The Turtle Charm
Hn. Of all the journeys I have embarked on, this one... has easily been one of the most annoying. Yet..., it troubles me. Growing up, I had often gotten into trouble, but I was never so rambunctious that I became a burden onto others! Even so, my training as an honorable warrior was far less about one's individual qualities according to character. Power and solidarity were highly prized. One inu warrior should be able to level a village without a loss of much power. One group of inu warriors... well, one can surmise on their own the type of devastation that can bring. How does one girl manage to do what my people are expected to do through thievery!?
Sesshomaru was quite miffed at the new circumstances surrounding his rival. Of all the things to do, Meioshi just had to steal the waters and wine of a dragon warrior clan! What is wrong with this girl? Holy warriors were supposed to be such stiff, imposing, and condescending people. That's what the dragon warrior clan was! At least, a majority of the ones that he had come across were. Why was she so much... freer than the rest? Isn't she aware that her life was in constant danger when she played around like this? Why does it matter anyway? He felt pity for Shungiku, honestly. You couldn't drop your guard around Meioshi. Her beauty and power were dangerous weapons around the weak. As the men were talking about times when the good doctor did something kind for them or someone they knew, Sesshomaru listened to them and sort of remembered everything that had happened between him and his rival up until now.
Righteousness. Such a thing is attributed to the pure-hearted ones like my little brother's noisy miko and children. Holy warriors don't exude such a thing. Look at how some of them act! Pathetic. They make enemies of strangers just because someone they know pointed a finger to the accused. Such condemnation is not needed for a true warrior, but... this quality is what confuses me about the witch. Is righteousness not just another word for defamation of character? The goddess that tried to consume me through her hypnosis, was she on the side of righteousness? If so, the witch is not righteous. She is a guardian... the way I had grown to be. At least..., for Rin and Jaken. We have someone to protect, the witch and I... Are we not pure in that regard? If not, then what does it mean to be righteous?
Is it something that must grow in you or with you? Is it something that promotes healing or the process of change? If so, the witch is righteous from occupation alone. She needs not the wine or waters of a petty worm. My father's teachings - hmph! As wise as many believe him to be, his teachings... don't seem to synchronize with the witch's teachings. Why are we so different and yet... alike? Perhaps righteousness is not a quality to be taught but a medicine to be developed. Much like a cure for ailments, perhaps righteousness makes you whole when the world is always ready to make you feel like you're not. My rival... stop bothering yourself with such qualities. You don't need them. You are whole. You only condemn your enemies when you see their sins as clear as day. You continue to be a student of life, not claim mastery of it. That... may have been my father's greatest mistake.
Since knowing you, rival, you have made me question my father's teachings. Having someone to protect is good..., but there is more to life than just having that. Even having control over life and death seems strange in your world. You have a greater purpose despite your mortality. You have many to protect, but you don't forget that there is beauty beyond the duties of a warrior that... doesn't rip the seams of the foundational blanket that warms us. You believe that the body is beautiful. What it does and how it responds intrigues you. You wish to capture those beauties at their peak performances. You love colors. You are not so neutral that you bore others. You have a quirkiness to you. You wear a crown made by your children and a coat with their names on it. You do more than let them be children. You play with them, you read to them, you teach them. You do for them what was done for you. Your love of adventure and scholarly finds... is your most beautiful quality. Your desperate need to aid another sets much in motion.
It is possible that my foolish servant, Jaken, may be onto something. He seemed... most enthusiastic to have you as a proper teacher in combat. Though you are here now, what did you show him while I was gone? If I have no need to protect Jaken..., what will become of me? Will I have no one to protect... save for Rin? Will she learn things the way you did? If she becomes like you..., I am again without someone to protect. Another may do that. I do not like that..., but... I want that for her. Not to be clingy and needy, but to be independent in a way that I couldn't be as a child. My independence was a punishable offense. Hers won't be. What is a righteous woman then? Is she just an obedient servant to her husband or is there more to it than that? How do you define a woman, rival?
Can a righteous woman, nay a woman by definition, simply be someone who helps enrich, protect, and make warm the lives of others by creating a home and an institution for them to thrive in this world? Is this not a noble calling? A basic necessity to inspire abundance, richness, and a good difference that will influence a nation? If this is what it takes to be a real woman, the question of whether you are righteous lies there. They merely need to see you as a woman... to know the type of warrior you are. I don't just look to you as a competitor, Jigoku Meioshi... I look to you... to reveal my flaws. Men don't look at the flaws within. We look at the flaws we create. Mistakes to you are lessons to be better. Mistakes to my clan... have always been a wrong that needed correction or removal. Sometimes, they are irreversible. For you, they are progression. I prefer things that way.
What is life like... beyond this need to protect?
Sesshomaru spotted a strong light coming from his side. Ichi was panicking a bit at the tamagushi lighting up and sparkling. It seemed the men had satisfied the requirements of the dragon clan's hatamoto. Shungiku had strolled up behind them to evaluate the sacred item and summoned up a bit of her own power to mingle with it.
