sorry for the delay! Adjusting to a new city has left me sort of adrift and a bit depressed. I struggled with this chapter as well.
Sesshomaru and the Premonition
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Sesshomaru mildly enjoyed observing the antics of the others at the dinner table, though his face was showing none of it. He was comfortable being on the outside of things looking in. It is how he usually interacted with Demons back in his time. Loki, truly, remained the only exception to his typical distant demeanor before he encountered Jaken and later Rin.
He knew not why these humans, especially Stark, found his person so interesting. He very much doubted it had anything to do with the way he carried his person. If anything, the humans here acted far stranger and far more animate.
He logically thought at first the humans would tire of him, and interact solely with Loki, or simply continue with their banal socializing amongst themselves. Yet, they continued to pursue to conversations with him.
Barton who would even toss random projectiles at him like some sort of game. Of course Stark would also strike up conversations with him and play the question game.
No Demon nor human sought him out in his own realm for socializing, something his father knew would affect diplomacy with the Southern Lands and the Lands across the Great Sea. It was one reason he had him meet and study with Loki, to improve his fraternization skills.
Sesshomaru had absolutely no interest in entertaining mindless, sniveling idiots. He'd sooner pull his own talons out of his fingers than suffer the ignorance from the half-witted Demons and humans who kissed his boots for any modicum of relations. He was not one to mince words, or weave tapestries of conversations just to gain favor of someone who only sought their own selfish gain. He was not a tool to be used for political maneuvering.
He would never allow himself to be used.
Sesshomaru was quite thankful he was still considered not of mating age when his father met his untimely end. He absolutely would not have permitted his father to wrangle simpering or manipulative Demonesses to be his mate. He cracked his knuckles at the thought of placating wily Demonesses whose families would have used their union to gain sovereignty over his lands through an heir.
He thought of Bakusaiga. If she were to ever become strong enough to inhabit her humanoid form, she would be a perfect heir to the Western Lands.
He would get back to his realm. He would go back to where he truly belong—Sesshomaru suppressed a smirk when Stark turned his attentions to Loki's story.
Stark's brown eyes narrowed in anticipation to what Loki said next and Sesshomaru caught himself intensely studying him for any sort of positive reaction.
Stark was beginning to encroach on the normally solid buffer zone he constructed around himself. He was becoming an exception. He deftly snatched up the fork that was next to his chopsticks and cracked his knuckles again.
He could have rebuffed Stark harshly by now, but no. He deliberately sought him out. He purposefully bartered with him, with his own person nonetheless, to obtain Rin's translation device. The thought rankled him; it was quite opportune he had something that Stark wanted to barter for her ear device.
He didn't want to ponder if his pride would have allowed him to ask the smug human for a favor. He didn't want to ponder why he found himself listening for his voice that sounded like bellows of a blacksmith.
Sesshomaru twisted the fork in his claws.
He didn't want to ponder why honed his ears onto Stark's heartbeat that quickened almost imperceptibly when Stark caught him studying him. He didn't want to ponder why he had made sure he imprinted in his mind the angle of his lopsided, beard-framed grin and the slant of his untamed eyebrows.
Sesshomaru would have accused Loki or Stark of bewitching him, however he was above such base witchcraft.
His mind tumbled through the events of the day, which by this realm's accounts had not gone poorly.
Sesshomaru had researched the historical documents Jarvis had provided him and there was no historical record of not only his existence, but any Demons. Ever.
'The only information to be had were from myths and legends from fictional texts, such as The Bible, which depicted my race, my people, as either fallen angels (preposterous), from the underworld (impossible), or possessed humans (I knew few who went through trouble). It was if we never existed. Anything I went through and anyone I knew was merely delusion. Any conquest I accomplished, any Demon slain, lost forever. Little Demon lost indeed.' Sesshomaru's sour expression went unnoticed. He had already shredded his napkin, disintegrating the fork shouldn't matter.
He needed not the attention, nor the historical proof he existed from the humans, however, he desired to know what had occurred to his people. Sesshomaru knew not if his coming to the future had any impact on the Demons disappearing, such thoughts of time leaping left a lingering headache behind his eyes.
While his youki was still somewhat depleted from the scry, the poison, and healing, he had received an unexpected boost from Stark's favorable reaction to guessing his favorite musical artist. He had not thought that possible from a human, much less one he had known for such a short period of time and who routinely pestered and provoked him.
He still remembered his own magenta stripes and indigo moon on Stark's face, the way he looked in his realm's style of clothing. It was days ago, yes, but sitting across from Stark for an extended period of time caused him to recollect that event.
It was shockingly… comforting to see something that reminded him of his own home, even if it was just a traditional yukata and his own hakama with a sash. And for it to be Stark to ember such a warm sentiment in him perplexed him further.
'Stark is a peculiar human indeed. His positive opinions of this Sesshomaru spike my youki levels considerably. And I am not in immediate disapproval of it.' Sesshomaru had indeed noticed the quick arrows of gazes that Stark sent his way, especially when he was in the cooking nook.
Sesshomaru had little idea what he meant when he defended his lack of human cooking skills. Was Stark implying that this Sesshomaru didn't care about his cooking skills? If so, could Stark have a certain interest in him beyond his youki and toxin? Their conversation had definitely implied a certain physicality he had not missed.
Sesshomaru took a sip of his wine and looked down at his raw meat. Of course he didn't care if Stark could cook, he didn't eat anything cooked. He had even thought it amusing he had conned Barton into making his human root-vegetable dish for him.
'Stark vexes me. He clearly finds this Sesshomaru of some curiosity. But, does Stark find me a mere curiosity to only further his own interests in defending his realm, or something more? Surely some of his interactions show an interest beyond my Demonic abilities.' Sesshomaru flexed the fingers of his left hand, as if to ensure the hand could still function.
He summoned his toxin and it began to corrode and melt the one of the prongs of the fork hidden in his lap.
'He also did hold this Sesshomaru's wrist. Stark, aside from greeting this "Rhodey" does not make a habit of physically engaging other humans. However, he harbors a stronger interest in this Rhodey than I. He is quite animated with him, and has not spoken to this Sesshomaru this dinner.' Sesshomaru waived off any notion that Stark could prefer his company over Rhodey's. The evidence was quite clear the opposite was true.
Did he care whether or not Stark found him more or less fascinating than the human who seemed to know so much about him? If he did care, why?
