The snow fell rapidly, blanketing the sparse grass on the hilltop in no time at all. The flakes of ice crystal were sprinkling through her strands of dark hair as well. However, the phoenix woman seemed not to give the abrupt change of weather a fleeting thought.
Snow muffles sound. Too bad it cannot stifle her words…
How does she know about Naraku?
Instead of just asking her numbed mind more useless inquiries she herself had no answer for, she posed the question to this strangely accommodating Suzaku.
"Suzaku, how did you know about…him?"
"What demon doesn't?" the youkai replied evenly. "I smelled his signature miasma. It was for this sole reason I did not slay you on the spot. Had it not been for that faint scent…" She paused delicately. "Well, I never would have taken you for one of our blood—diluted or not. Only when I beheld your eyes, did I know."
Stunned, Mizoshi gaped at her.
She was going to kill me too?
Instantaneously, she curled her hands into unwise fists. Clamping her arms at her sides, Mizoshi knew all too well what she was about to say could replicate Suzaku's original intent.
"Do you usually kill passing wanderers?" she demanded.
Suzaku eyed her calmly. "Vagabonds and travelers have no place here--as I've stated before. You are too innocent, hanyou. There are some areas where none should tread. But then, that logic is wasted on you, isn't it?"
She insults me?
"What do you mean?" Mizoshi's cheeks were reddening rapidly, and at this instant, it wasn't from the low temperature of the current climate.
"Naraku is not a good being, is he Mizoshi? No. He can slay you at any event of his choosing. In fact, you're not even sure he returns your feelings." the woman stated rather matter-of-factly.
"How dare you?" she sputtered, her own fire leaping to the surface. "You have no right!"
"You're anger at me is misdirected. You've wondered the same thing yourself for entire weeks now," she said confidently. "Yes, every demon knows of Naraku's mad desire to twist and corrupt the sacred jewel."
Angry tears wrestled out of Mizoshi's eyes. Enraged beyond belief, she took a giant step backwards from this unnaturally cruel being.
"He loves me!" she cried out. "I know he does! I…just know," she finished in a weak whisper. Even to her own ears, the argument sounded lame.
Suzaku blinked her golden eyes as if this outburst was merely a minor inconvenience. She was neither embarrassed, nor bristling with irritation. She was purely…emotionless. Like a candle flame.
"Very well, Mizoshi," she spoke crisply, "perhaps this naïve innocence of yours protects you. I cannot instruct you to stay away, and it is none of my affair besides."
"It's not," Mizoshi agreed.
"I can read you emotions so vividly, hanyou. Indeed, I can feel your every emotion about him. Some are quite confusing and tortuous. But, as we agreed, I shall speak no more on the matter." All at once, Suzaku spun on her heel. Now, the sole sight she could glimpse was the phoenix demoness's back.
A stiff silence filled the condensed air whilst the snow continued to waft through the resulting mist. Nervously, Mizoshi shifted from poorly equipped foot to foot.
Does she have a point? Am I really sure about the dark hanyou's feelings? Enough to stake my life on them? Did I not mention to myself how inconstantly he behaved?
"I am leaving, hanyou." Suzaku's voice carried a detached quality. "If you value your existence, or what's left of it, do not return to Point Honou. I will not be merciful to such a being as you again."
Once more, impulsiveness opened her lips before her brain could analyze the ensuing words. "What does that mean, Suzaku? You sound disappointed."
Surprisingly, when the bird woman faced her again, Mizoshi was shocked to find a mask of fury glaring at her. "I am disappointed, hanyou. Don't you see? Are you blind?" Her tone escalated. "He will use, abuse, and confuse you until nothing remains. You will be discarded in the manner of an old, tattered piece of silk. No longer beautiful to gaze upon and no longer as riveting to dissect, you will either be destroyed or thrown in the trash. That is the reality."
"You know nothing about us!" Mizoshi was virtually shrieking now. "He told me he loves me! You don't know him like I do! You haven't even met him!"
"Nor would I want to," Suzaku replied with exaggerated distaste. "He is pure evil. Any being that would willingly embrace such a man so close to their heart is no better than the man himself. Your emotions are exceedingly fragile--"
"Stop reading my…emotions!" Mizoshi very nearly snarled.
It was the rising. The heat. That undeniable heat that always accompanied a modest clump of flame. Digging her feet into the wet snow in an attempt to cool the inevitable, she clenched her both her jaws and fingers together in an overdue attempt to restrain herself.
If I attack her, it will mean my doom. Not that attacking her wouldn't be totally unsatisfying…
"Dear Mizoshi," she almost crooned, "I thought you wished to learn of your heritage and powers. Reading the emotions of others is but one of the traits of the phoenix demon, or, if I may correct myself, the true phoenix demon."
