I'm baaaaaaaack! I'm sorry this took so long, the scene with Bokuseno really killed it for me and took FOREVER to write! As always, I do not own Inuyasha, only my OCs and plot twists! We are getting into the Band of Seven Arc, mwa hahahahahahahaha! Shenanigans abound and craziness too!

Please review and comment! For those of you waiting for my other stories, I will update Lady Hero or Team Toka next (I hit a lot of writer's blocks but have persistently been pushing through it).

Now buckle up and let's get this show on the road!

Traveling with a full-grown dragoness is a unique challenge. Since she cannot shift to a smaller form, Jade often flies a wide perimeter sweep as Sesshomaru leads the group. Needless to say, villagers would scream loudly and fearfully when her massive shadow passes over their villages. The rare occasions Sesshomaru's party travels near a village, the terrified peasants would be babbling loudly of a monster that blots out the skies and tried to eat them (not the truth, but oh well). Ironically, they were reassured by the visages of Sesshomaru, A-Un and Jaken because they were normal demons.

Jade, on the other hand, was something the villagers had no experience with.

Sesshomaru ignores them, finding their fear annoying while Jaken sneers at the humans. Rin pays no attention to the proceedings atop of A-Un. When night falls Jade would return, often with some blood on her snout from hunting and would offer half of her prey to Rin. Rin is always willing to share with A-Un and Jaken, usually leaving only a few bones behind. Sesshomaru merely watches, never partaking in Jade's kills.

Sleeping arrangements were a problem- or so Jaken and Sesshomaru thought until Jade sunk most of her body into the earth, leaving only her head visible the first night. After that, Sesshomaru didn't worry so much about locating a suitable campsite. Although Jade quickly proved capable of finding caves for them to rest in if rain threatened. Demons, both large and small, bolted away from the combined presence of a Daiyoukai and dragoness, making their journey far more peaceful.

A week passes this way until Sesshomaru tells Jade to accompany him.

Alone.

"But- but Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken wails, distressed.

Sesshomaru stares at the imp with increasing irritation.

"Why can we not accompany you?!" Jaken continues, not realizing his impending doom.

"You are to stay here and protect Rin, Jaken."

Jade huffs, nudging Rin closer to her while side-eying Jaken.

"Hatchling no come?" She rumbles, tilting her head at Sesshomaru.

"No." He says shortly to Jade.

She grumbles but stands, stretching her wings.

"Come back soon!" Rin cheers, waving at them.

Sesshomaru nods (barely) as he takes to the skies. Jade nuzzles her then takes off with a massive gust of wind, following the Daiyoukai. They crest the clouds and head deeper into youkai territory, away from humans. Forests turn into hills and hills into mountains as they soar further and further north. Sesshomaru occasionally corrects their path, following his nose to their destination. Jade follows him without too much fuss, for which Sesshomaru is grateful.

Flying with the dragoness is oddly restful. Speaking takes effort for her, so she rarely instigates conversations. Jaken and Rin take on the duty of filling the silences but their chatter is rarely peaceful (especially given that Jaken's voice is very obnoxious). Soon enough Sesshomaru spots a familiar visage ahead of them, cresting a small hilltop. He touches down and watches as Jade contorts her body to fit into the clearing, snapping several trees under her claws as she settles.

Sesshomaru nods almost imperceptibly, turning and walking towards the crest of the hill where a massive magnolia tree stands, shadowing everything beneath it. Jade cranes her head and follows, clearing herself a path behind the Daiyoukai. Sesshomaru pauses when he reaches the tree, looking upwards calmly.

"Bokuseno, this Sesshomaru has a question for you." He says firmly.

"Oh..? You have returned, Sesshomaru?" An old creaky voice murmurs.

A pair of eyes tiredly opens, peering down at them. Jade bristles, hissing as she rears her head back and exposes her fangs in warning.

"Be still, Warrior Jade." Sesshomaru orders, glancing back at her.

The dragoness cocks her head, wary and confused by the order and rumbles angrily at him.

"Threat!"

Sesshomaru shakes his head at her.

"No. An ally who may have answers concerning your state." He corrects her.

Bokuseno's eyes widen with intrigue as the pair converses before him.

