United in Battle

Chapter 8

Tori burrowed further into the warmth surrounding her. Sessho-Maru looked down at the woman curled against him and smiled softly. He tightened his hold slightly as Tori started to moan in her sleep. He smelt the salt of her tears as she started to thrash about in his arms. He also smelt her fear as her hair whipped about them. What bothers you in your dreams, my mate?

Tori jerked herself awake, panting heavily. That nightmare seems to keep getting worse. She felt Sessho-Maru's arms tighten around her slightly. She leaned back into his comforting embrace and breathed in his scent, a mixture of the woods and a special mixture of herbs. "Morning."

"Good morning, my mate." He started to nuzzle her neck. "Did you sleep well?"

"I guess so."

"What is in your dreams that haunt you so?"

He knows? Tori stiffened slightly. "What makes you think my dreams are haunting me?"

"You thrashed about in your sleep. You smell of fear and tears." Sessho-Maru nuzzled her softly. "Tell me what is wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"Nothing will not give you fear."

"It's just a nightmare that I've had since I was a kid." Tori buried her face into his tail.

Sessho-Maru placed his finger under her chin and gently tilted her head up so that he could look into her crystal blue eyes. "Tell me about it."

"I don't want to burden you with my fears." Tori shook her head.

"I will carry your burdens as well as my own." Sessho-Maru's clawed finger wiped away the tears streaking down Tori's cheek. "Tell me your dream."

Tori took a deep breath as she settled back against Sessho-Maru's chest. "When I start dreaming I'm in the middle of a field of flowers. There's a little girl with me. She's about eight or nine. She calls me reidou as we pick the flowers."

"Her mother."

Tori nodded. "For some reason, I knew what it meant even if it was in Japanese. Anyways, one moment we're picking flowers in the field and the next the field is on fire. I swing the girl onto my back as I run. Suddenly a large spider is before us. I skid to a stop as I try to turn around. I hear the spider scream as a white blur starts attacking it." She shuddered as Sessho-Maru tightened his arms around her. "That's usually when I wake up."

"But not today, my mate?"

"Not today. In the last month or so the dream has gotten worse and it takes me a while to wake up."

"Tell me the rest."

Tori took a deep breath. "I've been seeing more. A red blur is fighting with the white blur. I also see a girl, wearing a white and green school uniform, firing arrows at the spider. The arrows pierce through his barrier as a man with a hole in his right hand fights with paper spells. Another woman was flying on a two-tail cat. She threw a giant boomerang at the spider."

"Do these people remind you of anyone?"

"What do you mean?"

"Miroku has a Wind Tunnel in the palm of his right hand. Sango often rides Kirara and throws her Hiraikotsu to destroy her enemies."

Tori ran a hand through her hair. "You're right. I must have been seeing y'all's battle with..."

"Naraku. Tell me what has frightened you with this nightmare."

"I saw you..." Tori buried her face against his tail to hide her tears.

"You saw me...what?"

"I saw...you...fall. You didn't...get...back...up."

"You and I are meant to be together. I will not fall against that baka Naraku." Sessho-Maru nuzzled her neck. "This I promise you. You and Rin are my life. I will protect you both forever." He breathed in her scent of roses and sandalwood. This is what Father meant when he asked if I had anyone to protect.

"Thank you." Tori smiled up at Sessho-Maru.

Sessho-Maru lifted Tori slightly so that she was lying across his chest. She gazed into his golden eyes as he brought her lips down to his. Tori threaded her fingers through his silky silver hair as his hands moved her so that she was straddling his chest. She moaned and his tongue darted into her slightly opened lips. Sessho-Maru slightly loosened the belt that held her tunic together and slid his left hand across her silky skin. His moan was echoed by hers as a knock sounded on the door. Sessho-Maru let his head fall back as his nose picked up the scent of his brother. Tori laid her head on his chest and felt his fingers thread themselves through her hair. She lifted herself slightly and stared into his golden eyes.

