Chapter 9: Knock, Knock

It's called Possession...

Tears Left Uncried

 

KB: Well, I'm happy about that last chapter! It had action, it had mystery, it had suspense, and it had confusion.

Lee: I think you did well too.

Raye: Yeah.

KB: *Freezes in shock* Did you just…complement me?

Raye: No, I'm agreeing with you.

KB: On what exactly?

Raye: The confusion part. There was a lot of that.

KB: Confusion? On what?

Raye: On all of it. I could barely keep up with what you were writing.

KB: *Goes to crawl under a rock*

Lee: *Glowers at Raye* We've really got to work on your people skills.

 

-KB

 

 

Tears Left Uncried

Chapter 9:

Knock, Knock! Hello, I'm Death! Again?!

 

"Lee!" Rin jogs as fast as she can to keep up with her longer legged, older sister. "You shouldn't be out of bed yet! Why are you-?"

 

"I can't do it anymore. I can't stay here. I have to find a way home!" Lee chants over and over, mostly to herself. She'd had a terrible nightmare last night that had forced her to her feet this morning despite the early hour.

 

A terrible dream, a girl's worst nightmare: she didn't have any conditioner!

 

Her hair had grown dry, wiry, and then had started to fall out in massive clumps. Lee had jolted up, screaming at the top of her lungs, and then rushed out of the small hut built on the outskirts of a small village. The reed door had smacked her in the back of the head as she left and her still weak legs had threatened to throw her to the ground, but Lee had kept on running none the less.

 

Well, running, falling, and then running again. Not necessarily in that order.

 

And now, she has the sun beating down on her shoulders, arms, and neck, melting her with its scorching heat. Her body doesn't soak in this heat though. If anything, it just lets it burn away each layer of exposed skin across her without a care. Her knees are aching, her bruises throb, and the wounds wrapped away under the bandages on her right leg are sending waves of icy heat through her. Her head is spinning and she can barely see past her swirling vision, but Lee doesn't care anymore.

 

Kagome and her group hadn't left that long ago. If she keeps walking, maybe she can catch up to them…if her body lasts that long. It feels like it's ready to fall apart at any second.

 

She heaves for air as she starts to battle her way up another grassy hill, but then she falls weakly to the ground again. The heels of her palms dig into the dirt as she tries to sit up in frustration and her arms shake from the lack of energy she has.

 

I'm so sick of this. None of this would've happened if I had just skipped school that day like I had planned. It's not fair! Lee finally lets her arms give way and lies out across the grass limply. Rin drops next to her and rocks her shoulder gently.

 

"Lee! Lee!" The small girl cries, tears streaming down her round cheeks.

 

Lee ignores her, burying her face into her arms and fighting against the tightening in her chest. Don't cry! You can't cry! You won't cry!

 

"Lee, please. Let someone-. Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin finally calls out into the foggy morning air.

 

No, Lee wants to stop her. She's too late to say anything though. Within half a second, she's picked up like a simple piece of paper and curled neatly against a warm neck. Even with only a single arm, the demon man is impossibly strong. For a second, she's caught in awe by his strength, but then she realizes how close she is to him and starts to struggle. It's like trying to push against a brick wall.

 

"Let me go. Put me down." She demands.

 

His grip around her legs only tightens.

 

Lee gives up, hiding her face away from view, and tries not to notice the red heat of embarrassment brightening up her nose and cheeks. She'd never been this close to a guy before. Usually, they avoided her, or vice a versa, but this is different. He doesn't seem to mind being this close. That or he just doesn't care.

 

Or he doesn't see me as a girl at all…Stupid demons! Lee grinds her teeth together behind her hands in mortified frustration, swallowing her heart back down as the initial shock subsides. When her heart finally settles down on a steady, hammering gallop, Lee glances out from behind her hands and fixes her glasses on her nose so they don't fall off. She glares at the man, only able to see the side of his face, and for the first times she gets a really good look at his demon ears.

 

Her eyes widen in downright outrage.

 

"How the hell don't you have any earwax?!" Lee shrieks.

