Alrighty then, my adoring fans, you asked for it, and even though I am rapidly over stretching myself in the typing department here (I am only eight pages ahead of you), I will deliver, all because I hate to leave you guys hanging. I know, I am so nice. Ha ha ha.
Deds:
Daoina - I'm glad you like what you've read so far, compliments are always welcome in my inbox!
BoundxByxDeath - As I said above, I hate to keep anyone waiting, especially you, since you've warmed up so nicely to this little tale I've valiantly been trying to spin as quickly as possible, so you don't have to wait. I think maybe I should shorten my chapters, give myself a little leeway...anyway, here it is, just for you!
Water Kunoichi - Get all excited, Kitana is about to enter the picture, Stage Left! So excited! I hope you approve of my portrayal of her; I tried to make her someone Sessy would fall for, so we'll see what the general concensus on my writing skills are, when I hear back from you guys! I need to know if she's a good character, or if I botched her up, tell me!(PS - I'm still hunting for a scanner to highjack...keep yer fingers crossed!)
Das Moen - I'll try to keep it coming, but I can't make any promises...But nonetheless, thanks for dropping me a line, hope to hear from you again soon!
Disclaimer: Fuck off, my back's killing me, I worked major overtime, and I have an interview next week. Get off my back!
Every Time We Touch
He strode into the forest, a breeze rippling through his silken hair as he narrowed his eyes; someone was following him. He continued on as if nothing was amiss.
He walked for another ten feet when it happened. He heard a rustling in the tree above him, yet he did not look up. He waited, stock still, as he reached out with all his senses, locating his assassin - or what he assumed was an assassin. No one he knew would be so cautious, except Naraku. He sniffed the wind; no trace of Naraku was to be found here, and he relaxed. He had nothing to worry about.
As soon as he'd laid his hand on Tokijin it attacked, two sharp knives crossed over its chest as long, dark blue hair whipped Sesshoumaru's face like a lash, stinging severely and leaving red streaks criss-crossing over his magenta markings.
He brought Tokijin down with a bone-crushing force, just missing his assailant and tearing up the ground with the demonic blast.
"Come out!" he challenged, once again alone in the forest. "Face me like a man, or are you afraid? Show yourself, before I'm forced to find you!"
He moved toward its scent with his lightening speed, and knocked it off the branch it had been perched upon, and pinned it to the ground.
In a move he hadn't expected, his assassin brought its foot up between his legs and gave a mighty kick, flinging him over its head so he landed on his back, leaving him with the wind knocked out of him and two very sore boys down below.
It was on him in a second, both knives, which he saw clearly now were a pair of sai, weapons he hadn't seen in decades, pressing dangerously close to the jugular veins on either side of his neck.
He lay back, pretending defeat. As soon as the masked figure let its guard slip a little, confident that it had him at its mercy, he grabbed both its thin arms, which, in retrospect, probably should have given him a clue as to the sex of his assassin, but he was too absorbed in battle at the time to notice, and flipped it over, pinning its arms down with his knees and choking its throat with his clawed hand, which glowed green as poison began to flow from under the nails.
His hunter-turned-victim gurgled something unintelligible; he said, "Remove the mask, and show yourself. I wish to see the face of my next victim."
Slowly, it dropped both its weapons on the ground and pulled off the mask, revealing two very large, very blue eyes. Sesshoumaru felt his heart quicken. She was gorgeous!
She? He thought dumbly as he stared into her face. He had been fighting a woman? Did she not know who he was? Was she stupid? Even Kagura, though she liked to shoot her mouth off, knew better than to challenge him, and she was an incarnation of that disgusting hanyou, Naraku!
"Who are you?" he demanded, regaining his composure quickly. His fist tightened a fraction about her throat.
"I am a mercenary. I kill for money. You got a problem with that?"
He had to give her credit; she had more balls in the face of death than most men he knew.
"Who hired you? I wish to know who paid you to end my life, as pitiful as your attempt was."
She snarled; her beauty only increased with her ire. Blue hair spilled over his hand, and it felt as soft as a feather.
"Why should I tell you? You're only going to kill me anyway." Her words were defiant, hard. He frowned. That was not the answer he wanted.
"Mayhap I will be merciful if you tell me what I wish to know, wench," he growled through clenched teeth, in as condescending a tone as he could muster.
She hesitated; her employer had told her that if she failed, she would not be paid, and he would kill her. She shuddered at the thought of him. His long, greasy hair, the hate-filled red eyes…they all swam before her mind's-eye, threatening her, daring her to tell the Lord what he wanted to hear.
