disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko; my OCs belong to me.
Rise Up
'Supreme conquest...!' He sort of huffed. 'Tell me, Sesshomaru, do you have someone to protect..?' He asked carefully.
His gold eyes tightened in confusion. 'Protect...?' What a ludicrous thought, he the great son of the Inu no Taisho, being required to risk his neck for the sake of another. He snorted quietly. 'The answer is 'no': I, Sesshomaru, have no need of such…'
"Milord, this insolent wolf is belittling your servant, the great Master J… G-gah!"
The blue-haired female stomped his head into the ground with the heel of her boot, a vein twitching on her brow. "The great toadstool, you mean."
The ebony-haired female and brown-haired girl sweatdropped at the same time. "Kori, you're going to rub his face off into the dirt." The older of the two females deadpanned.
"Well it's what he gets for insultin' me!" Her sister protested, pouting at her and earning another look.
He exhaled quietly and pinched the bridge of his nose between his eyes, gold eyes shut tight. "Both of you knock it off. Kori, get off the imp." He ordered patiently.
The aforementioned bluenette pouted at him, sighing and obeying despite her slight hurt, folding her arms over her chest. "Fine, fine."
Her sister took note of the brief nostalgic expression that had appeared on his handsome face prior to being jarred from whatever he was remembering by the small squabble between the imp and younger she-wolf. "Sesshomaru, are you alright?" She asked softly, meeting his glance with a curious expression.
She hadn't noticed his stroll down memory lane, did she…? But then again, she didn't have a sharp nose for no apparent reason. So he only shrugged and returned his gaze forward. "I'm fine." He replied calmly, his tone finalizing and subliminally pointing out that it was unwise to press the question.
Silver eyes lowering, she nodded a little and slid her hands into the folds of her kimono sleeves with a quiet sigh.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
A ripple of unease rose amongst the yokai trio, making the youngest of the trio bristle whereas the second-oldest narrowed her eyes; the oldest simply smirked wryly.
Three pairs of eyes ogled the bright pink beam of light that shot up from somewhere in the middle of that forest, from the old well, if they had to guess; and if the girls knew that much, then the well wasn't very far from the human populace nearby.
Just what was this new threat that had caused such a feeling in not only the girls, but himself too?
Both sisters shared a look. "Stay with Sesshomaru, I'll go check it out." The bluenette offered, earning a glance from their pack's alpha.
Her sister nodded, throwing a brief scowl at the light, ears twitching when they sensed it was moving towards the village. "Be careful out there." She complied, smiling a little, to which she returned the smile.
"Return as soon as you find out what that was, Kori." Her brother-in-law added, seeing her blue eyes blink and look at him.
She nodded and smirked at him. "Just look after the girls." She replied, turning to leap off the ledge and drop into the foliage of the trees below, taking off at a sprint through the green.
"Lord Sesshomaru, will Kori-onee be all right?" The girl asked, looking to both daiyokai for an answer, preferably a positive one.
The female daiyokai smiled brightly over at her. "She'll be fine, Rin, she's just gonna go check something out; she'll be back." She assured for him.
He smiled privately at her instant-maternal light she obtained whenever she looked at the human pup, looking in the direction his sister-in-law went once more.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
Rain beat down on her head gently as she surveyed the damage around her, the wrecked huts and disturbed ground; she narrowed her blue eyes and trodded further into the ruined village, keeping a hand on her bow out of habit.
Whatever did this, it reeked of bad yoki, the same type that had made the hairs on her neck stand on end, as well as the very source she'd tracked from the forest.
Ears twitching, she paused short of a particular hut and sniffed the air; her gaze sharpened as she trodded closer to the wreckage, stepping over various broken pieces of wood and straw, grip tightening on the blue wood of her long bow.
This scent, it was familiar…
She crouched to one knee as she lowered a hand to scrape her claws on the surface of a splintered two-by-four, a dark reddish brown residue staining the underside of her two claws; she sniffed it and widened her eyes alertly.
No wonder it was familiar…!
"InuYasha."
She straightened and slung her bow over her shoulder carrying the beige quiver full of arrows she'd carried from her home in the West, the scent fresh in her mind. It'd probably be wise to retrace his steps, she mused, turning to exit the remains of the hut and lope off in the direction of the forest he'd come from.
InuYasha, what possessed you to do this? Why did you destroy a village full of innocent people? Why! She clicked her tongue and picked up the pace to a full-on bolt as she flew into the rain.
Skidding to a halt short of yards infront of the box-looking well, she adjusted the bow on her shoulder absently and panted a little, nearing the well and placing a hand on the lip, looking down into the dark abyss inside it and inwardly recoiling. According to what she'd heard, it would be unwise for full-bred yokai to pass through the well; in actuality, it was downright impossible due to the purified energy inside the Bone Eater's Well.
Of course given that InuYasha was a hanyou, born with demon and human blood in his veins, he was the only one able to pass through; those blessed rosary beads he wore around his neck also had something to do with it, most likely.
Korihime sighed and pulled her head out, scowling slightly into the maw of the unused thing; she hated running into dead-ends.
A rustling in the trees nearby made her ears twitch. Stiffening, she narrowed her eyes and lifted a hand for the bow on her shoulder, claws lengthening as she mentally prepared herself to turn about.
3, 2… 1…
She whirled about with an arrow in her bow, blue eyes bright with hostility.
"Kori-chan…? Kori-chan!" A blur of orange and teal flew at her and latched little arms around her neck, surprising the she-wolf.
She blinked before looking down at the blur as it had taken the form of a familiar redhead kitsune with a poofed tan fox tail. "S-Shippo?" She managed, lowering her bow and arrow.
"Kori-chan, I thought it was you! What're you doing here?" The kitsune smiled up at the bluenette princess, releasing her to plop on the wet grass as she shrugged her bow onto her shoulder, arrow retreating to the quiver on the same shoulder.
She smiled down at him and glanced at the well. "I was about to ask the same. Where's Miroku, and the girls?" She returned, lifting a brow.
"One of three isn't bad." The aforementioned monk declared as he came forward from the forest with a pink parasol covering his head, seeing her blink; he smiled good-naturedly at her. "It's been a while, Korihime."
Korihime nodded and smiled back, offering her arm to the kitsune that retreated to climb onto her shoulder as she moved away from the well to join him in the safety of the trees. "So can either of you tell me what exactly happened, and why InuYasha's scent is mixed in with this?"
Miroku shared a brief look with the kitsune that clung to the female, both knowing it would only be a matter of time before the scent had reached the wolf sisters and their pack leader, though they didn't peg it would be so soon. He sighed and explained about what happened in the village regarding a possessed InuYasha cartering a dangerous sword named Sounga that seemed attached to his right arm by purple vine-like bindings.
"'Sounga'… The name rings a bell, but Sesshomaru would know more about it than I do." She mused aloud once he finished explaining, lowering her gaze to the scuffs on the toes of her gray boots.
