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"He did what!" said Shiori with surprise.
"Shush," said Jaken quietly. "He'll hear you and come running!"
"I don't understand," said Shiori sitting down in the grass. "What happened?"
She just met up with the group. Jaken, Rin, and Kohaku were alone sitting under a tree with Ah-Un. Sesshomaru anywhere to be found. Was he sulking somewhere? Why was Rin was holding on to Tenseiga.
"It happened just after you left," Jaken explained. "He went off alone and left me here with these brats. While he was away, Naraku came in pursuit of Kohaku's jewel shard,"
"Yes! And he would've killed Kohaku and us, Inuyasha came to save us!" said Rin happily.
"Hey! I'm telling the story! Be quiet you!" Jaken ordered. "So anyway, Inuyasha and his friends came to help us. They had a slight battle with Naraku. Eventually, that vermin ran off as usual. For some reason, Inuyasha stayed with us until Lord Sesshomaru came back."
"And when he returned, he had a shard of Kanna's mirror monster," Kohaku added. "By using that shard on Tenseiga, he was able to create a mirror replica of the Tessaiga."
"Grrr, I said I wanted to tell the story!" barked Jaken. "Lord Sesshomaru challenged Inuyasha to see who the real successor of Tessaiga was….once and for all."
"So the hellhounds jumped started their sibling rivalry? Heh," she casually stated, "just when I thought they were getting along."
"No, this wasn't their usual match," Jaken informed. "This time, Lord Sesshomaru really intended to kill his younger brother. And if he succeeded in doing so, he was going to disregard both of the mementos."
"He was going to destroy both Tessaiga and Tenseiga?" Shiori's interest had finally peaked.
"Yes, he quite serious about doing so," Jaken said with a nod. "He and Inuyasha were transported to some strange location by that Byakuya of illusions. It was there that they had their battle."
"And you witnessed this?" she asked.
"Toutousai appeared and showed us a projected image of the entire battle. It was amazing! Lord Sesshomaru took a swing at Inuyasha! Oh, but he dodged it!" Jaken acted out the motions as he spoke. "Then, Lord Sesshomaru attacked with the windscar! And Inuyasha—"
"Jaken," said Shiori firmly. "Spare me the details! I just want to know why he gave meido zangetsuha to Inuyasha and the Tessaiga. After all that work he put into perfect it, he just willingly gives it away?"
"As you remember, the Tenseiga was an incomplete sword. It was casted off the Tessaiga," Jaken explained. "Lord Sesshomaru's Father meant for him to do the job he himself could not. He wanted him to perfect the technique, and eventually return it back to Tessaiga. Allowing Inuyasha to have the completed meido."
"So Lord Sesshomaru purposely broke the Tenseiga against Tessaiga's blade and transferred his ability."
Shiori looked back at Tenseiga, "It doesn't appear broken."
"Or at least, we thought he did. It sort of dropped out of the sky right before the two of them appeared again. It's a sword of healing and not destruction once again."
"I see. And so he left it behind," she said with a nod.
"It was my idea to take it with us," said Rin happily. "He might want it back once he's in a better mood."
"So, does that mean the brother's feud is now over?"
"It seems so, however, the lord is once again without a weapon," said Jaken sadly.
"My poor Lord….even after everything, he's still hurting," thought Shiori sadly. "But, it's a good thing Enma isn't sending his men after Lord Sesshomaru anymore. Especially now that he's travelling unarmed."
"Did you make any progress, Shiori?" Jaken asked, as if reading her thoughts. "How did it go with the Grand Master of Hell?"
"Oh yes, I took care of everything," she replied. "He'll never bother Lord Sesshomaru again."
Jaken suspiciously narrowed his eyes at her, "Oh did you….."
"Um…..yes," she wearily answered. His gaze was making her uncomfortable. Why was he staring like that?
"And what exactly did you do?" he questioned.
She blinked twice, "I challenged him to a duel and won."
"I find that very hard to believe that's all you did,"
Now he was frustrating her, "Jaken, what are you implying?"
