Note: I am trying a new means of indicating thoughts than I have up until now. Now all thoughts will be indicated by italicized words rather than being found inside of brackets. I do this because for some reason the brackets don't show up when I save my Msword document as a web document.
Also though I am adding another proposal to the Xander-pairing question that I am going to ask you the readers to give your opinion on. I am currently debating whether to keep this a Xander-solo fanfic or to bring some of the Scooby and Angel Inc. gang into the story. What do you think? Please mention your opinions in your reviews.
Evening, Two Miles from KobeThis is not good. Kagura thought as she tried for what seemed like the thirteenth time to come up a believable excuse to give Naraku as to why her mission had failed so miserably.
When she had first put it into motion it had seemed so simple, find a demon to pit against Alexander and then take notes on his various abilities. She had even managed to trick the wolf prince Kouga into coming off his mountain and attacking the inu-youkai outright. With two jewel shards in his legs he was certainly powerful enough to give the 'son' of Sesshomaru enough trouble to force him to take the fight seriously. Unfortunately she hadn't taken into account the fact that Alexander didn't seem to have the killer instinct that the Ice Lord possessed. In all of the battles that the dog demon had been involved with he had pulled his punches and only used enough force to render his opponents unconscious. Even with the debilitating wound that Kouga had inflicted on him which only increased the chances of him being killed the inu-youkai continued to hold back and that would not do at all. What was worse was that he had somehow made the connection between the attack of the wolf demons and Naraku which now made any future experiments impossible as it would be tainted by knowledge of her Lord's involvement. The only good thing that had happened was that Alexander had suffered an apparently serious blow emotionally as a result of the death of the human child. It may inspire him to fight with less restraint in the future allow a proper measuring of his skills and abilities.
Yes! I will tell Naraku that we can still get the information we desire by sending a new incarnation after him suitably empowered to push him to his limits! , Kagura thought to herself as she began constructing a web of lies and half-truths to preserve her life, We can use his own anger and need to avenge the child against him!
"An interesting plan Kagura but rest assured that it will only save you from death not punishment." Came a voice from the shadows cast by the setting of the sun.
Whipping around in fear and shock she watched as a figure in a baboon pelt appeared to her as though produced from the shadows themselves. For a moment she thought that it was indeed Naraku but when she did not sense the familiar tainted youkai aura that she usually did she knew what truly stood before her. It was one of his demon puppets being controlled from a distance acting as her 'master's' eyes and ears as well as voice. She had hoped to have more time to prepare for him but with the battle over and done his arrival wasn't totally unexpected. Still she had to wonder what punishment he had in mind for her initial failure and if she would be able to bear his punishment.
"Master Naraku I am sorry for the failure of my initial plan but it was still informative." , Kagura said as she attempted to lessen her punishment to nothing, "We know that despite his youkai form he still thinks like a human and so he has weaknesses like humans do as well. Add to that his habit of placing himself in harms way to protect the innocent and we have the perfect way to defeat him without lifting a finger."
She had hope as no response came immediately from the puppet's pelt wrapped form but hesitated to speak since the silence could also be a sign of building anger. If it turned out that she had angered him by refocusing things on her initial failure or by trying to whine her way out of punishment he would only worsen her torment rather than lessen it. In was always a gamble trying to guess his response to various arguments or suggestions but so was life in general so she had done her best to become very good at it. It had helped her avoid the brunt of her Master's anger many times but not always and she took care to repress the memories of the more horrible punishments that he had come up with for her. For him cruelty and horror were an art form to be practiced and perfected with him caring not who he chose to practice his technique on. While most of the human retainers that had been in his service until the miasma overcame them died from the deadly fog some had simply disappeared for Naraku's own personal amusement and experimentation.
"Excellent. Begin preparations to lure him to a place of my choosing while I start designing a suitable opponent for him to face." , the demon puppet stated apparently pleased, "Kohaku will continue to monitor him for any other useful bits of information that can be used to our advantage."
"As you command Master Naraku." She said with false reverence and a bow while on the inside she wanted nothing more than his destruction.
With those words the puppet cloaked in a baboon pelt faded into the shadows cast by the trees and for a moment the wind sorceress thought that perhaps he was truly gone. However her relief at his disappearance vanished as all at once her body was overwhelmed by pain causing her to drop to her knees and clutch her chest. It was a pain she was all too familiar with as it had been a means favored by Naraku when he wanted to 'discipline' her for either failure or disobedience. As long as he was in possession of the core of her being he was able to torture her or kill her at a moment's notice and there was little she could do on her own to stop it. It was because of this she had made attempts to make alliances with other demons in the hopes that they would prove powerful enough to kill her 'master'. Alexander had seemed to be the perfect potential ally when he had routed her first attack at the temple but after his dismal performance against Kouga and his unwillingness to kill made her wonder if she had been mistaken. Even that mutt InuYasha was not above killing demons that attacked him no matter whether or not they belonged to a tribe that he was allied with but then again that might have more to do with Kouga's infatuation with Kagome. Still he was not at the discard stage yet as the death of the girl may rid him of the "don't kill" rule that seemed to dominate his mind in previous encounters. In all the previous battles he seemed to have no reluctance towards killing the more mindless youkai he fought but when they possessed a more human level intellect he started to pull his punches. That told her that he was one of those warriors determined to play things by the hero handbook which of course forbid the use of lethal force when the enemy could either be reasoned with or otherwise neutralized. With the death of the child though he had been rather forcefully introduced to the fact that in such dangerous times as these those unwilling to kill were often killed themselves. She had hope that this would change him for the better, into a warrior more able to face and kill Naraku when the time came.
Until then though she would have to follow her 'master' wanted and start gathering suitable bait for his trap as well as perhaps a few suitable demons to soften him up for her new 'brother/sister'. After all if a hanyou like InuYasha can defeat all the other combat incarnations he 'Lord' has produced up until now it would take something special to match the power of a full inu-youkai like Alexander. Still if there was one thing she was willing to give her 'Lord' it was his ability to conjure up truly bloodthirsty and deadly creations. Even she possessed amounts of those qualities but unlike that purple monster that had been the first to bring InuYasha's demon half to the surface she knew enough to use them like scalpels rather than a blunt heavy object. In his newest incarnation though she would recommend equal amounts of skill and power with the bloodlust and killing instinct properly channeled. After all only by taking the battle with Alexander seriously and focusing would he achieve victory for if the incarnation let the bloodlust overcome him he may make mistakes and she had a feeling that was all the inu-youkai would need to strike a deciding blow.
If there is one thing I am certain of with regards to that inu-youkai it is that he has uncommonly good luck with regards to his personal safety. , Kagura thought to herself as the last of the pain from her 'punishment' drained away, I just hope that it will be enough or I will have to look for another means by which I can gain my freedom from Naraku.
Outside Kobe, Between Midnight and Early morning
The sun was rising in the east having mere moments ago peaked over the horizon but the tall silver haired figure that stood atop the hill overlooking Kobe took little notice of it beyond telling him what time it was roughly. He had been like this since sunset the previous evening and for all intents and purposes was little more than a statue to anyone that saw him. Only those that got close enough to see past the black profile to the details that lay underneath would be able to tell that this was not a figure chiseled in stone but a living being. Ever since he had left Kobe at the conclusion of the battle he had been standing here contemplating the events of the past several days. Day by day he scrutinized his actions and the actions of those around him like an instructor making sure that a student had completed his designated task properly. He forced himself to be thorough in thinking through every single even and remembering what it was exactly he had been thinking up until yesterday. Once all the facts were recollected to the best of his ability he asked himself questions that every person asked themselves after the death of someone they cared for in one way or another. It had taken him hours but eventually he came to the only conclusion the facts seemed to support.
