Chapter 4: Silver Musings
Jaken pulled forward A-Un with the ice captain perched upon the two-headed dragon's back, the dragon having taken a greater liking to the captain as opposed to the little green demon much to the latter's disappointment, having served Lord Sesshomaru for nearly as long as the dragon —although A-Un had much longer than Jaken had — had only to be won over by a daiyokai child in the course of an evening.
He's cute. Hyorinmaru smiled as he watched his master smile internally at the sight of the creature. A vegetarian but it seems like he has taken a liking to us, Master.
A-Un is aware of you, Hyorinmaru? The captain questioned as he hummed silently, the dragon purring as the captain stroked the dragon's manes, their yellow orbs gleaming with delight.
He is. Hyorinmaru replied cooly as he elaborated. As dragons, we are sentient and knowledgeable. And he has assured me that he shall protect you as I would as a fellow dragon, as long as we are under his master's charge.
Smiling softly at the two-headed dragon as his way of thanks, the captain held out another two roots for the dragon to consume much to it's delight.
Despite the captain's prodigal intellect and strength, Jaken found himself surprised to find that the younger daiyokai had no knowledge of youkai, the Shikon no Tama, and of the Inu Daiyokai. The captain was quick and clever, Jaken had soon discovered as the captain began to correct the little green demon, soon becoming more knowledgable of youkai.
With his silent observations, the captain had found that youkai held a dark reiatsu similar to hollows, however, the stronger the darker, his own and Sesshomaru's being the strongest he has seen, though the captain did not know how strong, as neither had yet to scratch the surface of their powers. It had unnerved the captain that he had such a dark reiatsu, however, Hyorinmaru had cut in.
You were transformed to fit into this world, Master. His zanpakuto reminded him. I, for one, am glad for it.
What? Toshiro questioned confusedly. Why would you be?
If it were a case of you gaining a hollow, I would have become possessive of you, Toshiro. However, by changing into this daiyokai, you must learn how to use your senses, fangs, and claws like a true dragon. Just as I have once.
I understand. Toshiro replied silently. But this dark reiatsu, is it harming you?
No. Hyorinmaru replied with seriousness. The transformation has become you, therefore as a part of you, I am unharmed. If anything, I should have changed along with you.
Perhaps you will when you are released into Shikai or Bankai. Toshiro mused as he felt better about his reiatsu.
Jaken having burnt the remains of his shinigami garb and the previously worn black hakama, the captain now donned a turquoise hakama outlined black and designed with, upon the captain's request, crests of ebony daffodils, the symbol of his division, finishing with an ebony obi; all under his captain's haori, which the older daiyokai had the foresight to have mended and kept for the captain.
To say that the Head Captain would have been upset with him had he burned it; was, put lightly, an understatement within itself.
Refusing to go without footwear, the captain wore black boots similar to the older daiyokai, who had somehow mysteriously was able to get Jaken to get such items. At first, the captain was hesitant upon Jaken's questions for specifics upon his clothing. However, with an exchange of looks from the older daiyokai, he was compliant, understanding that within this world, clothing spoke status thus his clothing represented him.
The captain could understand that much. His haori, for instance.
How cute. Matsumoto was right when she said that you look cute in blue and green colors. Hyorinmaru teased his master, who had seen his reflection in a nearby waterfall, trying to fix his obi. Jaken had gotten himself tangled in the mess of spools and as a punishment, the captain had decided to leave him there. He was sure that Sesshomaru would have no qualms.
Shut up. Toshiro replied snappily as he retied the obi.
With guidance from — to Jaken's surprise — Sesshomaru, Toshiro was taught to use his newly gained claws and sensory gifts.
"One's claws are the last line of offense." Sesshomaru spoke with nonchalance as Toshiro observed his claws with scrutiny. "I withhold poison within my own, therefore, invulnerable to a majority of poisons. As they are your own claws, you must discover what your claws withhold."