"Sesshomaru… who is your companion?" He rasps.

Sesshomaru turns to face Bokuseno and the old tree is surprised to detect a flicker of fondness in the Daiyoukai.

"This is Warrior Jade, Bokuseno. She is a warrior from a far-away land who fought this Sesshomaru to a draw." Sesshomaru tells the tree yokai.

Bokuseno hums as he takes in the sight of the dragoness.

"Sesshomaru… why does she have so much of your yoki inside of her? You have not mated her, have you?" He teases

Sesshomaru withholds a sigh and shakes his head.

"No. We are not mates. Warrior Jade was human when we fought and this Sesshomaru stabbed her with my poison claws. She survived it and somehow balanced it with her own 'magic' to keep it from killing her." Sesshomaru tells Bokuseno.

"Oh..?" Bokuseno blinks in growing surprise.

"She survived your poison, Sesshomaru? That is very surprising!"

"Hn. Bokuseno, have you any information of a human transforming into a dragon?"

"Transforming into a dragon? No, but there have been humans that have become yokai- the one you seek, Naraku, is one such yokai." Bokuseno tells Sesshomaru.

Jade shakes her head, peeling her lips back to show her fangs at Naraku's name.

"Thief..! Trickster!" She hisses angrily, tail lashing.

Sesshomaru and Bokuseno eye her curiously.

"You remember Naraku?" Sesshomaru asks her.

Jade growls angrily, huffing.

"Scent… Voice- hate voice…" She grumbles.

"Stole precious… I'll eat him-! And pale girl too-! Hurts inside…"

Sesshomaru frowns minutely, recalling something.

Kanna… her mirror has mystical powers… it is the likely culprit behind Warrior Jade's transformation. Yet she speaks of pain when it has been several months since Warrior Jade changed form… I wonder…

"Warrior Jade, allow Bokeseno to examine you." He orders curtly.

Jade stares at him, befuddled by the request but reluctantly moves closer to Bokuseno. The aging tree yokai hums as he carefully inspects Jade, taking his time. Sesshomaru waits patiently while Jade occasionally shifts her weight. After a long pause, Bokuseno frowns and seems to redouble his focus before blinking.

"Oh my…"

"What is it?" Sesshomaru demands, staring at the older yokai.

Bokuseno sighs gustily before speaking.

"Someone ripped out a majority of her soul. It is a miracle she yet lives."

Jade tilts her head at Bokuseno and makes a questioning growl. Sesshomaru narrows his eyes at the damning words. Humans that lose their souls soon perish after the theft- it is why yokai such as Mannendake are feared so.

"How is she alive then?" He asks, curiosity growing.

Bokuseno hums.

"Your yoki and her magic have filled the void left by her mutilated soul and merged together to keep her alive. It is similar to a human changing into a yokai but her magic balances your yoki enough to prevent a total transformation into a dragon demon. That said, her soul is weakening. The longer she lives without it, the more likely her death or full transformation into a yokai will be. Yoki erodes human souls exposed to it- it is for that reason Inuyasha's demon blood was sealed. Her magic is warding off the worst of the damage but it will not hold past another six months."

Sesshomaru frowns openly, annoyed with the idea of Jade dying simply because she lacks a soul. It is demeaning for a warrior such as her.

How annoying.

"How might her condition be fixed?" Sesshomaru coldly demands.

Bokuseno huffs with amusement at Sesshomaru's antics but answers nonetheless.

"Give her back her soul. It will naturally heal the damage and restore balance within herself." He explains.

Sesshomaru considers the solution and notes the obvious issue.

"And if it cannot be found?"

Bokuseno sighs heavily, already anticipating that Sesshomaru won't like his answer.

"Then there is only one recourse, Sesshomaru. You must use Tenseiga, the blade gifted to you by Inu-no-Taisho, to heal her soul."

Sesshomaru stiffens at the tree yokai's words, hand tightening into a fist as he is reminded yet again at the insult his father gave him all those years ago.

But, for all the insults tied to its existence, Tenseiga had saved Rin and Jaken.

So, perhaps, just perhaps, Tenseiga is not as useless as he first thought.

