Master of the Winter final part

She supposed she could say she was... flattered? Nonplussed? Suspicious? Either way (or using either word), Meioshi honestly didn't expect Sesshomaru to ally himself with her again. He was able to get Jaken to safety. She made sure of that. He had nothing to be ashamed of in leaving her. She wouldn't have found any fault in his decision to do so. That's what he wanted, right? Him being here didn't make any sense. Neither did his taking initiative during such a tense time. Hence, her dilemma of understanding him. What does she know about him so far? Maybe there's an answer there. She knew he sought the strongest opponents for equally confusing and unknown reasons, but those reasons were his. That's what he said when they formally met (or maybe it was informally since there was no tea or appetizers for the occasion). Maybe that's what it was. He just wanted to fight the black wall demon himself since he saw it as a challenge. That's fair, yet that didn't ease her mind any more than the soothing crunching of snow and leaves under their feet. She wanted to ask him why he came back, but she just couldn't find it in herself to pry for an answer from the young man. Instead, she remained quiet at his side and focused her attention on something else to avoid overthinking her ally's intentions. Perhaps he simply didn't like the idea of seeing a woman fighting alone. That could be it. If so, that made him sweeter than she thought.

If there was one thing Sesshomaru had to pinpoint as a dislike when allying himself with Meioshi, it was the doctor's silence. That didn't make sense to him at all. He wasn't sure if it was because he was so used to someone speaking on his journeys or because it left him with the unfortunate task of having to initiate a conversation between the two. Either way, and for whatever reason, the doctor's quiet demeanor bothered him. It could have been for a simple reason such as... no, that didn't make any sense either. He hated the pheasant, but... he was the only one who could bring out Meioshi's true self. Somehow, Sesshomaru preferred her goofier, kinder nature over the silent killer next to him, even if he only saw her animated personality briefly in their first encounter and around the pheasant when they grouped together. Even the pheasant was different around the doctor. He was able to be of use without worrying for his... eggs. Really, even the wolf and bird were able to bring out a different side of the doctor. He might have even preferred the adventurer Meioshi really was instead. Not wanting to be the one to look at Meioshi to try to read her, he had to force himself to focus on finding their enemy. Little did he know, his ally was fighting the urge to look at him as well.

She whispered to herself, "Shoulder still hurts."

This made Sesshomaru look as she stretched her arm out and popped it a couple of times and clutched and unclutched her hand from a fist to an open palm. She slowed her walking to a few steps at a time as she rolled her neck and performed a few arm circles. She grunted a bit before concentrating on evening her breathing. She let out a stifled sigh, fog leaving her rosy lips, and closed her eyes as she stood still for a moment. Sesshomaru stopped walking and watched her before looking ahead quietly and waiting. He didn't want any gaze of his to linger on her, but, with him deciding to stick with her, Meioshi quietly started musing to herself again. If his sword strike wasn't going to kill her, his reasoning for staying here was definitely a contender.

Feeling a sharp pinch in her arm, she let a growl and clenched her jaw before saying with visible regret, "Hmm... shouldn't've done that!"

"Your incompetence as a doctor is almost laughable," Sesshomaru commented. Well, at least he didn't have to start a conversation. The doctor's broken arm helped more than the pheasant did.

"Don't you start!" Meioshi retorted, trying to move her arm a little and shaking a bit from the pain. "Unless you want me to bring up old shit on how you almost got yourself eaten trying to be hasty."

"I did no such thing," Sesshomaru said, furrowing his brow at the foolish notion.

"Oh?" Meioshi questioned, mouth set in a squiggly line trying to ease her pain by performing a small arm circle. CRACK! Nope, not easing up. She then grabbed her arm to support her injury and said, "Then remind me to let my old friend eat you when we meet him again."

"Your 'old friend' tried to kill you before I arrived," Sesshomaru reminded, getting annoyed. "He'll eat you first."

"Only because you upset him by breaking one of his curses," Meioshi retorted, trying to apply pressure to her shoulder. "He only needs me to be weakened, not dead. You're a little higher up on his menu."

