Disclaimer: All characters from the series Inuyasha that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own anything regarding their creation; I have Rumiko Takahashi to thank for that.

Author's Notes: Hi there, everyone! Here's the newest chapter freshly out of the oven. I'm a little sad that one only reader decided to leave a review for the last chapter… Still, that's not something that would dampen my writing spirit forever! All right! I hope you'll enjoy this next chapter and feel free to leave your opinions, questions, and any criticisms.

fabelliot: Thanks for the support and review! Slowly but surely, Sesshomaru is letting Kikyo into his heart, though it'll probably take him a while to acknowledge this blooming trust he has for her. Haha, I'm glad you got a laugh out of Sesshomaru's excuse for accompanying Kikyo. Well, it's not exactly all excuses since it is a valid reason but we all know that Bakusaiga is not his priority here. ;)

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(This chapter was betaread by bubu-chibi-chan – thank you for all the help!).

Chapter 28-Kako-hen: Brand New World

"A brand-new world,

The beginning of a new dream,

The journey will always,

Continue to take us to our goal."

-Brand New World (8th Ending Song)

Last time…

"Come then, let us go inform your father that we plan on getting married," she said—

*Cut! Cut! Stop! That's not it, sorry! Too early for that— Rewind!*

"Come then, let us go inform your father," she said, her gentle tone suggesting that behind the white veil was an alluring smile that could brighten any gloomy day.

Sesshomaru felt the muscles from the corner of his lips twitch, almost carving a pleased smirk onto his fair features.

And now…

"Enough, Hijiri." On the third day of his travel, the limit that Sesshomaru was not aware of previously was breached and he made it known in a stern monotone.

When he had decided to accompany the saint, this was not what he had anticipated. With his father's consent, St. Hijiri and he made rapid preparations for their journey. Not having anything to pack certainly sped things up and he was more or less restless to leave. The combination of his mother and that human princess was going to be nothing but trouble for his father, bringing forth complications that required the heart. The young heir of the west was disinclined to become involved.

They left in a hurry, each with a different reason — one for self-interest and the other for the interest of others. From that point onward, it was a new experience. He could even claim that it was like stepping into a brand new world, one filled with humans and ambiguous concepts that he had never bothered with before. Granted, Sesshomaru was not an individual with many hobbies and traveling never fascinated him unless it was to search for a worthy challenger. Still, he had to admit he did not mind this trip… at least until the current circumstance provoked a glimmer of anger to manifest in his narrowed eyes.

"What is it?" Impatience dripped out from St. Hijiri's monotone. Even though his gaze was enough to burn a hole into her, the woman had the audacity to fake ignorance. She halted her rapid pace to regard him, her head looking back from her left shoulder.

He stopped too, their distance now easily within an arm's reach.

Her stance was firm, with her shoulders squared and her back straight. Undaunted, prideful, and elegant — adjectives he often heard others depicting him as — floated into his mind. Although he wasn't getting the full view, he was convinced that her posture would be impeccable from any angle… except he knew it was an act done under the pretense that there was nothing wrong. While most — unlike Sesshomaru — wouldn't have been able to perceive how she was making subtle movements that favored the use of her left leg, it was clear to anyone as the sky was blue that the right side of her hakama, near the ankle, was torn, burnt and dyed in splotches of crimson.

The memory of how the saint had gotten injured was an unpleasant jolt to his insides.

The village — the fifth one they had been to in three days — was burning. Houses crumbled, humans screamed, and youkai rampaged as the smoke thickened. Amongst the chaos, Sesshomaru stood as the dignified warrior that he was, surrounded by foes of all sizes and from every angle.

His claw flexed and several demons fell.

The mob near him grew silent, too stunned to believe that one of their kind, a potential and powerful ally, was actually their worst enemy.

"Where is this instigator that conspired all this? Tell me, and I shall permit your retreat." His threat was made all the more prominent by the condensing youki around his form. Since the saint had prioritized evacuating the villagers and saving those who were trapped indoors, most of the attackers were left for him to deal with. The arrangement suited him just fine; he had always preferred doing the killing rather than the saving.

"Damn you! Don't get too cocky just because you got power, brat! We outnumber you and I, the great Ushi-sama, will squash you flat! Charge!" A large oni lurched at Sesshomaru, determined to prove that it was superior in bulk. It covered the space in two strides and swung its arm as though it was a giant spiked club.

