The snowy, downy blossoms of the honeysuckle drifted gently onto the flawless face of the girl in his arms, and the handsome silver-haired Dog Demon softly brushed them away.
When had he begun to accept her place beside him? Even Sesshomaru did not know.
But when he rejected that betrothal, it was this girl's small figure that had appeared in his mind.
And so Sesshomaru kept his promise, following the scent carried on the breeze to stand before her once more.
Undisguised delight filled the girl's eyes. She walked toward him without hesitation, trusting him as she always had.
Every time Sesshomaru reached out, the girl answered without reservation.
And so, in the eyes of the silver-haired, golden-eyed Dog Demon, there was no longer room for anyone else.
Jaken woke to find that his entire world had gone wrong!
On the surface, of course, nothing seemed to have happened. But Jaken would swear on his loyalty to Lord Sesshomaru that his lord was in an excellent mood today! So excellent it was downright unnatural! Of course, that handsome face remained expressionless. = =
Jaken secretly went to ask Lady Han (Lord Sesshomaru had once stepped on his face when he called her "my lady wife" [Note 1], so Jaken had wisely changed his form of address), and Lady Han blushed. = = Jaken secretly went to ask Yunai the white rabbit, who stared back at him blankly... Jaken was utterly exasperated!
And so Jaken would never know what had happened on that night of the full moon...
Sesshomaru often went wherever his whims took him, with no particular destination. His only obsession was another relic left behind after his father Toga's death: the demon blade Tessaiga, which could "slay a hundred demons with a single swing." Yet Tessaiga was kept within Toga's tomb, and the tomb's whereabouts were elusive. Sesshomaru was intent on obtaining Tessaiga, but he was not bound by that desire. His true wish was to attain genuine strength and surpass Toga.
Thus, when he learned at Granny Medicine's home that Han seemed interested in finding the Dragon Pearl, Sesshomaru had no objection. Although he did not know why she needed it, he trusted that the girl was not someone who would be beguiled by its power. Indeed, Granny Medicine had only hinted at Han's troubles before the two departed. Nor did Granny Medicine truly know what Han was thinking; the wisdom of her long years had merely allowed her to discern the interest in the Dragon Pearl that the girl inadvertently revealed in conversation.
The Sea Dragon God had lived in seclusion for many years, leaving only legends passed by word of mouth among humans and monsters. If he could truly find the Dragon King and pit himself against the Dragon Race, or discover why they had withdrawn from the world, the journey would be worthwhile to Sesshomaru.
Though few in number, the Dragon Race could all summon wind and rain, and they possessed divine power, making them far stronger than ordinary monsters. Yet this mighty race had long since vanished from the world's sight, leaving only a few unverifiable traces in history. Plenty of monsters called themselves dragons, but those were merely laughable imitations, nothing compared to the true Dragon Race.
Sesshomaru still remembered his father fighting a powerful Great Monster named Ryūkotsusei. Only by sustaining grievous wounds had he barely managed to seal Ryūkotsusei away. Those very injuries had led to his absurd death at human hands while rescuing that human woman. Sesshomaru had never seen Ryūkotsusei at the height of his power, but the fact that even his father had paid such a terrible price without managing to kill him spoke volumes about his strength.
Sesshomaru did not know where Ryūkotsusei had come from. No one did. He had seemingly appeared out of nowhere on the borders of the Western Lands. Some aquatic monsters said that Ryūkotsusei possessed a presence and aura similar to a dragon's; though not quite the same, they were intimidating enough. The place where Ryūkotsusei was sealed, known as Ryūkotsusei's Valley, had become a forbidden ground familiar to all monsters. For none knew whether, if Ryūkotsusei's seal were broken, another Toga would arise to defeat him.
"Sesshomaru..." Han tilted her head, looking at the tall Dog Demon beside her. "Where are we going this time?" In the past, Han had never asked about their destination. But now that she wanted to find the Dragon Pearl, she feared she would have to part with Sesshomaru, and this time she was especially reluctant to leave him.
"The Dragon-Sleeping Sea [Note 2]," came Sesshomaru's low voice, his golden eyes fixed on the girl. "The sea where the Dragon Race last appeared."
"The Dragon-Sleeping Sea?" The girl stared at the Dog Demon in surprise. She could not believe this was mere coincidence, yet she found it even harder to believe that Sesshomaru had chosen it deliberately. Sesshomaru had never been a monster who took others into consideration.
But Sesshomaru nodded, as though confirming her suspicions.
The tiny, most improbable hope deep within her heart had been fulfilled.
Han's fair cheeks flushed crimson with joy, and she leaped up, throwing herself against Sesshomaru.
"Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru..." She was so happy she did not know what to do.
She had never intended to tell him. She had known that even if she did, Sesshomaru might not go with her.
Yet when this seemingly indifferent Dog Demon turned what she had thought impossible into reality, happiness swept over her, threatening to overflow from her heart. All she could do was hold tightly to this quiet Dog Demon and murmur his name in bliss.