 

The guy stumbles, for the first time breaking his perfectedness…if that's a word at all, and his long ears twitch at the sound. His gold, cat-like eyes spin to hers, the pupils dilating impossibly more, forming angry slits that she swears could eat her alive. Lee flinches away in fear and her glasses fall off of her nose.

 

"Agh! No!"

 

Sesshomaru jerks to a halt.

 

"Wait, I have them!" Rin announces as she scrambles forward to grab the spectacles before they can hit the grass. She reaches up, not quite tall enough to get them to Lee's hand, and asks, "Lee, why do you need these? I think you look prettier without them."

 

Lee pauses in her strain to take them from her, her nose feeling cold and bare without her glasses in their rightful spot, and her mind goes blank. Almost instantly, her head falls and her bangs cover her eyes in shadow. Her laugh comes out forced, "Heh, no I'm not."

 

Sesshomaru turns and snatches the glasses from Rin's hand before Lee can go for them again.

 

"Hey! Give those back. You have no right to-."

 

"Lord Sesshomaru has any right to take whatever he wants, you stupid girl!" Jaken cuts Lee off again, waving that staff of his in that high and mighty attitude of his.

 

Lee's hand lashes out, snatching hold of the Imp's staff just under the hideous two heads and she glares down at him. "Stay outta this, ya toad!"

 

What the heck?! Where'd that come from? Lee releases the staff as if it burns her and clamps both of her hands over her mouth in alarm. Even the tone of the voice didn't sound like her. It was harsh, cold, and sharp. The accent didn't resemble her either. Uneasy and panic fills her chest, swelling up her throat, but she forces it back down and holds it inside.

 

This is easy for her, like putting on her shoes in the morning for school, but right now it feels like her body is fighting against her every minute.

 

What's going on? What's wrong with me?

 

Lee squeezes her eyes shut against the strong surge of tears that builds up behind her eyes. She's never cried-not once-so why now?

 

They carry on for a couple of minutes in silence before they arrive at a giant willow tree. The branches hang to the ground like a thick veil around them and Lee shivers as a few of the leaves brush across her bare legs and arms. Aun greets them with a silent nod of his two dragon heads and stands up so that Sesshomaru can unload Lee onto his saddle. He flings her on as if she's a simple rag doll and then carries on.

 

"You can be a bit more considerate, you know." Lee whimpers out weakly, straitening herself and fixing her kimono so that it fits back into place properly. She sits side-saddle, unable to conjure up the confidence to straddle the dragon's back, and mopes quietly in silence as they travel on.

 

The sun finds the high sky easily enough, creating a bubble of torturing heat over the earth. Lee breathes heavily against the heat, wishing for something to rescue her from the temperature, but all she's granted is a few seconds of shade when a cloud passes overhead.

 

Geez, this sucks!

 

"Lee, can I ask you more about your little sister?" Rin asks after a few hours have passed and she no longer finds frolicking in the many flowers around them amusing. "What is she like?"

 

Once again, that voice inside her breaks free without her thinking. "Like any other spoiled brat." Lee's hands fly to her mouth again and her eyes widen in horror.

 

"What?" Rin asks, her head tilting to the side as she looks up at her. She's been walking beside Aun this entire time; one would think the child would be exhausted by now. Not her.

 

"N-nothing." Lee blubbers behind her hands.

 

"Are you feeling okay, Lee? You look pale."

 

"I'll live…I think." Lee drops her head heavily onto Aun's back, feeling the beast rock back and forth rhythmically as he gaits.

 

"Oh look!"

 

Lee peeks out of her left eye half-heartedly down at Rin when she squeals in delight. The small child picks a beautiful purple flower, veiled by all the taller yellow flowers around it, and holds it up for Lee to see.

 

"These are so pretty and Lord Sesshomaru says that they're rare too. To find one is good luck." Rin describes with a beaming smile.

 

Lee can't help but smile back, even if it's frail. The girl just has a way about her, something that lightens everyone's world around her. She's special in so many ways.

 

"You're an amazing girl, you know that, Rin?" Lee says kindly.

 

"Really?"

 

"Yep. I'm so glad we're sisters, Rin."

