InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the East ❯ The Midnight Ride ( Chapter 10 )

A/N: I had a random thought the other day and it made me curious as to what your opinions might be… Here's the thing: sometimes you can just tell that it's a guy or a girl writing a story and I was wondering… first of all, how many of you actually read my `author's notes' and second, is my writing distinctly `guy' or `girl'? Or is it just neutral? Do you care? I guess it's not that important, I'm just curious.

 

(6/11/06) So I was helping my mother haul boxes out of the attic this afternoon for an upcoming garage sale (it's her birthday today, so how could I say no?), and by the end I could hardly breathe due to the dust and whatever else that was up there and something got on my skin and made my arms itch. Weird. (I know, probably more than you needed to know. Deal with it.) So here I am in my room (I'm home from college for the summer, so yes, I do still live with my parents), hiding so my poor lungs can take a break and also so I can finish cranking out the last few pages of this chapter. My point? I've got a bunch of Benadryl® in my system and it's kicking my butt. I can breathe again and the mystery welts on my arms stopped itching, but I'm half asleep. Seriously, I have no `drug' tolerance... except for headache medicine… can't make those suckers go away for the life of me. Anyway, I'm hoping to counteract the Benadryl® with some quality iced white mocha from Caribou (love the stuff, you should try it. No Caribou? Hit up the Starbucks!), but forgive me if the last paragraphs of this chapter aren't up to par. On with the show!

 

Into the East

Chapter ten: The Midnight Ride

Posted: 11 June 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

 

 

 

 

Soft light assaulted Vanessa's eyelids, demanding entrance. From somewhere in her sleep-fogged mind the realization came that she was on the wrong side of the building for direct sunlight, but she decided that even this amount of light was not conducive to a proper sleeping situation. Groaning, she rolled over and tried to burrow into her pillow, fully intent on forgiving and forgetting the offensive light. “Vanessa.” Oh. She knew that voice. It wasn't a bad voice to wake up to, but if she was hearing said voice, it meant that she was indeed waking up - which was a state of being that she would have rather put off entering for another few hours at least. “If you wish to have a bath, I suggest that you wake up. Now.” With a final huff, Vanessa sat up and glared at her intruder.

“Fine, I'm up.” She stretched and, after hearing a few satisfying pops as her bones adjusted themselves, she hauled herself out of the bed. Sesshoumaru stood opposite her and was opening the last of the shutters to allow light and a breeze to enter. He was fully dressed and looked as neat and clean as Vanessa had ever seen him. “How can you be so awake in the morning?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Amusement danced in his golden eyes as he responded, “It is only natural to be awake when the sun is up.”

“Hmm. Well, considering I'm half-way around the world from anything resembling my natural setting and I'm not even in my natural time, I should be allowed to act a little unnatural.”

“Perhaps, but not today. There is a new kimono for you on the stand by your door and a bathing robe in the wardrobe. Collect what you need and meet me in the hall. I will show you to the bathhouse, and when you return someone will be here to help you with your kimono.”

“Thanks!” Vanessa said, flashing him a bright smile as he closed the door.

 

Vanessa quickly changed into the thick bathrobe and stowed her bath supplies in her backpack before stepping up to the kimono that lay neatly folded on the stand by the door, just as Sesshoumaru had said. It was a soft pink silk that shined like satin. Lifting up the white and crimson under kimono and gold obi, she saw portion of an intricate design of green vines and crimson flowers embroidered into the pink fabric. From the little bit that she saw, she could tell that the quality was far above the violet silk that Sesshoumaru had bought in the village, but she shouldn't have expected anything less from the house of Sesshoumaru. Eventually, Vanessa replaced the layers of fabric that she had disturbed and stepped out into the narrow hall connecting her room to Rin's, but then she paused, puzzled. Wait… he said… Shaking her head, she continued into the main room where Sesshoumaru was waiting. “Follow me,” he said, pushing the door open. She followed him down the hall the way they had come last night and then down the stairs.

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” Vanessa said when they reached the landing, remembering what she was told about addressing him in public, and he paused, turning his head to acknowledge her. “I thought you said that no one else was allowed past the barrier, so… who's going to help me?” Sesshoumaru glanced around room at the few other youkai hurrying about their business and gave a small shake of his head before he turned away again and continued down the stairs. Alright then… no talking where others can hear. Vanessa shrugged and trailed after him, content to follow his lead. Maybe she'd ask him about it later. They turned around at the bottom of the stairs and went to the back of the main hall where Sesshoumaru came to a halt and held out a pair of straw sandals to her. “To walk to and from the bathhouse,” he explained. She slipped them on and followed him out into the morning.

 

The view was amazing. Just below the wooden walkway surrounding the building was a rock garden with flowering plants growing out of ceramic pots. Beyond the rock garden was a huge field with scattered trees and a rock path winding between them. A small stream also cut through the grass with the occasional bridge connecting the paths on either side. She couldn't wait to explore this part of the grounds, but first: a bath. Sesshoumaru led her to a long low building to the right. Already, Vanessa could see wisps of steam trailing out of the door. Inside it was dark - there were no windows, but rather vents on the walls at the ceiling to let in some light. After her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Vanessa saw that the `bathhouse' was actually a large hot spring enclosed in the one-room wooden building. Unglazed ceramic tile formed paths around the perimeter of the large room and led to different parts of the spring. The natural formation separated it into three segments, one pool was set above the others and further feeding the lower two with a small waterfall. Walls of hanging vines separated each of the segments and divided the farthest pool into smaller, more private bathing areas. There was a little something for everyone, whether the bather desired privacy or a more communal setting, like when Vanessa bathed with Kagome and Sango. Today, however, Vanessa would take a private bath, and Sesshoumaru seemed to know this intuitively, as he led her to the secluded section. There was a small table right next to the edge and steps carved into the stone leading into the water. It was a spa setting and Vanessa could tell, right then, that she would be making good use of this particular room of the palace. “Only youkai hare blocked by the barrier,” Sesshoumaru said suddenly, interrupting Vanessa's musings and she turned to him. “Since Rin came to stay here, I have taken a small number of human females into my service.” Well… that's interesting.

“Why?”

“In certain instances, it is more appropriate for a female to perform a task than a male, and since Rin's room is supposed to remain a safe place for her in a palace full of youkai, a compromise had to be met. These humans do not live within these grounds; they have homes and families elsewhere, but they work in the kitchens unless they are need by Rin, and now you.”

