12

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin asked questioningly as they walked down the hall. "Will Satomi be okay? I mean she seemed nervous today."

"Nothing will happen to her that you need to worry about," he said simply as he kept looking ahead with a clenched jaw. Nothing irritated him more than not knowing the next move. Usually he could guess or call the shots, but this was beyond his control. Given, he could threaten Kaito, but Kaito was powerful albeit a little off kilter with an abnormal demon personality. He would make it his duty to watch over Satomi during the ceremony, although he had heard nothing really happened. Just a vague vision and if the omens were favored then they went with that. If they were ill-favored then the alternative took place. Simple yet it was beyond Sesshomaru how someone could rely on such a vague premonition.

As they walked into the large meeting hall, Rin was met with a couple familiar faces. Maori and Hana were there with smiles as they both bowed to the demon lord and Rin rushed over to them. "I'm so happy to see you. With everyone here, I'm sure everything will go well now."

"Oh yes, little one," Hana said with a smile as she brushed the girl's jaw line with affection from her finger tips. "I'm sure Satomi will be just fine. Just going to take a little peak as I touch her head. I can sense her new abilities from here! She is a powerful deity that is to be certain. However, if her role is just to protect you, little one, I do believe she would be just fine with that or if she should lead the cause to bring our peace then she would be a fierce woman to bring to battle."

"Well I don't know about fierce… but then when I eat extra sweets that she makes she does give that look… and if she can handle lord Sesshomaru, then I guess it's a good shot. She's also getting better with her powers. She took out a demon just yesterday! But he deserved it though, he was a creep," she said as the women both smiled with contentment.

"As you say, Rin, she's doing well. It will be harmless, just a little touch to the forehead and we read the omens of what we see," Maori said with a nod. "How about we go to the neighboring room so they can work? Satomi should be here soon, and we want everything to go well. Does that suit my lord?" With that Sesshomaru nodded. Maori and Hana could be trusted as far as he could tell, he wouldn't have let him into his home otherwise before. Maori and Rin got along fine, and that meant he could concentrate on the task at hand more clearly. After this is when the diplomacy would take place, and he would need all the clarity he could ask for.

He hated to admit when there was something he couldn't do. He could be diplomatic, but he was more used to force. Independence was his go to and depending on others was rather new for him. He still wouldn't in full, but he had many who depended on him it was hard not to bring up alliances. He wouldn't make the same mistake as the fight against the Panther tribe many years ago, but he had to pick his alliances wisely. Kaito and Koga were a wise choice. Koga had a more brute force to him while Kaito had years of experience and a prospering land to show for it. Koga and Kaito were respected highly and as Sesshomaru was as well, it was still strange to be put into the situation at hand.

When the door opened, he saw Satomi who looked like a noble woman. Her kimono was layered to perfection and the scent of her took him by surprise. What in hell's name did they put into her bath? It was intoxicating. Meeting his gaze, he could feel a rush wash through him as her face flushed a slight rose color under the skin of her cheeks. Her hands were clasped in front of her with the knuckles white and he could sense a driving heart beat in her breast. She was nervous, he could tell just from the after scent that lingered after the initial blast hit him.

Seeing Hana off to the side, Satomi relaxed as the woman approached her. A familiar face that she welcomed with open arms. Hana was lovely as ever, it was strange to think that what happened felt like a lifetime ago and yet it really wasn't all that long.

"You look so well, my dear. Your powers are flourishing," she said as she touched Satomi's hand and wrapped her fingers around the palm as she pulled the hand up. "This way, my dear." Leading her to in front of the window, the moon was bright and high in the sky as the festival was far below them.

Satomi's breathing grew shallow as she didn't know what to expect. Hana reached forward with her other hand and waved it across. A silvery cloud appeared and it looked to be about Satomi's body length and wide enough to hold her. "Please lay on the cloud. Do not worry, it will not harm you, just makes you feel more comfortable."

Nodding, she obeyed as she noticed Sesshomaru and Kaito looking at her intensely. Both seemed nervous, and that made her nervous. "I would like for you to close your eyes and look to the ceiling. I need for you to block out the noise and thoughts that try to enter your mind. Think of somewhere peaceful, or like you're about to go to sleep."

Easier said than done. She thought of when she saw Sesshomaru fly by her and thought of how handsome he was. Or the day Rin approached her with curiosity and joy. Singing to the children at the village and singing at the estate. The day Sesshomaru saw her naked and she was so embarrassed. Suddenly her mind took a different turn, as if seeing memories that weren't hers. Sesshomaru watching her dance that day in the clearing or seeing a lovely female demon who resembled Sesshomaru talking to him. Then the sight of Kaito who was obviously in grief as he looked to the distance. There was no sound, but the image was vivid.