"And I have." Toshiro answered as he lunged at stray tree, the four of them having stopped in a forest for the night. Instead of shattering the tree into splinters, the younger daiyokai's claws seemed cause all of them water within the tree to freeze, and with another swift swipe of his claws, the once-tree was nothing more than a cool breeze.
The captain had found that he was able to channel his reiatsu into his claws, therefore using them to freeze opponents as well as use Kido, although the former was not his strongest aspect.
Over the course of a week, the captain had taken in the guidances from the Lord of the West upon his advanced sensory gifts when both daiyokais' caught scent of a strange scent, upon their travels as the captain rode upon A-Un, Jaken leading in the front with Sesshomaru adjacent to the seated captain.
"A slain demon." Sesshomaru said flatly as Jaken looked at his liege, turning to Toshiro who nodded in confirmation.
"It seems to be a recent slaying, Jaken." The captain voiced aloud, his icy voice mirroring the older daiyokai. "By this Inuyasha, I presume."
"Though I doubt he came out unscathed." Sesshomaru breathed as the four found a corpse of the said slain demon. The only thing that was left of the demon was it's yellow horned head, ruby red eyes now dull as the captain recognized a foreign scent that he presumed to be this 'Inuyasha'. Along with the accompaniment of severed spines and lumps of flesh, there was not much else of the demon, other than the lingering scent of what the captain found strange.
It was a youkai's scent, as if it were a daiyokai like the two white-haired beings, however; in accordance to the taller and Jaken, there was no such being other than Inuyasha but he was a hanyou.
Strange. Is it possible a hanyou may have progressed into a daiyokai? Toshiro mused as he sent a wary glance to the taller daiyokai, who had undoubtably was upon the same thoughts.
Perhaps. Like a cornered animal, perhaps hanyous have a defense mechanism that makes them able to regress into your status but I fear that it is only temporary. Hyorinmaru speculated back to his master who nodded at his zanpakuto's thoughts. They are half-youkai, after all.
Yes, but they are also half-human. Perhaps this Inuyasha must hold a firm hold on his youkai half, but something has caused his youkai half to take over. Toshiro replied. This reminds me of Kurosaki, with his shinigami powers and Hollow mask. Perhaps the same applies, if so then, when the hanyou was facing this demon, his life was in danger.
And so, his youkai half reacted, like Ichigo's hollow. Hyorinmaru finished, as his master nodded internally, deciding to keep this to himself as of late.
Putting the thought aside, Toshiro looked to the older daiyokai, who held the slain demon's head, both questioning as the taller finally spoke, walking away as he did so, Toshiro watching with an anxious Jaken.
"Jaken," The older ordered as the addressed vassal flinched. "You are to remain here with Toshiro and A-Un until I return."
"Until you return, milord? How long will you be-?" Jaken began as his liege merely began to walk away, ignoring his vassal entirely. "Milord?! Milord?!"
"Silence, Jaken. Sesshomaru has order us to stay put and therefore, as his vassal do as you were ordered." Toshiro said with cold indifference as he pulled on A-Un's reins, leading them into the forest, ignoring Jaken's angry yells behind him.
"Captain Hitsugaya, I understand that you are not under the command of Lord Sesshomaru, but I must ask that you await as Lord Sesshomaru will retrieve us in a short span of days." Jaken began to lecture when the captain seated himself in front but a suitable distance away of a clearing with a small fire, A-Un resting behind him as the captain fed the dragon some roots he had found, Hyorinmaru resting on his lap.
As a youkai, he had discovered that he had no need to consume food upon a daily basis, instead it was more on a weekly basis. Along with the lines of how his status as a captain was indeed applicable to youkai especially to those of lower rank such as Jaken. Although it surprised the captain at first, Toshiro relented easily being used to being regarded in authority and seeing how he needed to adjust to this world.
"Have you forgotten who are you speaking to, Jaken?" Toshiro said as he rose an eyebrow, his teal orbs icy as the green kappa gulped nervously.
"O-Of c-course n-no-t." Jaken stuttered over his words as the captain toned down his glare, replacing the iciness with a faint glimmer of curiosity.
