Forbidden
Chapter Four: Her Guardian
Something was lying in the tall, yellow grass. A strong wind blew and rustled the grass. A small, huddled figure was on the ground, with brown hair and wearing a yellow and orange kimono. Nanami lashed the reigns lightly and Teyn' bolted toward the girl.
Rin woke up to the sound of hooves pounding on the ground. Her chocolate colored eyes surveyed the ground around her and she jolted upright. She began to pant and whimper. -Where am I? Where's master Jaken? Lord Sesshoumaru?- Rin panicked as she heard the hooves come closer and closer, but she was too afraid to look. "Lord Sesshoumaru!!" She shreiked and dropped to the ground, her hands over her head. The hooves slowed to a stop and the girl heard a quiet rustle as someone approached her. She shut her eyes and prayed that her master would come and rescue her from this place.
"Rin..." A kind, soothing voice called her name as a gentle hand brushed her hair from her face. Rin recognized Nanami's voice and looked up. She saw the beautiful blue eyes and scrambled up to her feet, throwing her arms around Nanami's neck. She stood up, holding Rin in her arms, and looking around for anyone else who might have been there.
"Don't be afraid, you are safe with me." She assured Rin.
"Hahaha! How sweet, however, not the one I was expecting to lure. I truly am tired of your interference, wench!" A menacing voice of a woman sounded from above. Nanami instinctively covered Rin's head and pressed her close to her body.
"Oh, I'm not going to harm the brat... yet." The voice answered. Nanami shot a glance skyward. Up above, Kagura sat perched on and enormous feather.
"Hm. I wonder ; what kept Sesshoumaru wringing the life out of you? Was it those devilish eyes of yours?" Kagura rambled on about something Nanami paid no attention to. She quickly set Rin down behind Teyn' and grabbed her long bow and arrow. Her sword was fastened on her hip in it's black sheath, which was decorated with thin strings of silver that circled the sheath once at the bottom and crept up to the hilt. The handle of the sword was made of steel and covered with black gold. A white orb enshrouded in a circular cage on black gold with a few inlaid diamond fragments was nestled between the handle and the blade itself.
Nanami pulled out an arrow from her quiver, but did not aim it. She looked up at Kagura.
"What I am wondering is what kept me from killing you?" Nanami contradicted.
"Sesshoumaru did. And to thank him, I'll do him a favor..." The red-eyed demon chuckled. Nanami pulled the arrow back on the bow. With her index finger she flicked off the leather covering of the tip, it seemed to be covered with a layer of wax.
"Hmm. I'll... pluck out those eyes and tear your head off and send it to him with that little brat." Kagura answered slowly as if she was faced with a tough decision. "On second thought..."
Meanwhile, Nanami aimed the arrow at Kagura's heart and tapped the tip with her middle finger, the one that had a gold ring with a small white stone that matched the one on her sword. There was a slowly twirling white flame inside both stones. The one on her ring now spun faster and faster. The tip of the arrow turned white and then burst into flames.
"I can see it now, the look on Sesshoumaru's gorgeous face when he sees your severed head! With you meddlers gone, he will be all mine! Haha-" Kagura was stopped short when an unbearable pain shot through her chest. A torched arrow pierced the spot where her heart was. She shreiked in pain as the fire burned her and collapsed to the ground with a thud. Nanami paced up toward the demon. She stood over the sorceress and aimed at her forehead.
"Tell me where Naraku is." She demanded coldly.
Rin was peeking out from behind Teyn's front legs. She had a terrified expression on her face after seeing what the woman she thought wouldn't hurt a thing had done. Nanami sensed the girl staring at her. "Rin, get out of here. Climb on Teyn' and he will take you to safety." She commanded, but her voice calmed Rin a little. The girl nodded and shakily got on the saddle with the help of Teyn', who nudged her with his snout to get her on his back. Then, with Rin clutching his mane, he rode off away from the quarrel.
Kagura did not answer and tried to reach the arrow. The young woman stared daggers at the witch, demanding an answer. Kagura continued to refuse.
"Fine..." Nanami said quietly. Her ring began to glow once more and the fire doubled in intensity. Kagura screamed and cursed at the young demon.
"Where is he?!" Nanami shouted. Kagura finally snarled something about Naraku not trusting her with that information. Then she rambled on about how the young woman was a fool and that she would never be able to kill her because her heart was in Naraku's grasp. The young demon woman rolled her eyes, put her arrow back into the quiver, and fastened her bow on her back. She kneeled and wrapped her fingers around the arrow in Kagura's chest.
