"If I didn't know any better, I'd say your alibi needs some work because your disguise was practically flawless," Meioshi said, locking eyes with the old man. "Who are you, sir?"
The man said nothing for a long moment until he finally replied with a younger man's voice, "Kinzo. Why are you here, doctor?"
"She's a holy warrior much like you, young Kinzo," Tadamasa replied, wadding in the waters calmly. "She's going to that piece of land yonder to search for clues. Know ye of the Meido Stone?"
Kinzo said nothing, eyes locked on Meioshi, and hummed. He said with no real thought behind it, "It's too dangerous for a beauty to go over there. Supposing I did know where this stone was, why would I give you that information? There's nothing in it for me."
"There is if you came all this way out here to forbid me further and remained on this boat to reveal a name whether it's yours or not. What reason would you have to give me warning?" Meioshi asked, taking up her kiseru pipe for a smoke. She leaned back to listen to the man then said, "The last one didn't."
"Last one?" Kinzo questioned, raising a brow.
"Yes. A little girl from the Fukuyama clan was the last to speak to me. She left me no warning," Meioshi replied.
"The Fukuyama clan perished centuries ago," Kinzo said, eyes searching for Meioshi's lie. "Quite a few centuries ago, actually. That's damn-near eight! You've no merit for that."
"Oh? My clan aid others both living and not. Those with unfinished business are put to rest and are able to enter the afterlife peacefully. The little girl with me now is the last member of the Fukuyama clan. She was enslaved by Azumamaro and at war with Kouumoto, the original wielder of the Taiyoko-sen Coin. I imagine your group of warriors must specialize in some larger duty. If you're telling me to go no further, your people are either in danger, enslaved, or dead. Otherwise, one of you wouldn't have given me such an introduction," Meioshi said, puffing on her pipe one last time. There wasn't much tobacco left.
"You're just one woman, and that little girl is surely in the afterlife now," Kinzo said, harrumphing in disbelief.
"The girl lives, young Kinzo," Tadamasa said, playing in the waters again. He found a small fish. "She's living with the doctor now. You can see her for yourself. Of course... you can test the doctor before you for proof as well."
Kinzo hummed with thought at this before looking out into the waters. A look of remorse graced his eyes before he said, "Very well. Find your way out of my dungeon, and I'll take you to the village. If you're really a holy warrior, you should know how to purify things. While you're doing that, I'll give your village a visit!"
Abruptly, a burst of light and a blast of storm wind flung Meioshi off her boat. The calming waters of the freshwater lake turned into walls of rushing water shooting upwards like geysers. Tadamasa was in the air, unhappy with being unable to swim and play like before. He formed pockets of ice to make platforms for himself to come down and meet Meioshi at the bottom. The doctor looked to the sky to see Kinzo floating on a ball of power. Though his disguise was still in place as an old man, she could see from the condition of his feet that he was practically a quarter of the age he was portraying. His eyes were flashing an ominous red with just solid black pupils in the center. It looked like she wasn't going to be able to see his face or the bake-off with her children at this rate. She watched Kinzo leave her with a newfound anger and took note of his power in creating illusions. Voices could be heard like they were in the distance, and a shadow passed from the corner of her eyesight rapidly. It seemed she had some work to do...
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Jaken's Log. Date unknown. Time, well into the morning and approaching the luncheon hours.
It has been about an hour or so since me lord has spoken to the woman rival. We call her the witch. She is an odd one in our short list of allies. Me lord and the witch met in the summertime just as we were on our way to visit young Rin. It is now the cool season of autumn. Much has happened since meeting this witch within the few months of us knowing her. She gets into trouble quite often, battling foes of great power and solving mysterious and unresolved blood oaths with this noisy bird companion and his eggs. Recently, she took an injury to the eyes that left her blinded. This pallbearer named Tadamasa healed her eyes for a little while from what I can understand, but she must repay this kindness with something of value to the goblin of hell. Me lord was most displeased with this information as pallbearers bear no positive memory for him, and his words about such a thing triggered a frightful rage from the witch that made a kani oni demon shit itself and cry. I do not understand why the witch was so angry, but this is not the first time Lord Sesshomaru and the woman have parted ways on some disagreement.
