Chapter Thirty-Eight
Steady and free from any interference, several days had managed to pass since Totosai's last visit, and the group continued to advance in their journey, further crossing the land until eventually reaching the bare, secluded mountains of the north-eastern province, an area notorious for its cursed, youkai-infested grounds and a location more than suitable enough for mere target practice, especially in relation to the daiyoukai's newest ability, as well as his urgency to master it.
"As expected from Sesshomaru-sama! Another marvellous display of the Meidou Zangetsuha!" Jaken called with enthusiasm, puffing his own chest with pride for his master's achievements all the way from the safety of his distant location, next to Kohaku, Rin and A-Un.
They all watched as the familiar portal hanged above like an enchanted hammock, the quarter moon of the attack eventually vanishing into the early morning air, accompanied by its otherworldly whisper as the lower part of the unfortunate, large beast still left in this world fell to the rocky earth with a dull thud which stirred the ground beneath their feet.
"Sesshomaru-sama is amazing!" Rin voiced her adoration as well, clapping her small hands.
However, in contrast to their cheerful support, Sesshomaru remained stilled in his place, his shoulders easing as he simply lowered the blade back at his side, his undivided attention lingering on the traces of his incomplete strike marked into the body of his now deceased opponent.
'Still the same size, huh...' Sesshomaru mused, golden eyes lifting to narrow up at the now clear and foggy skies presented before him.
Observing him from her position a bit further behind, Kikyo stepped closer to his spot, coming into a smooth halt at his side.
"Progress shall come." She said, prompting him to find her being from the corner of his eye, "Your determination will inevitably manifest it."
Studying her for a moment in silence, he only straightened in his stance.
Then, Sesshomaru turned fully in her direction, locking with her calm gaze.
"You seem amused." He bluntly accused, watching her closely.
Surprised by his sharp deduction, Kikyo blinked, yet still did not break from his fierce eyes.
"I enjoy witnessing you once again surrounded in your element, yes." She steadily admitted before him, raising her chin while her expression remained unreadable, "You appear more at ease."
His jaw clenched in response to her words, and the daiyoukai quickly placed his attention elsewhere, onto the far path of the misty mountain ahead.
However, the priestess' next remark made him squint with slight shock;
"Truly, only the likes of youkai could invent an attack so extravagant and deadly as your new one." She nonchalantly teased, watching his reaction closely.
Turning towards her again, Sesshomaru scoffed.
"How dull must it be to know only your archery as a way to hone your skills and channel your efficient powers through." He countered, his gaze locked with hers, "The art of the blade, and by extension the Meidou Zangetsuha, would certainly live far beyond your every single expectation."
Kikyo held his charged eye-contact for a long moment in which neither of them spoke a word into the already dense air between them.
Then, she simply released a cynical, light breath.
"I doubt that."
The fog hovered low at their ankles, pooling into their location from the higher parts of the mountains they were about to enter, the depths of the dangerous regions crawling with various kinds of youkai, their snarls and roars already echoing in close enough proximity to alert them both of another approaching target.
Yet, both the daiyoukai and the priestess remained held captive in each other's presence, still.
And eventually, after his lengthy moment of thinking, Sesshomaru's golden eyes flashed with a certain, silent decision.
"Wield it." He suddenly dared her, reaching out the hilt of his blade as his clawed fingers wrapped around the middle of it, leaving spaces above and below his grip.
Staring at his unexpected gesture, Kikyo exhaled with amusement.
"Curiosity is sometimes the opposite of wisdom, Sesshomaru." She told him.
But a single, dark eyebrow only rose in response to her words.
"Hmph." The daiyoukai mocked, unaffected, "Do you fear that it might prove too much for you to handle?"
Hearing his bold audacity, Kikyo narrowed her eyes up at him.
Then and without breaking from his earnest gaze, she let go of the longbow in her grip as her weapon fell to the hard earth beside her, sending both of her fair hands to grab at the hilt of his blade, fingers wrapping above and below his practiced grip in the middle of the long, purple-weaved base.
And finally casting her eyes down to her own unthinkable actions, the priestess swallowed harshly at how small both of her hands appeared next to only one of his own.
Before she could dwell much on the thought, however, Sesshomaru suddenly pulled her closer before him with a single, firm motion, shifting her weight and repositioning her stance so that her back was now turned to him, his tall form towering behind her and his sole arm draped over her chest. Gasping with surprise, Kikyo's expression crossed with alert as she felt the heat of his looming presence on her back, his youki soon prickling against her spiritual aura in the familiar, endless battle for dominance between them.
