Unexpected Places

Disclaimer: Must keep running from the blood sucking lawyers who want my life force. "Luke, I am your fasha." Thanks Rumiko Takahashi for letting my imagination run wild.

Friends?

He awoke the next day and sniffed the air to find his caretaker. Her scent was fresh, but she wasn’t in the hut. He didn’t notice before until now that she had a strange scent. It seemed to change slightly every once and a while. Sometimes she would smell like the rebirth and freshness of spring with a hint of fresh fruit. It was completely soothing and not too sweet. Other times he would smell a scent that would remind him of autumn. Relaxing, cool-like fresh crisp air that brought along the falling leaves and the scent they released when stepped upon. It was quite odd that a human would have a scent that fluctuated like that. He sensed that she was outside and not too far from her home.

He picked up the sound of a bow string being drawn taunt and then the release of its tension and the whizzing of an arrow as it flew through the air towards its intended target. He heard the distinct thud as the arrow embedded itself into the wood of a practicing board.

He slowly sat up and found that he had pain, but not a whole lot. He still had a gaping hole through his abdomen, but the hole through his back was healed and all of the vital organs, veins, and arteries were replenished as well. Now all his body had to do was fight off Sesshomaru’s fucking poison and heal the not-so-vital tissue.

That would still take a while yet.

He looked around for his undershirt and saw it folded on the chest at the foot of his bed. His abdomen was still bandaged, but he was still able to slip into his undershirt without messing them up. He moved one side of his shirt inside the other and tied it off to his left side. He loosened the tie on his hakama to tuck in his undershirt. After tying them back up, his shirt bloused of its own accord when he lifted his arms as far as they would permit him in his state of health.

He moved away the bamboo door curtain to reveal the bright sunshine. The hanyou closed his eyes to adjust to the brightness before stepping outside. He had been cooped up for however long in that hut and it was time for some fresh air.

He sniffed the air to locate his caretaker finding that her scent trail led behind the hut. He noticed that her hut was all alone in a clearing in the forest with a road leading downhill to the village below.

Why would she want to be alone? Isn’t it a little too dangerous for her to be by herself? … Feh! Why should I care?

His youkai half was warring with his human emotions, but this time his emotions won.

She has been taking care of your ass and no one has ever done that… Youkai or Human… She is completely different…

As he continued to think, he walked following her invisible trail of smell. Not far away there she was practicing her archery with a bow he never recognized before. He stopped to observe it. Nothing native, he was sure of that.

This bow wasn’t a villager’s handmade one, merchant, nor was it samurai. It was white with wooden ends. He cautiously and silently began to walk up behind her. He stopped a few feet away.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” she announced for him not even turning to acknowledge his whereabouts.

She didn’t even have to.

The hanyou was shocked to know that she knew he was even there. An unseen smile graced her lips. She had smelled his approach, but he didn’t need to know that.

How the fuck did she know? He questioned himself, but shook it off to ask the question that was fore front in his mind.

“I didn’t know you were an archer”

“You didn’t ask,” she simply put it notching another arrow aiming calmly.

“I noticed your bow and wondered where you got it from?”

She let her arrow fly turning to look at him. She leaned her backside on the table that held her arrows. While holding her bow, she crossed her arms over her chest giving him a small smile. Her answer was not the one he was looking for.

“That is a question I’m afraid and one that can not be answered.”

His temper got the better of him, “Why the hell not?”

“Another question? You must not have remembered about last night.”

“I can’t believe you are bringing this shit up again, woman,” he yelled.

“I think I can have my questions answered along with yours, right? It’s not that hard to answer a simple question. Listen here my friend, I am not out to get you. It’s not right to leave you out there to die.”

That got his attention.

Hold up… Did she just call me friend? He rewound her statement back in his head. What the fuck? She did call me friend… Why in fuck did she call me that? I’m nothing like her, not even her own species.

