06. Among Those Days II: Budding

Flashback

After their little incident in the forest the two heirs had agreed on keeping it between them. Running out into the deep forest at sundown was already at fault with their fathers, but running out into the deep forest to battle through their differences will most definitely earn them an earful and who knows what more punishment added to the list? Besides, that panther demon they had already dealt with so there isn't necessity to report to their fathers.

'Stomp the grass to scare the snake.

To do something unaimed but spectacular and provoke a response from the enemy, thereby giving away his intentions, plans, position or just to taunt him.'

She looked up from the solid characters of her book. Her curious eyes made it no mystery what her mind is focused on and her lips pursed in slight disapproval and utmost uncertainty. She usually would be more occupied on her books, her favourite: The Thirty-Six Stratagems…but because a certain dog demon so happen to be sharing the study room space—the subject matter changed. He sat at the opposite end closer to the veranda indulged in his own silence. The slight tousles of his silver tresses framed his structured jaw as his uncaring eyes scanned into the garden.

"Its rude to stare…"

"Well then, you can just think that I am looking upon you with admiration. The mind is only a matter of perception."

Sesshomaru lowered his gaze and side eyes the continental nine-tails who had travelled with her father, Yong Li, the celestial nine-tails of the Jade Fox clan, to the Western lands in an ally with his father. Her unfazed silver eyes caught his gaze yet did not falter. Strange girl. She is always wanting the last word and always trying to be so damn witty with her tongue. He did not feel the need to argue…to win with a few words meant nothing to him—besides the look of self-satisfaction she has on her face when she thinks she had won, he found to some sort of amusement. It was no news in the Western estates of the dog general that the two young heirs of the dog and fox respectively were at bitter odds, but as of recently the ambience has slightly taken an interesting change…

"Cat caught your tongue?" Tao Hua prods, smirking ear to ear. Sesshomaru tends to fall into a silent stare, his face stoic but Tao Hua had caught on to what seems to be his difficult expression. Cat did not catch his tongue. She did. Tao Hua picks up from where she left off from the book with her usual smugness.

Sesshomaru got up from his sitting position and leapt from the veranda into the garden. Leaving Tao Hua behind who took notice to it immediately and peeked up from her book. For the afternoon, finishing off on chapter three: attacking stratagems will be a stretch. More so, she had actually accidentally just 'stomped the grass to scare the snake' and instead of having the opposing side's intentions revealed, she had made an imprudent act and chased away her source of amusement. Tao Hua sighed and put down her book. Her steps led its way to the veranda and she looks around the garden to pinpoint the silver hair among the greens, the reds, pinks and blues.

…

Sesshomaru stared into the pond of swimming koi fishes. His eyes followed their darting movements and graceful twirls as they swam in circles, among circles, among circles—unable to escape the cycle. How pathetic…having other's control the outcome of your fate, he would never let anyone tell him what to do or influence his choices. He lives for himself and himself only.

In the reflection of the pond, the fox girl with the beautiful head of silk stares at him. Her sparkling silver eyes fails to be dulled from just being part of a reflection, always so self-content. He can only wonder what does she want now? While in her proximity all she wants to do it seems is to argue and win arguments, when he leaves she follows…what an utter pain.

"Sorry…I am not very good at making—friends."

"We are not friends."

"We are friend. If our fathers are allies, than we are allies. You said so yourself." Tao Hua bites back and twirls into a defensive stance with clenched fists, disrupting Sesshomaru from viewing the koi fishes in the pond. His faraway stare into the pond did not falter from her sudden erratic motion, instead under her intense stare he slowly moved his gaze onto her. He looks the age of a fourteen-year-old boy but exudes such maturity and regal stature far beyond his age.

"…Foolish…"

Tao Hua's hairpin of a cluster of blue jade butterflies jingled as she shook her head into a look of displeasure, "what did you say?!"

"I said foolish. Allies does not mean friends. We simply have common benefits or are both benefactors from the alliance. Nothing more."

"Well—Like I said, the mind is only a matter of perception."

"Then perceive whatever you want to perceive, fox. We are not friends."

The two young heirs stared down each other in the tranquility of the garden, their tension almost poetic among the first bloom of the flowers, the chirping of the newly born songbirds and the emerging blue and yellow butterflies.

