A/N: where we last left off, Sesshomaru and Getsu had taken a field trip to the underworld in order for Sesshomaru to train more with the new technique of Tensaiga called "Meido Zangetsuha". this chap holds a little surprise visit so i'll shut up now and let you read. enjoy~

(also on a side note, the title for this chap came from the song "Kimi ga Inai Mirai" by Do As Infinity (i know, original.. just go with it.))

disclaimer: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.

Chapter 37: Flying - A Future Without You

'If we meet with her again, we're not telling her about what happened to Rin.'
'No, it's best to not tell her. Knowing her, she'll most likely maim the both of us for letting it happen.'

She frowned slightly at the oncoming sun, watching him rouse the girl so they could continue their journey.

The sooner they got up and kept moving, the better it was to keep the shard pure; or at least that's how he put it...

"Well it smells like someone's gotten stronger." A familiar light voice sounded, perking her ears and almost making him freeze in fixing the halters on the dragon.

She turned about sharply to see her sister's soft blue eyes lock on her silver stare; she grinned toothily, arms folded behind her head.

"Yo." She winked.

"Kori," he began in surprise.

"Kori-onee!" The girl hopped off the dragon's back to throw herself at her babysitter, making her yelp as the force of her throw made both of them fall into the grass before she laughed. "Kori-onee, you're here!" She cried.

Korihime grinned happily and giggled. "'Course I am, where else would I be?" She replied, hugging the girl tight in a bear-hug.

So that must be her sister, the boy mused, finding himself smiling at the happy reunion.

"I thought Mr. Arrogant was keeping you on a leash." Getsu smirked as the two girls sat up before the child stood and helped her babysitter to her feet; both she and her mate picked up on the scent of a claimed female easily.

"Nah, not really. To be honest, it's the other way around." She shrugged innocently, pink coloring her cheeks. "I just felt like visiting. Not that I doubt it would put a damper on things," she mused, looking at her brother-in-law for some sort of confirmation.

Sesshomaru smirked knowingly at her, rolling his eyes. "Of course it wouldn't." He sort of tilted his head to the side as he looked at her. "I think you stretched another two inches. Height-wise, anyway." He mused thoughtfully.

Korihime blinked before she smiled in the same manner. "Did Getsu brain you or something while I was gone? Ya still look the same as ever, nii-san… Still a tight-ass." She muttered the last bit.

A vein twitched on his brow at her comment as his mate snickered. "It's not funny, Getsu." He scolded.

Getsu grinned innocently, kissing his cheek. "I haven't the slightest idea of what you're referring to, darling." She squeezed his hand gently before moving closer to her sister to hug her. "It's good to have you back, Kori." She added.

Korihime smiled and hugged her tight before letting her pull away. "I might stay longer than expected; Koga can use the rest, anyway. Besides, it feels like I missed out on some things." She shrugged innocently and smiled again, looking at the newest face added to their party. "I remember you; you were traveling with that priestess… Kohaku, right?" She asked, stepping away from her sister.

He nodded, smiling a little at the memory. "Yeah. It's nice to meet you." He replied.

She smiled kindly, nodding. "Likewise; I guess you could tell from all the excitement that I'm Korihime, Getsu's little sister." She laughed sheepishly.

"Yeah, Rin's told me a lot about you." He chuckled.

"Has she now?" She wondered curiously, looking at the aforementioned girl as she trotted forward; she smiled and stooped to offer a piggy-back ride, letting her on before standing. "No wonder I kept sneezing!" She whined, scrunching up her face and making the girl laugh.

Getsu smiled at the sight, lifting her arms to put her hair up in a ponytail. We're a pack again, she thought proudly.

Sesshomaru looked at the happy expression on her pretty face and couldn't help but smile for her, tugging on her sleeve. "Let's go." He declared, seeing her nod, before walking away.

"Shake a leg, pup." Korihime said when seeing her sister and brother-in-law heading out, trotting after them carrying a happy Rin on her back, with a scurrying imp leading Ah-Un carrying Kohaku by the reins.

::::::oOo::::::

He was being grumpier than normal.

Even with Korihime back for as long as she wished to remain with them, that had only lightened his mood for a couple of days before he seemed to get into some sort of frump that made him moody.

Of course this scared the imp, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect on the children, which didn't surprise her.