She thought, Fuck him.
"Fine, have it your way. A man named Naraku hired me. Now are you satisfied?"
He glared into her eyes, attempting to intimidate her; if she lied, he would take her head, he swore it.
"Tell me," he asked, his voice deceptively kind, "what did Naraku look like?"
She pursed her lips. He didn't believe her. Not that she expected him to. She thought to herself as she contemplated his question that it was a shame someone wanted him dead; he was quite handsome, and she almost felt sorry that she'd never get to know him, for he would probably kill her. Of course, she didn't trust this Naraku, either. There was something too sinister about that man, and he gave her a bad feeling. She decided that the sooner she severed her ties with him, the better.
"Greasy hair, red eyes, seems to like purple…he was surrounded by some awful poisonous gas, made me want to gag. Sound familiar?"
He didn't appreciate her sarcasm, but he released her nonetheless.
"It is wise of you to tell the truth," he commented, tucking Tokijin back into his sash, "for had you lied, you would be dead."
She stood, rubbing her throat and eying him warily. He's serious, she thought, feeling fear of him for the first time. "Look," she said, sheathing her sais, "I'm sorry. If I had known you, I wouldn't have taken the job. This Naraku…he's bad news, isn't he?"
Sesshoumaru tucked his hand up his opposite sleeve and gave her a sidelong glance.
"To put it mildly," he replied, and began to leave.
She panicked. She was a mercenary, true; but she was only this way because she had lost her brother, Koji, in a war not too long ago, and, fearing he was dead, had taken up killing for hire to support herself. Being an elemental demon, she had power over water, and could manipulate it any way she pleased. Her brother controlled fire, and they had once made the perfect team, but now that he was missing, she realised just how lonely it was when you were on your own in the world.
"Wait!"
He stopped, but did not turn.
"Sesshoumaru, isn't it? Where are you going?"
He turned to look at her then with frosty eyes. She could tell right away that he was a man used to being in control at all times, and rarely ever lost it.
"Why do you wish to know?" he asked in a voice that didn't match his expression at all.
"Well…I don't have anywhere to go," she confessed, hanging her head shamefully.
He snorted. He already had two vassals; what was another when his privacy was so limited anyway?
"Very well. You may follow."
She smiled, and he looked away. Her smile was the epitome of demonic beauty itself, and he feared she would see his flushed cheeks if he looked at her a second longer.
Running after him, her hair flying, the girl followed Sesshoumaru, chatting his ear off the whole way.
Well, he thought, trying to endure her constant yammering, so much for thinking over my mistakes this afternoon. He sighed, silently.
Everyone looked up with shock when Sesshoumaru returned so shortly after leaving, and with another demon, no less.
Kouga eyed her appreciatively. He guessed her to be around Kagome's height, which wasn't very tall, but her lithe figure, which was revealed by a tight, black leather outfit, covered in intricate designs and the embroidered kanji symbol for water in ice blue thread on the back, was flattering and quite stylish. She wore gauntlets on her arms, and two sias were strapped to a sheath around her slim waist. She wore boots like Sesshoumaru's only hers were more feminine and had a heel.
Kagome's eyebrows rose when she saw this. She didn't think boots like this had been invented until her time, in the future.
Her armour was simple and plain, only covering her left shoulder, allowing for movement; it was flat and stained a light blue around the edges; otherwise it was so dark blue it appeared black at first glance.
Her blue hair blew back over her shoulders as she ceased speaking to Sesshoumaru and turned her head to acknowledge the new crowd of onlookers.
They all were taken aback when they caught sight of her enormous, slanted blue eyes. None of them had seen a shade so rich before.
She was quiet as Sesshoumaru stopped before Kagome, pleading to her with his eyes to help him. He even mouthed the words, and she giggled.
He frowned, not amused.
Kagome stuck out her hand. "Hi, I'm Kagome Higurashi," she said, introducing herself.
The girl shyly returned her handshake, replying, "I'm Kitana. Kitana Hamasaki. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Kagome smiled warmly. Releasing Kitana's hand and grabbing Inuyasha's, she pulled him close, and said, "This is my mate, Inuyasha. He's a bum, but you'll like him." Inuyasha snorted. At least she was talking to him now. He sulkily gritted, "Hey," to the new girl. She looked back to Kagome. Kagome elbowed Inuyasha.
"Fine, it's nice to meet you," he said, flinging his hand out. As soon as Kitana released it he drew it back into his sleeve as if her touch had burned him.
What a crackpot, she thought as Kagome continued to introduce her friends.
