Hotaru and Kohaku spent the night with Lord Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken. Neither of them spoke much. The loss of Lady Kikyo weighed heavy on their hearts. That night when they laid down to sleep, Hotaru took Kohaku's hand. She needed to remind him, remind herself, that they were both still alive and together. Their path forward had just been completely destroyed. They had been plunged into darkness and uncertainty, but they had each other. When Hotaru woke up the next morning, Kohaku was still holding her hand.
Lord Sesshomaru started traveling again at dawn. The demon hadn't said anything to them since the night prior, but he hadn't said anything to his other companions either. Rin simply jumped up when she noticed his departure and followed after him. Jaken trailed after her like a demon nanny, pulling on the reins of a two-headed demon that looked like a cross between a horse and a dragon.
Unsure whether or not they were welcomed additions to the party, Kohaku and Hotaru followed but kept their distance. They trailed several meters behind. Jaken noticed this and kept making nasty comments. Rin kept running back and forth between the main group and the two stragglers.
"I'm sorry you couldn't make it to your priestess in time." Rin said.
"There was nothing we could have done anyways." Hotaru replied. She knew in her heart it was the truth. Lady Kikyo had known, too. That's why she had told Hotaru to protect Kohaku.
"What are you going to do now?" asked Rin.
Hotaru and Kohaku looked at each other. Both of them had been silently trying to figure that out.
"You can travel with us." Rin said when it was clear that neither of them had an answer.
"Absolutely not!" Jaken protested. He had fallen back as well. Hotaru really was getting the impression that his job really was to babysit Rin. Hotaru still wasn't sure what the young girl was doing with Lord Sesshomaru. She looked so completely innocent and defenseless. Lord Sesshomaru did not seem like someone who tolerated weakness. "This isn't some refuge for stray human children!"
"But Kohaku is my friend." Rin protested. "And it's not up to you, Master Jaken. It's up to Lord Sesshomaru!"
Lord Sesshomaru didn't seem the least bit interested in their conversation. He appeared to be looking for something.
Suddenly, something swooped down overhead. Hotaru instantly transformed. Kohaku grabbed his scythe. Lord Sesshomaru began to growl, and with a flash he had a transformation of his own. He leapt into the air as a giant, three legged dog. He attacked the beast in the air. Which, Hotaru realised, was also a giant white dog. Their barking and snarling was louder than thunder as they clashed against each other.
Hotaru pulled Rin behind her. She had seen dogs fight over dominance before and knew even the friendliest dog could get vicious in such struggles. Watching two great demon dogs fight was truly terrifying. They flew back down to earth. Hotaru was expecting a crash, but instead when they hit the ground, they both reverted into human forms.
The other dog was a woman. Like Lord Sesshomaru, she was extremely tall with fair skin, white hair, and golden eyes.
"Sesshomaru, I thought that must be you." The woman said coolly. "I can only guess you have questions about the sword your father left you. I can think of no other reason why you would visit your mother."
Jaken stuttered in confusion. Hotaru watched the whole interaction with interest. She had the distinct feeling of being privy to a conversation she was not meant to be in. She didn't really understand what was going on. Still, it was a distraction from her grief and uncertainty, and she could use one of those.
The woman turned away from her son nonchalantly. "I don't care to discuss business in empty fields. You may have lost all of your refinement, but some of us still have dignity. Let's move this conversation to someplace more suitable."
Lord Sesshomaru looked murderous, but he did not verbally reply. As a cloud passed overhead, steps appeared from underneath it to the amazement of everyone except Lord Sesshomaru and his mother. The woman took lead, making it very clear that she was the alpha in this situation. Lord Sesshomaru respected her superiority, though it was evident he didn't like it. Rin skipped on after him, nothing seemed to phase her. Jaken, once again, was last. He scrambled up after Rin. Hotaru and Kohaku looked at each other. At this point, what did they have to lose? They trotted along after Jaken. The stairs vanished behind them as they ascended into the clouds.
I guess there's no turning back. Hotaru thought.
As they entered the cloud, a magnificent white palace unfolded around them. It reminded Hotaru of the Moon Palace during the height of the Silver Millenium. Gold trimmed pillars led the way up to a large throne. Lord Sesshomaru's mother turned and sat down. She observed the group coolly.
