Chapter Thirty-Three
A Spiritual Alliance
Hana glanced over her shoulder as the curtain to her hut moved to the side and the faint rustling of the material signaled Nii's entrance. She gave him a brilliant smile but it faded slightly at the look on his face. His eyes were not focused on her and his mouth was drawn tight as though there was something important on his mind but he wasn't sure what to say. With a sigh, Hana pushed her trimmings to the side and reached out for the sake that sat on the stone platform beside her. Pouring him a cup, she waved her hand and waited while he took a seat next to her.
"Something is on your mind." She started as he took the drink and sipped at it.
Nii chortled. "Isn't there always?" He still didn't meet her eyes.
"What is it?" Hana asked placing a few herb trimmings into a vial and filling it with a mixture she had made earlier with her youki.
Nii glanced at her as he sipped his sake and he sighed. "You know I am not good with words. Especially when it comes to you."
Hana smiled. She noticed his eyes move across the room and she suspected his youki was in that direction somewhere, although she didn't see him. "Your youki?"
Nii looked at her and then he nodded. "I sort of need his guidance on what I want to say, but to be honest, I really don't know how to bring it up."
Hana lifted her brow and frowned slightly. She knew how careful he was with his words, only really saying anything once he had time to actually think it through. Nii only held that look on his face whenever he needed to bring something important up and she was fully aware of how nervous he got whenever it had something to do with their current relationship. Deciding to give him the time to wrap his mind around what he needed to say, she pushed to her feet and began gutting the rabbit that the hunters had brought to her hut earlier. With a smile, she decided to pour a little of the mint onto the flesh as she cut slices and arranged them on a plate for him.
Nii lifted his brow as she handed him the plate and he sniffed slightly. Immediately, his nose picked up the scent of mint and he smiled. She always seemed to know just what to do whenever it came to his nerves and with a nod of thanks, he took a piece of meat and chewed on it slowly as he thought on what to say to her.
'Just spit it out.' Shuzo growled.
'Easier said than done.' Nii narrowed his eyes in his youki's direction.
Hana saw Nii narrow his eyes and she giggled which caused Nii to glance at her curiously. "Must be some conversation."
Nii snorted. "You know that I have been doing a lot of thinking and not really sleeping all that much."
Hana nodded her head as she started clipping herbs again. "I noticed. I figured you would say what you needed to say when you had it all sorted out."
Nii nodded his head and watched as she placed some herbs into vials and other pieces onto a cloth in front of her. "You know I care about you, right?" He flushed a bright red as he blurted out his feelings. Shuzo snickered softly having given him just a little bit of a push.
Hana's hands froze and she looked at him startled. Her cheeks heated up and she nodded her head. "I know." She whispered.
"You haven't had a change of heart?" Nii asked looking down at his plate of rabbit, which he found to be rather interesting at that particular moment.
Hana blinked at him her hands still frozen above her herb trimmings as her youki quickly spoke with her about the importance of what Nii was asking. "I haven't." She barely breathed out.
"With my youki making contact with you, it dropped some rather important barriers that I had forgotten about." Nii continued.
Hana nodded her head. His youki had told her precisely what barriers had been dropped. Her hands dropped to her knees and she gripped the hem of her kimono. "I already knew this."
Nii put the plate to the side and sighed. "Spring is only a month or two away." He muttered.
Hana nodded her head. "Which means more challenges." She whispered.
"Unless we formalize our bond." Nii blurted out and flushed a brilliant scarlet.
Hana gasped.
'You know what he is asking?' Isaya breathed.
'I think so.' Hana replied.
'He has made his choice Hana, and it is you.'
Hana glanced at Nii who stared very intently at his hands. 'What do I say?'
'You don't have to say anything, show him.' Isaya pressed.
With a nod of determination and to make sure that Nii didn't have a chance to flee from embarrassment, Hana reached out and gripped his hand. Nii jumped slightly and his breath caught in his throat. He looked at her and she grinned.
Nii held his breath and watched the emotions run across Hana's face but gulped as she leaned forward and lifted her hand to his face. "Was that so difficult to say?" She whispered softly.
Nii nodded, speechless.
"You know how I feel and that I wanted to give you time to make your choice," Hana whispered, her fingers resting on his markings.
Nii nodded again. He felt Shuzo move closer and he gulped. Having no real experience with how everything was done, he knew that Shuzo would guide him and yet the moment with Hana right now was so profound and uplifting, he had no words. Swallowing, he released his breath. Why he had been so afraid of rejection from her he had no idea. He knew exactly how she felt about him and it made sense that she never pushed him to make the bond final, she was never one to force anyone to do something they didn't want. "So what now?" He whispered.
Hana shook her head and placed her lips against his. Pulling back slightly she whispered. "I have no idea."
'You don't, but I do.' Isaya grinned widely, the excitement at meeting Nii's youki and seeing why that aura felt so familiar almost getting the better of her.
Nii gasped when he felt Shuzo's hands on his shoulders and the world around both him and Hana swirled in a mass of colors. Disorientated, he clenched his eyes shut as a wave of dizziness filled him. Hana also squeaked in surprise and when he opened his eyes to look at her, they were sitting in a bright open space. Blinking confused, Nii took in his surroundings.
Looking at where he and Hana were sitting, there was luscious green grass everywhere. As far as the eye could see. Brilliant colored flowers scattered the area most of which he had no idea existed. Hana also looked around them, she pointed behind him and Nii glanced over his shoulder. Frowning, it almost looked like his tree of life and yet this one was a shimmering white. The leaves on the branches were pale lavender and reaching high into the almost blinding white sky. "Where are we?"
Hana shook her head. She felt a presence behind her and she looked back to see another bright tree, yet those leaves were more an iridescent pink with hints of orange and yellows. Nii's eyes caught hers and he lifted his brow. "Those can't be our trees," Hana whispered confused, although her next words were lost to her as from beside the tree her youki emerged.
Nii squinted at the figure who materialized and he realized that it was Hana's youki who approached them. "By the Gods." He breathed. Not only did Hana and her youki share an almost identical appearance, the force of power erupting from them both as her youki strolled up casually was breathtaking. The smirk on Hana's youki's face was enough to send shivers running down his back and he swallowed. Her youki was just as stunning in appearance as Hana, the long white hair hanging loose about her frame and the pale pink robes floating around her as though there were a slight breeze.
"Nii," Hana whispered her eyes staring over his shoulder again.
Furrowing his brow, he glanced over his shoulder and gaped when Shuzo appeared beside the other tree. "Are those their trees?"
"I don't know," Hana admitted completely at a loss.
Before either of them could speak, the world around them whirled and spun. Hana quickly leaned forward and almost fell into Nii's arms, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. Nii hissed between his clenched teeth and swallowed as a wave of nausea gripped him.
'Easy.' Shuzo whispered into Nii's ear and his host's eyes snapped open. Nii lifted his head and blinked at Shuzo who sat beside him.
'Oie.' Nii hissed to his youki.
