Call to Arms final part

Sesshomaru watched his rival take the bird's hand into hers and sat her down almost like a proper gentleman. When Meioshi turned to him, she winked at him mischievously and said, "Later, Lord Sesshomaru! Thanks for that power sniff! I owe you big time!"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Meioshi with visible annoyance before she guided her magic boat into the black skies. The bird, however, took a good look at Sesshomaru again and then to Meioshi. Why did her words make the doctor laugh earlier? He had such an odd look in his eyes before. It startled her. He seemed too menacing to be a friend to the doctor, even if the bird copied her exact form. Feeling threatened, the bird formed vines along the boat's outer lip that would respond to immediate touch. If that man tried to come for the doctor, he would have to deal with her first. Sesshomaru took notice to the bird's warning gaze but only huffed at it. It was probably nothing to mull over.

"That woman will be the death of us!" Jaken remarked, finally getting up from his spot and folding his arms as he walked up to the western lord. "Should we continue on, Lord Sesshomaru? That girl clearly has moved on."

"What questions did she bombard you with, Jaken?" Sesshomaru asked, watching Meioshi open a hole in the sky. Once she entered it and was gone from his line of sight, he looked down at Jaken to hear his reply. "When you were making a fuss earlier, you said she bombarded you with personal questions."

Jaken was dreading this moment ever since he met Meioshi and Yuko. As faithful as he was as a servant, he was sweating at the thought of having to find a good lie that would please his lord. Trembling at the mere thought of what kind of beating Sesshomaru would give him, Jaken stuttered, "W-w-well, that is, u-u-um, s-sh-she didn't really ask the personal questions. That Yuko girl did the questioning. Not that I didn't have my own questions! After all, you told me to investigate and I did as requested quite well!"

"We will discuss that next," Sesshomaru stated. "Your deterrence is annoying me."

"Apologies, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken responded, scrambling and bowing rapidly. "Well, you see, my lord, Yuko is a close friend to Meioshi. Young women like that tend to gossip, and Yuko was curious about your... alliances is all."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at this and probed, "Alliances?"

Shit! Jaken thought. I better tread lightly here. If I screw this up, Lord Sesshomaru will put two and two together. My lord is not slow, but I have to think faster than he can puzzle-solve!

"Yes, my lord!" Jaken said, fiddling with his fingers. He then said with careful thought, "Since she sent you to warn Lady Meioshi about that wolf, she wondered if she made the right choice in doing so. She felt you could be trusted when you stopped that other half-breed from making things more dangerous for her, but she didn't know anything about you beyond our first meeting. She wasn't sure if you had other allies or if you preferred not to fight alongside other women. Unfortunately, I couldn't recall many times when we encountered others like Lady Meioshi. She is very different. And we didn't set the greatest of examples in confronting the doctor or Yuko the second time. That's why she got defensive. She thought she made a mistake."

"Jaken, are you lying to me?" Sesshomaru asked, smirking darkly. "Asking of my alliances isn't personal enough for you to react this way."

"She only mentioned it was a science experiment!" Jaken said in a rush and groveling afterwards. "Lady Meioshi taught her to think critically about certain people, so Yuko started mouthing off about her analysis of you. She started saying weird things about how you might eat and sleep based on the color of your clothing. It just seemed personal to me! I swear, Lord Sesshomaru! I even tuned her out!"

"You do realize that if I find out what Yuko actually asked about, I will kill you for your treason, do you not?" Sesshomaru questioned, closing his eyes to show that he wouldn't give the action a second thought.

This only made Jaken panic and he hurriedly said, "Yes, my lord! I understand quite clearly! I assure you that was all! It just seemed too pushy the way she worded things with the science and all!"

Maybe it's not too late to apologize to Lady Meioshi... Jaken thought, trembling. I'm sure I can offer something in exchange for protection. Lady Meioshi, you better not be dead when we meet again!

"What did you learn of the doctor?" Sesshomaru then asked, no longer caring about what Yuko asked.

"According to Lord Aka," Jaken started, grateful for the change in subject. He then continued, "he actually battled Meioshi's ancestor, Unmei, and was severely injured for many years as a result of his power. Just as Moeru said, Unmei was the first in Heiwa to develop advanced purification methods during his time that could damage a stronger demon in the living world and ones in the Netherworld. His powers had been passed down to a man named Bichisutomu, who healed Aka out of sympathy, and that power was then passed down to Arimasa, Lady Meioshi's grandfather and Bichisutomu's grandson. Lord Aka and Arimasa were very close, and he serves as a sort of informant for the Jigoku family. He knew of our journey, my lord, and he believes Lady Meioshi is well on her way to Unmei's level of power as it stands. Unlike Moeru, Lord Aka didn't mention anything about heirloom weapons like the spear or the mirror. I have reason to believe that both items are perhaps on that cliff if not in her possession. Would it be worth our time seeing the usefulness of Lady Meioshi's armory?"

"The mirror only traps souls. It doesn't kill them," Sesshomaru replied. "I have no use for it. The spear has as much potential as its wielder if she can show me this hidden power through its use. This missing sword interests me most. Being able to control the ice and snow of hell itself is a strength no ordinary human should be able to have. If she is successful in her mission to obtain it, then that would be the weapon worth fighting her for. Her purification technique is powerful. If her ancestor was as strong, if not stronger than what I've seen thus far, she is worthy of being my opponent. Let's go, Jaken."

