AUTHOR'S NOTE: Two?! In one day? Do I have a life!? Yes, I promise I do. I actually type multiple chapters in succession and edit them throughout the days before I post. So, WARNING this chapter will officially start the story – all the set up you needed has been given. Know the ADVENTURE BEGINS and I am so psyched! I really hope you enjoy where this story is going to go – I know I will!
xxx.
Sesshomaru stopped, his eyes narrowing at the forest in front of him on both sides.
A demonic aura…no…a priestess…strange.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken questioned from behind him and beside Ah-Un. Rin was sitting atop Ah-Un again and stared pointedly at the forest in front of her too. Rin could not feel demonic aura specifically, but the presence of evil always made the hair on the back of her arms stand up and right now it was doing just that.
"What is it, Milord?" She asked tentatively.
Sesshomaru's right hand was suddenly resting on Tokijin.
It's coming.
A breeze blew through the forest, making his long silver blue hair catch in the wind, rippling behind him.
His gaze did not falter and patiently he waited for the unknown threat to appear, slowly the sky around them began to darken and grey as if a storm was approaching and from the shadows of the woods came a figure.
An old woman…but how does she have such...power?
The hunched form of an old woman in a black kimono with long white hair and a haggard weather worn face with onyx eyes looked over Sesshomaru and his companions. She gave the Lord a sickly smile, "Lord Sesshomaru, what a pleasant surprise." She said with a voice that made Rin's skin crawl, This woman is not a good person Rin thought immediately, but remaining quiet knowing very well that Sesshomaru would not appreciate her interference.
"You know me though I know not who are, priestess." His deep voice seemed heavy in the otherwise silent air.
"Oh," She chuckled, raising an arm to her face as she laughed into her kimono. Sesshomaru narrowed his gold eyes at her. "I am no one, my Lord. Just a simple old woman ."
"Old you may be, though simple you are not. What do you want, witch?"
The old woman an arched eyebrow at the stoic faced Demon Lord, who stood unwavering in his stance and expression.
"How perceptive of you, my Lord," She chuckled again.
Sesshomaru's grip on Tokijin tightened; Tsubaki's eyes darted to his hand and then back to his face.
"Tell me your purpose or step aside." He said simply.
Rin looked nervously at Jaken who stood tensely in silence waiting for his Lord's command, if it became necessary. Glancing back at Sesshomaru, she gulped, silently praying for her Lord to be unharmed.
"Very Well, Sesshomaru."
Jaken's mouth dropped at the sudden drop of the formal title to his Lord and was about to speak, when the Old hag continued.
"I know you covet the sword your half-breed brother wields and I can get it for you."
"You are ten years too late, old woman. I care not for Inuyasha's Tessaiga any longer; my power is beyond that simple fang." He said his deep voice dripped with unveiled annoyance.
"Beyond is it? Or perhaps, simply you do not have the power to wield such a sword."
"You insolent witch!" Jaken yelled, unable to contain his contempt of the horrid old woman. "You dare insult the Great Lord Sesshomaru? You stupid old hag! Today you will die and pay for your brazen words!"
Sesshomaru flicked a few strands of hair back over his shoulder, conveying his boredom and seemed to disregard Jaken's words.
"Are you done?" Sesshomaru asked as he unsheathed Tokijin and along with it a great purple aura of miasma. It swirled angrily till it slowly dissipated within the sword that now firmly pointed at the old woman.
"I can help you attain the ability to hold the Tessaiga, Sesshomaru." She stated.
"I told you, I have no use for the sword, any longer," The old woman stood partly hunched over smiling back at Sesshomaru who merely stood still pointing Tokijin at his victim.
"Die." Tokijin started to pulse as Sesshomaru prepared to slice her in two, but as suddenly as the sword pulsed, did the woman disappear. Sesshomaru's eyes widened momentarily, he could still feel her aura but could not see her and unfortunately much like his own it was rather large, for a human at least.
His eyes flicked across the edges of the forest around him, while Rin looked around nervously as well as Jaken. Sesshomaru smelled the air, the old woman reeked of death, and she would not be of this world too much longer. Trying to find her he remained in the same position waiting for her to show herself, sniffing lightly at the air wet with the moisture of oncoming rain. For a moment his mind slipped as he caught the scent of Rin's fear reaching his nose and he focused on it ever so slightly.
Then he felt it.
A surge of aura appeared directly in front of him and his eyes refocused on the old woman in the black kimono who was now feet from him throwing a purple powder into his eyes and face as she muttered something under her breathe. His eyes twitched slightly but in that same second he sliced Tokijin through the air and through the old woman's black kimono.
"What!? What is the meaning of this?" Jaken ran forward and prodded the cloak with his staff, the woman had disappeared.
After Sheathing Tokijin Sesshomaru brought a hand to his face to wipe the purple powder off, but when he did nothing was there. He looked at his hand for a long moment, he had felt it and smelled it, but where had it gone? Did the wind pick it up already?
Strange…
Sesshomaru cracked his fingers and continued walking through the forest as if nothing happened, passing the bewildered Imp but he did not hear the Imp's cries of outrage. Sesshomaru was attempting to clear his head; a fog had begun to descend in his mind. But one question burned through that fog.
