Purity
Purgatory
Maybe it was the subtle way he angled himself or maybe it was in the way his eyes narrowed just slightly when regarding him, either way, Hinata couldn't help but notice that no matter how irritated Seshoumaru got with Inochi, he seemed to favor him greatly over the dark haired man. Shibou was a peculiar being with strange sayings and tranquil prayer leading them onward through the fog but the two silver haired men paid him no heed. Seemingly too used of the random inputs that Shibou would provide.
Hinata however found it amusing, their bickering solidified her assumption that they were brothers, Inochi was another matter all together, a true wild man clearly not raised in the strict up bringing of a clan or any other form of etiquette. Yet at the same time he attained a gruff kindness that emanated the same kind of feeling she experienced with Kiba and on the other hand Sesshoumaru was collected almost rigid in his control but that steadiness could also be gentle and calming. All together these men made for some interesting traveling companions.
"You're getting slow in your old age, Sesshoumaru!" The once Hanyou barked with a wicked gleam and for some reason it made Hinata giggle discreetly behind her hand.
Reminding her of a hyper active knucklehead and a warm ruffian teammate all in the same breathe. Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched, the only sign of agitation he would provide, his intense gaze narrowed in on the faraway look in reminiscent irises.
Hinata was naturally a quiet being that kept to herself but her silent observation was disconcerting to say the least. The demon for some reason felt very weary of her innocent glances toward half of his half brother (technically speaking here).
The true Inuyasha not the now proclaimed Inochi, in Sesshoumaru's mind anyway, seemed equally interested in his young counterpart. This was the first time since their unification that Sesshoumaru could not read her or feel her, it was as if her soul had wondered somewhere else and he couldn't help but think it was the stinking dog eared mutt's fault!
The way his ears would perk up every time Hinata would giggle or the way he answered her smile so eagerly, it was if he were reduced to a curious smitten pup. And it waz driving Sesshoumaru crazy! What was happening here?! For some reason the Lord of the Wests was, at this moment, missing a certain reincarnated soul that protected the felicity of the mortal afterlife. 'Where was a goddess when you need one?' He thought in dry irony.
His Father, bless his soul, would be rolling in his grave if he could see him right now, jealous over a meek little human, hardly containing the urge to pummel his half brother into oblivion. All sense of pride and common sense left the building completely when around this beguiling creature. For the first time in his life, Sesshoumaru had another odd urge to smack his forehead in frustration and grumble just as his father had when he realized he buried himself too deep with human Princess.
That was so many year ago, back when he was still a prideful hateful Lord of War, cold and unforgiving with no regard for beings less powerful than he. Thinking his was becoming a senile fool in his obsession over a filthy insignificant human. Tarnishing their pure powerful clan line and deep seeded traditions. Inutasisho could no longer be named a war lord, ruler of the Western Lands. Bringing Shame onto the Family he fought so hard to preserve.
Days of his passing blew by in an angry blur, his mother reduced to a bitter harpy that retreated to the shadows to lick her wounds her husband left behind. At the time, he thought her pathetic and cowardly, leaving him to the civil war that broke loose, the very one his father carved in his wake.
Where as the spawn created in the affair was born into a world with no responsibility for a nation or the blood of countless other nations staining his blade having the freedom to go wherever he pleased. Sesshoumaru once had a passing thought of letting his Youkai takeover completely letting claws replace hands, fur replace skin and letting instinct takeover humane thought.
And just become a mindless monster with no real purpose but to feed and consume. Later on he almost had lost himself when he found that his father left one of the strongest blades ever made in the hands of a half breed! Driving him into a madness that nearly took his mind, one of the very few times he were reduced to the beast within, ones true form is ones choice. His whole life he had slaved for his Fathers approval, worked himself to near death just to prove his strength, went months without feeding to prove his control.
To prove that he deserved to wield the Tessaiga.
Instead he had gotten written off for a human wench and her pathetic whelp! Left with a useless enraging sword that had the power to incapacitate and bend him to its will.
The will to heal of all bloody things.
He didn't understand his Fathers last inquest for someone to protect and further didn't understand his reasoning's to abandon them in the first place, Were they so worthless?