"This is Sango, my best friend. She's a demon slayer, and next to her is Miroku. He's a monk, a very lecherous monk. Watch out for him," she warned, and Kitana giggled at the indignant look that graced the monk's face, his hand resting on his chest in a manner that seemed to say, I would never even think such things, let alone commit them!
Moving on, Kagome pointed out Shippo, Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un, Kouga (who winked at her boldly; she raised a brow in return), and lastly, Kirara.
"I see you already know Sesshoumaru," Kagome concluded, winded. Their group was so huge now!
"Oh yes, I know Sesshoumaru. I tried to kill him," she said candidly.
Everyone's jaws dropped, and Sesshoumaru covered his face with his hand. I don't know her, he thought frantically.
"What?" Inuyasha croaked, disbelief very evident in his voice.
"It's true," she said, holding up her hands and grinning, her eyes straying to the demon Lord. He continued to avoid her gaze.
"So, that's how you met? I find it hard to believe that you're still alive, Kitana, after attempting something so rash. What on earth made you do such a foolish thing?"
Kagome was amazed; did Sesshoumaru like this girl? He'd killed others just for looking at him the wrong way.
"Yeah, I figured that out when he tried to strangle me," she said, looking dreamily at the tall Lord. She forgot to answer Kagome's question, though.
He finally met her gaze, and stared back, his face a mask of usual emptiness, revealing absolutely nothing, exactly as he preferred it.
"Well, that's interesting." She and Inuyasha exchanged a look; we'll talk about this later.
Finally Sesshoumaru spoke up, answering for her. "She was hired by Naraku to assassinate me. Once again that filthy hanyou has sent an amateur to do a professional's job. Of course his plan failed."
His self-assurance and utter arrogance grated against everyone's nerves.
He thinks he's so high and mighty, the guys were thinking, while the girls curled their lips in disdain, thinking, what an arrogant prick. Kitana thought, who's he calling an amateur?
Sesshoumaru turned and headed for the fire, and the leftover fish sitting there; as far as he was concerned, the conversation was over. He couldn't, try as he might, however, get the image of blue eyes and hair to disappear from his mind.
Sango asked Kitana, "So, do you know where Naraku is?"
Kitana shook her head, "He disappeared before I left him. He threatened to kill me if I failed him." Sango dropped her gaze in disappointment.
"Yeah, he likes to do that," Inuyasha drawled, dropping into a comfortable position on a nearby boulder, Kagome leaning next to him, "if you hang around you'll find he likes to mess with people's lives, too. He's a fucking asshole."
"I gathered that," she said as Kouga approached her, and making a complete circuit around her person, looking her up and down, he whistled softly.
"Can I help you?" she asked sarcastically, and he grinned.
"Maybe," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.
Disgusted at his lack of effort to woo her properly, she reached out and touched him; within a half-second he was paralysed, frozen to the spot. Only his eyes moved to indicate he was still alive.
Inuyasha burst out laughing, "Serves you right, wolf! Ha! Ha! Ha!"
Even Sesshoumaru had to smile at her effective way of warding off the randy wolf. He's getting as bad as that perverted monk, he thought, removing all traces of emotion from his face before anyone saw it.
"Where are you from, Kitana?" Said monk asked, moving a step closer.
Kitana grabbed her hair and pulled it into a tight topknot, securing it with a blue leather thong she pulled from the many lacings on her outfit. Kagome noticed that the front was made to look like a corset; it in fact laced up tightly all the way down her back. She wondered how the demon girl could breath.
"Originally, I'm from the continent," she said, referring to China, across the ocean, a world away from their little island of Nihon, or as Kagome knew it, Japan.
"Really? You don't look foreign at all."
"Well, that would probably be because I've lived here my entire life. I was only born there."
"I see," he replied, stroking his chin.
"What's that silver thing hanging from your neck?" Shippo asked, jumping from Inuyasha's shoulder to Kitana's, taking the shiny object in his little hands and twisting it, making it reflect the sunlight.
"It's a whistle," she said, winking at the tiny fox. He was so adorable!
"A whistle for what?"
She put the silver object to her bottom lip and, looking up, replied, "You'll soon find out." and, blowing into it, issued a high-pitched whistle, so high-pitched that every demon, including Sesshoumaru, quickly covered their ears. Only Kitana seemed able to withstand the noise she made.
When she stopped, nothing happened. Everyone looked around; the area was silent. They all looked back to Kitana for answers, but she only held up her hand, her index finger extended: wait.
Kouga's frozen eyes rolled skyward.
After a moment, clouds began to pass over the sun, and the wind picked up; soon, it was almost as intense as a hurricane, in their little clearing on the edge of the escarpment. Kagome clung to Inuyasha.
