mistake. I will not strike you again," the other Sesshomaru says with more tenderness than the real one has heard in his voice before. "Let me comfort you." He lifts her off the floor and carries her into the bed, stripping down to his bottoms, so she can curl against his chest. "Rest in my arms, my love."
Avalon nods her head and she moves her body to be close to his. She strokes the stripes on his cheeks lovingly. Her tears start to dry. "I won't touch the bond again."
The fake Sesshomaru nods his head and strokes her hair.
Sesshomaru gets nauseous observing the scene. 'Where did she learn this? Why does that mark smell like this Sesshomaru? He's so soft, it's humiliating.'
Avalon brings her head up, kissing his lips gently, until it grows more passionate.
The fake Sesshomaru returns the kiss with equal intensity.
Sesshomaru wants to pound his head with his fist. 'This? This is what she thinks?' He starts pacing the room, again wanting to remove his presence from her mind but decides to give her the night with this facade, this weak and whipped version of himself to comfort the hurt he had caused. He sits in the corner of the room as eventually the kissing becomes more passionate and their hands explore each other.
The fake Sesshomaru regails Avalon of his great love for her. 'If I have to watch this the entire night…I do not love you, I will not love you. You are beneath this Sesshomaru to love.'
Avalon looks into Sesshomaru's eyes with hurt, realizing this isn't right either, but she will enjoy her dream. She snuggles into his chest holding him tightly. 'Your not real.' she thinks sadly.
The real Sesshomaru watches them and exhales sharply. He can hear her thoughts and she's right, this Sesshomaru isn't real and neither is whatever she expects him to be in real life. He lets her have her dream and stays in the corner.
The rest of the dream she holds Sesshomaru, kissing him softly as if she is saying farewell to her fantasy. Whatever she thought he was, she doesn't know the real Sesshomaru well enough and she should get to know him. The real Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru holds Avalon until the sun begins to rise and he can feel its heat on his skin. He releases his control over her dream and moves away from her body, giving her space. He's oddly tired from monopolizing her dreams, from the surge of yoki from the night before, so he finds a space away from her in the sun and falls asleep against his mokomoko.
Avalon wakes shortly after he leaves her. She glances around at the blood that still covers the ground and a chill goes up her spine. What could have happened? What did happen?
She wraps her arms around her body and rubs herself, trying to ward off the chill. She picks up a stick and pokes at the fire to get it to burn once again. She gathers wood and throws it in to burn. She goes to find food for herself while she waits for Sesshomaru to get up. Walking to Aun, she pulls a pot out from her bag and looks at the jewel shard in the pocket, reminding her it was about the time Sesshomaru showed Inuyasha the windscar.
Her path leads into the woods to the lake. She digs in the sand and grit, finding clams. She smiles happily and digs several more out, placing them in the pot. Then she fills it with water and brings it to the fire to cook. Once the clams pop open and the meat is done, she dumps the water and lets them cool enough to eat.
She wonders how to get an arm for Sesshomaru. Some of the ronin that attacked her escaped. 'If I could convince him to hunt them down.' Avalon finishes eating and waits for Sesshomaru to wake watching over him.
Sesshomaru sleeps for most of the day until the hot afternoon sun begins to beat down on him, heating his skin. His eyes open lazily, blinking several times. Avalon is by the fire and Jaken is with Aun. He stands up and gets his fixed clothing from Jaken. After he dresses he calls over his shoulder, "We're leaving."
Avalon's eyes never left Sesshomaru. She pops up off the ground and runs over to him. "May I speak to you in private Sesshomaru-sama?" she asks hopefully.
Sesshomaru nods his head to the side and walks into the woods.
Avalon follows him, feeling jittery. She sees him standing by a tree and joins him. She pivots back and forth on her feet, biting her lip "You...uh...know how I'm from the future right? Well, you see I...uh...messed things up and ...well, I would really like your help putting things right."