"You had your chances. " She uttered. With great force, Nanami snapped the arrow and punched the splintered burning wood into the demon. Kagura howled in pain and fainted. Nanami stood up and turned to leave.
"By the way, if you're going to kill someone, don't stand there talking about it."
She brushed the splinters off of her hands and walked in the direction Rin rode off.
Across the field, Sesshoumaru was approaching the hill on which Rin was on. It surprised him to see her on someone's stallion. She was clutching the horse's mane and staring of into the distance. As he got closer, Sesshoumaru began to pick up a familiar scent. Kagura's blood. It reeked of Naraku. But then another scent appeared. One of something sweeter... roses and a mixture of flowers and mint. He recognized the pleasant scent. -It's her again.-
Jaken had informed him about the girl that joined Inuyasha's group. He also said she knew the great dog demon, and that she even lived with him for a while. It all sounded eerily familiar to Sesshoumaru, but he did not know why.
Within moments the man was merely a meter away from Rin. She sat up straight and glanced over her shoulder at her master. "Lord Sesshoumaru! You're here!" Rin plopped down from the tall horse onto the ground and whimpered. "Kagura abducted me again! But I think the lady killed her."
"Lady?" Sesshoumaru was not interested in the fact that Rin's rescuer was a woman, he simply wanted to know if this was the same girl he spared half a month ago.
"Yes, the very pretty one. The one that saved me before. I heard Jaken say her name is Nami." Rin answered.
"Nanami." Sesshoumaru's voice spoke on it's own. It unsettled him that he knew her name, almost innately. He had not heard her being called by that name by anyone in Inuyasha's gang. -Why do I know that name? Nanami... Seven seas. It fits her.- He pondered, remembering her blue eyes. Then he turned toward the field again. -Father... said that name when we came back from the North many years ago. "The child of my closest friend."- His father's voice echoed in his mind. -So is this that child?-
Sesshoumaru walked further uphill and saw everything there is to see on the field. Nothing, except a small patch of burning grass. He followed the faint smell of the woman and saw her running to a cloud of smoke in the distance.
Sesshoumaru frowned at the rubble of a city under the smoke. It smelled of blood, burning flesh and worse- Naraku. Sesshoumaru headed after the woman, leaving Rin to await his return. -Why does Naraku seem to want to capture her so desperately?- The young demon wondered while he trailed Nanami's steps.
Nanami kept running toward the city that seemed so familiar. -I know this place...-
The woman stopped when she entered the gates. Her lips parted and she let out a whimper. The sight before her brought tears to her eyes.
The small town was hell unleashed. Fire devoured the buildings, corpses lined the streets and the horrid stench of blood and burning flesh filled the air. The killer, or killers, obviously enjoyed the suffering and agonizing pain of others; tormented shrieks sounded from the rubble, the lifeless bodies did not even look human because they were mutilated so cruelly.
The woman put her hand over her mouth to stifle a loud, frightened cry. Her eyes were wide with fear and utter disbelief. Her other hand had dropped the bow and tears rolled down her cheeks, but she kept walking. A few screams filled the air around her and died down. Nanami wanted to save the lives of those still trapped so desperately, but by the time she had found their location in the undistinguishable ruins, the screams ceased.
Nanami was reliving that dreadful night half a month ago, except now she was in a city she had called home for a while and people she had known as a young girl. She was sobbing and every sound made her jump. Her teary eyes scanned the town and saw something Nanami wished she would never see. In front of a burning orphanage that she volunteered at, the limp, dead, beaten and broken body of the demon's closest friend hung by the wrists from the roof. The woman let out a pained cry and ran toward the half demon suspended from the roof, weeping her heart out. She cut the ropes with her sword and let the blade clatter onto the ground. Nanami caught the body of her friend and fell with it to her knees. She hugged the half demon and sobbed into her shoulder. She brushed the woman's bronze locks from her face and almond shaped eyes. A crystal clear tear dropped on the soot and blood stained skin of the dead girl. Nanami began to whimper shaky words in her native language.
"Please... for-give me... for all that I have done wrong... for not being here when... you needed me most... Oh, God!" She pleaded that the poor girl in her arms was in a better place now.
