Challenges, Drabbles, & Oneshots by r0o by sugar0o who lurks
Worthiness - dark/drama
Worthiness.....................................For SKYE's Challenge: Ribbons, Bonus intricate hairstyle, entered: 05/13/09
‘Ribbons.’ was the only word that came to mind looking at the naked and shredded back of the miko, as her own skin lay hanging from her being, lashes drawn across her back making an intricate and deadly pattern. He had followed a torrid release of ki that only one person who he had ever known personally could have possibly release, the miko. Sesshomaru was of course not looking for her but his ward, who had been captured by Naraku, once more, the week before.
Following the residue ki to its owner, he came upon an abused and abandon castle that held no seeming smell of anything demonic, yet the overwhelming stink of old blood. Following his nose he was led lower, past dead and decomposing bodies, until he found the dungeon where he also found the miko in chains.
It had been some times since she’d come to this era, a few years since they had first met, she had been so loud and brash, a perfect bitch for his uncouth half-brother. But she had grown up, matured, become quiet, still not at all like a woman should be, but in the deepest recesses of his mind he could admit that she was a woman he himself could want.
Looking at her now, he could see a bloodied white kimono, a wedding kimono that was stained nearly brown with caked and dried blood around her hips, held on how he didn’t know. Her arms were held up by a chain, the places around her shoulders, bruised, dark blue and yellow a putrid pained look to them almost.
Her hair was still in a traditional chignon, not that he knew, but it was an intricate bun that was fallen and disheveled, caked as well in waves of sweat. It was barely there but he could see the slight glint of a golden Kanzashi, a hairpin still woven into the mass of black. Looking at her, he could clearly see that she’d been tortured. Some small sick part of him thought as he looked at her that she was beautiful like this. He was a demon after all and she was the embodiment of purity, part of him would always want to corrupt such a being.
But as he looked at her, and took in the sights and things around him, the way the walls were dark and dank, the stifling air, and stench of old blood, and new, he could tell she had not given in to whatever the spider had wanted. Just barely the sweet aroma of her purity, her innocence still clung to her. He was flabbergast to smell it still, even more so when he heard from the corner of her cell a slight movement.
The chains were heavy he could see as he ward tried to move but he was more shocked to see a pink barrier around her. Though she was thinner then she’d been when stolen from his care, and she too was blooded and chafed from the cuffs that held her. Her swollen tear filled eyes were not on him but they on the miko who was though alive, hanging limply in her binds, unconscious.
“Rin.” he stated, it was a question, ‘Are you alright? What happened?’ it asked.
Her voice was quiet, not at all what his ward was ever truly like but she answered anyway, “She said she wouldn’t let the bad man get me.” she nearly started crying anew looking at the miko as she started again. “She told him, that he could destroy the temple but he would never be able to defile it.” her voice was almost a whisper as he understood what had gone on. For whatever reason the spider had attempted to rape the miko, looking around more he could see the ash at his feet.
“The hanyou, Naraku.” he stated again silently asking ‘Where is he?’
“She killed him when he tried to hurt her, after he tried to hurt me, K-Kagome wouldn‘t let him.” Rin lost her battle not to sob, and Sesshomaru found new respect for the woman, the miko, Kagome. Freeing the miko didn’t take very long, and it seemed that for only a moment she realized he was there she spoke, her voice so harsh and raspy, as he lowered her to his mokomoko, he could see the swollen bruising around her neck were she’d been chocked.
He could see the wince as her weight settled onto her wounds, but she was hurt all over and she would not find peace any time soon. He was glad his mokomoko covered her freely baring breasts, for he could see cuts and bruising there as well. What had that monster done to her? He wondered as she opened her nearly swollen bright blue eyes.
“Sess-shomaru.” she whispered, before her barrier fell releasing his ward from at least from her protection and into his. He said nothing as he got Rin out of her chains as well, making sure she could stand, he pulled his top armor of to remove his kimono and juban. Maneuvering the once again unconscious miko with the ever coiling mokomoko, he wrapped her in the white garb then placed her down once more so he could put his armor back on. Using the pelt once again he lifted her into his arms.
