It had rained for almost a week and my clothes were washed out. I was dripping yet but as the sun appeared in the sky, my mood changed a bit. The humidity made my skin sticky and wet and my long braid of black hair was sticking to my wet backside. Yajuun, the beast I had managed to tame, was also restless. As he walked in the lush damp forest, I sat on his back and enjoyed the scenery. The trees were overgrown and the ground had been rejuvenated from all the pouring rain. It was now a beautiful day. I looked at the sky and saw white, fluffy clouds rolling as we walked under them. There was no sound, no bird chirping and most certainly not demons raging nearby. It was peaceful. Of course, very few people knew why this forest had so few visitors. When Yajuun reached the forest's meadow, he stopped and I dismounted him. I walked towards the tree that was standing tall, right in the middle. It was like nature intended to surround this tree with a forest for its protection. It seemed kind of odd that the earth on which I was walking decided, on its own accord, to place such a big tree to make the others surrounding it so small. I walked around the tree's stump and looked at the human like creature that was pinned to it. Its long silver hair, crowned with dog ears, was caressing its almost childish visage. The dampness of its clothes had refreshed the immobile body and its hands were relaxed, open.
The roots holding his body in place were gripping the creature's lower body, almost like it was holding it in place. The lips of the man were slightly opened, like he was in a deep sleep. The arrow that was pinned in his chest was old and agonizing. Even from here, I could sense the purity of the power holding the demon into a coma. The priestess that put to sleep this creature had been formidable, even in death, or so the story said. I took a step closer, knowing I was pushing my limits with the scared power of the arrow. As demon, I seemed to be affected by it, even though the arrow clearly seemed to mean no harm. The man pinned to the Sacred Tree was still alive, I could feel it in his heart. His mind was simply casted away, inside the power of the sealing arrow that the Lady Kikyo pierced his chest with. I did come here for a reason. I had a dream, not too long ago. I don't know why it struck my mind, but I saw, in my dream, that Kikyo's power was going to return to this world and deliver the creature from its eternal sleep. Of course, this dream was merely an illusion, a sense of foreboding. I took on last glance at the cursed man and turned my back, walking back to the forest. I stopped when I heard footsteps in the freshly damped grass.
"What are ye doing in this forest, demon, what is it that ye want?" I turned around to see an old crippled woman with a bandage around her right eyes. She had a twisted back and was holding a bow and a quiver with arrows. Her left eye clearly shot lighting towards me. I stared at her and she readied her bow. "I will repeat my question. Who are ye and what is the point of ye visiting the Sacred Tree?" The old lady, seeing I would not reply, launched an arrow at me and I swiftly caught it with my thumb and index. I threw it on the ground and I saw the glint of fear and panic in her eye. I approached her and she back away. I decided to stay where I was, for I would scare her more than she already was.
"Are you a priestess?" I asked her. She seemed mesmerized by the sound of my voice and replied: "I am simply a healer, a herb specialist and the protector of this Sacred Tree. Why have ye come to visit Inu Yasha?" she asked. I closed my eyes and let the rustling of the leaves charm my pointy ears.
"So this creature has a name…? Inu Yasha, you said? I had no idea this half demon had a name, for it has been hanging there for so long…" I said, frowning. She gasped and shot two more arrows in my direction, all evaded. I looked at her and smiled. She gasped again but this time, she refrained from attacking. He small, feeble legs made their way to the Sacred Tree and she touched the creature, named Inu Yasha, on his feet.
"How is it that ye know he's a half demon, stranger?" she asked. The anger in her voice seemed to have disappeared and she let her guard down enough for me to take a few steps towards her. I looked at the serene face of Inu Yasha and could almost feel the softness of his soul at my fingertips.
"I could sense his human part, lady Kaede." She looked appalled that I knew her name.