 

Rin giggles, reaching up towards her to hold her hand as they carry on. She offers Lee the purple flower proudly, saying "Then this can be our flower."

 

Lee's eyes widen in wonder, taking in the flower's petite blossoms, and then smiles again with more energy. "Okay."

 

She takes the flower and tucks it away against her chest protectively as Rin takes off again to find more of the purple flower. Watching her go, Lee starts to doze off, the rhythm of Aun's walk lulling her to sleep.

 

The dream that follows isn't so much a dream as it is just a bunch of voices echoing together. Each voice is from someone who had spoken to her recently. Most of them from the conversation she had with Kagome's group the day before.

 

"Lee, be careful around Sesshomaru." Kagome had said.

 

"That b*****d doesn't have any love for humans. I'm surprised you and Rin have survived as long as you have." Inuyasha had warned.

 

"Don't forget about the smoke bomb I gave you. It'll help, I promise." Sango had reminded.

 

A sudden cease to the comfortable rocking snaps her awake just as Sesshomaru is lifting her from the saddle. Again the pressure of his arm holding her easily against him makes her go stiff. Her face sets on fire and she tries to struggle out of his grasp.

 

"I'm fine! I can walk on my own." She tells him, squeezing her eyes shut. She can't handle all this. She's always been seen as a nerd, a bookworm, so guys avoid her at all cost. Having all this change pushed on her at once is rattling her nerves.

 

Sesshomaru doesn't release her. If anything, his grasp tightens. She notices then that he's only holding her with one arm, his right, forcing her to rest against the soft mound of fur he carries over his shoulder. She can't help but wonder if he's just trying to show off or if he finds her so boringly easy to carry that he refuses to waste energy carrying her with both arms. Come to think of it, Lee has never really seen him use both of his arms for anything before; she's never really actually seen his left arm at all.

 

"Lee!"

 

She looks up as Kagome calls to her.  Hadn't they left already? The other girl is rushing down the street of the town towards them, her dark black hair swaying wildly behind her. Inuyasha follows after her a bit slower, his hands tucked away into his red sleeves and a scowl on his face. Lee glances up out of the corner of her eyes and see's the mirrored look on Sesshomaru's face.

 

These two really don't like each other, do they?, she thinks. She recalls then that Kagome had told her that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were supposedly half-brothers. Meaning they shared one parent, but which one is what Lee really wants to know. If they really are half-brothers, how come they hate each other so much.

 

"Are you okay?" Kagome asks as Sesshomaru strides past her without a glance in her direction. Lee is suddenly overcome by the urge to snap at him for being so rude to her friend, but realization hits her and she holds it back before the unknown anger can take over her once more. Back inside the small hut, the room still set up the way she had left it when she had run out in fear, Sesshomaru drops smoothly to one knee and sets her back on the floor.

 

She tries to spot his left arm, surely he'd need it to steady himself, but there's nothing. Just his soft, white kimono sleeve swaying with his movements. Empty. Her eyes widen in horror. He doesn't have an arm!

 

Sympathy takes over her and Lee quickly reaches down towards the approaching bedding on the floor to help him set her down. He doesn't show any reaction.

 

"Thank you." Lee whispers, hiding her face behind her bangs so that he doesn't see her red face.

 

Kagome comes in with her medical box again and shoos them all outside she she can tend to Lee. Some of her wounds have reopened thanks to Lee's little panic attack this morning. Kagome checks over all the wound carefully, cleaning them once more and changing the bandages.

 

Lee can't help but drift off in her thoughts, thinking about Sesshomaru's lost arm. What happened? When did it happen? Why did it happen?

 

"Lee, you look tired. Maybe you should take a nap for a bit. I can't believe you ran off the way you did. What happened?" Kagome asks.

 

Lee drops her eyes in shame again. Why the heck had she freaked out the way she had? She had spooked over nothing compared to what Sesshomaru has to deal with every day. He has no arm! She can't even imagine how hard that has to be to deal with all the time. Having to constantly be reminded that you are hindered in some way.

 

"Lee?"