She wasn't as leery as the imp was of his suddenly grumpy-moody stage, but it did have her concerned for his well-being and sanity.
It was probably because of his Meido; it had become a large oval shaped void, but it wasn't a full moon like Totosai had told him it should look like.

'You'll get there, you'll be able to master Meido Zangetsuha; I know you will…'

I know he will; he has to, she thought, looking at the way the sun bounced off his silver hair and made it look white.

A soft growl came from her sister, jerking her from her thoughts; she followed her sister's tensed blue stare to see a strange child stood to the side of their path. Her eyes sharpened as she noticed that the child didn't have eyes, instead hollow black sockets; she bristled and lowered her hand to the hilt of her katana.

"Lord Sesshomaru, do you want to know the secret of your sword? Do you wish to know what the Tensaiga is lacking?" The child asked in a monotone voice.

He almost snorted; was this child trying to make a fool of him? "You're going to tell me what Tensaiga is lacking... really?" He wondered sardonically.

"Yes, I'm sure it must trouble you greatly. The fact that Tensaiga's Meido has yet to achieve a complete circle." The stranger replied.

His Meido hasn't turned into a full circle yet? The youngest of the trio wondered with a slight tilt of her head, looking at her brother-figure.

"How dare you!?" The imp squawked.

He growled. "Silence, Jaken."

The imp squeaked and looked fearful; the blue-haired female sweatdropped and pat his head slightly.
His mate continued to stare at the child cautiously, slightly bristling.

"If you wish to learn more, it'd be wise to follow me, Lord Sesshomaru." The child declared over his shoulder, leading them onward.

The blue-haired female snorted. "You're not serious…" She grumbled, perking up as he followed the child. "Nii-san?"

Her sister trotted after him until she was at his side again. "Sesshomaru," she began.

"You won't flee even if I order you to do so." He didn't question her.

She lowered her gaze and nodded, her silver eyes determined when she looked up at his gold stare. "You know I won't." Even though this has all the stink of a trap, she thought, inwardly bristling. "And besides, we're stronger together; you know that." She added, smirking wryly.

He smirked a little and nodded, sighing. "That we are." He mused quietly, his inner demon humming at being corrected by the spunky she-wolf he had grown to love. Of course if they were more… naïve in their relationship, he'd be snapping at her like he used to long ago. But they weren't.

"The child disappeared!" The boy declared, slightly surprising the girl and imp.

The sound of an attack being unleashed came from above.
"Shit," her sister growled as she leaped at the oncoming violet orb that screamed at where they stood, katana flying from the scabbard she pulled from her side. "Divine…" She blinked as the attack seemed to gain momentum as she reached it. Damn it!

"Idiot," he snatched her out of the way with a growl and his arm around her waist, making her yelp in surprise at his sudden lunge as he skidded to a halt short of crashing into the rocky surface of the peak.

"Sesshomaru," she began, perking her ears as they both watched the attack crash into the thin bridge their party were on. "Kori!" She barked.

The aforementioned she-wolf grabbed onto the reins of the dragon, scrambling onto his back as the two children had already beaten her to it, looking over at her sister and nodding. "We're okay!"

A bristle rippled down his spine as he looked up at the tallest point of the peak and saw two figures standing there, one of them the child that had led them into the rocks (almost literally). "There you are; Getsu, hold onto me." He drew Tensaiga as his mate obeyed and bunched her hands in his kosode and stole fur. "Meido Zangetsuha!" He sent the large oval void at a higher point of the peak than where he and his mate were, hoping to bring the two down.

"Y'know, Jaken, I just might owe you an apology for doubting." Korihime muttered as she held the reins of the dragon with the girl sitting infront of her and the boy at her back, the imp clinging to the chain of his sickle before scrambling onto the dragon's saddle.

"I see you deliberately aimed at my footing; are you so desperate to learn the secret of Tensaiga that you'd willingly walk into a trap, Sesshomaru?" A snide voice wondered, making both daiyokai look to see the voice was owned by a man clad in black and patches of gray and white; no scratch that… This man wasn't a man but a yokai of some sort… if Getsu had to guess, he was some type of oni.

He bristled again and almost growled, letting his mate slip out of his grip as they both dropped to the ground and he glared up at the snide yokai.