Hana opened her eyes and lifted her gaze to Nii's youki who was staring at her. "Hi." She whispered softly a small smile spreading across her lips.
Shuzo grinned at her. 'Hello, Hana.'
Hana gasped at him but her breath hitched nervously when her youki appeared beside her.
"Where are we?" Nii asked, his eyes now transfixed on Hana's youki who now sat beside her host.
'You are in our pools of life.' Isaya smiled gently. 'This is where your bond takes place.'
Shuzo smirked and peered at Isaya intently. 'We have met before.'
Isaya's eyes fell onto Shuzo's and she nodded. 'It appears that way.'
Nii and Hana glanced at one another curiously. "So these are the mating pools?"
Both youki smiled and nodded. 'In a manner of speaking.' Shuzo confirmed.
Nii looked at Hana's youki and was transfixed by the brilliant pale orange eyes and long shimmering white hair. Unlike Hana's with the pink on the ends of the strands, her youki had almost an aqua color. "She looks like you," Nii whispered to Hana.
Hana giggled. Shuzo stood up and walked over to Hana as Isaya stared at him, watchful and protectively. Slowly, he crouched down in front of her, reaching out his hand and placing it on her left upper arm. Hana hissed between her teeth. 'Shh.' Shuzo soothed leaning forward. He planted his lips against hers and kissed her fiercely.
Nii gulped as he watched his youki kiss Hana and he felt his cheeks heat up as though he was a pup watching something he shouldn't. His eyes met Isaya's as she smirked at his reaction and he swallowed.
Shuzo pulled back and walked behind Hana and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back into his arms, watching as Isaya now stood and approached his host. 'Watch.' Shuzo whispered into Hana's ear.
Nii didn't move an inch as Hana's youki knelt down in front of him and he sucked his breath in sharply when her hand connected with his left arm, and it almost felt like a searing sensation that spread from his shoulder joint to his elbow. The heat emitting from Hana's youki's hand was intense but not painful, just unexpected and overly hot.
His breath caught in his throat when her lips pressed against his and his eyes widened in shock, his heart picking up pace at the firm pressure. His nerves came alive and his veins burned at the intense desire that flooded over his entire body causing Nii to shudder. He heard Shuzo hiss as the feelings ran through him and he groaned softly. Nii almost jolted back in shock when Isaya's tongue ran across his lower lip and she bit it much like Hana did whenever they kissed. Her tongue ran over the wound and he released a gasp. Before he knew it, Isaya was behind him wrapping her arms around his torso, much like Shuzo held Hana and his eyes met with his long time friend. Hana's youki seemed to have lit a fire in his veins and they sent ripples of desire through his whole body and he gasped. "Oh, Gods." Nii hissed softly as the feelings rushed over him in waves, Shuzo smirked in response and ran his tongue down Hana's neck which caused her mouth to drop open and her eyes widen as they met Nii's.
'Now you two dance.' Isaya whispered in his ear causing him to shiver at the desire that almost seemed to drip from her voice.
Shuzo grinned and both youki pushed their hosts into one another's embrace and watched silently.
Seihomaru sat on Saza's back as they walked through the gates of the Shinden-zukuri. Four of their group had transformed into their true forms allowing those either not strong enough or experienced enough to maintain the transformation to travel on their backs. It had been almost a full year since Seihomaru had ridden on one of his clansmen's backs and he sighed at the memory.
Taiyu stood waiting for them and he grinned as soon as they came into view. Almost immediately the village came alive with activity as soon as they were aware of who arrived. Shinzou knelt down and allowed Kiya and Akinari to slide off his back before he allowed his aura to diminish.
Within seconds two pups raced up to him and flew into his arms almost causing him to fall onto his back at the impact. The laughter Shinzou released caused Seihomaru to grin widely.
"Chichi!" Ayao gave him a huge hug.
Mahiro also wrapped his arms around his father. "You were gone so long."
Shinzou grinned at them. "You knew I would be gone for a while." His eyes lifted and met Tani's as she walked up quite a bit slower due to her condition. He stood and waited as she walked up to him. She seemed to want to hold an air of dignity but he snorted and pulled her into his arms. "Baka." She laughed.
"I missed you." He whispered.
Tani wrapped her arms around him and placed her forehead on his chest.
Seihomaru stood back and watched his clansmen greet one another and then he lifted his gaze searching. "Where is Nii?" He asked Taiyu curiously.
Taiyu pointed to Hana's hut and he smirked waving his hands. Not sure what the youkai said he lifted his brow.
Saza laughed after giving Isaki a firm hug. "About bloody time."
Seihomaru turned his stare to his commander.
"I am sure they will be finished in a few hours." Saza howled.
Taiyu grinned widely and nodded.
Now at a complete loss, Seihomaru rolled his eyes. "Finished what exactly?"
Kazuhisa snorted and Shinzou chuckled. "Their mating ritual." Shinzou turned his gaze to his mate and smiled broadly.
Seihomaru felt his cheeks heat up. "Oh. Well when they have finished, gather everyone and meet in my Shinden-zukuri." Turning to Taiyu he smiled. "Has Traylaymaru and Chate returned yet?"
Taiyu nodded and pointed over to the barracks.
With a nod, Seihomaru made his way over to his home but he released a loud cry when he was knocked onto his face forcefully. Suddenly he was the object of loud whines and face mauling from his two-headed dragon. Grunting and struggling to get up, Seihomaru even tried to roll onto his back but the dragon had him firmly planted on his stomach. "Oie! Let me up." He growled.
The dragon moved and Seihomaru sprang to his feet and spun around quickly. Not a second later he was once again struggling against the onslaught of his pet. "Good grief." He held out his hands to ward off the furiously licking beast. Every time he tried to grab the dragon it darted off and sprang at him again.
Saza snorted and shook his head. Isaki and Tani giggled behind their hands as they watched and Shinzou's pups raced forward to play with the overly excited beast. The dragon growled and darted off quickly, with the pups chasing after it.
"I think he missed you." Shinzou chuckled and followed the group towards the barracks.
"You think?" Seihomaru snorted. He was fully covered in dragon slobber and he rolled his eyes. "Ew." He wiped his hands on his hakama and scoffed loudly.
Shinzou darted forward quickly and snatched his daughter up and around in a wide circle as the dragon raced past exactly in the spot his daughter had just been.
"Oie! Mind where you run." Seihomaru scolded the beast who skidded to a halt seemingly already aware it had almost run over the small girl.
Shinzou placed Ayao back onto the ground and she raced forward and wrapped her arms around the dragon's necks. The shadow guard rolled his eyes. His eyes met Tani's and his mate had a wide grin on her face. Her stomach was swelling with their third pup and one of her hands rested on the swell. Isaki beside her also showed early signs of pregnancy and he grinned.
Before Shinzou could once again move, Mahiro raced up to him and jumped onto his back. "Chichi?"
Shinzou shifted his son more comfortably on his back. "Hai?"
"Are you leaving again?"
