The Jigoku Crest final part
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Sesshomaru remained still. So, this old man was bold enough to teach Meioshi how to fight demons? Interesting. Judging by his clothes and stature, he seemed like a proper lord who upheld the law and warrior code, but he didn't have the scent of a demon slayer or divine warrior. Then again, Meioshi didn't have a natural scent either, so would that even count as a distinction between the two? Kirameku Ha also seemed more serious in personality than Meioshi. Maybe that's where her sense of adventure and trouble stemmed from, though. A stiff upbringing. The way he spoke to Yuko, however, was gentle like he understood the delicate nature of a woman, but that begged the question of why he felt that Meioshi was beyond (or simply not) delicate in her nature. Though Sesshomaru was not impressed by a woman's outward attractiveness due to being around other beauties in his upbringing, he wouldn't dare be so dishonest and think that Meioshi wasn't a pretty lady. She has shown, in the short time that they've become allies, that her sense of adventure and warmth were her strongest qualities for an interested suitor. While the western lord wasn't interested in marriage still, especially if it involved those stifling traditions, he supposed he was wondering if fighting was part of her family heritage the way it was for his.
Remembering the way Meioshi was more alert when they joined forces and kept having to push him into different actions sort of made it evident that his rival was more than unusual. A woman who could fight was no longer impressive to him, especially since he's come across many who would take up a weapon to defend their friends or family, but Meioshi was fighting demons of immeasurable strength and speed on her own. This old man must have both attributes as a sensei. Was this Kirameku Ha here strictly to return Ah and Un to him or was there something more to this meeting?
"You seem awfully young to be so pugnacious," Kirameku Ha said calmly, "or to even be a lord, but it is not uncommon for young boys to take up leadership roles. Nevertheless..." The older man bowed out of respect and then said, "Thank you for protecting Yuko and aiding my pupil. If you see her on your way out, let her know that she has funeral services to perform. There were three casualties. I was called to investigate for any warriors that have passed among the number and will more than likely be gone upon her return should I identify one. She must abide by the oath of medicine and endure the ceremonial punishment when all is done."
"What?" Ichi questioned, furrowing his brow at the elder.
"Punishment?" Yuko asked, stepping up to Kirameku Ha. She placed a hand above her lips before asking, "What do you mean? Why must she be punished?"
"Failure to protect life," the man answered simply, lifting up his body and returning to his kingly poise. "When you take your oath of medicine, young Yuko, you will not have to perform this action, but you will have to assume responsibility for the lives under your care as a medical practitioner. Your mentor's oath is different from what yours will be. The same goes for young Kyoko when she is of age and is ready to assume her position in medicine if she decides to continue nursing. Lady Meioshi carefully crafted her own oath using the principles of the Bushido Code and Civil Law. Her violation of the oath is a dishonor to the public and the clan. To return herself to grace and mercy, the punishment must be done."
"You expect one human woman to be able to protect life in randomized spaces of the world simultaneously?" Sesshomaru quietly asked. "From a beast that was willing to freeze hell over for an untouchable weapon no less?"
Jaken was surprised at his lord's words. He thought, Is Lord Sesshomaru... actually defending Doctor Meioshi? Why?
"That is a question to ask of my pupil," Kirameku Ha replied, raising an eyebrow at Sesshomaru out of some interest. "She chose the consequences for her own wrongful actions against the public through advice from another. I am not responsible for forming the law of medicine she follows. I only act as her second."
Her second? Sesshomaru thought, narrowing his eyes.
"There is no honor or sensible logic for such barbarism," Sesshomaru said with some defiance in his voice.
"You are not a doctor under the Bushido Code," Kirameku Ha said, hearing a twinge of outrage from Sesshomaru but not enough to decipher the man's emotions here. "Her honor is not the same as yours."
"If she is under a recognizable code, our honor is no different," Sesshomaru argued coldly. "Carelessness is a viable reason for such actions. Unawareness is not."
My lord... Jaken thought, admiring Sesshomaru's fervor. His eyes weren't welling up with tears, but his lord's knowledge of the warrior code did intrigue him. Is this perhaps a political issue that me lord feels needs his attention? Perhaps... did the doctor earn your respect through your alliance, Lord Sesshomaru?
"Under the warrior's code, this is true in some context," Kirameku Ha responded coolly. "It seems you have only a partial grasp of this. Regardless, this matter is beyond our studies. Reserve your debate of ethics for the creator of the doctor's law or my pupil. I've other things to acknowledge currently."
"She's so dedicated to this line of work," Yuko said quietly, looking down at her feet. "Going so far for people..."
"Wait!" Ichi then said, walking up to the old man. "Was a demon among the number? I remember someone was with me as a hostage after I left to find Yuko. We were trying to escape together. Did anyone see him?"
