They spent the whole day discussing what to do with Tokijin. The sword was alive, tempting them to try touching it, but they all knew better. Totosai couldn't break it with his hammer. Tetsusaiga couldn't break it either. Barriers and seals they needed were impossible for any of them to create. And even if they could, the sword's aura would still be leaking. For building a shrine, they needed money and time, which no one had.
And after the whole day of futile trying to deal with the sword, Hotaru was getting antsy. They were all patched up and perfectly fine. Her duty here was done and over and she should go back to Rin and Sesshomaru. But Tokijin was…
"All right." She sighed heavily. "We're wasting time here. It's pointless."
Kagome sighed too. "But who could've commissioned such a sword?"
I believe I know who. And it won't make you happy if I say it. Hotaru thought.
"We'd better leave this place before that person appears." Miroku said, seriously considering their chances against someone like that.
Inuyasha certainly didn't like the idea. "Eh? Are y' saying to run away?!"
"Mmm. Anyone capable of drawing out a sword of such evil will have enormous power." Totosai glanced at Inuyasha, "you're no match right now."
"Hmph! Then, I'll wait right here!" Inuyasha sat down and decided to wait.
Oh, lords! Hotaru rolled her eyes. Did Totosai not know Inuyasha's personality? Why bait him?
"Inuyasha." Kagome's voice was scolding and all of his friends were trying to reason with him, but the half-demon was a stubborn mule. So their plans soon turned into a discussion on 'how to drag Inuyasha away'.
But as stubborn as Inuyasha was, he was equally impatient. Therefore they decided to wait until morning, to get away from the evil sword.
During dinner, Hotaru tried to give them another option. She believed she knew whose Tokijin was, but didn't want to point it out directly: "...why don't we ask Sesshomaru to try taking the sword?" He most likely commissioned it in the first place.
"Are you nuts?!" Inuyasha protested all the way from his spot.
"What? Don't look at me like I'm crazy. He is the strongest demon around, he might as well be able to control it." She defended her idea.
"A-a-ah, he can't. Even Sesshomaru won't be able to subdue Tokijin. And if Sesshomaru gets possessed, then it could turn into catastrophe." Totosai argued, shivering in fear. Sesshomaru was his greatest nightmare.
She frowned. "So the idea is denied?"
Totosai was nodding furiously. "Yes, Sesshomaru cannot get a weapon like this one. It's too dangerous."
Or he would be too dangerous with the weapon he could actually use… "I think you are underestimating him here, Totosai-sama."
"You travel with him, your opinion in his favour doesn't count." Inuyasha huffed. "You are not right in your head somehow."
It earned him a scolding from Kagome: "Come here if you want to talk or shut up! You're being rude again."
"Keh!"
"I should go get him. He could solve this issue of ours by claiming the Tokijin." Hotaru challenged Inuyasha, not giving up so easily.
"Oh, don't you dare leave!"
"Do you travel with Sesshomaru?" Totosai was staring at Hotaru as if she had two heads.
"Yes."
The old demon blinked. "Are you, perhaps… his lover?" He blurted out and Hotaru almost flipped.
"HUH?! What?! How did it even cross your mind, Totosai-sama?! Of course not! It's simply a convenient alliance, that's all."
Inuyasha laughed. "Sesshomaru with a human? Have you lost your mind, Totosai? He'd kill her before she could even think about falling for him."
######
Rin was sitting by a small fire, dejectedly waiting for either Sesshomaru, or Hotaru to return. The demon was missing since last night and Rin wasn't sure if she wasn't left behind. She really hoped someone would come back for her.
Please come quick. She pleaded inwardly.
As if she conjured them, in the next second, she could hear Jaken's loud complaints: "That Kaijinbo, where'd he go with that sword?"
"Ah, Sesshomaru-sama!" She called out to him happily and ran up to him.
He frowned at the dark forest and ordered: "Stop, Rin. Do not move."
In a moment he jumped, aiming at the forest. He could smell the intruder. Once he got him located, he cracked his knuckles and clawed through a few trees.
A strange demoness avoided his attack gracefully and landed back on her feet. She smelled like death and wind but she also carried Naraku's scent.
"A woman…" What does she want?
Jaken sniffed too. "This scent… She smells much like the strange beast that offered to lend you the severed human arm containing the sacred jewel fragment. The demon that disguised himself by wearing a baboon pelt. His wretched plan took us to hell and back. Curse him! You almost got devoured by the arm and I was beaten to a pulp by that monk! Simply recalling that incident makes me sick!"