Sesshomaru melted the other prongs off the fork and instinctively made a small, slender stiletto out of the metal. He stole a glance over to Rin who was still clearly engaged in the story of the assassination of the Panther Brothers.
It was quite the successful quest, if his father's only criticism was that they weren't as expedient as he wished. He had slain a Demon most ignorant masses considered outclassed him in power and skill. He had also slain him without the aid of the sword his father denied him: Tessaiga.
It turned out that senile old Demon Totosai and his old friend Bokuseno were correct in the end, he most certainly didn't need anyone's own power beyond his own. Totosai was right to fear, and revere him the way he did, no one in this realm seemed to, well perhaps except for the animals.
The dogs of this realm acted precariously around him. The ones he encountered didn't necessarily approach him, but would stop in their tracks and tilt their heads. They always stilled, watching him, sometimes stopping mid-bark to observe.
Never would one bark at him, as if the dogs knew to only speak when spoken to. He didn't wish to speak to the submissive dogs which the humans had apparently started to enslave with straps called leashes. He had to be educated by Jarvis that in this time the humans and dogs shared a symbiotic relationship, one of provider and loyal companion.
Sesshomaru arrived at the conclusion that humans that could not find proper companionship with other humans must project their desire for love and attention onto the unsuspecting canines.
Disreputable humans...at least the humans he cohabited with did not seem to share this desperate desire for companionship with animals. Sesshomaru didn't think Stark's habits of imbibing in human spirits, flying about in a suit of armor, and odd hours spent in his 'lab' befit one to care for an outdoor animal.
What did befit him was the ingenuity and efficiency when creating devices, such as the one he constructed for Rin. He perceived he was swift when inventing due to an impending invasion, yet he finished Rin's device, which held no priority, quicker than he anticipated.
It pleased him to see Rin so happy, and that others cared for her welfare as well.
The dinner was going well, his ruse to sit Loki and Barton together succeeded. Sesshomaru's instincts indicated to him that edging the archer towards Loki could produce a courtship. Loki liked companionship, he enjoyed attention and flattery. Barton, the quirky archer worked quite suitably for that role. It is one reason he had accepted the venison from Barton, the other was understanding what the gesture truly meant. Barton was no fool, and neither was Sesshomaru.
He simply had no appetite and gave most of it to Jaken as to not squander a good cut of meat. He twirled the makeshift stiletto in his hand, his toxin had worn it down to be a proper dart.
He had felt uneasy when he became the unintended target of a jealous Loki. He had no interest in Barton, that Loki should know, yet Barton sought his attention anyway. He could not control Barton's actions; Loki would have to convince the bizarre archer to focus on him. Just like how Rhodey commanded Stark's focus. He frowned.
Rhodey was a military officer of some acclaim and looked capable enough. He also piloted aircraft, such as Barton and Romanoff. Ideally, it would have been beneficial to ask Rhodey about the technical documents in his possession, but had no desire to do so.
The events this morning still jarred him, he hoped Loki had not noticed he has scryed again. He would not hear the end of his nagging. Loki's story was beginning to end, and Sesshomaru could not be more relieved, there was far too much commotion.
"Tony… did I hear that right, Demons? And did that little girl mean the Chitauri!? They're coming back?" Perfect. Stark's friend Rhodey had caught on. Sesshomaru palmed his small stiletto and took a sip of his wine with his other hand.
"Um. Well, Rhodey, what would you say if we had reason to believe that I didn't nuke all those sons of bitches?" Sesshomaru stiffened and set his jaw as he saw Rin tilt her head in confusion. Son of what?! His youki flared slightly, a blue pulse on the floor around him. Sesshomaru could tell Stark felt it.
"Stark you may want to discontinue using that particular turn of phrase." Loki suggested glibly and Rin climbed into his lap, whispering into Loki's ear a question about the phrase. Stark's eyebrows went to his hairline.
"Was that meant as an insult you blubbering human?! You dare imply that dogs are lower than—" Sesshomaru sighed through his nose, knowing Jaken would catch his exasperation.
Sesshomaru wished at that moment he would be anywhere but there. He debated leaving…was his presence truly required? He fingered the stiletto he made, debating carving something into his wooden chair just like what happened to his arm during his scry.
His jaw clenched tight, his fangs lengthened.
"Uh. Yeah. Good Call." Stark coughed. Sesshomaru stopped caring about whatever they were talking about.
He also wished to study the technical documents Jarvis gave him and search again for his Mother's tomb. He was unwilling to ask Jarvis about such a closely guarded objective of finding the White Salt Land, lest Stark catch wind of it. He still pondered whom to ask about such a delicate place. He knew Stark would ask him a myriad of questions about why he wanted to go there. Perhaps Polly would know.
"So Tony, what's this dinner really all about? Cut the crap." Sesshomaru's ears pricked up, and he looked across and to his right. Rhodey looked straight at him, dark eyes searching for any clue as to his identity. He didn't want to have to go into more introductions. He wanted to slip away, he still felt tired and his chest felt tight. There were simply too many humans around him, he felt crowded.
He simply wished to listen to the new bands he received in relative peace. Polly gave him the Arctic Monkeys, Beyonce, The Airborne Toxic Event, and Incubus. He also wanted see the progress on the toxin Stark and Banner made. He had heard promising updates, that they separated neurotoxin aspect, and the corrosive aspect and increasing their potency separately.
Sesshomaru recalled when he provided Jaken the means to listen to that particular musical artist he literally danced. He had not seen that specific reaction out of his retainer since he trained Jaken to fully control his true form.
"Now, before you freak out, because you will, let me tell you that this is a matter of not just National but um, like Global Security, as Fury would put it. The guy across from me is Lord Sesshomaru, aka Sailor Moon, Pretty Boy, or Fancy Pants. Whichever you prefer. He's a Dog Demon. Jaken is some sort of Demon Toad servant, the kid is Rin, she's adopted." Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Stark then regarded Rhodey who did a spit take on his beer.
How uncouth.
"What? Tony what are you talking about? He doesn't even have horns. Where did he come from if not Asgard?! Please don't say hell." Rhodey recovered, wiping his face with his sleeve. Sesshomaru's ears lowered and he wrinkled his nose. What exactly was with humans and their obsession with horns and hell? He'd rather had the military officer flee or cower than assume he had them. What happened to his innate ability to strike fear into humans?