"What do you want?" Sesshomaru replies exhausted with the play on words.
"Okay, you see, right now, if I hadn't been here, you would still want Tetsusaiga and Naraku would have come to you with an offer. You would have taken him up on it, because it would give you the chance to take hold of the sword and potentially kill Inuyasha. So I want that to happen, sort of. You see, when you take the offer, you end up showing Inuyasha the windscar and also plunging your hand through his stomach but that you could pass on. But I would really like you to show him the windscar, because he needs to learn the sword's potential. So would you please help me. It gives you the opportunity to beat the hell out of Inuyasha and you know, show him up. Show him how pathetic he is because he couldn't figure the sword out."
Sesshomaru exhales deeply, thinking of what to do. The hanyou was so pathetic that he couldn't figure out how to master the sword, but knowing this, it wouldn't be beyond Sesshomaru to end Inuyasha's life. He glances at Avalon in question.
"Look I know you don't like him and in fact you loathe him but he will be an ally so will his companions. It's the sum of-"
"Enough," Sesshomaru interrupts her. "I cannot touch the katana."
"But you can." She smiles mischievously at him. "With a little help from the jewel shard. So how about it? No killing anyone and you get to go beat the crap out of him and also show him up. Please, please, please?" She puts her hands together, begging him.
He raises his eyebrow again. 'Does she think I will ask like a dog?'
"We will need a human arm." she says thinking aloud "I prefer someone who deserves to die versus someone who is innocent so I thought we could hunt down the ronin that attacked me." Avalon thinks to herself "So the deal is you use the shard to connect the human arm to you and with that you can wield the sword since it's a human arm. So how about? Now you need to be wary of his companions. The Miko, Kagome. She can reverse Tetsusaiga's transformation and she can see the jewel shard so she will be aiming for your arm. Sesshomaru! It's important," she says, walking behind him as he walks away from her. "The houshi has a wind tunnel that can suck you in and you won't come out. That's it."
Sesshomaru stalks further into the forest. One had gotten away and bled out in the forest. He stops by the river where the samurai's body hangs off a stone, half in the water and half out. He rips the arm off and hands it to Avalon.
"Uh… Thanks," she says, holding the arm as far away from her body as she can. "I guess I'll get the shard," she says, walking back to Aun. She drops the arm, feeling grossed out and grabs the shard from her bag, then bends down wincing as she shoves the shard into the arm. She holds it out to Sesshomaru. "Here."
Sesshomaru lowers the sleeve of his hankimono and fuses the arm to his body, testing the mobility of the limb. "Stay behind," he dismisses her.
"But Sesshomaru-sama, I want to help you," she pleads.
"This Sesshomaru's doesn't need your help. Jaken! Find an oni," he hisses at the imp.
Jaken looks at Sesshomaru nodding his head "Of course milord."
"Please stay safe, I care about you. I want you to know that," she says holding her hands behind her back. -end
Sesshomaru scoffs and walks away following after Jaken. -end
Avalon shakes her head 'you really think I'm just going to stay here.' she waits until his aura is out of range and then she walks to Aun. "We are going to go see my friends and you guys will get special treats." The dragons groan happily. "You know what Inuyasha smells like?" The dragon's heads nod. "That is where my friend is. Let's go."
The dragon takes off flying into the sky, heading towards the scent of the hanyou. After several hours the dragon touches down in front of a large building that looks like the head village's house.
Avalon gets off the dragon. "Alright. I need you to get out of here so no humans see you but I want you near, in case I need you, you can hear me call okay?" The dragon huffs and nods again taking flight, leaving Avalon behind standing in front of the building. 'Now just to find them.' Avalon walks along the side of the building
Sesshomaru flies to the river where he knows ogres will be found in plenty. There is one that is nearly as tall as a mountain, bent over lapping at the water. He lands on it like an eagle, slamming the full force of his body into its back, sending it flying. Oni are stupid but easy to control. He flies up to the red face of the ogre and whips it until it shows submission and bows to him. He sits on it's shoulder and slaps it again, pointing in the direction of Inuyasha's scent. He slaps the ogre in the face again for good measure, making it feel for the village. 'She thinks I will help the hanyou. I will end him.'
