Her body was cold.
Cold and lifeless. No matter how hard Rin tried to listen, she couldn't find a heartbeat- and the older woman's chest was completely still. Irene wasn't breathing. She wasn't breathing, they were sitting in a pool of her blood, and her skin was a frightful pale. She was…
Irene was- "No! B-Big Sister, please! Please, wake up!"
This can't be happening. Not again.
Rin had watched from inside a pile of hay as her father and brothers were slain by bandits. They had hid her there to protect her, using her small size to her advantage. They had tried to fight them off. But they failed and they died, and she watched as the bandits slaughtered her brothers and father before attacking her mother, dragging her off to somewhere for something before leaving after setting the village aflame. When Rin had finally come out of hiding, she found her mother's dead body bare, stripped free of her kimono, bruises in the shape of handprints around her neck.
The village barely pulled itself back together after the way it was destroyed and how so many lives had been lost, and despite her now being an orphan they had kept her around, letting her live in an empty hut near the forest. They didn't like her, she knew. Before she lost her family, they always found her to be too talkative. After she lost her family, they found her creepy because she didn't talk at all.
They got mad at her over the smallest things. They hit her whenever they believed she did something wrong. If they just told her not to, she wouldn't have done whatever it was she did again. They could have asked. But, instead, they just shouted and kicked her, grabbing her by the front of her tattered kimono and tossing her back onto the dirt. She knew that if she had been killed instead of her brothers, the villagers wouldn't have cared at all.
In fact, Rin was pretty sure they would have preferred it.
But, one day, when Rin was looking for mushrooms in the forest to eat, she saw this light come down from the sky. She was curious, despite the dangers, and so she followed it. When she arrived where she thought it landed, she saw him. Lord Sesshōmaru. He was badly wounded and covered head-to-toe in dirt and blood, and when he heard her approach… he shot up and growled at her, his fangs sharp and deadly, his crimson eyes as red as the blood that stained him. He was a demon.
He was a demon, and… he was dying.
Rin had already seen her brothers die. She watched her father lose his head right in front of her. She was a scared little girl who had lost everything at once and no longer had anything at all, yet was still determined to do everything she could just so that she wouldn't have to see another person die. Rin wanted to save this strange demon, in the way that she couldn't save her family, even if it meant potentially invoking the rage of the villagers.
It didn't stop Lord Sesshōmaru from refusing all the food and water she tried to give him, but…
After she returned, having received a rather harsh beating from the village men after trying to take some fish from the preserve, Lord Sesshōmaru spoke to her. He didn't even look at her; it was as if he could tell from scent alone she was injured, and he had asked, "Where did you get those bruises…?"
Ever since her family had been killed and she had stopped talking, no one had shown her the slightest concern. It took all she had not to start crying on the spot, though there was no hiding the smile that had spread across her face. He was a demon, an incredibly powerful one, and yet… despite Rin having always been told that demons would devour her on the spot given the chance, he never hurt her. Aside from when he first growled at her, he never tried to threaten her.
He was the only adult she's seen in the few years since her family's deaths that's cared enough to ask over her health.
Lord Sesshōmaru had done what the humans in her village didn't, and had refused to do everything that they did. Even if it was just curiosity, like he had claimed, he still cared enough to ask about the bruises. Even if she was annoying him by trying to nurse him, a powerful demon, back to health, he never got angry or tried to hit her. He was kind.
He was… the only one Rin could think to go to when the wolves attacked.
She doesn't really remember anything after tripping over the tree root when she had been running away, but she does remember waking up in his one arm, the demon lord looking quite surprised to see her awake. When she stood up, he walked away- and after a moment of confusion and careful consideration, Rin decided to follow him. She didn't want to go back to the village.
She didn't even know if there was a village left to go back to.
But Lord Sesshōmaru didn't seem to mind her tagging along, and eventually even brought her a new kimono to wear since her current one was covered in dried blood and torn all over. Whenever Master Jaken yelled at her after she started to speak again, the imp finding her annoying and telling her that she talked too much, Lord Sesshōmaru would silence with him a glare or a boot to the face. No matter how many questions she asked him, or how long she talked to him, Lord Sesshōmaru never told her to be quiet.
For the first time since she lost her parents and brothers, Rin was… happy.
And then she met Irene, a woman she quickly took a liking to. Rin was a bit suspicious of her at first, as she was human and humans could be a lot scarier than demons, but Irene was quick to quell her fear with a few jokes.
Rin did think Irene was actually a demon when she saw how pale she was up close and how unfamiliar her features were, but she quickly put that thought away when the woman explained that she was actually just sickly. When Irene asked about the flowers, Rin didn't waste time to explain what she was doing, happy to talk to someone about the bouquets she was making as Master Jaken refused to do so, and when she found out Irene knew Lord Sesshōmaru? And that he saved her life?
The little girl couldn't have been more excited.
There was so much she didn't know about the person who saved her and who has been taking care of her, and now there was this woman in front of her that would be able to tell her more about him. If he saved her, then Lord Sesshōmaru must like her, right? He doesn't like a lot of people- at least, Rin doesn't think he does- and is very quiet. He doesn't really share things about himself. He doesn't even stop to say "I'm hungry" or anything of the like.
But if he saved this lady in front of her- several times, in fact, then…
He must really like her!
She's actually quite pretty, too, Rin noticed after getting a better look at her. Her hair was a fluffy dark chocolate brown and she had really warm, round brown eyes. Her lashes were so dark and long, and her smile was so bright and welcoming. Her clothes reminded Rin a little bit of a shrine priestess that visited a long time ago, though they did look a bit different. Rin's never heard of a demon and a priestess getting along before, but it wasn't as if Lord Sesshōmaru was like other demons, and Irene was probably different from normal priestesses, too.
Yeah, Rin decided that she liked Irene. She was really friendly and fun, and offered to help her pick flowers. Lord Sesshōmaru even kept the flowers Irene gave him in the armor he wore. Regardless of what Master Jaken said, Lord Sesshōmaru did like her.
Which meant that Rin could call totally her Big Sister.
Rin just… didn't think things would come to this. She never could have imagined that Irene was sick because she was dying, or that she would get so badly hurt trying to protect Rin while they escaped the castle of their captor. She never imagined that… she would have to watch Irene die.
