InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lost World ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

<i><b> ;Lost World</i>< /b>

 

By: OtakuSailorV

 

<i>Chapter Four - Strange</i>

 

“A human girl. Oh, a human. What's a human doing here? Lord Sesshoumaru brought it back from the Enchanted Wood. What was it doing out there?”

 

Soft, whispered voices spoke above and all around Rin as her mind slowly started to come back into awareness. It felt leaden, as if she had been knocked unconscious instead of just plain falling asleep. Her muscles would respond to no orders that she gave them; everything was dead weight, she could not even open her eyes more than a fraction of an inch, and her eyelashes blocked most of her view.

 

Idle thoughts skimmed through her head, none of them really hitting home yet. <i>`Where am I? Who's that talking? Can't they see I'm trying to rest here? Oh well, might as well get up now. . .Hey, why won't my body move?'</i> Groggily, she tried to open one of her eyes and found herself staring at a tatami mat flooring, and the bottom of several kimono's, the tips of their owner's feet sticking out from under them.

 

A gasp rippled through, and several of the feet moved, scurrying. “It's waking up. Quick! Someone tell Lord Inutaishou! The humans waking up!” They called, no longer trying to be discreet.

 

Rin twitched at the loud voices breaking in on her, her mind sharpened with the noises, but they sent a dull pain shooting through her skull every time they spoke. She wanted to speak, to tell them off for making her head hurt so much, but her tongue didn't move right, and her lips dully parted. “Uh. . .” Was all she managed to get out. She felt horrible and particularly stupid for the incoherent word that had just poured from her.

 

Her muscles came to life rapidly after that, and she slowly raised herself up on her arms shakily, trying to avoid getting a head-rush. But it came anyway, and she held herself in place for a moment, dizzy. Black and other colored splotches appeared before her eyes, and she felt herself narrowing her eyes as she tried to focus.

 

Looking up and around, she opened her mouth, forcing herself to think straight for a moment so she could get out an intelligent word or two. “Where am I?” She wondered aloud, sitting back on her knees and rubbing at her eyes with the heel of one hand. Her vision improved somewhat, but the splotches persisted for some time after still.

 

The people she had heard, and the few she had spotted the feet of seemed to have disappeared from sight, and not one of them had said anything to her. <i>`That's rude.'</i> She thought to herself as she peered around. Of course, she corrected herself, she wasn't one to talk. She was the one who had passed out on that guy in the forest hadn't she. Wait, was she still in the forest?

 

The room was large, a little larger than her room back at her home, but was unfurnished. The Tatami mats were hard as a rock, and the futon pillow her head had been resting on had made her neck stiff. The blankets wrapped around her, though warmed from her body heat, were stiff and made her itch where it rubbed against bare skin.

 

Yes, the forest was definitely gone, but where was she now? The people from before had mentioned a `Lord Sesshoumaru' finding her in the forest, hadn't they? And what were they going on about her being a `human' and an `it' as if she were some gross, disgusting being from beyond? Was the `Lord Sesshoumaru' the person that she had met in the forest?

 

<i>`But I didn't name him that in my stories.'</i> Rin thought, then mentally kicked herself. Of course she had not! She had not named the character sketch of that person at all. Nor had she filled in any statistics either. It was but an empty sheet with just a drawing. She had fallen asleep the night before at her desk and had not finished it. She had been eagerly anticipating finishing it the following day but then she got sucked into <i>this</i> place.

 

She shivered at the eerie thought that maybe she wasn't <i>supposed</i> to finish it.

 

Wobbling, she tried to take a few steps forward and stumbled. She caught herself before she was thrown off balance, and tried to walk again. The process did not repeat, but she was careful not to trod too heavily on her weak legs. Her head still swam and she briefly wondered why she felt so achy. She vaguely was aware that she was shaking and that she felt awfully fatigued for one who had just woken from a decent nap.