"Uh, more like when did he come from. He's complicated. He's one half of 'Sesshoki', the guy next to him." Stark announced and gestured to both Loki and Sesshomaru.
Loki, then magicked off his Japanese disguise, donned on his armor and waved with Rin in his lap.
Sesshomaru watched the blood drain from Rhodey's face as he realized who Loki really was. Even with his sense of smell muted, he could smell the fear and revulsion waft off him. Rhodey jumped from the table, spilling his beer and grabbing his firearm, pointing it at Loki in record time.
"Loki. Loki is here! On your balcony in New York!" Sesshomaru lowered his ears and cracked his knuckles. This clumsy, emotional human dare point that firearm at Loki with Rin in his lap, and his hand shaking the way it did? His finger shook on the trigger, the safety mechanism on the firearm had been switched unsafe.
"Ah yes, and what lovely weather we are having. Tell me is New York supposed to be this balmy in April?" Loki taunted musically. Sesshomaru fought the urge to roll his eyes. Rin merely giggled and Tony stood up, hands up as if he was the one the gun was pointed at.
"Wea…weather?! You. You want to talk about the weather?! Honestly, I'm surprised there isn't more thunder…" Rhodey jutted his head towards Thor who reared back, his gold hair glinting. "Or I don't know why my best friend here isn't making it hail bullets on your Asgardian ass." Rhodey's hand was still shaking, Sesshomaru kept his hearing on his muscles, in particular his heart rate. He took a sip of his wine.
"Rhodey, Just, hear us out. Things have gotten, well complicated. And you've known me forever, you know I've never had a knack for keeping things simple…" Stark started and his friend's hand twitched, as if angling to point the gun at Stark. If humans, even with ones with lifelong loyalty to an ally of Loki regarded him with such vitriol, there may not be much hope for the others.
Rhodes decided to ignore Stark and turned his attention back towards Loki.
"You sick, murderous, snake. If that girl wasn't in your…oh no, you've mind controlled everyone here! God, I have to…" It was then Thor to Sesshomaru's distant right and Clint stood up automatically.
"My brother has not bewitched us, he hasn't the—" Thor started.
"Thor, unless your next words are 'Mjolnir taze Loki' I don't want to hear it." Rhodey bit back, hand still shaking with rage.
"Rhodes, Rin's in his lap, you got way too much adrenaline in your system to risk a shot like that. And for the last time, my eyes aren't blue." Barton had begun to sweat, Sesshomaru could smell it.
"Barton, I've always liked you, but you know why I can't exactly trust you with something like this. And don't doubt my marksmanship." Sesshomaru's superior senses, honed solely on Rhodes, caught the twitch in his forearm muscle holding the firearm. In the instant before it would transfer to his hand he flicked his striped wrist and threw the stiletto with expert precision.
With a shrill, clanging shriek, the dart shot into the barrel of now useless firearm.
Rhodes yanked his arm back in reflex, Sesshomaru immediately felt the entire attention of the table shift his way. What an awful affair this was.
"You have ears and if you are Stark's comrade, most likely a brain between them. Use them human." Sesshomaru suggested mildly, he didn't particularly like Rhodes, he finally concluded. Loki's forehead wrinkled. Sesshomaru's right mind knew that Loki would not allow harm to befall Rin, however now he had a good excuse to rid himself of his growing frustrations.
Pause.
"Did you fashion that dart out of your fork?" Loki finally questioned. Sesshomaru nodded once.
"You know I liked this gun, Tony, but I have another." Rhodes protested and Stark finally closed his mouth.
"Yeah, he has a thing against silverware, it's probably a werewolf thing. Look, in all seriousness, Loki can't mind control me, remember? The Chitauri are coming back, Demons are real, and Loki, well, is on our side." Stark, ran a hand through his beard. Werewolf? By the Four Lands what is a werewolf?!
"Tony. This can't be right. Do you know what my superiors are going to say?! I have to call this in. I can't save you from this." Rhodey stammered and finally Lady Potts stood up, rushing to stand next to him.
"Rhodes, you need to take a deep breath. There is a lot you need to be filled in on, which is why we brought you here. Loki really isn't the enemy here. It's someone else." Lady Potts managed to deescalate Rhodes and he lowered his useless firearm and glared at Stark who now straightened his posture.
"I should have known there was a catch when you guys said you had fresh crabs from Charleston and that I just had to swing by. Nothing can ever be easy with you Tony. If I am not one hundred and fifty percent satisfied with this situation, we will send a tact team here Tony, and you'll be charged with harboring an enemy of the state. That's high treason, for all of you, well, maybe not the Werewolf Demon Lord." Rhodes pointed to the whole table, finger last on Sesshomaru who flared his youki on the floor again in warning.
'He is brazen enough to threaten the sovereignty and security of Stark's fortress, while inside it and he calls us treasonous? What means of hierarchy did this realm employ? I must refresh the proximity barrier with haste if this Rhodes means to send his forces here. If I am a guest in Stark's fortress I am honor-bound to defend it.' Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles, for the life of him he didn't understand why Stark did not resend his friend's invitation. He must truly value him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know put up or shut up. It's time for show and tell, here I'll have Jarvis show you everything in the order we saw it. Trust us, it'd win best picture." Stark's voice became faint as he and Lady Potts guided a reluctant Rhodes into a room.
"We're so going to have to play a darts game at some point Fancy Pants." Barton pointed. Sesshomaru wrinkled his nose. Play? This Sesshomaru did not play any human games. Well, aside from with Stark that is.
"We need to strategize on how to inform SHIELD about all of this." Romanoff wasted no time indeed.
"This will go well. Real well. Fury's vein was busting out of his forehead when he met the fake-Fancy Pants. Getting him to hear us out will be impossible now." Everyone thinks I'm brainwashed again!" Barton sat back down and put his elbows on the table miserably. Sesshomaru felt Loki's magic surge in what he interpreted as guilt and anger.
"Fury would have to at least take it into consideration! It's the planet we are talking about. He can't just ignore a threat like this. Especially after seeing what the Chitauri are really capable of." Rogers chipped in, countering with a valid enough point.
"You forget, he doesn't trust anything that those two have to say, and he already is dubious of Thor. He would have to see Loki, separate of Sesshomaru, to even entertain the idea they are separate people, and well, you know how that would end up." The Berserker pointed out. And Sesshomaru didn't quite follow.
