Be not a fool, I've no such time to waste

If he be nothing more, Inuyasha was a master of the hunt. Other than learning to identify medicinal herbs by scent for his particularly weak immune system, survival was all about how much food you could get, and how much of it you could eat before it spoiled and became too inedible to get past your tongue. Having such sensitive tastes could be just as equally a curse, when you were on your own. He tasted food far more strongly than any human.

But that also meant finding a way to eliminate bitterness from medicinal teas at an early age. It meant he couldn't handle anything that bitter, or too sweet, his mouth would reject it the second it hit his tongue. There wasn't even the opportunity to force himself to swallow it. Otherwise, he would have done so, and complained afterwards about how gross it was.

There. He could smell all of it, plain as day. From hares, to deer, even bears and boars. Inuyasha's nose may not have been strong as a full dog yōkai's, but it was still nothing to be underestimated. There was a certain thrill that came with it. Old survival instincts kicking in full force, even though he'd grown past the need for how extreme he'd once hunted what felt like a lifetime ago.

Which was why when he'd returned to the same spot in under thirty minutes, excess was probably the only word that could be described for how much he was carrying. Both arms, both shoulders, and a hare balanced on his head. Grace wasn't a word that could generally be used as a descriptor for someone like Inuyasha, but even walking normally, the kill didn't fall off.

"Well, this should be enough for one night, shouldn't it?" The sheer amount he was carrying was dropped unceremoniously to the ground. Not like it mattered until he cleaned them, and under ordinary circumstance, he would have roasted the meat. But Sesshōmaru had said he knew how to make stew, so that meant the meat would go to an even more delicious use.

His right ear flicked.

All of this meat would have to go to some kind of use before it spoiled and the taste became too much that it was inedible. Maybe he could use the bones for something useful, too. Carve some tools to replace those that were showing their repeated use deep in his satchel, still set where he'd left it.

Every thought was a remnant of younger days. What it meant to live away from the rest of the world in its entirety.

Sesshomaru had stored his finds in his sleeves as he’d use his heightened mobility to cover vast grounds, profiting off his superior visual and olfactory senses to find other ingredients. He’d found Fuki, the perennial plant, Warabi, and Zenmai, two ferns. They would serve as valuable lessons.

In this time of his searching for ingredients, Sesshomaru found his mind drifting to a distant past where he’d once sought out these vegetables on the behest of his Father. It was his task to master in order to give the great Inu no Taisho respite to allow his Son to set out into the world alone one day. At the very least, the young Demon would not perish from hunger or malnutrition.

Now, this lesson can be passed onto Inuyasha. Indirectly, their Father could pass this knowledge to his Hanyo son.

He stops, smelling a scent. Nagaimo, a very versatile mountain yam. Sesshomaru harvests the wild grown yam and finds his ‘harvest’ sufficient enough, and thus sets out to return. There, Inuyasha was with his successful haul. Perhaps, in his excitement he’d overzealously hunted anything that crossed his path… or perhaps this amount took into account the appetites of a Demon and a Hanyo.

No matter. Sesshomaru settles his harvest upon the grass. With all the ingredients splayed before him, the elder of the two brothers devised a plan to make efficient use of everything.

        ❝This Sesshomaru trusts you know how to butcher meat. A portion shall be set aside to be made into jerky to be used as rations.❞

Worded differently, Sesshomaru gave Inuyasha the task of butchering the meat of all the prey animals he’d caught. Afterwards, Sesshomaru would select the parts to be set aside for salt-preservation.

        ❝For now, come.❞

Sesshomaru organizes his foraged vegetables into neat categories. From his obi, a hanging pouch surrendered some contents like a pouch full of wood ash, and a smaller pouch filled with salt.

        ❝Remember these well.❞

He points to the Warabi, Zenmai, and Udo.

        ❝These contain trace amounts of poison or contain a bitterness. Boiling them in water with wood ash will remove the toxins and harsh bitterness.❞

He opens his pouch containing wood ash to show Inuyasha.

        ❝This Sesshomaru shan’t need teach you the difference between hard and soft woods. The ash retrieved from hard wood fires are useful. Keep them.❞

Hard woods were best used for firewood as they burned longer, provided warmer fires, and also produce less smoke, which was optimal for not attracting as much attention from enemies. Inuyasha surely understood this fact well in his many years of travelling alone.

