InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Last Phoenix Demon Trilogy Part I: Freedom of the Fire Bird ❯ Defenseless ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the other characters from that anime. I do own the Sora in this story though as I have developed her character so please ask my permission if you are to use this character.

This is actually the combination of the original chapters 4 and 5 so it is slightly longer than the previous revised chapters with minor changes. For those of you who have read this before, it is not necessary to read it again. I thought the chapters should be longer since this story would have a lot of events later and I don't want to put too many short chapters out.

Thanks to those who reviewed!

`The Last Phoenix Demon Trilogy Part I: Freedom of the Fire Bird'

By Fenikkusu Ice

Chapter 3:

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Sesshoumaru's gaze fell upon Sora as she stepped out of the small stone house. She appeared to be so much more radiant in natural light. Her black hair actually shined a chestnut brown and the red hair that framed her face was actually a brilliant vermilion. Her eyes sparkled like amethyst, and her skin held a healthy clean complexion.

He frowned inwardly as he glimpsed at her now torn fighter's suit, and bleeding wrists and ankles. He noticed that a trail of blood was behind her and realized that her back must be bleeding as well. He was impressed that this human girl had the strength to stand without wavering once, yet she must have lost a lot of blood. `What am I doing? This human girl should not have survived that ordeal. She is no different than any other human,' he told himself. Yet he could not deny her beauty.

Sora felt eyes on her, but she gave no indication that she noticed as she glanced at her surroundings. They were at a clearing; there was a trail leading to village. She could tell that the village was not her master's village, and it was very far away. She could still feel the taiyoukai's eyes on her. `What the hell does he find so amusing about me? Is he angry that he did not spill my blood?' She was getting very annoyed. She narrowed her eyes and glared at the taiyoukai. "Well?" she growled.

The sound of her voice and her growl startled Sesshoumaru, even though he did not show it. He recovered quickly and fixed his emotionless gaze on hers.

When he did not answer, while still glaring at him, Sora said, "First we must go to my master's village. I need to retrieve some things there."

Sesshoumaru's emotionless eyes suddenly narrowed and formed an ice-cold gaze at her own eyes. `How dare she make these demands? To this Sesshoumaru no less?' As quick as lightning, he grabbed her neck and pushed her against the wall of the house. Normally he would not have acted like this but this girl had already infuriated and irritated him and had lived.

"Listen to me woman, and listen well. Do not defy this Sesshoumaru," he said calmly but his golden eyes revealed his emotion. The girl's eyes showed no fear however and that fact once again only fueled his anger.

"If you want the Tetsusaiga then I need some things to get it," Sora said simply with her hands on his arm.

For some reason, seeing her blood drip freely from her wrists bothered him, so he let go, while maintaining his stoic mask. He said nothing, still looking into her eyes.

Sora kept her glare and asked him (more like demanded him), "Where's the Tai village?"

Sesshoumaru pointed to the direction where she had seen another village that was closest to her location. Sora looked at that direction and she could make out traces of smoke and fire. It was not her village but she wanted to help.

Sesshoumaru watched as Sora's expression turned to one of panic. "Sesshoumaru, can you get me to that village quickly," she said worried and pointed to the village.

He turned to that direction and he replied, "That is not your village. You should not bother with them. It is not of my concern."

Sora's anger got the best of her. "Look I will NOT sit around and let people die, you understand? Cause I AM NOT leaving until I save them."

Sesshoumaru gave her his coldest gaze and even then she didn't back down. `This human must be strange indeed to not fear me. Perhaps it is quicker to let her `save' those people then to argue with her. She is a stubborn one,' he thought. He did not like to back down and that hurt his pride a little, but if it meant getting the Tetsusaiga faster, then so be it.

Sesshoumaru suddenly picked Sora up around the waist and flew towards the village. Sora was clearly not expecting that and let out a little squeak. Sesshoumaru made sure to be gentle with her and she was surprised by his action. As they got nearer to the burning village, Sesshoumaru coughed as he inhaled the smoke. Sora, seeing Sesshoumaru distracted for a moment, concentrated on the fire and waved her hand away from her. At an instant, the fire disappeared and the smoke cleared.

Sesshoumaru could have sworn that the fire was there a second ago as he approached the village. As he landed on the ground, he noted that Sora's hand was outstretched. The idea was preposterous it seemed but he thought of it anyway. `Could she have done this? Wait what am I thinking? She is only human. Maybe she's a miko. No I don't sense magic around her aura.' He was getting infuriated AGAIN; he was not used to confusion. He was always in control of every situation.

Sora was grateful that she had arrived on time. The people from the village did not notice their presence yet and they seemed unharmed for the most part. She frowned as she drew her hand back to her side. Hopefully Sesshoumaru did not see that. She was torn between destroying the fire and risk having Sesshoumaru ask what she had done, or letting the people die from the fire. She chose the first option and she did not regret it.

