Unless specified, the POV will be third person omniscient.
"Japanese Speech"
'thoughts'
"English speech"
—∞—|—∞— Scene and/or time transition
—∞— shift between areas of action or POV within the same scene/location
{Stage directions/ setting}
[[Telepathic communication]]
Previously:
"You hanyou failure, damaging father's grave," Sesshoumaru said, turning away from him to face Naraku. Jaken fell off into his father's mouth as he leaped from it to stand on a rock, aiming his sword at Naraku. "You scum..." he said, furrowing his brow.
"Heh..." Naraku said, almost amused.
"Dammit…" Inuyasha said, watching.
"Sesshoumaru-sama..." Jaken said, staring out with Inuyasha and his friends. While they were watching Sesshoumaru and Naraku, Hōsenki was watching them.
"Hey… Kid..." Hōsenki said, addressing Inuyasha.
"!" Inuyasha said.
"Do you… have any power left to fight…?" Hōsenki asked.
"!?" Inuyasha said as he and Kagome looked back at him.
Chapter 13: Homecoming
Sesshoumaru slashed his sword at Naraku's barrier, but it held.
"Hmph… Inuyasha was easier to handle… but that is all you can manage, eh," Naraku said.
"..." Sesshoumaru glared coldly at him.
'Even Sesshoumaru's sword attack can't break Naraku's barrier, huh,' Miroku thought as he watched with Sango and Jaken. He turned to look back at the others, who were talking to Hōsenki.
"At this rate, before long… the fragment will be absorbed into the polluted shikon no tama..." Hōsenki said.
"Keh! I'm already well aware of that," Inuyasha said.
"Before that happens… cut me," Hōsenki told him.
"!?" Inuyasha said.
"So that you can cut that Naraku person's barrier… you should cut me," Hōsenki said.
"Hōsenki-dono, that is to say… that you'll give your youkai power to Inuyasha's Tessaiga?" Myouga asked from Kagome's shoulder.
'That's right, if you slay a strong youkai with Tessaiga, it can gain new youkai power,' Kagome thought. 'But...'
"If I cut you… then what happens to you?" Inuyasha asked Hōsenki.
"Hmph… You would worry about others at a time like this?" Hōsenki asked. "Besides… if you are not worthy of owning the shard, you will have no chance of cutting me. Not only that, but… It is you who will lose your life in this place. Do you have that much courage, huh…?"
"Hearing that, I feel a little bit at ease," Inuyasha said.
'Lose your life…?' Kagome thought. 'What on earth...'
"Move back, Kagome," Inuyasha said, getting ready to draw Tessaiga.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome said. She was still worried about what Hōsenki had said, but she stepped aside to give him more room. Inuyasha drew his sword.
"Here I go..." he said. "Dahhh!" Inuyasha swung Tessaiga and struck Hōsenki. Shards of adamant flew out at Inuyasha. "Wha..." He winced, gritting his teeth as some of them hit him.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried.
"Bits of adamant are shooting out!?" Miroku exclaimed. Inuyasha's blood dripped down onto the skulls at his feet.
"..." Inuyasah stared at Hōsenki with his brow furrowed slightly. 'There's not even a crack…!?'
Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru's battle with Naraku continued. Sesshoumaru tried cutting the barrier directly, but again it had no effect.
"Kukuku. Sesshoumaru. You want to cut me that much?" Naraku said. "Then I shall grant your wish." Naraku moved his serpentine tentacles outside of his barrier.
"Naraku..." Sango said.
"He put out his body…!?" Miroku said. Mouths with many teeth formed at the ends of the tentacles as they lunged toward Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru countered with a well-placed strike from Tokijin.
"Heh," Naraku said, smirking. The wounded tentacles exploded with miasma, washing over Sesshoumaru.
"Se-Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken cried.
"!" Miroku said as it came their way. "Get back, it's miasma!"
"Kagome-chan!" Sango said, urging her to move back.
"Dowah!" Jaken exclaimed as the skulls the miasma touched melted right in front of him. He had to quickly jump out the way before he was consumed too.
