A/N: Inuyasha and all characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, this story is the brainchild of Kajatk8, and belongs to her. No profits are being made from this, it is just a fun way to pass the time and expand my writing capabilities.

Soooooo… I got a lot of comments from my last post. Just going to address one here:

I do not condone rape, it's an awful horrid thing, perhaps the worst thing to do to another human being. In the last chapter I was literally just defending my use of it in my story as an inciting incident for the character I'm writing. There is no defense for rape. It's inexcusable.

Other than that, please enjoy this new chapter! More author comments at the end!

Much thanks to Ariel-Mystic-Siren for Beta-Reading!

Chapter 12. A New Quest

The Kami's looked down on Kagome's sad countenance and their expression's soured. Though many actions were written, and known, they had not foreseen this particular turn of events.

Kagome never should have fallen down the well again, she shouldn't have gone to the past, and she definitely shouldn't have been hit with those three cursed arrows.

The Kami of Light had done the best it could and sent her to where she might have a friend, or at least, be able to find an ally. Unfortunately, the Kami hadn't foreseen Nao, or the new trials that she would endure. In essence, the Light Kami had created a brand new future with this single mistake. It wouldn't have been such an epic error, if it weren't for the many other cosmic changes that Kagome had already brought about in her life.

"What should we do?" The Kami of Light asked the assembled gods.

"We've done what we could with the unexpected," the Kami of Fate replied. "At least we have saved her life, though she's been damaged, she will not be irrevocably changed."

The Kami of Love spoke up, "Yes she has, if you think she hasn't then you're not seeing the events unfolding as I am. She will not return to Inuyasha in her current state. I doubt if at all."

The Kami of the Stars' eyes twinkled, turning away from the heavens and said, "You do not know all that is written."

The Kami of Light had heard enough, "Neither do you, and that is why we are currently in this mess!"

The Kami of War and Happiness said, "I see no problem with her future, she will learn to face difficulties otherwise unknown to her, but she will learn to be happy once more, I see it."

"I see it too," the Kami of Love said glancing off at a future that apparently the two of them could see. "But it will not be the same, it will be very different. Inuyasha is lost to her."

The Kami of Knowledge said, "I will send her someone to guide her. She will recover in time."

"Who you will send may yet cause more harm than good in the long run," the Kami of Love replied angrily at being doubted by the other gods. "I will send her two guides: one to love and one to protect."

The Kami of Knowledge, ever wise, decided to concede, "As you wish."

The Kami of Light was relieved, that its mistakes would be fixed. Yet the other gods scrambled in their haste to circumvent the relief etched in its features.

"She is not out of the woods yet. She will be in for many years of trying times." The Kami of Stars said quietly.

"Which would not have been possible if I hadn't sent her the fox," the Kami of Love said smiling.

"She may struggle through the years, but she will be happy," the Kami of War and Happiness said assuredly.

The Kami of Light couldn't help but continue to watch over the once savior of all of Japan. "Something must have happened for none of us to see this. Somewhere there is a power unknown amongst us, and it is causing evil in the world when there should be peace."

The Kami's agreed in unison and turned to watch Kagome – now aptly named Ena – struggle for her freedom.

Sesshomaru was bored. In recent years it had become a commonplace feeling, he felt as if he never alleviated his boredom – only displaced it from time to time. His father and he wandered around countryside's, offering protection to the less fortunate, and fought unruly demons when they were looking for a challenge. Sesshomaru had never been one to truly care about lesser beings, and he was even more disinterested with protecting them. He never really understood the point. To him, they were born, lived and died in a flash. Their full lives were mere may flies in comparison to his existence. But he had no particular love for other demons either. In fact, anyone who did not share his same thirst for power, disinterested him.

Yet, while he hadn't valued the more noble aspects of their wanderings, he'd always appreciated what they were: the perfect excuse to test ones limits and amass power.

Sesshomaru had learned one extremely cold truth during these nomadic years: that only the strong survive. How often had he and his father visited allies to the west in one year, and then a few years later, when their wanderings brought them back, they found their allies homes in ruin and all their friends dead? Many times they were long ago defeated in some war, overthrown by rivals, rebelled against by the people who served under them… It was the same story just told in different ways. Once the great had risen up and gained power, they seemed to stop testing themselves. They became placid and immovable in their new luxurious lives. They stopped their quest for power and settled.