"Do we know each other, demon?" she asked. Seeing she didn't trust me fully, I closed my eyes and took a breath. "That too, I could tell. Your thoughts are pretty loud, old lady. I won't kill you; that will cause a too big of a commotion. But I will tell you this: do not mention my passage in this forest to your comrades, who are waiting for you at the forest clearing. I will know if you do." I said, taking my leave. Yajuun was still sitting very still, his front paws resting on the soft grass. I slowly made my way towards him, taking one last look at Inu Yasha, and mounted the beast.
"May I ask why you aren't protecting your lands, demon? After all, a Lady such as yourself should not wander around too much." At this point, I realized she also knew, extraordinarily enough, who I was. It itched me to know why such a simple human being knew of my existence. I smiled and turned towards her, Yajuun on his guard.
"You seemed so innocent, old woman. So you knew, all along, who I was. I thought you would've been more scared than that, knowing what you know already. Does my presence bother you?" I asked her. She seemed to have understood.
"Your presence bothers me not, but may be harmful to the villagers. Ye are quite serene for being such an evil form of life. I am surprised, however, that ye did not try to destroy this place, the Sacred Tree of even Inu Yasha, which should have been your enemy, alive or dead." The truth in her words stung.
"I respect the beautiful, lady Kaede. Most importantly, I respect the balance of this world. If I had destroyed this forest, which I would have done easily, I would have paid the dire consequences for it would destabilize this area. Also, I find myself quite intrigued with this half demon's history. After all, it's such a puzzling sight in such a pretty forest… As for him being my enemy… I will ask you a question I do not want you to answer: why harm something that cannot fight back?" She smiled and I turned Yajuun in the opposite direction.
"So ye have felt it too, Lady Kurisutaru... Ye know the power of Kikyo will return to these lands?" she asked. I left her with her thought and left. I entered the forest once again and retraced my footsteps to wander off once again. Kaede stayed near the Sacred Tree and she smiled.
"Well, Inu Yasha, looks like your destiny will change forever… I hope ye can hear me, or at least heard her. She will be back for you. I don't know what her business is with ye, but I can guarantee ye two will meet someday. Until then, ye sleep tight." She also made her way back to the forest and went back to her village. The wind caressed the half demon's silver hair and perked its ears. Something in him seemed to have awoken. Time almost stopped when the arrow pulsed, sending waves of purity through Inu Yasha's body. The moment approached.
It has been a few days since I went to the sacred forest and talked with the old priestess, Kaede. The rain was still pouring down heavily and my hair got soaked as quickly as it had dried. I blinked and let the rain out of my lashes. Yajuun removed the water from his coat and lay on the ground to rest. He had been travelling with me for a while now, with no stop. He needed to rest. I wasn't very far from where I was last, but I felt something was coming and it was a reason to stay in the area. The old Kaede warned me that I would be endangering the people of her village if I stayed near the forest. She was afraid I would hurt humans. Damn right, she would be afraid. If she knew who I was, then why didn't she try to kill me when she had the chance? Why didn't she use her spiritual powers to eradicate my demon aura? Because she knew that my powers were far more superior and advanced than hers. For an ordinary demon such as that half demon Inu Yasha, such pure powers are frightful. My blood is so tainted with demonic auras that even one of her purifying arrows wouldn't pierce through me. It would graze my human form skin, most definitely, but not the core of my body. I looked at the sky and let the rain fall on my face to cleanse it. I looked at my claws and saw the faintest taint of blood on them. I went to the nearby water source and tried to wash it away, in vain. When I returned to Yajuun, he was alert, his ears shooting for the sky. He was looking in the direction of Inu Yasha's Forest. There seemed to be a light shining in the distance, letting the sun's rays through the thick layer of clouds. I closed my eyes and connected to the energy around me. The forest scent filled my nose and I browsed through all the different smells until I reached a peculiar odour. I smelled it before… it smelled of ginseng and of sweet honey. It was a delicate scent, mellow and appeasing. Only, I could not put a face to this scent: the person I smelled it on once was a complete mystery. It was familiar, though. I couldn't pinpoint the woman. That was disappointing enough. I could feel it in the energy of the forest: something had changed, like a new sparkle of life had awoken. It was no wonder nature pierced the sky with such beautiful rays of sunlight. It happened. I turned around and jumped on Yajuun. I would have to leave for now. That was my best option.