“Oh… Fair enough.”

“Return to your room and dress when you finish. Then join me in my suite. I will be waiting with Rin.”

“Okay, I'll be quick.”

 

Sesshoumaru nodded and retreated out the door, leaving Vanessa to her bath. With the way the plants separated her from the rest of the bathhouse, she felt like she was in her own private spring. She didn't want to take too long soaking, though; people were waiting on her. She could soak at her leisure at another time. Vanessa washed quickly then wrapped herself in the robe again and put her hair in the towel. She repacked her backpack and slipped on the sandals to make her way back up to her room. Thankfully, there weren't too many people in the front hall - she'd have to ask Sesshoumaru later if he and Rin were the only permanent residents of this particular building, or if there were others. She had the feeling the Jaken had a room somewhere nearby, but where?

 

Once again on the third floor and in the proper suite, Vanessa was very nearly assaulted by the eager hands of two human women when she reached her door. They took her bag from her and hung it on the wardrobe - she'd have to put her bath stuff away later - and the sound of the door sliding shut behind her sounded incredibly like her fate being sealed by the hands of these two women. Vanessa had never been dressed by someone else before, but when they began taking her robe off of her shoulders, it seemed as though she was about to gain a new experience. This is going to be… interesting. She motioned for them to stop and wait just a moment, trying to find the word, but they got the idea. All she wanted to do was to be able to put her own underwear on and after that, they could dress her all they wished. They peered at the undergarment but then shrugged, surely they knew that Vanessa wasn't from around here… When Vanessa finally motioned them to continue, they pounced. She didn't have to worry about their words too much, because they just moved her body - mostly just her arms - into the positions they needed in order to fit the clothing just right. Before they started, they made her sit and then put tabi socks on her feet. She hadn't worn them while she was traveling, and found them slightly uncomfortable at first, but she wasn't about to complain. Next came the kimono. First was the white layer then over that the crimson and finally the much more detailed pink with sleeves that hung down to her knees. As they were draping layers on her, Vanessa was a little concerned at first that the heat would get to her as the day drew on, but she was surprised at how light the entire ensemble was. The first two layers were of a soft, light cotton material, while the outer layer was only slightly heavier silk. Once the layers were on and hung to their liking, one of the women held the opening closed while the other began to wrap the gold-colored obi around Vanessa's middle. There was some tugging and pulling behind her and finally, both women stood back to admire their handiwork. They smiled and nodded to one another, which only made Vanessa want to see how she looked even more. She opened the wardrobe door to look in the tall mirror and, despite the towel on her head, she was impressed with the selection and the skill with which they had dressed her. Turning to the side, she looked in amazement at an elaborate bow tied on her back at her waist; it was much better than anything she could have accomplished herself.

 

One of the women took that moment to reach out and try to remove the towel. She must have intended on doing Vanessa's hair, but Vanessa shook her head saying “Iie,” to be sure they understood `no.' She had resigned herself to them when it came to the clothes, but she could do her own hair, thank you very much. Vanessa held her hands up, trying to let them know that they could stay if they wanted, then bent forward slightly, so that her damp hair would fall over her face instead of down the back of the silk kimono. She untwisted the towel and shook her hair with it, scrubbing a little bit more wetness out. When she let the towel drop to the floor, she heard a gasp come from one of the women. What now? Parting her hair so that she could see, Vanessa looked up and peered through her damp curls at the women standing before her. They were staring at her just as the servants had last night. More specifically, they were staring at her hair. Ah… I have curls and I'm blonde. These two women must have known that she was human and so, by everything that they knew, her hair shouldn't look like that.

 

Vanessa stood up straight, doing her best to try and keep the silk from getting damp, but motioned the women closer to inspect her `strange' hair if they wanted to. One, who had slightly wavy hair herself, seemed to be the bolder of the two and stepped forward. She gently took a lock and ran her fingers through it. Suddenly the woman smiled and reached into one of her sleeves, producing a comb. She said a few words and made the motion of running the comb through Vanessa's hair. Sure, why not? Vanessa shrugged and nodded. She was going to have to get the tangles out anyway and a comb was better for her hair than a brush. Immediately, the woman pulled her to a stool and sat her down so that she could begin her combing. Once she was finished, Vanessa's hair was somewhat straighter, but tangle-free. Before the women could do anything else, Vanessa stood and flipped her hair in front of her face again and began scrunching her curls back into place. When she was satisfied with their springiness, she went to her backpack and pulled out the bobby pins that she had worn the night she entered this time period. With a deft twist of her hand, Vanessa tucked her hair into a knot on the crown of her head, allowing just a few tasteful tendrils to escape. She took a few pins in her teeth and set the rest on a shelf before turning back to the mirror to begin strategically placing the pins so that her hair would hold its shape at least through breakfast. Once that was completed, Vanessa turned back to the women with a smile and they nodded their approval. Finally, she was ready to greet the day. I really hope I don't have to go through all that every morning. She understood that first impressions mattered, but this routine could get old real fast. Vanessa gave the women a bow, thanking them in their own tongue, but as soon as she rose, they sank into deep bows of their own and seemed somewhat distressed that she should be thanking them. Okay… so… we don't thank the help? She made a mental note to sit Sesshoumaru down sometime soon and get all the do's and don'ts of palace life. Vanessa dismissed the two women, unsure what else to do with them now that she was dressed, and went to meet Sesshoumaru.

 

Outside Sesshoumaru's door, Vanessa wasn't sure if she should just walk into his personal living space or not, so she did the only thing she could think of: she knocked.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

After leaving Vanessa in the bathhouse, Sesshoumaru stopped a passing page and commanded him to summon two of the human women to Rin's suite. After the pup scurried off to do his bidding, Sesshoumaru was left with nothing to do until breakfast. True, it had been nearly two weeks since he and Rin set out from the palace, but they were not expected to return for another week at least. His objective had been to visit the border holdings; one thing that he had learned from his father was to make his presence known to human and youkai alike. Technically every village within his territory was under his protection, though the degree of that protection under Sesshoumaru's rule depended on the individual village's loyalty and the amount of trouble that village had caused him and its neighbors. It was not good practice to scatter his forces too thinly throughout the land saving villages that had broken his trust or had done nothing to earn it in the first place. Usually, allowing an uprising or attack to progress for a short time got the message across. On the other hand, he couldn't allow such disturbances to spread too deeply or the strategy would turn against him, adding fuel to the fire for those that might think him unworthy of leadership. Villages that knew and respected what he was capable of found that it was better all around not to give him reason to withdraw his support. Since he had not completed this particular tour, Sesshoumaru would have to send someone else to assess the status of the borderlands and then visit them himself at a later date.

