Part 6 is already complete, and this needs to make up for a huge portion of that. Expect a large chapter here folks.
And thank you for reading :P
Just as a quick heads up. This chapter and chapter 6 heavily focus on Kanzenmaru. I made a decision to really make a focus on that for "The Legacy" given his deep ties with it. As soon as "Monster" begins, it'll heavily focus away from him, and back onto the main cast.
The Legacy: Part 5
The footsteps themselves were very calm, each one well placed, as if thought out years in advance by the very silent figure. Life seemed to be most liberating when merely going whichever direction the winds blew. She'd learned this in her youth, the wind danced and danced gracefully, and danced where ever it pleased, and so would she.
Formal dress was something she also lacked in, at least for her gender. Confining her legs to restrictions seemed pointless, as it would stop her from dancing the dance of death, a dance she did often. She certainly held much in common with her father in appearance, she did not even possess her mother's eyes now, save for the red coloring over what could largely be considered her father's eyes. Tall, lean, and quiet.
At only 17 years old Kanna was certainly a free spirit, free to walk any lands she pleased.
Her graceful steps carefully guided their movement past the body of the raider leader who had thought himself capable of slaying the daughter of Sesshoumaru. She felt a familiar wind blow past her, her cold features shifting to brief amusement as she merely took in the moment. She reached down, grasping the blade which had been left in its sheath. It was a fine sword, beautifully made with engravings along the blade itself, clearly it belonged to a man much better than this human filth.
She idly wondered what its story was, had it belonged to a Lord, slain years ago when Menomaru had attempted to purge the island of life? Had the raider himself killed the man? She was fascinated by it. So, she decided she would have it. She pulled up the sheath from the body, sliding the Katana carefully back into it before looking towards the ten or so remaining raiders, each one looking at her in horror.
"W-w-w-we didn't me-mean to b-b-b-b-bother you lady. L-look, we-we-we're just gonna..."
Kanna looked down at the sword idly, a small smile slipping over her again. Raiders didn't have a say in their fate, and certainly had their uses as well. They made excellent meat puppets in which to test one's self. The raider leader had died like a pig when he tried to touch her. She remembered his screams quiet well when the offending hand he offered so graciously was broken, and torn away. She also remembered the look on his face when she cut his throat with her claws.
She wanted the blade to tell her more about itself, would it sing when she danced? She idly wondered this to herself as she continued to look at it, half-ignoring the pitiful human raider, begging for he and his comrade's lives. She also remembered something else, something her dear friend's father had once told her of swords.
Her father carried the Bakusaiga, an amazing blade, her uncle carried the Tetsusaiga, something equally stunning if not more so. What did she carry? She carried, now, the blade of a fallen human, who likely took this from another fallen human. That would not do.
She raised the sword quietly, looking down at it. For a moment a half-moon seemed to glow on her forehead as she closed her eyes. The men who watched this seemed even more terrified.
"I wish on you, Kazebuyou." She said, her eyes opening as she looked towards the men. "That with each life you take, you perfect the dance of death."
With a flash of moment the young demoness was upon the men, the blade drawn in one sweeping motion as the first man's bleed swept onto the ground. Each motion she made from then on seemed to be perfect, as if it was some kind of beautiful, bloody dance. Some tried to run, others tried to fight, others stood still in their shock as this young, stunning creature took their lives from them in less than seconds.
When the blade made the near silent sound of it flicking away the blood on the sword, she carefully sheathed it. Behind her, body parts, torn corpses, and the horrified faces of men were left. She most certainly liked to rehearse her dance, and now she had a companion to help her perfect it.
Quietly, she continued on her way, amazingly not a spec of blood on her bright white clothes.
()()()()()()()()
Slowly, red eyes began to peak open as Kagura groaned, her body almost unwilling to sit up. She felt herself move even if slowly to try to make her dream of sitting up a reality. She was at the castle, she could almost recognize this immediately. Idly she wondered if Kanzenmaru had brought her here? He must have, she realized.
She noted new clothes laid out for her, quietly she managed to stand, wanting nothing more than to have fresh clothes. After this she had to find Sesshoumaru, then she had to find Sora. She wondered idly if her son Kanzenmaru was there. She wished for little else than to make sure he was alright in that moment as well. For some reason Sora being in danger only made her wish to know her other children were well. She managed to override these feelings when she finished dressing.
Sesshoumaru first, then she'd obtain his help to find Sora and kill those bastards. She'd get her little girl back, and then she could stop worrying. Revenge was certainly an objective she would not reject. She was quite spiteful to those who wronged her, and it was a trait she would be more than quick to defend. Revenge was justice, and it was repayment for wrongs. And little else could be considered a worse wrong than stealing one's child.
The idea that Sora could be harmed or killed did not even cross her mind. Her daughter would simply be alright, that was how it had to be.
She however, could not have prepared herself for the ordeal she'd face.