The lands of the West were resuscitating from the death of winter. Winter had always been my favourite season in this country. The chill in the air sharpened my senses and kept me alert. The wind was refreshing was the snow had a nice, cold touch. Where I came from, winter was the longest season and it was the most pleasant one in my eyes. The sweet taste of icy cranberries, the elk hunting and the long walks I used to enjoy with my father in the mountains. These were memories I cherished from my childhood, some three hundred years ago, when I was just a young pup. My father taught me everything I know today. Being a Great Demon Lord, he was one of the most powerful fighters in these lands of Japan. Being a dog demon, I inherited his traits and his demon blood. He had once been the Lord of the Northern Lands and had been the most popular leader of the North in history. I could only imagine the fame that came with his notorious reputation. My father was, if not, the most powerful demon of his time and he had powerful allies, but also powerful enemies. My mother, on the other side, always stayed in his shadow. She always was by his side, keeping his emotions in control and made sure that my life would stay as normal as possible for a supreme rank demoness. She taught me about society, about demons but also about humans. She once told me that even being their superior in every way; I should not mercilessly kill humans because it would disturb the flow of life. I respected her theory until now. Of course, when I grew up, it did not occur to me that the lessons my mother taught me when I was a child were to put to great use. Being my Great Father's top General, I went and fought in his name, killing senselessly until I achieved my goals and executed my orders. I missed those days where I lead thousands of men into battle, pushing them to their limits and enjoying victories along with them. That was my dream, back then. When my father died during a battle with a mythical dragon, he left me all alone and left my mother with all of his belongings. Being ashamed of my behaviour towards the balance of nature, I never claimed my place to heir of the throne and let my honourable mother take it in my place. I never went back. I knew that Father would never have fought an enemy that colossal without allies. I remember my mother saying that her husband went and fought alongside his ally's enemy. The Great Demon Lord Inu no Taicho had asked my father for support and my father, having a too much of a big heart, accepted. He died protecting this so called dog demon and met his end. I should have been there, by his side, to protect him. He died for that bastard and I loathed his dynasty, his reign the moments my father took his last breath. I left my life behind, knowing that one day, it would come back to haunt me. Until that day, I would live half of my life. I would simply be Lady Kurisutaru, the heir that ignored her destiny.
By the end of the day, it had stopped raining and the moon was slowly making its way to the starry sky. The sunset had been beautiful, the bright orange and red striking my eyes. Yajuun also enjoyed the view while eating a fresh prey. I wondered if I had to go back and meet this Inu Yasha formally, now that I heard by bystanders that this strange young woman had revived him from the dead. Humans were so loud and yet so full of life when it came to something they didn't understand or something that amazes them. It wasn't really hard getting information from them. I heard that this child had removed the sealing arrow and that Inu Yasha had been released. Maybe the time was not right for me to meet him. Maybe I would have to wait another day. We camped near the river on that night, Yajuun and I, and the beast fell asleep almost immediately after the first stars appeared. Of course, a demon of perfect blood such as myself did not require regular sleep. I slept very rarely, on very timed occasions. I did not need to sleep at all for months in a row. The night went by very slowly, once again, and in the morning, the sky was blue. We resumed our voyage. For several hours, we wandered around aimlessly around the land. I felt this strange feeling, like something that compelled me to go into a certain direction. I followed my instincts and walked all night towards a place I never went. Yajuun was happy he didn't have to carry me and jumped all around, excited because we never travelled by night. His dark eyes wandered aimlessly around the forest while we were marching our way through what I thought was a pretty damn solid gut feeling. The air suddenly smelled of blood and demon scents. As the forest clearing seemed to be in reach, Yajuun stopped and stayed very close to me. He had smelled it too. In the distance, there was an odd stone shrine, which smelled like blood and other stuff I didn't care to identify. It seemed like people used to make sacrifice here, or something of the sort. As I approached, I noticed that this shrine had nothing special and that it had been abandoned long ago. Yajuun sniffed the odd stones, but rejected the scent and sneezed. "Let's go. There's nothing of value here. I thought I smelled… what is this?" I said, turning around.