Her eyes looked around at the hell surrounding her. Through the smoke, she could see a tall figure with silver hair, in a white kimono, black armor and fur on his shoulder. Nanami's teary blue eyes stared at the man. -What does he want?- But he remained emotionless. The young woman turned back to her friend and could not help but cry even harder than before.
Sesshoumaru continued to observe the woman. He felt pity toward her, knowing that Naraku probably did all of this. -How much more is he going to take from her?- Sesshoumaru stopped himself from saying anything else. He turned his attention to finding Naraku. -He's here. I can smell him, but where?-
Without warning, Nanami screamed at the top of her lungs, loud enough for everyone to hear, including Inuyasha and his gang, who were now at the gates. But it was not the scream that startled everyone, but what followed . The second the scream faded, all the fire still burning the city dissipated, just vanished. The ring on her finger and the orb on Nanami's sword were glowing immensely and pulsating waves of white, misty light. Nanami set her friend's body down on the ground gently and wiped the tears out of her eyes, standing up. She sighed and closed her eyes, but they suddenly opened and she turned abruptly, searching for someone or something in the rubble. She picked up her sword and stood on guard.
Sesshoumaru frowned and drew his own sword. -Naraku- But he could not figure out where his smell was coming from, it was everywhere.
Suddenly, the burned orphanage exploded and hurtled Nanami backwards with tremendous force. She fell to the ground and rolled twice before getting up on all fours. Her sword landed behind her, right in front of Sessshoumaru.
"Do you like my work, Nanami? No one here revealed your origins, your power, not even your true name. They said nothing. Pity, they might have died a less violent death... I roasted the children first." Naraku cackled, motioning to the orphanage.
Nanami stood up and grabbed her sword, not even paying the slightest bit of attention to the fact that she was standing merely two feet away from another dangerous enemy.
"You murderous, worthless bastard! You deserve twice the suffering hell can offer!!" She shouted. A string of curses spoken in Russian followed. Inuyasha and his gang arrived at the scene and stopped next to behind Sesshoumaru. Kagome was holding Nanami's bow.
"What the hell are you doing here? Helping Naraku corner Nanami?" Inuyasha barked at his elder brother, who just threw him a shut-up-and-get-lost look in reply.
Naraku now loomed over the ruins of the orphanage. "Sesshoumaru? Inuyasha? Hmm... I see the dogs are chasing after the poor, defenseless kitten. Lost, alone and without a home. Perhaps the kitten would like me to give her shelter?" The half-demon let out a bone chilling laugh. Nanami had a disgusted look on her face and snarled another insult. She realized Kagome had her bow and headed backwards toward her slowly.
"Have I not told you? Every filthy lecher that has double crossed me lost his life. What makes you think you're an exception?" She bought herself some time, just in case he decides to attack, and retrieved her weapon from Kagome. Sesshoumaru and the others observed the situation, Inuyasha had his sword drawn and stood in a fighting stance. Naraku looked at the woman and chuckled.
"If you do not see me as a threat, then why do you still stay in that barrier of yours?" Nanami hissed and pulled out two arrows.
"Because he's an imposter." Sesshoumaru announced calmly and coldly.
Without any warning, Inuyasha leapt in front of Nanami, yelling something indistinguishable, and swung his sword at Naraku. His attack sent up clouds of dirt and ashes.
-Idiot... learn how to aim before attacking as if you're blind!- The demon girl grumbled to herself after Inuyasha almost hit her with his sword. She squinted and looked around. Naraku was now focused on the half demon and she decided it was the perfect chance to sneak up on the demon, now that he was distracted. -Not an honorable move, but that thing doesn't deserve to die a fair and honorable death.- Without a sound, Nanami sprinted behind the ruins of huts, trying her best to not pay attention to the dead people in the streets. Soon, the noises of a battle broke out. She could hear Inuyasha roaring curses at Naraku, then at Sesshoumaru. Nanami stopped behind the destroyed, yet still large orphanage. She looked at the carcass of the building and figured out a way to climb up on the roof. The woman glanced up at Naraku, just to make sure he hasn't spotted her. The half demon was receiving blows from both sons of the great dog demon. He was barraged nonstop with the power and strength of the attacks, but that of Sesshoumaru had more affect than Inuyasha.