Luckily for her, a loud roar suddenly cut through the chill air, closer than ever before and sourcing from within the rocky formation ahead of the trail. Not a moment passed, and the large, one-eyed ogre shortly emerged from its hiding, beckoned by the clear readings of the various energies and scents placed before him.
"Cut through your target." Sesshomaru calmly instructed, his low voice ringing so close to her ear sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.
Composing herself despite that, Kikyo simply inhaled deeply and eased both herself and her mind, soon feeling the blade pulse under her touch, somehow resonating deep within her being, harmonizing with her spiritual aura, with who she is... almost as if the weapon in her grip was becoming a part of her body, like an extension of her limbs. Keeping her composure still, she felt a tingling sensation in her fingers, climbing through her hands and arms and all the way to her chest, humming along every part of her body.
And somehow, against any prediction she could have had at that moment, Kikyo found that the feeling was not hostile; but inviting, pleasant, warm and right, instead.
A shaky exhale left her lips, and she raised the sword up, her movement guided by Sesshomaru's arm still steadily gripping onto the hilt along with her.
Then, Kikyo swung the sword once, sending the flashy attack forward at their shared enemy.
The force from the hit, however, proved stronger than she anticipated, and the priestess was pushed backwards on her heels, inevitably losing her balance until her back met with the man standing closely behind her, who in turn made sure to move quickly and support her high waist with his sole arm while allowing her head to rest against the softer side of his fur sash.
Blinking with surprise, Kikyo tensed to the unplanned contact.
But the Meidou that was next manifested before them easily caught both of their attention as their eyes widened to the incredible sight;
The shape of the crescent, quarter moon, was now undeniably bigger than ever before.
Wordlessly, they witnessed their opponent stop in its tracks as the attack seized its flesh, sending a larger part of the body into the world of the dead, leaving only the legs and torso behind to pile on the rest of the lifeless bodies that all bore the same fate as those did.
Noticing Sesshomaru's sole arm was still wrapped securely around her waist, Kikyo quietly let go of Tenseiga's hilt, her movement drawing her captor's attention and he soon lowered his hand back at his side, releasing her from his strong grip. Poised, she stepped away from his being to stand at his side once more... but the excitement was still swirling fiercely inside her, tingling in her palms and on the tips of her fingers with no seeming end to the tantalizing feeling.
Despite that, however, Kikyo only softly cleared her throat and lowered herself to collect her discarded weapon from the ground.
Then, she glanced over to the rest of their companions standing behind them, who were all watching the scene with both confusion and interest, further solidifying the necessity of the next idea brewing in her head.
"I believe we should separate for a bit, Sesshomaru." She told him, finding his gold yet again, "We had passed through a human village on our way here, perhaps I should take Rin and Kohaku to spend the night there with me. They could both use a warm meal and a soft bed while you proceed with your training in this mountain."
As if in perfect timing to her suggestion, several roars were shortly heard from the depths of the landform, rumbling through their space and sending the birds to scatter from the treetops in fear.
Sesshomaru watched the woman beside him as he contemplated his answer for a stretched moment, eventually breaking from her being to cast his gaze over his shoulder, onto his trusty vassal.
"Jaken." He ordered.
Jumping with alert, the imp-demon quickly trotted forward in obedience.
"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama!" He responded.
"We are entering the mountain, do not stray away." Sesshomaru instructed.
Hearing that final call, mahogany collided with gold one last time before the priestess turned on her heel and stepped towards Rin, Kohaku and A-Un.
And remaining in their spot, Sesshomaru and Jaken observed as Kikyo explained the situation to the rest of the group, eventually climbing to sit on the two-headed dragon's long back, securing herself on the black saddle behind both the girl and the boy. With no further words left behind, A-Un ascended into the pale, hazy sky, away in the direction of the valley's safety, below.
Once they were entirely out of sight, Jaken sighed with nervousness, peering beyond his master into the darkened trail ahead and whatever dangers it may hold.
But a certain curious thinking proved stronger than his sense of peril, and his large, yellow orbs soon settled on his master, instead.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama?" The imp-demon started, observing him with interest, "How come you have let the human miko leave so easily this time, my lord?"
Sesshomaru kept his cryptic silence, his sharp eyes aimed into the continuation of the route before them.
"Inuyasha is coming closer." He eventually answered dryly, frowning with disgust.
