InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the East ❯ Lost ( Chapter 14 )

A/N: (9/5/06) Sorry folks… new chapter's in the works. I was checking back on some details that I put in this chapter and noticed a few minor things that needed changing. I should have the next one up mid-week next week (Leaving for Germany on the 14th!!)

 

A/N: Ah, my mediaminer readers… you make me sad. Hardly anyone commented on my last chapter. Have my “regulars” forgotten about me? Have you given up on me because of my late updates? I thought threatening our beloved Sesshoumaru with death would have triggered a word or two from you. You lose this round to fanfiction.net… They were so much more responsive this time around. Shall I keep a tally? Hmm… I suppose I could forgive you if you leave me lots of delightful reviews… or not. I guess it doesn't really matter in the long run. I'll still keep on writing until this story is finished.

 

A/N: I couldn't resist. This chapter has been sitting on my computer for a few days, begging me to post it, but it hadn't been proof read. Well… I'm a sucker for beggars… sometimes… so don't get any ideas. So I went ahead and proof read it and now, here you have it. Also, I've been advised that smaller paragraphs = better, so I tried to keep that in mind for this chapter.

 

 

Into the East

Chapter fourteen: Lost

Posted: 15 August 2006

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

Everything else © me

 

 

 

 

What do I do? “Sesshoumaru, don't you dare leave me!” You're a doctor, well… almost a doctor, get a grip! When Vanessa saw him stumble, she thought he might have been injured, but when he fell to his knees, she knew something was terribly wrong. It seemed to take forever to reach his side, but once she was there, far too quickly he succumbed to whatever it was that brought him down. She held him, tears streaming down her face, praying that he would be all right, but he only stared up at her, silent as ever. He seemed to have a hard time focusing, but when he wiped her tears away, she thought her heart would break. It was the most tender gesture he had ever shown her - he cared, and she was losing him. “Save your strength,” she told him, but instinctively closed her own hand around his.

 

That seemed like hours ago, but in reality it couldn't have been more than a minute or two. What do I do? What do I do? Vanessa's shocked and frantic mind repeated this over and over while she continued to hold Sesshoumaru's still form to her. He can't die, he just can't. “Please wake up,” she whispered into his ear, but he didn't respond. Think. You didn't spend six years in college for nothing. Even that much training is better than nothing. Check his vitals. She eased him off of her lap and onto the ground so that she could check him over better. Vitals, right… but he's not human. Still… whether he's a giant dog or human-like, he's a mammal, right? And mammals have a heart and lungs… It's a start.

 

While this internal monologue went on, Vanessa leaned over him, her cheek hovering just above his nose. She pressed two fingers under his jaw and waited on baited breath for signs that he still lived, and the moment she felt the beat of his pulse at her fingertips and a tiny puff of air on her skin, she thought her heart would leap out of her chest. Neither was strong, but they proved that he hadn't left her. Her hands flitted over his chest and down his torso until she came to the torn, blood-soaked silk where Mitsue had ripped into his side. Vanessa opened his haori and gently pulled the fabric away from the wound, wincing whenever it got caught on dried blood, but when she looked down at his torn flesh, she couldn't help but to stare transfixed as the edges slowly knitted themselves back together. It probably wouldn't even leave a scar, and compared to losing an arm in a time when medicine was less than ideal, this wound was nothing. So… why wasn't he conscious?

 

Once again, Vanessa was wrought with uncertainty. She glanced around the dark courtyard, but saw no one. Of course if anyone else had seen their lord fall, they'd have come right away, wouldn't they? Didn't he have guards on patrol? Vanessa didn't know what to do. She couldn't just leave him in the courtyard, and yet she knew that if didn't find help soon, it might be too late. Tears of frustration stung her eyes as she realized he was too heavy for her to move herself. She'd only managed to drag him a few feet before collapsing to her knees. Then, choking off a frustrated sob, Vanessa gently lowered his shoulders to the ground again. She leaned over him once more and felt the faint puff of his breath on her cheek. Before she rose again, she gave him a feather-light kiss on his temple, whispering, “Forgive me, I've got to find help. I promise I'll be right back! I won't leave you. Just don't go.” She didn't know if he could hear her, but she didn't want him to think he was alone.

