SSD: Hey, if I have the power to control Hayate, why can't control Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru! Here, boy!
AAF: (Rolls eyes) You baka that is not how you control a powerful being.
Hayate: (Glares)
AAF: Uhh….Not that you aren't powerful. (Hugs him)
SSD: Tell me, tell me how I can control him! (shakes AAF vigorously) TELL ME!
AAF: (dizzy) Ahh! (pulls out fan) WHACK! You need to be patient, that is the key.
SSD: Ack! You didn't have to hit me that hard!
AAF: You want to know or not? (looks left and right before turning back to SSD)
Hayate: (Sweat drops. Thinking that she was becoming more and more like SSD each day. Shivers at the thought. ) 'No, my beloved is turning into something she is not!'
SSD: Yes, Yes, tell me, tell me!
AAF: Well I you have to do is get the magic whistle inside this ACME building. (Randomly pulls out coffee and shares it with Hayate.)
AAF and Hayate: Can I have some? (pouts)
AAF: Sorry but you can't have any, until your older, but here is a cookie. (hands him a cookie)
Shin: Hah! (smiles happily and eats cookie.)
SSD: Aww. (snaps out of it) Oh goody! If I get that whistle, I could control an army of powerful anime characters and destroy the ACME building once and for all! Mwahahahaha! (drags AAF further into the headquarters.)
Hayate: Hey wait! Damn air-headed blond, couldn't even do the disclaimer. I hope they never find the whistle.
Disclaimer: SilverSerpentDragon and animearlinefreak do not own Pretear or Inuyasha. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Junochi Satou, and Kaori Naruse. Until SSD gets her hands on her whistle, that is.
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Chapter 8: Lord of the West
Mannen panted heavily as he ran from Kaede's hut. He didn't know how long he had been running, but he was sure that it had been awhile. He looked back to make sure that Firecracker Go wasn't chasing him and his "subordinates". That was when he noticed that Shin, Hajime, and Shippo weren't behind him as he expected. He stopped running and looked around.
"Hajime! Shin! Shippo! Where are you guys?"
The Ice Knight began to wander around the forest searching for his lost teammates and younger companion.
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Rin sat near Ah-Un as she prepared a flower wreath for the two headed dragon and her Sesshoumaru-sama. She had already made one for Jaken and attempted to get him to wear it, but he torched it with the staff of two heads. Oh well, she knew that once she told Sesshoumaru-sama, Jaken-sama would be put in his place and learn not to reject her lovely flower crowns again.
Sesshoumaru cast a glance at his ward and a small, barely noticeable smile crossed his face. He sometimes wondered why he kept the human girl around. He supposed that it was when she smiled, that cute, missing toothed grin. The western lord shook his head slightly.
This Sesshoumaru did not just think that something was "cute". Maybe I am getting soft in my old age.
The inuyoukai's sensitive ears picked up the sounds of young boy's voice. It made no difference to him, but Rin had been pestering him lately about Jaken "not being fun to play with." The toad was getting rather annoying with his constant whining of Rin's playfulness. Perhaps another human child is what she needed. But if things got too out of hand and the human boy overstepped his bounds, there would be hell to pay.
"Rin, Jaken stay here." He left to track the boy down without another word.
"B-But, milord! You can't leave me with this impudent child!"
Rin grabbed the staff of two heads out of the toad's hands and whacked him over the head with it.
"That's not very nice, Jaken-sama! Rin doesn't know what 'impudent' means, but Rin is sure that it is mean!"
Jaken, the creepy little toad demon, groaned from his spot on the ground. Little stars danced in his vision. He then decided it was a good time to take a nap and promptly passed out. Rin noticed this and sweat dropped.
"Rin thinks Rin hit Jaken-sama too hard this time. Rin will just make Sesshoumaru-sama a necklace for when he gets back." She walked over and plopped down on the ground beside Ah-un and started to link the flowers together.
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Mannen kicked a nearby tree in frustration. "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS?" He screamed to the morning sky.
He heard a brief rustling of leaves before a blur of white ran across his vision. Then he felt something tug on the hood of his sweat T-shirt and then he was yanked off his feet.
