Kitakata was easy enough to find. It was one of the only villages in the lands that absolutely reeked of sake. Not that Sesshoumaru didn't mind a taste of it every now and then, but this place carried a scent that carried for miles. He wondered how hard it would be to find this man naked Hiko Seijurou in a place like this. Why would a human of such great skill and stature be in an alcohol filled village?

The moon was still bright overhead, white washing the village below him. Sesshoumaru hovered overhead, and quietly settled down into the village alleyways. He snuck around, keeping just out of sight of the humans as he listened to their various conversations. Much of it was nonsense, talking about a woman or about their profession. Bawdy comments flew. Discussions of the local skirmishes. But he listened none-the-less. Then he heard it:

"'Hey, hey you. Have ya… have y'heard o' the man who can kill a hundred men with a single strong of his sword?" he hiccuped.

"Eh? Oh. Don' be stoopid. Such things are fairy tales."

"Nah, I'm tellin' ya! He's here, in this kingdom. Rumor has it he's the consort of the gorgeous Princess Natsu."

"Quit yer blubberin'! That was an ol' wives tale and you're an idiot!"

"It's true, I tell ya! I was out to the west o' the village and saw a man wearin' a big white cloak, just like the stories! "

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment. To the west? He casually lifted himself into the air again and headed to the west of the village. Past a building where they clearly made sake, and into a bamboo forest. It seemed the old drunkard knew what he was talking about. Sesshoumaru landed down nearby and sauntered through the bamboo- and then stopped.

There, he saw a man. He was tall- perhaps taller than Sesshoumaru. He was adorned in a white cloak that hovered a few inches above the ground and had a ridiculously high collar. He had a mane of ridiculously black hair, and Sesshoumaru could feel the deadly aura that surrounded him. He smelled like a normal human. He looked like a normal human. But there was a sense that crossing him would mean certain death. For anyone not named Sesshoumaru, of course.

"Why have you come here?" The man across from him said. He raised an axe and brought it down, effortlessly splitting a log. "I don't know you and if you come seeking trouble, you've come to the wrong place, stranger."

Sesshoumaru stared at him as he turned around. He was garbed pretty ornately for a simple samurai. Such intricate armor.

"Hmph. A woman by the name of Kenshin Himura requested that I pay you a visit." Sesshoumaru said coolly.

Hiko met his eyes. There was not a shred of fear in those dark pools.

"My errant student? Why would she send a demon to pay her Master a visit?" he asked, lifting the ax and letting the back of the head rest against his shoulder.

"I, Sesshoumaru, do not know."

"Sesshoumaru? You are the Beast King of the West, are you not? How did you come to know my student." he asked, seeming a bit surprised.

"She attempted to assassinate me. She failed."

"And now you stand before me. What is her current state of being?" he asked.

"Dying. Her flesh attacks itself."

"Is that so? And you want to know why, and how to save her."

Sesshoumaru said nothing.

Hiko turned away from him, grabbing the log he had just split and carried it over to a fire. "Come, have a seat. It seems we have much to discuss."

Back in Kaede's hut…

Kenshin was stirring in her sleep, she had broken into a sweat while Kaede and Kagome kept fussing away at her. Making sure to wipe a damp cloth against her forehead. Her expression was pained, and she kept moving randomly.

"Kaede," Kagome murmured, lightly dabbing at the scar. "Is it me, or does this scar look very new?"

"Yes, child, it does. But I suspect it is not. They say wounds inflicted with such righteous anger never heal until that anger passes. Or the debt between the giver and taker is paid."

"That can't be true, can it? That sounds like a superstition, like walking under an open ladder or letting a black cat cross your path." she said, continuing to dab that wound. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I know not. We are doing all we can, and we must hope she can sleep through her pain."

But Kenshin was not really… asleep. Years of murdering had caused her a lot of mental damage. The majority of her dreams were remembering the faces of the men she killed, or of the time she caused the death of her wife. This time she was remembering the latter. When on a snowy day a few individuals had tried to bring about her death. An assassination attempt on another assassin. Using her wife as bait. All a trap, including her marriage to Tomoe. The grand scheme of which was intended to be the death of the Battousai and her wife. If there are no witnesses, is there really a crime?

But in these dreams, Kenshin could remember the feel of her katana as it cut through Tomoe's flesh and blood. The warm spray of blood hitting her face. Inside these dreams, she was witnessing them from a third person perspective. An out of body experience. She was reaching out on her hands and knees, feeling the cold snow bite into her flesh, screaming for it to stop. She wanted all of it to stop. She was begging, pleading, for the blade to stop short of Tomoe's back. But time and time again she failed, and had to watch as Tomoe cut the scar on her left cheek.

She was stuck in the replay loop when just before that sword snuffed out her life, the scene changed. Everything went white, and then the smell of white plums filled the air. The scent hit her nose, and it immediately caused tears to hit her eyes. Then things started to come into focus, and she was sitting on a bench, overlooking a gurgling brook. She looked down at herself, she was dressed in a simple white kimono. Her hands were clean, all the pain she was feeling… gone.

Then she noticed it, she turned to look at the figure sitting next to her. It was… Tomoe. She was garbed in the white kimono with red and blues splashed about. Her face was flat and emotionless as she watched the clear water trickle by.

"T-tomoe?" Kenshin asked, turning to look at her, eyes widened in shock.

"Hello, Kenshin." she said, coolly. This was how she was. Emotions did not come easy to her, but when they finally come, she felt them.