I dare say I'm doing much better with keeping my big mouth shut on things! I don't want the witch's rage directed at me or me lord's wrath exacted upon me either. But, I sure hope that witch didn't forget her promise to train me. You see... I've watched me lord battle many a foe and strike down many a demon in cold blood, but Lady Meioshi has earned his respect in a way that I've never seen before. I thought it was strange that he didn't do more in their first battle, and that me lord's Tokijin was so excited to do battle with the witch, but whatever happened while I wasn't around was enough for me lord to stay close to this witch. The first time I ever saw her angry was when she was burning down that okiya village. I have reason to suspect that she might've killed a few people or critically injured them that night. She... was happy that we used the haven she made for those kids to save others who needed someplace to go. I don't know what happened to the Mujina Woodlands since then, but Lord Hikozaemon II, an elder of the House of Inu court and Lord Sesshomaru's paternal grandfather, informed us that the rivaling clans are happy at the haven and wish to stay there. That kind of feels good to hear about that.
While I might not forgive the witch for always snapping at Lord Sesshomaru so disrespectfully, I think it's good that she's able to do such a thing. I've already seen women grow to admire my lord for one reason or another and perish, but... she has this cockroach tendency to pop back up and fight or scamper. (Actually, I want to call her a red cow ant. This particular ant doesn't die easily. She wears red armor in battle. It only changed to that blue because of the wolf we were after at the beginning of our journey. The female ants have the stingers. Fitting...) I discovered such a creature in her bestiary museum. Her young students have an impressive knowledge of animals! It seems her apprentice, Kyoko, and now young Hasumi are more involved with their knowledge of demons as opposed to the boys. Musuko and Shotaro prefer more natural animals. Lord Sesshomaru is very impressed with the children's talents in sculpture. I saw him eyeing the stuffed wild cats that we were moving. Musuko makes those replicas quite well. Me lord might consider taking one of Musuko's wild cats.
I believe that's why the woman seems so odd to me. Lord Sesshomaru reacts differently towards her snippiness. He's not seeking validation from her, but it's something that runs deeper than that. It's something... only a rival would know about. Regardless... I think this new adventure... will be worth more in the end. After all, I have fighting lessons to attend, even if I must do this in secret to better serve Lord Sesshomaru...
Log has reached a conclusion... for now...
"With the Gogyo Stone in my lord's possession, learning how to control its power could be to our benefit with this new mission from your grandfather or even beyond that. That soldier from before... I wonder how much he really knows about the Gogyo Stones. What other elements could be mastered with these great artefacts?" Jaken asked, musing aloud as he often does.
They were flying to a strange, new location. His lordship said nothing about the details of it. He just looked back at the large pond where the stone sunk into its chosen bed of rocks or muck and that was it. They were airborne in silence. Jaken took notice to Sesshomaru's behavioral changes and wondered about what Seisuiki and Umebayashi said about Meioshi. He was certain the great Inu no Taisho didn't include the hell travelers in his grand master plan of teaching Sesshomaru how to have compassion. That accomplishment of changing his lord for the better was more than likely Rin's, but... that rubbed Jaken the wrong way for whatever reason. He didn't see it until now, but the imp servant wasn't sure about this lesson in compassion. In truth, that high honor of changing him shouldn't solely be Rin's. It took everyone to change him. People that he would've overlooked before were able to take a step forward and push him to go where he was meant to go. Jaken knew Lord Sesshomaru trusted him the most as his servant and that he did appreciate having company on adventures like these, but seeing his lord grieving like that in Nintojo's stored memories... Maybe there was a reason why Sesshomaru was acting differently towards or around Meioshi. There was this silent agreement that the two seemed to share - a mutual understanding that the two thrived on in their relationship. While Jaken didn't understand it all himself, he could see it as clear as day. Meioshi was staking claim on something that no one else had before. Or, maybe no one knew how to claim their place in Sesshomaru's life before until she stepped in and shook him up.