The Inu prince leaped into the air, feeling the force of the massive fist smashed into the ground. Unimpressed, he pressed his index and middle fingers together to generate his poisonous whip. With a small flick of the wrist, the whip zigzagged through the air and reduced the oni-demon into pieces of messy flesh. They crashed into the dirt simultaneously as his boots found the ground.

The other demons, the ones who hadn't flinched at his slaughter, were almost upon him now. Slow as they were, they did not have the time to comprehend anything before Sesshomaru cut them down faster than a blink of an eye.

His eyes narrowed into slits as he turned to the remaining survivors of the group, those who had been less brave but a little smarter.

"This display should prove that your struggles are futile against me. Know that I do not need you alive to discover the coward who is behind this. I am merely being magnanimous today."

That was no lie; he was being generous when he was giving them a glimmer of a chance to back out. The last four villages they visited offered some insights into the general direction of where the attackers planned to go and where they came from. Added in were the testimonies from the villagers who had survived the raid, claiming that countless demons descended upon them from the forest in the far east. With all these clues, it was only a matter of time before they discovered the mastermind. Nonetheless, it was better to save some time. If the youkai could be forthcoming, then they could settle everything sooner. The saint was in need of a good rest after devoting herself to assisting strangers. The sparse amount of time she slept was going to be detrimental to her health.

"Y-you traitor! How dare you side with a human against us!" The worm-like youkai hissed, its bugling eyes enlarging at the sight of its deceased allies.

"Filthy vermin like you have no right to call yourselves youkai, let alone brand me a traitor. You are of no use to me if all you speak is nonsense. Now, be gone." The casual wave of his arm signified the demon's execution as Sesshomaru's youki-structured whip ripped through its body as easily as the blade on a guillotine could decapitate.

A brilliant burst of purple illuminated from the daiyoukai's right, prompting him to spin on his heels in that direction. The screeches of the youkai in their death throes were that of pure agony before they lost not only their voices but also their bodies. Ashes blew into the air prior to touching the ground, carried by the wind spreading the smoke. Sesshomaru watched the sizzling energy fade from the saint's outstretched hand, the other preoccupied with hoisting a woman that had tripped back up.

"Are you alright?" The saint's attention might've been divided but she was alert. The demon that sought to ambush her from behind the flames was repelled by a timely erected kekkai. Sly that it would opt to utilize close range when in combat against an archer. However, it hadn't accounted for St. Hijiri being not defenseless when her bow and arrows were slung behind her back. There was no need for Sesshomaru to assist as she rapidly retaliated by sending a blast of purification energy into the demon's chest.

Giving off a torrent of fear and no appreciation, the female villager scampered away. Her wobbly legs carried her in a straight line and her arms wildly shove aside anything that was in her way, including the quiet peasant girl that the duo had stumbled across at the outskirt of the village and who the saint had asked to guide them.

Be it bad karma — not that Sesshomaru believed it — or pure coincidence, but the girl happened to fall through an opened door and into a burning building.

In this savage world that only the strongest thrived in, it was self-preservation that came out on top. No one would bother to help another, especially when the one in peril was an unwanted orphan. So it wasn't surprising when the woman chose to ignore the girl she had shoved in favor of gaining the extra mile away from the havoc. The little girl's weak body would be devoured by the flames and any lingering memories of her would soon be forgotten to erase any guilt from the woman's conscience.

Sesshomaru inwardly scoffed at how predictable human nature was. Morals never bothered him so he had no intention of lifting his finger to help either.

"Rin!" That should have been the end of the little girl… if the saint hadn't rushed into the house with a shout that was the closest to apprehension that the daiyoukai had ever heard.

'Reckless woman!' Even as Sesshomaru's mind reprimanded her imprudence, his body was already on the move. However, he did not get far. Seizing the opportunity, the youkai in the vicinity pounced on him like a starved pack of wolves. Some, he noted with a just audible growl, went in after the saint.

Spinning on his heels, Sesshomaru flourished his arm above him, letting his whip dance around him. The circular motion formed an impenetrable shield that severed heads, cut off limbs, and split bodies into halves. After four rotations, none of the youkai that had attempted to touch him remained in one piece.

There was a sudden clamor as the burning roof exploded, raining down embers and flammable materials like timbers and rice straws. Sesshomaru looked up. A youkai emerged, shooting into the ashen-grey sky with the speed of a fired cannonball.

