Why does she not trust me...? Sesshomaru thought, watching his rival run from him to battle.
He was in his head, ruminating on what just happened, and that's what it all boiled down to. Despite the time together, despite their battles with each other, despite the life lessons they both had to go through in recent months, his rival was dismissing him as competition. Why? What did he do? What did he say? He had completely forgotten about her request for a kiss once she took off. Their rivalry was a highly valued - ! Could that be it? Was he valuing their relationship as rivals too much? As in...? Was it more than competition now? Is that why the good doctor changed the terms? She didn't really change them, though. The final battle was still on. She just... How did she truly feel about him as a rival? She said he was a good other, right? Why a kiss from him? He wasn't - ! Well, he wasn't opposed to physical contact with a good woman. He just... It wasn't a masculine thought or behavior, sure, but... he wanted to save himself for the right bride. He didn't want to have an arranged or loveless marriage just because of his status.
He wanted... what his parents had - what he grew up with. As loathe as he used to be to admit it, and the truth spell may have something more to do with his admitting it now, Toga and Milady were his first introduction to real love. Their marriage, as he had come to learn now, was not arranged. They had met through a dance, played around back and forth with idle flirting, and his father finally won his mother's heart with time. He was conceived before they were married, but they lived together in secret to raise him on their own until Hikozaemon II probably fussed at them for it. There was no need to sneak away and elope. Once Sesshomaru was told the truth about that, it made him feel jubilant. He didn't understand Milady's love for Hasumi and her family, but he was genuinely amazed that she was able to relate to a human once upon time. She called the human princess her equal as a wife. That... gave Sesshomaru hope.
The only person who truly knew how hurt he was over his parents' failed relationship was his grandfather, who Sesshomaru now saw he knew very little about. The lord of the west had all but forgotten the night he silently cried in his grandfather's back. The tightness of his hands gripping at his grandfather's shirt while the elder was sitting under the canopy of the mystical, silver wisteria trees, and the whimpering he allowed himself to utter at the loss was very fresh in his mind. Hikozaemon II was fascinated by the legendary foliage that sprouted at the corner of the inu territory and often visited it just to admire the blooms. When Sesshomaru was released from punishment after embarrassing Homugi, Hikozaemon II had taken Sesshomaru away to see those trees and to regain peace. It wasn't just his parents who were falling out of love. Sesshomaru had fallen out of love with the love he knew. After that night, he turned to indifference and then hate. After Rin's life was restored by Milady, he had visited the silver wisteria trees on his own to regain peace for himself. His grandfather visited him the second time he visited the silver wisterias. Rin had been left under Kaede's care, and he wasn't upset about it anymore. Hikozaemon II seemed pleased with that.
Sesshomaru then wondered about his grandfather and how he was always such a calm man in his memories, save for a few moments when he was grumpy or fussing at his father for something. His lordship knew practically nothing about Hikozaemon II's wife, and he was going to be embarking on a new world within a few days with him. Hell, he didn't know anything about his grandmothers. What kind of personalities did these other women possess? According to the Green Pheasant, the walking feather duster guessed that Hikozaemon II's wife was flirty when they met, and the elder confessed that Toga was like his mother in terms of personality. Was Meioshi like his grandmother then? She asked for something...
It was too soon, wasn't it...?
|| ... ... ... ||
Before Episode 1: Ice World | The Disruption
Watching Rin play with one of the village children warmed his heart. Truly. She was getting along with the children of the Mystic Island quite well, and the children of Kaede's village accepted her with fairly open arms. Perhaps, this was the right decision, after all. Even his brother was at peace here in Kaede's village. Standing atop a hill while Jaken was running away from a cat, Sesshomaru was chaperoning from afar. Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Shippo were all enjoying their victories over Naraku in some way. Even little Kohaku was playing around like a proper boy his age! Though Miroku and Sango were going on romantic strolls a bit more often than usual, it was pleasant to see folks around Sesshomaru's relative age engaging in such idle activity for once. Catching the scent of the haggard priestess, Sesshomaru turned to her and noticed concern on her face. That was awfully foreboding.