"YAAAAAAGH!"
Just as soon as he had screamed, his kidnapper dropped him. Mannen took the chance to get a look at his captor who was currently shaking his head and covering one ear with his hand. He had silvery-white hair similar to Inuyasha's and Mannen's. His eyes where of a brighter shade of gold than Inuyasha. Recognition flashed through Mannen's eyes.
"Hey, aren't you that guy Hayate was fighting?"
Gold eyes looked his way. "And you would be one of the brats with my filthy half-brother."
"I am not just a brat! I'm an Ice brat." Mannen posed proudly with his chest puffed out.
Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "It does not matter. You will accompany me and be a playmate for Rin."
"Huh?"
Before Mannen could get another word out, Sesshoumaru grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged the Ice Knight away.
"Hey! Lemme go! Lemme go, you fem-boy!"
Sesshoumaru growled dangerously low in his throat. His gold eyes flashed a menacing red. "Why, you little—"
Mannen quickly stole the opportunity to teleport away. He reappeared a few feet behind the enraged inuyoukai. The Ice Knight turned around, stuck his tongue out at the confused youkai and then began to run away. Mannen then felt something hit the back of his head and it was lights out.
Sesshoumaru smirked victoriously over the ice brat; the stone he threw to knock him out was laying a few inches away. He would have preferred to have wringed his neck until he passed out, but that teleport ability ruled out that option. He picked Mannen's limp form up and began to walk back to his camp site.
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Shin cautiously walked through the dark woods, crying. The trees didn't scare him, he was the knight of plants after all, but he didn't like the dark. The dark reminded him of the time when he, Hajime, and Mannen died in sealing Takako away. The others didn't think any of them remembered that time, but Shin did. His crying grew until it was wails. The trees wrapped comforting vines around him in an attempt to console their representative. The leaves of a nearby bush rustled softly as a white haired girl walked out of them. Shin stopped crying and curiously gazed at her.
"Why do you cry? Sadness is a weak emotion." The girl asked.
"I got lost from my friends and I don't know where I am. I'm Shin, what's your name?"
"Why should I tell you? Names are meaningless."
Shin recalled the vines and walked towards the girl. He smiled at her and hugged her. "Names aren't useless, they give us an identity. And you're someone, right?"
"I am nothingness. Words, emotions, names, they mean nothing to me."
"That can't be true, because then you wouldn't exist. Nothingness can't exist because everyone has the energy of life, Leafe. Even you have it."
The girl seemed to be surprised as she stiffened. "My master told me I am a void."
Shin smiled. "You're not, you have Leafe. With Leafe comes emotion. Sadness, happiness, anger, all emotions are filled with different kinds of Leafe. It's impossible to have no emotion. So, what's your name?"
The girl smiled slightly. "You are very strange. I am Kanna."
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Hajime tilted his head as he tried to locate a source of water. He knew that Mannen was in tune with water somewhat because he was the knight of ice. As such, Mannen would most likely try to find the nearest source of water and wait for them. Hajime's ear ticked slightly as he picked up the distant sound of trickling water. The knight of water followed the sound to a lake. The strange thing was that the sky of this area was purple and the air felt tainted. In the distance across the lake was a large traditional Japanese palace. Hajime shrugged and sat down by the water's edge. He inadvertently changed into his knight uniform as he toyed with the water currents, trying to pass the time until the others found him.
Kohaku was patrolling the perimeter of Naraku's fortress. Actually, he was trying to get away from very disturbing noises resounding through the palace halls nowadays. The boy shivered at the very disconcerting recollection. He was reaching the lake when he saw a young water nymph playing in the water. His sight, enhanced by the jewel shard placed at the nape of his neck, could see her in every detail. Her teal eyes were very entrancing, and the way her orange hair swayed. Kohaku knew he was in love at that moment. He numbly walked towards his "beauty".
Hajime looked up when he sensed another presence. He hoped it was Mannen or Shin, but instead it was a black haired boy, a boy with a very creepy look in his eyes as he got nearer.
