A/N:
We've reached twenty chapters, my lovely readers! quite a long journey so far which I thank you all for supporting so kindly! I hope you'll enjoy this one, it was immensely fun to write.
Chapter Twenty
"Rin." Kikyo calmly addressed the child as she watched her play in the shallow end of the river in front of her, the colorful kimono she was wearing rolled up to her knees as to keep it from getting wet, although with little success.
The sun positioned high in the sky above their heads, granting the land with the warmth of an early spring weather and encouraging them both to make use of its caressing rays for a quick bath in the nearest water source to their campsite. Hidden and secluded beyond lush greenery and trees, the clear river was flowing steadily through the forest, allowing them both to enjoy its soothing qualities.
Halting her light running through the water, Rin turned her head to meet the priestess' gaze.
"Come here, the soap is prepared." Kikyo informed, taking the wooden bowl into her grip and setting it onto her lap. Free from her hakama trousers as those were already washed clean and hanged on a branch to dry, Kikyo let her white haori shirt fall all the way down to her thighs as it hanged loosely on her body, tied only by the red obi belt at her high waist. She allowed herself to dip her bare legs into the water as she shifted in her seat on the rocky edge of the river, her pocket knife and the leftovers of the organic ingredients scattered on the ground next to her, leaving her with the desired scented mixture in her hands.
Reaching where she sat, Rin stopped in her tracks and leaned forward, submerging her long, wild hair into the stream as it quickly absorbed the moisture. Once the child deemed it as enough, she lifted her head up, sending both of her small hands to rinse her thick locks above the water surface as dribbles of water fell endlessly beneath her until it was left damp, instead.
Then, she stepped closer to Kikyo's position, turning her back to the priestess.
With a smooth motion, Kikyo raised the bowl above Rin, orienting her hand slightly downwards and allowing a small amount of the foamy mixture to meet with the top of her head. She set the bowl down next to her on the ground, then lifted both of her palms to gently rub the substance into the child's tangled hair, using her fingers to efficiently spread its cleansing qualities at every spot that may have accumulated dirt, dust and various kinds of forest remains.
And the familiar soft hum of an unknown tune was soon heard from Rin, drifting in the air between them and adding to the peaceful sounds of the flowing water passing through their location.
"Is that a song you know?" Kikyo asked, her lips forming a slight smile.
Stopping her humming, Rin brought her hands to her chest.
"Yes, it's a song Rin's mother used to sing to her before bed." She answered.
Kikyo departed one soapy hand from the child's hair, reaching for the bowl once more as she elevated it to the top of her head, providing more of the mixture to assist her with her actions, mahogany eyes never leaving her current duty.
And she breathed the freshness in the air deeply, keeping silent for another moment in which only the sounds of moist scrubbing through endless dirty locks of hair hovered above.
"Could I ask you something, Rin?"
"Of course, Kikyo-sama."
Another pause was made before the priestess continued with her words, prompting Rin to turn halfway back in order to once again meet with her gaze, a curious expression displayed in her features.
Quietly staring at her, Kikyo tilted her head slightly as she further studied her being.
"You've said before that it seems as if Sesshomaru and I understand each other well..." She began, however, before she could even manage to finish her question, a large smile spread on Rin's face, causing her to fill with excitement as she hurried to voice out her next thoughts before her.
"Have you finally noticed, Kikyo-sama?" She asked with pure happiness.
Observing the still avid certainty embedded in her features, Kikyo let out an amused breath.
"Partially, I suppose." She steadily admitted, using her hands to gently turn the child's head forward once again, "However, I am interested in knowing what is it that you see, which assists you in determining this fact."
Alarm bells were sent ringing in the priestess' mind over her own newfound hypocrisy, reminding her of the fact that she, herself, was the one who insisted on focusing to ensure Naraku's death with no further distractions, however, Kikyo found herself involuntarily dwelling on yesterday's events more than she expected, with the acceptance of the concept that Sesshomaru and her may have indeed formed a valuable bond between them somehow occupying her thoughts to an unbearable level.
She had to at least comprehend what was it about their connection that proved so undeniable to everyone around them... and she figured that the way to achieve that understanding was none other than asking Rin; the one who was the first to alert her of the situation.
This was nothing but a carefully moderated musing on her part.
"Ah, well..." The child lifted her brown eyes to the sky, one hand positioned at her own chin, "Sesshomaru-sama is always looking at you, Kikyo-sama, even when you're not looking at him." She explained, lifting one finger in the air, "And you're the only person Rin has ever seen him ask for an advice! That probably means that he trusts you a lot."
"Advice?" Kikyo repeated with mild confusion, continuing on her task and making sure to not let any of her swirling emotions show on her face at that moment.