"Please, wake up!" Rin grabbed at Irene's lifeless form with her tiny hands, shaking her lightly by the front of her kimono, before leaning over and sobbing into her chest. "P-Please! Say something! D-Don't die, too! I… I just met you! I-I wanted to know more about you!"
Rin wanted Irene to travel with them.
She wanted to see her and the demon lord walk together, side-by-side. Rin wanted to run up to them and show them the new flowers she picked, or try the edible mushrooms she found. She wanted to talk to them about her day, and ask them about how they met. She wanted to know all about how Lord Sesshōmaru first saved her.
Rin wanted to know so many things, and wanted to talk to them about so many things, but now…
"Big Sister…"
Suddenly, Ah-Un lifted their heads up, letting out a small and muffled roar. Flooded by her emotions, Rin almost didn't notice, but when they made the sound again the girl sniffled and looked up, confused by what was making them so unnerved.
"Wh-What is it, Ah-Un?" She asked, voice a shaky whimper as she rubbed a sleeve against her face. She blinked fiercely to clear her vision. Rin didn't seem to notice the blood that was now on her hands and clothes. She just followed the demon dragon's gaze, and when she saw what it was that Ah-Un was looking at her eyes widened and horror dawned upon her childish features. "Th-That's-! What is that!?"
In the distance was a black cloud. One that morphed and moved and shifted, floating with incredible speed. It was heading in their direction. From that black cloud flew out hundreds, maybe even thousands, of demons. Rin had no idea what the exact number was, there were far too many to count; all she knew was that there was a lot, and that there was no way she was going to be able to get Irene's lifeless body up on Ah-Un's back without help.
Unfortunately, she had left Master Jaken behind in her panic, rushing to get Irene to safety so she could try and tend to her wounds.
Wounds that… Rin failed to make stop bleeding.
"A-Ah-Un!" The little girl pushed herself up onto her feet, nearly falling over when her legs momentarily lost their strength, before stumbling over to the front of the dragon.
Standing on her tiptoes, she reached up and yanked off their muzzles, freeing their mouths of their bindings. The two-headed demon let out a loud roar upon being freed, and after Rin moved out of the way, two large golden orbs shot out from their mouths and went flying towards the approaching horde.
The little girl watched with very little relief when it blasted through a few of the demons. "W-We have to keep Big Sister safe!"
At least… until they can bury her body.
Irene gave her life to save her; the least Rin can do is make sure she has a proper burial. She's sure Lord Sesshōmaru would want that for her, too. Inhaling shakily, Rin lowered her hands and curled them close to her chest, turning back to look up at the demons, the dread settling deep into her stomach as she watched the horde head directly towards them. They were far too close for comfort now.
"Lord Sesshōmaru…" Rin whispered, fearful, the tears starting to well up again. "Please, hurry!"
Ah-Un can only do so much to protect them.
…
It was… quiet.
There was nothing but silence and mist surrounding me. The mist was thick and foggy, making it difficult to see anything aside from the bones that littered the area. For a while, because of it, I thought I was falling. Then I realized I was actually floating. My body felt so weightless, yet my eyelids felt so heavy. It was a strange sensation.
At first, I wasn't sure where I was. I just knew it wasn't the inside of my soul.
In fact, I think… I was my soul now.
I vaguely recall running and battling, trying to protect someone, and then collapsing. There was red- so much red- and then… silver.
Silver and gold.
A full moon colored in the most beautiful crimson I've ever seen.
A child's voice, crying out for me.
I think… I died. No. I know I died. I had been preparing for it for quite some time now. I was expecting it. What had happened again? I think… maybe… Yes, that's it. I remember now. I died trying to fend off Kohaku, while protecting Rin as we made our escape. How could I have forgotten? And this weightlessness I feel- it must be because this wasn't my real body.
My body was left behind in the world of the living. This was actually my soul. I was even dressed in the turtleneck and jeans I was wearing before the mixup with Anastasia, no longer donning the tattered blood-stained kimono.
And if my body was left behind and my soul is here, then… that means the connection I have to the spirits is gone, too. It was severed upon my death. I can't even sense my familiar. Hah… it was such a strange feeling. We had been connected for so long that I didn't even realize I could sense them, but now that the connection was severed it was impossible to not notice their absence. Hmm. This weird mist-filled place… is it the afterlife?
It feels… odd.
Why am I simply floating about? Where am I floating to? It feels like my soul is being led somewhere, and I'm not entirely sure if I like it.
A bit disturbed by the bones scattered about and by the fact that I could hardly see anything through this fog, I reached my hands out and fought against the weird force that was guiding me forward. I dove down below the mist, pushing through and peering into the abyss.
"Oh." I blinked, rather startled and taken aback by what I saw. "Not that's a big set of bones."
It towered over every other skeleton in this place, ten- no, a hundred times the size of them all, and was clad in magnificent armor. It was surrounded by rock formations and large stone pillars, almost as though a great battle had taken place there, and its skull… looked vaguely reminiscent of a dog's? It was also missing part of a large fang from it's mouth, and moss and other bits of foliage had taken to coiling around the armor and bones, having grown and spread there over time.
Maybe… nah. I'm so curious, though.
This has got to be, like, the gateway to the afterlife, right? Otherwise there wouldn't be some weird invisible force trying to push and pull me around to someplace. It should be fine if I take a little detour to check that place out. Right? I don't have to move on immediately after death. I can stay as a ghost or something for a while.
Curiosity may have killed the cat, but I'm already dead- and people always forget the second half of the saying, where satisfaction brought it back.
It'll be fine.
…
Rin had started trying to lift Irene up on her back, grabbing her by the arms and leaning against Ah-Un's side. The two-headed dragon did their best to help her, crouching down low while shooting blasts of energy at any demons that moved a bit faster than the rest of the horde. One of the dragon's heads turned to bite at Irene's kimono, helping Rin lift her up onto its back.
The little girl let out an exhausted huff, breathing heavily as she made sure the woman's body was safely draped across the saddle in front of her, before grabbing the reins and flicking. "We have to go! Fly, Ah-Un!"
…
Mistakes have been made.