Suddenly, she could see fire and smoke all around her. Bodies bloodied and scattered around her. Sesshomaru leading an attack and she at his side. Like a specter, she watched from above. A demon was before them with a wicked look as he held an unidentified body. Watching herself fly at the demon, it was suddenly dark again. But Rin was ahead of her with tears in her eyes. Tears of grief. Reaching out, her hand just phased through her. Confused, she tried again but Rin fell to the ground, obviously sobbing but there was no sound.

A light flooded her mind but this time there was noise. A horn of sorts with a mechanical silver sphere. People were inside as there was a voice overhead. "Please step carefully and we hope you enjoyed the trip. This stop is for Tokyo main station, please make your way to the platform safely." There was so many people and she was standing in the middle of it now, no longer a specter but a participant. A window revealed she was wearing strange clothing but she seemed unphased by it. Suddenly, she felt a presence near her, but the body would not look around as she stood and grabbed a metal bar that was swinging from above.

Now everything went black as she saw nothing. Just a voice deep and ominous and yet gave her hope. "My deity, Satomi, you have so much to learn." Looking around, she still saw nothing until suddenly she felt a blast of air from below her and the light was abrupt. Closing her eyes, when she opened them, there was a handsome man standing on front of her with a very ornate haori and hakama of the darkest black and weavings of silver designs throughout of the moon phases. A silver headset that was shown on his forehead with a crescent moon in its center and the rest hidden behind his long black hair that was about as long as Sesshomaru's. He looked to be younger than Kaito and yet older than Sesshomaru.

"You are…" she started but she found herself unable to speak. Putting her hands to her throat, she panicked before he brought his hand up and shook his head.

"We are already short on time. I am the god that summoned you. Tsukuyomi is my name. You are the most promising deity born of my will in many years. I will help you gain full control, but if you do… you will die. Your human body can only handle so much, but sacrifice is required in some cases to have something last far longer. The protection of that demon and sister perhaps? Jiro is far more evil than even Naraku was, and he needs to be defeated if this nation is to thrive into the one you saw before you. My request is simple, defeat Jiro and I will protect your loved ones. I will also be sure you see that life you saw before you. Or live your life as you see fit with the abilities you stumble upon along the way with perhaps Jiro living and destroying everything you hold dear. The choice is yours. If you choose my powers then go to the window and reach out to the moon."

Darkness flooded her as she stood in shock. Die… she'd have to die to defeat Jiro? But then the promise of protection at least if she was to die. Wasn't that enough? She was meant to die many times over now; wouldn't that be enough for her to know that those she cared about would be guided to the future even if she couldn't? That strange vision she saw though… was it Kagome's world that they talked about? They had only spoke briefly of Kagome's home, but it felt so real and yet a dream. That presence she felt, was there danger there too?

Nothing about this place answered questions, just brought them up. The only thing that was answered was that she was the one who could kill Jiro. That much she knew now.

Her eyes opened to the world as she saw Hana above her with a worried look on her face. Sesshomaru was there along with Kaito. Looking around, she could see something different had changed. "What happened?" she asked as he felt very heavy suddenly, like waking from a sleep that was far too long.

"The vision was clear, but it went blank midway through and your body turned cold. We thought… the worst," Hana said as her eyes welled up with tears, but they did not fall. "When I touched you again, the vision I saw was strange and foreign to me, but it did not give me ill warnings. One thing is clear, Jiro must be defeated. To avenge the sons of the south and to save all of this land. To not do so will bring destruction. The only thing that wasn't clear, and this is where it blanked, was who…" Satomi stood up and looked to the window. The moon seemed to call to her. "Satomi?" she could hear Hana behind her.

"The Moon God Tsukuyomi spoke to me, he said we didn't have much time, but if I took a hold of his powers…," she paused before taking a deep breath as she continued walking to the window. "I will be the one to defeat Jiro. To be his blade in battle and bring peace to this land." The others looked at her and Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he saw the golden hair appear and as she looked back those enchanting blue eyes.

Looking back to the window, she reached forward and as the moonlight touched her finger tips, she could feel herself wrapped in an aura of light. Silvery flecks flowed around her as her body was covered in silver sashes that disappeared and revealed an ornate flowing kimono that was white underneath and a silver overlay that was sleeveless. Her obi was a pale green with silver ties and her sleeves were wide at the bottom but slimmed as it went up. A hair ornament appeared as she could feel its weight, a crescent moon with silver metal lilies.