"And what the hell gives you the right to talk, ogre?" His sister-in-law snapped bitingly, gripping the reins of the dragon.

"I don't care who you are, now tell me how you know about Tensaiga." He snapped coldly as his mate placed the scabbard back in its place at her hip and kept her Mangetsuga in hand.

"Because once long ago, I faced it in battle." The she-wolf's eyes sharpened in something like surprise. "Although back then it looked nothing like it does, now: when I fought against your father, that sword had a different form." He smirked snidely at the visible bristle his explanation gained from the son of that old dog.

The younger she-wolf's eyes widened alertly.

"Against Father?" He spat out.

He fought against the Inu no Taisho? She wondered in surprise before her eyes narrowed. That's not possible; he couldn't be more than at least five centuries old! Unless he is older, but in order to fight against Sesshomaru's father he'd have to be at least nine centuries or even one thousand years old… He's clearly an oni, I can smell that stink a mile away… How could an oni live so long without being slain? And furthermore, how in hell would an oni know so much about Tensaiga: they usually aren't very bright, so how did he catch on so quickly to the Meido Zangetsuha?

Whatever the case was, it was starting to piss her off beyond the point of being irritated.

He leaped at the peak where the oni stood, shattering his footing with the toxins in his claws alone.

"Kori, stay with Ah-Un; I'll signal you for help. Got it?" She instructed as she leaped into the air to hover near the dragon, looking to her sister then glancing at the trio that were her fellow riders.

"Right!" She nodded.

"Getsu-onee, please be careful." The girl child requested, meeting her silver eyes with slight worry.

She smiled warmly and nodded to her, glancing at the boy. "Keep her safe." She added, seeing him nod slightly before she looked at the oni, gripping the hilt of her heirloom fang.

Let's do this, Mangetsuga, she thought, smirking faintly as her aura spiked and then flared slowly.

"Your tactics amuse me! You fight without your sword in order to learn its secrets? You underestimate me… A deadly mistake!" A wider violet orb sailed at him when the oni swung his staff.

A wide arc of blue-green energy screamed at the orb, the two attacks meeting and then imploding sharply, sending dust flying into the air.

His gold eyes sharpened slightly when his mate's blade clashed with the front of the staff in a silent lunge, sparks flying when metal clashed against metal.

The oni gritted his teeth and growled, digging his feet into the peak he stood on. "You missed."

"I won't explain why I did miss because a bastard like you would never understand my reason: I don't know what kind of grudge you have against Sesshomaru, but don't think I'm just going to sit and let you kill him!" She thundered, forcing him away with her sheer aura alone, said aura emanating from her petite body and forming a lilac-colored glow around her.

He swung the staff at her; she ducked before sending a jet of blue fire at him from her foot, forcing him back again.
"You overly-confident mongrel brat, know your place!" He sent a large orb at her; she leaped out of the way in time, perking her ears as the orb turned into a Meido void when it crashed into one of the peaks behind her.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened alertly at seeing the large Meido void. The Meido…!

"The Meido was a complete moon!" Korihime breathed as they had dodged the oncoming void at the last second, watching air blow through the crater the void had created in the peak.

"Getsu, get away from him! Now!" Sesshomaru ordered alertly, hearing a growl rip from his mate's throat before the 'klang' of steel meeting steel hummed in the dusty air. "Getsuei!"

Getsu bristled and fought a cringe at his usage of her full name, glaring into the violet eye of the oni. "Your Meido, how the hell did you do that?" She demanded frigidly.

He huffed and shoved his weight against her, practically tasting the irritation that laced her lilac aura that flared wildly around her. "That is none of your business!" He shoved her off the peak, sending another void at her.

"Divine Barricade!" She connected the katana's hilt with the scabbard quickly: an oval-esque barrier formed infront of her, blocking the would've-been critical attack in time.

He sent another void and another, forcing her to drop down and land nimbly next to her mate. "Damn," she muttered.

"You fool, what the hell were you thinking? You would've been swept into the underworld!" He snapped, worry and anger making his face look paler than normal.

She pouted and sighed, glaring up at the oni. "You can scold me later, after we deal with him." She declared patiently, her patient tone making his inner demon hum annoyedly.

An annoyed growl thundered in his chest as he nodded begrudgingly: she was so going to get it when this was over, that much he was assured of!

