Hey everyone, sorry this took so long. I've been really busy and had writers block. I actually wrote this chapter twice now each one completely different but overall I really like how this chapter ended up and I hope you all think it was worth the wait. Again sorry it took so long. Enjoy!
Knowing now in order to fight Naraku, I had to become stronger so I headed off toward Mt. Ookami. In order to become stronger I had to seek out someone stronger than even I. I had to find my father first, for although overtime I became stronger than even him, he still may have an ally even stronger willing to train me. Luckily, I reached the mountain in a matter of days. I even managed to find my father just before he was to leave with a hunting party.
"Shiori, I'm going to depart soon what is it you've come for?" He asked me.
"I need to be stronger, father." I replied.
"Stronger than you already are?" He asked sarcastically. "Why would you need to be any more powerful?"
"Have you ever heard of the demon, Naraku?" My father replied with a low growl so faint I doubt anyone but my brother, sister, and I could hear it.
"Of course I know of him, he's been destroying the lands and all those who live in them." He paused full of anger. "He's even killed some of our brethren." I bared my teeth in frustration.
"Damn him." I cursed. "Do you know of anyone who could help me become stronger father?" He thought for a few moments before finally giving me an answer.
"I know of two actually. Lord Daichi a very wise and powerful Daiyoukai, then there is the blacksmith of legend Totosai." My father informed me.
"Totosai?" I questioned. "I understand seeking out this, Lord Daichi, but why should I seek out this Totosai?" My father's smirk was my primary reply.
"If you are to become more powerful then shouldn't your weapon, the Raikasai, need to become just as strong?" He asked. I smiled and gave a whispered laugh.
"Of course, how foolish of me father!" I exclaimed. "So where am I to find these demons?" I asked.
"Well, lucky for you they're quite easy to find but you must prove to them your worth before they'll help you." My father explained.
"That won't be very hard." I said sarcastically not knowing how hard this could possibly be. These demons sounded amazingly strong. Before my father explained to me first how to get to Totosai's mountain, then how to get to Lord Daichi's castle in the south. I decided to go to Totosai first seeing as his mountain was closer than Lord Daichi's castle. I looked over the mountain at the village below before I left pondering about whether or not I should visit my mother. My thoughts were interrupted by Minako.
"We must make haste, Shiori. With each passing moment Naraku could be getting stronger. Visiting your mother can wait until you return." Minako said as if reading my mind.
"You're right." I replied and turned my back on the village to face her. "We need to go." I confirmed. I calmed myself and began to transform when Minako once again interrupted.
"No, you may need your strength, I will take you there." She decided.
"No, you know I hate riding on you when I can run. You're not some pet you're my partner. We live together, we fight together, and we RUN together." I told her.
"Shiori, don't be a prideful fool. It is only once and for a good cause. To say it in better terms, or rather in terms Inuyasha would say, Stop being an idiot Shiori and just do it Damnit!" She exclaimed. I stared at her in shock for a moment. Then I burst into laughter which confused her.
"That was a really good impression of Inuyasha!" I said through the endless laughter. She smiled at me and rolled her eyes. I calmed down and walked over to her. "You're right though, unfortunately." I told her as I jumped on her back and she ran off to Totosai's mountain.
Minako was fast and the mountain wasn't that far surprisingly, it only took us about a day and a half. As we reached the top of the mountain I dismounted from Minako and approached a strange house made of a skull. The mountain top was hot to my surprise as I realized this strange demon lived atop not a mountain but a volcano. The heat must have helped with creating the weapons but still it was a very strange place to live. I walked over to the mouth of the house and peered inside.
"Master Totosai!" I called. I listened closely and heard the voices of two old men from the inside.
"Totosai, it seems you have a visitor." One voice said.
"Hmmm? Oh, so it seems." I heard another voice that must have been Totosai. He sounded much older than I had predicted.
"I will go see what she wants then." I heard the first voice say again. I waited for the mysterious man to approach but nothing happened. I waited silently listening to the pounding of my heart as I anticipated my meeting with Totosai and this other mysterious demon. Suddenly I felt an odd pain in my neck. It wasn't excruciating pain but it was obnoxious pain, like a bug bite. I slapped the side of my neck and was surprised to hear the demon from the house again.
"Ouch! Not again." I heard him say but he sounded much closer than before. I looked down to see a flea demon falling off me toward the ground. I caught him and stared at him with disbelief.
"Who are you?" I asked. "You seem familiar."
"My name is Myoga. It seems you are familiar as well however I cannot place where I have seen you." He paused. "Anyway, I see that you have come in search of Totosai." He said.
"Yes, my father, Lord Kiba, sent me in search of him." I replied.
"Lord Kiba!" Myoga exclaimed. "Then you are Shiori, correct!" He asked.
"Yes, my name is Shiori; I am Lord Kiba's first born child." I replied.
