InuYasha Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Breathless ❯ Barbecue ( Chapter 50 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Sailor Moon, I just own this particular story that mixes the two together.

 

 

Chapter Forty Nine.

 

 

`Barbecue'

 

 

It was the next day and all the members, willing and not so willing, of the Taiyoukai's `pack' were already up and about, feeling a lot more rested.

 

 

Rin specially had had a good night's sleep the night before, having asked her new `friend' if she could sleep beside her. Sesshoumaru had been a bit reluctant at first, but when he overheard the child tell the blonde that she was very glad that she had joined their group, right before falling asleep, he hadn't had the heart to go pick her up and take her somewhere else lest she wake up and ask him with those eyes full of childlike innocence why she wasn't allowed to sleep with her new friend, when he'd already given his permission to let them talk to each other.

 

 

Since the Demon Lord had never had to consider another person's feelings before, as much as he was feeling sort of forced to do right now…; because he'd never ever cared for someone before as much as he did little Rin, and because up till that moment Rin had acted like the very epitome of obedience, always knowing instinctively what he would dislike and what he wouldn't….; it wasn't surprising this rather new situation would slowly but surely start becoming a bit maddening from his point of view. But the Inu Lord didn't want to think whether it was the painful memory of his ward's almost recent death that `still' continued to affect him…enough to want to grant her small moments like these, of childlike leisure and total abandon… or whether it was also something else and `different' altogether that had begun to affect him.

 

 

On the other hand, he didn't want to think that Rin was just an orphaned child who had hazardously spent a lot of time bonding with the older girl already; that she might, that she just `might' have started seeing her as someone she could hold genuine affection for, in such case she would be hurt if he did anything to try and separate them… He didn't want to do something that might confirm that notion.

 

 

The sooner this whole thing was over, the better; which was also why he was standing there right then, waiting for his retainer's return…

 

 

“Well?” the Demon Lord asked his servant as soon as he and the two-headed dragon landed beside the group.

 

 

“My Lord, the sword-smith's nerve knows no bounds” the toad replied as he dismounted the big beast “he refused to come with me towards where you are, saying he doesn't take orders from you…He said that, if Lord Sesshoumaru wants to see him, he will have to go up there himself”

 

 

“Um; so he won't come, huh?” the Taiyoukai said with displeasure “Fine then, this Sesshoumaru will go meet him by himself, and you, Jaken, you will watch over her while I'm gone” he gestured towards Usagi, whereas she just looked from one to the other clueless.

 

 

Jaken glanced at her hesitantly. “But milord…what about that human's purifying powers?” he said a bit fearfully, only to receive a hard glare from his master, which made him gulp and immediately add, “Don't worry, Sesshoumaru-sama, I will sacrifice my own life if necessary to ensure she doesn't flee while you're gone”

 

 

“I don't understand” the blonde whispered to herself, blinking “Why can't we all go to that mountain together?”

 

 

“Because the place's like an active volcano, Usagi-san” Kohaku, who had heard her muttering, explained to her from her left “and fragile mortal human bodies like ours probably wouldn't survive the dangerous journey up to the top”

 

 

“Besides, may be Sesshoumaru-sama wants to speak to the sword smith in private” Rin butted in from the blonde's right side.

 

 

“Oh” the older girl blinked slowly in realization and understanding. “Then that must mean…” she turned away and approached the two demons to address the Inuyoukai with a question “That sword smith you're all speaking of, that Totosai… he can repair your broken sword Tenseiga, can't he? Which I gather is the reason we are here?”

 

 

“That isn't any business of yours, human!” the green retainer reprimanded irate before the other could have a chance to respond; but looking at the way Sesshoumaru studied her silently, she had a feeling that she was right.

 

 

“If that's the case, please go in peace, Sesshoumaru-sama” the blonde said then, her head held high with dignity, but her attitude still modest and respectful; the regal aura of the Neo Queen unconsciously shining through once more. “I was the one who caused its damage; when you agreed to free my friend Aku, I swore I would stay of my own free will” she reminded “Thus, worry not; I will not escape or try anything else till this whole matter is solved”

 

 

“Are you giving your word on this, woman?” the Taiyoukai questioned, narrowing his eyes in frank interest.

 

 

“Yes” she closed her eyes, bowing her head in deferring acquiescence.

 

 

“Then I will hold you to it” he said, a tad bit impressed if he'd dare admit it. “If she breaks it, though, you know what to do, Jaken” Moments later, he was already on his youkai cloud, heading for the lair of the old sword smith.

 

 

`Sesshoumaru' Usagi thought, watching him go, `I wonder… why that sword seems so important to you…' If the Demon Lord already thought of the blonde girl as an enigma, the girl was starting to see him as one as well; not that he hadn't been before, it was just… that she hadn't realized how much she wanted to know more about him, till that very moment.