Avalon finds a door and knocks on it. An older man comes to greet her.
"Can I help you miss?"
"Hai, I am looking for my friends. I believe they are here. One is a young man dressed in red with silver hair and dog ears. His companion is a young woman who wears odd clothing and a finely dressed monk."
"Ah, hai. They are here. Please come in."
"Arigato." Avalon bows her head, then walks in, following the older man that is wearing a simple kisode and has a topknot on his head.
He leads her down a hall and stops at a door. He knocks and says, "I have brought your friend."
Avalon waits, wondering what their reactions will be.
"She's no friend." Inuyasha rises quickly to block Avalon from entering.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolds him.
"A beautiful woman!" Miroku shoves Inuyasha out of the way, grabbing her hands, mouth watering.
Avalon at the monk holding her hands, knowing what he is going to ask. She rolls her eyes, looking past Miroku to Inuyasha and Kagome. "Hello Inuyasha, Kagome. Good to see you. Who are you?" She allows the monk to keep holding her hands, uncaring. 'If he tries to touch my ass, he will pay.'
"Miroku." He steps close to her, until their bodies are nearly pressed together. "Are you married?"
Inuyasha taps Miroku's shoulder. "She's Sesshomaru whore."
"I AM NOT A WHORE!" Reiki flares out, creating an uncomfortable environment for youkai. 'Sorry Shippo.' She slides her hands out of the monk's and onto her hips.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimands him. "Sit!"
Inuyasha hits the ground cringing. "She-"
"Sit!"
"She!"
"Sit!"
"Stop it!" Inuyasha yells.
"Gomen." Kagome tries to smile awkwardly at Avalon. "The last time I saw you, he tossed you onto the dragon and left. Are you okay? What is that?" Kagome stares off into the distance.
"Crap! I came here to warn you that Sesshomaru is coming to fight Inuyasha. I tried to talk to him about it. He won't listen to me."
"You set us up!" Inuyasha yells at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and throwing her at Miroku. "Tie her up."
Miroku winces, approaching her cautiously. "Who is Sesshomaru? And tie her up?"
"Avalon? I thought I could trust you?" Kagome's face falls in hurt.
"Look, I can't control him and you can trust me. Why do you think I'm warning you?"
"Forgive me." Miroku rises up from behind her, smashing an urn into the back of her head, knocking her unconscious as the ground thunders with the approaching assault.
"Tie her up," Kagome agrees with Inuyasha. "Shippo, make sure she stays here." Kagome and Inuyasha run out of the hut together. "I sense a shikon shard."
Inuyasha draws Tetsusaiga in preparation, just as a large red oni comes over the tops of the houses with Sesshomaru sitting on its shoulder. 'What good could it possibly do to allow him to live?' Sesshomaru leaps off the oni and flies at his brother, slamming his fist into the ground, releasing dokkasu, that forces Kagome to separate from Inuyasha. "Slow as usual Inuyasha?" He scents Avalon. 'Dammit, I told you to stay behind.'
"What do you want, bastard?!" He holds his sleeve in front of his face, Inuyasha backs up from the fog of poison. Tetsusaiga is in his other hand, raised and ready to attack.
"Tetsusaiga of course. Or have you forgotten?" Sesshomaru attacks, striking Inuyasha's face and hands with his whip.
Inuyasha blocks Sesshomaru's whip using his sword, then charges head long at Sesshomaru, trying to strike Sesshomaru down.
It only takes a few flicks of his whip to knock the katana out of Inuyasha's hand. Tetsusaiga flips out of Inuyasha's hand and lands on the ground near Sesshomaru's feet. Sesshomaru snorts contemptuously, but is distracted. 'Dammit, where are you?' He can't see Avalon but he knows she is here.