"I see, then we have met before! I once traveled alongside my master the Great Inutaisho." Myoga explained.
"You traveled with the Inutaisho!" I asked thinking hard. "Wait, I remember you! You were the flea demon that was always with him when he visited my father." I remembered.
"Yes, that was me!" He said.
"Shiori, we have no time to waste." Minako reminded me.
"Oh, yes I almost forgot." I said. "Myoga, I am here to see Master Totosai, to see if he can somehow make my blades, Raikou and Kasai. Together the blades form the weapon Raikasai. I am soon to battle a very powerful demon, named Naraku, and I must become more powerful." I told him.
"Ah, I see. Then you walk the same path as Lord Inuyasha." Myoga confirmed.
"You know Inuyasha as well then?" I asked.
"Indeed, I sometimes travel with Lord Inuyasha."
"Then you know just how powerful Naraku is."
"If it's simply power you seek then I cannot help you."The voice that I had assumed was Totosai's from the cave said. I looked to the mouth of the cave to see and old man in green and black. I bowed to him.
"Master Totosai." I said.
"Yes, I am Totosai and as I have said if you merely desire power I cannot help you." He replied.
"Before you decide such please hear me out." He sighed.
"I have already heard enough. You're just another demon sent from a strong demon family wishing to be stronger to gain vengeance upon some other demon." He said.
"No." I told him. "It is true that I come from a strong demon family, but I did not come here hoping to just to become strong to defeat some demon. I want to be stronger to keep a promise. A promise to defend the son of the Inutaisho and Lady Izayoi. To rid the world of the menace Naraku, a demon who seeks to destroy the world." I paused and noticed that my words had still no effect on him. I sighed and decided to tell him the truth, what I really wanted just as much as power. "Totosai, in truth, I am mostly demon but I am also part human. I am not a half demon nor am I a full fledged demon. As such I can lose control over my demon power. Usually when I become too angry or scared. The demon part of me tries to take over." I bent my head in shame. "The last time this happened, instead of striking down the demon that caused my anger…I almost killed one of my friends." I finished. "I not only seek the power to fight but also the power to control myself, the demon inside me." I stopped with that. I was also unable to look at Totosai. I already knew that I had not gained his approval. I let my human emotions get the better of me yet again. I lifted my head ignoring the tears forming in my eyes. I looked at Totosai for just a moment, then walked away. "Minako, let's go."
"Shiori…" She began but I had no interest in hearing what she had to say. Myoga jumped from my hand to Totosai as I walked.
"Totosai, should you really be doing this? You must admit the girl has potential." Myoga explained.
"Hmmm…." Totosai thought. "You're right Myoga but how can I help her when she cannot keep herself in check? She's fighting the two halves of herself. Is she can't accept herself then…"
"I see the dilemma however, I feel that maybe you should give her a chance." Myoga said. Totosai thought to himself while I approached Minako.
Wait." Totosai called. I turned to look back at him disappointed in myself. "I can see that you struggle not only with your demon self but your human self as well. If you cannot fully accept your human half as well as your demon half, there is no way I can help you." I smirked.
"Strange, that is now the second time I have been told that." I thought for a moment before I spoke again. "How can I accept the human part of me that is dragging me down?"
"It is who you are. The human part of you doesn't make you weak, it is what sets you apart from other mindless demons. It may make you different but it will never make you weak." He explained. I thought again before speaking.
"You're right." I jumped onto Minako's back. "Totosai, I will return to you when I have finished my training with Lord Daichi. Perhaps then I will have accepted both the demon and human parts of me. I know now that as I am no matter what I say or do…you can see through me. To the truth I keep inside. So I must train myself to be as one as well as more powerful for you to even glance at the Raikasai." Minako started to leave at that when Totosai beckoned us once more.
"Shiori." He called. "Leave the Raikasai with me." He asked.
"Why would you want it now when I am not ready?" I asked as Minako walked over and I handed him Raikou and Kasai.
"The blades Raikou and Kasai are two halves of the same blade. Just as your demon and human self are the two halves of yourself. Without the balance within you, you do not deserve to wield the Raikasai. So I will keep the blades here with me. When you have returned as a whole. I will return them and it is then that you shall see the new powers of yourself and the Raikasai." Totosai explained. Honestly, the fact that he was taking myRaikou and Kasai, claiming that I wasn't good enough to have them, shot through me like a blade through my heart. He was right though. If I couldn't accept myself for who I was without fear then how could I accept my two blades? After I handed him the blades Minako and I left the mountain without another word.
"You know Myoga, I'm not so sure she can do this." Totosai said.
"I think she can Totosai, she reminds me of Lord Inuyasha and just like Lord Inuyasha I know she will do whatever it takes to reach her goal." Myoga replied.
"Well, I hope you're right Myoga…" Totosai replied as they disappeared from my view.