Concealed by the courtesy of the weather, A-Un drifted through the layers of heavy clouds, flying over the forest surrounding the valley between the two mountains and soon reaching the outskirts of the human village. Carefully, the two-headed dragon lowered into the depth of the woods, an area that was not too far from the entrance to the unsuspecting location and its mortal residents, but still distant enough to serve as a safe hiding place, just in case.
"A-Un, you be good and wait here for us like last time, okay?" Rin said, reaching up to stroke one of the scaly, large heads, "Rin will get some fruits and bring them to you later!"
"Do you stay at human villages a lot?" Kohaku asked, his curious gaze finding Kikyo.
Collecting everything she needed from the tied bundles secured at the dragon's side, the priestess rose to her feet with a smooth motion.
"When the time calls for it." She replied, "Sometimes, a change of scenery can prove good for us all."
Nudging the girl with a final goodbye, A-Un let out a muffled sound through its covered mouth, then, settled into the soft, grassy earth with comfort.
With that, Rin stepped over to Kikyo, who presented her free hand for the girl to take.
Calmly in that fashion, they all walked through the path that would lead them to the village, crossing over a large, wooden bridge above the stream and eventually reaching through the open gates of their destination for the night.
But walking next to Kikyo like that and between the crowded paths of the human estate, Kohaku suddenly felt strangely conscious, and soon he noticed that all eyes were as if drawn to them, settled on the priestess' being with awe like she wore a glowing crown of pure gold on her head.
"It's better to just get used to it, Kohaku-kun." He heard Rin whisper to him from Kikyo's other side, grabbing his attention, "This happens a lot."
With that piece of information, his brown eyes lifted to the woman, but Kikyo seemed as unbothered by the occurrence as ever, and he simply followed in her example and placed his gaze once more to the road ahead of them.
It took little time before the news of their arrival had reached the head of the village, and soon they were all welcomed by a group of men ranging from different ages, all of them friends and relatives of the oldest one standing in their middle; a short and kind-looking priest, with thin grey hair collected into a neat bun at the nape of his neck and traditional buddhist attire draped over his body.
"There is a hut we keep vacant for passing travellers and guests of the village, you may occupy it for as long as you want until you decide to leave." He told Kikyo, nodding once as he next glanced over to the two kids standing at both of her sides, "Say, are those your children, miko-sama?"
Kikyo sighed with light amusement while both Rin and Kohaku giggled to the idea.
"They are my trusty companions." She corrected, "And I thank you, however, we would only need shelter for one night, as we are simply passing through the area."
The old man only hummed in response to her words while sadness was now more than clear on the several men's once eager faces.
"Well, then." He concluded, bowing once before her, "If there is anything more we could assist you with, please be sure to let us know."
Kikyo returned his gesture and smiled.
"I shall." She confirmed.
Suddenly interrupting their tranquil moment, however, two villagers frantically approached the old man and his group, panting with urgency as they lowered the heavy baskets of firewood they were carrying onto the gravel ground beside them.
"Hoshi-dono!" They cried to their elder, drops of sweat departing from their troubled faces, "The youkai nearly got us, this time...! Somehow they were steppin' out of their usual boundaries in the dark mountains, as if somethin' scared them away... when we saw them we just ran for our lives...!"
Hearing that, silent surprise flashed in Kikyo, Rin and Kohaku's expressions.
"That is odd, indeed." The old man answered, "I had even made sure to place my charms there as to keep them confined in that cursed mountain, they should not dare to even cross out of their area."
"T-That's not all, hoshi-dono..." The other man breathed, glancing over to his partner with worry, "We saw someone through the dense trees, walkin' around those dangerous grounds, too... wearin' some kind of odd-lookin' armor and his form pure white and silver..."
Discreetly, Kohaku and Rin exchanged looks.
"A man, you say...?" The priest asked, confusion avid in the way his brows wrinkled closer to the information.
The two men stood silent, pondering the possibility.
"Well, he might've not been human..." One deducted, raising a tanned, calloused hand to his chin, "But if he is, then he's most certainly done for."
Turning to Kikyo now, the old priest simply sighed deeply.
"I apologize for the sudden ruckus, miko-sama." He explained with a shrug, "Those ogre youkai are simply vicious beasts, you see... no one had ever returned alive after stepping into their territory."
However and much to the surprise of all men present, Kikyo's fair features only wore an amused, calm smile.
"Oh, I am sure that man can take care of himself." She said with nonchalance, completely unaffected by the alarmed exchange.
Then, the woman simply bid them all goodbye for the day, turning on her heel and stepping in the direction of their humble home for the night as Rin and Kohaku followed suit, unable to hold in their chuckles from escaping them.