"Where are we going, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked, scratching at his temple.

"To find the wolf," Sesshomaru replied, walking towards the open body bag of vines. "If the bond is so strong between it and the doctor, it should be much easier to track. That pheasant gave us quite a clue. Like the Blood Oath's Circle, it is located in a plane of existence in between the living world and either the Netherworld or the heavens above. That's why it's scent was so faint yet still close before. Now, the scent is much stronger... and it's changing."

"Changing?" Jaken questioned. "Does that mean that the wolf is truly weaker now because of that imposter from earlier?"

"No, it means the doctor separated an imposter from the real wolf through the blood pact," Sesshomaru answered, walking around the sea of hills. "Much like the creature that took her physical form, a demon of the Netherworld took the wolf's true form and power. When the doctor accepted the dual pact, she created a divide that severed the attachment the demon had with the real wolf. What I smell now is related to what we saw in the wolf's memory."

"You mean, the fires in the phantom village? You can smell that from here?"

"More specifically, the burning of the hinoki tree," Sesshomaru responded.

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Nearly two hundred years ago...

"This trail of snow is very unique, girls," Lord Honoseiken said, walking up to the trail.

She and her little sister followed the shogunate to look at the snow on the ground. There were only eight little splatters of white fluff there, but they were almost laid out in a specific way that seemed like they were painted there with purpose. The snow clumps weren't linear or in any coordinated formation, but they held the same forward direction pointing to some distant place that couldn't be immediately seen. It seemed ordinary to them until she realized what time of year it was. Spring. Snow should be melted by now!

"It's still so cold!" she said, kneeling in front of the trail. "Snow starts melting in the spring. How is it still here?"

"That's part of its uniqueness, Piao," Honoseiken said with a chuckle. "The snow is like a compass. It points you in the direction of the birthplace of the sword based on the face of the moon. Because each piece of snow is different like the moon, you have to look above and find the North Star. Look at the snow. Which one looks like a full moon?"

"None of them," her little sister replied, looking at the snow closely. They were all shaped the same. Just clumps.

"Use the sword in your hand, Hon'no," the elder suggested with a smile. "Point it at the trail."

The little girl now known as Hon'no held the sword up and a beacon of light shot out from the tip of the hilt and struck at the clump of snow at the very tip of the trail. The clumps of snow then rattled and shifted into a perfect line pointing to the northwest.

"That's where the North Star will be in the sky tonight," Lord Honoseiken said, letting the girls marvel at the reaction between blade and snow. "Follow the star to the hinoki tree surrounded by a molt. It will send you to the birthplace of Baohu qi Voluptatis. There, you will be safe..."

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She couldn't remember the last time she dreamed of a peaceful moment. Forever plagued by the memories of her death and being separated from everything she loved, she didn't want to wake up from the delightful memory of Lord Honoseiken's smile or Hon'no's glowing eyes filled with amazement. Feeling the cool breeze against her skin and a warm blanket around her body, she stirred fairly quietly to the feel of a warm body against her face. Looking up, she saw the flowing ponytail of the doctor and fluttering lights surrounding them. She lifted herself off the doctor's body and immediately felt the cold hitting against her face at the lack of protection the doctor produced. Feeling unsafe, she clung to Meioshi's fur belt and looked around to see small dragons flying with little balls of fire on their backs or under their bellies. Butterflies were also flying about carrying small balls of either flames or pollen seeds. Other strange creatures were holding similar glowing orbs.

Meioshi turned to her copy and whispered gently, "Ah, you woke just in time to see the soul carriers, little bird."

"Doctor?" the bird said groggily. "Where am I?"

"In the sky now. I wanted to show the wolf this, but it looks like I get to show you, too," Meioshi replied, reaching out to pet a dragon. It cooed and cuddled into her warm hand before looking at the red-eyed version of herself with curiosity. "The little one there seems to like you. He helps bring souls to the heavens above when they're ready. You and the wolf have only ever seen darkness and the damned. I thought you'd like to see something a little nicer."

The bird looked at Meioshi with hopeful eyes before looking at the baby dragon resting on the doctor's boat. She reached out hesitantly to touch the dragon and was surprised at how gentle the creature was with her. It nuzzled under her touch and smiled brightly with its eyes. Hopping up to fly, the little pink dragon kissed Meioshi's cheek before flying away. The wolf happily watched the souls and soul carriers flying in the clouds.

"Is that where I'll go?" the bird asked, making Meioshi and the wolf turn to look at her. She was watching the dragon carry its one soul away into a higher part in the sky. "When I find my master, is that where I'll go?"

"Yes," Meioshi replied, smiling gently at the bird when she turned to look at her. "When I help you finish your mission, I'll escort you there. You and the wolf here."

The wolf's eye blinked before looking up at the doctor and asking in a small voice, "You will?"

"It would be my honor," Meioshi replied, looking up at the North Star. "Little bird gave me all the reason I need to prove myself to you both. I think you both are looking for the same person, and the curses that were put on you might be the key to finding that person. Time is getting shorter, but the village that I have to visit might be of some help. When our pact breaks, little wolf, I'll need you to protect Yuko for me. Little bird will have to help me find you."

"What are you planning to do, doctor?" the wolf asked.

"I have to get the Dai Fubuki blade to free you..."