Sesshomaru ignored Jaken's rant. He was watching the woman carefully, expectantly. She certainly wasn't attacking. "I recall the scent. It is the same as the beast that attempted to trap me. The one who's known as Naraku."
"Hmmm… so you're Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother? Pretty clever." She commented with a coy smile. "I'm Kagura, the wind sorceress. An incarnation of Naraku."
"Incarnation…" Her scent was also in that village.
"Correct." She seemed to be content with herself. "And the fangs you gave Kaijinbo to make the sword were those of a demon named Goshinki. Like me, he was also created out of Naraku."
"All very interesting. But did you search me out to simply tell me this?" She was starting to get on his nerves.
"Mmm," she smirked, "can you not detect its scent? The sword, Tokijin, reeks with Goshinki's aura, and it's closer than you think." She taunted and then quickly took off, flying away on her feather. Maybe she felt his annoyance. But she looked at him over her shoulder. "That sword belongs to you."
He stared after her leaving figure. Why did she decide to tell me this?
Jaken shuffled towards him and stared after her too. "I am not sorry to see her leave so soon. I don't believe I've seen such an arrogant woman."
Hnnn. He looked over his shoulder at Rin, who remained perfectly unmoving the entire time. "Rin, you are free to move now."
"Ah, o-okay!" She smiled widely and stretched. She was starting to itch.
"Tokijin…" He took in deep breath, tasting the scents carried by the wind. It was mostly foliage, a nearby river, a village close enough he could smell all its inhabitants, several small demons roaming the forest… And then, there was a faint scent of Inuyasha's group and Hotaru. They were relatively close, a day of walking. But if he wanted, he could reach them within an hour or two.
He focused on that scent, something was out of place. He was trying to figure out what. Totosai was there too, his charcoal and burnt scent overshadowing the others. And there was something else… It was a very slight scent, almost hidden by the others. Kaijinbo… The evil aura… Tokijin.
I found it. He was ready to leap up and go claim his sword right away, but Rin's rumbling stomach stopped him. "Have you eaten anything today?"
Rin blushed. "I haven't. Everything ran away from me and I wasn't sure about the plants…" She stared at her feet dejectedly. "Hotaru-sama said I shouldn't eat things I'm not sure are safe…"
He let out an annoyed sigh. It disturbed his plans tonight. "You have to learn to fend for yourself."
"Yes, Rin! Sesshomaru-sama, won't be bringing you any food!" Jaken scolded her too. "If you can't feed yourself, you'll be sleeping hungry."
"I know." She mumbled and her stomach rumbled again. "I'm sorry."
He could tell from her scent that she was sad. There was no way she would find something in this darkness, and Jaken wasn't reliable. "I will get you something." He stared at her, giving in. "This time."
"Eh?" She blinked at him in surprise, then a wide smile settled on her lips. "Thank you, my lord!"
"WHAT?!" Jaken's eyes almost fell out. "But-but-but Sesshomaru-sama, you need to get the sword."
"The sword will be there tomorrow too. They can't do anything with it."
They were getting ready to leave, but Inuyasha himself was still intending to wait there for whomever would come to get the sword. But his patience was running out. And Myoga trying to make him promise he would never ever let go of Tetsusaiga in a battle was certainly not helping him.
"Oh, mind your own business!" He shouted at the flea demon.
"What do you think, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked, watching Inuyasha with his arms crossed. "I think we should tell him the truth."
"That Tetsusaiga also serves to keep Inuyasha's demon side sealed?"
"Yes, he doesn't know that, which is why he abandons the sword sometimes."
"I wonder if we should tell him…" The girl was bothered, not sure what to do.
"No, no, no! You must not tell him!" Myoga came jumping towards them, offended by Inuyasha's rudeness. "You know what Inuyasha-sama is like, if he learns about the secret, he'll surely abandon his sword and come to rely on his transformed claws and fangs."
"Hmmm…" Miroku rubbed his chin, "so it could become a habit then?"
"Of course! After all, Inuyasha-sama is such a simpleton at heart, remember?"
"Mhm, without a doubt." The monk nodded.
Hotaru was frowning, she didn't like their thinking. Not telling Inuyasha the truth could make it all worse. We are missing something important… But what is it? It was itching at the edge of her mind, but she couldn't grasp it and a headache was settling in. Maybe I'm just paranoid.
"Oh… Then you should pray Totosai won't tell him." She pointed at the old swordsmith, who was walking towards Inuyasha.