"From the north the panther tribe are collecting their efforts to make a move down south to us. From the news I have collected, it seems they are trying to move through the west to the east and conquer the demons. Nearing the plains of Musashi Ryukotsusei the dragon demon is making his way to terrorize the plains. My lands and people will be affected by his disruption…" The dog general of the Western lands sat in his studies with his ally of the mainland, fox deity of the nine tailed fox jade clan, Yong Li. There were plenty of upcoming disagreements from each and every direction. Eliminating Hyoga of the Mongols was only the beginning of their troubles. The panther king and the panthers although were not at par with them when it came to power, they made up with their stealth and slyness. Ryukotsusei on the other hand is pure brute strength; even they might need to be a little more cautious about. "…Either way with my efforts alone I can still keep both parties at bay. The turmoil among the continent is no laughing matter. If this goes on as it is, the heavens might fall."

Yong Li exchanged an understanding glance with Touga, " the five-clawed dragon clan will not let us off easily, they are going to plan every means to have the nine-tail fox clan fall from Nuwa's favor. It is only a matter of time. With the way the elders of the clan and my wife deal with things I can only predict things will get worse."

Touga chuckled, "Your wife, she really takes matters into her reins doesn't she? I can see that in your daughter. Headstrong and determined."

Yong Li slightly shakes his head, "Ye Ju is sometimes too passionate, and too involved she works up everyone around her. She cannot lose. She cannot lose pride. I do not wish my daughter to lead the same road as her mother."

"At the least, your lady is too passionate…Sesshomaru's mother, tends to devoid herself of all feelings."

Yong Li smiles, "We can only accept them as they are."

Touga lets out another chuckle, "You are such an understanding man. My friend, for the time being I can deal with the circumstances here. You should return and assist your clan before matters worsen."

Yong Li lowered his head in a thought before he nodded in agreement. Touga had no intentions to exaggerate when he said the heavens might fall with the growing divergence between the dragons and the foxes. Unfortunately it starts with the Nuwa goddess's reliance on the nine-tailed foxes to do her dirty work and it ends with the dragons believing the foxes are conniving individuals only seeking for benefits and results all matters to ruthless actions.

"I will return once the situation turns towards a better outlook."

These years round he had tried to distant himself from the estates. Sure he had been very involved in each and every one of the battles among the West but he busied himself enough he hadn't need to engage in matters that had to do anything with the likes of his father's new human pet. Knowing how he is, the Inu no taisho let him come and go as he pleases but today in particular he made it clear he, Sesshomaru had to be apparent at the estate. In his loose garment of white and black armor he made himself at home sitting at the door ledge in view of the crescent moon. He closed his eyes momentarily as he felt the comfort of the gentle night breeze. A sudden draft of a distinct smell of peach blossoms caused him to open his heavily lash laced eyes and turn his head towards the fragrant air.

"Missed me…old friend?"

Beyond the opened room, stood someone he can barely recognize sauntering over through the veranda. Dressed in white in flights of red and pink, her garment flowed after her as if a 'celestial' ascends beyond a title and bestows effortless grace. Her long black quilt of silk hair draped past her hip and intricately symmetrically arranged where two clusters of jade peach blossoms and pearls decorated on each side of her head. They jingle softly into a song as she moved. As she stood in front of Sesshomaru with the moonlight illuminating her complexion, her blossoming into a young lady of fifteen is recognized as to her ignorant twelve-year-old self.

"What are you doing here?"

Tao Hua leaned in and smiles at an expressionless Sesshoumaru, "now, now, that is not how you greet your guest, now is it?" The handsome young dog demon stared back at the young fox's glowing flirtatious face…like all foxes she was using one of her best weapons—charm. However, nothing really fazes him.

"What are you doing here?"

Her porcelain, angelic face fell into a pout, "you just never grew out of being no fun, have you? Fu Qin and I are back to assist."

Sesshomaru furrowed his perfect brows, is this why his father told him to visit the estate tonight…over such triviality?

"We do not need your assistance, I, Sesshomaru am capable of handling all matters."

Tao Hua watched the young man in front of her. It was if he grew even more stoic, even colder, even more distant than before…if it were even possible. Something must have happened. It lit up the curious part of her, whereas before she would only see that he is acting like a stubborn and hostile individual. She had also never thought of it much before and frankly she has seen a lot of beautiful people…but this dog demon, she felt how frighteningly beautiful he is—like the clean cut of an honorable sword on bamboo. Enticing. Oddly satisfying. She couldn't help but stare.