"I'm going to kill that baka brother of mine."

"No you're not." Tori gave him a mischievous grin. "We're going to make him think the wrong thing."

"How do we do that?" Sessho-Maru watched as Tori climbed from the bed and slipped her tunic from her shoulders. Her white silk and lace bra contrasted against her tanned skin.

"Take off your tunic." Tori tugged at the belt of his tunic trying to get it open.

Sessho-Maru sat up, slipped the tunic over his head, and tossed it on the floor as the knocking started to turn into a pounding. "Now what do you intend to do?"

"This." Tori scrambled back onto the bed and resumed her position on Sessho-Maru. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips before pulling back slightly. "Now, why don't you let him know he can come in?"

"He can rot for all I care." Sessho-Maru's hand entangled itself with Tori's hair as he pulled her down to his lips.

The door cracked open and Inu-Yasha stuck his head in. He let out a yelp and tried to close his eyes but failed. He watched helplessly as Sessho-Maru and Tori's lips explored each other. Sessho-Maru pulled away from Tori for a moment and glared at his brother.

"Sorry to interrupt but we need to get going." Inu-Yasha ducked as Tori threw a pillow at his head. "Watch it, bitch."

"Get out, dog breath, before Kagome finds herself without a mate." Tori picked up another pillow and threw it.

The pillow sailed past the door as Inu-Yasha slammed it shut. Tori started to climb off of Sessho-Maru but he clamped a hand around her waist. She looked down into his golden eyes and arched one of her eyebrows.

"We will leave when I am ready, my mate." Sessho-Maru pulled her lips back to his as his nose picked up Koga and Miroku's scents lingering outside the door.

"Lord Sessho-Maru, we must be going." Miroku stuck his head through the door only to have a pillow slam against it.

"I told you, monk. Don't interrupt them. You saw mutt face's face when he came out of there." Koga pulled the door shut but not before he looked at the bed. "And to think I gave up my bed so that they would be comfortable. I'm going to have to destroy those sheets."

Tori giggled slightly as Sessho-Maru's lips skimmed down her neck. "We really should be getting up, Sessho. The others are starting to get annoying."

"I agree, my love." He placed one more kiss on her slender neck before releasing her. "Cover yourself before the others decide to check up on us."

Tori rolled off Sessho-Maru and reached for her tunic. "We've got some explaining to do to the others."

"Master Qui-Gon will not ask questions." Sessho-Maru picked up the tunic top and pulled it over his shoulders. "He knows that you are my mate."

"Padme is going to be all over my ass about kissing you." Tori wrapped her belt around her waist while trying to tuck the tunic top closed so that none of her bra showed.

"Tell her nothing of it." Sessho-Maru placed a hand on Tori's waist as she tightened the belt.

"We're friends and friends talk." Tori smoothed the fabric covering Sessho-Maru's chest. "I still like your tail." She rubbed her hands through the furry appendage.

Sessho-Maru growled as he pulled her into his embrace. Tori giggled as she reached up and placed a kiss on his lips. He followed her out of the room to face the smirking faces of Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Koga. Remus looked up from his position beside one of the windows and gave a knowing smile.

"About damn time you two decided to crawl out of that infernal bed." Inu-Yasha glared at them from his position at the table.

Tori could see the remains of breakfast scattered across the table and the three very satisfied men gathered around the remains. "What the hell were you bakas thinking? You ate breakfast without us!"

"You aijins were busy." Miroku looked up from his half empty plate.

Tori stomped her foot angrily as she glared at the gloating men. "If I catch the three of you, I'm going to kill you." She grabbed a piece of bread from the table and started to munch on it. "Are we going or what?"

Koga scrambled to his feet while Inu-Yasha jumped up out of his chair. Miroku grabbed his staff and hurried after Koga and Inu-Yasha. Remus watched quietly as Sessho-Maru swept Tori into his arms and raced after the others. He shook his head as he raced after them.