Sesshomaru should have been able to defeat Meioshi from the beginning. His lord had too much power, but... the doctor... she could fight. Maybe that's why Sesshomaru fell into these emotional downs when he did something that she deemed wrong. Or... well... Jaken wasn't quite sure of what to make of things. He was on his lordship's Moko Moko after Tadamasa's spell had lifted from the poor thing. It had greyed and lost a great deal of its luster when it was wrapped around Meioshi. After Sesshomaru placed it back on his person, it perked up with time.
Tadamasa. As Jaken was simply admiring the landscape changing from expansive forest to prairie to a desert, he noticed that Sesshomaru had been quiet since Meioshi left with that Netherworld goblin, but the silence was worse after being confronted by those Okuri-inu soldiers. To have seen so many eyes on them was unsettling but it made the imp curious. Where did all of the assassins go after Lord Toga disbanded the group? What about their ties to the wolf tribes? Were some of them relocated to eastern and northern territories? What about children like Sesshomaru who were the descendants of this military troop? Where do they all live? What do they do? Were they about Sesshomaru's age, too? Will they meet with them soon?
"Perhaps we will learn more once we have the chance to use it in battle. Should we retrieve Reijiro and Sanraku for the Okuri-inu mission?" Jaken asked.
"We will return to them shortly. We'll be going to the Youkai March tonight."
"Huh?" Jaken questioned. "We are?"
"Kirameku Ha stated that the emperor is taught about our kind's politics as a show of peace in this other parade. One of the clans must know about the Yama Oroshi in greater detail and will be of use in this mission. If the rogues truly don't care about their former clans or titles, then it should be simple enough to speak to them. Our main concern is the location of the vault now. A simple map of the territory is dangerous to follow. I have no tolerance for casualties."
"Hmm... I wonder what it's like to fully give up your loyalties to your clan in favor of a peaceful life. Is it so different from where you were?" Jaken asked himself.
"You left your lands to serve me. Did you forget?" Sesshomaru asked, smirking with some amusement in his tone. Fool...
"It doesn't feel like it counts, though. Anyone could've done what I did. My people are fine as Benjiro has said upon our recent visit to my old home. If I went back home, I'll just be bored but I have many tales to share with my old friends. The fears I had of leaving the village are no more since serving you," Jaken said, not realizing how sentimental and quiet he had gotten. Sesshomaru felt a sense of pride warm his chest. He didn't realize that he was such a strong symbol of courage for his imp servant. His smirk melted away with contentedness. Jaken then made a strange face before lifting a fist and saying, "When we spot that witch again, I'll have her clean up my lands as punishment for her earlier nagging! Yeah! And foot rubs all around for the men! Beauty sessions for the women will do, too!"
"You find the witch to be beautiful, Jaken?" Sesshomaru joked, needing to hear the imp's next choice of words.
"No, she's ugly!" Jaken ranted. "I take back what I said. Only women I approve of will suffice for my lord's hand!"
"You've been playing matchmaker in secret this whole time?" Sesshomaru questioned with slight anger in his voice.
"No woman is good enough for me lord," Jaken answered, folding his arms and pointing his nose up. "Only respectable women who make my lord happy will do. Preferably someone who is grateful just to be in your presence and who sees you as more than a lord. I have no tolerance for someone who will openly disrespect the inu name! 'Sides... the witch was only cute that day because she respected you differently."
Sesshomaru was amused enough to want to laugh at Jaken's rant until that last part. Meioshi respected him to a level that even Jaken could see and recognize. Further proof that she had no reason to be so upset at him before. Seeing a vineyard coming up, he lowered himself to the ground and landed gently to view the lands... of the fire rat colony.