 

Determinedly dashing unwanted tears from her eyes, Vanessa darted toward the main house. It was the middle of the night, and she wasn't sure whom she would be able to find at such an hour. She didn't know where to start. She needed to find someone who would know what to do, not just a servant, but… Obviously, some of his retainers couldn't be trusted or Sesshoumaru wouldn't be lying unconscious in his own courtyard. She wracked her brain trying to think of someone that she knew Sesshoumaru trusted, but it wasn't easy… he didn't seem to trust anyone! Suddenly it dawned on her. Saburo! She still didn't know him well, but he'd been friendly to her and she liked him. Besides, Sesshoumaru had mentioned that he was essentially his second in command. She would have gone to Jaken, but he didn't seem to be taken very seriously among the others - better to go to someone who could get something done right away.

 

Without wasting another second, Vanessa turned on her heel and sprinted back across the courtyard. She had to turn her face away as she ran past the place where Sesshoumaru lay or she would never get out of the courtyard. Having only been to Saburo's personal office once - on her initial tour with Sesshoumaru - she had to concentrate on where she was going in the winding halls of the palace proper. It was late so he might not be in his office at all, but she also knew that his personal living space was on the same hall. Please be there. Please be there, she chanted as she ran. When had the palace gotten so many hallways? Finally, she turned down a hall that she vaguely recognized as that containing Saburo's office and living quarters. She hoped that she didn't have to try to wake him, but it was an emergency! He had to understand. He had to do something!

 

The first stop was Saburo's office, but it was dark. After a quick inspection to be certain that he wasn't there, Vanessa bolted down the hall to where she thought his personal quarters were. Several doors were the typical shoji screen type, but then she caught sight of a thick wooden door, much like those leading into both her and Sesshoumaru's apartments. That's the one. Taking a deep breath, she began pounding on the door. From within, she heard a warning growl that was definitely meant to tell her to leave unless she was willing to stake her life on her cause. She ignored it and continued her incessant pounding.

 

Finally, the door swung open, nearly being ripped from its hinges in the process, and Vanessa faced a very angry youkai. She swallowed and took a step backward. Suddenly all command over the Japanese language that she had previously held fled her mind. She shook her head, trying to compose herself while Saburo stood in his doorway. “Saburo-san! Onegai, help me!” She nearly cried in relief over reclaimed ability to communicate and at the quickly dissipating anger in Saburo's countenance. Saburo's eyes grew concerned as they traveled the length of her, and his brow furrowed as his nose worked to identify the blood as Sesshoumaru's.

 

“Where is he?”

 

“In the courtyard. Please hurry?” He nodded and ducked inside his quarters briefly, returning with his sword and a female at his heels.

 

“Come,” he said in a commanding way that would have made Sesshoumaru proud. No wonder he's Sesshoumaru's second.

 

The three ran through the halls and out into the courtyard while Vanessa told the two youkai that Sesshoumaru was in a fight and got hurt. Just before they went outside, Saburo caught a servant and sent him to fetch the healers. Vanessa led them to where Sesshoumaru lay deathly still in the grass, and in a panic she darted to his side to check his pulse and breathing. She wasn't sure what the normal heart rate of a youkai was, but the fact that his heart still beat seemed like a good sign, though his breathing was still very shallow. With a small sigh of relief, she turned to Saburo as he knelt to inspect the wound. “He's still alive,” she said. “Mitsue slashed him in the side with her claws.”

 

“Mitsue did this? Where is she?”

 

“She's… um…” Vanessa looked around at each of the scattered bodies, but didn't see any with the face she knew to be Mitsue. Then she saw a feminine figure laying a short distance away wearing Mitsue's clothes. “I think… that's her… but she doesn't look the same anymore.” Saburo looked to where she pointed and frowned.

 

“Rai, tend to Sesshoumaru-sama's wound. Keep it from healing over until the healers get here. Something is keeping him from waking and they will want to see it for themselves. Re-open the closed edges if you have to.”

 

Vanessa knelt by Sesshoumaru's head while Saburo went to look at what had become of Mitsue. She brushed a strand of wind-blown hair off of his forehead and stroked the side of his face with the backs of her fingers. Stay with me.

 

“Your touch is filled with such tenderness even though he is not awake to know it, why?” Vanessa jumped and snatched her hand back. She had already forgotten about the presence of the second youkai.

 

“I suppose I shouldn't… `take such liberties with his person,' as he would say,” she said with a wry smile.

 

The other smiled also. “You know him well.”