"Yes, advice on how to fight." The child confirmed her own words, "Sesshomaru-sama had always fought alone, now he finally has someone strong who can fight alongside with him."
Hearing this, Kikyo maintained her silence as she processed Rin's answer.
'Trust, huh...' She echoed to herself, wondering if this elusive, yet still so unmistakable part of their alliance had somehow become the basis for their unplanned bond with each other.
And once she finished covering the girl's entire head of hair with the scented mixture, she called back on her hands, lowering them down to the water below, successfully clearing her palms from the thick foam.
"Turn back in my direction and lean forward." She instructed simply, watching as the child obediently acted the way she was told, presenting her soapy head to her. Lowering the nearly empty bowl to the stream, Kikyo cleaned it from the remains of the substance, quickly filling it with fresh water, instead.
Then, she lifted the heavy bowl above Rin's head, gradually pouring the liquid through her locks and using her free hand to help wash the tangled strands from the mixture, making sure to avoid the child's clothes in her actions.
"Did you ever have anyone you fought alongside with, Kikyo-sama?" Rin voiced her interest from beneath the small waterfall cascading onto her being, her words managing to reach the priestess' ears even through the steady dribbling noise.
"I did." She answered.
Finishing the process, Rin sent her small hands upwards to grab and rinse her own hair from the water, twisting her dark mane until the drops significantly reduced their frequency, eventually lifting to meet her gaze once again, curious dark brown interlocking with deep mahogany.
"Was it Inuyasha-sama?"
Kikyo eased her shoulders, nodding simply in response as her expression remained unreadable. Now done with their task, she set both of her hands onto her lap with an elegant manner.
"Inuyasha was my companion for a short while, back when I was still alive." She started, allowing a sad smile to cross her features, "Although very short-tempered, he was still kind, loyal, and I knew that I could always trust him."
Staring at her in silence, Rin dried her hands on her garbs.
"Jaken-sama told Rin you've sealed Inuyasha-sama to a tree... is that true?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, occasional drops of water still detaching from her wet hair.
The priestess blinked at the straight-forward question, but before she could regulate her feelings on the subject, as if on cue, a distant, heavy feeling which she knew too well was soon to overcome her thoughts, a sensation that plunged her mind into an endless dark spiral of self-loathing;
Regret.
Inhaling sharply, she lowered her head slightly, straight-cut bangs falling to conceal the deepest shades of mahogany in her eyes.
"I have made a terrible mistake that day." She confessed, the end of her sentence carried by a heavy breath as it parted from her lips, "Ruled by my anger and hurt, I acted with impulse and judged the situation too swiftly."
The sounds of the river's current were soon to conquer their secluded location, flowing through the depths of the forest and dissipating somewhere far, amongst the entangled growth.
"There's something that Rin remembers her father always used to say..." Rin suddenly said, raising one small hand up to remove a strand of damp hair from her face.
Interested by her unexpected words, Kikyo observed the girl for a moment.
"Would you share it with me?"
Nodding, Rin's mouth formed an honest smile at the warm memory.
"No soul can be mistaken for another, because no soul is the same." She answered, the sun caught in her still wet features, "That's what father always kept telling Rin."
Kikyo kept her quiet stare on Rin for the longest time as she processed her words, the meaning behind them sending her memory back as it traced to that very cursed day, the same one in which Naraku had took Inuyasha's form, fatally injuring her and successfully cementing her anger and hatred towards her lover for fifty long years after the incident.
Mahogany eyes tore from the child to stare at the shallow waters and the way they reflected the sun above in uneven ripples of light, a silent question soon rising into her conscious, a certain musing that she realized at that moment was somehow always present, somewhere at the back of her mind, lurking below the endless layers of her unspoken uncertainties;
How couldn't she see... that it wasn't him right away?
Although Inuyasha himself was fooled by the same trap and mistook Naraku for her as well, he had still placed his fragile trust in her, and only ever wished to belong by her side, showing his undeniable loyalty and protecting her many times prior to that... was her own devastation that grave, to so effortlessly overcome her entire previous knowledge of his character, pushing her to believe that his soul was capable of performing such an awful act?
"Kikyo-sama?" Her thoughts were abruptly halted by Rin's light voice, and she met her gaze once again, noticing her surprised expression, "Was it something Rin said?"
Collecting herself, Kikyo only granted her with a reassuring smile.
"It just made me think a bit, that is all." She replied simply.
Turning his head halfway back to glance at the direction both Kikyo and Rin have stepped to, Sesshomaru's sharp gaze scanned the area from afar, only the peaceful wildlife welcoming his interested stare. He silently held his position as he stood guard a bit outside of his camp's boundaries, his keen senses confirming that both were safe and sound, the far scent of their beings engulfed with the nearest running water source, combined with some kind of a pleasant fragrance, most likely another one of the priestess' carefully-made concoctions.