The skeleton was even bigger up close. It was even more terrifying up close. I almost turned back to follow the call of the afterlife, but after a moment's hesitation I flew closer, debating what it was I even wanted to do once I reached it. I ended up settling for floating near the skull, observing it curiously and trying to figure out if it really was the skull of a dog demon or not. I honestly wasn't sure what it was.
The armor did remind me a lot of a certain demon lord, however. "I feel like…"
Reaching out, feeling a strange pull towards these remains, I rested a hand to the nose of the skull.
"...I should know you…?"
There was something awfully familiar about it. An aura, perhaps, that I recognized.
A warmth.
…
Rin let out a terrified squeal as she ducked her head, avoiding a blade made of wind that tried to hit her as Ah-Un flew through the air. The two-headed dragon let out an enraged roar upon hearing the human shout, knowing she was nearly hit, and they whirled around, opening their mouths and letting out two very large blasts of demonic energy.
"Wh-What demon was that!?" It was hard to see who had attacked her when there were so many demons after them. Rin recoiled in horror when one centipede-looking creature appeared suddenly by her side, clicking its mandibles in preparation to eat her. "Gah!"
She could only squeeze her eyes shut when it lunged, bracing herself for what was inevitably going to be the end.
…
Nothing could have prepared me for the clawed hand that shot out from the bone skull, a pair of long fingers coiling around my wrist.
A startled scream ripped out of my throat when I was yanked into the skeleton, through the skull, and I continued to scream as I fell, being dragged into the depths of the giant long-since decayed corpse by some sort of fellow spirit. When the warmth of the hand finally disappeared from my wrist, I found myself hurtling towards what could only be the stomach.
The stomach that was filled to the brim with skulls of miscellaneous demons and humans. Oddly enough, half of the stomach and remains looked like they had been melted.
Landing on my front, my eyes squeezed shut, fully expecting to be hit with pain, it was only after that I remembered that I was already dead and therefore couldn't feel anything that I tentatively opened my eyes, blinking and looking around in confusion. Mist was slowly starting to gather inside the skeleton's belly, wrapping around us and trying to make it hard to see again, trying to push against me and pull me back to where I had come from. It was gathering thickly- and with great speed.
And yet…
I could still clearly tell there was someone else here with me, their silhouette not completely hidden by the fog.
…
Rin had braced herself for it, and yet the end never came.
Instead, she heard the strangled cries of the centipede demon as it was torn to shreds, and when she looked up the tears that fell from her eyes were ones of relief. "Lord Sesshōmaru!"
The demon lord had appeared in a flash of blue light, swinging tōkijin and slicing the demon in half. His amber eyes narrowed darkly as he watched the creature's remains tumble to the earth below, before he turned his attention to the army of demons that were approaching.
Naraku truly was a despicable fool.
Using Rin and Irene as a means to buy time to escape…
Next time, Sesshōmaru will not allow him such an opportunity.
The demon lord flew upwards, flying towards the quickly approaching horde, and every time he passed by a stray piece of vermin he sliced them in half with the tōkijin, swinging the blade with grace and with ease, clearing the sky a few demons at a time. When several blades of wind came hurtling towards him, he spun and blocked the attack, sending the blades off course and into several unsuspecting demons.
The scent of the wind- he recognizes it.
He can smell Naraku's incarnation. She was hiding amongst the horde, hiding from him. She didn't want him to see her.
She didn't want him to find her.
Lips tilting down ever so slightly, Sesshōmaru raised tōkijin high in the air, deciding enough was enough. He may not have the power of tetsusaiga, but he has more than enough demonic power of his own to make up for it. As he swung the sword the blade shone blue, and a large dragon took form and coiled around Sesshōmaru.
Raising his voice, which held an undertone of barely kept rage, he shouted, "Dragon Strike!"
Energy crackled and exploded, surging forward and destroying everything in its path. It ripped through the army mercilessly, tearing into and disintegrating the demons until there was nothing- not even bones- left of them. Only a few demons remained after that attack, the cry of the blue dragon echoing in the air as it faded.
Most notably, the scent of the wind sorceress, Kagura, had disappeared.
She flew away, not wishing to meet her death at his hands, knowing better than to provoke him further. Sesshōmaru tsk'd and sheathed his blade, deciding to lunge at the last few demons with his claws, when suddenly… Rin let out a scream.
"Big Sister!"
Sesshōmaru's eyes widened just a fraction as he whirled around, and what he saw had sent him into action, the demon lord flying towards the body of the woman that had been snatched from the two-headed dragon steed. A medium-sized ogre demon was carrying her away, opening its mouth wide like it was about to bite a large chunk out of her throat.
It was about to devour her.
That filthy creature had the audacity to not only put its hands on that woman's corpse, but to try to eat her in his presence?
"Disgusting vermin!" Sesshōmaru growled, appearing by its side in an abrupt flash, his claws glowing green as they sliced off its head.
What remained of its body was quickly melted by his poison, and the arms that had been holding Irene's corpse had let go, sending her falling through the air once more. Rin and Ah-Un hurried to catch her, but were soon held up by the remaining demons. The two-headed dragon was quick to kill them. "L-Lord Sesshōmaru! Big Sister is-"
He was already on his way, his fur boa and long silver hair flowing behind him as he dove to catch the dead priestess.
…
When the person stepped forward, their visage now clear enough for me to properly make out, I could only stare, unable to believe what it was I was seeing. He was not at all what I thought had grabbed me, and even more to the point his appearance had completely baffled me. I laid on there on the bone-covered ground in shock, staring with wide eyes as he approached.
"At last, we meet." The stranger greeted, his voice far deeper than literally any I've ever heard before. I didn't even know voices could go that deep. If I were alive I'm certain my own voice would have caught itself in my throat, my heart threatening to leap out of my chest. His gentle smile was breathtaking. "You are truly a gifted priestess, being able to call me here."
He was a young man, maybe Maria's age, maybe a bit older. He was mid thirties at most. His skin was a dark tan and his long silver hair was pulled back in an elegant style fit for a warrior. His amber eyes were so piercing, yet… somehow kind, and he had a long fur boa that split in two and trailed behind him. His body was also transparent, as though he were a spirit- a soul- just like I was, but that did little to quell the sheer aura of power that radiated from his form.
He… also looked like… "Inuyasha?"
The man blinked at what I said, then barked out a hearty laugh, clapping his hands together. "So you know both of my sons! You truly are an impressive mortal."