Of course it had taken him a few millennia to truly forgive his father and accept his half brother as an equal, with the help of a human child, his addled mind was slowly put at ease, for a short time. He had found his heart was not just another organ and finding a self forgiveness that he never even had the capacity to detect before made his eyes look at things differently. But time, an unrelenting ruthless force that it is, took it away. With no real will to succumb to the shame of taking his own life, Sesshoumaru instead only sealed his physical body and power within his land.
Hoping to find some kind of peace in world without Rin.
It had taken him this long to stand by Inuyasha with no real intent to kill or maim, it had taken him this long for him to accept Rin was dead and there was no way for them to to be together again. And it had taken him this long to be granted this angelic vixen to be brought into his life in Purgatory.
Sesshoumaru was a great many things but he was no fool, he knew a second chance when he saw one.
And it took him about five seconds to decide that he wanted to kill his dear little brother for looking at her the wrong way. All equality and passed lives aside, what was his was his.
But there was nothing he could do about his predicament without looking like an utter fool! There was a high probability he was just imagining things, knowing full well his little brothers bond with a mortal soul that defied the laws of time, knowing his loyalty to his reincarnated priestess was nothing to sneer at, surpassing their Father in strength when only being a half breed proved his will to keep her safe. Inuyasha finding the true meaning to Tessaiga's power long before Sesshoumaru could even contemplate it.
But he still couldn't help but watch in a hopeless anger when Hinata openly peered at the pink sparkling jewel around Inochi's neck, blushing at his inviting grin, beckoning her a little closer.
"You're pendant is beautiful." She stated reverently, entranced by the glow of purity emanating steadily from it. His clawed fingertips clutched at it delicately and he grinned wolfishly showing off his fangs in a self confidence that she could only dream to possess. Naturally she was drawn to this gruff handsome man with a smile that reminded her so much of home.
"This is the Shikon no Tama, the purest form of the Jewel of Four Souls, its my job to protect it." He stated solidly with a fierce glint, his golden gaze darkened remembering the tragedy this tiny trinket left in its wake. The war between mortal and immortal alike waged for so long there was no way it could be safe in the realm where demon and human could thrive. Where a physical host could once again be possessed lured by the seductive call of ultimate power.
He glanced back at the tranquil girl, and Inuyasha couldn't help but be drawn to the magnanimity aura radiating off of her in waves. He had never in his years seen anybody so guileless and genuinely sweet, yet her taught shoulders and near silent foot steps told him otherwise. The way she smiled reminded him subtly of his precious Kagome, but it was in her mannerisms and silent but powerful way she held herself retained a cherished memory of a dear old friend, a warrior with the strut of a poised lady. It was Sango and his Mother he was seeing when she laughed, strange, but Inuyasha has endured stranger.
Hinata, oblivious to his musings and incessant staring, completely out of the loop when Sesshoumaru stiffened even further still she glanced pointedly at Shibou.
"Soo does he protect that Shikon jewel too?" Upon her question Inochi gestured for Shibou to come closer, the relationship between the two was unearthly almost unnatural in its compatibilism, Hinata felt an odd commodity come over her feeling two of the same chakra signature surrounding her.
Night and Day, Life and Death.
Inochi delicately fingered the deep black violet of the defiled jewel of his other half, the one moment in time forever frozen in hate and betrayal.
"No." Inochi answered solemnly the dark gem forever twisting in a lethal storm of hate and anger, his two personal companions for most of his earthbound life.
"Shibou protects my human heart." He stated listlessly, forever cursed with the choice he made to betray the woman he loved so long ago.
Tens of thousands of years passed and his human heart still called out to her, the frozen heart at his fingertips pulsed in the warm familiarity of a human soul that was so gentle he didn't need to ask the why's and the what's to his brothers sudden intense attachment to this human girl. For he understood more than anyone the complexities of a human female and how their softness can intoxicate and bring forth an instinct that most demons do not possess.
The instinct to claim and protect, but it was his feeble mortal heart that wasn't strong enough to withstand the insecurities and mistrust making it beat to the sweet song of betrayal. A human heart so easily swayed by the whispers of a stranger.
The Broken defiled heart that would always belong to Kikyo.
Outskirts of Konoha:
Shikamaru gave himself a full six hour head start before the duo following him could wake up. Knowing he should be rushing back to the village with all the intel he had obtained on Orochimaru and his experiments but having no will or energy to do so, instead, he just bounded through the trees at a leisurely pace. Admiring the Fire Country Forest that surrounded him, today was at its optimal weather with the perfect amount of overcast to keep the Shadow nin busy for hours.