"Somehow, we need to make him listen to us, make him get his head out of his ass and see the light… what Nat?" Barton suggested, straightening up from the table, face flushed in frustration and from Romanoff eyeing him.
"Let us extend an invite Man of Fury over for a banquet as well! This one has gone well thus far." Thor beamed from down the table, Sesshomaru saw Loki shift to face Thor better as if in agreement.
"Oh yes, aside from Colonel Rhodes almost shooting me with a mortal child in my lap." Loki drawled and Rin giggled and wiggled out of his lap.
"Get off it, like you'd let anything happen to the munchkin." Barton half-laughed and Sesshomaru was inclined to agree.
"...that's a solid tactic Thor. If we lure Fury here, we can insure he sees what we intend him to see from Jarvis' security logs." Romanoff agreed, her expression serious.
"I'd also particularly like to avoid going into SHIELD headquarters. I will need to come clean, even about the shape shifting, to facilitate even a modicum of trust." Loki confessed and Banner nodded. Barton leaned back, face studying Loki's.
"That could work, Tony's security measures can easily hold back Fury and whoever he brings with him, probably Hill and Coulson. If Fury agrees to look at the videos we have, they'll have to be on board." Rogers agreed, throwing a thumb back to the tower.
"What about Fancy Pants here? Wasn't the whole point of Loki shape shifting into him was that he was going to make Fury into abstract art?" Berserker gestured to him, while Sesshomaru understood his point, it simply didn't matter anymore. That particular morning felt like months ago. He could endure this human, or put him in his place. Sesshomaru took a deep breath.
Heads swiveled his direction.
"...Do as you wish." Sesshomaru finally said. Loki eyed him suspiciously, as did Barton.
"Guys, Fury doesn't even need to talk to Sesshomaru. We can just show him what Jarvis picked up, including our own reactions." Rogers reasoned, eating a forkful of the root vegetable dish Barton constructed.
'I would rather this whole ordeal take place without me present. I have objectives to take care of but as of late I am still insufficiently prepared. Not to mention the additional healing…' Sesshomaru's thoughts drifted, not particularly caring what they decided to do with this Fury, or this organization they worked for.
He will assist Loki and help protect him and his own pack. He will take down the Mad Titan to achieve the greatness he was destined for. The prestige and acclaim that only came with conquering the next more powerful threat, just like the Panther brothers. He will dispose of him, with the help of these humans or not.
"Son of Taisho, what do you think of this plan?! You have been unusually silent even for one of your disposition." Sesshomaru's caught wide involuntarily at the sight of Thor looking straight into his eyes and flashbacked to his scry.
His body lay bloodied, broken, and scorched while Storm God flickered over him. The thunderbolts arced in on him, condensing like a funnel into Mjolnir. Storm God flexed, his mouth twisted into a haughty, flashy smile once reserved only for Magatsuhi. He raised his meaty right hand high. With no sound but the static of electricity ringing in Sesshomaru's ears, the right hand came down.
Loki screamed "No".
"Thor's right again, you didn't even troll Tony at dinner." Romanoff studied him, swirling her human spirits. Sesshomaru shocked back into conversation. He couldn't let the humans know his mind clouded upon itself with foreboding thoughts.
"...if I were your commander I would want proof of the armada. By what scouting means does your realm possess?" Sesshomaru barely recognized his own voice and he knew he was drawing undue attention to himself. He would hate to address his own failure in his own scouting attempt.
The table fell silent.
"We have some space probes but those aren't instantaneous. Satellites are mostly too close to Earth...Rhodes may actually know better than we would." Berserker confessed, leaning forward, deep in thought. Sesshomaru had sussed out that the berserker, when stable, was on par with Stark's intelligence.
"SHIELD has been trying and failing to produce anything viable for the past few years. It's been locked up in red tape. No country wants another to have more intel on an extra-terrestrial threat than another, so they can't agree on a neutral launch point of the probes. Regardless, the probes weren't even past the testing stages." Romanoff took a deep gulp of her human spirits, clearly this had been bothering her.
"Heimdall! You and Loki can ask Heimdall right?" Rogers directed at Thor.
"With the Bifrost damaged and Allfather's magic drained I can neither communicate nor return." Thor scratched his head and Sesshomaru heard Loki huff. The Storm God had indeed gotten more dense since in the past few centuries. At least he seemed to be. If his scry was any indicator he could be lulling him into believing he was less intelligent than he truly was.
"You dolt, how do you think I got here?! There are ways to travel besides the Bifrost, and I have been doing so for centuries. How do you think I snuck off to Midgard, or snuck Sesshomaru into Asgard?" Loki gestured to himself dramatically, taking off his armor in the process. Sesshomaru stiffened at the idea of Loki returning to the distant realm. He didn't need to voice his displeasure over such a place. While splendid, it was a carefully crafted illusion of a city, a façade.
The Aesir…Sesshomaru would never trust them. He didn't fully trust Thor. Now, after the scry, he didn't know if he could even trust Loki.
"Yeah, but isn't that, like a terribly bad idea for you to go back to Asgard?" Barton questioned, voice deep. Loki regarded him curiously.
'If only I was successful in scrying the Other, Loki and Thor would not have to go to such extremes.' Sesshomaru shifted uncomfortably, unaccustomed to failure.
"I will vouch for you brother! Besides once Heimdall reveals the fleet father will have to believe you!" Thor boomed and Loki chuckled darkly. Barton tensed his shoulders.
"You are far too naive Thor. Not even you can save me from Odin's wrath. But, it appears Sho and the ever patriotic Captain have a point. Heimdall would be the only one who can reveal the fleet. I can't wait to see the look on Odin's when I show up in his Throne room. It will be such a treat." Loki smirked cynically and took a deep sip from his red wine. Red liquid. The blood pool. Sesshomaru was thrown back into his previous scry.
The same darkness lorded over his senses, humid and perverse. It this time felt of smoke, smelled of thunder, and tasted like despair.
The same warm, viscous, red pool lapped at his bare feet, teasing him into it. He obliged and he waded out into its morbid expanse. Bakusaiga and Tenseiga were missing entirely from the splendor.
The metallic Demon blood this time whorled around him clockwise, creating a whirlpool. The hands of blood stirred it, the blood began to glow and Sesshomaru swore it chuckled somehow. He waded till the Demon blood hit chest-level and he kicked up once more.