'He always sounds much more handsome when he's like that,' her inner demon purred; she rolled her eyes and sent it a warning growl, watching the oni land on a rock infront of the Meido crater the male daiyokai had created earlier.

"I'll have you know the Meido Zangetsuha was originally my technique." The oni stated proudly to the two stony-faced daiyokai. "That's right, it was mine until your father stole it from me; he took it along with my face!" He removed the half-masque from the left side of his face, revealing the left side of his face was missing.

Sesshomaru snorted. "From what you've said, you've summoned me here not to reveal a secret, but to whine about your technique being stolen, and your face being destroyed!"

"Only one practitioner is needed for each technique especially considering Tensaiga is an incomplete blade!" He swung the staff at the two daiyokai, sending a void flying at them.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" The girl exclaimed.

They both dodged in time, the void crashing into a peak and creating a crater in the rock.

"Well, what's the secret?" Sesshomaru demanded sharply.

The oni sneered and placed his masque back on. "Still curious, even as you approach your death?"

"Very well, since it appears that you have no intention of answering me, then you're no longer needed!" Getsu ducked behind him as he sent a Meido void at the oni.

He simply stood where he was with the staff poised vertically in hand, "Sesshomaru, your Meido is unnecessarily large and malformed: you'll never be able to create a complete Meido like I can!" He sent a void at his larger one; both daiyokai perked up alertly as the smaller void ate up his larger one.

"It ate up his void!" The blue-haired female declared in awe before frowning. Damn it, now we're in trouble, she thought, reaching for her quiver.

"Sesshomaru!" The hanyou exclaimed from a ledge overhead, signaling the arrival of his pack.

He sent him a steely look. InuYasha… His inner demon growled.

"Shishinki!" The flea vassal Myoga exclaimed shrilly, perking her ears.

"Kohaku, take the reins," Korihime instructed, tossing the reins to the boy before leaping down and landing nimbly next to the hanyou. "Is that the name of that guy, Myoga?" She asked, looking at the tiny insect demon on his master's shoulder.

"Oi, how'd you get here? I thought you were living with that idiot wolf boy," the aforementioned hanyou asked, looking at her confusedly.

"I'll explain later. Myoga, who is he? Both Getsu and I can tell he's an oni, but…" She began.

"Shishinki was an ogre of death who was defeated by Master InuYasha's father many, many years ago! He was a fierce opponent if I recall." The flea explained, perking her ears.

If he was defeated by the Inu no Taisho then how in hell is he still living? Anyone who was defeated by him died! Getsu wondered, glaring at the newly-christened oni Shishinki and gritting her teeth.

If he's that fierce of a fighter then Sesshomaru might have just bitten off more than he can chew, Korihime mused grimly, reaching for her quiver and placing an arrow in her bow.

"Is that the old flea, Myoga? I wasn't sure until now, but if you're here too then there can be no mistake!" He swung the staff sharply, sending a void at the hanyou.

"Meido Zangetsuha!" The flea exclaimed.

"Move, InuYasha!" Getsu shouted alertly.

The hanyou and his pack jumped out of the way in time, her sister leaping onto a nearby lower peak and landing expertly; the void created a crater in the rock, slightly surprising the humans plus hanyou.

"That's it, you're gonna regret that; Wind Scar!" InuYasha snarled, sending a wide torrent of demonic wind at the oni.

The dust cleared slowly as he neared where Sesshomaru and Getsu stood, clenching the hilt of the mighty fang.

"So it is Tetsusaiga! I'd heard that he had two sons and now here you are: the old man gave Tetsusaiga to his youngest, did he?" Shishinki drawled.

Getsu growled as she felt her mate's aura spike angrily in response to his snide indication towards the reason for his bitterness he'd held against his baby brother for over a century. Sesshomaru, she thought, bristling.

This Shishinki was going to die, that much she could promise.

"Oi, Sesshomaru, what the hell's going on here; why're you fighting this guy?" InuYasha asked, glancing over at the two daiyokai.

"Sesshomaru, don't you find it strange? Shouldn't the older brother have received Tetsusaiga? Why do you suppose your father left it to him instead?" The oni sneered, knowing he'd hit a huge nerve with the older of the two dog brothers.