 

“I'm just worried.”

 

“You must forgive my mate. Saburo loses his manners in a crisis. I am Rai.”

 

“I'm Vanessa,” she said softly.

 

“Saburo has told me about you.”

 

Vanessa winced. “He has?” After everything Mitsue had suggested about her relationship with Sesshoumaru, she wasn't sure she wanted to know what Saburo might have said, but Rai just laughed.

 

“Don't worry. Saburo knows that all is honorable between you. That Mitsue tried to spread a few rumors, but they were nothing that my Saburo couldn't deflect. You truly care for our Sesshoumaru-sama, don't you?” Rai asked, changing the subject. “That is a rare thing.”

 

“Yeah, he can be… frustrating,” Vanessa admitted with a smile. “He's not that easy to get through to.”

 

“I am impressed that you have though.”

 

“Oh, I don't know about that. He's still pretty distant.”

 

“Saburo has told me a little about you - he said there were some things that he couldn't say by Sesshoumaru-sama's orders, but I know that you come from a faraway land and he protected you before you could even speak our tongue. Trust me. You've gotten through. Saburo loves Sesshoumaru-sama like a brother but I don't think my lord realizes it. Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't let anyone close.”

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama trusts Saburo-san. That's got to count for something. The way I understand it, he doesn't trust anyone easily.”

 

“You think so?”

 

“Sure, he said that if for some reason Rin or I couldn't find him, we should go to your mate. I know how much he adores Rin, so if he trusts Saburo-san with her life, then I'd say he's closer than you think.”

 

 

Just then a horde of youkai in healers' robes descended on the courtyard and gently, but firmly pushed Vanessa aside so that they could work. She could only stand to the side and watch. Now that the situation was out of her hands, the adrenaline began draining out of her system and felt helpless to do anything. A small sniff escaped her and she was surprised to find a slender arm around her shoulders. “There, there. No need to worry.” Vanessa turned her face up to Rai beside her.

 

“It's my fault,” Vanessa whispered miserably as they watched the healers do their work.

 

“What is?”

 

“I went outside to talk to Mitsue. She said it was important, but then Sesshoumaru-sama had to come and rescue me. He got hurt because of me.”

 

“There now, don't think like that, Vanessa-chan. Sesshoumaru-sama is strong. He'll be up and about in no time.”

 

“I hope so.” She felt the weight of all of her years of medical school and still she was helpless against the mystery of Sesshoumaru's unconsciousness. “Please,” she whispered to the healers, “Help him.” When Saburo returned to the healers, he knelt beside one that Vanessa assumed was the leader and whispered something to her, which set off a flurry of activity. Soon the healers had hoisted the taiyoukai onto their shoulders and were hurrying into the palace. Only one remained to inspect Mitsue's body. Turning fear-filled eyes on Saburo as he approached her and Rai, Vanessa asked, “Where are they taking him?”

 

“There is a poison is his blood,” he said simply.

 

“But… he'll be fine, won't he?”

 

“Of that I am not certain,” he said gently, placing a clawed hand on her shoulder. “Get some rest. There is nothing you can do at the moment and young Rin will need comforting.” Oh no! Rin! How was she going to explain to the girl what had happened?

 

Worried and certain that she wouldn't be getting to sleep anytime soon, Vanessa asked if Saburo would please let her know when she could see Sesshoumaru and then went back to her room. Rai had asked if she would want to stay with them for the night, but she politely declined, assuring them that if she needed anything she would come to them. She would rather be in more familiar surroundings while she waited.

 

Vanessa crossed the threshold of the suite and immediately went to the door that connected the common room with its twin in Sesshoumaru's suite. She wasn't expecting to find Jaken there, but thought she'd look anyway. Much to her surprise, the little toad was actually there. She still wasn't exactly sure if she liked him - or if he liked her on any level - but she knew that he would want to know what had happened to his master. Telling Rin could wait until morning; let the girl sleep for now.

 

Jaken was asleep in a corner of the room, most likely waiting for Sesshoumaru to return. Vanessa nudged his foot with her toe. “Jaken,” she said softly, but despite her attempts at waking him gently, he squawked in surprise and released a chain of insults centering on the theme of `worthless human.' She just rolled her eyes. By now she was used to his antics and just waited for the storm to subside. “Jaken, listen, Sesshoumaru has been hurt, he's with the healers now. I thought you should know.” As expected, he nearly exploded with a flurry of squawks and questions, most of which Vanessa didn't know the answers to, but she told him that Saburo might know more about what was really wrong than she did.

