It was the night of the crescent moon and a long, faired haired man accompanied by a two headed dragon and a young girl walked through the grassy tresses of a meadow that was illuminated by the moon's light. However, there was a disturbance in the long grass ahead and whatever it was, it was coming closer. Sesshomaru could sense its presence, "Jaken, where have you been?"
Suddenly an ugly green imp appeared at Sesshomaru's feet, "I beg your forgiveness my lord," he said in his pathetic apologetic voice, "but I have discovered some information that might be of use to you."
"I'm listening."
Jaken looked thrilled at his master's words and bowed deeply to him, "Me thanks lord Sesshomaru. Well when we passed by the last village I heard a strange story of a demon woman, most incomparable in strength." Here the toad looking imp looked up into his master's eyes and then quickly adverted them to the ground, "with the exception of you my lord of course. So I made a point to myself to discover more about this demon and found out that she was a great friend of your father's."
Sesshomaru cocked his head in slight interest, "continue."
"My thanks milord. Well it so happens that this she-demon took part in the decision of forging the Tetsuiga and Tensuiga and that she knows many of the secrets that lie behind the their power. Rumor has it that the Tetsuiga has an ultimate secret that only she and your father know, apparently not even the great sword master Totosei knows about it. It is said that the person who knows of this secret can unfold the ultimate strength if the Tetsuiga.
The wind blew and everything was quiet for a moment with the exception of the distant chirping of crickets. "Where can I find this girl?" the lord finally asked.
"She is off to the North West, but not far from here!" Jaken exclaimed sounding very excited that Sesshomaru has taken his information into consideration. "People say that she is taking down the Jinkotsu bandit camp as we speak.
"Good work Jaken, let's go," with that Sesshomaru started to walk off, Ah and Un following in wake and a sleeping Rin on its back. Jaken although, was still sitting on the dirt ground lost in thought, "Milord Sesshomaru said good work! Ohh he does need me!" Jaken wiped his eyes with a sleeve and ran after lord Sesshomaru.
But merely a half of an hour later Sesshomaru came to a small cliff and directed everyone to stay behind him while he goes to peer over the edge. Sesshomaru walked to the edge and looked down a horrifically amazing site: the Jinkotsume bandit camp in ruins and afire. Most of the men were running or fighting for their lives, however unsuccessful, as there in the midst of all the chaos was a girl dressed in samurai uniform wielding two katanas and slaying the bandits with ease and finesse that would be most admirable among all warriors. Just like that, this one person single handedly defeated the largest most feared humans among the western territories. Although, Sesshomaru could sense something odd about this so-called "demon" woman and he didn't like it.
The girl walked out of the smoke and flames into the middle of a blood soaked span of dirt ground, where she took out a white piece of cloth and wiped the blood from her swords. "Demon why do you watch me so?" she said as she finished wiping the blood from her blades and looked up at Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru leaped from his perch at the edge of the cliff to the battle scared ground before him. For a moment they stared at one another in complete silence. Back at the top of the cliff Jaken, Ah and Un and the newly awoken Rin watched the encounter of the two below. On the ground Sesshomaru was the first to break the silence, "I've heard that you know something of the Tetsuiga."
She smirked and then sheathed her swords. "Indeed?" Sesshomaru lowered his head a bit and gave her a glare that would unnerve any kind of creature; however this girl seemed not to heed him. "Let me guess you are non other than Lord Sesshomaru. Well I am honored by your visit my lord." She had a voice like smooth ice when she spoke to him, however he could tell it was not intentional for there was an elegance and beauty to it as well. "Yes I do know a few facts about the Tetsuiga but I suppose you have come for the real secret behind it haven't you?"
Sesshomaru looked at her cautiously. "Indeed I have," he said coldly.
"I knew you would be the one who would track me down first. Well I think you obviously are aware that I am not going to tell you, I have sworn an oath, so I assume you came to see if you can battle it out of me." Her hand gripped tightly around one of the katanas.