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Qui-Gon stood outside Watto's junk shop with Padme and Jar Jar. They were looking around for the others. The discussion the night before had turned from helping to free the slaves on Tatooine to trying to help the Jedi Master and his friends. Padme was still upset with Qui-Gon for agreeing to young Anakin's plan.

"Are you sure we can trust this boy with a task such as this?" Padme's stance revealed her anger as Qui-Gon scanned the crowds.

"Yes. I have a good feeling about this, young handmaiden." Qui-Gon turned his calm gaze back to Padme.

"The Queen wouldn't agree."

"The Queen doesn't have to know."

Padme watched angrily as Qui-Gon and Jar Jar went into the shop. "I don't agree."

Koga skidded to a stop in front of Padme. "Hey, wench. What's wrong?"

"Qui-Gon is going to see if Watto is willing to help him make a wager on the Boonta Eve Podraces. I don't think this is a good idea." Padme's frown deepened slightly.

"Who's going to be his driver?" Koga laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Anakin Skywalker."

"Don't worry. Annie's a good kid. He'll do his best." Koga leaned against the wall as Padme started to pace. "You need to relax and go with the flow as Kagome always says."

"I'm not this Kagome person. I tend to worry about everything."

Inu-Yasha dropped in front of her, making Padme almost punch him. "It's only me."

"That's why she tried to hit you." Koga grinned making Padme laugh slightly.

"Did we miss anything?" Tori clung to Sessho-Maru as he placed her feet on the ground. "Thanks, hon."

"Just Padme trying to hit Inu-Yasha." Koga jerked his thumb at the blushing girl. "Unfortunately she missed."

Remus leaned over and panted heavily. "You need to slow down."

"Sorry about that, Remus." Sessho-Maru laid a hand on the young man's back. "Will you be all right?"

"Yeah." Remus grinned slightly. "If Veronica were here, she'd call me a wimp for whining so bad."

"Well, you are a wimp..." Tori gave him a brilliant smile. "...But you're our wimp."

Remus shook his head slightly. "Thanks, Tori. I just know Veronica's going to like you."

"You're welcome." Tori started toward the door of the junk shop when Padme stopped her. "What?"

"Qui-Gon is trying to get Watto to agree to something." Padme frowned slightly.

"What?" Sessho-Maru straightened slightly. "Does he need help?"

"Most likely not. Anakin came up with this crazy idea that he should race in the podraces so that we could raise the money needed to get the parts to repair the ship. I don't think it's a good idea but he won't listen to me."

"If Qui-Gon thinks it'll work, then the least we could do is try it." Tori crossed her arms.

"He's betting the ship. If we lose then we lose the ship, how will we get to Coruscant?"

"We'll find a way. The ship's no good to us without the parts we need to fix it. Just keep that in mind." Tori felt Sessho-Maru wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Besides we have other things to worry about."

"If those start kissing again, I'm going to use the Tetsusaiga on myself." Inu-Yasha rolled his golden eyes.

Padme looked between the demon lord and the CSI cop. "What does he mean by again?"

Tori rolled her crystal blue eyes before landing her foot against the seat of Inu-Yasha's pants. "He came into the room this morning while we were kissing. No biggie."

Padme just smiled as Sessho-Maru grabbed Inu-Yasha by the collar and dragged him into the shop. Remus and Miroku looked at each other and shook their heads. Koga just leaned against the wall as Padme and Tori sank to the sand and started talking.

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Qui-Gon stood before the Toydarian as Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha came into the shop. He bowed slightly before turning back to Watto. "What do you say, Watto? You pay the entrance fee, let Anakin drive my racer, and keep the winnings minus what we need for the parts to repair our ship if we win. If we lose you keep my ship."

"You drive a hard bargain." Watto rubbed his chin slightly. "But it's a deal." He slapped Qui-Gon's hand to seal the deal.

