Chapter 23 - The Return: Heartfelt Reunion
Deep in the forest, there is a quiet loll during the winter months. All living things are peacefully sleeping, nested in their cozy dens, awaiting the day that begins on a crisp note, but slowly eases into a soft warmth as the sun finally greets the world.
That day was not far off, but this particular morning was still tranquil as Sesshoumaru and Tsukiakari swirled into a clearing, kicking up trace amounts of powdered snow left from the previous night.
"Are you sure that you do not wish to learn the trick?" she asked. "Teleportation is not particularly hard to get a handle on."
"I have no wish to become a magic user, a spell caster, like my mother," Sesshoumaru replied. "The bite of cold steel is all I require."
Tsukiakari smiled. "Yes, that is your way, isn't it?" Looking around her smile widened, but also saddened.
"I am grateful that the land is healing."
And it was. In the aftermath of Kan's attack with the twins, massive swathes of land had been obliterated, reduced into a thick layer of ash and cinders. Just over a year later and with spring on the way, the teeniest, tiniest signs of life were edging their way through - small peeks of green against a monotone landscape.
The forest was healing. Their rag tag group had long since healed of their injuries. Now, even he was taking the steps to heal his heart: bidding Rin a final farewell.
A few minutes later, the pair arrived at the base of a mountain, with cragged rocks and jagged outcroppings.
"May I join you?" her question jolted him out of his thoughts. After a beat, he gave her a subtle nod.
They made their way up the cliff face until they landed in front of a cave closed off with a very large stone. Sesshoumaru paused, hesitated, although he did not know why. Tsukiakari patiently waited a few paces behind him.
What started with one footstep, turned into two, then three, as he reverently walked up to the boulder over the entrance. Slowly and gracefully, he lowered onto one knee and placed his hand upon the cold stone.
What now? Where did he begin?
I am sorry that I would not visit you before today.
I am sorry that I could not protect you from the dangers of the world.
I am sorry that I have not kept my promise.
Somehow, all of these apologies rang hollow in his mind and so he kept his mouth closed against the empty offerings that he had available.
There was the gentle swish and sigh as Tsukiakari settled on the ground next to him. "Hello, Rin-san."
Her words cut through the heavy silence and jolted Sesshoumaru as though he had received an electrical charge.
"It has been a while, but I hope you would forgive us for the transgression, for it has been a very busy year. I believe it is what you would have wanted us to do."
None of her words were wrong, so he closed his eyes and listened.
"Rin-san, I only knew you for a short period of time, but I can say you have had a monumental effect. The actions you took and the words that you spoke have led us to where we are today."
A wind picked up, blowing the loose ends of her hair lazily up into the air and making strands of his ponytail sway. Visions of their time together floated behind his eyelids:
A girl in threadbare rags dropping flowers at his feet as he lay curled against a tree in a sunny forest.
A growing child in a tangerine and cream kimono cheerfully tagging along in his shadow, calling his name with sweet and complete devotion.
A developing maiden in rough and tumble robes questioning the world and maturing just out of his eyesight.
A young woman in armor doing her best to walk by his side, learning the harshness of reality.
He opened his eyes as Tsukiakari continued. "I am immensely grateful to you, Rin-san. You have inspired change in all of us, for the better." She also opened her eyes to look over at him.
"Yes, we have changed," he agreed. More than that, he could not acknowledge, not even now.
Something in his tone must have given him away because her smile disappeared. She removed her hand from the stone and turned towards him. "You do not need to go through with it. I am immeasurably happy that you have agreed to this marriage, but we do not need to have this wedding if you no longer desire it."
He also dropped his hand to his side. "What would we do about your mother? The plans hinge on our union. I am committed to this plan." His expression softened slightly. "I am committed to the future, our future."
His hand reached out for hers. "I have broken promises before," he said with a glance back at Rin's grave, "and I told myself that would be the last."
She joined her hand in his. "Then let it be so." Raising her free hand, she gently placed it once more on the stone. "Rin-san, please be at peace, we will both do our best to do what you would have wished."
He mirrored her action. It took him a minute to force his mouth to work, but then he was able to utter the words that had taken him over a year to say aloud: "Thank you, Rin. Sayonara."
Minutes passed in calm silence and then both of them stood in unison. Tsukiakari took the lead in their exit by a few steps. "What a long way we've come. Why, I can still recall when you viewed me as a tool to use in your revenge schemes."
