A/N: Wahoo! We're back again! Damn I'm working over time! Let's get this party started! (I had Lucky Charms for breakfast today…we all know what THAT means) Can you believe I'm starting this the exact same day I finished Ch 12? This'll be two chapters in one day! Today being August 29, that is. XD Anyways, enough delays, for this chapter, the disclaimer will be read by Inuyasha! (We haven't seen him in a while, I gotta check every now and then he hasn't died from ramen deprivation.)
Inuyasha: Aki doesn't own me, my series, Naruto, Memoirs of a Geisha, the characters Ichitani Mizumi, Miseru, Ikarisu, Kyoriko, Zetsuei, or anything else she may have alluded to in her story. So here's chapter fourteen.
Me: That was oddly polite for you.
Inuyasha: Shut up.
Me: Ah, there's the Inu-kun I know! XD Sorry! Go on to the chapter! XP
Chapter Fourteen: The Siege on the West
The soldiers from the East had entered their third day of marching. It would still be another five to six days before they reached Nagashino. Masashi was furious. Takeda Katsuyori's men had been less prepared that he thought. Some of the men were slobbering drunks, others were so old and frail they could scarcely walk, let alone hold a sword.
Thus, Masashi had to postpone their mobilization and replace all of the weak or unfit soldiers with men of his own. What made Masashi even angrier about all this is that in order of have enough forces to replace the near two thousand unprepared or disabled men, the Neko no Taisho had to pull men from his own palace, which meant that the East was short by a third of their usual amount of soldiers on guard, leaving the lands much more vulnerable than usual.
Masashi could only hope the enemy would not attack his homeland while he was away, otherwise, the East would be destroyed. Permanently.
-
Two days after announcing her retirement, Reika and Tsukimisou were both ready to leave. Their okiya had been sworn to secrecy, to tell no one of the pair's true identities. Reika knew that Mameha and Hatsumiyo would keep their word.
With a sigh, she took a final look around the place she had been living for so many years, at last heading for the door. "Tsuki-chan, let's go," she said.
The Inuyoukai girl nodded and followed. Toji and Mizumi stood waiting for them outside in the courtyard.
"I see you're back in your old clothes," Toji said, commenting on Reika's attire, which happened to be a black kimono and white inner layer, completed with a dark purple obi. They were the same clothes she wore long ago when she was younger, except this kimono seemed to have escaped becoming as tattered and threadbare as the others.
Reika nodded. "I had to give back all the kimonos that belonged to the okiya. Those kimonos aren't rightfully mine to keep. So I took some of my clothes from my room before we left the North. Even Tsuki-chan is borrowing one of mine," She explained. "I received it as a present a very long time ago. It looks better on her anyway."
All eyes were diverted Tsukimisou who stood a few feet away. She wore a very beautiful summer kimono that was the palest color of light blue that it almost looked white. It was embroidered with silver thread that made endless strings of silver sakura blossoms. The obi was silver-colored, a shade darker than the embroidery, patterned with flowers and maple leaves. Mizumi stared at the younger girl's attire incredulously.
"You're going to run in that?" The Nekoyoukai girl asked.
"Of course not," Tsukimisou replied. "Toji-san and Reika-chan have better means of transportation than just running there."
The Daughter of the East shrugged her shoulders. "Okay then…" She muttered.
Without a backwards glance four of them walked out the okiya gate and through the streets of the hanamachi. Many geisha and maiko stepped outside and bade the Reika and Tsukimisou farewell and wished the pair good luck with their lives.
At last they reached the gate that led them away from the hanamachi and towards the city of Kyoto itself. They crossed a bridge that passed over a large stream and entered the city.
"Why are we here?" Mizumi asked.
"Because no one knows we're youkai. Well, except for you, so we have to walk like we're ningen until we're out of sight from the hanamachi. Only our okiya was sworn to secrecy, not the others." Tsukimisou explained.
The Nekoyoukai sighed and nodded reluctantly.
'That explains why she still looks human.' The Neko girl mused.
The four of them continued walking forward. They had only gone a few steps when a figure in dark clothing shot out of a tree and in front of them. Mizumi stared at the newcomer, recognizing his dark green hair and magenta eyes.
"Zetsuei, what are you doing here?" she asked.
"The West has been warned." He replied, looking around at the three other people who accompanied the Nekoyoukai girl curiously.