Sesshomaru was disgusted, and vowed to never let the same happen to him.

On a far off island, Sesshomaru had forever been changed by this harsh truth. He had once found someone who intrigued him, and he thought he'd fallen in love. Molucella was a striking woman, cunning, clever and stunningly beautiful. She was green-skinned, had long white hair and sharp golden eyes. He'd been intrigued by her looks at first, but upon visiting her home and (his father's allies on the isle), he'd come to know the princess quite well. She'd been called a sidhe or faerie by the humans, and had done her best to live up to their expectations.

She was a demon like he, yet she used her prowess to grant wishes, and she'd had no wish or need to get stronger for its own sake. The thought had intrigued him, just as she had. She'd bestowed her own power to the people under her in the form of wishes. Sometimes they were simple, such as the blessing of one's home, the gift of the harvest, yet some were more complex, like a gift of success in battle, or the death of a rival.

He'd been floored by how she chose to use her powers, he'd never dreamed up anything of the same. He'd never felt the need to share power with anyone. Nevertheless, she was so kind, and it didn't matter what race those were that she helped, her kindness radiated through her people. The way she'd used her powers had been an eye opening experience for Sesshomaru. Molucella had begun to melt the frozen block of ice that surrounded his heart, or at least, that's what she claimed she was doing.

While Sesshomaru hadn't known the exact meaning of love at the time, or had even been that affectionate himself, he'd found it difficult to leave her side. Much sooner than he'd liked, he and his father were called away to aid other allies in a far off war. Sesshomaru and Molucella's time together had been brief, but they'd promised each other that they'd marry when he returned. Sesshomaru and his father were gone a mere hundred years, no time at all to beings such as they. Yet, when they returned to the faerie mound, Molucella was gone and so were her people. They were lost from this world forever and he'd missed her death completely.

They'd found the mound occupied not by the sidhe, but what the people called lesser faeries. The banshee, skin-changers and brownies had overthrown the sidhe and taken over the mound by force, putting all rivals and prior occupants to the sword. Sesshomaru was furious, yet his father, ever the diplomat, created a new truce and allied them with the new regime. Sesshomaru wanted no part of it.

He decided then and there that a quest for power would be his constant, that no matter what he would do, he would never stop trying to better himself. He knew that if he did, it would be the greatest and last mistake he'd ever make.

He'd reflected on Molucella and her kin for a long time following their demise. They'd been simple demons just like him, but they'd thought that since they were revered by lesser beings, that they were gods. They'd set themselves up as such and the humans had acquiesced to their whims. Except, they were in error, and that one mistake became their undoing. Never again would he allow such weakness into his life. While it had been hard to accept their demise at first, he'd found the courage to move on, and considered it a great life lesson.

He became far more hardened and driven than he'd ever been before he'd met Molucella. But he'd seen it as a necessary evil. Although he still thought of her from time to time, he was aware, somewhat subconsciously, that all of Molucella's hard work was destroyed that day. Somewhere the only part of him that had ever embraced benevolence had been replaced with malice.

Their demise had struck his father in a completely different way however. Touga, realizing that his realm was just as finite and open to revolution, had returned home and strengthened his borders. He showed a presence of force and again took to patrolling his lands. He secured new alliances in the south and held luxurious parties and military conferences in their shiro. He'd even bolstered new alliances with human lords, and the emerging warrior class.

Unfortunately, this happened to also coincide with the human emperor's desire for the same. The emperor had invited dignitaries from the mainland over and court life had exploded. With the mainland's humans coming in droves to Honshu, demons followed in their wake. Like the renaissance-boom of court life for the human emperor, Touga's court flourished as well.

Sesshomaru hated it.

Since he was the son of a lord, and one who was so well known and respected, he was often required to make an appearance. Even when he wasn't, his mother forced him to anyways. While Sesshomaru knew that his father was no political animal, Touga was by far, more at home on a battlefield. Nonetheless Touga had encouraged the court to thrive. With it came many more alliances, requests for aid, offers of marriage and of course politics.

