InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Cross of Blades ❯ She's the Blade ( Chapter 20 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Striking Falcon 
Sesshoumaru's attempts at translation and the damage Deling can do with his new toy...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.06.2006 | Updated On: 06.06.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 535 | Status: Completed
Sesshoumaru's attempts at translation and the damage Deling can do with his new toy...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 06.06.2006 | Updated On: 06.06.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 7.9K | Visits: 535 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I don’t own it so you guys (:points at lawyers:) cant’s sue. But if anyone wants to sell it (digs in pockets) I’ve got a Bratz shoe and a Build-a Bear shoe. The lyrics below are from Sugercult.
Don’t you make a move tonight. You can only stagger. Once she’s got you in her sights; you’re the one she’s after
‘Cause...
(I)
She leaves me here in this field of flowers ...
“I’m going to leave you here for now. It should be safe.”
On this porch of stone, surrounded by blooms of yellow happiness...
“I’m not sure though so you’ve got to promise not to follow me.”
She’s struggling against her orders...
“Whatever you do, don’t leave here. Don’t come looking for me. And for the love of God...”
She struggles with her humanity...
“Don’t follow the screams, please.”
Blood will stain her hands by the end of the day...
“I’m really sorry I can’t go with you. I...want to more than anything in the world.”
Yet she’s concerned for me and what the black blood will do once its in control...
“I have to go now. I’ve held It back long enough.”
She reaches out to touch me and I lean away from her clawed touch...
“I...understand. Don’t worry Kik. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She runs into the bright afternoon, leaving me to rest on Angelo’s Gravestone...leaving me to wonder...leaving me to shiver as the screams of the damned echo above the ocean tides...
(II)
Sesshoumaru stood quietly, his cool metallic eyes distant as he stood in the middle of the vacant room. Kagome’s things remained where she left them as though waiting for her to blow in and resume their normal functions. ‘Is there a chance of that happening?’ Sesshoumaru asked himself and weighted a small black brush in the palm of his hand. ‘If her parents are correct, that is assuming that their ravings are correct, then there is still the possibility that Kagome may be too far gone to properly insure her safety.’ He sighed deeply, his eyes wearily drifting closed. More than anything, more than her friends even, he wanted her to be alive and sane enough to know him. He wanted to see that trust and affection she kept in her eyes and he wanted to...well, he didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he knew it wasn’t anything that would result in her death. The thought of finding her, only to run his gunblade through her made his stomach queasy.
‘There is no sense in thinking of such now,’ he said as he turned to leave. ‘That problem will solve itself with ti-‘
BEEP-BEEP!
BEEP-BEEP!
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, then turned around fully at the strangely cheerful beeping that suddenly filled the room. He tracked the sound to Kagome’s nightstand, where he found one of the headsets used to view ART’s holographic form. ‘She shouldn’t have brought this back,’ he thought and frowned at the tiny yellow-green light winking back at him. He rolled the small headpiece between his index and middle finger, then shrugged and put them on. The clear minute screen slipped into place in front of his right eye and he twitched slightly at the static that rolled in front of him.
The sound cleared before the picture and Sesshoumaru was greeted to a recording of screaming before the harried features of a green eyed, blonde haired human appeared on the screen.
‘Dr. Gippal I presume,’ he growled to himself as the image shivered. It righted itself and Dr. Gippal turned to it at once, his features serious and frightened as a small cut wept from above his left eye.
“If you’re receiving this,” he breathed, then paused and glanced off-camera. He assured himself of something before continuing, his voice lowered but no less panic-stricken. “Then ART’s decided that it was time for you to see me and for me to explain some things. Unfortunately, I can’t explain everything you need to know, or will need to know to survive. ART is your caretaker so anything he’s said is probably everything you need to know. Just remember that I did my best for you, what little I could do and I’m sorry for leaving you alone.
“If I had understood, really understood what they planned for you I would never have let you into their hands. By the time I realized what was happening it was too late. There was little I could do except release the Omega weapon. It was the only way I could ensure you’d have a normal life...a life that didn’t include myself or the rest of the council. They’re blood had to be spilled as atonement for the suffering we’ve allowed and inflicted on others. They would use you for their own gain and I...” A lone tear streaked down the doctor’s face while his shoulders shook with silent sobs.
“I love you too much to do this to you.”
Dr. Gippal shuddered violently and jumped at a scream off camera; this time the sound was much closer than it had been in the past. A vicious growl answered back, then all was quiet around him.
“In spite of what others would tell you, never forget,” Dr. Gippal hurried quickly. “You’re your father’s daughter, you’re just like me. You’re an Al Bhed and an alchemist. Alchemists weren’t meant to destroy and bring pain to others but to heal and seek justice. Become a true alchemist my dear...Pa drui vun dra baubma-“ He threw up his hands and screamed before everything went dead, leaving Sesshoumaru to ponder what he figured to be the doctor’s last words.
“‘Pa drui vun dra baubma...’?” he said to himself as he removed the headpiece and returned it to Kagome’s nightstand. “What does that mean...” He couldn’t translate it and it frustrated him beyond belief.
“What’s that?”
Sesshoumaru glanced up as Shippou closed the door. He frowned, slightly miffed at his temporary failure to sense the kitsune coming while Shippou tapped the headset. “What’s this thing do?”
“Would you happen to know what ‘pa drui vun dra baubma’ means?” Sesshoumaru asked instead of answering his question. Shippou tapped his chin thoughtfully, then shrugged.
“Don’t have a clue. I’m sorry Sesshoumaru but I know less Al Bhed than you do. I didn’t care enough about it to learn. But I suggest you take this if you’re planning on doing any research.” He reached inside Kagome’s desk and passed him her virtual library. “The Garden library won’t have what you want, but Kagome’s has everything.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks, opened the laptop and was searching through the archives when Shippou tapped the desk.
“You’re going to have to take that with you,” Shippou told him as he opened the door. “Headmaster Leonheart wants to see you.”
“What about?” Sesshoumaru asked and followed Shippou down the hallway toward the headmaster’s office.
Shippou shrugged. “I don’t have a clue,” he replied and stepped off once the elevator stopped on the headmaster’s floor. “He just told me to get you ‘cause he couldn’t find you. Do you always hide out in Kagome’s old room?”
“I do not ‘hide out’,” Sesshoumaru replied haughtily. “I do spend a fair amount of time in there. Tell me kitsune, why exactly are you allowing me to hold onto something as valuable as this library?”
“You might be able to help Kagome,” said Shippou. “And I’d do anything for her.”
“Quite,” Sesshoumaru said, his eyes narrowed fractionally at the hidden meaning behind Shippou’s words. He tapped down on jealously as it threatened to rear it’s giant green head, then brushed past him and into Headmaster Leonheart’s office without another word.
“Sesshoumaru,” Squall greeted as Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him. “Just the person I wanted to see. Please, have a seat.”
“I’d prefer to stand,” Sesshoumaru said as he rested on his feet in front of the headmaster’s desk. “You wished to speak to me sir?”
“Yes, of course,” Squall sighed heavily. “It’s always business as usual with you, isn’t it Sesshoumaru?”
“I would suppose so,” replied Sesshoumaru as Squall sat down behind the massive desk. “Is there any other way?”
Squall chuckled. “No, I guess not. Anyway, I’ve been doing some thinking, as I’m sure you have too...”
Sesshoumaru nodded. “I have.”
“And I would guess about the same thing I have?” Squall nodded at Sesshoumaru’s confirmation. “It’s occurred to me that, if Kagome were some type of weapon or monster or...I don’t know...something, then it would make sense to find out as much about her as possible. There is the slight chance that I may have to send soldiers into battle against her and to remain ignorant about her and her powers would be suicidal. Therefore-“
“You wish for me to relay what I know about her abilities?” Sesshoumaru finished. “I will do what I can to explain them but-“
“That’s not what I want,” Squall interrupted with a raised hand. “I don’t want an informant. I’m sure the information you were given about her was given to you under the utmost confidentiality.”
“Then what do you want?” Sesshoumaru asked, his tone edged and harsh from the suspense. “There is little else I can do for you.”
“You can be the Garden’s commander.”
Crickets seemed to chirp in the silence, the air between the two thick with unease before a breathed “What...” from Sesshoumaru. “Surely you’re not serious as to-“
“Why not?” Squall interrupted again. “You are, after all, the only one in any of the three Gardens that has a clue as to what we’re facing here. You’re an excellent leader and your tactical prowess has yet to be matched.”
“Yes but...” Sesshoumaru stopped thoughtfully, his eyes downcast as he considered his options. ‘To refuse him would be foolish,’ he realized as Squall waited on his answer. ‘Not only is he giving me power over the entire Garden, but he’s placed what’s to be done about Kagome into my hands.’ “How long will I be commander?”
“Well that depends on how well you do,” Squall answered with a confidant smirk. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t..remain commander for a while to come.”
Sesshoumaru considered it a while longer, then nodded. “Fine, I accept.”
“Great!” Squall exclaimed with a clap. “That’s just what I wanted to hear! You assume command imme-“
“Excuse me sir?”
Squall sighed in long suffering and pressed the button for the intercom. “Yes?”
“We’re receiving word from Headmaster Cramer on Centra’s southern island. It sounds like an emergency beacon.”