Mizumi noticed his stare at the others. "Oh, they've come to help us. So don't worry about them." She said pleasantly.
Zetsuei nodded. "Have you any other task for me?" he asked.
"Yes, I want you to find my father. Find out what he's up to. If either he or Harukichi come up with any sort of alterations to their original battle plan, I want you to come straight to us at once."
The Torayoukai nodded and disappeared instantly.
"So where do we go now?" Tsukimisou asked.
"We stay here in Kyoto until we receive news," Toji answered. "So I suggest we find ourselves a nice inn to stay at."
The other three nodded and together they set off, heading to the heart of Kyoto.
-
"We just passed Kyoto!" Sango shouted over the wind whistling in everyone's ears. "We'll make it to Nagashino Castle soon!"
Aijii grinned. "About time!" He yelled back. "Come on Kago! Fly faster, we're almost there!"
Yuri giggled slightly. Aijii turned to her immediately. "What'd he say?" The Inu boy asked.
"Kago said that you should try carrying all three of us before you tell him to fly faster. He says that you weigh a ton." The girl replied.
Satsu immediately began laughing. "Ha! That's what you get from eating so much damn Pocky!" She exclaimed, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
The Inu boy rounded on his sister. "Well there wasn't a moment that I didn't see you stuffing your face with Pocky too, fat ass!" He yelled back.
Satsu growled and pounced on her brother. "What the hell did you say?" She yelled, her hand coiling into a fist.
Kago growled in warning at the pair, looking over his shoulder. Both Satsu and Aijii paused in mid-struggle.
"Kago would like to remind you yet again, we shouldn't be fighting, especially not two hundred feet above the ground. He says if you two don't stop it he's going to throw you both off." Yuri said in a serious voice.
Sango and Miroku, who were both riding on Kirara, sighed. The pair hadn't seen such horrible sibling rivalry since Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.
"Houshi-sama, there's the castle!" Sango called out.
The kids looked down and saw the castle coming into view.
"But there's an army camped out a mile from it. I don't know if it's safe to land." The taijiya continued.
Aijii looked to his best friend, still in his Ryuu form. "Hey Kago, could you fly us a little lower so we can see the banners?" He asked.
Kago nodded and began to descend, Kirara following after.
They dropped about a hundred feet and below they could see soldiers scrambling about in alarm. Aijii frantically search for the army's pennants and his eyes found a post with a white silk banner and a crescent moon above an illustration of a giant dog.
"It's safe! That's Sesshoumaru-oji-san's flag! Inutaisho's on the banner!" The boy yelled.
The others nodded and dropped lower and prepared to land.
-
The soldiers on the ground were in a frenzied state of uproar.
"Nobunaga-sama! A Ryuuyoukai and a Nekoyoukai have appeared in the sky!" The men yelled.
The daimyo got to his feet and exited the tent and saw Sesshoumaru staring skyward, an eyebrow raised in interest.
"They're not a threat to us." The taiyoukai said once Nobunaga was close enough to hear him.
"Allies?" Nobunaga asked.
Sesshoumaru nodded.
Nearby soldiers were picking up their weapons. Nobunaga noticed this immediately.
"Lay down your arms! These are our allies, not our foes!" He ordered.
The soldiers stared at their lord in confusion but did as ordered. Sesshoumaru turned away and returned to the tent where Hana and the others sat, wondering what all the fuss was about. Nobunaga returned moments later.
The ground trembled slightly as a large cat and a Ryuuyoukai touched down on the ground. Their riders dismounted and the Ryuuyoukai was obscured by wind and reappeared as a boy. The fire cat shrank until it was about the size of a kitten.
The newcomers, the soldiers could see, were four children and two adults, a taijiya and a monk.
"So which way do we go?" The boy who had just transformed from being a dragon asked.
"We've got to find the main tent!" said the other boy.
The boy sniffed at the air and then he motioned the others to follow him. Together the children ran for the tent that Nobunaga and Sesshoumaru entered moments before.
A chorus of Mei Lhi, Kyo, Kagome, and Inuyasha's voices shouting "What the hell are you doing here?" met the children's ears.
Sango and Miroku entered the tent a few moments later, Kirara sitting on her master's shoulder.
"We sent you home to go to school!" Kagome exclaimed angrily. "So you wouldn't get hurt!"