Nanami looked back down and grabbed the wooden railing. She pulled herself up off the ground, onto the railing, and, using the pillars, to the roof. The woman prowled closer to the front, closer to Naraku. She took the bow from her back and pulled out an arrow from her quiver. Nanami kneeled down at the edge and aimed. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were attacking Naraku apart from each other and both were careless about the other. Inuyasha's attack bellowed up above the perched woman, frustrating her even more. She aimed once more, but she wasn't sure her arrow would have any effect on Naraku, but it was worth a try.
Sesshoumaru stood on the ground and stared up at Naraku, or at least, his imposter. The barrier on the puppet was unusually strong. Nothing he had done has broken the barrier, but it did weaken it. Inuyasha's careless and clumsy attacks only worsened the situation.
"Go ahead Nanami. I've distracted your opponents, you have a clear shot." Naraku addressed the startled woman holding an arrow torched with a white flame.
"What?!-" She began to protest but a torrent of energy surged toward her and Naraku. Sesshoumaru decided to kill them both at the same time. Nanami barely dodged it by diving off and grabbing the rim of the roof on the adjacent building. Her body crashed through the wooden screen doors and fell to the floor, fragments of wood scattered about. She stayed on the floor for a moment, trying to catch her breath, then slowly got up. Her body ached, but Nanami dismissed the pain and stormed out of the building, furious.
"Practice your aim you-" Nanami hissed at Sesshoumaru but stopped when she saw that Inuyasha had obviously believed Naraku. Sesshoumaru just likely used the situation as an excuse to kill her. But Kagome stood alone, confused and upset. The girl turned away from Nanami's questioning gaze.
"So you managed to trick us. I knew we should have never trusted you." Inuyasha snarled. Nanami turned toward him with surprise written all over her face.
"I beg your pardon? You actually believed that-"
"You're one of his minions! That's why he didn't kill you, or do any harm to you! This whole town and all the death is just an act! None of these people actually matter! You and Naraku set up a trap, but it didn't pull through, did it? Sorry to say, but your partner Naraku just left!" Inuyasha shouted. However blue Nanami's eyes were, they now seemed to be full of a raging fire. She sheathed her sword and closed in on Inuyasha dangerously.
Sesshoumaru was further away from everyone else and observed the situation. Nanami grabbed the half demon by the kimono and with all her might threw him to the ground, shouting. "You know nothing, you blind, ignorant, dim-witted stray dog!!"
Inuyasha hit the ground so hard, it knocked the wind out of him. He was shocked at her strength, but his stubborn character shook him out of his thoughts. He stood back up and barked back at her. "Stray?! Unlike you, my parents didn't dump me at some stranger's doorstep! I can decide between right and wr-" A harsh, forceful punch landed right in Inuyasha's face. He fell back to the ground, bleeding.
"You know absolutely nothing about me!! You don't know what I have been through!! So how dare you pathetic half-demon scum bring my honorable parents into this?! You are not even thinking about what you are saying! You will never feel the pain I feel, seeing the world fall apart, innocent people die, all because of the curse I carry!! Because of who I was chosen to be!! And yet you dare accuse me of allying with my worst enemy?!" Nanami shouted, her ring glowing more brightly than ever. The building behind Inuyasha and the ground around him was burning in a strange, slowly moving white flame. Kagome began to panic, Miroku and Sango stared at Nanami with awe and fear. Kagome was pleading for the woman to stop, but she didn't listen. The flames enclosed Inuyasha an grew taller. Sesshoumaru was looking at the woman and his amber eyes lingered on her ring. -Is that where her power comes from?-
Inuyasha was getting more concerned about getting out alive, but he remained stubborn and didn't show any emotion. -She's nothing but a good liar...-
The wall of fire died down just as quickly as it started. Nanami took a deep breath and her eyes were no longer filled with fury, but with sadness. "Fine, believe what you will. But the truth will dawn upon you sooner or later." She spoke softly. "Do not cross paths with me again, it will only bring misfortune. " Nanami looked at Kagome. "I warned you that something is bound to go wrong if I accompany you, but you refused to listen... Don't make the same mistake twice." With those words, Nanami began to walk away, but Sesshoumaru was in her path. He didn't move, just looked at her. Nanami finally looked up at him. -Are you going to lecture me as well? After you tried to kill me?- She stepped past him without saying a word.
"Good riddance! She wasn't needed anyway." Inuyasha said in a heartless tone. Sesshoumaru began to walk away as well.