It was now late noon with the sun above gradually approaching the far mountains, gliding on its endless cycle and shining the valley before him with a rare, calming warmth for the season.
But something inside him was still left uneasy, something that the daiyoukai could not ignore;
Although both Kikyo and himself had managed to gather an impressive amount of information on their prey the night before, Sesshomaru found that it was not only the image of the woman in his enemy's grasp which alerted his instincts, but also Naraku's choice of words before her, specifically the way he had articulated his sentences, as if the control of the encounter was secretly his and not hers. This reading of the situation easily prompted the daiyoukai to act, and the next thing he knew, he was plunging forward and smiting that bastard's ability to speak. There was no clear idea of what that vermin was thinking or what he could have spouted, and yet, Sesshomaru felt the burning need to terminate their exchange at that very moment, altogether.
He turned his head forward once again, feeling the caressing sunny rays as they met with his face.
And he only breathed in deep.
Just then, and much to his own private relief, he noticed that the familiar presence of both Kikyo and Rin soon began to move, gradually approaching his location, causing him to remain in his spot and keep his gaze on the far distance as he followed their progress towards the camp area, allowing him to take a momentarily break from his deep contemplation.
As they stepped closer, Sesshomaru eventually shifted in his place, turning on his heel and glancing at their direction, meeting with the priestess' gaze. And his golden orbs followed her movement as she strode calmly ahead, the afternoon wind flowing through her long, unbound straight hair and her eyes focused on him, as if somewhat assessing his being.
Her scent, he noticed, was now thoroughly mixed with the same sweet fragrance he picked up, before.
"Keep the fire steady." Kikyo instructed as she lowered her attention to the child, earning her nod of understanding as Rin let go of her hand and proceeded to enter the camp area, already diligently reaching towards the pile of sticks accumulated next to the burning embers.
Then, her gaze met with his once more, resuming her steps until she neared where he stood.
Now before him, Sesshomaru's golden eyes left her to quietly evaluate the wooden bowl held against the side of her high waist consisting of leftover plants, soon identifying the remains of the pale Citrus flowers and their familiar soothing scent, the same ones she had somehow converted into a makeshift mixture in order to ensure proper cleansing.
And he only silently glanced up, observing her once again.
However, before either managed to utter a single word, both suddenly sensed a relatively known presence, repidly approaching their location. Turning with intent, Sesshomaru readied his hand on the hilt of Tokijin, awaiting the being to show themselves before them.
Not a minute after and they quietly witnessed as a large white feather soon manifested in the sky above their heads, sending a strong gust of wind swirling through the area as it quickly drifted downwards, closer to the ground, thus allowing its controller to jump from its soft surface and land safely on the harsh surface. She rose to her feet with a swift movement, her eyebrows forming their constant scowl and her colored lips stretched to an uncomfortable thin line, all while attempting to remain even-tempered in front of them both.
Her intense crimson red soon found Kikyo's steady mahogany, both women staring quietly at each other for a single moment in which all of the camp's residences could feel the heavy atmosphere forming in the air, caused by the sudden appearance of the wind sorceress.
"K-Kagura?!" Jaken yelled with avid disdain, taking one hesitated step forward and positioning himself slightly behind Kikyo, who only calmly remained in her spot to the occasion, her expression unreadable.
"Relax, will ya?" Kagura answered with clear annoyance, sharp eyes darting to the imp-demon, then soon switching to the daiyoukai, standing in front of her, "I didn't come here to cause trouble, this time."
"What did you come for, then?!" Jaken demanded with impatience, taking another step forward, now standing beside the priestess.
Pausing, Kagura's red gaze once again found Kikyo's being, her vision narrowing at the woman and the memory of their last violent meeting, causing her to lower her head and keep her quiet.
And heavy silence descended upon the tense encounter for a long moment in which not one of them said anything, the rapidly approaching darkness already beginning to veil the sky above them, with the low sun nearly completely set behind the distant mountains.
Releasing a small breath, Kikyo simply closed her eyes and turned her on heel, departing from the exchange and setting in the direction of the camp area behind her, from which the alarmed Rin and A-Un were spectating.
But her sudden actions prompted Sesshomaru's gaze to fix after her movement, a hint of a frown forming between his sharp eyebrows as his golden gaze quietly sought her distanced form for answers, attempting to decipher what was this woman planning.
Eventually, he chose a certain theory regarding her decision, making him exhale with displeasure.
'How unnecessary.' He determined to himself.