"Look, Lord Sesshomaru, this is the place! This will help us tremendously!" In the distance, a toad imp, or something that resembled one, was skipping around with a wooden staff, crowned with two heads. The toad demon itself was a pretty ugly sight: he was tiny, was wearing horrible clothes, had these ogling eyes and screamed at the top of his lungs. His feet stopped jumping around when he noticed my presence.
"Oh, no! Another demon! Such a delicate but pure demonic aura! Oh, please don't kill me, please-"
"Enough, Jaken." The voice emanated behind the toad servant, a very deep voice with very little emotion in it. As the man's silhouette unveiled, I noticed that his scent was very similar to mine. The tall demon almost reached 6'5, a giant amongst demons of such pure blood. The demon's long, silvery white hair reached almost reached the ground, accentuating his aristocratic appearance. The skin marks on his hands confirmed is noble blood and his long fingers and claws could slice apart a human in seconds. My eyes moved up to his face, which was surprisingly still. His deep, amber eyes looked at me with disdain and his mouth was firm. The blue crescent on his forehead completed his royal looks and the imp suddenly cried out: "Please, Lord Sesshomaru, don't let her hurt me!"
"Be quiet, little servant. I will not touch you." I replied back and the toad, named Jaken, seemed mesmerized by the sound of my voice and stopped moving. I took once last glance at the stone ceremonial artefact and glanced back at the demon Lord standing in front of me. Even his kimono expressed royalty and power. "Lord Sesshomaru, who is this person?" asked Jaken, frightened. Sesshomaru, his emotionless face set in place, examined my person from head to toe and replied: "Jaken, you are fortunate enough to have survived." I smiled even so slightly and turned around. Yajuun was ready to lunge at the stranger and when he jumped in the air, I pushed in back on the ground, earning a yelp of annoyance.
"No, Yajuun." I said back to him, getting on his back, ready to leave. Yajuun shook his head and also turned around. Was that my gut feeling: to encounter with this demon Lord? Was that sensation of foreboding the feeling I was aiming for? I let the wind brush my hair and instructed Yajuun to walk away before this situation would turn on us. I could sense the power emanating from this demon, a power so demonic yet so refined.
"How dare you leave the presence of Lord Sesshomaru without his permission!" said Jaken, making my head turn his way. He was eager to die, that one. Only, I would not hurt a being so inferior for it would attack my own being: killing something so weak was an abomination to me. "I do not ask for permission. I give it to myself to do as I please." I replied, Yajuun running against the wind. I looked back and smirked. What a fascinating meeting. I knew what I had to do now. If this is the demon I think it is, then our meeting was only destiny. I would end his life and would regain my father's honour. I would kill Inu no Taicho's son. I also knew I had to visit Inu Yasha once again. Something had happened, something I foretold. I wanted to see if my visions were to be proven reality. The half demon was worthy of my time. I had to meet him and see for myself what Inu Yasha really was. Yajuun accelerated and flew over the earth under the dark skies.
The next day, the bad weather reappeared again and the rain poured down heavily on the lands. I was getting tired of all this rain. I mean, the earth and plants didn't need that much water. My hair was dripping wet and my clothes were ruined. Yajuun shook his head to evacuate the water droplets in his ears. It was going to be another pitiful day of travelling. Until the day I would reach Inu Yasha's forest, I would be feeling like this: morose, sulky and sad. It was still a day or two of travelling and I wondered how much of this rain my body could take before venting out the frustration. I closed my eyes and let Yajuun remember the path we took to reach the forest. The next morning, the sun was present again and I thanked whoever created such beautiful weather. Gods or no Gods, I would still believe in something stronger than I. Yajuun had reached the forest minutes ago and was making his way up the hill, surrounded with trees. When he reached the sacred meadow, I dismounted the beast and quickly approached the Sacred Tree. To my surprise, Inu Yasha's body wasn't there. My eyes widen as I saw no trace of the sealing arrow that the Priestess Kikyo had pinned him with. I looked around to see if the body was placed somewhere else when I felt something pulse in my heart. It was that feeling again. The power of Kikyo had returned and it had delivered the half demon, awakening him from his sealed sleep. It only had been just a few days since I departed from this place and now everything was different. I had no other choice. The purifying power was nearby. I had to look for it. Inu Yasha would be in its presence as well, I was certain of that affirmation. I looked at Yajuun and he followed me out of the forest, on the path to the nearest village.