“You have no right to call me friend. Do you know what the hell I am?” He questioned in his defense out of sheer disbelief. This girl can not actually be saying shit like this.

She sighed and gave a small shrug, “I do not believe you to be evil, even though it seems that you are trying to prove to yourself that you are worthy of something. To me it seems that you are as lonely as that single hut behind you, but unlike you, the hut has realized that even though it is different, it is still amongst friends that are still just like it.”

He turned to look at the hut. Even though it was all by itself, it was still nestled in the forest where its wood probably derived from. She was right; the hut was still amongst his friends even though he was different. He had been ridiculed all his life, been sought after by youkai because they considered him weaker because of his human blood. Over the years he had gotten used to the loneliness.

She was scaring the hell out of him. She wasn’t even remotely afraid of him or wanted to kill him. Her kindness was making him retaliate. If she was going to be like this then it was something he was gonna have to get used to.

Friendship was something he never had. Something he was never allowed to have.

“I will bargain with you… I will answer any questions you might have as long as you answer the ones I might ask,” she said trying to compromise with him.

His sigh that he exhaled had all of his years of suffering behind it. So many years and now was his chance to change something, but he would always be cautious and guarded his emotions very carefully. She wasn’t gonna make a fool out of him when the time came for her to show her true colors. Maybe he could fool her into believing he was going along with her scheme. This was going to be hard.

He sat at the base of a tree near where she was practicing. By chance it was right beside her table. He was facing down range toward her target board. She could easily look down and see him. The trees gave plenty of shade, but he decided to sit in a patch of sunlight.

“Ask your question,” he said. She notched another bow before saying anything.

As she pulled it taunt and quickly aimed, she asked away, “How did you get so badly… almost fatally wounded?”

The string released the arrow and hit its target meters away. He clearly saw that a cluster of arrows had hit the middle target. Some had split other arrows in half.

“I had fought a battle with my brother and lost. Ending in my wound. He was about to take my heart, but I was able to take his hand off course. After that I was thrown into the Great Forest…. I swore I say the face of a girl before I fell unconscious. She looked a lot like you actually. She had your eyes, but she had white hair and five blue stripes on each side of her face. Her skin was also darker than yours. Other than that, you two could pass for sisters.”

“Well, if it helps, I actually found you on my doorstep passed out one morning. You had been out for a few days before your ass finally decided to wake up… Excuse me, but why were you fighting your brother to begin with?”

“I HATE the bastard and the jackass feels the same way with me, which is fine,” he snarled.

“Sounds like a love, hate relationship to me,” she replied.

“What?!” he retorted.

“A love, hate relationship… You love to hate him,” she explained rolling her eyes.

“Damn right,” he agreed as another arrow whistled through the air. “Where did you learn to do archery?”

“Something I learned from a friend long ago,” answered she.

“Where did you get your bow?”

“The same friend who taught me, made this for me. See, when I was younger, I used to travel across the seas to different lands. In these lands I learned different trades and observed their different cultures. The land where I learned archery is what the natives called Anglo Land. They had a most unusual accent. I learned their language quite easily actually and they gave me some books of theirs.”

“What other lands have you traveled to?” questioned he.

She placed the tip of her bow on the ground and rested her hands on the other side. He turned his head to look at her. He hadn’t noticed before, but she wore a simple yukata that wrapped around her. The fabric was lightweight, not like ordinary cloth that villagers wore. This looked a lot like the same material that made up his undershirt, but how could a simple human get a hold of cloth that only a handful of demons knew where to get it? He would let it slide for now as she was ready to answer his question.

“Well, I’ve traveled to the main land across the sea. The natives there call it China. I learned how to be a black smith and I also learned about many different metals. I was able to fashion my own bow made wholly out of metal.”

“How did you get to all of these places?”

“By boat of course,” she answered. Something pricked her hearing in the woods. Her bow lifted and an arrow was soon notched. As she aimed, she stared right into the eyes of someone spying on her.