Looking at herself in awe, she could hear his voice again in her mind. 'You are now the goddess of the moon… take heed my advice of using your powers only when necessary, my young goddess.'

Looking towards Kaito and Hana she smiled and Sesshomaru looked at her in awe as she felt heated from his gaze. Stepping towards him, she wanted to reach forward to feel his embrace. This signed her death, but he would be protected… along with Rin. That was to be never said aloud, and she would harden her heart from it. As tears began to form, she balled her hands into fists before letting them go to her side loosely. "Tsukuyomi has given me the power of the goddess. I will defeat him in this battle. The people depend on us, both humans and demons."

"My goddess," Kaito said as he approached her cautiously. The aura and power that radiated from her almost hurt to approach. "It is you though, my dear Satomi?"

Taken back by his response, she did glance over herself in horror for a moment before a small smile appeared. "I assure you, it is me," she said with a laugh. "I suppose he felt I needed to look the part, eh?"

Kaito laughed uneasily as all eyes went to Sesshomaru. He was still staring at her. She was no longer human; the scent of human was gone. She had truly become a goddess. However, it still smelled like her, just stronger and more intense. For the first time, he felt something strange that he couldn't place a finger on in terms of a word for it. It continued from the previous night into the fireworks today to seeing her now. Growing but he still knew not the word for it.

Suddenly the thought hit him… what did she give up receiving this power? The god could have done this himself if he was so inclined, couldn't he? As much as they were gods, they still let people die and villages starve, they weren't for charity.

"Sesshomaru?" Satomi asked as she reached up to touch his cheek. Her human nature of apprehensiveness seemed to dull for a moment as she tried to read what was going through his mind. "I'm okay. We have the power now to defeat him, isn't that enough?"

"At what cost?" he couldn't help but ask so long as she was bringing up the point. He didn't fight off her touch, but he knew it may have to if he wished to be calm.

Her eyes widened but she expected him to catch on. Maybe the goddess self of her could lie better than her human form could. "For Jiro to be defeated no matter the cost. That was his request."

There was more, he knew it, but he would unbury the truth soon enough one way or another.

"I wish to see Rin," Satomi said as she let her arm fall from Sesshomaru's cheek and went to the room where she could sense Rin. Suddenly, she could tell where everyone was. A movement made her aware and it was slightly overwhelming. Stumbling to the door, she braced herself on the frame as she heard Hana step forward. Her steps were smaller and quicker than Sesshomaru's or Kaitos. She reached her arm back to stop her. "I'm okay, just not used to this yet." Giving a back glance of a smile, she opened the door to see Rin look at her with wide eyes.

"You're so… pretty!" Rin said with awe as she stepped forward and reached out to touch her kimono. "Like a noble woman."

"Like a goddess," Satomi said with a smile. "I'm going to protect you, no matter what. The moon god gave me the power to do that. He made me a goddess."

"I thought they were just going to see a vision and that was it, but you got to be turned into a goddess?! How crazy is that?" she said looking at Satomi's golden hair and blue eyes.

"Very crazy," Satomi said as she suddenly felt very drained. Her hair and eyes went back to her normal color and the elaborate kimono faded to the one she started the ceremony with. Sinking to the floor, she breathed in heavy. "But that power is insane." Laughing quietly, she could sense Sesshomaru behind her, she didn't need to be a goddess to figure that one out. All she could feel was contentment as she felt her body fall asleep.

Sesshomaru caught her before she fell forward as Rin reached out to make sure Satomi was alright. Foolish girl drained her powers again and that was just from a short time as a goddess. He still couldn't put his head around it yet, but he had a feeling she would rival his own power now and then surpass with enough training. If she was to be stronger, she would have to train harder. He doubted Jiro would fall that quickly, and she wasn't even fighting.

"I'll take her to her room. Rin and Maori, I ask that you watch her and alert me if anything changes."

"Yes, my lord," Rin said with enthusiasm as Maori bowed and they followed a short distance behind.

"Kaito, I trust we may speak later?"

"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru. I will await your return."

Nodding to Kaito, Sesshomaru left and walked carefully yet still very fast to Satomi and Rin's room. Setting her down on the bed, a part of him wanted to move that hair on her cheek. Given his audience that watched with worry though, he suppressed that urge. Standing up and walking out of the room, he left the women to do what they could. Her sleeping face was all too welcoming to him, and her scent still was strong even if her human scent had returned. They had become one in the same, this goddess side and human side. Not like before, he could tell the difference now. The same one that kissed him and as he revived her powers, would she remember now?

