InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It's my Life ❯ To Sesshomaru go! ( Chapter 32 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. Any original characters that pop up, yes those are mine, but everyone else is again owned by Rumiko Takahashi.



“What’s a NaraKUUU!!!” Tren screamed as one of Naraku’s fleshy tentacles blew out of the ground and smashed into his chest like a snapped  high tension cable, blasting him through the air and into the forest.

“TREN!” Alir shouted seconds before he was crushed under another one of the giant appendages.

It al happened so fast that the three humans barely had time to react, and once they formed a protective triangle around their fallen hanyou friend they could do little more then cover their mouths and noses as Naraku’s noxious miasma flooded the area.

“Well, well, well….” A smooth voice rang out as the baboon silhouette appeared. “What have we here?”

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Sesshomaru resisted the urge to drum his fingers or roll his eyes as he half listened to the petty squabbles of those assembled. Gods he hated these meetings….His barons who oversaw the outlaying territories in his name, the closer elders who sat upon the long since gelded council. Imalia still banged up from her fight with Inuyasha, and Garith as captain of the guard sat across from his former seat that she now occupied.

The two glared silent daggers at one another, but given their history it came as no surprise to Sesshomaru….and at least they were quiet. Not pummeling him with near constant sounds that spilled forth from useless mouths like the  rest.

The West was at peace, nothing of importance was  happening. An enjoyable period for the populace…but often nothing short of hell for Sesshomaru himself. Without anything to occupy them the underlings always chose to bother him with their…their…

“Stupid bullshit.” A voice that reminded him a great deal of Inuyasha grumbled.

Sesshomaru cocked his head to the side…it was vulgar but yes…that was a highly appropriate description.

And of course as the Lord of the West…everyone wanted to tell him their stupid bullshit.

This baron slept with my mate. This baron had my distant cousin killed. This baron yawned whist my son was giving his long acceptance speech during his first commission that I all but handed him and I find that insulting. This baron forgot to send a gift to honor my sixteenth child’s birth and I demand punishment.

And let us not forget….This baron did EXACTLY what I planed to do it him only he did it first.

It went on and on and on…and by this point all Sesshomaru was hearing was -kill us Sesshomaru, kill us! Rip off our heads! Snap our spines!! Please oh great and powerful, not to mention sexy, Lord! Free us from our sniveling existences!-

One could wish….

Though technically there was nothing stopping him from doing so. But it would be more trouble then it was wroth in the long run however. It did amuse him nonetheless, for none of the self-important fops to know just how little their lives were actually worth.

“…Lord Sesshomaru?” A voice broke through his murderous contemplations.

He shifted his eyes to stare at one of his barons, pondering if it would not be better to remove their tongues from here on out and simply have them submit reports in writing.

“Continue.” Sesshomaru demurred.

“Uh…w-we were hoping for a reply from you.”

Oh perfect….

Sesshomaru contemplated simply admitting that he had not been paying the slightest bit of attention. It was extremely tempting…if only to see their reactions.

“And why do you believe this matter is worthy of my attention?”

“Arrogant fool wasn’t even listening…” Came a very soft whisper from the corner of the room.

Sesshomaru shifted his eyes in that direction, and there sat a young demon. An attendant of someone at the table no doubt, and probably some sort of relative most likely. A bothersome nephew, or a bastard grandchild, or some other such thing. He wasn’t even looking at Sesshomaru. No…just sitting in his chair, rolling his eyes as if he knew everything about the world.

Lack of discipline and respect were everywhere…and Sesshomaru had suffered more then enough as far as he was concerned. Not to mention with his baby brother leaving his side, where he couldn’t be cared for and protected had put Sesshomaru in a rather foul mood.

Time to liven things up.

“Did you know that among demons, canine; dog, wolf, fox and the like have the most sensitive of hearing? Able to pick up even the most minute details, and detect sound even over the expanse of several miles?” Sesshomaru inquired, staring right at the lad.

