"Ack!"
"Oof!"
Reunited was the last thing Yuko wanted to feel right now, but it was better than feeling that sharp, cold wind ripping at her clothes or that beast's claws gripping at her core. Tossed in a dark void with Jaken, she flopped on the ground before sharply turning to her husband's friend with a glare. Ichi scoffed at the two prisoners then left without another word. He had his mission. The beast was nowhere to be found. Yuko was about to shout at Ichi, but he left before she could get a proper sentence out. Instead, she gaged her surroundings and took note to the open forest and ravine next to her. The waters were silent. It looked like fiber cloths were acting as the water instead so only a whispering sound could be heard between the rocks and bits of grass. Crawling over to the ravine, Yuko gulped a little before looking at the cloth closely. It was familiar. She reached out to touch them, closed her eyes with apprehension, and lowered her hand to feel the texture. She knew this feeling. It was Meioshi's shimenawa cloth! This was a divine space! Snapping her eyes open, Yuko looked about to see trees galore until Jaken finally spoke up.
"Where the hell are we?" Jaken questioned, retrieving his Nintojo staff and rubbing his head. "Are you okay, Yuko?"
"Huh? Oh, I - " Yuko responded, looking down at Jaken with concern in her eyes before remembering that he was an enemy. She toughened up at this and turned up her nose to say, "Why's it matter to you? You're just as guilty as Lord Sesshomaru for butting your noses into my mentor's business! You even had the nerve to attack her on her land!"
"We don't have time for you to be holding a grudge!" Jaken replied, clutching his staff in anger. "We're way passed that situation!"
"And I'm way passed trying to be nice to you!" Yuko said, looking around for some sort of clue or help. "I can't believe I actually enjoyed your company for a day. Just for you and that brat to turn on us and put my friend in a worse situation. I swear she's too nice sometimes!"
"None of this would've happened if that awful woman had stayed in the living world instead of waltzing through the Netherworld to pick fights!" Jaken argued. "And Lord Sesshomaru is not a brat!"
"Meioshi isn't awful!" Yuko defended, snapping her head to Jaken. "If you haven't noticed, she's doing everything she damn well can to help that wolf and anyone else involved. Putting her life on the line is something that she's willing to do for anyone in trouble, even for people who don't deserve it! They call that saving grace! Oh, but I guess a bloodthirsty demon wouldn't understand that, would it? You'd just know the glory of battle."
"I'm not out for her blood or glory!" Jaken argued. "Neither is Lord Sesshomaru! We're passed that point in our lives!"
"Then, what the hell do you want with her? Because it looked like a fight to me," Yuko retorted. Seeing that they were wasting more time arguing than getting out of the woods, she shook her head violently and said, "I don't have time for you! I have to follow that shimenawa trail."
"Shimenawa trail?" Jaken questioned, raising a brow and watching Yuko pile some small stones in a calculated position near the ravine. Curious, he peeked over Yuko's shoulder and watched her pay careful attention to the stones. To him, nothing seemed to be moving or changing until the stones started rattling. He then asked, "What's going on over there?"
Yuko didn't answer him and eyed the stones with clear intent. Finally, the stones shifted into alignment and pointed behind her. She turned around, adjusted her yukata, and said, "That way. If you want to try to find your Lord Sesshomaru, look for a torii gate. They lead you back to the outside world when you're in a place like this. I'm going to help Meioshi find that wolf."
"Wait! You don't have protection in case you get hurt or attacked!" Jaken tried, holding up his hand to stop her. When she didn't turn around and ran off, he then called, "Yuko? Yuko!"
_______________________________________
"So sorry, I'm a little lost," Meioshi started, blinking rapidly and shaking her head. "I'm still bound to the wolf despite our pact severing?"
"Correct," the pheasant replied.
Perhaps, it wasn't too late to find out what roasted pheasant tasted like because Sesshomaru wanted to explode when the pheasant volunteered himself as a party member. Of course, of course, Lady Meioshi had no problems with having the pheasant join her on her mission since the two knew each other because the wench knows damn-near everybody. He wanted to just leave Meioshi and the damn pheasant behind to find Jaken on his own, but he had to be the leader of this stupid campaign because he knew where to go supposedly. Even if he did leave them, they would wind up crossing paths again because Yuko and Ichi were prisoners along with Jaken now. It'd also be a wasted effort on his part since the black wall demon can consume the energies of swords forged in the living world. He needed Meioshi's tanto, and she needed his Bakusaiga to stop the demon from regenerating too quickly. It was a matter of strategic efficiency at this point. Continuing his walk, Sesshomaru only half-listened to his new party members, but he did fault himself for giving his attention to them earlier.