He was responsible for Takara's death.
He might not have been the one to throw the spear that killed her but it was his lack of skill and experience in his inu-youkai abilities that prevented him from taking action. Ever since he had first been dropped into this world by Willow's spell he had been focused on only one objective to the exclusion of just about everything else and that was to get home. Oh he may have toyed with the idea of helping the InuYasha gang take down Narakua and rescued the children from those wolf demons but the former was just an idle thought and the latter was a more impulsive act than anything else. As far as he had been concerned his quest to return to the life he knew was his first priority and he would not involve himself in anything that would delay his departure. That was why he had not bothered to train himself in the use of the various abilities found in inu-youkai nor ask for any advice from Kikyo on the best ways to deal with particular demons. He had just walked blissfully along in the world from his favorite Anime series like he was walking through an amusement park. He hadn't seen the truth of this place or how dangerous it could be and as a result had done nothing to prepare himself for it. He actually had the gall to think he could protect Ichiro, Tsuyu and Takara with Kikyo's help believing that his clumsy understanding of Sesshomaru's techniques and his enhanced physical abilities would be enough. Now looking back on this he found that while he could not fault himself for wanting to return home as soon as he possibly could he should have done more to prepare himself for what that would entail. He should have known Naraku would continue to seek revenge on him after the first time they met even after Kagura's attack had been repelled. The baboon pelt wearing half demon was not known for letting those who he considered his enemies attack him without achieving some manner of revenge. While some might say that the fault for the child's death lay only with Naraku and Kagura he knew that if he had only been better trained and prepared for Kouga and his tribe Takara would still be alive.
Takara, I'm sorry. he thought to himself as he yearned to go to her gravesite and pay his respects in person.
However that was impossible as the cemetery for the town resided within eyesight of Kobe itself and given his unique appearance would be spotted for certain by anyone out for an early morning jog. He wasn't certain if people in the warring states era of Japan did that sort of thing but he wasn't about to cause more trouble than he had already created for these people. He had been the one to bring the full fury of the Wolf Demon tribe down upon them and whatever deaths or injuries they had been forced to endure was his fault as well. No doubt for the foreseeable future the people of Kobe would be bitter towards strangers and outright hostile towards demons as a species due to what happened to them. If he showed up at Takara's grave he would probably be accused of doing something foul and chased out of town by a mob. For an inu-youkai like Sesshomaru that would be nothing to worry about as he would not hesitate to slaughter the whole bunch of them if they dared to attack someone of his station. For Xander though he would not raise so much as a finger to stop them and would likely make a run for it if he chose to run at all from their anger. In any case it would only cause more trouble for both the people of Kobe and likely disgrace Takara's memory in the process if the people made any connection between the two of them. They might even think she was a hanyou just through that connection alone and he knew that could lead to all sorts of terrible things that he would not and could not allow.
Now though he had a decision to make and he believed he should make it soon as he had no doubt that Kikyo was at this very moment looking for him. It would not take her long with her sense to track him to this spot or to notice if he chose to try and leave without her at his side. The choice before him was a simple one: continue on as he had since arriving here in the hopes that the casualties would be limited to just him and maybe Kikyo or do something about his lack of skill and knowledge before his incompetence killed anyone else. He found it ironic that he same thing that had kept him a support player back home was the same problem he faced here in this world. He had always been thought of by the enemies of the Scooby gang as a goof and an incompetent fool whose threat level ranked just above the other 'happy meals on legs'. He and his friends had stated otherwise saying that while he was not as good as the others in their particular fields he was still an important part of the team. As much as he hated to admit it he was 'the one who sees' as some people referred to him but more than that he was the heart of the Scoobies. He had been the one to keep them grounded and lent a different perspective than their own when they themselves could see no other solution to a problem. In this world though he had no Scoobies to pick up the slack if he dropped the ball and as a power in his own right in this world people would look to him to take the lead. While there were certainly more powerful demons in existence in the InuYasha universe Sesshomaru's family was a ruling family for a reason and he had inherited that when he woke up in this body. As much as he might want to believe that he was still the Xander he had always been that was not the case for the duration of his stay here in this world. Here he was an inu-youkai, a foster brother of Sesshomaru and InuYasha for all intents and purposes, and the more he tried to resist what he had become the more people would be hurt by his inaction.
I guess there's only one choice then. he thought as he finally opened his eyes from his quiet introspection and looked up to see a familiar red and white garbed form walking towards him.
Kikyo looked to be in good form near as he could tell and had apparently stocked up on more supplies while in Kobe. Either that or they had been given to her for her aide in defending the town from the big bad demons which was a distinct possibility. They had probably even asked if she would stay on to help protect them from any more attacks but he knew that she would not stay. Her need to absorb the souls of the dead and dying would be harder to cover up in such a large town and he doubted even the more novice among the priests already stationed in Kobe would be able to ignore the unusual nature of her spiritual energy for long. No her condition was best concealed by administering to small remote villages and temples where the likelihood of someone seeing her for what she truly was could be called slim at best. The only problem she might cause in the future that he could see had to do with his next destination but he hoped that he could smooth any ruffled feathers that might result from her presence.
"How are you?" Kikyo asked in her usual monotone although his sensitive ears could have sworn some genuine concern mixed in.
"I've been better but they say that time heals all wounds." He stated as he turned more fully to face her.
"Who says that?" Kikyo asked with a bit of confusion.
"Um, it's just a saying where I come from." Xander replied a bit nervously.
"Oh." She just said as though that explained everything.
"I've decided where I'm going to go from here but I am not sure if it would be safe for you to go with me." He stated as he tried to come up with just the right way to approach this subject.
He knew that she still intended to use him in her quest to destroy both InuYasha and Naraku but what he was about to propose might discourage her from continuing with her current plan of action. After all she would most certainly feel unwelcome where he planned on going and she would be forced to share him with another. Unfortunately it could not be helped as it was vital to him to improve his fighting skills in this new body or else more would perish under his watch. He guessed this would be the ultimate test of just how much she valued having him on her side and how much she was willing to endure to win his trust.
"Where do you intend to go?" she asked and thus made it impossible to dance around the answer any longer.
"To Sesshomaru's castle." He replied in a determined tone of voice.
"You
seek to take him up on his offer to help you find a way home?
Kikyo asked with no little bit of worry
in her voice.
"Eventually perhaps but not before I gain a bit of revenge against Naraku." , Xander replied with anger and guilt slipping into his voice, "He was definitely the one who tricked Kouga and his wolf demon tribe into attacking me and that makes him responsible for Takara's death! To do that I'm going to need to learn how to fight with this body and what better teacher could I have than the Tai Inu-Youkai of the West himself."
"Perhaps I could instruct you." Kikyo suggested although he could see in her eyes that she did not expect her suggestion to work.
"Maybe in how to perform spiritual attacks but I need to learn everything about how to fight in an inu-youkai body and that can only come from another inu-youkai." He stated trying to look thankful for her offer of assistance but remain firm with his original choice.
"Very well. I shall accompany you to Sesshomaru's castle and teach you what I can along the way. It will not be much as it took me over ten years to learn the skills of a priestess and even I do not know everything." Kikyo stated in acceptance of his choice and her decision to go with him despite the danger that lay ahead.