        ❝This one, Warabi should be boiled in wood ash water for a moment, and then soaked overnight. Then it may be put into soups. This one, Zenmai, should be dried after being boiled. It keeps well during travels. Rehydrate by boiling in water until it is tender before adding to soups.❞

They were tiresome, but useful vegetation for humans. Rin had diligently taught Jaken these facts learned from the village madams, and Sesshomaru had inadvertently learned the knowledge from overhearing his ward excitedly detailing her new knowhow.

        ❝Udo, should be peeled until you reach the inner pith. That is soaked and boiled in wood ash water. After using wood ash water, always wash afterwards with fresh water.❞

Now, wood ash water wasn’t as simple as dumping ash into water. It involved a lengthy process, one they had no time for currently- but it was a valuable lesson for Inuyasha.

        ❝For 10 parts of water, you add a single part of wood ash. Once you’ve boiled the water, you allow the mixture to settle overnight. The clear ash water will raise to the top. That is what you use. Use this method for if you intend to camp in an area for a time.❞

It was not ideal for a quick stay by any means.

        ❝This here is Fuki, a perennial plant. You rinse the stalks under cool water. Salt the stalks before you roll it under your palms to bruise the stalks. Boil the stalks until somewhat tender. This way, the outer skin can be peeled away. It can then be added to soups. If it is particularly bitter, let the peeled stalks soak in water for an incense worth of time.❞

Truly, Jaken would be amazed at the length of which Sesshomaru could speak. It was as though he’d used his quota for the next decade. Alas, perhaps their father’s penchant for being more verbose when it came to instructions have finally manifested.

        ❝Seri, can simply be added to soups.❞

It was water parsley and it added aromatic flavors to soups. Now, there was only the Nagaimo left, but that, perhaps, should wait. The elder looks at Inuyasha silently.

        ❝Any questions?❞

The vegetables that required wood ash water was out of the question, but the Fuki was viable, as was the Seri, of course. The Nagaimo was a versatile yam, that he would address shortly. This was Inuyasha’s chance to ask any questions before Sesshomaru continued the lesson.

"I have no concerns with you meeting Kaede. However, we will need to decide what to say." It would be a little tricky, but they will think of something she was certain." While I am aware she may be suspicious of you regardless, I rather not have her be too aware of the realities of the world. I would prefer if she could live her life as any other young woman." Without having worries around evil spirits, curses and what have you. While she knew the traditions of their family and their foster parents, it was entirely different to actually believe in it. "Whether keeping her ignorant, however, is the best option for her safety..that is something I should ponder upon more carefully..But at this time, the less she knows the better."

The rascal of a weasel had been sufficiently scolded by not only himself, but by her own mother. Kazehime’s stunt had caused much grief to others as they’d worriedly sought their runaway kit. It was due to her involvement that Kikyo was found, yes, but Kikyo had also gotten hurt. This may have been avoided had different circumstances arose to lead to the two fated lovers to cross paths once more.

(Truly, what really sunk in was forcing the kit to forgo some of her favorite human made snacks)

Of course, crafting a story that would be suitable for Kaede’s ears was something Sesshomaru could agree to.

        ❝Naturally, that is the natural course of things. Kaede should live a live not bound to duty nor fear.❞

The old Miko from centuries prior had lived a long and tiresome life after the passing(s) of her sister. Duty bound and with a strong sense of responsibility, her life was long-lived but not for herself. In this life, both sisters should live their lives to the fullest. In this way can they honor their parents who were watching them from the heavens.

The Daiyoukai chuckles, finding Kikyo’s comment of Kaede finding him suspicious to be adorable in it’s own right.

        ❝Finding a suitor in the flesh who could satisfy your standards is admittedly suspicious.❞

He’d all the confidence that anyone could see the couple were very picturesque together like a perfected personal masterpiece carefully crafted by a seasoned artist. ‘Picture perfect’ as they say. Kaede’s suspicions would likely die down in time with the understanding that no one else could satisfy Kikyo’s standards other than himself.

Kaede’s suspicions would be met with understanding and patience, and perhaps the same would go for his own venerable mother, who was surprised to learn that her stubborn and picky son had found a woman he intended to wed. He was sure that his mother would respect his choices enough to view upon Kikyo with grace and tolerance. Witness her as the individual she is, and not as an amalgamation of the future burdens her untimely death would inflict upon Sesshomaru.