The arrow flew and he noticed it flew past the target.

“You missed,” he replied calmly with a snort.

“I know I missed the target,” she said just as calmly. She helped him up and began to walk down range. “You should be happy to know that I wouldn’t let us fucking starve.” She picked up the arrow to find two dead rabbits that were nice and fat on the end.

He just stared.

“I can’t believe you saw them that far away,” he said slightly shocked.

She shrugged her shoulders, “Uh… You done yet?”

“Yup,” he replied thinking more about food.

“Good. I’m hungry. Let’s go.”

Not long the rabbits were skinned, gutted, beheaded, and cooking. She turned them on the spit every so often so as to cook them evenly and they were getting brown.

“You’re a pretty good archer,” he complimented after awhile.

“Thank you, but practice makes perfect.”

“You can already hit the center target. I say that is pretty perfect to me.”

She smiled, “Actually, my goal is to be able to hit the target and split every consecutive arrow there after. Not to just hit the center target every time. It’s by chance that I split an arrow now because the target is full of them.”

“I see. You’re trying to go to the next level. What happens after that?”

“Moving target,” she said smirking.

“To split each arrow on a moving target?”

“Yup. The village gets overrun by youkai and my skills greatly help them. If I practice, then I will have an advantage. Wouldn’t you think so?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Not unless you’re willing to help me in that goal when I come across it,” she smirked again with a laughing twinkle in her eyes.

He arched an eyebrow, “Is that suppose to be one of your jokes that I’m suppose to laugh at? Well, ha, ha very funny. I’m not exactly laughing, woman.” He was close to being monotoned.

“Just trying to break the ice that is you.... I have never seen you smile and even if you did, I would probably be scared shitless right now. I’m not asking for much, but just try to feel comfortable around my weak human self and be yourself.... Can I be truthful with you?”

“Whatever,” he grumbled.

“You can be a complete asshole sometimes,” replied she.

That caught him off guard. Did she just call him an asshole? Nobody ever called him anything and got away with it. His temper started to boil. “What the hell? Don’t count yourself out because you can be a complete bitch sometimes…. You turn everything I say and throw it in my face. The simplest things you nag about pisses me the fuck off…. And I think that just about covers it.”

“That’s all that you’ve cared to notice?”

“Those are the things that so far have had my temper rising, but I hold my tongue because you didn’t let me die.”

“I think you and I will get along just fine,” she added laughing.

“What the hell is that suppose to mean?”

She walked over to him with a grilled rabbit on a wooden plate. After giving it to him, she patted his back gently. “It means we are getting past our differences and trying to see eye to eye. Be as open as you want. I’m used to being criticized and looked down upon because of my difference.” She had a spark of independence and strength in her eyes. She was definitely a woman of strong will. More strength and belief in herself than any human or youkai. She was powerful and defiant. Her spirit was strong and unyielding; could never be broken. He saw this all in the twinkle in her eyes. Maybe it would prove useful to have her as a “friend” after all.

“Eat up and then meet me by the hot spring. I will need to re-bandage your wound and add some more healing herb to it to prevent infection.”

“Sure,” he replied until it dawned on him that he will be naked in the spring while she was around.

“Are you going to need your hakama washed and dried? You can borrow one of my yukatas while they dry.”

“Um… no. They’ll be fine.”

“I’ll gather some supplies first.”

He looked a little panicky for a few minutes then sighed, “I’ll call you when I’m ready.”

“Will you need some help getting down there?”

“Keh,” was the only thing that signified that he didn’t want any help.

“Suit yourself,” she said with a smirk placing her plate full of bones on the floor and picking up a basket of bathing supplies in it. She lifted the bamboo mat and exited the hut.

The human wandered toward the hot spring placing out the supplies for easy reach. She knelt before the heated water placing her naked hand in it. A faint blue glow seemed to emit from the water’s surface. Once her hand resurfaced, the glow immediately stopped.