As soon as she exited the room she stopped in her steps, seeing the familiar figure across from her. It was of course one of her favorite people, her mother-in-law. She could also tell that the woman was unhappy, despite her rather cold outward appearance. Kagura also felt another emotion, it almost dripped off the in-law, contempt, Contempt for her no less. This would simply be one of those discussions she could never share with Sesshoumaru, one of the ones where she and his mother argued about the future of the children.
This had to be about Sora. This had to be poison laced words for her. Kagura knew she'd be told she was a terrible parent, and how could this have been allowed to happen to her daughter. Kagura's own features were already geared towards that of annoyance and half way towards outrage, as if preparing for the onslaught.
As usual of course, Kagura had no intention to take any such accusations lying down.
Instead however, the silence between them only seemed to grow. The other woman said nothing to Kagura, her eyes just glued to her. What was wrong? There had to be something off, Kagura then realized. She felt the hostility to her magnify with every second. The Honored Mother's face did not need to change, her eyes had to tell the whole story.
"I suppose you are quite happy with yourself." Sesshoumaru's mother then remarked, finally breaking the silence. "You have stripped him from me."
What?
Kagura wasn't quite sure of what to make of such a comment. She'd stripped Sesshoumaru from her? How could she have done that when she was laying in a bed, she could only assume? She didn't even know Sesshoumaru had been there.
"So I'm to blame once again, old woman? Tell me what have I done this time? Have I not met your expectations as Sesshoumaru's spouse? Have I not met your expectations as the mother of your grandchildren?"
The Honored Mother was furious over the level of vanity this creature showed. Of course it had to be about her behavior, it wasn't just because she was alive and she had forced her son into the delusion that love was somehow forever. What a shallow creature.
"He chose you, Kagura. He chose to defend your honor. He chose to run off on some quest for his daughter, a quest I suspect he would not need to go on if you were capable of defending her. I urged him to be practical instead. And now he has decided that against all the odds, he will somehow not only save his daughter, but never leave you. And you will never leave him."
The older demoness's face finally twisted, showing a small level of her distaste for Kagura.
Kagura felt the words said to her, but made no comment at first. For now she just watched the older woman and listened. Clearly, Sesshoumaru and his mother had a fight, a fight which the old woman lost to her son. The son that would defend her first. Kagura in that moment didn't feel hate for her mother-in-law, but rather felt relief. Sesshoumaru had stood up for her to his mother. Often he never got involved in their disputes.
"You will be the death of him."
That made Kagura's feelings harden, almost like a sheet of ice herself as she let her eyes narrow on the older woman.
"You and your weakness will leave him stranded and dead, just like his father. If you loved him you would leave him. Instead, he now will not return here. He is likely to die before he can, and even should he not... He will not be here until he finally sees the light, and rids himself of your person."
Kagura finally had enough. It took twenty years for her to say this.
"Well good luck with that. You know what? I'm glad he's not coming back here, because I'm not coming back here either. I only ever came here to make him happy. I put up with you because I love him enough to put up with you. But now that is over, I can tell you exactly what you are. You are an intrusive creature who thinks you always know best. If you always knew best you wouldn't have lost your mate-"
There was a pulse from Sesshoumaru's mother as her eyes flashed red.
"-You also wouldn't have lost him to some human witch. And you know what? If you'd probably swallowed your pride for once in your life it all could have been prevented. And I'm glad Sesshoumaru has rid himself of you."
It happened just as Kagura suspected it would, just as it had years before. The older demon reached out for her, attempting to grab her. This time Kagura was ready, her fan was already prepared as a huge gust of wind blasted the older demoness back.
Often the truth was half way between two things. It was highly unlikely that the Honored Mother, all by herself, had caused the Great Dog Demon to leave her, but that was hardly the point. It was about rubbing salt in the wound, something with which Kagura had little trouble doing for a woman she truly couldn't stand.
"You don't get to grab me to release that anger of yours. Anger I'm sure which Sesshoumaru left over from your falling out. Or grief. Or whatever feeling you have. And I'm glad I won't have to put up with you again. The only part of this I think is sad is that Sesshoumaru has to go through being abandoned by his mother because he can't tolerate her snide opinions any longer."
Just as Kagura turned to leave she only heard one thing from the demoness.
"So foolish and self-centric are the young."
She sneered at the remark, before continuing on her way.
She was the Wind, and she felt freed from yet one more shackle, and shackle she imposed on herself in order to appease the one she loved.
And now she had to find him.
()()()()()()()()
This creature still followed him, it followed him like a dog following some long lost master. A creature which by all rights he should have tried to kill by now. Kanzenmaru found himself wanting to lash out against the half demon, he wanted to strike her down. He could already feel himself craving the skull of this half-demon. But if he merely slaughtered her, it seemed to somehow demean how true or untrue what he was going to find was. It had to be untrue, didn't it?
How could he be this Katsuramaru? But then why had Rin mentioned him?... And the visions?