"Not for a while." Shinzou glanced at Seihomaru with a raised brow and his lord and commander shook his head. "I am home until your brother or sister is born."
Mahiro rested his chin on his father's shoulder, minding the sharp metal points on the edges.
"Have you kept up with your duties while I was gone?" Shinzou asked his son glancing at Tani who nodded her head.
"Yes father."
"You helped your mother when she needed it?"
"Hai."
Shinzou grinned and nodded. "Good. Now go watch over your sister." He lowered Mahiro to the ground and watched as his son ran over to Ayao.
They approached the barracks and Tani seated herself down on a small bench and Shinzou raised a brow curiously. Kneeling down in front of her he stared at her seemingly exhausted expression. "What is it?"
Tani shook her head. "Nothing love."
Seihomaru slid his eyes to the side and listened.
"Don't give me that." Shinzou snarled softly.
"I am only tired." Tani insisted as she leaned back against the fence.
The shadow guard frowned. "Have you visited Akina?"
Tani made to protest but he held up his hand stalling all comments.
"Go see her, or I will drag you there." Shinzou narrowed his eyes.
Tani sighed and nodded her head. "Very well." He helped her stand and held her as she stumbled slightly.
Shinzou furrowed his brow concerned. "Oie." He whispered close to her ear. "What's wrong?"
Tani smiled and shook her head. "This pregnancy is more draining than the other two, that is all, love. Today is only more so."
Isaki walked forward and helped Tani. "I will take her to see Akina."
Shinzou nodded his head and watched as they made their way over to the healers hut on the other side of the village. Shaking his head, he turned to stare at the looks the others were giving him. "What?"
Saza lifted his brow. "I said nothing."
"Indeed."
Taiyu made a few motions with his hands and Shinzou sighed. "I know, but she is a stubborn woman."
Seihomaru grunted. "What's up?"
Shinzou watched the guards in the ring sparring. "My stubborn mate. Always insisting she is fine, never asking for help."
Seihomaru nodded his head. "Go. Tend to your mate." He commanded.
"She will be fine once she sees Akina." Shinzou said but the look Seihomaru gave him told him to abide by the command. "Fine, fine. I will see you all in the Shinden-zukuri in a few hours." He turned and sprinted after the two youkai females who were almost at the healers hut.
Saza chuckled. "She is larger than her previous pregnancies." He commented.
Taiyu nodded his head and Seihomaru glanced at both of them. "Oh?"
His commander shrugged. "This is my first pup so I am uncertain as to how that all goes, but seeing as Tani is due in Summer and it still being winter, it is almost as though she is further along than we first thought."
Seihomaru raised his brow not sure what the cause would be, but he made a mental note to talk with Shinzou about it after.
Taiyu motioned with his hands and Saza blinked at the younger guard in stunned silence. Then Saza shook his head. "Impossible."
"Good grief, what now?" Seihomaru said exasperated.
"Taiyu suspects that she is carrying more than one, which would make sense with her size and how drained she looks," Saza muttered.
"Two?" Seihomaru blinked. "Is that even possible?"
Taiyu nodded his head and waved his hand in a circular motion and then flatted both his palms together.
"He said that in the past there had been a couple of cases of multiple births but it is rare." Saza snorted.
Seihomaru laughed. "Well if that is the case, Shinzou is going to have four pups, not three."
"As I said, he is more prolific than humans." Saza gave a hearty laugh.
The three of them turned around to face the healer's hut as though expecting to see Shinzou fly out of there in a panic. It was maybe half an hour when Shinzou finally exited and he walked up to them shaking his head, a look on his face that indicated that what Taiyu had suspected was, in fact, the case.
They leaned against the fence and waited for the shadow guard captain to approach them and the wary look he issued was enough to send the three of them into peels of laughter.
"Not one word," Shinzou growled.
Saza snorted behind his hand in response.
Seihomaru smirked and lifted his gaze. "So two?"
Shinzou glared at him. "Apparently."
That sent Saza into a whole fit of laughter. Kazuhisa walked over curiously followed by Heisuke who glanced at one another for a moment. "What did we miss?"
Shinzou stalked away snarling in frustration and Seihomaru snickered softly. Saza on the other hand gasped and then laughed all the harder, holding his sides. Kazuhisa stopped and stared at his brother with a look that said he had finally lost his mind.
"So apparently Shinzou is expecting two pups, not one," Seihomaru muttered casually as though the conversation was an everyday thing, which sent Saza once again laughing uncontrollably.
Kazuhisa blinked at him in shock. "Two?"
Heisuke chuckled. "So that was that look. Twins are rare for youkai."
Heisuke grinned. "More common among humans than youkai though. Seizou and Seiya were the last recorded twins to be documented."
"I read that there had been one case of triplets in a youkai family. Of course only one lived but three had been born alive but they were weak." Kazuhisa clicked his tongue.
Seihomaru snorted. "Can you imagine Shinzou's reaction at the news of triplets?"
Saza tried to stifle the laughter but it came out as a loud snort instead.
Nii pulled his haori on and peered down at Hana while she slept peacefully on the futon. Glancing at his left arm, he inspected the pink and pale orange markings that now sat there. They were thin and twining around his bicep in a delicate vine pattern mingled with his own silver-grey heritage marks he had acquired with his training. Kneeling down beside her, he glanced at hers and smiled at the silver-grey marking his own youki had left behind. The one on her arm was broader and almost shimmering in the sunlight that drifted in through the window.
Nii leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek and then gathered his belongings glancing back once more at her sleeping face before he exited the hut. Shuzo strolled beside him and gave his host a grin.
Nii snorted. 'Satisfied with yourself I see.'
'Of course.' Shuzo grinned wider. 'No more need to worry about an unexpected pregnancy either.'
'You will let us know if it happens?' Nii questioned his youki.
'Yes. The minute I know, you will be informed.'
'So you met her youki before?' Nii glanced at Shuzo with a lifted brow.
Shuzo nodded. 'She has grown considerably since the last time we met. It was years ago in another host.'
Nii nodded and approached the group standing around the barracks training rings. It felt weird now that he was mated to Hana. The emotions and intense desire that they had been subjected to in the mating pools had been so fierce his body still tingled from it.
'It is rare that you find your soulmate.' Shuzo smiled as Nii shivered slightly, still recovering from the extreme emotions.
Seihomaru lifted his head as he approached and grinned widely. "Finished?"
Nii blushed but he kept his lips tightly closed.
Saza snickered softly, finally having recovered from his bout of weakness.
"So Shinzou and Tani are expecting twins." Seihomaru blurted out and Saza burst into renewed laughter.
Nii lifted his brow his gaze on Saza who he swore had lost his mind. "Twins?"
Seihomaru nodded a broad grin on his face. "Tani is carrying two pups, not just one."
Nii felt his eyes widen. "Oh Gods." He continued to stare at Saza who held his sides bent over laughing heartily. "What the hell is wrong with him?"
"He finds this situation with Shinzou to be extremely amusing." Kazuhisa snickered.
Nii snorted.
