Chapter 28
As he stepped through the door Sesshomaru looked first at his daughter who stubbornly turned her head away. Then he peered down at Jaken. He recognized Shura's claw marks etched across his servant's face. It was an all to familiar scene, and one he missed seeing a great deal. Resisting the inner urge to smile, Sesshomaru kept on his paternal face and stared hard in Shura's direction. Though past the tantrums of her youth, Shura had lost none of her childish mentality when it came to dealing with Jaken. Without even turning to acknowledge her handiwork the demoness merely flicked one of her ears and snorted stubbornly as if to say "but he started it." Shaking his head lightly Sesshomaru shifted his attention to the still form laying at his feet.
"Jaken stand up." the demon lord commanded. When his servant failed to move Sesshomaru nudged him with the tip of his foot. "She didn't use any poison. Now get up." On the floor, Jaken blinked in surprise then sat up. His master spoke the truth.
"Oh!" he gasped in a short-lived moment of relief before he turned on Shura angrily. "What a mean and horrible trick to play, and after I helped raise you!" Again Shura remained quiet, but not before slouching herself further into a ball and drooping her head. Sesshomaru, sensing her growing distress silenced Jaken with one of his bitter stares. Then he pulled Shura's whip and sword from his belt and extended them in her direction.
"I believe these are yours," he announced. Shura peered over at the objects her father now held, and then reluctantly extended out her hands. As Sesshomaru rested the weapons gently on her palms Shura saw her face reflected in her swords blade. Distorted by the metal, the scar she carried looked even more horrible. Filled with anguish the demoness let the items slip to the floor as she hugged her knees tightly to her chest and buried her face in her lap. Shura could feel the tears of anger pushing heavily on her eyes, but she stubbornly held them back. The last thing she needed was for Sesshomaru to see her crying.
Surprisingly though the demon lord didn't scold her for cowering. Caught in a rare moment of compassion for his child, Sesshomaru knelt down to be at her level. Then he gently took her chin in his clawed hand and tilted her face upward. Even though her bangs, the demon lord saw the humiliating brand Inuyasha's sword had left across his daughter's face. He also recognized that emotionally, Shura was handling the aftermath just as poorly as he had following his first encounter with the Tetsusaiga. Even though it was against his nature, Sesshomaru knew deep down that what his daughter needed from him the most was reassurance, and he was determined to see his child though this hauntingly familiar endeavor.
"Its ironic really," the demon lord commented softly as he brushed back Shura's bangs so he see her face better. Shura said nothing, only looked up at him so pathetically Sesshomaru found it hard to keep a strait face. "The Tetsusaiga," he continued, "now it has scarred us both."
Shura's eyes widened a bit as her father's words reached her. Then she glanced over momentarily at his left arm. She had noticed the change before, but feared to ask how it had happened. Now she knew. Her father, stubborn as a mule, had probably started a fight with Inuyasha for some unknown reason, and in his carelessness failed to outmaneuver her uncle's sword. If it had been her fighting she could understand it, but her father! That was a surprise. Shura let out a heavy sigh and recoiled from her slouch.
"The pain won't go away will it?" Shura asked sadly, though deep down she already knew the answer. Sesshomaru shook his head slowly. As much as he himself wanted the answer to be different, the demon lord knew that brandings of defeat could be managed, even ignored, but never forgotten.
"No," he mumbled, and with an added note of bitterness and a glare at Inuyasha added "it won't. But you will learn to adapt…with time." During the pause that followed Shura noticed that Sesshomaru was giving her a rather unusual look.
"What?" she finally asked as her father tilted her head gradually in different directions.
"Something about your left eye. I can see your vision's been restored yet… they're something else. It's changed somehow?"
"It has?" Shura replied in confusion. From what she could tell, aside from the Tetsusaiga's handiwork, her appearance was no different then before. But then again, her father was far more trained then she, perhaps he had sensed something?
As Sesshomaru peered closer at Shura's face, the dragon atop her shoulders bristled his feathers and let out a low growl to express his disapproval. Reassuring him gently, Shura pulled the creature closer to her and whispered something softly into his ear. Reluctantly, Ukuri hopped to the floor and scampered quickly to the exit. In the doorway, he turned and let out one final warning hiss at Sesshomaru before leaving the room and seeing to his companion's instructions. The demon lord, unthreatened by the creature's distrust of him continued to glance closer at Shura's eyes. They still carried the same golden hue as his, and her gaze was just as piercing, but there was still something amiss. He could sense a strange, new energy present in her stare. It was a presence he had sensed before, but not from anyone in his family. This unique energy belonged exclusively to dragon kind.
"I knew it." the demon lord remarked when he noticed a faint flicker of lavender in Shura's iris. Shura pulled her head away and blinked her eyes.
"What?" she questioned anxiously as her father rose to his feet.
"You've been given dragon sight."
"Dragon sight?" the demon lord's words echoed softly around the table. Shura, even more confused then before, glanced up at her father skeptically.