Uh… what?
"You should not be here." He continued to say, stepping forward, but instead of sitting up or standing like a sensible person I just continued to lay on the half-melted skulls, wide-eyed and gaping. I watched as the demon lord walked even closer, stopping only once he was in front of me, before blatantly staring when he knelt down and extended a hand out to me. "This is the border between the living world and the afterlife. By all means, you should have already passed on."
That… explains a lot. My previous suspicions were correct. The weird force I had felt earlier really was trying to guide me to the afterlife.
A smile then spread across the man's lips. "But it does not matter. If I am right about my eldest, you shall not be here long."
His eldest? Wait, he called Inuysha one of his sons earlier. This person… is his father? Wait, but if he's his father, then the eldest he mentioned could only be… "Sesshōmaru?"
"Yes." The man looked quite amused by something. "He's a stubborn one, isn't he? Perhaps it was my fault he turned out that way; I was… more neglectful than I should have been. It was not until I met Inuyasha's mother that I learned the error of my ways. Unfortunately, by then… it was too late. Sesshōmaru despised humans, and only sought power. His heart was devoid of all compassion. My son would not accept any of my teachings. But now…"
His golden eyes flickered mischievously when I finally gathered up the courage to take the hand that was offered, and I let out a small yelp when he pulled me onto my feet.
Okay, yeah, he was definitely Inuyasha's dad. Jeez. I almost crashed right into him.
When I had regained my balance, I blinked again and looked at the hand I was holding, surprised by the warmth I could feel from it. It was seriously familiar. Where did I feel it before, though? It wasn't like I had ever met him before, as he had died long before I was ever summoned here to the Feudal Era, but something about him makes it feel like I have. It almost felt like I was meeting an old friend.
I could sense the demon lord staring at me as I grabbed his hand with both of mine, furrowing my brows as I tried to recall where I had felt this warmth before.
Was it because he reminded me so much of Inuyasha…? Or was it because he was Sesshōmaru's father?
Suddenly, he lifted his other hand and rested it atop both of mine, causing me to inhale sharply and raise my head. Startled brown met gentle gold, and the demon lord smiled at me. He was tall, taller than his eldest son, and his smile was so soft. I wondered if Inuyasha or Sesshomaru would have his smile, if they could ever bring themselves to do so. There was something in his gaze, too- something I couldn't quite describe.
Pride, perhaps? No. Maybe… gratitude?
But what for?
"Thank you." Oh. Oh my. "Thank you, human, for being someone to protect."
Someone… to protect?
…
Sesshōmaru caught the dead woman with ease, curling his arm around her waist and pulling her to him, Irene's lifeless body pressed to his armor as her head rested against the soft fur of his boa. She was even smaller than he had originally thought, held to him like this, and her skin was ice cold.
The slight warmth that had radiated from her fragile form from when they had spoke just before her death was completely gone.
The demon lord glanced at her face as he carefully made his way towards the ground, any and all threats that would try to harm her resting corpse now removed. The smell of her blood was disgusting, but that look on her face… She dared to look peaceful, after being used as a means for Naraku's escape? Truly, the audacity of this woman knows no bounds.
Landing in the deep forest, his feet touched the grassy ground. Irene did not stir once. She was void of all breath and life. The great Sesshōmaru himself was holding her, and she remained totally unaware in her death.
"Lord Sesshōmaru!" He heard Rin call, the little girl leaping off of Ah-Un as they landed. She rushed towards him, tears in her eyes as she stopped beside him, her tiny hands grabbing at his pants leg. He glanced down at her. "B-Big Sister is- I tried to save her! I-I did! B-But I couldn't- she got hurt because of me, a-and I couldn't help her, a-and now-"
He watched as Rin's shoulders shook, the child ducking her head as she began to cry once more, sobbing into his leg.
"It's all my fault… I couldn't-"
"Rin."
The girl inhaled sharply, ceasing her sniffling immediately to look up at him. "Y-Yes?"
"Back away."
She looked both hurt and confused at his words, but did as told. Taking several steps back, she watched with furrowed brows and a harshly bitten lip as the demon lord slowly approached Ah-Un, setting Irene's dead body on the ground, leaning her against the dragon's side. Ah-Un's heads turned to look at their master and the woman, showing an impressive amount of concern for the mortal they met only yesterday.
Yes… it was yesterday when she had come to the campsite, and it was yesterday when she had expressed such ridiculous gratitude to him for having saved her life. She had spoken as though she would have died with regret if she were unable to say such pointless words to him.
The sun was starting to rise, the full blood moon nowhere in sight. The sunshine was illuminating the dark forest, spilling light into its depths. Observing the way the morning sun shone upon the dead woman, Sesshōmaru tilted his head, narrowing his eyes.
"I-I'm so glad you're here…"
She looked so at ease that if it weren't for the blatant stench of death and blood, he would have expected her to sit up and smile at him, behaving once more like the fool she was.
Perhaps she shall, once he revives her.
…
The stranger's words left me to stammer, struggling to come up with a response. His comment had appeared out of nowhere.
"Th-That's… I-I didn't…"
I cleared my throat, confused as to why my face and ears felt like they were burning red when I was dead and shouldn't have any blood flow for my face to flush. I felt even more awkward, considering he was holding my hands so gently in his, almost as if he were wary of breaking them. His words left me flustered for reasons I didn't quite understand.
"I didn't really… do anything? I dunno." I had no idea why he said such a thing to me, or what he was trying to imply. "Also, my name's Irene."
"Irene." He repeated with a small chuckle. "I shall remember that. Thank you, Irene."
"...A-Anytime." I stammered, finally turning my head away. It was so hard trying to meet such an intense gaze. He was this really impressive combination of the two brothers, and it was seriously starting to mess with me. His voice being so ridiculously deep certainly wasn't helping, either. "So, uh… I have a question."
"Yes?"
I looked around at us, at the skulls and the remains and the weird circular platform in the middle that seemed to be meant to hold a sword. "Are we inside your corpse right now?"
"...Indeed we are."
"Alrighty." I nodded slowly, turning back to look up at him. "Why is half of you melted?"