As the hours went by, the sky gradually cleared from the haze which so stubbornly clung to them, and soon the sun let its rays fall upon the land, warming the earth and the ground beneath their feet. Taking advantage of the rare, pleasant weather, the three of them sat outside of their wooden hut as Kikyo diligently sharpened her newly-bought set of arrows, her vision occasionally lifting from her actions to watch both Kohaku and Rin playing under the blue, afternoon skies, running on a lush hill golden with sun and scattered with wild flowers.
Pausing her task, the priestess inhaled the freshness in the air, their happiness as if carried by the wind until it reached where she sat, swaying her long, straight hair and effortlessly spreading through her body as well, the idea of them both acquiring such a pleasant and pure memory making her tilt her head slightly to the side while a certain understanding in her mind proved stronger than ever before;
Truly, both of these traumatized children deserve to live a long, healthy and full life ahead of them.
A life free from any lurking danger, and independent of any form of magic nor tricks.
"Alright, you win, Rin...!" Kohaku called to the girl, panting with exhaustion.
Hearing him concede his defeat, the girl halted her run with a wide grin, stepping closer to the boy's presence.
And the flowers nodded around them on their stems along with the breeze as they both dropped to sit at the top of the hill overlooking the maze of the human village, settling their breaths from their lively exercise while they both lay their backs to the softness of the grass, watching the clouds drift by above them.
After a few moments of rest, they rose back up into a sitting position.
But as soon as they lowered their eyes to where Kikyo was sitting, surprise crossed their features to the sight of an unfamiliar man approaching their sitting companion, reaching an arm up to lean himself against the wooden wall of the hut as the other leisurely entered the pocket of his dark pants, introducing himself before her while wearing a calm smile on his handsome face.
Leaning forward in her seat, Rin's vision widened.
"Oh." She uttered, observing the far scene before her.
"That's... one of the men who saw us earlier today, huh." Kohaku recalled his face in the crowd, blinking with interest.
Silent, they both watched with fixed attention as Kikyo and the unknown villager chatted for a few more moments, seemingly indulged in a pleasant conversation between them.
However, instead of proceeding to allow the man to sit beside her and continue with his obvious advances, Kikyo simply bowed respectfully before him, prompting him to return her gesture and turn on his heel, walking away from the scene while raising his hand to rub the back of his neck with utter disappointment.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Rin leaned back on her small arms.
"Kikyo-sama is just so beautiful... so many people fall in love with her." She said.
Yet, analysing her words, Kohaku shortly blinked with realization.
"Who else besides Sesshomaru-sama?" He investigated.
Surprised, Rin turned to face him.
Then, she recalled the important piece of information only she happened to be granted with, way before the boy had even joined their group.
"Sesshomaru-sama's younger brother... Inuyasha-sama." She explained, "But that Naraku person separated them fifty years ago and now they can't even see each other..."
Processing the information, Kohaku's brown eyes widened.
And the back of his throat suddenly burned, his stomach turning with each and every word settling within his conscious.
"Naraku did...?" He said, shock overcoming his features and he swallowed the knowledge harshly.
Then, he released a deep breath, setting his gaze once more onto the busy priestess.
"I must destroy him." He hissed, vision narrowing with calm acceptance, "There are truly no limits to the evil he managed to accomplish."
The more he weighed the news, however, was the more a sinking feeling that he made sure to suppress surfaced in his mind once more for air, reminding him of his older sister, and how the notion of staying with her group could bring him just as much discomfort and pain...
A reason which is most likely very similar to that of Kikyo, deciding to also distance herself from Inuyasha, and especially considering that girl, Kagome, was now part of his life.
'But not being able to even talk to each other...' His dark eyebrows knit together.
"Kohaku-kun?" Rin's light voice broke him from the endless depth of his thoughts, prompting him to find her large eyes, yet again.
"I'm fine." He answered, breathing out as if to clear his mind from the heaviness which so suddenly seized him.
And they both eventually eased into combined silence like that, the chill breeze caressing their faces in contrast to the warmth of the late sun above assisting them in further purging the air from the mention of their cursed enemy, and they allowed their vision to rest onto the village before them as its people tended to their day, busy and lively while the men hefted their baskets full of various supplies, the women walked hand in hand with their children through the market as the shop owners fought for their attention in hopes of possibly interesting them with buying their various merchandise.
"This sure is nostalgic." Kohaku eventually spoke, smiling as he leaned himself backwards on both of his hands.
Blinking, Rin glanced up at him.