"Ahh! Hijiri-sama!" That was the first time Sesshomaru heard the reserved and quiet Rin raise her voice. The little orphan girl was high in the air, trapped in the clutches of a demon climbing altitude by the second. But that wasn't the pressing matter; what had the daiyoukai's adrenaline pumping was the rumbling sound of the collapsing house and the sight of the alight rubbles.

St. Hijiri had been inside… and now, she was underneath all that heavy and scorching mass.

'Do not be mistaken, Hijiri. I do not care about humans or the truth behind the attacks. It is you who is different… you are a necessity for the nurture of Bakusaiga. Be grateful, for this is why you shall receive the privilege of safeguard.' His words resonated inside his brain with the ostentation of a tempest, mocking him with their self-assured nature. Despite his poker face, he felt his composure discard him, leaving his interior rattled.

The daiyoukai's legs propelled his body forward. His arms moved on their own accord, grabbing the hot wreckage and flinging them aside. He didn't care where they landed, so long as it was anywhere else.

A large pillar was tossed away and landed on the neighboring hut with a loud crash. Smaller, charred, and burning wooden pieces followed.

He scavenged the spot where he could sense her spiritual energy — the one critical reassurance that she was still alive. The heat prickled his skin like annoying needles. While the flames couldn't hurt him, he could still feel them like a human could to a mosquito bite. All of a sudden, his father's Robe of the Fire-Rat came into the foremost part of his mind. In this scenario, it would've served to protect the woman.

He removed some more of the debris and discovered that the saint had a means of protection that was not the fire-proof robe. A pink dome of light had encased a small circumference with her in the center. A perfect shield that prevented her from getting crushed. Yet, he could see that she hadn't cast it in time. A demon had gotten a lucky shot on her right leg, presumably while she had been distracted with Rin.

Scarlet momentarily coated his irises as he watched the saint compress the gaping wound.

As a foreign feeling clogged inside his chest and brought discomfort, Sesshomaru terminated the memory and forced himself back to the present. Yet, his pupils were unconsciously drawn to the leg that was roughly bandaged and partially covered by the dirty and ripped hakama.

The woman had gotten herself injured just like that — not because she was incapable of defending herself but because she had been preoccupied with protecting someone else. She appeared taciturn to the rest of the world but in fact, she cared for others in a way that was beyond comprehension.

He found himself intrigued and despising her compassionate nature altogether. The conflict tempted growing irritation and his breathing deepened. Had he been less annoyed at her tenacity, then he might've been impressed that her determination had allowed her to push on without any rest.

"Sesshomaru?" St. Hijiri called out his name from the present, her voice being the alluring melody that swatted away the negativity. He wasn't sure if he liked or hated what that did to him.

The prideful daiyoukai let out a huff that contained more exasperation than vexation. Dragging his golden orbs away, he gave their immediate surroundings another quick sweep. All around were lush green trees, their branches swishing playfully in the gentle breeze. Despite his caution, there were no signs of any lifeform besides the vegetation. It was peaceful and quiet. Either an eloquent part of a trap to ensnare them or the ideal place for the woman to receive the break she needed but would most likely refuse.

He would make sure it would be the latter, even if that meant a night spent on being the sentry. "This is enough for today. The night is almost upon us. We shall rest here."

"I appreciate the concern but now is not the time to rest. I must save Rin. My carelessness has led to her capture..." St. Hijiri shook her head, dispersing the self-reproach before it could consume her. "That vile demon managed to wound me but now that its jaw is stained with blood infused with my spiritual powers, I am able to track it with great precision for a short while. That won't be so if we loiter until tomorrow."

"Have you come to fathom who, or what, we are dealing with?" the Inu prince abruptly asked as he brushed aside a loose silver strand that had been toyed with by the playful wind. Nothing that appeared substantial to most, though he noted how the airstream danced with a trace of mystic properties. At that exact moment, he felt a pair of inimical eyes on them.

"...No." St Hijiri's hand mimicked his action, albeit by tugging her sleeve instead of hair and with a little more strength that suggested her hidden ire.

"Hmph. In your haste to save the girl, you have failed to comprehend something this crucial. Where is your tact, Hijiri? Had this been on a battlefield, you would've been the first to perish. Admit that you are in dire need of repose because I, Sesshomaru, desire an individual of my caliber standing beside me, and not as a potential hindrance when we battle our foe."