"Kikyo-sama?" Rin asked with hesitation, cowering behind both of A-Un's heads.
Entering the low rocky formation marking the camp's boundaries, Kikyo gracefully sat herself on top of one of its flat surfaces, lowering the flowery bowl to rest on the ground, next to her feet.
"It is alright, Rin." She answered the child, disarming herself from her bow and arrow quiver as well, "Kagura seems to share common interests, this time."
Hearing this, Rin stepped from behind the two heads and back to the center of the round camp, closer to the priestess. Her round, dark brown eyes shifted between the sitting woman and the exchange currently unfolding on the edge of the cliff, attempting to hear the conversation, but with little to no success.
"What are they talking about?" The child investigated, her gaze remaining aimed at both her master and his vassal, as well as Naraku's offspring.
Turning to glance back at them as well, Kikyo maintained her silence.
Although her decision to step away from the exchange was entirely understandable and especially after she had noticed a certain interesting fact about the wind user, at that moment, Kikyo found her own mind racing over the notion of both Kagura and Sesshomaru currently conversing together; an intense curiosity and interest circulating inside of her, overcoming the peace of her thoughts and leaving her surprisingly unsettled.
Slightly confused, the priestess tore her gaze away from them to place it on the warm fire in front of her as she silently battled against her own will to further study their exchange and reach the conclusions on her own.
She blinked at her own newfound impatience.
Was she, herself, not the one who had accepted a certain revelation about her unforeseen bond with Sesshomaru, only a few hours earlier?
"I'm not entirely sure." She eventually answered, clearing her throat in an attempt to ease her thought process, "However, I trust Sesshomaru would make the correct choice."
Keeping her stare on Kikyo, Rin processed her words.
Then, she turned back to the distant consultation, her expression crossing with surprise.
"Oh! She's leaving something on the ground." The child notified with wide eyes, observing the occurrence, "And now Jaken-sama is taking it."
With this information, Kikyo straightened in her seat.
And shortly after that, she felt Kagura's presence quickly departing for the area, the familiar blast of wind reaching where Rin and her were located, causing the child to lift her arm up and block her eyes from the bits of grass which caught in it, carried by the aggressive wave of air as they floated in every direction.
Once he could confirm the area clear of any threats, Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder at the direction of his camp, golden eyes fixing on Kikyo's back as his vision narrowed. Then, he turned fully around, beginning to stride forward with Jaken quickly tailing after his being. With long steps and a composed expression, Sesshomaru reached where she sat as he steadily made his way into her line of vision, mahogany meeting with fierce gold as neither broke eye-contact. Remaining silent, the daiyoukai sat himself on top of a rock positioned across from where she was, with only the low flames separating their beings.
"You knew she carried the crystal of youki." He stated with a low voice, his sharp gaze examining her.
Kikyo refrained from answering for a moment, observing her companion, instead.
"Yes, I have sensed the piece on her." She confirmed, her reply as he predicted.
Both Jaken and Rin could only find themselves a spot around the fire to sit as well, listening to the current conversation with utmost interest.
"Your actions were too considerate." Sesshomaru determined, lowering his head before her as he watched her closely, "Matters of the sort should be dealt with cooperatively. If Kagura has a certain issue with your presence, there is no reason to even hear what she has to say."
Kikyo allowed her lips to form a slight amused smile before him.
"I appreciate you finding my actions so pure, Sesshomaru." She answered with a hint of sarcasm, tilting her head to the side and causing a strand of silky dark hair to fall across her cheek.
The daiyoukai kept his silence to her words, a hint of confusion crossing his expression.
And noticing his lack of response, Kikyo turned to the imp-demon, her mahogany eyes fixing on the green crystal in his grip.
"I simply did not wish to interfere with her delivery." She added.
Sesshomaru refrained from answering for another moment, his gaze never leaving the woman sitting in front of him.
He had sensed there was a possible different reason for her actions, however, the daiyoukai did not guess she had managed to take notice and read through Kagura's character in such limited amount of time, making use of the information she had gathered and predicting the wind-user's next moves correctly.
"How long has Kagura been trying to betray Naraku?" Kikyo suddenly asked, turning back to face him, silent interest crossing her features.
Placing his single arm onto his bent knee, Sesshomaru straightened in his seat.
"She had made an attempt of bribing I, Sesshomaru, into slaying the worm using two Shikon Jewel fragments, before." He stately answered, watching her closely, "A foolish offer which I turned down."
Kikyo quietly weighted his words.
"That long, huh."
Night had already fallen now, denying the land from any form of light as even the moon above was forsaken beyond arbitrary passing clouds, leaving the ripples of fire in front of them as the only current source of illumination. The persistent breeze which occasionally picked up through their grassy area threatened to snuff the flames away, prompting Rin to toss a few more pieces of wood into the burning pile in order to keep its stability.