"Tell me, Jaken." The captain began as he allowed the kappa to relax. "Who is this Inuyasha and his company?"
With a deep sigh, the kappa elaborated.
"As a hanyou, Inuyasha was born with a human mother, Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are related through their father's youkai bloodline. At the time, Lord Sesshomaru was proud and wanted to defeat his father, the Lord of the West of the time. But in pursuit to save Inuyasha's mother and the hanyou, their father had met his death."
Thus causing Sesshomaru to hate Inuyasha. The captain was able to speculate himself, as he said internally, Jaken nodding as if he had heard.
"To add, fifty years later, when Lord Sesshomaru and I were pulling allies to fight against the wretched Panther Demon Tribe, the hanyou had fallen in love with a human miko and had himself placed under a spell that him incapacitated." Jaken all but spat in the fire, that the captain was currently roasting some preserved mushrooms and jerky.
Fuel into the fire. Hyorinmaru commented as the captain offered a fully cooked mushroom to the kappa as Jaken thanked him with a nod, continuing.
"As if to make things even worse, that wretched hanyou Inuyasha had stolen Lord Sesshomaru's rightful inheritance of his father's Tessaiga, a blade that could slay a hundred demons with a single swing, while Lord Sesshomaru was given the useless Tensiga."
"The blade that Lord Sesshomaru currently carries?" Toshiro asked in confirmation as he was given a nod in return.
"It has the ability to revive the dead and therefore, cannot 'cut'. Making the blade useless to Lord Sesshomaru to defeat his enemies." Jaken said obliviously as the captain's eyes widened a fraction.
A blade that resuscitates the dead? The captain thought as he allowed his thoughts to race.
The blade is sentient, Master. It does not communicate as you and I, but rather during battle it expresses it's desires and intentions. Hyorinmaru cut in before the captain addressed his zanpakuto. It was the blade that had urged his master to your aid, Master. Although the blade is unable currently to defeat it's master's mortal enemies, Tensiga has informed me that is very much like I am.
Currently? Mortal enemies? Toshiro narrowed his eyes at the diction of his zanpakuto, before allowing him to go on.
We are able to slay the servants of the underworld and the guardians of the gates of Hell, as they are not of this world. However, unlike myself, Tensiga heals and is able to bring back the souls of the while I am only able to slay the servants and purify the sins of the said souls, as a zanpakuto is to. Hyorinmaru reported as his Master nodded. I am also able to, however, slay youkai and your mortal enemies since you have proven yourself to me and have shown how you are deserving to be my Master.
And I presume, Lord Sesshomaru is unable due to having yet to prove himself to Tensiga?
Yes. However, with your arrival, Tensiga has informed me of how your presence has improved Tensiga's expectations.
Oh? The captain echoed, confused as to why his presence made any change.
The knowledgeable ice dragon merely shook his head in his master's Inner World, well aware as to why but not indulging. Accepting the zanpakuto's decision of not elaborating, the captain refocused to the kappa who was still speaking.
In the midst of the captain's conversation with his zanpakuto, the captain had caught snippets of the conversation, of how the younger of the two brothers had inherited the favored sword and how in retrieval the older had lost his left arm; along with the lines of how a miko in strange clothing had undone the spell that the hanyou was under.
"… And so, along the way, they had picked up rather obnoxious travelers along." Jaken all but sneered as the captain rose an eyebrow for elaboration, as he bit into a cooled mushroom, tearing the fungi with his fangs.
"The miko apparently is able to sense shards of the Shikon no Tama, a monk who is able to use a weapon called a Kazaana in his right hand, a demon slayer that wields a Hiraikotsu, and two smaller demons, one being a kitsune and the other a nekomata."
"The Shikon no Tama?" The captain questioned firstly as Jaken nodded.