'It is dangerous for the female, more so than having only one.' Shuzo whistled softly.
Nii furrowed his brow. 'I will take your word for it.' He muttered never having experienced the situation.
Saza finally got himself under control and took a deep breath. "Damn, I haven't laughed that hard in many years."
Kazuhisa grinned. "Not since we witnessed Nii blowing up his father's sword."
Saza bit his lip to keep himself from laughing, his eyes twinkling in humor.
Nii blinked at them. "You saw that?"
Saza nodded his head keeping his lower lip between his teeth.
"The look on your father's face." Kazuhisa snickered. "How old were you when that happened?"
Nii rolled his eyes. "I can't remember. I think I was fifteen or something."
Seihomaru smirked. "Well, shall we?" He waved his hand towards the main house and began walking towards it. 'You still alive?' He could practically feel Taizo roll his eyes.
'Yes.'
'What are you doing?'
'Resting.'
'Really?' Seihomaru lifted a brow curiously.
'Yes.' Taizo muttered softly.
'Is that the same as sleeping for us?' Seihomaru questioned.
'Yes and no. You being sick drained a lot of energy and I am replenishing the stores.' Taizo grumbled.
'It's been days since we left the human's home.' Seihomaru frowned. 'How is it you haven't refilled them yet?'
Taizo didn't comment.
The silence was somewhat disturbing and Seihomaru cleared his throat. 'What's wrong?'
'I get into moods. Nothing is wrong, I only spend time thinking.' Taizo sighed.
'About?'
'Things.'
'Taizo…'
'Nothing is wrong, Seiho. My mind is miles away and thinking of past events.' Taizo grumbled.
'Fair enough.' Seihomaru sighed, following his clansmen into the Shinden-zukuri. He noticed Nii lean over and whisper into one of the guard's ears and immediately the guard descended the stairs. "What's up?"
"Remember that situation I mentioned before you got here?" Nii asked. "I sent the guard to get the family." He said when Seihomaru nodded. "On a side note, how did you find out about my adult name?" He whispered softly.
Seihomaru pointed at Kazuhisa. "I asked why he called Saza, Sazashi and the whole thing with adult names and birth names came up."
Nii snorted. "Blast it."
"Why don't you use it?" Seihomaru asked genuinely curious.
Nii shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't think it really fit with me. I liked the name my mother gave me."
"I kind of like your adult name." Seihomaru smirked. "Has a rather unique ring to it."
Nii scoffed and waved his hand.
Seihomaru tapped his left arm where his mark from Hana's youki peeked through the short sleeves of the haori. "I see you finally completed your bond."
Nii lifted his arm and nodded.
"We expecting more pups in the clan?"
Nii glanced at him shocked. "Not yet!" He exclaimed.
Seihomaru chuckled. "Has your youki ever gotten into moods?" He whispered, changing the subject.
Nii nodded. "Many times. Sometimes nothing is said. I think it has to do with memories."
Seihomaru frowned but nodded. Taizo had closed the communication portal so he was not aware of how his youki felt, but before he had closed it there had been a moment of sadness, almost melancholy flooding through their link. He sighed heavily.
Nii furrowed his brow and glanced at his brother. "Issues?"
Seihomaru tapped his head. "I got a sense of sadness before he closed the portal. He said everything was fine and that he was only thinking."
"It passes. I suppose due to the link being closed that might be why you can't hear him right now." Nii tapped his own forehead and pointed to where Shuzo stood with his arms crossed.
Seihomaru lifted his gaze and peered at Nii's youki. True to what Nii said whatever Shuzo was saying was lost to him. "Weird."
"He said that sometimes their thoughts venture through time to events that happened before. He also said they can't be cheerful all the time." Nii sniffed.
"I suppose." Seihomaru opened the stone door leading to the lower section of his office and entered while the others filed in behind him. 'Are you going to be a part of this meeting?' He asked Taizo, hoping his youki would respond.
'I am always here, Seiho. I will be listening.'
Seihomaru frowned and grunted, leaning over to whisper to Nii. "Think you can keep them busy for a little while. I have to go tend to something." He tapped his head and walked back upstairs. Seating himself onto one of the pillows by the window he closed his eyes and focused on his pools. As soon as he opened them, he glared at Taizo who stood by the tree.
Taizo turned and gave a heavy sigh. 'You just can't leave well enough alone, can you?' His youki accused.
"You are a part of me, and I you. So no, I can't. When I get the sense of sadness from you I grow concerned. Can you blame me?"
Taizo slid down the tree and sat down with another sigh. 'I suppose not. I am only remembering my past.'
Seihomaru walked over and sat down on the dry part of the land the tree sat on. "I suppose the sadness is something caused by living as long as you have?"
Taizo nodded. 'Even though I try to stop those memories, they still come to me from time to time. I am sorry that you can feel it. I thought I closed the portal.'
"You did but not before I felt that sadness."
Taizo rolled his eyes more at himself than Seihomaru. 'Sorry.' He apologized.
"Don't be. So what are you thinking about that is causing you so much distress?"
'My former hosts, ways I helped them or failed them. How to assist you without doing something I may have done prior to causing them pain or an early demise.' Taizo grunted. 'I caused you pain which I have been struggling with and how I may have done the removal without it making you ill.'
"Is this because I told you I hated you?" Seihomaru narrowed his eyes at his youki. "You know that was only in the moment, right?"
Taizo snorted. 'I know. I was trying to think of how I could have prevented you from falling ill, but to be honest none of my former hosts ever put up a barrier.' His youki shrugged. 'Then I started thinking of my former hosts and their lives. Then from there, it is a downward spiral until I shake myself out of my melancholy.'
"What would help?"
Taizo shook his head. 'I had bouts of sadness with all my hosts, Seiho. It comes with how long we have lived. It will pass.'
Seihomaru nodded. "I was thinking of asking Saza and Nii something."
Taizo glanced up at him. 'Oh?'
"It has been almost a year since my father died."
Taizo winced. 'That long already?'
"I was thinking of asking them to take me to where they buried him."
Taizo remained quiet.
"I thought maybe I could do him some honor by visiting his grave every year."
'Why?'
"Because neither of us got to say goodbye."
His youki peered at him intently.
"Have you ever had hosts go visit former hosts graves?"
Taizo shook his head.
"Then why don't we be the first? It might help both of us." Seihomaru smiled gently.
Taizo frowned. 'Is this something you wish to do? Or is this something just to shake me out of my current mood?'
Seihomaru rolled his eyes. "It's for both of us. I still think about him and I suppose this may help me get through it more effectively."
Taizo placed his arms on his knees and smiled. 'I am not opposed to this idea.'
"Good, then it's settled." Seihomaru pushed to his feet. "Now open that portal and let's see what we have discovered. I do miss your advice when you randomly spurt out comments on situations."
Taizo snorted. 'Very well. Go wake and I will open the portal.'