"That's alright. It'll help me get in the proper mindset when I start training with Sesshomaru." He stated nodding in gratitude that she seemed willing to continue traveling with him despite the danger that no doubt lay ahead.
He was certain that Naraku would still come after him even after too failed attempts to kill him and then when they got to Sesshomaru's castle it was anyone's guess whether or not the inu-youkai Lord would even let Kikyo near his castle much less enter it. After all it was common knowledge how most youkai felt about humans and he had a fairly good idea of what Sesshomaru felt about Kikyo in particular. After all it was a going theory among InuYasha fans back home that it was the hanyou falling in love with a human and then being bound to the tree by that same human that caused the rift between the brothers. It was even speculated that had InuYasha not fallen in love with Kikyo then the brothers might be on better terms with each other although there would always be the distance between a pure blood and hanyou. In any case it was a distinct possibility that if he showed up at the castle with the undead priestess in tow that any goodwill that might exist between him and his look-a-like would vanish. Still it was a chance he would have to take as he would rather not have to travel this land alone and did not yet have any real reason to trust the Ice Lord enough to let him take up that task. More than likely it was only the Lord of the West's temporary fascination with the similarities in their appearances that prompted him to make his earlier offer. Once that fascination disappeared there was no telling what would happen between them which was why he was choosing to pay the Lord a visit sooner rather than later. With any luck by the time he wore out his welcome with the Tai Inu-Youkai of the West he would at least be able to make his escape if possible or match Sesshomaru if necessary in battle.
"Then I guess we'd best be on our way." , Xander said to the priestess before him, "We don't want to keep Lord Sesshomaru waiting now do we?"
Unfortunately there was just one problem with his course of action that he had not yet resolved and hoped that either Kikyo or someone else would be able to solve it.
Where exactly is Sesshomaru's castle? he thought to himself as he began to walk towards the west.
Kaede's Village, One Week Later
I wonder how Alexander is doing? Sango thought to herself as she helped Kaede prepare breakfast.
It had been a week since the attack on Kobe and only a few days since they had all returned to Kaede's village to allow Kagome a chance to return to her home and attend 'skool'. Sango understood why it was important to the miko to live up to her responsibilities at home but she was the one who had to keep the peace along with Kaede when InuYasha's impatience or Mirokou's 'impulses caused trouble. Sometimes she wondered if Kagome really understood what she meant to the rest of the group and the influence she had over them. A few words from her could usually calm down the tempermental InuYasha while a few simple words of wisdom could usually discourage the monk from his usual habits. Without her here to keep things peaceful like she usually did it was up to Kaede and herself to keep friction to a minimum both among her friends and as well as the villagers one or both of them wound up annoying. In fact only Shippo was actually behaving although he was more than willing to be a distraction for InuYasha should the hanyou and Mirokou come close to blows over some stupid guy thing. Apparently the dilemma of men understanding women and vice versa hadn't been resolved even in Kagome's time as she seemed to become just as frustrated as she did when men like InuYasha and Kouga wound up going at it over the miko or something. Still Kagome would be back soon enough and their journey to find jewel shards and defeat Naraku once and for all would resume. Until then it shouldn't be too hard for Kaede and her to keep the others from killing each other or being run out of the village by the people who lived there.
Still even trying to focus on the task in front of her she could not help but think about the mysterious human in an inu-youkai body. He had seemed so broken walking out of town while Kikyo carried the dead body of the girl back to the temple to be put through the proper burial rites. It was such an unusual sight seeing such emotions on a demon's face as with the exception of a few that had become her friends. It spoke a lot of what kind of man he was and that he cared for those who walked with him beyond simple duty or obligation. If it was just his duty to protect the innocent or to kill demons he would certainly be angry at his failure and perhaps determined to exact revenge but he would have remained detached. She herself had strived to remain detached from the people living in the villages she was sent to by her father knowing that if she let every single death hurt her emotionally it would eventually wear her down and perhaps bring about her death. For a supposed experienced demon hunter he acted more like a rookie the way he let his heart rule his actions and took everything so personal. Still, while that was dangerous for someone in that profession, she found it oddly endearing as far as character traits go. After all with a person like that their intentions were easy to discern and they generally disliked deceiving anyone unless absolutely necessary. For others that she knew both in passing and in her own circle of friends they were more guarded as was prudent when dealing with demons and magic. Unfortunately this also made them reluctant to let anyone into their hearts or their minds for fear that an apparently harmless or inviting stranger. It was that wariness that had caused the most trouble between Kagome and InuYasha since the hanyou had been betrayed by one person to many as well as the woman he once and may still love.
For Mirokou though it seemed that this wariness took the form of an endless affairs with every attractive woman he came across whom he never really cared for in his heart. After all how else could a man like him make the same proposition to dozens and dozens of women and then pretty much forget about them a day later. She had hoped ever since she had realized this that she could eventually prove to him that her feelings for him were genuine and that he could trust her but now she wasn't so sure. They had been traveling with each other for almost two years now working to defeat Naraku and locate all the scattered fragments of the jewel of four souls. Numerous times they were almost killed in their quest and numerous times she had risked her own life to try and protect him as a way of proving her love for him. She had hoped that such acts would start to kill off his womanizing ways and perhaps persuade him to reveal how he felt about her in his heart and soul. Sadly from her perspective she was no further along in her mission to win his heart than she had been when they first met. He was still drawn to every woman that caught his fancy and he still acted like a womanizing pervert towards her whenever he got the chance. She had been resigned to continue with her mission to claim him but as she remembered Alexander her heart seemed to consider other options. When she had first laid eyes on him in that destroyed city she had thought him to simply be a younger version of Sesshomaru, cold and heartless with no love for humans. By the end of the encounter though he had proved that while he could be ruthless he wasn't necessarily evil in how he treated others. It hadn't been until they came upon him outside Kobe that she really thought she saw the real him beneath the surface. Even though Kouga had come against him with the intent of killing him he only used as much force as was necessary to end the fight. More than that he had not hesitated to rise to the defense of the people of Kobe even though it was clear he could barely stand upright much less walk or run. However the most telling fact about him had been his reaction to the little girl whom a wolf demon had killed, for all intents and purposes he had acted as though she were a little sister both when he saw her running towards him and when he held her still body. She knew that was not the case if for no other reason than they bore no resemblance to one another but it was still clear that in the brief time they had been together he had become attached to her. Who knew what might have happened between them had the girl lived? Would she have chosen to remain with him as his sister or would she have remained with the people of Kobe?
In any case family clearly means a great deal to him. she thought as her mind continued to wander over the events of the past couple of days.
"Sango!" came a loud voice that dragged her back to reality with all the force of her Hiraikotsu causing her to look around for whomever had called her name.
Thankfully it turned out to only be Kaede and not Mirokou or InuYasha as she didn't even want to think what kind of trouble that would cause them all. It was bad enough that InuYasha and Kouga got into it every single time they came across one another she didn't even want to think how the monk would act around Alexander. Normally he was quite levelheaded when the hanyou and wolf prince started coming to blows but there was no way to be certain if he wound up taking the part of InuYasha should she show signs of affection for the newest inu-youkai in Japan. For all she knew he could wind up being worse than the half demon and she didn't like the images that inspired in her minds eye. She doubted that the monk could do Alexander any real harm both because of the physical prowess the inu-youkai demonstrated in his battle with InuYasha and in the battle against the wolf demon tribe. Still it would cause problems and they couldn't have bad blood stirring up between one ally and one potential ally if they ever had to fight side by side against Naraku.