"Screw that!" Aijii retorted hotly. "We came to help!"
"Baka! We sent you home for your own safety!" Inuyasha snapped at his son. "Let the adults worry about fighting!"
"Yeah well the adults seemed to have missed a crucial point on this battle!" Aijii continued, now rounding on his father.
"And what's that?" Kagome glowered.
"Guns! The Takeda clan is using guns!"
"How do you know this?" Nobunaga interrupted.
Aijii beamed and reached into his pack and pulled out his history text book and opened it to the correct page. The adults gathered around the book and read a section that Aijii had highlighted.
"Where did you get this?" Nobunaga asked, gesturing at the book. "How can it know this country's history when it has yet to happen?"
The boy visibly sweat dropped. "Uhh…no time to explain!" he said suddenly, snatching the book back and hurriedly stuffing it into his bag.
Aijii turned to his best friend, hoping to get some back up, only to find him and his younger sister being lectured.
"How'd you all get here?" Kyo asked.
"Flew," Kago replied. His father stared at him pointedly. "I transformed, like you do, Chichiue."
Mei Lhi slapped a hand to her forehead. "That was incredibly reckless! Something could've gone wrong and you all would've fallen to your deaths! Do you have any idea how dangerous what you did was?" She said vehemently.
"But Yuri-chan believed in me and I trusted her and I was able to do it!"
"Just because Yuri-chan thinks you can do it doesn't mean you can!" His mother went on.
"But I did anyway!" Kago retorted, his voice rising slightly. "It worked didn't it? We're all fine! It's not we came alone anyway! We asked Miroku and Sango to tag along! So if anything went wrong we'd be alright!"
All the adults in the room suddenly seemed to notice that the taijiya and monk were there. The pair waved at their friends, feeling awkward. Kagome, Inuyasha, Mei Lhi, and Kyo suddenly shared a knowing look between them, and then promptly turned to their children.
"You're all going straight home this instant." Kagome said at once.
"Hell no!" Aijii growled.
"Not after all this!" Satsu protested.
"After we flew all this way!" Kago went on.
"Not when we can still help…" Yuri added in a small voice.
The four adults who had been preparing a defense against their children's protests suddenly froze with surprise. Yuri never protested against anything. It was the first time that she'd actually refused to do as she was told.
"Even though we're still young, we can still help out," Yuri continued. "That's why everyone went through all that training isn't it? So we could all be prepared?"
"Yeah, that's right!" Kago exclaimed. "We went through the same training."
"We're just as prepared to fight as anyone else is!" Aijii declared defiantly.
"The others are right!" Satsu said. "We're not going home! We're soldiers too!"
The adults sighed and at last gave in. It was quite obvious that no matter what approach they tried, the kids would still stubbornly insist to stay.
At that very same moment a familiar jumping noise was heard.
"Gamyou! Gamyou!" came a voice.
Several heads turned and saw Myouga the Flea bouncing toward them.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! I bring news from Rin-sama and Shippou-sama!" The flea announced and for the first time in the flea's life, didn't bounce up to suck blood like he usually did. Whatever the message was it had to be important.
The taiyoukai stared down at the flea, waiting for him to continue.
"Rin-sama and Shippou-sama wish me to tell you that not long ago a Torayoukai came to the Western Lands bringing news from the daughter of the Neko no Taisho. The Torayoukai messenger told Rin-sama and Shippou-sama that the Neko no Taisho plans to attack the Western Lands while attacking Nagashino Castle. Rin-sama wishes me to inform you that she's ensured that the West is secured and ready for attack. She's called upon the Yamainu clan and Ryouji-sama and Megumi-sama to help secure the castle in the army's absence and she waits for your orders." The flea said.
Sesshoumaru stared at the flea and let the new information sink in before answering. "Tell Rin to do nothing yet, but make sure that everyone is on guard. A surprise attack is exactly the sort of thing the Neko no Taisho would plan." He replied in a level voice.
Myouga nodded and immediately took off.
-
It had been three days. Zetsuei finally found the eastern forces. They were halfway between the East and their destination. They would arrive in Nagashino within another three day's march or less.
The Torayoukai looked around at the army and saw that the ningen troops marched with Takeda Katsuyori, armed with katana at their hips and guns slung across their backs. The Torayoukai soldiers, his kin, all marched with the Tora no Taisho. Zetsuei made certain to stay as far away from the Tora clan head in order to avoid being caught. Then finally he saw the two he was looking for, marching along towards the back of the procession.
