The Maid!

Chapter Nine

Thickmoan forest and The Cave of Treasures!

Lulu jumps to the sound of thunder and rain poring in her window. With a heavy sigh she lays back down curling up with her blanket, with a big smile she reaches up and grabs the crystal around her neck 'I wish you were here'.

Ash stands tall watching the rain with a sad expression. "I am sorry My Lulu... I can not come to you."

"Ash."

"Yes Mother."

"It will be alright."

"Will it Mother?" Ash stands motionless letting the breeze coming from the window wash over him. "It never should have happened."

"Ash your feelings can not be helped, besides wasn't his orders to ease her pain?"

"Yes but..."

"But What my son."

"What if this only adds to her pain."

"Add?" giggles Diamond, "look Ash" she holds an orb in front of him. "Does she look like she in pain?"

Ash takes the orb to look into, seeing in it Lulu curled with her blanked in bed with a dazing smile. "Mother, when did you put the spying crystal in her room?"

"Shortly after she arrived." Diamond places an arm around Ash and looks at the orb with him. "Tell me now son... does she look sad?"

"Master Ash"

"Yes Verokie"

"I followed Lord Sesshoumaru as you ordered, however after killing a creature he simply turned and went home."

"Yes Verokie apparently he forgot something" Ash smiles at Lulu's image in the orb. "But he will set out again today" Ash turns with a smile to look at Verokie, he is a young man of about 19, his hair a dark deep blue, his eyes are also blue with crystal clear pupils. He is of slender build but almost the same height as Ash. "Verokie don't let him harm the human girl"

"Yes Master," Verokie bows then turns to leave.

"Careful Verokie" Ash smirks "Lord Sesshoumaru has been real pissy of late."

"Well" laughs Verokie "Stop trying to piss him off." Verokie vanishes.

Sesshoumaru, the gentle demon that he is, busts through her door still filled with anger "We travel" he announces sternly. Lulu just sighs and her body goes limp, Gee, I guess from excitement. "Hurry" he spits before leaving.

'Yeah...Yeah' she waves a hand in the air but doesn't bother rushing. 'Not even your smug ass will bring be down today' she states with a smile.

"I will not Inuyasha" Miroku sternly states with his arms crossed.

"Well if you don't wait outside, if your greedy hand touches anything, I will lop it off, Got it"

Understood" Miroku smiles and Inuyasha turns to enter the cave. "I can't believe you would leave me stand in the rain."

"Shut up and come on will ya. Let's get this over."

"Well Inuyasha." Miroku looks around "I guess you don't have to worry" All he can see is the darkest of dark before him.

"Well I see see you stay by the opening."

"If you insist," Miroku turns to exit "Be careful" he waves bye over his head.

"Yes well" Myouga bounces from Inuyasha shoulder "I will keep Miroku Company."

"What does that mean you flea, is there danger in here." Inuyasha growls

Lulu now stands in the middle of her bedding with a happy face, of course 'all this shit' she turns circles, almost in a dance, her stuff spread all around 'and no umbrella, did I not think it rained in Japan.'

"Now" Sesshoumaru commands hovering outside her window on his puff. Lulu brushes him off with a wave of her hand without looking at him. She continues to gather what she is taking. Sesshoumaru watches her as joy surges through his bones "Grrr!" he warns her to hurry. 'Hold this' Lulu says and Sesshoumaru lifts his hand to catch what she is throwing, pulling it down he opens his hand.

"Put this back in" he commands as he tosses the crystal back. Lulu watches as it lands and bounces into the big pile of shit on her bed.

'Now it's gone' Giggles Lulu.

"Get it," growls Sesshoumaru.

'NO!'

"NOW!"

'No' giggles.

"I will kill you."

'So you keep saying' Lulu now stands ready 'I need an umbrella'

"Why are you being so defiant?" Sesshoumaru barks and Lulu just, well she just smiles. This really gives his body a ting.

'Don't make me go'

"I have to take you, although it does pain me more then you know."

'Pain? If it pains you don't make me go'

"Get that Crystal and COME!"

'NO!'

"Yes"

'NO'

"Now"

Lulu flops on her ass and crosses her legs and arms 'NO'

"GRRR"

Verokie perches in a tree not far off, the falling rain helps to hide his scent. He is watching Sesshoumaru intensively with grate interest. "He is loosing it" Verokie giggles. "I think he is hea voi voices." Sesshoumaru still hovers out her window growing angrier at her stubbornness but wanting to get on with it.