Sesshomaru was interested only in the first two things, never the latter. With the droves of demons came willing and pliant females. Many of these courtesans, thinking to gain favor, class or rank in court would corner him, press themselves up against him and tell him the most ludicrous things. Sometimes they'd urge him to invite them to stroll in moonlight, or take them on a hunt, or recite the most ridiculous poetry he'd ever heard. More often than not, these poems and poets alike were completely frivolous and inane. He'd never understood what possessed them, because clearly they were possessed. No one with a clear head would act so ludicrously. He'd never found a need of such peculiar behavior.

The most ambitious females would ignore all others and even his own attempts at stopping them. They would corner him in some area of the castle, or invite him to their private chambers, always under the assumption of a request for aid. Of course, they'd never meet with servants or his representatives, only himself. So when he'd eventually come to listen to their 'demands' he would instead find them ready and waiting for him naked in their chambers.

A single clever brown-inu female by the name of Kinuko, had albeit begrudgingly, succeeded in such an underhanded attempt. Early on when Touga had opened up his court, Kinuko had attempted to boost her place in court by claiming that Sesshomaru welcomed these particular types of one on one encounters. She'd claimed that she'd lured him to her bed, where he was a more than willing participant and equally open to reciprocation.

When he'd finally tracked down the rumor and confronted the female, he'd been about to rip her throat open when she'd surprised him. She'd not been interested in him at all. She'd been trying to alleviate her own poor court standing and constant rumors that she preferred the company of women to men. This gave him pause, as he'd later realized had been her intention.

The rumors had been true of course, and in trying to avoid shame she'd devised a plan. She'd thought that since he'd seemed to hold a certain disdain for all court politics, she would offer him an out. She would spread rumors around court, (which were likely to spread like wildfire if he complied with them,) and they would carry on a guise that she was his consort. Of course she would embellish on this and state that he enjoyed many varied bed partners, always sharing her with other demonesses, but never letting her too far from his sight. This way if he agreed to the illusion, he could continue on unattached, and she could continue on with her unusual preference for women.

He hadn't at first seen the benefits to her plan, and had almost decided to take her head as recompense nonetheless, but something in her eyes had deterred him. She'd taken his hesitance as his willingness to listen and she'd gone on to describe the benefits of such a plan in detail. She like he despised court politics, and she'd seen his displeasure often. So she'd devised this plan, to help his situation and remove the stain upon her name. While he'd been hesitant at first, he'd finally accepted her terms in hopes of getting some relief from the courtesans.

To date, the plan had been somewhat successful. While it had limited his chance random encounters, he was applied with even more ridiculous requests. Since it had become commonplace knowledge that he only liked his concubine Kinuko, now courtesans, both female (and to his chagrin) male, had beseeched him to take them with him to bed. They'd intrude on him at the most inopportune of times and desperately ask to be invited to his bed along with Kinuko. Sesshomaru had been outraged and responded in kind to such requests.

When he'd snarled in response at these new stresses, he'd immediately gone to Kinuko and demanded she take care of the new arrangements. She'd been swift, and he was very appreciative. Discreetly, she'd spread the word that Kinuko would be the one to handle bedpartners, and as such, she'd been elevated to that of a princesses status. He'd smirked at that. It seemed that she'd had a plan for everything, and in the end, she'd gained what she sought. Recognition and respect, she'd gambled and won. Now she held the esteem of all the court and she was still able to satisfy her strange desires.

He'd always wondered what she'd done when he was gone on his quests, but she'd usually said she had ways of knowing when she wasn't wanted. She'd often retreated to her somewhat humble home to the west of his father's castle and there she awaited his return. He'd never asked her further, or delved into what she did while he was alone. But he appreciated her discretion. She enjoyed her own life and pursuits, and he enjoyed his. He was glad thinking back on it, that he'd not killed her for her presumption. In fact Kinuko had saved him many a headache these past fifty years.

Nonetheless, he still tired quickly of the courts games, of the poetry, of the ever-changing Buddhist religion, of their demeanors, everything. He found it more and more tiresome to stay at home. While he was proud that his father didn't want his realm to lapse into ruin, he found his methods exceedingly tedious.

His mother, Mizuki, prospered however. Sesshomaru had long ago suspected that Touga indulged the court-life mainly for her. When he'd asked his father why he'd allied himself with those beneath him, Touga had turned to him and said, "Only a good and true leader will endure, one who understands his people and gains their respect."

