Don't worry, I haven't forgotten you all! My best friend had her baby! It's a healthy boy! Plus I'm working over 50 hours a week and still job hunting…so very little time to actually write. It doesn't stop my brain from thinking of fun plot twists and such though. This upcoming month I will be busy again with a small vacation and a weekend away. That's not for another month. Chapter at a time, chapter at a time…
Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited, followed, and reviewed. It keeps me motivated to finish this so please keep giving me your opinions and input. I've been a little disappointed in my last few chapters.
Sesshomaru watched silently as Kin crept around the small hut. He feigned sleep, cracking a single golden eye open while the petite demon tiptoed her way over to the human child. She hummed softly, making sure to tuck the blankets around Rin snuggly before fondly stroking her head. He was still unused to seeing such displays of affection, yet appreciated them as his youngest companion seemed to relax in her slumber. Kin continued to hum her lullaby as she covered the snoring Jaken as well, stumbling over her words as drool pooled around his head. She grinned through her song, regaining her composure as she left the snoring imp.
He shut his eyes as she turned towards him, but didn't need to see her to know she was approaching. Despite her efforts to be quiet the floorboards beneath her feet faintly creaked, and her voice lowered to barely a whisper as she came closer. Her hair tickled at his nose as she pressed her lips to his forehead, a faint scent of flowers lingering behind as she moved away. It took more strength than he thought possible to keep from reaching out to stop her from going, yet he managed to keep his hand at his side.
She didn't seem to realize he was still awake. He waited for a few moments for her to leave before standing. He glanced at the door and debated with himself on what to do next. For months now Kin had come and gone at a moment's notice. He never really asked where she was going for he figured it had something to do with this Watatsumi dragon. He had offered her help before but she had yet to truly ask for assistance. It was rare for him to offer his aid and he felt she was brushing him off. One does not simply ignore an offer from the great Lord Sesshomaru.
He moved towards the door, slipping through it silently into the frigid winter night. He glanced around but could already sense that Kin had left. There were signs footprints heading south before disappearing completely. A few feathers were scattered on the ground, shining dimly against the moonlight. He took a few steps forward and picked one up, running the soft plumage through his fingers before taking off into the sky on his mokomoko.
There was little wind, making it perfect weather for tracking. The faint scent of flowers still wafted in the air, reconfirming her southbound route. He stopped his ascent just above the treetops and scanned the horizon to spot a figure fading into the distance. So long as he stayed low she wouldn't be able to see him following. It also helped that Kin seemed to lack a few basic hunting skills most demons learned early on.
Not that she would ever admit to it willingly.
He followed her for hours while making sure to stay out of sight. The moon was high in the night sky when she finally reached the sea. The waves crashed against the coastline though the tides were farther away than usual. He looked up to see the moon wasn't quite full just yet, but would be the next evening. At first he thought she was going to fly further south until she suddenly turned to comb the beaches. She landed at the water's edge, allowing the waves to soak the bottom half of her kimono. She paused for a moment to stare down at the sand beneath her before suddenly turning to head in the opposite direction she had been facing.
There was a strange look in her eyes; a new light he hadn't seen before. He continued to keep his distance, careful to make as little sound as possible and stayed downwind from her. He did his best to hide his presence, yet he began to doubt she would notice him if he didn't try to hide. She was muttering under her breath as she waded through the waters, pausing every few minutes as if to make sure she hadn't lost her way.
He wanted to ask what she was searching for. Her clothes were now almost completely soaked yet she did not seem to mind the freezing temperatures as she walked. Finally she stopped, brow furrowing in confusion before she bent forward to plunge her hand into the water. She cursed under her breath, for whatever she was trying to uncover was being kept hidden by the constant waves.
He was about to let his presence be known when suddenly the dragon woman began to glow intensely. There was a hissing sound as her clothes let off steam. The water around her ankles bubbled as she used the power of the sun to evaporate the liquid. Her teeth were barred from the effort as she knelt down once again and began to dig with her bare hands.
