(A/N): Hey. Short teaser. Next few chapters will probably be in Sesshomaru's POV after this. Let me know what you think.

~Yasha's Sis


Chapter 28

Assignment in the East

In which Tsuki is given a task to accomplish


Tsuki sunk into the hotspring gratefully, hair an inky cloud around her, muscles loosening by the second.

"Still regret my interference, cub?"

The half-Inu's sapphire gaze slid languidly to her normally less than welcome companion and Tsuki couldn't help but hum in reluctant denial. "Sesshomaru won't take his displeasure out on me. Who am I to deny the command of my superior?"

Yanabi snorted at the drawled question, reclining moreso into the steaming liquid with an exaggerated pout. Her amethyst locks hung heavy with the humidity of the pools, partially blocking her vision in a way Tsuki knew pissed the mind reader off, but Yanabi couldn't look any more pleased.

Tsuki felt at ease in a way she hadn't felt since Saisei left. Since this near war stood on their horizon and Kaito fell to jealousy and self-loathing. Right now, Tsuki was filled with warmth instead of disappointment, contentment in place of agitation for seeing so many lives lost to some unknown force. It would be temporary, she knew, but forced herself to focus on enjoying this time to be free of expectations and enjoy these moments to herself. If the elder demoness's goal was to get Tsuki to float in a hazy near meditative form of peace, she'd succeeded.

"Mou, would you abandon me to his tender mercies, Tsuki-chan?' Long fingers swirled in the pool to send ripples against Tsuki's skin. "After all the effort I placed in securing our privacy?"

A half smile tilted the younger demoness's lips as her eyes closed. "I suppose that should prompt me to inquire as to why such privacy was necessary."

She was honestly too tired to care by this point. Fifteen villages in half as many days abandoned with nothing to show the previous owners presence outside of too much blood and too few scents. Tsuki and her squad could only find two patterns to the attacks. Trails from the East and trails to the South.

Neither were very encouraging sources for their current trouble. One meant War with the East, the other purging a traitor (more than likely, more war) from the South.

Yanabi huffed somewhere on her left before the water lapped faster at Tsuki's collarbone and amused youki fluttered against her own, strong enough to make Tsuki's eye crack open and glare. She fought a scowl at the close proximity, though the emerald gaze leveled on her was unperturbed. "You never play along, Tsuki-chan."

"If I fail to find amusement in your games, blame my rather…. trying situation."

Understatement of the season. She thought to herself wryly. Tsuki couldn't even drudge up the resentment she kept carefully buried as the days of awkwardness with Kaito stretched on and she was forced to choose between her duty to her Prince or her duty to her friend. She couldn't remember the last time she just sat with Sesshomaru and bantered, let alone sparred or needled him into immaturity. She was needed in a warrior capacity more than the Inu no Taisho cared for his son's emotional health. It was just one more thing she resented him for.

But that's war. Sacrifices must always be made.

Like her childhood. Like Sesshomaru's happiness. Like Tsuki's son.

The brief flicker of sympathy in Yanabi's eyes was more than enough to make Tsuki regret dwelling on the thought. The elder could probably pick up the bout of sorrow her weakened scent blew. That, or Tsuki was being more expressive than usual.

The younger shifted in the water and propped her face on the pool's edge, gaze half lidded and deliberately disinterested. "What did you need? I doubt quality time with the resident Hanyou was what you were aiming for."

A flash of hurt followed quickly by displeasure colored her bathing partner's bright gaze. "I thought we were past your 'poor me I'm a halfbreed' phase? " The woman asked blandly, gaze for once serious. "It usually dies out by the 250th year. Besides, you are hardly the worst blend with Inu kind."

Tsuki inwardly grimaced at her choice in distraction, it was a poor one but a reflex more than actual bitterness. She had accepted what she was the day she learned her father left her mother to be dealt with by the Ookami packs. "Forgive me. As I said, this time has been trying."

And it would only worsen in two cycles' time.

Yanabi made a noise of acceptance in the back of her throat and leaned heavily onto Tsuki's side. "All is forgiven, little one. Crises of the heart are often the most difficult to surmount."

Tsuki scowled. "I have no-"

"But you are correct," She interrupted with a grin. "I have need of you and your particular skill sets and the circumstances of your birth are actually a boon in this."

Tsuki didn't tense so much as twitch with that chirped comment. "In what way?"