Would it surprise anyone that Meioshi built a floating nest for the pheasant's two eggs using some sort of magic spell? (The spell, or incantation maybe, made the nest appear to float on a small cloud, so the eggs had two playgrounds to roll around on.) Because, as the pheasant explained the nature of the parallel points in relation to the Blood Oath's Circle, they walked back to what would have been his nest in the living world so Sesshomaru could quite literally retrace his steps. While there, Sesshomaru watched Meioshi gather straw, sticks, and some grass as she listened to the pheasant speak. The pheasant also chose some items for her to collect and helped her make a base structure for something. Puzzled at first, Sesshomaru watched as she worked on her architectural craft. Similar to the way she melted away the ice on Bird-Meioshi's legs, her eyes held that magnetic smolder and a soft smile warmed up her features as the pheasant used his beak or talon to assist. The doctor's hands were still as gentle as she toiled away on her project. It didn't take her long to craft a new nest and the pheasant seemed ecstatic at having one for the children. The doctor's focus was intense when she had a clear goal at her fingertips.
The pheasant, unfortunately, caught the lord watching Meioshi work instead of trying to find Jaken like he was so ready to do when they first met. Experimentally and quietly, the pheasant pretended to run passed Sesshomaru to get something for the nest and just picked some wildflowers when the western lord got suspicious. This small action was only to ensure that what the pheasant was seeing was correct because it looked like Sesshomaru was stuck between being curious and being impatient. The impatience is what the pheasant was trying to understand. Why would Meioshi's toiling bother him in such a distinctive way when she was following him unquestioningly? When the pheasant spoke to Meioshi as she was decorating the nest with flowers or vines, Sesshomaru sniffed the air briefly before narrowing his eyes. The doctor had a mixture of scents now. The flower oil was fading but still in her hair, and that sweet orange and wild cherry fragrance was now on her person. All pleasant smells... but distracting because he wanted to know what she was making at the time. It wasn't until she declared "Aha!" that he realized she had made a proper nest for the eggs. And that was how he started growling under his breath periodically on this journey.
Seriously, would it surprise anyone if the eggs were hopping and rolling about with excitement at being able to fly before they hatched? The pheasant was more relaxed and able to run faster and farther without worrying about his children breaking their shells too soon, but that still meant Sesshomaru had to deal with it and the babies tagging along. At least the doctor was more tolerable. She silently reminded him that the situation was still serious enough for his attention to be needed. Otherwise, he wouldn't have to worry about breakfast. Once he was able to focus on his task again, he led the way quietly and didn't care if anyone paid attention to him or not. Oh, but the pheasant was onto him. Though he ensured the eggs' safety from time to time, the pheasant was methodical between speaking to Meioshi and reading Sesshomaru's body language. He was no longer impatient with her or curious about her toiling. He was at ease.
"How?" Meioshi asked. "The roots are gone. Don't tell me I've a burnt neck for naught!"
"The evil talking dog there is your acting witness," the pheasant said, hopping on a large stone. "At some point during your travels, you and the wolf formed a mutual bond that ascended the initial intentions of the pact while it was active. Herego, this cued the wolf's memory to become visible to me, and the events displayed before the wolf's untimely death were able to take a physical form. Sights and sounds as real as the world around you held tangibility for onlookers. The evil talking dog was then able to use what could be rendered as clues to open a parallel door for the living world. Remember, my nest is always the starting point. It is the first of the parallel doors accessible to any plane of existence; meaning, anyone involved in this pact during the time of initiation can enter the Blood Oath's Circle. You, the beast, and the wolf gained entryway when you formed the bond. What the severance did was stop the wolf from being able to control your body. The burning on your neck allows the wolf to access your power in a more subdued way. Whatever you gave to it in exchange is now its weapon to retrieve Baohu qi Voluptatis."
"The power of the sun..." Sesshomaru said, stopping his walk. He looked into the sky for a moment, hearing wagons rolling in the distance, and then took notice to something offensive. He called out after a moment, "Witch."
Meioshi didn't respond at first. Instead, she turned around to look for the supposed creature her party leader called out and peeked over Sesshomaru's shoulders to see if a person was in front of him. The eggs did the same thing. The pheasant snickered a little before returning to a quiet smirk. Meioshi then looked above her but still saw nothing resembling a witch anywhere. Must be a talking dog thing because she couldn't sense any witches nearby. When she heard Sesshomaru growl minutely, she reached for her spear to prepare for an ambush. The pheasant was shaking as he looked down at the ground to hide his amusement.