Squall seemed troubled by this, and he frowned his displeasure before pressing the button again. “Have you established contact with Headmaster Cramer?”
“No sir,” the Garden staff member replied. “We’ve tried repeatedly but have received no response.”
“Thank you.” Squall leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together thoughtfully before glancing up at Sesshoumaru. “Well Commander,” he said expectantly. “You’ve heard what’s going on. What do we do now?”
“How far are we from the old headmaster’s location?” Sesshoumaru inquired as he launched himself into his new role.
“We’re eight or so miles from his northernmost position.”
“Then responding to his distress call would seem to be the most appropriate course of action,” he decided.
“Alright Commander,” Headmaster Leonheart agreed. “You decide on who to take with you and I’ll steer the ship toward our destination. I’ll call you when we arrive.”
o.o.o.
Their landing onto the Centra island was uneventful.
Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Shippou made their way northwest from a small beach toward the small lighthouse on the true western tip of the continent. They walked through a stone archway, their travel as quiet as possible before Inuyasha stopped.
“Wait a sec,” he said and sniffed around. “What’s that smell? Don’t you guys smell that?”
Sesshoumaru and Shippou sampled the air and were surprised to find a trace of lily filtering through the other scents in the air. ‘How come Inuyasha caught this first?’ pouted Shippou as he followed the trail toward a stone building ahead of them. Inuyasha continued to sniff while the full youkai went on without him. Sesshoumaru and Shippou opened the building’s heavy wooden door cautiously, Sesshoumaru’s gunblade drawn and ready before they ventured into the room. The sparsely furnished room was without signs of life and a quick check behind the door assured the duo of the room’s security before opening the door on their left.
The scent of blood barreled toward them head on, and Shippou stumbled back and gaped at the carnage in the next room. The room looked as if it were a nursery in a past life with faded pictures of bunnies and other childhood inspirations still hanging from rusted nails pounded into the stone walls. Tiny cots lined the opposite wall, the threadbare sheets soaked crimson from the spilled blood of the SeeDs stacked on top of them. The faces of the dead stared back at them, their eyes stretched wide and their mouths gaped forever into silent shrieks of agony. Those that were missing limbs had them stacked beside them and there was a small amount of something...bloody and torn lying in a pool on the center bed.
“What on Spira did this?” Sesshoumaru wondered aloud as he stepped further into the room. He ignored Shippou’s retching behind him to drink in what was in front of him, his primitive beast impressed with the slaughter of the hardened, well trained men before he finally left the room and shut the door behind him. He ignored Shippou again and crossed the room toward another door, this one south to the entrance. Cool beach air gently caressed his face. He welcomed the salty air readily, unknowingly breathing deeper than necessary as he tried to wash the crimson scent from his nose’s memory. He opened his eyes, looked down and mentally groaned before calling to Shippou.
“There is another,” he said and waited for Shippou to catch up to him before gesturing toward the body at his feet. “Is he the old headmaster?”
Shippou kneeled down beside the corpse and nodded, recognizing the elderly gentlman’s round spectacles, gray/brown hair and somewhat overweight frame. “Yeah, this is him,” Shippou sighed sadly. “God, what did all of this? This is awful.”
“There is one missing,” Sesshoumaru said after doing a mental head count. ‘Headmaster Cramer and seven SeeD. That leaves Mrs. Cramer.’ “Have you caught sight of a woman here?”
“Hey guys!” they heard Inuyasha shout from around the house. “Come here!” They sprinted around the building toward a second structure, this one an incomplete version of the house they just vacated. Inuyasha sat on what would have been the front entrance with his back to them. He cradled something in his arms and he turned and growled at their footsteps.
“Oh, sorry about that,” he said before shifting toward them. “But look who I found.” Sesshoumaru stood by unimpressed and Shippou gaped in shock as Kikyou shivered against Inuyasha’s chest. “She was sitting here when I got here. She called my name and hasn’t said a word since.”
“She must have seen or heard something,” Shippou thought aloud before reaching toward Kikyou. She flinched away from his claws and huddled further into her mate.
“Come on Kik. That’s Shippou. He won’t hurt you. You know that,” Inuyasha comforted while he smoothed her hair down. “It’s alright. Whatever happened here is over now. You’re safe.”
“I-i-it was horrible,” Kikyou stuttered at last. “Th-the screaming and the ripping. It was everywhere. I couldn’t get away from the sound. And the blood...” Kikyou whimpered and began to shake violently, tears streaming down her cheeks to soak into Inuyasha’s sweater before she turned away from them again.
The youkai exchanged worried glances, then turned back to Kikyou as Shippou asked, “What about Edea Cramer Kikyou? Did you see what happened to her?”
Kikyou nodded miserably. “I know what President Deling ordered her to do. He t-told her to rip the headmaster’s wife apart and scatter her body over the ocean.”
“Ordered who Kikyou?” Inuyasha asked, though deep in his heart he knew the answer. He bit his lower lip and Shippou hissed painfully when she whimpered.
“He’s got some kind of control over her. I don’t know how but Kagome couldn’t stop herself. It’s like she’s her, but she’s not her. I-I was so scared! I didn’t know what to do!” Kikyou bawled into Inuyasha’s sweater, her hiccups and sobs echoing over the empty meadow.
(III)
“I’m going to be late!” a twelve year old Rin sang to herself as she hurried inside the small, dingy apartment on this cold winter school day. She struggled to gather her books together, put her clothes on and eat breakfast at the same time. She paused momentarily in front of a picture of her parents, her gaze wistful and longing before she continued about her day.
Shelinda left for work earlier that morning, leaving Rin to fend for herself in order to get to school on time. Rin inhaled a piece of toast, gulped down a glass of juice and quickly shrugged into a worn and old coat before grabbing her books. She burst from the apartment and locked the door behind her, her face scrunched slightly as Shelinda’s lectures to lock it berated her in her mind. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rin muttered to the voice as she thundered down the stairs as she zipped through the flower shop’s glass doors into the snow covered streets beyond.
Rin stopped to stare, her eyes round with wonder as she watched the snow fall in fat, lazy flakes to collect on the mounds of snow already shoveled along the sidewalk. She waved to Shelinda as she scraped at the snow in front of the shop before setting off. She pulled a wool toboggan from her pocket and shoved it onto her head. She ‘eep!’ed in surprise when the hat fell over her eyes and she was struggling to lift it when she ran into something furry and soft in front of her.
“Oh my goodness!” she gasped as she jerked the hat up. “I’m so very so-“ She stopped and gawked as the beautiful woman glared down at her from over her shoulder. Rin stepped back when the woman turned around, the oversized fur cloak wrapped around her small frame to pool on the slick walkway underneath. The cloak’s hood hid the woman’s hair and face from view, leaving her eyes to pin Rin to the spot.
“I-I-I,” Rin stammered nervously before collecting herself. “I’m sorry ma’am. I didn’t see you. I was trying to get my hat to-“ Rin paused, then nodded. “Yes, I’m going to school now.”
Rin fell quiet again, then blushed in shame and nervously grasped at her coat. “It’s all my sister and I can afford,” she answered meekly. “Its alright though. We have other things we need an-“ Rin gasped when the woman shrugged out of the cloak and draped it over her. Ruby red hair fell over the woman’s naked shoulders in waves that trembled slightly while she adjusted the cloak to fit Rin’s small form.
“You don’t have to do this,” Rin told her as she eyed the woman’s black jeans and bandaged torso. “You’re hurt, and you’re going to get cold. Here, you take it-“ The woman patted her head, then turned Rin around and gave her a gentle shove back the way she came. Rin stood there while the woman walked away, her back to her and her chocolate brown eyes distant before she tore down the sidewalk toward the flower shop.
o.o.o
She was well aware of the stares she received as she walked along the streets. She ignored them all, her task her only thought as the annoyance sighed.
‘Thank you,’ said annoyance whispered in her mind. ‘If just one can be saved, then so be it. Thank I’m grateful.’
‘You still will not influence me,’ she told her weaker half as she arrived in the city’s square. ‘I have been locked away for far too long and I intend to have as much fun as possible.’
‘But this isn’t fun,’ the annoyance sobbed.
Did this creature do nothing but cry?
‘This is heartless slaughter! These people don’t deserve what’s coming to them!’
‘And who said I would kill them?’ she growled testily. She clenched her fist and hissed when her claws bit into her skin. She watched in fascination as the blood collected in her palm. ‘Why shouldn’t I though?’ she absently inquired as she rolled the blood around her hand. She watched as the blood formed a grisly bracelet around her pale, slender wrist. ‘Our master says that that is what we are for. We have no other purpose.’
‘That’s not true!’ her other half shouted desperately. ‘If you’d let me show you, you’d see that there’s more to life tha-‘
“Enough of this,” she snarled as she threw the whiner back into her mental prison. “I’ve dealt with your weakness long enough. It is time you learn the meaning of strength.” She raised her hands toward the heavens, willed the power that flowed through her veins to her fingertips, and smiled.
o.o.o
“Shelinda! Shelinda, where are you!”
Shelinda looked up from the cash register, brown eyes so much like her sister’s worried the moment she heard Rin’s voice. “Rin? Honey, what are you doing here? You’ve got to go to school.” She gazed across the counter and stared at the large furry lump that was her sister.
