InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten ❯ School of Hard Knocks: Lesson 3 ( Chapter 27 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Sesshomaru, Inuyasha or anyone else from the hit anime/manga series. Rumiko Takahashi does. I do own all OC's and plot in this story.

 

Lesson 3:Listen to Thy Elders

 

Inuyasha sat beneath the small waterfall letting the water flow over him. His knuckles pressed together as he meditated. He hadn't done this since leaving the Temple of Heaven and now realized that was a mistake. His powers peculiarities, fading out when his demon powers did, working too well, acting without consciously summoning them, not to mention the visions, were problematic. If he couldn't control them his power would be of no use to anyone. He pushed his awareness deeper within himself. There was no one to turn to for answers.

 

“Are you sure about that, Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha blinked. He stood within a garden. Flowers he had never seen before grew everywhere. Numerous bonsai sat in their shallow pots on pedestals and walls all over the garden. A bamboo fountain knocked as it filled then emptied. A pale wall with deep blue tiles atop it surrounded the place. A mansion, the only building, sat at one end. There was no gate visible.

 

“Where-?” He stopped his question and grimaced. He had done it again. When he was at the temple he had found if he went too deep within himself he ended up in a place where the souls of the dead gathered; the border between life and death. The priestesses and scolded him fiercely whenever he did that. The reason was obvious. For his soul to be here his heart had to stop. However, he had never had a problem in returning.

 

A pebble struck him in the head and Inuyasha yelped. “Over here, foolish pup.” He turned toward the sound of the voice and jumped. A man with long black hair tied into a horsetail and dressed in kimono and hakama of the deepest shade of blue the hanyou had ever seen sat on the edge of the engawa. A light blue wave pattern rolled across the fabric. He wore a necklace with a silver circle on it. Small white diamonds studded it accenting the crescent relief. Small sapphires studded the lower half where the diamond did not cover giving the illusion of ripples.

 

Inuyasha had heard of the Suigetsu talisman but he had never seen it before since it had been sold during a financial crisis before he was born. Though the shading was different, the blue robes were in the design of a mizutenko. The hanyou blinked again. There was only one tenko who had ever worn the Suigetsu talisman; his grandfather, Lord Jounochi. He swallowed. This was the first time he had encountered a dead soul here.

 

“Grandfather, why are you here?” Inuyasha asked.

 

“What? Were you expecting someone else?” Lord Jounochi asked.

 

Inuyasha shook his head and said, “I just didn't expect you to be at the border. You've been dead for so long.”

 

“I was worried,” his grandfather replied. “It seems I left a huge mess behind. Truth is I've been here the whole time. I just haven't called attention to myself before. There are always spirits at the border. Whether you see them or not depends on what they want. Until now I didn't feel the need to show myself.”

 

“Why?” asked Inuyasha.

 

Lord Jounochi wagged a finger at him. “You didn't come here to learn the ways of spirits, Inuyasha. Your time here is brief. If you stay too long you won't be able to return. Don't waste it on pointless questions that don't benefit you.”

 

“Yes, sir,” said Inuyasha. He took a deep breath and said, “I want to know why my power acts the way it does. I lose all of it not just my demon powers on the night of the new moon. I can do things without fully being aware of what I've done. Then some things occur without me actually doing anything. Then what about these stupid visions and understanding things? I'm not someone to just shrug them off because they've helped me and others. There are times when I can control my powers and times when they go out of control. Why is it like that? My escape from Kuromakaze had me using so many tightly controlled spells perfectly. Why can't I do that every time? Why are they so fickle?”

 

“You're correct to question them. However, you're shocked to find them behaving differently from other tenko of the same element? I'm shocked they resemble them at all,” said his grandfather. Inuyasha gazed at him in confusion. “Think about your father. He's confirmed to be a first generation true yokai. Hanyou or not that makes you a second generation true yokai. No one but your older brother carries anything of the ancient bloodline. All the other yokai have been thinned due to inbreeding. This close to the original creation makes it potent, even more so for you than your elder brother. Your demon blood remains pure and untainted by any other. Then there is the fact your father was made a celestial through his use of the Jewel of Life. The Lightwing blood is more powerful than you can imagine. It should have overwhelmed our watered down celestial blood and given you powers more attuned to a celestial demon. Why it expresses itself as fire and wind is beyond me.”

 

Inuyasha sat down hard on the ground. “So my power is flawed?”

 

“I didn't say that,” said Lord Jounochi, shaking his head. “As for why it wanes on the night of the new moon, well, heheh. I'm called Suigetsu because my power waxed and waned with the moon.”

 

“It did?” asked Inuyasha, staring at his grandfather.

 

Lord Jounochi nodded and said, “I had incredible power when it was full but was very weak when it was new. Not helpless like you describe but opponents I could defeat half-a-month before could, at that time, defeat me. I always figured that was why your demon power failed on the new moon. My little contribution.”

 

Lord Jounochi stood up and walked over toward his grandson and said, “Your ability to come here I suspect is your mother's contribution. Not just anyone can walk in and out of the border region like this.” Inuyasha stood up and his grandfather paused when he was still an arm's length away. “I sense the Jewel of the Heavens. You possess it now?” Inuyasha nodded. He didn't want to discuss the reason why he was guarding it. Bad enough Jounochi was aware of Sagara's fate worse it would be if he learned about his only son's. “You best guard that well. Of all the shards of the Jewel of Life that is the most dangerous one.”