"What is?" She asked, intrigued.
The boy took a moment to gather his thoughts, yet the slight change in his expression did not escape his current partner of the conversation.
"This reminds me of my old village." Kohaku answered, "It's been a long time since I've sat in the middle of one, watching it operate so peacefully this way."
Rin kept her gaze up at him.
"Was your old village a nice one?"
Nodding, Kohaku turned to the girl sitting at his side.
"Yeah." He confirmed, his freckled face presenting her with ease as he reminisced about the memory, "We were a village of skilled taijiya, you see. A fearsome, united community that even youkai were too scared to approach."
With that, the girl drew her legs closer to her chest, wrapping both of her arms around them.
But noticing her sudden silence, Kohaku's eyebrows shortly rose with confusion.
"What's wrong?" He investigated.
Rin inhaled as her eyes lowered to the long grass swaying before her bare feet.
"Rin's old village wasn't so nice..." She admitted, placing her chin on her bent knees.
Kohaku stared at her, picking up on the rare sadness in her voice.
"I'm guessing some human villages can be cruel too, huh." He said, exhaling deeply.
Nodding, the girl leaned her head sideways on her arms.
"But, you know, Kohaku-kun..." She soon added, her brown orbs eventually finding his once again, "Rin is starting to see now that really not all human villages are as bad as her old one... it's fun visiting them once in a while like this."
Hearing that, the boy smiled with reassurance.
"I'm glad to hear that, Rin." Kohaku said, turning his gaze once more to the bustling area before him.
'Fun, huh...' He echoed, allowing himself to challenge the feeling in his mind; a light, momentarily relief that once struck nothing but deep guilt within him... now somehow proved as not that much of a distant and forbidden concept, anymore.
"Sesshomaru-sama, this path ahead seems to lead us out of the woods." Jaken deducted, turning to his master, standing behind him.
Dusk already veiled the sky above their heads, and the foggy darkness of the rocky landform only reigned stronger with each passing moment, causing the imp-demon's knees to tremble with fear of what still could this cursed mountain offer should they decide to remain in it for the upcoming night.
And noticing Sesshomaru appeared completely unfazed by this fact as his impassive expression allowed no hints of his thoughts to filter through it, Jaken simply sighed deeply with acceptance of his bitter fate and their fairly-expected plans.
However and against any prediction he had, his master's following words caused him to straighten with both shock and relief, altogether.
"I have grown tired of this mountain." Sesshomaru commented dryly, lifting his chin up as if to detect something far in the air.
Quiet, Jaken blinked his yellow orbs up at him.
"A-Are you done with your training, Sesshomaru-sama?" He asked.
Lowering his sharp gaze back down, the daiyoukai sent a glare that could burn a hole through his small being.
"Let's go." He ordered coldly, resuming his movement.
Frantic, Jaken quickly obeyed, stepping after his master through the path and towards the still hanging light of the setting sun, shining beyond the density of trees and residue of heavy mist.
Wordlessly like that, they soon reached the outskirts of the mountain where the wildlife significantly lessened, noticing their trail ultimately connected to the land below, their high standing granting them with a view overlooking the entire province under the dim light of the warm sun gradually disappearing behind the tops of the mountains, spilling its light onto their ridges while painting their large forms with a deep color of azul blue.
With their gazes travelling over the distance exposed so broadly before them, however, both Sesshomaru and Jaken suddenly detected a certain battle unfolding not very far from their current spot; a fight between a grand river youkai and a very familiar half-demon, who, as it seemed, was struggling to even hold his ground against his opponent.
Golden eyes narrowed to the forlorn sight.
"We are leaving this area, Jaken." Sesshomaru notified, sheathing Tenseiga back at his side while his moko-moko extended below his feet, gracefully elevating him into the air.
Complying, Jaken hurried to latch onto the fur sash as Sesshomaru took flight, ascending from the cliff they were both standing on and hovering above the very tops of the trees along the angled side of the mountain, all until he reached the base of the vast landform, his flight guided by the scent he knew so well, and loathed just as much.
'This shall be an interesting test.' The daiyoukai mused, vision set on his destination, ahead.
Steadily like that, he soared through the air with calm speed as the sun finally dove behind the horizon, his leisure movement supported by the knowledge that his incompetent half-brother would most likely not succeed in destroying his current target so easily. And eventually, Sesshomaru reached close enough to his goal, quietly lowering himself onto the rocky ground while landing smoothly in a safe enough distance from the battle in order to properly evaluate the situation before him.