"Yikes…"
"Geez, you're a busy fellow. Changing into a human one minute," he started and sat down heavily, "a goblin next."
"I'm a demon, not a goblin." Inuyasha protested, but despite his sharp tongue he sat down beside the old demon. "It's not exactly like I have any idea what's going on here!"
"Don't you know what's happening? Then you really are dimwitted."
Inuyasha huffed in annoyance, but patiently waited for Totosai to continue:
"Myoga told me that you transform into a full demon when you are on the verge of dying. That's not too surprising really, seeing as you are a half-demon. But," he turned back and stared at Tokijin, "if you ask me your strength doesn't lay in your demon nature."
Inuyasha frowned and the others shuffled closer, to hear Totosai better.
"As I explained to you, the weight of your repaired Tetsusaiga comes from the fang I used to repair it. Originally, Tetsusaiga was forged from your father's fangs alone. In other words, you were relying on your father to protect you." That didn't sit well with Inuyasha, but he was too interested in Totosai's words to interrupt him. "But now, Tetsusaiga is different. Now you must master your own fang, and you must protect yourself. Once you manage to freely wield this new Tetsusaiga, you will have truly discovered your own strength."
There was a momentary silence, so the words could sink in. Then an applause startled Inuyasha. All his friends were behind them, applauding Totosai. Only Hotaru was frowning, not fully convinced.
"That's right, it's just as you have said, Totosai-sama." Miroku agreed, while Shippo was nodding, "Yup, exactly."
"You can do it Inuyasha!" Kagome encouraged him cheerfully. "You've got the willpower! You can do anything you've set your mind to!"
"Yeah, I guess so…" He said slowly. Why do I feel like I was conned? He thought, and he would bet that Hotaru, as strange as it was, was sharing his thoughts. Judging by her expression, he guessed that she didn't fully believe it either.
Before he could say anything else, the sky darkened and the air was filled with the scent of ozone and electricity.
"Oh…" Hotaru would never mistake this youki. Sesshomaru.
A green light appeared above them as Sesshomaru riding on A-Un appeared. Un's green flash shot upwards at the sky, to darken the clouds and create a storm, while A shot his blue bolt of lightning at Tokijin.
The group retreated from the sword, covering their eyes against the bright light.
Sesshomaru jumped down, leaving A-Un floating and maintaining the ominous weather. He gracefully landed beside the steaming Tokijin. A's bolt had no effect on the sword's evil aura.
"Ah!" Kagome winced, while Inuyasha growled: "Sesshomaru."
"Oh, oh no, no, not him!" Totosai whimpered as he ducked behind Inuyasha, seeking a hiding place.
Inuyasha glared at his brother: "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Just what I would ask you." Sesshomaru returned coldly, his eyes briefly flickering to Hotaru. The young woman returned his gaze calmly, she even smiled a little. Then he focused on Tokijin. The sword was straight, double edged and slightly wider at the tip. It was not the classic katana-like style of Tenseiga. It had a rather massive red hilt with a crossguard and a round pommel with a short red string attached to it. There was no sheath for the sword. Simple, useful, strong…
"I've only come for this sword." He was examining its aura. He noted the damage the sword had done to the surrounding plants; it spread wider than the crater made by A's bolt of lightning. "It seems the demon you killed was so bitter, it desired revenge even after its remains were forged into the sword."
"What?" Inuyasha growled, while Sango wondered: "how does he know that Tokijin was forged from Goshinki's fangs?"
"It must mean that…" Miroku gasped.
I was right, of course it was him… Hotaru thought, when Sesshomaru confirmed their wonder: "I was the one who commissioned Kaijinbo to make this sword."
At least Goshinki's head wasn't taken by some idiot… She added inwardly.
Kagome flinched when Sesshomaru's eyes landed on Inuyasha again, his gaze filled with disdain.
But there was also a hidden wonder, as if something was bothering the dog demon. Hotaru wouldn't have noticed it if it weren't for those 14 days spent in the demon's presence.
"Sesshomaru!" Totosai cried. "You must not touch the Tokijin. Even you will be possessed by the Tokijin's evil aura. Heed my warning, I implore you!"
Hotaru gawked at Totosai incredulously. Is he in his right mind? First he baits Inuyasha into waiting here, now he is baiting Sesshomaru? Is he doing it on purpose?
There was no way Sesshomaru would back down after this challenge. For a moment, Hotaru thought the two brothers were really similar in their pride and stubbornness; Sesshomaru just handled it more gracefully. And she was sure that Sesshomaru had enough strength to subdue the evil sword. She didn't doubt his ability.