 

“You don't have to tell me that,” said Inuyasha. “Even babies know that much.”

 

“Words begin to describe how dangerous it is,” said his grandfather, his eyes narrowing. “The fact that you are here means some part of you still doesn't understand that threat fully. You need to return to the land of the living now.”

 

“Must I leave so soon?” asked Inuyasha. “I still don't have any answers.”

 

“I've heard what you said and I'll be working on it. Nothing else to do around here anyway and I do feel terrible for not being there for you. If only I had been a little more tactful when approaching Sagara…” he said. Inuyasha looked down. His grandfather probably hadn't encountered any newly dead from Tenji who could have told him how bad it had become.

 

“I'll give you a story to dream about,” he said reaching out to Inuyasha and tapping his forehead. The hanyou glanced back up. “I don't know if it will help but at least it can give you an idea of what you might face as the Guardian of the Heavens. Don't come here again until you're certain of your own safety. The way you are now, someone could kill you and you wouldn't realize it until you were unable to find your way back to the land of the living.”

 

“Yes, sir,” answered Inuyasha. He understood but he didn't think he would ever be truly safe. Not when he was trying to draw Kuromakaze to him.

 

“I'll try to have your answers the next time you appear. Meanwhile, you work on what you can,” said Lord Jounochi. Inuyasha nodded and closed his eyes.

 

His body was bitterly cold. He tried to move but everything was stiff. He needed to get out of the water and warmed up. “Kirara!” he called between chattering teeth. He hoped she hadn't disappeared again. Fortunately, the twin-tale seemed to have learned her lesson. She flew toward him, bit into his kimono's sash and carried the soggy hanyou to dry land. Fingers numb with cold, he fumbled to get out of the soaked clothing. He wouldn't be able to handle building a fire and it probably wasn't safe to anyway. He curled his naked body on Kirara's flank and the cat wrapped her tails around him, tucking her nose beneath them.

 

He blew into his hands and fought to stay awake. As cold as he was, falling asleep now could be fatal. Kirara huffed a few times and fire appeared on her paws like it did when she was flying. Her body temperature also rose and soon Inuyasha's shaking ceased.

 

“Thanks, Kirara. I'm glad you're here,” he whispered, allowing himself to drift into slumber now that he was warm again. As promised, he began to dream.

 

--

 

He's following me again, thought Jounochi as he glared over his shoulder. Raita, the demon slayer, would not let things go. It was a misunderstanding and really it was mostly his fault! Some professional he is! Raita stalked ten paces behind the mizutenko, his single eye fixed on the man's back.

 

Jounochi had encountered the demon slayer while responding to a cry for help from a simple forest sprite. The female demon had been wrongfully blamed for a number of thefts in nearby villages. Unable to clear her name and fearing for her life, she had managed to send a letter to Tenji requesting help. The thefts had gotten more brutal with people being seriously hurt. The culprit was still at large and the forest sprite felt threatened by both the angry villagers as well the one posing as her. It was only a matter a time before someone died.

 

Jounochi, who had been traveling abroad, had been intercepted by the sprite's messenger bird. Unable to ignore it, he had immediately headed for her as swiftly as possible. In the outside world, nobody cared if a demon was falsely accused. Humans took any excuse they could to kill them. He got there just in time to rescue her from Raita who had been hired to exterminate her. The man had been stubborn and refused to listen to Jounochi's words. The two ended up fighting and Jounochi had taken Raita's eye.

 

After chasing Raita off, Jounochi had set his sights on discovering the real thief. It turned out to be a group of young men, boys really, who had dressed one of the group up as the forest sprite then worked together to create the illusion of demon powers to terrify the villagers while they stole whatever they pleased. The boys hadn't cared their antics had nearly cost the real forest sprite her life. Jounochi had then spent the whole day explaining to the villagers why forest sprites were not only benevolent but also beneficial to them. He had then left the boys to their fate and hoped the villagers wouldn't do something as stupid as try to kill the forest sprite again.

 

Raita had reappeared soon after and had stalked the mizutenko ever since, undoubtedly looking for some payback. Jounochi was getting sick of it. He didn't want to fight the demon slayer again. He didn't even want to fight him the first time. He had shaken Raita a few times by heading into crowded castle-towns but the persistent man had always found him a few days later.

 

Jounochi dropped his pack and turned to face the demon slayer. “Will you please give it up already and go home?” he snapped.

 

Raita stopped and raised his haraikotsu. “Not until I've handed you the same humiliation you gave me,” he replied.

 

“You wouldn't have suffered anything if you had just listened to me. Really, you humiliated yourself with that pointless battle,” said Jounochi while scratching his head. “Feh! Why should I have to fight you again when it's all your fault to begin with?”

 

“You interfered with my job!” shouted Raita, raising his weapon to strike.

 

Jounochi's eyes narrowed. “Demon slayers! You really are a bunch of murderers for hire.”

 

“What was that?” yelled Raita.

 

“I told you already, that forest sprite was innocent. The real thieves were a bunch of delinquents from the villages dressing up as the forest sprite,” said Jounochi. Disgusted he turned away, pulling his pack onto his back again. “The only thing that would have changed with the forest sprite death would have been the number of demons in the area. A forest sprite is a sacred spirit. As long as it remains in one place the surrounding area will be free of murderous demons. They can't defend themselves so they sanctify the land they live in to keep out dangerous beings that would hunt them. A pity it doesn't work a malevolent humans.”