The table went silent, and the young demon’s eyes went wide right before his head bisected, Sesshomaru‘s light whip slicing clean through it.

“Now you do.” Sesshomaru stated as the body fell to the floor.

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The light fog in Miroku’s head caused his inner reserves to waver slightly. The force of Naraku’s initial attack had hurled him into a nearby tree, and he was still trying to clear his head.

Naraku’s vile miasma was everywhere, killing all life around them. Birds and other woodland creatures were literally dropping dead from their treetop homes, whilst the trees themselves were turning black, their leaves turning brown and liquefying  into a toxic sludge that pooled upon the ground.

Miroku didn’t know where anyone else was. The two demons Tren and Alir could be dead, Inuyasha was probably helpless where they had left him, if he wasn’t dead already as well. Shippo was unaccounted for, and the last time he had seen Sango she had been pulling on her mask to protect herself from the poison as it washed over them.

As it was Miroku could do little more then shield Kagome and himself within at purifying bubble. He had managed to get the thick cloth of his robes over his mouth and nose in time, but Kagome had directly breathed in part of the cloud.
She was still suffering the effects, suffering being the correct word, gagging and retching, clutching her throat in obvious agony as Miroku held her tight against his chest.

It galled him to do nothing, especially to leave Inuyasha all alone. But he couldn’t leave Kagome out in the open long enough to try to find the hanyou in the toxic fog. Not while she was fighting Naraku’s poison in her lungs.

He could hear the sounds on battle in the distance, and prayed that Sango wasn’t fighting alone. Kirara was with her no doubt but…unless Miroku himself was by her side he would not be at ease anytime soon.

He was struggling himself however, sealing and purifying the air around them was no small task, and he had a sick feeling in his stomach that had nothing to do with the toxic air outside.

“Come on….” Miroku growled. “Show me that big, stupid baboon head….you love the sound of your own voice far too much not to gloat at this.”

He toyed with the beads that held his wards in place. Posion or no…he wouldn’t hesitate if he got the chance. But no opening as of yet…all he could do was sit and wait…and pray for his friends safety.

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Inuyasha blinked slowly, as if he didn’t even know how to do so. His left eye was a gray haze, and his right was only marginally better. It wasn’t like waking up at all…no…more like faintly coming back as someone strangled you and lost the hold for a second. Almost like that…but still not.

He could hear a soft, exhausted grunting and realized that something was dragging him with desperate little tugs. Beyond that he couldn’t tell much, he didn’t have a lot of feeling in his body.

His throat felt closed off, and his chest ached, but other then that…cold. He was so cold.

“Come on.” A tiny voice gasped as  he was tugged forward again. “Come on.” Tug.” Come…urrgh…ooonnn!”

Inuyasha could faintly catch the sounds of fighting off in the distance, but his mind was nothing but a fog. What was going on? Where was he? He couldn’t remember anything.

All he could feel was the pain in his chest, in this back, in his lungs. Large burning hot spots of pain…and his left side was strangely numb.

Inuyasha pulled in a weak breath through his nose. Everything was so muted…but he could detect something vile…something toxic…something that set off alarm bells within his hazy brain. The gears inside of his head turned slowly…weakly.
What could….why….but….some……Naraku.

The name jolted through his soul, and it all came flooding back.

“Hurgh!!” Something small grunted, and then the platform under him fell. Inuyasha face smacked into the ground and dirt plowed up his nose. It didn’t much bother him though, he could barely breathe anyway.

No…the only concern in Inuyasha’s mind and heart was that his friends were undoubtedly locked inside a battle with Naraku, fighting for their very lives, or already on their way to death and…and…and there was nothing, nothing at all that he could do about it.

An orange/red blob appeared in front of Inuyasha’s decent eye, one that he vaguely recognized.

Shippo…

The kit looked exhausted, panting heavily and covered in sweat.

“Damn it…” Shippo huffed. “He’s so heavy.”

Oh good Gods….Shippo was trying to drag him away.

