It was a night with a completely clear sky, making seeing the stars something as simple as raising your head and reveling in their beautiful presence.
Beneath such a beautiful starry sky stretched a vast forest of tall trees, though there was one that stood out from all the others. It is at least three times taller than normal, while to go around its trunk requires a minimum of four people together.
"This tree... So it wasn't a fluke"
Holding herself in front of the huge tree that covers the sky with its branches, the young woman with pale skin, priestess costume and black hair, reaches out her hand to caress the bark of the large tree.
Within that description several people fit, but the one who stands here in front is Kikyo. She continues with her beautiful face stoic, though the tight grip she keeps on her bow makes it clear that she is on guard.
With a gentle gust of wind, the leaves of the trees fall all over the forest and finally remain static on the green grass. In the midst of this sudden gust of wind, a moth with brown wings and red streaks tries to escape, but is pierced by an arrow.
"I can recognize this energy... It's similar to those two, but it also has... Asahiko's energy?"
Taking the remains of the moth, yes Kikyo was so accurate with her shot that she only ripped off the moth's right wing, she grinds the remains with her hand and quickly throws it to the ground.
The green grass loses all life to brown, but it doesn't end there, as it then decomposes along with the surrounding soil and a reddish smoke spreads into the sky.
Kikyo didn't hesitate even for a second, seeing that she failed to purify that reddish negative energy, she quickly takes the arrow stuck nearby and embeds it in the middle of the infected earth.
"How inefficient, if I wanted to purify a being completely composed of that energy... I guess that spirit was right in saying that sword was a big problem"
Shaking her head to clear those thoughts, Kikyo reaches out her hand and rests it on the embedded arrow, causing it to glow in a soft pink hue.
Already satisfied with her actions, she raises her hand, though her gaze is drawn to the red bracelet held firmly on her wrist. It is Asahiko's sword/hilt, or the one that keeps Kikyo in her human form.
"Both Inuyasha and Asahiko... They're both in on it."
...Christopher/Asahiko pov…
It had been about two days or so since we rescued Kagome, swept the floor with the dark priestess and kidnapped, well kidnapped Hitomiko... Yes, I still hold my priestly club 3000.
It's not that we've been resting on our laurels, it's just that no one knows which way to go. I pointed out that we could go after Totosai. It's obvious that the old man knows something, but he was sidelined for taking too long.
Now, it's better to take longer than to do nothing, but this is where the tables turn and unbelievably Inuyasha has a plan. Basically it's to wait for Myoga, the yokai flea. That elusive thing always seems to appear whenever they come out of battle.
"Hey, I got it, I got it. Ah, my nose."
Setting the glass of green tea down on the table, which was made by Kaede during the afternoon, she turned her face and looked up at Shippo. The little raccoon strokes his nose, though he still holds his hand tightly closed and from there some shouting can be heard.
"Let me go, let me go, let me go, Shippo. That's enough, I promise not to drink your blood anymore, which wasn't very good... Ahh"
"Serves him right for talking too much"
"Myoga, you slippery flea, what took you so long to show up?"
Miroku finishes drinking the remains of the tea he had in his mouth and speaks calmly, while Inuyasha doesn't have that decency, so in the end he throws liquid all over the place.
It was really disgusting to watch, but by the grace of god my one of my tails protects me from the attack and incinerates all the liquid. That situation aside, the three of us walked over to Shippo and grabbed Myoga, before slamming him down on the table with a thump.
"Wh, what, what, what's going on, Master Inuyasha?"
"Easy, Myoga, we just want to ask you a few questions"
"That's right little flea, why fear, you should even be happy, you just drank Shippo's sugar filled blood"
"Let me tell you, it doesn't work like that, young Asahiko. What I drink, Ahh, what's wrong with them!"
Well done Inuyasha, I almost got led by the nose by the flea. Giving Inuyasha a look of appreciation, he also slammed the table next to him and then Miroku does too.
Obviously Miroku just didn't want to be left behind, but our bad luck seems to kick in and the shutter used as a door is whipped to the side.
Those who enter are Sango, Kagome and also Hitomiko... Yes, unbelievably in two days Hitomiko managed to befriend those two. Not that she has much socializing skills, but she took it upon herself to clean the remains of the curse on Kagome and so the group now trusts her.
"What are you three doing!"
"If you break the table again, you're going to have to fix it"
"Teh, you know I'm the one doing it, Sango? I don't want to sound bad, but I do want to break it"
Raising my head smugly, I watch as Hitomiko fiddles with her priestess outfit and finally opens her mouth.
"Uh... You had given it to Lady Kaede"
"Silence, priestess garrote 3000. If I say so. Ahgeh"
Falling forcibly against the ground, I open one eye and see a bunch of arrows lying around, plus a quiver for arrows... Looks like Kagome just threw that mercilessly at me.
"Don't ever call the teacher that again, Asahiko. Her name is Hitomiko and you're going to call her by her name."
"What the hell, Kagome. We literally go way back and you take her side, have at least some principles"
"When you have them as a human!"
"But I'm a d... Fine, I'll shut my mouth now"
Holding up my hands quickly as I watch Kagome approach, she jumped behind Inuyasha and accepted my defeat with total grace. What? She may not have an ounce of Kikyo's power, but when we're talking about feelings... Kagome is just as scary.
"Thank you for helping me, Kagome. I really appreciate whatever you talked about for me"
"Hahaha, don't be so serious... Besides even though I don't like to say it, Asahiko is a good person, he probably just wanted to tease you."
"That's true, although he doesn't know how to stop when he starts a joke, you can tell he's good"
Kagome, Sango... I really didn't expect those words from you, ahh, what good friends. Wiping away the crocodile tears I made fall down my cheeks, I notice how Miroku tries to approach the group of women, though he is intercepted by three pairs of eyes.
"Your Excellency..."
"Miroku, don't do it"
"What, I have to, there is a beautiful lady in front of me and so I need to ask her the most important question of all"
The confidence Miroku has is amazing, I really thought that being watched he would stop, but no, he went even more forcefully to Hitomiko and grabbed her hands to ask her the big question.
"Miss Hitomiko, I may be Asahiko's captive, but my love is not stopped by physical or spiritual barriers, so tell me... You can have a child with me!"
"He said so"
"Yes he did, but here it comes"
"Miroku... Libertine monk"
As if Inuyasha's words were a sign, Hitomiko seems to come back to reality all at once, but her face turns fiery red and with an incredibly fast movement, she punches Miroku.
"Ouch, that must have hurt"
"Hahaha, he deserves it, I don't even know how many women he's said that to anymore"
"The flea has a point, Kaede even had to warn him to stop... He was already going after even married women"
Letting out a laugh to go along with Inuyasha's, I watch as Miroku stands up like it's nothing and calmly takes a seat. What a thick face, not even a blush or anything, the only thing that has changed on him is the first mark on his face.
"Cof, cof... Let's put aside what happened, it's time to do this for real"
"As you say, Your Excellency"
"Hahaha, come on, come on, that our friend Asahiko already wants to have his sword back."