“Where did you get this?” she wondered as Rin shoved the hood off her head. “You didn’t steal it did you?”
“No!” Rin huffed anxiously. “Come on Shelinda! You’ve got to get under here!”
“What? Why?” Shelinda asked with a gentle laugh. “No, I don’t think I should. You should take that back Rin.”
“I can’t!” Rin shouted with an angry stomp of her foot. “Please Shelinda, put this on! We don’t have a lot of time!”
“Oh all right,” Shelinda sighed as she caved in at last. “Let me see it.” She struggled to untie the thick leather bow holding the cloak closed, then shrugged it over her shoulders. She tied the bow back and pulled the hood over her head before turning back to her anxious sibling. “There,” she said before giving a quick turn. “I’ve put it on. Are you happy now? Say,” she muttered to herself as she ran a hand along the soft reddish fur. “This is really soft. What kind of fur is this?” She gasped when, instead of answering her, Rin ducked underneath the cloak and wrapped her arms around her middle.
“Rin, what’s wrong?” she asked. Rin remained silent, her eyes tightly shut as she gripped her sister. “Rin, I said what’s-“ Shelinda gaped as a brilliant flash of light engulfed them, then screamed as the earth began to tremble beneath their feet.
(VI)
The Phoenix, the blue and gold version of the Black Dragon, sailed toward western coast of Galbadia. The report of the disaster that left Deling City in ruins came to Balamb Garden the week before while pictures of the survivors and the rubble circulated the world via television. Of course Balamb looked to their new commander for assignments and Sesshoumaru gave them without fail. He requested another airship from Esthar’s fleet and departed from the Garden as soon as possible. He left instructions for Headmaster Leonheart and the Garden to follow.
Sesshoumaru absently glanced at the pilot’s screen, his claws clicking on the keyboard to correct tiny flaws in the flight plan before flipping the auto-pilot back on. He leaned away from the console and gazed intently at the laptop that contained Kagome’s virtual library. He studied pages and pages of what he knew were the vast halls of Esthar National Library, a massive building that was crammed from it’s black marbled tile floor to it’s gilded white ceiling with books, scrolls, and comspheres that were thousands of years old. Each click of the mouse revealed more of the Al Bhed and their ancient culture and, for the first time in a long time, he felt as if he were finally beginning to understand.
“Hey Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha asked as his head rose from the elevator shaft. “What’cha doin’?”
“Research,” Sesshoumaru quipped mildly. He turned off the laptop and closed it before Inuyasha could receive a better look at the screen’s contents. “I take it Almasy informed you of my request.”
“Yeah, she told me,” Inuyasha grumbled and sat down behind the navigation’s console. “Now where are we goin’ again?”
Sesshoumaru picked up a folder that rested on the floor beside him and opened it. “It’s a ruin called Luca. Can you find that on the map?”
“Yeah, it’s right here,” muttered Inuyasha as he punched in the new coordinates. “Luca’s on a small peninsula twenty miles or so southwest of Galbadia’s Desert Prison. We should be there in an hour or so.”
“Good.”
Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru as he turned around, his attention back on the laptop beside him. He clicked and typed, and forgot about Inuyasha, the auto pilot once more engaged as he continued to search for information. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his thoughts settling on Kikyou as he inwardly cursed and blessed Deling. ‘I was so close to sending Kikyou to Deling City to stay at the estate,’ he thought with a mental shiver. ‘Deling kidnaping her wasn’t the best of circumstances, but it did prevent her from being in the disaster zone. I wonder if he was behin-‘ He looked up when Sesshoumaru growled, the sound less threatening and more annoyed as he rubbed his chin and glared at the computer screen.
“What’s up?” Inuyasha asked and sat up.
Sesshoumaru shook his head, then turned off the computer. “Nothing. If I do not understand it then it is safe to assume you will not as well.”
“Well gee, thanks for the confidence,” Inuyasha fumed and crossed his arms angrily. “You know, I’m a lot smarter than you take me for. I bet I could figure out whatever it is you’re worried about.”
Sesshoumaru quirked a brow in disbelief. “Do you think so hanyou?”
“Sure why not?” Inuyasha shrugged. “And if I don’t, you’ll at least have a sounding board to bounce you’re ideas off of.”
Sesshoumaru considered it a moment longer, then relented. “Kagome received a message three weeks ago.”
“From?” Inuyasha drawled impatiently.
“From the computer simulation in the research facility we were trapped in. The simulation itself did not speak but sent instead a recorded message from one of the scientists that died in the facility. He said, among other things, something about being an alchemist. He said something in Al Bhed and not only am I having a hard time finding the translation I also do not understand the importance of the statement.”
“Oh, is that all?” Inuyasha chirped. “Lay it on me then. I bet you I know what it means.”
“Alright then,” Sesshoumaru agreed, though he seriously doubted that Inuyasha would understand a word of it. “It was pa drui vun dra baubma.”
“Um...” Inuyasha thought, then grinned sheepishly and shrugged. “I don’t have a clue as to what that means.”
“I thought not.”
“But,” Inuyasha continued as Sesshoumaru turned back to the pilot’s screen. “Kikyou and I had a conversation that reminds me of that.”
“Really?” Sesshoumaru remarked absently. “What did she tell you?”
“She said that Deling planned on grabbing Kagome before what happened at the Desert Prison.”
Sesshoumaru nodded, having thought of that long before Inuyasha mentioned it.
“And she said that Deling gave Kagome some sort of talk about how she was going to help him. He used-“ He snarled, his eyes briefly flashing red before calming himself down. “Kikyou to control Kagome. She said that the last thing he said was an explanation about the Al Bhed alchemists.”
‘And here we are again,’ Sesshoumaru said to himself before flicking the arrival light off. ‘Again with these alchemists. What do they have to do with Kagome?’
“Kik said that afterwards, he took Kagome’s necklace and whispered something weird. Afterwards Kagome went into convulsions and blacked out.”
‘Could it have been a spell?’ “What did he say?”
“Um...” Inuyasha searched his memory, his eyes narrowed in concentration before he glanced up at him. “It was...Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh, or something like that.”
“Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh,” Sesshoumaru repeated. “‘This is how the damned are born’...why would he say something like that?”
“Is that what that means?” Inuyasha asked, then looked up as the arrival warning sounded through the ship. “Hey Sesshoumaru, it’s time to go.”
“Right,” Sesshoumaru replied absently. He turned away from his thoughts and landed the airship on what he knew used to be the entrance to the ancient Mi’Ihen Highroad. He stared at the steps leading to Luca’s central square and frowned. Inuyasha’s revelation bothered him for some reason, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The phrase recited itself over and over in his head, even as he left the cockpit and began issuing orders to the rest of the team.
“We are here as an assessment team only,” Sesshoumaru informed them as Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippou and Sango stood at attention at the base of the cargo ramp. “Almasy and Saikai, you are the ones who are well versed in medicine, so you shall be the ones to assess the medical needs of the survivors and staff. Inuyasha, you and Makayura will check on the supplies and other necessities.”
“And what are you going to do, O Great and Powerful Leader?” Shippou snipped sarcastically.
“I plan on going about my business,” Sesshoumaru replied without a hitch. “I intend on finding out what caused this.”
“Well, let’s go then,” Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement and the others fell out of attention to follow him down the stairs to Luca’s central court. The city reminded them less of ruins and more of a city that still thrummed with life. The cobalt blue paint shone brightly on the polished railings, the granite stone beneath their feet was undisturbed by the vegetation surrounding it and the stairs themselves seemed sturdy and in good condition.
“OK, how old is this city again?” Miroku wondered aloud as they walked down the final set of stairs. Sango shrugged. “In the report it said this place was hundreds of years old.”
“We are not here to study architecture,” Sesshoumaru reminded them cooly. He glanced over the weeping and injured with a critical eye. The things that had to be done mentally listed themselves without his influence and before long he was barking orders to the others. They scrambled immediately, leaving Sesshoumaru to his own devices. He walked through the sea of victims, both youkai and human alike, and listened with half an ear to their stories. Each person had different injuries but the same stories as they wept their accounts of their encounter to the SeeD staff.
“It was horrible,” one elderly owl youkai sobbed into her hands. “My mate and I were getting off of the train from Timber when this awful light lit up the sky. The next thing we knew the earth was moving and things were falling. My poor Marcus...he...he...” The youkai collapsed against the smaller SeeD official and sobbed. The young man holding her glanced up at Sesshoumaru pleadingly but Sesshoumaru continued on. Sango ran up to him minutes later and grasped his arm.
“Hey Sesshoumaru,” she said as she began to tug him toward the opposite side of the square. “There’s someone you’ve got to talk to over here.”
Sesshoumaru nodded and followed her. He removed his arm from her grasp though. He wasn’t repulsed by her touch but it reminded him of...her...and he wouldn’t allow another to manhandle him so familiarly.
Sango led him to a wooden bench behind the statue in the center of the courtyard, where Miroku sat talking to a young human woman. They glanced up as Sesshoumaru and Sango approached them, their conversation forgotten as Miroku introduced them.
“Shelinda, this is our commander, Sesshoumaru Endo. Commander Endo, this is Shelinda and she has something important to tell you.”
