The Long Road to Freedom 2: Fire on the Water

Reacquaint

Kintsuke bolted as soon as she knew Inuyasha couldn't see her. She needed to get as far from this place as she could before the demon lord arrived.

Several miles away, she finally allowed herself to slow to a casual stroll. This far out, no one that was likely to interfere would be able to hear or see anything that might happen. She wouldn't even try to fool herself; if Sesshoumaru wanted her dead still, he would come for her.

'Let him. Surely after all this time he can be convinced to let it go. Some of his father must flow in him somewhere...'

If he pressed, she would be happy to show him just how much she'd grown. She wasn't the weakling she had been back then; she would make that much known at least. She frowned to herself as Kintsuke realized she was almost excited by the prospect. Somewhere, a tiny part of her wanted him to come.

She shuddered suddenly, ears perked painfully to catch every sound.

There was his scent again.

Her eyes combed the forest around her, then cast up, following the arch as he alighted down into the grass before her like a nightmare manifest. She froze, locking eyes with this being she recognized, but could no longer say she knew. His presence fell heavily on her shoulders, nearly washing away her conviction.

His power...it was enormous. As much as she had herself improved, he had done the same twice over, at least. Her inner demon snarled, nervous and confused; his expression was not what she had expected it would be, and she narrowed her own from the uncertainty she now felt.

He was coming closer now. She shifted to run.

"Stay," he said sharply.

She couldn't help but pause. He held no authority over her any longer, but she wasn't ignorant of the likely consequences should she so blatantly disregard this hellish god. She squared her shoulders and faced him again, exuding every bit of confidence, calm, and grandeur she could muster.

His eyes ran slowly along her form, seeming to examine her as he closed the distance between them. She shivered slightly, but not from the cold. His scent was enveloping her, just as heady as she remembered, and it was making her uncomfortable.

'Too close.'

'Don't move.'

'He's too close!'

'Do. Not. Move.'

The wind shifted, and an echo of memory shot through her like electricity as his mokomoko brushed against her and settled around her feet.

"My hanyou..."

He sounded almost breathless, and the hint of something akin to relief in his tone made her heart skip. She rolled her tongue against the back of her lips to part them and felt more than willed herself to speak.

"Sesshoumaru."

Something glinted in his eyes, something foreign and unsettling, reigniting her desire to flee. She held steady.

"Why are you here?" he asked plainly.

"I had wanted to speak with Myouga, but he is nowhere to be found. I'll be leaving shortly."

"To find the flea?"

"That as well."

"Why else?"

"That is my business."

His eyes narrowed. 'There's the cold bastard I know.'

"This is my territory..." he stated simply.