“At least the water has been cleansed from any infection causing…”

She heard someone clear their throat from behind her. She turned to see the hanyou where she thought he was at.

“Do you mind?” he asked a little irritably.

“Sure,” she bowed to apologize.

“I will stand watch as you relax and bathe.”

“I can look after myself, you know,” he almost whined.

“You shouldn’t have to constantly be on guard when you have someone else who can split the job with you. I’m sure you can let me look out while you have this brief moment to yourself, hmm?”

He gave up by letting out a deep sigh. She noticed this and took her place beside a boulder with her back facing him while she sat comfortably.

She smiled as she heard him mumble something about ‘damn woman with her need to make me comfortable’ and how he fumbled with the tie on his hakama. He already had lost the undershirt in the hut.

Once he discarded his clothing, all that was left was the bandages. He simply used his claw to tear it off. The used bandages fell into a heap on the ground next to his hakama. Slowly he waded into the water up to his waist.

He tried to lift his arms to be able to maneuver, but his abdomen rejected that feeling and pain shot through him. He grumbled a curse or few and the human gave a very audible sigh. He heard this and turned to see her stand and shed her outer clothing, reveling what she wore that morning at target practice.

It was a simple blue yukata that she wore over her under garment. She took the tasuki chord that was at her waist and used it to hold back her long sleeves. It was a very simple task for her. Next, she produced a long leather thong and tied back her hair. The hanyou began to panic when she stepped in the water, but he had to admit that she looked heavenly. Before going too far, she grabbed the basket and the bathing supplies. He wanted to wade out deeper, but he couldn’t swim in his current state. He couldn’t do much, but stand there staring at her.

Before he knew it, he was almost literally caught. Her eyes didn’t show anything, but helpfulness. She wasn’t trying to hide anything from him. This he could tell.

She was very passionate about what she did and right now all she wanted to do was help him be more comfortable. The look she gave him even quieted his youkai side that wanted to lash out and push her away. His human side appreciated the help she was willing to offer.

“Turn around and sit on the boulder next to you,” she stated.

“What boulder?”

“The one that is submerged to your left that you are about to bump into.”

He searched with his hand and found it. Soon after he was sitting.

“I’ll support you when you lie back so I can wet your hair,” she said.

“I hope that’s…”

“Unscented soap? --- Yes, yes it is. I know how sensitive your sniffer is. Even though it’s a great attribute, it does have its downfalls.”

She placed one hand on his lower back and the other near his shoulder blades. “Now lie back. I won’t let you fall.”

Slowly he bent back, but she didn’t have to support all of his weight because he floated somewhat. The hand that was at this lower back shifted to his shoulder blades as the other went to make sure his head was wet. His ears flattened to make sure no water got in them. She was very careful about them. He noticed how nimble and delicate her fingers were with caring for him. He was in slight awe about her. No one ever showed him generosity except for his mother who was long dead since he was a child. Maybe not everyone was out to get the tainted hanyou.

She pushed him up into his previous sitting position. He closed his eyes as she massaged his scalp with the liquid soap and washed his hair. She smiled as she felt him relax. At least the soap would help him. Not only was it for cleansing, but it seeped into the user’s skin and acted as armor. The soap was enchanted to be like that. A gift from the Earth Godd.

She pulled him to rinse his hair and his eyes came open.

She tilted his head so every inch of his hair was submerged as she washed away the soap. His eyes were watching her. She paid no attention to him.

“What?” she smiled making sure all of the soap was out of his beautiful hair.

“Thank you,” he replied as he sat up again and she squeezed as much of the water from on top of his head. He looked completely innocent with that look he had. Her smile brightened even more to know that he was sincere. She lathered a piece of cloth and moved his hair over his shoulder to wash his exposed back. Her eyes twinkled to see his washed skin sparkle. That was the effect of the enchantment as it absorbed into his skin.