"I'm surprised, Sesshomaru. As I recall, you've always hated humans. Yet you have three human children in your company. Do you intend to eat them?"
Lord Sesshomaru ignored the question.
"Tenseiga has the ability to cut open a path to the underworld, surely Father told you that."
Lord Sesshomaru's mother seemed disappointed. "Always straight to the interrogation with you." She sighed, "After all this time, your manners are still abysmal. Very well…"
The woman twisted a large jewel she wore around her neck. A large hell-hound leapt out from the jewel. Lord Sesshomaru drew his sword and sliced through the beast, but it simply jumped past him. Before Hotaru could comprehend what was going on, the hell-hound scooped her, Rin, and Kohaku up into its mouth.
She was surrounded by darkness, her senses were overwhelmed by the putrid current of death all around her. It was nearly impossible to breathe. She thrashed, trying to determine up from down. Stop! She told herself. Panic and you're dead. Calm down and think!
Hotaru hadn't seen a hell hound since her past life. They couldn't digest, they could only bring their target to the underworld. She reached out in the darkness. She couldn't feel Rin or Kohaku's aura's over the much stronger, suffocating aura of the hellhound.
Something sliced through the darkness. Hotaru was falling. She hit the stone ground hard. She was stunned for a few seconds. Her head swam as she tried to get her bearings. Rin was face down next to her. Kohaku had landed a little further away. Hotaru pushed herself up. She knew where she was, before she even looked around. There was a feeling of emptiness that resonated around her. The silence was absolute and unbroken. She hadn't been here in this lifetime, but she knew this place very well. She was on a narrow stone walkway, with nothing but a dark void on either side. This was the path to the underworld, somewhere before the River Styx.
Hotaru pulled herself over to check on Kohaku before she even noticed that it was Lord Sesshomaru who rescued them.
"It appears you are able to move." The demon commented. "Interesting."
Just then Kohaku started coughing. Hotaru helped prop him up.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I think so." Kohaku replied, rubbing the back of his head. "Are we dead?"
"No, but you're close." said Hotaru somberly.
Hotaru tensed as she felt something approach very fast.
"Silent Wall!" She shouted. Her barrier surrounded them just before a horde of phantoms could attack them. The creatures stopped before they hit the barrier. They circled it. Hotaru felt their eyes on her. She stared them down. They recognized her. All of her memories of her life during the Silver Millenium came rushing back to her. This was her domain. She had authority here.
"Leave us!" She ordered.
At once the creatures of the underworld all turned and disappeared back into the void.
"What was that?" Kohaku asked.
Hotaru didn't answer. Rin hadn't stirred. Hotaru put her hand on the child's face. She wasn't breathing. Lord Sesshomaru's a demon, and Kohaku has the Shikon Jewel Shard. Rin is only human.
"They came for her," said Hotaru. She looked up at Lord Sesshomaru. "Humans can't survive here, not even for a moment."
Lord Sesshomaru's eyes widened. For the first time Hotaru saw the tiniest hint of emotion on his face. Fear. Before he could react a wave of darkness swept over them. When it passed, Rin was gone. Lord Sesshomaru didn't hesitate to run after her. Hotaru and Kohaku sprinted after him.
"Stay close to me." Hotaru warned Kohaku as they ran. "You can move here because of the Shikon Jewel, but this place will try to claim you as one of the dead."
"How do you know this?" Kohaku asked.
"Just trust me."
Even Lord Sesshomaru had to slow to a walk as the path became more treacherous.
"Underworld Illumination!" Hotaru called out. A sphere of violet light cast itself out from her glaive. It gave them slightly more visibility, but still seemed small compared to the infinite darkness around them.
Another light appeared in front of them. The warmth of life cut through the cold void. "Sesshomaru," Lord Sesshomaru's mother's voice came from the light. "Keep walking towards me and you will be able to return to the world of the living. However, this path will soon close. Once it does, you will never be able to return to this world."
Lord Sesshomaru paused for a moment.
"You two," He addressed Hotaru and Kohaku, "take this path while it is open." He continued past the light without turning to see whether or not his instructions were followed.
