Author's Note: I got nothing. Enjoy. Review. Don't kill Jomei.
Chapter Four: Maidenhair
Daigo Jomei hunts like his father taunt him. He is quiet and respectful of his quarry. He presses close to the ground, close enough to feel the ants creep up unto his skin and into his armor. They bit at his skin but Jomei doesn't heed them. He keeps so quiet, he thinks for a moment he might melt into the ground. That's an old daydream, something his father use to whisper in his ear while they hunted. If he was quiet enough, Ienobu told him, if he was polite enough; the earth itself would open up and deliver his game to him.
He thinks for a moment it's odd how much he thinks of Ienobu without cringing from the nightmares. Then, Jomei thinks of the Goddess visit, and the Youkai and wonders for a moment if he has gone mad.
Perhaps. But that doesn't make any difference.
Jomei watches as his slow breaths push the dirt on the ground around. He tries not to think of his comrades or Eari. He doesn't think of the gold he left behind, the warmth and familiarity. He tries not to think of the madness of what he's doing.
He is a forest, hunting a demon lord who pulled his sister's soul back from the otherlands. It sounds foolish. It is foolishness.
He does it anyways.
There is a demon by his side. Tama Lord does not squat against the ground. He sits with his legs crossed, hands propped over his knees, staring into the forested, waiting. The old Fox has told Jomei many times to call him only Tama, but Jomei never remembers. For him, Tama is strong, otherworldly and the only thing that pulls Jomei from his nightmares, headaches and madness.
Presently, for boredom's sake, or security or some other reason, Tama reaches over and runs a clawed hand down Jomei's back. Jomei feels his skin recoil but he is surprised how comforted he is by it. His guardian. His demon Lord.
Jomei realizes he does this now for Tama, and not Rin. He would do anything for this demon lord. Not because he loves him, or thinks the Kitsune can protect him or would given the time.
It's because Daigo Jomei needs to believe in something. It may as well be Tama.
Daigo Jomei hunts.
Tama speaks, "My Master comes."
A creature appears from under the brush; green skinned, scaled and short. He was dressed in the manner of chief attendants, with a long black crown and brown robes. Jomei stifled a frown and ventured a gaze to Tama. The Kitsune was staring at the lord intently. He patted Jomei's back, before rising to stand.
"Stay here." Tama ordered before bounding away. "It's not safe."
"I'm sure I can take that…" Jomei began as he turned back to the demon and then cursed.
A conqueror stood where the kappa had. The demon was tall, lithe and pale. He wore a long white robe, graced with red flowers about the edges. His obi was gold, dipped in blue. His hair was long about his waist, hanging surreally around a cold, narrow chin. The demon shifted, moving his chin from one side to another, revealing angry gold eyes, and a moon brand upon his crown. Jomei felt his strength flee, disturbed that something so beautiful could appear so cold.
He wore two swords at his hip, and presently one hand appeared from beneath a sleeve to rest the hilt of the larger one.
Jomei caught his breath as Tama bounded into view in front of the pale apparition and waited.
"You've come." Tama spoke.
The apparition shifted and settled his honeyed gaze upon the fox. "Would I deny you this?"
"And you have come for what purpose?"
The apparition frowned, shifting its gaze from Tama to his surroundings. His eyes drifted to the mountains but returned finally to Tama. "Has something passed that would make you and I adversaries, Tama?" He asked finally, quietly.
Tama stepped back, watching Sesshoumaru and his blade carefully. "A game, Sesshoumaru Lord?" He hissed. "Is this some sort of game?"
Sesshoumaru hesitated then, looked up again. "Has something passed between us, Tama, that Sesshoumaru should not find welcome in the arms of his comrade?"
"It was Sesshoumaru, not Tama, who caused the rift."
"Then I ask forgiveness."
Tama would gasped if such a thing was possible. He narrowed his eyes at the other Lord, and then glanced to Jaken. Jaken shrugged lightly. Sesshoumaru was staring at the dirt.
"I have been unwell." The pale one continued. "Though the exact malady escapes me. I feel like I have been…"
"Trapped." Tama supplied.
Sesshoumaru smiled. "Fitting. As it is, I need to regain what I have lost, and who is better suited or more deserving to be at my side when I reclaim it?"
"Reclaim?"
"I mean to take back what was abandoned. To do that, I need your help…if you'll have me."