"Lord Sesshomaru, a word," Kaede started, standing next to him a distance away to chaperone with him. She then said, "Forgive me first for imposing, but I must bring this to thy attention due to thy prior proposal and the expected arrival of more children soon. While young right now, it is not uncommon for girls roughly Kagome's age or a bit younger to start marrying or producing young as ye hath said. I held my tongue when ye presented the idea of a betrothal for Rin once she comes of age because this is true when civilian economics or war status are at their tensest. Ye have spent the most time with her, and it is easy to see that ye have strong feelings for her whether that's parental or romantic. I have no doubt she will blossom into a beauty, and, by then, you'll be far surer of your decision for a marriage proposal than now. While I entrust Kagome and Sango to teach Rin about developing into a woman, they don't quite have the experience that... someone else has."
"What exactly are you implying, village matron?" Sesshomaru asked with some impatience.
"Unfortunately, I am not implying anything. I have received word from some allies that they will be visiting here soon. One of them is not going to allow your reason for Rin's betrothal to justify your decision. This person I am speaking about was a more well-rounded girl. Tch! We are alike in mind despite our differing childhoods. She lived a full life. She was properly courted by other boys, learned about herself, and knew she wanted more out of her life. I worry that with your prior proposal and the domestic lives that Kagome and Sango have started that Rin will be stunted in her own development. Even I had been courted when I was younger," Kaede explained.
"You?" Sesshomaru questioned in disbelief and a bit of repulsiveness.
Kaede merely smirked at this and said, "Unexpected truth, isn't it? But, aye. I had a man. No arranged marriages or proposals. Ye are the first of Inuyasha's group that I have told this to. I refused to tell your brother about it after he found Kagome and reunited with Kikyo."
"... Why?" Sesshomaru asked softly and curiously. "Moreover, you are a priestess. They do not typically marry, regardless."
"I did not become a priestess until after I met my man. Before, I was a rogue and lived on my own," Kaede confessed. "That's when I lived my life to the fullest. When this village was in failing health, I returned to it and reformed it into what ye know now. I did not just become the elder because of an inheritance or strong devotion to the Shinto faith. The village was desperate. I protected it. My valor and strength earned me the title."
"... You do not discriminate against children with a demon lineage. Is this because of Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru asked.
"No. I sympathize with all children who have either been abandoned or mistreated because I had been as a child," Kaede admitted, turning to Inuyasha as he was walking next to Kagome. "After your brother and my sister perished those years ago, I had been orphaned completely. Before then, Kikyo and Inuyasha had an entire life planned without me. Even now, the reincarnation of the woman I looked up to like a mother still has a life planned without me. I was hurt by that, so I made this place into a haven for other children the way I wished it was for me. It is ironic that my haven is where my 'mother' and 'father' wish to live when before I was merely afterthought, is it not? My experiences as a rogue also guided me. I am not without life experience, and the restoration of my birthplace was not without some influence."
"You are telling me all of this to make me stay away from Rin longer? Or is this your way of rejecting my idea?" Sesshomaru questioned, somewhat miffed at the new information but impressed by Kaede's determination and wide range of sympathy. To give to others what wasn't given to you was a noble reason for living life.