"!" Inuyasha said, looking away from Hōsenki to check on his friends. The miasma cleared around Sesshoumaru, revealing that he was perfectly unharmed.
"Hmph… Did you expect that feeble miasma to affect I, Sesshoumaru?" Sesshoumaru asked with disdain.
"Heh. Even without it affecting you..." Naraku said.
"Gahhhh!" Jaken cried, scrambling out of the way of the bone-melting miasma. He was choking on the fumes.
"Ugh," Miroku said, covering his nose and mouth. Sango pulled her gas mask on.
"Get back," Kagome said, drawing an arrow. "I'll purify the miasma." She fired her arrow and the air cleared.
"I… I can breathe…?" Jaken said, surprised. "I-I'm saved..."
"Heh..." Naraku said. He knew Kagome only had a limited number of arrows. There was only so many times she could repeat the feat. More tentacles grew out of the ones Sesshoumaru had damaged. "What'll you do Sesshoumaru? Every time you cut me, miasma will gush out. Those in this place will eventually die out."
"Se-Sesshoumaru-sama..." Jaken said.
"I-It'll be okay—so long as Kagome has her arrows..." Shippo said.
"I don't have… any more arrows," Kagome said, a bead of sweat sliding down her face. "Of my arrows, the one just now was the last." Shippo and Jaken stared at her, shocked and alarmed. 'Kikyou's arrow… is rejecting me,' Kagome thought worriedly, glancing back at it.
"Heh, Naraku. Is that all you've got to say?" Sesshoumaru asked. "To dull my sword in exchange for the lives of some measly humans… I am not that soft!" he declared, striking again. He blasted away the new tentacles, and more miasma poured out.
"!" Inuyasha said.
"Ah-ahh. I knew it..." Jaken said, feeling doomed.
"M-Miasma incoming-g!" Shippo cried.
"Damn," Inuyasha said, rushing to place himself in front of everyone else. "Everyone, run towards the back. I'll handle the miasma."
"Inuyasha," Kagome said, concerned.
"What now, kid… weren't you going to… cut me and strengthen your sword…?" Hōsenki reminded him.
"Shut up! I'll deal with you next!" Inuyasha told him, standing before the encroaching wall of miasma.
"Heh… fool..." Hōsenki said.
"Kukuku… You don't care if my miasma kills everyone… huh," Naraku said to Sesshoumaru. "Just what you'd expect from a pure youkai, huh, Sesshoumaru. Your mindset is different."
"..." Sesshoumaru said.
"Still, I thought you might have spared them for Katsumi's sake," Naraku continued. Sesshoumaru's brow twitched slightly. Naraku smirked. "Where is she, by the way? Is she too broken to come? Or perhaps she's dea—" Sesshoumaru cut him off with another blast from Tokijin at his barrier that was strong enough to push him back a little. "Kukuku. I see I touched a nerve. Did you fall for her, Sesshoumaru? I can understand why. Her golden hair, that lovely white skin so soft to touch..." Sesshoumaru's eyes gained a red tinge, and he was just about to transform, when he caught a familiar scent and heard a familiar voice.
"Ibar!"
A glowing spear came flying out of the mist and passed through Naraku's barrier, piercing him and burning a large, gaping hole through his shoulder.
'My barrier!' Naraku thought, shocked. A woman wearing unusual armor flew in on an impressive white winged horse.
"Ugh. This helmet is so stuffy. I can't see a thing!" she said, removing her helmet. She shook her head, making her golden hair flow in waves down her back. Her hazel eyes glared at Naraku.
"Katsumi-chan!" Kagome said. She and the others were shocked to see her there.
"I broke you..." Naraku said, furrowing his brow.
"You don't have that power," Katsumi said fiercely. In her faerie steel and dragon scale armor, she radiated strength and power.