Masashi and Harukichi seemed to be in deep conversation with one another. Curious, Zetsuei moved closer, but could hear nothing over the clanking of thousands of armored men moving in formation. Instead he tried to read the lips of the two men.
"This army is ill-prepared, even with your replacements." Harukichi said.
"I'm well aware of that fact, Harukichi-sama." Masashi replied.
"This complicates our plans. I feel an alteration is in order."
"What sort of alteration do you suggest?"
Harukichi began to speak at length and Zetsuei found himself concentrating much more than usual so as to ensure he didn't miss a single word.
"Seeing as our forces are full of fools that are hardly battle-ready, the ningen troops will be wiped out immediately. Whether they're useful or not, we'll need the strength in numbers in order to face our enemies. What we should try to do is have Sesshoumaru break off his army to send forces to guard the Western Lands. Perhaps we can afford to leak a bit of intelligence of the attack to them and make it appear to Sesshoumaru that in order to secure his homeland, sending troops back is essential. If we can get Sesshoumaru to send enough soldiers home, we'll have enough forces to overwhelm him and proceed with the original plan. The first wave is your disguised guards. The element of surprise in this fight is key. But it's crucial to keep the first wave a secret. It's only twenty men, but it's enough to cause confusion. Sesshoumaru will have no choice but to kill the other guards as a precaution. Then we can proceed with the second wave, the youkai hordes that will target only the royal family. This will keep the others busy. In the third wave, we'll take out the boy, Tsurugi. Then the swordsmen will have long since rushed into all the fighting. Everything will fall into place after that."
"Hai, I see what you mean. Sesshoumaru will be cornered. He'll be unable to flee to the West, where it is being overrun with youkai and he'll be unable to fight forward with our armies in the way. Harukichi-sama, your plans get even better as you go along."
Harukichi smirked. "So when exactly should we plan for all of this to begin?"
Masashi turned to the San Ryuu. "I hope to start the actual siege at Nagashino at dawn on the day we arrive, which should be in three days, but the attack on the West can happen during the night, when all are asleep, just mere hours before the true battle commences."
"You become much more cunning as you go along, Masashi-san."
"Hai, I suppose I do…"
Zetsuei had what he'd come for. He ran as quickly as he could, back to Kyoto. It would take him at least two days to get back. He couldn't afford any time lost to resting. He would run until he made it back.
-
Meanwhile in Kyoto, Mizumi and Tsukimisou were walking around the city streets, hoping to catch some inkling of Zetsuei's return, and at the same time, were seeing the sights. Reika and Toji had asked for the two girls to leave them alone.
'No wonder why…' Tsukimisou thought sarcastically.
Mizumi yawned as they walked, scratching a spot behind her ears. Tsukimisou sighed. A pair of blue eyes swiveled in the Inuyoukai girl's direction.
"What's wrong?" Mizumi asked.
"I'm worried about Tsu-chan," The girl replied.
Tsurugi wasn't the only one on her mind. Mizumi seemed to notice this too.
"You're wondering what's up with Reika-san, ne? From what I observed, the two of you are quite close, but now you feel cast to the side now, don't you?"
"Sort of. I mean, I understand that Toji-san and Reika-chan haven't seen each other in a very long time, but at the same time, I don't want to be left out as she has been doing."
Mizumi sighed. "Did you ever stop to think that those two are probably doing what mated couples that haven't seen each other in a long time do?" She asked.
Tsukimisou's face flushed slightly. "I considered that and it would most definitely explain why they're not around, or why they don't want us around either."
The Nekoyoukai girl grinned triumphantly. "Well, there you have it! That's what they're up to!" She said.
"But that can't be all they do together! Isn't there more to love than just…?"
Tsukimisou broke off, unable to bring herself to say "mating". Mizumi smiled and patted her on the head.
"Awww, you're so innocent." The Nekoyoukai cooed lightly.
The Inuyoukai girl said nothing, Mizumi laughed lightly.
The pair kept walking onward, awaiting Zetsuei's return.
-
"This is how we met," Toji began, holding Reika tighter.
The pair was in a surprisingly empty hot spring enjoying the water.
"Hai," Reika replied from where she rested, leaning her head against her beloved's chest. "You snuck up on me in a bath and didn't want to leave me alone."
