Ch. 125- Enter: Totosai
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Arashi © Me
It was a crystal-clear night and the full moon was high in the sky. As the crickets chirped and the wolves howled into the night air... a shadow walked through the grassy fields.
"This better not be some sort of prank, Myoga," the figure answered. "Are you sure this... Inu-someone-or-other has fully mastered the Tetsusaiga?"
"His name is Master Inuyasha, Totosai!" answered Myoga. "I told you this, before!"
The one that Myoga was talking to was revealed to be an old, scrawny, and scraggly man with a balding head, and whatever was left was tied up in a topknot. He had one a green-and-black striped tattered kosode and in his hand was an iron hammer. His only means of transportation was a three-eyed ox, which lowed as it munched on some grass.
"Inuyasha, you say," Totosai muttered as he scratched his scalp. "Ah, yes, I think I remember, now... if I recall, Lord Toga, whose fang I used to create the Tetsusaiga, had not sired just one son, but two." He then gave an exasperated sigh. "I haven't met him yet, but I'm almost certain he's just as troublesome as his older brother."
"Hmm..." Myoga hummed. "I only saw it happen once, but with a single swing, Master Inuyasha was able to fell a whole horde of demons! He's done nothing like it in my presence... luckily for me. He is quite reckless, I will say that."
"I see," Totosai mused. "Then it will be up to me to test this 'Inuyasha' fellow." He then looked up toward the moon. "I will see if he is worthy of wielding my finest work!"
XXX
The following morning, the sun shines over the foot of a hot volcanic mountain. The environment was not for neither man nor beast. Only fools would dare to enter a place such as this.
"Ouch! Agh, my feet!"
And here was an example of such a fool: Jaken, who was hopping and jumping out, trying to keep his feet from burning on the volcanic soil.
"Oh! Why would anyone ever want to live in a place like this?!" the toad demon asked as he approached the large skeletal remains of a demon, where he found lots of clay pots, a kiln, some shovels, an anvil, and other things that one might in a smithy.
"Totosai!" Jaken yelled. "Where are you?! You had better have finished the blade that we commissioned! Today's the day you promised it to us, remember?!"
When he went in, he found that the old demon he was referring to was nowhere to be found... but he found some writing hastily scrawled on the bony wall by what looked like a nail.
"I have moved."
"...Oh, dear..." Jaken muttered. "Lord Sesshomaru definitely won't like this...!"
"I won't like what, Jaken?"
"GAH!" Jaken yelped as he turned around... and found Sesshomaru standing behind him, his cold, calm expression on his face. "L-Lord Sesshomaru!" He soon bowed before his employer.
"So," Sesshomaru said as he observed his surroundings, "that cowardly Totosai has left, has he?"
"Forgive me, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken replied. "You know how these types are with their volatile personalities! I've heard that anytime he doesn't think his client will truly appreciate his craft, he'd just-"
"So you're saying... that he thinks I am not worthy of one of his swords," Sesshomaru surmised. "Is that what you're saying, Jaken?"
"Err... well," Jaken stammered. "How do I put this?" He then looked up nervously at Sesshomaru. "I think... it's a matter of personal preference, milord."
THWACK! Sesshomaru kicked the hapless toad demon in his face.
XXX
Meanwhile, underneath a lone tree in a clearing, Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Arashi had stopped to have a bit of lunch. Today, Kagome thought that instead of bringing just instant noodles and potato chips, she also brought along some leftovers from home: some things that Inuyasha didn't eat while he was staying at her house. She brought a few sandwiches, some rice balls, and some leftover nikujaga she managed to save. Thankfully, they managed to heat up the leftovers with Shippo's foxfire.
"My goodness, Kagome!" Sango exclaimed as she ate some of the nikujaga. "This food your mother made is delicious!"
"Yes, I agree!" Miroku added. "I thought only nobility got to eat like this!"
"Now we know what we've been missing whenever Inuyasha goes to stay at your place!" Shippo piped up.
"It wasn't easy to bring these along," Kagome said as she fed Arashi a slice of ham from her sandwich. "Inuyasha tends to eat everything he can get his hands on."
