Some forty years ago...
"Land at the fore! Ten to port!"
Arimasa was leaning on the lip of his ship, busying himself with a wood carving of a horse. Once he heard those words, of course, he stopped to look up and out. This territory wasn't charted on his maps, at least not that he remembered. The men had been sailing for several months now. Food was nigh and they'd soon be desperate for rations. Though this would worry a normal man, the firm taisho was a survivor first. The sea was his second home. He knew how to forage for sea turtles, fish, and the like. A hunting team scavenged for other things to eat to make the rice and flour they managed to obtain at the beginning of their uncertain journey last a bit longer. That's how they lasted for so long. Most of the men cheered at the sighting of land while others worried about cannibals on this strange new world. Arimasa was the opposite. Even though the island was uncharted, he couldn't help but feel this pull. It was as though his very soul was being tugged on like a child would pull a parent's arm to see something of interest. Sheathing his knife and placing his wooden horse on a shelf of his personal carvings, Arimasa walked over to the forecastle deck and placed his foot onto the angular piece that angled out to create a visual line from the bow sprit. He leaned his body on his knee to peer out in the distance. He could see a docking area with fishing boats, so he assumed the island must've housed native fishermen. Something else was calling out to him, though. Like a part of him knew that this island was more than a fishermen's home. What was it about this new place?
"Stare at those trees any harder and I might grow concerned," a familiar said behind him.
It was Kirameku Ha, his childhood friend and partner in crime. He leaned on the lip of the ship and folded his arms to watch the men before turning his attention to the island that was getting closer with time. He then asked, "You know this land?"
"Something in me does," Arimasa replied quietly. "It feels like... I've been before... but I don't formally recognize this place. It's so odd."
"Sense any demons here?" Kirameku Ha then asked.
Arimasa didn't reply immediately, but he did take a deep breath to call out to his mianyi powers and activated his dragon eyes. Once he opened his eyes, he gasped at the sheer number of demons surrounding the island. Sea snake demons were coiling in one section close to where they were, bear demons were further into the forested areas, and a variety of others were in another section that seemed to be along a curving border. If it wasn't curved, it was angled outward in this strange position. There had to be demons in the thousands! Was this youkai territory?
"This island is practically covered with them! But... there's humans here, too. I can see a few protective barriers on what might be houses. This place is largely of Shinto influence. The temple has a fairly decent barrier around it. That's where some of the humans are. They don't appear to be slaves, but I can't tell from here," Arimasa finally answered. He turned to Kirameku Ha and commanded, "Lower my diviner's boat when we're a nautical mile off the coast. I'll need to speak to the boatmen."
"Let Tsugahara go with you," Kirameku Ha nodded. "He's good with locals. I'll keep watch here and command the archers when needed in case of a youkai strike."
Arimasa slammed a rough hand on Kirameku Ha's shoulder, nodded with a smirk, and then went to his quarters to change into his appropriate attire. Inside of his cabin was an assortment of carving tools and figures he managed to complete while on this expedition along one of the walls, but he had another collection of star maps, trading routes, and war paths acting as the background for his consulting table. It was half the length of a formal dining table but had the width of a large-scaled map of the globe. Instead of such an item, it was rounded to show all of Nihon relative to other countries or native islands within the grand archipelago he had the privilege to call home. Of course, his window with a gorgeous view of the contrasting sky and sea line poured in natural lighting from the sun to illuminate his armory. Next to his dragon scale tate with a fin along the right edge was the hell traveler's garb.
He didn't wear his hell traveler's manto often, but his uncle, Kokina Hoshi, was adamant about distinguishing himself from another Shinto or Buddhist priest should he ever find himself in the company of unknown villagers. His powers were unlike the established priesthoods and he commanded his might from a different source. Even the hell traveler's medallion had to be adorned to further distance himself away from envious eyes. He wondered if his soul was being pulled to this island for a reason. Were the number of demons there meant to be that reason? Even the Bowman's Star that he typically followed into battle had suddenly become different. Last night, he saw the star with a partner. The men humorously claimed it to be a naginata or katana point fighting beside the bowman. Only the younger ones claimed that it might've been the eye of the sea dragon since they were part of his crew and represented by the same beast.
"Taisho, we're a mile offshore," Tsugahara said from the door.