Sesshomaru scoffed at Totosai. He strode forward and grabbed Tokijin's hilt, slowly pulling it out of the ground. "Pathetic fool. Just who do you take me for?"
The evil aura around the sword pulsed and then it started dissipating, bending under Sesshomaru's overpowering youki and his will. He was claiming the sword, successfully forcing its energy under his command.
"Eh, the evil aura." Miroku gasped as he stared at Sesshomaru. "It's dissipating."
"The evil aura was overtaken by Sesshomaru." Totosai murmured in surprise, then he whimpered: "I really don't like him."
"I told you so. Did you really expect anything less?" He loves being challenged… Hotaru sighed in exasperation. "You should've listened to me and this could've been solved yesterday."
Sesshomaru glanced at Hotaru in slight surprise, but in a second returned his attention to the sword. He examined the blade and weight of the sword. It was perfect. "Hmm," he murmured, "I see the sword has chosen me as its master."
Then he looked at Inuyasha once more. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha. There is something I wish to verify."
Hotaru frowned in thought. Sesshomaru purposefully used Goshinki's fangs, perhaps because they'd broken Tetsusaiga. Since you can't have Tetsusaiga, you'll commission a sword that should be stronger? A bit childish, don't you think? And what do you want to verify? If you can break Tetsusaiga again? Or perhaps…
"You want to verify something about me?!" Inuyasha wasn't sure what his brother wanted, but he didn't wish to fight him today.
"Don't do it Inuyasha." Kagome clung to his sleeve.
"Would you let go of me?" He shook her off, bracing himself for the inevitable fight.
"Do you honestly think you can defeat him?" Totosai demanded.
No. He knew he couldn't. But he didn't have a choice. And he surely didn't want Sesshomaru to turn against his friends. "Keh, I can't exactly tell him to come back when I've finished training."
"Precisely," a hint of a smile touched Sesshomaru's lips as he raised the Tokijin. "Come at me, little brother." He challenged condescendingly. And when Inuyasha hesitated for a second: "I'll make it easy, I shall come for you."
Before they could so much as blink, Sesshomaru lunged forward, running at them with Tokijin ready in his hand to strike Inuyasha. The half-demon dashed forward immediately. "You're gonna regret this, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yelled as he unsheathed Tetsusaiga. He tried to ignore the weight, but it did slow him down. If Sesshomaru truly decided to kill him, he knew he wouldn't survive.
All he managed now was to block Tokijin, but its released energy formed small needle-like shapes or blades, which threw Inuyasha backwards, causing a few shallow lacerations. The half-demon gritted his teeth.
"The best he can do is block the sword." Kagome said worriedly.
"The sword is too powerful for him!" Shippo added.
"This isn't looking good." Totosai agreed.
"Is there any chance Inuyasha can defeat him?" Miroku asked the old swordsmith.
"Well," Totosai shifted his weight uncomfortably, "he still doesn't know how to handle Tetsusaiga. Besides, he's up against Tokijin - a dangerous sword in anyone's hands - and now that it's been wielded by Sesshomaru…"
They all turned back to the battle when they heard a crack as Inuyasha was pushed further back, barely managing to protect himself with Tetsusaiga. "Dammit to hell." He swore as he got up from his crouching position.
Hotaru's eyes narrowed. Sesshomaru wasn't going for the kill. There had been at least five chances for him to kill Inuyasha, but he hadn't. Instead, he was carefully observing Inuyasha. Then it dawned on her. He wants to force the transformation!
Their standstill was getting long. Each of them was thinking about their next move.
"What? Have you altered your combat strategy?" Sesshomaru provoked. "Usually you charge at me blindly with a great haste."
"Hmph, whatever you say." Inuyasha growled as he threw Tetsusaiga over his shoulder.
Inuyasha charged at Sesshomaru. It took him great effort to keep Tetsusaiga raised enough to clash with Tokijin. Sesshomaru lowered his centre of gravity to par with the force behind Inuyasha's attack. The half-demon was clearly trying to take him out with one strong blow as he put the entire strength into it. Even Sesshomaru had to alter his stance as he could only use one arm.
The swords' energies battled. Tokijin was letting out its tiny blades, which didn't reach Inuyasha this time. Once the swords negated each other, the brothers stayed locked, trying to push each other back by brute strength.
"Ah," Sesshomaru hummed in realisation, it wasn't only Inuyasha's strength and weight in that blow, "Tetsusaiga has become a little heavier, I see."