"Maiden, you shouldn't be here. Master Naraku doesn't take kindly to strangers."
"Maiden?" Hajime squeaked with a bright red blush on his face. What the heck is with this guy? Can't he see that I'm a boy?
"Naraku-sama already purged this lake of your kindred, water nymph, I would hate to see the same fate delivered to a beauty such as you."
Hajime sweat dropped and backed away. "Uh, right, I should really be going." What a weirdo.
"But I'm sure that if I were to say you were my fiancé, Naraku-sama would not mind your presence."
"WHAT?" Hajime then teleported out while trying to save what little male pride he had left.
Kohaku sighed, his heart broken as the "nymph" left him with no answer. At that moment, Shippo burst into the clearing.
"Hajime! Wait up! Aw, shoot, now I have to try and find Shin or Mannen." He transformed into his pink balloon form and took to the skies.
Kohaku had a dazed smile on his face. "Hajime, Begin, what a perfect name for my future wife. We will begin a new life together, dear Hajime." He then took off after the Shippo-balloon in hopes of finding his love.
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Mannen groggily woke up, feeling a weight on his chest. A pair of large brown eyes filled his view.
"Wha!"
The Ice knight instinctively teleported away from the owner of the eyes. Once he caught his breath and his heart rate slowed, he turned around to see who was the one standing over him. It was a girl in an orange and white checkered kimono. She sitting on the ground and crying some. Mannen froze up, his one weakness was seeing girls cry.
Sesshoumaru chose that moment to enter the field with Jaken behind him. The toad was lugging a dead doe behind him for their meal. The western lord's eyes narrowed as he glared at Mannen. The terror stricken Mannen—the terror wasn't caused by Sesshoumaru's level 3 death glare (a glare reserved only for Inuyasha)—quickly begin to spout apologies to Rin. The girl stopped crying and flung herself at Mannen. She wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug and kissed his cheek. Mannen blushed a bright red. Sesshoumaru growled as his parental instincts began to take over.
Mannen heard the growl, turned his head and stuck his tongue out. Then he returned the hug, much to Sesshoumaru's annoyance. Jaken was whining in the background.
"Oh no! Now I have two brats to watch over!"
Mannen and Rin separated and both glared at the imp.
"That's not nice!" Rin reprimanded.
"Someone should teach you a lesson in manners!" Mannen cracked his knuckles as ice began to form around his hands. "Frozen frog legs anyone?"
Jaken squawked indignantly and kneeled at Sesshoumaru's feet. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please save your loyal retainer!"
Sesshoumaru stared dispassionately at the toad youkai, a glitter of amusement sparkling in his gold eyes. Mannen saw this and a grin split his face. He turned into his knight form and collected Ice Leafe in his hands. Rin clapped her hands in amazement.
"Wow, what kind of demon are you?"
The energy collected immediately dissipated as his anger rose. "I AM NOT A DEMON LARVA!"
The landscape around them took on a grayish tint and Rin began to sway on her feet.
"Rin feels tired." She then passed out. Mannen caught her before she hit the ground.
He looked up and pointed at the twisted mass of vines with a reptilian eye at the center. "THAT is a demon larva."
Sesshoumaru unsheathed the Tokijin and used a Soryuuha. Mannen sweat dropped.
"Baka fem-boy! Lightning doesn't work on plants because they're grounded! Leave this to the Ice Knight!"
Sesshoumaru glared at the boasting Mannen. "I will not be ordered around by a child."
A vein throbbed angrily in his head. "Child? CHILD? I'll show you a child!"
"Please, stop, Mannen," Hajime teleported in. "We have to take care of the demon larva because Himeno and the others aren't here."
Mannen cooled down somewhat and readied his Ice Leafe. "Alright, let's kick some demon larva ass!"
"There you guys are! Wait for me!" Shippo's whiny voice yelled. "WAAAAH!" The vine demon larva wrapped its appendages around the kitsune and lifted him up.
"Shippo!" Mannen and Hajime cried out.
"Let's do this!" Mannen quickly gathered ice energy and shot a blizzard of icicles at the demon larva. "Hajime, don't attack it! Your water will only revive it!"