"Fine" Sesshoumaru sighs "just bring the crystal you don't have to put it in until that damn head of yours starts to ramble."

Lulu gives another smile and starts to dig for the crystal 'BINGO' she cheers when it is found and heads toward Sesshoumaru. Throwing her bags on the puff, she turns and walks to the middle of the room. Turning back around to face Sesshoumaru she takes of slowly and then quickens her pace to a full out run, diving out the window to land on the puff at his feet stretched out on her belly. She lays stiff the rain beats down and she is drenched immediately.

"What ARE you doing" Sesshoumaru looks down with his normal no expression face, as Lulu stirs to sit up.

'I don't know' she shrugs her shoulders and giggles 'thought it might be fun'

"GRRRR!" Sesshoumaru can already tell it is going to be a long day as the puff takes off. Lulu sits beside Sesshoumaru trying to hide from the rain.

Verokie had to laugh as the girl who flew through the window to land on the puff "So that is the Human that has my Master smitten" Verokie takes off following them "this should be interesting"

'I am freezing' Lulu shivers trying to hide from the rain. 'This rain is cold'

"Stop complaining, or you will put that crystal back in"

'You know you really are a mean one. Don't think. Don't eat. Don't listen to music. Don't think of....' She holds her thoughts and blocks them out. She then steadies her self to stand. 'Fine' is all she says before leaping over the side of the puff.

"What are you doing now?" Sesshoumaru asks as he holds her by her ankle upside down.

'I am jumping off' Sesshoumaru tosses her back on the puff.

Verokie cannot help but giggle at the sight before him.

Lulu stands and does it again. 'Will you stop catching me'

"You have to stay alive until I am no longer in need of you." The puff stops and Sesshoumaru looks up still holding Lulu by her ankle. "Well that would be just about right now wouldn't it father." Sesshoumaru holds her as the puff lands and shrinks once more. "I can not fly in, it is to thick." Sesshoumaru smiles as he releases Lulu with a thud to the ground. "The clever one you are father, but I will not be beaten... not even by you."

Lulu stands and looks before her. The trees tower over her so far she can't see the tops of them, they stand very close together they will have to walk single file to get through them. 'WOW'

"Thickmoan Forest" Sesshoumaru smirks and continues to walk forward. Lulu however does not pay attention, as she is looking high into the sky. "Come" he commands.

Verokie watches from a distance as they enter Thickmoan forest the rain has almost subsided and he was lagging a bit so not to be seen or smelled by the Dog Demon.

Lulu enters and gets a chill as her body goose bumps all over. She was amazed at the large trees that surrounded her. 'Wow this looks like a giant maze of trees. Do you know where your going?' Sesshoumaru did not answer or even look at her he keep his stride quick and steady. 'Wait up' she calls as she enters an opening in the trees. The maze however seem to spread out around them. 'So which way'.

"Silence" Sesshoumaru barks as he sniffs the air. Lulu stoods by him and looks all around her, then suddenly Sesshoumaru pushes her to the ground as an arrow whizzes by.

'What the hell was that for?' she looks up at him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, so you do care for the human by your side?" laughs a voice from the trees.

"Show yourself coward."

"I will in just a minute." The voice giggles again, Sesshoumaru changes his stance as he can smell the person move through the trees "But first let me..." Another arrow comes out of nowhere and Sesshoumaru bends down and pulls Lulu out of the way by her foot as the arrow lands beside her. "Now stop that. She would be easy to hit if you would stop interfering." Lulu sits unmoving staring at the arrow.

"She is not your pray. I am a much worthier opponent."

"Yes" the voice sounds a little sad "but I want to rid you of that Human. I only want to give you a gift."

"Gift?" Sesshoumaru looks down at Lulu who still as not moved her eyes from the arrow. "Fine" he says taking a step away from Lulu "take your aim." Lulu then looks at him but he is once again focused on the trees. Then suddenly another arrow flies from the trees and Sesshoumaru quickly moves Lulu out of the way as he jumps high coming back to the ground with a women in his hand, his claws planted firmly against the soft skin of her neck. "What do you really want?" He asks shaking her. She is a tiny woman about four feet eleven inches tall, little plump in the middle, she looks to be about 50 years old. Her hair is a light green and her eyes are a deep brown. She smiles up to him and gives another giggle.