"Well," he slyly replied. "It's just that you were gone for so long. And we all know how you have no problem being naked in front of others…..and…."
"You think I gave myself to him?" She shrieked.
"Well, it does seem like a logical way for you to deal with the situation," He continued.
"I would never do such a thing!"
A giant sweat ball dropped down the back of his head, "Well you did say that you'd do anything for him."
"Jaken, there are children present!" shouted Shiori as she pointed Tenseiga at him.
"Ha! That's a sword with a dull blade!" he teased. "You can't slice me with that!"
She clobbered him over the head several times, "Doesn't mean I can't bludgeon you with it!"
He dizzily spread out on the ground.
"Uh, Master Jaken? Are you alright?" Rin asked. She poked at the enormous lump on the side of his head.
"Wow, he was injured by the sword of healing," Kohaku commented.
"Shiori," called Sesshomaru. She turned over her shoulder to see him standing behind her. "I thought I caught your scent."
"Lord Sesshomaru's returned," Rin sang.
"How did everything go?" he asked. He noticed Tenseiga in her hand.
"As planned," she responded. "You won't need to worry about any more foes like Shishinki."
She extended her arm, but he turned his back to her. He refused to take that sword back. Sesshomaru froze, he felt someone lightly grip his arm. It was Shiori.
"Hoe dare she touch My Lord! What right does she have?" Jaken thought.
But Sesshomaru didn't protest. He kept his eyes forward, as Shiori slid Tenseiga into his hand. She gently closed his fingers around the handle.
"Rin was thinking of you and decided to bring this with her," she said. "At least, take it for her."
Sesshomaru tightened his grip on the sword and placed it into his sheath. He took a couple steps forward before calling out to everyone.
"Let's be off,"
….
"So the rumors were true, you've lost your weapon Sesshomaru," taunted an ugly green ogre.
Sesshomaru and his group had been travelling across a barren wasteland, when two ogres approached them. Sesshomaru looked at the pair with absolute disgust. He would've rather been attacked by Enma's men then these low lives.
"Master Jaken, it seems like there's been a lot of these guys lately," Rin noted.
"It's not because he's lost his weapon," Jaken explained. "It's because they think defeating someone as powerful as Lord Sesshomaru will give them rank. So now, all these small fry are coming out in droves."
"These simpletons believe they stand a chance against him because he's unarmed?" said Shiori. "Feh, even I could destroy them without a weapon. I don't even have to purify them."
"I've had inkling to try some dog meat for a long time," said one of the ogres. "And once we defeat you, that boy's…"
But the ogre was rudely interrupted by Sesshomaru's claws, slicing through its body. Sesshomaru easily killed them both with one slash. Chunks of flesh fell around the group. Sesshomaru calmly continued walking.
"Let's go," he ordered.
"Yes, My Lord," said Jaken. He turned to Kohaku when Sesshomaru was further away. "Hey, Kohaku?"
"Yes?"
"You understand, don't you?" he asked. "Though Sesshomaru will never say it…."
"Yes, the ogres were after my shard," Kohaku nodded.
Shiori suddenly stopped walking. Her entire body went completely stiff.
"Lady Shiori? What is it?" asked Kohaku rushing to her side. He felt the back of her hand. "Her skin is ice cold…."
"Something of pure evil," she whispered.
"Huh?" he looked straight ahead. Sesshomaru had also stopped.
"Stand back," he commanded.
A bolt of pink lightning came crashing down. It struck the ground right in front of Sesshomaru. Pieces of rock and smoke filled the air. Jaken shrieked and hid behind Shiori and Kohaku.
A figure emerged from the cloud of dust. It was a long haired demon with an enormous claw for an arm. He cocked his head at Sesshomaru and smirked.
"Another one of Naraku's detachments, huh?" Sesshomaru wondered. It had his scent.
The demon's arm suddenly extended forward and aimed for Kohaku, but Shiori grabbed him and dove out the way. The arm quickly recoiled back into place.
"He's after the jewel shard as well!" Shiori thought.
"Lady Shiori! Look out!" Rin warned.