"Good. We'll see you at the race in a few days." Qui-Gon turned and left the shop.

Sessho-Maru and Inu-Yasha followed him. Once they were out of earshot of Watto, Sessho-Maru laid a hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder. "Are you sure that this will work?"

"I trust in the Force. You should as well." Qui-Gon moved out into the brilliant sunlight.

"I can't help but feel that this isn't going to be pretty." Inu-Yasha glanced over at his brother.

"No race is pretty." Sessho-Maru spoke softly as he followed Qui-Gon into the sunlight.

Padme was still sulking in the sunlight while Tori was pushing Koga away from them. Sessho-Maru saw the wolf demon hovering near the girls and growled. Tori gave the demon lord a brilliant smile and allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist.

"I told you, baka ookami, to stay away from my mate." Sessho-Maru flexed his claws at Koga.

Koga ran behind Qui-Gon. "Sorry. I was just telling the others how you two were found this morning."

"And I told you not to even think about it." Tori glared at the cowering wolf.

Koga stepped from behind Qui-Gon as he moved down the street. "So can I go place a bet on Anakin to win the podrace?"

"If that is your subtle way of asking me if Watto agreed to let the boy race, then yes, you may place your bet." Qui-Gon tucked his hands into the sleeves of his tunic as he moved away from the group.

Koga gave Tori and Padme a quick smile before dashing off down the street. Sessho-Maru growled once before pulling Tori closer to him. They followed Qui-Gon back to the Skywalker home.

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Shippo panted slightly as he and Rin practiced swinging the lightsabers. He noticed that Rin was panting even harder than himself. Yoda was standing to one side. The Padawans weren't panting like Shippo but a few were starting to lose their patience.

"Patience, young ones. A Jedi must have patience." Yoda stopped the drones that were firing at the students with a wave of his hand. "Meditation time it is."

Shippo followed after Rin and several of the Padawans. They entered the large round room that he and Rin had met all the Jedi Masters in. "Isn't this the Council room?"

"Yes, Shippo." Made Windu stepped from the shadows. "We allow the Padawans to come in here to meditate."

"Master Windu, could you tell us who these young ones are and why they are training with us?" A young Calamarian boy about Shippo's age had flopped down onto the floor.

"I'm not sure if I can explain it, Zachimo. Perhaps Shippo would honor us with the tale of how they came to be here." Master Windu bowed to Shippo.

Shippo had flopped onto the floor but jumped back to his feet when asked to tell their tale. "I come from the planet known as Earth. My friends and I wander around a country known as Japan looking for shards of the Shikon Jewel. It's also known as the Jewel of Four Souls. My reidou's name is Kagome. We travel with a half-demon called Inu-Yasha, a lecherous monk with a Wind Tunnel in the palm of his right hand known as Miroku, a demon slayer called Sango, and her fire cat demon, Kirara. Rin travels with Inu-Yasha's half-brother, Lord Sessho-Maru, his dragon called Ah-Un, and his vassal, Jaken. The day we came here my friends and I were walking through the forest near our village when we were attacked by these great big metal things. We thought that Naraku had sent them."

"They are called droids, Shippo." Master Windu leaned back in his seat while the rest of the children gathered around the tiny fox demon.

Shippo nodded slightly. "Thank you, sir. Inu-Yasha, Miroku, and Sango fought against the droids. I was racing back to the village, hoping that Kagome had returned and would use her sacred arrows on the druids, when I saw Lord Sessho-Maru hurrying through the forest. Rin was hiding in the bushes. She told me that Lord Sessho-Maru had told her to hide in the bushes while he went to help his pack-mates."

Rin tugged on Shippo's sleeve. "Maybe we should tell them how Lord Sessho-Maru and Lord Inu-Yasha became friends again?"