“Then do not leave this Sesshoumaru in suspense,” Sesshoumaru replied as he leaned against a nearby bench and crossed his arms. “Start from the beginning.”
“Um, ok,” Shelinda stammered nervously. “Um..well, my sister and I have lived in Deling City for a few years now. Our parents died in an train accident four years ago, so we stayed with relatives that lived in Fisherman’s Horizon for a year. When I turned eighteen we moved from FH to Deling City.
“I got a job at a flower shop, Rin started school and everything was fine. We were-“ She sniffed and waved away Miroku’s offered tissue when she began to cry. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized profusely. “It’s just, with everything and-“
“Your emotional state is understandable,” Sesshoumaru interrupted impatiently. “And we will not blame you for it. We do need all of the information you have on what transpired two weeks ago.”
“Right. I’m...sorry. Um, last Monday my sister was late getting to school. That’s normal. Rin would be late to her own wedding.” She gave a watery laugh, smiled back when Sango smiled at her and continued. “She went flying out the door as usual, calling goodbye to me before disappearing. I wanted to yell at her to be careful on the sidewalk because it snowed the night before and it was a chance that there may be some ice still on the walkway but she was gone long before I could say anything.
“I cleared the pathway in front of the shop as best I could then went back inside to get ready for business. I counted out the money drawer and was putting it into the register when Rin came back. She was rushing, her face was flushed and she had this odd looking cloak wrapped around her.”
“What kind of cloak?” Miroku asked soothingly. “Didn’t she own one already?”
“No way, not like this,” Shelinda replied with a shake of her head. “This had to be expensive. It was red but not a good red. It was almost gaudy and it looked like something died on it or something. Anyway, she comes in and insists I put this thing on. I did and she threw herself at me. I didn’t get a chance to ask why because this light came from out of nowhere. The next thing I knew the building was collapsing around us. I could hear car alarms blaring, people screaming and the ground rumbling when everything was over.
“I thought we were hurt but somehow we managed to get away without a scratch. Rin and I picked our way to the bus station, hot wired one of the buses, loaded some people on board and drove out of what was left of the city.”
“Did your sister say anything about where she received the cloak from?” Sesshoumaru asked. Shelinda shook her head. “No, she never said anything, except that she didn’t steal it.”
“Then where is this Rin?” Sesshoumaru inquired, then stopped once the wind changed. He followed the sudden scent of lilies and damp fur, the others forgotten as his curiosity overwhelmed him. He left the courtyard and followed another of the stone pathways toward the south. He found a fork in the road, one path leading south and another leading east with a small fountain in the center. A dark-haired little girl splashed absently in the fountain’s lipid pool completely unaware of the youkai’s presence. She tugged the red fur in her lap closer to her when a chilly wind blew past, and she smoothed it down before noticing Sesshoumaru.
“Oh, um, hi!” Rin chirped as she waved at him. “My name’s Rin! Are you one of the SeeDs that came to help us?”
“I am,” Sesshoumaru replied with a solemn nod. “I hear you’ve had quite the experience.” He sat down on the bench beside her. He felt that his normally cold and indifferent demeanor was out of place with her, and that she reminded him on someone he knew. He waited for her to answer him and mentally frowned when she sniffed.
“Yeah,” Rin replied sadly. “My sister and I are homeless now. Everything she worked hard for is gone now. I feel so bad about everything.”
“This was not your doing,” Sesshoumaru’s baritone interrupted. “You did not have the power to stop what happened to your city.”
“Yeah well, at least my sister wasn’t hurt,” Rin said, then gave a light laugh. “I’m so glad I ran into that youkai before the blast. We would’ve been seriously hurt if it wasn’t for this pelt she gave me.”
“This youkai you speak of,” Sesshoumaru asked as he reached out and touched the soft fur. “What did she look like?”
“Um...” Rin concentrated for a few minutes, then her face lit up with a bright smile. “She was really pretty, and tall too! She had red hair that was really long. I couldn’t see her eyes because her bangs were in her face, but I could tell she was looking at me. Oh, and she was hurt too!”
“How so?”
“She had some sort of white tape around her middle, like this.” Rin demonstrated on herself, using her arms and hands to gesture where the bandages stopped and began. “She had on black jeans and that, and that’s it. Even her shoes were gone. Do youkai get cold?”
“We can, but it has to be an extreme cold for us to feel it.”
“Oh. Ok then. Anyway, she told me about the blast. She told me to take this-“ she lifted the fur covering her legs “and told me to get back to my sister as fast as I could. She told me school would be canceled. She said something else too...but I can’t...” Rin’s voice faded but the others in the courtyard began to grow. Sesshoumaru turned when someone shouted his name and he stood up as Inuyasha and Miroku ran toward him.
“Hey, Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha hollered as Rin jumped down from the fountain. “We’ve got some sort of problem here! You’ve gotta come quick!”
Sesshoumaru took a step forward and stopped when Rin grasped his hand. He gazed into her frightened brown orbs and relented, mindful of his claws as he gently tugged her forward. He narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha’s mirth and growled a warning for him not to speak on the matter as he finally stepped into the courtyard.
The survivors all stood, those that could stand, and gazed into space. Each whispered something, their eyes frantic and pleading and their hands fisted at their sides.
“You know,” Rin whispered from Sesshoumaru’s side. “I know you from somewhere. Who are you mister?”
“Please,” whispered the owl youkai widow. “Forgive me...”
“I didn’t want this,” whispered a man standing beside the courtyard statue. “But I can’t stop...”
“He’s going to be so angry,” Shelinda sniffed tearfully. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Tell him...”
“Tell him...”
“Tell him...”
“You’re name’s Sesshoumaru isn’t it?” Rin said with an insistent tug on his hand. Golden eyes finally turned away from the abnormality in front of him and focused on the little girl.
“Excuse me?” he said. “I did not tell you my-“
“The pretty lady’s scared Cap,” Rin told him. “She said to tell you that she’s sorry. She said to tell all of us that she’s so, so sorry.”
The survivors collapsed without another word, including Rin who folded like a sheet underneath the massive red pelt. Sesshoumaru picked up the child without a hesitant thought otherwise, his arms gathering both her and the fur she valued before glancing down at Sango. “What just transpired here?” he demanded softly, the growl in his voice no less menacing.
Sango narrowed her eyes at him and brushed aside his unspoken threat without a whimper. “I don’t know. I wasn’t here for it. The headmaster wants to speak with you.” She held up the comphone, then blushed in embarrassment when she realized his hands were too full to take it. “Here, I’ll hold it up for you.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks and waited for until he could see the screen to speak. “Good afternoon Headmaster.”
“I wish it were Sesshoumaru. I’ve come to understand that you have your hands full down there.”
“Yes, but that is expected,” Sesshoumaru answered with a shrug. “Is there something you wanted to speak to me about?”
“Yes, there is. We noticed smoke coming from Clearance on our way to meet up with you and your team. We took a detour and ...it’s a mess here Sesshoumaru. It looks like Clearance was just attacked.”
“How did we miss it?” Inuyasha asked from over Sesshoumaru’s shoulder. “I mean, we flew past Clearance not an hour ago. How did Deling manage without us noticing?”
“Board the survivors on the Garden Headmaster,” Sesshoumaru ordered and waited for the headmaster’s attention to return to the screen before continuing. “And bring them here for further treatment.”
“Sesshoumaru, there are no survivors. There’s nothing left. No buildings, not streets, no cats, dogs, nothing. All that’s left is this giant hole of black earth.”
‘No survivors...’ Sesshoumaru’s mind center on that single thought as the others gaped and gasped around them. ‘What could have caused such destruction...’
“Hey Sesshoumaru,” Headmaster Leonheart’s voice called over the comphone. “I don’t know what could have caused this but I tell you this: Whatever did this was extremely powerful, more powerful than the creature that attacked Deling City. I don’t know what kind of new weapon Deling has, but whatever it is it wiped Clearance off the map.
“This can only get worse Commander Endo. We’re going to have to find Juromaru Deling and destroy his new weapon...no matter what the cost.”
(End chapter)
SF: Yup, this chapter is shorter.
Sesshou: (vanilla pepsi in hand) We see that crossbreed. Care to tell us why?
SF: Well, we really don’t need a lot of information in this chapter. All you guys need to know is how strong this new threat is.
Inu-chan: Yeah, I’d say you did that pretty well.
SF (grinning) Why thank you Inuyasha. You can go watch Hee-Haw now. (Smiles as Inu-chan races offstage) He likes Hee-Haw. What can I say? Anyway, the next chapter might be longer. You never can tell. Oh, and as for what Dr. Gippal said, don’t worry. Sesshoumaru’s going to figure it out-
Sesshou: As if one had a single doubt.
SF: (:sigh:) ANYWAY, Sesshoumaru’s going to figure it out and he’s going to save the girl. As if anyone had a single doubt! The summary for the next chapter is below.
Inuyasha: This sucks. This plan sucks. I can’t believe Sesshoumaru came up with something so stupid. I mean, normally I’m the take charge, ‘go kick em in the balls’ kind of guy but this is insane! We don’t know what we’re dealing with and he wants to run us on a suicide mission! As if Clearance wasn’t proof enough that we were in over our heads. I can’t blame him though. I want Kagome back too, and what awaits us inside Deling’s stronghold is more of a surprise than we’re prepared to deal with. We learn what Kagome’s other purpose is and...wait...what’s that asshole wolf doing with us!