 

Rin would likely sleep for another half hour or more and Vanessa's bathing and dressing would probably take as long or longer, so Sesshoumaru took his moment of relative freedom and went for a walk in his gardens. He loved the wildness of the forest outside his gates, but there was a certain calming quality that he only found in his private gardens. Even in his rooms, he was too easily found. No, when Sesshoumaru truly desired an escape without actually leaving the grounds, he retreated to these hidden sanctuaries. It was in one such garden that he intended to spend a few moments before returning for breakfast.

 

Sesshoumaru's target was the closest of his hidden gardens. It had been there for as long as he could remember but as far as he knew, he was the only visitor. As he stepped through the wall of trees, he breathed deeply and took in the familiar floral scent. Sesshoumaru first came across the small garden when he was very young. As a pup he had entertained the notion that perhaps the mother he had never known created this place, that she had left something behind for him to hold onto. It held a semblance of order that suggested that someone sometime had planned it. Now, however, it was simply his quiet refuge. He knelt in the soft grass and closed his eyes, listening to the wind as it whispered to the trees. Focusing on the soft sounds around him, Sesshoumaru took a few deep breaths, steeling himself and pushing the past week into the recesses of his mind. He was home now and there was a certain way that he had been trained all of his life to act; he had to get himself back into the mindset of the strong ruler that he was and he couldn't allow Vanessa to become a new weakness in the eyes of the other youkai. To the rest of the palace, she would be just what he said she was: a guest and a tutor.

 

Taking one last deep breath, Sesshoumaru rose smoothly to his feet and set of to take Vanessa to breakfast. Just as he set his foot on the first step up to his floor, he was intercepted. Someone called his name from the front doorway. “Sesshoumaru-sama! I heard that you returned last night, but we weren't expecting you to return for another week. Is it true that you were accompanied by a human woman?” News certainly travels fast.

“What you have heard is correct, Saburo-san.” Sesshoumaru turned to face the tiger youkai.

Saburo approached and bowed before continuing. “My lord, I have to ask… why?”

“Circumstances are complicated. I will formally introduce her at breakfast, and you will join me in my office afterward. There are certain matters which I must discuss with you.”

“As you say, my lord.” Sesshoumaru nodded his dismissal and resumed his climb up the stairs. Not long after he had settled himself on a cushion in his front room to wait, Rin came bouncing through the door, pausing only long enough to slide it shut behind her; he had long ago given her permission to enter his suite freely.

“Ohayou, Sesshoumaru-sama! Are you glad to be back?”

“It is good to be home,” he responded, though he felt that he would be busier than ever for as long as Vanessa remained with him. “Do you remember what I told you last night?” Sesshoumaru had told Rin when he put her to bed last night that if anyone asked, she was to tell them that Vanessa was there to tutor and care for her. He had also made it clear that she might be in danger if anyone discovered her true origins. Despite the fact that Vanessa had no control over where or when she had traveled through the portal, there would be some who might seek to take advantage of her `ability.' Rin didn't want anything to happen to her Nessa-neesan and had whole-heartedly agreed to do as he said. It wouldn't be difficult to keep up the illusion since Vanessa so naturally took to the roll.

“Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama, I remember. Vanessa-san is here to take care of me and to teach me,” the girl recited proudly.

 

Sesshoumaru nodded his approval; he had recommended that they leave casual references for private settings and Rin had remembered. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a soft knock on the doorframe interrupted him. It wouldn't be the human servants, but then, why did Vanessa not simply enter? “Come,” he said. The door slid open a bit and Vanessa poked her head in the room.

“Hi. I… didn't want to just barge in.” Sesshoumaru shook his head.

“You are welcome to enter freely. You needn't knock.”

“Oh,” she said, opening the door further and stepping through, “thank you.”

Sesshoumaru blinked. It wasn't the most formal of kimono, yet somehow Vanessa had given it new life. He was beginning to think that she could make any garment shine. She turned to close the door again and seemed oblivious to his stare. “That was an adventure, let me tell you,” she said, turning back to face him.

“Adventure?”

“Yes, my… helpers were certainly excited about their work.”

“Did they give you trouble?”

“Oh, no. They were fine. I've just never been dressed by someone else before.”

“I see. Are you ready then?”

“I'm all set!” Vanessa flashed him a smile, though it didn't completely disguise her nervousness.

“All will be well. It is only a meal.”

“Right.” She took a deep breath, “Okay, shall we then?” Sesshoumaru nodded and rose, leading Vanessa and Rin out of the building and across the courtyard to the main dining hall and secretly wondering what the outcome of this seemingly simple meal would be.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Vanessa couldn't understand why she was so nervous. As Sesshoumaru said, `it is only a meal.' Still, she couldn't help feeling like it was some sort of test and it was vital that she passed. Tests always made her feel queasy… On the other hand… she hadn't failed one yet. She didn't always do exceptionally well, but she never failed. Vanessa had to stifle a giggle at her analogy by clearing her throat, which made Sesshoumaru turn over his shoulder to look at her. Shaking her head, she turned her gaze to the grass beneath her feet and blushed. That was all she needed, to be caught laughing at nothing in the middle of the palace courtyard. Great first impression… I'd be known as `that crazy foreign girl.' Right then, Vanessa resolved that no matter what happened, she would do her best to make a good impression. She didn't want to make Sesshoumaru's life more difficult by making the rest think he was a fool for taking her in.

 

Suddenly they came to a halt. Vanessa was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she had hardly noticed they had entered a building. She looked up to find Sesshoumaru staring at her and behind him was a set of double doors, which she guessed led to their destination. “Is… something wrong?” she asked.

His face was expressionless, but he scanned the empty hall and answered, “I have business to attend to after breakfast. You may go where you like, but do not leave the gates. Food will be sent to your rooms for lunch.”

“Oh… okay.” You knew he wasn't going to have much time…. “Maybe Rin can show me the gardens,” Vanessa suggested with a smile. Sesshoumaru nodded slowly then, as though a curtain dropped, a hardness developed in his eyes that she hadn't seen since she first encountered him. His entire demeanor shifted; suddenly he was wholly and completely lord and master of the palace. It was amazing - and unnerving. It was as though he had become an entirely different person from the one she had come to know.

