InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ To Surmount Difficulties ( Chapter 44 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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Sesshoumaru spent the next several days surreptitiously watching Kanna, as did Inuyasha. What they saw was startling, to say the least. It was like watching a child grow up, years taking mere days to come to fruition.

Within the three days that she'd been with them, she had grown another inch or so in height, making her just a bit shorter than Kagome herself, and her eyes had steadily warmed as her emotions also grew, so to speak.

Neither of them had seen anything that would indicate falsity within her, however, and as the days passed, they grew more at ease with her company.

That also went for Miroku - although it was interesting to note that Sango, Rin, Shippo, and even Jaken accepted her immediately on Kagome's word that she was not an enemy.

Their trust in the little miko was obviously strong, and Sesshoumaru wasn't really surprised by that, when he thought about it.

Kanna herself seemed strangely pleased by the fact that Kagome was under Sesshoumaru's protection, and that they were a couple, but she didn't give any idea as to why, keeping her own counsel on that issue.

Inuyasha's was the strangest reaction to the whole thing. He became very protective of the girl once he realized that she was no longer an enemy, and presented no danger to any of them. When his brother, curious about his actions, asked, he simply replied that Kagome was right - everyone deserved a happy life, and she'd never had that opportunity.

On the fourth day that Kanna had been with them, Sesshoumaru decided he had a few questions for her, and that evening, as everyone sat around the campfire, warm, fed, and content, he spoke up.

"Kanna."

He waited while she looked up, and then over at him, noting idly that she was beginning to resemble a young woman now, and a rather attractive, if colorless, one at that.

When she tilted her head enquiringly, he continued. "Why did you follow Naraku for so long, if you did not want to do so?"

She blinked, then said, "For the same reason that Kagura did. Naraku held her heart, and forced her to his will with it."

He nodded, already familiar with that fact.

"But what did he hold against you?"

"It was not what he held against me, rather, it was what he held. Like with Kagura, he had something of mine that he kept so that I would have no choice but to do his bidding." With a sigh, she looked away. "With Kagura, though, she at least had a choice, even if an unappetizing one. She could have chosen death over servitude. I however, did not have that choice."

Kagome gasped, a hand flying up to cover her mouth as she stared at the girl with horror as certain things became clear. "He... he took your will, didn't he?"

As confused expressions crossed the faces of most of those around the fire, Kanna merely nodded. "Hai. I had no will of my own, so I could not act against him."

The group considered that for a while, sympathy thick within the circle around the fire. Life truly had not been pleasant for the young void youkai.

After a few minutes contemplation, a frown crossed Sesshoumaru's face as he thought back to their meeting those several days ago.

"When we came upon you fighting Kagura, you told us that Naraku should not be allowed to gain any more shards." He watched her closely, and she nodded in approval.

"Yes. Kagura is not really Kagura any longer, although she doesn't realize what's happening. By the time she does, it will be too late," she said sadly. "In truth, it already is."

Kagome frowned, idly twirling a blossom in her fingers, and Kanna's eyes were drawn to it. She looked at it for a moment, then up at her face.

"Miko, may I ask a question?"

She looked startled, but said, "Sure! And please, the name is Kagome."

"Hai... Kagome. I have noticed your fascination with flowers - yours, and the young girl, Rin," blinking as she caught Rin's huge grin at being noticed, "and that you ascribe meanings to them. Where did your knowledge of such things come from?"

"Well... it's just a pastime, really. People have given meanings to different flowers, so if you give a person a certain flower, they know what you are trying to say without words." She clapped her hands together once, something occurring to her. "In fact," she said, as she grabbed her bag and dug through it, "I have a little book that names the flowers, and gives their meanings. Would you like to look at it?"

Kanna nodded, an interested look in her eye, and Kagome handed her the book. As she browsed through it, the camp got quiet, as everyone was left to their own thoughts.

Suddenly, Kanna made a small, startled sound, and Kagome looked up at her, a question in her eyes.

The girl met her gaze with a rather determined look in her eyes, and said, "This plant... mistletoe. Is it not a parasite?"

"Hai, it is. Why?"

"Because one of it's meanings is 'to surmount difficulties'." A fierce light grew in her eyes, then, and she finished, "This Kanna chooses that plant as her own - for my whole life has been difficult... and yet, even despite Naraku, freedom, and life, has been gained."

Everyone stared at her for a moment, then Inuyasha nodded, and said, "That's right, Naraku lost, and you won. Good for you, Kanna. And no matter what he's got planned with taking over Kagura, he's still gonna lose." He smiled at her. "And you know what? If you want it, I'll find you some mistletoe myself."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow in surprise at that, but chose not to say anything. It was apparent that he felt the girl deserving of attention and caring, and that was fine with him. She had, after all, survived Naraku.

That had to say something about her determination.

I suppose the meaning of that plant is rather appropriate, considering all things.

She is strong - it seems my miko was correct. She is a welcome addition to our pack.

He glanced over at Inuyasha again, then smirked internally.

More for some than for others, it seems.

Rin caught his eye and giggled, then looked at Inuyasha and smiled.

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A/N: Well, I'm sure that the readers can see where I'm going with this one. Hey... I'm giving Sesshoumaru to Kagome - so I get Inuyasha! LOL! Just kidding... he's too good for the likes of me anyway - and I'm too old. But my penname is still Kanna!

Amber