Author's Note: This chapter will be mostly Inutaisho centric as well, and maybe even the next, so don't think I forgot about dear ol' fluffy. ;-) Any suggestions are welcome, thanks to all for reviews and suggestions, they really help, so bring 'em on!

Disclaimer: I no own Inuyasha

Inutaisho was becoming frustrated. He had found the volcanic caverns easily enough, but finding the swordsmith who lived there was proving much more difficult. He had found the skull of what seemed to be a large demon with what looked like sword making tools inside, but there was no one there. In fact, there didn't seem to have been anyone there in quite some time. He remembered what Hokutouki had said to him about Toutousai being an eccentric old man. As he made his way out of the volcanic caverns, he was at a loss on where to begin searching for him. Perhaps there were some demons local to the area that would know. He sat down on a rock to contemplate which direction he should head in next.

Suddenly, a tiny prick on his arm caught his attention. When he looked down, he noticed that there was a small flea demon helping itself to his blood. With a quick slap, he flattened the small creature.

"With pleasure always comes pain" the old flea said sadly as he floated to the ground. It seemed when he found truly delightful blood, he only managed to get a small taste.

"A flea demon?" Inutaisho asked as the flea straightened himself out. Perhaps this old fellow could tell him where Toutousai was. "Tell me old flea, do you know of a demon swordsmith by the name of Toutousai, and where I might find him?" he asked.

"Toutousai?" the flea demon asked. "Of course, I have known Toutousai for many years, I was just on my way to visit him myself." "Is he not at home?"

"I'm afraid not." Inutaisho sighed. "I need him to forge a demon sword for me."

"Well, you seem to be a great demon and I'm sure that a sword made for you would have to be of the highest caliber." "Allow me to introduce myself." "I am Myouga, and I will travel with you to find Toutousai, if you would kindly allow me to be your vassal." Myouga suggested, all the while thinking of the tasty blood that would come with pledging his loyalty to this demon lord.

Inutaisho laughed. "Vassal?" he asked. "Very well, I will allow you to be my vassal if you can help me find Toutousai." "Do you have any idea in which direction we should search?"

"I'm afraid I do not." Myouga replied. "I sincerely hope that we find him swiftly, for there is a dangerous matter that I need to speak with him about." he said gravely.

"A dangerous matter?" Inutaisho asked. "What kind of dangerous matter do you speak?"

Myouga's expression darkened. "I have traveled here from a short distance to the south, where there is a war raging among the human clans." "It seems that the leader one of these human clans has discovered an evil demon sword, and the sword has possessed him." "He and his army are slaughtering everyone and everything in their path, bent on becoming the supreme ruler of these lands, perhaps even the entire world." "I fear things will go badly indeed if someone is not able to get the sword from him and seal it soon, and Toutousai is the only person I can think of that may be able to do it." Myouga explained.

"I see." Inutaisho replied. "Do you know of any way to control this sword?"

"Either a sheath would have to be made for it that could seal its powers away, or it would have to be wielded by a great demon that surpassed it in strength." "So far I have found no demon great enough to handle it without becoming possessed themself." Myouga said.

"Well then, you must take me to where this sword is." Inutaisho said as he stood up. "I must do what I can to prevent any further chaos from ensuing." "Perhaps I can quell the sword, it is worth a try after all."

Myouga began to shake visibly. "You want me to take you back to where the sword is?" he stammered.

"Of course." "You are the one who told me about it, and you are my vassal now." Inutaisho said, his voice edged with humor.

"Well, uh, come to think of it, I don't know exactly where it might be now, at this very moment." Myouga said, fully quaking now. "Did I say it was to the south?" "My memory must be failing me." "Perhaps I am mistaken." he said quickly.

"Come on old flea." Inutaisho said, exasperated. "We will go to the south." "Destruction of the magnitude you described shouldn't be too hard to find." "All we will have to do is follow its path." "Perhaps Toutousai will already be searching for it in the hopes of sealing its powers away." he told him.

"No chance, knowing Toutousai." Myouga thought to himself. He began to wonder if pledging himself to this great demon lord was such a good idea, or if his blood was even going to be worth it.

After a few days travel to the south, Inutaisho came upon a scene of devastation the likes of which he had never seen. There was a path close to half a mile wide of total annihilation winding its way through a nearby valley. Everything in its path was totally destroyed. Land, trees, animals, humans, and demons were all laid waste. His battle with Ryuukossei's army paled in comparison.

