InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Naraku's Expiriment ❯ Stay With Me ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter 22 ~ Stay With Me

 

She wondered what to do. Then, Autumn realized that there was always something you could do in a situation like this. Run like there's a pissed off demon after you. Quickly, she took Kirara from Rin and started running hopefully before anyone could react. There were so many rooms, and she could hear his footsteps right behind her. After a speed-session of eenie, meenie, minie, mo, Autumn vouched for the heavy wooden door with the old fashioned iron ring handle. After opening the door, she realized that she had been far luckier than she ever could have dreamed.

 

The room was an armory full of places to hide, and lying on a worktable was her sword. As she examined the blade she wondered, Did he…polish it?

 

A sound from behind caused her to turn around. Sesshoumaru stood there, shadows playing over his face like some dark creature of the night. Kirara mewed shrilly, burrowing deeper into the crook of Autumn's arm and Autumn had to fight the urge to do the same thing herself. He looked so damn creepy.

 

But still really, really gorgeous.

 

Damn it, brain! Who's side are you on?

 

“Did you think you could run?”

 

“I was kind of hoping I could, yeah,” she said, looking past him towards the door. She could probably make it, if she distracted him first.

 

Without a word, he slammed the door shut behind him as he walked into the room.

 

Oh shiitake mushrooms…

 

Point of View Switch Sesshoumaru

 

Sesshoumaru looked at the hanyou. She was very afraid, but wasn't quite daring enough to try and attack him with the sword. More comparisons with your half brother?

 

She just isn't the type to lop someone's arm off. Boy, that memory pissed him off just thinking about it. He still hadn't forgiven the little half-breed bastard for that, even though it had healed. It'd be an arm for an arm if he had anything to say about it. He broke from his dark thoughts, realizing the hanyou was slowly trying to edge past him towards the door, but when he made a soft growl, she stopped walking and stared at him.

 

I can't have her scared.

 

Oh? And why not? Didn't you intend to kill her?

 

…

 

No? Then why did you follow her down here?

 

He didn't have an answer to that question either. Instead, he walked away a bit, giving the hanyou some more space. She relaxed noticeably once she found out that he didn't intend to harm her. Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall, brooding, until he heard her voice ring out in the silence.

 

“Are the tenseiga and tojikin here?”

 

He looked up at her question. How in all the levels of hell did she know of his swords? Then he realized. Toto-Sai had probably told her all about him…and she had been traveling with his brother for a bit. She must have heard all sorts of stories about him and his lust for power and blood. Now he was mad again, and she hadn't even done anything yet.

 

Cursed half-brother.

 

“No.” She was still looking at him, and to Sesshoumaru's surprise, he found himself saying more. “Basic weapons, mostly. Nothing a lower level youkai couldn't manage.”

 

What are you doing?

 

“Ah.” She walked over and started fiddling with a rusty katana. He pondered on this. Humans always had to meddle with things. More often than not, he had seen Rin playing with the stitching of her kimono, pulling up grass, playing with flowers. Why couldn't they just sit still? Sesshoumaru himself stood as still as a statue, leaning against the wall. “I heard…the tenseiga couldn't kill.”

 

What? He wondered, straightening slightly.

 

“Yes, that is true.” If the little bitch was going to start making fun of him and his weaponry he was going to kill her right here and now.

 

She hesitated, clearly wondering if she should go on. “I think…that a healing sword is a good thing. There's far too many things that destroy. So something that helps more people is good. It makes you a better person”

 

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe his ears. A sword, in her eyes, was worthless? They made such efficient weapons. Silent, quick, and lethal like some kind of highly poisonous viper. Didn't she feel that rush when taking the life from some pitiful creature bit by bit?

 

She said that makes me a better…person. Does she see me morally better than Inuyasha?

 

Point of View Switch Autumn

 

He looked as though this was an idea that had never occurred to him. Oh please. Don't tell me he was just bent on destruction…

 

It would make sense. Kaede said his name means murderer.

 

Slowly, Sesshoumaru lowered his eyes to her face, watching her. It was almost as though he could read every single one of her thoughts. Well thank God he can't, she thought. Yet, what was with that look? It wasn't hatred…or annoyance…if she didn't know better, she'd say it was…

 

“---demon blade.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Tojikin is a demon blade,” he repeated patiently.

 

“That's the evil one, right?”

 

He frowned and she wondered if she should've kept her mouth shut. “It's a fine blade, crafted from the fang of one of Naraku's monsters.”

 

Autumn cringed and backed away a few steps when she heard that name. “Why would you want a sword like that? From him?”

 

Sesshoumaru shrugged, “It was powerful. I withstood its power.”

 

“The origin didn't matter to you as long as you got more power?” she couldn't believe this. Naraku was evil. No…he surpassed evil. Autumn didn't even have words to describe him, but Sesshoumaru was wielding a sword from one of his incarnations? It seemed so…beneath him.

 

Gods, he's more like his brother than he knows. Just more aristocratic. Although, if I want to walk out of here with my head fastened on properly, maybe I'd better not say anything.

 

“I really should go,” Autumn said. “I promised I'd be back and I borrowed a friend's…er…ride to get here.”

 

Kirara mewed. Since Autumn no longer was afraid, she had relaxed, sensing that there was probably no danger.

 

Autumn started to walk by him and this time he did not growl, nor did he move to block her path. He merely looked down at her with an expression that she could not read. She moved a little closer to the door experimentally and opened it a crack. The sliver of light that fell into the room made his eyes glow like fire. Still he did nothing.

 

“You're letting me leave?”

 

He didn't answer.

 

Okay, this whole `vow of silence' thing is really getting on my nerves. “I can't take it anymore. Say something!” When she got no response she added, “Anything!” As long as you just fucking speak!

 

She sighed and turned to go. It's not like it mattered anyway. She was just a little hanyou passing through, stuck in the wrong place at the wrong time. He didn't have to talk with her. If she was in his position, would she talk to him? Probably…but that's me talking. Autumn shook her head and pushed open the door. She had taken no more than one step outside when she heard him say something.

 

“What was that?” she asked, facing him.

 

He stood up, looked at her again, and left.

 

Unless she had very much been mistaken, he had said, `Stay with me.'