Just the thought wounded Inuyasha’s pride terribly.  He was the protector damn it…Shippo shouldn’t be anywhere near any of this. And to make matters worse Inuyasha could feel a dark presence drawing closer.

He had never been adapt at telling who it was when he felt something, other then Sesshomaru anyway…that smug bastard had a scent and feel all his own, but he knew demonic energy when he felt it.

Could be Kagura, or perhaps Naraku himself.

If the bastard knew what kind of shape he was in then Inuyasha would bet on the latter. It had been personal between them since day one…and if Naraku thought he could kill or absorb him with  his bare hands…oh he would drool no doubt.

Whether or not it was Naraku could actually so something like that Inuyasha was sure, but whatever was coming most definitely was not something that Shippo could handle.

Inuyasha tried to swallow, but couldn’t. He tried to spit, but couldn’t. nothing would work, but he had to do this.

“….Illippo….” Inuyasha finally managed to slur.

The kit perked up and immediately fell up him.

“Inuyasha!” He cried out. “You’re okay! Oh I thought you’d never wake up!”

The concern and relief in the kit’s voice was clear even through Inuyasha’s limited awareness.

Poor kid…

Inuyasha tried to push himself up, but all he could manage was to lift his head and left shoulder about three inches off the ground. His left eye was useless, and everything through the right was vague at  best. But he was pretty sure he was looking at Shippo’s face.

The pain was increasing and he fought to ignore it. Didn’t have time for pain…didn’t have time for much of anything.

“Isen…L-Listen to…m-m-me…” Inuyasha impressed. “Yo-you…’ave t-t-to…gah-gah-go…l-l-le---eve me.”

He could barely even form words, and his voice was like glass, brittle and weak.

“What!?” Shippo exclaimed. “Wh-What are you talking about!”

Shippo’s shrill voice was bound to attract attention, and that wasn’t good at all.

“Sssaaa….Kid…..jus’….go…. pl-please….go.” Inuyasha gasped.

“No!” Shippo snapped, defiant and upset. If it hadn’t been so important Inuyasha might have even been proud of the little ball buster. “I’m not leaving you! You’re….you’re sick!”

Inuyasha would have laughed had he been able. It was all too much like the days before his Mother’s death. She had been too sick to do anything at all, and he had been too little to truly take care of her. But he had truly believed for a while that if he could just get her up and moving, to stop saying she was sick, that everything would be alright.

“Sippo…jus-just stop….you….you ave to go. “I’m…jus…go…G-Go back to…S-S-Ssssssess…..he-he…pro-pro…mised.” Inuyasha pushed.  

Tears were running down the kits checks, Inuyasha could smell the salt, and the child touched his face gently.

“No.” Shippo cried…”You can’t die.”

Poor kit…thought Inuyasha had to give him credit.

“I’m old….and I’m…sssorry.” Inuyasha whispered. “I should ‘ave….dun….betta for you. Jus’ go back…t-to Sessho…Sess….he said he would…look out for you.”

Inuyasha could feel the presence getting closer, and it struck him as odd that he could still do that while nothing else was working. But he wasn’t going to question it, not if he could do this one last thing.

“But-” Shippo whispered.

Inuyasha shook his head as best he could, and forced his hand down to his side. It took a ridiculous amount of effort to do, but Inuyasha managed to untie his sheath from around his waist. With a shaky hand that could barely grip he pushed his Tetsusaiga into the kit’s tiny hands.

“T-Take…this…to Sess for me….please?” Inuyasha rasped. “I’m…I’m sorry kid….I really wish….I could have been…m-m-m-m-ore…for you.”

A shiver ran up Inuyasha’s spine, not much time left. Not for him, nor till their “visitor” arrived.

“Go Shippo.” Inuyasha ordered as he rubbed the trop of the Fox’s head. “Go now.”

“But-”

“GO 221;

Shippo groaned through his teeth, frustrated and upset. He hesitated again,, clutching Inuyasha’s Fang to his chest until finally a deep burst of sound came out of him, he didn’t want to do it at all. A deep, yet soft cry followed it, and then he was turning and tearing off through the bushes as fast as his little legs could take him.