"I am Goth." Sesshoumaru loosens his grip and drops her to the ground. "I am the guardian Elf of this forest, and you Lord Sesshoumaru should have been here yesterday." She laughs as she stands to rub her neck. "That was not nice." She smiles at him. "I was only playing I really wouldn't have hurt her, you would never have allowed it, I know this." She turns to face him then jumping back, she is hidden once more in the trees. "Now for your tardiness and rude conduct you need a lesson," She laughs again as the large trees move in to surround him and Lulu.

"I grow weary of all these games," Sesshoumaru says with clichéd teeth as the trees surround him. Trying with his whip and sword he does not make a dent in the trees as they keep closing in on him.

"Do you think you could hurt my babies." Goth giggles from the shadows again. "Well you can't and now they have closed you up so you can't change without hurting the girl" Goth laughs an evil laugh "Now what will you do?" Lulu stands stunned as the trees slide across the earth to surround her, really what more could she do but stand there.

Before long, they are enclosed in the trees with little room to move. There is no way they could even sit down to rest. "Why are you doing this?" asks Sesshoumaru.

"I was asked by a friend to let my trees hug you." Goth once again laughs; she loves the sight before her. "Do you like your hug."

Lulu and Sesshoumaru stand inches apart as the trees settle in their spots closing them in tight. 'This is so unbelievable' is the only thing Lulu can mutter at the moment.

"I see." Sesshoumaru says with a smirk. "I have to stay here how long then?"

"Until you see?"

"See what?" Sesshoumaru stands patiently waiting on an answer but none comes. "Grrrr, why the games?" Lulu looks up to him her hair and clothing still drenched from the rain, her body shaking vigorously. "Now your scared." He asks as he feels her shaking against him.

'No cold'

"Well deal because it looks like we are here for awhile." Sesshoumaru stands studding his surroundings looking for a way out. Lulu gets closer and puts her arms under his armer in his shirt and wraps around him.

'I am so cold.' She says shivering. Sesshoumaru looks down at her the heat from her body is rising.

"What is wrong with you?" He asks calmly. "Are you sick, you are not aloud to get sick." He demands her.

'I am just cold and tired ok." Lulu says weakly as she clings to him for support. Loosing her grip, she starts to fall to the ground. Sesshoumaru catches her before she can and pulls her back up.

"You are sick." He says in a nasty tone. "Humans are so week." He looks down, she is unconscious, and her body heat is still rising. "Great!" Sesshoumarghs ghs in discuss. "Now I have a sick wench. Games I am so tired of playing. And no way out of this predicament."

"They way out is easy." Goth states from her hiding spot. "All you have to do is figure it out"

"At least take her and get her out of this damp forest before she dies, I will figure my own way out."

"Why do you care for such a weakling Lord Sesshoumaru?" asks Goth.

"Who said I cared?"

"Your are asking me to save her but leave you."

"I am asking you to take this burden from me so I can easily escape."

"I see." Goth laughs again. "Then she stays your burden for a little longer."

Verokie hides high in the trees watching every thing that is happening. "What do I do, she will die if she doesn't get some help soon." Verokie takes his leave from his post to pop back on Crystal Mountain.

"Master." Verokie bows to Ash. "I have news and I am afraid...."

"I know Verokie" Ash says with a saddened hart. "Take this and drop it to Lord Sesshoumaru, but do not let him know it came from you." Ash hands him a pouch. "He will need water to mix it with also." Ash looks at Verokie in the eyes. "I can not go I fear I would not be able to stay out of it."

"Yes Master." Verokie bows, looking back at Ash with a smile, "I understand the attraction, she is very strong willed." Ash gives him a smile and nod. Then Verokie is gone once again.

Sesshoumaru stands with Lulu still limp in his arms as he scans the trees around him. "I know there is a weakness but where." All of a sudden, something comes from the sky and bonks Sesshoumaru on the head then lands at his feet. Looking down he sees a brown pouch. "And how can I use that when we can't even move." He snorts. Then suddenly the trees back up giving him more room to lay her limp body on the ground.

