Descendant of the Revolutionaries final part

Jaken was quite nervous as he followed behind his lord. He was looking over his shoulder every couple of seconds and flinching from almost every unusual sound. The reason? Elder Hikozaemon II was leading them to the stronghold of the Okuri-inu, the Forest of the Flying Dogs.

Just as Elder Hikozaemon II was leaving to retrieve gifts for the Green Pheasant's dinner invitation, Lord Sesshomaru decided to follow his grandfather. He didn't say anything when the elder turned to question him with a soft hum, but the older gentleman seemed to understand his grandson's silence. He smirked at him and marched forward. Somehow or another, they wound up at this place. It was a sight to behold watching the elder taking flight. He didn't hide behind a cloud like Sesshomaru did, so Jaken reasoned that this might have been due to the interbreeding, but the elder did change the air currents surrounding him. The air around him seemed to spiral around his feet and form shadows around his body like the darkened outer curves of clouds were being rolled up. He assumed that the reason no clouds formed around the elder was because it was too suspicious. A singular cloud traveling across a pure blue sky isn't exactly an efficient way to assassinate a target. However, flying in plain sight didn't seem to be efficient either. There had to be another way that the elder once took a life. If there was, the elder didn't use it. When they arrived near the coordinates of the desired location, Sesshomaru and Jaken were met with a forest somewhat familiar to Sesshomaru.

His lordship did see the Forest of Flying Dogs in the past. Twice, actually. This was where working class inu once lived like Reijiro and Sanraku. The humans actually lived close to the forest in need of steady work. They mainly took up farming. Eyes narrowed, Sesshomaru grunted at the memory trying to creep at the forefront of his mind. He didn't want to remember that day when he snuck away beyond the forest. That was... a painful event in his life. It was the real start of his hatred for humans. But... there was some good that came about coming to this forest. After all, this was where Takamuku had brought him to meet Imamura and Sugawara for the first time. He drank wine with his friend for the last time and ate pretty good cuisine. The Okuri-inu must have abandoned this forest years before the humans and working class inu decided to live there. No one lives here anymore now. Not since... no. No more memories of that day. Too much hatred. Focus on the elder.

The forest was a dense, lush terrain. Perfect for hiding away. The refugee camp was developed into a small village. No, it was smaller than a village. He remembered not many people living there. This spot was probably nothing more than a heritage site now, but, as the Green Pheasant had said, the symbol of the Okuri-inu was ever present... on one building. It was built into a pagoda and still had dried rice lingering on the ground. Offerings to the inu perhaps? No, if the humans lived there once then yes, but if Sesshomaru's grandfather was chief among the assassin troop then that could've been rations left behind.

"This place gives me the creeps!" Jaken grumbled, shoulders shivering from the noises.

"It shouldn't. This place is empty, save for some raccoons," Hikozaemon II remarked, lifting his hands to make a fire sign.

He blew an ounce of flame from his lips and lit the torches of the pagoda. Power rushed into the old palace and gave the building new life. The tapestries sprung to life with color and oil lanterns were lit with swirling balls of light resembling the sun. The indigo blue matching his cloak was ever so vibrant! Hikozaemon II knew exactly where to go for his gifts. The left corridor of the pagoda had floors that moved like fog. It was slow and rose only an inch or two just above the surface. It was like they were floating. Just outside of the window was the sight of a dark pond completely surrounded by knotweed on one corner. It looked like it could use his mother's gardening scythe.

"That's how some of our blue fabrics were made," Hikozaemon II finally said after the prolonged silence.

"Like your cloak? You made it in the pond?" Jaken asked in Sesshomaru's place.

"It was made with the indigo plant along that pond you're seeing. That herb makes a blue dye when steeped and processed. We also used it for medicine. It wasn't an all-purpose remedy, but it helped greatly. I assumed that's why the humans tried to cultivate what was left. The farmers for the House of Inu had no use for the plant beyond the medicinal," Hikozaemon II replied, opening a drawer of a small table.

He found a set of rusted keys and chose one that was shaped like a spiral. He brought it to a specific door and used it to open said door. Inside of the room... was treasure and gifts that would make a bandit think he was in heaven far too early. While Sesshomaru was not nearly as in awe as Jaken, he did follow his grandfather inside of the treasury and analyzed the room. So much silver, gold, and jade beading! There were even gemstones and pearls lingering about! No one knew about this one room? Beyond the treasure vault was a cellar of old rations littering the floor that comprised mainly of colorful, wild rice and apparently a selection of wine. Taking his time to choose a proper bottle, Hikozaemon II evaluated particular selections. He wanted one that was sweet enough for a lady but had superb quality for a chef. It had to be just potent enough for a human to be able to handle its strength. The wines here were well over centuries old. Maybe something a bit younger would do?

"These rations couldn't possibly be edible, old man," Sesshomaru remarked, furrowing his brow with some disgust. "Your gift of wine can be obtained elsewhere."

"Are you so cold that you can't tell this cellar was frozen before you entered, my grandson?" the elder asked, finding a bottle that suited him. "That is not good."

