"It looks like it's going to rain~, the sky is getting cloudy~"
Playing a strange stringed musical instrument in rhythm with his singing, which is unexpectedly quite good, Asahiko walks along the half-deserted roads of the village where they stayed the previous night.
By the way, it is located near the previous place where they fought against Naraku's puppet and the "bald guy" with the bowl, but it is obviously larger and more prosperous... at least on paper.
The latter is because despite the large number of houses, the small market, and even the inn they have, everything seems to be covered by a gray color palette or filled with silence, which is why Asahiko suddenly began singing to pass the time without becoming depressed.
"Mister, mister."
Appearing from behind one of the nearby houses, probably attracted by Asahiko's voice and outstanding appearance, a rather disheveled little girl hesitantly runs up to him.
"What's wrong, little one?"
"Uh... Um..."
"Hahaha, speak with confidence, this big brother is kind~"
Running his fingers over the strings of his musical instrument once more, a beautiful symphony flows into the surroundings, giving a charismatic touch to his final words.
"So... Do you know another song? You've been singing the same one the whole time I've been following you."
"Ah, I, haha... You shouldn't follow or talk to strangers, little one!"
Feeling cornered by such an unexpected attack, he quickly places himself upon the pedestal of a "righteous man" to avoid the topic of his singing, thanks to the wise advice he gives the little girl while nodding several times.
He may be a good person, but other strangers are dangerous. What if there are shapeshifters or something like that here? It's a real danger to leave a little girl alone!
"I already know, Dad always used to say that before he was forced to leave together with Uncle and Big Brother... Wait, why are you still here?"
"And why shouldn't I be?"
"Uh, because all the men were summoned by the lord of these lands? My father, my big brother, and the uncle from across the street... They were all taken by the soldiers."
Explaining the events with a calmness inappropriate for her current age, since she is probably no older than ten years old, she lowers the fingers she had been using to count and simply looks at Asahiko.
The latter was surprised by the situation she described, but even more than that he was terrified... Could it be that one of Inuyasha's damned problems followed him here? Cats, those possible scorpions... Maybe even something new and worse?!
"Could it be... Did they perhaps say something about fighting yokai or something similar when they left?"
"Yokai? No, they were going to fight against the lord who is in that direction. His men had plundered one of the nearby villages, angering the lord of these lands."
Tilting her head to one side, the little girl slightly doubts her own words, as if she did not really understand what she was talking about.
"Oh, right, the civil war was included in the package. Wait, how do you know all this?"
"That inn is my home, you can always hear interesting things from the few travelers there are. Like the old monk who was looking for some flying white snakes, or the boy with dog ears who passed by here quite a while ago and-"
"Stop, stop, STOP! White hair, red clothes, dog ears, and accompanied by a group of friends... That dog boy?"
"Yes, that one."
"Ahhhh!"
Shouting after receiving confirmation, Asahiko does not hesitate and runs away from the place. He was not going to stay one second longer where Inuyasha had once been. He was not going to surrender to the whims of fate!
They will never force him to stick his nose into the problems of those albino brothers, whether they involve the cats or anything else. They have to solve that themselves.
...Some time later...
"So that's why we're... running away?"
Using the teacup to warm her pale hands, something that is more of a psychological action than a real necessity since the undead do not feel cold, Kikyo slowly raises an eyebrow.
Asahiko had suddenly invaded her room. Well, actually that is not entirely accurate because the two of them sleep in the same place, but the important thing is that he kicked the sliding door open and started shouting at the top of his lungs about Inuyasha.
At first Kikyo really thought that Inuyasha and his group of idiot companions were "attacking" them, but in the end it was only... Does Asahiko seem to have some kind of trauma with Inuyasha?
"No, no, Kikyo. We're not running away, we're making a strategic retreat. You should already know how this goes, if Inuyasha touches something he fills it with problems, things that we're going to have to solve if we stay here!"
"But nothing has happened since we've been here, I think you're-"
"I'm not exaggerating! I've spent a few days with Inuyasha and I know what-"
"Wait, I can sense a pearl fragment to the north."
Interrupting Asahiko's words just as he had interrupted hers earlier, she reports something truly important, since she had just managed to sense another fragment again.
"Yes... Let's ignore it. My mental health is currently a more important matter."
"Oh? Where is my knight in shining armor from last night?"
"But... But... It must be one of Naraku's traps. It's strange for another fragment to appear so close, just think about it."
Dropping the clothes he was about to place inside the suitcase onto the floor, yes, those are things he created solely to demonstrate how rushed he is, Asahiko walks over to Kikyo and puts on a puppy-eyed expression.
Which, by the way, would have softened anyone's heart, mainly because of those large watery blue eyes and inhumanly handsome face... But not Kikyo, who stares at him until he is forced to back away.
"Fine, fine, we'll do it! But afterward I didn't want to hear you complaining, so I warned you."
"Since when are you the voice of reason on this team, Asahiko?"
"Uh, I... Think... My God, when did I stop thinking for myself and just start following you?! Wait, this is only what's called 'commanding aura,' 'overflowing charisma,' or 'natural leader.' I can't be a 'Simp' like Inuyasha or Naraku!"
Beginning to doubt every decision he has made until now, he grabs his golden hair and pulls it to the sides as if he were a madman, while the faces of Inuyasha and Naraku cross his mind.
The former is somewhat obsessed with her, although he already seems to be falling under Kagome's charms. On the other hand, Naraku is already completely lost. He has deceived, betrayed, and even sold his body to the yokai because of her... He is completely beyond saving.
"What are you-. Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I simply just realized that you're more dangerous without a bow than with one, and the best part is that you do it without even meaning to."
"...I think I should be offended?"
"No, no, it's a compliment, Kikyo. You're simply lethal to a certain segment of the population... One with very good taste, I have to admit."
Nodding to himself while mentally giving a thumbs-up to both Inuyasha and Naraku, who despite everything bad have very good taste according to him, Asahiko smiles and leaves without looking back.
He ends up in the outer courtyard, where he quickly takes the form of a huge golden bird and avoids all eye contact with Kikyo. That "joke" may have gone under Kikyo's radar, but it is better not to tempt fate, because although she is quite oblivious regarding her physical appearance... Yes, better not push it too much.
"Interesting, so now you can do this? Truly useful."
"Of course, and I'm just saying, but you could have asked for permission before climbing onto my back, dear Kikyo."
"Next time."
Hesitating for a few moments about how to position herself on the golden bird's back, since standing while flying is madness and sitting seems to be... uncomfortable, Kikyo finally creates a small barrier on its back with a snap of her fingers.
"Tsk, you and Kagome are the same, both of you jump onto someone's back without even ha-. Ah, haha, hold on, we're going to fly."
"Asahiko..."
"Hahaha, fly, fly high little bird!"
Opening his enormous wings that seem to shine warmly thanks to the sunlight, although he can feel a chilling cold on his back, Asahiko gains momentum and flies toward the blue sky above his head.
Up there, with the warm sun bathing his feathers and the village below like a tiny dot, the golden bird twists erratically through the air before flying toward the direction Kikyo points.