"Of course he would know more about it!" A squeaky male voice exclaimed before she had the sensation something was biting her right cheek; smacking it aimlessly, she left her hand palm-open to let a wilted-looking flea demon drop into her awaiting hand, regaining his composure to take the form of InuYasha's flea vassal, Myoga.
"I'm not the only demon present, y'know." She deadpanned.
The flea laughed sheepishly. "Forgive me, Princess, but seeing as Master InuYasha isn't present, your blood was the closest… Besides, it tastes sweet!" He defended with a weak rub of the head.
She rolled her eyes and pinched his head between two clawed fingers of her free hand. "Stop charming me, you old leech, and just explain why and how my brother-in-law knows more about this Sounga thing." She released his head and stared patiently at the vassal.
"O-oh that's easy! Well, Lord Sesshomaru and Master InuYasha's father wielded the Sounga, a fang that's possessed by the spirit of an ancient evil demon. It's only meant to be wielded by a purebred yokai, much like Lord Sesshomaru, as it was wielded by the great Inu no Taisho. In human hands it would make the wielder more malevolent than any demon on earth!" The flea rubbed his tiny chin with a paw, seeming concerned as he turned thoughtful. "Though now that my master wields it, given he's born of both human and demon blood…" He shuddered.
She fought eliciting a likewise shiver at the thought, scowling a little as she placed him on her folded right knee. "Kagome's in her world, right? From the scent that came from the well, I'd imagine Sounga came with that baka-hanyou from her time period…" She sighed. "Onee-chan's prolly not gonna be too happy about this, or Onii-san, either. I'm sticking with you lot, though, for the meantime; if Sounga is that strong, you're going to need some form of yokai power on your side." She looked to the monk with stubborn blue eyes, a slight smirk on her lips.
"Are you sure, Korihime? If your absence is going to be an issue for both Sesshomaru and Getsu, it wouldn't be too great of an idea to worry the members of your pack." Miroku dared wonder, knowing for a fact that her sister's temper was not something to be trifled with, and to have the younger of the two risk such a thing was not something he wanted to happen.
Korihime nodded and ruffled the kitsune's hair gently as he had gotten comfortable during Myoga's explanation and now was snuggled into her lap, smiling down at his sleeping form. "Yeah, they won't mind. I've always been the third wheel anyway, even before Jaken and Rin came into the picture; besides, I'm pretty sure my long bow would suffice in braining some sense into a certain idiot half-breed." She smiled again, the stubborn light in her eyes never wavering.
Deciding that it was too late in the night to argue the issue further, as well as the fact that arguing with her would be a losing battle, the monk exhaled and complied reluctantly. "If you say so. Thank you, though, for offering your aid." He nodded, smiling at her.
She shrugged innocently. "Don't mention it."
The wind howled softly around the peaked cliffside.
Her silver eyes remained peeled to the brothers that "formally" greeted each other, the younger wielding what appeared –and smelled—to be a possessed sword that was attached to his right arm by purple vine-like bindings; she felt a bristle rise up on her spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end as she was forcibly exposed to the sheer bad yoki radiating from the sword the hanyou wielded.
"Getsu-onee, why is it that Lord Sesshomaru and InuYasha don't get along even though they're brothers?" The girl asked at her side, making her ears twitch and breaking her concentration away from the impending squabble.
She relaxed the grip she had on the girl's sash around her belly and returned her eyes to the brothers just as the older initiated the squabble by his sharp sprint forward, a growl coming from the younger as he sprinted towards him to meet his challenge. "Well to be honest, it's a long and complicated story. But he does feel some measure of… like, for InuYasha, somewhere inside that stubborn head of his." Somewhere, she explained quietly; she cringed when their blades clashed, the sheer collision of their warring yoki that spilled into the air making her fangs grit against each other.
The imp snorted. "Even if you are my lord's destined, don't fill the girl's head with such lies!" He berated.
She sent him an icy glare, a habit she'd picked up from said dog demon that was currently fighting, making the lesser demon cringe and gulp before ducking his head back down; she huffed and returned her attention to the squabble, perking up when their clashes had them getting closer to where they were hidden.
Damn it…!
The girl and imp yelped before she grabbed both by the scruff and leaped away in time, watching the brothers continue with InuYasha in the lead and Sesshomaru giving chase, blades clashing and swinging.
"Rin, stay here with Jaken." She ordered gently as she lowered both smaller members of her pack to the ground.
"Lord Sesshomaru told us to stay out of the way, Getsu-onee!" The girl protested, looking at her alertly.
She nodded. "I know, that's why you're staying here with Jaken. I'll be back, don't worry." She smiled down at her and ruffled her hair tenderly, securing the katana at her hip and scowling in the direction the brothers ran off to; she broke away from her companions' side to lope after them.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
Smoke danced thickly around the air as she skidded to a halt, slightly-wide eyes taking in the scene of the fissured cliffside that was the result of a blast from the infamous Tetsusaiga.
"Sesshomaru," she began quietly at realizing that he could've been the only one responsible for such a drastic move, looking past the smoke and perking her ears as the fang clattered with the rocky ground as he dropped it, the faint scent of burned skin assailing her nose; her eyes sharpened as she noted the grimace on his handsome face as he'd dropped to his knees from pulling such a reckless stunt, the smoke clearing. "Sesshomaru!" She barked, hurrying to his side.
'Blood, I must have blood… Give me a live sacrifice!' A low growl came from behind, making both daiyokai perk their ears; without control over his limbs, the possessed hanyou rounded on her two smaller companions with a growl, sprinting towards them.
Both imp and girl yelped as they scrambled away with the hanyou giving chase, hot on their heels.
"No!" Getsu leaped at him, headbutting him sharply in the ribs and sending him sailing to crash into the cliffside's surface.
"Getsu-onee!" The girl began as she turned about to see that their pursuer had been diverted.
"Jaken, take Rin and go; get moving!" She ordered over her shoulder, katana flying from the scabbard as she brought it up to block the hanyou's lunge, sparks flying when the two blades connected.
InuYasha growled lowly at the she-wolf's grimacing face, pushing his weight onto her only to force her heels to dig into the rocky floor, watching her fangs lengthen as she glowered stonily into his reddened eyes.
"I know you can hear me, you idiot dog; snap out of it, InuYasha! I don't want to fight you." I don't want to kill you, Getsu tried to reason, her own yoki flaring as she kept a firm defense against the possessed male, fighting a wince as some of the broken rock behind her started cutting into the back of her bare heels, growling under her breath.
The fang in his hands cackled lowly, making her ears twitch; 'He can't hear you, you foolish wench! So go on and kill him, you know you want to, to avenge your beloved whose left arm he cut off… Your beloved that you couldn't protect!' It sneered.