 

Jounochi paused for a moment then glanced over his shoulder at Raita. “Then again your business in the area would have picked up. Those villages would have undoubtedly contacted your kin seeking aid in driving away the demons that came following the forest sprite's death. So maybe I did do you a disservice. You're not going to get any business from that area as long as that forest sprite breathes.”

 

Raita gnashed his teeth and growled, “Insufferable tenko!” He launched the haraikotsu. The giant boomerang sliced through the air, hacking off branches of the trees it passed. Jounochi sighed then spun his hands as he dropped into a horse stance. The two trees on either side of him burst as their water was yanked from their xylem. The water gathered in a ring around the tenko then with a forward strike of his flat palm. It shot forward striking the haraikotsu. The boomerang flew off course and buried its tip in the ground several yards from its target. Raita snarled but the mizujutsu had a sobering effect on him.

 

“Go home,” said Jounochi and walked away. Or at least tried to but a young woman had mysteriously appeared in the place where he wanted to step. Off balance, he flailed his arms for a few seconds before toppling over but avoided falling on the newcomer.

 

“Hah! Evil spirit be gone!” she cried and slapped a paper talisman on his forehead. Jounochi glared cross-eyed at the thing then shifted his gaze to the woman. A white kimono and red hakama distinguished her as a shrine maiden. A lovely little thing and even prettier with her determined expression.

 

“My dear lovely miko, that only works on demons,” he said pulling the talisman off and handed it back to her.

 

“But aren't you a demon?” she asked, blinking her wide eyes at him. A smothered snicker came from behind Jounochi.

 

The mizutenko sighed. “Go back to your shrine and train some more, miko, you're obviously lacking. Continue like this and you'll end up dead,” said Jounochi as he climbed to his feet then brushed himself off. Not the best first impressions for an encounter with a beautiful woman.

 

“You must be a demon! You used your demon power to draw water from those trees and you're fighting a demon slayer,” said the miko, planting her fists on her hips and squaring her shoulders. Jounochi sighed again. Maybe he shouldn't waste time charming this woman, though it seemed like such a waste to just let her walk away without at least earning her animosity.

 

“Sure he's a demon! But you are still lacking in training, because you can't effect him properly,” said Raita, grinning from ear to ear. Jounochi eyebrows twitched in annoyance. If girls were going to hate him he wanted it to be for true reasons not false ones.

 

“I knew it,” she declared and pointed a finger at the mizutenko. “I won't be fooled by your sweet talk anymore, demon! Prepared to be exorcised.” She then clapped her hands together and began chanting.

 

Jounochi turned back to Raita while she continued chanting. “Holding a grudge with me is one thing but dragging others into it is quite an-OFFT!” Jounochi squawked as the miko finished her spell and struck him with it. A jolt sang up his body then a sound like a bell rang out. Suddenly, when it had been sunny with only a few clouds in the sky, it began to rain. Not a light rain but a full blown downpour that turned everything more than a few feet away into an indistinguishable gray mass.

 

“Sensory training you may be lacking, but power you are not,” said Jounochi with sigh.

 

“Areh?” The miko blinked in shock, her body still holding the position she had taken when she had `exorcised' him.

 

“What happened?” asked Raita.

 

“I'm a Kanzaki and that power surge I got from the miko just severed a few of my control threads,” said Jounochi, his voice flat. Plus the full moon is just around the corner. “Let's find some shelter before we all drown; this could take awhile.”

 

“Wait a minute! How am I going to find my haraikotsu in this downpour?” demanded Raita.

 

“That's your problem. You chose to throw it and you egged on the miko,” stated Jounochi as he trudged up the road. He grabbed the wrist of the stunned woman and dragged her after him. No point in allowing the poor girl to catch cold over this; it wasn't really her fault after all. Besides, Jounochi couldn't help but be impressed with her power. It wasn't everyday one found a miko who could agitate a tenko.

 

“Hey! Where are you taking me?” yelled the miko but she didn't pull free of his hand nor resist.

 

“There should be an outcrop with an overhang not much further ahead. We'll wait there until this blows over,” replied Jounochi. He called over his shoulder, “See you there Raita. That is, if it doesn't stop raining before you find your haraikotsu.”

 

“Damn you, Jounochi, to the deepest pits of hell!” shouted the demon slayer in return.

 

“Are you friends?” asked the miko. The mizutenko paused for a second then howled with laughter.

 

“Friends? I hope not!” He kept laughing as they walked. The young woman just stared at him in confusion.

 

Raita found them a little while later with his haraikotsu on his back. It was still raining. “Damn! How long until this let's up? Achoo!” asked the demon slayer. The miko glanced at him then bowed her head, embarrassed. Jounochi was crouched down with a distant look in his eye. A wave of exhaustion had overcome him almost as soon as the pair had reached the overhang. Squelching any romantic notions he had had.

 

“I'm feeling fatigued now,” said Jounochi with looking at Raita. “All of my power must have expressed itself when she hit me. If that's the case, this may not let up before tomorrow morning.”

 

“I'm sorry,” murmured the miko. “I didn't realize this would happen.”