He lifts the blade from the ground. "You never will learn to master the true power of Tetsusaiga. Never more than a pathetic HANYOU!" He lets loose the windscar, sending white light flying at Inuyasha, churning up the earth.
"Sesshomaru!" Miroku yells, dragging an unconscious, bound Avalon behind him. "Stop!"
Inuyasha smirks, running to put himself in front of Miroku and Avalon. "Give me back Tetsusaiga, bastard!"
Sesshomaru returns the smirk and lets loose another blast of Kaze no Kizu sending it directly at Avalon and Miroku. 'Wake up, Onaga.'
Avalon stirs in that moment. She sees the wave of Kaze no Kizu coming towards Inuyasha and whoever is holding her. She instantly raises a barrier around all of them. "Release me," she commands. The energy hits her barrier and rolls over it harmlessly, then strikes the ground behind the barrier, turning the ground up.
"You think I've become so weak as to care for humans?" Sesshomaru raises the sword threateningly again.
"You said she was his?" Miroku asks Inuyasha. "Oh shit!"
Another wave comes flying at them, turning up the earth.
"You will never be able to harness the power of Kaze no Kizu!" Sesshomaru roars at Inuyasha.
Avalon looks over her shoulder at Miroku. "He won't stop. I told you I don't control him. Now let me go! My barrier can only do so much." She struggles against the bonds. 'If my hands weren't bound, I'd summon my sword.'
"Jaken!" Sesshomaru calls to the imp who is still on the shoulder of the ogre. "Behold Inuyasha, the true power of Tetsusaiga!"
"Hai, Milord. GO FORTH!" Jaken calls as he points his staff at the mountain. The oni walks towards it, lifting his right hand high in the air and brings it down upon the side of the mountain. A loud thunderous sound fills the air as glowing lights surround the area where the oni hit. The light gathers until hundreds of demons of various kinds fly forth off the mountain into the air.
Avalon watches, still struggling, trying to get free of the ropes.
Sesshomaru turns on the demons flying from the mountains and sends another wave of Tetsusaiga's fury against them, shattering the mountain and destroying the demons in one fell swoop.
"What?" Inuyasha asks, shocked.
"The mountain and the demons are destroyed," Miroku says shocked. "I will end this." He pulls back the beads on his right hand, but before he has a chance to send them, Sesshomaru sends another wave of white light flashing at them.
Avalon keeps her barrier in place but lunges at Miroku, knocking him off balance. "No." She manages to wrestle her body around Miroku, where her crotch is in his face but her legs are locked around his right hand, keeping the beads in place. Avalon changes the dimension of her barrier to only protect her and Miroku.
Sesshomaru stands proudly in front of Inuyasha. "Do you see now? The power of Tetsusaiga? Forged from the fang of our father? A hanyou, would never master it."
Miroku grabs Avalon by the ass squeezing her cheeks firmly. "Such a nice bottom," he swoons.
Sesshomaru turns on Inuyasha sending another wave of Kaze no Kizu, while signaling Jaken to take Kagome out with the giant, red oni. 'Spare them?' Sesshomaru laughs to himself. 'I will kill them all.'
Jaken directs the oni to go after Kagome. The ground shakes as it comes charging for her. It's fist rises, ready to slam down on her.
Inuyasha sees the oni going after Kagome. He runs to protect her screaming, "Kagome!" He leaps into the air, severing the arm that was aiming to crush her. The oni pulls back its stump, roaring in pain. Jaken stumbles and falls off. The oni charges wildly towards Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru rises into the air, slapping the oni in the face to redirect it. 'I, Sesshomaru will not love a human.' He sends it stampeding at Avalon and Miroku, questioning his sanity at the moment.
