Author's Notes: Welp, flight got cancelled and now I'm partially dysfunctional from lack of sleep. But that's okay 'cause... *lifts arms up high, sways in front of Meioshi* Do you know what to-day is?
Meioshi: *giggles* It's simply the day after Christmas, darling.
Me: Well, technically, tomorrow is your birthday, doc. After all, it's -
Meioshi: *bows elegantly* Our anniversary. How's it feel, darling?
Me: It feels pretty amazing, actually, if I had to be 100% honest. How about you, cutie? We get to actually celebrate your birthday!
Meioshi: *smiles brightly* I don't see a sexy gentleman popping out of a cake yet.
Me: Oh, I can hook you up real quick. Hey, you can have whatever you like. Yeah, you can have whatever you like. Yeah! I can volunteer Liuxian, though. He'd look good in a green fundoshi.
Meioshi: That would be quite smashing, honestly! *laughing* I thought my birthday was in the summer, though. That's when you created me.
Me: 'That Meioshi' was born in the summer, yes, but you've changed into this elegant, witty charmer now. It was better to start your adventures in the summer to commemorate your initial creation. When I was brave enough to publish my final product, that day became your birthday. 'This Meioshi' is the one I wish I had started with, but I'm glad I didn't. I had time to venture into different territories with different stories before coming to the conclusion that I miss the charm of old anime. I think you were just the better choice to acknowledge that. So, you, my dear, represent more than just a witty main character. *rolls out a healthy-sized cake* From me to you, happy birthday, doctor. *hugs Meioshi, watches her swipe frosting, turns to audience* Normally, I would be opening up chapters with warnings or notes, but I will be posting no more new chapters until next year. After January 5th if I had to be specific. I'll be out of town for the holidays.
Jaken: Whaddaya mean "no new chapters"? What about me? I've been waiting for this moment for almost 20 years and you're cancelling on me!?
Me: NO! I've been waiting to give you this chance for 12 years. I'd never abandon it this way...! Even though that's totally what I did a couple years ago. You'll still get your episode, Lord Jaken, and many more! I'm just holding off on publishing. I need to get away from the screens for a little while, but I will perfect your episode past my standards and let you shine the way I believe you can.
Jaken: You'll get a shiner coming to you if I don't get my moment in January, missy! Believe that!
Me: 0_o Yes, Lord Jaken... Well, since you're here, why don't you tell our guests about this bonus chapter? I decided to center it around you, after all. Ah-Un got their bonus chapter. Why not let you have one?
Kyoko: I can do it if Lord Jaken's too upset. *Jaken huffs in protest* Hehehe! Guess that's a yes. As a surprise for everyone, this bonus clip was made to commemorate this story's 12th anniversary. We, honestly, can't thank any of you enough for this amazing year. It's been an honor to work together again and to have others who want to see our journey through to the end. There's a bunch of amazing characters for you to meet! Oh! And the author has a trailer for you at the end of this chapter. My sensei and Lord Sesshomaru are in it!
Yuko: I'm surprised he's not here trying to figure out who 'this Meioshi' is in reference to? *cuts a piece of cake*
Me: He's... preoccupied. From the pit of my soul, thank you so much. Again, I've got no idea what drew you to this story of all things, but I hope you enjoy all of the future developments, triumphs, and romances to come. Happy Holidays! I love you, guys! *looks around* Where'd Lord Jaken go?
Jaken's Hidden Wish
||... ... ...||
It was a calm day during the spring season. Butterflies were fluttering about, the birds were chirping, rabbits were foraging in the fields, and the flowers were their most fragrant. Sesshomaru was idly looking at the clouds, silently contemplating as he often does. Jaken, his loyal attendant, felt something amiss. There was danger nearby - large danger, to be exact. A lizard demon with seven rows of teeth leapt out of the shadows behind trees and went straight for the western lord. Surprised by the attack, Sesshomaru was unusually slow in retaliation. Jaken, having sensed the threat, leapt into action with his Nintojo and summoned a huge blast of fire to incinerate the creature. Remaining in place as the ashes fluttered around him like an orb of power, Jaken waited until he sensed no further danger. When he rose from his kneeled position, he took a deep breath and turned around. He was startled by the expression on Sesshomaru's face. It was one of worry, but it was mixed with many other things that simply didn't register for the imp. The western lord's face may as well have been a child's doodle. He simply didn't understand this mixture of emotions.