Once he deemed it enough, he resumed his steps, striding with intent towards the savage yelling and their foolish source, who failed to even notice his close presence, at all.
"Inuyasha you bastard." Sesshomaru eventually called with disdain, seizing his half-brother's attention, "You have lost your way, haven't you."
Startled, Inuyasha tore away from his sudden and unwanted being.
"What the hell are you doin' here, Sesshomaru?" He spat, keeping his sword aimed at his troublesome opponent, "And where's Kikyo if she's not with ya, huh?!"
The daiyoukai's frown deepened into a scowl.
"Perhaps you should focus your mind solely on your foe, which you are already doing so poorly against." He replied, glaring at him, "After all of your adorning Tessaiga with strange powers, you can't even slay a low-life youkai like that, huh?"
The deadly streams of water above their heads stirred to his words.
"You dare call me, the Numawatari, a low-life youkai?" The water demon hissed, and its countless sharpened waves of polluted liquid were soon all sent down in the direction of the two brothers, "Try and cut me, then!"
Golden eyes darted up to the pitiful presence.
"Be quiet, you scum." Sesshomaru hissed back.
Then, he quickly drew out his Tenseiga to cut through both the air and his enemy's attack with a swift, deadly motion.
The familiar quarter-moon shortly formed above the water demon, tearing up a dark space into which its deadly limbs of water immediately poured into like a hole forged in the very bottom of a lake, eating at its being until there was nothing left more to consume.
And just as it appeared, the dreadful attack vanished into thin air, leaving all souls watching stilled by their lengthy disbelief.
'It all flowed away, but only because the foe was made of water, huh...' Sesshomaru concluded.
"Sesshomaru, you asshole!" Inuyasha suddenly yelled, turning fully in his direction now, "What the fuck have you done to Tenseiga?!"
Remaining calm before him, Sesshomaru merely put his sword back into its dark sheathe as Jaken quickly stepped over to his master's side.
"Hah hah hah!" The imp-demon taunted with glee, "Are you confused, Inuyasha?! Sesshomaru-sama has an understanding of a method that tears open a path of darkness, sending the opponent directly to the realm of the dead!"
Puzzlement was avid on Inuyasha's face as he tried wrapping his mind around the sudden information.
"Path of darkness...?" He repeated, his eyes darting to his older brother.
However, Sesshomaru stood eerily silent, his judging gaze threatening to slay him just by itself.
"Rather than me, you had better evaluate your own actions." He advised, words dripping with poison, "How dare you turn Tessaiga into such a disgraceful thing..."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, his jaw and fingers clenching tightly altogether.
"The hell didya say?!" He shouted, charging forward with pure rage as he lifted his fist with deadly intent.
But Sesshomaru was much quicker than him, directing his own fist to connect with the half-demon's face, sending him crashing backwards to the rocky ground, sore and bleeding.
Swallowing harshly, Jaken stepped back with caution.
'So, Sesshomaru-sama is in a foul mood, after all...' The imp-demon assessed while a drop of sweat ran down his bald head.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called with worry, running over to kneel by his side while Miroku and Sango followed suit, standing beside their battered companion.
All of their combined presence, however, did not affect Sesshomaru in the slightest.
"Inuyasha..." He uttered his name like a curse, "Just what were you trying to do with that scaled Tessaiga?"
Taking a single, assertive step forward, the monk's expression turned stern.
"The dragon-scaled Tessaiga absorbs the opponent's youkai powers." He answered in his stead, "It's still not a perfect technique, but..."
"Absorbs youkai powers, huh...?" Sesshomaru echoed the absurdity almost immediately, the menacing sharpness of his voice easily silencing the human man.
Then, he only smirked with dark amusement.
"Inuyasha, you have not understood the sword Tessaiga, at all." He determined, disgust clear in his features.
Turning on his heel, the daiyoukai prepared to depart from the aggravating area and all of its useless occupants.
However, before he managed to take a mere three steps away from the scene;
"More importantly, you bastard..." Inuyasha called to him, staggering back to his feet as pieces of rubble and dust slipped and fell from his dirty existence, "Is Kikyo safe?"
His words sent Sesshomaru's limbs into an involuntary halt, causing him to temporarily stop right in his tracks.
Yet, despite that, he still did not bother turning around, prompting a very impatient imp-demon to fill in for his lengthy silence.
"That woman is none of your concern, Inuyasha!" Jaken screeched, pointing his nintojo up at him, "You have no business knowing that she decided to spend the night at a nearby human village located in the middle of the v —"
"Shut up, Jaken." His master immediately cut into his words, golden eyes glaring daggers down at his direction.