She washed his shoulders then his arms and then whatever chest area was exposed. He was completely relaxed around her even though he was completely naked. For some reason it didn’t bother him. She didn’t seem to be affected by it as well. She wasn’t taking advantage of him either. He was comfortable about it as long as she was.

“I’ve washed what you can’t reach. The rest is up to you.”

She laid the soapy cloth on his shoulder then waded out to the shore. She squeezed out as much water as possible from her yukata. He just continued to wash while her back was turned. He didn’t even notice when she abruptly stopped in mid step.

She was about to walk toward the hut when she heard something abnormal in the forest. A rustling of leaves in the distance.

She turned her head toward the source of the sound. Whatever it was, scrambled to hide from her sight, but she knew where they were. Their scent gave them away. She didn’t have to see them even though her sight was far better than dog-boy’s in the spring. Since he was an Inu, his nose was better for tracking. More than likely, they were going to tell the headman of the village, but how long would it take them before they made their move she wasn’t sure.

They were so racist that it hurt her. Not all youkai were bad and her new friend was proof of that. They even looked down upon hanyous as well even though half their blood was human.

But not all hanyous were part human.

She sighed at that thought raising her right hand straightening her fingers, thumb bent inside her palm and brought her hand up to nose level closing her eyes chanting.

The faint shimmer of a blue barrier sparkled to life around the hot spring. Once the protection was established, she walked off to her hut to change clothing and placed her wet yukata by the fire. She came back out dry and with her eyes downcast to give him some privacy.

The woman replaced her outer yukata over her simple one and tied it back. She resumed her guard duty next to the boulder. The human heard him come to shore and the most unbelievable thing happened.

Water rained down on her as he shook himself dry like a damn dog.

“Dammit dog-boy! You sure know how to make things unexpected! I think I’m gonna fucking kill you!” She yelled while trying to get away.

He only laughed. “You’re just like a neko. What’s wrong, don’t like getting wet?”

“For the love of the Godds, I was just fucking dry before you showered me with your damn grace.” This was the first that he had seen her angry and about something simple as getting wet.

“Just like a damn cat,” he mumbled.

She turned her inferno burning blue eyes on him, “What?” Her voice was calm, deadly, and wanting him to make a lethal mistake.

“You’re so much like a neko it ain’t funny. You tease and taunt like a cat playing with its prey. And you hate getting wet. Not to mention that you move like a cat’s gracefulness.”

He gave that innocent face and her anger dissipated a little bit. He saw some of the fire leave her eyes. Maybe he should pull that face more often. He brought the rest of his body into view when he was dressed. During their conversation, his head poked out from behind the boulder to laugh and taunt her.

She just shook her head and gave a small chuckle then sighed.

“Let me bandage your wound.”

She rolled her eyes when he kept up the look. He laid down as she grabbed the bandages and ointment then came back to tend to him. She applied the salve that she had made up in a small bowl. The woman was careful with her touch on the injured flesh.

“You’re looking better. At least your organs and vital tissue quickly mended. With your healing power and my salve, it will heal properly with no problem. The salve will also help neutralize your brother’s poison.”

“Damn bastard,” he commented as he sat up and stretched his arms out so his caretaker could wrap the new bandages around him. When finished, she helped him up walking next to him as they headed toward the hut. When coming close to the edge of the barrier, she flicked her wrist and it wavered then flickered out of existence. Once inside the hut, they spent their rest of the evening by the fire until they were dry and falling asleep.

Before slipping into dream, she couldn’t help but think about the spies that were out in the forest. How long was it going to take the villagers before they came looking for him? She would be able to fight them off, but the hard part was going to talk some sense into them. She sighed before giving into sleep.

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A/N: I kept my word. I finally have 4 REVIEWS. I'm so happy. Thank you so much peacemaker for making my day at 9:30 in the morning. I promise that the action will be coming soon and so will the plot. The evil guy will be coming soon to a theater near you.

Love ya'll

IL20