She snarled a curse. "Stay out of my head." She thundered coldly, forcing the hanyou away with a growl, swerving when he swiped at her ribs and narrowly missed, left foot flying out as she rammed a sharp kick into his right jaw, sending him flying; she panted slightly, glaring at the hanyou that picked himself up in no time, tightening her grip on the hilt of her katana.
I don't want to kill him, he didn't mean to go after Rin for his own need, it was Sounga that made him; still, someone needs to knock some sense into his head, she flew at him, swinging her blade as he returned her volley and bobbing around his strikes, noting that they seemed to be more accurate despite him being possessed, drawing back after dodging a sharp lunge for her throat.
InuYasha snarled at her as she landed on one foot after slugging him hard in the jaw, baring his lengthened teeth.
Getsu smirked despite the situation and tension in the air, sheathing her katana and flexing her claws. "Go on!"
He flew at her, Sounga swinging, missing as her lithe body swerved and bobbed around his lunges, being received with sharp love-taps to the cheek, jaw, and various parts of his upper torso from her fists and well-placed kicks.
'ENOUGH!' The sword snarled loudly; his right elbow rammed into her chest, knocking the wind out of her as he knocked her back, swinging the blade at her head as she stumbled on the rocks and coughed to regain her breath.
"Getsu!" Sesshomaru spirited forward to protect his mate just as Korihime and Kagome came onto the scene.
"Onee-chan, look out!" Korihime cried as she flew forward at top speed.
"SIT BOY!" Kagome shouted at the top of her lungs as the rosary beads around the hanyou's neck brightened to the point where it was almost blinding.
Getsu looked up blearily at the sight of the reprimanded InuYasha and swearing Sounga just as Sesshomaru came to her side, his arm hooking around her waist.
'What is this!?' Sounga bellowed.
"SIT!" Kagome screamed as she flew in and the brightened light consumed the area; Korihime skidded to a halt as both daiyokai evacuated the spot shortly before the hanyou and priestess crashed into the ground with a loud 'thud', dust flying.
She buried her face in his stole, opening her eyes partly when the dust started to settle, feeling his arm around her waist squeeze protectively as he'd used his body to protect her from the debris that consisted mostly of broken rock and some pebbles, her eyes slowly lifting to see his gold eyes were on her. "Sesshomaru," she coughed slightly.
"Are you all right?" He asked, relieved on the inside that she had been spared, releasing her waist to wipe a smudge of dirt from her marked cheek with his thumb.
She nodded, letting his hand stroke her cheek lightly, slightly peeling away to look past him at the scene; she pulled away more to see her sister had been present, straightening from checking on the girl and now-unconscious imp. "Kori-chan!" She declared in relief, trotting over to her side.
He smiled slightly at the reunited sisters, turning to find and retrieve the discarded Tokijin. "Girls, let's go." He beckoned calmly once finding the mighty sword and slipping it back into place at his left hip, nodding to them.
Both females hesitated, perking their ears as his brother straightened and barked a 'wait' to him, watching him pause.
"I'll destroy Sounga; I don't need any more interference from you." InuYasha stated, having returned to his senses and inwardly hating that he'd brought his female into the fray because of sheer reckless behavior mostly on his part, gold eyes scowling at his brother's back.
"You lack what it takes." Sesshomaru rebutted, ignoring his short growl. "You should be grateful to the girl for saving you." He added flatly, continuing to walk and expecting his own females to follow.
Korihime looked over at the hanyou and furrowed her brow in concern. "Getsu, is it alright that I stay with him for a little longer? I want to check on Kagome," she looked to her sister and noted the surprise in her eyes.
Following her original line of sight, Getsu nodded her consent. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll meet again soon." She smiled at her sister and chuckled a little. "Just make sure you brain him for me." She requested, turning to bound away after her mate.
He glanced at her to see that it was only the older of the two sisters. "It's best that she stay with them for the time being; they'd need all the help they can get." He mused, indicating the hanyou's human pack.
She nodded, rubbing her ribs absently. "I know. But she wants to stay because she's worried for him, that's the only reason I see." She contributed, ignoring the slight crease in his brow.
"InuYasha, wait!"
He could swear that she was making it very hard for him to refrain from his moral to never strike a girl… "I told ya to not follow me, Korihime! Go back to Getsu before she starts worryin' again…" He turned his head slightly to glare at her.
Her brow crumpled into a frown as she took on a determined expression and grabbed his left sleeve, pulling him to a halt. "Just let me dress your wound, idiot." She argued while her clawed fingers held fast to his forearm.
Growling under his breath, he reluctantly complied and let her tend to his still-tender right arm, a light 'rip' sound making his white ears flick to the side as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye to see she had pulled a handkerchief from the confines of her kimono and was now dressing his arm with ginger fingers.
She tightened the bindings around his wrist securely, ignoring the slight grimace from him, glancing up to see he was watching from the corner of his eye; she blinked when their eyes met and gazes held fast for a second that felt like an hour.
InuYasha uttered a 'keh' and cut his gaze to the side, his ears flattening slightly. "What're y'staring at?" He demanded, putting up his usual gruff front towards the she-wolf he'd known was both unobtainable and not someone he should be feeling anything more for other than camaraderie.
Dropping her blue stare down to his bandaged arm, Korihime secured the bindings once more and then tied the ends on the underside near his elbow, pulling her hands back. "I'm glad you're back to normal." She mused, looking at him as his ears twitched, a trait to him she often thought was adorable; she smiled inwardly, shrugging her bow onto her left shoulder out of habit. "But you're not getting rid of me that easily." She added lightly, putting up a jovial front that usually irritated him.
"Why the hell didja follow me out here then? It's not like I'm gonna chase Sounga just to have it clinging to my arm like a fucking leech. I'm not stupid!" He asked pointedly, turning fully to scowl into her baby-blue eyes, mentally noting that she really was short, prolly shorter than Kagome.
She didn't scowl back or club him with her bow, instead crossing her arms over her ample chest. "I know you wouldn't do that, you're not that reckless. I… Look, the others were worried about you, and to be honest, I was too. You're not my pack leader like you are to Sango, Miroku, Shippo and Kagome, but you're still someone I care about. People I care about are people I feel the need to worry over." She shrugged softly and offered a wry and sad smile, blue eyes looking past him at some memory or thought he couldn't reach, "That's just how I am."
InuYasha blinked in slight surprise, widened gold eyes sombering quickly as he looked away; she cares about me, huh? He felt his cheeks burn pink at letting her words soak in. She knew he didn't see her as anything more than a friend, at one time a slight annoyance to unsettle his poor nerves even… Why the hell did she even bother?
"Come on, we should keep moving; this area isn't exactly free of demons, even if they're weak ones." He suggested quietly, disturbing the awkward silence that had filled the evening air, perking her ears.
Korihime blushed a little in meekness towards being such a bleeding heart, nodding and smiling again. "Right."