When I reached the next hill, there was, in the distance, a human village. It was poor, but the lands protecting it were rich and sacred for the Lady Kikyo lived here. I remember her face very well for we have met before, some fifty years ago. Having talked with the legendary Priestess, I knew and recognized her scent and her powers. I walked on the dirt road leading to the old village and instructed Yajuun to stay in Inu Yasha's forest until I called him out. I didn't want to scare the villagers more. My presence alone was terrifying enough, as I heard, even to experienced demons. As I set foot in the village, I noticed that it was much poorer than I expected. It was almost depressing to look at. A small child approached and screamed: "Mommy, it's a demon! Mommy!" It was crying and soon enough, all the villagers were out with torches and spears. Oh, great. That was exactly what I needed. I noticed that a line was forming in the crowns and then the old Kaede resurfaced and looked at me. "What do ye want, demon? What are ye doing here?" she was very calm and was holding her bow and quiver very close. I knew that this time, she would not hesitate to shoot seriously and to hurt me.
"I came for Inu Yasha." I said, knowing that Inu Yasha would also bring the power of Kikyo with him. Everyone's face turned grim at the sound of the half demon's name. Were they angry at him for some unknown reason? Was he a source of discomfort and anxiety for these villagers? It seemed like the young demon was hated, even from the humans. I blamed Inu Yasha: he was half a demon and half a human. Not accepted by both sides. He was in the middle and that seemed hardly pleasant. "Demoness, Inu Yasha is not here. Ye may not find him either." Continued Kaede, lowering her bow.
"That is too bad. Will I have to kill the children in this village for you to tell me where the half demon is?" I asked, grinning, my shiny white fangs showing. Kaede smiled and chuckled. She could read my intentions, that old woman. She knew I would hurt anyone unless she was very difficult to deal with. "Inu Yasha is with a young girl named Kagome, by the river." She finally admitted. I bid her farewell with a nod and left for the nearest river. Following the scent of Kikyo's power, I found myself in a wood like area again. Yajuun had listened and did not follow me. The sun was shinning harshly and its rays touched my skin with a burning sensation. The river sounded so refreshing and so pure I almost let myself be tempted in a little swim. I lowered myself to drink when I heard a horror shriek, coming from a woman. I rose quickly and saw the weirdest looking human I've ever seen. The young girl was wearing brown leather feet things and some white socks. I've never seen such clothing. Those brown things, were they to protect her feet? As my eyes moved upwards, I noticed a green piece of materiel hiding her hip section. Her legs were almost bare, like a common prostitute. She was also dressed with a white shirt and wore long, black hair. But what caught my attention was the resemblance she had with the deceased Kikyo: he aura and even her physical shape was almost the same. She screamed again and laid on the ground, her hands in the air. Her breathing was heavy and laboured, probably out of fright. "Kagome, what the fu-" The voice emanated from behind the girl. There was a man, dressed in red, with silvery hair and dogs ears standing before me. His ambers eyes were looking directly into my red ones. This was the half demon.
"Inu Yasha. I am a bit surprised to see you alive and well." I admitted.
"Who are you and what do you want from me?" he asked, screaming directly at me.
"I am Kurisutaru. I am like you, a dog demon. I came here because I felt Kikyo's power."
"What about it? Why does it matter to you?" he continued.