"Now wait a minute!! You two should be ashamed of yourselves!!" Kagome stopped the two brothers. "You broke your promises to your father!" Sesshoumaru ignored the girl, but Inuyasha began to protest.
"I never made any promise!"
"Oh, really, you don't remember what she told you? 'Ally to one, enemy to another'? You are the one that took her under our wing. And now you're kicking her out because you think she might be Naraku's ally? That's absurd! Can't you see that he's tricking all of us again? He's trying to distance us from her so that he can control her!... Am I the only one that sees that?!" Kagome was frustrated with the two men. Sango and Miroku stood in deep thought, and Sesshoumaru was considering what the girl said while he was about to start walking again.
"We can't abandon her now, especially that Naraku has confronted her." Kagome added.
"That wasn't Naraku." Sesshoumaru said, his back to the group.
"And how would you know?" Inuyasha snapped.
"Ignorant as always. Did you not pay attention to the way he moved, talked, his aura, or his conversation with that demon."
After a moment, Inuyasha seemed to comprehend what his older brother was saying. Kagome had an enlightened look on her face, thinking about what happened earlier today between Nanami and Naraku. She suddenly turned toward Sesshoumaru.
"Wait! You're part of this mess, Sesshoumaru! Every encounter Nanami had involved you in some way!" Kagome seemed to have caught his attention.
"Earlier today, Nanami was cornered by Naraku and he tried to put a spell on her, using you, but it failed. She accused you of destroying her village and you told her that her blood was the ultimate prize."
Sesshoumaru frowned at Kagome's words. He knew he had never done such things.
"Her power runs in her blood, so that was without a doubt said by someone who desperately needs it. Power that surpasses the jewel shards. That does not describe you. Naraku wants her to kill you, and then he will kill her himself." Kagome reasoned.
"And why should I have a care?" The demon replied. Kagome was outraged.
"Forget it Kagome. Sesshoumaru doesn't give a damn about anyone but himself." Inuyasha motioned to Sesshoumaru coldly.
"Humph." Kagome let out an exasperated sigh. "I guess your father could not trust either of you." Suddenly, Myoga jumped on Kagome's shoulder.
"Kagome's right. You're both dim-witted fools. Naraku can't get his hands on her." The flea announced.
"Oh, yeah? And what power does she have to offer him? Lighting sticks on fire?" Inuyasha scoffed.
"You buffoon. What you saw today was nothing- a tiny spark of her power. You are no match for her... And she rivals you, Sesshoumaru. She possesses immense power, but she is still a woman and so human-like. The young woman may be of less physical strength, but she has not yet been defeated... The great dog demon counted on at least one of you to aid her. Of course he knew that the two of you will be at odds, so he wanted both of you to swear the same oath. 'Protect the power that stands before you.' By power he meant Nanami. And, if I remember correctly, you swore the oath, Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha did not." Myoga made his point, glaring at the slightly shocked Sesshoumaru. "You are her guardian."
Inuyasha's jaw dropped to the ground, and Kagome cocked her eyebrow.
"I swore to protect my power, not someone else's. The woman is none of my concern." Sesshoumaru growled and walked away. No one bothered to stop him.
"We have to find Nanami. There is no way Sesshoumaru will protect her. We are her only option." Kagome told the others.
"What? She said not to follow her, so forget it. We're going after the jewel." Inuyasha refused.
"She needs us, Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru betrayed his father, will you do so too?" Sango attempted to persuade the half-demon.
"Hey, I didn't make any promise to my old man, so why should I fulfill Sesshoumaru's?"
"But don't you want to make your father proud? Don't you want to be like him?" Kagome added.
"You're not gonna stop till I say yes, are you? Well that ain't happening!" Inuyasha grumbled. Kagome gave him a cold look.
"Fine. Inuyasha... SIT!" She screeched the command five more times. Inuyasha lifted his head up from the ground that had a deep imprint of his body in it, spitting out chunks of dirt and grass. His eye twitched and he growled like a rabid dog. "Will you stop doing that?!"
"No! Not until you swallow your pride and help Nanami, so sit!" Kagome hissed, her back to him. Inuyasha crashed into the ground once more.
"All right, fine!! I'll do it! Just don't say it again!" He whined.
"Good boy, now that wasn't s hard was it?" Kagome faced the half-demon. Inuyasha barely stood up and was ready to attack Kagome, but he decided not to. Instead, he mumbled a string of curses and followed the group out of the city.