Korihime snarled under her breath, loading an arrow into her bow and aiming. That bastard! He doesn't know how long Sesshomaru has coveted that sword, how many decades he spent trying to find it… How dare he think he can get the jump on a strong daiyokai like my brother-in-law? She wondered coldly.

His inner demon snarled angrily as a low growl rumbled in his chest, audible enough to his mate's ears.

A loud 'klang' rang out, surprising the hanyou.

Shishinki glared in slight alarm at the infuriated silver orbs of the Okami-Daiyokai, small sparks flying from the clashing of her katana's blade with his staff.

"You run your mouth too much, it's a wonder Inu no Taisho didn't rip that off first when he defeated you. How dare you, a spineless beast that crawled out from the pits of hell, insult my mate so cruelly!?" Getsu snarled, her lilac aura flaring wildly as she slammed her forehead into his and sent him back as she drew back herself, her head spinning slightly before she righted herself and gripped the hilt of her katana, her hand shaking in her anger.

"Getsu," Sesshomaru muttered in a mixture of surprise and annoyance, annoyance at her reckless rushing into fight an enemy that was technically his in the first place, and surprise that she valiantly defended his honor the way she did.

"Y-you stupid whore, this was never your fight to begin with!" Shishinki fired a void at her; she leaped out of the way, hearing it crash into the rocks beyond her before she swung her katana from the left.

A wide torrent of green energy screamed at him, sending him flying as dust rose up into the air from her sharp blow.

Getsu panted slightly and glared at the dust, gripping the hilt of Mangetsuga.

Several voids screamed at her from the dust, surprising her; she perked her ears as she felt her sister's aura spike behind her.

"Kuro-Fubuki Taiho!" A wave of black ice shards sailed at the voids, giving her enough time to retreat and fall back to stand between her mate and brother-in-law.

"Idiot, what the hell were you thinking!?" InuYasha barked, scowling at the silver-eyed female.

THWACK.

"Getsu is my mate, if it's anyone who is to scold her for acting so damn brash, it's me: keep your hanyou nose out of this, InuYasha." Sesshomaru growled, cracking his knuckles as his little brother now sported a large bump on his head.

Korihime deadpanned and sighed, dropping from her ledge to move forward. "And you wonder why we never had a brother," she muttered.

Getsu looked at her and smirked, chuckling quietly. "Now I know why."

"What was that?" Both Sesshomaru and InuYasha growled in chorus, slowly looking at the two sisters.

"Nunya." They replied in unison, sticking their tongues out.

The older of the two brothers rolled his eyes, making a mental note to scold his mate and at least squeeze in a lecture… if her wheedling didn't get in the way, that is.

"Impressive attack; Sesshomaru are you going to let your two spoiled females do the fighting for you? It would surely be a shame to see either one of these two lovely things be caught up in a one-way trip to the underworld." Shishinki drawled as he survived the attack, yanking a particularly large shard from his right arm and tossing it aside.

InuYasha snorted. "Like hell that'll ever happen! I'm not gonna let you kill them, you cheap bastard." He promised coldly, slightly surprising both females.

"InuYasha," the younger of the two said quietly before she smirked gently, looking away.

Her older sister growled and flashed a fang in her grimace, catching the stony look in her mate's gold stare. Sesshomaru, she thought.

"Shishinki, you summoned me here to fight, didn't you? Then there's no need for all this idle prattle!" Sesshomaru swung the Tensaiga sharply, sending a large void at him.

He mirrored him and sent a void of his own; the smaller, moon-sized orb ate up his void once again.

Even if it came down to just hitting him with physical attacks, both Getsu and Korihime could pull it off with speed alone, considering they both have legs built for stamina, but it's too risky to use them both. Getsu would never forgive me if anything happened to Korihime, and I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to Getsu… Damn it, Sesshomaru thought with an inward growl.

"Sesshomaru, what do you know of your sword: do you have any idea of how Tensaiga was born? It's as I said earlier. Tensaiga looked nothing like it does now: it was in a different form back when I fought your father." InuYasha growled quietly. "That's because the truth is… Tensaiga didn't exist at the time. The sword I fought against was none other than Tetsusaiga." Shishinki explained.

Korihime snarled loudly as it clicked. "That can't be…"

Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga were one! Getsu widened her eyes alertly before letting a low growl escape her throat. How dare he sully the respect Sesshomaru had for Inu no Taisho? Her inner demon snarled in growing annoyance.

