"Of course he lives on a volcano," Azya huffed.
The air was hot as she glanced at the large skull in the distance and sighed. Zach was holding onto the reigns of Ah-Un as she held onto the dragon's straps, one foot on his leg, ready to jump off once they reached the white skull. Now she understood why she was told to wear this specific clothing which was to help with the heat and Zach wore a similar outfit, but his had both sleeves. Gripping her naginata with her free hand, she let go of Au-Uh's strap and landed a couple feet in front of the skull and walked inside as Zach and Ah-Un flew up into the sky away from the heat.
"Who's there?! Oh I feared that dog… A human…? How'd you get here?"
"I seek your skills as a blacksmith, Totosai," Azya spoke simply, noticing a brown cow near the back of the skulled cave.
"I don't craft for humans, now go away," the old man huffed, brandishing his long hammer at her.
"Oh, and after I traveled all this way to bring you a gift," Azya sighed as she pulled the envelope out of her haori to show him before putting it back with a shrug. "Oh well… guess he was right. I should have gone to Kaijinbo before he died…"
"Wait a minute, human," the man spoke suddenly and she glanced at him over her shoulder. "How does a girl like you know about Kaijinbo?"
"Well, my mate had a blade created from him, the last weapon he created."
"The last blade was Tokijin… it's owner a human hating Youkai Lord… and you say mate… you are full of lies human!"
"Oh? He won't like you saying such things to me. Sesshomaru is not pleasant when insulted and to hear you insulting his mate? Bad move on your part old man," Azya warned as she turned to face him fully, pulling her haori aside to reveal the mark on her chest.
"The mark of the House of the Moon…?" Totosai gasped and suddenly appeared in front of her, touching the mark gingerly. "Where is he?"
"Back at the castle. Something about you having a habit of running when you feel his presence," Azya spoke as she pulled the envelope out of her haori again and held it out to him.
"Oh…" Totosai opened it carefully and tipped it into his hand, revealing two fangs. "Bring your friends inside, woman, before they die from the heat outside."
"Thank you," Azya spoke, walking to the cave entrance as she fixed her clothes and waved up at Zach as they circled high in the air. She waited for them to start descending before returning inside where it was cooler.
"You're not pupped yet, I'm surprised," Totosai spoke and she flinched as he appeared in front of her, his ear to her stomach.
"Get off me," Azya snapped, punching him in the head. "I have something inside of me that prevents me from becoming pregnant until I am ready for it and technically we are mates-to-be. Inu no Taisho had saved me from dying and created this mark, completing it with blood from both Sesshomaru and myself."
"Oh…?" Totosai got to his feet and walked over and sat on a large flat piece of stone. "It may take several days, mind telling me your story?"
"Nope, that's all you get. If you want more, go talk to Sesshomaru," Azya snorted as Ah-Un entered the cave and Zach slid off the saddle. "How are you holding up, Zach?"
"It's hot out there…"
"This place is not meant for humans since my work is for Youkai. Ah, hello Ah-Un," Totosai greeted the dragon before focusing on the fangs in his palm. "These are definitely from Lord Sesshomaru."
"You really do need parts of Youkai to create weapons?" Azya frowned. "I didn't realize he did that, he wasn't missing any."
"Youkai grow back teeth within minutes, that's why it's the best part to use. Are you fond of that weapon you carry?"
"It's similar to what I was taught with. When I first woke up after being saved, my vision had been lost. Sesshomaru taught me to use my remaining senses to be able to function on my own again and then started teaching me to be able to fight if needed using a bo staff that had three rings on each end. Sound and touch had been the best forms to help and I managed to kill a female Youkai but broke the staff in the process," Azya spoke as she undid Ah-Un's saddle.
"I see," Totosai spoke before standing up and headed towards the back of the cave. "Remain up here, I'll be back."
"Okay," Azya frowned but shrugged as she pulled out two pelts and laid them down before lying on one and Zach took the other.
"You trust that creep? His eyes were huge," Zach asked.
"Youkai have good hearing, careful Zach," Azya smiled as she closed her eyes and focused on the blacksmith's aura. "I'm keeping tabs on him. Besides he's too scared of Sesshomaru and if he's not finished by the end of the week, he'll have Sesshomaru to deal with."
"Hm, true," Zach laughed and Azya felt Totosai's aura flicker slightly in fear before she heard the sound of a hammer meeting metal. "So it begins."
"Get some sleep, at least we're being allowed to stay here away from the heat."
"Which is funny considering the fact that I'm almost positive that this cave leads into the volcano."
"Youkai barriers are quite intriguing. I'm sure that if he hadn't put one up around this skull, it would be much hotter."
"Really?"
"There is so much I can teach you and several of Sesshomaru's soldiers that I train with are willing to help me teach you."
"Are they cute?"
"Zach, you are hopeless," Azya giggles as she looked at him as he had his hands under his head.
"It might be good incentive to keep me around."
"What about your clients?"