"It is a powerful jewel that grants the possessor with great and destructive power. There is rumors as to the creation of the jewel, but I have no knowledge of such. However, Lord Sesshomaru has no desire for this jewel and the shattered shards. That is because he is so powerful that such an item is not nee-"
"Neither do I." The captain cut in as the vassal looked at him with widened orbs. "That jewel is an insult to true power. The responsibility of wielding such power would only result in death and destruction of the possessor and those surrounding them. To after such a power is simply idiotic."
Jaken blinked at the white-haired daiyokai in front of him before muttering of how similar his master was to the captain that it was almost eerie. Ignoring Jaken, the captain merely smirked invisibly as he heard the said kappa grumble, the captain allowing the two-headed dragon curl up around him.
"This must be the work of Kaijinbo." Sesshomaru said in monotone as he met with the sight of his halved vassal, Toshiro only lidding his teal orbs in apparent boredom as he trailed behind the taller into the desolate hut of the said exiled sword smith. Reopened, the teal orbs relayed nothing as servants of the underworld appeared.
They were smaller than the ones that Toshiro had dealt with, these ones insect-like and crawling over the severed corpse of the dead kappa. The two servants bared their white fangs at the two white-haired demons, both unmoving in stares and composure as the taller unsheathed his blade. And with a fluid swing, the ice captain watched as the servants disintegrated into mere ashes in a bright, blue light.
With hidden fascination, Toshiro watched as the kappa twitched, well, his upper half anyway. Soon enough, Jaken was speaking much to the captain's annoyance.
"Wha? I-I was sla-slain by Kaijinbo!" Jaken exclaimed as he turned his head to look at his lower half, unmoving. "I knew it!"
"Let's go, Jaken." Sesshomaru snapped, a sliver of impatience in his voice; as Jaken turned to find Toshiro and Sesshomaru, both mirroring each other's expression. "Hurry and put your body back together."
"Lord Sesshomaru! Captain Hitsugaya!" Jaken all but cried, as the kappa addressed the former. "Did you perhaps use Tensiga to bring me back to life?"
"Who else beside me is capable of such a thing?" The daiyokai asked rhetorically as he strode out of the hut, Toshiro behind him.
"N-No one, milord!" Jaken answered anyway, his eyes gleaming with tears of happiness and gratefulness, as he began to wipe them.
"Did Kaijinbo finish the sword?" Sesshomaru asked, as Jaken explained the events that led to his death, from the forging of this sword to the apparently drawn conclusion of how the swordsmith was possessed by the very work he created.
So, Kaijinbo was commissioned to forge a blade for Sesshomaru, but judging from what I sense and smell of this smith, he would have been too weak. Toshiro thought silently as Jaken recounted the events, Sesshomaru leaving a golden orb on his vassal.
Therefore, leading to his possession. How ironic, to be possessed by one's very creation. Hyorinmaru mused as Toshiro added his agreement, snorting softly at the smith's fate.
"…I see." Sesshomaru hummed, his voice hinted with slight amusement that only the captain seemed to pick up.
"How troublesome." Toshiro muttered as he climbed on A-Un, who had awaited them outside the hut, the ice captain crossing his arms as he hid his hands in the large sleeves of his robes.
"That Kaijinbo, where'd he go with that sword?" Jaken grumbled as the four of them set off once again, the green kappa leading the dragon as he walked a small distance behind his liege. It was not until some time that they had came to their previous camp, the meadow surrounded by trees, the burnt ashes of the fire crushed and no longer warm.
Jaken led the two-headed dragon as usual, only to be pulled back as the twin dragon made no movements, the ice captain on his back, as Jaken looked at them confusedly, rigid and teal orbs narrowed.
Confused and yet to grasp the situation, Jaken turned to see his liege execute a fluid leap, lifting his claws and narrowing them with a loud crack, the trees hiding the wind sorceress demolished.
"A woman…" Sesshomaru inquired, his voice stoic. Toshiro tensed as he heard Hyorinmaru's roar echo in his mind, sending soothing words to quell the dragon's anger.
"This smell…" Jaken said, as his slit pupils widened with realization as he sniffed the air. "Just like that strange one who approached you…with the arm with the Shikon no Tama fragment…the one wearing the baboon hide!"