Sesshomaru lifted into the sky again, hovering above her as she uncovered what looked to be some sort of lock. He tried to get closer but the heat that was coming from her body was intense and made it uncomfortable to approach. Her hands wrapped around the lock, grasping it before turning the knob with a grunt. It took both of her hands to turn it completely before pulling on it.
There was a loud snap as the lock suddenly released, causing her to fall backwards. The sands around them began to shake as a large building suddenly began to rise from beneath the beach. It looked to be some sort of temple; there were carvings of both the sun and the moon upon its walls. Eventually the building stopped emerging, revealing a now opened entrance further inland. Had the tides been higher it would have been flooded.
Kin walked towards the entrance, running her hands along its arches in a mystified manner. She seemed to be just as shocked by her discovery as he was. His patience long gone, Sesshomaru landed behind Kin with a loud thud, causing her to jump. In a single heartbeat her dagger clashed with his sword before her eyes widened with recognition.
"Holy hell, Sesshomaru!" she cursed at him, tucking her blade back into its sheath. "I could have stabbed you!"
"I doubt that." He responded curtly before turning his attention to the grand entrance they were standing in. "What is this?"
She sighed, pinching the ridge of her nose in irritation. "A temple."
His expression turned sour as he gave her an exasperated sigh, "I know what a temple is. What kind of temple is this?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out." She began to walk down the steps, only to return a moment later. She moved to the tree line to tear off a large branch before lighting it on fire with a simple blow. He watched her with amusement as she explained. "It's dark in there…"
"Are you afraid?"
"No, but even with our vision it's difficult to see in complete darkness. It looks like only the entrance has emerged from the earth. The rest seems to be underground which means there won't be any natural light."
He grunted in agreement as he followed her down the steps. The air was heavy and damp at first, but soon began to dry as they moved further away from the ocean. Finally the steps evened out and opened up into a single large room. "How did you know it was here?"
"I've been searching the coastline most nights lately. The monk that travels with your brother gave me a guess on where it might be but…" she moved to try to light a few torches that led up onto an altar. A few managed to catch the light, illuminating the rest of the chamber as their eyes adjusted to the limited light. Only a few rays came from the stairway they had just come from, while a single beam of light in the very center of the roof shined onto the altar. "This place called out to me."
"It's a temple dedicated to the Sun Stone and Moon Pearl." He stated as he moved to the altar. Kin noticed instead of two pedestals to house the two gifts from the heavens this temple had only a single table. Symbols for both the Moon Pearl and Sun Stone where etched into the rock, slightly worn from age but still easy to make out. He ran his hands across the grain, eyes darting towards her for a moment. "This looks like a table for sacrifices or offerings."
"I've never seen any records of the Sun Stone or Moon Pearl needing sacrifices for their power. They were originally created to help sustain life."
"Then maybe it was used for something else…"
Kin moved to his side, reaching out to allow the single beam of light to strike her hand. The moonlight was dim, yet suddenly brightened upon touching her flesh. She jumped in surprise as the altar lit up, and was grateful to feel Sesshomaru wrap his arm around her protectively as he moved them a safe distance away. "What did you do?"
"If I knew I would tell you." She sounded frustrated and squirmed to get out of his grip. She was about to yell at him when suddenly a cold breeze blew through the temple, extinguishing the flames she had just lit. The altar's glow began to fade as a figure emerged from the white light. It took on the form of a woman similar to Kin, yet older. She didn't have any feathers, but the face was strikingly identical. Sesshomaru was confused at first as he heard Kin whisper in shock and despair, "Who are you…?"
The ghostly spirit smiled fondly, signs of tears that were unable to fall in its eyes. "I am Inari, head priestess and protector of the Moon Pearl."
"How…?" Sesshomaru's grip on Kin slackened as she took a hesitant step forward. There was a mixture of emotion on the demoness' face as she moved towards the spirit. At first he was wary of it, yet Kin had a strange expression as though she knew the ghost but couldn't place from where. "Why are you here?"