Inuyasha would have smile, if it wouldn’t have been a waste of very limited energy. His heart was slowing, everything was slowing.

He was dying.

He had been there before, from Sesshomaru’s poison, from blood loss, and the physical trauma that came form getting there. But even then he knew he was only had minutes left, and as tired as he was….and with so much pain…he wasn’t done yet.

Shippo needed time. He couldn’t outrun whatever was coming.

He needed a distraction.

Growling viciously, using the bubbling rage at his center to fuel whatever he had left, Inuyasha began to push himself up. From the sheer effort it took it was more like pushing the world down really. More then a few times his arms gave out, planting him face first in the dirt. But he had never given  up before….why start now?

He finally got up to his knees when he heard a voice behind him.

“Kneeling before him? And all this time I had thought you a  know nothing wretch. Perhaps even a flea bitten mongrel can learn.”

Naraku…

Yeah…Inuyasha had figured he would come himself if he thought that he would have the upper hand over Inuyasha.

The slimy bastards voice only served to enrage Inuyasha further, and with the aid of a low hanging branch he pulled himself to his feet. He could barely see anything has he lurched himself around.

Nothing in one eye, blurred blobs of gray and black in the other.

Not that it mattered, it wasn’t like this was going to be any kind of real fight. After all…what was he going to do? Jab Naraku with his pinky claw?

This would be his last act. He would give Shippo every second he could.

But the really strange thing was…he could see all these little…creatures lurking around, peaking from behind trees or over rocks. What were they? And why were they starting at him so?

Naraku shouted something, but Inuyasha wasn’t paying attention. He was falling…falling….it was so dark…but he could feel something warm.

“Mama?” Inuyasha thought.

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Miroku grunted in exertion as his staff impacted with another one of Naraku’s disgusting appendages. The damn things were everywhere, wriggling, attacking, constricting. He could hear the others here and there, with the occasional errant arrow from Kagome tearing through the air.
He was trying to work his way towards the others, or where he thought they were, but was having little success. What was worse was that nothing as actively fighting…and that worried Miroku. Not attacking…delaying…

What was Naraku stalling for?

His Wind Tunnel itched under the wards, practically begging to be used. Maybe it actually was…it was a curse from Naraku himself after all, and with all the Symyosho buzzing about Miroku would probably succumb to the poison before he could clear out all of Naraku’s vile flesh.

Not that that was deterring him. Miroku would gladly give his life for his friends. No…it was his friends lives that stayed his hand. Without knowing their locations he could end up pulling them in with everything else. And if that happened…He would have to turn the tunnel upon himself in shame.

“AH!” Miroku cried out as a curved blade sliced through one of the thick, vile coils and missed his face by mere inches.

Through the spraying slime barreled the blond demon, Alir. He was filthy, and his armor was battered and beaten. He looked as surprised to see Miroku as Miroku was to see him.

“Where’s Lord Inuyasha?” Alir asked urgently.

“I have no idea.” Miroku admitted sadly. “You’re the first person I’ve seen since I became separated from Kagome.”

Alir cursed and Miroku had to agree, though he didn’t voice it. He was a monk after all.

“Well then…we have to-” Alir started before a distressed shout rang through the air.

The two of them looked up just in time to see Tren, completely encircled by some of Naraku’s tentacles, get pile drove head first into the ground some ten yards away. The ground split from the impact, chunks of earth leaping into the air.

Yeah…that had to hurt.

“TREN!!” Alir screamed, his voice shrill and panicked. He bolted forward, towards his sibling, hacking at  another rank column of flesh that rose up to block him.

Tren was obviously in no condition to respond, even before the coli started to pull him out of the ground, perhaps preparing a repeat. The red headed demon batted weakly at the flesh around him with his one free arm, but his Tonfa, which Miroku had no idea as to how he had not lost grip of, were made to pummel, not cut, and the tendril only absorbed the impacts.