And hearing that, Inuyasha released a mocking breath before them.
"Thanks for that." He smiled, raising his arm to wipe the fresh blood off his face.
Once gold crashed with gold from over his left shoulder for the last time, Sesshomaru could only narrow his eyes with displeasure to a certain look embedded in those of his younger, half-brother;
One that he could not quite decipher, and for that precise reason was significantly more annoyed by.
With the gentle patter of light rain meeting with her wooden rooftop, Kikyo's eyes fluttered open to the early morning hour, and she slowly lifted from her resting position against the wall of the warm hut, her gaze travelling the cozy insides of her shared space, observing as the embers burned low in the square centre of the room, spreading their even heat and keeping both the soundly-sleeping Rin and Kohaku with enough comfort to sustain their peaceful slumber.
Silently enjoying the placid scene before her for a few more moments, Kikyo eventually rose to her feet with a smooth motion, then stepped across the floorboards to the entrance of the hut, moving the straw curtain away as she stood idly under its frame to observe the partially-clouded sky above.
And breathing the soothing freshness deeply, the scent of wet moss and the chilled crisp air, the priestess found her mind inevitably drifting to a certain inu-daiyoukai, contemplating how and where he chose to spend the night, his progression with mastering his newest ability, as well as the slight fear of her stubborn companion perhaps overexerting himself in the process of his strict and sedulous training...
Countless questions that she resolved not to voice out, as if their secret existence would keep her with the company she was so dearly missing.
'Missing... huh...' Kikyo weighed the thought to herself.
"Kikyo-sama...?" Rin's sudden voice roused her from her deep thoughts, and she calmly turned halfway in the child's direction.
"I'm sorry, did I wake you up, Rin?" Kikyo asked, proceeding to step back into the middle of the hut and sit herself onto the elevated edge of the wooden floor.
The child shook her head, her small hand rising to block a wide yawn.
"Rin slept a lot." She said, rubbing her tired eyes.
Kikyo nodded to that groggy assertion, her lips curving up into a smile.
"That is good to hear."
"Good morning..." A hoarse voice greeted next from beside them, the boy lifting himself to a sitting position as well, "It's daybreak already, huh..."
"Yes." The priestess answered, "I'm afraid it is."
Allowing her young companions to enjoy a quick breakfast until the rain ceased, Kikyo collected the food and necessities she had acquired from the village into a neat package wrapped with a colorful cloth, arming herself once more with her now full arrow quiver and her longbow, held tightly in her left hand. And once Rin and Kohaku were finished with their meal, they all made sure to clean the wooden hut from any traces of food or dirt they had contributed in their stay, proceeding to step out of the structure and walk down the paths of the village, thanking its residents for their pleasant hospitality.
Satisfied and refreshed, they crossed over the wooden bridge, out of the village's boundaries and in the direction of the nearby forest, to where their fourth companion was peacefully resting, hidden and camouflaged well beyond the richness of trees.
"A-Un!" Rin greeted the two-headed dragon with a wide smile, waking it up from its slumber, "It's time to go!"
Shaking its two heads into waking, the scaled beast waited patiently while Kohaku and Rin worked on ridding its back from any unneeded weight, discarding anything that could no longer be of use before they tied the newest bundle to his dark saddle, packed with fresh food and shiny tools, as well as herbs and medicine for the rest of their journey.
However, just as they finished with their task and prepared to finally depart from the area...
"Kikyo."
The familiar low voice was heard from behind her, causing Kikyo's eyes to widen as she turned around to meet with its source, mahogany brown locking with clear gold.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed, surprise crossing her face to the unexpected sight of him there.
Pausing their actions, both Kohaku and Rin watched the sudden occurrence in silence.
"I heard you're stayin' in a village nearby... and I thought I'd come see ya." Inuyasha explained, his form relaxing ever so slightly, "Whaddya say... we finally talk?"
Quiet, Kikyo studied him where he stood through an unreadable expression, her eyes examining his torn robes and his beaten state, residues of hardened blood staining his skin and garbs. Yet, his wounds were already mended and cared for by someone else, with strange, white patches that she had never seen before decorating his being in various places.
And despite his ragged appearance before her, the priestess noticed his gaze was set, unwavering and full of determination, still;
A look well-ingrained into those golden orbs that she could comprehend far too well, already.
Swallowing harshly, Kikyo simply eased her shoulders, turning halfway back to the rest of her companions waiting behind her.