Seihomaru walked over to the spot he usually did and closed his eyes. Once again he was back in his office and he sighed. He walked back down into the room below his office and glanced around at the occupants. There were only three new youkai present minus Heisuke and Akinari who had traveled with Kazuhisa and Kiyohira to the island. Nodding his head in greeting he walked around the large stone slab that sat in the middle of the room and leaned against the back wall. Saza glanced at him and then closed the stone door to ensure privacy.
"So what have we discovered?" Seihomaru glanced around at those who were present.
Nii stepped forward. "First things first. I know this is not at all relevant, but this came to light yesterday. This is Kai, and his parents Chiharu and Hinata."
Hinata stepped forward. "I don't understand all that happened. Just that Nii requested to bring Kai with us when everyone returned."
Seihomaru glanced at his friend curiously. 'Is the link open?'
'It is.'
'I discovered that Kai is another like me. An eclipse youkai.' Nii explained.
Seihomaru pushed away from the wall with a look of shock on his face. 'You're kidding?'
Nii shook his head.
Saza furrowed his brows and assumed that whatever caused Seihomaru's reaction was something Nii had told him via their link. The reaction was enough to cause many around the room to glance at one another.
Nii cleared his throat. "Kai had only arrived with his mother and his father wanted to show his son's combat experience. I was about to call a halt on the demonstration when Kai vanished."
Kai shuffled his feet at the attention he was getting, uncomfortably.
"I found him in the shadow realm."
Kazuhisa frowned. "That would mean he is an eclipse youkai, like you."
Kiyohira shared a look with Heisuke and Kazuhisa. "Wouldn't that make his parents or at least one of them also an eclipse youkai?"
Nii shook his head. "Despite all this, Kai houses a new youki within. For what purpose a new youki was given, especially to one as young as he is, it has been done."
Kiyohira nodded. "This is important. When we were on the island, we discovered a few things. One that there are three eclipse youkai alive. One of them houses a youki that was hosted by a shadow youkai. We spoke with the islands goddess and she informed us that this shadow youkai-"
"The Enenra," Kazuhisa muttered.
"Yes, The Enenra was the one who released the darkness from within the shadow realm. Only he can locate this being."
"That would mean that this Enenra is an eclipse youkai." Nii frowned.
"He was, until he passed the barriers that apparently is there."
'He is talking about the spirit realm.' Shuzo gasped.
"The spirit realm." Nii snarled softly.
"From what this goddess told us, the Enenra passed the barriers, his youki was unable to follow and got lost within the shadow realm. The Enenra found a spirit wherever he was and in doing so released this dark shadow creature." Kiyohira continued.
Kazuhisa nodded. "Whatever memory that the Enenra had was wiped out and the gods intervened giving his former youki to another. One of the three eclipse youkai alive now."
Seihomaru narrowed his eyes. "And the darkness that was on the island?"
"It is no longer contained there. The twins beat us to the island and took whatever had attached itself to the goddess. That is why the island was cast into darkness in the first place." Kazuhisa said.
"When the twins took that shade the goddess was released and is now currently trying to fix the damage that had been done." Kiyohira continued.
"Apparently the inuyoukai who had been cursed by this shade were actually just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Heisuke shook his head. "They had gone up the mountain to stop the shade but were instead cursed much like the goddess."
"And the twins were aware of all this?" Seihomaru growled narrowing his eyes.
"They also had been touched by this shadow creature, this is why they are the way they are now. It has blackened their hearts." Heisuke said.
"This Enenra is able to locate this shade?" Seihomaru glanced at those who had gone to the island.
"According to the goddess, if the Enenra is still alive, he resides in the Northern Provinces. I know the area so I can send word to Hiromoto-Sama and let him know where my travels will take me next." Heisuke offered.
Kiyohira stepped forward. "This shade is ten times more dangerous than the twins are, from what the goddess told us. If the twins get their hands on this shade it will be literally impossible to defeat them."
Seihomaru nodded his head. "How many parts were there?"
Heisuke glanced at Akinari. "I think she said three, the twins have two parts."
"If there were three, then what was that that attacked me and my youki in my pools?"
'Maybe it was a fragment of what was left that the twins did not take?' Taizo supplied, having heard everything. 'It wasn't all that powerful, but it was angry and determined to attach itself to either you or me.'
'Quite possibly, it wasn't the kind of power the twins wanted, so they discarded it.' Shuzo growled.
Seihomaru furrowed his brow and his mouth turned downward. He lifted his head and glanced at Traylaymaru. "What did you find out about what is going on on the mainland?"
The dark-haired youkai wrinkled his nose and pulled out a ton of scrolls from his pack. "From what is happening in Tottori right now, a human force is headed here from Wa with an allegiance from youkai from that country. Humans here have started recruiting men and children for an army, not giving anyone an option to decline. According to what we have heard the humans want to start making their own allegiance with the youkai in this country."
Saza scoffed. "They only want the assistance of youkai so that we can fight their little war for them. They don't want any allegiance."
Kazuhisa nodded his head in agreement. "It happened once before. Then the humans started turning on the youkai and started killing them."
"Well they haven't asked any of us for assistance. So for now we leave the humans to their own devices. We have enough on our plate right now." Seihomaru looked at Nii. "What plans do you have for Kai?"
"I want to train him alongside Kiya." Nii nodded his head to the young guard he was currently training.
"That acceptable to you?" Seihomaru turned his gaze to Kai's parents.
"What other choice do we have?" Chiharu grumbled.
"None." Seihomaru growled out. "As for what we discovered. The western province is massive. It not only spans from one ocean but to the one close to the islands. The west also included the islands Monogachi ruled over. There is a youkai village that the twins visited and put a warrant out for our heads." He looked at Nii. "Remember our little friend from the Hanyou village?"
Nii snorted. "Which one?"
"The little lavender haired-youkai." Seihomaru grinned.
"Oh, I remember."
"His father resides there. Quite the bunch of tyrants. I also met our little friend from the hanyou village, the one you saw that was similar to you."
"You mean the father and son who were able to step through the shadows?" Nii lifted his brow.
"That one. Nuraraiko and his son Nurarihyon. Interesting youkai." Seihomaru grinned.
They continued on with their discussions for several hours when the sun finally set casting everything into darkness within the chamber. The little light that did filter in vanished and Nii lit a torch that hung on the wall beside him. "I think that pretty much covers everything?" Seihomaru muttered, his eyes lifting to the small window behind him.
"We still haven't discussed what we are going to do about the twins." Heisuke frowned.
"Nothing. At least for right now. I do want you to go find this Enenra and speak with him. We also need to find the third eclipse youkai. If this news was readily available to us, the twins might already be aware of this and are in search of him or her."
"Them having this ability to absorb youki and them facing against an eclipse youkai, will be devastating. We need to prevent them from gaining any ability that an eclipse youkai would have." Nii confirmed. "Not to mention keeping them from the Enenra and that last piece of shadow remaining. Who knows what that kind of power that would result in."
"Can you imagine if they were all combined?" Saza whistled low.
"Let's try to prevent that, shall we?" Seihomaru growled out. "It has been a long few days. Go rest up. I need to record all the information we have found, so I will be busy in my study for a couple days."
