Author's Note: This is a character development story. It's off the main story line and I just wanted to do it round out my character. It has been two years and change since my last update. Sorry lol
Sesshomaru closed his eyes, as anger flashed through him. He had met Hanako before in her past life. He could have saved her then, only if he knew what she would mean to him now.
Inutaisho ruled the western lands and there was peace in the main parts of his territory. He had a vast dominion staving war off from the mainland. However, the outskirts were in turmoil. Demon mutations were gathering in great numbers to launch an attack. He had heard of this blood priestess for some time now. Huge clans of demonic men in the boarders of his domain that slaughtered for blood and the Demon general that lead them. They called her Hanako wielder of Akahasaki. The demon's blade had a formidable aura around it, his sentinels had reported thusly.
Hanako was admiring her reflection in the still pond. She loved her own beauty and drank it in like an elixir. She thought herself a beautiful swan among crows. The preservation of her beauty led her to great extremes. She took a sip from her flask, the blood of a fox lord. It was a horrendous cocktail of iron and power. Her army of men relaxed on the clearing around the pond. They too drank demon's blood that extended their lives. Yue was Hanako's second in command. He had been by her side for one hundred years drinking the blood of demons had kept him around the age of twenty.
"We should strike soon, while the western lord hesitates" Yue said boldly. Hanako sighed at the image of herself before turning to Yue. She thought herself the epitome of perfection
"Inutaisho should not be underestimated; we should strike the wolf clan and gain more strength. Then we will take the west as our own" Hanako finally said. Yue bowed in submission. He would do as she asked and he assembled the troops. That night the troops made camp by the pond. In the morning, they would prepare to march. The wolf clan would not see them coming from the forest before it was too late.
Hanako sat in her luxurious tent, where pillows and fine carpet littered the floor. She was a pampered general. There was a circular tub filled with sinister red liquid in the center of her tent. It was what was left of her last raid on a family of foxes. She shed her clothing off and began to climb into the tub. Yue walked in at that moment. He took his fill of her naked form before closing his eyes in feigned politeness.
"Forgive me, I will come back later" Yue said finally. He began to walk out
"What is that you want Yue?" Hanako asked fully submerged in the blood now. He wanted her, desperately.
"You remember that I am cursed by those blasted monks, should I attempt to escape my fate of eternal loneliness, I would surely die" Hanako said as if reading his mind. Yue nodded. Hanako said that in truth because she did not want him. He was like a puppy, just a pet and nothing more.
"There are three other curse upon you… surely as long as you are careful" Yue began.
"I have already broken the curse of clumsiness. The curse of clumsiness had been casted about twenty years ago. A priestess had cursed her and that very day her feet folded inward and she could not walk. Hanako enraged broke the bones in her ankles and reset them. She had broken that curse and there were only three left.
"You and all your incarnations will be cursed" The priestess had said. Hanako laughed defiantly as she broke the bone in her ankle right in front of that accursed priestess. Hanako did not care about that "incarnations" bit, she did not ever plan to be reincarnated. She never planned on dying.
Hanako finally got up and dried herself off. She walked off the campsite so she could be alone and bask in her own beauty. The moonlight and still water reflected her loveliness gloriously. Her conceited nature loved it dearly. She heard a rustling in the bushes. Instinctively she unsheathed Akahasaki. It shone red giving the air a sinister look, the Shikon Jewel sparkled brightly in the golden hilt
"Who's there?" Hanako said monotonously. She saw a wisp of silver hair gleaming in the moonlight
"I am here to warn you mortal," Inutaisho said as he walked into the opening.
"I am no mortal," Hanako said hatefully.
"I will lop your disrespectful head off," said a voice in the night. Sesshomaru had followed his father. He appeared in the clearing as well
"You think you have me outnumbered, I have twenty thousand at my disposal," Hanako said boldly.
"The ground will drink up the blood of twenty thousand" Sesshomaru replied "and one"
Hanako's beautiful face twisted with rage. She drew Akahasaki and slashed viciously.
"Scarlet Death" She shouted. A blast of red energy emanated from her sword and destroyed the ground below.
Her soldiers heard the blast and awoke. They could see from across the lake that Hanako was in battle. Inutaisho drew Tetsusaiga and used wind scar to dispel the attack. The soldiers formed and marched to the other side of the lake where the y could aid Hanako.
"We did not want to shed blood tonight," Inutaisho simply said. Clearly, Sesshomaru had different plans.
Hanako ignored his words and went after Sesshomaru again.
"You will show me respect demon," Hanako said spitefully. Hanako slashed with her sword and Sesshomaru effortlessly dodged it.
"I owe you nothing," Sesshomaru said cruelly. He looked graceful as he dodged her attacks. She was equally graceful and finally landed a hit on his side. It tore open and blood spewed out.
The soldiers arrived with swords drawn.