"How do you know that I don't still?"
She threw a knowing look back at him. "I can tell, Sesshomaru-sama."
A term that would have burned a year ago, would have stung months ago, would have twinged weeks ago, now had no lasting consequence on his heart.
"You are right. There is no one in the world I can trust as much nor anyone who could make a better partner in my schemes."
His sincerity and frankness flabbergasted her. Her delicate mouth actually dropped open in surprise for a split second before she regained her composure. True, he had become more vocal in the year since Rin's passing, but praise, even if rightfully deserved, did not come frequently from him.
She prepared to give him a comment, but he was now frozen, a dark glower across his face.
Tsukiakari was at his side in an instant, hand on his shoulder. "What is it? Where do you need to go?"
Fury like he had not known in over a year surfaced as he growled. "The sword is back." With a stabilizing breath he held out his arm and concentrated. The blood lust was strong, there was no mistaking Ryuushin. He called out to the sword, but someone else's call was stronger. The blade stayed the course.
He angrily pointed to the path, sweeping across their horizon.
Tsukiakari's eyes followed his finger and nodded. "The closest I can get us is Inuyasha-san's village, but we should be able to pick up the trail from there." With a whirl of wind they disappeared.
Rin continued every effort to stop the progression of the sword, but her muscles, having far exceeded complaining, were beginning to fail her in their exhaustion. Yami was also beginning to chirp warnings that she would likely pass out soon.
After her initial defiance towards her old foes, she rationally concluded that perhaps a show down without any prior knowledge was not necessarily a good strategic choice and had resumed her attempts to delay the sword's commute. Yet, she was finding that there was little she could aside from hold on.
Then she spotted a pair of trees, thick from years of life, coming straight towards her. With her remaining strength, she angled her body and braced for impact.
She slammed into the trunks, but managed to twist the sword lengthwise, effectively trapping it between the two trees like a bar used to block a door. The two elderly trees groaned under the strain, but held. Rin carefully eased her grip on the sword and discovered the blade did not move.
"Thank goodness," she sighed heavily as she slid to the ground.
That's when she heard the slide of metal against wood and saw the glint of a blade by her ear.
"Speak."
A hundred different dimensions, a thousand different times, a million different destinies would not have let her forget that voice, that tone. Her own words locked in her throat as her mind cried out, Sesshomaru-sama!
Her eyes widened as Tsukiakari came into her vision, her long fingers weaving intricate symbols, her honeyed tone speaking in hushed volumes. A white ethereal fog settled around the sword and it fell to the ground.
"What did you do?" Rin found herself asking.
Tsukiakari looked back over Rin's head with a question in her eyes, nodded, and then held her hands over the obscured weapon, which drifted upwards until it floated a few inches below her hands.
"Your name and your purpose." Bakusaiga pressed against her collar, pushing into her armor under her clothing.
His voice captured her again and pinned her down, still in shock. Whatever choice she made about seeing her friends again to say good-bye, every ounce of her body was telling her that she should not be here that this was one meeting that should not be happening. Flee!
There was no way to tell what expression was on his face. Rin calculated her odds at getting away. Get the sword and get out of here!
"You work for Inukojo?" The name was filled with venom.
Ah. He had noticed the uniform.
"Why do you have Ryuushin?" This phrase had more poison than the last.
Of course he would have recognized the damn sword.
Based on her calculations: there was no chance of her getting away without speaking, but there was a possibility she could pass off as someone else. The threads of a story were coming together, weaving a tale that might just let her leave.
"Is this how the great lord of the western lands interrogates? Staring down a person's back like a coward?" Rin had forgotten that her voice had matured during her time in the afterlife and even she was surprised by how foreign it sounded using words that were not normally her own.
Bakusaiga withdrew. Tsukiakari took a few steps back. Rin was allowed onto her feet.
With as much control as she could muster, she turned around.
He was the same: golden eyes, shining silvery white hair, polished armor, a luxurious fur on his shoulder. The gold at his waist had been traded for black. Despite her concerns around being recognized and her fears of coming face to face with him, he was, at the end of the day, the man that she still loved with all her heart. She drank in his appearance, like a starving noble woman: trying to hide the starving urgency under good manners.
His eyes drifted to her waist and immediately turned red.