"The Other." Sesshomaru's voice demanded, and echoed into the expanding, starless void. Each time his words reverberated it sounded less and less like his own and instead morphed into a murky, mocking caw.
Sesshomaru's body writhed and his head jerked back, jaw wide in a silent, shocked cry. The hands wrenched his left arm out, almost out of its socket. Sesshomaru let out a malicious hiss, but the hands with their red fingers burrowed deep into his wrist and shoulder like wires.
He attempted to slice and claw at the blood with his right hand, but it was a futile endeavor. His right hand remained unresponsive, as if half of his body was rendered inert in a hazy nightmare. Sesshomaru, helpless, bared his fangs as the tender skin of his left underarm was twisted upwards. The fingers grazed the soft skin knowingly.
Without warning, they lacerated a name into the soft skin of his underarm. The wires scrawled unevenly, jaggedly, and without hesitation.
The name glowed like a furnace. The Other. Before Sesshomaru could even register pain or recognition of what happened control of his arm was returned to him.
He, again, liquefied with the whirling blood. Only this time, the hands that gripped his hair wrenched his essence down headfirst. The hands punished the Demon for his insolence, how dare he demand anything of them?
He began to dissolve. The current surged strong and slow. The hands would show him what his arrogance would bring. The pool began to drip upwards once more.
Another human metropolis. This one massive with a river and a tower made of two pink spheres, the lower larger than the upper. Tall skyscrapers jutted out, some falling, most flaming. The writing was similar to what he knew in his time and the humans looked the same as well.
The city was under siege. Above it stalled a massive battleship, circular and pulsing its violet energy field across the grey sky. The city glowed faint purple which along with the fires and choking smoke painted the glass and concrete like a dingy sunset even though it was afternoon.
The humans screamed, their cars' sirens blared in feeble protest to the devastation currently bombarding it. Soldiers stood guard around the periphery, waiting.
Loki and Thor stood facing the rest of them, wicked grins on their faces and their eyes bright and cold. Behind them stood a blue figure holding a gold scepter.
Lightning danced all around Thor in an intensity Sesshomaru had never witnessed before. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. Loki's magic branched across the sky, matching the otherworldly hue of the ultraviolet spaceship.
At Loki's hip, Tenseiga shook and cried. How did Loki come by Tenseiga!?
A corrosive, stinging pain lanced up his left arm. He couldn't move anything below his elbow. His hakama was tattered and armor shattered, his bloody arm underneath it hung mangled and raw, exposed bone jutted out the back of his gnarled hand.
He held the hilt of Bakusaiga in his right hand, her blade severed and broken. His left arm twitched every so often from faulty nerve endings. He registered unrelenting pain, forking across his body, coming mostly from his left arm and leg.
He couldn't seem to muster and youki to heal himself. What had happened here?! How could Bakusaiga have been broken?! How was his arm so damaged? How could he be so depleted of youki?
Familiar voices registered in his head. He stood. Wait since when had he been kneeling?! He scanned the ravaged street, it opened into a street that paralleled a river.
The Avengers were gathered in front of him in various tactical positions, all facing Thor and Loki who now had descended to ground level.
Were they fighting Loki and Thor? No. This surely had to be false.
Romanoff opened fire on Loki, yet the bullet deflected off a purple force field. Sesshomaru growled and ignored the pain in his left ankle to leap closer to the battle he had been obviously engaged in.
He subconsciously took a position next to Stark, whose suit was clearly damaged. He found himself still holding Bakusaiga. He remembered his daughter's childish, precocious face. If she shattered would that mean she had perished?
He flexed his good hand, summoning his toxin to coat what remained of Bakusaiga's blade. No she had to be alive. He simply had to make that fool Tototsai to reforge her.
"This planet, this world is ours, you careless mortals!" Sesshomaru turned his attention to Loki, who now looked right at him. It was then he noticed the small, green body in the rubble behind Loki.
Jaken.
He lived no more. His body being so close to the river, he had surely had taken on his true form at one point during the battle. His burnt body smelled of pine, Loki's magic. He died honorably, but the rage ate his lungs like a poison nonetheless. It was true. They were their enemies now.
He would not allow Loki to continue this rampage. This betrayal!
"You two have to snap out of it before it's too late!" Sesshomaru heard Barton's shrill shout and he fired a special arrow at Storm God whose lightning shot it out of the sky as if it were a feather. Storm God started to spin Mjolnir. Sesshomaru knew what was next.
A trident of lightning forked out and at the last moment he dropped Bakusaiga and summoned his whip of light, lassoing Barton's ankle, slinging him to the ground to avoid a lethal lightning blast.
The second bolt hit the berserker, who grunted in response.
The third was aimed at Romanoff, but first to fall was Rogers.
Rogers successfully shielded the strike meant for the huntress. Yet, they had two opponents. Sesshomaru's whip was woefully out of range as Loki teleported next to Rogers.
It was no contest.
Loki's uru daggers impaled the blond human from behind. Sesshomaru cracked his knuckled as Loki twisted the daggers. With glee, his best friend gutted the human leader exposing his spinal cord and bent open ribs. The blood and intestines that spurted forth from bedclothes irked him.
Sesshomaru attempted to summon his youki, but his body was sluggish, how much blood had he lost?!
Romanoff, visibly horrified, a rarity, fired her guns, but it was all for naught. A bolt of lightning crooked down from the sky striking her and drove her limp body into a vehicle. She lay unnaturally slumped and motionless, blood pooled freely from her steaming body.
Sesshomaru eked out the last bit of strength and agility to tackle Stark in his damaged suit out of the way of a wounded Berserker as he charged Storm God. The face plate on his suit was damaged, he had a cut above his eye and his pupils were dilated in fear.
Stark feared a loss. Never. He would not allow these treacherous Aesir to defeat him. He was Sesshomaru, Lord of the West and would lose to no one. Not even the Princes of the distant realm. Sesshomaru, too stunned to deal with the impact of Loki's betrayal rebounded up, pulling Stark up with his one good arm, demanding his body straighten to his typically regal posture.
Storm God knocked the Berserker back and with a deafening boom. Sesshomaru zipped forward to intercept Loki but was thrown back by his magic and he found himself propelled back into a vehicle across the street. He heard Stark call his name, fear evident. Sesshomaru opened his eyes as a powerful projectile from the battleship hit the Berserker, leaving him in a crater, untransformed.