 

 

`It makes sense though, that he would need a sword. Kaede-sama explained to me these were times of war, just like Niraya-sama said once…but somehow I feel like they weren't talking about the same thing'

 

 

`…Kaede-sama… …Niraya-sama… …I wonder how they are right now…'

 

 

“Usagi-san?” Rin called, “Do you want to join us for breakfast? …Sesshoumaru-sama will probably be gone for a while, you know”

 

 

“Sure” the older girl smiled as she sat down with the younger one and the taijiya. Though she couldn't stop herself from thinking…

 

 

`That thing that Sesshoumaru mentioned last night that this Naraku person wanted, that Shikon no Tama…the name sounds so familiar, like some complicated concept of Shinto that Kaede-baba talked about once…said it was the concept of the Four Souls; but I can't remember what else it was that she said…I was so sleepy that time when she explained that particular concept'

 

 

`Ugh! If I had stayed filly awake and paid whole attention during her lesson, I probably wouldn't have to press my brains to recall what this Shikon no Tama thing was about! As it is, though, I will have to wait till it comes back to me'

 

 

`…If it ever does…'

 

 

`Because neither Sesshoumaru, nor Kohaku, Jaken or even Rin want to say anything more…and Rin claims she doesn't know much anyway'

 

 

`I just want to know… …I just want to know…'

 

 

`…what is it about that thing that seems to cast a shadow on anyone who speaks about it…?'

 

 

 

“You heard My Lord, wench!” the toad told her suddenly, getting her back to the here and now when the youth saw he was pointing his staff at her, which in turn made one of the Heads spit a little flame of fire that was extinguished quickly… just to show as a warning what it could do.

 

 

“If you try something funny” said demon finished threateningly “it's gonna be the barbecue with you!”

 

 

“Er…, I-I'll behave” the blonde raised her palms defensively, sweat-dropping.

 

 

`I have a bad feeling about this'

 

 

 

 

Up on the mountain, a few minutes later, the Inuyoukai met with the infamous sword smith at the mouth of his cavern.

 

 

“You didn't answer my call, Totosai” he said, approaching the older youkai in a rather impassive fashion.

 

 

“Of course not!” the sword master protested, still working feverishly, as if he had other things to worry more about than just the presence of Sesshoumaru “Can't you see that I'm very busy? I must finish this shortly if I'm to receive a decent pay!”

 

 

Raising an eyebrow, the Taiyoukai threw a glance to inspect the weapon the sword smith was currently so busy making “Whom are you making that sword for?” He wasn't actually interested, though, for it didn't look that formidable.

 

 

“Swore not to tell anyone, sorry. But it's NOT for your brother Inuyasha… if that's what you're worried about” the more ancient demon paused in his activity only a second to throw a nasty glare at the younger one. “So tell me, what brings you here? Not the need to know for whom this sword is, I suppose” he muttered as he went back to his work.

 

 

“Watch it, old man… If I didn't have an imperious need for your services at this moment, I would split you in half with my claws” Sesshoumaru warned in a dangerous hiss.

 

 

“That's precisely the reason why I dare, Sesshoumaru” the weapon master huffed “I heard a bit from your fanatical servant… So, the Sacred Fang broke, during the cataclysm? Can't say I'm surprised though” he made another pause to glare significantly at the other, as if he didn't think the Demon Lord had taken care of the sword well enough.

 

 

“You…” Sesshoumaru growled. “What dare you suggest, old man?” the dark tone made the older demon flinch.

 

 

“Um, nothing!” Totosai said in a squeak as his eyes got impossibly wide, making a complete change on his attitude. “Jeez, I witness once again that you haven't changed that much” `I had thought that with the reforged sword…' he thought to himself. “Anyway, where's Tenseiga? Show it to me… I'll see what I can do”

 

____________________________________________________________

 

 

Somewhere else, one of the people Usagi'd been thinking about was having a hard time…

 

 

“Kaede-sama, will Usagi-sama ever come back?”

 

 

“Why did she leave, Kaede-sama? Didn't she like it here?”

 

 

“Lady Kaede, Lady Kaede… please answer, we really miss her!”

 

 

“I know children, I know” the withered priestess tried to calm the disquieted young voices. “Unfortunately, I don't know if she will come back. We must wait, pray and be patient” she said as she sent them all back home. She gave one last wistful look at the village not very far and the children's retreating forms before shifting to continue her solitary path towards the shrine.

 

 

It made her heartbroken to see all their anxious faces, but there wasn't much else she could do about it. Just pray that Inuyasha and Kagome's group were able to find her... before someone else did, and that they found her alive.

 

 

“Usagi, child… I pray that wherever you are, you're safe… you're not with Naraku” she wondered out loud as she walked, still in worry, “you can't be…are you?”

 

 

“Unfortunately, I must say she's not with me right now” a velvet male voice said from behind her, and just like that, Kaede felt an ominous presence. Recognizing the owner of the voice, she turned around in a flash.

 

 

“NARAKU!?!!?!!?!” NO! She didn't have a bow or arrows right now, damn it!!! “Wha-?!! What are you doing here?!?!”

 

 

“Fancy you would ask such thing” the Dark Hanyou said cracking his knuckles and smiling viciously “Long time no see… Kaede”

 

 

 

 

Back at the valley by Totosai's mountain, Usagi was struck with the sudden feeling of danger and opened her eyes wide.

 

 

“…Kaede-baba…”

 

 

To Be Continued.

 

 

 

 

A/N: Sorry took me so long to update… I had to figure out where I wanted it to go, and kinda had a hard time figuring the `how'. Please let me know what you thought!