"I am sure you are…Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru, I believe you have manners for our guests?" Touga's voice rumbled as he made everyone aware of his entrance. Following behind him is Yong Li, both as if they never aged a day from a century and a half ago.

"Yes, chichi-ue." He replies monotonously.

Tao Hua sat next to her father as their meeting commenced.

"Thank you for joining us again, Yong Li, Tao Hua …With this visit, we are on the brink of battle with Ryukotsusei and the panther tribe. We are hoping to have these enemies dealt with as soon as possible as they are terrorizing through the musashi plains and western borders. It is requiring a bit of our effort due to having two enemy fronts..."

"With Ryukotsusei we can think strategically between us Touga, I am sure since our children have matured they can effectively deal with the panther tribe. It might as well be a learning curve for them." Yong Li continued. Tao Hua can see Sesshomaru scoff at the mention of a 'learning curve'. For sure, he probably does have more experience on the battlefield than her, but she never berates her own instincts as to her inexperience. If they are doing this together, he will have to be a little more compromising. Then again…it isn't like they haven't dealt with the panther demon tribe together before.

Sesshomaru gets up from his position by the door; he turns his head back to stare straight at Tao Hua from his motion towards exiting.

"We leave first thing, tomorrow."

He then disappears into the night, without a trace.

"I apologize for my son…" Touga sighed before recovering into a smile, "…We have been distant."

"There is no need for the apology." Yong Li replied, unfazed and understanding of the situation.

"Tao Hua, I will have to inconvenient you."

Tao Hua looked away from where Sesshomaru had left and smiles at Touga, "not at all general." She wasn't going to walk in to rein a hostile wild dog. She knew better than to stir the pot like she used to. She is determined to return with a docile puppy. This was the biggest challenge yet…and it sounds rather entertaining.

Sure enough, first thing in the morning they were to head up northeast towards the panther tribe. Sesshomaru spared no time for nonsense.

Tao Hua watches him the whole way as they walked through bamboo groves to grass fields; the journey was so quiet…there was nothing else for her to do.

"So what's the plan?"

Tao Hua is replied with silence. She sighed. No harm in trying again.

"Sesshomaru, what is the plan?"

Silence.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Silence.

Tao Hua sighed and blocks Sesshomaru's passage to walk further. Hands on her hips.

"I am asking you what the plan is."

He exchanged his same stoic look with her slightly haughty gaze and says, "There is no plan." Then proceeds to walk past her.

"Wait, so we are going to walk in there and think we will come out victorious?" Tao Hua ran to catch up behind him.

"…I will be victorious."

Panther demons are known to be calculative and wily like cats, there is no way an open attack will be as easy as imagined. For all Tao Hua knew, the panthers were probably already calculating ten steps ahead of them in this situation. They can very much so be walking into an enemy trap at any given time.

"Look Sesshomaru, if we are allies and working in this together we need to have a mutual understanding of what is going on. This isn't an 'I' situation it is a 'we' situation."

"I work alone. You are simply tagging along."

Tao Hua stopped in her tracks. This proves to be more difficult than she imagined. She knows he is not a warm, welcoming person to start with…but something must have happened for him to act so much more bitter. He would never dare to show his idealized father disrespect before…but this time around he did not seem cautious. Everything is just business to him. Its as if he has something to prove.

"I thought we are allies. You said we are."

Although it was established before that they were not friends. Deep down Tao Hua did believe they had started a friendship.

Sesshomaru paused in his step, his silver hair flowing and glistening from the setting sun.

"You thought wrong."

By nightfall, Sesshomaru and Tao Hua continue on their silent journey. In the dead of a bamboo forest, the stars look even brighter and clearer than usual. Tao Hua trudges behind Sesshomaru as they make their way through the eerily peaceful grove. She suddenly stops in her tracks for a moment, her heart pounds in a sudden grave instinct.

"Wait…Sesshomaru stop. Something isn't right—" Before she can even finish almost over four hundred panther demons explodes out from under the ground and penetrates forward towards them viciously. Tao Hua immediately pulls out her combat daggers, just quick enough to deflect two consecutive blows.