"This is where I was killed." The ghost turned towards the altar, lifting her hand slightly as the light showed blood stains that had been hidden prior. "Though my body was removed I was able to seal my spirit here. I knew you would find this place someday."
"Do you know this spirit, Kin?" Sesshomaru asked, hand ghosting over his blade. He wondered if his sword could strike down a spirit such as this, but the petite demoness slowly nodded.
"I think…it's my mother. My mother's name was Inari but…" Kin could hardly remember what her mother's face looked like. She had died when she was still very young and she only knew what she was like from the stories her father and other protectors of the Moon Pearl had told her. This person's face and voice was familiar but foreign. As she stood before Inari she tilted her head slightly in curiosity. Faint memories came surging forward as her hand covered her mouth in sudden shock.
"You were such a fiery little hatchling. You might have inherited my dragon's fire, but you're your father's daughter in every way." Ghostly tears fell from Inari's face, turning into sparkling lights that fizzled out. "We always knew our decision to have the Sun Stone fused into you would cause you struggle, but we thought we would be able to be there to help." Her face turned bitter, "I had been aware of Watatsumi's betrayal, but hadn't realized he had learned so much. Only the highest protectors knew of this place. Each generation this secret chamber was passed down to only one demon from each clan. Your father and I were chosen, yet somehow he learned of its existence and used it to get rid of me."
Kin reached a hand out towards her mother, allowing it to fall back to her side upon realizing she couldn't actually feel her mother's touch. She went straight through her, feeling only a slight chill in the air.
"Why did you fuse the Sun Stone into Kin?" As emotional as this meeting was, Sesshomaru could sense from his pulsating sword that Inari had a limited amount of time. They needed answers more than anything else despite Kin's overwhelming emotions.
"The Sun Stone and the Moon Pearl balance each other, yet our clans were always against one another despite many attempts to reconcile. Every few centuries a war would begin because of them. We could sense the evil in Watatsumi's greed for power, and decided to try to fuse the stones into our unborn child to keep them away from him. We thought if we could fuse both stones into one body they would balance each other out and disappear."
"…Although we are demons we still have mortal bodies." Kin mumbled, already aware of the effects the Sun Stone was having on her body.
"Yes…it was a mistake. We knew that fusing the second stone would most likely kill you. We couldn't bring ourselves to fuse both if it meant we would lose you, and thought maybe when you were older you would be able to accept the Moon Pearl."
"So Father took the Moon Pearl to keep safe until I was old enough to protect it myself." Kin could now begin to connect the dots. Nobody would expect the Sun Stone to be fused into a living being, let alone a child. Between the two the Sun Stone was the one known to bring havoc and death, after all. She looked at the altar, realizing that this had been the place they had used to force her body to take in the Sun Stone. "I still don't understand why this place was built."
"The humans were the first to start its creation. The Sun Stone had been created to help them grow crops and sustain their farms, but they were the first to try to use it against our clans. They wanted to take the Moon Pearl and Sun Stone back, and turned against their gods for its creation. They had to abandon it when we learned of its construction, and they only completed this single chamber. It is the reason why the Sun Stone is apparent in your features. We tried to alter its original design by allowing sunlight to enter from above, but it wasn't enough."
"The Sun Stone was trying to escape…I remember waking up some mornings screaming when I was still a hatchling."
"Yes it wasn't a complete fusion. It is why your Father was tasked with teaching you how to celebrate the Summer Solstice. It would complete the process as you became older and allow you to use its power at will. As you would grow into your demon abilities so would your ability to use the Sun Stone. We hoped that the war between our clans would stop at the end of your lifetime. You would be a symbol of unity and be powerful enough to stop those who would try to harm us. When Watatsumi realized what your father and I did he tried to force me to reverse it. I refused and he killed me in anger before pinning the blame on the birds. He told me as he dove his blade into my heart that he would kill you, yet you live…"
"It depends on what you call living. I was held prisoner by Watatsumi for many years though I never knew why. I only learned of the Sun Stone's location recently, so I can't explain his actions up until now…Where is father?"