"I didn't feel anything, elder," Jaken voiced, folding his arms.

"Your feet are frozen in place, imp," the elder said, wrapping the bottle in a folded silk holder with embroidery on it. He turned around and then said, "You should be numb from the waist down."

"EH?" Jaken shouted.

He was soon screaming after the elder set him on fire...

________________________________________

The Green Pheasant and his three dozen chicks were walking about along the deck. Madame was sitting on her eggs by the fire, taking a nice nap. Morihei, Nakasone, and Anju were preparing things for a nice dinner. Each lady wearing fine evening wear and chatting. Hikozaemon II was not prepared to be meeting with human women, but one of them caught his immediate attention as she was facing away from him. She had a set of hips that signaled her childbearing days were quite fulfilling in the past, and she was wearing a Hanfu dress under her cooking apron. The smell of his favorite dish hit his nose like a dragon claw. Reijiro and Sanraku were by the fire with Madame just talking about random things. Anju seemed to like them, entertained by Sanraku's expressive behavior. When the Green Pheasant sensed the elder, he turned to greet them. He was wearing an evening cloak of some sort.

"Ah, there's our guests! Welcome back, gentlemen."

Nakasone and Anju huddled together and measured Hikozaemon up and down. They burst out in giggling before Nakasone asked, "And who is this, Lord Pheasant?"

"Well, you've already met Sesshomaru and Jaken. The elder gentleman here is quite the decorated soldier," the Green Pheasant introduced.

"Hikozaemon II," the elder replied, waiting for the chef to face him.

Morihei didn't turn around right away because her sauce would burn if she did, but she eventually placed her last bits of cooking on trays and covered them accordingly. Without looking at the guests, she quite quickly and efficiently prepared the main dining table on the deck and hurried over to the side dining table by the fire. Hikozaemon II watched Morihei's every move with an odd twitch of his brow and mouth. Though Sesshomaru didn't particularly see this or care (much like the other boys), the Green Pheasant and the two grandmas immediately recognized the exchange. That was Meioshi and Sesshomaru to a tee! Always busy, their little doctor quite often ignored the arrogant young lord with her tasks until they were complete. Displeased with being ignored, his lordship would show his annoyance and watch her work until they came face to face. When the two did, Meioshi would normally be the calm one - completely oblivious to the attention she deprived of the young man. Morihei sure enough was doing the same thing. Once everyone had their food and utensils and drinks, she elegantly removed her apron, killed the cooking fire, washed her hands, and seated herself down. When she faced the man, she kept it professional and bowed in respect. Either Hikozaemon II was the easiest man on the planet to read or Sesshomaru was just that predictable, but, either way, when Hikozaemon II got a good look at Morihei, he let the faintest hint of something akin to surprise cross his eyes. Uh oh...

"A pleasure to meet you, my lord," Morihei greeted, still bowing elegantly. When she rose up, she waited for him to be seated in silence.

"O-ho! What's this?" Nakasone questioned, eyes widening and fan covering her lips.

"Good evening, Lord Hikozaemon II! I am Anju."

"Nakasone. A pleasure!" she said, fanning herself with her gorgeous black and white accessory.

"Morihei," the noble grandma greeted, placing a hand on her chest.

Hikozaemon II may as well have been Sesshomaru in the future because the elder went straight to his seat... dead center in front of Morihei.

"O-ho! Lord Hikozaemon II is quite handsome up close. The trait of a youkai, it seems," Nakasone said, paying special attention to the man's actions.

He revealed the bottle of wine and a box of small cakes to the ladies. Pushing it forward slowly and silently but not breaking eye contact with Morihei whatsoever, even though the woman had already closed her eyes to put the hand on her chest in greeting. When she opened them to see the bottle and cakes, she gasped lightly. She knew both items quite intimately. She reached out to touch them hesitantly, not sure which one to choose, until she went for the cakes. They were practically perfect in shape and color! She smiled at them, placing them on the side for later, and then went for the wine. Marveling at the holder the bottle was in, she took note to the craftsmanship of the silk item then the bottle itself. Both beautiful. She then nodded and voiced her gratitude.

"Well, if all seems well, bless the food!" the Green Pheasant said, breaking the tense silence.

"You're greedier than me!" Jaken commented, stomping at the bird and raising his fist at his rudeness.

He didn't catch the sideways glance the pheasant sent Lord Sesshomaru. His lordship was already seated next to his grandfather in silence as the ladies continued their chatter after blessing the food. Though the elder said very little in the idle conversations going around, he did seem to pay attention more when Morihei spoke to her friends or reprimanded their suggestive talk around the man. Sesshomaru watched his grandfather eat Morihei's cooking, raise his brow with evident satisfaction in the dish's flavor and presentation, and speak to the humans with impeccable manners. Though Sesshomaru merely picked at Morihei's side dishes from time to time to show respect, he could see why his grandfather was impressed with her cooking. It was quite delicious! The Green Pheasant and Nakasone exchanged a glance at each other before nodding in silence. Soon...