"The last prisoners your band of merry misfits dragged from the borders was actually useful. I managed to catch wind of a much discussed meeting to address the disappearances occurring at the center of the island. A meeting I need you to investigate."

A delicate brow arched. "I've a rather distinctive scent, Yanabi-sama."

Yanabi tapped her cheek with her claw, smile sly and knowing in a way that made Tsuki want to hunch in on herself. "We both know that won't be for long. Every fifty years isn't it?"

"What?" The half breed stared, element barely leashed in a moment of hatefilled anger that was smothered into wariness.

The elder seemed to waver between playing dumb or doing something equally inappropriate for Tsuki's greatest shame being aired. She seemed to sense games would not be appreciated by the tight line of the younger girl's shoulders and the too still way she watched her elder.

"Your mind was a bit of an open book before you regained yourself." The purple hair demon explained not quite defensively. "All halfbreeds have a time where they favor one race over the other. Yours have always stood out in your mind."

Tsuki didn't know how to feel. Something like betrayal burned the back of her throat but also the irrational and pathetically sharp bite of fear. An idiotic fear that the demoness would be as disgusted at her for shift just as the whole of the Ookami stronghold had been. She was too young to truly understand the effects of her nature until her 2nd transformation during her hundredth year.

She couldn't recognize the Inu in her scent any more easily when she smelled of a halfbreed than the entire lunar cycle that made her one fully. She just knew her family grew particularly hateful those 28 odd days in the middle of a century.

Tsuki bit back the first comment she wished to spew, as well as the second and third. With a short inhale she pushed her ill feeling down and fought to remain logical in this discussion. "You need someone without Ookami heritage to investigate? Why not send Kaito? Serah would be a decent choice though sending her alone would be ill advised."

Serah had the potential to be an exemplary infiltrator, she just tended towards elaborate plots and another more ground personality would do well in tempering her creative lengths.

"I need you, Tsuki-chan. Your sensei saw opportunity in your birthright, I see the same."

"Yanabi-"

"None in your age group has trained to the extent you have bar Lord Puppy and obviously his status prevents such a choice. You have survived entire seasons in foreign lands as tests of your skill and Daikok would say the same were he here: someone who has known the hatred of a society would be an ideal plant for a movement to destroy the established hierarchy."

The raven haired halfling scowled at Yanabi's use of her stolen memories but more so at the truth in them. No one had known what capacity the West would use her- and she would be used as her birth demanded- so her life became a whirlwind of excelling in potential roles. She had no choice but to excel or die in the process. Still, infiltrator was by far her weakest strength. She hated the trickery, her ookami nature no doubt shining through.

Spies were reviled in the South with a people who valued direct confrontation. Then again, the ability to distract and deceive was necessary for conquering stronger prey. It was an annoying contrast that made Tsuki want to scream.

Just as the value of strength over blood make her snarl at the hypocrisy.

"Must I?" She asked, voice stiff. She did not enjoy her time in full Inu form. Hated more the fact that she would have to share her time in her weakest form surrounded by anyone other than Sesshomaru, Tynichi, or Saisei.

Once, she may have named Kaito, but she needed him to make peace with himself before she could hope he make peace with her.

Yanabi wrapped an arm over her shoulder, ignoring the bristling of the younger demoness and sighed. "Afraid so, little one. I'll allow you your choice in companions but in two months time, I need you in the East."

Of course you do.

Tsuki allowed herself this bitter thought before jerking her head in a nod and shrugging off the elder demoness's arm. She stood, hair plastered down her back and tail floating behind her as she waded to the hotspring edge closer to camp. "Call it done."

She'd do her duty, she always did. But that last minute slap in the face made her care very little for leading her team on tomorrow's perimeter sweep. Sin could lead it. For once, she was going to be a friend before an advisor in a way she hadn't since this pseudo war started.

A flash of youki flickered around her body, burning the excess water from her person before she even reached their clothes.

"It will not always be this way." Yanabi called quietly behind her, youki subdued. "You will have millenia to live, Tsuki. The harder our youth, the sweeter our rest will be in adulthood."

Tsuki made an agreeing noise in the back of her throat, clothes slipping on swiftly. Maybe that was true for some, but Tzuki was fairly sure that peace would only come in death.

She raised a hand in farewell before vanishing into the shade of the forest, mind a swirl of considering prospects.


(A/N): Next chapter: Complications

Get ready for Other POVs!

~Yasha's Sis