Tama looked torn between disbelief and the steady childish belief that perhaps Sesshoumaru had returned to him. To say a Youkai could hope would to be to state a fact, but unlike humans, when Youkai hope it could turn terrible and cruel. Tama was first warrior, and while he was pleased to see his comrade returned- he was more thrilled to see the great Warlord of the Western Lands take place of the quiet Companion that come to his palace with human in toe.
Tama bowed, and meant it. "I am yours forever, Sesshoumaru milord."
"As it was then," Sesshoumaru smiled, and Jaken flinched behind him. "As it was always."
There was a scream of an arrow hurtling through the valley. Sesshoumaru heard it before it came into sight, grabbing Tama and jerking him away. He felt the arrow slide through his hair and brush against the silk of his skin but he only thought of it afterwards. His hand moved to Tokijin before jumping forward.
"Did you bring me a friend, Tama comrade?"
"…I beg my Master's forgiveness," Tama hissed, bowing and searching the rocks. He growled when he realized Jomei had not remained where he had holed him. Humans, useful only as a practice. "I was deceived, brought close to betraying you."
Sesshoumaru jerked over, studying Tama quietly. For a moment, Tama was certain that Sesshoumaru would reach forward and snap his neck. As it was, the Western Lord merely stared and turned back to search the mountains. "What corpse sought to turn Tama from Sesshoumaru?"
"The Lady Kannon."
"A viper guised as a Goddess." Sesshoumaru offered as the only reply. "We shall deal with this later."
There was another arrow that screamed forward. Tama jerked free from the path as Sesshoumaru jump towards the direction it had come. Tama could see the shadow dart away, and saw Sesshoumaru swipe at air. He was surprised that Jomei had such agility within such a weak human vessel.
"Tama…"
Jaken's body was curled to the ground, his small head lifted upwards, watching the heavens. He could see blood slowly pooling from the wound, a chest shot near the neck. The blood gurgled the words Jaken was stumbling to say.
Sesshoumaru was back at his side before Tama thought to call him. The Western Lord couldn't have known Jaken was wounded, couldn't have pursued his attacker and thought to watch his charge. Not even Sesshoumaru was that omniscient. Still, when Jaken had but uttered a word in pain, his Lord could be found by his side, hand tracing the arrow's path. His eyes were narrowed from study, caution and hate.
Tama was so engrossed in adoration of his Master, and Sesshoumaru so intent upon Jaken's wounds that neither cared to guard against Jomei who still lurked and waited for his aim.
Pulling the arrow taunt about his bow, Jomei took aimed, cleared his mind and released.
Sesshoumaru jerked when the arrow impaled perfectly into his side, below his ribs. He was Youkai; it should have hardly phased him at all akin to how a sting of an insect would cause a human to flinch. But Sesshoumaru paled, and frowned; as his eyes misted over in memory and something from the back of his mind pulled forward, small spidery fingers pushing and pulling for attention.
He rushed him then, in some half-dazed, half-desperate attempt to end this all. He would make his last stance here. The Lord of the Western Lands, the mighty general of the Inutaisho, he who waged wars, and fought the tides themselves. He could have killed Inutaisho himself. He who could possess the Three Swords.
He would die, taking Tama to hell.
It was a fitting end.
A sharp pain blossomed from his chest, stopping Sesshoumaru in his tracks. He gasped a little, letting his hand relax and Tokijin fall from it effortlessly. He tried to inhale again, but something had blocked his lungs. Looking down, he saw it, surreally.
An arrow had hit its mark above his heart and there it rested, impaled and serene.
His mind began to blacken a little, and somewhere in the numbness, he reached for it and touched it. The arrowhead had struck deep within his flesh. It was not painful. For a Youkai, it would be nothing at all.
But for a human…
Sesshoumaru felt his legs give way beneath him, heard himself take a shallow gasp for air as his body folded over.
So, this how he would die instead…
Sesshoumaru stumbled from the memory, coughing in violation since his body could recall no other means to address this dream. He winced from the pain of the arrow, and shifted, pulling it free of his gut and staring at it in disbelief. He was frowning, unnerved and shivering from the intensity of the memory. It was his.
He almost remembered it.
After what seemed to have been a small eternity, with all else pausing around him, Sesshoumaru spoke. He spoke only one measured word but it had the ability to put the world itself on hold for one damnable moment.
"Rin."