"My Lord... allow me to take some of the demons from the underworld and use them to imbue the monk's staff. He will be driven mad by them as soon as he saves his love. Oh how joyus it will be, imagine it... he will kill his friends, or his friends shall be forced to slay him. Either way, we win, do we not?"
Images flashed behind his eyes at the words, he felt his teeth grit as he held his head.
I don't want to see anymore of these! He ordered angrily, stopping in his once dedicated movement to the village proper.
He wanted to be Kanzenmaru, that was who he wanted to be. He did not want to be this creature which slaughtered women and children, this creature who strove to kill everyone he cared about. The creature which would eliminate anyone and everyone in his path.
But worst of all, the creature which made him feel like it was justified. They had all been so weak. It made him think unfitting thoughts of his parents. Kagura was a lower station demon, in many regards... perhaps... unfit for his father. And his father... his father was not what he'd been told by his grandmother. He was supposed to rule great lands, instead he merely wondered in the wind. The wind which his lower class mother-
He stopped himself. He was justifying hating his own parents, the ones who gave him life. How could he hate them? How could he despise people who loved him so much. Not only that, but people he'd only ever wanted love and compassion from, even if both those emotions were in short supply.
He didn't want to be this demon.
He then heard a whisper through the flames before him.
You are no demon, Katsuramaru. Even demons feel more than you do. You... are a monster. Perhaps one even greater than Naraku.
"If I am a Monster, Kaguya. I would strive to be the greatest of them." He said to the burnt away figure which had once stood before him.
One less ally, one more body.
"I will live on."
"Get out of my head!" He finally shouted. Years of frustration finally bubbling to the surface. He didn't care if he was yelling at himself seemingly, knowing nearby that half-demon was watching him. He didn't care about anything, all he cared about was ending this. It could end couldn't it? It would merely go away once he confronted it. He would be Kanzenmaru.
He would be Kanzenmaru.
He would be Kanzenmaru.
He would be Kanzenmaru.
He kept forcing the thought through his mind as he felt almost a pain develop at the base of his skull. What if he was this creature? What did it change? Did it change who he was? It had to, it meant that all the wrongs against this creature were wrongs against him, didn't it? Did it mean his friends were really not his friends? Did it mean that they really didn't know him? He didn't even know himself, how could they know him. He reminded himself of this cold, hard truth in that moment.
They were an inferior half-dog-demon, and a boy who was part moth-demon. All of their siblings were. The other 'friends' from the village were humans, weak, disgusting humans.
He paused at that thought. Humans... humans were weak and pathetic weren't they? Even the ones with powers of the divine.
But there weren't just Katsuramaru's memories. He was reminded in that moment of the times when he was a child, playing with Souta or Ryuko. He remembered Souta's mother bringing them food or drink, or trying to help them if they hurt themselves somehow as they went on 'adventures'. Why was she weak and pathetic? Was it weak and pathetic to care for someone?
Yes.
He quivered with the word in his mind, he felt sick to his stomach, as if he'd just had the revelation. It felt as if his eyes were opened. They were worthy of his contempt and hate because... because they had compassion.
He breathed out finally, looking ahead, looking towards where he knew the village would be.
Rain started to come down from the sky, lightning streaking across it. The thundering boom of lightning made his determination somehow become more driven. Instead of the calm walk he once had, Kanzenmaru broke into a run.
Perhaps if he ran fast enough, he could outrun the specter in his mind. Perhaps if he ran fast enough he could stay Kanzenmaru.
()()()()()()()()
Sesshoumaru's frame within the moment of a heartbeat was already seemingly half a dozen meters from where Kyoko's fists slammed into the earth. The ground shattered, parts of rock exploded upwards and in all directions as chunks of the earth broke apart even further as the power from his arms sent shock-waves into the earth.
Dodging was clearly going to be a significant part of his plan while fighting this creature, Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he looked at the furious half demon look back towards him.
"You dodged!" He declares, as if somehow that was unfair. It was an accusation sent at him with hate etched into the words, somehow Kyoko's world didn't make sense anymore, he'd failed to crush the Demon Lord Sesshoumaru in a single blow. Naturally, Sesshoumaru was not saddened by the half-demon's outrage.
Yami watched, she'd been able to follow Sesshoumaru's movements, unlike her rather brutish brother. He was fast, this was her first observation as she reached for her Ninjato, carefully unsheathing it as she began to flank the battle between the two males. Deception and distraction were the keys to any major victory over such a powerful demon.
For his part Sesshoumaru knew the second one would strike as soon as he was exposed. He would have to bring down the bigger mountain of a half demon first, and then deal with the other before she could assault him.
Quickly the offensive was taken by Sesshoumaru.
His body seemed to move so quickly it was almost like still images of movements between locations. Kyoko snarled as he prepared his armored limbs for the coming attack. Within moments the first strike from Sesshoumaru was delivered.
The south of the armored forearm of Kyoko and the Bakusaiga rang out through the trees as sparks shot out between the two enchanted metals objects. For a moment these two objects remained locked, each dog looking into the others eyes. Sesshoumaru's remained calm, cool and collected. Kyoko's were ones of rage and the passion of battle. Each warrior sized the other for the briefest of moments before Kyoko acted.