"I will give you little more room. But trust me you will not exit this forest until you have passed the test you have come to take."

"Humph" was his reply as he lays her on the ground then suddenly hit in the head again by a blanket. "That's very poor aiming," he shouts

"No I hit my target." Goth giggles. Verokie in the tree beside her also giggles. "So this is the woman that your Master is sue toe to protect, yet she is with Lord Sesshoumaru. Why is that Verokie?"

"I am not clear on the details either, I am just doing as he wishes."

"I see, well you can stay if you wish but he can not be let out until..."

"I know this Goth I am just watching her for Master Ash."

"Very well but my orders are clear also." Goth states and Verokie nods in understand.

Sesshoumaru lays her down and picks up the pouch to look in side it. Then suddenly something else stato fto fall from the sky but he hears this and reaches up to catch it. "I see so I need to mix this and rub it on her right."

"Heal her well Lord Sesshoumaru, for when these trees finally release you she will be the one to guide you to what you're seeking. Now I must take my leave for a while but I shall return." Goth states from her hiding spot. She got no reply from him.

Inuyasha walks deeper in the cave slowly and cautious, scanning around him to see what he could in the darkness even for his eyes it was darker then he would have liked. Walking deeper, he comes across to passages. "Great! Now isn't that my luck. Which way do I go. Which way do I go." He stands and studies both trying to see deep within, but with straining his eyes he is having a difficult time seeing far down the passages. "I got it" he says as he pull out Tetsusaiga and putting the handle on the ground he holds the tip with his finger and lets it drop. "Trick I learned from the monk." It lands pointing down the passage on his right. He smiles and puts Tetsusaiga back as he slowly moves forward.

"So tell me," Myouga asks Miroku as they wait for Inuyasha.

"What?"

"What did you have to give for the robes?"

"Nothing I wouldn't have given up anyway." Miroku smiles his famous sweet smile.

"I see, have you received any other gifts yet?"

"No." Miroku has decided to keep the prayer beads to himself until he can talk to Ash once more. Confusion over the story and the gifts has him in a thoughtful state.

Sesshoumaru as striped her down and shes nas naked in front of him as he applies the paste he has made to her body. Rubbing her down with the paste he noticed that the only scares left on her body are the marks and the foot at her breast and the marks on her inner thigh. "You healed from your scares well, but that leaves a question of how." After rubbing her down, he leans against a tree, pulls her naked body to his lap, and covers her with the blanket. "This will help with the fever. Then we will get out of here." Sesshoumaru looks down at her and, almost, smiles. "This is the quietest you have been since you came." Leaning his head back against the tree his eyes still panning around for a weakness in the trees. "I can't even jump, she has a barrier at the top." Lulu stirs lightly to snuggle closer to his warmth. Sesshoumaru reaches down and brushes the hair from her face. "You will be fine." He can feel her body slowly cooling down. With his head still leaning against the tree he closes his eyes to think over his situation. Relaxing his guard, he tries to rest and before he knows it, he too is asleep in the prison of the trees.


Inuyasha freezes as his ears pick up a sound and then a bright comes shooting forth from deep in the cave, so bright that he shields his eyes from it. "What do you come for?" A voice echoes off the cave walls.

"What?" Inuyasha being himself with a little attitude, he may never learn.

"I ASK... what have you come for boy.""Boy"Boy?"

"You have an attitude don't you are you the one sent by the Crystal Master? she said you would be a little rude."

"How could you know she sent me, if only people with human blood can enter." Inuyasha asks. "I know she has know human blood."

"You are as foolish as she says."

"What?" Inuyasha is trying hard to see past the blinding light to find the person behind the voice. The light starts to fade a little and Inuyasha continues forward. "I was sent to see if a Diary was hid within this cave that belongs to me"

"OH!" A little bug flies up in front of his face. It is little with a golden light and it's wings flutter silver with each flap. "So you are him." The little bug flies around his head fast checking him out as Inuyasha follows him with his eyes. "I am Flitter, the keeper of this cave." Flitter smiles warmly at him.

"You're the keeper of this cave." Inuyasha asks with a little confusion in his voice. "I thought with all the treasures in here it would have a bigger keeper."