Sesshomaru doubted this and expressed his doubts regularly. He didn't understand the need for respect. His father led and protected the people; and they should show him the proper respect and deference for this alone. It was strength they were after, and he showed his strength better than most. His father just shook his head. It was one of the many things that they disagreed upon.

Lately, the court had been inundated with requests for assistance, many for aid in battle, and since it pleased Sesshomaru, Touga had directed them to him. His father, ever practical, allowed Sesshomaru to act as his figurehead, in hopes that Sesshomaru would be able to lead and rule when he was gone.

Sesshomaru didn't mind in the least, this meant that he would gain both battle and command experience. While he had the former in droves, he lacked the latter. Plus, it came with the added benefit of ridding himself of poetry, requests for solemn walks in the dark and calligraphy. Kami did he hate calligraphy. He didn't understand its purpose. Write a damn message; give it to the intended recipient. There was no beauty about it whatsoever. It was superfluous.

And so, Sesshomaru had spent the last ten years or so complying with battle requests. He'd found more often than not these requests weren't what they seemed. In fact claims of "battle and grandeur" were little more than a single demon who had set themselves up like a king on land not their own. Sesshomaru would be beseeched to put an end to the upstarts reign. He grew tired of it, particularly the audacity of these lesser demons to set themselves up as figureheads to humans when they lacked strength on their own. What possessed them to act as such?

The last request he'd accepted had kept him from home far longer than he'd intended and he was exceedingly glad to have finally completed the job. The request had come from a cat that'd traveled from the mainland and practically begged for his help. She came from a somewhat well-to-do family on the mainland, but she had still humbled herself to make the long journey and ask for assistance. She and her brethren had been inundated by lizards, and no matter how many they killed more seemed to pop up every time.

It had taken Sesshomaru neigh on a year to finally track down the unknown lizard that had been behind the attacks. He would have been able to finish off the lizard months ago if he hadn't been using a form of trickery previously unknown to Sesshomaru. He'd used demon puppetry or kugutsu to amass an army and attack from afar. And, no matter how many puppets Sesshomaru would destroy, more seemed to rise from the very earth.

The lizard had been clever, Sesshomaru would give him that much. He'd set himself up in a large village at a spirit's shrine that was commonly used during religious pilgrimages. Whenever the humans had prayed or gave offerings, they were instead offering their hopes and dreams up to the lizard. And he had forged a focus to channel these requests from the humans unknowingly offering up parts of their souls to him. He'd in turn used these "gifts" to increase his own power by channeling the poor souls into his own youki. However, the power was false. When Sesshomaru had broken his magical focus, the link to the shrine had been severed. Without an anchor to hold them, the souls flew out of the demon, and returned with a grand flourish to their rightful owners. Upon realizing this, the demon had cowered and begged for mercy. While all the souls had escaped and he was left as a shadow of what he once was.

"Please my lord, have mercy!" He'd shouted while prostrating himself in front of Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru had looked at him and thought for a moment before uttering, "I think not."

Sesshomaru had given him a quick and painless death, which the lizard of course did not deserve. However, Sesshomaru was honorable if nothing else, and disapproved of useless suffering.

He was currently in the process of returning to the cat to tell her of his success. He'd barely bathed or eaten while on this vague quest, and he realized his appearance was somewhat lacking. He doubted if he'd even be recognized in his current state. The final battle had torn holes in his hakama and haori, and as he flew bits of his pristine white flesh peeked through. He'd have to get replacement clothes at the castle. He sighed, the request would likely come with a caveat. They always did.

He'd rinsed himself of all the lizard's blood and surprisingly enough, whatever goo that had held the final kugutsu's together had been rather sticky. He was unable to rid himself fully of its stickiness and his clothes clung to him in odd places and blew in the wind in others. With the holes in his clothing, and some even in his armor as well, he shuddered at what his mother or father would say at what he'd let his appearance devolve into. They were practical and proper above all else. He had already been traveling for a day, flying over mountains and forests, until finally he approached a large grey castle.