The demon was still coming after Kohaku. Shiori deflected it back.
"Go!" she yelled.
Kohaku jumped onto Ah-Un's back and the dragon flew up.
"Are you alright, Kohaku?" Rin asked.
"I'm fine," he answered.
Once again, the foul creature was coming after the jewel shard. As he aimed his arm for the sky, Sesshomaru rushed forward and sliced off part of its arm. He slid back from Sesshomaru. His retractable arm was immediately regenerated.
"You're weak," he taunted.
"What did you say?" Jaken grunted.
The demon smirked, "I'll say it again. You're weak!"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and flexed his claw. He rushed toward the beast and plunged his claw into his stomach.
"You did it Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken cheered as he hopped up and down beside Shiori. Kohaku and Rin watched from above. "That insolent creature! You'll rot in Hell for calling Lord Sesshomaru weak."
"That's odd," said Kohaku.
"What is?" Rin asked.
"Lord Sesshomaru's arm should've pierced right through his chest but…..it's like's it's being drawn in."
Suddenly, six large spikes shot out of his body and rushed to entrap him. Sesshomaru withdrew his arm and jumped back. When landed on the ground, he held up his arm. The skin on it was completely raw.
"His arm! It's been poisoned!" Shiori said with shock. "He's immune to even the strongest poisons and miasmas. How is it that his arm was nearly melted? Just who is this man?"
The demon laughed mechanically as he lunged for Sesshomaru again. This time, he melted a chunk of Sesshomaru's fur pelt.
"Please retreat, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken begged. "If you lose your right arm too, you'll have no way to fight!"
"Lord Sesshomaru….." Shiori whispered. "Please don't do this…."
"Rin, duck!" said Kohaku. She obeyed, and he tossed his sickle and chain at the demon's head. It wedged into his temple. The creature looked up at them and smugged.
"What do you think you're doing?" Shiori wondered. She was also staring at Kohaku. "He'll take your shard."
"That fool," Sesshomaru thought.
"This is one of Naraku's detachments!" shouted Kohaku, jumping down from Ah-Un's back. "He shouldn't be able to touch my shard thanks to Kikyo's purification!"
The monster laughed as tentacles shot out of his body and captured Kohaku in mid air. One of the tentacles wrapped around his head and tapped the back of his neck. Kohaku immediately cried out in pain.
"What?" Kohaku thought. "My shard's been tainted? H-how?"
"Kohaku!" cried Shiori.
Just as she was about jumped toward him, Sesshomaru beat her to it. He extended his arm to slash the roots, but he attacked by more of them. Sesshomaru's arm was pierced through by three deadly roots.
"Oh no! Lord Sesshomaru!" shouted Rin and Jaken.
"Now it ends!" said the creature.
"Like hell it does!" Shiori ran up to him and sliced off his arm.
Both Sesshomaru and Kohaku were free from the tentacle's grasp. Shiori ran back to check on her friends. Rin landed back on the ground with Ah-Un. At that moment, Inuyasha and his group arrived. Kagome and Sango ran to attend to Kohaku. The tainted shard rendered him unconscious. Kagome immediately began purifying the shard. Inuyasha jumped down in front of the demon.
"Bastard! Are you one of Naraku's detachments?" he questioned.
"Naraku?" scoffed the demon. "Hmph, don't associate me with that half demon."
As Kagome purified Kohaku's shard, she stared over at the demon.
"Naraku's detachment? But something's different…"
The demon turned to her and gave her a horrifying gaze. Kagome's eyes suddenly darkened, and she fainted.
"Kagome! What happened to her?" Shippo asked.
"What the hell'd you do to Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded.
Everyone crowed around Kohaku and Kagome. Sesshomaru slowly walked past them.
"Take Kohaku with you and leave this place," Sesshomaru casually demanded. "You're in my way."
He zipped back to the battlefield and landed down behind Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked back at his brother's injured arm. There was no way he could win.
"Sesshomaru, get back," he said. "You can't do anything injured like that."