The snakelike fur still baring the blood of the miko tingle at its feel, yet he ignored it as he wrapped it around his ward and made his way out of the monsters castle, stopping only when he heard the miko’s voice still quiet and soft, raspy and hurt, “The shi-kon.” she said. Opening up his sence he followed the promise of power into what he would have had to assume had once been the lords chambers, “Under floor board.” she gave him a direction.
Using his whip he sliced through the floor, and came towards it, its promises that much louder now, lowering her just a bit, her arm, so tired and heavy touched the bobble, and grasped on to it, silencing the voice. He pulled her arm in, when it seemed she could not, and pulled her and his ward tight to his person. Leaving the castle he was relieve to scent fresh air, but annoyed to scent his brother and the miko’s companions on the winds.
“Inuyasha approaches.” he said, his silent, monotone telling her, that her protector came, inwardly he was shocked when he saw, and felt her stiffen in his embrace. His curiosity building he wondered what the idiot could have done to upset his most loyal follower, he wasn’t afforded the ability to ask.
“Sesshomaru! Bastard! Let go of Kagome!” screamed the brash pup, his fang already drawn, he was about to speak but was cut off by his ward, her voice sounding pained and hard.
“He saved us! And he didn’t hurt Kagome!” She screamed causing all to fall silent, and a small quiet sob to wrack through the miko’s body. Sesshomaru couldn’t help but wonder as she buried her face into his chest as much as she could refusing to look at the hanyou. Sesshomaru didn’t know what was going on but inwardly he was seething.
“What have you done now, half-breed?” he drawled out the anger clearly laced in his voice. He got the pleasure of watching the bastard squirm.
“It ain’t any of your concern, now…Put. Kagome. Down.” growled out Inuyasha.
“Answer the question.” stated Sesshomaru, holding the miko closer to him as he too placed his clawed hand on Bakusiga. It was then that the fox child came forth, seemingly that none of the adults in the tachi would. His small being quivered and shook as he looked upon the imposing demon lord.
“Kagome and Inuyasha were gunna get married. But Kagome found him with one of the village widows before the ceremony. She ran off crying days ago and we couldn’t find her, only this morning could we ever scent her out!” he cried, and Inuyasha growled, but all were silenced but Sesshomaru’s snarl, his eyes growing red, as his beast wanted out to kill the pup, his brother.
Calming himself the elder dog spoke, “This Sesshoamru enables pack law, the bitch is too powerful to be left to a cur such as you, Inuyasha. She is an alpha, and you are hardly omega.” he said in a cold tone, as the slayer gasped and Inuyasha roared.
“You can’t do that! She’s human! You hate humans!” the hanyou screamed, throwing a tantrum, and only stopping as Sesshomaru smiled, that shit eating, 'I’ve-got-everything' smile.
“She is worthy, that is all you Little Brother , need to know.” sneered Sesshomaru as he walked off leaving the smaller pack to itself, and looking down at his new bitch. It would take time to heal her wounds but if she could purify every demon in a castle, including Naraku, while maintaining a barrier, and being unconscious while she did it, the girl was beyond powerful.
Any pup she reared would hold similar powers as well, ideally adding them with own, and well, all was right in his world. Human or not, even that wouldn’t be an obstacle, and she was powerful and well known, none would challenge him. He was not following his fathers footsteps, but making a path all his own. Looking down at her, he could see his future. What a bright future it was.
Reaching his camp, his retained under Ah-Un’s hind end, he wasn’t going to ask why the dragon was sitting on the toad, he got the child dressed, and redressed himself as well as the miko and her wounds. Once done he had Jaken clean up camp, mounting everything and ever way, Sesshomaru looked West. Making sure the miko was stable once more in his arms, his mokomoko still wrapped around the child even though she sat atop the dragon, the demon lord spoke, “Come.” and they were gone.