The dad-level sigh that escaped his lips upon hearing my question almost sent me to the afterlife right then and there, and he let go of my hands to rest one on his hip and bring the other to his forehead. "My sons. One would think they'd have more respect for their late father, but alas… they try to kill each other inside my remains. I planned ahead for their rivalry, and yet they're still such handfuls. Can you believe them?"
He lowered his hand to glance down at me.
"You are… friends with Inuyasha, yes? What kind of man has he become? Has he learned to wield tetsusaiga properly?"
Upon hearing his question, a realization came crashing down on me.
Inuyasha never got to know his father, but the same could be said for the demon lord in front of me. He never got to know Inuyasha. This person- he died before he could watch his youngest son grow up.
"He… yeah." Swallowing thickly, I flashed the man a brilliant smile, bringing my arms up to hug myself. "Inuyasha is seriously strong! Not as strong as Sesshōmaru, but… strong enough. He's saved me countless times, not to mention Kagome and Sango, and Shippō and Miroku. Oh- those are the rest of our friends, by the way."
I leaned over and stood on my toes, holding a hand over my face to whisper conspiratorially, earning a raised brow from the demon lord.
"Don't tell him I told you, but he has a massive crush on Kagome!"
"Is that so?" A small, fanged grin spread across his lips. "Please, do tell me more about this "Kagome" you speak of."
I had no idea what he meant when he was thanking me for being someone to protect earlier, but I'm glad I can give him some form of closure over his youngest son. I felt awful that I was the one meeting him instead of Inuyasha, but he did say something about my connection to spirits being quite powerful. If not for that, I don't think I'd be here having this conversation at all.
It was strange that some of my powers seemed to work here even in death.
I wasn't going to complain though.
Happily rambling away to the demon lord, who folded his arms and listened with curiosity and amusement as he watched me grin and wave my hands around excitedly, I told him about Kagome. I told him about how she was from the future, how I came from a future even farther ahead from hers, and I also told him about the rest of our friends, how we met, and who our enemies were. Time seemed to pass by so slowly here, but the conversation went by so fast.
I noticed that he didn't ask about Sesshōmaru, though. When I questioned why, the older man chuckled.
"I know enough from what I've seen through tenseiga." He told me, smiling once more.
Goodness, he really was as pretty as his sons. He was more rugged than his eldest, resembling his youngest in that way, but he had this dignified air that was nearly identical to Sesshōmaru's.
It was so distracting that I almost missed his next few words. "That is how I learned of you, Irene."
"…Oh." Wait. My eyes widened and I stepped back in alarm, one hand over my mouth while the other flew and waved rapidly in the air in a repetitive motion. "Oh! Oh, that's why! That's why I knew you!"
His eyes flashed with that familiar spark of mischief when I said that.
"It was because of tenseiga!"
"Tenseiga was forged with my fang." He informed, confirming what I had suspected before when I was talking to Jaken a while back. "It is only natural that part of my soul remains with it. The same was done with tetsusaiga, however… that part of my soul returned to me soon enough when the blade was broken. Now, I can only surmise it holds part of Inuyasha's soul, as it would have been repaired with his own fang."
Ah. "That makes sense. Wait."
Oh no.
I cringed, looking up at the demon lord with slight embarrassment. "D-Does… that mean you've heard every conversation I've had with Sesshōmaru?"
He stared at me for a long moment, only causing the embarrassment and humiliation to rise, before he barked out a laugh. I groaned, burying my face in my hands. "Not at all! I am simply attuned to my eldest son's emotions. After he met you, there was a connection forged between you and the tenseiga. That is largely due in part to your ability to communicate with spirits."
That doesn't make me feel any better.
"There was a time you were in danger, yes? And your soul was calling out for help?" His words caused me to snap my head up, looking at him with wide eyes. The man's expression was a gentle one. "I simply acted as a guide. Sesshōmaru holds his emotions close, and refuses to acknowledge anything that could be deemed a weakness. He knew you were in danger, and I could sense in his heart the concern he had for you. But he would not act on his own."
The older demon lord reached out, resting a hand on my shoulder.
"My son is still very immature for his age. As his father, I felt it my duty to give him a slight push in the right direction- lest he regret his negligence later." I wasn't sure how to react to this, or how to feel, and seeing this the man gave my shoulder a small squeeze. His amber eyes bore into mine, his gaze one of utmost seriousness. "Irene, I may have encouraged him to save you, but he was the one who drew tenseiga."
Sesshōmaru… was the one who…
"His heart has made room for you, because you carved a place for yourself there. If he truly did not care for you, he would never have saved you. Not then…" He released me, stepping back and observing me with soft eyes. "…and not now."
What?
…
Sesshōmaru grasped the handle of the dull blade that rested at his hip, pulling it out of its sheath and towering over the woman's dead body. He ignored Rin, who let out a small horrified gasp, the girl covering her mouth with both hands.
"Wh-What are you doing, m'lord!?"
He did not answer.
Gazing at Irene's peaceful face once more, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his amber gaze was burning a molten gold and was filled with a new sort of determination. In his hand, tenseiga pulsed. It was in that instant, Sesshōmaru saw them.
The denizens and emissaries of the netherworld.
…
None of what this man was saying was making sense to me.
I could comprehend him giving Sesshōmaru a few nudges here and there to act more compassionate through tenseiga, but saying that he actually cared about me? That I wasn't just a nuisance? I'm not so sure about that.
"What… are you talking about?" I furrowed my brows, looking at him in complete bafflement. "Then and now? What now? I'm literally dead. He's not…"
There's no way.
"He wouldn't…"
Please, that doesn't make any sense!
I frantically shook my head, smacking my hands to either side of my face as I tried to dismiss those thoughts. There was something rising in me, in my heart that shouldn't feel as though it was still beating, and with it came a panic.
A fear.
"S-Sesshōmaru doesn't…" I looked up at the man who had fathered one of my best friends, as well as the one demon lord I definitely shouldn't hold any affection for. "Sesshōmaru only saved me because it was convenient! I-I'm not- he barely tolerates me! He doesn't care about me! I'm not anyone he would ever even consider trying to-"
"You are." The great dog demon general stated firmly. "Can you not feel it? Tenseiga is calling for your soul."
Is that… what this is? Is that why my heart feels like it's trying to beat?