“Come,” he said, his voice flat and unrevealing, “it is time.”

Rin chose that moment to take Vanessa's hand and smile up at her, a gesture for which she was immensely grateful. Sesshoumaru pushed open a pair of tall wooden doors and strode into the room with all of the regality that he possessed.

 

When Sesshoumaru said that she was meeting some of his staff… Vanessa wasn't expecting to find close to twenty people on the other side of the door, chatting amiably at a large table. The moment Sesshoumaru stepped into the room everyone fell silent and stood. He nodded his acknowledgement, permitting them to retake their seats and stepped away from Vanessa. All eyes turned to her and she suddenly felt very exposed. “This is Vanessa, a guest of this House,” Sesshoumaru announced to the room, drawing their eyes back to him for a moment. “She has come from far away across the eastern sea and is unfamiliar with our tongue, but she is learning.” Someone in the back interrupted, but Vanessa didn't catch what he said. Immediately, Sesshoumaru fixed a glare on the source of the voice. Glad I'm not that person. “This Sesshoumaru is well aware of the fact that she is human. While she is here, she will watch over Rin and act as her tutor. Harassment of her will not be tolerated.” Vanessa watched him scan the room once more before he strode to the head of the table. A light tug on her hand by Rin prompted her to follow and take the seat to Sesshoumaru's left then Rin sat beside her.

 

As Vanessa seated herself, conversations around the table resumed and the man directly across from her offered a kind smile and inclined his head to her. “Douzo yoroshiku, Vanessa-san,” he said. She wasn't quite sure what he said, but when neither Rin nor Sesshoumaru gave a negative reaction, she went out on a limb: “Arigatou,” she said, returning his smile. It seemed to be the right response, since he nodded and turned to Sesshoumaru.

“Vanessa, this is Saburo,” Sesshoumaru said, indicating the man who had just spoken to her. She nodded, but noticed the puzzlement displayed on Saburo's face. Strange… A moment later, Sesshoumaru turned to Saburo and said softly, “Vanessa-san has been teaching Rin her language.” He must have spoken in English before… The disadvantage of knowing the `meaning' behind everything that Sesshoumaru said was that she didn't know when he was speaking in English or Japanese. As the youkai around the table began filling their dishes with food, Sesshoumaru turned to Rin. “Rin,” he said, “fill a plate for Vanessa-san.” The girl nodded and took Vanessa's plate, scooping some rice with some sort of stew over the top and some pieces of fruit before handing it back.” Vanessa glanced over at Sesshoumaru. It seemed like he was avoiding speaking directly to her - except for that introduction, but why? Then suddenly realization dawned on her. Of course, the bands… They wouldn't have known that we could understand each other… That could be useful. She cast another glance at Sesshoumaru and caught an almost imperceptible nod; he must have been watching her, gauging her reaction to everything going on.

 

Resigning herself to the fact that she wouldn't really be able to participate in conversation, Vanessa looked around the table while she progressed through her meal. It was good; obviously Sesshoumaru trusted Rin to pick out something that she would like. As she scanned the table, she noticed a wide variety of types of food. There were some meat dishes that were clearly in varying degrees of `cooked,' a surprising amount of vegetable dishes, rice and a few types of fruit. It made sense though… if youkai eating habits followed their animal traits at all, then not all of them would like strictly meat, cooked or not, and some of their tastes might have shifted to include some more `human' types of food. It was interesting. Here was an entire race of beings that she knew next to nothing about. When she had no one really to talk to, suddenly their eating habits became fascinating. For the most part, Vanessa kept her attention on her meal, she didn't want to be considered rude by staring, but every now and then she would discreetly glance up at the other youkai seated around the table. More often than not, she would catch one or more staring at her. She didn't mind too much… after all, she was the resident foreigner, and the fact that she looked completely different from any human they had ever seen made her something of an oddity. Still… didn't their parents teach them that it was impolite to stare?

 

Throughout the meal, Vanessa heard pieces of Saburo and Sesshoumaru's conversation, but Sesshoumaru tended to keep his answers short, never disclosing too much information. He didn't talk to anyone but Saburo though, and no one tried to talk to him either. It seemed as though it was simply understood that he wasn't the social type, but they all respected him- or feared him. It was obvious in the way that everyone at the table deferred to him. Just for a moment, Vanessa entertained the thought of what would happen if Sesshoumaru suddenly ordered everyone to stand on their heads. They'd probably look at him as though he had grown a second head, but they would jump to it just the same. She had to cut that train of thought off at the station though, just to make sure that her fear of being dubbed `that crazy foreign girl' didn't come to pass. In order to distract herself from her errant thoughts, Vanessa discreetly observed Saburo from across the table. He was obviously youkai, but she had no way of knowing what type. He had pointed ears like Sesshoumaru and, also like Sesshoumaru, he had golden eyes but darker - almost a light, honey brown. Ginger hair hung just below his shoulders with streaks of black at his temples. There were no facial markings like Sesshoumaru had, but he wore a small braid behind his right ear with a few beads and what looked like fangs woven into it. He didn't wear any armor, but his clothes were the same style as Sesshoumaru's except they were black with white stripes on his sleeves. His face was kind and suggested that not all youkai hid their thoughts behind a mask like Sesshoumaru did. Vanessa was glad that she had seen at least something of another side of the taiyoukai, or she might have been frightened of him.

 

Eventually, Sesshoumaru rose from the table, giving the rest permission to leave if they liked. Rin immediately stood and asked her Sesshoumaru-sama if she could take Vanessa out to the gardens now. He nodded and turned to follow as Rin took Vanessa's hand and tugged her toward the door. A glance over her shoulder told Vanessa that Saburo had joined Sesshoumaru in their trek across the courtyard again. All four entered Sesshoumaru's building, but where Saburo and Sesshoumaru went upstairs, Vanessa and Rin continued to the back door and into the sprawling garden behind the building. Once out in the peace of the gardens, Vanessa heaved a sigh of relief; as far as she could tell, no one wanted to do her in just yet, and Saburo, the only one Sesshoumaru deemed worthy to converse with, seemed to accept her presence. That had to count for something, right?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Sesshoumaru closed the door to his office behind Saburo. They could speak more freely there than just about anywhere else on the palace grounds, due to the thick walls and doors. Their voices would be blocked even from keen youkai hearing. He motioned for the tiger to take a seat and sat opposite him. “What do you make of the others' reactions to the human woman?”