"..." Sesshoumaru stared at her, eyes slightly wide. She was stunning. She had never been more beautiful. Katsumi held her hand out. "Athibar!" the spear flew back into her hand. She dismounted the winged horse. Glowing rings of green runes under the soles of her boots held her aloft. "Thanks. I can take it from here," she told it gratefully, patting its neck. The horse whinnied and took off, flying back the way it came. Katsumi's eyes met Sesshoumaru's, and she smiled.
"You were in the middle of a fight, weren't you? Sorry about butting in like that, but I just had to get him at least once..." she apologized, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Katsumi's back!" Shippo said.
"So, she recovered…" Miroku said.
"Thank goodness for that," Kagome said.
"And her weapon can pass through his barrier!" Sango said.
"But the miasma is still coming!" Jaken exclaimed.
"!" Inuyasha said, focusing on the threat in front of him again.
"Rather than strengthen your sword… you think your companions more important, huh..." Hōsenki said. "Is that because you're a damn hanyou, huh… Even if a mere hanyou could gain my youkai power, they wouldn't be able to use it well, huh..."
"Keh! In that case I don't need it," Inuyasha retorted. "Though I don't know what kind of great power you have." 'Right now, I'll just do what I have to do,' he thought. "Kaze no Kizu!!" he yelled, blowing away the miasma with his sword.
"Hmph… Even if you push back the miasma with the cutting wind… It's no more than a temporary solution," Naraku said. "!" he was shocked when spears of adamant pierced his barrier, destroying it. 'Wha…! These are, Hōsenki's adamant spears…?' he thought, furrowing his brow.
"Wha… Naraku's barrier was blown away!" Jaken said.
'Whoa…!' Katsumi thought.
"Eh…!" Kagome said.
'Tessaiga has...' Inuyahsa thought, staring at the blade, which was covered in gleaming adamant.
"If you were driven by desire and had cared only for strengthening your sword… the adamant fragments you were showered with would have taken your life..." Hōsenki told him. Inuyasha was surprised when many adamant shards fell from his body. He hadn't realized there were so many. Hōsenki's skull cracked in half.
"Ah..." Kagome said.
"Hōsenki has broken," Shippo said.
"Inuyasha… with that hanyou heart of yours… You may inherit my youkai power, Kongōsōha..." Hōsenki said.
"Kongōsōha!' Inuyasha thought, looking back at his sword. He looked up at Naraku. 'Naraku… You're not getting away.' He gritted his teeth and swung Tessaiga again. "Take this! Kongōsōha!" This time he hit Naraku directly, a cluster of adamant impaling him through the torso.
"Got him…!?" Miroku said.
"They pierced Naraku!" Shippo said.
"Damn… you..." Naraku said, glaring at Inuyasha.
"You no longer have the power to create a barrier, huh..." Sesshoumaru said. He and Katsumi glared at Naraku. "I, Sesshoumaru… shall finish you off!" Sesshoumaru slashed Tokijin and hit Naraku with a full blast of energy.
"Ugh..." Naraku groaned as he was completely demolished by the attack. He was left in pieces. Even his head was split in two.
"Ibar!" Katsumi shouted and threw her spear again, destroying some of his body and one half of his head. "Athibar!"
"He's finished…!?" Miroku said. But then parts of Naraku began to disappear.
'Eh…?' Katsumi thought, squinting. 'That's…!' Suddenly, she knew what he was up to.
'He's vanishing!?' Sesshoumaru thought, furrowing his brow.
"He's escaping!" Katsumi said.
"!" Kagome said when Kikyo's arrow suddenly glowed and she felt a pulse of power from it. 'Kikyo's arrow is...' She looked from the arrow to Naraku. 'Among the flesh, there's a fragment! 'Use it… now', huh!?' She quickly drew the arrow. 'Hit it!' She let the arrow fly. It hit the shard and Naraku was enveloped in sphere of purifying energy that crackled and glowed. "!?" Then she saw it fall away from Naraku, purified. "The shikon shard..." In that instant, Naraku disappeared, sacred arrow and all.
"Naraku has..." Miroku said. Katsumi and Sesshoumaru stared at the spot where Naraku used to be.
"He's vanished..." Inuyasha said.