"This I do not know," Kirameku Ha replied, looking at Ichi. "The three widows are looking into it right now. You have to ask them. One of the ladies opened the viewing shrine before coming to me. There could be more casualties than the ones found. We may be traveling for some time to ensure the number. If these attacks went as far as the farmlands, you two had best investigate also after you have fully healed. For now, rest yourselves and travel carefully. When the names of the fallen are confirmed, you may see about attending the services. Each family grieves differently."
"So, that was Ichi speaking to us about it then?" Jaken piped up, looking at the confused man. "When we met you in the forest, we thought that demon that possessed you was telling us about how the doctor honors the death of demons through her Tailwind Dance. My lord didn't ask about it, but the demon heard his thoughts about it supposedly. So, that was actually you talking and not it?"
"Oh," Ichi said, blushing and turning his head to the side. "Well, I don't go all the time, but I attend the viewing if I know who died. The actual preparation I witnessed for someone I worked with. I wanted to see what Meioshi did for demons because she mentioned she performed the same ceremony for everybody. I don't know. Something about knowing she would do that for any living creature put me at ease. Watching her, I guess, made grieving for the loss a lot easier. It seemed like everything was going to be okay."
"That why you asked her to do it for your mom?" Yuko asked, face softening. It seemed like she was coming to understand why Ichi asked about her mentor's funeral services often. When Ichi turned to Yuko with shock on his face, he clamped his mouth shut before nodding once and producing a fragment of a smile. Yuko smiled brightly at this and said, "That explains a lot. Hurry and heal up, though. Your wife is probably worried sick. We haven't been home in some days now."
Cringing at the thought, Ichi had blue lines pouring down his face before he shouted, "Please don't remind me!"
Yuko laughed at his response before saying cheerfully, "Yamashi's probably just as bad. We'll just have to keep an ear open for the names."
"You'll have between 30 to 49 days to decide on your attendance," Kirameku Ha said, walking away from the group. He turned to click his tongue, gaining Ah and Un's attention, and tossed a fruit over his shoulder for the dragon to catch. Un caught it before chewing happily. Kirameku Ha then said, "The same goes for you."
Sesshomaru's eyes softened at this as he watched the old man leave. Meioshi's sensei was inviting him to the viewing?
Jaken looked up at his lord and asked, "Do you... want to go, me lord?"
Yuko and Ichi looked at Sesshomaru for a moment before exchanging a glance at each other then looking back at the kids climbing out of the pond to play tag. Leaving the western lord to his thoughts, the two returned to their chaperone duties as the kids engaged in their summertime play. Sesshomaru remained silent at Jaken's question, but Jaken prided himself in being able to interpret his lord's silence as answers to obvious questions. He made a mental note to remind his lord to return to Heiwa within a month.
Author's Footnotes: Hello all! Trying to keep these notes to a minimum as usual, but I had to explain two things for this particular chapter: one, the meaning of the second; two, the reason for the time limit for funeral attendance.
The second refers to a person in a samurai's honorable death through the ceremonial seppuku, or suicide through disembowelment, who is charged with cutting the samurai's head with a precise sword strike. This strike had to leave the head attached to the body with at least some flesh. Failure to make this precise cut brought shame to the second's family and clan. Sometimes, the second would have to perform the seppuku himself for this failure, but it doesn't look like it happened often according to my research on the matter. Meioshi isn't going to perform this particular ritual, but one in relation to it where a second must watch her. Kirameku Ha is her chosen second for any punishment. Unfortunately, and comically, Sesshomaru and the others are mistaking Meioshi's punishment ritual for the seppuku because that's what would have been a well-known thing for a second to be needed during that time.
Now, the funeral attendance thing refers to actual Japanese practice. They grieve for up to 49 days, depending on the family, and normally cremate their dead as handling a body for a burial is considered dirty and bad luck. Anniversaries of one's death are observed for the next 13 or 30 years, I believe. Supposedly, they grieve every 7th day until the 49th day passes, and then after that it goes by a certain number of years. I decided not to be too accurate with this practice and stuck with the 49 days since I'm not terribly familiar with that part of the observance. To follow through with a legitimate service, I gave Sesshomaru the maximum time limit for his return, but he could arrive at any given time before then.
With that information out of the way, I will now provide the plot summary for the current filler episode. Since all of the filler episodes were already in the guide at the end of Master of the Winter, there's no need to repeat anything. I'll instead just provide a full summary of completed episodes.
Readers' Guide
Mini-Episode 1: Jigoku Crest (Chapters 32 through 34)
Plot Summary: Meioshi goes to Shanwang to form an advanced blood pact. Sesshomaru returns to Heiwa to retrieve Jaken and the dragon. He meets the children Jaken met (Musuko, Shotaro and Kyoko) and Kirameku Ha, one of Meioshi's fighting instructors. Moved by Sesshomaru's argument for Meioshi's innocence, Kirameku Ha invites Sesshomaru to attend the funeral services.