She then said, "It appears your doctor is righteous according to your memories despite her offenses against us... Very well. I will take this to the hatamoto."
"There is no need," the gravelly voice interjected, startling Shungiku. The regal man walked up to Ichi to take the tamagushi and continued, "Your doctor has returned to our village. She has stolen our rice."
"What!?" Shungiku shouted more than questioned.
"We will leave her. She is one of us," the hatamoto said, reading through the memories transferred into the sacred item. He looked intrigued. "Pure of heart, righteous in her ways. This woman is a holy warrior chosen by the gods. We may not understand her reasons for visiting us or why the inu troop here has been led to us, but I am a firm believer that there is a reason for everything. Besides, the young lady has entered the dragons' den below us. Our masters are interested in her."
"She's traversed to the deep blue?" Shungiku asked.
"Yes," the hatamoto said. He opened his hand to break the tamagushi and used his powers to produce a glowing bubble. Inside, Meioshi and the Green Pheasant were walking up to a grand palace entrance. The hatamoto smirked and then said, "This thief certainly knows how to capture the attention of others! Shungiku, produce a turtle shell for the inu prince there."
Shungiku hesitated at first but did as told after she looked at her lord's bubble to see Meioshi smiling at the small bird at her side. She is a handsome woman. Calling out to her powers again, the kunoichi put her hands over her heart and produced a small turtle charm. She handed it over to the hatamoto, but the man shook his head and nodded to Sesshomaru.
"That is for the inu prince," the hatamoto informed, surprising the group. "I wish to look at his charm when he returns."
"I will not bother myself with such a trivial thing. I've no reason to revisit someone who claimed me an enemy," Sesshomaru spat elegantly.
"Hmph! Again, I am a firm believer that there is a reason for everything including why your journey led you here. This doctor would have come to us with time, but I do not believe it would have been as early as now. You are the one who intrigues me, inu prince," the hatamoto said with an unusual smile. It was hard to tell what emotion he was showing. It seemed to be a mixture of many things. "Your memories of her are very detailed. It is like you relive each moment constantly to a point where the smallest details can be described if asked. Your self-awareness is also quite strong! Maybe that's why you're so quiet. You're reliving the past while engaging with the present. Fascinating!"
"Aww," Yamashi cooed, trying to fight his laughter. This just made Sesshomaru give him an angry look.
"For this... experiment, I will need to take away your thoughts and force you to speak," the hatamoto explained, shooting a harpoon formed from the bubble at Sesshomaru's chest. "I may be able to release you if you can put the answers to your troop's riddles together. What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a voice, key, and kindness?"
"... A new day. A crystal flower for kindness, a shadowy arrow to steal one's voice, and the light of the sun is the key to eternal peace," Sesshomaru answered, surprising his own self. "A promise made to continue on until the day of the final battle."
"Such vivid imagery!" the hatamoto complimented, smiling with excitement at the memories dancing in his bubble. "Very well. You will be released until your return. This turtle has eight spots on its shell. The pattern will change as you continue on your journey. You may have one large spot and seven smaller ones, or you may have two large spots and six smaller ones. Be mindful of your decisions going forward, young prince, and be safe on your journey... Your doctor will be a while."
"... I will wait for her," Sesshomaru replied, shocking himself. "What horrid spell did you put on me, you pitiable worm?"
"Aha! You are more vulgar than you let on!" the hatamoto said, smiling wide with interest.
"I've had enough of this. Remove this spell from me this instant, you daft bastard!" Sesshomaru insulted, startling himself again.
"My man! You're speaking my language at last!" Yamashi cheered, leaning over to peek at Sesshomaru's face. "I like this version of you."
"You're just vulgar, pervert pig," Sesshomaru said, not liking his flippant mouth in the slightest. What happened to his filter? Not that he had a strong one but...! Well! This wasn't him.
"What's the turtle charm for, though? Just to get rid of Maru-sama's filter?" Reijiro asked, keeping his arms folded.
"Call me that again and I swear I'll rip your arm off!" Sesshomaru snapped, gritting his teeth and growling angrily. Why won't it stop?
"... Wow," Ichi managed to say.
"Right!?" Yamashi remarked, pointing at Sesshomaru.
"The turtle is a very sacred animal to us, but I will refrain from embarrassing the prince any further with my explanations. His ability to speak freely is already quite the shock," the hatamoto replied. "The wild boar will be most entertained with this new version of the inu prince, however. A gift to you for the trouble. We are enemies no more."
"Oh ho ho ho ho ho!" Yamashi chuckled, clapping slowly. "We are best friends now, hatamoto of the dragon warriors."
"Shit!" Sesshomaru griped, startling himself. "Get this spell the fuck off me!"
"I'm afraid it is not time. Show me how disciplined you really are, inu prince. Surely, there is no facade to you," the hatamoto said, bursting the bubble and disappearing with Shungiku.
All that was left was the turtle charm that Reijiro politely snatched with interest and a smirk.
"What the hell are you staring at?" Sesshomaru hissed viciously.
"So, you've only been halfway honest the whole time, huh?" Reijiro questioned, smiling mischievously. "Interesting."