Next time-Chapter Twenty-One: Sunday Morning!
Don’t you make a move tonight. You can only stagger. Once she’s got you in her sights; you’re the one she’s after
‘Cause...
Chapter Twenty: She’s the Blade
And you’re just paper...(I)
She leaves me here in this field of flowers ...
“I’m going to leave you here for now. It should be safe.”
On this porch of stone, surrounded by blooms of yellow happiness...
“I’m not sure though so you’ve got to promise not to follow me.”
She’s struggling against her orders...
“Whatever you do, don’t leave here. Don’t come looking for me. And for the love of God...”
She struggles with her humanity...
“Don’t follow the screams, please.”
Blood will stain her hands by the end of the day...
“I’m really sorry I can’t go with you. I...want to more than anything in the world.”
Yet she’s concerned for me and what the black blood will do once its in control...
“I have to go now. I’ve held It back long enough.”
She reaches out to touch me and I lean away from her clawed touch...
“I...understand. Don’t worry Kik. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She runs into the bright afternoon, leaving me to rest on Angelo’s Gravestone...leaving me to wonder...leaving me to shiver as the screams of the damned echo above the ocean tides...
(II)
Sesshoumaru stood quietly, his cool metallic eyes distant as he stood in the middle of the vacant room. Kagome’s things remained where she left them as though waiting for her to blow in and resume their normal functions. ‘Is there a chance of that happening?’ Sesshoumaru asked himself and weighted a small black brush in the palm of his hand. ‘If her parents are correct, that is assuming that their ravings are correct, then there is still the possibility that Kagome may be too far gone to properly insure her safety.’ He sighed deeply, his eyes wearily drifting closed. More than anything, more than her friends even, he wanted her to be alive and sane enough to know him. He wanted to see that trust and affection she kept in her eyes and he wanted to...well, he didn’t know what he wanted to do, but he knew it wasn’t anything that would result in her death. The thought of finding her, only to run his gunblade through her made his stomach queasy.
‘There is no sense in thinking of such now,’ he said as he turned to leave. ‘That problem will solve itself with ti-‘
BEEP-BEEP!
BEEP-BEEP!
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, then turned around fully at the strangely cheerful beeping that suddenly filled the room. He tracked the sound to Kagome’s nightstand, where he found one of the headsets used to view ART’s holographic form. ‘She shouldn’t have brought this back,’ he thought and frowned at the tiny yellow-green light winking back at him. He rolled the small headpiece between his index and middle finger, then shrugged and put them on. The clear minute screen slipped into place in front of his right eye and he twitched slightly at the static that rolled in front of him.
The sound cleared before the picture and Sesshoumaru was greeted to a recording of screaming before the harried features of a green eyed, blonde haired human appeared on the screen.
‘Dr. Gippal I presume,’ he growled to himself as the image shivered. It righted itself and Dr. Gippal turned to it at once, his features serious and frightened as a small cut wept from above his left eye.
“If you’re receiving this,” he breathed, then paused and glanced off-camera. He assured himself of something before continuing, his voice lowered but no less panic-stricken. “Then ART’s decided that it was time for you to see me and for me to explain some things. Unfortunately, I can’t explain everything you need to know, or will need to know to survive. ART is your caretaker so anything he’s said is probably everything you need to know. Just remember that I did my best for you, what little I could do and I’m sorry for leaving you alone.
“If I had understood, really understood what they planned for you I would never have let you into their hands. By the time I realized what was happening it was too late. There was little I could do except release the Omega weapon. It was the only way I could ensure you’d have a normal life...a life that didn’t include myself or the rest of the council. They’re blood had to be spilled as atonement for the suffering we’ve allowed and inflicted on others. They would use you for their own gain and I...” A lone tear streaked down the doctor’s face while his shoulders shook with silent sobs.
“I love you too much to do this to you.”
Dr. Gippal shuddered violently and jumped at a scream off camera; this time the sound was much closer than it had been in the past. A vicious growl answered back, then all was quiet around him.
“In spite of what others would tell you, never forget,” Dr. Gippal hurried quickly. “You’re your father’s daughter, you’re just like me. You’re an Al Bhed and an alchemist. Alchemists weren’t meant to destroy and bring pain to others but to heal and seek justice. Become a true alchemist my dear...Pa drui vun dra baubma-“ He threw up his hands and screamed before everything went dead, leaving Sesshoumaru to ponder what he figured to be the doctor’s last words.
“‘Pa drui vun dra baubma...’?” he said to himself as he removed the headpiece and returned it to Kagome’s nightstand. “What does that mean...” He couldn’t translate it and it frustrated him beyond belief.
“What’s that?”
Sesshoumaru glanced up as Shippou closed the door. He frowned, slightly miffed at his temporary failure to sense the kitsune coming while Shippou tapped the headset. “What’s this thing do?”
“Would you happen to know what ‘pa drui vun dra baubma’ means?” Sesshoumaru asked instead of answering his question. Shippou tapped his chin thoughtfully, then shrugged.
“Don’t have a clue. I’m sorry Sesshoumaru but I know less Al Bhed than you do. I didn’t care enough about it to learn. But I suggest you take this if you’re planning on doing any research.” He reached inside Kagome’s desk and passed him her virtual library. “The Garden library won’t have what you want, but Kagome’s has everything.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks, opened the laptop and was searching through the archives when Shippou tapped the desk.
“You’re going to have to take that with you,” Shippou told him as he opened the door. “Headmaster Leonheart wants to see you.”
“What about?” Sesshoumaru asked and followed Shippou down the hallway toward the headmaster’s office.
Shippou shrugged. “I don’t have a clue,” he replied and stepped off once the elevator stopped on the headmaster’s floor. “He just told me to get you ‘cause he couldn’t find you. Do you always hide out in Kagome’s old room?”
“I do not ‘hide out’,” Sesshoumaru replied haughtily. “I do spend a fair amount of time in there. Tell me kitsune, why exactly are you allowing me to hold onto something as valuable as this library?”
“You might be able to help Kagome,” said Shippou. “And I’d do anything for her.”
“Quite,” Sesshoumaru said, his eyes narrowed fractionally at the hidden meaning behind Shippou’s words. He tapped down on jealously as it threatened to rear it’s giant green head, then brushed past him and into Headmaster Leonheart’s office without another word.
“Sesshoumaru,” Squall greeted as Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him. “Just the person I wanted to see. Please, have a seat.”
“I’d prefer to stand,” Sesshoumaru said as he rested on his feet in front of the headmaster’s desk. “You wished to speak to me sir?”
“Yes, of course,” Squall sighed heavily. “It’s always business as usual with you, isn’t it Sesshoumaru?”
“I would suppose so,” replied Sesshoumaru as Squall sat down behind the massive desk. “Is there any other way?”
Squall chuckled. “No, I guess not. Anyway, I’ve been doing some thinking, as I’m sure you have too...”
Sesshoumaru nodded. “I have.”
“And I would guess about the same thing I have?” Squall nodded at Sesshoumaru’s confirmation. “It’s occurred to me that, if Kagome were some type of weapon or monster or...I don’t know...something, then it would make sense to find out as much about her as possible. There is the slight chance that I may have to send soldiers into battle against her and to remain ignorant about her and her powers would be suicidal. Therefore-“
“You wish for me to relay what I know about her abilities?” Sesshoumaru finished. “I will do what I can to explain them but-“
“That’s not what I want,” Squall interrupted with a raised hand. “I don’t want an informant. I’m sure the information you were given about her was given to you under the utmost confidentiality.”
“Then what do you want?” Sesshoumaru asked, his tone edged and harsh from the suspense. “There is little else I can do for you.”
“You can be the Garden’s commander.”
Crickets seemed to chirp in the silence, the air between the two thick with unease before a breathed “What...” from Sesshoumaru. “Surely you’re not serious as to-“
“Why not?” Squall interrupted again. “You are, after all, the only one in any of the three Gardens that has a clue as to what we’re facing here. You’re an excellent leader and your tactical prowess has yet to be matched.”
“Yes but...” Sesshoumaru stopped thoughtfully, his eyes downcast as he considered his options. ‘To refuse him would be foolish,’ he realized as Squall waited on his answer. ‘Not only is he giving me power over the entire Garden, but he’s placed what’s to be done about Kagome into my hands.’ “How long will I be commander?”
“Well that depends on how well you do,” Squall answered with a confidant smirk. “I don’t see why you wouldn’t..remain commander for a while to come.”
Sesshoumaru considered it a while longer, then nodded. “Fine, I accept.”
“Great!” Squall exclaimed with a clap. “That’s just what I wanted to hear! You assume command imme-“
“Excuse me sir?”
Squall sighed in long suffering and pressed the button for the intercom. “Yes?”
“We’re receiving word from Headmaster Cramer on Centra’s southern island. It sounds like an emergency beacon.”
Squall seemed troubled by this, and he frowned his displeasure before pressing the button again. “Have you established contact with Headmaster Cramer?”
“No sir,” the Garden staff member replied. “We’ve tried repeatedly but have received no response.”
“Thank you.” Squall leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together thoughtfully before glancing up at Sesshoumaru. “Well Commander,” he said expectantly. “You’ve heard what’s going on. What do we do now?”
