Relaxing Ride (Tag: Alidia)

Michiko walked besides him. "I wanna help you... If that is okay?"

"Hmm.  Do as you see fit." Sesshomaru replied.  He did not stop, nor did he pull his sword Tokijin to threaten her with.  Michiko was, in a sense, his equal in power.  If she wanted to accompany him, let her.

Michiko noticed his sour mood. All she wanted to do was help. This Sesshomaru was like a grouch but she would be there for him and the children until they didn't need her. "So Sesshomaru, tell me more about the crystal..."

"The jewel?  It's said that it was created when a powerful priestess, Midoriko, forced her own soul and that of a great demon she battled after seven days of battle.  If one were to make a purely unselfish wish on the jewel, it would cease to exist.  Even a simple shard of this jewel could greatly enhance the power of those who possess it.  That's how Kohaku is still here.  He is being kept alive by a shard of the jewel." Sesshomaru explained to her.

She simply nodded.

"As long as the shard stays there, I cannot save him.  My father's fang, Tenseiga, will not bring back someone being kept alive by a jewel shard.  Only a priestess would be able to see exactly where the shard is and remove it.  Then, I could revive him with Tenseiga." Sesshomaru went on.  As he spoke, he drew one of his two swords, Tenseiga, and simply examined it.  The only times he'd ever used Tenseiga was to return life to those who had died unexpectedly; like Jaken and Rin.

Michiko simply nodded as she took it all in. "How can I help? I wanna help." She took his hand and she felt a jolt of energy through her as she screamed as she was thrown back.

Sesshomaru looked visibly surprised at what had happened.  Sheathing Tenseiga, he checked his only hand for a sign of burns like when he tried to handle his brother's Tetsusaiga.  But his skin was fine, not even a hint of redness.
"Is she alright, Lord Sesshomaru?" Kohaku asked, tentatively.  Instead of answering, the Lord of the West walked to her and knelt beside her.  He held his hand out to her, giving her the choice to accept it.
"You are apart of my company now.  It's only fair that I look after you as well." he said, his golden eyes softening a fraction.

Michiko's eyes locked into his golden ones and smiled as she took his hand. "I wouldn't have it any other way..." She giggled as she got to her feet. "You know you're kinda kindhearted..." 

"It is Rin you should thank for that.  Perhaps it was her determination to help me recover once that might have softened my heart.  Since then, I have been protecting her." Sesshomaru admitted.

She smiled as she knelt down. "Come here Rin... I won't harm you..." She held out her hand again.

Rin slid off of Ah-Un's saddle and began to approach.  She looked at Sesshomaru for confirmation, and he nodded his head in assurance.  The little girl walked up to her.
"Yes, Big Sister?" Rin asked.

Michiko's eyes sparkled with joy and delight as Rin took her hand. "You have really unique hands my dear..." Michiko began to smile. "You have kindness that is so powerful..." 

"Is that why Kohaku couldn't hurt me when Naraku was controlling him?" Rin asked her.
"Honestly, as if that alone was enough to make the boy resist Naraku's influence over him." Jaken scoffed.  Sesshomaru gave the little kappa a scathing look for his harsh words at the boy's expense.  Jaken immediately quailed under his lord's gaze.

Michiko's smile didn't fade away. She kept looking at the young girl with hope faith and joy in her eyes. "No matter what Rin keep being positive. Okay?" Then Michiko turned to face Jaken. "Now you... I see anger and rage..." Then she looked at Sesshomaru. "And for you Sesshomaru I don't see anything... It's like you're hiding from me..." She held his hand. "I wont hurt you..." 

"Hey, hey, will you stop this nonsense!  Lord Sesshomaru is not hiding anything from anyone.  Why would he?" Jaken began to chastise her.
"Jaken!  She may do what she pleases." Sesshomaru warned him.  The little kappa gripped his staff tightly from nerves.
"Yes, my lord." he said, slightly fearful.  With that out of the way, the dog demon offered her his right hand, wondering if she would discern anything from him.

Michiko took his hand & didn't harm him. If she could she didn't want to cause she felt something strong in her heart for him. "Like I said Sesshomaru I won't harm you or Rin." She smiled. 

"No one will harm her.  If they did, they have Jaken or myself to answer to." Sesshomaru told her.  Then, in a whisper so that his servant couldn't hear, he added, "Jaken will not admit out loud that he cares for Rin too.  But after she went to get special medicine for him after Jaken was poisoned by Naraku's insects, he became fond of her." As he held her hand, he felt a sort of warmth in his heart towards the newest addition to his travelling party.

Michiko's eyes locked with Sesshomaru's again. Her heart was beating out of control but she didn't mind it. "I kinda figured that..." she whispered back. "And I think this is like your second family... And I dont mean any harm..." she smiled. 

"I know you don't; I can smell when a person lies.  After all, why tell Rin and Kohaku that you wouldn't hurt them if you meant the opposite?  You are very different from your father, Michiko." Sesshomaru said, looking up at the sky.

"It's because I have seen what my father can do and I swore to myself. I won't be like that." She looked away feeling ashamed to look at him. "It's like I dishonored my family's name but I don't care... I'm good not evil..."

"Perhaps you have not completely dishonored your family.  What was your mother like?  Or do you not remember her, as Inuyasha does not remember Father?" Sesshomaru asked, truly curious now.

Michiko's eyes locked with Sesshomaru's once more as she faced him trying to remember her mother. But her heart was beating out of control but she didn't mind it again. Maybe it was a sign but she had to focus. She closed her eyes as she tried to remember and gasped at what she saw "I-- I-- remember... Once she was pregnant with me she  figured that I would be like my father..." she began having flashbacks.  "And she left right when I was born...." Michiko knelt down as the memories played. "Mama..." she whispered and whimpered. 

"Michiko, I don't think your mother gave you up because of that.  If there's anything I know, it's that a mother doesn't stop loving.  She wouldn't have just given you away for no reason at all." Sesshomaru disagreed.  As he was looking up, he noticed a swarm of insects.  He knew then that Naraku must be watching.

Michiko's eyes widen when she snapped out of her flashbacks and heard buzzing sounds. She gasped at the insects. She ran to Rin and covered the young girl in her kimono. "Let's go!!" she yelled to Sesshomaru. "We have to go!! I want you guys safe!!" she held Sesshomaru's hand while holding Rin.