 

Looking at her hands skeptically, she noticed that they shook violently of their own accord. An empty, aching pain in her gut answered the question forming in her mind.

 

She was shaking because she had not eaten anything since lunch. But who knew how long ago that lunch had been. Days? Maybe only hours like it would have been back home. But from her body's reaction, she could tell that was untrue. Obviously some time had elapsed between her last meal and now to make her feel this way.

 

Rin recalled what she had read in a science fiction book about someone who had gotten tossed into other dimensions, though they had gone willingly and had used their own power. The strain on that person's body in the different time period had made them weak. Maybe it was the same with her. Could she possibly be having some kind of normal reaction to being displaced in time and space, if that was truly what was happening? <i>`What if I'm trapped in my own mind, and not some different world?'</i>

 

A shiver ran up her spine and she brushed the thoughts aside for now. The most important thing at the moment would be to get an explanation as to where she was and hopefully a meal as well.

 

Having finally reached the shouji door, she pressed on the frame lightly, testing its strength as she leaned against it, breathing deeper than she usually did. She felt so weak, her muscles and bones ached just from standing upright.

 

A small, exhausted sigh escaped her lips silently, making her shoulders sag. Carefully and slowly, she opened the door. It slipped silently back; now Rin knew why she had not heard the people that had been in her room leave. The doors around her home definitely weren't this silently stealthy.

 

Looking either way down the hall, she found that there was no one to be seen anywhere. Sucking in her breath for a moment, she waited, listening intently for any sound, even the whisper of fabric against fabric as some strode by, the dull sound of feet padding on the ground. Keeping quite still, she tried to see if she could feel the tremors of someone walking under her own feet. Which she had discovered she could do at times if the person had a heavy foot, and the floor was the kind that let pressure burst outward in rippling waves, like water.

 

Still, nothing.

 

Letting out the breath she had held, she stepped out. Though not for one moment did she let her guard down. For some reason she felt like she was escaping and the terror of the chase, the thrill of pursuit pumped through her blood suddenly, making her muscles suddenly thrive with what she identified as adrenaline, something that would soon be exhausted if she dared use it.

 

Tentatively, Rin opened her mouth, turning her head every which way possible as she stepped out and closed the shouji door back behind her. “Hello?” She called in a quiet tone. Then, more loudly: “Hello?”

 

There was no answer, nothing moved. There was nobody around. Had she imagined the mysterious voices? No, that was ridiculous, she had seen some of them, though it had only been from the waist down. Still, that was proof enough that she had not been hallucinating. . .

 

Sighing heavily, Rin turned down the hallway, plodding along, not minding who heard her footsteps. As she turned the corner at the far end though, the sound of feet coming down the opposite end, heading toward the opposite corner were heard. There were a few sets, meaning more than two people, but no more than five were walking down the wood-paneled floors. Rin turned in interest, though instinct screamed immediately and urged her to move as fast as she could. Reason kept her frozen in place though. The two were often in conflict inside of her. She usually listened to instinct over reason, since it seemed to know something that reason did not at all times, but reason came with curiosity as well this time around, so she kept still. Frozen tot he spot, she could only watch and listen.

 

However, when the figures were almost fully seen, she somehow found that she had slipped around the corner and now peered at them, pressed against the wall tightly in the shadows. She felt utterly childish when she realized that instinct had taken over and moved her. When she pondered the action further, reason informed her that instinct would not have moved her if it had thought she were safe being seen in the open.

 

The few brief seconds that this exchange occurred in brought the group of travelers around the corner. Rin found to her surprise that it was not five people coming around the corner, but simply three. The narrow halls must have made the sound of the footsteps reverberate off the walls and make a grander noise that had fooled her into believing that there were more people than there really were.

 

They look all the same. Silky black hair that fell no further than the shoulder's and was cut no shorter than the tips of the ears hung about their faces, obscuring her view of their faces. She could only see their profile's now, since when she had finally regained her senses after the inner debate, they had stopped and turned toward the shouji door she had come out of. Her heart sped up as she realized in a flash that she was the one that they were going to be looking in on. And she was not there!