Jaken tactfully covered his eyes, though the little monster's large yellow eyes remained visible through the wide gaps between his fingers.
"Let's go." Sesshomaru's cold voice sounded so gentle to her now.
"Mm." Han agreed meekly, yet remained nestled against his chest, unwilling to move away.
Beside her ear was the slow beat of the Dog Demon's heart, slower than that of ordinary humans or monsters. It filled her with absolute trust and peace.
"Are you asking to be spoiled?" Sesshomaru's low voice sounded above her head.
She nestled against him without speaking, only quietly tightening her hands around the front of his robes, all but admitting it.
The Dog Demon indulgently wrapped an arm around her shoulders, letting her savor this moment of dependence.
Amid an atmosphere that seemed filled with drifting pink cherry blossoms, they finally crossed the emerald forest and reached the cliffs overlooking that legendary sea.
"L-Lord Sesshomaru, may I ask h-how we're going to find the Dragon God?" Jaken stood trembling on the cliff, his two spindly legs shaking. Gazing at the blue waters thousands of feet below, he felt so dizzy he nearly toppled into the sea.
"Jump." Sesshomaru's cold voice was indistinct in the fierce sea wind.
"What?" Jaken nearly fainted.
"You stay on shore." Sesshomaru frowned slightly. He had never intended to make this little monster take a risk when even he himself was uncertain of success. "Watch the rabbit."
He meant Yunai. Sesshomaru had never seemed particularly pleased with Yunai, especially when the rabbit jumped from the girl's shoulder into her arms to rest. Whenever he saw Yunai, Sesshomaru felt that, compared to this rabbit's complete lack of tact, even Jaken's chatter seemed intelligent.
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken's legs stopped shaking, his voice stopped trembling, and his back straightened as he answered loudly. "Please let me follow you, Lord Sesshomaru! For your sake, I, Jaken, have never feared death!" The little green-skinned monster hastily remembered to declare his loyalty.
"No need." Sesshomaru's brows drew a little closer together as he spoke impatiently.
Only when he turned toward the girl, who had set the white rabbit on the ground and was earnestly giving it instructions, did the Dog Demon's tightly furrowed brows finally relax.
Sesshomaru held out his large hand, and, as always, the girl placed hers in it without hesitation.
Holding her hand, Sesshomaru walked leisurely off the cliff, utterly unafraid of the mere thousand-foot drop.
The moment they stepped off the cliff, an invisible wind seemed to surround and protect them. They fell smoothly into the sea, completely unharmed.
After drawing deep breaths, they exchanged a glance and, moving in unspoken accord, swam farther into the depths, one behind the other.
An unknown amount of time passed. Magnificent underwater plants had long since come into view, and no light remained in the seawater; even their sense of time gradually blurred. The deeper they descended, the colder the water around them became, as though it meant to silently steal away these lives that had come from beyond the ocean.
Han felt none of it.
She was like a fish born and raised in the sea, roaming freely within its gentle embrace.
The air in her lungs had long since run out, but the cold, welcoming seawater supplied her with an endless stream of fresh breath.
Alert, intelligent giant fish cautiously kept their distance from the pair's powerful auras, while mischievous little fish swam curiously around them in groups, occasionally darting closer to investigate.
Han watched these lively, adorable little creatures in fascination. Suddenly, an intimidating presence reached them from afar, and the lively fish around her scattered in alarm. Sesshomaru, too, grew solemn.
The dark depths should have been silent and still, yet an undercurrent suddenly surged toward them.
Han swam against the current to the Dog Demon's side. He caught her hand and held it tightly in his own.
The girl's inhuman eyes were filled with the sight of the Dog Demon's silver hair streaming freely through the water. Even without sunlight, the furrow between his brows was clearly visible.
A small string of clear bubbles escaped the corner of Sesshomaru's mouth-the last of his dwindling air.
The Dog Clan, invincible beneath the open sky, was still somewhat out of its element underwater, even with monsters' stronger hearts and lungs.
The girl's soft pink lips pressed against his.
Fresh air passed between their joined lips.
A slow-moving, big-headed whale swam above them. Creatures so insensitive to power were exceedingly rare.
Its enormous, rotund body allowed it to enjoy a rare, leisurely pace in a sea full of hidden dangers, its obliviousness endearing.
Those that wanted to eat it could not bite through it, and those that could bite through it could not be bothered to eat it. That was probably how it worked.
The girl smiled faintly, tightened her hold on Sesshomaru's hand, and settled with the Dog Demon onto the whale's broad back.
The whale's plump body hesitated for a moment. Detecting no danger, it resumed its leisurely swimming. (￣▽￣)
The truly oblivious fat whale swam slowly toward the source of the powerful waves, perhaps finding their impact against its body pleasant. Its progress against the waves stood in stark contrast to the little fish beside it, fleeing the surging water in haste.
Han and the Dog Demon sat quietly on the great whale's back, their clasped hands never parting, burning especially warm in the icy depths.
Within the unfathomable ocean, the two leaning quietly against each other seemed to be the only living beings in that silent stretch of sea.
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