::::::::dOOb::::::::
Her eyes slid open, keen hearing catching the chirping of birds that signaled it was early morning. She glanced around to see the gray and orange colors of dawn with some blue thrown into the color scheme.
Wait a second, why did the ground feel so... soft?
She looked down to see his familiar large beige stole beneath her, gathered under where her head was and preferably used as a pillow of sorts; she blinked.
Then where…?
"You should be sleeping." His familiar low and smooth voice declared quietly to her right, making her blink again.
"Sesshomaru." She began in recognition, backtracking to the vague memory of camping out on the cliffside he'd stopped at some time during the previous night; she smiled wryly at noting he was sitting against a handy boulder with his back greeting the rising dawn, specks of gray light catching on his mane of silver hair. "Morning." She hummed.
He heard his inner demon purr at seeing her curled up in his stole, a sweet sight, watching her lift a part of the overgrown pelt to dust it of dirt and grass. "You look well-rested." Though I imagine the stole helped with that, he noted.
She felt her cheeks warm as she stifled a yawn with her free hand. "How long've you been awake?" She asked sleepily, rubbing sand from her right eye with a finger, holding the part of the stole she'd been brushing to her chest.
"Not long." He shrugged, refraining from allowing her to see a cringe on his calm façade as he had the briefest mental image of seeing her wearing nothing except his stole; he inwardly growled a curse at his inner beast for having such a lewd thought trace across the forefront of his mind.
"Did you at least sleep somewhat, after what happened yesterday?" She scritched the back of her head with a hand, shaking her hair like a dog ridding its ears of water, keeping one silver eye on him.
He smirked a little at hearing the slight exasperation in her question, watching as she straightened and stooped to gather his stole, listlessly eyeing her curved hips that further defined her petite size. "Not much, no. Besides, you looked as if you were more exhausted than I was after our little squabble." He offered calmly, content with such a view.
Feeling his eyes on her, she straightened again after gathering his stole, glancing at him over her shoulder and blushing a shade of reddish pink at noting that his eyes were trained on her, particularly her tail. "At least I don't feel the need to breed so early in the morning." She grumbled pointedly, shrugging the pelt around her shoulders and turning to face him.
Sesshomaru blinked as he was wrenched out of the lewd place his mind had gone to, scowling wryly up at her flustered expression. "You can't blame someone who has to deal with an evil advisor of an inner demon very much like your own, now can you?" Gods why did she have to look so appealing in that damn pelt?
"Given that I'm clearly a female and don't possess pent-up testosterone like you, of course I can!" Getsu argued, blushing again as she practically watched the hunger dance behind his scowling gold stare.
He snorted and sat back against the boulder. "You never complained about it in the past, princess. If I remember correctly, you begged for me to claim you." He reminded with a pointed tone, watching the blush deepen.
She cut her gaze to the side, cheeks burning. "Shouldn't we be finding Sounga? It's no longer in InuYasha's possession, if you recall." She demanded, eager to change topic if only to prevent any further distractions from occurring, nearing him to offer his stole back.
Ignoring his inner beast's indignant snort towards her quick thinking, he straightened with a slight exhale. "Yes, you're right." He took the pelt from her hands, shrugging it back in place on his right shoulder, gold meeting silver; he smirked dryly at the faint stain of blush still on her cheeks, raising his hand to trace his thumb over her birthmark. "This isn't over, though, you realize." He pointed out.
She looked away again with a snort that put her title as a princess of the Western Wolf Clan into debate, her ears twitching as her cheeks burned under his touch. "Persistent dog demon." She grumbled.
A chuckle rumbled softly in his chest as his gold eyes danced with amusement, his fingers gently tipping her chin upward. "Calling the kettle black, sweet." He leaned in to kiss her forehead, making her shiver and make a slight mewl in the back of her throat, before he drew back to meet her flustered silver eyes.
Getsu smiled softly in regards to his tender gesture, the smile shifting to a teasing smirk as she kissed him before rocking back on the balls of her feet, shrugging away towards the safer part of the cliff. "You can charm me all you want once we finish this; c'mon, puppy." She called lightly over her shoulder, bouncing away with a light sway in both her hips and black tail.
'At least she isn't being too difficult after that testosterone issue,' his inner demon hummed as he followed at a calmer pace; I wasn't asking for your opinion, Sesshomaru remarked with a slight growl, cursing said beast that was snickering in the back of his mind; he sighed. "Stubborn princess of mine." He mused aloud.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
The sight of a discarded warrior's helmet near the gravestone caused a crease in her brow; the helmet looked to be from at least a couple of centuries ago, at a time where she was still considered a pup, if she had to guess.
What possessed that sword to make a deal with this Takemaru of Setsuna bloke…?
A light breeze stole past the gravesite, carrying with it a familiar scent; both companions perked their ears and looked to the right in the forest of bamboo around them as both of their older siblings came forward from the shadows.
"Onee-chan, onii-san," she greeted in slight elation, blinking once when her companion skirted to the side and scowled as his brother stepped closer to examine the gravestone.
Her sister refrained from rolling her eyes at her brother-in-law's slight growl of apprehension aimed towards his older sibling, noting the gravesite and furrowing her brow as her eyes scanned the name scrawled on the stone. Takemaru of Setsuna…? Father might've mentioned that province once, when I was younger, but it was in the territory of Inu no Taisho… Two hundred years old… What the hell would Sounga want to have with the likes of a dead human? She wondered.
"So what're you doin' here? This's a human burial site!" The sound of Tetsusaiga being drawn from its scabbard made both sisters blink as the lesser of the two dog demons drew the mighty fang (out of irritation, if they had to guess). "Just what's your connection to him?" He demanded of his brother.
The irritation seemed to be contagious; he huffed and scowled at the gravestone. "I have no connections to that pest; if anyone has connections to him, it's you." He answered dryly.
He faltered slightly, confusion scrawled across his boyish face. "T-to me?"
Sending him a scowl in further irritation, he drew Tokijin from his sash, he turned to him. "You wouldn't know about it; you were born ignorant. And you've lived that way as well, an ignorant baka-hanyou." He glanced to the side to see both of his females standing to the side, already knowing how this was going to go; he returned his gaze to the growling and bristling form of his little brother. "You might as well die ignorant, too."
As it had the day prior on the cliffside, the air rustled around the bamboo forest as their yoki clashed with Sesshomaru initiating the duel first, leaving InuYasha to do nothing more than block his lunge sharply, metal screeching against each other when the blades connected.
"Wouldn't it be wise to put up a barrier?" She wondered, glancing at her sister.
Keeping her eyes on the two brothers for one second longer, she nodded and slipped her own heirloom from the sash at her waist, katana sliding from the scabbard's confines as she locked both the bottom end of the black scabbard and top end of the sword's hilt together; a pale blue barrier formed, looking close to an oval.