Sesshomaru's thundering growl rang in her ears; she looked over at him and widened her eyes slightly as she could practically feel his anger that laced his flaring demonic aura.

Shishinki sneered. "So you didn't know this? Well let me put it this way, Sesshomaru: Tensaiga was once part of Tetsusaiga…"

"SILENCE!" He thundered and swung Tensaiga, sending a void at him only to have it be swallowed up by his countering void.

I've never seen him this angry! The younger she-wolf mused in slight surprise; his angered outburst even made her tremble.

Shishinki sent another void; InuYasha grabbed Korihime by the scruff and yanked her out of the way as Getsu and Sesshomaru dodged in time, both daiyokai landing nimbly infront of the oni. "Now then, I assume the old man hadn't perfected Meido Zangetsuha after stealing it from me, its rightful owner. And that's why he cast the technique away from Tetsusaiga, an attack it no longer needed, and gave it to the newly forged Tensaiga."

"So Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga were one in the first place!" Korihime guessed softly, looking at the large fang of the former. But we know why
Inu no Taisho gave Tetsusaiga to InuYasha, to control his demon blood he was born with! She thought. Why did he do that…? How could he damage the respect Sesshomaru had for him like this?

A wave of blue fire screamed at the oni, sending him leaping away in time to dodge the attack; both brothers looked at the caster of the fire wave, slightly surprised that she had done as such.

:::::::oOo:::::::

Shishinki glared at the dust that rose up from her attack, perking up as the katana's blade descended sharply onto him, blocking it with his staff in time, the clashing of metal making a shrill cry come from both weapons.

"You've said enough. I refuse to allow you to sully the memory of my father-in-law any FURTHER!" Getsu roared, grunting and slamming her weight into him, forcing him back roughly.

"Getsu!" InuYasha barked from behind, his beckon falling on deaf ears.

Getsu flicked her wrist and kept her stony silver stare on his violet eye.
"I don't care what Inu no Taisho did to you, how he wronged you, but I do care that you have the gall and insolence to shatter what respect Sesshomaru held for his father! Sesshomaru may have known his father better than InuYasha did, but that didn't mean he didn't respect and honor him. When he passed I had to watch him grieve for his loss just as he had to watch me grieve for my own losses… I don't ever want to see that look on his face again. It hurt too much for me to bear it! The fact that such a vile piece of shit like you has outlived a great demon like Inu no Taisho is a disgrace to his memory!"

She thrust her foot into the air, sending a torrent of blue fire screaming at him, twisting on her left heel to send another bout of blue fire at the oni, forcing him back with each thrust.

"Onee-chan," Korihime said softly in surprise and awe.

'I told you she was feeling that, didn't I?' His inner demon mused; he inwardly growled at it. You're not helping… His gold eyes looked at the determination in his mate's silver orbs. Getsu… I knew you were feeling concern and sympathy for me, when my father passed on, but I didn't know you were hurting too, just as I was hurting. I caused that much pain for you? Sesshomaru wondered, feeling like he could kick himself for being like that.

He never wanted to hurt her: she was the reason he had come so far, the reason he didn't feel so alone anymore, and the reason he had to smile… To hurt her like this wasn't like striking her with his sword or hand, but it sure felt close enough to that.

"Do you understand now, Sesshomaru? Tensaiga is an incomplete sword; it cannot perform my technique. What you wield is a part of Tetsusaiga that will never be able to perform a complete Meido. No amount of training will change that!" Shishinki sent a wide void at both daiyokai.

"Onee-chan!" Korihime shouted.

"Wind Scar!" InuYasha sent another attack at the oncoming void as the female daiyokai leaped to land nimbly next to her mate.

Getsu met his gold eyes and then smiled a little, gripping the hilt of Mangetsuga. "Wolf's Crescent!" She swung it sharply to the right.
Both attacks cancelled out the oncoming void, slightly surprising the second female present.

The dust cleared as Shishinki landed on a higher ledge. "So half-demon, lending a hand to help your older brother are you? Well there's no need to rush into battle; I'll deal with you after I bury Sesshomaru." He sneered.

"Over my dead body!" Getsu thundered frigidly.

An arrow coated in pink ice sailed past her at the oni, ripping off his masque and surprising him.

