Youki stirred the air in currents. Above the frothing river, mist coalesced into a shimmering fog that filled the canyon like a fallen cloud. Before Kagome’s perch, the skeins of mist parted like a veil drawn aside, and Hirokin stepped forward, his blue eyes glittering sardonically as ever.
“Kagome-sama,” he greeted with a slight, graceful bow. “The eastern skies are alight tonight, I see.”
“Don’t play coy with me, you snake,” the miko growled, tightening her grip on the bow. “You know damn well the whole valley’s on fire, and why. You probably knew even before I did. These sick little spy-games you play, slithering around in the shadows—that’s what you do, isn’t it? While Sesshoumaru’s away at war, you coil up and conspire.”
Hirokin smiled, thin and cutting. “Quite the horde you called down, priestess. I couldn’t have done better myself, and I am deemed a prince among demons.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Kagome snapped, her voice shaking in rage. “Prince or not, I’ve had more than enough youkai mischief for one day. Trust me, demon, you don’t want to try me now.”
Hirokin’s smile grew flintier still, though he held his silence.
Glaring him down a moment longer, Kagome jerked her chin back toward the flaming city. “Now,” she said darkly, “you’re going to get down off your high-horse and go put those fires out.”
A shadow seemed to pass like a dark wave over Hirokin’s fair, aristocratic features. His slit pupils contracted, the reptilian striations in his irises crackling with cold white heat. From his platform of suspended mist, he advanced toward her on her precipice of rock, a thin sheet of ice spreading out beneath the press of his sharp-toed foot.
“Who are you to command me, human?” he asked her lowly. Kagome winced as the air chilled and thickened, whirling with fine shards of ice. “Long after your bones have turned to dust, I will swim these waters and walk these shores, as I have done for seasons uncounted. You are but a husk of decaying flesh: a passing memory, soon to be forgotten. I am everlasting, changeless as the rock upon which you stand.”
Kagome retreated a wary step. With her miko’s intuition, she sensed that he had to make contact with her to do his worst. He drew power from the river itself. The flow of his youki was just as vast, but it required a conduit. On land his strength was greatly diminished—the ice sheet was more of a shield to him than a threat to her.
A tether to the mist, and the water beneath it.
He feared to face her on level ground—this she could tell.
“Ask me for a favor, and perhaps I’ll grant it to you,” he said, closing the distance between them another measured step. “For a price.”
“And what is that?” Kagome asked him narrowly.
“Now who is playing coy?” Hirokin remarked with a scathing twist of lip. “Tessaiga, of course.”
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Happy Thanksgiving, y’all! 🦃 Probably won’t be updating tomorrow since I’m on cooking duty – but hope to have something up Friday 😉 Take care 💕
Don’t think she’ll turn over inuyasha’s most prized possession to that smarmy hirokin…he prolly wants to curry favor by giving it to sesshomaru. Snake indeed.
yeah not likely, right? 😉
<3
What is our devious Hirokin up to? Surely a screw fell loose if he thinks Sesshoumaru is going to let him go traipsing around with his fathers sword, whether he wants it or not. And surely he doesn’t think Kagome is going to let him keep it even if she gave it to him so he does her bidding for now… foolish Hirokin.
Hehe we shall see…! <3
Such a wonderful gift to us all 😭
You would think Hirokin would figure he owes her at this point 😒 Jesus Christ, for all the misery that he’s brought her over the years (especially after That Night and the mysterious circumstances of Inuyasha’s death) you would think he’d be begging to do her a favor and absolve his conscience. But, as evidenced by this chapter and your marvelous writing throughout, demons don’t think the way we do. Perhaps he has seen her as an opponent throughout the years, even if it was unwitting on her part.
I do wonder what he could possibly want with Tessaiga. I don’t think he would be able to wield it himself, right? I always confuse the mythology, but don’t you have to have human blood or protect humans to unleash it’s power? And earlier on in the story, Sesshoumaru suggested it is not for him to use, but perhaps his heir. I assume he meant the 10 Hanyou bastards he would have with Kagome, but she bristled at the insinuation of some cold-blooded demon who didn’t know or respect Inuyasha wielding it. Does he intend it for his gruff companion—perhaps as a tool to elevate him? Treachery seems the obvious answer, but I can’t understand how he would accomplish it even with Tessaiga or what the end game would be. His ambitions and successes seem inextricably linked with Sesshoumaru’s, so maybe he will use it as a tool to escape him?
So many questions, so little time! Thanks for all your hard work and generosity, Char. Your writing is a true gift! I hope you have a lovely holiday with your loved ones 😊❤️.
Aww thank you so much, Alex! You’re the sweetest 🥰
Love the questions!! From what I remember of the Tessaiga lore (and admittedly it’s rather fuzzy to me lol), its power is unleashed when the wielder has a human to protect. Whether someone outside of Touga’s bloodline could wield it at all is uncertain…but great material for fanfic authors to explore! 😉
Thank you for the well wishes – we had a wonderful holiday dinner yesterday and my belly is still full! Hope you had a lovely day as well! 💞
Yess loved this!
Thank you, mim! <3