"I took two months off, Azya. Damian will find someone to take them if I decide to quit," Zachery spoke as he turned his head to look at her. "This place is much a simpler lifestyle."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Zach. I don't want you making a rash decision…"
"I won't. After all, I have my best friend with me to help me be smart with my decision."
"Go to sleep," Azya huffed, despite the smile on her face.
"Yes, ma'am," Zach saluted to the ceiling and she brought her arm over his stomach hard making him groan a little. "Okay, I'll behave… damn, you've gotten stronger…"
"Goodnight, Zach," Azya smiled.
"You definitely are more patient then those brothers," Totosai spoke as he finally came back up from the tunnel. "Great form but have you even left once?"
"You really think I'd let Ah-Un go hungry in this barren wasteland?" Azya frowned as she glanced over at him, having been practicing form with the naginata while Zach slept. "You underestimate me if you think I haven't been keeping track of you. Why did you go visit Bokuseno?"
"So you've met him?" Totosai frowned, surprised.
"Sesshomaru had questions and visited him," Azya nodded as she put the sheath back on the naginata and rested it against the cave wall as she noticed what he held, wrapped in a dark blue satin, keeping his work hidden.
"Let's see if you can wield it. Most weapons created from Youkai are heavy to humans," Totosai spoke as he held out the satin wrapped weapon.
From the size of the satin, she knew that it was some kind of staff and held her hands out. She felt the satin across her palms before Totosai let go and felt only a small weight from the weapon, lighter than the naginata she had been using. Pulling the string of the satin wrapping, she gasped seeing a beautiful naginata. The two foot blade was hidden by a black sheath that had a crescent moon carved in place of a guard, the black matching the metal pole arm that was four feet long. The hilt was in the shape of a crescent moon, curving towards the sheathed blade. She removed the sheath and saw a sliver blade with black at it's center. Tossing the sheath to Totosai, she backed away and started going through motions taught to her when practicing alone and closed her eyes as she listened to the slight sound of the sharp blade cutting through the air.
"Don't close your eyes…!" Smirking, Azya lunged forward and stopped centimeters from his chin and opened her eyes to look up at him, feeling his fear and surprise.
"Didn't I tell you that I learned how to fight before my sight returned?" Azya asked simply as she took the sheath back from his hands and slid it over the blade. "It's lighter than the naginata Sesshomaru gave me."
"Orochi has accepted you. Now because you are human, don't expect to have abilities like the Tenseiga and Tessaiga. If Lord Sesshomaru were to wield it, he would be able to access other abilities but a human's body cannot withstand the Youkai energy of creating said abilities. There is also this, commissioned from the second fang given," Totosai spoke as he pulled a katana into view from behind him, its guard also in the shape of a crescent moon and sheath was black. The hilt had some variants, silver and blue cords wrapped around for the grips, it's tassels dangling only a few inches off the handle's end. "This blade, Pyua, when faced with a poison or miasma, you will be able to use this blade to disperse it."
"Sesshomaru's poison doesn't hurt me," Azya frowned as she grabbed the hilt and withdrew it from the sheath, surprised to see a blade of a deep blue.
"I do not choose the design, woman. Each weapon I create may be different and for specific person in mind but with each fang, the design changes," Totosai spoke as he itched his ear.
"Thank you," Azya spoke gently as she sheathed the blade and slid it into the obi around her waist. "It is time for us to depart then, now that you finished these."
"I didn't do it for that dog," Totosai spoke as she started going through one of the saddle bags and found the white bag she was looking for.
"I know," Azya spoke as she handed him the bag. "This is your payment, I guess, for completing the my weapons."
"I don't take money…"
"And risk Sesshomaru taking it wrong?" Azya asked, raising a brow. "Use it for food, some clothing, I don't care."
"I feel like your blackmailing me," Totosai frowned, taking the bag.
"With what? I don't know you that well. Thank you for allowing us to remain within your protective barrier. Zach, wake up!" Azya turned and nudged her friend in the side with her sheathed Orochi before taking the straps from her old naginata and strapped Orochi to her back and picked up the unnamed blade and walked over to where Ah-Un got to his feet.
"What do you want?" Zach groaned.
"It's time to leave this place. Get up and help me," Azya spoke as she worked on securing the saddle and strapped the unnamed naginata to Ah-Un's side.
"Finally," Zach groaned as he rolled off the pelts and rolled them up quickly and brought them over. "How many days to we have before you get sniffed out?"
"We should arrive on time," Azya spoke as Zach helped strap the bags to the saddle before he hopped on and guided Ah-Un out of the cave as Azya walked behind them.
"If something changes with you, bring Pyua and Orochi back," Totosai spoke as he followed her out of the cave.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll understand if it happens," Totosai spoke and she frowned before jumping up behind Zach. "Fly fast, Ah-Un, its time for you to take your lady home!"
"Bye, creepy old man!" Zach called as Ah-Un flew higher.
"You idiot," Azya grinned before Ah-Un roared and few northwest.