Toji laughed. "Well, it's a good thing I didn't leave you alone now isn't it? Persistence can be good." He said lightly.
Reika smiled. "Yes, I suppose it can. Apparently it paid off in the end." She agreed.
The two fell silent, the only sounds heard was the occasional drip of water and the pair's breathing.
"Ne, Reika," Toji said, sounding hesitant.
She turned her head to look at him. "Yes?" she asked.
"Back in the North, you said that now we could live the life we were meant to have together,"
Reika nodded.
"What do you want in the future?" He asked finally.
The Spirit of Anti-Life didn't answer right away. She took a moment to think. What did she want? No one had asked her that question before.
"Well," she began slowly. "I've only ever wanted to live a normal life, but all that has been impossible because of what I am. I had always wanted to…" she broke off and her face flushed lightly before continuing. "I had always wanted to get married and…if it could be possible, to start a family and have children of my own," Her eyes began to brim with tears. "But that's an impossible dream. Any children I might've had would die before they could be born."
Toji was surprised at how normal Reika's plans were. They were such simple goals. The same goals anyone would want. He held her closer as she choked back sobs.
"What about you, Toji? What do you want in the future?" She asked once she had composed herself.
"I also want what you want. I've wanted to marry and have children just as you do. But I also want to make you happy," He answered.
Reika turned around to face him completely, staring at him in surprise. Toji took her hand and looked her directly in the eyes.
"Marry me," He said.
The Spirit of the Anti-Life's eyes widened slightly. "What?" She asked, stunned.
"Marry me, Reika." Toji repeated.
In an instant later, Reika threw her arms around him, still in disbelief as to what she had just heard.
"I will happily become your wife, Toji," She whispered. The woman paused before continuing. "I just wish all our plans could be just as easily possible as this, but they aren't."
Toji looked at her again and raised her head so that she was looking directly at him. "We'll work together to make that dream come true. I'll do whatever I can in my power to protect the child from your element, as long as you promise to do the same. I promise you, one day we will have children to call our own," He paused then grinned devilishly. "Want to get started on trying?"
Reika's face flushed crimson with embarrassment, then shyly she nodded.
-
Two days passed and finally Zetsuei returned.
"What's my father planning now?" Mizumi asked instantly.
"The siege on the West will begin tonight. Your father hopes to divide Sesshoumaru's army. But Sesshoumaru must not do so at all costs. I have other information, but there's no time to share it if I hope to make it to the West in time to deliver the message." The Torayoukai replied.
"Go to the West and tell them everything you heard," Tsukimisou said. "Tell them you come on Mizumi's behalf and make sure all the crucial news goes through. We'll meet at Nagashino."
Zetsuei nodded and again, he vanished.
"What will we do now?" Tsukimisou asked worriedly. "There isn't enough time."
"Toji and I will help secure the West," Reika answered. "You, Mizumi, and Zetsuei will go to Nagashino and help Sesshoumaru and Nobunaga. When the Western Lands are secure, Toji and I will come back to help you."
"Both you and Mizumi will leave when we leave for the West. Don't join in the fighting until Zetsuei returns," Toji instructed. "Zetsuei has valuable information left to share. It'd be best to be armed with his knowledge before rushing into the fray."
The two girls nodded.
"I need a weapon." Mizumi said seriously.
"Then I suggest that you two get yourselves prepared for battle." Reika replied.
-
Hours passed by so fast that time seemed a blur. Reika's eyes opened. She foresaw the deaths of hundreds.
"It's time," she said.
Toji stood and nodded. Reika stood as well and turned to the girls. "It's time for you two to head out as well."
The Nekoyoukai and Inuyoukai nodded. Mizumi grabbed her new sword and Tsukimisou tucked her pack of medicinal herbs into her obi. Seeing that the girls were ready, both Toji and Reika gave a curt nod of satisfaction and in a swirl of ashes and a slowly falling white feather, they disappeared.
Mizumi and Tsukimisou left the room and headed outside and ran for Nagashino.
-
The night was so dark that even the lit torches did little to illuminate the black night. So it was even more alarming to see a two headed Ryuuyoukai with a small toad youkai as its passenger suddenly fall from the sky.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" yelled Jaken.