Avalon sees the oni charging at them. 'Really Sesshomaru?' Avalon sighs, feeling the monk still squeezing her ass. The oni stomps at the barrier. "Miroku, can I trust you?" she pleads, genuinely.
"Why is he attacking you?" Miroku struggles to free himself.
"Sesshomaru! You asshole!" Inuyasha flings himself at Sesshomaru.
"I honestly don't know Miroku. I told you I have no control over him. Do you believe me now?"
Miroku nods. "I agree to nothing that allows him to live." The ground shakes as the ogre gets closer.
"Well that leaves us at an impasse, doesn't it? I don't want anyone to die. Everyone needs to live."
The ogre reaches them and starts stomping on the barrier, flattening them into the ground.
"Miroku-sama!" Kagome screams as they're beaten into the dirt.
Sesshomaru launches another attack at Inuyasha as he attempts to run at the ogre. "Now it's time Inuyasha. DIE!" He flings kaze no kizu at the hanyou, knowing he has no escape this time.
Inuyasha watches in horror as the light comes at him. He has an idea, not sure if it will work or not, but it's better than nothing. He grabs his sheath, holding it in front of him. The energy wave is absorbed by the sheath. Inuyasha stares in disbelief. The corner of his lips curve up.
Avalon pleads with Miroku. "Come on! We are both going to die if you keep being so stubborn. I want you to suck up the oni but you can't attack Sesshomaru. The battle is between brothers."
"I'll only agree if I suck Sesshomaru and the oni up," Miroku grits out, with each pound of the ogre burying them.
Sesshomaru slams Tetsusaiga into the sheathe. "You use the sheathe to resist me?"
Inuyasha smiles, holding him off with the sheath. "You will see when I crack open your head with it."
Sesshomaru slams the katana into the sheathe. Inuyasha raises it to block. Sesshomaru rushes him again, this time flicking the sheathe out of Inuyasha's hand. "One more swing Inuyasha," he gloats. "That's all I need."
"Smash them!" Jaken cheers from the shoulder of the ogre. "Just what we need to fix the mistake he made bonding you!"
"JAKEN I AM GOING TO SMASH YOU!" Avalon screams over the thunderous pounds. She summons her sword into her bound hands. The sword points down at her feet. "Well, since you will not comply dear monk, I will have to try something much more dangerous." Avalon lips press into a firm line.
Miroku's body begins to flop at the pressure of the ogre beating them into the ground. He reaches for the beads on his wrist, trying to free them.
Sesshomaru prepares to swing at Inuyasha, only for a bright light to hit the sword, ending the transformation. "Sesshomaru!" Kagome calls. "Inuyasha, make your escape!"
Sesshomaru glares at Kagome. 'Avalon was correct.'
"I can see it!" Kagome screams, losing another arrow. "A shard of the shikon jewel!"
Sesshomaru dodges the arrow and flies at Kagome.
Inuyasha leaps after Sesshomaru. "No you don't! Leave her out of it!" He slashes at Sesshomaru's face, cutting him on the right cheek.
Sesshomaru flies backwards, landing on his feet. "Call her off Inuyasha. Even you as a hanyou should have enough honor for that!"
"We're going to die!" Miroku yells. "Let my hand go!"
"Not a chance Miroku. You will not agree to not kill Sesshomaru and I cannot allow it." Avalon cuts the ropes binding her wrists, keeping her legs wrapped around Miroku's wrist. She points the sword away from her body calling, "Sandasutoraiku!" Purple lightning swirls along the blade as Avalon forces the purifying energy out.
Jaken shrieks as the bolts of lightning come flying at him, running away off the oni. The oni screams in pain, disintegrating.
'This is ridiculous,' Sesshomaru curses Avalon and resumes his attack of Inuyasha, unable to call forth the full transformation of the blade again. His hackles rise at the lightning storm by the oni, but his wish now, is to destroy the mistake his father made, as if blotting him out, will purge him of his own mistake.