"Never mind that. I am here…to help you in your quest to find the shards of the Sacred Jewel."
He laughed. "Are you crazy, woman? First of all, you smell too much like death and second of all, get lost! I don't need your help! Find another fool to believe you!" I closed my eyes and looked at the pitiful human lying on the ground, paralysed. "I suppose this woman will help you defend yourself against the demons that will seek what you already have - several pieces of the Shikon no Tama. Also, I believe you haven't got a clue where the sword of your Father is hidden… That's a shame. You would at least have something to protect you and that girl with. I am sure your brother will be very pleased to see that you are defenceless." I said, walking away.
"Wait! You said something about the sword of my Father… what about it? What do you know of that sword?" asked Inu Yasha in a pushy manner. He fell right for it. Such an idiot.
"It's your loss to refuse my help. I can protect you, help you and repel the demons that want your shards of the Sacred Jewel, Inu Yasha. Since you're just a half demon, you have half the chance of surviving. I hope that demon side of yours has enough survival instincts to keep you alive." I replied back.
"Don't you play coy on me, you wench! I don't need your insults! You're just like the others, only a bit more polite and articulate! I want to know what you know about my Father and about his sword! Don't make me wait!" While Inu Yasha was throwing a fit, the girl rose and went on pointing her finger at him.
"Inu Yasha, you dumbass! She's offering you help! Why don't you take it and see what happens? What is wrong with you! She's here to help us with the Sacred Jewel!" she screamed.
"Kagome, you don't seem to realize that she came here to steal them! Are you this fucking blind? You also didn't notice that she's a pure blooded demon, probably more dangerous than any other demon we've encountered! She could kill you with a simple glance! You're stupid! I'm not falling for that!" he said, crossing his arms. I looked around to see if Yajuun heard this misunderstanding. After all, anyone threatening me would end up in his stomach. "Lower your voices. I would not want you ending up dead." I said.
"See, she's nice! She'll help us, at least for a while! Don't be so stubborn, Inu Yasha!" screamed Kagome, the girl who apparently had the same aura as Kikyo.
"Shut up! I don't feel like ending up in her stomach, so be quiet and stop being so-!"
"SIT BOY!" Inu Yasha suddenly disappeared into the ground, his face squashed against some vines. Kagome crossed her arms and wore a victorious smile on her face, as she had won the duel. She looked at me and offered her hand to me. "My name is Kagome Hirugashi. It's very nice to me you, Kurisutaru. I hope we can be great friends." Friends? Is she thinking that I am now her friend? I accepted her hand and shook it lightly. Oddly enough, he pure powers didn't affect the physical contact and I wasn't burned to crisp from her powers. Inu Yasha, still overcoming the pain in his body, was slowly getting up and cursing under his breath. Kagome looked into my eyes and smiled. She was so innocent. She trusted me. At least, for a while, I would play nice and act as if I trusted her back. I just wanted to see what business she had with Kikyo's powers.
"Kagome, why you-"
"Inu Yasha, do you think you can do something about the villagers? I don't want Kurisutaru to end up with rocks in her beautiful face. How come you're so pretty, Kurisutaru?" She babbled on about her physical features, than mine and compared while we were walking back to the village. Inu Yasha trailed behind us, cursing and shouting something like: "I don't need another woman around!" I smiled and thought that Kagome was the perfect object for me to inject myself in Inu Yasha's entourage. I wanted him to trust me and to depend on me for a while, long enough for me to put my claws in his neck and to kill him once and for all. Inu no Taicho's sons would die by my hand, no matter what.
As Kagome showed me around the village, I couldn't help but to think that her personality resembled less and less Kikyo's. Kagome was a very expressive person that liked to talk and to tell you anything. She talked very fast and seemed that her speech was different from mine. She used expression I've never heard before and she also displayed emotions I was not familiar with, such as anxiety and hysteria. Whenever Inu Yasha would say something, she would turn to him and glare at the half demon with annoyance. "You know, Kurisutaru, I think I will get used having you around. I mean, you're so gentle and nice, educated, nothing like Inu Yasha. You're calm and respectable, totally not like Inu Yasha and you're a girl!" It was dark now and old Lady Kaede instructed Kagome to go to sleep, in her hut. "Lady Kurisutaru, I am sorry that my village is inhospitable towards ye since I don't have a place for ye to sleep in…" she began.