His spare arm swung towards Sesshoumaru in a sharp arc, attempting to seemingly take Sesshoumaru's head clean off. Instead Kyoko found himself swinging into nothing as Sesshoumaru pulled back his Bakusaiga and stepped to the side, in another graceful motion slashed along the side of the torso of the now overextended and exposed half demon.
Kyoko cried out in pain before stumbling to the side, one of his arms going down to hold the bleeding wound.
"How pathetic. For all your strength you have equal levels of stupidity. This battle is not worth this Sesshoumaru's time."
Kyoko's eyes flashed red at the remark, fangs grinding against other teeth.
Yami saw what happened. Kyoko had just lost it. Claws shot from his finger tips, and he almost gave a barking sound towards Sesshoumaru.
"Not worth your time? We'll see if you think that way when you lay dead at my feet!"
No, you stupid idiot! Yami thought before rushing into a nearby tree, hoping at the very least the fury of his assault on Sesshoumaru would give her the moment she needed.
Wild swings came towards Sesshoumaru, each one he side stepped. Fists and clawed attacks were met with nothing but clear air. Sesshoumaru waited with each strike to anticipate the next, to find the best opening for his counter assault. Finally he saw it. He stepped inside of Kyoko's range, under one of his swings as he carved his blade across the big demon's abdomen. He found not even a flinch however, he had expected the half demon to be torn in two.
Instead the density of the flesh was too great.
He looked up to be greeted by Kyoko's forehead. The sound Sesshoumaru thought he heard was what it sounded like when a skull was slammed against an anvil. He almost fell back as he tried to regain his footing, only to find a huge blow come crashing across his face. He'd rarely been hit so hard with such a small area of concentration.
Trees broke and the ground twisted with Sesshoumaru's impact from one blow. His face was now pulsing with pain and his body had felt better before two thick trees 'broke' his fall. The half demon was already at him again as well. He drew up his blade, deflecting the first shot before taking his free hand, sweeping poisoned whips into the half demon.
This caught the bigger combatants attention. Pain. Raw, horrible pain blasted through the right side of his body as flesh sizzled and burned. His deep voice cried out in agony as he stumbled back, looking up to see Sesshoumaru preparing his blade.
"Bakusaiga!"
He froze as the green flare of energy exploded into him. Both his armored arms moved over him as they shielded him from the corrosive blast, a field of protection seemingly coming from them as they drained his energy.
He stood there, standing in the burnt and burning ruin of the long strip of forest Sesshoumaru had just devastated. His body trembled for a moment before he fell to his knees. His huge chest still heaved as he looked at Sesshoumaru.
"Finish it." He barely breathed.
Drawing up Bakusaiga, Sesshoumaru had ever intention of doing so, walking towards the exhausted giant before he froze in place. He'd been foolish enough to run into the trap. The trees were positioned just right, were it not for her scent he would have surely taken the next step forward and risked himself an untimely end.
Kyoko knew it as well, he realized before he glared at the half demon.
"Do not think me a fool, half demon."
Kyoko scowled before he fall down to his side.
Yami for her part knew she had to act now, regardless. Sesshoumaru could execute her 'dear' brother in other ways that slaying him in close quarters combat.
Feet hitting the ground were heart, footsteps which sounded more like that of a small army. Her legs were moving so fast Sesshoumaru guessed she should be at him in under a second. He shifted his Bakusaiga as the two blades clashed.
The movements from the girl could barely be traced as he immediately went on the defensive, blocking each strike as best he could, sometimes she would hit his blade two, even three times, just to happen the point home how much faster she was. When he realized this he was already beginning to bleed. She cut at his arms, purposely, trying to diminish his swordsmen abilities.
Yami however, had the opposite problems of her brother. She was fast, agile and intelligent. But her strength was questionable, as was her durability. She knew she had to be on the attack, she had to bring down the stronger demon now, as if she did not she would surely be killed. She should really have run, rather than tried to save this obnoxious dolt. Family was no strength, and they were hardly loving siblings.
She hadn't expected however, the bleeding full blooded demon to kick her. All of her focus had been on outfighting his blade than when the powerful leg collided with her mid section she felt her entire body twist and slam into a nearby tree. Before she could even react past her natural response of giving a cry of pain she felt his claws around her neck, pinning her to the tree.
Sesshoumaru found himself once again being the judge and executioner of a lesser creature. The two stood quietly for a moment. The older demon noted a remarkable glint in the other demon's eyes. She was terrified, absolutely and completely. Curiosity of course got the better of him. Rin and Kagura had certainly weakened him, at least by his old standards.
"Why is it you cry, girl?"
"I don't want to die." She finally admitted.
"Why are you afraid of dying?"
Yami couldn't help it, she almost shook as she tried to think of her response. Why was she afraid of dying? She failed her task, she deserved to die. They would not find the Legacy now, they would never be purged of their human blood, and they couldn't serve their father any longer.