Shippo nodded before taking a deep breath. "You need to understand that Inu-Yasha and Lord Sessho-Maru have hated each other for years. All because their father left the sword Tetsusaiga to Inu-Yasha. Lord Sessho-Maru took this as a great insult. So for years whenever they would meet they would fight over the sword. The last time they started to fight like this, Kagome and Rin were captured by Naraku, an evil demon that wants the Shikon Jewel. The brothers decided to put aside their differences and work together to rescue their charges. That's when it was decided that all of us were to be pack mates."

"By why then?" A young human girl twirled her hair around her finger.

"Because Naraku wasn't expecting it. Together Inu-Yasha and Lord Sessho-Maru managed to defeat Naraku. Defeat, not destroy, him." Shippo smiled slightly. "That's why whenever we need help Lord Sessho-Maru is usually there to help us."

"What happened while you and Rin were hiding in the bushes?" Master Windu pressed his fingertips together.

"The droids shot something that looked like green rings at each person and Kirara. They dropped like rocks. That's when Koga came running up."

"Those were stun rings." Master Windu gave Shippo an encouraging nod.

Shippo turned to Rin. "Would you like to continue, Rin?"

"No. You're doing a good job, Shippo." Rin looked up from the floor.

"Okay." Shippo took a deep breath before jumping back into the story. "We were hiding in the bushes and I was trying to keep Rin quiet when Koga knelt next to us. He asked what was happening so we told him. He said that we would have to find a way to rescue them. So we snuck on board the ship that the droids had climbed into. We landed near a huge castle. I knew it was a castle because Kagome had shown me some pictures once. We watched as three men and a woman fought the droids. They managed to blow up one but the others stunned them. Koga slipped off the ship and ripped up several of the droids. When he got back to the ship I asked him why. He said that he had a feeling that they were going to need them." Shippo looked around the room at the enraptured Padawans. "We waited while the droids carried the people on board. We had traveled for what had seemed like days when we arrived at the castle so that was what we expected for the next trip. When we landed this time, Koga told us to remain hidden while he went to scout so we did. Koga came back to tell us that another woman had been captured. She had been alone and hadn't attacked the droids so he destroyed at least one of them for her friends to find. We huddled together for what seemed like several days before we landed here. Koga managed to slip us off the ship and bring us here to the Jedi Temple thinking that it was a place of worship. That's when the Jedi Council allowed Rin and myself to stay and train with you."

Master Windu climbed to his feet. "Did Shippo's story answer all your questions, Padawans?"

Several Padawans nodded while Shippo dropped onto the floor beside Rin.

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Tori stretched slightly as she wandered out onto the porch to watch as Anakin fix the podracer sitting behind his family's home. She watched Sessho-Maru stretch slightly under the dual suns of Tatooine. She bit the inside of her lip to keep from moaning as she watched him strip his tunic top from his body. His skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. Tori didn't hear Shmi coming up behind her.

"He's certainly a very handsome young man." Shmi smiled when Tori jumped.

"Who? Inu-Yasha?" Tori turned slightly to hide her blush.

"No. Your young man, Lord Sessho-Maru." Shmi was delighted to see Tori's red cheeks deepen.

Tori looked down at the group working on the podracer. "I guess he is. I really think I should head down there to help."

"Be careful. You know how some men get when they're working on a vehicle." Shmi watched the young woman vault over the balcony rail.

Qui-Gon stepped up behind Shmi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine."

"I just worry about him."

"He's strong with the Force. If he lived within the Republic, he would have been taken to the Jedi and trained."

"I know this."

"Who's his father?" Qui-Gon asked the question that had been bothering him since he'd met the boy.

"There is no father. I don't know how to explain it. I conceived him. I carried him." She looked up into the surprised Jedi's face. "I know he's special."

"Very special." Qui-Gon's voice barely carried. "Please excuse me."

"Of course." Shmi watched the Jedi walk down to the group around the podracer.