"..." Kagome said. 'Kikyo's arrow also… vanished with Naraku!?' Katsumi tightened her grip on her spear and gritted her teeth.
"He got away..." Katsumi said, furrowing her brow. "I just know he did." Sesshoumaru looked at her. "Well, at least we're together again. I really wanted to see you again, Sesshoumaru," she said, smiling warmly at him.
'She can still smile... huh?' Sesshoumaru thought.
'My, she's so bold...' Kagome thought, impressed.
"She just came right out and said it..." Shippo said, amazed.
"Listen to her, dropping honorifics..." Jaken muttered, though he could tell Sesshoumaru was pleased to see her again.
"Hōsenki… I'll be taking the shikon shard," Inuyasha said, squatting down in front of him. Kagome joined him.
'Huh? When did he grab that…?' Katsumi wondered.
"Do as… you like..." Hōsenki said. "I... wasn't able to protect the shikon shard… I didn't think that evil being… would come all the way here. I wasn't able to stop… the conflict swirling around the shikon no tama..."
"It won't stop," Inuyasha said. "So long as the shikon no tama doesn't go away, that is. I don't know what to do to make the shikon no tama vanish from this world… However… I can fight those like Naraku who are after the jewel. That's why, until I finish off Naraku, until those seeking the jewel stop, I'll continue to fight."
"Heh… You won't 'protect the shards'… You won't run, but choose to fight… huh," Hōsenki said. "In that case, you should return to your original world. While you're stalling, the gate will close..."
"I-Inuyasha-sama! Follow after Sesshoumaru-sama! Hurry!" Myouga said anxiously.
"Myouga-jii-chan..." Kagome said. "You said to follow him, but… He isn't going anywhere..." It looked to her like Sesshoumaru was waiting for Katsumi, who was waiting for them.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Katsumi asked.
"Go… How did you get here in the first place, Katsumi-chan?" Kagome asked. "Not that I'm not really glad to see you're okay."
"I used a faerie gate to get here," Katsumi said. "When I saw all of you here with Naraku, I thought it must be a trap of some kind, so I was worried you might get stranded here."
" 'Saw' us?" Miroku asked.
"A faerie fortune-teller showed me," Katsumi replied.
"Oh. Well, you were right. We have no idea how to get out of here," Kagome admitted.
"Don't worry, my cousins gave me an amulet that can open a portal to the land of the living. Though they were vague about where exactly we'd come out on the other end..." Katsumi explained. Sesshoumaru preferred a more certain solution.
"Katsumi, come," he said and started flying away. Jaken quickly got a running jump and flung himself onto Sesshoumaru's mokomoko, holding on tight. Katsumi followed along, jogging in the air with her special faerie boots.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, please waait!" Myouga called as Sango and Miroku got on Kirara and Inuyasha and Kagome hopped on one of the skeletal bird things flying around with Shippo. "Sesshoumaru-samaa!"
"Stop that, it's shameful!" Inuyasha told him.
"It's alright. It looks like he's keeping pace with Katsumi-chan, and she won't leave without us," Kagome said.
"What is it, Sango?" Miroku asked. "You look depressed..."
"Houshi-sama… It's what Inuyasha said," Sango replied. " 'So long as the shikon no tama doesn't go away, the fight won't stop'… But that means..."
"Your brother… Kohaku's situation, right?" Miroku said.
"..." Sango looked down. 'Kohaku's life is connected with the shikon shard embedded in his body. For the shikon no tama to be gone, means Kohaku's life is also...'
'Naraku is alive,' Sesshoumaru thought. 'Even though the barrier was broken, and his body smashed up. Where is his heart!?'
—∞—|—∞—
'It's a shame I couldn't talk with the others more… but he's already being more patient that usual,' Katsumi thought as she moved through the sky next to Sesshoumaru. Katsumi caught two familiar scents and knew they had arrived. Seshoumaru landed near Rin and Ah-Un and watched as Katsumi descended to the ground as if she was going down an invisible staircase.