        ❝She is aware of your existence. I’ve spoken to her about you, announcing to her the intent to take you as my bride one day.❞

It was only fitting that he would inform his mother of his intent so she could prepare herself to welcome a daughter-in-law into the fold. If Sesshomaru could speak to Kikyo’s parents, he would have liked to request for permission for her hand… but life had been unkind to them once more. He often wondered how they would react to him, and he’d unfortunately never have the chance to know.

        ❝Just be yourself.❞

He nuzzles his cheek against her head affectionately.

        ❝We are similar in many ways. She too, will come to understand your charms as I have.❞

If she could accept the human child Sesshomaru had taken under his wing as his charge, she would have no problem accepting the human woman Sesshomaru would take in as his wife.

        ❝Would you like for this Sesshomaru to visit the graves of your parents with you?❞

In some way, he can pay respects to his in-laws.

Mukuro's attention would turn towards Sai and the green imp that was flailing in his grasp (who she assumed was Jaken) and she gave Sai a friendly wave upon seeing him。

She would maintain a small smile on her face until Sesshomaru stated that there would be a welcoming banquest prepared later tonight。 That caught her off guard for a second。

There was a flurry of emotions flooding through Mukuro about this situation, she couldn't recall the last time she felt this welcomed。 There certainly had to have been a time of course, over 400 years of life she had lived many "life times"。 But there was such a warmth that flooded through her that she could feel her face flush slightly and her eyes stinging with unshed tears。

When Sesshomaru left the room with Jaken, Mukuro would focus back to Sai when he approaches her。

「Sounds good,」 Mukuro said with a small nod, and would begin following Sai as he lead her to the Northern wing。 「I think I might continue with my job, just as a way to still have a paycheck coming in。」 So maybe the Northern wing would be the best for her since she'd still want to do business with human society, but she'd still would like to see the rest of the wings。

Sai listens to her and nods his head, understanding that she had spent most of her life among humans, so it wasn’t something that she could totally dust her hands free of. “If you could provide with assistance in gathering information of the human world, that would be most appreciated. It is always important to keep up to date with human affairs, though not many of us are talented in understanding human politics.” Sai explains as he continued to show her the other wings.

“This here is the Eastern wing. The rooms get the most sunlight, so the rooms tend to be warmer. A lot of the reptilians are in this wing, like Hebisuke.” Most of the rooms here had themes of the sunny skies and clouds. He opens one of the empty rooms to show that the windows had glass cut in ways that when the sunlight hit them just right, it cast rainbows to cascade into the rooms.

He shows the Southern wing next, “you can see the theme for this wing has a classic aesthetic. This wing is the furthest into the Mansion. The Kumicho’s quarters are the deepest into this wing. He says it’s because if anyone was to attack from behind, where the barrier is the weakest, he’d be the quickest to defend the territory.” They did run maintenance on the barrier every so often, as Mukuro may remember. She did slip onto their territory on the day the barrier was weakened for maintenance, after all. “This wing is for those who prefer the olden day look rather than the more modern day style. Hebisuke sometimes stays in this wing as well.” He simply traveled to wherever suited him best.

“The final wing to show you, is the Western wing, where the theme is of the night sky, where you see a lot of stars and moons adorning this wing. It tends to run a bit cooler, opposite of the warm Eastern wing. I reside in this wing. It has the best view of the stars, which is very useful for fortune divining, if you’re able to do such a thing.”

“You’re able to decorate and furnish your room to your desire. If you’d like assistance in moving your furniture from your original abode to here, that can be arranged. It’s one of the perks of living here, you need not pay for board.” Of course, if she preferred to keep her original residence as a back up for her human identity, that was perfectly fine as well.

Mukuro gave a small nod and smiled as idle mode was activated。 While in idle mode, Mukuro would pay attention to those around her as her body worked。 Keeping an eye out for anyone who looked rather suspect to her while she listened to Popo's question and suggestion on what to do。

Her head would tilt to the side slightly as she began to think about which characters she wanted to observe and learn more about。 There was such a list she had already and no doubt it would only grow more, so it took her a moment to narrow down that list and then narrow it down to a top-three。 With a nod, Mukuro's full attention redirected to Popo as she gave her answer to the cat。

「The top three people I'm interested in knowing more about right now are Ken, Kiyoko, and Masaharu。」 There were plenty of other characters Mukuro was curious about but those were the top three right now。

「Which one of those three are close enough right now that I can snoop on them?」

“Mmnnn if it’s those three… Masaharu is pretty close by. If you’re lucky, Kiyoko will drop by as she does often.” Popo answers. With that, a mental map appears in Mukuro’s mind to show her where Masaharu was currently, so she could make her way over there.