The youkai began filtering out of the room and up the stairs. Only Saza, Nii and Kazuhisa remained.
"Would you like to increase the amount on watch, just in case?" Saza asked.
Seihomaru nodded his head. "Not by a large amount, Maybe by two per watch." He looked at Kazuhisa. "I would like it if you went with Heisuke to speak with the Enenra."
"I will make arrangements with him." Kazuhisa gripped his friend's hand and exited the room silently.
Nii chuckled as soon as Saza left. "You would think that with how large they are they would make more noise than they do."
Seihomaru smirked having only heard the rustling of cloth but nothing else. He glanced at Nii. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?"
Nii shook his head. "I will go start making my preparations to train Kai. Due to him having a new youki leaving him on his own might prove to be fatal."
"Keep me up to date on how it goes. If you have any concerns, let me know."
Nii waved his hand and climbed the stairs leaving him alone in the dimly lit room. He furrowed his brow as he looked around, a sense of dread and death coming at him. Gulping, his eyes took in the massive room with nothing but a few chairs and a large stone table where he stood. Besides that, there was nothing inside. The flickering of the torchlight caused the shadows to dance and his mouth turned downward.
Narrowing his eyes as he glanced around the chamber the shadows seemed to reach out for him and his reality seemed to become a waking dream as his eyes saw ghost images of many more stone platforms lined up against the walls and sitting close together in the middle. Furrowing his brow as he looked around he saw faint white forms laying on those stones. Hissing through his teeth as his eyes drifted through the emptiness, catching faint hints of people almost in a death-like state and not a soul moving within the room. Dust sat on the platforms as the images wavered and vanished, leaving him once again alone in the dim light.
He clenched his eyes shut and shook his head trying to dislodge those images from his mind.
'That was interesting.' Taizo muttered quietly.
'What does it mean?' Seihomaru whispered, looking around the room again.
'I am uncertain. A warning if your trees reaction is any indication.' Taizo growled.
'A warning of what though? I couldn't make out what it was.' He shuddered.
Narrowing his eyes again, he glanced around the room one last time before he grabbed the torch and walked up the stairs. Once in his office, he sat down at his desk and pulled out a few parchments of rice paper and opened his inkwell lost in thought. His eyes drifted over the shelves that were slowly filling up with the histories that had been brought back from the island and his own written records of events leading up to this point. In a chest under the shelving was a chest of his personal records of those dreams, night terrors and thoughts.
With a sigh, he lifted his writing tool and began documenting everything he had discovered with the help of Taizo who leaned over to watch. 'Are you going to write what you saw below?'
Seihomaru nodded his head and frowned again. 'Did you see that large white thing embedded in the wall?'
'I did.'
'Any idea what it was?'
'It looked like a large claw.' Taizo turned his head to peer at Seihomaru.
Seihomaru humphed but rather than argue he wrote that piece of information down on a separate scroll and once he was finished rolled it up tightly so he could place it along with the others that sat in the chest. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that it was a few days before he wrapped the last scroll tightly and sealed it with wax from the candle that had almost burnt out to nothing. He would need to talk to Sanae about acquiring more so he could restock his office with light. It was night when he finished and he blew out the candle once he had stored his items.
Loud laughter erupted from below in the barracks and he stretched peering out the window. He was tired and with a sigh, he walked out his office silently following the halls more on impulse rather than paying attention to where he was going. Seihomaru slid open his doors and entered his chambers his mind a thousand miles away and he unclamped his armor allowing it to fall to the ground. Wrapping a long kimono around him he crawled under the thin sheet over his futon and closed his eyes.
Taizo peered at Seihomaru as he sighed and slipped into a deep sleep. With a faint smile, he glanced around the room. Seihomaru was so exhausted he wouldn't enter the pools so he was free to explore his hosts chambers. It was simply furnished with one shelf against the wall lined with fresh sheets and a few kimonos. The lower shelf had hakama and beside it a couple of haori of various colors. The armor was discarded on the floor rather than on the wooden structure that had been built to hold it and the swords from Kazuki were placed neatly on a small table. The stand to hold them had yet to be finished and Taizo glanced down at the three weapons.
With a slight smile he reached out to touch them but his fingers drifted through them and he sighed. Grunting, Taizo turned away from the three familiar weapons and watched Seihomaru breath. There was no stress from the pups sleep so his dreams were not haunted as so many have been. Whatever the twins had done to the boy had caused him to rarely sleep and it was concerning. It was almost as though Seihomaru feared sleep because most of his dreams were hauntings of events to come. Whether they were true or not, even Taizo had no idea.
'I wish you could give me advice.' Taizo whispered to no one in particular, his mind focused on his former host, the pups father. Even youki needed advice from time to time, not having all the knowledge in the world. Even despite how old he was he still had so much to learn. Not once had he ever had a host who could see fragments of their future.
Sliding down the wall, Taizo placed his arms on his knees watching his host breathe slowly. Before he could do anything his eyes caught a faint shimmering in the shadows and he lifted his gaze. Smirking, he stared intently at the one who arrived. 'A little far from your host are you not?'
'How far do you think he is?' Shuzo snorted. He motioned his hand to just outside the room.
'Did he not have tasks he wished to complete?' Taizo remained sitting against the wall.
'He decided to keep watch. It has been almost a full week.' Shuzo crouched down and stared into Taizo's eyes.
Taizo nodded. 'So what brings you here?'
'I came to investigate.' Shuzo moved to sit next to the ancient youki.
Taizo blinked at him. 'Oh?'
Shuzo stared at the door where Nii was just outside. 'Feeling things from him is enough, but when I get a flood of it from you when this whole thing is so new it arises my curiosity.'
'He doesn't feel it?'
Shuzo shook his head.
Taizo nodded relieved. 'My host has random things that are shown to him and I try to process what they are.'
Shuzo nodded.
'How is this new eclipse youkai?' Taizo questioned.
'He is doing alright. Afraid of the dark as most are when they are exposed to it.' Shuzo snorted. 'His youki is a quick study but I do not like being so close to him.'
Taizo furrowed his brow. 'Concerns?'
Shuzo nodded. 'Much like when you became aware of being a youki and that sense of envy and jealousy almost overwhelms all reason.'
'So it wants life?'
'It does not understand its role. It doesn't comprehend why it is a spirit and not alive like the pup.'
Taizo nodded his head remembering his own thoughts when he had first been informed of what he was. Unlike Kai's youki though, he had known exactly what he was and not left to discover it on his own. 'Will it attempt to take over the pup's life?'
Shuzo sighed and glanced at the only youki besides those of his host's mates he had ever been in contact with. 'You know the repercussions of that.'
Taizo snorted and nodded. 'It will not go well if the youki attempts it. Have you informed him of such?'
'I have. Although it does not appear to care.' Shuzo grunted. 'It will either listen or not, but that is not for us to intervene.'