"Because I'm a coward. I'm afraid of death. But I don't deserve life any longer. I've failed, as has Kyoko. We are broken. We'll never be clean now, never. We'd live half existences, tainted with human blood."
Sesshoumaru couldn't help but feel sympathy for this creature on a certain level. He merely regarded her for a moment.
"Where is my daughter?"
"... She is in a cave, to the north-east."
Much to her surprise Yami felt the claws leave her neck, before Sesshoumaru merely began to walk towards the North-East, seemingly ignoring her.
"Wait!" She called after him. "Why did you spare us!"
"You are no longer worthy of my time. I, Sesshoumaru, have more pressing matters to deal with than the affairs of half-demons. Especially half demons as lowly as yourselves."
And then, much to his annoyance, it was now raining.
()()()()()()()()
"Koga!" Ginta's voice rang out as the overjoyed demon ran down the side of the hill, leading to where the tribe currently was.
Sora was still hanging off his back, looking past his shoulder suspiciously looking at the demon. Koga noticed and just turned his head.
"Don't worry kiddo, this guy is in my pack." He reassured her.
"Wow, Koga, whose the kid? Better not be yours or Ayame'd be pissed."
Koga gave Ginta a special kind of look, the kind of look that said very clearly- Why are you so retarded?
It felt good to be home, even if home, it really did. Ayame and the kids would be here and it was familiar, and not the ass-end of some cave in the middle of nowhere with three crazy half-demons looming over you.
"Use your brains for once in your life Ginta. Think for a second, how would a dog-demon be my kid?"
"I dunno Koga, she's got the black hair goin' on. The only dog demons we've met all have silver and I think-" Ginta very quickly stopped talking. "Yea, I get the point." He finally swallowed.
Sora for her part just tiredly rested against Koga's back as he walked into the camp. There were dozens of them, and wolves everywhere. A few kids played off to the side, running around with one another. It reminded her of Kagome's village, only with more demons in it, and less farm land. At the very least she felt safe here.
The little girl sighed and just felt herself being off loaded by Koga.
"Yea, riding on my back ain't free from now on kiddo." He informed her, looking around the camp for a moment. "Where the hell is Ayame?" He asked, sounding almost annoyed.
"Whose Ayame?" Sora asked.
My mate, who may kill me if she thinks your my kid like Ginta thought.
"She's my mate. Pups and her must be out." He then remarked, before noting Hakkaku walk by.
"Koga! Man, you were missing for a while? What happened? Ayame is gonna be pissed off if you just ran out. She was really worried, she went looking for you." He then said, blinking.
"Of course." Koga sighed. "When she gets back to camp tell her I'll be by our resting spot. I've gotta get this squirt something to eat."
"Oh man Koga, if that thing belongs to you, she is gonna kill you man."
"Do you idiots all not have noises, really. She's NOT my kid."
"Hey! Who're you calling a thing?" Sora declared, looking angrily at Hakkaku. "My dad would beat you up for calling me a thing. I'm a Lady!"
Hakkaku gave a nervous smile at the two glaring sets of demons before he rubbed the back of his head. "Yea, sorry about all that. I just wanted to make sure. You know how angry Ayame would've been and I-"
Koga tuned his friend out as he sighed. He took Sora's hand, who smiled back up at him.
Yea, it did remind him of when most of his kids were still little. His little girl Tenshiyo was still about Sora's age. It was strange, she seemed so comfortable with him, but then again why not? He'd just saved her after all. Maybe this was part of what Kagome had always told him about.
"C'mon." He said, talking her over to the fire where a pig demon had just been brought in he could tell probably a few hours ago. He didn't know how much meat was in her diet, but that was clearly about to change.
It was strange, she'd only really mentioned her parents once, back at the cave.
"After this though, I've gotta start worrying about getting you home." He felt her little hand squeeze his harder for a moment before staring up at him, clearly some hero worship was going on here. "Aw! But we haven't had any fun yet!"
Koga just laughed. Yea, with an attitude like that Ayame would definitely think this mangy mutt was his kid, then he'd get the beating of a life time.
()()()()()()()()
Damn raining season.
Souta thought this quietly as he watched the village being barraged by the water from above. The wind picked up wildly a second later and seemed to screech between the homes. Great, this is just how he wanted the evening to be. Visibility was also becoming worse as the wind and rain picked up.
He closed the door after a moment. He was currently 'home', and had already managed to get into an argument with Kasumi. He could almost mouth how it went in a few seconds, but decided not to, the waters were already quite tainted around the house.
It had been great to see Taro and Noa however, his two youngest siblings were a blast, and they were growing up. A small part of him was almost bitter about that. Still, all the same, he was an adult now and had to make his own path.