Pushing the though aside, he saw Kaito leaning against the frame of the window Satomi was at. He looked lost in thought. "Sesshomaru, the south supports the effort. With Satomi at the front, I believe we stand a stronger chance. Hana has told me this, the omens are set for victory with the support of the goddess. Please let her rest and I will allow you all to stay as long as necessary."

"May I ask why?" Sesshomaru said, although he knew the general answer was said, he felt there was more.

"With her, my hopes of my son's death to be avenged grows. Other demon's that follow me had son's die when looking into the matter. To lose a father must be tragic, but to lose a son… that is something you wish to be erased from your memory. The pain of it all but forgetting would be them dying a second time. Cherish those that you care about. Protect them with all your strength but when it is time for them to go, unless if you're the god of death… it's time to let them go. However, your sword Tenseiga makes you a little less prone to such sadness. Your father truly loved that human woman," Kaito said the last part as if an afterthought. To make a sword so dedicated to human life, it was no wonder Toga was both admired and feared. So different from most demons and yet that same compassion brought him to his death, but as a result his son and human lover survived. Perhaps that was the peace he had with dying.

"He died protecting her, I thought I'd never know why he would be so careless. I sought power to become stronger to surpass his weakness. I couldn't understand my mother's calmness on the matter, so I went my own path. But…"

"Something changed?" Kaito finished looking to Sesshomaru with knowing eyes. "That woman has the power to make you see a light you thought long since gone out. A candle in the dark, so to speak. I see your glances at her, it reminded me of when your father approached me about Izayoi. He had a similar look when describing her. As if he had met her a million times over and yet looked at her the first time."

"He never spoke to me about it, so I wouldn't know," Sesshomaru admitted a little bitterly.

"Your mother was important to him, but he couldn't leave her alone either. Hundreds of years and you meet someone like that who sets your soul afire… it's rare for us demons as we have no fear of the passage of time. He knew if he was to love that human that he didn't have long to do so. So, he did with all his heart." Sighing, Kaito walked towards Sesshomaru and put a hand on his shoulder. "I have no doubt he's proud of the legacy he left behind."

Kaito left him with that thought. Looking towards the moon, Sesshomaru felt a sense of pride well up from inside of him. Making his father proud and surpassing him was what he strove to do. Living honorably by living up to his father's name. He was convinced now he was on the right path and to keep going.

XXXXXXXXX

Jiro felt an energy source wave through his body as he woke next to a naked demoness he had spent the evening with. The deity was no longer just a deity… she was a goddess. The idea sent a thrill down his spine. Standing up, he heard the woman moan in protest but ignored her. Going to the window, he looked to the south and there was a small stream of light from the moon to the landscape below.

"My Lord, won't you come back…" she started to say as Jiro turned around and covered her face with his hand.

"You'll do well not to speak unless if I ask you to. One more syllable and you'll be ash at my feet," he said before she nodded and he let her face go. She left the room and he sighed. Such a pain… But Satomi would be his soon enough, that he knew. It was high time he paid that little wench a visit along with Sesshomaru. Her power would bring forth a new age, his domain would reign over this land in terror and the oceans would feel his power.

An evil smile graced his face as he clicked his tongue. "Satomi, your power will be mine."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rin and Maori managed to change Satomi out of her many layers and put her to bed in a light yukata. It was tedious, but Satomi slept through it all like a baby. Maori couldn't help but admire her though, everything she went through and now the head of a war. The woman was truly unstoppable it seemed.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Rin asked brushing some strands from Satomi's face.

"With you watching her? Of course," Maori said with confidence as she sat on the bed and Rin sat on the other side of Satomi. "She is a force that cannot be stopped, and she will stop at nothing to protect you. But that means you get to watch out for her too."

"I promise! Lord Sesshomaru will too, I'm sure of it. They'll be unstoppable, but if only they'd get married. I don't understand why they wouldn't like each other a little more than what's been going on," Rin said as she crossed her arms and pouted at the lack of progress she saw.

Maori had to hold back a laugh. "Maybe after the war is done, little one. Let's let her rest now. My room is next door if you wish to come with me." Rin nodded as they left the room.

As Satomi slept, she could feel a dark aura look her way. The battle would soon be here, but there was still time to train her powers. Still time to do all she could for those she cared about. So long as she had some time left, it was all she needed.

'I will be strong. I will not falter. I will protect them.' Over and over, she could feel it radiate within her soul. She had to believe she would win. Everything rode on this chance she took. There was not an option to fail.