"Hm? Katsumi-nee!" Rin cried joyfully as soon as she saw her, running up to give her a hug. "Welcome back!"
"Yeah, I'm home," Katsumi said, hugging her back. She felt a great sense of relief, like coming home after a long trip.
"You sure were gone a long time! Jaken-sama didn't think you were coming back," Rin said.
"Oh? Thanks for the vote of confidence," she told the imp sarcastically. "Sorry, Rin. But I was unconscious most of the time. I only just woke up a few days ago," Katsumi explained.
"Eh!? You just woke up!?" Rin said, shocked. "It's like that story you told me about the princess who slept for a hundred years."
"Thankfully, it wasn't a hundred years," Katsumi said, sweat-dropping.
"What was the faerie world like?" Rin asked.
"Surprisingly normal," Katsumi replied. "Well, the environment, at least. But they did have the occasional floating island and a really impressive glowing gate to the underworld. I didn't really get a chance to see much of it, to be honest. I was in a hurry to get back."
"What about the people?" Rin asked.
"Ah… the people..." Katsumi said, thinking back to the night of the feast when her surprisingly large extended faerie family and foreign dignitaries partied like a bunch of drunk frat boys. "Let's just say they were... interesting." Sesshoumaru found the way she said that suspicious. "I didn't get to see much of my grandpa because he was busy with work, but he gave me this armor. I did spend some time with two of my cousins, Tadhg and Fearghal. They're the ones who helped me get back."
"So we have those two to thank," Rin said with a smile. "Speaking of your armor… what are those boots? You were walking in the sky!"
"Ah, these. They're enchanted to allow me to walk on air," Katsumi replied, looking at them.
"Why didn't you just fly?" Rin asked innocently. Katsumi forced herself to keep smiling.
"I can't fly anymore," she said, unable to keep a note of sadness out of her voice. "My wings won't grow back." Sesshoumaru furrowed his brow.
"Eh!?" Rin gasped, appalled. She felt bad for asking. And guilty for leaving her alone that day and not coming back with help sooner. "I… I'm sorry..."
"Hey, what are you apologizing for?" Katsumi said, hugging her again. "None of this was your fault." The crease in Sesshoumaru's brow deepened.
"Katsumi, come with me," he said. Katsumi looked up at him in surprise.
"Okay," she said.
"Jaken, stay with Rin," Sesshoumaru ordered. He turned and started walking into the forest. Katsumi followed. He led her a fair distance away from the others before stopping. Katsumi stopped too. "I didn't protect you," he said. He turned to look at her and saw that she had a puzzled expression on her face.
"Didn't protect me from what?" she asked, then her eyes widened slightly in realization. "From Naraku?"
"..." Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her.
"Why would you?" she asked, surprising him. There was no blame on her face or in her voice. "I thought it was understood that my safety was my responsibility. It's one of the conditions for traveling with you, isn't it? Besides, I'm a modern girl. I was brought up to rely on myself. I'm not with you because I want protection."
"..." Sesshoumaru still felt that he should have done more. "You can't fly anymore."
"It's like I told Rin, my grandpa gave me these boots to make up for it. Besides I've spent most of my life unable to fly, so I'll be fine," Katsumi said, putting on a brave face.
"You're lying," he said.
"..." Katsumi said. For a moment there was a crack in her facade and he saw a sliver of her suffering and longing. Longing for the return of something she had lost forever. She looked down. "Maybe I'm not fine now..." she looked up again, determined. "But I will be, someday." She was surprised when Sesshoumaru reached out and touched her face, then pulled her close. Katsumi blushed, completely caught off-guard. He held her there pressed against him.
"We will kill Naraku," he promised solemnly. Katsumi felt all the tears she refused to cry threaten to appear. She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest.
"Yes," she said. "We will." They both came to attention when they smelled two new scents coming from where they had left the others. Sesshoumaru didn't recognize them, but Katsumi did.
"It's my cousins," she said, wondering what they were doing there. "We'd better get back there. I don't trust them with Rin..."