"What was that Kaede?" she asked as she looked at the wise woman who had apparently been trying to get her attention for the past few moments.
"I was asking if ye had finished chopping the vegetables. Is something troubling ye?" Kaede asked with concern and certainty that her observation of the demon exterminator was correct.
"I was just thinking of that inu-youkai we encountered named Alexander." Sango replied while watching the priestess to see how far she would pursue this inquiry.
"Ah yes. I have heard much talk from InuYasha about this dog demon who bears an unusual resemblance to Sesshomaru." , Kaede said sagely before a twinkle entered her eye, "Although I imagine the young hanyou's opinion of the young man would be more than a little tainted by his bitterness towards his brother."
"Yes, that would be a fairly accurate impression." , Sango stated with a little restrained laughter of her own, "However I found that his resemblance to Sesshomaru was all that he had to connect him to the youkai Lord."
Catching on to her strategy Kaede asked "What is it exactly that has ye so deep in thought?"
Deciding she could trust Kaede to keep this between them she replied "I was just wondering how he was doing right now. He seemed to be in a great deal of pain when I last saw him, the death of the little girl hurt him deeply."
"Was this child a demon like him?" Kaede asked with an objective tone in her voice.
"No she was human but the way he cried over her dead body made it seem as though they might have been as close as family." Sango replied as thoughts of her own lost family floated through her head.
"A sensitive person this Alexander seems to be to be so affected by the death of one he barely knew." , Kaede said with her sympathy clear towards the young inu-youkai, "Mixed with the skill to apparently best InuYasha in combat and methinks he be similar to a true samurai at heart."
"A true samurai? What do you mean?" Sango asked as her idea of a samurai was probably different from the one that Kaede was thinking of at the moment.
"Despite most samurai these days who follow their code of honor only out of obligation or a desire to retain their positions there are some that who are born with this kind of honor within them." , Kaede explained as she scooped up the chopped vegetables and dropped them into the pot hung over the fire, "This I think is what drives Alexander if what I have been able to discern of him is true. He acts and fights with honor not because he must but because it is a part of who he is at his core and cannot behave any other way."
Thinking on this Sango came to believe that she was right about Alexander and with the image of a noble and honorable samurai in her mind the 'fascination' she had with him only grew. Perhaps she should spend more time thinking about ending her current mission and taking up a new one. After all how much more difficult could it be to earn the attentions of a samurai than a lecherous monk?
The Castle of Lord Sesshomaru, One Week Later
"Where is the boy now?" asked the emotionless and composed voice of the Ice Lord.
"He was last spotted by your spies less than a week away from here milord." , replied Jakken promptly in response to his Lord's question, "Unfortunately that walking corpse of a priestess Kikyo is accompanying him here and seems unwilling to part ways with him."
"She no doubt still believes that he can be forged into a weapon for her to use against either Naraku or my witless half-brother." , Sesshomaru stated with an ethereal bit of bitterness when mentioning his half brother, "We shall dissuade her of this idea when she arrives."
Indeed the more the Tai Inu-Youkai of the West considered how he felt about the boy the more he seemed to desire to aide the boy and be concerned about his welfare. He found this strange for though he may look like an inu-youkai of his bloodline if his story was true he was but a human whose appearance had been altered to look like him. If this was the case he should be angry with the youth and should have removed him from the countryside to limit the potential damage he could do to this Sesshomaru's reputation. After all it would not matter if the boy made it clear to all those who could hear his voice that he was not Lord Sesshomaru those that did not seek out the truth would come up with their own conclusions. These uninformed conclusions would be damaging to him and while the imprisonment of the young inu-youkai would solve this problem he was unreasonably reluctant to do so for some reason. Whenever he was about to order the boy apprehended and brought to him he remembered the respectful way in which he spoke upon their first meeting. It was refreshing to receive some respect from a stranger when he often received nothing but sarcasm or disrespect from those who did not know who had not personally witnessed his power. While this alone was not sufficient to prevent some action being taken it did prompt him to seek alternate solutions aside from a swift execution or immediate exile from Japan. The boy seemed to truly be here by accident with no desire to do anyone any real harm much less intentionally pretend to be him in order to spread disinformation or something. It would be poor form and perhaps appear to be a sign of weakness if he were to simply destroy him due to an event of chance that the boy had no control over. He would have much to consider upon the boy's arrival and not just concerning the possibility of punishment but other avenues of thought as well. While there existed the possibility that the boy might be able to return home there existed an equal chance that he would remain trapped here in the land and in his present form.
Where would he choose to dwell I wonder? Seeshomaru thought to himself as Jakken waited patiently for his Lord's next command.
It would be interesting to say the least to see him come to terms with his new situation and try to find a place in a land he had no ties to at all. For all intents and purposes Alexander was a stranger in a land that was without a doubt strange to him as he likely had only read about the youkai from reports. It was likely he would need someone familiar with the region and the politics of the various species of the area in order to survive and avoid any unpleasant altercations. As for a purpose it was blatantly obvious by the way he acted that he saw himself as a warrior of good and would likely follow his half brother's lead in protecting the humans from the demons who would prey upon them. A foolish move considering how ungrateful the humans would be to any assistance he offered them and considering the hordes of demons that took to attacking human villages regularly it was inevitable that he would meet his end in them. Perhaps this Sesshomaru should invite the boy to join his army, perhaps as a captain, and put his warrior instincts to more constructive use. While his kingdom consisted primarily of demons there were a few select human villages he chose to protect for the valuable resources they provided. One such resource was their usefulness as spies when he did not want his involvement to become known to his youkai enemies. While the boy might have problems dealing with the demons under his rule that were hostile towards the humans this Sesshomaru could place him in charge of protecting the human villages. The more he thought about the idea the more it seemed to please him that there might be a place for Alexander in his kingdom.
This of course returned him to wondering why he was giving such unusually generous treatment to someone he knew next to nothing about. The question rolled around his mind for awhile until he was forced to come to a rather inappropriate conclusion. Despite the fact that Alexander was originally a human he appeared as this Sesshomaru often believed his son would look like were he to take a mate. It had been a concept he had pondered on and off ever since he had been officially recognized as the inheritor of his father's lands and titles. As the Tai Inu-Youkai of the West he would be expected not only to rule but produce an heir to continue his line so that should the unfortunate happen his people would still have a leader and protector. However while he was knew he was not lacking in potential mates none of them quite met with his approval as they fell short of some of his desires. Most unfortunately sought to be his mate for no other reason than to share in the power and wealth he possessed and as such he could not trust them or their intentions. It was likely the foolish idea of making Alexander his son in all but blood that made him look upon the young inu-youkai differently than he usually would. It was out of the question to give such a position to one born human especially to one not born of this land but he could still prove useful with some proper training. To have another at his command with power that was nearly his equal would be useful when circumstances required that he be in two places at the same time. Yes, if he were to gain the boy's allegiance in the event he could not return home would be most fortuitous indeed.
Looking back to Jakken he said "Have two rooms prepared for Alexander and the Priestess. While this Sesshomaru loathes allowing that walking corpse into his castle the pup would likely be resentful if she was excluded from my hospitality."
"As you command milord." Jakken replied visibly displeased at the human miko being permitted inside the castle walls and treated like a guest.
