Chapter 48:Noon

The clear midnight sky reveals a beautiful river of stars as well as a huge moon that seems to be the center of the world. Traveling beneath this beautiful sky is a three-eyed flying ox, upon which stands an old man carrying a large hammer and a small yokai flea. 

"Hey, old Myoga. I hope you're not lying to me with these two tales. A mighty fox who travels with Cloudy Fang and a strong warrior who has managed to master the Steel Fang."

*Muu*

The words come from the old man who wears a dark green yukata with black horizontal stripes, he has almost no hair, except for a high ponytail, white color and a small goatee beard of the same color. On the other hand and seeming to be able to notice the distrust of its owner, the ox throws a small Muu in support of his words.

"About the first one I can't remember the name even though Saya has told me, it seems to me that even he couldn't pronounce it correctly. The second is the mighty master Inuyasha."

Sticking a jump from the old man's shoulder to the head of the ox, the yokai flea known as Myoga, makes his appearance before confirming his words. 

"That Inuyasha, I remembered! He's the son of that mythological dog who gave me one of his fangs to forge a sword and who had two very strange sons? No?"

Opening his wide eyes as if a distant memory came to his doorstep, the old man scratches his head as his words flow quietly. 

"You talk too much, it was only on one occasion, but he has managed to wipe out 100 spirits in one swing and after that I have no idea how he is reacting."

"Well... let's test him first and we'll find out if he's the best suited to use my most powerful creation. What do you know about the fox?"

With the yokai flea nodding as if they were his own accomplishments, the old man brings his hand under his chin and begins to stroke his beard before changing the subject. 

"I have only seen him from a distance when he and Master Inuyasha first met. He has medium long blond hair, a rather odd sense of humor according to Saya and what stands out the most is the absurd amount of energy he has around him."

"Saya... Well we'll see what happens."

Letting out a laugh and touching the back of his ox, the old man looks up at the moon as the animal begins to pick up speed. 

In another time and place…

*Booooom* 

"Come on dog. Is it just words and no bites? Lunar Form:new moon."

Leaping to the side to dodge the sword strike coming from Inuyasha, Asahiko lets out some clearly excited words, before throwing some white slashes and starting to run off in another direction. 

"Damn you... Don't run away!"

"Hahaha, try to catch me... even if you can't since I'm a bird!"

Dodging another punch from Inuyasha that sends chunks of rocks, dust and dirt flying into the sky. Asahiko says a few words that darken Inuyasha's face, then creating multiple flame birds that fly around. 

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*. 

"So, how did we get into this situation?"

Kagome's voice sounded fed up as if she was watching two small children fighting over candy or something, and her almost emotionally dead look she throws towards Miroku, Sango and Shippo makes them break out in a cold sweat. 

"Kagome had been saddened by the recent loss of the shards to Kikyo."

"Then Inuyasha tried to comfort you and Miroku noticed she was more sensitive than usual."

"It was kind of obvious, normally he'd be yelling at even the trees if he lost a shard."

Speaking first, Shippo, as he grips the monk's shoulder, then Sango, who pats Kirara under a lone tree, and to finish Miroku, who is accompanied by nods from the last two as he finishes his words. 

"Stop moving!"

Leaping up and soaring a few feet into the sky, Inuyasha raises his sword above his head before letting out a loud scream.

"OK, come at me. what the hell Inuyasha!" 

Rolling to the side and narrowly avoiding the huge crack created by Steel Fang, Asahiko transformed into little Shippo looks towards Inuyasha who has a huge grin on his face, before he starts to consider if this transformation was the best idea, though that doesn't stop him from shooting a few words at the grinning dog boy. 

"Hehehe, if I hit you... Kagome, she won't be able to say anything!"

Stashing Steel Fang in his scabbard and leaping towards Asahiko with both arms outstretched as if he were an attack dog. Inuyasha easily grabs the fake Shippo in his arms, before slamming him full on, causing that illusion to shatter into thousands of fragments. 

Squeezing the void he now occupies between his arms, Inuyasha turns around as his nose twitches gently, before running on all fours towards another small Shippo who seems to be heading towards Kagome.

"Is it normal for this to happen to you?"

"Ghost!"

Erasing the illusion hiding him from prying eyes, Asahiko mysteriously appears on one of the branches of the only tree in the place and where the whole group is resting, making Kagome give a scream before jumping towards Sango to hug her, completely ignoring poor Miroku who had his arms wide open. 

"Luck hasn't been with me these past few days..."

Withdrawing his outstretched arms and shrugging his shoulders, Miroku looks up at Asahiko before rolling his eyes as if the world itself was attacking him.

"Person with a stabbed tail and a cursed hand here. I'm not saying I'm unlucky...but I sure have been."

Playing along with Miroku, Asahiko looks up to the top of the tree as it causes his face to darken and even a small tear to fall down his cheek as light rays of light hit his handsome face, giving an air of melancholy to the whole scene that he has set up for himself.

"Kagome was Asahiko and you two stop this charade now!"

"¡Shippo!"

"Inuyasha. down!"

*Boom*

With Sango's shout towards Asahiko and Miroku who raise their hands in complete surrender, Inuyasha can be seen jumping over Miroku or more exactly towards his shoulder where Shippo rests, though Kagome shouted a few words causing a slight light to shine from Inuyasha's neck before he falls hard towards the ground. 

"Hahahahahaha x5"

"Damn you, stop laughing, he cheated on me!"

Emerging from the gap that had been created due to his fall, Inuyasha immediately shouts towards the surroundings, before looking accusingly towards Asahiko, who covers the lower part of his face with his fan. 

"Sorry, sorry... Hahaha... But it works. Look, the sad atmosphere that was hanging around the group is gone, and if that doesn't convince you, watch Kagome, she doesn't feel sad anymore."

"I have to change my opinion of you, um, um, from winter breeze to summer rain."

Closing the fan and raising his hands even more exaggeratedly than previously with Sango, the ears on Asahiko's head twitch strangely before he turns his face towards Shippo. 

"Oh, good nicknames Shippo."