Trading Places

chapter 6

The healer was an enormous half demon named Jinenji. Jinenji was soft spoken and timid, and Sesshomaru supposed he liked him. He wasn't rough, and he asked permission before he touched him, describing everything that he was doing as he did it. He must be used to dealing with the new 'pets'. Sesshomaru chuckled darkly to himself. First he was an unwanted son, then a hermit, and now a glorified pet to a ditsy girl with too much power. Oh, how the mighty had fallen.

Jaken seemed to think the examination and healing was taking too long and decided to voice his unrest. " Will you hurry up you bug eyed freak! I have other things to do than wait around for this dog to finish his vet visit!" Jinenji regarded him with a look of disdain and grimaced a bit at the shrill voice. Jinenji seemed to be satisfied with Sesshomaru's physical state and gave him the okay to go and bathe. He warned him not to stay in the baths too long, lest he faint, and sent him on his way,with a tiny satchel of herbs to add into the bath to help with any aches he might have.

Jaken led him from the healer's quarters and down another long hall. At the end of this hall were two enormous wooden doors, emblazoned in gold with the symbol for bath. Jaken turned to him with a look of disdain. "Wash yourself off in here. Make sure to dry yourself properly, I won't have the scent of wet dog permeating the air!" He sneered and walked away. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and opened the door. Inside was a changing room. Sesshomaru took off his clothes and folded them into one of the unused cubbies. Inside the next door was an enormous closed bath. It was similar in size to the one in the Western palace, that is to say huge. There were three pools, he could tell that two were hot from the steam rolling off of them, and one was cold. There were waterfalls running down each of the three walls and little showering stations set up underneath them.

He was sure he was alone, but the water was scented so he didn't smell anyone, and the roar of the waterfalls covered any noise that someone could have made. Sesshomaru rinsed off under the closest waterfall with some soap powder he found in a large bowl nearby. He was so wrapped up in riding himself of the dirt and blood that covered his body that he didn't notice that someone had come upon him. He felt a shadow come over him and he turned. The person's shape was distorted by the water of the waterfall, but they stepped into the water with him.

A/N: Hey, I'm not dead! I found some time to write during Coronacation lol, I should have another chapter out within a few days.