"You needed information from me, did you not?" Sesshomaru questioned, annoyance growing by the second.

Meioshi smirked then said, "You being sexily stubborn has its perks."

"Shut up and stay here, witch," Sesshomaru ordered, beginning to walk ahead, and furrowing his brow with anger. The nerve of her! He then mocked her by saying, "If you have time to squabble, you have time to make yourself less incompetent."

"No," Meioshi responded, following Sesshomaru a few steps behind to care for her arm. "I'm setting these lost souls free regardless of my condition. I don't rightly care how you feel about it."

Sesshomaru was silenced by her words, finally locking eyes with the doctor, and said in response, "Do what you wish then, witch. Quit your whining and let's go. You're beginning to dawdle."

With that, Sesshomaru left Meioshi gasping lightly and looking even more confused than before. She just couldn't quite interpret Sesshomaru's motivations in leading the way to battle since he was taking extra care to be unflappable and poised in his strides. Stopping his walk again, Sesshomaru turned slightly to the doctor and let out a soft growl with that distinctive huff and scrunch of his small nose to let her know that he was becoming impatient with her. A hint of annoyance was in his eyes once he noticed that she wasn't following behind him but waiting for her to move only made Meioshi more suspicious versus reassured. He turned to walk again with purposeful and slow steps.

Finally, she asked him, "Why are you trying to help me, Sesshomaru?"

The western lord stopped, not hearing his title being used from Meioshi, and was slow to do a quarter-turn. Sesshomaru supposed he was only used to Inuyasha and his friends calling him on a first-name basis when a fight was approaching. The doctor was... different. At least, her accent as strange as it was pleasant... made his name sound different. Her tone wasn't aggressive or really accusing. It was just... he wasn't sure of the right word to place it. Her voice was soft, direct, and seemed to be genuinely confused. The look in her eyes wasn't angry, and her body wasn't hunched to show cowering. She stood straight up, forgetting her shoulder injury, and looked directly in his eyes. Her hair mussed up and flowing with the icy winds gave her a gentler appearance even with the orange, glassy eyes. One could easily confuse her for a demon. Physically, she seemed fine and really was unbothered by her injury once she dropped her arm to speak to him this time. It looked like she could continue to fight from here. Staring at each other, however, was slowing their progress and neither were sure if the black wall demon would be a problem at full power. She expected an answer. Would he still have helped her if she was a demon, though? Did it matter that she was a human trying to fight this menace? What would have been a sufficient answer here?

By default, the western lord chose to remain cryptic in replying, "Your curiosity is unnecessary. If you are able to fight, we will proceed."

Her eyelids lowered, drawing attention to her fluttering lashes and the war paint on her eyes, and she called him in a softer tone, "Sesshomaru. Please."

'Why does she need my reason?' Sesshomaru thought, eyes slightly widening at her response. She was too dangerous like this. The look in her eyes, the softness of her features. They were too... what could he call it? He thought more, 'Why are you saying my name like that? None of this... means anything. The lands are being threatened. That's all there is to it.'

Meioshi watched the conflict transpiring in the young lord's eyes and stiff shoulders. So, he doesn't know why he's helping her either. He's just compelled to do so. That's good. She was beginning to think there was something more - something she would rather not have the young man know. Since it looked like he wasn't sure, she was able to relax a bit and decided to give him the reassurance he needed instead.

She smiled gently at him and said ever so sweetly, "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru. I'm sorry for pestering you. You're right. Your reasons are your own. It's not my place to push."

Right then, Sesshomaru could see it. The reason why the black wall demon was so fascinated with the doctor. The reason why he spoke to her softly. The reason why he sung lullabies to her. The reason why he healed her earlier. The reason why he would rather bargain with her than harm her. It all made sense when she smiled like that. It made sense when she spoke that way to him. It all made sense... when she fully trusted him.

Grunting to himself, Sesshomaru then said, "Don't forget it again, witch. Let's go."