Rin schooled herself to keep her expression neutral while she tried to work out what happened. Then she remembered Tenseiga, which was strapped to her waist.
Curses. She screwed up.
Ryuushin disappeared from his senses.
Pian hissed slightly in annoyance. With his elevated powers, he had been able to sense the sword every step of the way. All he had to do was walk towards the energy with his hand out and he could feel it trying to come to him.
But now that feeling was gone. Completely obliterated, wiped off the face of the earth. But in its absence, the fainter signs of demonic energy flitted across his mind. Very familiar demonic energies.
He smiled. Now he had something new to track, something that was arguably much better than the dragon slaying sword.
With renewed mirth, he continued walking forward.
How could this happen? Sesshoumaru thought, enraged. He had only just finished saying his good-byes and yet this insolent bastard had the audacity to show up with not only Ryuushin, but also the precious Tenseiga that he had caringly bestowed to Rin. All while wearing the uniform of his aunt's damned army.
"Identify yourself," he snarled.
The figure was most likely female, although it was difficult to tell under the cloth and armor. The voice had been high enough for it. A long black ponytail, pointed ears, and unnaturally light eyes definitely marked this welp as youkai.
His opponent remained silent, body still, betraying no signs of emotion behind a mask that covered their lower face from nose to chin.
"Take off your mask," he barked.
Tsukiakari cautiously made her way over to his side, carrying with her the warded Ryuushin.
"No." The fighter's eyes darted between him and the red sword, as though trying to devise a plan.
Sesshoumaru moved to block her light of sight to the blade. "Where did you get those swords?"
Rin was beginning to panic. Every time she thought she had a grasp on a story that she could tell, his terse questioning tore it to shreds, along with her confidence. He would figure it out. He would know. What lies could she possibly tell?
Then a moment of clarity: did she need to lie?
The world froze for a second.
Maybe it would be okay. Maybe she could tell them. Afterall, it would be easier to complete the mission with their help. Maybe they hadn't moved on, maybe spending some time and saying goodbye would be better than leaving everything left unsaid. Maybe, just maybe, she could hope for a little more during the short time she had before her return.
In the silence that fell after his last question, Sessohumaru's suspicion spiked. Clearly this individual could not be trusted and was best dealt with quickly. Get back Tenseiga to its rightful place, graverobber!
He lunged forward with Bakusaiga raised, prepared to strike down his foe, who quickly whipped out Tenseiga to block the downward swing, bracing the backside of the blade with a firm grip.
A hard, short push forced him back a pace and the fighter resumed a neutral stance, sword at her side. She swung hard and he parried before responding with a few quick jabs that she was able to aptly doge.
His eyes narrowed as they continued to exchange blows. This person was experienced, perhaps with years, far beyond what he had seen in the standard soldier in his aunt's employ. A spy? An assassin? He found his annoyance mounting as the fighter managed to dance away from all his attacks.
Rin's eyes widened as she found herself able to keep up with every slash as the two finished a sequence of attacks and circled around each other. Sesshoumaru had been using a sword for centuries. Granted, he was not constantly practicing (at least not as far as she had been able to tell), but still.
For her to keep up with a swordsman of his caliber, just how long had she been away? Kohaku had been fairly certain that it had been only just over a year. That was not nearly enough time for her to suddenly keep up. Time did pass differently there: had she been away not for months, but years?
The pace increased and the blows intensified. Rin did find her breath becoming labored and began to hear the small twitterings of Yami. Fighting against blows with demonic speed and strength so soon after her ordeal trying to hold back to the sword was eating away at her energy reserves.
She broke from their current positioning to put some distance between them. She took a deep breath and recalled her bouts with Satsujimaro. This was the same. Keep calm. Afterall, what was the worst that could happen, she'd die? Again?
In the spirit of her newfound freedom, she grinned beneath her mask. I can keep up with Sesshomaru-sama. I can keep up! Her next offering was a few rapid up and down slashes, designed to put him on the defense, which did seem to throw him off. Then she followed with a few more jabs and whirled around to bring her blade bearing down on his.
As he braced his counter against her, she took stock of him. Still the same amber eyes, the purple cheek marks, the same unreadable countenance. Then she saw his stance - the footing was all wrong, at least compared with her usual spar partner. The words slipped out before she realized what she said:
"Who taught you to fight, Inutaisho?"