"You mean…I can see as the dragons do?" Sesshomaru stared down at her. His child's lack of understanding surprised him.
"Haven't you noticed it?" Shura's embarrassed flushing was all the answer he needed. "Don't you see any differences at all?" the demon lord asked, trying to take a different approach to the situation. Shura turned and let her eyes trail slowly around the room. Everything about the surroundings seemed the same. Next her gaze shifted to the company present. Shura started to look over each of her guests. Still nothing. No changes at all.
"Well I can't say that I…" Shura started to answer but her voice trailed off suddenly. As her golden eyes shifted to Kagome, she was surprised to see brightly glowing crystal fragments. They were held in a jar, itself tucked in Kagome's pocket, but she had not noticed them there until this moment. "Shards!" Shura heard herself gasp as the realization dawned on her. "I can see the shards! Of the sacred jewel!"
"You can!" Kagome squeaked in surprise. Shura nodded, but no sooner had she done so then a wave of dizziness nearly caused her to pass out. Gripping the table for support, Shura gazed upward trying to refocus her vision. The image that finally came into view however, was not the room or the faces of her guests. All she saw was darkness, and a familiar baboon cloaked demon and the miasma that he commanded.
"Aaieee! Naraku!" Shura cried in alarm as she flew to her feet. The demoness would have kept going too, if Sesshomaru hadn't caught her.
"What!" Inuyasha's voice rang out "Shura! What about Naraku!"
Shura watched as the vision of her enemy unfolded before her. As the background came into focus she could see that the demon, though hurt, was on the move. And somehow, she instinctively knew which direction he was going.
"He's heading northeast" no sooner had the words left her mouth then Inuyasha started up again.
"Where! Where is he going! Tell me!" The demoness squinted and tried to identify any kind of landmark. But the harder she tried, the fuzzier the picture became. Eventually the image faded completely, leaving Shura disoriented and with a throbbing headache. Sinking to her knees in exhaustion, the demoness massaged her temples lightly.
"I…sorry. I wasn't strong enough to see…" Shura admitted sadly as she once again tried to adjust her vision. When she did finally manage to focus it was on Inuyasha's sour expression.
"Damit!" the half demon cursed in frustration. Shura lowered her head. Her weakness had struck again, and this time it had upset her uncle. Was there no end to this?
"Pay no mind to him Shura," Sesshomaru interrupted her train of thought and simultaneously received a dirty look from his half brother. "The dragons' have granted you the gift of prophesy, a skill rarely given to demon's outside there own kin. I suggest you learn to use this new talent wisely, and take special care to honor and revere all dragons from this moment on." Shura turned to face her father.
"I will." She promised while lowering her head in respect. "I swear it." Though his face didn't show it, there was no doubt in Shura's mind that her father was pleased. After a short pause, Sesshomaru picked up his sword from the corner and placed it on his belt.
"I have lingered to long here. I must return home," he informed her. Shura didn't argue. Truthfully she was half glad for it. His presence there was still a bit uncomfortable and though he was trying his best, it would take quite a while before Sesshomaru and her developed any kind of close rapport.
"Um, excuse me, if I may…" it was Jaken. Shura looked down at the little demon standing nervously at her feet. "My lady, why don't you come with us? It is your birthright after all." Shura glanced first at her father, who said nothing, then back at Jaken.
"Perhaps one day I will. But for now, I am content." This time it was Sesshomaru who spoke.
"Very well then," he remarked as he turned toward the door "If you change your mind, you know where to find me." Shura didn't react. Only turned away and resumed her place at the table. Jaken was half tempted to argue the point, but it seemed Shura's coldness was an inherited trait.
As the demon lord walked out of the door he was met once again by Ukuri the dragon kit. As the young creature slipped past him, still hissing despite a pouch held snugly in his mouth, Sesshomaru mumbled something that only the animal could hear. "Watch over her." Ukuri paused, then let out a snort of understanding before scampering over to Shura and once again perching himself on her shoulders. As the dragon kit dropped the pouch into her outstretched hand, he received a grateful scratch under the chin from his companion, who at that moment had turned her attention to another in the room.
"Jaken." Shura spoke with a sharp note, causing Jaken to freeze in his tracks. Timidly the little demon turned around to face his master's heir.
"yyy…yes…my lady?" he stammered nervously as he approached. He had good reason to be anxious, for the tone of Shura's voice was the same as the one his master carried before acting out his aggressions on others. Jaken was surprised however when instead of targeting him, Shura reached out and placed the bag she held in his hands.
"Do me a favor and give these herbs to father, for his wounds." Jaken nodded. It still surprised him that despite her lineage, Sesshomaru's child still could have a kind heart.
"I will. Farewell my lady, I hope your journeys bring you great success." Jaken gave one final bow before rushing to catch up with his master. Shura watched as Jaken's silhouette gradually disappeared.