 

Her muscles filled with the power of adrenaline again as she awaited the cry of shock that she knew would come. She would not be realized from her frozen position, pressed against the wooden frame until she heard it, she knew that much. For even now her legs were rigid, not budging no matter how much she ordered them too. Suspense weighed heavily on her.

 

A gasp came from the leader of the three, sending a ripple of shock bursting outward. It hit Rin in a wave and she immediately detached herself from the wall. In the same split second a cry went up from the lead guard. “The human girl has escaped! Quick, follow her scent!” He cried in a strange tone of voice that Rin had never heard before. Despite her curiosity about the voice tone of the leader, she would not be caught and immediately whirled.

 

Turning down the expanse of hallway, everything was a blur. Her legs moved in a swift kick forward, but her momentum was abruptly stopped short as she collided with something.

 

It was soft, warm, almost inviting in a way, though solid too and firm. Without any thought to it, she registered that she had run into another person. “Ah, sorry.” She said, lifting her eyes in apology as she prepared to dodge around the person she had hit.

 

Rin stopped dead, golden eyes holding her in place. The placid, stern look in his eyes fixed on her brown eyes, and she felt immobilized with shock. Silver bangs hung over his eyes, some of them dipped down in front of the golden orbs and mixed in, creating a stunning illusion of color.

 

It was the man from the forest!!

 

A small breath escaped from her lips as she narrowed her eyes in scrutiny. He made no sign that it bothered him at all as she tilted her head slightly to one side in her curiosity of what was before her.

 

Behind her, the footsteps approached so fast, that by the time she remembered her plight, it was too late to react. They had turned the corner. Fleeing now would only prove futile. Though her muscles did jump in surprise.

 

“There she is!” One of the guards cried out.

 

Rin's heart quickened, and her breath hitched in her throat, eyes widening in animalistic terror. Feeling like a deer caught in the headlights, all she could do was watch as they came closer and grabbed hold of her tightly.

 

She immediately moved, sharply twisting away from their grasping hands. Dancing to one side, she managed to dodge away from them, though the action left her feel exposed again. There was nowhere to run. The movement had only proved to infuriate them further. To her right stood the silver haired male, the one she had pictured so lovingly in her mind, and had sketched so perfectly on paper at her home. And to her left stood the guards, baring gleaming white teeth at her in frustration.

 

“Hold still, wench.” On of them growled, darting forward and holding her still as the second came and clasped hold of her other shoulder.

 

Defiantly, Rin tossed her shoulders, glaring at them. They would not shake off though, and she felt something-sharp stab into her suddenly on either shoulder. Gasping, she looked sidelong to see long, pointed claws piercing through the top of her uniform into her arm slightly.

 

The leader turned toward the silver-haired male that was watching her intently the entire time, though his poker-faced expression betrayed none of his inner contemplation. Bowing low and humbly, the black-haired guard spoke: “I'm sorry for the interruption, Lord Sesshoumaru.”

 

Rin looked to him sharply, narrowing her eyes in curious scrutiny again. So, he <i>was</i> the Lord she had heard spoken of. Not that she had doubted it, but she had rather hoped he was not. <i>`Oh dear, I created a prince.'</i>

 

Sesshoumaru made no reply only continued to stare at Rin. The feeling of his eyes burrowing into her made her irritated. What was so interesting about her? She was no more a spectacle than he was, was she?

 

Now, turning toward his men, he motioned for them to follow. “Come on then, we've re-captured the human.” He ordered loudly.

 

“Halt.”

 

It was the first time she had heard that voice since that time in the forest. There was a note of command in it, and the entire vacinity seemed to still. The guards stopped, the two holding Rin looked up at him in silent, frightened question.

 

Rin looked at him in surprise.

 

“S-Sesshoumaru-sama?” The guard asked nervously, thinking he had done something to offend to prestigious young Lord. If so, he knew that nothing short of death awaited him.