It was the usual jibe that she and Satsujimaro had made into their own private joke of sorts. The clan elder always felt his son-in-law had an inferior fighting style, one that was rough and primitive. Every time Rin improvised that was the comment she'd received. Once she started holding her own, she found it fun to spit it back at him.
But this was not Sesshoumaru's grandfather, it was Sesshoumaru. Rin was grateful for the mask to conceal her shocked expression.
Sessohumaru wheeled away and lowered his weapon. Who is this person who is skilled, but has the strangest modes of expression? Who also wielded Tenseiga and carried Ryuushin?
"Who do you work for?" He asked, keeping Bakusaiga at the ready, but no longer in attack position. He expected more silence.
To his surprise, the fighter responded. "Inukimi tasked me with hunting down and killing the demons that summoned those dragons a year ago."
His mother? "Why?"
The fighter also lowered her sword and seemed to contemplate her next sentence.
Tsukiakari came around, keeping Ryuushin close in the bubble. "Please," she beseeched. "We have no qualm against your mission, we just seek to understand." She gestured to the sword. "This blade took the life of one very dear to us and we cannot let its malevolence roam." With a quick glance back at Sesshoumaru, she returned her gaze forward.
"Those monsters of which you speak have taken much from us, from all of us. And there is more to come. If we let you go with Ryuushin, it may destroy our hopes for the future."
Rin blinked. Hold on a second… There was something in the noble lady's tone, her eye contact that brought the sinking feeling back to Rin's stomach.
She re-assessed the situation. The inu youkai pair were out here together. In matching kimono with duplicate red embroidery on the sleeves. Twin black sashes at their waists. Her eyes drifted upward and confirmed what she knew along.
Golden crescents on their brows. Not purple, but gold, lightly glowing. Rin's heart dropped through the floor. They're engaged.
But of course they were. She could easily remember conversations with Tsukiakari where they joked about being rivals for the affections of a man who did not know how to love. In the time she was away, apparently he had found his true calling.
A second ago, she was convinced that she could reveal everything to them, but now she was certain. No dragging anyone through the mud, no tearing open past wounds that had long since healed. Keep it simple, keep it secret.
After the barest of shuddering breaths, she responded. "Inukimi told me that there was a job left undone, that needed to be handled expertly and at pace. Otherwise, the dragons would not be stopped and the terror that ravaged these lands would return. She requested my aid in making sure the business was actually finished this time."
The words stung to say, but she needed to play the part. Make them believe she was a mercenary for hire, get back the sword (if she could), kill the remaining brother, and then return to the afterlife.
"Hand over Tenseiga." The order was no longer through clenched teeth, but it still carried the threat of bloodshed.
Rin frowned, but kept up the act. "No. Inukimi gave me this sword and Ryuushin. I can't possibly hand them over to you, whoever you are." She moved towards Tsukiakari.
Sesshoumaru once again stepped between them, positioning himself to block the fighter's path to the sword.
The fighter threw up her hands. "What, do you think this is a trap? You're going to need to make up your own damn mind on that front, but I am telling you that I need that sword and you need to let me be on my way."
She made to move around him, but he caught her across the shoulders, freezing her in place. He could feel well honed muscles, but she didn't make any move to resist. This was a talented fighter, someone who was dedicated to her mission (or her deception). Even if he kept the swords, he couldn't let her go: she was too dangerous. But, if purposed correctly, she could be a valuable asset.
He flashed a look to Tsukiakari, who took a few steps back.
"I have a proposal." The fighter was still locked in position. "I cannot let Ryuushin out of my sight, just as I am loathe to let Tenseiga loose. I will permit you to travel with us. We will offer our support, you can bear chief responsibility over the swords, and we will pool our resources to complete the mission. For we are after the same enemy afterall."
The fighter flashed her crystal honey eyes at him with alarm, warning, or threat - it was impossible to tell. Then she gave him a slow, solemn nod. He relinquished his hold and she stepped back, hand firmly around the hilt of Tenseiga.
"Where is the sheath?" he gestured to her waist, which was clearly missing a scabbard.
"When the demon attempted to summon the sword, I dropped it in the dirt in the hopes that my traveling companion would locate and use it to track me down." The fighter was brushing off her knees from where she had been kneeling before their match.
"Traveling companion?" Tsukiakari and Sesshoumaru shared a quizzical look. He clenched his jaw: another loose end to contend with.
