Together with the bright afternoon sun mercilessly striking the now open section of the forest, due to the previous attack from the woman who smells just like Naraku, a young man can be seen floating in the air.
His golden hair seemed to shine like a river of molten gold thanks to the sun, while his elegant clothes of an immaculate white impossible for the era made him stand out like a sore thumb.
"Naraku, Naraku… Naraku. You have to have a minimum of decency, changing genders and spying on two lovers? For God's sake, have some principles"
Shaking his head jokingly while a smile uncontrollably grows on his lips, Asahiko's blue eyes lock onto her blood-red ones, and with a quick snap of his fingers multiple golden spears appear around him.
These were created by his golden flames almost instantly, and they shoot forward at the same speed toward the woman, unleashing indiscriminate bombardment over that entire section of the forest.
*¡Boom Boom Boom!*
Pieces of trees were launched toward the blue sky, the earth was torn apart into massive chunks and even the rocks were shattered by the pressure released when the spears impacted, thus creating a zone of death down below.
But even with all that display of supernatural force, which was far greater than what Asahiko normally does, there is one spot still standing. That place was a full-fledged dome of wind, making it very clear who its master is, even more so when it disperses into a gentle breeze.
"The same can apply to you, don't you think assaulting a lady in the middle of nowhere is in very poor taste?"
Closing her fan with a brief snap, because its base is made of wood, the woman pulls another one from her clothes and her red lips form a courteous smile.
Obviously that does not calm Asahiko in the slightest, instead it makes him tremble all over… Because Naraku has a package between his legs!.
"... God, you're disgustingly gross, Naraku"
Ending his words with a small unconscious tremor in his lower lip, Asahiko snaps his fingers once again and even more golden spears rain over the forest section below him.
This time the spears did not explode upon contact with the ground, instead the explosion is softer and more controlled, sticking to everything nearby like tar.
Obviously, and in accordance with this new tactic, these spears are loaded with negative effects such as dizziness or pain, turning the entire surrounding area into a minefield for the woman below.
"Tsk, damn Naraku, so this was his surprise?"
"I already knew you were crazy when my illusions didn't work on you, but who would have thought one of those personalities was a woman! Hahaha, now you even insult yourself, closet boy"
"Stop calling me Naraku for the damn last time!"
Opening both fans with elegant movements, she waves them rapidly to the sides and the surrounding flames are blown far away due to a fierce air current.
With that done, the woman spins counterclockwise and the wind blows around her once again, changing from repulsion to attraction, instantly forming a massive tornado before Asahiko could even react.
"Of course, a wind spirit…"
Being struck with the full force of the winds composing the tornado, Asahiko is launched like a kite into the distance and sinks several meters into the ground from the impact.
While stuck there, watching as the woman fades into the distance thanks to a giant feather, Asahiko starts considering the number of times Inuyasha suffered this at Kagome's hands.
Thank all the gods those thoughts do not last long in his mind, because after a highly questionable amount of time, the figure of a recognizable monk brings him back to reality.
"Do you perhaps need a hand, young stranger?"
"... You know, I wasn't going to ask why you didn't give me a hand with her, so stop pretending to be a stranger and help me get out of here, Miroku"
"Perfect, then now take my hand!"
Replying shamelessly, the joy in his words can almost be felt, and a dark shadow momentarily covers Asahiko's face.
"Agh, what a metallic hand you have, Miroku"
"Oops, nerves from Kagura coming back~"
"So that's her name?"
"Yes, the one who hit Inuyasha and apparently you too. Wow, easy there, I won't tell anyone"
Barely dodging his own staff which was used by Asahiko as a way to hit him, the monk steps several paces away from the hole and raises both hands in search of peace.
Of course that was not funny at all, God he has such a punchable face, that perverted monk, but Asahiko controls himself and this time actually gets out of the hole with the help of Miroku's real hand.