Leading the way again with the doctor at his side, he felt a tranquility in the air as they quickened their walking pace. That small moment of uncertainty was removed with a simple question. Though the doctor's silence had returned, it wasn't as uncomfortable and uncharacteristic as before. Sesshomaru was able to see what the other lost souls could see: a true keeper of peace. He chose quite the rival for himself. An opposite in every sense of the word. He turned to the left then walked forward a certain distance before making another left. This trail he was sniffing was an interesting one. Meioshi quietly devised a battle strategy while the western lord's attention was elsewhere, but the pain in her shoulder was growing and made her slow her pace.

"Jeez, that bite hurt!" the doctor remarked, brow twitching and eyes filled with annoyance at the injury. "I'd rather get bit by a rat!"

Ah, so the pain was returning again. Being stoic wasn't in her nature, it seemed. Not quite understanding why, Sesshomaru relaxed at this and caught the scent of something that smelled like wine and a familiar spice. He barely turned his head as Meioshi took out a small bottle of medicine to drink. She placed the bottle's neck between her teeth before taking it out of her mouth and replacing the cap on it and putting the bottle away. Ripping a piece of her tattered shirt off, he was able to see a bit of the doctor's exposed stomach. Her muscles were contracting and releasing as she wrapped her upper arm with the cloth. She tied the cloth with her teeth and held out her arm again. That smolder in her eyes, all while they were still orange, nearly enhanced her wild appearance to the fullest. When she concentrated on a task, Sesshomaru found himself getting angry at himself for being curious but waited for her to finish before they continued again.

Meioshi wasn't paying any attention to Sesshomaru's conflicting emotions. She was more ecstatic that her arm was finally easing up on the pain from the black wall demon's bite. When she was satisfied with her healed wound, she followed Sesshomaru again like she never had the injury in the first place and that gave her a chance to rethink her battle strategy going forward. Like her, the western lord must have seen the final memory to know where the Jubokko tree was located. Sesshomaru was fast, had a damaging level of attrition through his poison attacks, and a heightened amount of physical strength. His main weakness is being caught off-guard. She would have to step in to cover him if he remained at ground level from time to time, which would mean she'd have to risk a second or third bite, but if she timed her attacks correctly this could be avoided altogether. That could be useful with exception to when he takes to the air. The black wall demon was capable of changing form to give him an aerial advantage. How could she help him there? As she continued musing, Meioshi readjusted her ponytail, which was coming out from its gold ring, and stopped walking when she smelled something burning. Her eyes narrowed when she heard faint voices screaming. They were the voices of the fallen. The demon was close.

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She felt more afraid than before, remembering the events of the past. After telling Hon'no to hide among the brush of junipers, Piao (otherwise known as little bird or Bird-Meioshi) had run to the hinoki tree with the scabbard of the snow sword. That was before the flaming arrows had descended onto her and the forest was burned to ashes. That was the last memory she had before she died. Surrounding herself with a small barrier, Piao cried quietly and waited for the black sky demon to end her life completely. She wasn't sad about her death this time, though. She was actually sadder about not being able to see Meioshi again. Her soft voice and warm smile as she guided her boat to the Soul Carriers' Road were the last memories she would have of the doctor. Piao would miss Meioshi terribly and the dragons that visited them as they sailed across the sky.

"You wish to be with my beauty again, Piao?" the black sky demon asked. Piao remained silent and only nodded. He then said, "Always so honest. My beauty will be with you soon. She's coming to save you, after all."

"You'll hurt her, won't you?" Piao asked, shaking at the mere thought that this demon would do to the doctor what it dd to her village. "You'll burn her like you did us! You'll hurt her!"

"No, little one," the black sky demon said. "I need her just like you do."

"You don't need anyone, you monster!" Piao shouted, strengthening her barrier. "You just eat everything! You'll eat her like you did the rest of us!"