"Who do you think is to blame for all of this?" shouted Jaken. "It's because Meido zangetsuha was passed down to someone like you that Lord Sesshomaru…."
"Shut-up!" Inuyasha barked. He was already feeling guilty enough.
Shiori could sense Sesshomaru's anger steadily rising. He didn't want Inuyasha's pity.
"I'm being looked down on by the likes of a half demon, no less," as he spoke, his eyes turned bright red. He lifted up his arm and closed up all of the wounds on his body. His arm was healed completely.
"He healed himself just by sheer will power! Amazing!" Jaken praised.
"Uh, did I miss something while I was in the Netherworld?" she wondered out loud. "I've never seen him do that before!"
"It sounds like you want a repeat of what happened last time," said the demon as he shot his tentacles at Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru jumped up and transformed into his demon dog form. He zoomed down and ripped the demon's head from its body. The body began emitting miasma into the air. It was rapidly starting to spread.
"See that? The true power of Lord Sesshomaru's demon form!"
"Miroku! Sango!" Inuyasha called. "Take Kagome away from here."
"Right," said Sango. She lifted up Kagome and placed her on Kirara's back. Miroku carried Kohaku and placed him on Ah-Un's back along with Rin. All of them took to the skies.
"Shiori! You and Jaken should go with them," Inuyasha instructed.
"I'm not leaving without Lord Sesshomaru," she replied.
"Oh….but this miasma is sickening. I'm gonna die!" Jaken coughed as he fell over.
A violet light manifested around Shiori's body and Jaken could suddenly breathe again. Shiori was purifying the surrounding air. Her body was acting like a magnet. It drew in all the corrupted air and instantly purified it.
"There's something there….something amongst the miasma….." thought Shiori as miasma slowly started to disappear. "Some kind of….evil spirit….."
Miroku looked back when he sensed spiritual power, "its Shiori! She's purifying to miasma!"
But Miroku also saw something else when he turned back. More demonic tentacles were shooting from the demon's body and aiming straight for them. He was still after Kohaku's shard. Inuyasha rushed to slice the tentacles. But more continued to sprout.
"It doesn't matter how many times you slash me!" laughed the head inside of Sesshomaru's jaw. "This is just a borrowed body."
"A borrowed body?" wondered Shiori. "From Naraku?"
"What the hell are you?" Inuyasha demanded.
The headless body wrapped dozens of demonic tentacles around Sesshomaru's giant body.
"Listen, and I'll tell you," said the talking head. "I am Magatsuhi!"
"Magatsuhi?" Inuyasha wondered.
"Magatsuhi is the evil that resides within the Shikon jewel!" Sango shouted to Inuyasha.
"I don't care who he is! I'll be beat him to a pulp!" said Inuyasha preparing to swing his sword again.
"Give it a try, you monstrous dog."
Sesshomaru was still trapped amongst the tentacles. The more he struggled, the tighter his restriction became.
"Even in his giant dog form, Lord Sesshomaru still can't escape?" thought Jaken. "No, he just can't move his arms or legs in that form. As a dog, he doesn't seem that bright…..I'm sure if he changed back, he'd be able to escape. But because he's a dog, he probably hasn't realized that."
Suddenly, Sesshomaru reverted back to his humanoid form and broke free. He landed back on the ground and gave Jaken a death glare.
She glanced at Jaken, "I don't know why he's glaring at you like that, but you probably deserve it."
"I don't know what you mean," he uneasily answered. "It's not like he heard me thinking anything bad about him or anything…"
"Move it, Sesshomaru!" yelled Inuyasha. "I'll take care of him!"
Sesshomaru ignored Inuyasha and clawed at Magatsuhi, but he was once again caught up in his tentacles. Inuyasha sprang into action and freed his brother.
"I wish Lord Sesshomaru would stop charging at Magatsuhi like that," Shiori thought with concern. "I'm….worried about his safety. He's going to get himself killed…"
Sesshomaru looked back at Shiori. She knew he could hear her. Why was it that he could only hear some of her thoughts? And they were always…..certain ones.