Sesshomaru placed his own hand on Tokigen, "If that is the only way then so be it." With that he withdrew Tokigen and leapt towards her. She just as quickly drew her sword and blocked his attack. Sesshomaru jumped away and sent a bolt of energy from Tokigen towards her but she countered his attack with an equally strong blast of energy force, however both attacks were cancelled out in mid air hitting neither opponent. Becoming agitated Sesshomaru flew at her and she blocked his attack this time using her second katana. "I knew it, your swords are not of any human kind and you are no demon." She smiled and pushed him off of her and acrobatically leapt into an attack. Sesshomaru thought to himself while blocking her attacks, "she can't be a demon, I sense no demonic aura around her, but there is something there, which I have not sensed before. A spiritual aura like a priestess? No it's different somehow." He jumped and released a green whip like energy from his fingers. The first attempt he made to strike her she deflected it off her sword and when he tried to strike her again she met him by using her own energy in a yellow whip type of fashion, similar to his. A few moments later Sesshomaru cut her across the face but then the two whip forces caught on to one another and became entangled. The controllers pulled each other so that they became face to face. Sesshomaru looked upon her fair face and saw that the wound in which he had inflicted upon her just moments earlier heal to perfect skin right before his eyes.
"It would seem that we are equal in strength Lord Sesshomaru and there is no way you can defeat me as you can see I am an evolved regenerate and I know for instance that the Tensuiga will save you if I try to kill you."
"It would seem so. Therefore I guess I have no choice but to take you hostage until you decide to tell me the secret of the Tetsuiga." With that she released herself from him and sheathed her katanas.
"What interest do you take in the Tetsuiga? After all it is not your sword but your half brother Inuyasha's."
He gave her a cold stare, "That half breed Inuyasha is neither worthy nor capable of wielding such a sword." Sesshomaru glared at her trying to study her and pondering on what she might be. "You are no demon, but you are not human either. What means of creature are you?"
She smiled at him and ran her fingers through her long black hair. "I suppose you have sensed that I have no demonic aura. Well you are correct, although most people think that I am a demon of sorts like yourself, I am neither demon nor human. I come from a race, which has never been heard of in this country save a few, your father was one of those souls. I am a Druid. I come from a distant land where my kind rules like the demons do here, however there is not and abundance of us like there is demons."
"Druid, I am unfamiliar with your kind but obviously my father was not. What was your relation to him?"
"Just a friend. I came here on my master's word many years ago and sought out Totosei, the sword crafter and had my katanas made. There I came across your father who was in turn having a sword created as well. Later on we became close acquaintances, despite the fact that I was very young. Knowing of my unusual advance knowledge for my age, he asked me to help with his idea of creating two swords for his sons, one for Sesshomaru and one for Inuyasha, who was not even born at the time. However, you were always off on some kind of journey somewhere. How I recognized you is because your features resemble your father's well."
Atop the hill Rin and Jaken were watching everything that was going on below. "Who is that Master Jaken? She is very pretty."
"Never mind that Rin, its none of your business! What's important is what she is saying to lord Sesshomaru."
"Ohh…"
Back down on the battleground the druid gazed at Sesshomaru with her intense blue eyes. "Very well then," she said. Sesshomaru snapped out of his train of thought and looked questionable at her. "Well you wanted to take me hostage right? I have nothing better to do at the moment so I might as well." With that she leapt up to the ledge with Jaken and Rin, which startled both of them. Sesshomaru leapt after her.
"Might I know your name if your are to be travelling with us." Sesshomaru asked.
"Lady Aristania." She said simply, looking over her shoulder at him then started to walk away.
"You mean she is going to be travelling with us? Yay!" squealed Rin looking excited and quickly trailed after Aristania. Jaken walked up to Sesshomaru a little puzzled in what just happened.
"Uh milord, might I ask…"
"She is my prisoner until she tells me the secret of the Tetsuiga." With that Sesshomaru walked on.
"Hello, I'm Rin!" Rin said to Aristania. Aristania looked down a little confused.
"You're a human."
"That's right!" said Rin brightly.
Aristania smiled at her and looked at Sesshomaru who was now walking away and raised an eyebrow to his back and gave a smug smile, "A human lord Sesshomaru?" Then she turned and looked back at Rin and crouched down so that they looked eye to eye. Aristania smiled brightly, "I am Lady Aristania."
Rin laughed and ran up to Ah and Un and mounted then beckoned Aristania to follow. She followed alongside of the two-headed dragon while Rin was ready to take another nap. Jaken obviously tired as well hopped on to the back of Ah and Un and fell asleep with Rin.