Inuyasha looks at Sesshomaru and starts speaking. "I figured you out Sesshomaru. Because you are a youkai, you shouldn't be able to grasp the Tetsusaiga. That left arm of yours must belong to nengin. You're using a shard of the shikon jewel to connect the arm to your body." He raises his claws. "If I can lop off that nengin arm, you will no longer have what it takes to hold onto Tetsusaiga and that's not all." Inuysha charges at Sesshomaru, arm raised. " When you lose that arm, I'll have myself yet another shard of the jewel."
"Baka," Sesshomaru scoffs, flying at him. Sesshomaru ignores the bait and sends his whip snapping at Inuyasha to keep him at bay.
Kagome sends another arrow flying at Sesshomaru.
"The next one is aimed at your heart!" Kagome yells.
Sesshomaru snorts and with lightning speed, flies to the monk, forcing himself through Avalon's barrier painfully and snatches Miroku by the neck threatening to break it. "Make her back off Inuyasha. Or it's him who will pay."
"Miroku! Kagome back down." Inuyasha runs at Sesshomaru trying to free Miroku.
Avalon lays on the ground dropping her barrier. "Let him go please!"
Inuyasha reaches Sesshomaru, grabbing him by the left arm.
Sesshomaru grins twisting Miroku's neck, making him yelp. "What use is this monk?" He twists, slamming Miroku's body into Inuyasha, sending Inuyasha flying from the impact, but not releasing Miroku. "What use is a hanyou?" He drags the monk behind him.
"I can't breathe." Miroku twists his hands against Sesshomaru's wrist.
Avalon stands up and walks towards Sesshomaru. He hasn't realized that his left arm is missing. She feels remorse and it shows on her face. "He is an enemy of Naraku! Please don't kill him."
Inuyasha catches himself and grabs the sword from the left arm. "Your ignorance surprises me Sesshomaru. I really thought you would have realized it by now."
Sesshomaru glances down at his left arm, not moved that it's missing. "And what will you do Inuyasha?" he taunts him, tightening his grip on Miroku's throat.
"Avalon!" Kagome runs after her. "Make him stop!"
Avalon bites her bottom lip. "Sesshomaru, does your word mean nothing?"
His eyes harden. "I made no promises." He flings Miroku into Kagome and Avalon, knocking them all down and rushes Inuyasha. He strikes with his whip at Inuyasha's face and then his legs, and his hand, in an attempt to free Tetsusaiga from his brother's grasp again.
Avalon holds Miroku, examining his neck.
Inuyasha holds tightly to his sword. "You bastard, I'll kill you." Inuyasha charges at him, swinging his sword wildly, desperately trying to strike him down.
Miroku gasps in pain holding his neck. "Let me up," he pants, reaching for the beads again.
"Let him go, Avalon!" Kagome stands up with pain in her face and arrow aimed at Avalon's heart.
"You would kill a human, Kagome?"
"Don't make me," her lips tremble and her hands shake against the bow. "This has to end. You can't change him. He's evil."
Avalon shakes her head sadly. "Please Kagome. I can't let Sesshomaru die."
"Let him go," Kagome warns her again.
Miroku twists out of Avalon's grip, kicking her feet out from underneath her and runs at Sesshomaru, loosening the beads on his wrist.
"Miroku!" Avalon calls pleadingly "SESSHOMARU WATCH OUT!" she screams helplessly stuck on the ground as Kagome trains the arrow on her. Avalon closes her eyes and with a heavy heart she quickly pulls a bo-shuriken that is laced with sleeping poison and flicks it at Kagome. She rolls out of the way quickly. Kagome lets her arrow loose. nearly hitting Avalon. Avalon scrambles after Miroku.
Miroku looses the beads off his wrist, but then lifts his staff to swing it at Avalon's head, just as she catches up to him.
Avalon brings her sword up, blocking his staff. She pushes forward and kicks him in the side.