"I know you don't want my help, but let me finish him off with the Meido Zangetsuha," said Inuyasha. His blade suddenly turned black.
At that moment, Magatsuhi scattered his body all throughout the battlefield.
"Go ahead and strike me with that Meido Zangetsuha," said the floating head, "But don't expect it to fire where you aim. You'll just kill your friends."
Sesshomaru floated up and turned to everyone else, "follow me."
He flew forward, slicing chunks of flesh along the way. Ah-Un and Kirara followed after Sesshomaru with everyone on their backs. Inuyasha, Shiori, and Jaken followed them from below.
"Lord Sesshomaru, what are you doing?" Jaken called out.
"Can't you see? He's gathering Magatsuhi's body in one place," Inuyasha answered, hacking away at parts of Magatsuhi's body.
"Yes, that way everyone will stay safe," Shiori added. She was also slicing away at his body.
The three of them caught up to where the rest of the group was. They were all completely surrounded by Magatsuhi's body.
"How long can you attack without harming one of your friends?" Magatsuhi questioned. "Now then, let's see if you can last!"
"Is Sesshomaru doing all of this for us?" Miroku asked.
Rin turned to him, "Of course! Lord Sesshomaru's always been really kind!"
Sesshomaru stared up into the sky. He could…see something.
"From here on out, you'll have to protect yourselves," he said. With that, he flew up towards Magatsuhi's head.
"Sesshomaru, you dumbass! Get back here!" Inuyasha ordered.
"Lord Sesshomaru, please come back!" Shiori screamed. "If he keeps this up he'll be destroyed."
"I will kill him with my own hands," thought Sesshomaru. "This is a matter of my pride! I can smell it. The true form of Magatsuhi…..it smells different than Naraku's scent on this body."
Shiori watched as Sesshomaru pulled out Tenseiga. It was then that she saw red lights in the sky. Sesshomaru sliced at them and a look of pain immediately shot over Magatsuhi's body. An enormous white face appeared in the sky. It almost resembled an oni mask. Everyone landed back on the ground.
"Curse you!" it called out. Its eye was slashed.
"What is that?" Jaken wondered.
"Could that be Magatsuhi's true from?" Sango marveled.
"I see. Magatsuhi is the spirit of all the demons sealed within the Shikon Jewel," said Miroku. "As he's not of this world, Tenseiga is able to cut him."
"Bastard!" shouted Magatsuhi. Before Sesshomaru could strike again, he blocked him with his physical body. Sesshomaru angrily lashed at the body parts with Tenseiga over and over.
"That sword of yours can cut spirits, but doesn't seem to work on Naraku's body," Magatsuhi jeered.
And then, the unthinkable happened. Sesshomaru was pierced through the heart by one of the roots. Everyone gasped at the terrible sight. Inuyasha didn't even know how to react. He felt like he wind had been knocked from his chest. Rin began sobbing uncontrollably, while Jaken tried to put on a brave face for Rin. Shiori felt her blood freeze up as she stared in absolute horror.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" she cried as she flew up toward him.
Magatsuhi chuckled darkly, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again….you are weak."
Just as Shiori was about to reach Sesshomaru, he was instantly wrapped into a cocoon by Magatsuhi's body. She was too late. Shiori landed on top of the giant cocoon.
"He's been crushed!" Rin said in between sobs. "Lord Sesshomaru!"
"Sesshomaru knew he might lose, but he chose to die fighting," said Jaken. "Our tears cannot do justice to his magnificent final moments."
"You stupid hellhound…" Shiori hissed as tears streamed down her delicate face, "Why? Why do you have to be so stubborn? Why do you always let your pride get in the way?"
She angrily began slashing and jabbing at the enormous cocoon. Shiori was spiraling out of control.
"Don't you dare die on me, you stupid Hellhound!" she screamed in between slashes. "Do you hear me? What am I suppose to do without you? What am I suppose to do without the man I love?"
"Did she just say what I think she did?" asked Sango.
"She did," Miroku marveled. "She admitted her true feelings for him…"
Rin watched Shiori in absolute sadness, "Lady Shiori….."