 

“I didn't either. Since you mistook me for a demon, I didn't believe you had that kind of power,” said Jounochi. The miko just cringed. “Well since we're stuck here…” He turned toward her and smiled. “I'm Kanzaki Jounochi, third son of Kanzaki Hetoi, lord of the tenko clan in Tenji.” He then waved at the other man next to her. “Bonehead over there is Raita of the demon slayers.”

 

“Hey!”

 

The miko blinked a few times then gasped. “You're a nobleman? Oh my! I'm so sorry, I didn't realize…” She fell silent as Jounochi waved at her. “Ano. I'm Kohana, Inoui Kohana. I'm the twelfth daughter of Inoui Merono a minor official in the imperial court.”

 

“They must have handed you to a temple the moment you were born for you not to recognize a tenko if you're from a family that's involved in that level of politics,” said Jounochi, regarding the young woman.

 

Kohana nodded. “Many of my siblings were sent away at an early age like me. My sisters and I were given to a temple once we were weaned. If Father can gain any advantage with marrying us off all he has to do is summon us. If we remained we would just be a burden on him.” Jounochi snorted but otherwise made no comment.

 

Raita wasn't as sociably adept. “You're better off like this. He just got rid of what he considered to be useless daughters while preserving his image. You would have been really miserable if he had kept you close. Being from the imperial court, I'm surprised he didn't send you to that tenko temple; that really would have boosted his image.”

 

“Is the tenko temple really that much better?” asked Kohana.

 

“First off, it isn't our temple. It just resides within Tenji. Second, I know why he didn't,” said Jounochi. Raita and Kohana turned to him. He continued, ticking the points off on his fingers. “One, the Temple of Heaven does not take children under the age of ten. They train shamans; they do not raise babies. Two, every person who desires spiritual training is tested. They won't train those who don't have some potential. Three, any person who is accepted sheds the authority of their parents. The parents gave their children to the temple to receive training that would defend the land from supernatural attack; their rights to govern their children's lives are forfeited. Four, all the women who receive training are taught independence of mind and spirit. These women are very dominating in their behavior; they have to be if they are going to do battle with demons and ghosts.

 

“He sent you and your sisters away as soon as you were weaned. Point one alone would have him looking elsewhere. Now can your sisters use the same amount of power as you, Kohana?” asked Jounochi.

 

“The power varies. The priests say I'm the strongest. Two of my sisters can't even get the talismans to work for them but then they aren't very diligent in their training,” she replied.

 

“You might have been accepted but not those two. Thus point two encourages him to look elsewhere as well. Also the Temple of Heaven is not tolerant of slackers. If they had been accepted and behaved poorly they would have been placed back under the authority and care of their parents. To those of Tenji there is no greater humiliation then to be expelled from any training ground. Worse still, other places won't take on someone who has been expelled from anywhere else. Points three and four can be lumped together. He wants to still have you available to marry off if the chance ever comes. He wants submissive, obedient daughters who will shuffle home to meet their new husband whenever he calls. On all four grounds the Temple of Heaven is not an option. Also, once you joined the Temple of Heaven you'd become a citizen of Tenji. If he tried to force a marriage on you all you had to do is call the tenko. They will not allow one of their miko to be forced into anything. They value their warrior women far too much.”

 

“And my father is aware of this?” she asked.

 

“If he has had any contact with the tenko then yes,” replied Jounochi.

 

“You tenko make Tenji sound like paradise,” said Raita, his voice dripping scorn.

 

“Far from it, but compared to the rest of the world…” said Jounochi, his gaze inverting and then he shuddered. “I've said nothing that isn't true but we do have our own issues. Why else would we need human warriors at all?”

 

“Fair enough,” said Raita. “So why do you need people like miko anyway? Your clan's more powerful than anyone alive demon or human so why the human warriors?”

 

“Because we breed our own demons,” said Jounochi. Raita started. Kohana gasped. “Someone needs to be there to protect Tenji when we're dealing with our devils.” The mizutenko sprang to his feet and grabbed his sword. The demon slayer spun and saw two shadows approaching. He grabbed his haraikotsu. It could be other travelers seeking shelter but it could also be trouble.

 

The shadows took form and a pair of demons appeared. Raita and Kohana braced for a fight but Jounochi oddly relaxed. Both demons stopped and looked at them. One was a woman in a pale kimono with her dark hair tied in a bun at the base of her neck. The other was a man in black fur and armor with piercing green eyes. Raita wasn't sure about the woman but he was positive the man was a wolf demon.

 

“What are you two doing way out here?” asked Jounochi. The demon slayer and miko jerked in surprise and regarded their companion.

 

“Huh? Jounochi is that you?” said the wolf demon then he stepped forward and gripped the mizutenko's arm in greeting. “How you been? Still breaking the young girls' hearts?”

 

The woman followed him into the shelter and glanced at the other two. “You should be more careful, Kenji, he seems to be in the process of breaking another.”

 

“Areh?” Kohana blinked several times not sure what the female demon meant. Raita grimaced.

 

“I would be but the weather isn't cooperating,” said Jounochi then he looked hard into Kenji's eyes. “Seriously why are you abroad and with Soranoko no less?”