"You had this much power all along, Jaken?"
"I wanted to reserve it for my lord until true danger arose," Jaken responded without the cowardice in his voice. "I am me lord's knight. It is my duty to serve and protect you. This task had to be mine and mine alone."
"What have I done to deserve such a thing?" Sesshomaru asked softly.
"Nothing." WHACK! Before he knew it, Jaken was on the ground with a tiered lump on his head and watching Sesshomaru walk away with anger. "I shouldn't have said nothing. Perhaps, me lord would accept a gift of apology?"
"Unnecessary."
"B-b-but I've chosen a servant of fine quality and everything! Won't you reconsider this gift, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken tried, holding a claw up with plea.
"No."
"But I found a woman!"
SKIRT! Sesshomaru stopped at that but didn't turn around to see Jaken's erratic movements behind him. He was waiting for Jaken to explain himself because he was quite certain that the imp knew that Sesshomaru was not a lecher or flirtatious around women. He respected them for the most part. When the imp said no more, Sesshomaru turned very slightly to probe the servant to explain.
"She made us a camp just beyond Lord Okakura's tower. She's quite good at it," Jaken said. "Her soups are also quite delicious. You will be very well-rested."
"This gift is unnecessary, Jaken. Why are you troubling yourself?" Sesshomaru asked.
"It's something I've always wanted to do for all these years we've spent together," Jaken said, looking down bashfully.
A silence passed and Jaken was pleasantly surprised when his lord finally said, "Produce her."
"Right away, me lord!" Jaken cheered.
As promised, Jaken led Sesshomaru to a beautiful camping site. A low flame firepit filled with pebbles was already lit up, the bedding was perfect, food was out on tables, and drink was prepared expertly. Sesshomaru wasted no time in sitting down at his bedding. Jaken cleared his throat, clapped his hands, and placed his arms behind him as the servant appeared. She hustled from behind a curtain before kneeling down and bowing elegantly. Her sleeves were long and flowing and practically blanketed her arms. The dress of choice was quite lovely: red and black like his forest home of Manjushuge lilies but green and orange accent pieces like her obi, kazanshi hair pieces, and obijime. Her hair was brushed into a high bun but looped in the back like it was designed to be a zipper or dangling pin.
"This is Jigoku Meioshi, me lord," Jaken introduced, earning a flinch from the woman. "I caught her trying to steal your scaly horse with food. I felt a proper punishment would be to serve your lordship for the night. She is a crafty, little witch."
"She made this camp with magic?"
"No, me lord. With her own hands. She has other uses as you can see. She is good in combat," Jaken informed, earning Sesshomaru's attention. "Isn't that right, witch?"
"Y-yes, Lord Jaken!" Meioshi replied, trembling a bit.
"Show your face," Sesshomaru ordered, quietly. The woman flinched at his lord's voice before she slowly picked her head up and put a hand to her necklace, fearful of what the man would say next. Jaken was not surprised by this. She should be fearful of his lord. What he did not expect was for his lord to rise from his seat to walk over to the woman. He kneeled in front of her to stare into her eyes and simply remained in place for a while. The woman parted her lips with surprise but looked down quickly and shivered under his lord's gaze. He then said coldly, "She will do. What are those bottles near your bedding, Jaken?"
"Massage oils. She is very good at this service," Jaken said with a hiss, challenging her to say otherwise. "Is this not so, witch? Remember! Anything that vexes me lord is a fire blast to you and your home."
"Yes, my lord," Meioshi replied, stopping herself from shivering to simply accept her fate. "I am at your command."
"Now then... which oil do you think will ease my lord's mind?" Jaken asked, smiling smugly.