He was welcomed after several long stares, likely in confusion and then finally with nods from the guards. The guards were all cats of lesser standing, reminiscent of the animal they represented and he doubted any could take on a humanoid form. They were garbed in brightly colored armor, to which he couldn't fathom. He proceeded towards the main building of the castle where he'd originally learned the details of his quest. Though, before he could get more than a few paces towards his goal, a servant upon recognizing him, ushered him into a large room. He'd cast the guards a backward glance and shook his head, he couldn't understand the advantage of having guards dressed in bright oranges, reds and yellows. They'd be highly visible from great distances. It didn't matter to him of course, but the cats were his allies. It would be folly for his own soldiers to act as such; he'd have to discuss the matter with his father upon his return.

"I will call the lady, my lord. Please wait here for her arrival." The servant said before bowing and moving to close the shoji door behind him.

"While I wait bring me new clothes, mine have not survived your masters request." He said authoritatively.

Despite being an outsider to this castle, he knew that the servant would do as he asked. He was a well and respected lord and an ally to boot. Unsurprisingly she squeaked when he spoke and said, "Yes, of course my lord, right away," before she bowed out.

She returned not even a moment later with a brand new outfit. He wasn't too happy with the colors, but he supposed it would be rude to bite the hand that fed him – or rather clothed him. He accepted the robes and quickly dismissed the servant. She bowed out again as hastily as she'd come in and he looked at what she'd brought.

The clothes were finely made, he couldn't deny them that, it was what he'd expected as an ally and one who'd served their house for neigh on a year. What he hadn't anticipated was the implication his services would have. The kosode was white, plain but finely made and the hakama were equally fine and white like his previous pair, but his haori was a different story. It combined his chosen symbol – red sakura blossoms along with several smatterings of snowflakes or simple circles adorned in blue – clearly the chosen symbol of the lords daughter. He sighed; the cat clearly had other ideas on her mind than just ridding her land of pesky lizards. She had intentions towards him, which was not at all wanted nor was it accepted.

He thought twice about accepting the haori… but finally he decided that he'd rather walk around clothed than not. He begrudgingly put it on, throwing caution to the wind about what accepting such a gift could possibly mean. Clearly the haori was a request of binding their two houses together into one, with the eldest daughter. It was unspoken, but clearly stated and even accepted if he wore this upon his departure. He tended to stay clear of these political affairs, and yet, necessity required that he deal with this, lest he walk around nude from the waist up.

In the end he'd chosen vanity – to clothe himself rather than nudity. To hell with what it would mean in the cats' eyes. He just wanted a clean shirt. And he figured he could always make his intentions known, much louder with words.

After dressing, he looked around and quirked his eyebrows. If the cats had been trying to impress him, they had failed. He was standing in an elaborately furnished room, obviously meant to impress. The room was filled with objects that showed of the cats' strength and prowess, their ability to conquer others and obtain worldly objects. There were several of these rooms back in his father's shiro, he knew what it was meant to do – impress unsuspecting guests. However, he was not so easily swayed by a bunch of talismans and artwork.

Nevertheless, he might as well indulge himself while he waited. He always did appreciate beauty, especially in many varied ways he'd never before seen. On the walls he found many different depictions of cats in battle, fighting against enemy's great and small. In one corner he came closer and examined a great battle of the entire cat tribe against the golden-haired monkeys. It was a triumph of battle cleverness that he'd heard of for several centuries, but still he looked on in amazement at the artist's detail.

The battle spanned an entire wall, and he remarked on the vast detail depicted in the work. It showed cats and monkeys on both sides of the battle locked in mortal combat, with several demons in mourning, and others conspiring in hidden corners, and several questioning their existence on a battlefield. He was still inspecting the artwork when she slid into the room.

"So, you've returned Sesshomaru." She said silkily.

He straightened and turned to face her, he hadn't realized he'd been so enveloped in the painting that he hadn't noticed her entrance. He looked over her form, she appeared to have dressed in haste, as her obi didn't exactly tie back her outfit, and in the front her kimono dipped low enough to show off cleavage. While he took in her form he tried to play off his lapse in concentration as cool and relaxed. He thought he succeeded quite well.

"The lizard is no more." Sesshomaru said blandly, though there was an unmistakable note of triumph in his voice.

"Really? I'd thought you'd given up, it'd been so long since we last heard from you." She said while slowly sauntering across the room towards him.

It was true, the last time that he'd sent word was several months ago. Nevertheless, he thought he'd been followed and limited communication, even to the ones who had essentially hired him for the job. Since he'd not known who to trust, he'd thought it was essential to his completion of said job.