She’d find him at his desk, working on a report while eating his food. It seemed to be a homemade lunch from the looks of things. There wasn’t much of animal protein in the lunch aside from a bit of fish. He really liked tofu, if the variety of tofu side dishes were of any indication.

Mukuro could watch as he diligently worked on a report in between his bites of food. On occasion, someone would drop by and hand him some supplementary papers he’d asked for earlier to help him with his report. There were a bunch of charts and graphics detailing the earnings year to date and the estimated projections for meeting corporate goals.

“Masaharu-san, thank you again for your advice before. After I followed your words, the weird stuff stopped happening around my home.” Just as Popo said, Kiyoko had appeared by his desk with a friendly smile.

The man, without looking up from his laptop, chuckles. “I’m happy to be of help. Would you be a dear in helping me hand these back to Sakura?”

“Will do,” she walks away and Masaharu mumbles quietly to himself. “Wonder what’s her aim, releasing her spiritual powers leak when around me.” He finishes his lunch right as the lunch hour ends, as if he had his actions perfectly timed. He puts everything away and focuses right on his work again. “Hm, guess that Kiyoko woman has some spiritual powers, like a Miko or something. She’s bold letting that leak in a building with Demons inside. Though outdated thinking, there were Demons who believed consuming the flesh of spiritual people would give you stronger powers.”

It was true, but many Demons of modern times didn’t want to risk doing such a thing.

Proper? There were specifics to this?

"I'm pretty sure it'd be faster t'just hunt somethin'. Ain't nothin' 'proper' about protein. Meat's meat, and it tastes better cooked." Though eating it raw was never out of the question. It hadn't been until he was a teenager, that Inuyasha realized you could roast it with a wet stick of wood. Wet wood didn't burn. Vegetables were another story, in his experience.

If they were rotten, they tasted like shit. Same way poisonous mushrooms were disgusting. The difference was that rotten vegetables, he could force down if there were nothing else to eat. A guy did what he had to for survival. Inuyasha was fully ready to assert how his feelings were the right way...

...Then he remembered: He needed to stop doing that. Unlearning a century and a half's worth of self taught preservation and feelings was difficult.

"Keh," He shrugged dismissively. "I could have a million coins, and they wouldn't sell shit t'me. Gotta have a human with me, or a nice yōkai. I don't have the luxury of shopping by myself." The thought was mulled over a few moments, a glare cast at the perfectly slashed mushrooms in his hand. "Then again... humans are always out for their own skin. A million coins might be enough to change all of that."

He was doing what he could to avoid showing interest, though his ears had perked up, and remained in that fashion at the very thought of salt and pepper. A teensy bit of pepper, and a gradual amount of salt? That could be like heaven on Earth. It was once again, old habits. Never admit to wanting something.

That was begging for rejection. Inuyasha straightened his posture.

"Anyway, you probably have a better nose for vegetables." It was easier to say for his own pride's sake, than the truth that Sesshōmaru had a better nose for everything in comparison. "I'll do the hard part." A light smirk played across his features, enough that one of his fangs glinted in the afternoon sun.

"I'll get that protein you were talkin' about. Better hope it's proper enough for ya."

Of course, anything hunted would be fastest, and that would indeed… be a proper protein source. Sesshomaru would reluctantly admit that he was not a fan of tofu, though it was healthy and a valid protein source. He only tolerated it whenever Jaken mentioned it was healthy for young human children to eat. The soy-based product was not easy to procure, but Jaken had done his best to ensure the well-being of the children.

Every so often, he would treat them to a nice meal using ingredients sourced from humans. When they saw Rin waiting in the distance, looking healthy and happy, humans would bounce to provide the sustenance such a young girl would require to grow big and strong.

        ❝Why else do you think Jaken remains by this Sesshomaru’s side? His insolent mouth lives to see many days for his loyalty and his uses. He carries on well among humans as they nary feel threatened by an imp a third their size.❞

Though, Inuyasha could not understand Inuyasha’s reluctance to shopping for himself when the human Miko Kaede was an asset to humans and Demons alike. She had graciously taken Rin under her wing while Sesshomaru roamed the lands. Surely she could procure ingredients for Inuyasha to use for his travels.

Of course, rations do not last forever, but it would sustain him for some time.