"It's a lot heavier, you stupid jack-ass." Inuyasha snapped. He was lucky that Sesshomaru only had one arm.
Sesshomaru snorted disdainfully. "If the sword is too heavy for you, you're better off without it!" Just letting it out of his mouth, he shifted the angle of his Tokijin, swinging it upwards, which caught Inuyasha by surprise and knocked Tetsusaiga out of his hands. Inuyasha himself was thrown backwards and away from his sword, which stuck into the ground and transformed back into its rusty old shape.
"Damn it all!" Inuyasha huffed as he was getting himself up from the ground. He knew he was screwed, but there was no way he could run with tail between his legs. What does he want? Sesshomaru always claimed he wanted to kill him, but he never truly did. Just like Hotaru pointed out the other night. Maybe this time he will. A part of him mocked, which sent a shiver down his spine.
He slapped Myoga away angrily and charged barehanded. There was no reason for him to use a weapon he couldn't control and which was slowing him down.
Sesshomaru merely held the sword's tip aimed at Inuyasha and let Goshinki's evil energy attack. It formed the blades, pushing and cutting Inuyasha. Hmmm… this could be altered.
Hotaru was staring at the battle worriedly. She didn't like Sesshomaru being this harsh. He was certainly pushing Inuyasha to his limits. She understood there were different standards to what their bodies could handle, but it was bordering on brutality. Just do not kill him, please do not kill him, she pleaded inwardly.
He was waiting for Inuyasha to get back on his feet. "I've seen all that I needed." He stated coldly and charged forward, now going for the kill. "Die!"
Instead of reacting, or trying to dodge, Inuyasha wavered and crouched down. I cannot die!
Hotaru could feel his raw, violent youki rising, spreading and filling the air. Now that his life was threatened, his blood awakened again. To protect him from Sesshomaru.
Even Sesshomaru sensed it. He flinched. It wasn't just the scent, it was Inuyasha's youki and enormous killing intent aimed at him. For a second he felt fear, but despite that, he didn't stop, he had to test the strength of transformed Inuyasha.
"Oh no!" Kagome whimpered.
Totosai sighed, "you people take Inuyasha and flee from here." He walked forward, taking in a deep breath, lighting the fire inside his lungs, and praying that Sesshomaru wouldn't pursue. He blew out a solid wall of fire, which spread across the whole meadow, separating the brothers.
It stopped Sesshomaru who, unlike Inuyasha, wasn't wearing fireproof clothes and Totosai's fire possessed extraordinary heat and potency that could severely injure even a demon like him. "Totosai," he growled and glared at the fire.
Behind it he could see Inuyasha's friends running towards him. The girl shouted a SIT! command, which made Inuyasha hit the ground head first and forced him into submission. Sesshomaru was baffled by that. What was it? What power does she hold over him?
"Hotaru-san! Are you coming or what?" Sango was prompting her to go with them.
"I'm staying." She answered calmly. She threw them something. "For Inuyasha's wounds. His only!"
"Thank you!" Sango caught it and hid it in her robe.
"Now go! Until our paths cross again!"
"Until we meet again, child!" Totosai answered for the fleeing group.
They were fast to leave. A part of Hotaru wondered if Sesshomaru would follow. He certainly had the capacity and nose to sniff them out.
But he didn't. He remained there, on the other side of the fire, looking at their disappearing backs, then shifting his gaze on her. They were eyeing each other through the scorching fire. She truly remained neutral in their fight and she stayed.
He placed the sword next to Tenseiga, under his sash. Tenseiga rattled, not fond of its new neighbour, but soon resigned. And when fire died down, Hotaru crossed the crater of scorched and steaming ground towards the patiently waiting Sesshomaru.
"Why didn't you pursue after them?" She asked.
"I've got what I came here for." He said flatly and faced forward, so she couldn't see his deep frown. To think that he made me, Sesshomaru, tremble with fear for even a second. Inuyasha, in that instant…
######
He is strong, he might be able to kill Naraku. Kagura was watching them with curiosity as they were leaving. An unusual pair. A fine dog youkai and a mortal woman.
And Naraku doesn't know about her yet… She decided she wouldn't be the one to tell him this news: two humans travelling with the demon lord.
A/N: Let me know what you think but remember, reviews are appreciated but never necessary.
I am NOT interested in any art commissions I have to pay for! I am writing this story for FREE, in my FREE TIME, if you want to do do some fan art in your free time, because you like the story, I am all ears and happy to discuss, but otherwise... PLEASE, do not spam my PMs with what I consider scams.
S.