Much to her surprise, however, their expressions showed her nothing but warm support.
"It's alright, Kikyo-sama." Kohaku encouraged, granting her with a reassuring smile, "A-Un will fly us to where Sesshomaru-sama is and we'll tell him that you'll catch up with us, soon."
Rin nodded with agreement to the suggestion.
"Come back safe, okay?" She said.
Exhaling deeply to their understanding, Kikyo could only smile back in return.
"I shall meet with you later, then." She promised.
Inuyasha and Kikyo observed as the two children climbed onto A-Un's back, glancing over to the priestess one last time before pulling on the large dragon's reigns, prompting it to smoothly rise to its feet and then soar into the air, through the treetops and above the forest, his form gliding away and eventually fading into the layered morning sky above.
Now left alone, Kikyo found the half-demon standing before her, once more.
And a deep urge shortly spread in her chest as she stared at him; her old lover whom she owed a proper explanation to, no matter the difficult words that may block her throat, the sadness that could possibly seize her or how much the uncertainty would threaten to drown her as those all did many, many times before...
Even if she felt as though she would never be entirely ready... Kikyo knew it was now the appropriate time for their much needed conversation.
The chilly breeze picked up through the green wildlife all around them, the sheets of leaves veiling the metal skies above their heads sending their low melody into the air in response to the sudden disturbance while the pleasant scent of the damp forest carried to their location, filling their lungs and somewhat easing the heavy atmosphere between them.
"Let's find somewhere to sit... this'll take some time." Inuyasha eventually offered, allowing a bittersweet smile onto his stern features.
"Oooh! There they finally are, Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken called, his yellow eyes fixing on the distant form of A-Un in the sky.
Sesshomaru remained stilled behind his servant to the information, his gaze aiming upwards to the opposite direction of the far horizon, ahead. Wordlessly and unbothered like that, he sensed the rest of his companions soon land safely on the grassy field he was currently occupying, the wind of the open area swaying in his garbs and long silver hair while carrying their scents in his direction.
However, once he noticed a certain specific reading was missing from the bunch, Sesshomaru turned his head over his left shoulder, observing as the two-headed dragon transported only Rin and Kohaku before him, with no sign of the priestess.
Confused, Jaken's eyes bulged out of his skull.
"W-Where is the miko?" He voiced out the question that already filled their space to the brim.
Climbing down from A-Un's back, Kohaku passed Jaken to step forward before his master, his expression turning stern as he made sure to steel himself before he spoke.
"Kikyo-sama needed to take care of something, and she said she will catch up with us, soon." He steadily explained.
Hearing that, Sesshomaru held the boy's eye-contact for a long moment.
Then, he only scoffed loudly, proceeding to place his unreadable attention once more to the vastness of the skies above.
Kohaku's shoulders eased along with the inaudible breath he released.
"What is Sesshomaru-sama doing, Jaken-sama?" Rin whispered, stepping closer to the two of them.
"How should I know." The imp-demon muttered with frustration, "He has been staring at the skies like that for the past few hours already... it's almost as if he is looking for something."
Before they could delve into the possible theories behind their master's enigmatic actions, however, a large figure suddenly glided from between the soft layers of clouds, its colossal body lean and pale, smooth with elegance while its rich fur and long ears shimmered under the unfettered rays of the sun, their color silver as moonlight.
And without any time to waste, Sesshomaru followed after the mysterious beast, charging into the air as his body grew and shifted, golden eyes flushing red and his limbs extending along with a haunting whisper which ripped through the quiet space, the unbelievable sight causing all faces to overcome with pure amazement.
"S-Sesshomaru-sama?!" Jaken called after his master with sheer distress.
But he could only helplessly watch along with Rin and Kohaku while the inu daiyoukai soon reached the similar demon sailing gracefully through the sky, their two awe-striking beings moving in harmony, swirling around one another until eventually changing their course of movement to the ground below, landing like two shooting stars in a bright and proud display of both power and beauty.
Running to the area with hurry, the three of them crossed the grassy field, coming into a sudden stop before the now once again shifted form of their master, standing in front of another, unrecognized woman.
And studying him quietly like that, her colored lips simply curled up into a sly smile.
"My, my... finally paying your mother a visit, Sesshomaru?" She said, voice as smooth as velvet.
A/N:
As you could probably guess, from this chapter on, there shall be a slight rearrangement in the timeline of the original canon events. ^_^
That aside, we are now stepping into quite an emotional arc, filled with angst and headcanon goodness. I do hope you are prepared!