Sesshomaru was displeased with her presence as well since she was responsible for binding his half-brother in a state of living death fifty years ago. While he cared little for what trouble the hanyou got himself into it reflected badly upon their family as a whole. For a son of Inutaisho to fall in love with a human woman only to be betrayed by her and bound to a tree like a witless fool spoke ill of all the members of his bloodline. He still remained certain that she intended to manipulate Alexander for her own ends and if she succeeded it would shame his family regardless of whether or not he was actually related to this Sesshomaru. Whether or not the pup was aware of her intent to manipulate him was uncertain but it would be a matter for discussion in private when he could be sure the priestess would not overhear them. Once he ascertained the boy's position regarding Kikyo he could determine what course of action should be taken if any depending on the situation.
"I look forward to your arrival Alexander." Sesshomaru whispered softly so that none could hear what he said but him.
Kikyo's Perspective, Early Afternoon, Three days Later
Now I begin to see why my mentor took frequent respites between training sessions. Kikyo thought as she tried to ignore a headache that was growing in strength.
It had been a little over two weeks since she had departed from Kobe with Alexander on their trip to the home of the Tai Inu Youkai of the West and during that time her lessons in the use of ones spiritual energy were slow at best. It was not that the inu-youkai before her was dull witted but rather that he had the attention span of a child and thus most of her time was spent keeping him focused on the task at hand. Still he was making some progress so it was not a total waste of time attempting to instruct him on how to perform some of the simpler techniques. He had already managed to learn the technique by which he can imbue a foreign object or weapon with his own spiritual energy to make it more resistant to damage than those wielded by people ignorant of such abilities. In the broader scheme of things it was a simple parlor trick compared to some of the more complex techniques that a priestess could learn during the course of her training. However such things took time to learn no matter how exceptional the student might be and she was fairly certain that Alexander would not wait that long before seeking Naraku out. Thus she was trying to restrict what she taught him to what would be most useful in fighting Onigumo in particular which was what had led to her current lesson which was how to see the truth behind illusions and other deceptions. His nemesis would likely use all manner of trickery and deceit to distract Alexander since she knew that for all his power Naraku was a poor fighter in general. No matter what skills he retained from his days as Onigumo nor what new knowledge he stole from the minds of the demons he absorbed into his body he never engaged in conflict directly unless he had no other choice. He preferred to send others to do his dirty work whether by tricking them as he had the wolf prince Kouga or creating them as he had the wind sorceress Kagura. So far this appeared to be one ability that he excelled at as he had proven capable of seeing through the majority of the illusions she cast on the first try. Those that he was forced to work harder at to see through were those that played on his emotions surrounding Takara and her death. It was then that his anger and desire to seek revenge ruined his judgment by destroying his focus thus making it easier for him to be deceived by others. With her list of techniques to create illusions or other deception oriented magicks nearing an end she had decided moments ago to try and improve his self-control and self-discipline. If she could improve those qualities in him even a little bit it would go a long way to his mastering a few of the other techniques she had in mind for him.
"Are you sure this is going to help me improve my focus?" Alexander asked from his position upside down on both hands balancing a rock on each foot.
"Yes now stay focused on maintaining your balance and keeping both rocks steady in their positions." , she said sternly for what seemed like the hundredth time, "To be able to focus your mind to the point where you have complete control over your body will prove useful both in combat and when confronted with illusions created by Naraku."
"Yeah but I feel so stupid upside down like this." , Alexander complained like so many other men at the thought of losing face by doing something 'unmanly', "Doubly so when I look like one of the most feared and ruthless demons in all of Japan while being upside down."
"I suggest you learn to endure then for I doubt that the training you seek from Lord Sesshomaru will be any better." She stated with a firmness that made it clear that she would not waver from her outlined regimen.
"Yeah but I doubt he would have me standing on my head like this which is kinda the point here." The inu youkai responded making his displeasure at the exercise crystal clear.
"No he will most likely have you spar with him again and again without holding back anything until you are so covered with wounds that you are unable to continue for several days." She replied with an arched eyebrow completely serious in her tone.
He seemed to think on this a moment before shrugging with his eyes and attempting to focus on the task at hand as she had told him to. Confident that he would much rather perform her exercise and look foolish than endure several days painfully recovering from the wounds inflicted upon him by the Ice Lord she returned to her own personal contemplation. At the moment she was considering how best to deal with the inu-youkai Lord when they arrived at his castle in a couple of days. They had encountered each other a few times since her rebirth and usually due to some kind of trouble that InuYasha had gotten himself into. While he had not openly attacked her nor revealed what he thought of her beyond a few scathing words she doubted he would be pleased with her remaining close to Alexander in his castle. She knew he placed the blame for InuYasha being bound fifty years ago equally on both their heads but as she was human and not family he would undoubtably be less reluctant to act on his emotions. She knew that the inu-youkai kept his emotions under strict control but he was not above obeying them under some false logical pretense. Still she had faith that even if he did choose to attack her that she could hold him at bay until Alexander joined her side and together they would be a match for even the Tai Inu Youkai of the West. However there was one ability of his she wanted him to at least partially be able to control before they arrived and today was as good as any to see if her focusing exercises were doing any good.
Returning to the matter of his instruction Kikyo removed five fruits from their bundle of supplies and after taking one in her right hand set the others on the ground.
"We shall now attempt to have you focus your crimson mist into a steady concentrated beam." , she said before holding up the fruit, "I will toss this fruit into the air and you will attempt to hit it with the mist."
Nodding in agreement he closed his eyes and took a few minutes to center himself before saying "Ready."
Tossing the fruit high into the air she commanded "Now!"
His eyes opened swiftly and he looked up into the sky to visually acquire his target before raising his open palm up towards the target. After a half second taken to ensure an accurate shot he tensed and a stream of crimson mist shot from his palm towards the target like steam escaping violently from a vent. The steam was about as thick as his palm was long but it still barely nicked the side of the fruit destroying less than a fifth of the target. As soon as the fruit hit the ground she picked it up to examine it more closely to see what immediate effects his power had on the target. From what she could tell it was almost identical to what she had found examining the remains of the demons that had attacked the temple. The portion of the fruit that the mist had connected with had been reduced to ash from what she could see of the remains drifting to the ground. The part of the target that was untouched remained the same in almost all areas except at the boarder between the portion that was hit and the portion that wasn't hit. In this area it was like an open wound that had been cauterized by flame for it was completely black along the surface of the boarder. The boarder itself was only a millimeter thick if that making it easy if one want to peel the damaged portion away and enjoy the rest of the fruit. It was interesting to see and an effect she had missed when she had examined the bodies of the demons before but that could have been because most demon corpses decompose at an accelerated rate after death. The good side of that was that it would allow him to strike a target with precision without causing collateral damage to the surrounding area. This would likely be used if he encountered a being with a sacred jewel shard embedded its body or one whose one weakness was very difficult to hit. However it would take more practice before he could be relied upon in battle because as it was now he might harm an ally by accident.
"A commendable start but your aim needs work and it will take time to learn to use it effectively in battle." , Kikyo stated as she picked up another fruit from the pile she had left on the ground, "This time try to fire a narrower stream of mist and pierce the center of this fruit."
No words did he speak but instead only nodded in agreement with her request as he returned to the focused state he was in before. This second fruit was slightly smaller than the previous one but was also thinner so it would not provide him with such a large target as before.
"Ready? Now!" she said as she tossed the fruit into the air and waited to see the results.