 

"Huh?" Lee pops out of her thoughts again, looking up at her only friend from her own time. "I'm sorry. I'm…zoning out." She drops her eyes, wrapping her arms around her knees and forcing a smile.

 

Kagome narrows her eyes suspiciously but thankfully doesn't push the subject. "I asked why you ran off the way you did this morning. Did something happen? Did Sesshomaru do something to you?"

 

Lee sits up straighter than a piece of board and tilts her head in confusion. "Why would Sesshomaru do anything to me? Is there something I should know?"

 

Kagome sighs and stares down at the bandage box in her hands worriedly. "Sesshomaru…well, he doesn't really…like humans like us. I'm...Well, all of us really, are curious as to why he even keeps Rin around. And now there's you along too. We're worried is all."

 

"Why?"

 

Kagome looks up and meets her eyes with a smile. The smile doesn't reach her eyes though. "Inuyasha told me a bit about demons…they aren't very tolerant when it comes to weak things. Sesshomaru doesn't accept Inuyasha as a brother because he's a half-demon. Half-demons and humans alike are considered weak to demons and are despised, you see."

 

"Oh." Lee answers slowly, glancing at the door where Sesshomaru had disappeared. "Well, if that's the case then why does he keep Rin around?"

 

"That's exactly what we'd like to know." Kagome answers, packing up her medical kit. "He's really hard to decipher sometimes, but…"

 

Lee waits patiently for Kagome to continue, watching the young woman lift a hand thoughtfully to her chin. "What?" Lee urges.

 

"Um, okay, so Inuyasha told me that demons also have tendencies to…rarely take wives. Most demons never really settle down; they live their entire lives without ever really accepting wives or mates, as Inuyasha puts it, and-."

 

"Okay, hold the phone!" Lee cuts her off loudly, her whole face bursting into flames again. She knows exactly where this conversation is going and she doesn't want to hear it. "First off…that would never happen. Secondly, why are you even bringing this up?"

 

"It's not like I want to talk about it. I just know a few things more than you do since you haven't been here that long and I thought I should warn you about what Inuyasha has told me. Demons who don't take mates sometimes…" Kagome trails off with an uncomfortable shrug. "They just don't really care who they hurt, I mean, and then they just up and leave without a single thought afterwards. That's it. I'm not saying Sesshomaru is like that, but…keep an eye open anyway. There are other demons here besides him."

 

She stands up, picking up the box in her wake, and Lee laughs shakily. "Well, Sesshomaru has too much male pride to…well…do that with a human anyway, so I think I'm safe. I'll keep my eye out, though, and thanks for the warning." Lee smiles up at her friend, wanting nothing more at the moment but for her to walk out and carry the uncomfortable subject with her. Sadly, though, her bad luck isn't finished with her yet.

 

"She's telling you the truth, ya know. I can hear in your voice that you don't believe her." Inuyasha barks, waltzing right into the room without so much as a knock.

 

"Inuyasha, can you be anymore rude. Lee could've been dressing or something, you pervert!" Kagome snaps.

 

Inuyasha takes a step away from Kagome's anger, his face reddening into a small blush at her words, but he quickly shifts back into his 'high-and-mighty' pride. He crosses his arms and huffs. "You've been in here long enough that you'd be finished taking care of her wounds. And besides that, I could hear you two talking from outside."

 

"Ugh! You are so inconsiderate." Kagome stomps her foot and turns her back on him.

 

Lee watches the exchange in amusement. The two certainly made a cute couple without a doubt, but she could tell that each of them is holding back their feelings. She's read enough romance novels in secret to be able to tell. When Inuyasha starts to clench his fists angrily half-way through their argument, that's when Lee is reminded of her earlier curiosity.

 

"Hey, um, what happened to Sesshomaru's arm?"

 

Kagome pauses, shifting her gaze towards Inuyasha nervously.

 

"What else? I hacked the damn thing off." Inuyasha states matter-of-factly as if commenting on the weather or something.

 

Lee blinks a few times, the words taking a minute to register in her mind. "You hacked it off." She repeats.

 

"Sure did." Inuyasha replies with a triumphant grin, ignoring Kagome's elbow jab to his arm.