A ready retort on her lips; Mizoshi was forced to stifle it when the transformation happened. Without warning, Suzaku's eyes flared yellow. Next, the crimson feathers appeared, coating every spare inch of Suzaku's flesh. Her head grew larger; her body elongated. Sharp claws appeared below. Red wings with a distinctive crest of white appeared on either side of the now definitely streamlined body. The bird woman had reverted back to a true bird.
Now what?
In answer to her question, Suzaku let out a screech with her recently grown beak and lifted off into the air above. From the ground, she watched her speed further and further away until she was merely a speck of scarlet. At last, Suzaku disappeared through the clouds themselves.
Mizoshi was left feeling frozen. A distinct sense of lost pervaded her chest. It was if something miraculous and completely awe-inspiring had transpired, something that would never happen again in her lifetime, and she'd let it escape.
I had so many more questions to ask, and she was willing to respond to them. That was my one chance to learn everything about my heritage.
Why did she have to mention Naraku? What business was it of hers? The arrogant wench!
Close to tears, Mizoshi dejectedly made the long journey back down to the base of Point Honou. Slowly, she walked down the lonely road to wherever her destination would take her--empty belly in tow.
However, in the end, it wasn't a tragedy. Along the way, Mizoshi temporarily solved the problem of food when she glimpsed a green leafy sprig peeping out of the dusting of snow. Spinach. When her inquisitive hands dug deeper, she came up with winter radishes and even a head of sturdy lettuce. It was then she realized she had luckily come across an abandoned garden where cold weather had been taken into account. Laden with these winter vegetables, she took as much as she could carry, but not before sitting down to an informal "feast."
Still, I can't survive on vegetables alone. What I really crave is meat, and meat means hunting.
On several occasions, a bird wheeled overhead, but she didn't have the heart to attack it. With either a rock or burning flames. Soon enough, twilight stealthily crept over the land. Now, it was time for shelter.
By nightfall, Mizoshi was more or less comfortable in small cavern. Courtesy of her phoenix power, a fire was blazing in the middle of the rocky hollow. The cavern would keep out the harsh winds and freezing snow, and the fire would warm the enclosure, not to mention dry out the damp moisture.
It was then she thought. She thought hard. About Suzaku's words, and everything that had happened since she'd first encountered the dark hanyou.
Naraku is admittedly evil. He's told me that himself. I know what kind of man he is…
Mizoshi scrutinized the fire—losing herself in the flickered multihued light.
…and yet, he loves me. He said that himself. But, can I trust what he says? Truly? By the way, what exactly is he doing on Mt. Hakurei? It can't be anything good.
Mizoshi drew closer to the comforting warmth of the flames.
My life was almost taken so many times. Kouga, the wolf demon, nearly did me in. However, Naraku saved me right afterwards. Inuyasha nearly succeeded in attacking me with that giant sword just today, but I saved myself that time. Or, no, not really. I didn't plan for that far-off explosion to happen. That was most likely Naraku's handiwork too. And, let's not forget Sesshoumaru, the cruelest demon I've ever met. Aside from Naraku, of course. Who saved me. Again.
So, Kouga hates me, Inuyasha hates me, Sesshoumaru hates me, and Kagura should be counted in that mix as well. Kanna and Kohaku do not, but then again, they have lost their very wills to their master. So, that means…
Suddenly, she swallowed hard. The revelation was hitting her right between the eyes.
All of these people hate Naraku, and they hate me too because I associate with him. By choice.
The flames climbed higher.
I'm the only being that willingly stays with Naraku! Does this make me evil as well? I hope not…
A loud pop from the fire momentarily distracted her musings. Momentarily.
He's just misunderstood, isn't he? He's never experienced love before. But, could I change him? No. No one can change Naraku.
Mind swirling with unpleasant speculations, Mizoshi lay down on a slightly soggy pile of grasses. Exhausted, her eyelids closed, and that was the last thing she remembered until a shaft of morning sunlight settled on her face. Amazingly, she'd slept the entire night through. Groaning softly, she shifted to a sitting position. Her eyes caught sight of cold gray ashes. The fire had burned itself out. The ashes weren't even smoldering. Immediately, she grew chilled, as if merely catching sight of the exhausted flames had physically affected her. To remedy this, Mizoshi ate a white radish for breakfast outside in the slowly rising sun. At least, the radish was well preserved in this frosty air.
Gathering the rest of her rations, she continued her journey and inspected her sole sources of food. Four radishes, two bunches of spinach, and half a head of lettuce. Enough for three days if she were lucky. Water was not a problem thanks to the pristine yet problemsome snow now blanketing every area.