"Sesshōmaru despises humans, Irene, and priestesses even more so." I stood there in silence, teary eyes wide and fingers sprawled over my face, as the man in front of me reached out and rested a hand atop my head. His touch was so warm, so careful, so delicate despite the roughness of his palms and his surely immense strength. "But you… who are both of those things… are the exception."
"I… I…"
"Irene." I swallowed thickly, and blinked fiercely to see through the tears blurring my vision. The demon general smiled at me. "He is reviving you of his own free will. Sesshōmaru desires to prolong your life. When you have returned to the world of the living, will you do me- a foolish father of two equally foolish sons- a favor?"
Foolish… I don't know about that.
I also have absolutely no idea what on earth the mighty and powerful great dog demon general could want me to do for him, but, "O-Okay. What… What is it?"
His lips tilted upwards, and his golden eyes flashed.
…
Raising the tenseiga high, Sesshōmaru swung the blade through the air and sliced the emissaries in half. They faded out of existence, back to the netherworld where their remains belonged, and Rin let out a strangled sound of confusion.
Sheathing the blade, Sesshōmaru stepped forward and carefully knelt down beside the foreign woman's body, waiting.
Listening.
The cuts and gashes had all faded from Irene's body, and color was quickly returning to her skin. Color so full of life it was unfamiliar, as he had only ever known her with that sickly pallor that was akin to snow. The demon lord didn't give it much thought when he reached out, brushing his hand against her face, checking to ensure the spell had worked.
Warm.
She was incredibly warm. If he held her to him again, he knew that the heat would seep through the thick layers of kimono he was wearing. It was a stark contrast to the cold of her corpse that he had saved mere moments ago.
"Irene." Sesshōmaru called out, finally hearing her heart start to beat within her chest, the chest that began to rise and fall with unsteady breaths. Her cheeks were flushed such a bright red, the warmth practically burning into the flesh of his palm. "Wake up."
It was a gentle demand, one that didn't hold too much authority, but it was a demand nonetheless.
And almost as if she heard it, her lashes began to flutter.
When she finally awoke, dazed brown eyes moved to look up at him, blinking slowly to clear her vision. Those eyes quickly filled with a warmth as warm as the rest of her when she realized who it was she was seeing. "S… Sesshōmaru?"
…
"Smile."
…
A lazy grin spread across her lips, and she beamed.
The demon lord's eyes widened at the sight, and he watched as she raised a hand to rest over the one he had cupping her face. "Fancy… seeing you here. I didn't think... I'd get to see you again. Am I in heaven?"
Sunlight shimmered through the branches. Rin choked down a cry.
Sesshōmaru carefully retracted his hand, turning his head away as he started to stand. "Don't be ridiculous. If you were still dead, you would not be speaking with me now."
…
Hmm.
"Fair enough."
Wait. I'm actually alive? Dog Dad was telling the truth?
I hurriedly shot up into a sitting position, bringing my hands to my arms and feeling for my wounds. The cuts and gashes from Kagura's wind and Kohaku's blade were gone, only the blood that had been spilled remaining. My chest even felt- oh. Oh my. Oh no. That's too much.
I can't-
I ended up gasping, eyes growing wide as I hunched over, my fingers digging into the front of my kimono as I tried to recover from the abrupt and alarming amount of oxygen that was flooding my lungs. Sesshōmaru, who had been waking away, stopped and glanced back at me, and Rin took a few nervous steps forward, unsure of how to react.
"B-Big Sister…?"
So much… air…!
It was overwhelming. I felt so dizzy. I ended up leaning over with my forehead pressed against the ground, one hand digging into my chest while the other pulled at the dirt. I tried to limit my breaths, to steady them, to make myself get used to the sudden clarity of which I could breathe.
Even more alarming, as I tried to recover, I felt a burn within my heart, within my soul, and then my body erupted with red flame, rising high and dancing around me. Embers flickered and fell, before the red flames burned blue, then green, then white and blue again. Finally, they settled back on red, before smoldering out, a pentagram scorched into the earth below.
The Shikigami were back. We were connected again. I was no longer alone.
I'm not sure how long I stayed like that, but when I had finally calmed down I ended up collapsing onto my side, sweat beading down the sides of my face as my heart and lungs beat and pulsed and worked to pump oxygen throughout my living body.
Living… body…
I was alive.
"I… I'm alive…?" Rolling onto my back, I closed my eyes and tried to process this, mind going back to what little I could recall from my time in the border between this world and the next. It all was such a haze now. I only remembered a few things, and all of them baffled me. "I'm actually…"
"Big Sister!" The familiar voice of Rin caught my attention and I blinked, eyes opening to see the brilliant reds and pinks of the rising sun, before I sat up just in time to have the little girl throw herself at me. A small grunt left my lips at the sheer force of which she hugged me. "I-I thought you were dead! I was so scared! Don't ever do that again!"
"I-I'm sorry, Rin." I didn't know what else to say. I thought about resting a hand on her head and petting her hair to comfort her, but when I made to do so I realized I was still covered head-to-toe in blood. "I-I just…"
"I don't care! Don't you die on me ever again!"
"…Okay." I let out a small sigh, then flashed her a soft smile. She sniffled and looked up at me, pouting angrily, her brown eyes red and puffy with tears. "I'll… do my best."
"You better! Promise me!"
"…I promise."
She glared at me for a moment, before burying her face in my chest again. Her arms squeezed me tightly, wrapped firmly around my waist. "I… was really scared…"
Shifting in place, I wiped my hands on what I could of my kimono before reaching out to hug her, running my fingers through her hair. I leaned down, holding her close. "I know, Rin." I murmured, voice a whisper. "I know. It's okay now. Everything is okay."
As we sat there, I continued to play with her hair, before running my nails gently against her back in a fashion similar to what Maria always did for me. While I did that, I could feel the familiar and intense gaze of Sesshōmaru as he watched us, Rin gradually starting to relax in my hold.
Glancing up and meeting the demon lord's stare, I felt my face flush a bit. My eyes drifted to the swords hanging from his hip. His father's words echoed in my head. "You… used tenseiga on me."
It wasn't a question, but a statement.
Looking back up at him, I found that his expression had steeled itself, falling into something neutral and making it hard to figure out what he was thinking. The front of his kimono and his right sleeve were lightly stained by blood.