This time though she was surprised to see him only point a finger at the fruit and for a moment she thought he might be intending to use his energy whip. However he remained true to the point of this exercise as a thin condensed stream of crimson mist was fired from the tip of the finger. With this strike his aim had improved a bit as it tore a hole in the fruit just to the right of the center without cutting the target in two. While this could be simple trial and error results it might imply that the more mist he used the less accuracy his attack would have. Something to either prove or disprove depending on the results of this session and the few that they would be able to manage before arriving at Sesshomaru's castle. She had not been exaggerating when she had described the likely course that the demon Lord would likely take in instructing Xander in the fighting arts of the inu-youkai. He was renowned for his ruthlessness and his icy demeanor and would likely not treat any student of his with kid gloves no matter who they might look like. In fact he may push Alexander even harder than he would any future students since how the younger inu-youkai faired in battle would immediately be passed on to him because of the similarities in their appearances. Therefore it was only logical to assume he would not allow the pup to leave until he was at least skilled enough to out perform InuYasha in every measurable way.
In this though he will be meeting my standards as well. , Kikyo thought as she picked up two pieces of fruit this time, After all if he cannot outfight InuYasha then he will be of no use to me.
Within Sight of Sesshomaru's Castle, Mid-day
Well we're finally here! Xander thought as he took in the sight of the castle of the Tai Inu Youkai of the West.
It was truly a sight to behold and it was all he could do to keep from pulling a Keanu Reeves and saying 'woah' at what he saw. He had seen pictures of these old Japanese castles on TV and some even in school but to see one in person was another story all together. This was a castle properly maintained and kept up to code that was darn near perfection and given the semi-mystical qualities that likely went into its construction in the first place that was saying something. It was definitely larger than any of the castles that survived to modern times in his world and looked like it contained a small city which was entirely possible. As a youkai Lord there would be those who would be living there to serve Sesshomaru and those that lived there under the Lord's protection for one reason or another. To accommodate that many youkai no doubt of various shapes and sizes the castle would have to be of considerable size to say the least. He supposed the size was also there for intimidation effect as well since just about anyone who saw this would believe that the person who ruled there must have considerable power and wealth to command servants to maintain it and wealth to provide the materials. All in all it made sense to him but with this acknowledgement he believed that the impression it probably made on him was considerably less. Still it was definitely better than the Chase mansion had been back in Sunnydale and they had pretty much been the richest family in town before they went into debt with the IRS. There was only one thing he was concerned with though and that was how he was going to deal with numerous pairs of eyes staring at him where ever he went. After all while Sesshomaru may have managed to remain composed and stoic during their initial meeting he had little doubt that when the Ice Lord's subjects saw a younger inu youkai walking down the streets that looked exactly like Sesshomaru he would never get a moments peace. The rumor mill would probably have him pegged as Sesshomaru's long lost son or something and half the available women in town would probably start making plans to woo him. He could just picture the Tai Inu Youkai's response to people thinking Alexander was his son and the females throwing themselves at him. Hopefully the Demon Lord would limit his wrath to his subjects and not decide to take out the root of the problem which in this case would be him. It was at that moment that he started wishing he could get a shirt or something to cover his upper body as he was still just wearing the pants he got from Samonoske and nothing else. Needless to say he was pretty sure that no matter what the era seeing a handsome shirtless man with muscles walking down the street would be a drool worthy sight for any woman.
When they reached the front gates of the castle he could see two guards predictably posted at either side of the door with more posted atop the walls. He almost laughed at the looks on their faces as they looked for the first time upon someone who looked almost exactly like their Lord but at the same time was different. He kinda wondered whether or not the rumors would reach the main audience chamber before or after them. Fortunately the doors opened before the guards could make any improper comments or jump to the wrong conclusions and out walked the toad youkai Jakken. Xander had not been able to understand since he had first seen the toad youkai in Ichiro's massacred village why Sesshomaru would keep him around despite his obvious incompetence. After all it was pretty much a consensus among the fans of the show he had talked to in person and online that the character of Jakken was created only for the comic relief he provided. In this considerably more realistic version of the famous Anime series he would have thought that InuYasha's older half-brother would have had the sense to kick him to the curb. Either that or the witless toad would have been killed for good by one of his Lord's numerous enemies but at least this meant that he might get a few laughs in while he was here.
"Ah Alexander! I am pleased to see that you were able to make it here unhindered since your battle with that cur Kouga in Kobe." , Jakken stated with his usual babble even though Xander wasn't royalty of any kind nor truly related to the toad youkai's Lord, "My Lord's field agents informed us that you were coming here and I believe you will find that all has been prepared for your arrival."
"Thank you Jakken. I trust there will be no trouble with Kikyo being allowed to stay here as well?" Xander asked formally even though it went against his usual way of doing things.
He knew that if he was going to get instruction from the Lord of the castle that he would have to stay on Sesshomaru's good side for the duration of the stay. That likely meant acting like he was in the presence of God or something and avoiding using any American teenager lingo. After all he doubted that anyone outside of perhaps Kagome would understand any of his references and misinterpretations could get a person killed as he and the Scoobies had learned back when the vamps tried to resurrect the Master. They had made a mistake with the requirements for his resurrection by assuming that 'near' was meant in the emotional and relationship sense but it had in fact been literal as in distance. He didn't want to risk insulting Sesshomaru as that would most likely get both him and Kikyo killed at least and tortured for five months straight at the worst. That meant he would have to try and recall everything he had ever seen in the movies or on TV about how to speak to and how to behave around royalty. While he had little doubt that there would be specifics unique to Japan he hoped that as long as he obeyed all of the major rules he wouldn't get penalized for violating the smaller ones.
"While Lord Sesshomaru is reluctant to allow Kikyo into his home he is willing to tolerate it for your sake provided she refrain from … devouring .. the souls of any of his subjects." Jakken replied making it clear that if he had his way that Kikyo would never have been allowed to enter his Lord's kingdom much less his castle if he had a say in things.
Turning to the miko in question Xander asked "Will that be acceptable Kikyo?"
"It will." She replied in monotone.
"Good because that is how it must be!" , Jakken piped up before turning and ordering the doors open, "Now let us proceed to the central audience chamber! We must not keep Lord Sesshomaru waiting!"
"There is something I would like to ask before we continue Jakken." Xander said tentatively as he was unsure how best phrase the question he wanted to ask.
"Yes?" the toad youkai asked in a more polite tone than the one he had used when discussing Kikyo's situation.
"Is there a more .. covert .. method by which we can travel to our destination?" , Xander asked as his mind struggled to come up with the right words, "I doubt our journey to Lord Sesshomaru would go unnoticed by the people we would pass on the main streets to our destination. I am uncertain if their individual reactions would be to Sesshomaru's liking given my resemblance to him."
"I am sure my Lord will appreciate your concern but rest assured that Sesshomaru-sama has instilled proper discipline in his subjects." , Jakken said sounding genuinely pleased at his foresight, "They no better than to misbehave towards one of their Lord's honored guests."
"Very well. Then we had best be on our way." He replied although inwardly he was dreading what was to come.
So it was that they strolled down the main street within the castle walls to the main building at its center where the Tai Inu Youkai of the West awaited them. Just like he had anticipated though he was instantly the center of everyone's attention the moment he set foot inside the castle walls. A few people even unconsciously dropped some of the things to the ground that they were holding without realizing it because they were so shocked. Not a big surprise considering his appearance but he was getting slightly uncomfortable at the looks just about every woman between the ages of 15 and 45 in appearance. Some of them were disturbingly like Faith in that they seemed skilled at getting their lustful intentions across with looks and subtle gestures alone. Some of those looks and gestures though made him have to focus incredibly to keep from blushing a color of red that would make an apple seem downright white in color by comparison. Despite his wish to be the smooth and suave ladies man shown in just about every spy movie back home he somehow knew he would never be that cool under the lustful gazes of so many attractive women. So he did his best to focus his gaze forward and hoped that they would get to where they were going before Kikyo or Jakken took notice of his predicament and embarrassed him. Still a small part of his mind was secretly reveling in all this attention from the fairer sex as he had been sorely deprived of it during his high school years and no that incident with the love spell didn't count. Still he wouldn't be surprised if a few of these lovely ladies did wind up fighting with each other over him since he was uncertain whether it would be considered unladylike in this era to do so.
