A Whole New World
Questions Without Answers

He blinked. He couldn't believe that some lowly human had just asked his lord for help! Not to worry. My lord is anything but nice and I hope he sends that wench on her way crying! Just to make things worse, he decided to voice his opinion.

"Wench! How dare-" Sesshomaru slienced the little toad with a death glare before he could say anything further.

A human needed his help. Interesting. Many demons had asked him for help many times and if the problem would not interrupt the way he ran his lands, then he did not bother with it. Never a human though. Yes as a lord he is to take care of all subjects but he hated the paperwork that came with it. Unfortunately for him, he started doing said paperwork again. Why? To make sure anywhere they went, it would be safe for Rin.

Curious as to why she would need his help, he asked, "My help? Why?"

A little nervous and a little excited, she tried calming herself enough to speak. "Well you see.. This is gonna sound weird but.. I was having dreams about a silver haired man with golden eyes. I also had a pain in the center of my forehead." She pointed where and continued. "And when I woke up one morning, I looked in a mirror and I saw golden eyes again but when I blinked, they were gone. Kagome, who I am assuming you know, mentioned that her friends might be able to help but they couldn't. She also said that you might be able to and I'm really hoping that you can." She paused for a second and then added, "Yes, I know it all sounds strange but please. I need someone's help because that pain comes and goes and I've been to a special doctor, who looked weird by the way, and he said I was fine."

Sesshomaru took a minute to take in everything he was just told. Strange indeed. What I do not understand is why I would be able to help her in a situation that sounds like a human ailment. As he took more time to think, another thought crossed his mind. She said she has had dreams of a silver haired man with golden eyes. The only ones I know of with those attributes are myself, father, and that half-witted brother of mine.

Getting a little impatient, Yuriko started tapping her foot. She really hoped he could help because in all honesty, if he couldn't she would lose all hope in ever finding out what was going on.

With what seemed like forever, he finally spoke up. "I do not know what ails you specifically. I would have to observe myself, then give you an answer on whether or not I know. I am however curious to know about this man you have dreamed of."

Though she was a little disappointed, she still had hope. "I don't know much other than what I have already told you. The only time I see him is when I sleep but I haven't been able to see his face very well other than the color of his eyes and hair."

"Then we shall see in the morning if that has changed." He still needed to speak to the hanyou so he turned and began walking towards a nearby tree.

Morning? Having been caught up in the conversation, Yuriko didn't notice that it had gotten late into the evening. Hearing her stomach growl again, she blushed in embarrassment. Noting that she really did need to go find food this time, she too turned back the way she came.

"Where are you going Yuriko-chan?" Rin asked as she slid down from the dragon.

"I haven't eaten all day so I'm going back to my friend to get something to eat for dinner."

Looking a little sad, Rin softly replied, "Oh." Then an idea struck her. "I'll share with you! There's lots of fruit, some bread and I can help catch fish too!"

"Rin.." she began. She didn't want to crush the little girls heart but she also didn't know how to tell her no without doing so.

Seeing her struggle with something so simple, something he himself had trouble doing, he spoke up. "It is best you stay and take her up on her offer. It is late and dangerous for a mortal woman to be alone in the woods at night."

Crinkling her nose at his comment, she finally agreed that she wouldn't go. "I could've taken care of myself, it's not like I'm completely useless or wimpy." Changing her direction once more, she headed for a tree and plopped down.

Feisty little woman isn't she? "How is it that you would be capable of handling yourself?"

"I know how to fight. I learned hand-to-hand combat when I was little. That's how I met Kagome."

"You learned to fight another being you call your friend? Why?"

Laughing at the way it must have sounded to him, she explained it better. "No, I actually learned it to deal with people who weren't being very nice to me. She came up to me and asked where I learned it after the fight was over."

He took in everything she said to him, but what stood out to him was her laugh. It sounded like music specifically made for one person in this world. Bell like, but not entirely. There was something that kind of bothered him though. He had made her laugh and he has never made anyone laugh before.

He could honestly admit to himself though that he hadn't met anyone, human or demon, that was as interesting as the creature before him was.

Seeing that the conversation was over, Rin walked over to her hopeful new friend and offered her some fruit. Taking it, she said her thanks softly and watched as the little girl pranced back to Ah-Un.

Since it had gotten so late, Sesshomaru decided it was best to forget the fish for tonight because he did not want Rin out there with no real protection. Deciding not to argue with the one protecting her for the night, Yuriko told Rin that they could fish another night and the little girl gave her a smile as her answer. After dinner had been eaten, Rin set about making up a little bed that was nestled near her dragon friend. When she glanced over to Yuriko, she saw that she had nothing for her bed and brought her the extra blanket her lord always carried for her.

