Hisaka: What the hell are two half-demons doing here?
Needless to say, Hisaka wasn't happy to see Yusuke and Kurama in the least. The second they emerged into another clearing, she leapt to her feet with a glare that would have made Hiei angry of her skills…even if he were angry at the time. At her sudden burst of rage, Kurama had the instinctual impulse to back away from her--tiger demons were one of his more natural enemies, and he had no desire to aggravate this one. Her hair wasn't too long, and barely reached below her shoulders; the locks were of a deep golden, and quite wavy. Her eyes were pale violet, and her skin quite pallid, but on that skin she had the markings of the animal she was; they were etched a dark brown, and in addition, she had the respectable ears, as well as the tail.
Satsuki: Calm down, Hisaka. They are here to find someone they lost; may I remind you that you are with me for the same reason?
Hisaka: No, you can't…But whatever. Just keep them away from me… (she turned around and leapt high, taking her perch in the branches of a nearby magnolia tree. Her glare pierced down on them for a moment, before she balanced on her side, and fell back into a light sleep.)
Satsuki: I'm sorry for her behavior…(she sighed, before turning to face Yusuke and Kurama) But she had a harsh encounter with a half-demon, long ago. She hasn't forgiven him, or the breed, ever since.
Yusuke: No problem. I'm used to it by now, but old-foxy over here--
Kurama: You may keep my situation out of your conversation, Yusuke. It's really none of her business. (he made a head-gesture toward Hisaka, and Yusuke let it click before he gave a nod and took a seat.)
Satsuki: So…Kurama, was it? (he nodded) Who exactly are you looking for?
Kurama: A friend. (As he began to speak, he took his own seat on the grass across from her and beside Yusuke, who seemed put-off by the fact that she requested the information in the first place.)
Satsuki: Is he unwelcome in our world? Like a human, perhaps?
Kurama: Yes, in fact he is…We had hoped to make haste in finding him, but alas…
Satsuki: Kenta ran off on you, huh?
Yusuke: How'd you know! (he paused, untrustingly.) You aren't gonna do the same thing, are you? How do you even know him?
Satsuki: Calm down…Yusuke, I believe? (he grunted in reply) There are few black dragons alive today. I know nearly all of them, except for this new half-dragon…
Kurama: You mean Hiei? Well, I'd doubt that anyone really knows him yet…
Satsuki: I suppose. I haven't gotten the opportunity to meet him yet, but a friend of mine has.
Kurama: Your friend wouldn't happen to have violet hair and very bright eyes, would she?
Satsuki: Kenyusa? Yeah; how'd you know her?
Kurama: Well, she rather joined our as of late. She should be back at the castle…but that's a very long story, actually.
Satsuki: Really now…In the Demon World? How could she have gotten there? Lord Koenma usually keeps strict patrol on the creatures that pass through the barriers; even if he only controls one level of Demon World, he should be able to keep dragons out…
Kurama: Yes…but she had a special pass. You see--
Yusuke: I HATE to interrupt, but you completely ignored my question, woman.
Satsuki: My name is Satsuki, not "woman," and I answered both the questions of "You aren't gonna do the same thing, are you" and "How do you know him anyway." You asked nothing else, Yusuke.
Yusuke: You knew what I meant…
Satsuki: But its not what you asked. Now, as to verify what you MEANT, you'll have to hunt down my grandfather. I don't know why he would have, nor how Kenta suddenly turned on you…You don't have to trust him again, but if you want, go ahead. I've known him for years, and I can vouch for the fact that he's trustworthy, as long as someone else isn't playing with his mind.
She smiled sweetly; an action that made Yusuke turn away from her in a bit of a huff. Kurama stifled a bit of a chuckle at the scene playing out before himself before returning to the conversation they were having; Yusuke tuned them out, but eventually moved to lay in the grass before dozing slightly. Hisaka, who had snapped awake near the beginning of the conversation, continued to listen silently as she pretended to remain asleep. All in all, it was useless information to her, but none the less, she was waiting for them to get to something useful, such as the location of the canine half-demon who doubled as her sworn mortal enemy…
"What are you doing here, woman?"