Jaken gripped his staff angrily as he spoke, "Because of him, we went through hell that time. You almost got devoured by an arm and I was beaten to a pulp by that depraved monk!"
Shaking as chills traveled up the kappa's spine, Toshiro watched with indifferent orbs as the kappa continued. "Just recalling that time makes me sick!"
"This is a scent I remember…" The cold voice of Sesshomaru echoed almost softly as power laced it with careful precision. "The same scent as the one who tried to trap me, the beast Naraku."
Naraku. The captain played with the name in his mind, as he felt his zanpakuto calmed, yet boiling under its surface. If Sesshomaru speaks the truth, then, the demon who was slain to forge Sesshomaru's blade must have had a relation to this Naraku, along with this woman.
I advise you to caution, Master. Hyorinmaru growled darkly. She is like the one, who had taken us to this realm, and I suspect that if this woman is working with this Naraku, then it must be this Naraku who pulls the strings.
Are you certain, Hyorinmaru? Toshiro questioned his zanpakuto.
Yes, Master. Came the swift answer as Toshiro decided to remain silent as of now, seeing how rushing into things in vengeance or retaliation would only complicate things further, seeing how he was still new to this land.
"Hmm…" The woman hummed as she rose her enclosed fan. "…so you're Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru?"
"I am Kagura, the Wind Sorceress." She introduced herself as none of them blinked in reaction. "Another incarnation of Naraku."
"Incarnation?" Sesshomaru echoed as Toshiro did the same mentally.
"Yes." Kagura replied. "And the fangs you took to Kaijinbo to make your new sword, were those of a demon named Goshinki, another incarnation of Naraku."
"And so what?" Sesshomaru said with stoic indifference. "Did you come just to tell me that?"
Sniffing with a small giggle, the sorceress opened her fan of red and white as she answered with a small smirk. "Don't you smell it?"
"The sword which reeks with the aura from Goshinki, Tokijin is close." She said as the winds began to pick up, turning into strong gusts uplifting the sorceress into the air as she took flight in a large white feather, her voice floating in the winds as the four watched her in the night sky. "That sword belongs to you."
Several moments later, the demon woman was gone.
Incarnation? Toshiro thought as he continued. Could this Naraku perhaps split his soul and through the use of the Shikon no Tama, is able to forge them into whole souls?
Perhaps, Master. Hyorinmaru growled. But it is pitiful for the incarnations as they are not truly souls, but impersonations. Although, I doubt that this Naraku is able to create and sustain more than four at a time.
I agree. Toshiro voiced. The jewel must have limitations of it's own, if it lives to it's name, then four must be the maximum that the jewel is able to forge fully.
"What is with that woman?" Jaken's obnoxious voice interrupted, as the captain blinked to see the kappa nearing his liege, as Toshiro and the beast of burden remained unmoved. "So strange."
Ignoring his vassal as per usual, Sesshomaru merely mused softly. "Tokijin…"
Toshiro tied Hyorinmaru to his back, the long blade over his haori as he rode in the clouds on A-Un, Sesshomaru too having taken flight as Jaken desperately clung on to the taller daiyokai's fur, not wanting to fall to his death so soon.
Shortly after Kagura's rather timely guidance, the taller daiyokai had decided that the captain was adept at taking care of himself and even Jaken to an extent rather to being the other way around. With a glance to A-Un, Sesshomaru watched, as his beast of burden's aura influenced the weather, turning the white puffs of cotton to angry dark tufts of thunder. Toshiro only showed a risen eyebrow to A-Un's actions, whether it was calculating or subtle surprise, the Lord of the West did not doubt that it was both.
Toshiro purred as he ran a hand down the beast of burden's manes, the beast responding with a fond purr of his own as a small clearing of an open field opened up under them, with a small group of people and a single double-edged blade. Sesshomaru floated gracefully as he silently ordered A-Un to strike the blade, throwing Jaken on board the beast, Toshiro catching him with a single claw. Blue lightning emerged from the dragon's maws, striking the blade with deadly accuracy, only to reveal a crackling yet undoubtably whole blade.