She was just about to go for a small walk in the woods when Rin had walked towards her again. This time she had a blanket. She said that it was an extra she always had but she still felt a little guilty that the little girl thought she had to share. She was going to refuse it until she saw big brown eyes staring at her. So she took the blanket with a small smile and set it near the tree she would be sleeping under.

Before she took her walk, she made sure the little girl had nestled in to her bed and fell asleep. She really didn't want her to worry over something so small like she had with dinner.

Taking a peak, she noticed that she had indeed finally fallen asleep. Smiling to herself, she glanced once more around their make shift camp and started her way to the stream she could hear nearby. Sitting by the running water will help me think and just simply make me feel better. What she didn't know as she walked away, was that a certain taiyoukai was watching her.

He really hadn't meant to watch her the entire time after she had accepted food from Rin but he couldn't help it. Something about her made him a little edgy and that was saying something for there was never a time in recent years that the great Lord Sesshomaru had felt edgy. It wasn't an uncomfortable edge but more of a familiar feeling he hadn't know for many, many centuries.

A few minutes after she had left, Sesshomaru glanced at Jaken with a silent threat that Rin be safe or else, then he stood and followed after her. Oh if his father could see him now. He knew for a fact that if he saw what his proud son was doing, he'd be rolling on the ground laughing and teasing him to no end. Why? Simply because he was going after a human female. No it was not in the way his father had gone after one, but he would still find a way to tease him about it if he could.

Small, and still peaceful. It hadn't taken her as long as she thought it would to get to the stream, which to her was good. Walking in the dark was dangerous as it is, but doing it in a place that she wasn't familiar with was even more dangerous.

Looking for a spot to sit that didn't look wet, Yuriko found a place just passed the big boulder that was close to the water. After she sat down, she slipped her socks and shoes off, set them aside and slid her feet into the cool water.

Sighing to herself, she said, "Ah, this is something I could definitely get used to." Giggling at her own little joke, she laid back on the grass, closed her eyes and softly kicked her feet. She was content at the moment and nothing could change that.

As he followed her to whatever destination she had in mind, he thought about his one and only problem at the moment. Her. Why did he accept to help her in the first place? He doesn't know her and for all he knew, she could be some pathetic witch making an attempt on his life. It has happened before in the past and one could never be too careful.

The other thing that he thought about was her selflessness. Any human he had come across had been greedy, even with the smallest of things. Yet, since he had been in her presence, he has seen her try and deny his young ward the things she wanted to share. He knew that if she had been successful in telling her no, she would've felt guilty afterwards. No one, not even his staff, had been able to tell her no and stick to that answer. Resisting a doe eyed child was very hard.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, temporarily, he noticed that she had already stopped and sat down with her feet draped over the bank. He watched as she laid herself down and closed her eyes.

Not a very good idea in a place she knows nothing about. Perhaps she knows I have followed her? Hn. If she does, then she must know that I am strong. Sesshomaru jumped to the nearest tree and perched himself on one of the lower hanging branches, intent on staying with her. It simply wouldn't do if word got out that someone had died after he offered them his assistance. The other lords would think him uncapable of taking care of his own affairs.

She is no thing. She is a person. She is beauty.

Silently groaning, Sesshomaru shook his head, hoping to rid himself of his troublesome beast.

When that did not work, he spoke to it. I will not converse with you about a human.

You may not, but I do. In case you had forgotten, we are demons. Inu demons to be exact. Therefore curious by nature, especially to people who catch our interest.

He growled at the beasts statement, not knowing it was loud enough to be heard by said person that his beast was talking about. Before he could demand that it go away, he felt his shoulder being hit with something small.

Looking to the ground below his branch, he noticed it had been a small rock that had hit him. Jumping down, he picked it up and walked over to the now standing young girl.

When he looked at her, he saw that she was embarrassed. Most likely because she had hit him, not knowing that it was him she was actually hitting.

He had hoped to talk to her more, but he now believed that because of her embarrassment, she wouldn't talk to him. Pushing his curiosity away for the time being, he picked up her right hand and dropped the pebble into it.

"I believe this is yours."

You guys I am so sorry that it has been a month since I've updated. The holidays were harder this year and I've had a few personal problems going on and I still do. Also, this chapter was kinda hard to write because at the time that I started it, I had a little case of writers block. Thankfully it seems to be gone and will remain gone so I can write without any problems. I hope you guys enjoyed the holidays and this chapter and if you happen to like this chapter, leave a review! No one seems to review anymore. Anywho, enjoy!

Ms. Manami