        ❝Hn, you do that. This Sesshomaru will see what he can forage.❞

From the sound of things, a stream was nearby. Sesshomaru sought the sound in search of his first target. Seri, which was a water parsley, grew near streams. It’s white stems give an aromatic flavor to soups. If he could find Warabi, Zenmai, or Fuki, that could be nice too- as a valuable lesson.

On his search, he came across udo. These were good in some soups as they grew tender when boiled. He picked some, paying attention to the size of the stems. Near the stream, he found the Seri he was looking for. What else could he find?

Had Inuyasha found anything yet? Hm…

"Is that so?" Someone could use rosemary for grilling meat? That was something Inuyasha knew he could learn, grilling meat was the only thing he knew how to do when it came to the culinary arts. It was enjoyable, paying attention to scent to know what something would taste like. Perhaps something he could learn. Maybe that was an interest he had that he just didn't know.

"Keh," He made no effort to disguise his amusement. "Rice porridge is a big luxury to me. Sometimes my friends make it for me." He understood those same things. It was filling, kept you going for a long time, and the taste was something to savor. It was strong, in a way that was delicious, rather than overstimulating.

...Sesshōmaru was probably the only one who could understand. He acknowledged that his dog-like senses weren't as strong as his older brother's. Then his attention turned to the mushrooms, and a smirk found itself on his features.

"Y'don't gotta tell me twice!" It didn't matter as much whether mushrooms were poisonous or not. Yōkai blood destroyed the effect. That didn't change how poisonous mushrooms tasted like shit. With a swift leap, and slash of his claws, the mushrooms were removed from the side of the tree. Despite how reckless it may have looked, the mushrooms were in perfect tact, and he hadn't destroyed the tree.

Inuyasha had too much experience with this.

It was pride, when he held up one handful of the shiitake, root and all. A smile, too, something Inuyasha didn't realize he was doing. For just this moment, things felt... almost normal. Call it wishful thinking, but this was where he felt most at home. Out in the wilds, where he truly grew up.

Then the hanyō did realize the stupid smile on his face, and quickly corrected it.

"Keh." Brows relaxed, though the bitterness towards his own slip up was present. "So... d'ya know how t'make stew?" Nonchalant as he tried to be, Inuyasha was embarrassed. It felt like he'd allowed himself belief in a stupid lie. "Y'don't suppose you could teach me, do you?"

It should have been easier to manage rejection from someone he was still learning to care about, right?

So why was his heart pounding so hard at such a simple question? So hard he knew if he could hear it, Sesshōmaru might be able to hear it, too.

Ugh... I got way too excited there.

The elder of the two watched as Inuyasha excitedly harvested the mushrooms he’d pointed out. With precision, Inuyasha harvested the fungi without damaging the tree nor ruining the fungi themselves. They would make for an excellent addition to whatever food would be cooked later.

Yes, he did know how to make stew, even if it sounded out of place for him to have it as one of his skillsets, but it was a necessary lesson for anyone to learn if they were to live on the road like he did. Instead of living the cushioned life of a Inu-youkai living among the clouds, he roamed the lands of Japan, guarding a particular human village from invading Demons.

Inuyasha’s question of whether Sesshomaru could teach him was a surprise with how forthright he was about his desire to learn a new skillset. His thoughts receded to the back mind, recalling old distant memories of old with himself and their Honorable Father. This was a skill Inuyasha would’ve learned from their Father had he not met his untimely death shortly after Inuyasha’s birth.

He could hear the way Inuyasha’s heart pounded in his chest after asking the question. It was no doubt the fear that his silence was an unspoken refusal.

A sigh

Once more, Sesshomaru must don the mantle of what a father would do for his son in the absence of their father. Knowing how to cook was an important life skill to ensure one is kept well nourished while living in the wilds.

        ❝A proper stew would require more ingredients than what we have handy now.❞

Which, in many more words would mean that if they could procure more ingredients to use, Sesshomaru could teach Inuyasha how to make a stew.

        ❝Finding a proper protein source or wild vegetables would work well for stew.❞

Wild carrots or Potatoes would work well in stews. While potatoes could be poisonous, if you knew how to handle them, you’d be fine. They were filling, and added a nice texture when cooked. Beef or pork were great in stew, but they weren’t used often as they were important livestock. Wild boar was sometimes too gamey, but using a careful blend of spices usually solved that issue.

If one were to ask him, he didn’t mind fish, because it was something that Rin often enjoyed preparing for herself- so he’d learned to acquire the taste of fish.

