Mashī

Tensions ran high as we sat, waiting for the Lord's arrival. We all felt the presence growing as he moved closer. Inuyasha was calm and collected as he paced back and forth, muttering something along the lines of 'stupid bastard is gonna get it this time' while Nozomi was all over the place. In all the years near her, I've never seen her act this way. When I awoke, she was running through the trees. Normally I would've thought nothing of it, but I could smell the sadness and frustration pouring off her skin. She was angry at the coming arrival of Sesshomaru, but I had no idea why.

A loud crack dragged me out of my thoughts as well as drawing everyone's attention toward the now falling tree where Nozomi had stopped. The bark was severely damaged with a large impact and the shape of her fist in the center.

"The tree did nothing." I laughed, watching several members of our party scurry to get their sleeping mats out from under the large tree.

"You... You shut the fuck up, hot head!" She shit back, extending one of her red, bark-embedded fingers in my direction. I found her behavior comical. "I'm not in the mood for your shit. I'm not in the mood for any of this!" She growled.

"Oh calm yourself." I added as I stood up. I brushed the dirt off my shorts before walking over to her and placing my hands on her shoulders. She looked up at me with mixed eyes. I could see sadness, pain, anger, and betrayal within her clouded eyes. They turned jade, a sure sign of her inner feelings.

"I don't want to be near him, Mashī." She finally sighed out.

Pulling her into a hug, I felt her body relax and slump in defeat before smelling salty tears pouring from her eyes. My sister, regardless of blood, was strong willed and head strong. I've seen her in the hardest situations and never crack. She holds her head high and continues on like the world is nothing. She was a rock. She was my idol...

And now she's a blubbering mess.

I lightly pulled her off of me so I could see her face. Her eyes were almost white, something I've never seen before, while her starless midnight eyeliner stained her porcelain white cheeks. Her lips were plum and tinted burgundy red like wine, her tears rolling off them.

"What's going on?" Kagome called over to us. Nozomi gave me a pleading look, asking me to say anything to keep her away. Whatever this guy did to her, she didn't want anyone else to know.

"Nothing. Just tell your idiot boyfriend to keep his brother away." I scoffed back. My sister needs me. She needs him to stay away, far away, for as long as Inuyasha can keep him. I could hear Inuyasha tell the group he was done waiting before he charged off, with them in tow.

"Sissy," Natasha cautiously whispered as she slunk over. "Why are you crying? Can you please tell us what this man did?" She'd never seen Nozomi cry once. I had. It was shortly after we came through the well. She was sitting on a swing, just letting silent tears fall. When I asked her what was wrong, she told me she knew her parents were gone, adding that it wouldn't be long before mine were too. Her gut told her this and she was never wrong. She came and held me while we sat in silence.

"I... I.." She chocked out while she wiped the tears away, trying to bring herself from her current emotional state. "I've told you his father saved me. In gratitude, my parents spent a good deal of time with the Lord to show their loyalties belonged to him. His heroic actions of saving me gained him 3 powerful and wealthy allies in battle and trade. He accepted this, but only on one condition. The more time we spent at their castle, the closer I had become to his eldest son... And the more he saw me as the perfect mate for his son."

My eyes grew in realization. Her parents arranged her to be with Lord Inu Taisho's son for payment in saving her. I would've never thought them to be the type to just allow something like this for her. They always told Nozomi to follow her heart and she'd always be happy and free.

"I wasn't to happy about it. I mean would you be?" She laughed in attempts to make herself feel better, not realizing my heart was burning with anger at the news. "I grew up with him and, in time, learned to accept it. Once the anger and hurt faded away, I started growing fond of Sesshomaru. Those dazzling, golden eyes that held almost no emotion, his silky, pure hair that never seemed to darken or tint... I did end up falling for him. He even seemed to be taking an interest in me."

She let out a long, pained sigh. "That was before I heard him and his mother speaking very ill of me. And before I caught him telling another female I meant nothing to him, but gaining a title, as she took him into her room."

My nostrils flared smoke. I couldn't hear anymore of it. This sad fuck tore Nozomi's heart to pieces without a care in the world. She was nothing to him but a title?! Well he seemed to gain that title just fine without bedding my sister.

I could've lived a thousand years knowing my family died and I'd never see any of them again. I could've dealt with Tomaki sleeping with Maria countless times while I was out with my family. But this? I couldn't stand for. I let go of Nozomi and turned toward the fight ahead of me. The fire in my eyes grew as they locked on the low life scum that calls himself Lord of the West. Not even Nozomi could stop me this time.

I took of toward him, letting my rage consume me entirely as the bull took over. My hands and feet soon turned to hooves, colliding with the grass below me. My legs extended and the black fur grew through my skin, enveloping my whole body in its short stubbles. The pain in my head grew as my horns emerged, spiraling out and pointing to the sky. I charged at the fucker, slamming Inuyasha out of my way. In the distance, I could her Nozomi and Natsha telling me to stop as they raced toward us.

"You must be Sesshomaru." I grunted as his sword clashed against my horns. He held his composure, unsure of my next move. His stance showed his stature: elegant, powerful, and no fear.

"Takumahī. Last this Sesshomaru saw you, you were a little runt no taller than my ward." Sesshomaru stated, unfazed by his anger.

"I'm not a runt anymore." I spat, shoving him back a few feet. He ran back at me, swinging his blade down on my horns once more. He kept swinging only to have it meet my horns each time. He was fast, but he wasn't going to get me. I turned my head side to side, letting him hit the same spots back and forth, before I ran back to try to charge. He lined his sword and ran at me.

"ENOUGH!" Fuck. An ice wall appeared, causing me to slam my horns deep into it.