"Hey, it's not my fault that everything in your time tastes good," Inuyasha said as he shoved a sandwich in his mouth. "Anyway, once we're done stuffing our faces, let's hurry up and hit the road. We got a lot of ground to cover and there are still jewel shards out there to find."
"Yes, Inuyasha, we know," Kagome replied. "Just let us enjoy this nice weather for a little while."
"She's right," Miroku concurred. "It's not every day that we get to relax like this and enjoy a hearty meal."
"And besides, you certainly don't seem to be complaining, Inuyasha," Sango added with Kirara mewling in agreement.
"Uh..." Inuyasha muttered, his face turning red in embarrassment. "Well, that's because..."
"You don't even have an excuse, do you?" asked Shippo while Arashi tilted his head. Inuyasha flicked his ear before he sighed.
"Fine, I guess not," he said, causing the others to chuckle, and in spite of himself, the half-demon cracked a small grin, too. However, as the wind shifted, Inuyasha's nose twitched and he suddenly looked up at the sky, which the others quickly noticed.
"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, only to gasp as he suddenly pulled her into his arms and ran out of the way, thus prompting the others to run for cover as well as something came hurtling toward them and landed with a colossal bang!
"What was that?!" Sango questioned as she looked up.
"A demon?" Miroku asked as he stood up, too with a dazed Shippo clinging to his head. As Inuyasha, Kagome, and Arashi all stood up, they gasped as they saw Totosai, sitting on top of his three-eyed ox.
"It's... an old man?" asked Kagome.
"Who the hell are you?!" Inuyasha questioned as he stood in front of Kagome, arm outstretched protectively while Arashi growled, fur bristling and static electricity crackling from his mane.
"...Are you the one known as Inuyasha?" Totosai asked as he looked to Inuyasha, who gasped quietly in surprise before he growled.
"That depends on who's askin'!" he spat.
'This old man knows me?'
"...Inuyasha," Totosai said. "Draw out the Tetsusaiga."
"What?" Inuyasha asked, but before he could process anything, the old demon leaped up high into the air, and then came falling toward him while holding his hammer out!
"Inuyasha, watch out!" Kagome cried, prompting the half-demon to draw the Tetsusaiga at the last second and block Totosai's attack... but to his surprise, he actually started to push the huge sword back!
"What the-?!" Inuyasha questioned.
"Did you see that?!" Miroku asked.
"He's holding the Tetsusaiga back!" Sango exclaimed.
"Hmph!" Totosai grunted as he landed on the ground. "The sword lacks its former sheen!"
"What was that?!" Inuyasha asked before he charged at the old demon. "Just what are you, anyway?!"
That's when Totosai pulled out what looked like a strap of leather, and as Inuyasha swung his sword down, he held the strap up, holding the blade back once again!
"And look at all these nicks on the blade!" berated Totosai as he began to rub the leather along the Tetsusaiga's length. "Don't you know how to take care of a sword?!"
"H-he held it back with just a piece of hide?!" Shippo asked.
"Who is this demon?!" Miroku asked.
"Totosai! Enough, already!"
"Huh?" Inuyasha muttered as he looked down and saw Myoga hopping up on his shoulder.
"You've made your point!" Myoga exclaimed. "Now stop it, you old fool!"
"Myoga, what are you doing here?" asked Kagome. "And... do you know this person?"
"Yes, I do," Myoga answered as he looked over at Totosai. "Master Inuyasha... this is Totosai, the man who forged the Tetsusaiga for your father."
"Wait, what?!" Inuyasha asked.
"And my finest work, yet, I might add!" Totosai boasted... but at that moment, Arashi stepped forward, catching Totosai and Myoga's attention.
"A... Arashi?!" Myoga questioned.
"AAH!" Totosai shrieked. "That little monster is still around, as well?! I thought Lord Toga sealed him away!"
"Little monster?" Kagome asked as she picked up Arashi. "You don't mean sweet little Arashi, do you?"
"Wait a minute, wait a minute!" Inuyasha shouted. "Back it up, people! Can someone please tell me what's going on before I get a headache?!"
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