“They did not seem openly aggressive. I think they will tolerate her for now. Most seemed more curious than anything else. She has a curious appearance, where did you say she was from?” Sesshoumaru hesitated for a moment.

“This information is for your ears alone. You are not to tell anyone else.”

“Yes, my lord. You have my word.”

“Vanessa is not from Japan, nor is she from the continent. Far to the east, across the sea, lies another continent. It is from there that she has traveled, but that is not all.” This was the part that made Sesshoumaru hesitate. Would his most trusted advisor question his sanity for suggesting that Vanessa came from another time? Saburo was closer to most of the residents who might come in contact with the woman. He would be able to tell Sesshoumaru what rumors began and from where, so he would also need to know everything to be sure that the rumors might be diverted from the complete truth. “Vanessa is not from this time,” he stated simply.

“What do you mean `this time'? Surely she is mortal. What other time could she be from?”

“She is from the future… nearly five hundred years,” Sesshoumaru explained.

“I see…” Saburo stared at him, meeting his eyes and searching in that peculiar way of his. Whether he was looking for untruth or madness, Sesshoumaru wasn't sure, but whatever it was, he didn't seem to find it. “It is as you say…” he said, puzzlement coloring his tone. “How is this possible?”

“Of that I am not certain. It seems to have taken place on her continent, though somehow she arrived here. The way has been closed from this side and she does not know how to return.”

“May I ask… why did you bring her back here? Could she not have stayed in a human village?”

“Perhaps it was mere curiosity, or perhaps a lapse in judgment, but whatever it was, it is clear that humans would not have been able to keep her safe, nor would they have the resources to find a way to return her to where she belongs. I feel that she must be returned safely to her own time or the balance will be more disrupted than it already is.”

“Interesting. You may be right. If I may be frank, my lord, I believe the woman will be good for Rin. The child needs the influence of a human female.”

“That occurred to me as well. They are quite taken with one another already.”

“And… if there is no way to send her home?”

Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru responded, “She will remain here to care for Rin.”

“I see. Does anyone else know the truth about her?”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “I paid a visit to my… half-brother, shortly after I happened across Vanessa. A member of his party knows something of time slips, and they thought to try to help Vanessa return home, but they failed. The hanyou can hardly protect a monk, a miko and a taijiya, let alone a foreign human. I did not trust her protection in his hands, so I returned with her as a companion for Rin.”

“Sesshoumaru-sama, you said that she is not familiar with our tongue… How is it that you convinced her to come with you? Does she not know what we are? She should be frightened, but I could detect nothing but a bit of nervousness and a great deal of curiosity from her.”

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to glance down at the ribbon that allowed him to communicate with the woman; that was one detail that he would keep to himself. It might become even more useful than it was already. “It has been interesting, difficult at times. I believe she sees this Sesshoumaru as a savior of sorts… Our first encounter involved the elimination of a certain hostile youkai. Inuyasha's miko knows her language and asked her if she would prefer to come here or stay with the hanyou; she chose to come here.”

“Interesting that she would wish to follow you and not stay with someone who understands her.”

“I have no other explanation for her actions, but she seemed to know nothing of youkai when she arrived here. Something happens in the next five centuries that causes humans to become the dominant race. This is… unsettling.”

“It is, but it would explain why she doesn't seem to fear us.”

 

They had been speaking for quite some time already, but they had yet to broach the subject of Naraku, a more pressing matter in Sesshoumaru's mind than the strange human in their midst. His protective side didn't like divulging so much information that might be used against her, but he had to trust Saburo. The tiger youkai had an uncanny ability of reading others. It was more than just detecting changes in scent; somehow he could catch minute variations in behavior or expression, changes that would very likely be missed by the casual eye. Saburo was a valuable asset, and had always served Sesshoumaru well. “Saburo-san, there is another matter, one that I want you to look into. We encountered one of Naraku's puppets on the journey here. He is planning something, and I want to know what it is and to what purpose, but be discreet.” If anyone knew as much about what happened within the western lands as Sesshoumaru did, it was Saburo and he would have the time to seek out more information.

 

All too soon, a soft knock sounded on the door: it was a pair of servants bringing their lunch. Sesshoumaru and Saburo broke off their conversation and let them lay out the platters they were burdened with. When they were finished, they stood back and waited for any further instructions. “Tell the cook to prepare a roasted hen with vegetables and rice. Have that and a plate of fruit brought to Rin's room.” With the order placed for the humans, Sesshoumaru waved the servants away. They silently bowed and beat a hasty retreat back to the kitchens. It wasn't uncommon for food to be sent up to Rin's room; he knew that the humans working in the kitchen would be sure that the food was prepared to human tastes and brought up. If Rin and Vanessa were still out, the women would light a fire to keep the meal warm. He tried to make it a point to have at least one meal with Rin, usually breakfast or lunch. It wasn't often that he actually ate in the big dining hall; usually he had food brought up to his room or to the library, but today it was important both to introduce the new human resident and to make clear his expectations. He would probably have to make an appearance there for a few other meals throughout the week, though he preferred to avoid the crowds. Evening meals were the worst. They were reserved for officials, representatives of other lands and other visitors to the palace. As master of the House, he was obligated to sit through hours of mindless chatter and flattery from sycophants hoping to gain his favor. Occasionally some form of entertainment or another broke the tedium, but mostly the experience was slow, mind-numbing torture. Sesshoumaru sighed inwardly. As his first official day back at the palace, he would have to be present at dinner, but he wouldn't make Vanessa sit through it. It would be far too tempting to speak with her, and for the time being, he wanted their ability to communicate to be kept secret.

 

“If I might make a suggestions, Sesshoumaru-sama…” Sesshoumaru glanced up from his meal and raised an eyebrow, waiting for Saburo to continue. “You arrived late last night, and I would imagine that Vanessa-san might feel a little wary around any of the rest of us…”

“Get to the point.”

“Since she is a guest and new to the palace, and her host has been busy the entire morning, I thought it might be appropriate for him to offer her a tour of her temporary home before dinner.”