The Fire Rat Colony was an oasis within the desert lands. Kimono and other clothing were being weaved on the lefthand side of the oasis where rows of hanging furs, linens, cottons, and silks gave the land a beautiful array of red coloring on clotheslines. Nesting materials were being made towards the back of the vineyard, and wood was being carried to build sturdier parts to the cellars. The Fire Rat Colony might have been well known for its nullifying effects against fire, but the rat demons were best known for their taste in wines and cheeses. They cultivated quality foods such as nuts, berries, and grapes for their particular wines. Though his father made good use of their clothes for Inuyasha, Sesshomaru learned more about them when he snuck off to Imamura and Sugawara's tavern for a breather. They often did business with the fire rat demons for access to particular wines, and, in exchange, Sugawara would provide catering to the lord of the colony.
The oasis was surrounded by sand, rocks, and cacti, but the vineyard was as lush as anything. Cypress trees lined the borders and entryway into the colony and its cellars. The walls of cliffs and rock arches made interesting architectural phenomena. The scent of water being carried caught Sesshomaru's immediate attention. One of the working fire rats stopped to walk over and greet Sesshomaru. He knew because of his association with Sugawara more than anything. Though this particular knew of Toga, he wasn't properly acquainted with him. Only his lord was a friend to Toga.
"Young Sesshomaru, it's been so many years since your last visit!"
The rat was a big one. Easily the size of a tall human on its hind legs. Its face had somewhat human features like a proper brow, nose, hands and feet. The rest of his body was that of a rat. His tail delivered vicious whipping blows judging from its length and girth. It could easily level a home or make quick work of destroying a surrounding cliff. The rat demon placed some wood down and smiled with a human grin.
"What are you building, Atasuke?" Sesshomaru asked after nodding politely to the older male demon. He was roughly 34 by inu standards. Sesshomaru wasn't entirely sure how humans documented a demon's age.
"Oh, this is just some construction material for our homes. Winter is on its way, so we're making some last-minute preparations for the coming weather," Atasuke replied. "What brings you here, old friend?"
"Old friend? You've known me lord for a long time?" Jaken asked, interested in this other demon that Sesshomaru seemed to know. He knew way more demons than he let on!
"Since he was a young chap," Atasuke said with a gentle nod and smile. "He ran away from stuffy, old customs at home quite often. We just kept it hush-hush so his parents wouldn't worry so much."
"I'm here for a small trade and perhaps some construction advice," Sesshomaru finally answered, smirk disappearing from the memories of his more rebellious days as a teen. "What kind of sugar do your kind prefer to eat?"
"I dunno about everyone else but I loves me some sweet garnets!" Atasuke answered, rubbing his belly. "They're located underground near the Rainbow Garnet Megaliths. A demon with many arms guards the land, so it's harder for us to cultivate those bits of deliciousness. The sugar is a combination of sweet and spicy. Legend has it that the reason for such spiciness is because the roots of the herbs that grow in that area actually reach down into the pockets where the sugar garnets form. The heat, pressure, and water that drips down from the waxy surface of the herb leaves creates this perfect blending of flavors. The sweet garnets work best when making smaller drops of confectionary goodness or cracker planks. Sometimes, you can top the planks with this buttery caramel if you churn the butter with a hint of sugarcane juice just right. It might be too humid to make the spice drops or cracker planks, but you can make one hell of a batch of cookies or biscuits!"
"Do either pair well with your wines?" Sesshomaru asked.
"The cracker planks for sure," Atasuke responded, tilting his head with glee. "But sometimes a nice cake or sweet bun will do the trick. It depends on the wine in that case."
"Where are these megaliths located?" Sesshomaru then asked.
"Ah, I've a map you can use for such a thing, but there is a fading path that leads straight to it. Head east of the cellars next to the stone arches. It's a straight walk until you see the signs at the fork in the road. Take the left and follow our trail. What's got you interested in the sweet garnets?" Atasuke asked.
"... ... ..."
Jaken's Log. Date unknown. Time, well into the morning and approaching the luncheon hours.