"Hn." Sesshomaru grunts, mulling over which of the two options to pick.

"Want to… eat pale girl. Trickster too…" Jade grumbles tiredly, laying her head down upon her paws.

Sesshomaru glances at her and almost frowns thoughtfully.

Warrior Jade should be allowed the chance to take back her honor from Kanna, Kagura and Naraku. If they are not found in a timely manner, then Tenseiga will be used to ensure her survival.

Pleased with his choice, Sesshomaru bids farewell to Bokuseno and returns to their campsite with Jade flapping behind him.

Meanwhile…

Mavis perches on a branch high in a tree as the ragtag band settles in for the night. Keeping watch is the least she can do, being a ghost and all, and Mavis hums to herself as she considers what her next course of action will be.

Given the lack of information on Jade, Mavis knows that for the time being it would be prudent to remain with Team Inuyasha. Besides, they remind her of Fairy Tail with their boisterous energy! It would be a shame to part ways. Nodding to herself, Mavis makes herself comfortable.

"I wonder what awaits us…" Mavis muses to herself.

The next day she receives her answer in the form of a cross-dressing man making eyes at Inuyasha.

"You're adorable! I especially love those fuzzy ears of yours! I want them!" Jakotsu coos excitedly.

Inuyasha's ears flatten against his head as he belligerently interrogates Jakotsu.

"Just who are you and what are you after?! You don't smell like a living person, you reek like corpses and graveyard soil!"

Jakotsu smirks and Mavis frowns hopping from Soren's back to approach the cross-dresser.

"It does seem to be a form of necromancy and combined with the dead soldiers it seems from the earlier story from the villagers this must be one of the Shichinintai." Mavis murmurs.

Kagome blinks at the information while Inuyasha and Miroku attempt to confirm their suspicions.

"The villagers spoke of a wraith that rose from the grave- that is you, isn't it? They said there was once a band of mercenaries who loved to kill more than anything and were so evil they were hunted down and beheaded. Are you part of the Shichinintai? Answer me!" Miroku demands.

"Inuyasha is handsome but you're pretty sexy yourself, monk." Jakotsu observes, smiling at him.

Kagome and Shippo stay back with Soren, resisting the urge to inch away. Mavis sighs while Miroku has a tick mark develop on his forehead as he unwraps his beads.

"No one minds if I suck him up, do they?" Miroku asks, smiling dangerously.

"No." Inuyasha confirms, deadpanning at Jakotsu.

"Hang on! He has a sacred jewel shard!" Kagome yells before Miroku can kill Jakotsu.

"Maybe that's how he revived!"

"Makes sense, who gave you the sacred jewel shard?!" Inuyasha snaps.

"Mhm… You know, you're cute when you're angry." Jakotsu says instead of answering Inuyasha's question.

"Shut up! Okay, dead man- start talking to me and I want all the details!" Inuyasha growls, leaping forward and drawing Tetsusaiga.

"Oho. That's an interesting sword you have Inuyasha… Which is stronger though? My sword- or yours?!" Jakotsu yells as he attacks.

Mavis narrows her eyes as the two fight, Inuyasha clearly struggling with the other sword master. A blur from Jakotsu's blade catches her attention and her eyes flicker back to the ring of dead soldiers that Jakotsu had stood within.

All of them died at least twenty feet away from Jakotsu's position- they tried to encircle him but none of them made it close enough. That means his blade has at least twenty feet of reach, potentially longer. In that case, it is likely a form of a whip-like weapon and the best course is to attack up close where he cannot use it to maximum effectiveness or to hit him from outside his strike range.

Thankfully, Sango shows up and snarls Jakotsu's weapon with her own boomerang bone. Mavis continues to watch as Jakotsu loses his temper at the demon slayer and Inuyasha reengages, this time up close. Inuyasha has better luck, particularly when he punches Jakotsu in the face.

"Oooh, nice hit!" Mavis laughs.

Bored by the yelling, Mavis sighs and looks up in time to see a cloud of poisonous gas floating towards them. Instantly she yells a warning to Kagome, inwardly cursing how only the miko can hear her.

"Kagome, poison! Get out of here!" Mavis bellows, standing atop Soren's back.