'So long as our hosts are safe.' Taizo frowned his eyes drifting over to Seihomaru's sleeping form. 'He saw something below when the meeting was finished.'
Shuzo lifted a brow and glanced at the silver-haired youki beside him. 'I take it this is where all the emotions are emitting from?'
Taizo nodded. 'I saw more than the pup and I do not like what I saw.'
'Can you say?' Shuzo asked knowing that this whole communication thing was new even to this ancient youki.
'Remember the warning we got about this endless sleep?' Taizo glanced at his hands.
'I do.'
'He saw the repercussions of that.'
'So he faces the twins?' Shuzo breathed.
'Eventually, he has to. He will find no peace otherwise.' Taizo looked at Shuzo. 'The aftermath is not good.'
'Death?'
'Unknown.'
Shuzo closed his eyes. The thought of his host being caught in this thing the twin's release caused him great heartache and he groaned softly. 'Can we do anything?'
Taizo frowned knowing exactly what Shuzo was thinking. He knew the sense of loss and despair at the inability to do nothing. 'Do our best to prevent them from confronting the two girls.'
Shuzo rolled his eyes. 'Like that will ever happen. Our hosts are young and reckless.'
'We need to discover just what it is we can do and unlock.' Taizo grinned. 'I am rather excited to discover new things.'
Shuzo snorted. 'You never tried anything prior to this host?'
Taizo shook his head. 'Never had the freedom to do so before. Apparently it isn't something we are forbidden to do,however, otherwise we would have suffered the consequences already.'
'Indeed.' Shuzo peered at Taizo intently. Sure they had seen one another before, and yet he could definitely tell that Taizo was taking on more of Seihomaru's appearance now. Kazuki's was slowly fading away. 'Kazuki is fading.'
Taizo nodded his head slowly. 'I suffer the same sense of sadness when it happens.'
Shuzo nodded his head, the memories there for him of his former hosts. 'Have you recalled anything from your life before this?'
Taizo gazed at the door. 'Only an image of a long white table and laughter. A remarkable woman there standing over me.'
'Her beauty is astounding.'
'You have seen it too then.' Taizo snorted.
'The same image.' Shuzo nodded. 'That is all I remember.'
'Same.' Taizo rolled his eyes. 'What abilities does Nii have available to him?'
'Lots. The one I wanted him to train though was stolen at the hanyou village.' Shuzo grunted giving a shudder at the memory of immense pain he had experienced.
'What was it?' Taizo furrowed his brow.
'It was a rift. The ability for him to send his enemies directly to death and darkness.' Shuzo wrinkled his nose. 'It is no longer available, however.'
'Unfortunate. Might have been useful against the twins.'
'Unless it was the twins who took it.'
'We would have sensed it.'
'Only if it were them physically who took it. They are able to infuse abilities with others.'
Taizo looked at Shuzo. 'So are they able to steal only youki with those abilities attached? Or can they take only the abilities?'
'Appears they can take either or.'
'Certainly not beneficial.'
Seihomaru shifted on his bedroll and snorted into the fluffy pillow which caused both youki to glance in his direction. Taizo wriggled his nose once he was satisfied that his host was not waking and then he snickered softly. Shuzo rolled his eyes and shook his head. 'He is sleeping soundly.'
Taizo smirked. 'He went to near exhaustion with his exploration and his determination to document everything before he forgot. Almost as though he expects I will forget also.'
'Have you ever forgotten anything?' Shuzo muttered quietly listening to the sounds of his host outside the door.
'If I have, I can't remember.' Taizo chuckled.
'Jackass.' Shuzo snorted.
The door slid open slightly and Nii poked his head into the room making sure everything was as it should be and both youki held their breaths as though trying not to get caught. Even though they were not visible to any of their hosts they still reacted as though getting caught red-handed at something.
Shuzo bit his lip and shared a look with Taizo.
Nii entered the room and furrowed his brow glancing around the room. 'I feel you here, Shuzo.'
Shuzo snorted loudly. Taizo nodded his head to inform him that the communication was open. 'I am.'
"What are you doing?" Nii hissed softly.
'Sitting here with Taizo.'
Nii lifted his brow looking around the room. His eyes landed on him then when both youki materialized into view. Taizo looked up and smirked. 'Hello, Nii.'
Nii inclined his head. 'Being so sneaky.'
Shuzo and Taizo shared a glance and snickered. 'We are mulling over the events that have happened.' Taizo shrugged.
Nii bent down to their level and stared at them. 'And what have you discovered?'
They all froze when Seihomaru sat up and glared in their direction. "You are being so loud." He accused them.
Nii stood up and heaved a sigh. "Sorry."
Seihomaru rubbed his eyes. "Why are you all here?"
"I was keeping watch, and came to find my youki who decided to sneak in here."
'I didn't sneak.' Shuzo protested. 'Besides, you were the one making all the racket.'
Nii rolled his eyes.
Seihomaru narrowed his eyes at them. "You keep bitching about my lack of sleep but here you all are interrupting that sleep. Why aren't you with Hana?"
Nii blushed. "I saw her last night. It's my watch."
"So you decided to watch me sleep?"
"I was outside." Nii protested his finger pointing to the sliding door, a bashful look on his face.
Seihomaru snorted. "But you are inside my room."
Taizo chuckled. 'Go back to sleep Seiho. Let Shuzo and Nazahi go about their business.'
Nii narrowed his eyes at Taizo. 'It's Nii!'
Shuzo released the laughter he had been holding in. Seihomaru released a loud groan and flopped back onto the futon. 'I wanna sleep!'
Taizo snickered and watched Shuzo and Nii exit the chambers with smiles on their faces. Seihomaru's head lifted slightly once the sliding door closed and sighed allowing his head to fall back onto the soft feather pillow. He curled up into a ball and snarled as though daring anyone to interrupt him again.
'Get as much sleep as you can now, Seiho. For once you have pups, whatever sleep you wish to get will be but a faded memory.' Taizo chuckled earning himself a glare as Seihomaru's golden eyes opened slightly and then closed.
Taizo stood up and made his way to the door. Slipping through the thin wooden frame he glanced at Nii and Shuzo who were just outside. Nii was currently sitting on the small stool that he had placed against the wall and Shuzo was next to him leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
Taizo looked over the two of them, neither noticing his presence and he pondered this new connection they had. Never really thinking about it too much, he was somewhat surprised that the gods had not intervened and prevented full communication between the two youki. It was actually nice being able to talk with another of his own kind about things. Being able to speak with your host was fine, but there were certain things that needed to be withheld so they grew to their fullest potential. Having another youki to communicate with who was familiar with the growing process was a relief.
Strolling over to Nii and Shuzo, Taizo saw the resemblance between the two, but he also saw the vast differences. Shuzo held many more heritage markings, signifying his experience and abilities which Nii would eventually adopt. Shuzo was young, but not so young as to not know what life as a youkai was like. The fact that his hosts had much shorter lives must have put the youki on higher alert than any other youki, he was more reserved and cautious and Nii seemed to have adopted that from his youki.
