~Their Salvation~

~Chapter 41~

"I see, I suppose I could give you her location if this is the case. I am sure she will not mind once she hears your words, Hana." Sesshomaru's mother spoke in a gentle tone.

"They are not my words, they are Yōki's." Hana spoke in a gentle tone.

"Yes, but I advise you to carry them for Hahanaru Shizen only respects those of pure heart. It is a wonder that she even took a glance at me let alone spoke to me." She explained. Hana thought for a moment.

"Pure heart." Hana whispered.

"Does that really mean just those of holy magic? Even yōkai can be good." Hana asked. Before Sesshomaru's mother could speak up, Yōki decided to put his thought into the conversation.

"Oh Kichōna, don't you have a golden heart? Thinking yōkai could have pure hearts, it's such a moonstruck idea." He spoke with a teasing yet gentle tone.

"How so?" Hana asked a little offended by what he had just said.

"Love, yōkai are horrendous, filthy hearted creatures and that's all we will ever be when push comes to shove." He said. Hana puffed her cheeks crossing her arms.

"Not true, you're good. Mouthy, but good." Hana muttered. Yōki stood there for a moment, then a genuine smile pulled at his lips. He brought a hand to trace her jaw before taking a lock of her hair between his pointer finger and thumb.

"Aren't you just the sweetest, blissfully nieve creature.~" He purred in a whisper. Hana stared for a moment before narrowing her eyes and moving his hand.

"Yōkai are a class of supernatural monsters, spirits, and demons. Nowhere is it written that yōkai are filthy hearted creatures. Plus, isn't Hahanaru Shizen a yōkai if she's been around for as long as she has and if she can grant gifts to others?" Hana stated, then asked. The room fell silent for a moment.

"No one knows what Hahanaru Shizen is." Sesshomaru's mother simply said.

"I see." Hana muttered softly.

"Where does she reside?" Sesshomaru asked his mother.

"She resides in a place known as Aokigahara, but, it is very dangerous." She answered.

"How so?" He asked.

"Hahanaru Shizen resides there, but so does her brother Chici-ue Shi."

"Mother nature, father death. Siblings of the opposite spectrum." Hana muttered.

"Yes, In-Yo to be specific. Chichi-ue Shi is In, the negative elements, while Hahanaru Shizen is Yo, the positive element." Hana perked up.

"In-Yo?" She whispered, then her face lit up like a firework.

"In-Yo!" She cheered before grabbing Yōki's shoulders with the happiest look he's ever seen from her.

"That's it! When I and Inuyasha had to perform that prayer to keep Naraku from using Kagome's body to go to my time, a symbol in the odd flames appeared and my grandma whispered In-Yo. It was obvious Hahanaru Shizen was the answer to this!" She spoke excitedly. Yōki stared for a moment then glanced to the side.

"The symbol was on your side as well I see. But, now there's a new question. What does Chichi-ue Shi have to do with this?" Yōki asked making Hana's cheerful expression fade away.

"Right." She muttered softly.

"That I, unfortunately, cannot answer I'm afraid." Sesshomaru's mother spoke up. Hana let Yōki go and turned to bow.