"Got you this time!" cackles a shrill female voice as a fire mass starts the forest aflame. From the corner of her eye, Tao Hua can see Sesshomaru fighting off a few of the demons in quick effortless swoops while he tries to land damage on who she recognizes to be the ice panther, Toran.

"Well, looky, looky here. Not only do we have young Sesshomaru but we have the young fox joining us as well. It feels like it was just yesterday."

Tao Hua slashes through two more panther demons before bolting towards Toran with menace, "continue blabbing and I will make sure you won't see tomorrow!"

"ugh, ugh, ugh…your opponent is me. Little foxy." A short red headed panther demoness emerges with more fireballs aiming at Tao Hua. Barely dodging it, she throws a mass of lethal blade energy towards the petite red head panther demoness. However it misses and slashes down a row of bamboos.

"Karan, don't go easy on her. She was such an annoying little brat last time."

Trying to keep herself at bay from the incoming attacks, Tao Hua watches as a panther demoness with long red hair wearing a pink and green kimono and a big bulky male panther demon with dark hair gang up on Sesshomaru along with Toran.

Tao Hua hisses in pain as a bolt of fire hits her in the arm. She slices off her outer cloth of silk in an effort to save it from burning through and losing her under piece of garment.

"I told you to pay attention to me!"

Ignoring Karan she continues to advance towards Sesshomaru and fighting her way through the other demons. Sesshomaru had his energy whip, lashing tens of the smaller demons into pieces at a time. Toran, Shunran and Shuran had no mercy as they respectively attacked with thunderbolts, multiplying illusions and ice daggers. Just when Tao Hua though Sesshomaru can handle himself, through his confusion from Shunran's illusion Toran landed a vital attack with a ice dagger through his chest. He grunted out in pain as he whips at her. Missing.

Without a second thought Tao Hua catches Karan off guard as she turns around and abandons her dagger by throwing it to impale Karan to a bamboo tree. Unlike an ordinary dagger, the nine-tail infused energy heirloom sealed her to the tree as she screeches in agony.

"The little fox puts up more of a fight than we thought." Toran teases as her ice dagger transforms into a spear. Shuran throws a barrage of lightening towards Tao Hua and successfully disarms her on the floor. She winces in pain as she tries to crawl to her feet. The only way to come out victorious in this is to flee first. Although Sesshomaru did not show it on his face, the attack landed by Toran took a toll on him. His speed lacked the same sharpness and tact as to when he started out. To his disappointment he also is not able to fully transform into his true form yet therefore his only solution is to fight through with his advanced humanoid skills. His speed continues to wear down as Toran manages to slash him a few more times. Although the smaller demons were easy to handle, it wasn't a fair fight.

Tao Hua got to her feet to avoid the bolts of thunder coming at her. Before sending a barrage of purple energy balls towards Shuran. Through her dash towards Sesshomaru she created a few illusions of herself to generate confusion for the panthers as Sesshomaru lands a devastating whip on Shunran and sends her flying in a bloody mess and a piercing cry.

"We have to go and quick." Tao Hua huffs beside Sesshomaru as her tattered body leans behind him for support. Raising her remaining dagger in front of her in defense just as a few more small panther demons came at her.

"Hang on to me." Sesshomaru says, nodding in agreement. From the corner of her eye she can see Toran making her advances towards them. Just when Sesshomaru is prepared to make his dash into an escape Tao Hua grasps onto his mokomoko and turns to cradle her body against his backside as a barrage of daggers meant for Sesshomaru hits her. She chokes out a pool of blood as Sesshomaru makes his vigorous dash away from the bamboo grove at lightning speed with the last spurt of his strength. Tao Hua tries at the best of her current effort to hang on but her own grip was giving on her. This was beyond what she had ever fought like before. Those panther demons intended for the trap to exterminate and kill.

As the night breeze felt violent against her wounds Tao Hua felt herself slip way and …let go.

…

"…Momoka!"

…

Sesshomaru carries the limp body of the young celestial nine-tails in his arms. They were both in damaged states and needs care right away. More so the slim limp figure in his arms…beyond tattered from her original state when he saw her gracefully sauntering towards him with a mischievous little smile. Now she was burned and completely matted in blood. If only he was able to transform into his true form then…If only…He would then finish them off so quickly. He gritted his teeth in resentment at the thought of giving Toran satisfaction of seeing him in a wounded state. Seeing him in a fleeing state…

How could he not catch on to their plan earlier on? He had both of them falling right into their trap because of his misjudgment.