How am I ever going to accomplish my task? And return within the time limit Naraku prescribed for me?
People were few. No one dared travel such slippery roads in this below-normal temperature. No one that actually had a real home with meticulously stored provisions.
I'm not going to survive, am I?
She must be miles away from Naraku's new "castle." Despondently, she sat on a nearby boulder.
I wish some luck would come my way. Genuine luck and not just a fluke.
Crunch.
Startled, Mizoshi shot up from the rock. Someone was behind her…
Crunch.
Is it Inuyasha to finish me off? Sesshoumaru?
Crunch.
"Hey, Mizoshi! You are Mizoshi, right?"
Spinning around so fiercely, she dropped her vegetables as a man sauntered into view. An unfamiliar man in shockingly white hakama that suspiciously looked like a soldier's uniform. A red tie was wrapped securely around his waist, holding his blue-patterned armor close to his body. Over his shoulder, a mammoth sword was pointed towards the sky. This was achieved by the use of his right hand. In his left, he dragged a sack behind him.
Confused, she searched his undeniably handsome features. His skin was bronzed, and upon closer inspection, she noticed laughing indigo blue eyes that could be taken for black at a distance. The nameless man's jet-black hair had been worked into a long trailing braid that swished rhythmically behind his great strides. In the center of his forehead was a blue-violet four-pointed star.
Finally, he stopped his extensive strides. He stood and watched Mizoshi even keener than she herself watched him. "Are ya Mizoshi or not?" he asked bluntly.
"Yes," she replied weakly, not quite sure of what to expect.
"My name's Bankotsu, and I work you-know-who." His voice lowered conspiratorially.
"You mean, Naraku?"
He blinked those odd-hued eyes. "Wow. You're brave to say his name so casually. Ah, well. I guess that's on account of you being Naraku's slave and all." He scratched his chin in thought with a free finger.
At once, she was bemused. Not quite insulted, but curious to learn more. "Naraku's…slave? I'm…Naraku's slave? Did he say that?"
"Did he have to?" Bankotsu shot back. When she made no instantaneous reply, he shrugged. "Personally, in my book, he could've picked a more comely human."
Now, she was bristling. "What are you implying, sir?" Her tone was sharp was a bird's beak. "First, I am a hanyou--not a human. Secondly, what does my appearance…"
"Relax." He rolled his eyes. "I didn't think you were so sensitive. I assumed since you were associated with Naraku that you would be a hardened rebel or something like that."
I'm blowing my cover. What if he starts pressing me further?
I wonder if Naraku's aware of the two of us right now…
"Anyway," Bankotus sighed like he was doing an arduous labor, "here's your stuff, courtesy of Naraku."
"Stuff?" The word left her mouth.
Wordlessly, he let the sack drop right in front of her eyes. Glancing back up at him, she cautiously searched his face. "What is--"
"Food," he finished for her impatiently. "Meat and things. Boar. Rabbit. You know, the usual game."
Her heart fluttered. "Why are you giving me this?"
Her inquiry seemed to unnerve him. "Not my doing--it's his. It's a shame, really. I had to spend the better part of a day hunting for those animals. I'm telling ya, Mizoshi, whatever you're doing for him, keep it up." Quick as a flash, he winked.
"You're…horrible," she said quietly. Aware of how dull her retort fell on his sharp ears, she continued further for confirmation. "Why are you working for Naraku, anyhow? He's never mentioned you before."
"That intimate with him, are you?" He smirked devilishly. "Let's just say I'm a recent arrival. Don't worry about so many things, Mizoshi. It could…lengthen your life." His smirk had increased, as if chuckling at some private joke.
Inwardly, she blanched.
He's so overconfident…
"Well, my job's done," he declared with finality. "Maybe I'll see you again, slave of Naraku."
Before she could make an adequate response, he was already closing in on the horizon. Sprinting with the joy of life. Whatever life that may be.
Tremendously satisfied with the goods, and not the brash, potentially dangerous assassin that had delivered them; Mizoshi's vainly tried to still her heart.
He does care. He knows of my struggles. And, last night, all I did was doubt him.
I suppose it's time to return home.
Dragging the heavy sack behind her, Mizoshi didn't even notice the weight. Pure elation lightened the load.
Author's Note: That's it for the OCs. Any new ones, that is. Suzaku will not be back. Also, Bankotsu is here! He'll have a bigger part in the story than the rest of the Band of Seven. (This won't be his last appearance.) Next, will be Suikotsu, Renkotsu, and Jakotsu. I'm hoping to go in that order. Suikotsu may even be in the next chapter.