CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

Mikage

I absolutely couldn't believe it. I had made him smile. The one thing that I wanted to accomplish, I had. I moved forward, reaching for his cheek. Feeling the top of my fingers brush against the smooth cold, I brought his face over to face me.

I tilted my head, scanning over his features. His pointed, thin nose. His thick, black as night lashes. His pointed chin and ears, and soft bangs that covered a medium-tall forehead. His eyes were directed to the side, purposely looking away from me. I pulled my hand away.

"I promise, it's okay if you're smiling, Sesshomaru."

It felt weird not referring to him without 'Lord' or 'sama', but I tried. The use of his name without either just sent shivers down my spine as I looked at him. He closed his eye lids.

"You called me Sesshomaru."

"Well, um. Yes," I began, racking my brain for more words. A prick at the top of my head made me direct my attention elsewhere. I had picked up on something, and now, I felt as though the life had been drained right our of me.

A fresh sweat came onto my forehead, striking fear into my heart. Why was it now?

"Mikage. What is it?" he asked, coming directly beside me. I felt frozen. She was alone. Daddy wasn't there to stop her. Finally, Lord Sesshomaru had scented it too. "Is that...?"

Ripples in the air appeared before me, just as a hand came down on my face. I felt the claws slice through my cheek, and fresh blood spill. As I staggered back, a hard slap greeted my new wound.

"You disrespectful... Condescending... Little hypocrite!" she screamed. I felt the warm liquid trickle down my face, and off of my chin. I felt nothing inside as she struck me again, this time with her foot. No tears fell. Just the heart-wrenching feeling that I deserved every bit of it.

The sting of my cheek, and the horrible throbbing of my leg meant nothing to me as I sat there. Mommy was panting hard. Just as Lord Sesshomaru was about to go in front of me, I halted him.

"No. Please. Don't stand in her way. I'll be okay, I promise."

He looked at me in disbelief for a moment, just as another hard kick to the chest hit.

"Stop it!" he yelled, pushing Mommy away. She ignored him as she retaliated.

"Oh you think you'll be fine, huh?! You little witch!" I felt another hard strike against my abdomen, making me gag. Unsurprisingly, blood splattered out, giving a few flowers specks.

"I... Said... STOP IT!" Lord Sesshomaru roared. The raspy, livid tone of his voice made me look up, only to be terrified of what I saw. He was trembling, eyes glowing red. The wind began to pick up around him, making Mommy turn as well. I witnessed his teeth grow longer, and sharper, his nails increasing in length. This is what it was like to witness a dog demon transforming. But... I had seen this before, didn't I?

"Mikage! Calm down, please! I don't want to hurt you!" An unfamiliar voice entered my head... Yet, I had heard it before... I knew it.

Suddenly, images flashed before my eyes. Blood covered the ground. Fire had scorched away the grass so that it became dirt. There was a man standing before me. Did I know him?

I was towering above him. I couldn't control what I was doing.

"Please Mikage! Stop! I'm begging you," he cried. He came closer, but I knew something was going to happen. It was like I was watching a dream. I couldn't feel anything, I couldn't do anything. J

Just then, I heard a shrill scream. It was Mommy.

I witnessed a brown paw collide into the man.

"HAJIME!"

I didn't want to see this anymore. That name... Hajime... He was my brother. And I just killed him.

Again, I was back in the lily field. I felt myself tremble as Mommy was pushed back by a huge dog. He was larger than a horse, his massive paws pinning her to the ground. He let out an icy bark that chilled me. It was because I had heard it before. I had made that same noise.

"Sesshomaru stop!" I exclaimed, feeling hot tears running down my face. He could kill her. I felt horribly dizzy, and weak. He couldn't hear me. I could stop it this time. Staggering to my feet, I used every muscle in my body to hurl myself at him.

"It's all your fault, you little witch! It's all your fault!" Mama screamed. The words wrenched my heart, filling me with grief. I knew they were true. I knew what I had done. As Sesshomaru-sama struggled to get free of my grasp, I felt as though I was trying to stop myself.

"S-sis..."

"Mikage let go of him!" I heard Inu no Taisho-sama bellow as I tightened my grip.

"He could kill you, sis... Let go...!" Gakupo screamed, his voice cracking.

I felt the tears increase, my face hot, my heart beating in my ears. Oddly, I felt myself smile. It wasn't a smile of happiness, or content. It was a smile of sadness. As Sesshomaru-sama twisted his broad head around to snap at me, I held tighter.