Kaede took that moment to look at Sesshomaru and said, "I am merely asking ye to decide what is truly best for her as before. That has not changed. What I wish to propose to you is to change your perspective to make thy final decision. Look at the lives of the women you once knew and now know. Who among them do you wish for Rin to be the most like as a woman? She will not remain a child, least of all the one you've come to adore. She will grow and change and age. I thought nothing of this myself because Kagome and Sango are still young enough to teach Rin what they know, and they have traveled much. Soon, they will not be able to devote as much time to her, and I fear their journey into motherhood will push Rin to a path she's not going to be ready for from what you have explained to me about her past. They have met many friends and allies along the way, but I have not seen them develop lasting relationships with these people. Think carefully on this, Lord Sesshomaru. That's what is concerning. I can leave this village and visit an old friend. I could leave to see my man tomorrow if I truly wanted to. Who can Sango visit other than her brother? Who can Kagome visit? Most of her other friends are mutual with her annoying to-be husband. If something happens to him, what will she do? She's leaving her entire existence behind for Inuyasha's love. That might sound admirable in a fairytale, but that reality is unfavorable. Rin seems fine right now, and I believe she's socializing quite well with the children who have suffered like her, but beyond that is merely ye and Jaken. That kind of life for a young woman will get lonely."
Sesshomaru was starting to understand Kaede's words and turned to look at Rin carefully this time. A girl was waving at him, gaining Rin's attention, and made Rin smile and wave at him in unison. She needs more time than he was suggesting. She needs more time than he realized. She can't be so dependent on him that she loses sight of a full life. But, then, what about him?
That made him ask, "What are you proposing then?"
"Decide what is best for her... and for you. Ye have traveled just as much as the others, but ye have a similar problem. You know no one other than Jaken and Inuyasha and his troop. How are you going to be a good husband if ye've yet to learn how to be a proper ally or friend? Give thyself and Rin a chance to truly develop before leaping into marriage. If ye must, think about finding a mentor to aid ye in this new growth and this new process. Really understand what it means to live a full life. As a young lord, I'm sure ye've had to endure thy fair share of expectations and limitations in choice," Kaede said. "Take a step back and look into that. When Rin is not there, who will ye count on to support ye during that time of grieving or loneliness? A full life is not just finding love or protecting a mate. Name ye a friend, Lord Sesshomaru."
|| ... ... ... ||
Hearing a loud crash, Sesshomaru was taken out of his thoughts and rushed to the commotion. His friend... his rival... the key to living a fuller life... was in trouble. He only stopped to kill the lingering demons nearby in a single sword strike before taking off again.
"Lord Sesshomaru, wait for me!" Jaken yelped, hustling to follow him. It was a futile gesture, but he wanted to prove himself.
"Has my young one been standing here the entire time?" a familiar voice asked, walking up to Moeru.
"Ah, Elder Hikozaemon II!" Moeru replied, bowing low in a hurry. "Y - yes. Lord Sesshomaru went to aid Lady Meioshi."
"Lady Meioshi?" Hikozaemon II questioned.
"Yes, my lord. She is this town's guardian from demons like the one in the distance. She went to pursue it," Moeru explained.
"You all are awfully casual about these creatures. That one's scent is very dark and very strong. Is she the holy warrior my cute grandson is fascinated with?" Hikozaemon II asked, looking at Moeru.
"Oh? Hehehe! I suppose so. They're rivals, after all," Moeru replied with a bright smile. "My girl wishes to know if she is someone worth loving and fighting, it seems. Every now and then, she has those moments of doubts. Maintaining her balance probably is a great weight on her shoulders, but she is quite good at it. She just recently changed the terms of their rivalry as a true test for herself. Your grandson took exception to that, it seemed."
"Hmph! I wonder if I should tell him why I call him 'my young one'," Hikozaemon II said more to himself than Moeru.
"Oh? Why do you call him that, elder?" Moeru asked.
"It is short for 'he who is like me'. My wife and I were rivals at first. I rushed into battle like that when I thought she was in danger, too," the elder said with a small smirk.