She didn't retort straight away, her brain most likely spinning to find something that could refute him. He had no intention of giving her that time, to allow her stubbornness to dominate her actions. It was time to put a leash on that impulsiveness; there was a sudden need to have the composed saint back. He took a quick step forward, leaving behind a blurry afterimage. Already being within arm's reach meant that the saint couldn't react in time and he was easily able to swoop her up from the rear with one hand, slinging her over his shoulder like one would carry a sack of potatoes.

"S-Sesshomaru! What are you doing?! Let me down!" Her fists slammed into his back, an instinctive protest towards the indignity. But without any enhancement from her spiritual powers, her human strength was ineffective against a youkai, let alone a mighty Inu daiyoukai.

Sesshomaru paid her no heed, instead choosing a tree with the smoothest bark and was situated on even ground. His boots made rhythmic steps and when he was within two steps from the root of the tree, he grabbed the saint by the back of her clothing and… had to inwardly remind himself to be gentle. Typically, he would have no qualms about tossing the individual onto the ground. Only this time, that would contradict his objective. With furrowed eyebrows, he grabbed her with both arms, one looped around her back and the other supporting her legs. His legs bent as he lowered her onto the ground, albeit so painstakingly slow that one would wonder if the saint would reach the floor before nightfall.

"You do not have to treat me like a delicate piece of porcelain," she commented.

Although she kept her tone flat, he could sense the mirth that was lurking underneath. He let go and straightened his body, prompting gravity to catch her in the last stretch of the fall.

The saint hit the ground in an unceremonious manner that was almost comical.

"Sesshomaru! You… you… you would be a terrible healer." She let out a soft grunt and the daiyoukai could almost imagine the way that her lips were pressed tightly in vexation. In that instance, he was able to see the true reason why she had made attempts to goad him back when he was wounded after the fight with Ryukotsusei. While it was not pleasant for the receiver, there were times when provocations could distract one from the physical agony and kindle one's fighting spirit.

A smirk appeared on his fair features. "You're the healer, Hijiri, not I. If your hands are meant for healing, then my claws exist to kill. Leave vanquishing the youkai and saving the girl to me. Stay here, rest, and tend to your wound properly."

The saint stared at him in disbelief, but only for a brief moment before she reached into the hidden compartment of her left sleeve and took out a piece of paper cut into the shape of a human. With a few mumbled words of an incantation, the paper she was holding in between her index and middle finger was showered in a purple dazzling radiance.

Sesshomaru had seen the saint summon a shikigami before, back when she was trying to get a scroll from his shelf, though this was the first time he had paid attention to it. The piece of paper seemed to gain a life of its own as it slipped out of the saint's grasp and fluttered onto the ground. As the light surrounding it diminished, its form changed to that of a little girl in a plain yellow kimono. Her raven hair was pulled back into a low ponytail by a white ribbon and she was without any footwear. Not that would've been a problem, since she was floating in the air — currently being the sole physical indication that she was not just any ordinary peasant girl like Rin.

"I'm aware you memorized neither the demon nor Rin's scent. My shikigami, Kochou, shall guide you while I tend to your demand." Despite her words sounding like a verbal jab, St. Hijiri's tone was placid as she shifted her body into a more comforting position.

Good, he thought, she was back to her normal self.

"I won't be long." Her voice had the magical properties of being tranquil to Sesshomaru and unknowingly, his tone softened somewhat as he glanced at the shikigami.

Observant like her master, Kochou picked up on the cue straight away and shot off, leaving behind a trail of yellow in the red sky. The daiyoukai followed behind and was pleased that the shikigami was agile. In no way was her speed superior to his, though she was no slouch either. They should be able to catch up to the youkai and Rin soon.

The flight wasn't long. They were just nearing the center of the forest when Sesshomaru found what he was looking for underneath the thick foliage. His keen eyes distinguished the lifeform that was just a shade darker amongst all the green. It did well to attempt camouflaging itself — making sure that Rin was kept hidden using its long body — and lesser youkai might have been fooled. Unfortunately for it, Sesshomaru was no ordinary youkai.

Like a falcon descending the heavens with its talons readied, the daiyoukai flexed his claws and dived toward his target. The youkai never stood a chance. It never knew what was coming. Razor-sharp claws ran through the serpent-like body, splattering blood and intestines onto the grassy floor. At the same time, Sesshomaru's mokomoko wrapped around the falling Rin, taking care to shield her from the carnage.