"I may be small..." Another blinding light surrounds the bug and Inuyasha shields his eyes. "However, I am powerful" Inuyasha opens his eyes to now be looking at a young man of about 17 Gold hair and gold eyes, his skin shins with sparkles of silver with an aura of golden light surrounding him. "So you should never let the size of someone full you Inuyasha."

"You know my name?"

"I told you I have already spoke to the Crystal Master I know what you seek." Flitter smiles and turns to head down the passage. "Follow me I will show you the way."

"Hey," Inuyasha stops and crosses his arms. "You insulted me with the Boy commit and you are clearly younger then me."

"Yes well..." Flitter turns to him with a big smile "I was only teasing." He waves a hand up in defense.

"Humph" was Inuyasha response as he started walking again.

"I was told I am dealing with the nicer of the two brothers, so your reputation precedes you Inuyasha."

"I am not nice." Inuyasha takes that as an insult.

"I see, well here we are." Flitter inters a room with stacks and stacks of books everywhere.

"WHAT?" Inuyasha stands wide-eyed and jaw dropped. "I have to look through all that."

"I am afraid so." Giggles Flitter. "But there is an easier way to find it."

"How?"

"Well I was told you where bringing a friend, did he not come."

"Yes but what does that have to do with it."

"What you seek he will find." Flitter turns to look at him "Inuyasha all your friends are keys in your search, this will not end your search the only thing hid in this room is a hint to where you go next."

"All this for a hint."

"Yes" Flitter Laughs. "I guess your Father didn't want the game to end that easily."

"You knew my Father."

"No, I knew of him but never meet him personally. My Father was the keeper of this cave when your Father came to him. I only know what I have been told and I was told the hint is yours payment free." Flitter turns to leave "Shall weget get your friend." Inuyasha turns and follows him.

"Hey, wouldn't it have been easier to tell me that before we walked all this way." Sighs Inuyasha.

"Yes I suppose it would have, but then it wouldn't have been as much fun. I spend a lot of time alone, it is nice to have company for once."

Sesshoumaru wakes to thunderous booms shaking the earth. Looking down Lulu still cradled against his chest her fever low but still there. Sesshoumaru looks around as the booms gets closer, standing he lays Lulu on the ground wrapped in the blanket. Then the trees in front of him are lifted up and thrown standing before him is a large shadow like figure about 12 feet tall with no face just white eyes. Sesshoumaru tries all his efforts to fight the creature off but nothing he tries seems to phase it. His sword Toujikin would not even cut though the creature, as he fights he is moving through the now open forest, but the creature seems to have his sights set on the unconscious girl on the ground. Sesshoumaru standing high in the tree is fighting with everything to get his attention off Lulu but to no avail, the creature grabs Lulu in his gigantic hand.

Verokie watching from above takes this time to interfere and jumping down he blows some dust in the creature's eyes to blind him a moment and grabs the naked Lulu from his grip. However, the creature quickly recovers and nocks Verokie against a tree knocking him out cold Lulu lying beside him stirring and waking up. The creature then reaches for her again as she tries to let out a scream. Taking off in the direction opposite of Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru quickly gives chase following the falling trees but once out in the open he has lost him.

"How?" Sesshoumaru stands turning in a circle, he had no smell, and he left nothing for me to follow. Not even a trail now since we have left the forest." Sesshoumaru turns to go back to where Verokie lays on the ground. "Tell me." Sesshoumaru holds his sword to his throat. "Why are you here Verokie"

"I sent him." Ash answers from behind. "I see now I should have followed you myself."

"Ash." Sesshoumaru turns slowly to look at him over his shoulder still holding his sword to Verokie's throat.

"Go home Verokie" Commands Ash, with a nod Verokie disappears.

"Why do you follow me Ash, does she mean that much to you."

"Does she mean that little to you?"

"I don't have time for this." Sesshoumaru states as he takes off in the direction the creature went.

"Lord Sesshoumaru"

Sesshoumaru turns to give him a cold stare.

"I will only interfere in this if you want, however" Ash walks over to him "you should take this it will show the tracks of the one you hunt." Ash smiles at him. "I am not real sure why you hate me so, but remember I will be there if you need me. Take this also and if ever you need me just drop it to the ground." Ash hands him another pouch and a clear crystal. "She is innocent in this whole game. Remember... that she asked for none of this."

Sesshoumaru nods and turns from him to continue his hunt.