"Come Myouga, we must hurry." he said as he quickened his pace. "We must find this sword and subdue it before everything is destroyed." He would find the sword and gain control over it, if for no other reason than to stop its destruction. He swore it to himself.

Not long after, they came upon an army camped at the head of the destroyed valley. A strong demonic aura more powerful than any Inutaisho had ever encountered enveloped the surrounding area. Much to Myouga's complaint, he made his way to the army's camp.

"A demon!" one of the men shouted. "Get the general quickly!" he called to one of his comrades.

Soon a young man approached him carrying a huge sword glowing with demonic power. "You wish to speak with me, demon?" he asked malevolently.

"No." Inutaisho answered. "I wish to speak with the evil spirit that possess you." he told him with cold reserve.

The young general began to laugh, but suddenly fell silent. His eyes began to glow red with the sword's possesion. A different voice issued from his still form, deep and wicked. "What is it you want, great demon?" it asked.

"I wish for you to stop this madness, and leave these humans in peace." Inutaisho answered. "I wish for you to come under my control, that I may put a stop to your rampage of destruction."

The demon's spirit laughed. "You are arrogant to assume that you can possess I, Souunga." "You pompous demon lords always are." "What will you do if I say I will not?" "Will you kill this human I have taken control of?" it taunted.

Inutaisho's face darkened. "If it is the only way to stop you, I will do what I must." he answered. He had no wish to kill the young samurai, but if it was the only way to stop the evil sword, he would do it begrudgingly. He had to think quickly. Suddenly, a scheme came to his mind. He would play a mind game with the spirit of this demon inside the sword.

"I pose to you an offer." he said carefully. "Allow me to possess you, and if I am as weak as you believe and you can overtake me, I am still much stronger than any human." "With my power under your control, you could do tenfold the damage you have accomplished through this simple human soldier." "Think of the power that would be at your disposal once you have possessed me, a great demon lord." But if you cannot, then I will have control over you, and your spirit will not rise to do any more harm as long as I live." he proposed.

The spirit was silent. "Very well." it said suddenly. "I will make you my slave, and you will see that your strength is nothing compared to that of I, Souunga!" it laughed. A great glow began to surround the sword, and the ground began to shake as it detached itself from the young samurai general.

"Myouga, stand fast!" Inutaisho said as he turned to his new companion, only to find that he was nowhere in sight. He was hardly surprised.

The sword suddenly dropped from the human warriors hand and stuck into the ground. Inutaisho approached it carefully. As he took hold of it, he was aware of a great force trying to overtake him. He fought it as hard as he could, and a cloud of dust and debris began to rise and circle around him. Bolts of demonic energy shot out from the sword. It was desperately trying to attach itself physically to him, and Inutaisho was fighting with every ounce of his strength to stavet it off. He felt his consciousness slipping into darkness, but recovered just as he was on the brink of losing himself. Suddenly the sword was quiet.

He had succeeded, but was completely drained from the stress and energy it had taken to quiet the sword. It was as if a darkness was lifted from the small valley, and the human warriors began to regain their composure. The human general shook his head lightly, and blinked his eyes a few times.

"What happened here?" he asked no one in particular. He didn't seem to notice Inutaisho standing nearby. "What happened to the valley ahead?" "What caused so much terrible destruction?" he asked his comrades. They all shook their heads in confusion.

"An evil sword caused it." Inutaisho chimed in. "Luckily I have overtaken it; it will do no more harm." he assured them. The soldiers looked at him blankly as he walked away. They weren't sure what kind of being he was or where he had come from.

Suddenly, Myouga appeared on his shoulder from out of thin air it seemed. "Great work master!" he shouted happily. "You really showed that evil sword who was boss!" "What power and fortitude!" he exclaimed.

"I'm surprised you noticed." Inutaisho said tiredly. "I had no idea you were anywhere nearby." he told the flea.

"Well master, I just thought you would do better without me around to interfere in your battle." Myouga explained. "Let's go and see if we can find old Toutousai, shall we?" he asked timidly.

"Yes, let's go." Inutaisho said, ignoring the flea's tale. "This is a powerful sword, but I want one that will get its strength from my own energy, and that will carry out specific duties according to my wishes." he said.

With that, the two new fellow travelers continued on their quest to find the missing swordsmith. He certainly had been nowhere nearby with thoughts of quelling the evil sword as Myouga had suggested. They carried on to the north once again, back to the place Toutousai was supposed to reside in the hopes that they would find some clue there to his whereabouts.