"Why is this information of importance to you?" Sesshomaru inquired.
Raising her head before him, Kikyo's gaze sharpened.
"Naraku most definitely already knows about Kagura's betrayal." She surmised, watching him closely, "For him to still keep her alive... simply means that he has more use for her."
"Humph." The daiyoukai released a mocking breath, narrowing his eyes, "That is nothing but a result of her operating in such a foolish manner."
But the priestess' mouth only formed a sad smile at his words.
"Under certain desperate circumstances, people may act in a foolish manner." She explained, lifting one hand to tuck a long strand of hair behind her ear as her gaze broke away from his, lowering to stare at the blazing fire below.
Observing her, Sesshomaru kept silent.
Just as it did many times before, the priestess' spiritual aura had once again wilted and reduced right before his very eyes, and he watched as it swayed around her being in a slow rhythm, fragile waves which engulfed her body barely even seeming sturdy enough to be used as a form of defense, now.
And in blind contrast to the agreement he had with her to focus on more important aspects of their current quest, this time, the daiyoukai felt as if he required to know what was going through her head, occupying her thoughts so violently like this.
"The way you say it, it sounds as if you are familiar with the notion." He tested.
Kikyo raised her eyes back to lock with his.
But the avid sadness which reflected in her deep mahogany eyes against the light of the flames reminded him of that night in which she had shared her past with him, her life as a human woman chained to the relentless priestess duty, which caused her to feel as if she tumbled between two realities, belonging as neither a youkai or a human.
This time, however, there was something else present in the way her expressive eyes shone against the fluttering light of the fire, a hidden longing that was different from before...
Sesshomaru waited for her to comply and answer to his question, however, the woman only kept her silence, sparking confusion within him to her sudden uncooperative behavior.
He studied her being for another moment.
Then, his golden eyes narrowed at the realization of the topic he was soon to venture into;
The same one he, himself had told her to never mention again in his presence.
'So, she's waiting for me to decide if I wish for her to proceed or not, huh.' He concluded.
The concept was quick to tear into his conscious like a rabid beast suddenly set free from its confinement, wiping every possible chance the daiyoukai had of perhaps being able to handle the nauseating feeling amassing in the pit of his stomach, the displeasure and disgust, reminding him of the very reason he had kept himself from thinking about it through all of this time.
And he only broke away from her gaze, elegantly rising to his feet as he began stepping away from the campsite, his expression unreadable.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama?" Confused by his sudden actions, Jaken sprung to follow after his master.
"Jaken, we are leaving to test the crystal." He informed the imp-demon, keeping his attention forward as his mokomoko extended below him, elevating his form from the ground with his vassal hurriedly jumping to latch onto it with no further questions.
Kikyo's glance was left to linger on the empty spot where he had just stood in, her expression returning to its calm state as she felt the soft wind blow through her long hair and against her false features.
Then, she let out a deep breath.
Sesshomaru and her have indeed come a long way in their mutual understanding of each other... however, there was still much for him to know before this connection that they had could really be called a proper bond.
With her eyes focused on the bent grass on which he just stood, Kikyo tilted her head slightly to the side.
She knew by now not to expect anything... and yet, at that moment, the priestess found herself strangely hoping that he would have let her proceed.
'Did I wish for him to hear about it?' She mused.
Barely managing to finish that thought, however, Kikyo's eyes widened as a sudden swirl of dark clouds formed above their area, and a strong feel of foreign youki which she did not recognize soon filled the air. She rose to her feet, propping herself immediately with her bow and arrows as she kept her gaze upwards, her eyebrows meeting in a solemn frown.
"The sky!" Rin called, her expression a mixture of both fear and surprise.
"Stay back, Rin." Kikyo firmly instructed, stepping out of the camp's area as she followed the movement of the clouds above her, her right hand sent back to her quiver as it quickly pulled one arrow out, carefully placing its narrow shaft on top of her left index finger. Pointing her bow down, Kikyo patiently waited for the being to show themselves and manifest before her, ready and prepared to draw her weapon and lift it to the unknown creature at any given moment.
Silence fell for a long while, the lightning striking far above between the clouds illuminating their location as the following low thunder echoed in their ears.
Then, a single lightning was sent to strike vertically at the grassy ground below, revealing the form of an old, wrinkly man with a wide stare, holding onto some kind of a long, narrow hammer and sitting on top of a black, three-eyed ox.
And the storm clouds immediately evaporated as if they were never even present in the first place, allowing the calm night sky to once again show above.
But his odd appearance did not deter Kikyo's sense of alarm, and she only lifted her weapon to aim it straight at the unfamiliar being.