In any case this is definitely going to be an interesting visit. , Xander thought to himself as he almost lost his composure at one lady's posture, If only Willow and the gang could see me now!
Earth, Realm of the Scooby Gang, Xander's reality of Origin
Xander, where are you? Willow thought to herself as she closed yet another book without any results to show for her studious efforts.
It had only been two days or so since the accident that had whisked her childhood friend away somewhere and so far none of them were any closer to finding out where he was then when they started. After Giles had spent the entire morning after the incident chewing her out over the danger she put them in by attempting to mix two such potent magicks they had all slipped into research mode. All of them had pretty much come to the conclusion that their Xander-shaped friend was still alive but that was about all they knew. Giles had stated that none of the diagnostic spells, as Andrew liked to call them, that they cast on the area where Xander had disappeared had indicated that he had perished. The senior Watcher had stated that if he had perished there in the laboratory there would be remains of some kind that could be identified as belonging to him. When added to that the very nature of the spells she had been attempting to mix and it was almost a sure thing that he had most likely just been teleported somewhere. The hard part was that he could literally be anywhere as the teleportation spell had the ability to make him cross time and space while the transfiguration spell could do anything from change his clothes to change his very species. Never in all their years together fighting the demonic and supernatural did the term 'needle in a haystack' ever come more into play than it did right then and there. They had already done the standard locator spells and come up with nothing so now they were looking up some of the more complex and exotic types. These were difficult because not only were the ingredients rare but it took an experienced witch or wizard to perform them without suffering any sort of nasty side-effects. It would take time to get everything they needed but Giles had said that he knew a place that grew their own magical herbs for their students nearby so it wouldn't take more than a day or to before they arrived.
That didn't stop her from he hourly worry time in which she lectured herself on her own stupidity while at the same time hoping that Xander could keep himself out of trouble until they could get him back. Then of course she remembered the Zeppo's track record of staying out of trouble and her worry level automatically jumped a level upwards. Grabbing another book from the pile she had constructed on her right side she continued to perform her task for today which was to look up benign demons they might be able to contact for assistance. While it was something they had all be reluctant to attempt they knew that their own abilities and knowledge were too limited by the average life span and their own individual experiences. There were demons out there who had lived for centuries and while they were not to entirely be trusted they were not known for going back on any bargains or contracts between them and their clients at the time. They had even deigned to call up Angel and his people for any hope that they could provide but they weren't exactly pinning all their hopes on that. Ever since Angel had taken down the members of the Circle of Black Thorns that represented the Senior Partners' movers and shakers on Earth they had been forced to return to their original way of doing things. No longer did they have the vast but questionable resources of Wolfram & Hart to call upon but even with the few contacts and texts they had managed to take with them before they left. Still for one of the founding members of the Scooby Gang they could do no less than give it their all and use every resource at their disposal to try and find him. So far she had only managed to find two out of a number of demons that they might be able to persuade to help them out without having to pay too big a price in return. Fortunately there were some demons that valued material possessions more than blood or internal organs so with a few discrete looks at what the various warehouses that the old Watcher's Council possessed they should be able to find something of value to barter with. Nothing dangerous or apocalypse bringing of course but still something that would be considered precious to the demons they would negotiate with in the next while.
Of course we could always call a few so called 'benign' deities or gods for help but somehow I doubt they'd be of any real help. Willow thought rolling her eyes while remembered how helpful the Powers That Be or other good guy spirits had been to them in the past.
Despite the supposed help that the P.T.B had been to them over the years just about everyone connected to the original Scooby gang agreed that they would have more luck doing this on their own than asking them for help. Still they had already gone through more than half of the library's contents and she had exhausted all of her online sources with the exception of a few chat rooms but nothing new had been posted regarding her inquiries in some time. Thus they had extended their feelers to the world outside the new Slayer's Watchers Council to the occult and magick world itself hoping that they had some book or scroll that would help. Just as she was about to turn another page there was a tapping on the window and she looked up to see an owl perched outside the window. She had been a bit startled the first time that it had happened but after Giles explained things she had just started to accept it as just another strange occurrence in their lives. According to Giles he had a friend in the magic community who had a system of mail delivery much like carrier pigeons set up all over Great Britain and that it was quite an efficient system as well as less likely to be intercepted by questionable beings. Going over to the window she opened it and stood out of the way as the owls that came seemed to like actually entering a house they were delivering mail to rather than just dropping off the mail and leaving. Watching as it flew across the room before landing on the back of a chair by the main table in the library she smiled at its cuteness before she walked over and untied the letter tied to its left leg. She smiled as she recognized the handwriting on the envelope as belonging to Giles' friend A.D and wondered if this letter would be as enjoyable as the previous ones she had read. While the letters as it pertained to information to help Xander were not so good it was always amusing to hear what AD had to say. If he and Xander ever got together she doubted it would be long before everyone within earshot was rolling on the ground clutching their stomachs in pain due to how hard they were laughing. Opening the letter she read :
Ms. Willow Rosenberg
I write this letter in the hopes that you are well and remain optimistic in the search for your friend. I have looked into enlisting aid to help in the search but regret to inform you that many of my friends with the requisite knowledge are otherwise occupied with a matter of equal concern. However I have been able to enlist the aide of two of my comrades who are experts in the areas of charms and the dark arts and they have assured me that they will look into the matter as soon as they are able.
On another note I must say that while I admit it was rather reckless of you to attempt to mix two such volatile forms of magic I find it admirable that you are willing to 'think outside the box' as they say. In any case I would like to extend and invitation to you, once the current problem has been solved, to come to my home and receive some official instruction in the magical arts. I am by no means belittling the progress you have made so far, indeed I am impressed that you have managed to progress so far with so little official instruction, but I believe that you may benefit from such an experience.
In any case I will continue to keep you informed about the status of our progress and hope that we will soon find a way to return your friend to you.
Sincerely,
AD
PS – Thank you for the wonderful suggestion of a delicious sweet. These twinkies really are quite addictive.
Willow let out a slight giggle at this as she remembered her writing offhand in a recent letter to him about Xander's addiction to twinkies. Apparently he had taken her mentioning of it as an actual suggestion and was now in the same boat as her bestest friend was in. She could only imagine what Giles would say when he found out that she had inadvertently hooked one of his friends on a prime example of American junk food. Writing a quick note thanking AD for his help she placed it in an envelope and after giving the owl a snack tied it to its leg and sent it on its way. Hopefully these friends of AD would be able to help them make some progress because as of that moment they hadn't even left the proverbial starting gate.
"YOU'RE SENDING WHO!" came Giles' yelling voice from the main living room down the hall.