 

Finally targeting a new victim for his interrogation, Jaken took off down the hall to find out where Sesshoumaru was being treated, while Vanessa retreated to her own room to wash her face and change. She gasped as she caught her reflection in her wardrobe mirror. No wonder Saburo knew right away that something happened to Sesshoumaru. She hadn't realized what a mess she was until then. Bruises were already forming ugly marks on her neck where Mitsue had grabbed her and her face was stained with her tears and Sesshoumaru's blood where he had touched her cheek. Her white yukata had picked up some rather large bloodstains after he collapsed against her.

 

Vanessa scrubbed her face over her washbasin and watched the water turn pink with Sesshoumaru's blood. She stared into the water for a moment, but finally couldn't stand the reminder any longer and dumped the entire contents out her window. Once she had discarded the bloody clothes, she pulled a pair of sweats and a t-shirt off of the shelf. They were familiar and comfortable, and that's what she wanted at the moment. She dressed quickly and returned to the common room to curl up on a pile of cushions - she wanted to be near enough to hear the knock if anyone came for her.

 

At some point, Vanessa succumbed to a fitful sleep filled with dreams of Sesshoumaru bleeding and dying in the grass. Some time later, something woke her - through the fog of her dreams, she thought she heard someone call her name, but when she opened her eyes there was no one else in the room with her. Shaking off the remnants of her dream, she went to the door and peered out into the hallway. No one. I'm stressed and my dreams are freaking me out. Then she heard it again: “Vanessa.” This time, hearing someone quite clearly say her name in an empty room made her more than a little jumpy.

 

“Who's there?” she asked, her voice quaking only a little.

 

“Vanessa, you needn't fear.” A man's voice was much clearer this time and came from the direction of her bedroom. Heart pounding, Vanessa disregarded every instinct she ever had involving strange men in her bedroom and quietly made her way down the hall to her room where a soft light could be seen spilling out of the doorway. Despite hearing his voice, as she reached her doorway, she was surprised to find a man sitting on the edge of her bed, glowing in an ethereal light. There was an odd familiarity about him and she took a moment to study him in silence.

 

“Who…?” she began then drew in a sharp breath. His golden eyes, the stripe on each cheek, the silver-white hair, even his face… “You're… Sesshoumaru's father? But how?” A grin suddenly split his glowing face.

 

“Clever girl,” he praised, “Yes, I am Sesshoumaru's father. I have come to speak with you.” Vanessa noticed then, that while his lips moved, it seemed as though he were speaking directly into her mind, and she understood him perfectly - in English. It really shouldn't have surprised her though, as he was no longer bound by the rules of the living. She approached the bed and sat on the edge beside him.

 

“Why do you want to speak with me?” Vanessa asked, puzzled, and he chuckled.

 

“I wish to speak of Sesshoumaru, of course.”

 

At the mention of his name, Vanessa felt tears of guilt sting her eyes and she couldn't hold them back. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, never noticing the other move closer until his strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her to his chest. “Hush now, dear one,” he soothed, while she clung to him as she had to her own father as a child.

 

“H-he got hurt protecting me. It's all my fault. I said that he should let Mitsue stay for a while. I left my room to talk to her. He might die and it's all my fault!” Her tears were soaking through the ghostly white silk of his haori, but she couldn't stop them. Then Sesshoumaru's father abruptly pulled away and gently lifted her chin to look her in the eye.

 

“Listen to me: this was not your fault. Sesshoumaru makes his own decisions. I more than anyone know the truth of that, but do not fear. Sesshoumaru is strong. He'll pull through.”

 

Vanessa sniffed, “He will? He'll be okay?” They youkai nodded, pulling her to him again. She felt like a child in her father's arms: safe and protected.

 

“He is strong, but he needs you,” he said as he combed through her hair with his clawed fingertips.

 

“What can I do?”

 

“Let him know you care. He will never admit it to anyone, but he feels lost. He needs you by his side.”

 

His words were a shock and Vanessa couldn't help but to stare at him. “Me? Why me?”

 

“Do you not care for my son?” he asked with a smile. “When he wakes, he will try to distance himself from you and Rin. He will say that this is proof that attachments make him weak, but do not give up on him. He is as stubborn as they come, but somehow you have begun to break through his barriers. He has let you closer than anyone else, even his childhood friend. Has he told you of Atsuko?”