While he was lost in thought he really looked at her. It was obvious from her behavior that she was trying to seduce him; her hips swayed in exaggerated movements as she walked. He groaned inwardly, he had spent the last year tracking prey. She looked entirely too good to pass up. But he knew better than that. To get entangled in her web was to become ensnared, and so he acted coyly despite all his body's physiological urges.

"You know as I do, he was using puppets Touran." He said evenly.

Touran stopped when she stood in front of him and leered at him from her diminutive height.

"Oh? And how did the great Sesshomaru finally finish him off, hmmm?" She said lightly touching his arm and getting far too close to him for his liking. When she'd all but pressed her bosom up against his body, he cleared his throat and took a purposeful step backwards. His body however, reacted favorably to her advances, despite what his brain was telling it to do.

'She's a vixen who will only cause trouble, cease and desist!' He told himself. Unfortunately, his body didn't listen to his brains own advice, and she seemed to notice his interest. She came closer to him, closing their distance by only a hair's breadth and it was then he decided to speak, before he was entirely too lost in loneliness and empty lust.

"He'd linked himself to the Ye Shrine. Every time some idiot gave an offering, he stole their soul and used them to give his puppets life." He said in a desperate attempt to distract her. Luckily enough, it worked.

That startled Touran visibly, he could tell. The Ye Shrine wasn't that far from her castle after all, less than a full day's journey by air. He smirked.

"Perhaps you should pay more attention to your lands, rather than toil away with frivolities." He said, gesturing to the room at large.

It seemed that he had hit a particularly sore note as her face visibly darkened for a moment, but she bounced back soon enough.

"Well, now that our business is at an end, perhaps, you'd like to accept payment for your services?" She said seductively, and while gesturing to herself, she reached for the ties to her kimono and began removing them.

"As if you could possibly be of equal status to this Sesshomaru." He said haughtily and turned his back on her, despite his body's protestations. He mastered himself and left her there with half her kimono ties undone and in her hands.

He didn't cast her a backward glance, but if he had, he would have seen the vicious glare she'd sent his way. Sesshomaru realized he'd probably not been very diplomatic, and had likely upset the woman more than he should have… but he was insulted.

The cat was no true match for him, and coming to her aid had been the work of an ally not that of a prospective mate. He'd spent a year toiling away in her lands, protecting them, and all she'd offered him as recompense was to spend a night in her bed. Well, it was likely to be more than a night if the unspoken union on his haori was any indication… Despite the fact that his body and brain were still at odds as to why exactly those were particularly poor terms, he nonetheless triumphed and succeeded in leaving the room with his dignity intact. He'd sate himself once he'd returned to his own lands, and rid himself of allies who were just as up-jumped in their advances as his enemies.

'Even outside of the courts, women can only think of political and social gains.' Sesshomaru thought as he purposefully left the shiro.

Yet, as he traveled back to the coast, he thought that this quest, while long, hadn't been a complete waste of time. He'd heard several more interesting rumors, and was more than happy to be getting back to Honshu to test their veracity.

Many of the rumors he was sure were complete nonsense, but they'd still amused him. Like how a courtesan had said that an island was swallowed up in an entire day and caked with a fine grey mist because Izanagi willed it. Or the fact that a serving girl had told him that a great 'beast' rose up out of the ocean and devoured an entire town on the eastern sea, and that every full moon, if anyone was on the coast, it would rise up again and claim the land, swallowing any in its path whole. Or the fact that a serving boy had said that great moths were planning to take over Honshu and had already decimated entire populations of humans and demons alike on Shikoku and Hokkaido. Humph, if only. A large moth force would be an interesting opponent indeed…

Sesshomaru had always considered the rumors he caught amongst his travels the most rewarding payment he could ask for. He set his sights on his next quest or adventure this way, based on those rumors. He figured that if he did, his power would never stagger or cease to grow, and as long as he kept testing himself, he would stay alive. Many times the scraps of stories were entirely exaggerated or just flatly fabrications, but he still liked to verify the rumors himself. If anything, it kept the ever-present boredom at bay.