A black shadow emerged from the clouds, and a huge dragon came into view, hovering over them and creating a fierce wind. Kitana blew into the whistle three consecutive bursts, and the dragon began to shrink, until it was the size of Ah-Un.
Landing next to her, she took the beast's massive head into her tiny hands and stroked its face; it growled deeply in greeting.
"This is Storm, my dragon familiar," she said, and everyone stared in awe. The dragon's scales appeared made of real metal, and winked in the sun as it reappeared from behind the clouds.
Cautiously approaching, his hand on Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha slowly reached out and touched the creature. It appeared not to notice.
"It feels like real metal!" he exclaimed, and soon everyone came to pet the dragon.
Kitana smiled indulgently, still holding the dragon's head. "It is metal," she informed him.
"Like me, he is elemental in nature, and his element is metal. He can harden his skin until it is like a suit of armour; as impenetrable as steel."
Kagome whispered to Inuyasha, "Sounds like Ryuukotsusei."
He nodded, absently running his hand over the shiny scales before him. Sesshoumaru approached, tightly holding Ah-Un's reins, in case the two beasts didn't get along, and would need to be subdued.
The dragon called Storm turned its head lazily to face Ah-Un. The two-headed dragon lowered its head imperceptively; the silver dragon returned the gesture.
When all the excitement had died down, Ah-Un lumbered across the clearing to a fresh patch of grass, and Storm followed closely, and the two ate peacefully side by side.
Kitana looked at Sesshoumaru to see his reaction, but he was not facing her. He was speaking to a very short toad, whom she recalled was named Jaken. He spoke quietly, but she heard his words.
He looked at her and glared; he moved away, the imp following.
What a stiff, she thought, smiling at her joke. She had to admit, he took her breath away…he was a very desirable demon. She had a feeling that he wasn't so hostile to those who knew him well, though she could see the resemblance between him and Inuyasha; they must be brothers, but there seemed to be some friction there... she made a mental note to ask about that.
Slowly, they all drifted toward the fire, and sat in a circle around it, passing around what was left of the fish. As darkness fell, Kitana noticed that Sesshoumaru was not there. She looked around, and found him sitting against a tree, his retainer tending the fire at his feet. He watched them all from his spot under the shadowy maple, but Kitana could not tell at all what he might be thinking.
Turning her attention back to the group, she heard Shippo beg, "Kagome, can we please get out the rest of the Lucky Charms? Please?"
"Yeah, Kagome," Inuyasha prompted, followed by nods from Sango, Rin, and Miroku.
"What are Lucky Charms?" she asked.
"They're great!" Shippo exclaimed, and she smiled, mussing his hair.
"I'll bet they are! But that doesn't tell me much, sweetheart."
Kagome sighed, but she smiled, getting up off Inuyasha's lap with effort. "It's breakfast cereal," she explained, but Kitana was more confused than ever.
"Cereal?"
"Just get the box," Sango demanded, and Inuyasha pushed her toward her massive yellow bag.
She came back with a red box, a goofy-looking little green man on the front. She opened the box, and Inuyasha tore the bag out, flinging the box away as he ripped open the bag so everyone could get a handful.
Trying it, Kitana found it to be quite pleasing, and went back for more.
"Tell us a scary story now, Kagome!" Rin pleaded, crunching her share of Lucky Charms loudly.
Kagome laughed, and tried to refuse, but everyone in the circle gave a collective shout, saying,
"Yeah! Tell us! You're stories are scariest!"
She relented, and settled herself more snugly in Inuyasha's lap. Grabbing the flashlight from Miroku, she shone it up on her face, creating eerie shadows in the dark, enhanced by the flames from the fire.
Kitana watched as everyone leaned forward in anticipation; apparently this Kagome was a good storyteller. She would have to wait and see.
"And then-" Kagome's voice got lower and lower, and everyone stared at her intensely, waiting for her to go on. She was retelling a movie she'd seen once, called Scream.
"And then…the killer came up from behind her and said, 'What's your favourite scary movie…Sydney?'"
Shippo and Rin screamed, and Sango smiled at Miroku. Inuyasha opened his eyes; he'd fallen asleep. Kitana smirked. Apparently he'd heard this one before.
"That was good, Kagome," Rin said, and rose, rubbing her eyes, "but I'm going to bed now. 'Night!" She leaned over and kissed Kagome, then Sango goodnight. She paused when she got to Miroku, then turned and ran…right into Sesshoumaru's camp!