Sesshoumaru stared at Saburo for a long moment, trying to discern any hidden meaning in his comments. “Brief me on events since I left the palace. When you are finished, I will consider your suggestion.” In truth, Sesshoumaru had been wondering when he might have a spare moment to show Vanessa around, but he had duties to attend to. Saburo nodded then dug through a stack of parchment and scrolls and withdrew a sheet. “Since you left…”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Vanessa had been at the palace for over a week and finally felt as though she could wander through the halls of the expansive palace without getting lost. It was a vast improvement from the day Sesshoumaru had given her a tour. She hadn't thought that he would have time spare for her, but around mid-afternoon he had found her and Rin out in the gardens again and offered to give her a formal tour himself. He didn't have more than a couple hours to spare since he had to be at the meal hall again for dinner, but he assured her that she didn't have to go - not unless she wanted to. Vanessa thought about it; dinner seemed to be more important than breakfast had been, and Sesshoumaru seemed even less thrilled to be there than had been that morning. She knew they wouldn't be able to talk without giving away their secret, but what kind of friend would she be if she didn't at least try and give some kind of silent moral support? “I'll go,” she had told him and just had to laugh at the surprise in his eyes. By the time the meal was over, Vanessa could understand why only his strong sense of duty kept him from avoiding the dining hall at all costs. She knew that he didn't like mindless small talk - that much was evident from their conversations on the road. Even though she understood a fraction of the conversations going on around her, and even though Sesshoumaru's face remained perfectly neutral, she could tell that he was bored out of his mind. Vanessa herself was mildly entertained with trying to guess what the others were saying, but she could help sympathizing with the taiyoukai. It was the same feeling that had prompted her to take that walk that ultimately transported her into this world in the first place. Later that night, once they were back in the comfort of Sesshoumaru's sitting room, he didn't say it in so many words, but he seemed to have appreciated her presence. That alone made up her mind to take a few more meals with him in the hall throughout the week, but other than those meals and the few he took in his suite, Vanessa hadn't seen him more than the hour or two before bed that he spent talking with her and Rin.

 

Now, Vanessa lay on a blanket on the wooden balcony staring up at the stars. It was a warm night and relatively still; the light breeze didn't quite reach her in her bedroom so she thought she'd go out and enjoy the clear night until she finally felt sleepy. Rin had fallen asleep probably an hour ago, but Sesshoumaru still hadn't returned. A meeting after dinner probably held him up - it wasn't the first time, but this was the latest he'd been away since they had arrived at the palace. Maybe it was that break in their routine that kept her awake… or maybe it was just the heat. Either way, sleep seemed to elude her tonight. Vanessa sighed and continued her search for constellations that she recognized. She didn't know the names of most of them, but she thought she could pick out the shape of quite a few. Then suddenly the door separating Sesshoumaru's suite from the one Vanessa was in slid open. She turned her head toward the door when she heard Sesshoumaru's soft footsteps on the hardwood floor as he crossed the main room, but he stopped just before entering the hallway that led to her room and Rin's and turned toward her instead. “You are still awake,” he commented as he approached the balcony. Vanessa sat up and peered up at him where he stood in the doorway.

“Yeah… I guess I couldn't sleep.” She saw him glance down at a bundle in his hand, his eyes shining in the moonlight.

“Do you feel sleep coming any time soon?”

“To be honest? No. I still don't think I'm used to the heat.” He was silent for a while then backed into the room and set the bundle down on the table.

“Put these on and then come to me.”

“Okay…” Puzzled and curious, Vanessa stood and gathered up the blanket before re-entering the building. Sesshoumaru was already crossing the doorway into his room so she took the bundle with her and headed back to her own room. If he had been anyone else, she would have sworn he was trying to seduce her.

 

After lighting the lamp on her bedside table, Vanessa folded the blanket and set it aside before untying the bundle Sesshoumaru had left. They were clothes. She lifted up one piece and shook the folds out. It was a dark green shirt - haori, her mind supplied - with sleeves that widened toward the wrist to form a sort of bell-shape. There was a white layer that went underneath and finally she came to the lower half of the ensemble. It looked like a long, black, pleated skirt, but upon closer inspection, she saw that it was a pair of wide-legged pants… hakama. It seemed strange for him to ask her to get dressed in the middle of the night, but she complied. Vanessa quickly took off the light yukata that she had been wearing and layered on the top pieces. The ties on the hakama gave her a little trouble at first, but she got them figured out. Once she was dressed, she took a quick look in her mirror and hurried down the hall to meet Sesshoumaru.

 

Slipping quietly through the door, Vanessa found Sesshoumaru sitting on a cushion and leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He had shed his armor and the fluffy fur that he usually carried over his shoulder and looked more relaxed than she had seen him in the past week. He had to have known she was there, but Vanessa still called softly to him, “Sesshoumaru?” Immediately, he opened his eyes and stood.

“Come with me,” he said.

“What? Now? It's the middle of the night.”

“I was going to wait until morning, but if you are not sleepy there is something that I wish for you to see.”

“Oh… o-okay. Well… lead the way, I guess.” Sesshoumaru nodded and strode out the door.

 

Once they were a few dozen yards away from the back door, Sesshoumaru came to a halt and slipped his arm around Vanessa's waist. She stared up at him. “Um… what are you doing?”

Mischief flashed in his eyes and he said, “Hold on.” It was all the warning she had before the ground suddenly fell away from her feet, and with a squeak of surprise, she threw her arms around him and clung for dear life, burying her face in the folds of his clothing. What was this fascination of his with surprising her with flying? A full minute passed before Vanessa could tear her face away from the protection of Sesshoumaru's silk clothing and look around. The moonlit landscape slid past lazily below them, but they were moving much faster than they would have if they were walking. And they were up so high! Vanessa glanced down to find a cloud of… something… supported them, but the vertigo induced by that action made her head spin and she unconsciously leaned against Sesshoumaru - the only stable object at hand. His arm tightened minutely around her. “I will not let you fall,” he said, and Vanessa could feel his voice rumble through his chest. She had never been so close to him for so long - he didn't seem to like, or wasn't comfortable with close contact so she was understandably surprised when he put his arm around her. Granted, it was just to keep her from falling while they flew who-knows-where, but it was surprising nonetheless. The sudden closeness also made her aware of something else: his scent. She had never really noticed before, but it made her think of thunderstorms and snow, and there was a certain woodsy-mountain quality that, all together, gave the impression that he was wild and untamable. Vanessa couldn't imagine it any other way. She had to find a distraction before her thoughts turned traitorous. Clearing her throat, she loosened her death grip on Sesshoumaru's waist slightly and tilted her head to face him. “So…” she said, “where are we going?” He glanced down at her but didn't answer. However, shortly thereafter they began to descend.

