Trying to Obtain Full Power
"Hmm. So that's it," Sesshomaru spoke softly, "A fragment of Father's soul instilled in Shikiga allows Michiru to commune with father when he sleeps with it in his hand." Giving a knowing look, Sesshomaru continued, "It's a good thing that can occur because it gives you another voice to suggest where to go in battle."
"Yes, but I don't intend on sleeping with it during every battle," Michiru explained, "I prefer to solve problems on my own seeking advice only when things get extremely tough."
It was night at camp. After spending the whole day waking all of Hadjinn's slave girls from his spell, traveling to a nearby village to invest in some proper clothing for them all, and helping them all find dwellings elsewhere before burning Hadjinn's palace to ashes and rubble, it was time for Michiru to explain what he meant by InuTaisho telling him how to defeat Hadjinn, and also what InuTaisho wanted Michiru to do. It was quite the story.
"Well said," Sesshomaru agreed, "However, you did mention that Father wishes for you to inherit the Tetsusaiga's power just as you inherited the Tenseiga's power to defeat a great evil. Did he mean Naraku?"
"I can't be sure of that, Sesshomaru," Michiru answered, "Maybe that's what he meant, maybe not…" Drawing his signature blade from its sheath, Michiru looked as his best friend, "Either way, if he says we need its power in Shikiga, then we'd better get it out of the way. InuYasha? Let's clash our two blades!"
Nodding, InuYasha drew the massive fang from its sheath as it grew to full-power and took a stance.
"Ready Michiru?" He asked.
"Let's do it!" Michiru nodded. With that, the two friends brought their respective blades to each other letting them combine with an ear-splitting CLANG!
Everyone looked in anticipation at what would transpire. Having the power of not only the Tenseiga but another Tetsusaiga on their team would indeed be quite the advantage in their favor. Although Michiru didn't want to steal the thunder of his best friend, he knew that what must be done must be done. And if InuTaisho said it was so, he had no right to protest.
Everyone watched waiting for some sort of sign that the blade would copy the Tetsusaiga's power…only to frown as nothing seemed to happen.
"Did it work?" Kagome asked.
"Only one way to find out," Michiru answered positioning his blade to a tree. It hadn't grown to be bigger than him, but maybe this was slightly different. This wasn't really the Tetsusaiga after all. "Alright, here goes…WIND SCAR!" With that, he brought the blade down to the ground only to see to his dismay nothing had happened. There was no quaking of the ground, not beads of energy surging towards the tree, nothing. Everyone frowned in disappointment.
"Why didn't it work?" Kaname asked.
"Maybe you two did it wrong," Sango suggested, "When Michiru copied the Tenseiga, it was during a genuine fight. Maybe you two need to fight each other for the power to be copied."
"Good thinking," InuYasha nodded as he took a true battle stance, "So let's do this, Michiru!"
With that, the two friends engaged each other thrusting and parrying each other's attacks. InuYasha was swift, but Michiru's connection to nature made most of his moves predictable for him. They clashed for about thirty minutes increasing aggression and power between the two combatants, yet still no sign of anything resembling what happened when Shikiga copied Tenseiga so many years ago occurred at any point in the match. Realizing that there was no point in continuing, the two disengaged.
"I don't get it," Jaken spoke, "If Lord InuTaisho really wanted Michiru to copy Tetsusaiga's power into the Shikiga, why isn't it working?"
"That's a good question, Jaken," Michiru replied, "Maybe there's something special I need to do with it…?"
"Or maybe there's something wrong with Shikiga," Kaname suggested as she tried to snuggle in Sesshomaru's arms, "We should talk to Totosai about this."
"Good idea," Kagome agreed.
"Or maybe…" Michiru spoke gesturing to his bed with his sword in his hand, "…we just need to consult InuTaisho."
"Even better," InuYasha nodded, "Night approaches fast, so you'd better get to bed. The sooner the better."
"Right," Michiru nodded as he smiled at his wife, "I've missed going to bed with you, Sango."
"As have I," Sango smiled, "Shall we adjourn to our tent dear?"