"No, Gakupo. I-I'm doing this for Hajime."

The words came out, as I moved towards his front. His fur was thick, and soft against me. He was in there somewhere. I knew it.

As he threw his head to the sky, I let the tears fall more. Mommy's startled screams were below as she struggled to get free.

"I'm sorry, Sesshomaru... I had to trouble you with all of this... I understand if you're angry. Please... Let Mommy go. Don't take your anger out on people. It's..." I took a shaky breath in as I buried my bloodied face in his fur. Hajime's pained scream entered my head, making me cry and shudder hysterically. "It's the worst thing you can do!"

Finally, his huge body moved back a step off of Mommy. Taking that chance, Mommy flew to her feet, grabbing me under the arms, holding me against her body.

"I'm going to kill you for what you did to him, you little wench!" I felt her claws come against my throat as she yanked me out of his fur. I let out a scream.

"MIKAGE!" Gakupo screeched. I tried to get away from her. She meant it this time.

An enraged roar rang through my ears. He had lost every ounce of control over himself as he launched at Mommy and I. Just as he was about to strike, a hard headbutt threw us out of the way. A horrible yowl ripped through my head as I whipped my head around.

Yuuhi stood, her body nearly collapsing under his weight. Blood stained her back and neck fur as she agressed.

"A-all right, buddy... I understand you wanting to kill her mother... But when you step so far as her, t-that's... When I've gotta step in."

Yuuhi's muscles flexed, as she mustered up her strength to throw him off. Shortly after, her weakened body stumbled and fell.

"NOOO!" I tore myself away from Mommy, ignoring every ounce of pain that had worked its way into my body. I was horrified looking at the defeated cat. She looked broken. More red was spilling down her shoulder, her fur tussled in some places, matted in others. When she looked up at me, though, she smiled weakly.

"Go and help him, honey. Only you can do it," she croaked. A light drizzle tapped against my neck and head as she wheezed. "Go on, now."

"No, Yuuhi. I-I'm not leaving you...!" I sniffed, wiping away the fresh tears with my palm. I couldn't lose her, too...

"I'll be just fine, hun. I promise. Just a few bites and a broken leg, is all." She grimaced, her sharp teeth gritting as her weakened muscles cringed. "Now go, and make me proud..."

Glancing back at Mommy, who was being held back by Gakupo, Jaken and Inu no Taisho, I gulped. It was just me against him. Reluctantly, I nodded.

"I... I will."

She chuckled as she nodded too.

"That's a girl."

I struggled to my feet again, turning to face him. He was terrifying. Teeth bared, fur bristled, eyes glowing with the lust to kill. Rallying up all the motivation I had in my body, I took a step forward. My palms were sweaty, the rain now pouring against my back. I was wavering, my ribs feeling broken, and stifling pain coursing through me with each step bringing me forward.

Ahead of me, was Lord Sesshomaru. The rain drenched his fur, each droplet appearing to bounce off of him. He let out a dangerous growl, muscles rippling as he watched me. Coming to a stop in front of him, I clenched my fists. I knew I was only a yard away from his snapping teeth. The hairs standing up on the back of my neck, I reached a shaking hand forward. Taking another hesitant move forward, my hand touched his cold nose. He recoiled, as I continued to come closer.

"It's okay, Sesshomaru... I'm okay now... I promise. You don't need to hurt anyone any longer. I had reached his chest, carefully looping my arms around his neck. I heard his chest vibrating with each rumbling growl, the noise heightened with my ear pressed against him. I sunk to my knees, his fur laced between my fingers, slick and wet from the rain.

All was silent around me besides the storm and his grumbles. I closed my eyes, feeling the strain on them as I squeezed.

"Please Sesshomaru! You have to listen... I killed my brother... It was me! I... I couldn't control myself, and... I was a dog, like you. I remember now. I remember everything..." I bit my lip, tasting my own blood from earlier in my mouth. "And... I don't want you to make the same mistake because..." I paused again, listening to his heart. It wasn't stifled by his growls anymore. "Because I care about you, Lord Sesshomaru. You're another member of my family now. I want to play with you... I want to talk with you... I want to be your friend!"

The rain around me made soft ticking noises as it hit the stiffened leaves of the lilies. I still had my eyes closed as I felt the rage slowly slip out of him. I felt the wind swirl around us as his body slowly shrank.

"I... I think you've earned that now." I felt him wrap his arms around me. He was back. The Sesshomaru that I knew had returned.