The wild life around him buzzed with life the noises taking his mind elsewhere, to a place faraway than where he was now leaping through the very same place him and his specialized teammate took countless times, it was like reliving those moments of relief and joyous feeling of being welcomed home.
They made it home.
Shikamaru imagined for the sake of his homecoming, he imagined an agile blunette nymph sprinting through the long limbs of the giant trunks. She would smile that smile of hers and glow with the satisfaction of a complete mission sharing her moment of quiet triumph with him.
Shikamaru smiled in return but it slowly slipped into a grimace when her mirage faded away into emptiness.
The feeling of homecoming left with her.
It felt different now, more like he was walking to his grave, alone and bitter with nothing else to loose.
A haunting scream filled his ears and he nearly crashed to the forest floor, a startled yell bellowed through the leaves before Shikamaru landed clumsily in the murky greenery below. His shaky ragged breaths rang through his ears as he clutched at his head painfully. It was just as before, loosing someone so close and not being able to do anything, the power to save her ripped from his grasp.
'Once the transformation is complete, or even if she survives, she won't be human anymore.'
Sasuke's voice a painful, unwanted, reminder.
Was he ready to face that? Could he face that?
He peered down at his bruised arms still feeling the phantom of Hinata as she thrashed and struck with all her might. It was just one more time he had failed her, the one last time he couldn't step up to the plate because he wasn't strong enough, at least, that's what he's lead himself to believe.
It was the last time, he could feel it in his bones, he lost her before he even had a chance to have her.
Looking up at the sky hoping to drift away with the warm summer breeze, envy like no other of the clouds that floated in his atmosphere. Sighing he closed his eyes and leaned back, upon opening them a pale face abruptly blocked his view with a stern frown, the ones she gave when he had naps at inappropriate times on important missions.
Shikamaru blinked once, twice, nope Hinata was still there with her hands on her hips.
Yup, he knew it, he was going crazy.
"Shikamaru, if you drag you're feet we'll never make it to the dango shop in time!" His lazy gaze widened for a split second before he burst into unexpected laughter, he held his abdomen in attempt to contain it but he kept laughing harder. The heartfelt sounds lowered into awkward hiccups until it turned into choked sobs, his rib cage ached with every heave. Fresh tears rolled down his cheeks in a steady stream his anguish palpable as he curled into himself and shook painfully in the effort to quiet his cries. Something akin to chains gripped his heart and he honestly thought he was going to die from the sheer weight of his grief for Hinata, a Chidori to the chest would have been preferable than this.
The forest reacted in kind, for he was going to be the protector of these forests very soon.
The birds grew quiet around him, time seemed to stop for a moment and all that could be heard was Shikamaru's broken voice through the trees.
A great Guardian that could only be summoned under the most mysterious of circumstances calmly and silently sauntered toward the Shadow Shinobi. his antlers so great and dense that his every movement was elongated and graceful. .
His steps unnaturally silent but he knew the future Nara patriarch could sense him nonetheless.
Bending down to gently nudge the crumpled man in the dirt, he pushed out his chakra and could still feel a soft presence around Shikamaru that he absolutely refused to let go of. With another gentle nudge he pressed his muzzle against a damp face and felt a gruff hand return the gesture of comfort.
And he let the Shinobi cry.
The soft presence flickering in strength as Shikamaru's emotions eradicated, obviously there was a connection here that could not be broken by the hands of time. But where had it originated from? It was faint but subtle enough to affect the exhausted young man into a near delusional state, his chakra system unstable and dark mourning a presence that was in between the mortal and immortal.
It had been jut as their first meeting, a familiar lighter buried in the dirt.
The Guardian gathered his chakra and passed a seal to his master, it was a seal only animal nin could preform, closing his deep knowing eyes he transferred his strength into the broken spirited body of the troubled Shinobi before him.
Just a shell, or even just a shadow of a man.
Shikamaru snapped his eyes open in shock when a surge of energy glowed within him powerfully, the impact of the transfer jutsu knocking the breath out of him. With the power came a flow of hope and determination that he honestly thought he lost in the cross fire of war and being heir to a vital clan line in a pure Shinobi village.
A smooth imminent voice filled his surroundings in resounding echo's.