His thoughts drifted a moment later to his friends, his best friends that was. Ryuko would be in the same boat soon enough, a full blown man of his own. If anyone would be able to handle it the best it would be him, despite being Bankotsu's kid he always seemed to be the most responsible. Kanzenmaru would be in the same boat himself, but he wondered how he would be different as a full demon. He didn't have to worry about his mother dying of age, or disease, and he was always so put together.
It hurt Souta to admit this, but Kanzenmaru was probably smarter than he was, by a fair bit.
Kasumi however had to walk up behind him, of course she did.
"You know, mom and dad may be a few days. I don't want you running off before they get back, they haven't seen you in a while."
"Well excuse me for having responsibilities." He replied, closing his eyes and crossing his arms.
"You run around with your friends and fight, and probably look at girls. If that is responsibilities, then yes, you have them."
Souta didn't want to put up with Kasumi tonight, as well intentioned as she was.
"I'm going over to Ryuko's, I'm going to see if I can hang there until you pass out, little puppy sister." Souta said, petting her ears as she became red in the face, slapping his hand away before he opened the door, walking out into the wet.
Ryuko opened the door to his own home, seeing his now soaking friend Souta as he just raised a brow.
"Hey, hey Ryuko" Mei's voice could be heard in the background. "Shut the door, you are letting all the warm air out."
He and his sisters had been preparing weapons. Akiko being as professional as always, and Mei being as unprofessional as always, it made for great entertainment of course.
"Uhm. I'm going out." Ryuko declared, turning his head before stepping outside, shutting the door.
"I could have gone inside, now we're stuck out in the rain." Souta said, sounding irritated.
"Trust me, Yuuka and Miku are going to be a handful tonight. Its better to be wet and cold than hanging around inside there."
Souta gave a small laugh. "Same boat as me then."
They honestly did try to find something to do inside the village. They really did, nothing seemed to need to be done. Well, at least nothing legitimate, the pair had decided on seeing if they could bug Jinenji and the farmers by switching up some of their equipment, this was mainly Souta's idea, until Ryuko noticed something.
At the edge of the village, a familiar figure stepped into view in the rain.
Kanzenmaru.
"Alright, this must mean he dropped his mom off and his dad cleaned house." Ryuko remarked as Souta turned his head as well.
()()()()()()()()
The village.
The village looked so much like the one which always burned in his mind. For a second he thought he could see the very buildings on fire once again, the very people there screaming and running for their lives. And for that second he thought somehow these two villages were not the same.
They were.
He did. He'd burned this village, he'd killed its inhabitants. It was him.
"When you leave the shrine." A familiar female voice said from behind. "After you see the truth, will you accept me?"
"Do not speak to me, half-demon." The cold reply came from his lips.
His legs started to move once again, he walked into the chilled wind and the brutal rain. Eat drop of rain felt as though it was being pelted at him, the ground itself was a sea of mud and grass, explosions of water appearing across the surface. The sky above was dark and clouded, but then it came. The light came from the heavens as lighting arced across the sky, the world flashing white for a mere second before the darkness was on him once again.
"Kanzenmaru!"
His name echoed through the darkness and torrents of rain. He looked over to see two familiar figures. His friends. Were they still his friends? They were mongrel creatures, spawned from the loins of inferior creatures. Sango and Kagome were not bad people however, nor were his friends Ryuko and Souta.
Well, maybe Souta, he thought as he rolled his eyes.
His feet wetly stepped onto the muddy road in his path though, he didn't even turn to acknowledge them. It took Ryuko standing in his path, just as he arrived only 20 meters from the shrine itself, to stop his march through the cold rain and wet mud.
"Kanzenmaru, what happened? Are you alright? You look kinda out of it man."
Kanzenmaru's eyes were shadowed by the darkness of night, save for the faint red tint which came from them. He looked towards the concerned friend, Ryuko, with a calm exterior.
"Are you my friend, Ryuko?" He asked in a calm, quiet voice, utterly not reflective of the turmoil within.
Ryuko was confused. Was he his friend? The voice he was even asked in was strange, eerie somehow even. Kanzenmaru seemed to not even want to really reference him. Something was wrong.
"Yea, of course Kanzenmaru. All we do is hang out."
"If you are my friend, stay out of my way." He then felt the full demon shove him aside as if he wasn't there. He flew ten meters, only to land on his feet. Souta of course saw this and knew something was wrong. Where was he-
He saw the demon ever approaching the shrine.
"Kanzenmaru!" He shouted, running past Ryuko towards his friend. "What the hell are you doing? Do you know what could happen if you go in there? What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you remember last time?"
Of course he remembered last time. It became more and more clear to him.
"I... I understand what I need to do now. I need to see you again. I need you to tell me why you won't leave me alone." Kanzenmaru said, looking up at the building, ignoring Souta. "I... You shouldn't have been left here to die like this. I shouldn't have been left to die here like this. I shouldn't have let Inuyasha kill me. I... I was better than he was. I was a full demon, not some inferior half demon mongrel like him. But I'll be whole again soon. And then the visions will stop."