"… Why not?" Sesshoumaru asked as they walked.
"I found out faeries are not above kidnapping human children to raise in their world. They'll even take them straight from the crib if they hear the parents brag about them," Katsumi said with her brow furrowed with disapproval. "They say they're giving them a better life, but... those poor parents."
"Why would they want human children?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"My cousins explained that to me. Pure-blooded faeries have an extremely low birth rate, probably because they basically live forever unless they're killed, so they really value children, any children. Also, by interbreeding with humans, they can have offspring that are immune to iron. And the women with human blood tend to have more children. My grandpa is pure-blooded, but my cousins have some human blood in them. They have all the faerie powers with none of the faerie weaknesses. They can still be killed if the wound is severe enough, though," Katsumi explained. They came back out into the clearing.
[[I bet you'll be a real beauty when you're older,]] Tadhg said to Rin. Katsumi immediately put herself between him and Rin.
[[This one's off-limits,]] Katsumi said firmly.
[[Only joking,]] Tadhg said. [[Mostly…]]
[[That really worries me,]] Katsumi said, furrowing her brow. [[Not to sound ungrateful, but why are you here? I sent the horse back like you said to. I thought you were covering for me.]]
[[We are covering for you. We've already made your excuses for you. No one will notice if we leave for a few minutes. They didn't notice when you disappeared right away, either. We're here for the spear,]] Fearghal said. [[You have to give it back now. The Spear of Lugh is an important artifact only the high king is supposed to wield.]]
[[Of course, we could give you an extension in exchange for your firstborn child,]] Tadhg said with a grin.
[[No, thank you!!]] Katsumi said, shoving the weapon into his hands. [[If only the king can wield it, then why did you give it to me in the first place?]]
[[Because you're a king candidate, well, queen candidate,]] Fearghal replied.
[[Because I'm our grandpa's granddaughter? Seeing as I'm not born until about five hundred years from now, I'd think there were people way closer to inheriting than I would be,]] Katsumi said.
[[It isn't inherited like that,]] Tadhg said. [[Do you remember when they made you stand on that rock before the feast began? And it roared?]]
[[Yeah, that was surprising,]] Katsumi admitted.
[[That stone was the Lia Fáil, the Stone of Destiny. We have all those who learn their True Name stand on it, but it only roars when it comes in contact with a future high king or high queen of the Irish faeries,]] Fearghal explained.
[[Eh!? I'm not ready for something like that!]] Katsumi said.
[[Don't worry. Our grandfather isn't going to retire anytime soon,]] Tadhg said. [[You'll have plenty of time to prepare for the role.]]
[[But what if I don't want it?]] Katsumi asked.
[[Then we'll just have to go with the other candidate,]] Fearghal said. [[Mind you, he's not best pleased with you.]]
[[Why? Who is he? What did I do to him?]] Katsumi asked.
[[You became a rival the moment you stepped on that stone, that's what you did,]] Tadhg said. [[And his name is Cathal MacCormac. He's an ambitious one, so I'd watch my back if I was you.]]
[[The last rival candidate died of an unfortunate 'accident',]] Fearghal added.
[[Great,]] Katsumi said sarcastically. That was the last thing she needed. [[What's he look like? So I can avoid him.]]
[[Oh, you'll recognize him. You met him at the feast. He was the extremely handsome one with cornsilk hair, blue eyes, and triskeles tattooed on the backs of his hands.
[[…]] Katsumi tried to remember, but drew a blank. [[There were so many people there…]]
[[Well, anyway, you've been warned,]] Tadhg said. [[Oh, before I forget, here.]] He handed her a medium-sized bag made of a velvety fabric. [[You were in such a hurry, you forgot this.]]
[[Oh, right! Thanks a lot,]] Katsumi said, accepting the bag of goodies from the faerie world that she had wanted to bring back with her. [[Ah, before I forget…]] She pulled out the amulet for escaping the border between life and death. [[Here. I didn't need it after all.]]
[[Keep it,]] Fearghal told her. [[It might come in handy.]]