By far the most intriguing rumor he'd heard on this trip had been from one of the court attendants, an old tiger, who was the cats' battle-master. He'd claimed that one of his previous pupils from Nihon had travelled in defiance of the twelve Deva's to the underworld itself, stolen Enmaten's staff and escaped. The staff was described to be extremely powerful, essentially bequeathing its holder the power of a demi-god. It was formed in the shape of a bo, and had the curved head of a woman along with the head of a man intertwined at one end. Its power was unknown but said to be immense.

What truly interested him about this weapon was where its power came from. It was said that only the truly wise and powerful could employ it, and that it's power came from within. Quite literally the staff gave its wielder control over life and death. While he had no particular care or wish to give life, he amused himself with the quest for the weapon. He'd gone on many of these so called 'quests for powerful objects' himself, but many turned out to be fabrications or over embellished tales. Still, he'd never been successful enough to receive a god's weapon for his troubles… It was an appealing prospect.

He'd decided to follow after the weapon and defeat its owner if he could. He'd tell his father of the story he'd heard and tell him of the weapon's power. He wasn't entirely familiar with Enmaten, he'd assumed he was only a Buddhist myth, like so many stories he'd heard. Yet, it sounded as if he came from the strange land to the west that contained elephants… Since he'd thought they were a myth until he'd finally seen them with his own eyes. He decided to study the god's supposed powers once he returned home…

Of course, he'd hope that his father would see the potential harm such a weapon could cause, especially if it fell into the wrong hands. But, that wasn't why Sesshomaru wanted it; it would be a true test of his skill. It would require power and strength to wield, and it would keep him far from court. Hopefully this new quest would keep him very far from the court – preferably for longer than a year. He smirked at the new challenge and undertaking he'd assigned himself. Surely his father would listen to reason...?

He arrived at the eastern shore and released his youki with abandon and transformed into his true form. It felt wonderful to run this way, light and free. It'd been far too long that he'd spent on the mainland. He'd been trying to lay low, and hadn't transformed for months for fear of recognition. Now he reveled in the feeling. He loved the feel of ocean spray on his face and in his fur. He growled in pleasure as he took to the sky, running just above the crashing waves, like a toddler daring the waters to get him wet. He smiled and howled happily as he began the long flight home, ever eastwards.

A/N:

8 Sept 16 – edit – small edits and spelling error fixed.

17 Jan 18 – edit – small edits and spelling fixed.

So there it is, as always let me know what you think, I just thought I'd give you some background on what I wrote about several gaelic names, old irish folk tales, and Japanese lore.

Shell Flower (Molucca Balm) – called Molucella in old tongues of gaelic and welsh. – the Shell flower is a common bell flower in Ireland with an erect spire of green-bell with tiny yellow or white flowers inside the calyx or bell (Think flowers that look like a snapdragon but green). I just gave the faerie all of the flowers features. Typically faeries were demi-gods or divine eternal beings which could bless or curse you depending on how you treated them. Also, some faeries were flower-faeries, (NOT the typical winged pixie types that are in popular literature now) but were ethereal and god-like, and would bless a traveler if they paid particular homage to their flower, in this case, Molucella is a Shell flower (Molucca Balm).

Faerie folk of Ireland – the social faries were the sidhe, and this is listed in many notable works of poetry, oral and written traditions. Perhaps the most famous one, which calls them faeries, sidhe and living in the faerie mound, is Shakespeares Midsummer's Night Dream.

Enmaten - King of the Underworld; chief judge in the afterlife; when a person dies, s/he must appear before Enma (and also before other judges), who decides whether the person is good or bad; the person is then sent to the most appropriate afterworld; among the judges of hell, Enma is the most important.

Kinuko – female Japanese name meaning child of silk.

To answer a few of the reviewers questions:

I am a woman in my twenties whose been raped herself, so no, I am writing from both personal experience and fantasy. My life took many dark turns for the worst, but I think I've ended up okay on my feet, and I'm sure that my characters will too.

I did not get a shiny snorlax. At 75,000+ encounters I've decided to give up and just masuda method breed one. =P

Don't miss your chance to pick up Darkrai from Gamestop, you need a free card again to scratch off the code for your free Darkrai for your Pokemon ORAS or XY game.

Other news, I'll be entering into the Johto Masters cup if any of you are Pokemon Competitors.

Otherwise wish me luck, we're entering into finals, and I just finished a few last midterms and presentations. Its down to the wire now! =)

Happy May and happy reading!

Kajatk8