He seemed to almost snap out of it for a moment, his silver head turning to Souta, who was left too shocked for words for a moment as he heard Kanzenmaru ramble to himself. The wind seemed to pick up, almost wrapping around his friend as the air blew wildly around them, the storm intensifying.
Inuyasha killed him? What was he rambling about? He didn't understand.
"Kanzenmaru, please. You gotta calm down. What visions? Slow down."
Kanzenmaru seemed to freeze in that moment, grabbing his sword and drawing it, looking at Souta intently.
"Inuyasha."
Souta then realized he meant him. He quickly grasped his sword's hilt, pulling it up to defend himself as the katana which his cousin held was slashed towards him.
"What the hell is wrong with you? I'm not Inuyasha!"
The look in Kanzenmaru's eyes was not that of a health man, he just looked intently at him, psychotically even.
"I will be Kanzenmaru." He just muttered to himself before furiously slashing his katana towards his friend once again, the sound of their blades clashing being drown out by the heavy rain.
Ryuko wasn't sure what to think as he watched this. He froze in place as the friend he'd known almost his entire life attacked Souta, and this wasn't some spar like before. This was a real attack. What did you do when your friend lost his mind? What did you do when they tried to kill your other best friend?
Ryuko internally froze, ironically of the three friends he had the most combat experience... but he'd never seen loved ones try to kill one another.
The blades continued to slash as Kanzenmaru drove his attack forward, it was all aggression. With each block the older half-demon was pushed back. Souta could only think to himself that Kanzenmaru had never fought like this before, ever. He fought like a man possessed.
Then the blue tint of energy swirled around his legs, blue fire rising from the ground. Souta had already taken this moment to back away from the fight as his friend stood there. A howl echoed out over the entire village as lightning streaked across the sky once more.
What... was happening?
Souta just stared in disbelief at what he was seeing.
"I will be Kanzenmaru." Was repeated again as he stared down his friend.
Souta felt panicked in that moment, feeling the demonic energies only growing. People were now beginning to watch from their homes. Some forward thinking families already rushing out into the rain with their children to get them as far away as possible.
Mei and Akiko saw what was happening minutes earlier. They had come outside now in full demon hunting garb, only to be frozen by the display of power coming from the teenage demon. This wasn't normal, and this wasn't what they'd ever known Kanzenmaru to be capable of.
Souta's eyes watched in horror as the blue dragon formed from the energy around Kanzenmaru, lightning running through it.
"Dragon Strike."
"No way!"
The wave of energy cascaded through the air and ground, shattering earth, burning away rain, and blasting towards his victim. Souta felt something grab him, pulling him out of the way violently as the wave roared past, causing houses to begin to burn, and some to be blasted away.
Ryuko, now holding his friend Souta and breathing heavily, due to how close that was, could only hope that the people in those homes had evacuated.
At the heart of where the wave had begun, Kanzenmaru stood there, holding the katana with cold eyes glaring ahead.
He seemed frozen there for a moment, the rain still pouring down from above. He turned his attention away from the others as he turned back to the shrine. At the door of the shrine, the old monk Kuro stood, looking down at him.
Kuro could see the demon he watched over every day standing in front of him. Outside of a few small appearance differences, he would not have been able to tell the difference. But he could even feel the same demonic energy from this creature. This creature was Katsuramaru.
"You cannot enter." He said defiantly, his charms shaking at the end of his staff.
"I can do anything I wish old man."
Mei and Akiko landed to his back, he only heard their approach because of the rain bouncing off their bodies. Normally they would have been completely silent, already preparing to finish him. Demon Hunters...
Then he heard Souta and Ryuko approaching as well.
The old monk, and four half-demons.
"Kanzenmaru, its not too late." Ryuko reasoned. "Just put the sword down, we can talk about this. We can work something out. Kagome can help you, like before and-"
"That human woman? The one who cares? I don't need such weakness from a mere human. I will be Kanzenmaru." He repeated the final words with resolve, looking towards the old man first. His left hand's fingers already glowed with the deadly poison at the end of them.
"You already are Kanzenmaru!" Souta shouted angrily, frustrated. He was unable to understand what was going on, he had no clue what he meant by that. He would be himself? What did that mean?
Mei was the first one to move, she hopped towards him. As an instinctive reaction he lashed his arm towards the old priest, poison whips lashing towards him, just as he twisted his body to meet the Ninjato which Mei had thrust at him. The blade deflected he quickly threw a quick kick to her side.
Kuro was less fortunate, the whips slashing into the old monk's body as he cried out in his brief agony, before his burning body hit the wooden steps he had stood on.
Mei stumbled back in pain as Akiko, Ryukou, and Souta rushed in themselves.
They were all trying to stop him. They were all trying to stop him from completing himself, from stopping the nightmares. It wasn't even that they didn't understand, they were jealous of him. He was a full demon, these half demons were nothing compared to him. He was the son of Sesshoumaru, he was always meant to be special, a perfect warrior. His mind accessed memories he'd never known he'd had. Memories on how to fight the perfect battle.