He looked into the sky for a moment..., wondering if his wife was smiling at him from the heavens or watching over Sesshomaru. A strong wind blew. His young one wanted a love like his parents so much as a child... not realizing... that he doesn't love like them. He is not as flighty and flirty as his youngest son, Touga, or his daughter-in-law, Milady. He may share their self-confidence, their combat affinity, or even their beauty and intelligence, but Sesshomaru loves too strongly and too differently. He requires balance in order to love to his fullest. It was difficult to catch on to his young one's tricks, but the cute boy was not pleased when someone was not properly whole. He tended to ignore or pay great attention to the missing things a person had. If someone was missing just a little bit of color to brighten their day, Sesshomaru would go around to find something that could fill that void. That's why his gifts were very special as a boy. He took pride in analyzing others and spotting the missing things. It was just like solving a puzzle. For whatever reason, his young one had this strong instinct to dominate another's thoughts with his affections. He could become the embodiment of masculine nature subconsciously. He is Yin. A true Yin. But... Hikozaemon II was also like that when he was Sesshomaru's age. It took a rival in the form of a smaller, flirtier, more vivacious, curvier woman to pull what was instinct out of him. Wakai hito, his beloved young one, had no idea what he was walking into...
BOOM!
A massive ghost-like creature with discolored skin, sunken eyes, and sharp teeth slammed its scorpion-like tail onto the ground and split the earth to summon more henchmen. Meioshi cussed under her breath but responded accordingly. She quickly made hand signs to open a seal and locked the smaller creatures away into varying prisons before burning them with her mianyi. This larger creature was Kubikajiri, one of the guardian demons of Chipuru, the bloodbath lands of hell. Somehow or another, a portal to hell was opened for him to escape. He gained his powers from the freshly buried corpses in graveyards. He wasn't close enough to Heiwa to cause any harm, but he was on his way to challenge Meioshi to a duel like his usual. He knew exactly where to go, too. He merely had to follow the scent of her spicy herbs and the char from her cremation grounds. Meioshi didn't believe in burying the dead anymore, especially after she was imprisoned in hell. She had only ever buried Nayoko because Rosanjin forced her to.
She would rather the children of the okiyas believe that she buried that little girl because her work wasn't done as a doctor than for them to know the darker truth. Rosanjin had taken every bit of wax, every wick, every candle and lantern, every batch of oil, every rock that had the potential to be used as flint, and every piece of wood and cloth away from Meioshi so that she was forced to stay with Nayoko's corpse until the body had begun to stink. It was meant to humiliate the good doctor and force her to give up. Instead, Meioshi performed the funeral rites on the girl and gave her a lovely burial. Instead, she went to Nayoko's grave every chance she could to speak to her and renew her promise to set the children free. It was only when she had to travel through Chipuru that she learned what happened to corpses that were not properly cared for when buried. A lot of them dropped in the bloodbaths for ghosts and cretins like Kubikajiri to devour and probe them. She hated Kubikajiri. Desecration of burial grounds was disgusting and unsanitary! He just does it for the hell of it. No pun intended!
"My beauty, you are quiet tonight. Release your powers and battle me properly! I simply must have the head of a holy warrior!"
"I simply must have a nice drink, good smoke, and a damn fine dinner after I kick your ass, man!" Meioshi replied, slightly transforming into the Netherworld predator form. "Why are you here?"
"Tetsuzan is dead, remember? With no gate master, we are allowed to roam and claim the lives of whoever we want. King Biancheng did a number on you, didn't he, my beauty? I can smell the blood pouring out of your eyes! The taste of it will be so satisfying! Unh, the feel of your soft marrow and supple skin on my teeth and tongue! Divine!" Kubikajiri said with a wicked cackle. "Battle me, my beauty!"