What did that woman just do?
xxx.
Totosai…I will find you.
Sesshomaru thought as he stared up into the moonless night. Strange, it was not the night for the new moon this month. His mind moved back to Totosai and his need for a new sword and to the more pressing matter of Rin.
Had he not been distracted by Rin's scent he would have been able to kill the Old Witch today. Somehow she had escaped, if their paths ever crossed again, she would not be so lucky.
But this was not the first time as of late that Rin had distracted him, though she had no idea of it he was sure. But the human girl's presence was no longer acceptable. The sound of her heartbeat and her scent when she was near him had a peculiar effect on the Demon Lord, an unknown response that seemed to burn from deep within him at the pit of his stomach.
Sesshomaru glanced towards the fire where Jaken, Ah-Un, and Rin slept in peaceful silence. He tilted his head slightly as he leaned it against the tree behind him while he stared at Rin.
When had Rin become an enigma to him?
He stood up and made his way silently across the clearing towards Rin, Kneeling down he studied her face. His amber eyes roamed over her, assessing her, she was warm by the fire and did not seem ill but contently sleeping.
Why am I over here?
He asked himself as his eyes flicked to her mouth.
At this his brows furrowed in annoyance and he stood once more, turning his back to the young human girl. But before he could delve deeper into the reason why Rin would have such a bizarre effect on him he pulsed.
Suddenly Sesshomaru's body was rigid and his eyes widened at the foreign and sudden pain over taking him. Suddenly the clouds in the sky pulled away to reveal a bright red moon, his eyes widened more in confusion and anger.
What is happening to me?
Suddenly he regained his ability to move again and stumbled around the camp towards the tree he'd been leaning against. But this was only momentary, as he began breathing heavily, Sesshomaru fought the urge to roar in pain as his body seized up and he pulsed again.
Sliding down with his back against the tree his eyes red and teeth clenched, when his claws hit the ground beneath him they began to tear into the earth. His aura felt odd, but Sesshomaru could not focus on it as his mind was straining against the pulsations of pain ripping through him. A low growl rumbled from deep within his chest as he slammed his back into the tree in some basic response to the nerve burning pain throughout his whole body. Panting as he growled his head began feel as if it was splitting and his ears were filled by a high pitched white noise that made him slam his head back against the trunk of the tree. His body wanted to transform but something was holding him back and he was stuck in this mid transformation that wracked his body in painful convulsions.
It seemed to last for hours, but it went as soon as it came upon him and as the clouds slid back over the mysterious red moon Sesshomaru slumped forward from exhaustion and passed out against the tree.
xxx.
Stop.
His eyes were still closed and he faintly heard some distressed noise that sounded faintly like Jaken, but he was still half asleep.
Wake up.
He told himself as he realized the warm brightness against his eyelids which could only be the sun; he furrowed his eyebrows slightly and groaned inwardly his entire body was sore. As if he had just waged some battle throughout the entire night…
Stop.
Sesshomaru repeated, but he was thinking it not saying it. Someone was touching his ears and it was a strange sensation, no one ever touched him. Ever.
"Lord Sesshomaru?"
Rin.
He sniffed the air and suddenly a strong smell of wild flowers and strawberries overwhelmed his nose which meant Rin was standing right next to him. Sesshomaru suddenly opened his eyes and grasped one of Rin's wrists.
"Lord Sesshomaru…" She breathed as she stood directly in front of him her mouth slightly open as wide warm brown eyes stared into his. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as he attempted to ignore the scent of strawberries that had made his heart erratically pound in his chest.
"Rin, why are you-" he was about to question Rin why she was so close to him and more importantly touching his ears, when he realized her hands were on top of his head.
What…
Slowly Sesshomaru let go of her wrist and touched her hand, pulling it off his head he then placed his hand down and felt a small patch of upraised fur. His eyes widened as he slid his hand to the other side of his head and felt a matching patch of fur that filled the palm of his hand.
Experimentally, he went to focus on sound to the right of him and felt the anomalies twitch, his hand immediately pulled away as if he had just burned himself.
"Lord Sesshomaru…" he focused his gaze and realized he'd been staring at Rin the whole time. She leaned forward and he involuntarily moved back knocking his head into the tree behind him. He frowned at his spastic response and attempted to regain his composure in light of the rage inducing realization.
"Yes, Rin?" He said his voice the usual baritone was steady much to his own surprise as he stared into warm brown wide eyes that seemed to shine in unbridled curiosity.
"Why… do your ears look like Inuyasha's?"
Somewhere behind Rin was the estranged yell of surprise at her brazen comment and fear from Sesshomaru's response as Jaken flapped around unceremoniously and Rin tried not to pay attention to it as she stared at her Lord.
Sesshomaru for once was silent due to a loss of words and felt his mouth hang open slightly. Rin leaned in closer and his brow furrowed even more at the sensation of his own pulse which quickened at her presence.
Then it hit him, like the force of the wind scar, realization.
He felt it in every sinue in his body, in the aura that rested comfortably around him, and in his own scent which had been disgustingly altered.
Rage.
He knew what happened.
And someone was going to die.
xxx.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well? What do you think so far? Review please!