Each one of his friends attacked him, now all four. He met each attack with deflections, each one receiving wounds for their troubles.
Souta's katana was knocked away only to find himself with a slash across the mid section, Mei was kicked once again, Akiko barely dodged poisoned whips. Ryuko was run through by the blade itself, had he not been a half demon, surely this would have meant death.
With a violent kick to the head Ryuko was brought to the ground, grievously wounded in the chest as he was he couldn't recover, not in time to continue the fight.
Next was Mei and Souta. A sweep of his blade cutting into both at once. Souta fell to the ground bleeding yet more, his body badly wounded now.
I can't give up, I have to keep fighting.
Akiko stood there, breathing in heavily as she looked at the demon who just stared back at her, the wind blowing through his hair as it whipped violently in the wind. He was covered in blood, the blood of his friends.
The demon slayer knew he had to be stopped. He'd been her friend all his life, but what was he capable of now? The consequences be damned, her friend had to die today.
A pair of golden eyes watched from the the trees, the battle in the rain being illuminated by the burning buildings. Their orange flicker tinting the battle. Kanzenmaru would triumph over these weak half-demons. And then she would be given her gift for loyalty. He would come to his senses.
Yes. The voice from the blade whispered to her.
Akiko found herself pulled into the air before she could even properly attack. Her neck being crushed by an iron grip.
"I remember you. You are Akiko." Kanzenmaru said to the dark haired girl as he stared into her panicked eyes, her hands coming to his wrist, trying to get him to let go.
"I hate you. I hate everything you are. I hate your human blood and I hate your family. And I hate myself. No... that can't be..." he said absently, looking around confused for a moment.
"I'd always had a crush on you... or was it Mei? Which one was it?" Kanzenmaru asked, his grip not loosening as Akiko began to frantically kick at him, her legs doing no harm, changing no role in her strangulation.
"I couldn't have had a crush. No... not with human blood. Its impossible." He mused aloud, before looking back at the young woman, choking for life.
Akiko tried to mouth to him to let go, wanting to do anything she could to get through. Kanzenmaru's eyes just looked into hers.
"I remember looking into the eyes of the last half-demon I choked to death. Their last moments, filled with desperation for salvation, and then the final, agonizing release. It is a punishment fit for such a creature."
Souta had managed to pull himself up, barely using his sword for support. The Katana felt right in his hands. Akiko would die if he didn't do anything. He'd never lost a friend before.
That was a lie. Today he'd lost a friend, he'd lost one of his best friends. He'd lost his cousin Kanzenmaru, this monster wasn't the Kanzenmaru he remembered. He found the strength he needed, he found his feet.
"Kanzenmaru!"
Kanzenmaru's head turned sharply and with surprise towards his cousin, only too late. He'd been lost in his own world again, his right arm held up high as he choked the last seconds of life from Akiko's body.
She swung upwards with all her might as a crescent of cutting wind slashed upwards.
The roar of pain which followed was to Kagura, very satisfying. Katsuramaru's left arm, above the elbow, was cut cleanly away as the arm fell to her knees.
It was not his left arm. The well made Katana cut into the muscle and flesh of his right arm, before carving into the bone. Nerves lit up as if they were on fire as blood spilled from the wound. The blade slashed through clearly with the last of Souta's strength and Kanzenmaru's entire right arm below the shoulder dropped to the ground helplessly along with Akiko.
He stood in shock, his eyes filled with complete surprise and pain. A second later he howled in pain before stumbling back. As his howl of agony stopped he could only look at the lost limb in shock, before looking towards the injured Souta, trying to rise.
"You miserable half-demon."
Souta turned his head just in time for poison lashes to whip over his body. He cried out in agony as his flesh burned. Slash, slash, slash, the poisoned whip cut into his flesh, burning into his muscle and fat, melting to the bone.
Souta could no longer stand by the end of it, he just trembled on the ground. He barely was able to recognize the silver haired figure over him, looking down at him.
"Kanzenmaru." He just whispered briefly, his eyes looking towards him one last time as his friend.
And for his trouble, his friend plunged his sword through Souta's torso, stabbing through lung and rib cage as he put the sword to the hilt into his chest.
Souta didn't even have the strength to cry out in agony as blood came up from his mouth, and his head just rolled to the side.
Turning from the burning village all around him, Kanzenmaru stumbled into the shrine, the loss of his arm and so much blood beginning to affect him. He had to start using the wall for support, each step becoming more difficult.
And then... then he saw it. For the first time in 11 years he saw what haunted his mind. He saw Katsuramaru. He saw himself.
He saw the dead eyes looking back at him through time and space, the bubble itself flickering. He stood before it finally, his breathing labored.
Many had touched the orb before, their hands feeling as though they pressed against glass. Kanzenmaru's pushed into it, as the orb rippled like water around him.
From the outside one would notice blue energy pouring from the building in all different directions, the sutras which protected it bursting into flames. The sky illuminated.
From within, Kanzenmaru felt one thing.
Power.