"I will be fine outside, old woman. I thank you for your kindness." Wishing Kagome a good evening, I decided to return to Inu Yasha's forest and to inform Yajuun of my safety. On my way to the forest, I saw Inu Yasha, perched on the top of a dead tree. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes wandering in the sky, looking at the moon. I passed the tree until he called out my name.
"Kurisutaru. Where are you going like that?" His eyes darted mine and I stopped moving. He knew I was going back in the forest for a specific matter, which meant he knew something I didn't want him to know. "I was going for a midnight walk." I replied back. He jumped down the tree, cracking his knuckles. His claws were sharp, even for someone like him. His hair was shinning beautifully in the moonlight and his amber eyes were deadly.
"Why did you come to me, Kurisutaru? What is your point, your purpose in being here?" he asked. That was a difficult answer: should I simply say that the reason of my presence was to wait the moment where I could, at last, kill the Dog General's offspring? "I came here because, like any other living being, I am curious. I wanted to meet you and see what kind of demon you were. Also, I wanted to see what kind of human you were. It seems like nature has blessed you with the best of both species, Inu Yasha."
"What do you mean by that? Explain it to me!" he screamed. Why was he so angry with me, all of a sudden? What did I say to unleash such rage from him?
"My words are without preconceptions, Inu Yasha. I do not judge you by what you are. I will sustain my judgement for now for it is not my place to determine what kind of man you are. To be quite frank, I've never talked to a half demon before: the ones I knew died before I even got the chance to meet them. I think it's natural to feel curious about difference, don't you agree?" His eyes narrowed.
"I don't get you. I don't understand what you want with me and with the Sacred Jewel. I hate the way you smell and I don't like how you talk." He said, crossing his arms, sitting on the ground, pouting.
"Is it because you feel that… I am superior to you?" This seemed to anger him to his full extent of rage. He lunged at me with his claws and attacked me. I pushed him back and pinned his head to he ground. "Do not do that. I don't wish to harm you. Listen, Inu Yasha: what is it about me that you don't trust? Maybe that's worth answering." I said to him. He seemed in thoughts for a second, but quickly answered: "You smell just like… never mind." I insisted he talked more.
"You smell like royalty. Your blood is so pure it shames me to look at you, let alone smell you. You dress like a innocent bystander, but your regal looks, the excellence you emanate and your eyes: you just make me think of someone." He said, his voice lowering down. I wasn't quite sure where he was going with that, so I left him with that thought. I wanted to understand, in this moment, how he felt. I did not have the same experiences of life as he did for he was much younger than I was and that we had different pasts. Even his attitude was different than mine… what is the human side of him that was showing right now?
"You said something about my Father's sword… What is it that you know about it?" he asked, his tension suddenly on hold. I knew he would know, one day or another, that his cursed father had left him a sword, somewhere in his grave or tomb. The only thing was that I had no idea where it was hidden. "Inu Yasha, your Father, the Great Inu no Taicho, was a great demon with many weapons. His favourite ones were two swords forged out of his own fangs. The first one, named Tenseiga, is a sword of healing: with one single strike, it was revive one hundred men from the dead, while the other, Tessaiga, can kill one hundred man with one single blow. Unfortunately, I have no idea about their whereabouts and how to acquire them. I don't even have the full information on them… yet. I intend to find out more on my voyages." He closed his eyes and sighed. He seemed in denial, as if his Father had left something so important behind. His Father, the hero, the powerful, the royal blood… "How could you know…? We're not even related… I don't even understand why you want to help me…" he said to himself.