Sesshomaru heard the Berserker's heart. He still lived. He pried himself from the wreckage, determined. He would need the Berserker's help to distract the Storm God while he dealt with his former frie-
In that instant the blue figure hit the Berserker with a blast from the scepter. His body crumpled inwards, blackened and smoldering, pelvis bone visible. He didn't move again, the stench of burnt flesh stung his nostrils.
His heartbeat stopped in silence. Sesshomaru frowned deeply.
He could not rely on Stark and Barton alone to deal with Storm God. He needed Tenseiga, he had to retrieve him to revive the humans. However, Barton acted first.
He saw Barton unleash an arrow which hit Loki dead on in the center of his chest. Loki ripped it out and drew back his arm to throw his dagger. Sesshomaru leapt towards Loki.
However, Loki hesitated throwing the dagger and Stark hit him with youki enhanced energy blasts from his suit, sparks flew from his right hand. Loki was sent soaring back. Yes. Vulnerable. He could retrieve Tenseiga, he braced himself and sprinted forward only to see a familiar black head of hair slumped against a fallen rubbish bin next to Storm God.
Rin.
Storm God picked her up. She lived. Her heartbeat could be heard.
He growled deeply and blood flooded his sight and his markings ran jagged and long. How dare he hold her?! He changed direction; Rin's safety remained paramount.
Storm God, eyes cold as ice, then threw Mjolnir. Sesshomaru effortlessly dodged the hammer.
But the attack was not meant for him, he had merely been in the line of sight of Barton. The uru hammer punched Barton directly in the gut. His body caved in on itself in midair, spine powdered, bow forgotten.
He, like Romanoff, had little chance as his splintered body slapped the ground like a wet animal skin.
Sesshomaru fought his transformation with all he was worth as he charged Storm God with his claws filled with toxin.
How dare they? How could they do this? Loki brought him here! Loki told him to save this realm, to harken to these humans and he just killed their leader! He allowed his brother to kill the berserker, Romanoff, and his intended mate!
"Sesshomaru fall back, you're too badly hurt!" He heard Stark, but no. He would not and was not. He dodged the predictable return of Storm God's hammer and redoubled his efforts. He was a Demon Lord; he was greater than these Aesir. He was the pinnacle of majesty, the elite. He would reclaim his oldest daughter from the clutches of this Storm God and split open his chest, pull out his heart and force feed it to Loki for their betrayal and dishonor.
He would then revive the humans with Tenseiga, force Loki to return him to his realm, reforge his youngest daughter, and return to slaughter the Mad Titan, then Loki in front of his own King, then the King of the distant realm.
He connected with Storm God's shoulder, flesh tearing under his toxic talons and with his last dredges of youki he fought him. He would not allow him to kill Stark, nor Rin. He was after all, used to fighting with one hand.
Storm God grimaced and Sesshomaru dodged his thunderbolts that rained down like spears. He struck again, but only met his armor. He had to make him drop his hold on Rin. He summoned his toxin whip.
It was then he realized he had left Stark to fight Loki one on one. An unbelievably ghastly oversight on his part. He took the sky for a vantage point and scanned the area.
Sesshomaru's pupils constricted.
Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, the most powerful demon of the Feudal Era, was too little too late.
He barely twisted out of the way in time of Storm God's punch to see Loki's twin daggers tear through Stark's suit and almost rip him completely in two. Sparks, blood, and entrails showered down as the blue light in the chest of the suit went dim. He could not see Stark's face but he heard his strangled scream.
Sesshomaru heard Stark's heart stop, and his own thudded unevenly in his swollen throat.
He failed him.
He failed the one being who made his blood boil in more ways than one. Sesshomaru's blood ran cold and his jaw dropped. What use was his power if he couldn't save the only one who….
Sesshomaru roared. In a blast of scarlet youki he transformed into his grand true form, all white fur, toxic saliva and keen fangs. In a flash he reared back and charged Storm God biting down and tearing open his side. A guttural yell belted from Storm God as a reward, he dropped Rin harmlessly to the ground. Rin stirred, raising her head to look at him. Panic made her eyes water, already red from previous tears. He managed a small, reassuring smile, knowing even in his true form Rin would see it.
It was his chance.
He had to focus, just like he had done in his first fight for Tessaiga against Inuyasha. He pooled his mental reserves into an ability he rarely utilized: telekinesis. He used it once to pommel that idiot priestess Kagome with skulls once.
He levitated Rin, and quickly and with his renowned control, softly tossed her to a crowd of military personnel and healers. One human took her away, and while Loki saw where Rin went, he did not pursue her.
Instead, Loki sharply turned and unleashed his purpled black magic. Great magic chains ensnared his four paws, including the damaged one. A thick, searing noose gripped his neck, strangling his larynx, just like the leashes he had seen. In his bloodlust he heard a familiar hum. Tenseiga.
Hope. There was hope. Tenseiga. He transformed back to his humanoid form right as Mjolnir struck him from behind, his spine fracturing from the surprise blunt force. Pain fanned out as torment across his body and he fell forward, his hair silver, clumped and crimson falling around him.
His knees bit into the graveled asphalt. He now knelt before Loki. Tenseiga hummed and thrashed, so close yet so far away from his battered right hand. Loki's black magic once again held his right wrist and his neck in place. Loki didn't even bother with the left wrist. The bindings blistered and burned his striped wrist and his neck. His markings had turned crimson long ago it seemed.
The magic snares savagely zapped all his remaining youki, as he glared up, red-eyed at Thor who hovered above him, fangs bared. His voice, stretched and worn, yelled.
"Loki! Storm God! I'll show you both no mercy!" Sesshomaru struggled to gather himself, any remaining strength to fuel his fury. It was foolish to not restrict his shredded left arm. With everything he had, he summoned his whip from his gnawed down fingers and swung his left arm from the shoulder, using his whole arm like a whip he hit Loki in the chest. The magic faltered. He lunged for Tenseiga as he flung his arm back to hit Storm God in the adams apple with the green toxic band.
Right before his fingers grazed Tenseiga he was cannoned off course by a burst of blue magic. He forgot about the blue figure. He struck the pavement and skidded facing up, his chest oozing blood slowly.
He had seen smoking skies before, but never before had he felt so small beneath them.