[[I'm not going to have to give you my firstborn in exchange, am I?]] she asked.
[[No. Consider that and your escape our present to you,]] Tadhg said. [[See you around, Katsumi.]]
[[Good luck,]] Fearghal said. They both formed faerie rings and disappeared.
"Wow… Faerie magic is so pretty," Rin said, watching as the remains of the shimmering green energy and small, swirling orbs of light faded away. "Were you three talking about something just now?"
"Eh? You mean, you didn't hear any of that?" Katsumi said. "Sorry, I guess I got used to the way faeries talk… They basically just came to get the spear back, and they warned me about another faerie who might try to arrange and 'accident' for me. And they gave me this bag." She held it up to show Rin. "It's got my presents for you in it." She reached her arm into the bag all the way up to her shoulder, feeling around for something. Rin's eyes widened in amazement. "Got it," Katsumi said. She pulled out a necklace with a small green stone.
"It's pretty," Rin said, admiring the way it sparkled.
"This can put up a barrier around you if something tries to attack you while we aren't here," Katsumi explained. "I'll have to recharge it every time it's used, though."
"How do I use it?" Rin asked.
"It'll activate automatically when you're scared," Katsumi replied.
"Katsumi," Sesshoumaru said. She looked up at him. "You're without a weapon now."
"True… I'll have to get a new one somewhere," Katsumi said, holding her chin.
"Why did you even give it back in the first place?" Jaken asked. "That weapon was effective against Naraku!"
"Because they said the price for keeping it was my firstborn," Katsumi replied, frowning. She still wasn't sure if it had been a joke or not. "As if I'd ever make that kind of trade."
"Why your firstborn?" Rin asked.
"I don't know. They said only the king was supposed to wield it, so I guess it's a punishment for trying to steal an important artifact?" Katsumi said. "I had no idea that was the case when they gave it to me, though."
"They gave you a weapon of kings?" Jaken asked.
"Yeah," Katsumi said with a sigh. "They said something about me possibly being a future high queen of the faeries. That's why that other faerie doesn't like me. He's the other candidate."
"Katsumi-nee would make a great queen!" Rin said.
"You think so?" Katsumi said. "I don't know if I want the job, though. From the stories I heard from my cousins, trying to organize faeries is like herding cats. Anyway, I'm not completely defenseless. I can still use my claws, and I learned how to use armúr and do 'faerie shot'."
"Armúr? Faerie shot?" Rin asked.
"Armúr is when I channel energy through my skin. It can repel most spells and some physical attacks. For faerie shot, I can shoot energy out of my hands," Katsumi said. "Depending on the strength, I can stun or kill. But I can only do three consecutive kill shots right now."
"Hmph. Only three?" Jaken said. "And why not just use your barrier instead of bothering with this 'armor' nonsense?"
"My cousins seemed to think that was a good amount, considering my age and the fact that I'm not fully healed yet," Katsumi retorted. "And the barrier is more fore protecting others. Armúr is easier to use in a fight."
"Eh? You aren't fully healed?" Rin asked, concerned.
"I'm healed enough to fight, just not at my full strength… I don't really feel any drop in power, though," Katsumi said, looking at her hands. "And I could use all my old abilities just fine during training. I guess it's mostly the new faerie abilities that have suffered. My cousins said I did well when they taught me, but I got the feeling like they expected better..."
"Hmph. I guess you have no talent," Jaken said.
"For your information, I completed several months' worth of training in just three weeks," Katsumi retorted.
"Liar! You said you've only been awake for a few days!" Jaken said.
"Faeries can control time. They have a room where you can train one week in one day," Katsumi explained.
"Faeries can control time?" Rin asked, amazed. "Is that how you time traveled?"
"No, faeries can speed time up or slow it down, but they can't go back in time. Think of time as a river. You can damn it, but once the water passes you by, that's it. You'll never see the same water twice," Katsumi explained.
"Ohh," Rin said, nodding. "Okay." Her stomach growled.
"How about we get something to eat?" Katsumi suggested with a smile.