As Sesshomaru drifted down to retrieve his blade, the ice captain took this to study the group of people and youkai, ignoring a grumbling Jaken behind him.
The most prominent of the group was a rather loud silver-white haired hanyou from what the captain was able to sniff out from a distance ago. Despite the fact that the half-brothers despise one another, their shared traits of silvery hair, golden orbs, and dark tempers, from what the captain was able to draw, made them undoubtably related. The younger brother donned a crimson red hakama, his rather poor in appearance of a blade at his waist, and to finish, he wore a necklace of what appeared to be beads of subjugation.
So, the hanyou is a chained one. Toshiro mused as he could recall in his short time in the Shino Academy, of how they once used beads before they were able to wield Kido. The thought made the captain freeze.
Was it possible? Toshiro thought to himself. Was it possible to have traveled back in time? That he had come to the time before even the creation of Soul Society?
Master, now is not the time for us to muse over speculation. Hyorinmaru gently advised his master, as Toshiro turned back to the onslaught below. Sesshomaru and his younger brother seemed to be exchanging words, Sesshomaru unfazed even with a slight air of arrogance.
Continuing, the captain studied the monk. The monk was fairly young, ebony locks hovering over his forehead and ending with small ponytail at the nape of his neck, orbs an observant midnight blue. He wore a rather expensive set of black and purple monk robes, and a single tekko on his right hand, extending to mid-arm. A white-pearled rosary seemed to bound itself tightly around the monk's hand, as it seemed to be sealing something, which the captain presumed to be his Kazaana. In the same hand, the monk wielded a staff as a majority of his profession do, the staff topped with an ornate set of golden rings held in a enclosed circle, ending at the top.
Beside the monk was a young woman who the captain presumed to be the demon-slayer. She wore a traditional kimono, of a soft pink and a darker magenta pattern, with a pale green long skirt over it, ending with common straw tabi like the monk. Her brown eyes were colored with hope and slight sadness, as her hair framed her face and covered her forehead, held in a loose ponytail. She seemed harmless enough at first glance, however, the captain was trained to spot assassins and trained fighters alike. The hidden armguards and leg guards said otherwise as she held the large boomerang behind her as if it were a lightweight.
In her arms, nestled a small kitten-like youkai, being which Toshiro figured to be the nekomata. A black diamond on it's forehead, ears, paws, and the tips of it's twin tails stood out of the nekomata's soft almond coat. The creature's red orbs suggested greater intelligence but the captain doubted it had extended to the form of Hyorinmaru's.
Crouched behind Inuyasha, was a scrawny aged man appearing youkai, who held a black metal mallet that was taller than himself. He had rather large eyes with small black irises, his grey hair tied into a common topknot as the old man seemed to be performing some sort of begging. A thin grey beard danced as he spoke to the Inu siblings, his mustache mimicking as he spoke. The old youkai wore a green hoari with black horizontal stripes patterned over the ragged cloth, his matching hakama just as worn, hovering over his bare feet.
By his side, was a young girl, no older than the demon slayer without a doubt. She was pale with black ebony waves of hair, thick bangs dancing over her forehead just above her eyebrows. She wore a green and white school uniform from what the captain was able to recall his lieutenant once wore during the impending Winter War, only the girl had a touch of opposing color due to a red ribbon at the blouse. White socks wrapped over her feet and mid-leg, ending with formal brown dress shoes, with a red bow and a quiver of arrows over her shoulder, the girl, from his understanding was a miko, and a naive one at that.
Deciding that he had observed all that was needed, the captain turned to Jaken who was watching the onslaught the began below, being only several minutes having passed.
"Now, then. Shall we make our appearance, Jaken?"
With an elegant leap that would make any dancer burst to tears in envy, the captain shunpoed to Sesshomaru's side, a hand on A-Un's back with a pitiful Jaken, haphazardly —purposely— thrown several feet away.