Kagome glances back and looks to where Mavis is pointing before quickly drawing the rest of the group's attention to it.

"Everyone, we need to go!"

Inuyasha leaps back while Jakotsu retreats into the poison fog. Mavis narrows her eyes.

An ally- perhaps another member of the Band of Seven?

Inuyasha is impatient and when the poison clears enough he chases after Jakotsu. Soren shakes his head and stamps his feet nervously, snorting loudly.

"What's going on with Soren?" Shippo asks.

Kagome frowns, recalling another time when Soren acted skittish.

"I think he senses something unfriendly… We should go."

"Agreed." Miroku nods.

Shippo makes a face in the direction Inuyasha ran off towards.

"Uh, we might need to fetch Inuyasha first…"

The group sighs and nods in agreement.

Back with Sesshomaru's group…

Sesshomaru pauses, scenting the wind and nods to himself before leaping down to where the rest of his pack is.

"Ah! Mi lord, you've returned!" Jaken squawks excitedly.

Rin beams at Sesshomaru, waving at him from atop A-Un.

"Sesshomaru-sama, welcome back!"

Jade lifts her head from where she had been napping and yawns, showing her fangs.

"Back..?" She rumbles, starting to stand.

"Hn." Sesshomaru confirms before glancing at Jaken.

"Protect Rin. This Sesshomaru will be back shortly."

"Of course, mi lord!" Jaken nods vigorously.

"Bye-bye Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin waves good-bye as the Daiyokai starts to fly again.

Jade fully stands up and flexes her wings, yawning only to pause, tilting her head. Sniffing, Jade scents the air and her eyes sparkle.

"Poison..?"

"Eh?! Poison, where?!" Jaken panics, flailing with his Staff of Two Heads.

Jade inhales deeply and rears, grabbing a tree to balance as she tries to locate the smell.

"Away… Sesshomaru near it… smells good…" She rumbles.

Rin blinks at Jade.

"Poison smells good, Jade-onee-san?"

Jade nods and abruptly surges into the sky, heading in the same direction as Sesshomaru. Jaken's eyes bulge and he shrieks at the top of his lungs.

"What are you doing, you stupid overgrown lizard?! Don't leave us!"

Rin waves good-bye to Jade and glances at Jaken.

"Ne, Mister Jaken, we should set up camp!"

Jaken is slumped, gloomy with despair, as Rin starts to build a campfire with A-Un helpfully carrying wood.

Meanwhile…

Sesshomaru walks through the village, unaffected by the fog of poison surrounding it. Nearby he hears a scuffle and a repulsive voice screaming about how someone considers them ugly and that 'she' would pay. He sniffs and is mildly surprised to smell Inuyasha's miko in distress. Striding quickly, he enters the hut and slashes the portly man across the back, knocking him off the miko.

"Tell me, is Inuyasha here?" He asks the monk, the miko and the demon slayer.

"And who are you?" Mukotsu yells, glaring at Sesshomaru.

The Daiyokai glances at the resurrected human and flexes his claws.

"I was about to ask you that." Sesshomaru states coolly.

"You- you tried to kill me and you don't even know me?!" Mukotsu explodes, seizing his pack of poisons and fleeing the hut.

"You felt the pain of this Sesshomaru's toxic claws, and yet you are still able to run?" He murmurs, steadily following Mukotsu.

Mukotsu laughs malevolently as he holds two new bamboo tubes of poison at Sesshomaru.

"Hehehehehehehe! Take this!" He yells, releasing the poison.

"Hehehehehehehehehehe! Taste my poison!"

Sesshomaru stoically ignores the toxic gases and continues to walk towards Mukotsu, unimpeded.

"Huh?! W-Wait! Geh, please wait!" Mukotsu begs as the Daiyokai draws closer.

"I'm sorry! I was too hasty! Please spare me! Don't kill me! Dooooon't kill meee!" Mukotsu wails, huddling in a bush.

Sesshomaru pauses and Mukotsu, unseen, grins evilly.

"To show you my sincerity, here's a little present!" Mukotsu shoots a new gas at Sesshomaru.

A reddish gas floods the area, making the revived mercenary laugh maniacally.