She told Sesshoumaru to wait for her and he complied, hoping that this would result in her getting his brother's sword quicker. He knew what she wanted to ask the people for anyway; she wanted bandages for her wounds. As he guessed, she returned with clean bandages shortly.

When she stood in front of him, he said as he pointed to a small lake, concealed behind some bushes, "Go wash up."

Sora stared at the taiyoukai with disbelief clearly written on her face. "Err, excuse me the great Lord Sesshoumaru," she replied sarcastically while she mock bowed, "as you can see, I don't have any clothes to change into."

Sesshoumaru growled and handed her his kimono, leaving him in an undershirt and pants.

The taiyoukai had surprised her AGAIN when he gave her his kimono. Sora responded with a growl of her own before grabbing the beautiful piece of clothing and turning towards the lake. She DID NOT like being caught off guard, especially not to Sesshoumaru of all people and demons.

Sesshoumaru glanced at her then turned his gaze away with his back to the direction of the lake. He had surprised HIMSELF as well by showing his sudden generosity. `Why did I notice her features? Damn how did I get distracted so easily? And did she make the fire disappear back there?' he thought. These questions were angering him to say the least. This girl had gotten him to express more emotion today then he had in years. He did not like being uncertain; he did not like having unanswered questions. Tomorrow he would collect Jaken and Rin and find out who and what the girl, Sora, really is.

With that decision made, Sesshoumaru made his way into a forest to hunt dinner; he was not hungry but surely the girl was, and he had every reason to keep her alive. The sun would set soon.

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The girl with black hair and red streaks just finished securing Sesshoumaru's kimono on her body at the same time the inu youkai returned carrying two dead rabbits.

The kimono was a little too big for Sora, but she made the best of it by tying the bottom of the clothing to her waist, making it shorter. She had washed her own torn clothes and hung them on a few branches of the tree she was now leaning on.

Sora turned away from the taiyoukai, and walked towards the forest. Suddenly Sesshoumaru appeared in front of her. "You're not going anywhere," he said in his normal emotionless tone.

She copied his tone and replied, "I'm going to get firewood. Unless you can create fire with your hands," she inwardly smirked, "how else are you going to cook?"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, as she headed off. `She WILLINGLY goes collect firewood?' He had been expecting an argument. He certainly didn't expect her to make a good point for her actions.

Not long afterwards, she returned carrying firewood in her arms. She used two rocks and began to start a fire. Sesshoumaru watched with hidden amusement at her attempts remain useless.

"Shit. Master made it look so easy," she muttered, frustrated.

`Master?' Sesshoumaru thought as he sat down across from Sora. `So was she a servant or was she something else?' Was she trained by a samurai?' He knew that students often call their sensei, `master' and judging from her clothes, even when they were torn, he could easily tell that they were the type of attire that a fighter would wear.

Losing interest in her frustrations but still pondering over his questions, the taiyoukai turned his attention to the rabbits and started to skin them with his claws.

Sora finally gave up on starting the fire and seeing the inu youkai with his back to her, she thought, `Forget this crap. I can have a fire without using these stupid rocks.' She pointed to the pile of wood and shot out a tiny flame from her finger.

Dinner was uneventful for no words were exchanged between the two as one drifted off to sleep while the other kept awake.

*Sora's Dream*

She stood right on the summit of a mountain. The mountain was so high that she was surrounded by clouds. The air was thin and the atmosphere was cold. Even then she did not shiver for she could radiate heat from her own body.

Her violet eyes narrowed when a figure seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Despite of the fog that surrounded the summit, she could clearly see the blue clad demon that stood before her. He was disguised as a human but she could smell the demon blood from him. Her instincts told her that this youkai was one here for one purpose like so many others: her.

Without a word, the demon attacked her, using his speed. She could not match his speed, agility and strength however she managed to block most of his advances so far. After for what seemed like hours of fighting, she was finally tiring. His skills were superior to her own.

Her eyes widened as she realized something. He wouldn't fight her in a dream if he could fight her in real life. She knew that it was her dream, but he was real. If that was true then the dream world was his domain; she was at a huge disadvantage here for he could choose to weaken her or strengthen himself.

Her thoughts became a blur as she was punched, kicked and thrown onto the ground, hitting it with a force so powerful that it left a large crater on the summit.

She looked up to see the demon's eyes that were shown with victory.

She surprised him by running to the edge of the summit and leapt off the mountain. She knew that the only way to escape him was to get out of the dream. And what better way to get out of a dream than to shock herself?

*End Dream*

Sora's eyes flew suddenly flew open, then she breathed quickly. She felt nauseous as she coughed up and spit out blood, as she clenched her stomach.

She knew what that demon was.

"Yume youkai."

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This chapter was revised (again). The next part is also revised.

Fenikkusu Ice