Arimasa turned his head slightly before taking up the Kaishi Novum and his shield. The men prepared for his departure and bowed in respect as he boarded his small boat with Tsugahara, the tertiary leader of the troop. He was a flirt beyond all reasoning, but he was equally as loyal to Arimasa as he was with enjoying female pleasures. By no means was he an unattractive man and no one's ever said he was for the most part, but he humbled himself often before Arimasa and was a rival against Kirameku Ha in regards to obtaining the attentions of certain women. Despite his frivolity, he was quite spiritual and an empath. Though Kirameku Ha was spiritual and in tune with nature, Tsugahara proved that he served best in getting untrusting locals to be more hospitable. It was all in his personality. He was a good-spirited man versus Kirameku Ha, who typically commanded a certain attitude around him without realizing it. They were a proper yin and yang.
As the two were lowered to the waters, they spotted a fishing boat just a couple of feet away from them and rowed toward it. As predicted, the fishermen were skittish and held up some kind of talisman in front of Arimasa. Confused, the gent tilted his head at the object and asked politely, "Is this item meant to purify demons? If so, I am no such creature."
"But..." one of the men started, blinking quickly and inspecting the calm taisho. "My lord, your eyes are... a grayish blue like fish scales. They're as otherworldly as they are handsome!"
Arimasa chuckled at this and said, "I was born with these eyes, fisherman. To very human parents. I am Jissoji Arimasa. My ship is just over my shoulder. I am willing to trade with you for any ration of rice or water I can supply the men with. We are not great in number, but we could be a burden to you. If you wish for us to aid you in your work, we are at your command."
The other fisherman - an older man with some years' worth of experience exceeding his partner - squinted his eye with some suspicion. Something was bothering him about Arimasa's offer was what Tsugahara thought. He was about to speak until the fisherman said, "Tis not us ya need to speak to about rations, lord and soldier. We work for the empire's market and have our own army. Dock yonder 'pon the red bridge. We'll lead you to the embassy."
"We will?" the fisherman's partner questioned.
"Me lord carries the silver spear. That weapon belonged to that coward, Maekawa, who abandoned us."
"Maekawa?" Tsugahara questioned, looking to his taisho.
"Of course, ye wouldn't know the name!" the fisherman said, spitting into the waters. "Maekawa was a hundred years your senior if I'm right. He hid away in shame after running from his calling at the threshold of Niji Saku Cliff. That spear belongs to the hell travelers, aye?"
"Aye," Arimasa replied, leaning his down and squinting an eye. Hardly no one knew the hell travelers! How did - ?
"The hell travelers were born here," the older fisherman revealed, folding his arms and lifting his head with some spite. "Unmei, the first hell traveler, was a soldier in our army. Long before Maekawa disgraced his name and yours by extension. Lord Jissoji, was it?"
"Yes," Arimasa replied calmly.
"Since your forefather's abandonment, this land has been ravaged by demons! The Shinto priests have erected barriers around several homes, but Maekawa formed a barrier around our old lands and outcast your family from here. Your return is rather ironic," the fisherman said, leaving Arimasa speechless.
"What happens if I expel the demons from your beaches and fishing area? In exchange for information on my family? I knew nothing of this other than what my uncle has told me," Arimasa admitted.
"Hmph!" the older fisherman responded, rubbing his chin with a hand. "I suppose that's a fair trade. Right the wrongs of your people and I'll show you what Maekawa left behind. Meet me at the docks, Lord Jissoji."
"Call me Arimasa," the taisho said with concern.
When Tsugahara helped Arimasa row the boat back to the ship, he watched his taisho with concern but reassured the men that he was fine. He was just shaken up from the revelation. Kirameku Ha knew his best friend quite well, though. The look on his face was more than alarming. It was like his life was crashing around him. He walked past everyone to speak to the helmsman and went to his cabin, but he didn't go inside of it immediately. He started hyperventilating a bit. That fisherman... Was that why his soul was being pulled by this place? It was the birthplace of the hell travelers like his uncle?
Kirameku Ha crept on Arimasa's side and asked, "What's wrong?"
Arimasa rubbed his jaw harshly to stop the tingling in the bone and teeth and said, "We need to talk."
That encouraged the normally level-headed taisho to open the door to his cabin and walk straight to his armory. His eyes moved rapidly before Kirameku Ha placed a gentle hand on his friend's shoulder. He said his name to gain his attention and waited for the man to speak.
"This island... this place... I remember it," Arimasa said in disbelief.
"When did you come here?" Kirameku Ha asked.
"As a boy. My uncle brought me here when I had the markings on my back. The Gosuto~ingu... I came here during the summer, but I entered the village from the opposite side," Arimasa said in whispers. "That's why it felt so familiar! I remember demons being here but not this many. The threshold where I got this spear is there!"