"Perhaps we should go to the village to make sure the demon hasn't done any damage. We might be able to find your friend there as well," Tsukiakari suggested. "At any rate, we shouldn't stay here. No doubt that demon is headed this way already."
A solid suggestion. He stepped next to her. "Can you keep the ward up even if we teleport?"
She nodded.
Sesshoumaru turned to their new ally and instructed: "Place your hand on Tsukiakari's shoulder. We will transfer to the village."
There was a moment of hesitation from her that was confusing, but perhaps she was wary of magic. Tsukiakari began the incantation and seconds later, the world blurred around them as though they were in the center of a wind spiral. Then, as quickly as it began, the world stopped and they were back in Inuyasha's village.
Standing on the hill near Inuyasha's tree was a lone figure. That must be the traveling companion. They raised a hand in acknowledgement and came racing down the slope, but came to an abrupt halt several meters away.
The person's hair was longer, with bangs by the chin and a ponytail inching toward the open flesh on the back of the neck. His uniform was much more worn than the last time Sesshoumaru had seen it, but still serviceable and relatively clean.
It had been over a year since he last encountered Kohaku. In fact, it had been the morning after Rin's passing when he had carried the nearly dead boy and his pet cat back to the village for healing and then saw no sign of him afterwards. He knew the slayer had been angry and he was relieved that he had somehow managed to avoid confrontation since that day.
It was particularly fortunate, given the rumors that were circulating about the kuroi akuma, running into the spiteful young man would have only caused problems. Especially since he knew the boy had feelings for Rin and had been distraught by his love's death.
Hmm.
A passing thought, a brief connection between two ideas led him to stare for a moment longer between Kohaku and the fighter.
He searched for any indication that the fighter could possibly be, well, her. Given the situation, it wasn't impossible.
But as he watched Kohaku approach the group, rage and bloodlust barely contained, that possibility diminished. Given the strength of the young man's feelings, he would not be openly hostile if Rin had managed to return.
Sesshoumaru sighed and reprimanded himself for giving in to such wild speculation. It was no surprise that the fighter had run into someone from their group: many of them were secretly searching for the demons. He had already said good-bye; he needed to stop clinging to the past.
"Oh, lucky me, just the youkai I was looking for," Kohaku opened with some bite as all of his anger and regret flooded back at the sight of the inu lord.
Kohaku could see Rin making no attempt to stop his visceral conversation. She was still wearing the mask and must have been under cover. He was surprised to see that she had managed to run into her old guardian, but it at least saved him the issue of finding Sesshoumaru and then convincing him to come along on a dalliance for the demons.
"Why is that?" Sesshoumaru returned, as cold as ever.
Kohaku tilted his head. "I figured that Mari here," he gestured to Rin, "had gotten caught up with some business with the sword when she left this behind for me to find." He held out the scabbard in question. "Your lot started this mess; it stands to reason that you should be the one to finish it."
Was he being harsh? Yes, but he needed to keep Rin's cover story (whatever she had told them) and after over a year, he had some pent up aggression that was escaping the tightly clamped box around his heart.
As he stared down Sesshoumaru, he felt something was off, a detail was out of place. A flash of gold over the brow caught his eye. He quickly checked Tsukiakari. Wait, didn't Rin say that meant…?
As though she could hear his thoughts, he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. Rin reached over to grab Ryuushin's sheath and while in close proximity, gave him the barest hint of a shake of the head.
Anger flared up again. Rin was barely dead for a year and this villain had already gotten engaged to someone else? What's worse, now she had to stand here, painfully aware of their upcoming nuptials and pretend to be someone else? Kohaku could feel the pain on behalf of his dear friend mixing with his own anguish knowing that if Sesshoumaru had the chance to have what he himself could not, and had spoiled that chance.
"Am I to congratulate you both then?" He asked, tight lipped. Rin tightened her grip on his shoulder. He knew he was going too far, but he couldn't stop himself.
Tsukiakari nodded carefully, "Yes. Thank you. The ceremony is in eight days. You are invited of course," she extended with the same gentile smile she always had.
Kohaku flicked his head at Sesshoumaru. "Eight days, huh? You're moving on pretty quickly. If I had been so lucky as to secure Rin's affections, I wouldn't have forgotten her so soon."