Even despite the fact Nii was jovial and seemingly carefree, he took his job very seriously. He was watchful, and extremely deadly. Taizo could see the abilities from Shuzo as he had always been able to discern just what a youki could give to his host, yet some were hidden below the surface, quite possibly due to Shuzo never having a host live long enough to learn those abilities.
Despite his short visit to the shadows he had been so intrigued he had taken in everything. He had seen the long tendrils lurking in the darkness, great wandering beasts filled with void energy, and he had even seen a much larger canine than the one he had witnessed when Hana had gone missing. It stood as tall as he when released into his true form and he smiled. Shuzo was a frightening force and definitely not one to be trifled with. Despite his great destructive power of riddling any around him with blinding painful wounds, his heart was pure and filled with patience and wisdom.
Shuzo held this carefree air about him that seemed to seep into Nii's personality and yet always played the tough and cranky cynical teacher. Chuckling softly to himself, he peered into Shuzo's lavender eyes and they lifted almost instantly, widening in surprise. Shuzo gasped and moved his head back as soon as Taizo materialized into view, his nose only inches away from his own. 'Gods, how did you sneak up on me?'
'Carefully?' Taizo smirked.
Shuzo snorted. 'And here I thought that was Nii's job.'
Taizo grinned widely. 'Consider it payback for all the times your host has snuck up on mine.' He closed one eye and peered at Nii's youki.
Shuzo grinned. 'So what brings you out here, seeing as we only left a few minutes ago?'
Taizo sighed and leaned against the wall glancing at his host's door. 'I got bored. Too many thoughts and memories within the room.' He shrugged.
Shuzo nodded his head. 'How is your host doing with those memories?'
'He hasn't thought much about it. This whole ordeal with the twins being his main focus right now. He does want to go visit Kazuki's grave.' Taizo lowered his eyes to the ground with a frown, his heart giving a faint twinge at the thought of his former host.
Shuzo lifted one of his brows in response. 'Oh? That is unusual.'
'Not really, I think he is doing it because of me. Neither of us got to say goodbye.'
'Were you not there to send him off with his ancestors?' Shuzo furrowed his brows confused.
Taizo shook his head. 'The portal had opened, but he gave me to Seihomaru before I could guide him through. I didn't get to see his passing.'
Shuzo saw the emotions play across Taizo's face and he sighed. He was all too familiar at the grief and despair one felt watching your host pass on to the underworld while the spirit remained. But he had never not seen one of his hosts pass through the portal. He couldn't imagine how that would affect him. When you sent your host off with their ancestors most of that grief drifted with them rather than remain, the fact that Taizo was unable to do such a thing must have been devastating. 'Your emotions must be in turmoil.' He muttered quietly, his eyes moving to where Nii sat sharpening the many daggers he pulled out of various places.
Taizo nodded. 'The fact that I formed an emotional bond with him so close to his passing is difficult to process. He was the only host I made such a bond with.' His eyes drifted to Nii and he snorted as Nii pulled out yet another dagger. 'Where the hell does he hide all those?'
Shuzo gave a lopsided grin. 'Most are floating around the shadows in a pocket he calls it.' He shrugged. 'It really is only a small bubble in the shadow realm that he can reach into at any time.'
Taizo shook his head in amazement. 'Fascinating. Your host is intriguing.'
'Probably the most intelligent one out of all the ones I have had.'
Taizo smirked. 'He finally answered the call and mated Hana.' His eyes fell onto the pale markings left behind by her youki.
Shuzo grinned widely. 'Finally. I never tire of those feelings.'
Taizo grunted. 'Your desires sated?'
'For now, difficult with that little minx though. The fact that I had met her youki before certainly doesn't help matters.' Shuzo snickered.
Taizo nodded his eyes moving to Shuzo. Before he could comment again he heard a loud purring and he lifted his brow glancing around. Shuzo snickered and bent down just as the kitten popped out of thin air right at his feet. She jumped into his arms letting loose various meows and murring as she made herself comfortable in Shuzo's arms.
For whatever reason behind the kitten adopting Nii and Shuzo, she seemed quite content with being in the company of canines. Taizo rolled his eyes.
'So another six months and Hiromoto will return with his daughter.' Shuzo grinned, his claws raking through the kittens fur.
Taizo nodded his head. Then with a wide grin he turned to face Shuzo. 'I had almost forgotten. Not entirely, but time swept by quickly.'
'It does that.'
'So is Hana wanting pups?'
Shuzo nodded his head. 'It will come when they are both ready. Seeing as spring is right around the corner, she will hit her mating heat and Nii will either answer the call or he will vanish for a few days until it passes.'
Taizo smirked.
Nii's head lifted quickly just as Taizo furrowed his brow and then whirled around. Seihomaru's youki disappeared and Nii stood up walking to the door. Shuzo frowned. 'What's up?'
Nii glanced over his shoulder and shook his head sliding the door open slightly to peer into the darkroom. 'I'm not sure, but I felt something.'
'Taizo did too, he left rather quickly.'
Nii nodded his head and slipped into the room quietly, his eyes on Seihomaru who tossed restlessly on the futon. The thin cover was kicked off and his head tossed from side to side. Quiet snarls and growls escaped his mouth and his hands gripped the sheet clenching it tightly as though holding something.
Shuzo peered over his host's shoulder frowning in concern. 'I wonder what his dream is about.' He muttered quietly. 'Your dreams never get like that.'
'I am not certain that is a dream. Or at least not one that is good.' Nii said.
Just as the thought left his mind Seihomaru bolted upright gasping and breathing heavily. Taizo appeared in front of him kneeling and holding his shoulders. 'Easy. Breath.'
Shuzo and Nii shared a look before Seihomaru's eyes turned to them. "We need to find the Enenra, now!" He heaved out.
"What's up?"
Seihomaru furrowed his brow and pushed to his feet quickly pulling on some hakama and a haori. "I am not sure how to describe what I saw." He said tying an obi around his waist.
Taizo stood. 'I can show them.'
Seihomaru lifted a brow. "How?"
Taizo's eyes fell onto Shuzo's briefly and Nii's youki narrowed his eyes.
Nii stepped forward. "What if you allow Taizo to merge with you and do what he did when he sought the memories of Kazuki?" He could feel the anxiety rise in Shuzo and Taizo but they both nodded.
Seihomaru closed his eyes as he felt Taizo raise his energy and before he knew it he was once again in the background watching everything unfold while Taizo maneuvered his body. Taizo approached Nii and placed his fingers on the shadow walkers' temples and he stared deep into the honey-colored eyes. "You only need to breathe and relax. The images will be sporadic and unnerving, but remember to breathe."
Nii nodded and shuddered at the deep guttural voice. Closing his eyes, he allowed the images to flood his mind and he released a strangled gasp at what he saw. Shuzo released a low growl as those images also appeared to him through Nii. Gulping, but remembering to keep his breathing even Nii almost stumbled when Taizo finally released him. "Seven Hells! What the hell was that?" He snarled.