        ❝This Sesshomaru has salt and pepper.❞

Spices were a luxury seeing as they weren’t easy to come by, but someone of his caliber would of course have access to them. As he would often be separated from Jaken and the rest, he’d always carried the bare minimum of spices with him for such occasions.

        ❝Sometimes, humans will sell extra produce if you carry coin for trade.❞

It was a convenient way of adding more ingredients into stews without needing to worry about carrying perishable ingredients during travel.

The days that went by weren't terrible, there was enough that happened in Mukuro's day that it didn't feel super repetitive, that also made the days go by a bit faster and before she knew it, she was being handed a report of what was found out about her。

She had quickly flipped and sped read through a few pages and it was a bit scary about how accurate and well-documented everything was。 Mukuro had thought she had done her best to keep a lof of herself secret, it was rather impressive that this much was actually out there。 When Sesshomaru spoke to her, Mukuro's gaze moved to look at him for a moment before her eyes would dip down in thought。

Overtime, Mukuro did find herself becoming more and more comfortable with those around her and felt a bit of peace and ease while here too, something that she hadn't felt in a long time。 Staying here also meant that she would be in a place where she belonged, something a bit of a found family, and that was something that very much appealed to Mukuro。 As for the cons well。。。 Mukuro couldn't really think of any actual cons, because it wasn't like she'd be out of an income, there'd certainly be something to do here。

Mukuro could easily see that if she were to remain as a guest that she would be visiting quite often。 Mukuro also knew that if she continued to flip-flop on the idea of joining or not, she'd never figure out an actual answer。 So ultimately, it was better to make the decision now。

「I would like to join, actually。」 Mukuro said after taking a few more moments to decide, her gaze lifting up to meet Sesshomaru's。

As expected, their information network proved effective, as per usual. It was useful when you had youkai of various skillsets, which included speaking with spirits through spells. They were some of the most informative if you were well-versed with the skill as spirits lurked everywhere.

Mukuro had acclimated herself to the Gumi much like how the others have slowly become used to her presence among them. The children especially enjoyed spending time with her, so they’d be quite happy to learn that she’d become a member as well.

A brief flicker of approval crosses Sesshomaru’s features at her positive response.

        ❝Jaken, Sai.❞

Sai emerges from the shadows, holding a flailing green imp in his hands.

        ❝Properly settle Miss Mukuro here into the mansion.❞

She would be moved out of the temporary room and be given a proper one. She could decide for herself which of the wings she wished to settle in. There was a wing in each of the cardinal directions to choose from and each had different themes. The Eastern wing which had the most sunlight had rooms that was reminiscent of the sun, even seeming to retain warmth from the sun. These rooms were apt for those who preferred to always stay warm. The Western wing, which saw the most moonlight was designed to reflect a night sky, using a lot of darker materials. These rooms often stayed cool, which was appropriate for individuals who enjoyed the cooler temperatures. The Southern wing had a traditional Japanese aesthetic, suitable for Sesshomaru’s tastes. Finally, the Northern wing, which was closest to the entrance, had many rooms with flowers as the motif.

        ❝A welcoming banquet will be prepared later tonight.❞

The Kumicho turns to leave the room with Jaken in tow. There was much to prepare tonight. Sai turns to Mukuro with a welcoming smile. “Shall we tour around the Mansion for you to find a room that suits your fancy? We shall start with the Northern wing, where the rooms have a floral motif. As this wing is closest to the entrance, many who work in the real world choose here to live.” The doors of each of the sliding doors had a different floral scene painted. “We do not frown upon those of us who wish to integrate into human society. We have someone studying human medicine and another who is a day trader. I myself have some business in the human world,” Sai explains. “Have you thought on what you wish to do moving forwards?” If she wished to completely leave the life among humans behind completely, it was fine for her to never leave the mansion. It was also fine for her to enjoy both lives.

When the time skip had paused and Popo gave her the rundown of the contents of the contract, Mukuro would nod along as the points were listed。 Everything sounded doable and that last point was a very big perk。

「That's not too bad of a contract, if I'm honest。」 There wasn't any negatives as far as Mukuro could tell, she assumed Popo would have told her as much if there was, 「I'll sign it then, I don't see why not。」 Besides, Mukuro felt like she could be a bit more loosey-goosey with some of her decision given that she had unlocked that auto-save feature。

When the documents were slid over to her, Mukuro would sign where instructed and date the document。 All that was needed to be done now was give the documents to Kei or place them on his desk if he wasn't around。

Ah, idle time, that's what it was called。 Mukuro thought as Popo had explained it to her, that was what she was referring to earlier but she was also fine with the time skip that they had done so she wasn't too pressed about it。 

「Yeah, I'd like to do idle time this time around,」 she liked being able to walk around a little while the work day was going on, gave her a littie more insight on what would be going on around her。

“Alright! I’ll get that activated for you.” Popo paws at an invisible screen and Mukuro hears the robotic voice she’s always heard during system alerts.

𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕀𝕕𝕝𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕕𝕖

Mukuro could now have an out of body experience where her body would be enjoying her lunch for the rest of the lunch hour, dropping off the signed document, and continuing with the rest of her day- that is, until Mukuro decided to pause idle mode.

She could roam around nearby where her body was acting on autopilot and do other things in her out of body state. Many players would use this chance to gather information and spy on game characters. Some others would take the chance to work alongside themselves to maximize the efficiency of their work. It was very convenient for any competitions based on progress.

“So, what do you want to do? Maybe observe some of the other workers? You could observe some people you’re suspicious of to determine if they’re human or not.” She could also just roam around and come across new people too. She would effectively be like a ghost, but no one would be able to notice her, not even those with heightened spiritual senses. Perhaps those with an uncanny sense for instinct, but that was just about it.

((I've been monitoring myself for the past week: I'm not well. I do not wish to impose my unstable emotional state onto others, so I'm stepping away.

I do not know when I'll return. If you have my discord, this is a reminder that if I'm ever on red status, please give me space as that means I'm probably close to crashing out.

Please do not ask me about why I'm upset as that riles me up too much. If I wish to talk about it, I will. I'm sorry about this, but I'd rather step away than impose onto others and have my guilt for doing so eat me alive.

Rin's influence... why didn't that surprise him? The girl was like refined sugar. The difference was that she didn't kill him with overpowering sweetness. The only reason Inuyasha knew someday it would exist, were the old days. The days he could visit the other side.

"Keh. Rin's too kind for her own good." It made him worry, more than it should have. "Sometimes she asks for help sniffin' out herbs. I can't say no around her." It wasn't that he'd say no to begin with. Just... the way she smiled. People who smiled so brightly needed him more than any other. Before he could take another step, Inuyasha's right ear flicked.

"Hn?" He stood silent, before golden eyes glanced curiously at the very herb Sesshōmaru pointed towards.

"That?" Back to the usual gruffness. "You can use that for food?" Inuyasha recognized it, but not as an herb you could eat. Rosemary. He couldn't think of a reason Sesshōmaru would lie. "I don't really know how to make stew." His gaze drifted upwards, his frown steady. "I just know how to burn stuff until it tastes better than raw." Eyes temporarily closed, arms slipping into his sleeves.

"Do you know how to make it?" Perhaps the question sounded a bit too optimistic. It had been some time since he'd last had something so warm, and flavorful. "All I've seen is someone throw a buncha stuff in a pot and stir it. When I tried it, it tasted like crap." Now was when his feet moved. Inuyasha knelt, showing a delicate touch as he picked the herb. It was done so in a way that wouldn't damage even the roots. Those could be useful, too, in how he knew it worked.

"If y'don't, it's still good to pick up. The scent, these ones're good for if y'get hurt. They help with bleeding if you use three of their leaves, and if you make a tea with 'em, it helps with stomachaches."

Indeed, Rin was too kind for her own good, including approaching an injured Demon out of concern. Even if he’d snarled at her out of instinctual defensiveness, she still attempted to show him kindness. What resulted in that was her untimely death and demise of her entire family. It was this that sparked his journey to learning sympathy for others. She, revived through Tenseiga, then traveled alongside himself and Jaken until she could be given to a human settlement for refuge.

        ❝Rin has her ways of asking for help to the right individuals.❞

A valuable skill of hers, knowing who to ask for assistance. It was as though she had some keen sense in knowing the good heart of others.

        ❝Yes, it can be used for food. Stews or grilling meat.❞

Of course, it was also necessary to carry other essentials to cook with, but that often required trading with humans or sourcing them from other Demons. Jaken normally took on that role, and the imp carried the seasonings. Sesshomaru himself did not carry any such items on his person, but he was able to recognize different herbs by smell or by sight.