Miroku twirls, slapping the leg with the side of the staff, tearing into the fabric of the kimono, then twirls, batting her head with the end of the staff with enough force to knock her down again.
"Pathetic," Sesshomaru's eyes flick over at Avalon and Miroku scuffling. "Your companion cannot even incapacitate a woman." He lunges again, ducking a wide swing to his head, then flips over Inuyasha, grabbing his head and spraying dokkasu into his eyes.
Inuyasha groans in pain, rubbing his eyes.
Avalon hits at Miroku dodging some of his attacks as he dodges some of hers. They seem to be a match in battle. "Damn woman!" Miroku yells in fury.
"Lecherous houshi!," Avalon yells back.
Inuyasha rubs at his eyes, they burn and sting. "Dammit. I can't see. Huh?" Inuyasha smells a flow of energy. 'I can sense it.' "The vortex of his power, I can smell the wind scraping. It's against the fissure where the power flows through. I bet I can slice through the fissure and release the power." Inuyasha swings his sword where the smell is, unleashing the Kaze no Kizu at Sesshomaru
The light comes flashing at Sesshomaru. His eyes turn red in shock. His yoki grows in an attempt to block the blast. At the last minute, he is enveloped in a black hue and spirited away, while pain flashes through his body and his skin sizzles.
"You treacherous wench!" Jaken swings Nintojo into the side of Avalon's head, splitting into her skull, drawing blood. "You knew this would happen! You knew he would get hit by Kaze no Kizu and you asked him to do it anyway!" When she collapses, Jaken looks at her shocked. 'Did I really hit her that hard?'
Miroku pushes Avalon off him and glares at Jaken, threatening to open his hand.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Wait for me!" Jaken yells, running off before Miroku can catch him, blasting nintojo behind him to keep them from catching him.
Miroku lets Jaken go and runs back to their room, dragging Avalon with them. He ties a rope around hands, knees, and ankles, then adds it around her elbows and then ties the two together for good measure. Inuyasha brings Kagome in the room and starts trying to wake her up. "We have to track him. Wake up Kagome."
Kagome slowly wakes up, her eyes feel heavy and her body doesn't want to respond "What happened?" she finally says half dazed.
"She gave you a sleeping potion," Miroku answers, making sure the ropes are very, very tight. "We need to track the shard. Can you stand?"
"Let me try," Kagome says. She goes on all fours and tries to lift her body off the ground. She stumbles and falls forward.
Inuyasha offers her his back so they can start moving immediately. "We have to get to him and take the shard away and then figure out what to do with her." He motions his head at Avalon.
Shippo looks at the unconscious woman "She's scary."
"Shippo she is with Sesshomaru," Kagome says from Inuyasha's back.
"Who is she anyway?" Shippo asks.
"Someone connected to Sesshomaru," Inuyasha answers dismissively. "Let's go." He puts on Kagome's backpack and starts walking out the door.
Miroku lifts Avalon hefting her on his shoulder and follows Inuyasha.
A/N Dear readers thank you so much for reading my fanfic I am having a hard time with my life right now and things are getting pretty rough for me so I'm not sure how often I will be posting. I am not giving up on this story so don't worry it just might not be so regular. Elohiniar my wonderful co-author and beta I have the greatest admiration for her input and support. Please leave a review and send a prayer to me thank you.
Song credit Hello by Evanescence and Too Late for Love by Def Leopard
smmahamazing- I hope you liked how it was resolved. Thanks for the review.
itzatakahashi- Yup Sesshomaru can go feral if the bond is messed with. Rape was common back then. The bond connects their souls and it will be explained more in depth later in the story. So Sesshomaru needed to reconnect with her on a primal level. He did not actual want to rape her. Thanks for the review.
Lady Sindaedra- I am so happy you are enjoying my story. Thanks so much for the review
Alex Demonica- I appropriate your critique and I am considering rewriting the beginning.