"Stand back" Hanako said, "I will kill this one myself"
Inutaisho looked furious but stayed still. He was hoping that there would be peace. Sesshomaru would have none of it. He ran so quickly toward her, he seemed to disappear midway before landing a strike to her face.
He hit her face, her beautiful face.
"How dare you strike me, you scum. I will take your kingdom and burning your dynasty to the ground. Nothing will be left of you dogs," Hanako said spewing blood from her lips.
Yue stepped in front of her. He would protect her with his life.
"You will have to go through me," Yue said proudly.
"How… theatrical" Sesshomaru said finally. Then with a flick of his hand, a poisonous green whip tore Yue to pieces. Hanako looked angry at Yue as he disintegrated into dust. He looked surprised, at the lack of response from Hanako at his dead. His face finally became dust.
"How dare you strike one of mine down, you will pay with your life" Hanako said venomously.
"You could not kill me, even if you tried for a hundred years" Sesshomaru replied coldly
"Enough" Inutaisho warned "If you cross out boarders, we will strike you all down. As you have not, this is just a warning"
He and Sesshomaru became light and vanished.
Hanako now lacked a second in command. She turned to her side.
"Kiru, you are my first Lieutenant as of now" Hanako said tersely.
As the sun began to rise, Hanako decided it was time to strike the Wolf clan. Running and fear everywhere. The blood flowed. Sesshomaru had watched from the trees, but did not intervene the slaughter. He was waiting for her to cross the border before he would kill her. It was his father's command.
Hanako eyed a small cage where two humans were being kept. She broke the lock with her sword.
"Out" She commanded. She saw no use for humans and swung her sword high above head. Sesshomaru suspected that they would have a quick death.
Then one of the humans stood in protection of the other.
"No, don't kill my grandma" The girl said. Hanako paused and looked at them again.
One human was old and decrepit. The other was a young and beautiful girl. Well by human standards anyway. Yet in the young girls eyes shown a fierce love for the elder. Hanako looked at the old bat, how could anyone love that hideous wrinkled creature.
Then the grandmother pushed herself in front of the girl.
"Spare her, she has so much ahead of her, I have already lived my life. Kill me and let her go" The grandma pleaded.
Hanako understood why they protected one another. In that moment she saw that there was merit the loss of one's beauty in the gain of another's love. Hanako never had family, she had given it up in her pursuit of beauty.
She left them both go. Sesshomaru looked at surprise, he did not suspect the Demon general to have any mercy.
"Retreat" Hanako said suddenly.
"Retreat, but we are winning?" Kiru said confused "There is nothing to retreat from"
"Take my army, I am going" Hanako said in reply. "Do as you wish"
"What?" Kiru called after her confused.
Sesshomaru heard the strange conversation. He looked at her with curiosity. Her eyes have changed. The sinister red had been replaced by a deep rich brown. He followed Hanako to a small cave within the western boarders.
"You have trespassed into my land" Sesshomaru said "I will have your head"
Hanako looked vacantly at the Demon Lord. Her cool brown eyes stared right past him wistfully. It was the first time he thought her beautiful.
"I don't not wish to fight any longer" She replied then she took the Shikon Jewel from the hilt of her sword. She tucked the Jewel into her Kimono.
She poured all her demon evil into the sword and threw it into the cave.
"May no one ever again find this" She said. The cave suddenly sealed over with a magic barrier.
"You will fight me, or I will kill you" Sesshomaru coaxed. He was perplexed with the girl that stood before him. She was unlike before. How could he have not noticed how beautiful she was.
"I have lived long enough. Kill me if you must or don't and let be pass" She said simply. Her eyes seemed unfocused.
Sesshomaru scoffed but put his sword away. The girl walked passed him taking uneven steps. For two days she walked neither stopping for food, rest, or water.
"What is she doing?" Sesshomaru wondered, following her all the way.
They arrived at a small coven of priestesses.
"Who are you?" They wondered Hanako.
"Your are the order that protects the Shikon Jewel" Hanako inquired.
"Yes, we did, until that monster Hanako stole it from us" They said politely.
Could they not tell who she was? Of course not, the girl standing before them was not Hanako anymore. She looked dirty and strange. She looked merely a tired beggar, or a peaceful passerby.
"Here" She suddenly said. Then she tossed the Shikon Jewel from her hands. Hanako stood still for a moment, then she felt herself turning into dust.
She sighed a peaceful breath. Her humanity had returned, she had won.
Sesshomaru looked perplexed. What was he to make of this. Why did he suddenly feel sad as if he had lost something.
Sesshomaru of the present blinked again. He put Kagome down. Reina would not have wanted this. He turned calm again
"I have spared you" Sesshomaru said coldly "Return her to me". The last part of that sentence seemed intense and desperate but with a veneer of command.
"Okay, I will try" Kagome coughed out. She complied and jumped through the well as if Sesshomaru had not just choked the life out of her.