Given that they knew how these squabbles usually went, it was indeed a wise decision to put up some form of protection against the blast of power that would come from both mighty swords.
"Do you insist on staying with him, until this business is finished?" She wondered as both she and her sister gave a collective wince when the brothers' clashing yoki flared wildly with the usage of their "favored" attacks they unleashed upon each other, keeping her grip on her katana and scabbard firm in order to keep up the barrier.
She narrowed her eyes slightly when the younger inu was forced back by the sheer yoki of the older inu. "He's going to need all the help he can get against Sounga, and I'm not one to abandon my friends, you know this. Besides, we'll be fighting on the same side, remember? Don't worry so much." She replied, meeting her silver eyes and offering an assuring smile.
She held her blue stare for a moment longer before exhaling, nodding. "All right, since you're that stubborn. Once this ordeal is finished and in the past, regroup with us." Her eyes softened slightly. "Rin missed you." She added.
She nodded back and smiled in the same manner, "I know, I missed you guys too."
"Except Jaken." Both sisters chuckled quietly at that.
The battle –albeit one-sided in the end—ended as quickly as expected with the hanyou sprawled among the damaged bamboo forest and the daiyokai standing victorious despite his accomplishment proving hollow.
"Getsu," he beckoned as he turned about to track down the Sounga and she removed the barrier.
She spared a glance at the defeated half-demon and then met her sister's eyes; she smiled briefly before turning to bound after him.
The younger princess looked at the wreckage around her and sighed, raising a hand to run her fingers through cobalt bangs. "Great moon, you two can't go one day without wrecking something, can you...?" She grumbled.
The stink of the bad yoki positively reeked.
A bristle rose up her spine like a ripple, from the base of her tail to the back of her skull; she huffed and scowled briefly up at the darkened clouds that looked black, and knowing to unsuspecting humans that it looked like a storm had come.
Of course it wasn't anything so minimal; it was a strong –and rank—accumulation of demonic aura.
Something shifted in the corner of her eye; she inwardly huffed as she noted the younger inu had initiated the attack first by charging recklessly into battle and being met with a forest of spears.
"Apparently the undead despise fire." He noted aloud, making her ears twitch.
She glanced at him and soaked in his words, chuckling quietly; his ears twitched in turn.
"What's so funny?" He wondered.
Flexing her claws, she shivered lightly as a drizzle began, her own yoki flaring slowly from the center down into the tips of her fingers. "Why the hesitation? You don't want your baby brother to show you up, do you?"
A growl began in his throat; he snorted and drew Tokijin. "Don't be delusional. Stay on my tail." He grumbled, ignoring her softened snicker at riling him up.
"You got it." She mused.
With a flick of the wrist he cut down the first line of undead soldiers using the sheer aura of Tokijin alone; he smirked slightly. "Well now, how did you like that…?" He trailed off as a burst of blue fire from ahead diverted his attention.
A throng of soldiers advanced on the reckless female, blades drawn, before she hopped into the air nimbly and swung her right heel down, sending a wide blast of blue flames onto the throng and burning them alive.
Sesshomaru shook his head. "Impatience doesn't suit you, love."
"Rin, hold fast to Ah-Un!" Korihime instructed as she ruffled the girl's hair and hopped down from the dragon's back, landing expertly on the wet grass.
The girl waved down at her, "be careful, Kori-onee!"
She twirled the wooden part of her bow aimlessly in her right hand as she saw to the remainder of InuYasha's horde, smirking. "Play nice, why don't you?" She purred, taking off at a sprint until she bolted and swung the bow sharply in a small arc; a rounded wall of pink ice rose up swiftly as she slid against it and loaded an arrow, firing and destroying half of the troupe with a hot-pink-yoki-infused arrow, the bow sharply knocking the head clean off one soldier's shoulders as she ripped the next with her claws, paving her way through the horde.
Shaking the charred remains of a soldier from her left hand, Getsu looked off when sensing her sister's yoki and grinning toothily. "As it should be for a princess of the Western Wolf Clan." She hummed, barreling forward and setting aflame the rest of the unfortunates.
With some further determination and slight exhaustion, they destroyed the undead forces that surrounded the citadel.
A loud explosion sounded from where Sesshomaru was, and she had to perk up and then double back to his side. "Sesshomaru," she declared, perking his ears and blinking once when taking note that he only wielded Tokijin. Her eyes tightened slightly and she looked at the charred grass that indicated something had exploded. One of the soldiers must've snatched it before using an explosive; it probably acted on Sounga's orders, to seal Tensaiga, she scowled at the cloudy sky above, exhaling. "That's typical." She muttered.
"If you're done pondering, you realize this is only the beginning." The male daiyokai pointed out, perking her ears.
She met his gold stare and smiled dryly, looking at the rest of the horde and bristling. "Don't remind me. C'mon."
Korihime wiped her brow of slight perspiration and shook her head, frowning at the decimated hordes that had been slain. "The damn yoki's so thick; I can barely tell if this all Sounga has for an army." She noted more to herself, ears twitching when she heard something land in the softened grass several hundred yards away.
Rin trodded towards the thin object that had taken the form of the Tensaiga and lifted it, saying, "That's Lord Sesshomaru's sword."
"Rin, run!" The bluenette female barked as she hurried to protect her from the straggler soldier that attempted to attack the girl, coming to a halt as the soldier was cut down by a sacred arrow from the priestess; she sighed in slight relief, blue eyes sharpening when one of the zombified oni from the ravine mere days ago appeared and lifted both girls by the scruff. "No!" She snarled, sprinting to attack the demon only to be punted sharply by said beast's extended right foot that connected with her ribs and sent her flying.
Coughing and clutching her ribs, the she-wolf shook her head as locks of blue got in her vision and she blearily saw the maroon demon carrying both girls farther and farther, entering into the citadel. "Kagome… Rin." She shook her head again and scrambled to her feet, sprinting after the beast. "RIN!" Korihime cried.
"Lord Sesshomaru, help me!" Rin's cry came from near the citadel's perimeter, making both daiyokais' ears twitch.
Getsu turned at hearing her sister's cry and the girl's distraught voice, catching the girl's scent heading into the citadel. "Damn it! Rin!" She barked, booking it at top speed after the oni's stink, Sesshomaru closely following until they both leaped over the high gate guarding the citadel, landing nimbly.
Sesshomaru surveyed the swelled amount of soldiers that surrounded them and he swore under his breath, bristling. "Damn."
The Okami-Daiyokai at his side lowered a hand to the hilt of her katana, perking up as a hail of black ice pelted at the soldiers from above; she looked up to see a streak of blue leaping overhead to crash down onto one unfortunate soldier, a gargled snarl coming from the undead minion when a blue long bow stabbed hard right between its eyes. "Korihime?"