"I didn't eat your family," the demon said, sinking its tendrils into the hole of the hinoki tree and creeping its way around the barrier to engulf it in darkness. "Or the village leaders. I spared all of you, remember? I only asked that you protect my sword the way you always had."

"And you dragged us all to that awful place in hell!" Piao argued, trying to cover her ears and fight through her tears.

"It was the only safe place left for you," the demon hissed softly. "The neighboring village you all tried to run to was being attacked by a different demon. You would have met your fate if I hadn't stepped in. You were able to protect your beloved sister, Hon'no, in the afterlife, and your precious father also helped you. You're still safe now. If you want to protect the doctor, you need merely give up the scabbard and let her take it. Then, you'll be freed... like the others."

"What?" Piao questioned, looking up to see the demon's face grinning at her.

"My beauty and the man with white fur set your sister and father free," the demon informed. "You've no need for the scabbard anymore. You can go back to them. All you have to do... is leave this tree."

Abruptly, the demon screeched in pain and jumped away from the hinoki tree to see his attacker. The only thing he was able to see was a green pheasant running across the snow with two floating eggs following behind him. Soon after, Meioshi and Sesshomaru attacked him by spear and poison strike.

Piao clung to the snow sword's scabbard and called, "Doctor, help!"

Meioshi heard the child's voice and spotted a little girl running out into the open with a blue scabbard in her hands. Sesshomaru immediately ran to the girl and picked her up out of harm's way. He caught sight of the pheasant and placed the girl down next to him.

"Leave this place, Piao," Sesshomaru ordered.

Piao's eyes widened before they slowly closed, and she was engulfed in a bright light. Akarui's light spread across the sky before it struck the hinoki tree and set it aflame. The molt that once surrounded the tree glimmered with divine power and Meioshi's shimenawa from the forest behind them snaked its way across the sky and formed a wall surrounding the towering tree. Water had refilled the dried-up ditch. The scrolls of the fallen villagers reformed the village borders, and a man came from the light above and descended to the snowy plains while twirling a lantern pole around before firing a bolt of fire at the beast. The man appeared to be in his thirties and was dressed in fine cloth and slippers. His eyes were narrowed at the monster, and he silently drew the scrolls back to his pole to create a gorgeous lantern staff.

"You treacherous knave!" the demon insulted. The man said nothing more to him other than a disrespectful scoff and disappeared before enhancing the divine power of Meioshi's tanto.

"Excellent work, evil talking dog," the green pheasant complimented, locking eyes with Sesshomaru. "You freed all of the lantern carriers! We owe you quite the debt, it seems. Now then, make yourself of even better use and help Meioshi unlock the Jubokko tree's gate. It should be much easier to do now."

"You said I just had to find the tree to leave the Blood Oath's Circle," Sesshomaru reminded, annoyed to the fullest with the bird.

"No, I said the portal was in the mouth of the Jubokko tree," the pheasant specified, turning his attention to a blast of power being exchanged between the black wall demon and Meioshi. "Yes, you had to find the tree, but you needed to enter its mouth to get out. Location, location, location! There must be a place that's in parallel with the Jubokko tree for you to open the gate. Now, go find it."

SMACK! Sesshomaru leapt away from the bird to return to Meioshi's side after finally having had enough of him and giving him one good punch across the head. He didn't bother to stay to hear the pheasant yell at him. Meioshi clashed with the beast's claw again, planning her next move until she could get a clear shot, until Sesshomaru performed a sneak attack on the creature. This made the demon chuckle and widen his eyes before releasing a potent blast of poison. The mist started burning Meioshi's shoulder wound, and she grunted from the stinging before getting punched back a good couple of feet away. The demon managed to grab Sesshomaru by his arm and forced him down to the ground. Sesshomaru's eyes were fully reddened, stripes jagged, and teeth sharper than normal. He grabbed the demon by his arm and slung him away from him just in time for Meioshi to throw her tanto. This sent the beast flying right as she rushed at him with her spear. The black wall demon recovered from the attack quickly before retaliating with a double swipe that sent Meioshi back.