"Get this barrier off me," Sesshomaru demanded. Meioshi didn't catch on immediately, however, and was genuinely looking around for some invisible barrier that was enclosed around them. Sesshomaru only got angrier at this and turned around to face Meioshi directly with a scowl etched into his features. He narrowed his eyes at her and repeated, "Get this barrier off me. I don't need your protection."
Meioshi was about to let out an insult of her own at Sesshomaru's tone but she realized something. The black wall demon said that most people he confronted went mad if they saw him, spoke to him, or heard him sing. Sesshomaru didn't. He was able to speak to the demon with no consequence. Very few people could do that. He was strong enough to act as a shield against the demon's mental attacks. If the wolf and bird could access her power in a different way, she would have to protect them in a different way. The same goes for Jaken and the others. Sesshomaru was extremely swift, seeing as though he was able to tail the black wall demon at his speed, but his weaknesses could prove to be his strength if utilized correctly. Though he was one of the strongest demons she had come across in the living world to date, Sesshomaru could be taken by surprise. That would be his downfall, but... The bead could help! It acted as a sort of magnet to her trinkets once activated! That's it!
Smiling shrewdly, Meioshi looked at Sesshomaru and asked, "Has anyone ever told you that you have a sexy undertone to your voice when you're angry like that, Lord Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru's eyes widened at this, not expecting the doctor to respond to his demands in such a manner. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion, as though he were measuring her to ensure this was the same person he could tolerate as a temporary ally, but he became silent at the way Meioshi began to grin. There was a sort of intensity there that was almost daring him to try to challenge her. He wasn't certain if the challenge was in relation to the offensive question or not. Either way, he became uncomfortable. The pheasant watched the lord's every move and gesture from the question. While he didn't approve of Meioshi's tone in front of the children, he knew when his friend was planning something. She was making Sesshomaru uncomfortable on purpose.
"Don't toy with me," Sesshomaru threatened, voice darkening with a promise of sudden death.
"Very well," Meioshi said, letting out a chuckle. "Did you find our parallel door yet, my lord?"
"Get this barrier off me and find it yourself," Sesshomaru demanded with a venomous hiss in his tone.
"No, I think I'll keep it on you," Meioshi responded, grin reducing to a smirk. "This way, I know you're safe and sound in my arms where you belong."
SLICE! CLASH! Enough was enough. She could find her people on her own! Sesshomaru wanted no involvement with the doctor or the damn pheasant. To hell with the tanto! He put enough force in his strike for Meioshi to be forced on one knee in an effort to hold him back. The part that made Sesshomaru the angriest, however, wasn't so much what she said earlier or even her ability to push him back enough to regain her footing. It was the fact that she was still smiling like she had already won this fight. It felt like no matter how many times he tried to take her head off he had to live with being bested by a human in combat twice.
"As much as I would love to ruffle your feathers, we're wasting time here," Meioshi said, letting the differing energies dance around her. "Now, did you find our door or not?"
"Go to hell where you belong, witch," Sesshomaru spat. "I'll find him myself."
"Very well," Meioshi said, not erasing her smirk in the slightest. She leapt away from Sesshomaru, dismissing her spear, and folded her arms before saying, "I beg your leave then, my lord."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes viciously at her before sheathing Bakusaiga and stomping away from her. The pheasant waited until Sesshomaru was out of earshot before asking, "Good show, doctor. Now, why did you send him off?"
"It's as you said, lad," Meioshi replied, watching Sesshomaru disappear from her sight. "He would know where to find the parallel door. We're distracting him too grossly from this task. It's best he go alone, but I need him to keep that barrier on him. That was the only way I could get him to do it."
"Why does he need the barrier on him?" the pheasant asked, tilting his head.
"Because it can sense Chen-bi, which the wolf now has, and it can detect demons from the Netherworld, which are now in the living world," Meioshi replied, finally dropping her smirk and becoming serious. "The only way I can keep him safe for Jaken is if I make him a shield and beacon."
"Like your barrier on Heiwa?" the pheasant asked, smirking and raising a brow. Clever girl!
"Precisely," Meioshi answered. "At least I was able to warn him he'd dislike this beforehand. Poor chap is so used to taking charge seems like. In the meantime, that gives me time to think. I have to figure out a piece of the riddle the Nameless General informed me about. It's more important for me to find the starving youth he spoke of. That's the last piece of this puzzle that I have to solve. We'll catch up to Sesshomaru very soon."