 

Kenji's expression became grim and he replied, “Someone is trying to steal the Jewels of Life. Soranoko and I have both been attacked but we prevailed. I'm not too worried about Kaiyoshinju and Xeno. Anyone who messes with them is committing suicide, however…”

 

“However, Sora was never able to link with his jewel and can neither fully hide it nor use it. We came out here together in an attempt to warn him but were too late,” said Soranoko. The wind sorceress looked down. “The Jewel of the Heavens has been stolen.”

 

“It was a fresh kill and the trail was still warm. We were tacking the killer when the rainstorm came out of nowhere and washed the trail cold,” finished the wolf demon. Jounochi threw a lethal glance at Raita who was clueless to the consequences. Kohana had turned as red as her hakama.

 

Raita scratched his head and said, “You tenko keep such strange company. Anyway, this Jewel whatever sounds serious though. What is it?”

 

“The Jewel of the Heavens is one of the five Jewels of Life that were once one gem. The Jewel of Life is an artifact left over from the Celestial War thousands of years ago,” replied Jounochi when the other two hesitated. “When its power went out of control and threatened the existence of the world, it was smashed against a stone and broke into five shards. Those are the Jewels of Life. The Jewel of the Heavens is the core piece and contains the gem's original power and ability, though, on a much smaller scale. It is also the piece needed to reunite the other four and recreate the Jewel of Life.”

 

“So this Jewel of the Heavens is really powerful, then,” said Raita, still clueless. Jounochi sighed again and shook his head.

 

Kenji grunted, stepped toward the demon slayer, and asked, “Do you know about the Shikon no Tama?”

 

“Of course I do! Why? Is the Jewel of the Heavens like it?” said Raita, affronted at first then became concerned.

 

“The Shikon no Tama is nothing but a cheap bauble next to the Jewel of the Heavens,” replied Kenji with a dismissive wave.

 

“WHAT?” yelled both Kohana and Raita.

 

“How did such a thing come into existence anyway?” demanded Raita.

 

“That's something I've been wondering about, too,” said Kenji looking over at Jounochi. Soranoko nodded in agreement. “We were just told how powerful they were and to guard them; no one ever gave us the history before.

 

“The Jewel of Life was created as weapon to use against an even greater foe. It defeated the foe but proved to be too powerful,” replied Jounochi with a shrug.

 

“How can you be so calm about something so dangerous?” yelled Raita.

 

“Lord Jounochi, if it had served its purpose why weren't they Jewels of Life unmade?” asked Kohana. “Why keep such dangerous things around?”

 

The mizutenko sighed, he seemed to be doing a lot of that today, and replied, “Because there is no way to unmake them.” The two humans turned to stare at him. “The power used to make them only goes in one direction never the reverse.

 

Soranoko added, “There are many items of power in Tenji. All of them more powerful than the Shikon no Tama. All of them impossible to unmake. Half of them created by evil to do evil and therefore must be guarded at all times. The other half were created to be tools to help in healing or to fight off the evil ones. All of them, however, can bring great harm if they fall into the wrong hands.” Raita and Kohana stared at the wind sorceress, unnerved by her revelation.

 

“And that is the reason why the Temple of Heaven is so picky,” said Jounochi. “They are guarding nearly all the items of power, both good and evil.”

 

Raita looked like he was about to throw a fit. “If you have so many items to take care of why are you not doing anything about the Shikon no Tama? Why let it continue to cause so much trouble out here.” The two demons made a show of turning to Jounochi again.

 

Jounochi glared at them then said, “Right now the Shikon no Tama can still be unmade, but if it enters Tenji or is handled by a tenko or one carrying an item of power from Tenji it will change its nature. Then it will be impossible to unmake. The Temple of Heaven is working on trying to find someone whose power is greater than Midoriko. That person will then be sent to destroy the Shikon no Tama. Until then, it has to be left alone.”

 

“Was Midoriko really so strong that they still haven't found her successor?” asked Kohana. “Amazing!”

 

Jounochi nodded then whispered, “However she became arrogant for it. She's an embarrassment to the Temple of Heaven. The creation of the Shikon no Tama was just the result of her last act of stupidity and pride.”

 

Raita's mouth hung open then he growled and shouted, “What do you mean-?” He was cut off by a burst of light cutting through the rain. All five ran out into the downpour. The light faded and so did the rain.

 

“Has it been that long already?” asked Kohana holding her hands out to catch the final drops.

 

“No,” replied Jounochi. He held out his hands as well. Kohana gasped. Mizutenko was glowing. “Someone has dispersed my rain. My power is flowing back into me.”

 

“Another mizutenko?” asked Raita. The way he gripped his haraikotsu, Jounochi wasn't sure the demon slayer believed his own words.

 

“The amount of power required to disperse this has to be equal to my own. Right now there is no one in my clan who can,” replied Jounochi with a shake of his head. He pulled a necklace from his kimono. It was a silver disk with a crescent moon relief on it. “This was given to me as my symbol, the Suigetsu, because my power acts like the ocean tides rising and falling with the phases of the moon. The full moon is only a few days away; my power is near its peak.”

 

“Then…” Kohana whispered.

 

“Our thief has just made a critical error,” said Kenji with a grim smile.

 

“Let's go!” cried Soranoko. The two demons took off. Jounochi followed with Raita behind him. Kohana hesitated then ran after them.

 

“Raita, you idiot! You think you can help? Didn't you listen to anything I said?” hollered Jounochi over his shoulder when he realized his tail.