 

“A little, just that they were intended to be mates but she betrayed him and died because of it. He didn't really seem like he wanted to talk about her much.”

 

“I see. It is not my place to say more than that, but after that event he closed himself off, refused to allow anyone to get close. He never made it obvious, but I had never before seen him more lost and broken. I died soon after that and haven't been able to give him the guidance that I wanted to. Since then he had become content to be alone, but then Rin came along and began chipping away at the ice encasing his heart. And now, here you are. He is finally healing, but he still views love and compassion as a weakness. Be the friend that I know you are to him. Be by his side and call him back from the darkness.”

 

He made it sound so easy. “How do I do that?”

 

“You will know what to do.”

 

“I want to see him. I promised him that I wouldn't leave, but when the healers came, they wouldn't allow me near. I haven't seen him since they took him away. I want to know that he'll be okay.”

 

Sesshoumaru's father was quiet for a moment, as though he were listening to someone or something. Finally he turned back to Vanessa with a small smile. “They are bringing him to his chambers now. You should go to him, if only for a little while. If anyone questions your presence, tell them that the Inu no Taisho commands it. I was the last hold that title so they will know what it means and will probably be too frightened to object,” he said with a laugh. “My time here grows short and there will be a knock on your door in a few moments. Do not be afraid when you see my son. Trust in his strength.”

 

Vanessa jumped when a knock sounded on the hall door and when she turned back Sesshoumaru's father was gone, leaving the room eerily dark and quiet. “Thank you,” she whispered into the empty room and hurried to answer the door.

 

Saburo stood in the doorway when Vanessa pulled open the door, and he didn't seem very surprised that she was awake. “The healers have cleaned the wound so it should heal in a day or two, but there is still poison in his blood,” he said. “An antidote could not be found, so we have to hope that it will pass from his system naturally.” He looked away for a moment then, as though unsure how to go on. “Vanessa-san, you must understand that there is the possibility that he will not awaken. If this is the case, we must make arrangements to see you and Rin safely away.”

 

“He'll come through,” Vanessa said firmly before he could go on. “Everyone keeps saying how strong he is, so… He'll fight. I know it. He's too stubborn to die this way.”

 

Saburo nodded, “It is up to him now. He is being placed in his bed and a healer will return in the morning.”

 

“Arigato, Saburo-san,” Vanessa said, giving him a bow before he left.

 

She waited in the doorway between their suites until the healers cleared out then rushed to Sesshoumaru's bedroom and knelt beside his raised futon. They had dressed him in a new robe, but he looked terrible. It hadn't been more than a few hours since he fell, but already his face was pale - not the clean ivory of his natural skin color, but taking on an almost grayish tinge. There were shadows under his eyes and strands of silver hair were plastered by sweat to his forehead. In short, he looked like a shadow of his normal self.

 

A cursory glance around the room told Vanessa that this wasn't a place designed with the comfort of those waiting for a patient to wake up in mind, so she left briefly to haul an oversized cushion in from the next room. Finally finding a comfortable position, she took Sesshoumaru's hand in both of her own. “Sesshoumaru,” she began, almost, but not quite, feeling silly starting a one-sided conversation. “You're a fighter, even I know that much, so beat whatever it is inside of you and come back to us. I know you can.”

 

He still made no response - she hadn't really been expecting one, but maybe he had heard her? Vanessa looked down at his hand in hers and suddenly felt an overwhelming curiosity. Maybe it was the thought that this might be the only chance she got, or maybe it was that she needed something to take her mind off of how still he seemed, but whatever possessed her, she turned his hand over and traced the twin stripes on his wrist. They fascinated her; they looked like they could be tattoos or paint of some sort, but they were natural markings on his skin. She wondered if his colored skin was any more or less sensitive than his “normal” skin, but she also didn't think the time would ever be right to ask such a question.

 

Her examination traveled to the tips of his long fingers where his sharp claws caught her eye. They looked like normal fingernails at the base, except that they were much, much thicker. She supposed they would have to be for them to be used as weapons and not be ripped out. They were also much longer than human men kept their nails and tapered to a sharp point, curving slightly. It was natural though, not as if he had filed them to a point.