Kitana was surprised. She didn't think he liked humans. Just a vibe she'd been getting.
Seeing her opportunity, she leaned over and whispered, "So, what's Sesshoumaru's story?"
Everyone rolled their eyes, and Kouga looked confused in his frozen state. Inuyasha heatedly replied, "He's an asshole, and he hates everybody. Don't even try to figure him out, it's impossible."
Kagome snorted. "For you, maybe!"
Inuyasha grunted in response.
"Look, Sesshoumaru hates humans, or at least he did. He told me the other day that he only hates some humans, but I don't think he hates demons, he just doesn't seem to get along with anyone lower in status than he."
"Except you." Inuyasha grumbled, but Kagome chose to ignore this comment.
Kouga reddened at hearing this, his cheeks thawing slightly.
"For the longest time, we thought he hated everybody, until Rin showed up following him three years ago; she's been with him ever since. She told me that some wolves had killed her-" Kouga rolled his eyes in their direction, "-and that Sesshoumaru had brought her back to life. How, she didn't know, but I suspect he used the Tensaiga."
"Tensaiga?"
"Yes, the smaller of his two swords; it is used to heal."
"I see," Kitana said.
She turned to Inuyasha. "But aren't you two brothers?"
Inuyasha sniffed. "Unfortunately," he replied.
"You don't seem too close," she hedged, hoping he would tell her everything.
"We aren't; never have been. My mother was human, and he hates them, or so he told me, anyway. When our Father mated my Mother I guess he didn't like that, and tried to challenge our Father for supremacy; that was before I was born, the same day actually, or so old Totosai tells me, and Myouga confirmed his story."
"These are vassals of you Father's?" she guessed.
"Yeah, that's right. Anyway, after our old man died defending my Mother, I only saw him once between the time I was born and the day my Mother died of pneumonia. He came to see if we were still alive, at least that's what he said. I think he came to see just what I looked like, so he could track me down later and kill me, when I had the skill and the confidence to take him on. Of course," Inuyasha paused, "in retrospect, he couldn't kill me until he located Tetsusaiga…though he'd tried several times. I've been told that while I was pinned to the Sacred Tree for fifty years, Jaken actually came to seek my help in supporting Sesshoumaru's campaign against the Panther Devas, but I had been dead at the time, and was of no use. I guess he didn't expect me to come anyway, but that never stopped him from lashing out at me every chance he got."
Kagome looked at her hands as he spoke, as did everyone else. Only Kitana kept her eyes upon his face as he continued to speak. He'd told her more than she'd thought he would.
"You know, it's funny, but he had a perfect chance to get rid of me when I was stuck to that damned tree; I wonder why he never did?"
"Because, there is no honour in striking down a defenceless opponent, Inuyasha; only a coward like Naraku would think of stooping so low." Miroku unfolded his hands in his lap, and massaged the Wind Tunnel absently.
"I guess so," Inuyasha concurred, deep in thought.
Hmm, Kitana thought, glancing again at Sesshoumaru, watching as the little girl reached her face up to kiss his cheek goodnight, and he returned the favour, planting a quick peck on her forehead.
Smiling brightly, she impulsively threw her arms around his neck, and he stiffened, but relaxed almost immediately; Kitana could almost read his mind. He was likely thinking, why does this child love me so much? She's nothing but a helpless human, a germ, a burden…a companion, a cute and amusing one at that.
She smiled, and when he saw her, he pulled Rin off and curtly told her to go to sleep.
Rin, unruffled, chirped, "Yes, my Lord!" and did as he bid her, without refusal.
So, Kitana thought, he does have a soft side…I wonder if I can bring it out…
"Kitana?"
"Hmm?" Her thoughts were interrupted by Kagome.
"Will you join us, and help us destroy Naraku? We would greatly appreciate it?"
"Sure," she replied, and stood, taking an extra blanket and spreading it out.
"No one threatens to kill me and gets away with it!"
They all smiled, and went their separate ways, Kagome was wrapped in Inuyasha's arms as they both settled into her sleeping bag. Kitana smiled at them; they were so cute together. She'd gotten a feeling, as soon as she'd seen them, that those two belonged to each other; she had sensed it immediately. The monk seemed sweet on the slayer too, now that she thought about it.
She wished them all happiness.
For herself, she wished perseverance. Sesshoumaru was proving to be a tough nut to crack.
Kouga continued to thaw in the clearing, next to the fire.
Well, what do you think of the new girl? I think she fits in rather nicely, myself. Any comments are appreciated! I will now work diligently on this and try to type far enough ahead that I can update again soon. Ciao, my faithful followers!