Inuyasha jumped on Kirara's back and rode up to where Shiori was. He too began slashing at the enclosed Sesshomaru.
"You idiot!" he thought. "You're saying you'd rather die than be saved by someone like me? The one who took your Meido Zangetsuha? Well I'm not gonna let you die like this!"
"Hmph, I'm sorry, did he mean something to you?" Magatsuhi taunted Inuyasha and Shiori.
"Shiori, watch out!" Inuyasha warned.
It was too late. Both Inuyasha and Shiori were entangled by Magatsuhi's roots. His floating head taunted their efforts to break free.
"Couldn't you easily blow apart the mass with your swords? I wouldn't be concerned about Sesshomaru….even if you blow him to pieces, he'll soon be reborn as part of Naraku's body!"
"Don't fuck with me!" Inuyasha screeched.
Suddenly, a blue light emitted from the large bundle of demon parts. Everyone stared in awe as it completely exploded in a huge eruption. In the mist of it all, was Sesshomaru. An intense light was bursting from his left shoulder. But how was that even possible?
"L-lord Sesshomaru?" Shiori stammered.
"His doing?" thought Magatsuhi.
"This feeling?" thought Sesshomaru as he looked down at the light coming from his shoulder. He looked up into the sky to see Toutousai, flying in. "If Toutousai is here…..then this is,"
Magatsuhi sent his roots down to capture Sesshomaru again. Sesshomaru thrust the bursting light forward and shattered the body parts raging toward him.
"What is that…in the light?" thought Shiori as she peered down.
The light slowly disappeared to reveal Sesshomaru's left arm….holding a sword.
"His arm!" Shiori marveled. "The one that was cut off…it's been regenerated!"
"And…that sword…" Inuyasha gawked. "Where did it come from?"
"It's finally appeared Sesshomaru," said Toutousai. "That's not a memento from your father; it's a sword of your own—Bakusaiga."
"Bakusaiga?" he pondered.
"It's useless, even if you cut me to pieces…." Magatsuhi sneered.
The pieces of flesh released Inuyasha and Shiori from their grasps. He was trying to combine his body again. The uninjured pieces wrapped around the parts that Sesshomaru just sliced off. But they wouldn't combine. He couldn't regenerate his body. In fact, the uninjured parts were starting to break a part.
"The effect continues even after he's cut him," Sango noted. "Even more, it transfers to any part of the body it touches?"
"In other words, if Naraku absorbed any demon cut by that sword," Miroku assessed. "He would receive the blow as well."
"Hmph, it seems you've put on quite a show for me," said the floating head "However, this is a borrowed body and I feel no pain."
Sesshomaru took one look at him, before slicing his head to bits.
"Take that you insolent talking head!" Jaken cheered.
"Where's Magatsuhi's real body?" Shiori thought.
"So he escaped," Sesshomaru calmly noted.
He glanced down at his new arm and sword. Things had finally calmed down. Kirara sat down as Kagome and Kohaku were propped against her side. Rin and Jaken ran over to Sesshomaru.
"Are you alright Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asked, clinging to his leg.
"I had faith in you victory Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken lied.
"Sesshomaru, let me see your sword," Toutousai requested.
Sesshomaru turned to face the old demon. He held out his sword for him to examine.
"That sword has with you all along," Toutousai informed. "However, in order to obtain it, you had to stand on your own as a daiyokai"
"Lord Sesshomaru has been standing on his own just splendidly for a long time!" Jaken retorted.
Toutousai narrowed his eyes, "You be quiet."
"Is he talking about cutting off his attachment to Dad's memento, Tessaiga?" thought Inuyasha
"Sesshomaru, when you desired to steal Tessaiga, you lost your left arm," explained Toutousai. "But now, you have obtained a new arm along with a sword that is truly your own. Meaning, that is proof that you surpassed your father and have been liberated from Tessaiga."
"Ooooh," Kagome sighed.
Inuyasha knelt in front of her, "Kagome, are you alright?"
"Yes," she said weakly.
