Inuyasha:The third sword

Advancing under the warm afternoon sun along a dirt road, a group of two riders and three people are walking along. 

In front of the group is Kikyo, who doesn't seem too interested in entering the mess behind, the place where Asahiko and Usume Hideta are. 

"Let me go, I can't see my father like this again!"

Rolling around like a shrimp but unable to do anything, Usume, who is held diagonally upside down on the horse's back, tries to free herself from that place. 

"Calm down at once, can't you see I'm leading the horse?"

Flattening the unruly Usume with the palm of his left hand, Asahiko admonishes him briefly, placing himself from the right place in the story. 

"It was a bad idea what you were planning to do, Usume. You would only have wasted your life and accomplished nothing against them."

Stopping the horse to be on the same level as them, Kikyo, who has always had a soft spot for children and doesn't try to hide it, gives Usume a reality check. 

"But, but... This is the first time my father has handed me a mission, now I'm going to return without even seeing a battlefield and with the news of... Of this disaster" 

"At least you'll go back to him, Usume. I'm sure he will understand the whole situation and forgive you" 

"I know he will... But I wanted to prove what I was capable of, to fulfill my own expectations and be worthy of being his son"

Both Kikyo and Asahiko quickly realized the problem, which was not the father, but Usume himself and his self-imposed expectations. 

The thing is that they don't know how to solve it, Kikyo is an orphan and all the expectations were imposed on her by other people, so she doesn't know how to deal with personal defrauding. 

On the other hand, Asahiko certainly has a family... But it wasn't the happiest one to say the least. In other words, they both have quite a bit of experience in dealing with other people's expectations, but not with their own and the feelings that come from failing themselves. 

"Before you run you have to learn to walk, Usume. I'm sure you have plenty of time ahead of you to prove to him and yourself that you are worthy."

"I wish it were so... I really do, Asahiko"

Swallowing saliva at the doom-filled tone of voice emerging from Usume's lips, Asahiko turns his face and begs for help with his eyes to Kikyo. 

She clearly wanted to help him, but maybe, just maybe, the two of them aren't the best when it comes to problems of the heart. 

"Cut the doom boy, have you forgotten who is with you? Kikyo is a top notch healer and I'm... Good at several things" 

" "Really!" 

"Sure, sure, as long as it's not something natural or unavoidable, I guess we can do something. Now sleep that adults need to talk~"

Using the charm on Usume to make him sleep, Asahiko removes the hand that was holding Usume in place and looks towards Kikyo, who has started to speak. 

"What have you discovered, Asahiko?" 

"Umm, because you think I've discovered something... Nothing personal, but you're the analytical one in the team" 

"You expressed yourself in an unsure way, making it clear that you would do your best, but you didn't know the outcome. You clearly thought about it before you spoke."

Expounding her line of thought rather meticulously, Kikyo keeps a steady face as she waits for Asahiko's explanation. 

"I'm terrified that you will understand me more and more... I mean it. About the child, I think it all boils down to palace intrigues" 

"Intrigues?" 

"Think about it, he meets her expectations, not his father's, meaning he's most likely an only child. The lord of the place he was sent to did not follow his orders, he even imprisoned him. Another thing to take into account is that the father is dying, don't you think there are many illogical things"

Always in the strangest moments Asahiko's intelligence shines, although perhaps he always has it but he keeps it under control, all so as not to fall into existential doubts about his current reality. 

"No one would send their only son to someone else's house, besides that if we add the possible illness of his father, it's safe to say that Usume should be very protected" 

"That's right Kikyo, something bad is here and we are going straight to it!"

shouting in an exaggerated way but with a strange tinge that promises pain to many people, Asahiko shakes the reins of the horse and increases the speed.

Kikyo stayed in place for a few moments, but her will easily aligns with Asahiko's and also increases the horse's speed. 

...Christopher/Asahiko pov… 

"I went~. Cof, cof... Damn whistling"

Coughing a few times after trying to whistle, he ignored Usume's unpleasant smile and continued to move forward in a leisurely manner. 

"I've never understood why you're still interested in whistling, but you're really bad at it" 

"It's like a fire, Kikyo. It's clearly burning, but who hasn't wanted to touch it once?" 

"I guess no one's ever wanted to touch fire, no one's that weird. Even though you're a demon, maybe they have a different way of thinking"

Why am I considering that those words went with a tinge of insult against an entire race. Erasing those thoughts, finally the doors in front of us open. Yes, I wasn't whistling just for the sake of it, but the house of Usume deserves it. 

The word house may not be the right one, it's a freaking huge palace, clearly in the oriental style making it look like a work of art. He didn't say that European castles are bad... But the oriental ones do have their unique touches, one must admit.

"I give you the point won this time Kikyo, though only because it's time to go in" 

"You really are a sore loser" 

"I will never lose, my dear Kikyo... I only have strategic retreats or draws"

Puffing my chest proudly, I finally realize that we are surrounded by soldiers and they are only doing nothing because Usume is calming them down. 

Maybe I didn't have to ignore them completely, even though I was defending my honor from Kikyo's attacks... Yes, of course defending my honor is more important. 

"Cof, cof, cof. Let me introduce myself, I am Asahiko and my beautiful companion here is Kikyo" 

"That Asahiko, the Onmyōji?" 

"That's right, that's right. Master Onmyōji, liberator of the castle, eradicator of demons and many other titles more"

Starting with elegance and poise to give even more weight to my words, I notice the strange look of the surrounding soldiers. 

"Grandmaster Onmyōji, Asahiko?" 

"¿Yes?"

"We thank you for returning young master Usume, but you shouldn't impersonate other people. Master Asahiko's group has passed through here a few days ago, it's impossible for you to be"

Wait, what? Like I've been through here a few days ago, we were literally in the Dragon Valley village for a few days, then in the forest and then with Usume's problem... How the hell have I been here? 

Taking a big breath or two of fresh air, I calm my mind that has started going ten thousand a second and use a little charm. 

"Could you give me a description of this 'Asahiko' and his group" 

"Sure, the group consisted of four people, two women and two men. I could never forget them, one was a dog-eared semi-human and the two women were very beautiful" 

"Hahaha, so the great master Asahiko offered them his services, may I ask in exchange for what?"

Chewing a lot, too much, absolutely the words "Grandmaster Asahiko", I put on a smile that isn't and ask a question to settle my last doubts. 

"All he asked for in exchange for having the evil presence expelled from the castle was a room to sleep in. I've never seen such a good person" 

"He may not have black hair, purple robe and cane... while the beast boy wore red and had white hair" 

"Indeed, they are just as you describe"

Ha, ha, ha, hahaha... MIROKUUUUUU! Damn you debauched, swindling, greedy monk pray to God you don't get caught... Hahaha, I'm going to teach you because no one plays me.