Hajime ceased gathering his energy and sat on the sidelines. Sesshoumaru watched the fight, impressed by Mannen's fighting tactics. Mannen relentlessly pounded the demon larva with ice energy, but he was starting to feel the strain of keeping the icicle blizzard up. The demon larva finally started to wither as the cold seeped into its vines. Eventually, it withered into ash and Mannen collapsed from the exhaustion.
Rin woke up and saw Mannen curled into the fetal position. She ran to his side and started crying. Hajime walked up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry. Mannen's just tired from the fight. He'll be okay."
"Child," Sesshoumaru addressed Hajime, "what was that creature?"
Hajime looked up. "It was a demon larva, a tool of the Princess of Disaster. But this one lasted longer than the others and it was different. The core never used to be so easy to find but hard to break. Hmm, could that creepy Naraku person be responsible?" Hajime trailed off in his own thoughts.
"Naraku." Sesshoumaru snarled at the name. "You know his location?"
"Huh? Oh, no, I don't know. He just appeared out of no where and then vanished with Fenril, the Princess of Disaster."
"Your group fights this Fenril and she has—what this Sesshoumaru can conclude—teamed up with Naraku?"
"I guess." Hajime shrugged his shoulders.
"Hmm, it seems as if I may have to join forces with Inuyasha, as much as I detest the fact. But if it is to defeat that vile hanyou Naraku, I must make sacrifices. We will leave at noon to find my idiotic half-brother."
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Kanna pointed at the path to the right. "If you take that path, you should meet up with your friends."
"Ah!" Shin smiled happily. "Thank you so much, Kanna-chan! Will we meet again someday?"
Kanna paused then smiled. "Someday, Shin-kun. Someday."
Shin waved good bye as he began to walk down the path pointed out to him. Kanna returned the wave and began to walk back to Naraku's fortress.
"You two certainly talked a long time, Kanna."
Kanna looked up at the wind sorceress that was her sister. "Yes. He had some interesting things to say."
Kagura quirked an eyebrow. "Since when did you openly express interest?"
"That boy, Shin, I could sense something hidden within him. I want to know what it is and why he can stir such…unsettling feelings within me."
"I do not mind, little sister. But do be careful around Naraku, he will know when something is up."
"I know." The void child held up her mirror. "My mirror knows everything."
Kagura nodded in approval as her sister regained her emotionless façade. The barrier around Naraku's fortress is fading. Could it be that this is his night? I can use this to my advantage and escape. Kagura smirked as she rode the wind currents.
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SSD: Hmm, now which room was it in again? (is opening and closing various doors randomly)
AAF: (sweat drops and hits SSD with her halisen) Baka! It's not going to be in any room. It has to be in a well secured room with security guards or have some high tech technology.
SSD: -.- I knew that.
Hayate: Stupid bleached blond.
SSD: (takes out paper kunai and whacks him with it) JERK! I'll have you know that my hair is naturally blond!
AAF: Hey that is not nice! Now you have injured him. We need him if we want to defeat ACME. Did you forget that?
SSD: So? We need more than one guy. Which is why I brought these! (pulls out a Go plushie, a Neji plushie, a Sasame plushie, and a Sesshoumaru plushie)
AAF: (falls down anime style) What are you doing? I mean real people not plushies! (Grabs the plushies and throws them.)
Go: Hey why did you do that for? You could have ruined his hair. (rubs the plushie's hair.)
Shin: (sniff) The poor dollies.
SSD: (blinks) Not what I had in mind, but the real Go works just fine. (mutters) Easier than bringing the plushies to life.
A-Sasame: (holds up Sasame plushie) Is this supposed to be me?
SSD: (blushes) Uh, I messed up on the face.
A-Sasame: (smiles) I think you did a very good job, SSD.
(several voices start to be heard loudly down the hall. The group goes to investigate)
AAF: Until next time see yah!
SSD: Stay tuned 'til next chapter: Joining of Good, The Sake returns! And find out what ACME has in store for us. (cuddles Neji and Sesshoumaru plushies)