 

Vanessa's curiosity grew to a new level and she felt compelled to test the sharpness of Sesshoumaru's claws with her thumb, like one might test the sharpness of a blade. He'd kill me if he knew… Still, she wasn't deterred by that thought, and ended up giving a small hiss when the tip caught on her skin and a tiny bead of blood appeared. That'll teach me, I guess. But as she sucked on the tip of her thumb, she thought she saw Sesshoumaru's brow twitch. Her hand dropped to her lap as she stared, hoping for something more, but he made no other movement. “Where are you?” she asked, moving the strands of hair off of his forehead. Hm, I wonder… Could Shizu could `see.'

 

She'd wait until morning when the others were awake to find the winged horse and ask her about searching Sesshoumaru's mind. Most likely, he would be very opposed to the idea of someone else in his mind, but it was something. Until then, she would wait.

 

Vanessa glanced about the room - she had been in there once or twice before, but had never really studied her surroundings. It always seemed like it was Sesshoumaru's private sanctum and that she was intruding on his personal space - it still felt that way, but if he awoke, she wanted someone to be there to greet him, and at the moment, she was the only one around. Let him know him you care…

 

The room was sparsely, but tastefully decorated with a few scrolls and paintings adorning the walls. On the floor, on either side of the bed, were woven rugs, and the furniture was a dark, polished wood. He had a wardrobe and a chest of drawers on one wall and two windows with a mirror in between on another. Below the mirror was a short table with a basin and a pitcher of water on top and a stack of towels on a shelf below. Vanessa glanced at Sesshoumaru and bit her lip, and then, coming to a decision, she rose from her seat on the cushion and went to the table with the pitcher.

 

As she walked past the chest of drawers, a bit of gold glinted in the dim lamplight. Curious, Vanessa made a slight detour from the water and found that the gold was actually a comb. She picked it up and admired the engravings on the ivory handle. On one side was a crescent moon like the one on Sesshoumaru's forehead; while on the other was a scene of a dog howling on a mountaintop. The image was tiny, but the detail was amazing. She held onto it and continued to the table and, taking a few towels, picked up the heavy porcelain pitcher before returning to Sesshoumaru. Setting the pitcher, towels and comb on the low bedside table, she turned to the sleeping taiyoukai. She stared at him and wondered briefly how she expected to comb his hair when most of it lay under his body. Maybe when the healers or Saburo came back she'd ask them to help her turn him so it could be pulled it to the side and be freed it from his weight. Vanessa cast the thought aside for the moment and turned to the task she had initially set out to do.

 

Dipping one of the towels into the water, Vanessa gently washed Sesshoumaru's face, all the while admiring the markings that made him unique. He had taken care of her almost since the moment she arrived in his time and she was happy to return the favor - she only wished it didn't have to be under these circumstances. Satisfied that Sesshoumaru's face was clean and dry, Vanessa placed the towel on the floor and once again took his hand in one of hers while she pillowed her head on her other arm on the edge of his bed. For a while she just stared at him, willing him to wake up until finally her own eyelids drooped in exhaustion. “See you in the morning,” she whispered, hoping it would be true.

 

VvVvVvVvV

 

Darkness.

 

He didn't know where he was or how long he'd been there, but when he opened his eyes, he could see nothing in the blinding darkness that surrounded him. He took a deep steadying breath and found he was surrounded by the scent of lilacs in the rain. Slowly, a dim light like that of a candle appeared around him, a circle of light that extended just beyond the span of his outstretched arms, and he saw that he was in some sort of a cave or tunnel. He knew he hadn't always been there, but… where was he before?

 

There was a whispered promise on the breeze and suddenly the soothing lilac scent was gone. He spun around, trying to catch the scent again, but it was no use. As the last traces of that scent drifted away, cruel laughter echoed off of the tunnel walls. Something about it set his nerves on edge, but eventually that sound also drifted away and he was left alone in the silent semi-darkness.

 

Where am I? he asked himself. He took a few steps forward and found that the light followed him. There was no obvious source for the light, but if it meant that he wasn't going to have to search the paths of this labyrinth in pitch-blackness, he wasn't going to complain. It didn't solve the problem of determining precisely where he was or how to get out, though. He decided that he had two options now, one: choose a path and hope it was correct, or two: sit and wait for the solution to be revealed.