Worried at what could possibly upset her longtime friend and mentor so much that he would raise his voice to the point where the entire house could probably hear him she left the library and strode quickly to the living room. When she arrived Giles had apparently already concluded the phone conversation and was currently cleaning his glasses into oblivion. It made her wonder just how many lenses he had to replace over the years because of nothing more than his furious rubbing of them whenever he got nervous or angry. It was always a sign of increased emotional instability or stress when Giles cleaned his glasses for no other reason than because it was habit. It was a 'tell' as Xander explained it one night when they had gathered around a table in the kitchen and played a few rounds of Poker with varying assignments worldwide as the stakes. Everyone had a habit or mannerism that emerged during times of increased stress and emotional duress and for Giles it was cleaning his glasses. She only hoped the senior Watcher wouldn't go broke replacing all the lenses he had worn out with unnecessary rubbing.
"What's up Giles?" she asked in a friendly manner hoping that her presence would calm him down enough to at least tell her what was going on.
"That was Angel on the phone. Apparently while he hasn't been able to find anything directly to help bring Xander back he is sending someone who at least might be able to help us narrow down the possibilities at least." Giles replied as calmly as he could although it was obvious to the wicca that he was still very upset.
"Who?" Willow asked running mentally through the list of names of people, demons or miscellaneous beings that Angel might send to help them.
"Illyria." Giles replied before looking into her eyes and conveying just how potentially cataclysmic that person coming here could be for them.
To this there was only one response Willow could give.
"Oh boy…" she spoke in a voice just above a whisper.
Main Audience Chamber, Sesshomaru's Castle
Well here goes nothing. Xander thought to himself as he walked down the red carpet that led from the entrance all the way up to the throne where Sesshomaru waited.
They had finally made it into the castle proper where only Sesshomaru and his immediate servants lived with only a few more suggestive looks from some of the women outside. Once the number of people looking at him went down he found it easier to relax and be more like himself which would come very handy since he doubted the Ice Lord would appreciate his look-a-like acting like a stuttering fool. Still he had a feeling the few maids that lived in the castle would be working extra hard to 'serve his needs' during his stay. He just hoped that Sesshomaru wasn't one of those rulers that insisted that ten different servants help him dress and look dignified every morning. If that was the case he would no doubt arrange similar treatment for him if for no other reason than to ensure that someone considered a VIP guest actually looked the part. It wouldn't matter if the servants that were sent to him were all male, all female or a mixture of the two for it would still be uncomfortable for him. Still he would have little choice but to endure it unless he wanted to risk insulting Sesshomaru by refusing some of the perks that came with being his guest. He'd probably have to learn to get up earlier than anyone else and dress himself to avoid the servants and tell the Ice Lord that it was just his standard practice to get up early to train. Since he doubted that even with the Lord's informants keeping Sesshomaru appraised of his location and activities that they would be so detailed as to outline his routine every morning. After all there was giving a complete report to your Lord and then there was giving a complete report to your Lord. He doubted that even Sesshomaru would want a report so detailed so as to be downright irritating to anyone with an ounce of sanity.
Once he reached what he hoped was a respectful distance, a little over ten feet from the throne, he bowed respectfully once before standing straight and awaiting his host to speak.
"Welcome to my home Alexander. This Sesshomaru is pleased to see you once more." The Ice Lord said managing to sound genuinely pleased but at the same time keep his voice utterly devoid of emotion.
"I am pleased to be admitted into your kingdom Sesshomaru-sama." , Xander said trying to find a balance between sounding respectful and boot licking, "I have a request to make of you."
"You wish this Sesshomaru's aide in returning home. This Sesshomaru believes this was already discussed at our last encounter." Sesshomaru stated with what sounded to Xander like confusion.
"While that was the original proposal that is not what I have come to request of you." , Xander stated while trying to sort his thoughts, "I still intend to search for a solution by myself first but I have recently discovered though that my .. lack of skill and experience in this inu-youkai body is an unacceptable liability it my quest. While my amateurish knowledge of inu-youkai abilities may keep me safe against weak youkai unless I learn how to use this form to its fullest I will almost certainly be killed by more powerful opponents in the future. Especially if Naraku persists in attacking me at random points along my journey."
"That is why I, Alexander, have come to ask you Lord Sesshomaru for formal instruction in the fighting ways of the inu-youkai. I must learn to use this body to the fullest in order to overcome the trials that are no doubt to come or else failure is almost certain. Will you grant this request Lord Sesshomaru?" Xander asked before falling silent and awaiting a reply to his request.
Silence became the dominant theme as not a word was spoken in the room by either Xander's party or those gathered around Sesshomaru on the raised dais where his throne resided. Seconds ticked by but Xander kept his face passive and emotionless as he doubted any show of emotion would help win the Ice Lord over. If there was anything that seemed to make the Youkai Lord who he was it was the complete lack of emotion on his face and in his voice. Only when supremely ticked off did the inu-youkai show emotion and naturally it was an imperial rage that more often than not resulted in the death of the one who provoked him. In all other encounters the Tai Inu Youkai of the West remained in complete control and Xander personally believed that he did this to gain a victory over his opponents. After all if your adversary got all riled while you remained perfectly calm it made your opponent look bad as well as causing the fool to wonder if there was something he was missing. This left the other side vulnerable which made for one helluva advantage in battle which was something he was considering adding to his own bag of tricks. True it went against his usual 'class clown' personae that he had managed to preserve within himself despite all the hellmouthy and demonic occurrences that had filled up his life up until the final fight with the First. Unfortunately the death of Anya had killed much of that part of him and while it was there it was to a significantly lesser degree that it had been before. He kept up appearances in front of the other Scoobies since he figured that having someone bring some much needed levity to certain situations would help keep them all sane but he was not as he once had been. He had a feeling that Willow knew something was different about him but not the depth of the difference. He had been ready to reinvent himself for awhile now but hadn't had much of a chance given the amount of work that went into creating the new Council and locating the newly born Slayers. Now though, with his time almost entirely his own, he had the chance to begin and he hoped that Lord Sesshomaru would oblige him by helping him with the first step. Even if he did not retain any of the abilities inherent in all inu-youkai he was sure he would come away stronger and better from whatever the Ice Lord had to teach him.
"This Sesshomaru is intrigued by your request but he will have to take some time to consider it thoroughly." , Sesshomaru replied with his right eyebrow raised, "Rooms have been prepared for you and the miko. Jakken?"
"Yes milord?" Jakken said in a way reserved for suck-ups and yes men.
"Show Alexander to his room and see to it that he is provided with some proper clothing." Sesshomaru stated coldly while showing obvious disdain for Xander's current apparel.
"Right away milord! This way Alexander." Jakken said as he began to walk towards the entrance/exit of the main audience chamber.
Kikyo surprisingly didn't move to join him and for a moment he wondered what she was waiting for before looking to Lord Sesshomaru.
"Do not concern yourself with Kikyo Alexander. She will be showed to her room once I have concluded speaking with her" Sesshomaru stated in an attempt to reassure him.
"Go with the toad youkai Alexander. I will be fine." Kikyo said to clearly state her confidence in her future well being.
Nodding once Xander turned and followed the loyal retainer out of the room and down what was likely only the first of numerous hallways and corridors that this castle possessed. He had confidence that Priestess Kikyo would be able to handle Sesshomaru as he had seen her capable of vanishing like a phantom into thin air in the Anime series back home. While that by no means meant that she possessed a similar ability here he doubted that she would have so willingly encouraged him to leave her if she felt her continued existence was in jeopardy. If there was something other than revenge that Kikyo did well it was survive and he had no doubt she already had some kind of plan for making a quick exit if Lord Sesshoamru saw fit to 'neutralize' her.
Hope those two get along alright. I'd hate to have to find another guide to show me around this world. , Xander thought to himself before asking "So Jakken, any word on where Naraku's castle might be located?"