With a hard swipe, Kubikajiri slammed his claw into Meioshi's side, making her bullet into the ground, but she was able to recover quickly. Having had enough of Kubikajiri, she took her axe hand and cut straight across her mouth from the tip of the joint joining her jaws together to the other tip and let out a roar that signified her unleashing of power. Hands and feet now possessing the axes, she was able to run across terrain with her Nether Dash ability. Kubikajiri's eyes widened with excitement as he rushed at her. They clashed claws in a power struggle until a ball of stormy lightning struck Kubikajiri's eye and made him reel back. He cackled with maniacal laughter, however, and spotted the offender. It was Kinzo with Maboroshi no kohime's black and red eyes. He was floating above storm clouds and humid winds. Raising a misty blood shield, Kubikajiri stabbed his ghost tail into the ground multiple times to summon large, red bugs with multiple legs and crescent shaped tusks and tails. Their shells were tough as mountain stone and eyes blue like gems. The beady irises held no light in them. Pure black was there. These creatures were known as the tsutsugamushi and calling them for backup was a shitty move. The onmyoji clanhead was far too young to know how to control anything, so the Chipuru guardian would have a holy warrior to nibble on either way.
"No interruptions, onmyoji. This beauty is mine! Play with something more your size," Kubikajiri said.
Meioshi chuckled at this, letting a confident smirk grace her mangled face and said through some choice grits, "Interesting. How did you know that man there was an onmyoji?"
"Tch! Are you kidding me? Look at those eyes! Only the onmyoji possess the eyes of the ram goddess. Haven't seen one of 'em in a while, though. New dick for you to ride, my beauty?" Kubikajiri asked, laughing with true amusement.
"Pfft! I wish. He's my new apprentice," Meioshi said with a wicked grin.
That made Kubikajiri's eyes widen with shock before he questioned, "WHAT!?"
Yanking her jaw fully open to reach her bosom, Meioshi summoned a bountiful amount of mianyi-dark from her diaphragm into a red and purple ball and split the power in two to cover her axe fists. She only put her jaw back for a split second before punching Kubikajiri in his stomach twice, catching his ghost tail just as he was about to stab her in retaliation, and swung him around in a circle before slamming his large body into the ground. Stepping on the tail's tip, she let her opponent catapult her into the air and swiftly descended onto him with a critical finisher that forced him underground. There was a struggle in the dust and dirt below. Kinzo was unleashing a lot of storm power to apprehend the tsutsugamushi, but it was becoming tiring. How was the doctor able to fight these creatures with such ease?
Abruptly, a green, burning energy came straight for Kinzo's head. He let out a yelp before dodge-rolling away and watching as the man with silver hair from before was caught in a power struggle against the tsutsugamushi. That large creature might have been right. Kinzo wasn't sure of how to deal with these monsters.
"My son..." Takenao said telepathically from the funeral home. "Do not use so much of your pure strength against creatures only you can control. You are an onmyoji. Access our scrolls and command these creatures."
"How, father? The goddess didn't teach me how to command the youkai, only how to destroy them," Kinzo replied.
"Look at how we are speaking to each other, my son. I am at Lady Meioshi's funeral home for a reason. You wanted to live close to this place for a reason. The onmyoji communicate with each other through gateways where human territory crosses paths with youkai territory. Graveyards are common. In order for you to learn our techniques, you must listen to the onmyoji of the past. You are not ready to call upon them, but you can come to me. You are pure of heart, my son. Look into your heart and find my voice there. You will see our scrolls," Takenao instructed.
Building a storm wall around himself, Kinzo closed his eyes started chanting. Sesshomaru turned to see the onmyoji doing this and was reminded of Meioshi chanting when they first met. So, that must be how she accesses or unlocks her powers. Through that chanting. Just as he was about to strike, Kinzo opened his eyes - now filled with kanji characters - and wrapped a set of silver and red beads around one of the tsutsugamushi. The red bug shook violently at first before it stopped and kneeled before Kinzo. The onmyoji chanted some more and took a few steps back. Within the next moment, the tsutsugamushi turned silver and attacked its brethren. Sesshomaru jumped back and watched the event unfold. He was... quite impressed by the other holy warrior. The ability to control other youkai was a useful trick.
CRASH!