He must really care about Rin. Hotaru thought in surprise. Hotaru had spent a large portion of the past 24 hours trying to figure out why Lord Sesshomaru allowed Rin to travel with him. Genuine affection had never once crossed her mind.
Hotaru and Kohaku both ignored the path and followed Lord Sesshomaru deeper into the abyss. Kohaku began to struggle against the pull of the underworld. Hotaru took his hand and kept him grounded. You're not claiming him yet.
Finally, they reached the precipice of the trail they were on. A giant guardian of the sifted through the departed. These were the souls of those who died without closure or funeral rites. All of the souls who couldn't make it across the River Styx for one reason or another. The souls who were damned to walk in between realms for eternity. And in the giant's hand was Rin.
Hotaru bolted to the front of the group, taking position at the very peak of the path. She held out her glaive which shone brighter than ever. She spoke loud and clear with an authority and confidence she hadn't felt in a lifetime.
"Return that child at once!"
The guardian turned to look at her. It turned and immediately bowed to her.
"Young princess." The reply came from not one place or one speaker, but was a cacophony of voices that echoed through the nothingness. "Many years have passed since you have visited the underworld. It appears you have nearly fully awakened as a Sailor Guardian."
"What?" Lord Sesshomaru said.
"Princess?" repeated Kohaku.
"I am Sailor Saturn." She announced. "I am the Guardian of Death, Revolution, and Rebirth. I am the daughter of Queen Dione and King Tethy, and the crowned princess of Saturn. I have authority in this void. I order you to return that child to me."
"As you wish." The voices replied. The creature laid Rin's body down at Hotaru's feet.
"Return her life as well."
"You can not make such demands." The voices hissed. "You are our guardian, not our god. You do not have the power to make us return a life we have already claimed."
"If I cannot command then I will beg. Please. This girl is young. There is no reason for her to die now."
"Her life has already been brought back once. Her time was borrowed already."
"Borrowed or not, she had ample time left. Yesterday her lifespan stretched out sixty more years. Her death is not necessary in the order of the universe. There is no significant consequence if she remains alive."
"Centuries ago, the Great Dog Demon came to us and asked for permission to create a sword that would cheat death so that he could protect his human lover. We granted it on the condition that he could only recall a single person back to life once. Now the Great Dog Demon is long since dead and his sword has been passed on to his ungrateful son who does not respect its power. We do not bend to his will."
"This is not his will, it is mine. I am the emissary of death. I respect your rules and reasons. But I will not allow this child's life to be needlessly sacrificed."
The voices were quiet as if considering. Finally they replied. "We cannot return the child's life here. Humans cannot survive in this sacred place. Her life must be returned in the land of the living. If you agree to ferry her soul back using your own body for protection, we will allow you to revive her."
"I'll do it." Hotaru said without hesitation.
"Be warned, this will be very painful for you."
"I'll do it." Hotaru repeated.
"Very well…"
Without warning, several small balls of light zoomed towards Hotaru, converging on her chest. She fell to her knees and screamed. She had shared her body with another consciousness before and expected pain, but not like this. Rin's life force grafted itself onto Hotaru's body. It felt as if white hot clamps were squeezing her own life out of her. Her body was splitting in two. Her soul fought against the new one's invasion. It wasn't the worst pain she had ever experienced, not by a long shot, but that didn't mean it wasn't pure agony. She thought she was going to pass out or vomit. Somehow she managed to remain in control. As the pain ebbed slightly she became aware of Kohaku beside her frantically calling her name.
"Hotaru? Hotaru!"
She shook her head, eyes still firmly clamped shut, trying to indicate that she couldn't speak.
Kohaku understood.
"Can you stand?" He asked. Hotaru shook her head again. She felt him pull her arm around his neck and put his other hand on her waist. He stumbled a bit under her weight, but managed to pull her upright and lift her into his arms.
She felt a portal open and was aware when they passed back into the land of the living. Kohaku guided her to Rin's body. She placed her hands on the girl's chest and focused on returning the little girl's soul to her. The pain of Rin's life force leaving her body was worse than when it had entered. It felt as if every nerve in her body was being ripped out. She fell to the ground. Her transformation reversed. She was vaguely aware of Kohaku shouting her name once more, before darkness consumed her.
Author's Notes: Thanks for reading. Please Review.