"You mustn't give up so soon, my young master."
Shikamaru could only stare back in teary eyed disbelief as the Guardian lowered his gaze to match his in recognition's.
"There is still something you must do."
Borders of Kiri:
A shadowy pair silently materialized in the deep depths of a murky forest. A crimson gaze landed nonchalantly on his strange companion, obviously the boy was young, most likely a few years younger than he but there was something about his violet eyes that were just eerily empty set the off the Uchiha in a very wrong way. This was an experiment Sasuke did not want to mess with.
Having already argued with Kabuto over the problem, for longer than needed, Sasuke had no say in the matter he had a new partner whether he liked it or not. Observing the strange young man who was, thankfully, silent thru their whole travels and doing his part seamlessly with no interference. The lone Uchiha still couldn't help but feel a strong dislike toward the violet haired, whatever he was, the little brat was smug but alarm bells were going oef constantly in the avengers brain as if he were being threatened never ceased to pass. He wasn't human even before the experiment was subjected, Sasuke was sure, so far he was the one of the very few that survived the curse mark not including the corpses of children or corpses or exceptional Shinobi. Or was he even alive to begin with?
Sasuke wasn't sure with all the walking corpses and undead around anymore. With a subtle pang, he missed the great walls of Konoha and the living normal beings that didn't speak in creepy riddles and didn't smell of rotting flesh.
Sasuke shrugged the feeling off with ease and followed his partner thru the dense fog, the boy was abnormally fast effortlessly gliding ahead of Sasuke when normally nobody could have a dream of a chance of keeping up with the Sharingan user. But here he was, running full tilt and the boy acted as if they were taking a nice stroll through the woods, the action causing the Uchiha to be in hyper alert.
But it honestly took a lot of effort to be paranoid so that too, Sasuke shrugged off, it was obvious his partner had more important things to worry about than the Uchiha behind him. Sasuke would simply return the favor, their speed reduced to a steady pace as they neared the main traveled road that connected to most countries. It was going to be quite some time before they even ran into a check point but they had no real time limit to their mission so there was no real need to waste their chakra just to keep going at the mind numbing speed.
Their mission was simpe, it was obtain and apprehend all subjects that have been placed under the curse mark, all survivors anyway. And to eliminate anything and anyone that got in their way, they had already infiltrated the town of Kiri and easily found the creep subjects, there were a lot more than Sasuke anticipated. So far he has only been bringing them in two maybe four at a time if he was lucky. But as his partner preformed a summoning jutsu he was morbidly surprised to find this was a much larger pack of twenty three very dangerous men, a stench of something not human permeated the air.
The Sanin and the War Lord must have been able to enhance the effects and make the mark less life threatening to the human body. The men before him seemed to be more alert and able to control their blood thirst more thoroughly. 'The experiments are beginning to be successful.' Sasuke thought with a slight grimace.
Instead of having to guide them back to the castle they had just had to provide coordinates and they were on their merry way. At this rate Orochimaru's so called indestructible army would be complete much sooner than the Avenger anticipated.
This was not good but there was nothing he could do about it now, Sasuke would just have to switch his tactics around, perhaps his partner was more useful than he first thought.
"Hakudoshi is it?" The boy simply tilted his head in Sasuke's direction.
"Once we've reached the Leaf you better stay out of the way." Sasuke purposefully testing him.
The boy just smiled crookedly and faced him cockily with his nose in the air.
"Petty mortal think you have the power to intimidate me." He chuckled pleasently, materializing before the Raven with an arrogant glint, Sasuke almost smiled as the air shifted around them chakra's clashing in the air preparing for battle. Like he was going to let this kid get him all riled up, he grep up with a world renowned knuckle head.
Foolish Boy.
However he stood frozen in his indifference when Hakudoshi uttered his next sentence.
"Lord Jajuka has sent me on a very special mission." Flashing his weapon in arrogance, "I have been sent to destroy your precious little Leaf Village." HIs voice cheery and reverent for such an honour.
"He says he's expecting a few old friends to show up and join the fun."
The seconds passed electrically as an impending Chidori chirped through the air. Tomoe's of a second stage Sharingan spun dangerously penetrating deep into the azure storm of violet demonic eyes.
This was only the beginnings of a Shibobi World War.
The Purity in that fact was not lost on the battle worn Uchiha.