"Then why didn't you tell those fishermen?" Kirameku Ha asked.
"Because he knew why the hell travelers weren't living there anymore. He knew my ancestors by name... when before, only uncle and father knew. I agreed to help expel the demons from this sea... if he could give me more information about my family and this power."
"How do you know he's not lying?"
"Because he knew the cliff where I got this spear by name," Arimasa replied, locking eyes with his friend. "No one should know about that. It's forbidden for anyone to enter the threshold without a hell traveler present to tame the Lurking Beasts. That's the commandment only we would know."
"So, you want us to work here for a while until you get the information you need?"
"I'm going to send you out to Kokina Hoshi after we resupply," Arimasa responded. "I'll expel what I can from the sea and certain parts of the village to restore the barriers, but I ultimately can only trust you to relay this information to him. He knows you well. He practically raised us both. I need him here to understand what happened."
Kirameku Ha was speechless at how desperate and frightened his taisho sounded, but he saluted him and said, "I am at your command, brother."
Author's Commentary Corner: Whoo! We're back to this silly s***? XD I'm kidding. Don't mind me. I'll be honest with you. I don't know if people in ancient times used standard helm orders or marine commands the way that we do, so nautical miles might not have been a thing back then. They did have tools for marine travel use in the 1400s like telescopes and cartography tools, but I doubt they were named the same thing. A nautical mile might've gone by a different name back then. Moving on, however. *reads reviews from Chapter 141 to 160* Um...
On favorite characters: If I get enough faves for certain characters, I might try to do a countdown list in the Author's Notes somewhere down the line. Kind of like some anime blogs do.
On the lore: I'm so sorry I swarmed y'all with so much in this segment. X3 It was a lot. A lot of my pre-written ideas didn't match up to current events, so I had to seriously rework some things. Your feedback has helped me greatly, however. Aside from that, the oni lore is mainly important for the grand finale. Shanwang's whole purpose to this story will be revealed along with the introductions of more oni.
On nude sunbathing: Meioshi enjoys doing this for the simple pleasure of being completely relaxed and undisturbed. She's also not ashamed of her body in any context because she was never trained to be restricted in that way. Her grandparents were half-naked at work, her parents were free-spirited, and she was adventurous. When she visited Shanwang, she taught him how to sunbathe in the nude and he found he liked it for the same reasons she did. It was a peaceful hobby. Meioshi hates when Shanwang just walks up to her naked after sex. As for why she stripped in front of Sesshomaru instead of just warning him that he was in a nude swimming area, she did that on purpose. They weren't at a nude beach. She just wanted to be left alone for a moment and knew that would scare him off. ;-D
On Hikozaemon's rant: Granddad's had enough! XD More on this anon.
On the heist: Working on it as we speak. First campaign with most of the team on the way. XD
On the tension between Sesshomaru and Meioshi: Oh, wait, it gets better. ;-D The end of Season 2 to the beginning of Season 3 is when the "crush" phase starts up. My Ohta is so bossy! XD Trying to make Sesshomaru 'fess up all early.
On my cute emperor: So innocent and sweet! XD He's right where he needs to be. Safe behind the castle walls. Protect him at all costs!
On Homugi's dance: It's her time to be a proper single woman. She needed to live for herself for a little while. Learning to dance and pick lavender flowers are good, little hobbies. Plus, she's got a certain someone's attention. *wink, wink*
On the generational curse: I might be doing that too much. Don't hesitate to let me know if so. I wanted to delve into Sesshomaru's thinking process about having a family because it was never really touched on. They just skipped to him having one. Actually, they just skipped to everyone having one. Them hormones, man. He's such a progressive thinker, though, so I wanted to touch on that more. I truly don't think his parents were in an arranged marriage. Now, obviously, the Yashahime manga has time to correct me on that statement and reveal whatever they want, but I personally think the family dynamic was a different beast and I've settled on not regarding Yashahime as canon. And, truthfully, I like that it's so different for the times and you all seem to like it, too. Your engagement went up a solid 100% when I wrote that love scene with Milady and Toga. Them just flirting with each other was one thing and it was a popular scene in Season 1, but that love scene just went POOF!
On Sesshomaru's childhood: I was robbed of any character learning about Sesshomaru, so this is my attempt at trying to figure out what could've happened to him and his family, but I wanted to give you all as much cuteness as I could muster before it all goes away with one dark memory after another.