Rin looked around, "Where's Lady Shiori?"
"There she is," Miroku pointed.
Shiori was sitting down alone yards away. She had her back to them all.
"I wonder if she's embarrassed about admitting her true feelings." Sango wondered. "Did Sesshomaru hear her?"
Sesshomaru slowly made his way to her. He stared down at the girl from behind. She didn't even move when felt him behind her.
"I take it you heard?" she asked.
"I did," he replied.
She lowered her head and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I thought so….."
The wind blew her hair into her face. She carefully tucked a strand behind her ear. Sesshomaru continued to stand over her.
"Why are you still here?" she questioned.
"Do you have a problem with my presence?" he curiously asked.
"Yes, I do!" she said. Her voice was cracking. "I want you to go away so I can sulk in peace. I'm tired of being stressed."
"Shiori," he said coolly, "…are you mad at me?"
She calmly stood up and turned to face him. Fresh tears rolled down her tear stained face. Her eyes flickered with emotional pain. He'd never seen her so distraught.
"Yes, I'm mad at you!" She snapped. "Do you want to know what I saw while in Hell? I saw your dead body…..with an enormous puncture wound in your heart. Just like what happened today..."
He carefully listened as she spoke, "I thought you were dead for sure this time. I thought I really lost you, Lord Sesshomaru. You always get on my case for hastily jumping into dangerous situations, but you do the same thing….Do you ever consider the feelings of the people who care about you? Like myself?"
"Shiori…." He started to speak, but Shiori wasn't done yet.
"I meant what I said back there. I wasn't just saying it in the heap of the moment," she expressed. "Those words were true. I know you don't feel the same way….but I had to at least tell you."
He firmly crossed his arms, "What makes you think your feelings aren't mutual?"
He stared at him in disbelief, "Because…..I didn't feel it from you….the emotions. I hardly ever felt much emotion from you, other than anger. I felt your emotions for Kagura, but not for me….so I thought…."
He reached out and put his hand to her cheek. She shyly looked away from him.
"Look at me," he softly said.
Shiori reluctantly looked back into those golden eyes.
"Stop crying," he told her. "You have no reason to do so."
Her eyes widened, "But you…"
"I didn't want you sensing my emotions," he simply stated. "So I hid them from you."
"You….you hid your emotions from me?" she asked. "But…why?"
"The same reason you hid yourself in a tree from me," he casually responded.
"You mean you…"
"Shiori, your feelings have always been mutual," he softly said.
"Se-Sesshomaru….." she lovingly whispered.
Shiori wrapped her arms around him. Sesshomaru was shocked at first…no one had ever embraced him in such a way. Slowly, he returned the gesture. He wrapped his left arm around her waist and placed his right hand on the back her head. For a while they stood like that.
"So…..does this mean they're together now?" Sango asked.
The rest of the group was watching the embrace from afar. Rin jumped up and down for joy.
"Oh! I knew it! I knew they'd end up together!" Rin proclaimed. "I know these things!"
"I don't believe this!" said Jaken angrily. "Lord Sesshomaru could've done some much better. Why did he have to choose that broad?"
"Well it's about time they made it official," said Inuyasha. "I'm sure everyone's tired of their whole will, won't they saga. That can be so annoying."
"Oh like you have any room to talk!" snapped Shippo, point at Kagome.
"Shut up, you pip squeak!" Inuyasha shot back.
"Well glad that's settled," said Toutousai. "I was beginning to think they'd never make any progress. But what you expect when you put two foul and downright vile people together? I hear love is suppose to change you. Now hopefully they'll both become a lot nicer."
Suddenly, Toutousai was shocked in his rear in and jolted up in the air. He slammed back down against the ground. Sesshomaru and Shiori were glaring at Toutousai.
"Master Toutousai, I really wouldn't count on that last part," said Shiori with a smirk.
"Of course not," he said while rubbing his bottom. "Wishful thinking….."
Rin looked at them both and beamed with happiness, "I know these things!"
So after 41 chapters Sesshomaru and Shiori are finally together! lol took forever didn't?