The lazy voice startled her as she made her way through the forests, following the trail that she knew Hiei had taken. What she didn't know, however, was that Sesshoumaru had never left the area in which he had confronted the dragon…Now, he was doing the same to another.
Kenyusa: I-I…I was…um…uh… (she heard him sigh heavily…or rather, what she considered heavily for him. His gaze shone down on her from the branch upon which he was resting)
Sesshoumaru: Hiei followed the trail ahead of you, heading back toward the Dragonic Realm…If you catch him, perhaps you can stop him from doing something foolish.
Kenyusa: Foolish? Hmm…(she paused, suddenly noticing that he seemed to be thinking distantly about something) Sesshoumaru?
Sesshoumaru's gaze returned to her, having momentarily turned back to the sky above them, and once again, just like when she had first arrived to meet him, she felt nervous and self-conscious under the pressure of those sharp golden eyes. She could only imagine what it was like to be forced down under his ruthless stare, and had no intention of doing so in her current position; she looked away, and he took his eyes from her, once more focusing to trace the many constellations that dotted the sky under the façade of imageless and random stars. Why he was so intent upon the stars, she didn't know, but she found the courage to voice her original question, nonetheless.
Kenyusa: Uh…(the gaze returned) Has Koenma told you about my…um…secret?
Sesshoumaru: That would depend upon which one.
Kenyusa: …So he's told you more than one?
Sesshoumaru: Yes. Both of your heritage as well as your escapades during the tournament.
Kenyusa: Oh…
Sesshoumaru: Why do you ask me of these things? In truth, they both seem rather pointless situations. What are you avoiding?
Kenyusa: Well, I was wondering…
Sesshoumaru: Your stalling grows tiresome. Speak your inquiry, or leave my presence.
Kenyusa: Can I ask you a question?
Sesshoumaru: If you must ask one to propose another, expect no answer.
Kenyusa: …Okay…
She took this as a sign to ask anyway, though she knew someone else would have just stopped talking and walked away by then. She forced her eyes to leave the ground, and make steady contact with the orbs shimmering down at her with something akin to dislike and annoyance. She'd better make this quick, then, she thought silently.
Kenyusa: …What happened five hundred years ago? (she hesitated) You know, between Humans and Demons?
His gaze, if possible, became all the more fierce, and his eyebrows drew closer, creating a scowl that she nearly backed away from and ran. However, a wave of a chill coursed her spine at the look he was giving her, and she knew that she wasn't going to run, not of courage, but the fear rooting her to the soft ground. Another chill met her, and she shuddered, not doubting that Sesshoumaru could smell the fear radiate from her body with his keen senses; his glare became even more cruel, and she shuddered violently, taking an involuntary step backward as she did so. The contact never broke between their eyes, and the question, she thought, had been long since forgotten as he studied him from above her, but to her surprise, he gave his reply, which startled her even more as it suddenly broke through the silence like a stone through glass.
Sesshoumaru: …Fear.
The word was strong, and obviously doubly meant with the tone and the current situation; Kenyusa hid a blush of embarrassment at the way he looked at her, and she turned away, suddenly finding the dead leaves around her oddly fascinating. Suddenly, the heat of his eyes on her form lifted, and she looked back upward at him only briefly. A gentle breeze caused his snowy hair to waft about his body like an aura of purity, and as the moonlight began to peek its way through the tops of the trees with the slow movement of clouds, she felt the intimidating energy he emitted increase tenfold; she pried herself away from the sight and muttered an awed "thank you" to him, which she suspected he hadn't even heard as she went on her way…
But golden eyes watched her disappearing form as he basked in the moonlight, his injury vanishing completely, and his left arm glowing white with acquired power; he sighed softly to himself, and placed his head back against the tree where it was before he heard her approach. His eyes remained on the newly-uncovered moon as his mind swam with many thoughts, all of which, were jerking him right back into the past that he had tried so long to forget.