The blue figure spoke came into view, a woman. Her black eyes glistened in victory.
"Nice work. Terra will be yours, once you and the Aesir fulfill one last mission for me." Sesshomaru struggled as then he watched Thor turn to Loki. What was this devilry? This was all a farce to rule this realm?! Loki vowed. He took an oath. He had been deceived by the God of Lies. Loki stood stock still, magic restraints weren't needed, Sesshomaru had nothing left.
His heart thudded in his throat, he would not die lying on the ground. He abhorred lying about. He sluggishly made his way to a twisted seated position on the broken road.
"My destiny is now complete! Any last words, Dog Demon?" Loki spoke, voice cold like the breeze from the Northern Lands during winter.
He had no more words for either of them. They were not worth it.
Loki magicked his spear and raised it high, and Sesshomaru glared at him dead in the eye the entire time as the spear knifed towards him.
No underworld could contain him. He would avenge all of them.
The glinting spear stopped short. Loki's hesitation trembled the spear in his bloody hand and his widened his eyes in shock. Loki opened his mouth to speak.
Tenseiga was vehemently pulsing his light blue aura, but he was soon blinded by a barbed arc of white light.
He felt the lightning strike, yet didn't at the same time. The next thing he knew he was on his back smelling the stench of his own blackened flesh and singed hair. Paralyzed, he could only look up at the God of Storms with a mouth full of metallic blood.
Jaken had been right, this realm had doomed them all.
His body lay bloodied, broken, and scorched while Storm God flickered over him. The thunderbolts arced in on him, condensing like a funnel into Mjolnir. Storm God flexed, his mouth twisted into a haughty, flashy smile once reserved only for Magatsuhi. He raised his meaty right hand high. With no sound but the static of electricity ringing in Sesshomaru's ears, the right hand came down.
Loki screamed "No".
He thought of Rin's smile, Stark's touch, Jaken's outbursts, Ah Un's snorting. He never did fulfill his promise to Rin to reunite her and Ah Un, did he?
And with a fisting, crack of lightning Mjolnir cracked down upon his skull, splitting it wide open, pulping it.
"Sesshomaru, what in the Nines is wrong?!" Loki was holding his shoulders. While he did scry something, Bakusaiga had been right, he had not been successful in his intended purpose. Unless that blue figure had been the Other. He did not think so. All the doubt and distrust he quelled earlier in the day rushed back to the forefront of his mind.
Loki wouldn't betray him, it couldn't happen. Yet, if he truly thought that, then why had he avoided Loki today? Sesshomaru's gut churned in doubt. He sliced a glance over the whole table, landing on Thor. Thor outsmarting him and double crossing him? It seemed laughably unlikely. Thor, while of average intelligence, was mostly honorable and nauseatingly loyal.
Yet, he did allow his precious little brother to be tortured for three human years in the distant realm under the rule of his prideful King…Could what he scryed be a warning, that the distant realm was plotting something?
Those questions had been tearing him apart for a good portion of the day. What he witnessed, the future, seemed far too real to written off as mere fantasy. He pursed his lips into a thin line.
"It is of no concern." Sesshomaru heard himself respond, his voice sounding thin and quiet. Stark had not returned, he continued to stare straight ahead, not meeting Loki's nor Barton's gaze. Sesshomaru almost wished Stark he was here to distract with his babblings; however, he'd be just as curious.
"...you did, didn't you? You did! You scryed this morn!" Loki leaned back, hands leaving his shoulders. Loki surveyed him, dismayed and irate. Loki's magic sparked black next to him and Barton lean forward, trying to get Loki's attention.
"What?! You did another tornado thing?" Rogers dropped the straw he was twirling.
"No. I have sense practiced with Bakusaiga, she will not act that way again." Sesshomaru finally caught the gaze of Loki who steamed with magic. This was exactly what Sesshomaru wanted to avoid. He didn't want everyone's attention on him, including Rin and Jaken with assorted emotions, most being confusion.
"Son of Taisho what did you far-see?!" Thor indeed sounded serious this time, he didn't quite blame him but knew he couldn't tell him anything. What was he to say? Oh, that he had a premonition and saw him kill most of these humans, and himself?
The thought of being killed by an Aesir still left a bad taste in his mouth, how inglorious.
"You've been tense all day. Keeping it all in doesn't work, I'm speaking from experience. You can tell us, maybe we can help." The Berserker supplemented. Since when did these humans think they could read him so?
'The insatiable curiosity of these humans frustrate me.' Sesshomaru straightened his posture.
'It should not matter if I told them who I attempted to scry.' Sesshomaru turned to Loki who looked as if he wanted to pry the words forcibly from his mouth. He sighed through his nose, the humans and Loki were gratingly persistent and he'd rather tell them now, while Stark was gone.
"...The Other. It failed. Instead this Sesshomaru had a premonition of the future." Sesshomaru's lips thinned and he felt an explosion of magic to his left.
Loki was on his feet, obsidian magic spiking erratically. If he kept it up his fading proximity barrier would not be able to block his magic signature. Sesshomaru couldn't allow that to happen; he stood facing him.
"You absolutely reckless dog! You cannot attempt to scry such a powerful sorcerer! You know nothing about him and are too inexperienced! If he reflected the scry back at you, you should have been killed! Also, it typically takes hundreds of years to learn how to even scry the future What did you even see?!" Loki spat each word hurriedly, every bit as angry as Sesshomaru expected him to be. He had to be placated.
Sesshomaru narrowed his gaze and flashed his youki back, though weakened it was absorbed by Loki's aggressive magic.
'How unseemly. How dare Loki imply some sorcerer could defeat this Sesshomaru with his own technique?' Sesshomaru forced himself to forget how when he took his shower, his eyes widened in shock at the Other's name carved into his left arm. He had to use a great amount of youki to heal it.
"Hey, Loki you're getting magic in the potato salad, maybe turn it down a notch?" Barton was standing. Everyone was standing. What a scene.
"No. We deserve to know what's gotten Pretty Boy in such a funk over the future. If he saw something important about the invasion we need to know. " Romanoff clipped.
"Natasha is right." Rogers nodded and the Berserker huffed in response, as if not quite agreeing with his leader.
"Why did you attempt to scry him? What possessed you to attempt such a feat?!" Loki practically screeched, ignoring the other conversations happening simultaneously. Sesshomaru pooled toxin under his talons. How could Loki not know why he wanted to scry him?