"State your intentions." She demanded, her mahogany eyes fierce, yet her expression unnervingly calm.
The scranky old man's wide eyes expanded even further at the woman, and he sent one hand to grab at his own chin, his fingers twirling his pale piece of beard as he studied her form in silence.
"Ohh...?" He uttered under his breath, leaning forward as if to get a better glance at her.
With no further use of words, Kikyo released her arrow at his direction, angling her shot and aiming it slightly to the side, just enough for it to pass next to the old youkai's head, the spiritual trail compressed into a calculated amount, tearing through the air in a precise matter and leaving him unharmed.
Before he could even process what had just happened, the priestess already reached for another one of her arrows, placing it on top of her bow and once again aiming it towards him.
"I shall not repeat myself, youkai." She said.
The old youkai stiffened and swallowed harshly, immediately letting go of his hammer as it dropped to rest against his right shoulder, lifting both of his empty, calloused palms before her.
"Hold it, please, miko!" He called, his raspy voice sounding as old as he looked, "I have come here for Sesshomaru, yet I now see that I have just missed him."
Hearing that, Kikyo raised her head.
"And you are?" She asked.
"I am Totosai, a swordsmith and an old friend of Sesshomaru's oyaji-dono; the great inu Taisho, Togashimaru, himself." He answered, lowering his hands back to lay on his lap, "I am also the forger of Tenseiga, Sesshomaru's heirloom."
Processing his words, Kikyo lowered her weapon, placing her arrow back into the quiver propped on her back with a smooth motion.
"You do not carry the smell of Naraku on you, therefore, I shall take your word for it." She stated.
Releasing a deep sigh, Totosai's shoulders slumped with relief.
"For a moment there, I thought you were just like Sesshomaru." He admitted through a mutter, shifting in his seat, "What is your name, if I may ask?"
She tilted her head slightly to the side, keeping her stare on him for another moment.
"I am Kikyo." She informed simply.
Totosai's round eyes observed the woman in front of him in silence, evaluating her being.
'I see... I see...' He quietly noted.
"Sesshomaru will most likely be back in a few hours, however, until then I am afraid your visit is in vain, Totosai." She added, watching him closely.
Leaning backwards, the old youkai lifted his hand up to scratch his semi-bald head.
"Well, I suppose you're right." He determined, lowering his elbow to support the weight of his crouched form against his leg, "Although, I did get to witness the reason for the relentless disturbance in Tenseiga lately, at least."
But seeing the undeniable confusion flash behind Kikyo's eyes to his words, Totosai immediately straightened in his seat, a revelation of his own crossing his mind and the resulting shock avid in his features. He sent one hand up, balling it into a fist in front of his mouth as he cleared his throat before deciding to test his musings even further.
"If you don't mind me prying, Kikyo, your current existence is not of the living anymore, am I correct?" He steadily asked.
Kikyo lowered her head to his sudden question, yet her gaze did not waver.
"That is correct." She confirmed, neither her expression or her voice revealing any of her thoughts.
"A terrible, selfish doing, most likely achieved through a sorceress' dark spell, was it not?" He investigated.
However, Kikyo only narrowed her eyes at his words.
"The way you say it, it seems as if you already hold the answers for your questions, Totosai." She pointed bluntly before him, observing him closely.
'Oho, a lot like Sesshomaru, after all.' He deemed quietly.
Then, he only released a hearty, albeit nervous chuckle.
"Ahhh, do forgive me for my rude pestering." He said, tilting his head comically to the side, "I am merely interested, that is all."
Letting out a hushed breath, Kikyo closed her eyes.
"There is truly nothing that should interest you about my condition." She dismissed, easing her shoulders, "My time on this earth is limited and will soon come to an end after I make sure to witness Naraku's demise."
And hearing that, the old youkai plunged into silent wondering, his round eyes never leaving her being for a stretched moment in which neither of them spoke another word to each other.
He had now managed to accumulate enough information about the disturbance in the sword, as well as the reason for Sesshomaru's recent actions and words.
But a single thought hovered in his mind above the rest, causing his hand to once again rise up, wrinkled fingers brushing through his white strand of beard as he pondered it with interest;
Has Sesshomaru himself, figured the full truth behind his own plans?
"Well, I took too much of your time already, Kikyo. I apologize." Totosai said, bowing slightly before the woman.
However, before he had managed to gather his power in order to depart from the area in the same method in which he came, Kikyo took one step forward in his direction, causing him to delay his actions.
"You have said something before about the relentless disturbance of Tenseiga, what did you mean by that?" She investigated, her expression turning stern.
Signaling his ox to turn around, the old youkai faced away from her being, preparing to leave the location.