"Hehehehehehehehehehehe! Goodbye my friend. This poison kills demons like you! Huh?"

Sesshomaru appears out of the toxic fog, untouched and unimpressed.

"It's not working! Yet it's my very finest poison!" Mukotsu gapes, horrified.

Sesshomaru goes to cut Mukotsu in half when a massive shadow darkens the area. Mukotsu glances up- and squeals in terror as a green dragon crushes him into paste. Jade shakes her head and peers around, spotting Sesshomaru easily and disregards him in favor of the interesting smells. Such tasty smelling smells they are too! Something nags at the back of her mind and Jade wonders what the poisons might taste like.

Instinct takes over and Jade opens her mouth wide, inhaling deeply. The poisons throughout the village are sucked into her maw and she slurps it down, humming happily as she does. Sesshomaru quirks his eyebrows at her.

"Does that foul human's inferior concoctions please you that much?" He asks, mildly intrigued.

"Mhm hmm! Tasty!" Jade rumbles, nearly purring as she stalks around the village to eat the stray traces of the poisonous gases.

Shaking his head in amusement, Sesshomaru decapitates Mukotsu, who was moaning in the crate Jade had made and sheathes Tokijin. Nearby, Jakotsu stares in blatant disbelief at the dragoness prowling around eating toxic fumes like its candy.

"What on earth..? That's a strange creature!" Jakotsu mutters to himself as he watches.

"Kagome!"

A familiar voice makes Jakotsu perk up as Inuyasha rushes onto the scene only to pause at the sight of Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru? Wah-!"

Inuyasha and Shippo rush into the hut, seeing Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Kagome laying on the floor limply.

"Kagome!"

"They all look like they're dead!" Shippo gasps.

"Not yet at least. If they receive treatment quickly, they should be fine." A soft, girlish voice remarks.

Sesshomaru turns his head at the unfamiliar voice and narrows his eyes. A transparent girl with long cascading blond hair is standing next to Inuyasha's companions, wearing odd garments.

A ghost..? Odd. He thinks to himself as Inuyasha bristles.

"What did you do, Sesshomaru?!" Inuyasha yells furiously.

"No-!" Kagome coughs, looking weakly up at Inuyasha.

"Sesshomaru saved us-!"

"This Sesshomaru didn't save you. The fool didn't answer my questions, so this Sesshomaru had no use for him. It's that simple." Sesshomaru denies.

"What questions?" Inuyasha asks warily.

"I caught the boy Kohaku's scent- does that mean Naraku is near? Answer me, Inuyasha. Where is Naraku?" Sesshomaru demands coolly.

Inuyasha grimaces.

"We haven't been able to find him yet either. But now, we've got these phantoms possessing sacred jewel shards coming after us! I'm sure Naraku's close by!" Inuyasha tells Sesshomaru.

"Hn. That's all this Sesshomaru needs to know." Sesshomaru muses and starts to walk away.

Inuyasha bristles and starts to yell when a nearby hit collapses. Coughing at the dust cloud, Inuyasha glances up- and pales. A giant green dragon stares down at him in mild interest, leaning closer to sniff him. The group gulps and stays very still so the big dragon won't eat them. Sesshomaru pauses, realizing Jade isn't following and speaks up.

"We're leaving."

The dragoness turns and looks at Sesshomaru before humming in agreement, taking to the sky. The Daiyokai swiftly takes the lead and the pair vanish, leaving Team Inuyasha and unknowingly, Jakotsu, behind. Sneezing from the dust, Inuyasha glares at the retreating duo's backs.

"Where the hell did that dragon come from?!" Inuyasha snarls in frustration.

Mavis, on the other hand, has her hands over her mouth in disbelief and shock.

"Jade..?" She whispers.

Aaaaaaand cut! All done! At long, long, last it is done! Chapter 15, completed! Whohooooo! Please review and comment, I like hearing what people are thinking!

Also, for a head count of who knows Jade is a dragon:

Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken, Kagura, Kanna and now Mavis!

The gang does not yet know that Jade has transformed but that is coming soon- at some point in the next few chapters… Anyways, please be safe and get vaccinated if you haven't already! Until next time~!