 

“You think I'm going to sit by and ignore this after what you said? If I can get in a few key hits it will be enough,” shouted Raita, grim determination etched onto his face.

 

Jounochi shot a withering look at the demon slayer then saw Kohana struggling to keep up. “Kohana, go back!”

 

“Why? I want to help, too!” she called.

 

“You're spiritual powers will be useless in this fight,” shouted Jounochi. “The power that created the Jewel of Life, the power that the Jewel of the Heavens wields is the mother power; the power that created both youki and senki. Only someone who wields the same type can stand up to it.”

 

“But…”

 

“I'm sorry, Miko, the old lecher is right,” called Kenji. “Soranoko and I will be drawing on the power of our jewels to fight. Otherwise we wouldn't stand a chance either.”

 

“Kenji guards the Jewel of the Lands and I guard the Jewel of the Winds,” added Soranoko. “Those are two shards of the Jewel of Life. It will put us on equal footing with this thief. Ordinarily I would be encouraging the demon slayer to retreat as well but that weapon of his might prove a valuable distraction.”

 

“He's just too damn stubborn for his own good and we don't have time to fuss with him,” interrupted Jounochi. Raita shouted obscenities at him in retaliation.

 

“You don't even have a bow,” continued Soranoko. “You would need to get within arm's length to strike. There is no point in dragging you along.”

 

“But…”

 

“Just do as they say,” said Raita, his voice still carrying an edge. He glanced back and softened it to say, “I'm sorry I used you to get back at the tenko earlier.” Kohana slowed her pace and came to a stop, tears flowing down her face. Everyone else continued forward without looking back.

 

“Sorry, Jounochi, it looks like we muscled in on your smoothing,” said Kenji.

 

“Well, there is always another lady somewhere that has not been charmed yet,” said Jounochi. “Once this is taken care of I'll just ease my longing with a trip to the Flaming Dragon!”

 

Raita nearly tripped in shock. Once he recovered his balance he shouted, “We're about to head into a battle with someone who has the most powerful item in all of creation and you're thinking about that?”

 

“Suigetsu rule one: Always think beyond the next battle, it helps promote survival! Hahahahahahahah!” replied Jounochi. Raita steamed away just behind him.

 

“Looks like the old lech is feeling better,” said Kenji, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Hentai,” muttered the wind sorceress. They came to a group of trees surrounded my fields.

 

“I smell her, that hanyou who jumped us,” said Kenji as they approached.

 

“Hanyou?” asked Jounochi. At that moment the trees lit up from within. “Look out!” Everyone separated. A flash momentarily blinded them and a dome of light appeared where they had been then vanished. Nothing was burnt but Jounochi wasn't fooled. “Don't be tricked! The light will vaporize anything that touches it.”

 

“Damn!” Kenji landed then double fisted the ground before him. The earth shot up and rolled toward the trees. Lightning crawled along the ground and met the land wave. The movement of the earth halted. “Tsk!” Soranoko launched her enhanced Ryu no Mai. More lightning and her winds died.

 

Something isn't right, thought Jounochi holding off on joining the fray. Even if Sora couldn't control the Jewel of the Heaven perfectly, what he did use should have been enough to handle whatever came for him. Yet he was defeated. Soranoko and Kenji are both compatible with their jewels and know how to use their power to the fullest. Yet they are being easily held off. Then there is the fact that my rain was dispersed.

 

Jounochi trotted over to the demon slayer. “Raita, aim for the base of the trees but have it occur on the return trip,” he whispered. “I'll go and charge straight in.” Raita threw him a questioning look. “There's something about this I need to check.”

 

“I don't know what you're planning but I'll go along. Since it doesn't look like anything else is working at the moment,” said Raita. Jounochi nodded grimly. Kenji and Soranoko were still launching attacks from all angles yet the thief was holding her own.

 

Jounochi charged forward, drawing water from the air around him then hurled it as a group of ice spears. The celestial lightning vaporized every one of them. The haraikotsu made a wide circle, flying wide passed the trees before turning back around. It chopped through the trunks like a giant axe chopping lettuce. Jounochi grinned when he heard a shriek and saw someone leap clear of the falling trees.

 

A woman, a hanyou, in a pale green kimono and light brown hakama stood before them. Her black hair hung loose and her red eyes were piercing. One hand was clenched around something that glowed from between her fingers. Her other hand was free. She pointed it at him.

 

Jounochi leapt away as a bolt struck the place where he had been standing. Kenji and Soranoko started attacking again but this time their efforts were more direct. The hanyou struggled to keep pace with them but still she held her own. Jounochi was now more certain than ever. This hanyou was a celestial demon. Anyone else would have lost control and been devoured by it by now.

 

“Now what?” asked Raita after catching his haraikotsu.

 

“This is bad,” said Jounochi. Raita jerked and looked at him in surprise. “If this was an ordinary hanyou it would have been over already. She must be from some unknown Hane clan. Even if we get the jewel away from her, she can still attack us with her own power.”

 

“Hane clan? What are you mumbling about? We need to act now! I don't think those two demons can keep this up forever,” said Raita. Jounochi, however, didn't know what they could do. He didn't know how to create an opportunity which would allow them to kill her. Then he saw something that made his heart drop into his stomach. Creeping among the fallen trees, heading toward the thief, was Kohana. When she had caught up to them, he didn't know, but no one else had seen her. If she were spotted by the hanyou she would die.