Lowering the girl onto a patch of the ground that was clean as his boots touched the same area, Sesshomaru inwardly braced himself for a sobbing child. It was only natural that the six-year-old would be traumatized. Alas, comfort was not something the Inu prince could provide because he wasn't one for sentiments. To his surprise, Rin did not weep or faint but merely sniffled before looking up at him with a shaken smile.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked, unable to contain his growing curiosity. Seldom could one arouse the daiyoukai's interest, but in that instant, he was inwardly taken aback by how the child had been able to look at death so boldly in the face without any fear. From his knowledge, only one human woman was like that.

"You saved me! Thank you, strong youkai-onii-san!"

The earnest gratitude that was expressed instead of terror was unexpected, though what nearly had Sesshomaru raising an eyebrow was the way she addressed him. Strong youkai-onii-san? He had been called several aliases and titles — some more atrocious than others — but never something as silly as this. It was on the tip of his tongue to make his name known to her when he stopped to take his eyes off Rin and towards one of the bushes. His golden orbs shimmered in a dangerous glint and his youki whirled around his form in intense waves.

There was a powerful spiritual presence nearby.

"Show yourself," he commanded, his voice resonating with great authority. Rin resisted a shiver and wisely ran to take cover behind the daiyoukai's legs, driven by the instinct that her savior would continue to protect her.

First to emerge from the scrubs was a wooden staff, and using it as support was an old woman donned in a red kimono with a matching green kosode. Around her neck was a traditional rosary consisting of large purple beads, each one infused with spiritual powers that reminded Sesshomaru of St. Hijiri's aura. Short grey hair formed a tuft on top of her head, with thick bangs that covered her eyes. Behind her stood a white stallion that was oddly calm like its master despite the condensing youki that surrounded them.

"Oh my, oh my. I did not think I would ever see a great demon come to the rescue of a human," the old woman mumbled, more to herself than Sesshomaru as she rubbed her chin with her wrinkled hand.

"Miko Kakuju, the master of spiritual craftworks." Kochou kept her hands tucked in her sleeves and her voice was just as inexpressive as her features. The shikigami hovered between the old woman and the daiyoukai, as if hoping she could separate whatever bad blood could be brewing.

"W-what is this?" There was a shaky step forward. The elderly woman known as Kakuju seemed more astounded to see the shikigami than Sesshomaru's earlier feat. "Wait, you're Kik—"

"I am Kochou, servant of Saint Hijiri, the master in the art of sealing," the shikigami cut in with her monotone. "I have been summoned to assist Sesshomaru, the Inu prince of the Western Lands."

"You're the son of the Inu no Taisho, the ruler of the west!" Kakuju exclaimed, her scratchy voice rising by an octave. "What could someone like you possibly be doing here… and with Ki—I mean, Hijiri no less!"

Had this been someone other than Hijiri's acquaintance, then Sesshomaru would've sent her a withering glare that would've caused a heart attack for talking to him in an offhanded manner. But since he had agreed to be more tolerable to humans, he opted to ignore the woman and proceeded to pick Rin up by the green obi slash securing her yellow and orange checkered kosode. Enough time was wasted here. St. Hijiri was still waiting for him.

Kochou might not be his shikigami but she had enough sense to know who to obey.

"Just a moment," Kakuju called out, pulling the rein of her horse to coax it forward.

Sesshomaru halted his step, his head rotating to glance at the old miko. There it was again. Another one of Hijiri's associates with enough nerve to show him disrespect, even while his youki was generating a storm of fierceness around him. Did the humans learn about the deal he made with Hijiri or was the saint's audacity just that contagious?

"Is Hijiri nearby?" While youkai could detect both youki and spiritual powers, the same did not apply to exorcists. Their senses were well trained to pick up on the frequencies of a demonic aura from miles away but could not identify the aura of their own kind from next door.

"And why would that be relevant to you?"

"There're eyes in this forest so I cannot speak too much. However, a Hitogata that goes by the name Utsugi lurks in the shadows, protected by a demon that is known to devour spiritual powers. A fearsome fortress, they say, and a natural predator to those who are spiritually aware."

More Author's Notes: Kakuju and Utsugi are two important characters from the PS2, the Secret of the Cursed Mask. Overall, the game was decent. It's just sad that there isn't much Sesshomaru and Kikyo in it. There's a Sesshomaru route where the player finally separates from Inuyasha's group at the finale to team up with our favorite daiyoukai but that has a very lackluster ending in my opinion (Also, where's my Kikyo route! I want one so badly!).

I hope that you've enjoyed this chapter. Until next time!