"I don't know what to say, Inu Yasha. But I promised to help you and that's a promise I cannot break. Even though you despise me, I will prove to you that, even with our differences, I can be loyal. Also, I kind of like that human girl, Kagome. She's much more… talkative that I had imagined." I said. He chuckled.
"I suppose you don't know how she came to this era, do you?" said Inu Yasha. What did he mean by that?
"Kagome is not from this time. She comes from the future, or the twentieth century, or something like that. I'm not exactly sure where that stands in time, but I know that where she arrived here, a few days ago, she was bizarre, dressed horribly and smelled artificial. But she had a scent I could never forget…"
"You smelled… Kikyo as well, didn't you, Inu Yasha?" This comment seemed to surprise him. I expected him to not know that I knew the Priestess. He simply looked confused, like he had no idea what I was talking about.
"You know, Inu Yasha, Kikyo was a famous priestess. Of course I knew her for she almost vanquished my life with her arrows." There, now he should be able to relate to me a little more. I knew Inu Yasha wasn't stupid, but looking at his attitude, he was always acting on impulses of emotions. He seemed affected by what I said and looked afar. "Yeah, I figured out as much. I knew, in my heart, that you wanted the Sacred Jewel. It's too bad for you that it's broken, right now." He said, his fangs showing.
"You misunderstood what I said. I came to encounter Kikyo because I was lost and that I ended up right here, in the forest you were cursed in for fifty years. I guess she knew that I was there and that she tracked me down. The thing is, I did not wish to harm her, and I only wanted to rest for a while for I had sustained a terrible wound, at the time. She sensed that I didn't want to kill her and destroy her village and foremost, that I did not value the Sacred Jewel. She healed me back to normal and I always kept her in my memory." I said back to him, relaxing his thoughts of killing me.
"So… you knew that Kagome was her reincarnation?" asked Inu Yasha.
"Yes, I some way. Her scent is the same as the Priestess and physically, she looks like her terribly. Her eyes are different, though. She did not experience the same pains and sorrows as Kikyo. She doesn't know how it feels to be bound to a destiny that can't be overcame…" I said, my voice trailing in the night. I was bound, like Kikyo had been, to a life I did not choose and had no control over it. Inu Yasha also understood the pain of life because he was born as half a being. His soul was separated in two distinct parts: one human, one demon. "Yeah, I guess you can say that. Why aren't you seeking the Shikon no Tama?" His question was direct and needed a direct and precise answer. I smiled.
"Because I have a supreme confidence in my skills, Inu Yasha. I do not need the power of a jewel to help me survive or live a better life. I have a life and that's how nature intended it to be. I do not want to change who I am for I am perfectly fine just with what I am. Using such items would make my life even so boring, to be honest. Why not have a life of your own, live it like you should and just thank the good Mother Nature for letting you live long enough to see this beautiful world? Why choose the easy way out? Why give up the battle?" This statement of mine seemed to have shocked him and he stayed silent for a long time, his hair blowing in the wind, his dog ears prickling at the chill. He understood, for her wasn't stupid. He just wanted respect and a place in this world. I shook my head, thinking that I couldn't let Inu Yasha's sadness piece my brain and fill it with pity and sorrow. That would cloud my true purpose.
"You should go to sleep, Kurisutaru." He simply said.
"I don't sleep, Inu Yasha. But you're still half human, so maybe you should close your eyes for a little while." I replied to him, making his ears twitch in annoyance. I walked away from the young man and let him think about the conversation we had. He was worried. I had filled his life with a new unease. I smirked at the thought of my presence disturbing him. After all, demon or human, Inu Yasha was a man and a woman had just fooled around with his head. That enough was annoying to him. I entered the forest and saw Yajuun, at the foot of the Sacred Tree, sleeping, his body lying horizontally. He was in a deep and profound sleep, so I figured I shouldn't disturb him. The moon was refreshing and its light was smooth polishing my ivory skin. I felt good to know that, with my charms and powers, I persuaded Inu Yasha to accept my help. I would wait for my revenge. After all, trust is not give entirely to strangers. I would have to let time act on this one. The night would have to guide me through my haste.