"Verbena and lavender works quite well, my lord," Meioshi replied, holding up her other hand to caress her necklace.
Sesshomaru surprised them both with his next actions, however. He used two fingers to pinch Meioshi's jaw and pulled her forward to mesh their lips together. Both of their eyes remained locked on each other as he did this to assert dominance over the woman. Meioshi blushed and melted into this before stuttering incoherently. He then repeated, "She will do. I prefer magnolia scents."
"I shall leave her to it then," Jaken said, bowing proudly. "Shall I leave you, Lord Sesshomaru?"
"If you wish," Sesshomaru said, taking Meioshi's elbow to hold her in his arms. "Such delicate skin."
"Ah, this oil is better for your 'feet'," Jaken said, placing two bottles of oil next to Meioshi.
The imp walked away victoriously. He not only was able to protect his lord from harm, but he even tamed that wild child of a witch into being a respectable servant. His lord seemed quite pleased his finding. Perhaps his lord will -
"My lord, I - !"
"You are quite the beauty, witch."
Mission accomplished. He proved his lord's manhood was just fine. Eat it, Yuko! If only things were so simple, though. Little would Jaken know that Sesshomaru was making plans to return him and Meioshi to their respective homelands for unknown reasons...
Author's Footnotes: Jaken is a Sess/OC shipper IRL? Hello? XD Anyways, the following is just a small trailer for the upcoming special. The premiere will be a bit later than predicted, but that's okay. Quality over everything. ;-D Enjoy and happy new year!
Coming Soon... an adventure filled with warfare, mystery, and hidden desires... IFC Anime presents an event across the South Asian regions...
"Sesshomaru?" Meioshi called apprehensively. He couldn't have possibly flown from the ships to follow her. Jaken and Kirameku Ha were on the ship with him. He'd have no reason to leave. Reaching out to the figure, hoping it was her imagination, the doctor shot her hand back when the demon lord did, in fact, turn around to respond to her. Stuck between fury and confusion, she interrogated, "Why didn't you go with the others? You're not supposed to be here!"
Sesshomaru didn't reply at first, seeing the distress of his comrade, but chose his next words carefully when he said, "You have forgotten who you are... Meioshi. Turning away from what made you the warrior that I've known all this time is the real failure. It takes a brave man to enter a battleground. It takes an even braver man to be able to return to it."
Meioshi was quiet, but there was something about Sesshomaru standing before her - no, something about the way... he said those words... that made him different. There was no hostility or challenge in his tone. No condescending insults, no debates, or even the promise of some future punishment or attack. His facial features weren't nearly as cold or inquisitive as she had known them. He seemed... so much more comforting and supportive than before. This... foreign openness he was sharing... she couldn't place a finger on it, but she felt undeniably like his prey. She wondered if this was what it felt like when demons used their allure to draw in their victims. Do those victims look at demons like Sesshomaru and show a vulnerability unseen by their fellow man? Are demons the only creatures capable of drawing out the softer sides to man? Was she so emotionally overwhelmed that she was allowing herself to become just that? Vulnerable? Soft? No. She refused to be his victim. She was here for a reason. It was honor over comfort right now.
"Joke's on you, I'm afraid, silly old dog," Meioshi responded, reaching for a lock of hair to stroke it. "I was not brave... or lucky. I didn't think that someone would stoop so low and force me to watch them be killed. All because I refused to heal a spy."
"You are the bravest soldier I've ever stood in front of, doctor. You worked too hard and for too long to let an earned victory act as scissors to cut away part of who you are," he lectured, earning a gasp and light blush from the woman. He could sense that she needed someone with her. He can feel her warmth reaching out to him, knowing that a familiar presence was there, but she wasn't breaking the distance between them. He was allowing her this chance to grieve before him, but she was fighting it. What would it take to convince her otherwise? To reassure her? Watching her clutch at her hair like a lifeline, he then said rather firmly, "Show me your camp."
Meioshi said softly, looking at her late general's armor, "The men don't sleep with the general, silly old dog. You led an army into battle before, yes? This is where you stay. Good night... taisho."