 

Somehow, through all of the uncertainty, he knew that the lilac scent was the key, but what to do? Hope to find the scent down some random path? Wait for it to return? He growled and raked the wall nearest to him with his claws in frustration. Claws…? Glancing from his hands to the channels he had carved in the stone with that one swipe, an idea came to him. He couldn't just sit and wait - the silence and the oppressive walls of the tunnel would drive him mad. If I mark my progress… He chose a path at random and at each turn he made, he slashed the wall on either side of the corner of the direction he took. It didn't really feel like he was making any progress, but at least he was moving, at least he was going something. If he came to a dead end and had to turn back, now he would know the way to where he had started.

 

Hours seemed to pass before he detected the first faint traces of lilac and rain showers. Have I found the correct path? Am I going the right way? It seemed too much to ask, but then just as the thought crossed his mind, he came to a crossroad. He could still smell the lilac scent, but couldn't place the source. Growling low in his chest, he turned and faced each possible direction. The source was close - he could feel it! But where?

 

Suddenly the scent enveloped him like an embrace and he inhaled deeply to further memorize it. Something about it tickled his memory, but whatever it was he was trying to remember still eluded him. He pushed it from his mind for the moment and focused on the direction of the scent, finding the correct path. Whispers accompanied the scent, but he couldn't make out the words. They weren't really important, but somehow comforting just the same.

 

As he followed the path, his circle of light seemed to expand and the scent changed slightly. He sniffed. What is that? The scent didn't change exactly, more like something was added to it. A salty metallic scent mingled with the lilac and he knew that something was not right. Those two scents were not supposed to mix.

 

A soft whimpering suddenly reached his ears and he paused to looked down. Had he taken another step, he would have stepped on the child. He knelt down so that he was on her level and gently took her small chin in his hand. “What is wrong, little one?”

 

She looked up at him with large violet eyes shining from previously spilled tears. Her hair was pulled back into a high tail, blonde ringlets falling down her back. “I fell and scraped my knee, see?” she said, showing him the abrasion. That was it - the scent mingled with the lilac and rain. It was blood. More importantly, however, the lilac scent was strongest around this little girl. Is she the key?

 

“How did you fall?” he asked, gently brushing dirt from the scratch. He was surprised when she giggled.

 

“I wasn't paying attention and tripped. It was silly, really.”

 

“Not at all. You are being very brave.” What is she doing alone, here of all places?

 

“I am?” She stared up at him with those wide violet eyes. Why did he seem to know them? What was he forgetting?

 

“I would not say it if I did not think so.” She giggled again. “Child, what is your name?”

 

The little girl looked up at him and cocked her head slightly. “I don't have a name,” she stated with a shrug.

 

“No name? We must change that.” He stood, lifting the girl with him and making her squeal with delight. “I will call you Tenshi, for you a little angel come to earth.” Then he slowly lowered her to the ground and let her think about her new name.

 

“Tenshi…” she said, trying it out on her tongue, “I like it! What's your name?”

 

He opened his mouth to answer her, but stopped. When he tried to think of his name, his mind drew a blank. Was he also nameless? He frowned, puzzled - he was certain that he had been called something before, but his mind was cloudy when it came to anything involving his past. “You may call me… Nanashi,” he told the girl.

 

“Nanashi? But you're too pretty to not have a name.”

 

Nanashi snorted. On some level, he knew that if anyone else had dared to call him “pretty,” there would be dire consequences. “So are you, but now we both have names for one another.” He gave the girl a small smile, which she returned with a toothy grin of her own.

 

“Nanashi?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Will you come with me?”

 

“Where are you going, Tenshi?”

 

“Home.”

 

Home… If I knew where I was, perhaps I might find my way home too… “It would be an honor, lead the way.” Tenshi gave him another wide grin and wrapped her tiny fist around the fingers of his right hand before tugging him down one of the side tunnels. Can you lead me home too?

 

 

 

A/N: So… I know it's sort of a literary faux pas to use a pronoun without it being attached to a noun, but… I figure, if “Nanashi” didn't know who he was, then maybe the reader shouldn't either. Although… I doubt there are many who don't know who he is. Still. My story, my rules, right?

 

Anyway, it's somewhat (a lot) shorter than normal, but this seemed like a good stopping place.

 

Names:

Tenshi - a spirit similar to an angel or fairy. I'm not sure if that's how it would be used as a name, but I used it anyway.

Nanashi - Unnamed one, hence the “You're too pretty to not have a name.”