"I did so because his actions incensed this Sesshomaru and I wished to gain detailed knowledge of his current position." Sesshomaru's voice engulfed the table with palpable malice, his youki flushed out his hands, red and shimmering.
Loki retreated, shoulders slumping in comprehension. His magic fading, both his red youki and Loki's black magic faded to a purple dust. The others around the table followed suit, leaning back.
"Sho, what did you see?" Loki pled, eyes now brimming with green magic. Sesshomaru out of his periphery saw Barton move around the table to Loki's side.
"Do not feel compelled to explain yourself to these humans and Gods! What you see is your own Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken insisted. Sesshomaru agreed, however he doubted the humans would allow him any peace until they received a suitable answer.
'How irritating, Why do they care so much?' Sesshomaru's ears flattened and he cracked his knuckles. He strategized for the right approach. He would just have to tell them a portion of what he saw to the badgering humans. He would rather do it when Stark remained absent, he could be unerringly insightful and may conclude that he did not divulge the whole truth.
"Rin do not listen." Rin nodded nervously and put her fingers in her ears and hummed.
They all waited for him to struggle with the right words. Sesshomaru eventually found them.
"... I foresaw my own demise." Sesshomaru knew by saying that it should quell any more badgering by the humans. Loki was just now gaining their trust, and how could he explain Thor's betrayal? No one wants to hear their own end, especially ones as gruesome as the ones he foresaw. Especially by their own friends, he knew how that felt.
Was it his fate for everyone close to him to betray him? When he returned to his own realm, would Inuyasha eventually do so? Jaken? Rin?
Loki's magic ceased immediately. Everyone exhaled and shuffled he heard murmurs. He tapped Rin to indicate she could listen once more
"Oh, only that. Uplifting." Clint muttered under his breath, still standing next to Loki.
"'Sho...that's not supposed to be possible. A seer cannot scry their own destiny." Loki said softly, eyes blank and Sesshomaru didn't have an answer for him, except he didn't just see the future, he was in it. He felt the pain, tasted the blood, heard Stark's scream. Sesshomaru wished to change the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"Lord Sesshomaru, you can't possibily be serio-" he gave a look to silence Jaken.
"Uncle Loki, can I go to the distant realm with you and Storm God?! I want to see your castle, and draw it for Lord Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru instantly set his jaw. To permit Rin to accompany Loki and Thor to the distant realm? When clearly in the future they had betrayed him? No, this was unacceptable. He wouldn't allow it.
"…of course Lady Rin! It would be an honor to show you Asgard. I am sure Mother and Allfather will warm to you instantly! Even Hogun will soften to you!" Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles. That Storm God! How dare he speak such things about Rin going to the distant realm! As if he could trust….then Sesshomaru saw the happy, excited look in Rin's eyes.
If he prohibited Rin from going with them, it would seem suspicious. Not only would it show that he didn't trust Loki or Thor, but it would also show that he didn't trust the distant realm either. He didn't want to get into an argument with Thor over his gaudy homeland ruled by their arrogant King.
"Can I go Lord Sesshomaru?! Please!" Rin smiled, Loki behind her was still pale with shock.
Pause. The whole table, aside from Thor, had trouble going back to the previous conversation.
"You may Rin. Behave and do not leave Loki's side." Sesshomaru relented and Rin hopped in glee. He thought about ordering Jaken to go with her, but he too would dislike the distant realm and surely get into some altercation. Sesshomaru had no wish to return to the distant realm, and knew that once there it would probably end with him fighting the half-blind Odin. He'd rather not depose a King, no matter how useless he was.
"That could work. Children heighten the emotional vulnerability of potentially hostile forces. Taking Rin with you to Asgard may help you in getting through to your father." Romanoff stated clinically, like she was reading a list of items.
"Odin is certainly not my father." Loki turned to Sesshomaru, assessing him. "We will speak more of your scrying, what you are doing is reckless and dangerous. We need to know more about what you saw." Loki insisted and Sesshomaru internally growled. He was correct about Loki's nagging.
"Yeah, what happened? Was it the Mad Titan, Thanos?" Rogers, good naturedly, but concerned asked and out of the corner of his eye he saw the Berserker hit him with a napkin. Rogers, reproached flung out his hands. Sesshomaru did not want to be the cause of an argument between the humans.
"I doubt he wants to discuss it in committee, Steve." Barton snapped, Sesshomaru swiveled his head towards the archer. He had not expected him to come his defense after his ruse with him and Loki.
"Son of Taisho, whatever you scryed do not fret, it must be untrue! You are a most powerful and capable warrior, one of the best I have ever fought beside." Thor lifted his chin and Sesshomaru's ears flicked up. Ironic words coming from his executioner. Sesshomaru narrowed his gaze suspiciously, was Thor playing dumb and coy with him? Did Thor secretly want nothing more than to end him? Was he capable of such underhanded tactics?
"Indeed." Sesshomaru muttered back. He had no idea what to do, for once. Should he trust Loki and Thor, or trust his abilities? Doubt his only friend, or doubt himself? Doubt both Loki and himself?
He heard the voices around the table begin to muddle and merge. He had to get out. He couldn't stay. His ears flattened and his knuckles cracked.
"...I must recharge the proximity barrier. I will return shortly. Rin stay with Jaken and behave." Sesshomaru refused to field any more questions, or be the target of any more attention.
And with a nod from Rin he leapt off the balcony, sans Tenseiga and Bakusaiga, still in his new human clothes, towards the center of the city where he placed the previous barrier's center.
'I am merely recharging the barrier. This Sesshomaru never runs.' Sesshomaru reached full speed, hair streaming behind him, aviators somehow staying on his head. His ears up, listening for the wind. He still couldn't hear her comforting voice murmur his name.
'Kagura...What should this Sesshomaru do?' He asked, even though he knew he would get no answer from the Wind Demoness he secretly still missed.
Thank you for reading this doozy of a chapter! A special thanks to all my fabulous reviewers: NamidaKira, Demonic-Otaku, Silvermane1, Windwraith, Darkmiror, The Rayne Alchemist, Rose of Dusk, the 17th muse, Frenchowl, Elspeth7, 4eva dreaming, oblivion 772, and Jkane2287!
Y'all inspire me on this! thank you and let me know how you liked it
-TL