Her younger sister looked over at her and huffed, straightening and flicking her wrist to rid the blood from her bow. "There's no telling what that Takemaru bloke will do to the girls if we don't hurry." She rationalized grimly, a coldness settling into her blue stare that her sister immediately recognized only showed prominently when they were neck-deep in battle.
The Inu-Daiyokai nodded, glaring at the rest of the soldiers closing in on them. "Let's move, girls." He loped away headlong into the horde, Tokijin swinging sharply to cut down at least three soldiers that crossed his path.
Getsu smirked slightly after his wake, huffing. "He's such a showoff." She sprinted after his lead, Korihime flanking her as they sent a vicious torrent of blue fire and pink ice at the soldiers that got back up, the sound of shattering glass ringing out as her sister used her long bow to shatter the frozen soldiers.
Korihime broke the distance between her brother-in-law and herself as she rammed her left boot hard into the gut of a straggler, knocking it down and crushing the skull with a hard stomp onto its head, blood flying.
"Sesshomaru!" The hanyou's voice came from a few feet ahead, and his brother glanced behind him to see he had come as well, cutting down as many soldiers as got in his way.
His older brother scoffed arrogantly at seeing he had survived the first wave, cutting down another soldier, "I'm surprised to see you here; you're lucky to be alive." He drawled.
"Shut up!" InuYasha snarled annoyedly as he cut down another soldier, scrambling to where his brother stood, back pressing against his as they faced off against the horde. "Sesshomaru, when this is over, we'll settle things between us for good."
"Assuming you'll survive, that is." Sesshomaru sneered humorlessly, baring Tokijin.
"Just don't go getting killed by anyone else," InuYasha scoffed bitingly, raising Tetsusaiga before swinging it down hard, sending a blast at the soldiers that scrambled to get at him.
Getsu and Korihime came forward to see said daiyokai hopping over the heads of the revived soldiers as his brother called after him, "Hold it! That's plain dirty, Sesshomaru!"
Another wave of soldiers surmounted around him before a wide ring of blue fire fanned out to cut down the numbers as the female daiyokai landed in a light crouch next to him.
"Getsu? What're you doing here?" InuYasha asked, looking at the she-wolf.
"What do you think? Following your brother." Getsu replied as she straightened and stretched out her arm muscles. "Great moon, I'm getting sick and tired of seeing all these damn zombies." She groused.
Another row of soldiers came forward and both canine yokai tensed and took fighting stances. A bright pink light streaked past them at the oncoming row, decimating the soldiers at the drop of a hat with sheer yoki.
Korihime smirked mirthlessly at the destroyed soldiers, lowering her bow. "I second that notion. I might develop an allergy after this." She mused.
InuYasha smirked amusedly, perking up as his sister-in-law started in the same direction his brother had gone. "Oi, where're you going?" He asked.
"Knowing your brother, he's too pigheaded to know he's going to need back-up, and that's where I come in. Cover each other's backs!" Getsu added over her shoulder as she continued after his lead.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
"What's the matter; can't you even kill a corpse…?"
A narrow jet of blue fire screamed at where his head was, severing the head from the neck cleanly.
He glared in her direction as she stepped closer into the amber light of the single candle. "Why did you follow me?" He demanded.
She scowled patiently at him, drawing Mangetsuga. "You know we're in this together, Sesshomaru. I won't leave you to face this alone." She reminded, silver eyes hard in her determination.
He held her scowl for a few seconds longer before exhaling. "I know."
Air hitting the down-swing of a blade hummed near her right ear and she swerved out of the way to draw up to his side. Getsu glowered coldly at the revived corpse, lowering her sword.
Takemaru sneered at the irate she-wolf, the jewel of Sounga glowing a malevolent red. "Touching last words. Sesshomaru, how rude of you to not introduce your beloved beforehand." He drawled.
Getsu flashed her fangs and lunged, blocking a sharp swing from his sword and shoving him off, catching his descending blade, sparks flying from the impact; glowering into his yellowed red eyes, she headbutted him sharply, katana swinging to rip him in half at his stomach, drawing back as he crumpled to the floor.
Even if we keep hitting him with blows from Tokijin and Mangetsuga, he's still going to come back because of Sounga's possession… He's worse than Naraku, she mused, narrowing her eyes at the violet glow that came as his body regenerated.
Takemaru flew at her, being intercepted with a sharp block from Sesshomaru's Tensaiga, slightly throwing her off guard, before she swerved out of the way and to the side as they resumed their fight, watching with tight silver eyes.
"What's wrong, Sesshomaru; worried about your precious whore? You're disappointing your father's fang!" Takemaru jeered, sending him on the defense.
'Have you someone to protect…?'
"Sesshomaru!" Her voice jerked him out of the memory as the blade of Sounga stabbed into his right shoulder, pinning him.
Getsu made to rush in when scenting a familiar attack coming; she sidestepped the Wind Scar that barreled right at where Takemaru was, sending him flying to crash into the back wall.
"That's typical; your nose is as sharp as ever. You picked up the scent of my Wind Scar," InuYasha scoffed.
Sesshomaru glared at the direction the attack had come from, huffing. "Your 'wind' was more like a gentle breeze." He retorted.
"Too bad; I was hoping to take you both out at the same time." He snorted.
"Would you two lunkheads save the brotherly banter for later?" Getsu snapped, glaring pointedly from one brother to the other; she blinked when catching the faint glow of Sounga coming from where the corpse had landed.
"Two brothers working together to avenge the death of their father… don't tell me even demons have feelings." Takemaru drawled as he stood and advanced on the trio.
InuYasha dashed ahead of his brother, "Yeah well who the hell're you to talk!?" He snarled, Tetsusaiga clashing hard against Sounga, sparks flying when the two blades collided and grinded against each other.
"You look like Izayoi, when I look at your face. That woman betrayed me to give birth to you, a miserable half-breed." Takemaru sneered at the enraged snarl that came from the hanyou.
"Damn you!" InuYasha spat.
"Listen well, InuYasha, in case you haven't figured it out yet, I am the man who sent your wretched mother to hell." Takemaru snapped snidely.
Getsu's lip curled to flash her teeth and she had the sudden urge to burn him on the spot, were it not for his firm grasp on her shoulder; she looked up at his gold eyes in slight confusion.
Sesshomaru scowled sternly at her; he didn't need to read her mind to know she felt compassion for his little brother, but still, her safety wasn't worth letting her get cut down by a cursed sword such as Sounga.
::::::::dOOb::::::::
'While Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga are busy exchanging blows, Sounga will drag this whole world into hell…' The spirit of the sword's scabbard, Saiya, warned. 'Fool, stay away from there!' He cried as the girl carrying the scabbard hurried towards the lip of the ravine.
"Kagome!" Korihime sprinted after her, skidding to a halt and gaping slightly at the disturbing sight below.
In the pit of the chasm there appeared to be a thick stream much like a sea of souls, clamoring and squirming; movement acting like a wave, the river seemed to be dying to get to the surface… Out of hell.