"Meioshi!" the pheasant called. "You have to attack this demon using the riddle! Think carefully!"

"The riddle?" the doctor questioned, going on the defense.

Sesshomaru wasn't far behind her, defending himself along with her. The beast grew more relentless in battle and used more vicious bite attacks to disarm them for a few moments before hitting one of them. While on the defense, Meioshi went over every clue and answer to the riddle given to her while on her journey. Only two things stuck out and... Turning to Sesshomaru, Meioshi looked into his face and stared at the moon marking on his forehead. The crescent shape and color, Shanwang's clue of the treetop in the sky, and the Nameless General not understanding part of the riddle all started to come together.

She smiled excitedly, having her answers, and said, "Well, my sexy friend, it looks like now is the time to fulfill that request. Don't screw this up."

"Call me that again and I will tear you in half," Sesshomaru threatened, clenching Bakusaiga angrily. She was planning something. He knew that. He just... hated being called that. He refused to acknowledge why.

"Perfect!" Meioshi said, now smiling mischievously. "Give me whatcha got and strike me down!"

She used her Nether Dash ability to run passed the black wall demon and straight to the hinoki tree. Sesshomaru just barely dodged a double swipe from the black wall demon, who now had nothing stopping him from trying to eat Sesshomaru, and chased after Meioshi to follow whatever crazy plan she was trying to do. Stopping in the molt, Meioshi waited for Sesshomaru and the black wall demon to meet her and wasn't disappointed when both were barreling towards her. Dismissing all of her weapons, she watched Sesshomaru use a high amount of yoki energy to hit her and the black wall demon jump around Sesshomaru to try to block the hit, but the strike was too fast to maneuver around and Meioshi allowed herself to be hit. When the blast hit her shoulder and blood entered the molt, the atmosphere changed to violet and red hues like a gradient of color passing by. The hinoki tree's smooth bark transformed to jagged pieces. The hole at the base lifted and shrunk to a bleeding mouth, and the branches and trunk curved into crooked arches. The pillar of light that once illuminated the hinoki tree relocated to the mouth of the Jubokko tree. Transformed, the Jubokko tree sucked Meioshi and the black wall demon inside of its mouth and cast Sesshomaru away from it.

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Shoulder severely injured from Sesshomaru's strike and the black wall demon's bite, Meioshi could barely control her falling through the endless loop of the Jubokko and hinoki trees while the black wall demon simply jumped back and forth like he was wall jumping. It felt like she was falling through the Lake of Ice in hell once again. Taking a deep breath, Meioshi calmed her breathing down until she had full control of her body again. Feeling a warmth around her body, she opened her eyes and dismissed her Netherworld powers to become fully human again. Hazel eyes looking at the roaring beast, she spotted the glowing point on the beast's ankle and quickly called out to the Dai Fubuki blade. The General's presence was on her hand as the demon rushed to stop her from throwing the tanto at him again. She waited until the demon was within reach before clashing powers and throwing the blade at the glowing spot. Another presence that was completely unfamiliar to her wrapped his arms around her and channeled his power into her body.

Following after, she called out to the snow sword and said, "Baohu qi Voluptatis, release!"

Sesshomaru and the pheasant were nearly blinded by the amount of power and wind thrashing about the tree and molt. The remaining snow left in the living world was being sucked into the tree and freezing the molt. Sesshomaru could feel his body being dragged into the tree's mouth until light and fire burst out and forced him back. Abruptly, Meioshi was flung out of the Jubokko tree's mouth with the beast trying helplessly to climb out, and she let out a final scream before slashing at the tree with the snow sword and thrusting the blade into the protruding roots of the tree. A whirlwind of ice and fire twisted and churned together until the Jubokko tree reverted to the hinoki tree and the black wall demon was destroyed. The tree crackled and the demon's claws started chipping until all became ash and fluttered about.

The pheasant came out from the brush with the scabbard of the sword floating next to him and said to himself, "It appears your journey has now begun, my friend. You are now... the true master of the winter..."