 

Vanessa couldn't think of a time that she was more relieved than when her feet finally touched land again. She trusted Sesshoumaru, but there was just something about having nothing but a cloud - a cloud! - beneath her feet that made her a little nervous. Releasing him and taking a step away, Vanessa took a look around. They stood in an open field next to a wall of trees. She couldn't imagine why he had brought her here and was about to ask just that when Sesshoumaru reached into his nearly empty left sleeve and produced an apple. “Do not eat it,” he said with a smirk and handed the fruit to her. Now Vanessa was just plain confused; he had shown her the stables already, but they weren't nearly this far out. She figured that it would have taken about an hour to walk the distance that they had just flown in a few minutes.

“Where are we?” she asked, but Sesshoumaru just turned back to the trees and gave a long low whistle. He cocked his head a little, as though listening, and Vanessa turned toward the trees and waited; she knew her hearing was nothing to match the youkai lord's and would probably not hear whatever it was that he was waiting for until long after he did.

 

After a minute or two, Vanessa heard the unmistakable sound of hoof beats. She glanced from the apple in her hand to Sesshoumaru. This felt too much like the story she had told him about the first time she saw a horse, so what sort of horse did he keep this far from the stable? Slowly, two dark shapes emerged from the trees. They looked like horses, but their bodies were too bulky somehow, though she couldn't tell exactly what was wrong. The creatures were almost invisible against the inky darkness of the forest, and as they stepped out of the shadows, Vanessa saw that it was because their hides were as black as coal. Their eyes, however, were a brilliant, glittering blue that shone in the moonlight. The bulk of their bodies were still hidden in shadow when Sesshoumaru spoke. “Vanessa, this is Kaminari,” he said, indicating the larger of the two, “and his daughter Shizu. Come into the moonlight,” he then told the horses, “I would like for you to meet Vanessa… a… friend… of mine.” Shocked, Vanessa stared at him. Sure, he had opened up to her… a little, but he had yet to tell her that he thought of her as a friend. It sent a warm tingle through her and she couldn't help but smile at him. So wrapped up in her `break-through' was she that she almost missed what was happening before her. Kaminari and Shizu stepped out into the moonlight and gave her a horse-bow, spreading wide their huge, black… feathery… wings. Wings?? They've got wings!?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

It was during another obscenely long dinner that Sesshoumaru had gotten the idea that Vanessa might like to meet the winged horses. Thinking of how best to introduce them occupied his mind throughout the remainder of the meal and even into the update meeting afterward. Over the past two centuries, Sesshoumaru had become quite skilled at paying just enough attention to respond when appropriate. The rest of his mind could effectively tune out everything he didn't need to know… which, surprisingly, turned out to be a great deal of the content in many of his conversations. He made a stop on his way back to his rooms to find some clothing for Vanessa that was appropriate for riding. The plan was that he would simply leave the clothes in her room and take her out to meet the horses in the morning, but when he found her wide awake on the balcony he thought she might like a night ride. It was strange. Sesshoumaru felt… bad that he didn't have much time for her. He felt as though he was neglecting his newest guest and he wanted to do something she might like.

 

Vanessa was particularly amusing during the short flight to the meeting place at the back of the field behind Sesshoumaru's building. A strange combination of emotions rolled off of her, everything from fear to curiosity to satisfaction. Sesshoumaru half-wondered what was going on in her mind, but before he could think too much on it, they had arrived.

 

The winged horses had lived in the western lands since before Sesshoumaru's father took control. An agreement had been struck long ago that the horses would lend their scouts when needed in return for a peaceful place to live undisturbed. Occasionally, Sesshoumaru came out here to visit with the elusive creatures; even after so many centuries, few residents of the palace knew of their existence. Their leader, Kaminari, was always the one to answer his call and often brought his daughter Shizu along. Tonight was just such a night. A few minutes after Sesshoumaru announced his presence with a whistle, Kaminari and Shizu approached. They were a little wary around the newcomer, but neither Sesshoumaru, nor his father before him, had ever brought harm upon them so they approached as the taiyoukai requested.

 

After introducing Vanessa, a distinctly feminine voice invaded Sesshoumaru's mind - and seemed to cut through Vanessa's shock at discovering their wings. “It's nice to meet you… Vanessa.” Sesshoumaru snapped his gaze to the young mare standing beside her father. Shizu had been named as such because she had never spoken, not even to her father. It was thought that perhaps she couldn't communicate in any other way besides the typical horse methods, but here, the young female had spoken directly to Vanessa. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Vanessa searching for the source of the `voice' that she heard. Kaminari was also staring intently at his daughter. Surely he was wondering what was so special about this human that she would talk to her and not to her own family. She even giggled and went on to say, “No no, you are not crazy.” Could she read another's passive thoughts too? That particular ability was not unheard of, but also not common. The horses normally could only read what the other wanted them to, and few outside the species could communicate with them in the same manner. To the casual observer it would seem like a one-sided conversation, being one half verbal and the other mental.

“Curious,” Sesshoumaru said softly, mostly to himself, but Vanessa caught it.

“…What is?” she asked, confusion evident in her tone.

“Shizu… has never spoken before now,” he explained, turning to the woman who was now frowning slightly at him.

“What do you mean `speak'…? That voice… it was you?” she asked, now turning to Shizu. The mare nodded her head then ducked shyly behind her father. That must be it, Sesshoumaru thought. It wasn't that she couldn't speak… It was just that she was too terribly shy to. Now that he thought about it, Sesshoumaru remembered times when she acted the same as she did tonight, hiding behind her father, but she was just a young filly then and he thought that it might have been some sort of social behavior among the horses.

“Shizu… would you like an apple?” Vanessa held out her hand and offered the apple that Sesshoumaru had given her. Shizu lifted her head and swiveled her hears forward.

“I would please,” she said, ruffling her feathers a little before stepping toward the human.

 

Kaminari turned his head toward the taiyoukai. “Sesshoumaru-sama, who is this human?” he said for Sesshoumaru's mind alone.

“Vanessa comes from another time and place,” Sesshoumaru responded softly, not wanting to disturb the females. “She has only been in the palace for a week and barely knows our tongue, yet already she has won over several of the other youkai here.”

“You included, my lord?”

“Perhaps… to an extent.”