"Yes," Michiru nodded as he led his loving wife into their tent. Seeing them together gave Kaname a naughty idea.
"Sesshomaru," She began, "A couple of weeks ago, InuYasha broke up with me and…and as I have no other suitor for myself…" She then cuddled closer to Sesshomaru's strong, tall, and handsome body with a pleading look on her face, she begged, "…I think I'm ready to be yours."
"Really?" Rin spoke excitedly, "You mean you're ready to be Lord Sesshomaru's wife, Lady Kaname?"
"If he'll have me," Kaname nodded, "Please, Sesshomaru? Take me to your bed?"
Looking down at the Kururugi girl, Sesshomaru shook his head as he shoved Kaname away from him.
"No. I'm sorry, Kaname," He spoke softly, "While I do care for your brother and you very much, I…I cannot marry or be with a human girl. I swore against it, and my hatred for humans in general forbids it."
Kaname gasped at this! The thought of being alone the rest of her life was…was heartbreaking to her. InuYasha leaving her for Kagome was hard enough, but not the only other man she loved rejecting her as well? It..it left the poor heartbroken girl in shatters! But…it was Sesshomaru's choice so…
"I…I understand…" Kaname answered with a sad nod, "I…I guess I'll have to find someone else…"
With that, she got up and took off into the woods as everyone gasped at her running away!
In Michiru and Sango's tent however, neither Michiru nor Sango knew of anything that had transpired because they were too busy enjoying being together again. Michiru eyed Sango's belly starting to bulge as he began to stroke it tenderly.
"You know, Sango?" He began, "As I may need InuYasha's power to defeat Naraku once and for all, and it might take awhile for me to figure out how to obtain it, maybe when we go back, I'll stay home with you training and studying at the library and all to figure this all out. We can get a sonogram to see what gender the baby is this time, you can deliver in an actual hospital, and I will be there all the while as you endure all this."
Sighing in pleasure at the feel of Michiru's kind and gentle hand on her belly, Sango smiled as she nodded.
"That actually might be a good idea," She agreed, "You needing the power of Tetsusaiga gives you a reason to study up on your folklore which can keep you in the modern world…with me."
"Precisely," Michiru nodded, "Then after you've recovered from giving birth, we can set out again never to be parted."
"Then it's settled," Sango smiled, "If InuTaisho can't reveal to you the secret to copying Tetsusaiga, then you'll stay with me studying how on your own at home."
"Well, then we'd better get to sleep then," Michiru answered as he set the handle of the blade in his hands holding it to him as he cast a light dosage of Dream Dust into the tent on them both as they started to get sleepy, "Goodnight, my love…"
Yawning, Sango drowsily replied, "Mmmm…goodnight…"
As slumber consumed them both, the Shikiga began to glow once again as Michiru entered the world of dreams once more.
"InuTaisho?" Michiru called out, "I've come to seek your aid once more, are you here?"
"Indeed," The voice spoke from all around, "I know why you are here, Michiru, but you mentioned not only to my son, but to your wife that you planned on finding a solution by yourself."
"That's true," Michiru replied, "But it never hurts to seek an easy solution."
"Famous last words," InuTaisho replied, "But at the same time, anything truly worth having is rarely obtained easily. If you wish to solve situations on your own, then I think I'll let you try to solve this one on yours. I'm sorry, Michiru, but this time I will give you no free advice."
Nodding his understanding as the dream began to change once more, Michiru called out, "Can't you at least give me some kind of hint?"
"Anything truly worth having is rarely obtained easily," InuTasho's voice spoke again, "The best things in life remain in the darkness until the light discovers them…."
With that, the dream dissipated as Michiru woke to a rising sun. His dream and brief conversation with InuTaisho seemed to have accomplished nothing. He was all on his own now, and yet he looked at his wife and realized he wasn't.
"I guess I have to go back home now and do my research," Michiru deduced to himself, "Well, at least it will give me time to bond again with Kanna, Michigo, and Sanru. My precious daughters." Then he looked at his wife's bulging stomach once again and smiled, "I wonder what gender you will be? I can't wait for that sonogram…"