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Tori tossed her hair over her shoulder silently cursing the dual suns of Tatooine. She reached into the toolbox and grabbed what she hoped was a hydrospanner. She handed it to Anakin, who nodded. She let out a sigh of relief before squealing when Koga spun her around in a circle. She hit his shoulders as he put her down. She shouted a warning to Padme seconds before Koga did the same to her.

"That ookami is going to get in trouble." Sessho-Maru laid his arm along Tori's slender shoulder. "I should kill him for spinning you."

"I've gotten worse from the guys at work." Tori smiled slightly at the sound of his growl. I wonder what he says when he growls like that. She felt his lips skim over the tanned skin of her neck. Never mind.

Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes as he watched from his perch on top of the house. Why don't those two go and get a room? They need to get the mating over with.

Remus watched the loving couple from his position under the podracer. "Hey, Tori. I need you to hand me some kind of wrench."

"You've got it, Remus." Tori bent over the toolbox again only to have Sessho-Maru pull her upright. "What do you think you're doin', darling?" Tori's voice held that hint of a southern drawl as she gazed over her shoulder into his golden eyes.

"The young one will be starting this vehicle soon. I do not want you hurt." Sessho-Maru arched a delicately sculptured silver eyebrow at his mate.

"Annie's not starting the racer up anytime soon. First we've got to get it running." Remus crawled out from under the racer. He placed a hand on Sessho-Maru's shoulder. "Maybe you should take Tori and go for a walk."

"Perhaps we should go for a relaxing walk around the village." Tori gave Remus a brilliant smile that made his cheeks turn a bright pink. "Thanks for the idea, Remus."

"You're welcome." Remus gently pushed the two lovebirds toward the front of the slave quarters.

Inu-Yasha saw his brother and his mate leaving the podracer. "Don't come back until the two of you have gotten it out of your systems!"

"BAKA!!" Tori shook a fist at Inu-Yasha while Sessho-Maru pulled her away from the group.

Inu-Yasha watched quietly as the rest of their group turned back to their work. Anakin looked up into the brilliant sunlight before turning his gaze onto Inu-Yasha. He watched the dog demon for a moment before turning to the group of children coming around the corner of the slave quarters.

"Did you see that woman?" One of the boys grinned as his friends nodded.

Anakin rolled his eyes when Inu-Yasha jumped down from his perch on the roof. "You had best keep your comments to yourself, Kister."

"Why?" The dark headed boy found himself dangling from Inu-Yasha's clawed hand.

"That's why." Anakin managed to keep his laughter to himself.

Inu-Yasha shook the boy once. "Never let me hear you speak of my brother's mate again, brat."

Kister tried to nod but Inu-Yasha dropped him into the sand. "Annie, what's going on around here?"

"Not much. I'm going to be in the Boonta Eve Race tomorrow."

A Rodarian boy shook his head. "In this hunk of junk. You're kidding yourself, Annie."

All the children except Kister ran off to play. "Annie, you're sure this thing is going to race well tomorrow?"

"Yep." Anakin watched Jar Jar working beside the binders that joined the two engines together. "Jar Jar, be careful. If your hand gets caught in one of those binders, it'll go numb for hours."

Jar Jar bent to retrieve the hydrospanner he had dropped. Unfortunately his tongue got caught in the binders. "Mya tongue..." He dropped the hydrospanner into the engine.

Inu-Yasha shook his head slightly as Qui-Gon came up behind Anakin. "We just like to get stuck with all the morons."

Qui-Gon shot Inu-Yasha a look that told him to shut his mouth. He turned to Anakin. "Try this power source."

Padme noticed that Jar Jar had gotten his hand stuck in the engine while trying to get the hydrospanner out of the engine. She very gently slipped his hand from the engine while Anakin plugged the power source into the racer's control panel. Together they moved around the racer. Anakin started the engine.

The engine's roared to life causing everyone to start cheering. Remus looked toward the house and saw Shmi with tears shining in her eyes. He moved around the cheering group to the sad looking woman.