"Are all of them souls?" Korihime asked in horror, ears twitching as a tailwind came from behind and started howling softly around them, threatening to gain momentum around the group.
"The dead of the netherworld." Totosai elaborated grimly.
Saiya added in a ghostly chime, 'They're calling out to the souls of the living… You must hurry, or your human souls will be swallowed up in no time!'
"But InuYasha, Sesshomaru and Getsu are still…!" Kagome began to argue before the tailwind picked up momentum and howled louder, tugging pointedly at their hair and clothes.
'Here it comes!' Saiya exclaimed.
Korihime bared her teeth on reflex against the fierce winds, squinting her eyes and perking up when Kagome sank down in something she assumed to be pain, looking at Sango as she stepped closer to the lip, seeming to be in a trance. "Sango, snap out of it!" She shouted against the wind.
A jingling of jewelry sounded from behind before Miroku appeared and lashed out to grab her wrist, halting her in mid-step. "Sango, you have to be strong… Or your heart will be devoured by darkness!" Miroku reproached, seeming to snap her out of the hypnosis.
"Everyone get over here, now!" Korihime called to the rest of the party as she drew an arrow from her quiver and slammed her bow onto the feathered tip once their comrades were present; a wide-domed barrier several inches thick and colored soft pink formed swiftly, encasing everyone inside its walls.
"Thank you, Korihime." Kagome smiled at the she-wolf as she sat next to her.
"Don't mention it; is everyone alright?" She nodded, looking at the others and seeing a few nods confirm for her; she looked over at the higher part that used to be the fortress, keeping a firm grip on her arrow and bow, blue eyes tightened. I hope you know what you're doing, Getsu...
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cried, making both Korihime and Kagome look up alertly and at where he was staring.
"Both of you, move it!" Getsu snapped, swinging Mangetsuga sharply from the right, and sending a wide jet of green energy screaming at the hodgepodge Sounga had transformed into; she snarled in annoyance at seeing it only made him fall back by a few feet, sprinting forward.
"Onee-chan!" Korihime exclaimed, watching her sister send the sword on the defense before being punted away and drawing back as Sesshomaru took up for her, InuYasha soon trying to get in the way. She swore, "Those idiots!"
'That won't work! They mustn't attack him separately, or they'll never be able to defeat him!' Saiya declared.
Korihime blinked when Kagome slipped out of the barrier, groaning. "For God's sake… Saiya, put up a barrier, okay? I'll be back!" She declared, hurrying after the priestess' wake.
Getsu snarled as she sent several jets of blue fire at Sounga's footing, leaping at him and slamming her katana down onto the sword, sparks flying, before she was hit in the ribs with his foot and sent skidding back, digging her heels into the ground.
"…Sesshomaru, work with InuYasha!" Kagome's voice shouted against the winds, making all three yokai blink once.
"WHAT!?" InuYasha bellowed.
Said daiyokai was busy catching slack for his mate's blows, taking on Sounga alone; Korihime slapped her forehead and moaned exasperatedly. "Of course he's not listening…" She loaded an arrow into her bow, waiting until he had him on the defense before she fired the arrow coated in hot pink yoki, the projectile flying against the howling winds to only bounce off Sounga's armor. "Damn it! Stay here, Kagome." She backed up a few feet before barreling forward, leaping over the ledge and letting the wind carry her towards where the trio were; she yelped sharply when the winds started letting her fall when she was only feet away from the ledge.
A clawed hand grabbed her arm, halting her descent, and she looked up alertly to meet his familiar big gold stare narrowed in a stubborn scowl; she smiled in relief and grabbed onto his wrist, both of them grunting slightly as he helped her onto the ledge.
"I owe you one," Korihime panted slightly, meeting the hanyou's stare and nodding her thanks.
InuYasha huffed, smirking slightly in return. "I'd have thought you'd be more graceful, considerin' you're a pedigree." He jibed, seeing her blink once.
Korihime grumbled and scowled, pulling on his left ear and earning a stifled yelp covered by a growl of annoyance; she grinned cheekily, hopping to her feet. "Baka-inu."
"If you two are done flirting, a little help would be nice!" Getsu hollered, sprinting forward at Sounga and sending several arcs of blue-green energy screaming at him.
Korihime rolled her eyes and shook her head, leaving his side to see to the more pressing issue at hand, watching her brother-in-law lunge at Sounga even after Kagome had used a sacred arrow against the hodgepodge.
Sesshomaru glared down at the burnt face of Tokijin huffing, "Useless."
InuYasha streaked forward, raising Tetsusaiga high, only to fall back when Sounga unleashed another Dragon Twister against him, landing on the ledge Kagome stood on. "Backlash Wave!" He sent the larger funnel-shaped attack screaming forward, only to have it curve and hit the side of the citadel.
'You're not bad, I'm amused!' Sounga cackled. He made to use another Dragon Twister when Sesshomaru's whip lashed out and diverted his line of range, sending the attack off course.
"Nii-san!" Korihime barked when he lunged at the sword and fought using his claws, perking up as Getsu sprinted to his side.
"Sesshomaru, MOVE! Nagareboshi-Kaen Taiho!" Getsu shouted, sending a wide wave of blue fire to crash onto Sounga as her mate leaped out of the crossfire in time.
'Dragon Twister!' A wide ball of purple energy screamed in her direction; she perked up alertly before using her fire, causing a large explosion to resound and dust to fly into the air.
"GETSU!" Korihime shrieked, aiming the ice-infused arrow at Sounga and firing, freezing his borrowed arm.
Sesshomaru skidded to a halt when hurrying to her side, seeing an oval barrier painted blue shielding her as the dust cleared; she lowered her sword and scabbard from connecting, breaking the protective shield, before sinking to her knees. "Getsu," he neared her side, feeling her shake slightly against him when he pulled her into his arm's grasp.
Getsu panted softly, dirt and scratches on her pretty face, shaking her head and smiling up at his tightened gold stare, tracing her fingers against the magenta markings on his left cheek. "You lunkhead, and here you didn't want me following you." She chided wryly.
Gold eyes burning slightly with relief and slight frustration that she had put herself in harm's way solely for him, he growled under his breath and scoffed softly. "And risk losing you? You brash beautiful princess." He returned in the same tone, seeing her chuckle, before he tightened his arm around her hips and helped her up as he stood.
'You're too pathetic to ever dream of wielding the Sounga!' Said sword cried as he sent another Dragon Twister at the two daiyokai.
Korihime fired another arrow at him from the side as both of her packmates leaped out of the way, swinging her bow sharply forward, "Kurofubuki-Taiho!" She exclaimed as a wave of black ice shards screamed at the sword.
'You stupid mongrel!' Sounga leaped at her.