 

Not thinking about what he was doing, he rushed forward again. Kohana struck first. The hanyou woman screamed and the Jewel of the Heavens in her hand went wild. Thin threads of lightning appeared around the fist that held it then wrapped themselves around the two women. Both shrieked and blew apart.

 

“Infernal wench!” howled the hanyou. She raised a hand and pointed at the prone miko. “I'll obliterate you!”

 

“Half-bitch! Over here!” shouted Jounochi as he raised his sword to swing. To her credit the hanyou didn't freeze in surprise. She just whirled around and fired her spell at him. It was point-blank. The mizutenko's face lit up in the glow of the spell. In that instant he summoned his water and arched it through the spell's path and over him. The spell entered the channeled water and bent up and away from its target. Jounochi slashed. For a second the hanyou woman remained where she knelt, her eyes wide in disbelief, then she fell forward, her head rolling away on impact. Jounochi picked up the small white gem where it rested in her palm then he ran forward to check on Kohana. The other three came forward as well.

 

“Kohana,” he called in a soft voice. The miko didn't respond. “Baka, that's why you weren't supposed to come.” A tear slid down his cheek. “Baka.” He picked her up and held her against his chest and rocked.

 

“I never would have guessed her for the hero type,” muttered Kenji.

 

“She did seem too flighty for it but I guess she had where it counted,” whispered Raita.

 

“Brilliant strategy,” said Soranoko. “She was either a genius or a damn lucky fool.”

 

“Lord Jounochi,” came the faint whisper, “you're hurting me.”

 

“Kohana!” cried Jounochi and pulled her back. She blinked and looked around.

 

“Is the Jewel of the Heavens safe now?” she asked.

 

“Yes, it's right here,” said Jounochi and showed her the gem that now resembled a thumbnail-sized diamond. “I think we better get you to a healer. Spirits know I ain't one.”

 

They arrived at the house of an old kitenko who lived on the border. She declared that while there was nothing physical wrong with Kohana, her spiritual powers, however, were gone.

 

“She may get them back. She may not,” said the old woman. “All I know is that the part of a person that creates senki is burnt to a crisp. It isn't a part of the body that can be healed. It happens to the part that instructs the body's smallest parts. I cannot guide that recovery, no one can. She may recover on her own but I wouldn't hold my breath, though.”

 

Kohana spirits fell at the news. “I can't go back to my temple now. They'd never believe me. They think it was a sign that I had done something obscene.”

 

“Yeah, and that fact that you were keeping company with him won't add much credibility to your story either,” said Kenji with a sigh, jerking his thumb at the mizutenko.

 

“Too true,” agreed Jounochi, completely unrepentant. Then he smiled and said, “I guess that means you'll have to stay with me. You can stay in Tenji. Someone who lost her powers while saving the Jewel of the Heavens gets instant first class hero status. You'll be worshipped like a goddess. Beautiful as you are, you should already be worshipped as one. OW!”

 

Soranoko had hit him with her fan. “Enough smooching, Jounochi. I thought you were going to appease you're `longing' at the Flaming Dragon,” she said tapping her fan on her shoulder.

 

Jounochi waved his hand as the wind sorceress. “I can do that at any time. My first duty should be settling our new resident goddess into her humble abode,” he said while wrapping an arm around Kohana.

 

“Areh?” Kohana blinked in surprise.

 

“Hold on, Jounochi! You can't just make these decisions for her,” said Raita while glaring at the mizutenko. He then turned to Kohana and said with a smile, “If you want, you can come back to my village. At least then you'll be safe from a certain lecher.”

 

“Areh?” Kohana blinked again and looked between the two.

 

“Better the lecher than the murderer-for-hire. At least I appreciate all her assets,” said Jounochi and big grin spread across his face as he leaned against her while pulling her closer.

 

“Areh?” Kohana seemed to shrink in on herself. This was the first time she had had any men act this way around her.

 

“Hello! Is Lord Jounochi here?” called someone from outside interrupting the argument. Mizutenko lost his smile and stepped outside looking annoyed. The other four followed him. A man on black stallion with blood red mane and tail waited.

 

Jounochi stepped toward the messenger and asked, “What business do you want with me?”

 

“I'm sorry, my lord, but I regret to inform you, Lord Jounochi, of your father's passing. You are requested by the elders to return to Kyoto for the ascension ceremony,” said the messenger.

 

Jounochi blinked, folded his arms, and said, “Is that so? That's the old man for you.” He began shaking his head. “He always did do everything within his power to rein me in. Now I have to go back to see which of us is going to be lord.” He scratched his head and sighed. “What a bother. I bet they even got a bride all picked out for me whether or not I make lord. What a pain!”

 

“Can't you be more appropriately concerned?” asked Raita, his tone flat. “Your father just died.”

 

“But, Lord Jounochi, I thought you said they couldn't force anyone to marry who didn't want to,” said Kohana, unintentionally sparing Raita from getting to hear Jounochi's response to his comment.