“How far are we from the old headmaster’s location?” Sesshoumaru inquired as he launched himself into his new role.
“We’re eight or so miles from his northernmost position.”
“Then responding to his distress call would seem to be the most appropriate course of action,” he decided.
“Alright Commander,” Headmaster Leonheart agreed. “You decide on who to take with you and I’ll steer the ship toward our destination. I’ll call you when we arrive.”
o.o.o.
Their landing onto the Centra island was uneventful.
Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Shippou made their way northwest from a small beach toward the small lighthouse on the true western tip of the continent. They walked through a stone archway, their travel as quiet as possible before Inuyasha stopped.
“Wait a sec,” he said and sniffed around. “What’s that smell? Don’t you guys smell that?”
Sesshoumaru and Shippou sampled the air and were surprised to find a trace of lily filtering through the other scents in the air. ‘How come Inuyasha caught this first?’ pouted Shippou as he followed the trail toward a stone building ahead of them. Inuyasha continued to sniff while the full youkai went on without him. Sesshoumaru and Shippou opened the building’s heavy wooden door cautiously, Sesshoumaru’s gunblade drawn and ready before they ventured into the room. The sparsely furnished room was without signs of life and a quick check behind the door assured the duo of the room’s security before opening the door on their left.
The scent of blood barreled toward them head on, and Shippou stumbled back and gaped at the carnage in the next room. The room looked as if it were a nursery in a past life with faded pictures of bunnies and other childhood inspirations still hanging from rusted nails pounded into the stone walls. Tiny cots lined the opposite wall, the threadbare sheets soaked crimson from the spilled blood of the SeeDs stacked on top of them. The faces of the dead stared back at them, their eyes stretched wide and their mouths gaped forever into silent shrieks of agony. Those that were missing limbs had them stacked beside them and there was a small amount of something...bloody and torn lying in a pool on the center bed.
“What on Spira did this?” Sesshoumaru wondered aloud as he stepped further into the room. He ignored Shippou’s retching behind him to drink in what was in front of him, his primitive beast impressed with the slaughter of the hardened, well trained men before he finally left the room and shut the door behind him. He ignored Shippou again and crossed the room toward another door, this one south to the entrance. Cool beach air gently caressed his face. He welcomed the salty air readily, unknowingly breathing deeper than necessary as he tried to wash the crimson scent from his nose’s memory. He opened his eyes, looked down and mentally groaned before calling to Shippou.
“There is another,” he said and waited for Shippou to catch up to him before gesturing toward the body at his feet. “Is he the old headmaster?”
Shippou kneeled down beside the corpse and nodded, recognizing the elderly gentlman’s round spectacles, gray/brown hair and somewhat overweight frame. “Yeah, this is him,” Shippou sighed sadly. “God, what did all of this? This is awful.”
“There is one missing,” Sesshoumaru said after doing a mental head count. ‘Headmaster Cramer and seven SeeD. That leaves Mrs. Cramer.’ “Have you caught sight of a woman here?”
“Hey guys!” they heard Inuyasha shout from around the house. “Come here!” They sprinted around the building toward a second structure, this one an incomplete version of the house they just vacated. Inuyasha sat on what would have been the front entrance with his back to them. He cradled something in his arms and he turned and growled at their footsteps.
“Oh, sorry about that,” he said before shifting toward them. “But look who I found.” Sesshoumaru stood by unimpressed and Shippou gaped in shock as Kikyou shivered against Inuyasha’s chest. “She was sitting here when I got here. She called my name and hasn’t said a word since.”
“She must have seen or heard something,” Shippou thought aloud before reaching toward Kikyou. She flinched away from his claws and huddled further into her mate.
“Come on Kik. That’s Shippou. He won’t hurt you. You know that,” Inuyasha comforted while he smoothed her hair down. “It’s alright. Whatever happened here is over now. You’re safe.”
“I-i-it was horrible,” Kikyou stuttered at last. “Th-the screaming and the ripping. It was everywhere. I couldn’t get away from the sound. And the blood...” Kikyou whimpered and began to shake violently, tears streaming down her cheeks to soak into Inuyasha’s sweater before she turned away from them again.
The youkai exchanged worried glances, then turned back to Kikyou as Shippou asked, “What about Edea Cramer Kikyou? Did you see what happened to her?”
Kikyou nodded miserably. “I know what President Deling ordered her to do. He t-told her to rip the headmaster’s wife apart and scatter her body over the ocean.”
“Ordered who Kikyou?” Inuyasha asked, though deep in his heart he knew the answer. He bit his lower lip and Shippou hissed painfully when she whimpered.
“He’s got some kind of control over her. I don’t know how but Kagome couldn’t stop herself. It’s like she’s her, but she’s not her. I-I was so scared! I didn’t know what to do!” Kikyou bawled into Inuyasha’s sweater, her hiccups and sobs echoing over the empty meadow.
(III)
“I’m going to be late!” a twelve year old Rin sang to herself as she hurried inside the small, dingy apartment on this cold winter school day. She struggled to gather her books together, put her clothes on and eat breakfast at the same time. She paused momentarily in front of a picture of her parents, her gaze wistful and longing before she continued about her day.
Shelinda left for work earlier that morning, leaving Rin to fend for herself in order to get to school on time. Rin inhaled a piece of toast, gulped down a glass of juice and quickly shrugged into a worn and old coat before grabbing her books. She burst from the apartment and locked the door behind her, her face scrunched slightly as Shelinda’s lectures to lock it berated her in her mind. “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rin muttered to the voice as she thundered down the stairs as she zipped through the flower shop’s glass doors into the snow covered streets beyond.
Rin stopped to stare, her eyes round with wonder as she watched the snow fall in fat, lazy flakes to collect on the mounds of snow already shoveled along the sidewalk. She waved to Shelinda as she scraped at the snow in front of the shop before setting off. She pulled a wool toboggan from her pocket and shoved it onto her head. She ‘eep!’ed in surprise when the hat fell over her eyes and she was struggling to lift it when she ran into something furry and soft in front of her.
“Oh my goodness!” she gasped as she jerked the hat up. “I’m so very so-“ She stopped and gawked as the beautiful woman glared down at her from over her shoulder. Rin stepped back when the woman turned around, the oversized fur cloak wrapped around her small frame to pool on the slick walkway underneath. The cloak’s hood hid the woman’s hair and face from view, leaving her eyes to pin Rin to the spot.
“I-I-I,” Rin stammered nervously before collecting herself. “I’m sorry ma’am. I didn’t see you. I was trying to get my hat to-“ Rin paused, then nodded. “Yes, I’m going to school now.”
Rin fell quiet again, then blushed in shame and nervously grasped at her coat. “It’s all my sister and I can afford,” she answered meekly. “Its alright though. We have other things we need an-“ Rin gasped when the woman shrugged out of the cloak and draped it over her. Ruby red hair fell over the woman’s naked shoulders in waves that trembled slightly while she adjusted the cloak to fit Rin’s small form.
“You don’t have to do this,” Rin told her as she eyed the woman’s black jeans and bandaged torso. “You’re hurt, and you’re going to get cold. Here, you take it-“ The woman patted her head, then turned Rin around and gave her a gentle shove back the way she came. Rin stood there while the woman walked away, her back to her and her chocolate brown eyes distant before she tore down the sidewalk toward the flower shop.
o.o.o
She was well aware of the stares she received as she walked along the streets. She ignored them all, her task her only thought as the annoyance sighed.
‘Thank you,’ said annoyance whispered in her mind. ‘If just one can be saved, then so be it. Thank I’m grateful.’
‘You still will not influence me,’ she told her weaker half as she arrived in the city’s square. ‘I have been locked away for far too long and I intend to have as much fun as possible.’
‘But this isn’t fun,’ the annoyance sobbed.
Did this creature do nothing but cry?
‘This is heartless slaughter! These people don’t deserve what’s coming to them!’
‘And who said I would kill them?’ she growled testily. She clenched her fist and hissed when her claws bit into her skin. She watched in fascination as the blood collected in her palm. ‘Why shouldn’t I though?’ she absently inquired as she rolled the blood around her hand. She watched as the blood formed a grisly bracelet around her pale, slender wrist. ‘Our master says that that is what we are for. We have no other purpose.’
‘That’s not true!’ her other half shouted desperately. ‘If you’d let me show you, you’d see that there’s more to life tha-‘
“Enough of this,” she snarled as she threw the whiner back into her mental prison. “I’ve dealt with your weakness long enough. It is time you learn the meaning of strength.” She raised her hands toward the heavens, willed the power that flowed through her veins to her fingertips, and smiled.
o.o.o
“Shelinda! Shelinda, where are you!”
Shelinda looked up from the cash register, brown eyes so much like her sister’s worried the moment she heard Rin’s voice. “Rin? Honey, what are you doing here? You’ve got to go to school.” She gazed across the counter and stared at the large furry lump that was her sister.
“Where did you get this?” she wondered as Rin shoved the hood off her head. “You didn’t steal it did you?”
“No!” Rin huffed anxiously. “Come on Shelinda! You’ve got to get under here!”
“What? Why?” Shelinda asked with a gentle laugh. “No, I don’t think I should. You should take that back Rin.”