"I am a swordsmith and forger of the Tenseiga, after all." She heard him answer simply as he fixed his gaze on the darkness of the valley below, lit only by the small fires of few human villagers scattered across the land, "The sword calls to me whenever Sesshomaru ignores it."
Then, the sky above their heads darkened once more as heavy, charged clouds gathered to the specific spot, sending a single hit of lightning down as it plunged through the earth at precisely where he was, transporting the old man away into an unknown place.
Kikyo raised her calm gaze upwards as she witnessed the sky gradually ease and clear, letting the moonlight finally shine down at their campsite.
"That person... was the friend of Sesshomaru-sama's father?" Rin voiced her interest, stepping closer to the priestess with her brown eyes still wide at the occurrence.
"What do you think, Rin?" Kikyo steadily asked, finally lowering her gaze to turn halfway back and set it on the child, instead, "Was he speaking the truth?"
Taking a moment to form her opinion, Rin only nodded in silence.
And with that, Kikyo went over the exchange in her head, feeling the uncertainty seep into her mind the more she let herself process the old youkai's words.
"Sesshomaru-sama, the crystal is still not reacting." Jaken informed, his gaze switching between the stone in his hands to his master's being.
The daiyoukai said nothing, pondering the next choice of actions he should take as he allowed the sensation of the chilly night breeze against his face to settle his thinking. Maintaining a steady flying speed through the mountain area, his keen golden eyes soon detected a nearby cliff in the distance, and once he had scanned the area clear from any lurking threats, Sesshomaru only silently shifted in its direction, gradually approaching it for a safe landing.
With the soles of his shoes meeting against the surface of the grassy precipice, Sesshomaru's mokomoko reverted back to its regular length, causing the imp-demon to let go of his grip as he jumped down as well, using his large wooden cane to balance himself in the process.
"Perhaps this one is defected." Jaken grumbled, his yellow eyes narrowing to inspect the crystal as he lifted it into the air in his grip, examining it under the pale moonlight.
Sesshomaru's attention, however, lied elsewhere as he focused his gaze on the far distance, observing the way the mist swirled around the high, rocky mountains, flowing downwards to pool at the bottom of the large, earthy formation and slither across the land below.
And he only breathed in with a quiet effort to relax his own mind from his ceaseless thinking;
The priestess was evidently still possessed by unnecessary themes regarding her past, constantly carrying the undeniable sadness which they held, amplified and revealed through her unruffled exterior especially whenever a certain being was mentioned, an existence which he forbade her to discuss in front of him, for the suffocating feelings the mere name on her lips had sparked in himself.
His nose wrinkled at the fact.
How could she still waste her time dwelling on that, letting herself be affected to this degree by the thoughts and memories, all while suppressing her feelings behind such a calm expression...
Granted, the woman proved to operate perfectly fine under these circumstances, however, by now, the daiyoukai was certain that those hidden emotions which she was persistently concealing before him were already reduced, and the more he now realized that this was not the case, the more he had found himself perplexed by the situation;
'Why is she so stubbornly detained on her past this way?' He mused.
Before he managed to venture any further into his own notions, however, Sesshomaru soon sensed the sensation of a familiar youki, causing him to turn around with a smooth movement, his face composed to cold perfection.
And the sharp lightning shortly struck through the ground before both him and his vassal, causing the small youkai to let out a shriek of pure terror at the sudden and overwhelming sight, as well as the loud thunder which followed it, ringing in their ears and echoing against the far mountains behind them.
"Good grief!" Jaken exclaimed with anger once he could finally recognize the old youkai.
And Sesshomaru's golden eyes only narrowed at his father's old friend.
"Sesshomaru, I shall be brief." Totosai said, fixing his wide stare on him as he leaned forward while sitting on the back of his trusty animal companion, "Tenseiga has been disturbed as of late, I am sure you've noticed it as well."
Lowering his head, Sesshomaru's gaze sharpened.
"So, what?" He asked dryly, his voice low and slight irritation apparent in his features.
Taking in a deep breath, the old youkai closed his eyes.
"Although sentient to a degree, the sword is ultimately connected to your heart and desires." He explained, opening his wide orbs to set his observant gaze onto his old friend's son closely.
"You are hardly saying anything I am not already aware of, Totosai." Sesshomaru replied with a bored tone.
But noticing the definite single sharp eyebrow sneakily rising behind smooth silver bangs, Totosai shook his head in silence.
"Oh? I wonder about that!" He suddenly called, crossing his arms before his chest, "Your secret will to fully resurrect a certain undead human priestess tells me otherwise, Sesshomaru!"
Shocked, Jaken's mouth dropped open to the old youkai's bold and scandalous words as countless beads of sweat started furiously emanating from his green head.