Rin gaped beneath her mask, trying to keep her outward appearance calm. Weren't they already over this? Hadn't they discussed this? What was wrong with him? If he was carrying all these toxic emotions for so long, it was no wonder the demon possessed him!
Sesshoumaru remained his usually stoic self. "You do not know what you speak."
Kohaku exploded, pulling away from Rin's grasp. "You knew. You knew I cared about her, but you kept stringing her along like your puppet with false promises. Then you moved on without a second thought. How could you? How could you forget her like that? And for a woman that is… half… the woman Rin was?"
Trying to keep angry tears at bay, Rin slapped Kohaku as hard as she could, sending him reeling from the force and from shock.
"Stop being a child," she snarled at him. She would have strong words with him when they were alone. I thought Kohaku had begun the healing process, she frowned at him, turns out I couldn't have been further from the truth.
Sesshoumaru came to stand next to her. "Your companion is right. You are a child." He looked down his nose at Kohaku. "And Tsukiakari is twice the person you will ever be."
Rin's heart crushed into her rib cage, squeezing so tightly that she feared Yami would have trouble keeping up. At least there was no doubt of his attentions to his betrothed. Breathe she told herself. You can do this she reminded herself. Focus on helping your friends.
After a moment she was calm enough to speak.
"Anyway, the demon is out there. We don't have time to be squabbling over domestics," she forced out the words. "Inukimi told me that the demons were on their way back and if that sword moving around on its own accord is not proof enough, then we are lost."
Sesshoumaru's intense stare bore into her. "Did my mother say how she knew the demon was back?"
"Indeed. I am quite interested in knowing myself." A new voice rang out in the clearing and a fifth figure joined their gathering.
Rin's breath accelerated. There was no mistaking the silver eyes, the sharp nails, and that perfectly manicured voice, even beneath the strange marks and characters covering his skin. Pian.
"Hello my dear Sesshoumaru," Pian opened with a friendly gesture. "I must say that I am a bit perplexed to see you here. But regardless, I must thank you," he looked charmingly at Tsukiakari, "for keeping my sword safe while I was gone."
He turned to Kohaku, "Oh, I remember you: you were the little boy that followed my darling Rin around." Rin could see Kohaku and Sesshoumaru both bristle at the comment and draw their weapons.
"Still bitter I see," Pian mockingly put on a bored face. "I was feeling bitter myself over your brutal slaughter of my younger brother, but then, I think it's a fair trade. The person I loved most for yours."
He raised a brow. "Now you, I don't recognize." He regarded Rin with an air of investigation. "Who are you exactly?"
Play it cool. You can't let him know that you're you. That's the only trump card you have up your sleeve, to put it in terms Kagome-chan would use. Rin resisted the urge to yell out gallant words to the effect of The person who will kill you.
"Well, this has been the most heartfelt of reunions," Pian chuckled sarcastically. "I do really have so very much to do. I'll ask you once nicely: please hand over Ryuushin and I'll let your little party pass."
Tsukiaki glared with elegant poise. "Never, you monster."
He sighed. "I thought you might say that."
One of his hands started to glow. A bright white light that burned with an intensity that it had all three fighters blinking back from the glare. The illumination grew and as it expanded, it started to hum with a vibration that rattled in Rin's bones.
She heard Tsukiakari gasp, but all she saw was a flurry of fabric and silvery white hair before the world spun and they were somewhere else.
Tsukiakari collapsed to her knees, panting. Sesshoumaru was by her side in an instant as she tried to articulate what happened. "That magic...it is not...of this world...it would have...destroyed all of us…"
"The village?" Kohaku asked in a daze.
"Most likely...it is gone…" she said with worry on her face. "Or at least….much of it…"
Rin quickly evaluated their surroundings. "Ryuushin?"
Tsukiakari's eyes widened as she caught her breath. "I'm sorry. With the teleport, I…" She hung her head as Sesshoumaru gently placed her against his shoulder. He threw a knowing glance at Rin and for a moment, in some strange way, it felt like old times again.
They were in deep trouble.
A/N: Thank you again for all the wonderful comments. It was amazing to get such a fast response from several of you and I simply couldn't stay away from my computer.
What did you think? Was it the heartfelt reunion you were expecting? How will our favorite team get out of this mess?
Next time: The sword in the hands of the enemy. A fragmented team in dire straits. But what has Sesshoumaru been planning all this time?