My blood. It made the pure white fabric almost look pink.
"Why…?" Rin pulled away when she heard me question him, and I shifted in place, crossing my partially bared legs and grasping my ankles. I tilted my head at the demon lord, utterly lost as to what he could have gained by saving my life. "Why… did you revive me, Sesshōmaru?"
I was a nuisance. I only ever got in your way.
You didn't care about me. We weren't friends. One could hardly even call us acquaintances, seeing as I was unconscious most of the times we've met. If his father truly encouraged him to save me when I was captured by the panther demons, then… was it tenseiga who told him to save me this time as well? There was no way he held any kind of concern for me.
Even if his father said Sesshōmaru revived me of his own free will, it was still so hard to believe.
"Did tenseiga-"
"I simply felt like it." Was his curt response, the demon lord turning away again, making it difficult to see his face. "The scent of your blood disgusts me."
Oh.
I was left to sit there, brain slowly registering what was just said, and when his words hit me my face flooded and burned a bright red. I wasn't sure if I was embarrassed or ashamed. Sesshōmaru- he saved me, brought me back from the dead with a sword he supposedly hates, simply because he felt like it?
Because he didn't like the smell of my blood?
Is… that some twisted way of saying he didn't actually dislike me? It was seriously rude, but… I don't know.
I don't feel that upset about it.
Bringing a hand up to my face, I worried my bottom lip, eyes starting to sting for reasons I didn't want to admit. I hated how happy my heart felt, as his words made me want to believe in what I was told by his father. I didn't want to fool myself, to give myself false hope, but… maybe, just maybe, Sesshōmaru liked me just enough to want me to stay alive?
This was the third time he's saved me, after all.
"S-Sesshōmaru…"
The demon lord glanced at me from over his shoulder, and taking a deep breath I flashed him the brightest and most grateful smile I could muster.
"Thank you." I really didn't want to die. I had accepted it, but I didn't want it. I'm not sure how I feel about being revived through demon magic, seeing as the panther king had gone absolutely feral after his own revival, but I didn't feel much different. I still feel like myself. And this way I would be able to see my sister and friends again. The only weird change that I can really sense is the way in which I was breathing in air a lot better than usual. "You didn't have to, but… hrm. Maybe I should be glad my blood smells so gross?"
I raised a hand and ruffled my hair, laughing awkwardly.
"Thanks for hating the smell of my blood, I guess." I then looked down at myself, making a face. I pinched part of my kimono. "How much did I lose…? Ack, Rin! You're covered in it, too!"
"Hm? O-Oh, I am!" She blinked, staring at the front of her clothes. "I guess it happened when I was trying to carry you, or… maybe when I hugged you?"
I cringed and buried my face in my hands. Brushing my bangs back, I looked at her apologetically. "I'm sorry. I just- I've done nothing but cause trouble since we met… for you and Sesshōmaru." I looked back at the demon lord. "I'm sorry."
He said nothing in response, merely staring into the distance.
I let out a sigh, the guilt crashing down, and I slumped over, feeling utterly defeated. "I barely even managed to protect Rin from all the demons, nonetheless Kohaku, and now… gah! Kohaku!" I shot back up, greatly alarmed, a loud gasp escaping my lips. I whirled around to look at Rin, a palm to the earth to keep my balance. "What happened to Kohaku? Is he okay!? He's not dead, is he?"
Rin hesitated, unsure of how to answer, the girl not knowing the answer.
"That boy is still alive, despite his best efforts." Sesshōmaru informed.
He gave no further explanation. Still, it didn't stop me from pressing a hand to my chest and letting out a breath of relief. "Phew… I wasn't sure how I was going to tell Sango if you had killed him."
I wasn't sure how I would feel about Sesshōmaru if he had killed him.
"Big Sister…" Rin began, holding her hands close to her chest. She looked concerned. "What's… I mean, what happened to Kohaku? He was really nice to us, but then…"
Ah, story time.
Ruffling my hair again, I hummed in frustration and made a face. "It's… tricky. Kohaku is actually the younger brother of Sango, and… when he went to slay demons for the first time he became possessed. He ended up killing everyone- family and friends- and nearly killed Sango, too. He snapped out of it eventually, but… he died. Naraku brought him back to life."
"Like… Lord Sesshōmaru did to you?"
"Uh, not quite." Not as far as I'm aware, anyway. Tenseiga better not have any mind controlling capabilities. Lowering my hand, I grasped my ankles again, glancing at the demon lord who was listening quietly, his amber eyes gazing at us from the corner of his vision. "He revived him with a jewel shard. Since Naraku put the jewel shard in him, and… has probably tainted it, he can put Kohaku under a spell. He has him attack Sango a lot because of it, since she can't bring herself to hurt him."
"…Big Sister, Kohaku said you two knew each other." Rin was sitting beside me now, tears starting to well up in her eyes again. "Did he-?"
"Attack me? Yeah. Several times." I tilted my head, thinking back to the days we met. "It was mostly with the intent to capture me, though. He wasn't told to kill me. I don't think he was supposed to kill me this time either- just, y'know, to stop me, but… things got out of hand. He's a good kid, really, I swear. He hates hurting others. But…"
I looked down, biting down on my bottom lip.
"Naraku… makes him. He can't fight him. I mean, sometimes he'll be able to restrain himself if our voices can get through to him, but it doesn't always work. Naraku's hold is just that strong. And if we try to remove the jewel shard, Kohaku… will die again. The only way to free him is to kill Naraku. That's the only way Sango will get her little brother back."
Rin lowered her head, frowning deeply. "Kohaku…"
"Honestly, it makes me so mad." I huffed, sitting back up. "Naraku was right in front of my face! I could have hurt him! I… I could have tried to kill him, but…" I was too scared. Grinding my teeth together, I glared at the ground, frustrated at my own inadequacy. "I wasn't… strong enough. I was already dying, and I didn't think I would be able to kill him."
But… now I'm alive. I'm alive and I can breathe better than ever before. I'm at full strength.
Gripping my ankles tightly, I let out a small growl. "He won't get away next time. I'll break his stupid barrier and bind him in place long enough for someone to slash his nasty face off! I'm tired of him killing and manipulating everyone!"
I just barely managed to protect Rin. It's so upsetting that I can't do anything about Kohaku.