“I wonder… How is it that Shizu can understand that strange language the human… Vanessa speaks?”

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment, watching the two females talk. “It may have something to do with her ability to read thoughts.” It was a similar principle to the charm that connected him to Vanessa.

“I can't believe it…” Kaminari mused, “After all these years, a mortal woman was the one to finally open her up.”

“Indeed.” What was it about Vanessa that made someone want to talk to her? In a way Sesshoumaru was like Shizu; he had shared more with the woman in the past two weeks than he had with anyone else in the last two centuries.

“So, what brings you out here in the middle of the night, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

“I had thought to wait until morning, but she was still awake. I thought you might also be, so I brought her early. She is a guest in my House indefinitely, but cannot speak easily with anyone else - until Shizu, that is. Rin is her only companion and I thought she might enjoy meeting some of the more interesting residents of my lands. Do you mind?”

Kaminari shook his head. “If I did, I wouldn't dare voice my objections now. Vanessa has done in a few short minutes what no one else has ever been able to do. I am eternally in her debt.”

“I believe that she will want to continue to visit with your daughter in the future. Rin will likely accompany her during the day, but I will be sure that they are discreet.” Kaminari only nodded. His attention had turned to the females again. Shizu was lowering herself to the ground so that Vanessa could mount.

“Are you sure this is ok?” Sesshoumaru heard the woman say.

“Of course. I wouldn't have offered otherwise,” Shizu responded. “Sit behind my wings and lean forward.” Vanessa complied, wrapping her arms around the mare's neck as she stood again. “Hold on!” Sesshoumaru had to smirk; he had given the same warning before he had taken to the sky with Vanessa. With a few leaps forward and a great down stroke of her wings, Shizu was airborne, the human on her back laughing in delight.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Kaminari said softly into Sesshoumaru's mind, “Thank you for bringing my daughter such happiness.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

It was pure freedom; the sky was literally the limit on the back of Shizu. Vanessa could feel the powerful muscles rippling beneath her as she was propelled through the sky. “I knew you'd like it,” Shizu said into her mind.

“I'm curious, Shizu,” Vanessa said, “do you hear thoughts all the time? Or do you have to work to read them?”

“I can block them out… Actually, I should block them unless I have permission. I'm sorry if I've overstepped my bounds…” the mare said softly.

“Oh, no, don't worry about it. It's just that it's strange to know that someone can see into my mind.”

“Now that I've actually spoken to you… I think it would be wrong to intrude on your thoughts. I won't anymore unless you ask me to.”

“Thank you, Shizu. May I ask why you've never spoken before?”

“I… was scared.”

“What were you scared of? I think your voice is beautiful.”

“You do? My father is the tribe leader. I could hear what everyone was thinking ever since I could remember. They judged me before I ever said anything and I didn't want to say anything to disappoint him. So I kept quiet.”

Vanessa laid her cheek against Shizu's neck as they drifted in lazy circles high above Sesshoumaru and Kaminari and stroked her soft hair. “Why did you speak to me then? I'm a stranger.”

“I don't really know. You're different somehow. I felt like I could trust you.”

“Will you speak to your father now? I think he would like that.”

 

Shizu began drifting lower, slowly returning to the ground. “I don't know… What would I say?”

“Anything you want to! Just be honest with yourself and nothing you say could disappoint him.”

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Vanessa stifled a yawn, “and I think sleep is finally catching up with me.”

“I'll take you down now… Vanessa?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think you could come visit again sometime?”

“I'd love to!”

“Really?” Shizu seemed genuinely shocked. “Whenever you want to, just start walking out here and I'll know you're coming and meet you.”

“Sounds like a plan. Sometimes I don't have much to do during the day, so I'll try and make it out here a few times a week, okay?”

“I'd like that.”

 

When Shizu touched down again, Vanessa slid off her back and gave her shoulder a final pat. “Thank you for the ride, Shizu. It was wonderful.” Then she turned to Sesshoumaru, “I'm ready if you are,” she said, “I think these two might have a lot to catch up on.” With one last wave, Sesshoumaru took her to the sky again and Vanessa thought she heard a tentative mind-voice softly say, “Papa…?” She couldn't help but smile.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru. I had a great time.”

“Good.”

“So… We're friends now, are we?”

“Hm.” Non-committal as always. But she knew the truth now and hid a small smile. She was beginning to wonder if this late-night trip might have something to do with him feeling bad for not having time for her. She understood that he was busy, but the gesture was nice, and now she had someone else that she could talk with.

 

The return `flight' seemed to take a lot less time than the first trip and before she knew it, they were back upstairs and walking to their respective bedrooms. It was really late and Vanessa hoped that Sesshoumaru would be kind enough to let her sleep in the next morning. She just knew that she would dream of flying through the stars and hoped that those dreams weren't interrupted too early.A/N:

Sweet! An entire chapter in less than a week… and I haven't even used any of the stuff I pre-wrote yet… Go figure. I hope you like! I had to introduce some new characters, so I thought I'd dedicate a chapter to doing just that.

 

Douzo yoroshiku: Nice to meet you (had to look that up, hope it's right!)

 

(I like making my characters' names mean something)

Kaminari: Thunder

Shizu: Quiet one

 

I love my reviewers!

 

Cochrann: yeah… I hadn't really realized that it had gotten so long until it was finished. More fun for the rest of you, right? (I hope?) Thanks for reading!

 

Vickey: Thank you so much for your review! I completely agree with you on the I-think-you're-hot-so-take-me-now-ness of some stories. While I think there's a certain attraction between these two, I'm not going to let them jump in the sack right away. Also, why would Sesshoumaru toss away all of his own ideals for a pretty face? Doesn't seem like him. I rant. Anyway, I really appreciate your comments and I hope you keep reading!

 

Crystaru-chan: Hey, I totally understand the name-misspelling thing. People misspell my first name all the time (even my friends!) and it drives me nuts. Over-protecto-mode… I like that. You can be sure you'll probably see more of that in the future.

 

nessie-poo: I'm addicted to my computer too… checking my email, deviantART, media miner, facebook, myspace… it's a disease, I tell ya. Hope you did well on your exams!

 

laa-girl: the bonding will continue, confusion will occasionally settle in, maybe some denial, but they'll survive. And I eagerly await your next chapter

 

Sess's girl: sorry about the long wait, and I hope you approve of my use of Naraku, though there wasn't any of him in this chapter, there will definitely be more to come.