He growls under his breath as a thick cloud of apprehensive thoughts circles his mind.

He treads towards Mount Kiyome where his father had told him about the hot springs of healing is located. Thankfully they were near the area. He will not report to his father with a casualty of his ally's daughter over his head. He will not.

He looks down at her peaceful expression and lets out a sullen sigh. She wanted a plan…

Sesshomaru treads into the caves, as the dense smell of sulfur begins to grow stronger and stronger. The cave's walls glows an ethereal blue as he travels deeper and deeper into the cave and soon arrives at a large pool of azure water behind a rounded stonewall.

'I thought we are allies. You said we are.'

The young inu daiyokai follows the natural stone steps down into the glowing azure water with Tao Hua held in a bridal position. Her matted black silk hair fans out in the water and gradually bits of crimson disperse into the liquid.

Tao Hua groans as she feels the intense aches in her body, she bats her lashes as she groggily pinch her eyes open. She lifts her heavy pale arm up letting steaming drips of water slide from her fingertips and causing her to furrow in a state of confusion. Where is she? What happened to her?

From a distance she can make out a broad figure with draping silver hair…his pale upper back, bare and dripping with steaming water. He turns his head to look back at her nonchalant as ever.

"You are awake."

Tao Hua's silver eyes stare into the young demon's deep pool of gold. In her groggy mindset they were almost drawing her in, enticing her…hypnotizing her.

"Did I pass out?" She croaks as she adjusts herself in the water, satisfied with the effect it had on her body. Although the wounds were still there and aching, she was no longer bleeding and faint.

"It couldn't be helped. You took a lot of damage…" Sesshomaru replied, making his way towards her. She tilts her head with a smirk as she plays with the water at her fingertips. Was he justifying her sign of weakness for her? How amusing…

"…These springs are within the Mount Kiyome, they will help us with our healing while we come up with a plan." He finishes, as he looks into the distance.

Plan?

Was this his way of saying he was wrong? Did he feel regretful for what happened to her?

"Sesshomaru…" Tao Hua grazes her fingers across his fair arm. His gaze falls on her again as she continues to speak, "…I admit I am lacking in battle but I am not a tag-a-long nor am I a liability."

A long silence immerses the two younglings. Their intense gaze refusing to break away.

"I know…" His low voice rung, cutting the intensity but not his gaze, "…so stop trying to pull heroics—it is not needed." She knew he was referring to her latching onto him from the back and taking the blows whereas she could have easily held on from the front and stayed unharmed.

She lifted her perfect willow brow and leans in as close as possible, their nose would have touched if it were not for the evident height difference. She tilts her head and chuckles.

"Have you forgotten? I am a fox. If I did not do as I did, my chances of survival would have been much lower if you had taken the hit and surely would not have the amount of energy to play out our escape. I know my facts Sesshomaru and I choose to play my cards strategically…" Tao Hua watches Sesshomaru's blank expression as she continues, amusement brimming her face, "…Right about now, Karan is still brutally and securely impaled in the forest with my nine treasure dagger, sadly lost but is serving its purpose. Then there is the egoistic mind of Toran and her other little minions who witnessed how awfully helpless and at the brink of death I was as you dashed away with my tattered body on your back…they must be thinking they will have a sure win when they find us—" her devious smirk slowly morphs into an appearance of wide innocent brimming hopeful eyes, "—The mind is only a matter of perception…right?"

His facial expression may seem as stoic as always, but the way she saw his eyes widen the slightest she knew she had enlightened something in his mind.

Ye Ju – Momoka's mother's name, meaning night chrysanthemum in mandarin chinese.

[Author's Note]

It has been awhile since I updated, my apologies to my readers who has been following me. It took me awhile to collect my thoughts and figure out the direction I want the story to go...most importantly, working out properly. I really want to be able to have the character development transitions to be natural. Might I say Sesshomaru is such a difficult one…but just oh so interesting to portray. Please do send me lots of reviews as I do want feedback on how readers are perceiving the story. I did come back having an appetite to write this because I thought there was a lack of original characters like Momoka. I really want to be able to bring a character like her to readers and have them experience her transitions and journey. Thank you all for reading chapter 6, please review/follow/favorite!