"Freaking spider jerk!"
I hope he rots.
Rin suddenly blinked, lifting her head up when she heard the crunching of grass. "Lord Sesshōmaru? Lord Sesshōmaru, please, don't leave without us!" She exclaimed, standing and rushing over to Ah-Un.
The demon lord was slowly walking away, heading deeper into the forest's depths.
"Let's go, Ah-Un! I'll feed you lots of tasty grass and berries later for protecting us so well, okay?"
Tugging the dragon by the reins, she started to walk after the demon lord- only to pause when she realized I wasn't following. I had not moved from my spot in the ground. I just sat there watching, content to have been revived and not at all in any rush to get up.
"Big Sister?" She blinked at me. "Aren't you coming?"
"…Huh?"
Rin beamed at me. "Come on, hurry up! We'll lose track of Lord Sesshōmaru at this rate! He walks a lot faster than you'd think."
"Uh, o-okay…?" I hesitantly pushed myself up onto my feet, awkwardly following after her and the demon lord without much thought. I glanced down at her. This felt so strange. "Are you… sure I can just… tag along?"
Rin nodded, her smile never fading. Her brown eyes were sparkling, despite still being red from all the tears she had shed earlier. "Of course! Lord Sesshōmaru really likes you, you know. He wouldn't have saved you if he didn't!"
"I…" I looked up at the demon lord walking ahead of us, still uncertain. Looking back at Rin, and even Ah-Un- whose yellow eyes were gazing at me as if I were already an ally and someone it trusted, I shook my head and decided to quicken my pace, breaking out into a small run to reach the demon lord. "Sesshōmaru!"
If I had thought about it, I would have noticed how odd it was that I was walking and talking without running out of air. Running itself should have already given off warning bells, but I was so dazed by the current flood of events that it never crossed my mind.
"Sesshōmaru, hey!" Slowing down once I caught up to him, I walked at his side, attempting to match his pace. His amber eyes glanced at me and I faltered a little at the intimidating stare, but I did my best to hold strong. I can't back down now. "I-Is it… really okay if I travel with you? I… I don't want to get in your way… I mean, you already revived me, and this is the third time you've saved me, so-"
He faced forward, and a cool morning breeze rushed through, sending his silver hair flowing in the wind. "Irene."
"Y-Yeah?" The sound of my name from his lips caused me to jolt, my heart nearly leaping out of my ribcage.
Sesshōmaru stopped walking, and I had to skid to a stop. His back facing me, I fiddled with my fingers nervously in anticipation for his response. "Did I not give you my answer yesterday?"
"Yesterday?"
What does he mean, yesterday? Furrowing my brows, I tried to recall everything that happened. There was my getting accused of murder, the search for the person who killed the wolf demons, the accidental swap with Anastasia and myself, meeting Naraku, the locating of Rin to try and protect her, and…
"Ohhh."
The realization dawned like a smack to the face.
"Y-You mean… I can do what I want?" I could scarcely believe it. "Even… i-if what I want… is to travel with you?"
When he turned to look at me, my heart caught in my throat.
The way the early morning light hit his skin made the demon lord glow, as if to remind me once more that this person was an ethereal being- one I wasn't worthy of even speaking to. One that could kill me with the flick of a finger, should he so desire it. He despised humans with all his being, or so I've been told over and over again. He held no sympathy or compassion for us.
So why…?
Why was it that, when he looked at me, I couldn't find any of that so-called hate? He wasn't looking at me with indifference either. There was something else in those eyes of his, eyes that burned like molten gold. Something I couldn't quite identify.
Something that… made me think back to what his father said to me.
And rather than answering my question, Sesshōmaru just started walking again- leaving me to stare and slowly start following after him, as if in another baffled daze. When Rin and Ah-Un caught up, the little girl smiled so brightly that one would never have guessed she had been so despairingly heartbroken ten minutes ago.
"I told you." She cheekily said. Rin let out a small giggle. "I can't wait to see the look on Master Jaken's face when he finds out Lord Sesshōmaru is letting you travel with us!"
"Jaken can get pelted like a football for all I care." I stated bluntly, snapping myself out of my thoughts and making a face. Suddenly, I paused, looking around in confusion. "Actually… where is Jaken?"
Ah, well, I'm sure he's fine.
Ruffling my hair, I let out a tired sigh, looking at the ground as we walked, mind still so boggled by today's events. So much has happened in such a short span of time. "I'm exhausted…"
My legs stumbled a little, and it was then I realized I had been awake all day and most of the night. The small portion I wasn't, I had been dead. Which is a really weird thought, to say the least. I seriously can't believe I'm alive.
Sesshōmaru really brought me back to life.
Letting out a loud yawn, I wobbled again and stumbled towards Ah-Un, patting the dragon on one of their heads. "Is… it okay if I pass out on your back, lil' buddy? I need a serious nap…"
Rin blinked. "You can sleep on Ah-Un. I'm.. actually kind of sleepy too, now that you mention it." She let out a yawn herself. "It's been such a long day."
"Tell me about it." I was holding onto the saddle as we continued to walk, and rubbed at my eyes as best as I could without getting blood in them. "One second I'm being accused of murder and nearly getting murdered, the next I'm getting swapped with Anastasia, nearly dying from miasma, and then I'm lying to Naraku's face pretending to be Anastasia, and after that I'm looking for you to stop them from snatching you, and then we got kidnapped anyway and I had to fight Kohaku and-"
I sighed heavily, hanging my head exaggeratedly.
"-I am worn out. It has been one thing after another. I don't have the brain to process anything that's happened today. I'm still trying to comprehend the fact that I died and came back to life."
Rin giggled at my dramatics. "Then climb on Ah-Un and get some sleep, silly!"
"There's no need." Sesshōmaru said from up ahead. "There's a river stream just a little ways over there. We'll make camp nearby and rest for a while."
"Yes, M'lord!" Rin cheered, holding Ah-Un's reins up as she threw her hands into the air. "You hear that, Big Sister? We'll get to sleep properly after all!"
I wouldn't call sleeping on the ground proper, but it's definitely better than an uncomfortable saddle. Man, I really miss Kirara. I hope she and the others are okay.
As always, thanks for reading and have a wonderful day/night wherever you are! Let me know what you think in the comments. 💕