"Don't even think you can get rid of my brother that easily, Shishinki." Korihime snarled lowly, another arrow already in her bow as she moved to stand next to the hanyou.

Sesshomaru glanced over at the arrow in her bow that was starting to glow pink from her aura, leaping at Shishinki with his claws drawn.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed, watching him dodge another void before continuing his onslaught.

Getsu growled irritably and sprinted after him, katana in hand as she shadowed his steps and hopped around the various voids being sent at them.

"This fool is mine, Getsu; fall back." Sesshomaru declared, perking her ears.

"The hell I'm gonna do that! He's pissed off not only you but me too, and Kori! We're pack remember? Anyone that threatens you threatens us too, Sesshomaru. And don't you forget that!" So long as the voids keep missing, we might just be able to land a blow on him, she mused.

His gold eyes sharpened at her statement, looking away and forward as they continued to dodge and weave around the voids. 'We're a pack, remember? Anyone that threatens you threatens us too, Sesshomaru.' Damn it all is she stubborn, he thought, his inner demon humming pleasedly at that one characteristic of his beloved that both he and his inner beast loved most about the spunky female.

"Idiot, move!" She shoved him out of the way of another volley of voids, Mangetsuga drawn as she swung it sharply to the right and blocked the oncoming voids with a wide arc of blue-green energy, the attacks cancelling out and exploding, sending more dust into the air.

"I could've handled it." He grumbled as they continued towards the point where the oni stood.

She pulled on his collar to kiss him hard, surprising him before he kissed back and growled against her lips, making her grin softly and then pull back. "I know you could've, love." She murmured.

His inner demon growled at the simple kiss, aching to take her again just because of that; 'it has been too long since we've heard her howl', it purred in his ears, making him send an inward snarl back at its lewd words.

I will see to that later, for now we need to focus on the main issue, he reminded it, hearing it grumble in defeat.

Their moves are getting to be predictable; is Sesshomaru dwelling on what he said or is he arguing with his inner demon again? Getsu saved his neck from that one volley of voids, true enough, but still. Korihime mused, looking at the hanyou as a lightbulb came on. "InuYasha, when you use your Wind Scar again, I'll use my arrow and we'll hit Shishinki with both attacks. Deal?" She suggested, perking his ears.

InuYasha nodded, huffing. "Considering your arrows are just as powerful as Kagome's, it should work. Deal." He replied, seeing her smirk.

Shishinki landed nimbly on the ledge ahead of the two daiyokai, brandishing his staff. "You did an effective job of running away from my voids." He drawled.

"I have no intention of running away. "Sesshomaru snapped coldly, his lip curled.

Getsu huffed. "That goes double for me."

"Lord Sesshomaru, please, you must listen to what I have to say; I came because I couldn't stay silent any longer!" The shrill squeaking of Myoga the flea made both daiyokai's ears twitch and they threw looks over at the aforementioned demon that was hopping up and down on the shoulder of his master.

Korihime tilted her head to one side. What's he got to say now? She wondered.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you were not sighted; your father bequeathed Tensaiga to you because of who you are! Meido Zangetsuha is an attack that sends your enemies directly to the underworld; it is not a technique that just anyone can use!" Myoga explained.

"That's true, given that your half-breed brother wouldn't be able to withstand the demonic energy from the underworld." Shishinki said thoughtfully.

The aforementioned hanyou huffed indignantly at the blatant insult.

"Knowing that you were a true demon, your father was betting on your strength, Lord Sesshomaru! Y'see, he believed that you would eventually master Meido Zangetsuha and be able to use Tensaiga as it was originally intended to be used! It was for…" The flea continued to hop up and down frantically, earning a sweatdrop from the blue-haired female.

"And you want me to believe that was his reason for casting off Tensaiga from Tetsusaiga? Is that it?" Sesshomaru cut across him sharply, making his brother's white ears twitch.

Both hanyou and flea looked at him in something like confusion.

Shishinki looked thoughtful again, "That is a good question; if his faith in Sesshomaru was so great, couldn't he have bequeathed Tetsusaiga to him along with Meido Zangetsuha? He certainly could have, if he thought that you were promising enough." Getsu growled at his insult, bristling as Sesshomaru's lip curled to reveal a fang.