"... H-how… how are you here? This one does… not understand?" Kenshin sputtered, reaching out as if to touch her, but stopping just short.

"It seems that when the swordsmith made your sword, and you used my flower as its core, it summoned my spirit. I now live in your sword, Kenshin." she said, still not looking at her.

"This… one is sorry, Tomoe. This one did not know it would summon you. You must have been at peace." Kenshin lamented, and the tears spilled over, streaking her cheeks.

"I was." she agreed. She turned to look at her now, those chocolate colored eyes gazing at the crying figure of Kenshin. Gently, a hand came up to gently lift her chin. "You should stop that."

Kenshin looked up at her, violet eyes watery. "This one is so sorry, Tomoe. So, so sorry." she was breaking down. She was borderline sobbing. "You must… hate this one, that you must."

"I do," she admitted, "You killed my husband. You took my happiness. But you gave me happiness in return, and through no fault of your own, you killed me." she reached out to gently stroke that scar. "I love you, too. It was odd that I loved the woman who killed the man I was set to marry. I do not regret that. Given time, I may have removed the malice in your heart, Kenshin." Tomoe said quietly.

Kenshin was putty in her hands, as she always was. Her hands were as warm as she remembered, and every cell inside her body screamed in longing. She remembered the cold nights, wrapped in Tomoe's embrace.

"I hate you, and I cannot forgive you for what you've done. You will wear my scar until you draw your last breath, Kenshin. It is a reminder for the sin you cannot shake off." she said, and then gently cupped her cheek, the pad of her thumb lightly brushing away a tear. "But your love reached through the Underworld and found me. While I may not be alive, I am within your sword. I will fight by your side. I will slay your enemies." Tomoe said, her voice still not showing much emotion.

Kenshin kept looking at her, her violet eyes wavering. "Tomoe…"

"You are what you have been made. You can either choose to be a soulless Hitokiri for the rest of your days, or you can be something more. This… man. This Sesshoumaru. He gives you the chance for that, does he not? To be more than a simple assassin who kills men just to eat? You may not have realized it, but your heart beats in rhythm with his. You love him, and I would say he is feeling the same about you. The red string of fate ties you." She said.

"Tomoe… this one has only ever loved you." Kenshin said quietly. Her hand reaching up to take Tomoe's, her fingers sliding into hers.

"I know that. But do not stay in love with the memory of a dead woman. You deserve happiness, Kenshin."

"This one disagrees, that she does. She will burn in the fires of hell when she finally leaves this world."

"No you won't." Tomoe said, sliding closer, and with her free hand, tilted Kenshin's chin up. It was evident that in matters of the heart, Tomoe had always guided Kenshin's. That first night, that first time, Tomoe guided her with a gentle hand. They had achieved nirvana in each other's arms, and lay intertwined for hours. "Kenshin, the will to live is essential. I love you, Kenshin. Be free, and love." she said, and pressed her lips to Kenshin's.

From the outside looking in, Kagome and Kaede could only notice that she fell still, and the tears stopped falling.

Back at Hiko's home.

"Did Kenshin explain to you the properties of the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing.

"In truth, I learned it from a deity when I was but a boy. Kenshin, despite how good she is, cannot ever properly utilize the Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu. She does not have the physical attributes required to use it without causing damage to her body. Her speed is greater than any normal human beings, but her strength is still that of a small woman. Her body compensates and increases her muscle capacity. As such, it damages the muscle and bone. Eventually, she may be crippled. But there will certainly be a time where she will never be able to hold a sword again." Hiko explained, taking a sip of sake.

Sesshoumaru held his, simply looking at a reflection of himself in the clear liquid.

"The Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is a divine sword style. I am not sure whether it was a demon or a kami who passed it on to myself, but I have prolonged youth. As will Kenshin. As far as I know, there is no way for her to heal from this muscle damage." he paused, as Sesshoumaru looked up at him. "Is that not what you wanted to hear?"

"I, Sesshoumaru, couldn't care less about a human woman and her ability with a sword."

"That's not true. You may present with an indifferent mask, but I can see it in your eyes. You care, and you're hurting." Hiko guessed.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "Refrain from speaking such nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, and it's time you face that fact, Sesshoumaru. But if you will not say it with your words, then come." he said, standing from the log and moved to a little clearing next to his home. "If you will not say it with words, say it with your sword." And Hiko picked up a small sword. He slid it into the obi holding his armor, and unsheathed it. It was a nihonto katana with an intricate carving on the sheath. He unsheathed the sword and held it aloft, aiming the tip at Sesshoumaru.

"Ridiculous. To think I would have to cross swords with the likes of you." but he still stood, moving over to stand across from Hiko. He unsheathed Bakusaiga, holding it at his side.

"Indeed," Hiko said, and he was within Sesshoumaru's range. His sword came up, and they crashed together. Sesshoumaru was instantly forced back by the force of Hiko's sword crashing into Bakusaiga. Sesshoumaru noticed that Hiko's grip was towards the end of his handle.. It took a great deal of skill and finesse to be able to control a sword to that degree. Sesshoumaru frowned, and the two went into a flurry of exchanging strikes. Every time Sesshoumaru striked at full strength, Hiko was able to block.

He could really tell the difference between this man and Kenshin. It was almost like he wasn't human. But… something more.

In the back of his mind, as he and Hiko continued to dance, he wondered how Kenshin was. Was she okay?

… Was he falling in love with her?