The taiyoukai approached his underling, looking at the youkai curiously.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, the Torayoukai informant sent on Mizumi-sama's behalf returned to the West and said that the Neko no Taisho is going to commence the attack on our lands tonight! He said that the Neko no Taisho hopes you will divide your army, but urges you not to split the forces because the enemy hopes to overtake us by being outnumbered in the battle ahead. He said that the enemy's attack will consist of three waves. The first wave, the informant said he'll deal with, we need to focus on the second and third waves which will target all who have your honored father's blood and finally result in the death of Tsurugi-sama." Jaken said urgently.
"I understand, Jaken. Is there anything else?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Hai! Rin said that an anonymous informant stopped by the palace shortly after the Torayoukai and said more or less the same news as this informant of Mizumi-sama's, but said that the youkai attacking would be large forces of Neko, Tora, and Ryuuyoukai. But if what Mizumi-sama's informant said is true, then Rin believes that this is the enemy's trick to try and get you to break up the units."
The taiyoukai nodded. "Keep me informed on the situation in the West. The armies will stay here."
Jaken began to mount Aun again, only for one of Shippou's acorns to appear.
"We're under attack!" The acorn wailed. "We're under attack! We're under attack!"
The acorn vanished seconds later. Sesshoumaru looked to Jaken.
"Go immediately to the West, provide whatever aid you can." The taiyoukai instructed.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"
-
Reika and Toji arrived in the West, the sounds of fighting all around them.
Wolves were everywhere, attacking the youkai horde that had arrived. A group of enemies began to move towards the pair of Jyuu rank Ryuuyoukai, only to be cut down by a long sword.
Ryouji looked up in surprise at the two newcomers. His shock didn't last long as another few youkai decided to sneak up on him while his back was turned. Nearby, the earth split open and swallowed several enemy youkai whole and trees ran amok attacking as they went.
"Looks like fresh meat to me!" A nearby youkai jeered, his eyes on Reika.
Toji's eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it." He said, his voice hard.
The Spirit of Life raised his hand at the youkai and a bright light sped to his open palm. The youkai fell dead.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!" A second youkai roared.
"That's not going to happen either!" Reika hissed angrily, rushing out to the youkai, a dark aura around her hands.
The moment she touched the youkai he fell over limp and lifeless.
A massive flood of more youkai came between the two, the flood split, one group surrounded Toji, while the other surrounded Reika.
"Little girly come to play?" A lizard youkai taunted.
"Oh your pretty face will be in bits." A snake youkai said with a smirk.
"With fodder like this, the West will be ours before dawn." Said another.
"I'm afraid you're all mistaken," Reika said, a smile playing at her lips as she watched as the group surrounding her began to struggle for breath. "The West belongs to the Inu clan!" she yelled.
At once the entire group fell over dead. Beside her, Reika saw a bright white light suddenly engulf the rest of the youkai. When the light faded, the youkai were on the ground and Toji stood in the middle. He turned and flashed a grin at the Spirit of the Anti-Life, who grinned back.
The fighting went on through the night, every once in a while, Reika and Toji found Shippou and Rin in the fray and helped get rid of the youkai, or were joined by Ryouji and Megumi, where sandstorms and vines that had an uncanny habit of suffocating those snared by them seemed to occur out of nowhere when they were around. Jaken arrived later, and the occasional wall of flames soon joined the sandstorms, asphyxiating vines, and the other strange blasts of light from Aun.
Hours passed and at last the Western Lands were secured.
-
Dawn broke and a cry of "The enemy is here!" rang in the morning air.
As orders were being given for soldiers to get into formation, Shippou and Rin arrived on Aun while Ryouji and Megumi materialized in a cloud of sand and a shower of leaves. Sesshoumaru looked at them all with mild interest. Hana approached them instantly.
"What's the status?" The miko-youkai asked.
"The West is secure," Shippou replied. "Jaken and the guards can handle anything else. We have the help of some old friends on our side."
"We figured we could lend you all a hand out here." Rin said.
Hana nodded. "We'll be happy to have you." She said.
Sesshoumaru looked to the horizon and saw the soldiers of the Eastern Lands marching into formation. The taiyoukai gave an almost unnoticed sigh.
"It is time."
A/N: Whoa I finished this one in one day! I know you hate cliffies. I'm sorry. Well, it's time for me to go to sleep. Then I'll start Ch 15 tomorrow morning (August 30). Ja ne until next time and don't forget to review! XD