Anger slowly built inside of the inu daiyoukai, yet his expression remained unnervingly calm.
"Is that all you came here to say?" He asked with a low voice, slightly lifting his chin.
And the tense air was compressed by labored silence once again, the occasional wind reaching their elevated location grazing against the rocky side of the cliff they were standing on, howling as it countered the uneven structure with a haunting whisper.
Now able to confirm his prediction, Totosai remained in his place, sitting comfortably on top of the three-eyed ox. He only shifted slightly, letting out a deep sigh.
"That's quite a woman you have there, I'll admit." He determined, nodding, "However, to think you would go that far for Inuyasha's old companion of all people sure is something."
Youki spiked and sent clashing against every crack and crevice in their area as the silent anger exuded from Sesshomaru's being, his scowl deep and his teeth gritting. He said nothing as his sole hand reached for Tokijin, drawing it out before him with fierce intent, making Jaken jolt and take a step backwards to the sudden heated situation, his sweat turning cold.
"I am under no obligation of explaining my reasons to you, Totosai." He hissed, pointing the blade straight at his father's old friend, "I could, however, grant your obvious wish of death by my hands."
"No need for that!" Totosai determined immediately, straightening in his seat as he could now see the thin line of Sesshomaru's patience has been successfully crossed, "I only came here to deliver you a most important piece of knowledge, after all."
Sesshomaru's glare was fierce as he kept his silence, but he remained in stillness, patiently awaiting the old youkai to proceed with his words.
And noticing the daiyoukai's keen attention fixed so intently on him like that, Totosai breathed deep in an attempt to rid the air from any form of unnecessary tension in order for his next sentence to sink properly within.
"Even the slightest bit of hidden truth would sabotage any attempt of accomplishing the resurrection you so seek to achieve, Sesshomaru." He said, his round eyes fixed on the dangerous son of his old friend, "Remember that."
Calling upon his means of transportation, Totosai vanished as he came through the blinding light and loud thunder, leaving both Sesshomaru and Jaken surrounded by pure silence after his sudden departure. The air still held unspoken heaviness to it, making the imp-demon quietly swallow the newfound verification like a fish bone lodged in his throat as he hesitantly lifted his still shocked gaze to his master, who only closed his eyes and elegantly sheathed Tokijin back at his hip, now wearing an unreadable expression.
Inhaling the freshness in the air deeply, Sesshomaru turned back to stare at the distant mountains, feeling the cold breeze against his face and in his long, silvery hair. He narrowed his sharp golden eyes, setting them at an unfocused spot, his mind going over his most recent exchange, eventually stopping on a single concept;
'Hidden truth, huh.' He silently echoed.
He could guess what Totosai had meant by that. But that certain understanding also made him fill with dissatisfaction, causing his eyebrows to meet in a deep frown to the idea;
He will not foolishly declare his intentions to the priestess before mastering the technique to achieve them, first. There was no way he would let himself appear so pitifully unprepared, so empty-handed and falsely hopeful before her.
So, what was the real point of Totosai's aggravating visit, then?
That couldn't have been all there was to it.
"Jaken, we're heading back."
He needed to move, to be in motion, to oil the wheels of his thinking in order to advance forward and reach a better conclusion than the one he had before, discard what he thought was the correct concept and strive for an answer that he felt was at an arm's reach from him, lying somewhere unknown, but still so definitely present and attainable.
He was certain.
Lost in his deep musings and instinctively following after the familiar scent which he knew too well, Sesshomaru reached the campsite before he could even notice, and he only quietly lowered himself down to land in the small clearing between the trees, his shoes coming in contact with the greenery beneath them as his eyes immediately set on the camp area before him, noticing the woman as she slowly rose to her feet in response to his presence.
He held his ground, observing as Kikyo calmly made her way towards him, deep mahogany welcoming his gold through an impassive expression, eventually reaching where he stood and stopping before him.
And at that moment, he allowed his eyes to scan her being, taking in her features and seeking her existence for the answers he so desperately needed.
However, the more he stared into the deepest shades of warm color in her orbs, the more Sesshomaru gradually understood what Totosai had really meant by his irritating words regarding the entire situation...
Being well aware of this woman's nature was not enough.
He required to know everything about her, unfortunately also including wretched subjects which he did not ever wish to hear about, the same themes that caused his insides to churn as if someone was twisting them up in their cursed grip, the last piece in the miko's character puzzle which he avoided putting into its calculated place, the hidden truth that he now had to reveal, and the last hurdle he needed to obliterate from the path he was about to forge;
"Tell me about the past you share with Inuyasha." Sesshomaru demanded, his voice low.