A loud 'klang' resounded when InuYasha dove in to protect her, Tetsusaiga clashing sharply with Sounga; he bared his teeth, fangs lengthened. "Get the hell away from her!" He snarled.
"InuYasha," Korihime began in slight surprise, watching him knock his opponent back.
'I'll send you two brats into the pits of hell!' Sounga roared as he sent another Dragon Twister at them.
"Korihime!" Getsu shouted, bolting forward to protect her sister.
"You're both in the way!" Sesshomaru snarled as he sprinted forward into the attack.
"NO, SESSHOMARU!" Korihime yelled, cringing when the attack hit him full force and turning her face into InuYasha's shoulder.
As the dust cleared, both younger siblings perked up to see another blue oval barrier had formed. Keeping her back to her mate, Getsu panted slightly out of exertion, gripping both her katana's hilt and scabbard tightly, having dove in to protect him.
Sesshomaru scowled at her back, having used Tensaiga as a thinner barrier to deflect the Dragon Twister, also panting; he straightened from the kneeling position he had been in, now noticing her barrier was an oval, just as she'd said her father was able to use. "You've perfected your Divine Barricade." He noted quietly.
"Kinda had to, considering you tend to have your moments of recklessness." Getsu half-chuckled, lowering her barrier when noting he'd dropped Tensaiga's, returning the scabbard to her hip; she looked at him and smirked fondly, watching him make a face somewhere near a pout.
Sounga sent another Dragon Twister at the hanyou, sending him flying. He cackled, 'Now, do you realize how weak you are, half demon? Sesshomaru, it's your turn next!' He turned to the daiyokai couple.
"InuYasha!" Korihime barked, glaring at the sword and perking up as her sister booked it straight for the sword, katana swinging.
"Over my dead body!" Getsu bared her lengthened fangs at the sword, dropping back to avoid a critical strike aimed at her chest, heels digging into the ground; "Wolf's Crescent!" She shouted, stabbing the blade into the ground beneath her, watching it fissure and shoot up to send the sword flying from a sharp beam of blue-green energy.
'Your dead body, is that it? Then watch, Sesshomaru, as I send your beloved whore into the pits of hell!' Sounga bounced off the higher ledges of the citadel, sending a vicious Dragon Twister at the she-wolf.
A thick pink barrier formed around her, catching her off guard momentarily, before she looked to see her sister had rushed to her side, crouched on one knee as she protected them both with her barrier. "Korihime…"
"Sesshomaru isn't the only one who would hate to see him cut you down, y'know. We're still sisters, two halves of the same person… two princesses of the same clan." Korihime reminded with a stubborn fire in her blue eyes, watching the dust begin to clear slowly.
Getsu's silver eyes warmed and softened; she nodded, looking at where Sounga was, gaze tightening in determination. "And that's how it's going to be, no matter what!" She amended.
"…I've got human blood in my veins. Which is why I can't stand to give up!" InuYasha's voice came from the side where he had been knocked away, making both sisters look in his direction.
Korihime beamed at him, loading two arrows into her bow, the smile faltering when she glared up at the sword; Getsu held the hilt of Mangetsuga tight in both hands.
'This time I'll deliver the final blow! You'll both fall into the pits of hell with the two mongrels you love along with those mortal girls!' Sounga bellowed as he began powering up an even-more deadly Dragon Twister.
"Get ready." Getsu growled, the yoki of both her sister and herself fanning out, flaring wildly around them.
'DRAGON TWISTER!' An even-larger ball of violet energy barreled towards them, namely the hanyou.
"BACKLASH WAVE!" InuYasha bellowed, swinging Tetsusaiga down, sending a larger cyclone screaming forward to connect and clash viciously with the ball of destruction.
"Hit the mark!" Korihime fired, sending twin arrows coated in dark pink yoki flying.
Getsu grunted and swung Mangetsuga from the right at a wide angle, "DYING WOLF'S BLOOD!"
'…The whole world will be swallowed up by the netherworld!' Sounga cried.
"Shut up for once!" InuYasha snarled, stonewalling against the swell of dangerous yoki, fangs bared. "I have someone I've gotta protect… which is why I'll never give up!" He vowed.
Sesshomaru looked to see Tensaiga shaking slightly in his grip, "Tensaiga?"
'Have you someone to protect…?' His father's words echoed in his head again, resounding loudly. Images of his pack flashed in his mind, of the imp and the girl, of Korihime being the adoptive younger sister, of Getsu laughing and smiling happily, the images of his female counterpart lingering longest. "'Someone to protect'?" He repeated.
'Don't leave my side.' He had requested that night after he had chased her to the tree.
She had smiled with a warmth in her pretty face meant solely for him, 'Not even until the end.'
InuYasha swung the sword sharply, sending an extra blast to keep up his defense.
"Kurofubuki-Taiho!"
"Nagareboshi-Kaen Taiho!"
A wall of black ice and blue fire screamed forward.
Determination sparkled and ignited in his eyes that jerked to the two females, namely the ebony-haired daiyokai. "I, Sesshomaru, do have someone to protect!" He swung Tensaiga sharply, sending a torrent of blue energy screaming forward to finalize the comeback offense.
'… All along, my master believed this would happen.'
"Keh, talk about nerve!"
"… Ridiculous."
Both sisters deadpanned before the younger one stomped forward to hit both brothers on the back of the head. "OW!" A matching vein twitched on their temples. "WHAT THE HELL, KORIHIME!?"
"You're both being morons again! Someone had to whack some sense into ya or gods so help me I'm gonna drag your father back from the grave to do it HIMSELF!" Korihime shouted over them, glowering at both brothers.
Getsu sweatdropped and pinched the bridge of her nose. "I think we'd better get moving. See you lot later." She sighed, turning about to lead Ah-Un by the reins away.
"Oi, wait up, onee-chan!" Korihime waved at the others before scrambling after her sister, Rin following at her heels and Sesshomaru trailing behind, rubbing his bump gingerly.
Sesshomaru scoffed as he sidled to his mate's side, a disgruntled line on his lips. "And you didn't stop her from beating me why…?" He grumbled.
"Because I had half a right mind to do it myself, but she beat me to it. Sue me." Getsu shrugged, pretending he didn't growl annoyedly.
"You're both insufferable sometimes…" Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose.
His father's profile flashed in her mind again; she smiled thoughtfully, chuckling.
He shot her a sideways look. "What's so funny?"
"Your father, he seemed like the kind man my own father said he was." Getsu looked at the mildly confused expression on his handsome face, a tender smile playing at her lips. "You look so much like him. And sometimes you act like him, too." She stated softly, silver eyes warm.
Sesshomaru soaked it in before looking away, a fond smirk edging at the corner of his lips. Sliding his eyes closed, he huffed. "Whereas you're every bit the ruthless spitfire princess in the heat of battle… Though I can't say I can complain much." He glanced at her and smiled, seeing her blush prettily and then chuckle.
1/2