There was a slight pause, "I do not know. I have been sealed here for many years. I only know of the events leading up until my death. If he is dead he has already moved on or is still trapped in this realm. He might still be alive for all I know." Inari's voice was full of sadness and loneliness. "Kin, I can already sense that the Moon Pearl is not with you. You must get it back."
"I know…I had hoped Watatsumi had taken refuge here or that I could find a clue to his whereabouts." She never would have thought to find the lingering spirit of her murdered mother. She seemed to have so many questions, but was unable to ask them.
"Your mother has given us incredible information." Sesshomaru placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to snap back to focus. She looked towards her mother, noticing that she was beginning to fade.
"Are you leaving?"
"Yes, my precious little hatchling. I wish I could stay longer but I can already feel my power fading. I can rest better knowing I was able to share this moment with you despite its shortness." Inari leaned forward, pressing her forehead against her daughters. It was a small motion, but Kin could feel a sudden warmth spread through her despite the cold sensation as they touched. "Find Watatsumi, claim back our Moon Pearl and end all this. You will have to finish what we started, but I think you've found company capable of assisting you." She glanced over towards Sesshomaru. He understood and nodded, though there was a bit of a bite in his response.
"I will do a better job in keeping her safe." He stated before glancing towards the demoness as she growled at him in warning. "Though she is capable of handling herself."
Inari laughed, "Yes, I do not doubt that. Then maybe I should ask you to keep her happy?" She smiled at them as she slowly began to fade. "Just know Kin that we did our best to do what we thought was best…and that I am sorry for my mistakes."
"It's alright, Mother…" Kin seemed to have trouble speaking, struggling with keeping her emotions under control. "I forgive you. We will meet again."
There was a look of relief upon Inari's face as she finally disappeared, causing the chamber to become enveloped in darkness. They stood in silence for a moment before he heard Kin stifle a sob. He reached towards her and pulled her against him as she finally allowed the tears to flow. "I wanted to talk with her more…I almost forgot her face!" she gripped his kimono tightly, trying to calm herself. She had been so happy and sad at the same time; waves of emotions she hadn't felt in over a century washing over her. He seemed unsure of what to do and simply patted her head as she finally collected herself. Kin wasn't one to show weakness, though he was unsure how he would react if his dead father suddenly appeared before him.
She moved away from him, "Sorry about that." She mumbled as she lifted the branch she had used earlier to light again. Before she could breathe her fire on it he reached out to catch her chin in between his fingers.
"You don't have to apologize." He stated, resting his forehead in the same manner Inari had. This time however there was no chill and the warmth she felt nearly set her blood on fire too. "You are a strong demon that I respect. I lived my entire life thinking human emotions were a weakness, and am now learning that they can be a force to drive one forward." It had been Inari's will and love to protect her child that allowed her spirit to linger for so many years without becoming corrupt.
Kin sighed, tilting her head slightly to capture his lips. Almost immediately he responded to her, pulling her close as his single hand toyed with the feathers at the nape of her neck. He nibbled on her lower lip, finally pulling away to give her a concerned expression. "Why did you do that?"
Laughter erupted from her chest, for although he was confused by her actions he waited until he was satisfied to question them. What a selfish yet considerate demon.
"You said something I never thought I'd hear you say." She blew her fire onto the branch, lighting up the chamber as they made their way outside. She wanted to bury the temple before the sun rose to keep it hidden. Watatsumi knew where it was, but she wanted him to think he was the only one aware of its existence.
She had known for a long time now that Watatsumi had killed her mother, but he had never admitted to it. Now she knew for a fact that he was responsible, and would make sure he was going to pay for it.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Now we know a little bit more about how/why Kin has the Sun Stone, and what happened many many years ago. There are still other questions left to be answered, so you are just going to have to be patient and keep reading!