“I can’t!” Rin shouted with an angry stomp of her foot. “Please Shelinda, put this on! We don’t have a lot of time!”
“Oh all right,” Shelinda sighed as she caved in at last. “Let me see it.” She struggled to untie the thick leather bow holding the cloak closed, then shrugged it over her shoulders. She tied the bow back and pulled the hood over her head before turning back to her anxious sibling. “There,” she said before giving a quick turn. “I’ve put it on. Are you happy now? Say,” she muttered to herself as she ran a hand along the soft reddish fur. “This is really soft. What kind of fur is this?” She gasped when, instead of answering her, Rin ducked underneath the cloak and wrapped her arms around her middle.
“Rin, what’s wrong?” she asked. Rin remained silent, her eyes tightly shut as she gripped her sister. “Rin, I said what’s-“ Shelinda gaped as a brilliant flash of light engulfed them, then screamed as the earth began to tremble beneath their feet.
(VI)
The Phoenix, the blue and gold version of the Black Dragon, sailed toward western coast of Galbadia. The report of the disaster that left Deling City in ruins came to Balamb Garden the week before while pictures of the survivors and the rubble circulated the world via television. Of course Balamb looked to their new commander for assignments and Sesshoumaru gave them without fail. He requested another airship from Esthar’s fleet and departed from the Garden as soon as possible. He left instructions for Headmaster Leonheart and the Garden to follow.
Sesshoumaru absently glanced at the pilot’s screen, his claws clicking on the keyboard to correct tiny flaws in the flight plan before flipping the auto-pilot back on. He leaned away from the console and gazed intently at the laptop that contained Kagome’s virtual library. He studied pages and pages of what he knew were the vast halls of Esthar National Library, a massive building that was crammed from it’s black marbled tile floor to it’s gilded white ceiling with books, scrolls, and comspheres that were thousands of years old. Each click of the mouse revealed more of the Al Bhed and their ancient culture and, for the first time in a long time, he felt as if he were finally beginning to understand.
“Hey Sesshoumaru?” Inuyasha asked as his head rose from the elevator shaft. “What’cha doin’?”
“Research,” Sesshoumaru quipped mildly. He turned off the laptop and closed it before Inuyasha could receive a better look at the screen’s contents. “I take it Almasy informed you of my request.”
“Yeah, she told me,” Inuyasha grumbled and sat down behind the navigation’s console. “Now where are we goin’ again?”
Sesshoumaru picked up a folder that rested on the floor beside him and opened it. “It’s a ruin called Luca. Can you find that on the map?”
“Yeah, it’s right here,” muttered Inuyasha as he punched in the new coordinates. “Luca’s on a small peninsula twenty miles or so southwest of Galbadia’s Desert Prison. We should be there in an hour or so.”
“Good.”
Inuyasha watched Sesshoumaru as he turned around, his attention back on the laptop beside him. He clicked and typed, and forgot about Inuyasha, the auto pilot once more engaged as he continued to search for information. Inuyasha closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, his thoughts settling on Kikyou as he inwardly cursed and blessed Deling. ‘I was so close to sending Kikyou to Deling City to stay at the estate,’ he thought with a mental shiver. ‘Deling kidnaping her wasn’t the best of circumstances, but it did prevent her from being in the disaster zone. I wonder if he was behin-‘ He looked up when Sesshoumaru growled, the sound less threatening and more annoyed as he rubbed his chin and glared at the computer screen.
“What’s up?” Inuyasha asked and sat up.
Sesshoumaru shook his head, then turned off the computer. “Nothing. If I do not understand it then it is safe to assume you will not as well.”
“Well gee, thanks for the confidence,” Inuyasha fumed and crossed his arms angrily. “You know, I’m a lot smarter than you take me for. I bet I could figure out whatever it is you’re worried about.”
Sesshoumaru quirked a brow in disbelief. “Do you think so hanyou?”
“Sure why not?” Inuyasha shrugged. “And if I don’t, you’ll at least have a sounding board to bounce you’re ideas off of.”
Sesshoumaru considered it a moment longer, then relented. “Kagome received a message three weeks ago.”
“From?” Inuyasha drawled impatiently.
“From the computer simulation in the research facility we were trapped in. The simulation itself did not speak but sent instead a recorded message from one of the scientists that died in the facility. He said, among other things, something about being an alchemist. He said something in Al Bhed and not only am I having a hard time finding the translation I also do not understand the importance of the statement.”
“Oh, is that all?” Inuyasha chirped. “Lay it on me then. I bet you I know what it means.”
“Alright then,” Sesshoumaru agreed, though he seriously doubted that Inuyasha would understand a word of it. “It was pa drui vun dra baubma.”
“Um...” Inuyasha thought, then grinned sheepishly and shrugged. “I don’t have a clue as to what that means.”
“I thought not.”
“But,” Inuyasha continued as Sesshoumaru turned back to the pilot’s screen. “Kikyou and I had a conversation that reminds me of that.”
“Really?” Sesshoumaru remarked absently. “What did she tell you?”
“She said that Deling planned on grabbing Kagome before what happened at the Desert Prison.”
Sesshoumaru nodded, having thought of that long before Inuyasha mentioned it.
“And she said that Deling gave Kagome some sort of talk about how she was going to help him. He used-“ He snarled, his eyes briefly flashing red before calming himself down. “Kikyou to control Kagome. She said that the last thing he said was an explanation about the Al Bhed alchemists.”
‘And here we are again,’ Sesshoumaru said to himself before flicking the arrival light off. ‘Again with these alchemists. What do they have to do with Kagome?’
“Kik said that afterwards, he took Kagome’s necklace and whispered something weird. Afterwards Kagome went into convulsions and blacked out.”
‘Could it have been a spell?’ “What did he say?”
“Um...” Inuyasha searched his memory, his eyes narrowed in concentration before he glanced up at him. “It was...Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh, or something like that.”
“Drec ec ruf dra tyshat yna punh,” Sesshoumaru repeated. “‘This is how the damned are born’...why would he say something like that?”
“Is that what that means?” Inuyasha asked, then looked up as the arrival warning sounded through the ship. “Hey Sesshoumaru, it’s time to go.”
“Right,” Sesshoumaru replied absently. He turned away from his thoughts and landed the airship on what he knew used to be the entrance to the ancient Mi’Ihen Highroad. He stared at the steps leading to Luca’s central square and frowned. Inuyasha’s revelation bothered him for some reason, and he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The phrase recited itself over and over in his head, even as he left the cockpit and began issuing orders to the rest of the team.
“We are here as an assessment team only,” Sesshoumaru informed them as Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippou and Sango stood at attention at the base of the cargo ramp. “Almasy and Saikai, you are the ones who are well versed in medicine, so you shall be the ones to assess the medical needs of the survivors and staff. Inuyasha, you and Makayura will check on the supplies and other necessities.”
“And what are you going to do, O Great and Powerful Leader?” Shippou snipped sarcastically.
“I plan on going about my business,” Sesshoumaru replied without a hitch. “I intend on finding out what caused this.”
“Well, let’s go then,” Inuyasha said. Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement and the others fell out of attention to follow him down the stairs to Luca’s central court. The city reminded them less of ruins and more of a city that still thrummed with life. The cobalt blue paint shone brightly on the polished railings, the granite stone beneath their feet was undisturbed by the vegetation surrounding it and the stairs themselves seemed sturdy and in good condition.
“OK, how old is this city again?” Miroku wondered aloud as they walked down the final set of stairs. Sango shrugged. “In the report it said this place was hundreds of years old.”
“We are not here to study architecture,” Sesshoumaru reminded them cooly. He glanced over the weeping and injured with a critical eye. The things that had to be done mentally listed themselves without his influence and before long he was barking orders to the others. They scrambled immediately, leaving Sesshoumaru to his own devices. He walked through the sea of victims, both youkai and human alike, and listened with half an ear to their stories. Each person had different injuries but the same stories as they wept their accounts of their encounter to the SeeD staff.
“It was horrible,” one elderly owl youkai sobbed into her hands. “My mate and I were getting off of the train from Timber when this awful light lit up the sky. The next thing we knew the earth was moving and things were falling. My poor Marcus...he...he...” The youkai collapsed against the smaller SeeD official and sobbed. The young man holding her glanced up at Sesshoumaru pleadingly but Sesshoumaru continued on. Sango ran up to him minutes later and grasped his arm.
“Hey Sesshoumaru,” she said as she began to tug him toward the opposite side of the square. “There’s someone you’ve got to talk to over here.”
Sesshoumaru nodded and followed her. He removed his arm from her grasp though. He wasn’t repulsed by her touch but it reminded him of...her...and he wouldn’t allow another to manhandle him so familiarly.
Sango led him to a wooden bench behind the statue in the center of the courtyard, where Miroku sat talking to a young human woman. They glanced up as Sesshoumaru and Sango approached them, their conversation forgotten as Miroku introduced them.
“Shelinda, this is our commander, Sesshoumaru Endo. Commander Endo, this is Shelinda and she has something important to tell you.”
“Then do not leave this Sesshoumaru in suspense,” Sesshoumaru replied as he leaned against a nearby bench and crossed his arms. “Start from the beginning.”
