It was dark again.. too dark for Mei to recognize her hands and where they motioned in the abyss of her mind.
"Where am i?" even her own voice echoed for ages until the silence snapped it shut. The last thing she remembered was seeing a monk, a fox demon, and a demon hunter in front of her and then nothing.
Was she dead?
"Hello?" the echoes continued, then silence. After a few moments, there were footsteps coming from in front of her. Who could it be? The undertaker?
No, Naraku. She couldn't tell if it was better or worse.
He stood in front of her in his traditional purple kimono, his hair was down and his arms behind his back with a distinct look in his eyes. He looked at her with no disdain or evil intention, but with a sense of want. He stepped forward her direction but she couldn't move.
What the?! He was only an inch away from her, his lips parted and eyes narrowed. Gently, he cupped her chin and tilted it upwards to meet his lips.
Before they could connect, there was an immediate chill over her entire body.
Enough to wake her up.
When she gained enough consciousness she felt a heavy amount of liquid build up in her throat and nose, when did she get wet?!
Sputtering and coughing, she bolted up only to be met with a sword to the face and a snarling dog demon standing over her.
"Inuyasha, be reasonable!" Miroku held his arm back with a worried but injured Kagome being catered to by the demon hunter.
"She reeks of Naraku, and you're not gonna tell me I don't have any reason to not chop her head off now! For all you know, she could be a spy and report everything to that son of a-"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome couldn't take it, snatching her arm away from Sango with a wince. "Just- just SIT!"
The necklace around his neck glowed a bright purple, and it was if gravity sat down on the dog demon's back, his blade missing Mei by centimeters.
"I-" Mei coughed a few times, clutching her chest with a heave. "I don't mean anyone any harm! I just want to escape with my sword and that's all!" she pleaded, holding the sword over her head as an offering. It was then, the group gasped.
"The Shikon Jewel-" everyone said, leaving Mei to blink absentmindedly.
She lowered the shard, furrowing her eyebrows in frustration "Just what is this Shikon Jewel nonsense? This is my father's sword, I've had it since I was young and I'm not parting with it." Mei tried to stand, only to crumble back to her original place.
"Miss, you fainted on the way here, did you forget?" Miroku asked her, holding her shoulders to keep her stable.
"Ugh.. no. All I remember is this DOG pointing his blade at me." Inuyasha stood to his feet, dusting himself off and looking away with disapproval. "I'd rather be a dog than the mistress of a dead man."
Mei grit her teeth. Mistress?! She wasn't a lady of the night, she was royalty at one point in her life, how dare he?!
"Listen you," Mei spoke up, weakly leaning to one side, shifting her kimono to cover the opposite shoulder. "Whatever is your quarrel with Naraku, I do not want to be involved. All I know is, he's held me in his castle with my sword in his possession. And - I just - want - to go - HOME." Wherever home may be..
"Tsk. Enough Inuyasha." Kagome crouched down to the shaking Mei, adjusting her kimono and peering holes at Miroku for his lecherous stares at Mei's porcelain flesh. "Let's just figure this out in the morning, right now we are all injured and we all need to regroup." Kagome looked over at Sango with a nod of approval, and she slid the sword her direction without Mei's acknowledgement.
"I'm sure you're tired, and you're scared. Here," Kagome hoisted her up with her good arm, wincing the whole way up. Inuyasha watched the two intently, but more or less so Kagome doesn't exert herself.
With one hand on her stomach and the other wrapped around her waist, Kagome silently walked towards the lake with Sango following behind, both her sword and Mei's sword attached at the hilt.
"I'm Kagome, by the way." Kagome whispered cheerfully, looking back at Inuyasha only to notice he was gone. Probably to blow off steam.
"Kagome.." Mei recited, her name dancing the syllables off her tongue. "You wear such strange clothing.. But thank you, I'm Mei."
"What a pretty name, with a face to match!"
Mei shook her head and chuckled, only slightly, her chest still heavy.
"Ironically, it was my father who named me. He said when he first saw me, that name instantly jumped in his mind."
"Ahhh," Kagome sighed "Daddy's girl, I see!" she rested Mei on a boulder, setting down her own supplies before helping Mei.
"I suppose... That's why he indebted me the sword, I suppose. Hah," she closed her eyes, drawing in a breath. "Its been a greater burden that it has been a reward."
"Nonsense. We protect the things and the people we love with little to no effort." Her face blushed at a sudden flash of Inuyasha's bored expression, only to laugh it off as Mei made eye contact with her.
"Hm," Mei leaned her head to the side, curious of her expression, but she merely shook her head and smiled. "The dog, is he your mate?" she raised her arms up so Kagome could slide the Kimono off her shoulder, letting the upper half fall off completely.
"W-what?! No- I'm still in secondary school and I- Well- No!" Kagome couldn't find the words as she unfastened her sash, lifting Mei slightly so she could sit naked atop the boulder "There you go~" her tone was as motherly as ever.
"Hm." Mei wasn't convinced. She stood to her feet with a wobble, Kagome holding her arms out to catch her, but Mei politely declined with a hold of her hand.
"I'm okay, I'm fine." Mei slowly waded near a stone, resting her head on her arms with her eyes closed. When she looked up to see Kagome still standing at the edge, she sucked her teeth playfully. "Kagome, aren't you going to join me? The water is so warm~" she smiled at Kagome, instantly lowering her defenses.
"Ah- s-sure! Coming!" Kagome slowly stripped herself down, looking left and right as she covered her chest from that damned Miroku before stepping in, keeping her upper body dry as to not dampen her bandages.
"You're right, it feels amazing!"
Hm, she doesn't seem so bad after all. But.. where's my sword? Mei glanced over to Kagome's items, noting each specific article of clothing and armor, but no sword.
With a huff, she turned to look the other way. She was tired enough as it is.