"W-well you have a point, there…" Myoga grumbled as he scampered to hide in the silver bangs of the hanyou, earning a look from both younger siblings present.

"Whimpering parasite, you can't go letting a bastard like him win the argument." Korihime deadpanned.

"At this point I'm starting to doubt him myself…" The flea whimpered.

InuYasha and Korihime deadpanned; Getsu inwardly slapped her forehead. Now we know why he was entrusted to InuYasha instead of Sesshomaru, she thought.

"Silence, Myoga." Sesshomaru growled an order, lunging at Shishinki again and narrowly dodging a particular void that ripped off the bottom half of his left sleeve before he made contact with the oni and slammed his fist into his missing eye socket, sending him sprawling. "The secret of Tensaiga isn't meant to be uttered by a mouth as wretched and twisted as yours: every word you speak brings shame to it." He thundered.

Is he finally using his head? Korihime wondered.

"Silence, you insolent brat; I'll make you regret damaging my face! As your father did!" Shishinki swung his staff at him after getting up.

"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed as Getsu grunted and sprinted forward.

"Sesshomaru!" InuYasha barked as he ran forward and his Tetsusaiga pulsed before it turned to crystalline.

Sesshomaru snarled at him. "I told you not to interfere!"

"I don't care!" He snapped, firing the Adamant Barrage at the oncoming voids, the shards of adamant being consumed by the voids, before both brothers leaped into the air to dodge the voids.

Getsu perked up alertly as she heard Tensaiga pulse at his hip, noticing Tetsusaiga did the same. Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga! She thought.

Sesshomaru looked down at his katana. "Tensaiga?"

Something's going to happen; there could be no other reason as to why his heirloom would pulsate like that! Korihime deduced, loading an arrow into her bow and sprinting forward to get a better shot. "Sesshomaru draw Tensaiga; something's going to happen! Do it!"

"There's nowhere for you to run now: prepare to be banished to the underworld!" Shishinki began powering up another void in the center of his staff.

"Sesshomaru!" Getsu barked, gripping the hilt of her own heirloom as she neared his side. Don't be such a prat and just do it! You can sulk later about aiding your brother, just draw Tensaiga! PLEASE! She inwardly prayed, gritting her teeth.

"Are you ready? Now you and your father's swords will spend the rest of eternity in the underworld!" He shouted.

"SESSHOMARU!" Getsu shouted as multiple voids were sent out at the quartet. "DYING WOLF'S BLOOD!" She sent a sharp arc of green energy at the voids.

"Hit the mark!" Korihime fired the arrow at Shishinki.

"InuYasha!" Kagome exclaimed.

"No, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried.

Sesshomaru drew the pulsing Tensaiga. "Never would I allow my life to be taken by someone like you, Shishinki!" He sent a Meido void flying at him; the void was a complete circle.

"He did it!" Korihime beamed, watching the void eclipse them and swallow up the oni before it disappeared and only left two peaks carved in a curved formation.

"Sesshomaru that was a complete Meido Zangetsuha wasn't it?" His brother wondered as he sheathed Tetsusaiga.

He looked at the Tensaiga to see the glow had disappeared before sheathing it wordlessly.

"Kori, you okay?" Getsu went to her sister's side, sheathing Mangetsuga.

She nodded and slung her bow over her shoulder. "Never better. Although I think someone is kinda bummed." She mused, nodding slightly in the direction of the two talking brothers.

She followed her line of sight and frowned softly, sighing. "'Kind of' is an understatement." She replied, making a mental note to talk with him later.

"Girls, we're going." He announced, perking their ears.

Korihime smiled a little and trotted forward to slug the hanyou's left arm playfully before winking up at him, trotting after her brother-in-law.

Getsu smiled at the group of humans plus hanyou and kitsune, hurrying after her packmates until she walked side-by-side with her sister.

"Wait for us, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed as they steered Ah-Un in the direction the daiyokai was leading them.

A/N: well that was an exciting chapter.

now the chap after the next (preferably in chap.39) i'm going to mesh both eps 15 and 17 together considering there's two vital points in those episodes that concern everyone's favorite fluffy inu-daiyokai~. /gets bricked anywho, just a head's up so until next chap, see ya! ^^ reviews aren't mandatory but they make me feel good so please review if y'like~!