“Um, ok,” Shelinda stammered nervously. “Um..well, my sister and I have lived in Deling City for a few years now. Our parents died in an train accident four years ago, so we stayed with relatives that lived in Fisherman’s Horizon for a year. When I turned eighteen we moved from FH to Deling City.
“I got a job at a flower shop, Rin started school and everything was fine. We were-“ She sniffed and waved away Miroku’s offered tissue when she began to cry. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized profusely. “It’s just, with everything and-“
“Your emotional state is understandable,” Sesshoumaru interrupted impatiently. “And we will not blame you for it. We do need all of the information you have on what transpired two weeks ago.”
“Right. I’m...sorry. Um, last Monday my sister was late getting to school. That’s normal. Rin would be late to her own wedding.” She gave a watery laugh, smiled back when Sango smiled at her and continued. “She went flying out the door as usual, calling goodbye to me before disappearing. I wanted to yell at her to be careful on the sidewalk because it snowed the night before and it was a chance that there may be some ice still on the walkway but she was gone long before I could say anything.
“I cleared the pathway in front of the shop as best I could then went back inside to get ready for business. I counted out the money drawer and was putting it into the register when Rin came back. She was rushing, her face was flushed and she had this odd looking cloak wrapped around her.”
“What kind of cloak?” Miroku asked soothingly. “Didn’t she own one already?”
“No way, not like this,” Shelinda replied with a shake of her head. “This had to be expensive. It was red but not a good red. It was almost gaudy and it looked like something died on it or something. Anyway, she comes in and insists I put this thing on. I did and she threw herself at me. I didn’t get a chance to ask why because this light came from out of nowhere. The next thing I knew the building was collapsing around us. I could hear car alarms blaring, people screaming and the ground rumbling when everything was over.
“I thought we were hurt but somehow we managed to get away without a scratch. Rin and I picked our way to the bus station, hot wired one of the buses, loaded some people on board and drove out of what was left of the city.”
“Did your sister say anything about where she received the cloak from?” Sesshoumaru asked. Shelinda shook her head. “No, she never said anything, except that she didn’t steal it.”
“Then where is this Rin?” Sesshoumaru inquired, then stopped once the wind changed. He followed the sudden scent of lilies and damp fur, the others forgotten as his curiosity overwhelmed him. He left the courtyard and followed another of the stone pathways toward the south. He found a fork in the road, one path leading south and another leading east with a small fountain in the center. A dark-haired little girl splashed absently in the fountain’s lipid pool completely unaware of the youkai’s presence. She tugged the red fur in her lap closer to her when a chilly wind blew past, and she smoothed it down before noticing Sesshoumaru.
“Oh, um, hi!” Rin chirped as she waved at him. “My name’s Rin! Are you one of the SeeDs that came to help us?”
“I am,” Sesshoumaru replied with a solemn nod. “I hear you’ve had quite the experience.” He sat down on the bench beside her. He felt that his normally cold and indifferent demeanor was out of place with her, and that she reminded him on someone he knew. He waited for her to answer him and mentally frowned when she sniffed.
“Yeah,” Rin replied sadly. “My sister and I are homeless now. Everything she worked hard for is gone now. I feel so bad about everything.”
“This was not your doing,” Sesshoumaru’s baritone interrupted. “You did not have the power to stop what happened to your city.”
“Yeah well, at least my sister wasn’t hurt,” Rin said, then gave a light laugh. “I’m so glad I ran into that youkai before the blast. We would’ve been seriously hurt if it wasn’t for this pelt she gave me.”
“This youkai you speak of,” Sesshoumaru asked as he reached out and touched the soft fur. “What did she look like?”
“Um...” Rin concentrated for a few minutes, then her face lit up with a bright smile. “She was really pretty, and tall too! She had red hair that was really long. I couldn’t see her eyes because her bangs were in her face, but I could tell she was looking at me. Oh, and she was hurt too!”
“How so?”
“She had some sort of white tape around her middle, like this.” Rin demonstrated on herself, using her arms and hands to gesture where the bandages stopped and began. “She had on black jeans and that, and that’s it. Even her shoes were gone. Do youkai get cold?”
“We can, but it has to be an extreme cold for us to feel it.”
“Oh. Ok then. Anyway, she told me about the blast. She told me to take this-“ she lifted the fur covering her legs “and told me to get back to my sister as fast as I could. She told me school would be canceled. She said something else too...but I can’t...” Rin’s voice faded but the others in the courtyard began to grow. Sesshoumaru turned when someone shouted his name and he stood up as Inuyasha and Miroku ran toward him.
“Hey, Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha hollered as Rin jumped down from the fountain. “We’ve got some sort of problem here! You’ve gotta come quick!”
Sesshoumaru took a step forward and stopped when Rin grasped his hand. He gazed into her frightened brown orbs and relented, mindful of his claws as he gently tugged her forward. He narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha’s mirth and growled a warning for him not to speak on the matter as he finally stepped into the courtyard.
The survivors all stood, those that could stand, and gazed into space. Each whispered something, their eyes frantic and pleading and their hands fisted at their sides.
“You know,” Rin whispered from Sesshoumaru’s side. “I know you from somewhere. Who are you mister?”
“Please,” whispered the owl youkai widow. “Forgive me...”
“I didn’t want this,” whispered a man standing beside the courtyard statue. “But I can’t stop...”
“He’s going to be so angry,” Shelinda sniffed tearfully. “I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Tell him...”
“Tell him...”
“Tell him...”
“You’re name’s Sesshoumaru isn’t it?” Rin said with an insistent tug on his hand. Golden eyes finally turned away from the abnormality in front of him and focused on the little girl.
“Excuse me?” he said. “I did not tell you my-“
“The pretty lady’s scared Cap,” Rin told him. “She said to tell you that she’s sorry. She said to tell all of us that she’s so, so sorry.”
The survivors collapsed without another word, including Rin who folded like a sheet underneath the massive red pelt. Sesshoumaru picked up the child without a hesitant thought otherwise, his arms gathering both her and the fur she valued before glancing down at Sango. “What just transpired here?” he demanded softly, the growl in his voice no less menacing.
Sango narrowed her eyes at him and brushed aside his unspoken threat without a whimper. “I don’t know. I wasn’t here for it. The headmaster wants to speak with you.” She held up the comphone, then blushed in embarrassment when she realized his hands were too full to take it. “Here, I’ll hold it up for you.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in thanks and waited for until he could see the screen to speak. “Good afternoon Headmaster.”
“I wish it were Sesshoumaru. I’ve come to understand that you have your hands full down there.”
“Yes, but that is expected,” Sesshoumaru answered with a shrug. “Is there something you wanted to speak to me about?”
“Yes, there is. We noticed smoke coming from Clearance on our way to meet up with you and your team. We took a detour and ...it’s a mess here Sesshoumaru. It looks like Clearance was just attacked.”
“How did we miss it?” Inuyasha asked from over Sesshoumaru’s shoulder. “I mean, we flew past Clearance not an hour ago. How did Deling manage without us noticing?”
“Board the survivors on the Garden Headmaster,” Sesshoumaru ordered and waited for the headmaster’s attention to return to the screen before continuing. “And bring them here for further treatment.”
“Sesshoumaru, there are no survivors. There’s nothing left. No buildings, not streets, no cats, dogs, nothing. All that’s left is this giant hole of black earth.”
‘No survivors...’ Sesshoumaru’s mind center on that single thought as the others gaped and gasped around them. ‘What could have caused such destruction...’
“Hey Sesshoumaru,” Headmaster Leonheart’s voice called over the comphone. “I don’t know what could have caused this but I tell you this: Whatever did this was extremely powerful, more powerful than the creature that attacked Deling City. I don’t know what kind of new weapon Deling has, but whatever it is it wiped Clearance off the map.
“This can only get worse Commander Endo. We’re going to have to find Juromaru Deling and destroy his new weapon...no matter what the cost.”
(End chapter)
SF: Yup, this chapter is shorter.
Sesshou: (vanilla pepsi in hand) We see that crossbreed. Care to tell us why?
SF: Well, we really don’t need a lot of information in this chapter. All you guys need to know is how strong this new threat is.
Inu-chan: Yeah, I’d say you did that pretty well.
SF (grinning) Why thank you Inuyasha. You can go watch Hee-Haw now. (Smiles as Inu-chan races offstage) He likes Hee-Haw. What can I say? Anyway, the next chapter might be longer. You never can tell. Oh, and as for what Dr. Gippal said, don’t worry. Sesshoumaru’s going to figure it out-
Sesshou: As if one had a single doubt.
SF: (:sigh:) ANYWAY, Sesshoumaru’s going to figure it out and he’s going to save the girl. As if anyone had a single doubt! The summary for the next chapter is below.
Inuyasha: This sucks. This plan sucks. I can’t believe Sesshoumaru came up with something so stupid. I mean, normally I’m the take charge, ‘go kick em in the balls’ kind of guy but this is insane! We don’t know what we’re dealing with and he wants to run us on a suicide mission! As if Clearance wasn’t proof enough that we were in over our heads. I can’t blame him though. I want Kagome back too, and what awaits us inside Deling’s stronghold is more of a surprise than we’re prepared to deal with. We learn what Kagome’s other purpose is and...wait...what’s that asshole wolf doing with us!
Next time-Chapter Twenty-One: Sunday Morning!