"Thanks, I guess"
"Hahaha, it's nothing. Come, let's go see Inuyasha, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you"
"Not even you believe that, Miroku"
Patting his elegant clothes which remain pristine despite everything, he had previously been hit by a tornado and ended up embedded in the ground, Asahiko stretches his muscles before following the monk's back.
…Some time later…
After a simple walk that extends for several minutes, mainly due to the poor state in which the forest was left, both Asahiko and Miroku arrive at the lonely cabin that the former had seen from the distance together with Kikyo.
More than "lonely" it could be called "run-down", literally the wood making up its structure is full of holes, the grass around it grows wildly and the roof tiles are scattered near the entrance.
"It was the best I could find"
"Quite acceptable, Miroku. Normally we sleep in the forest, on some branch or we simply don't…"
Lowering his tone of voice little by little the more he speaks, Asahiko finally notices how sad his words sound and simply falls into an uncomfortable silence.
"You've had it rough, but not everything is bad, right?"
"What could possibly be good about it? I sleep on a damn branch, sometimes I don't even sleep, my bones even hurt from having to live like this!"
"But, cough, you live with the shrine maiden Kikyo"
"Sure, but more than living, what I do together with her is survive. And stop elbowing me for the damn last time!"
Swatting away Miroku's playful elbow which had been poking his side for a while now, as if he needed hints to understand what the monk was thinking, Asahiko walks forward and opens the shutter serving as a door.
If the house looked low quality outside, inside it is even worse, the floor is barely made of moldy wood covered with hay, while a smell of humidity and herbs fills the entire room.
In the middle of all that unhygienic "disaster" that would probably give a doctor a heart attack, two reclining figures can be seen. One of them is obviously Inuyasha, the only conscious one of the two and who seems to have a thousand-yard stare.
A bit farther from him, also reclining and with a damp cloth on her forehead, Sango can also be seen. She does not appear to have regained consciousness in quite some time, while her chest rises erratically and sweat covers her body.
"Yo, Inuyasha! A little bird told me you got your ass kicked~"
"... Oh, it's you"
"No shouting, anger or even drawing your sword? Who are you, where's my good friend named Inuyasha?"
Circling around the area where the dejected dog boy is, Asahiko's expression changes several times, since he didn't know whether to joke around to break the ice or give moral support.
It was nothing, only the love of his life handed over to his worst enemy what it had cost him so much to gather, the shards, which Naraku then used to beat him and his group of friends… Nothing very traumatic or important. Damn, it actually is.
"... Sss, well, this is awkward. Miroku, where are the others?"
"Lady Kagome left after Inuyasha went to speak with the shrine maiden Kikyo. Then knowing Shippo, I think he went with her, perhaps they're at the nearby river?"
"I see, I'm going to look for support. I'll leave you with grumpy Inuyasha!"
Waving backward with his hand while running out, Asahiko quickly disappears from both Miroku's and Inuyasha's field of vision.
Such a thing leaves both of them completely surprised, mainly Miroku who had just "saved" him and expected a bit of "help" with Inuyasha, though another plan quickly comes to mind to revitalize the dog boy.
"You're going to let him leave just like that, Inuyasha?"
"What do you mean by that, Miroku?"
"Well Kagome resembles Kikyo, and right now she's hurt because of what you did, I don't want to b-"
"I'm going to kill him!"
Jumping off the pile of hay he used as an improvised bed, Inuyasha completely ignores the injuries covering his body and staining his wrappings red before running outside.
"Since there's no one else, I suppose I'll have to take care of Lady Sango myself"
"Not so fast, depraved monk!"
Crossing through the doorway at the same time Inuyasha leaves, a small figure carrying a jar of water enters the room alongside a two-tailed cat.
"Shippo? What are you doing here?"
"Kagome told me to change the damp cloth on Sango's forehead, and to protect her from you!"
"... Damn, could it be that Inuyasha is really in danger?"
Holding his face while looking outside, Miroku thinks about the possibilities and simply shrugs. It's Inuyasha's problem, he has nothing to do with it.