"So much like Rin…" he thought without even knowing he spoke the words softly, "Perhaps she's also clever enough to decipher a well-kept secret of my own…"
He sat back against the wall after hearing the details of the explanations, not even really noticing that he'd leaned forward to listen in the first place; he now seemed rather thoughtful to Kuwabara, and he let the man enjoy his silence. Satsu had long since awaken, and had also listened in on some of the stories about the adventures that the human's team had been on, but something about the stories didn't place correctly in his mind.
Satsu: As much as it pains me to be interested in the first place, I just have to ask…Why in the hell does Hiei even bother to keep near you in the first place? Is he not relieved of the blame for stealing the sword that brought him and Yusuke together?
Kuwabara: He did have to participate in the tournament, you know.
Satsu: But why not leave afterward? If he's really as hateful as you claim, then there's no reason for him to be around people he can't stand, right?
Kijou: No…I don't think that's the case at all… From what I gather, Hiei is--or rather--was the only full-blooded creature among you. At first his pride wouldn't let him admit that there was a friendship between you, and later, the coldness became a habit.
Satsu: How would you know? You've never met him.
Kijou: No, but I have you as a prime example. Besides…I used to know someone else who was the same way, more or less. But alas, he's probably long dead now. Sad really; we were almost friends in addition to being allies.
Satsu: You mean that Dog Demon you've told me about? Gee…Doesn't sound like he could ever die; not the way you described him, anyway.
Kijou: I know, but…With my luck and all…
Kuwabara: Wait a minute. Dog Demon? Was the guy's name Sesshoumaru?
Kijou: Yeah. You've heard of him?
Kuwabara: He fought against Yusuke and Hiei at the last Dark Tournament!
Kijou: You're kidding…(he suddenly leaned forward again) Tell me, what did he look like?
Kuwabara: Well, he was tall, and pallid, but he had white hair, and a purplish-blue moon on his forehead. He wore pretty much white, but they looked like human clothes…I kinda thought he was ancient, since he's over five hundred years old, but he didn't look older than twenty-five, or something around that…
Kijou: (sitting back) Yep. That's ol' Fluffy for you…Oh, but don't tell him I called him that. You see, he used to wear this really big pelt on his shoulder, and it was a nickname that popped into my head. Of course, he nearly killed me when I accidentally said it out loud, of course, but I couldn't blame him. He still have a half-brother?
Kuwabara: Inuyasha? Yep, he was there too.
Satsu: Inuyasha…(he growled deeply, but seemingly unconsciously) I'll kill that mutt if I ever get my claws on him…
Kijou: Satsu? What's wrong? Why are you suddenly acting like that; did something happen between you two that was really that bad?
Satsu: He harmed someone very near to me. I was looking for him, when I was first captured; his brother had friends among the Dragons at the time, and I went in search to see if I could get a location on the half-breed…
Kijou: Oh…No wonder you hate half-demons so much.
Kuwabara: Hey, not all half-demons are bad, you know.
Kijou: Don't encourage his temper. If he thinks you're protecting Inuyasha, I'll never be able to keep him from ingesting you. He holds grudges, and they keep strong; don't waste your breath on an argument.
Kuwabara: Doesn't matter. If he so much as touches a hair on my friends when they get here--
Satsu: Unless one of those friends is Inuyasha, you have absolutely nothing to worry for. Just know that I'll let nothing stand in my way of avenging my son, be it you, Sesshoumaru, or Lord Koenma himself. Keep that in mind, and change your topic, if you please. I have too much to think about as it is…
And with this, he turned away from them, moving to once again, lay on his side. He would have been content with sleep, were it dreamless, but as it was not, he knew he was going to be awake, and mulling over this new information for quite some time…
Short, sweet, to the point, and slower than molasses in an Antarctic igloo. Sorry it took me so long, but I…hate to say, but I simply forgot about this one. I was writing other stories, when I got an idea that just clicked into place with the plot. Hopefully, the next one will be longer, and come sooner, but with circumstances about which I can't really use as excuses, please, no one get their hopes up...