 

Sesshoumaru swept forward in precise motion, a regal air radiating off of him. Stepping up directly before the two guards holding Rin, he loomed over them in what would have been a threatening manner. The two guards instantly backed away, releasing Rin who stared up into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes in question.

 

She was not frightened, something that she herself was rather surprised at. She was sure she would be with the taller figure standing over her, casting his long, dark shadow over her menacingly, but she felt nothing but curiosity toward the man. She wondered continuously about how all of this had come to be.

 

He turned his eyes away from her after a moment and spoke to the guards in that cool, empty tone that she found he constantly used. “I will take over from here, Ojiro.” He informed the black-haired head-guard.

 

Ojiro made a face and seemed to become nervous. “Ah, but, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord Inutaishou ordered that the human be kept in confinement until-”

 

“Nothing was said about disobeying my father's order.” Sesshoumaru interjected.

 

“But-” Ojiro started, but composed himself after a short pause and nodded, bowing. The two guards came behind him and bowed in unison after him. “Sorry to have bothered you, Lord Sesshoumaru.” Ojiro stated before turning on his heel and going back down the hallway.

 

Rin watched as they disappeared around the corner. She could tell that Ojiro was still uncertain about letting Sesshoumaru take over, but he was not about to disobey a direct order from the young prince.

 

When they had gone, Rin visibly relaxed, sighing openly. “Thanks.” She said, more out of habit than actual thanks. Still, she felt safer with him than being dragged around by those guards. Even if she was going to end up in the same place, she preferred the character she had tailored herself than those minor guards that she didn't remember ever actually creating. Though there was something familiar about that name `Ojiro.' Had she been planning on using it for one of her characters at one time?

 

And that other one Ojiri had spoken of: `Inutaishou.' How strange that two such familiar names should come up at the same time.

 

She broke from her reverie, noticing that Sesshoumaru's intense golden gaze was fixed on her again. She smiled despite herself; that was her initial reaction to being stared at. She couldn't help it; her lips peeled back in a big grin no matter how hard she tried to keep a straight face.

 

“Uhm, hi.” She greeted self-consciously. Sesshoumaru made no reply; nothing on his face even registered that she had spoken. “Thanks for that back there.” She repeated her sentence from before, elaborating on it a little.

 

He still did not reply. Rin fidgeted slightly, wondering what to do. <i>`If I had just created a personality for him, maybe I wouldn't be so nervous. I can't anticipate what his reaction to anything will be.'</i> She thought dejectedly.

 

<i>`Gah! You're dealing with a real person, idiot, not some story book character!!'</i> She beat herself up inwardly for such idiotic thoughts.

 

Turning her attention back to Sesshoumaru, she lifted her eyes, curious again. Cocking her head to one side slightly, she wasn't aware of how childish she appeared.

 

“You're Sesshoumaru?” She stated more than asked. He didn't answer, still investigating her thoroughly in that level manner.

 

Rin opened her mouth to say something else, but was cut short as another, annoyingly high-pitched tone cut through. “Sesshoumaru-sama!! Sesshoumaru-sama!!”

 

Rin made a face at the sound; what sounded like wet feet slapping against the floor in a mad run was heard as the screeching continued on.

 

Sesshoumaru turned his head toward a diminutive green and brown figure down the hallway to his right. In one of it's stubby brown-clothed arms it held a thin staff with two bulbous orbs intertwined at the top. Rin's eyebrows raised in confusion upon seeing the figure. He was so tiny and loud. . .he just had to be. . .

 

<i>`A youkai?!'</i>

 

Her heart leapt into her throat in bliss at the prospect. She had wanted to see one all her life, and here one was running toward her in plain daylight. She grinned brightly at it as it came closer. Noticing her smile out of the corner of his eyes, Sesshoumaru looked over at her for a moment before turning his gaze back to the small green youkai.

 

“What is it, Jaken?”

 

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