The earth rattled violently from the impact just ahead. Sesshomaru quickly dashed to the commotion... and was almost knocked into next week by Kubikajiri. He rocketed out of the crater he was fighting in and was being chased by an angered Meioshi. She flew out of the crater like a bat out of hell and was letting loose a flurry of punches and kicks. Kubikajiri tried to tail swipe her, but she just caught his tail and swung him into the ground to punch him into the earth again to form another crater. Another power struggle ensued. This time, Meioshi was shot out of the crater and Kubikajiri was chasing her down. Sesshomaru tried to jump in, but another misty blood wall appeared and Kubikajiri slashed across Meioshi's armor to rip it open and punched her into the wall of the crater.
"No more interruptions, my beauty! You're sluttier than usual. All these men coming to your aid!" Kubikajiri said with a cackle. "First, the onmyoji; now, this white boy!"
"Excuse me," Sesshomaru replied with offense.
"Come now, my beauty. Surely, you can give me more than a few seconds of pleasure, yes?" Kubikajiri asked, licking his teeth with anticipation.
"Oh, I can do more than that," Meioshi purred, walking out of the hole and climbing on the wall like an ambiguous creature. She snapped her neck a couple of times to remove the tension and said, "I can make the walls rattle. Come here, boy."
"On my way!" Kubikajiri roared, rushing at Meioshi.
She waited until he got just close enough to punch him, form another mianyi-dark ball, and summon the Four Heavenly Kings to make Fusion Fists. When Kubikajiri came at her again, she broad-jumped towards him and punched him further into the first crater. She leaped up, chanted quickly, summoned her family's herbs, and formed a seal over Kubikajiri.
Forming a triangle with her hands, Meioshi belted out, "Seinaru chūshin! Connect the points between the capital of Chipuru and the family seal! Move the Gate into Hell!"
"What? No!" Kubikajiri yelped, scratching at the ground to escape.
"Baransu no kagi, lock away this menace!" Meioshi said, breaking the triangle and forming another hand sign with an open palm and odd shape of the other hand. "Bind him from the mortal realm and have his reign be no more! Release!"
A burst of light made the earth quake as Kubikajiri started screaming from the intense burning of Meioshi's mianyi-light. It was enough to even blind Sesshomaru and force him to turn away. He said nothing as Meioshi called back her hellish might and summoned her boat to fly to safety. He said nothing when she waited for the earth to stop shaking. He said nothing when she summoned spears of light into her hands and shot them at the remaining tsutsugamushi to kill them without looking. He said nothing when she walked over to him to put a hand on his shoulder and smirk. He said nothing when she walked over to Kinzo to congratulate him for learning how to control youkai so quickly. He couldn't. Now, he understood why no one really knew about her. He understood why the youkai living in Heiwa didn't challenge her anymore.
Kaede's words were loud and clear now. He knew very little about the world he lived on. Holy warriors were nothing like Shinto priestesses. They had to be controlled. Their powers surpassed even the superhumans of the world. Otherwise, they would control him and his kind. But why didn't they? Why did they not lead the way to create the era of humans? Were they not gods among men? Were they not gods among youkai?
"Is that holy warrior from the other world going to stay in your home, sensei?" Kinzo asked, folding his arms.
"He'll be staying with the emperor, actually, but he'll be visiting us before we depart. Why?" Meioshi replied.
"I'm so starved! I get so freakin' hungry after I use my powers!" Kinzo complained.
"Y'know what? I could go for dinner after this fiasco, too. I think I have some sake leftover," Meioshi said, leading the way to her home.
"Witch."
"Hm?"
Slice. Bakusaiga was at Meioshi's back, waiting to get a taste of her blood.
"Before we return to Nihon, battle me. If you somehow win against me at my full power, I will be your rival no longer. You are strong enough to battle your true enemy. If I win..., I am changing the terms of our rivalry as you tried to do earlier," Sesshomaru said.
"To what?" Meioshi asked, turning very slightly to consider his words.
"..."