 

“Family responsibility. The elders will `encourage' me to settle down and accept the role of husband and father. They won't order me. In short they will nag me to death until I give in. `Young Lord, what woman would make a good mother?' `Young Lord, do you have an image of what your bride should be?' `Young Lord, when will you settle down?' `Young Lord, what kind of children will you sire?' Also the bride-to-be will be from a list of women who volunteered. Ones who think they can handle yours truly,” replied Jounochi, shaking his head is despair. “What am I going to do? I could end up with some ugly hen-pecker for a wife.” He began to sigh again then stopped; his eyes tracked sideways until they fell upon Kohana.

 

“Kohana, would you consider being the mother of my children?” asked Jounochi suddenly in her face, his hands holding hers.

 

“Areh?” Kohana dark eyes widened and a nervous smile appeared on her face.

 

“My lord?” squawked the messenger.

 

“Now wait just a second!” hollered Raita, his whole body trembling with rage.

 

“I know it's a bit sudden, my dear,” Jounochi continued despite the protests, “but really do you need to think about it.” He pulled her frozen body into his arms as he continued to talk. “Even if I don't make lord I'm still a member of the Kanzaki family. I can still provide you with everything you need. Our children will know no suffering or discrimination. Forget that fool father of yours. Once you are a Kanzaki you can cut all ties to him. I can even rescue your sisters and give them a home in Tenji where they will be appreciated. When you see your father in Kyoto you can stick your tongue at him in pride and say, `See old man, I got my own man and he's better than anything you could have arranged for me.' Hah hah!”

 

“Areh?” Kohana's expression hadn't changed.

 

Jounochi jumped away a moment before the haraikotsu smashed into the ground where he had been standing. “What kind of proposal is that?” screamed Raita. “Bribing her more like it. Don't you have any shame at all?”

 

“What the matter with you? This solves two problems at once. We can't send her back to her temple. She said they wouldn't believe her, remember? I was already planning to take to her Tenji anyway,” said Jounochi in annoyance. Then he stood tall with hands on hips and declared, “Besides, what woman could do better than me!”

 

“EVERY ONE OF THEM, HENTAI!” roared the demon slayer and he launched himself at the mizutenko.

 

“Areh?” Kohana stared as the two men exchanged blows.

 

Kenji walked up behind her and gave her shoulder a hard pat. “Well good luck! I need to go and open up negotiations with the tribe elders. Don't let him overwhelm you, Kohana. He's really hopeless when it comes to women. Bye!” The wolf demon disappeared leaving a trail of dust to mark his path.

 

“Areh?” Kohana stared after the vanished wolf demon.

 

“Hey, wait-a-minute, Wolf! Get back here!” shouted Soranoko, waving her closed fan at the dust clouds. “Don't leave me to report all this to the Inu no Taisho all by myself! Hey!” The dust settled. The wolf was long gone. The wind sorceress glared at the place where he disappeared then screamed, “Coward! Why are all you wolf demons so quick to run away?” She huffed a few times then composed herself and turned to the wide-eyed Kohana. “Well, congratulations on your wedding. Stop looking like the hare caught in the snake's gaze. You'll be fine.” Soranoko pulled one of her feathers from her hair piece and flew off in a gust of wind.

 

“Areh?” Now Kohana was all alone with the two men battling behind her. The messenger didn't count; he was hopelessly trying to separate the two without getting between them.

 

A yell and the sound of something crashing drew her attention. Jounochi stood with one foot on the back of the defeated Raita. “Yatta! Tenko superiority! Wahahahahah!” he shouted. She swore she saw steam blow out his nose like that of a bull. He then spied her. With a leap, Jounochi was once again invading her space, one hand stroking her hair the other resting on the small of her back. “Now Kohana, should we return to Kyoto and hold the ceremony there are do you wish for a quieter ceremony at your own temple?” he asked looking deep into her eyes.

 

“Areh?” was all Kohana could say.

 

--

 

Inuyasha jerked awake and, standing there naked in the new day light, screamed so loud all the birds flew away in fright, “HENTAI!” The next thing he knew, it was pouring ice cold rain. Kirara yowled in shock and protest. “Oh this is just cruel!” said Inuyasha between chattering teeth.

 

“You need to learn respect for your elders, Inuyasha,” said Jounochi, standing a few feet away.

 

Inuyasha glared at him and asked, “How did you get to this world?”

 

Jounochi shifted his weight, visible despite the downpour, and replied, “I followed you.” Inuyasha growled at the vague response. “I think you'll be happy to know I have your answers.” Inuyasha stopped growling. “Sage Katsuya told me that it all has to do with how your father became a celestial demon. He was transformed into one not born one; apparently this makes a big difference. He also said to remember this: energy is energy no matter what form it takes and fire is just the physical manifestation of energy. Second, you have what he calls the third eye. It grants clarity. Your visions are just how you perceive this clarity. Third, you have tremendous power but not to worry; it's not acting of its own accord. He wouldn't tell me what but he says you'll soon understand what is bringing about these abilities on your own. Fourth, he said you have wings.” Inuyasha blinked. “I saw the spirit wings when you were five but I think he was referring to true wings. However, he said that until you understand and don't fear your power you're never going to be able to take flight. I think you need to trust yourself a little more. At that time you were fleeing Kuromakaze there was no room for doubt that was why everything reacted properly. It's your own terror crippling you now, Inuyasha. Learn your power and control it.” The rain lightened and his grandfather faded away.

 

Kirara approached Inuyasha and rubbed her head against him. He held his hand over his heart and said, “You ask me to trust myself? To not fear my power? How can I not fear it?”