 

"You…hacked it…off?"

 

Inuyasha's grin falls and he twirls a clawed finger around his temple. "Did you not hear me? You must've fallen on your head or something, maybe knocked your brain loose-."

 

Lee stands up and Inuyasha stops mid-sentence. He and Kagome both glance at each other before turning back to stare curiously at Lee.

 

"You hacked it off." Lee repeats once more, her bangs hiding her eyes in shadow.

 

"Are you going to keep repeating yourself or are you gonna tell me what your problem is?" Inuyasha snaps.

 

"Inuyasha, stop being mean." Kagome argues with him, pulling on his silvery-white hair in warning.

 

"How am I being mean? It's a simple question. She's the one who keeps repeating the same thing over and over again. It's annoying me."

 

Something heavy abruptly fills the air, halting Kagome and Inuyasha's argument, and they both turn to look at Lee once more.

 

"Um…Lee, are you okay?" Kagome is about to take a step forward, but Lee spins towards them and her anger hits them like a wall.

 

"What the hell is your problem?! Did you even stop to think of what he'd have to live with if you did? You're so pathetic!" Lee screams at him. Inuyasha ducks behind Kagome's shoulder like a cowering puppy.

 

"Lee!" Kagome shouts over her.

 

Lee blinks suddenly and with a gasp slaps her hands over her mouth in horror. It happened again! What is this anger? Where is it coming from? It most certainly can't be hers. Slowly, Lee sinks back to her knees on top of her bedding and starts to shake her head, mumbling quietly 'I'm sorry' over and over again.

 

Kagome takes a step towards her cautiously. "What on earth was that?"

 

"I-I don't know." Lee answers from behind her hands. "Ever since…I've come here, this strange, incredible anger just randomly comes out of me. It's not mine. I'm not an angry person; I've never been in my whole life. I've always been quiet and tolerant. I would never do something like this. It's not me. I'm sorry."

 

Kagome kneels down beside her and touches her shoulder comfortingly. "It's okay. We'll meet up and Kaede's village and figure this out. There has to be a reason you were able to get here and we're going to help you. Right, Inuyasha?"

 

Both girls glance up at the half-demon hopefully and he just jerks his nose up with a huff. "Whatever."

 

They giggle at him, effectively getting a glare from his golden eyes. They just laugh louder.

 

Not long later, Lee is waving them off. She says goodbye to Sango and Miroku who she slaps when he tries to reach for Lee's thigh again. She gives Shippo a hug and he tells Lee to be careful. And Inuyasha and Kagome both give Lee their goodbyes as well before heading out. Kagome calls back that they would meet Lee in Kaede's village soon and Lee waves back in response. She watches them go until they disappear over the hill and then loneliness settles in once more, like a heavy stone in the pit of her stomach. For the first time in what feels like forever, Lee feels like she has friends.

 

Something latches carefully onto her leg and Lee glances down. Rin smiles up at her warmly and Lee smiles back.

 

Well, I guess there is one thing, she thinks to herself, At least I'll be home soon

Author's Note

Author’s Note:
I started this story a long time ago on the Fanfiction site, but wasn’t getting any feedback on it what so ever. I didn’t know what was good or what was bad on the story at all. I didn’t even know if readers were liking the story either. Very few people were answering my pleas for help, so I decided to just delete the story.
Then a reader on Fanfiction decided to help me and I figured it was time to go back and redo the story chapter by chapter. The helpful reader asked if they could so a version of my story and sadly I agreed to it. Now, the reader isn’t crediting me for the work except when I say something about it and they refuse to answer my messages at all.
So here I am, forced to come to another fanfiction site and look for fresh new readers.
PLEASE let me know if there are any screw ups in the story. I really love the Inuyasha anime (PROPS TO THE ARTIST/WRITER WHO CREATED IT BECAUSE I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA) and I have always wanted to do a fanfiction on it.
There are nearly 40 chapters in this story and they can all be read on Fanfiction.net if you wish to skip forward a bit, but I’ll be uploading the newly rewritten chapters here.
I’m also on DeviantArt under Kizyoi if you’d like to check out my art.

-KB