        ❝A good stew would require more ingredients than just meat and this one herb. You could learn to make rice porridge.❞

Though it wasn’t a fancy dish, it was carbohydrate heavy, so it was sufficient for energizing the body and keeping it fulfilled for longer. It was high in fiber and easy on the stomach. Nutritionally, it was also adequate.

Sesshomaru looked around in an effort to see what else could be foraged for food. He stops at the sight of some mushrooms. They were edible.

        ❝Those are edible. They work well in stew as it releases lots of flavor. You’ll usually find them on trees.❞

He pointed to some shiitake mushrooms growing off of a dead, decaying hardwood tree,  where they were often found. Sesshomaru never directly answered the question, as was his normal way of communication without Jaken nearby, but he did take the time to explain things to Inuyasha.

        ❝Hn, you’ve learned well.❞

Jaken normally knew all about the medicinal benefits of plants as it was hid job to be learned of all matters so Sesshomaru could focus on his strength.

@fangsofdestruction from X

"Of course not, you--"

Inuyasha cut himself off. Right. They were trying to get along now, and he knew his brother well enough to know that was his way of saying he would. This had been his idea, after all. It was only right that he do the majority of the prep work, and he was the one who was making camp here anyway. A sharp exhale sounded through the hanyō's nose. A momentary glare at the ground, before Inuyasha shook his head.

"Right." Not angry, yet clear he was keeping himself in check. The effort he was making alone spoke volumes.

"Keh. I prefer collecting the firewood myself, anyway." No matter how his tone came off, it was true. He preferred doing all the prep work himself. If you wanted a job done right, you did it yourself. "Let's get going, the sun's goin' down. This stuff is easier when you can see what you're doing."

With every step of his bare feet, there was soft silence. Inuyasha had no more than the clothes on his back, and the satchel slung over his arm. "When's the last time y'ate somethin'? Got some dried fish I didn't finish."

An offer. Like he knew what Sesshōmaru partook in when it came to food. Inuyasha ate anything, so long as it didn't overstimulate his sense of taste. He'd choke, in the sense that it would be too strong, and gag him. Or it'd make him sick, one of the two.

"It's not fancy or anything. I never did learn how t'make anything other than with a campfire."

Even though a small part of him wanted to.

Sesshomaru had always had Jaken or Rin collect the firewood for two reasons. Firstly, Jaken was Sesshomaru’s retainer, and it was his duty to do the grunt work that was beneath Sesshomaru to perform. Secondly, should Rin decide to leave from underneath his wing to live among the humans, it would be a valuable skill for her to learn- to know which kinds of wood were the most apt for lighting a fire.

Would Sesshomaru know these things himself? One may think he wouldn’t, but that wasn’t true. He’d at least on one occasion camped outdoors with his father, and the task of procuring firewood had been placed on his shoulders. He’d learned which species of trees burned well and which would result in a horrid smell. Which burned longer and which wouldn’t alight due to the retained moisture.

Though Sesshomaru was now used to staying in place to safeguard the campsite from rogue Demons and humans alike, he still followed Inuyasha’s directive. As one would term it, Sesshomaru was acting the ‘team player’ that the situation called for- cooperation.

When was the last time he’d eaten? Perhaps a day ago? Though Sesshomaru could control his metabolic rate, he’d also trained himself to keep his mind sharp even while foregoing food for a time. This was necessary training for when he’d find himself on the battlefield as a ready supply of rations could be a luxury.

Initially, eating human rations was something he’d turned his nose to, but with Rin’s insistence influence, he’d grown somewhat accustomed to partaking in human food on occasion. He couldn’t deny wishing to indulge Rin’s desire to share the food she’d prepared with her own two hands. She’d puff with pride every time he’d finished a bite of her food that it was somehow… endearing.

Now, Inuyasha was seemingly attempting to share his rations with him. An act that wasn’t lost on Sesshomaru as sharing food was oft an act of bonding for humans.

        ❝This Sesshomaru has become accustomed to human food through Rin’s influence.❞

Sesshomaru’s golden eyes look around and a clawed finger pointed at an herb growing nearby.

        ❝This can be used for stews.❞

Truly, many things could be thrown into a stew to produce a nutritious meal to help tide you over during travels.

((I did try to finish off everything across my blogs, but I wasn't able to because I couldn't focus. I think that's my sign that I need to take things real slow and basically take a break.

My emotional and mental state has not been well as of late because of IRL reasons. I honestly do not know when I'll feel okay enough to return. I'll try to check in on the dash when I can, but I won't be doing any asks/thread replies until I return.