Not knowing if Alir would be able to get to the helpless man in time, and knowing full well that he would need all the help that he could get if he was going to find and aid the rest of the group, Miroku sprang into action.

Reaching into his robes as he sprinted forward Miroku withdrew a few of his wards. A quick prayer later and they were flying though the air, past Alir and towards their target.

His aim was true, funny how divine blessings could do that, and as soon as they touched the taint flesh they sealed themselves to it. Almost instantly the symbols flared and a holy flame began to eat into it. Within seconds thick smoke started to billow out, and again slime sprayed everywhere as the fat, muscle, and tendons snapped, unable to support its own weight, let alone the combined weight of Tren and his armor any longer.

High in the air the red head began to plummet back down, heading for another skull smash. Coil or no gravity always did its trick, Kagome’s future books has detailed as much. But Alir was there to catch him.

Tren was still loopy form the initial head plant, but he seemed to be coming back a bit as his blond brother shot Miroku a grateful look.

“Come on Tren, shake it loose. We have to find Lord In-”
Suddenly  the coils that surrounded them began to flail wildly before collapsing to the ground. The flesh of them burst like overfilled sausage, and they began to melt…

“-uyasha……o…kay…what the hell?”

Miroku didn’t’ have an answer, couldn’t answer even if he did. He was too busy shielding his nose behind his thick robes as the reeking, putrid piles of pseudo-flesh bubbled and pooled around them.

With blood running down his back from some hidden point on top of his head, Tren pulled himself back up to his feet with the aid of his mate’s shoulder. Miroku was impressed…the damage that those with demonic blood could shrug off was amazing. A human would have been so much mush after something like that.

What was more impressive was that neither of them seemed to be phased by the stench at all, a feat that Miroku himself could not claim. He was hoping that it wasn’t poisonous…like just about everything related to Naraku was.

Getting out of here was clearly in his best interest.

Even as they turned into mushy pulp the remnants of Naraku’s tentacles continued to billow out purple smoke, choking Miroku horribly.

“Can’t see a damn thing through all of this…” Tren grumbled, slurring slightly.

“No chance of making it back to where we were…don’t even know where that was or where we are now.” Alir added.
Miroku started to cough, his burning lungs seizing up. He needed to get out of here…but his head was beginning to swim.

“Hey monk.” Alir called out. “Think you-”

Coughing thick, Miroku was unable to answer, or even hear the rest. He pressed his robes over his mouth and nose tighter as he collapsed to one knee. Before he knew that he had even fallen Alir was there in front of him.

“Hey! Are you hurt?” Alir barked.

If not for the fact that it was supporting most of his weight Miroku would have whacked the demon on the head with his staff. Questions like that…ugh….no he just always was at the point of vomiting and passing out because he enjoyed doing so.

This was usually the point when Inuyasha would leap in out of nowhere and use those powerful legs of his to get them both to safety and fresh air.

But Inuyasha wasn’t around anymore.

Even though he was somewhere between vomiting up his entire stomach and passing out in it Miroku’s heart ached. His friend was dead….Inuyasha…the loud-mouthed, super strong, hot head was gone. Miroku just knew it…if whatever had happened hadn’t taken him…then Naraku certainly would have. Which was obviously why Naraku had launched them all away and then kept them there…he wanted Inuyasha all to himself.

And even if the spider hadn’t known, and somehow left him alone…how could Inuyasha survive, in obvious poor health, in the middle of all of this? Miroku knew better then to count the hanyou out, after all he had came through so many times…but something about this felt different…felt…final.

Miroku fought to speak, to open up his burning throat.

Avenged.

Inuyasha deserved that much, and that meant that they could NOT die here.

Then it clicked.

The jewel.

If they could get the rest of the jewel away from Naraku perhaps they could use it to save Inuyasha. Surely if some old witch could bring the long dead Kikiyo back from oblivion, the famed Shikon-no-Tama could do even better.

“Cant…..breathe….” Miroku rasped.

“Oh for shit--Tren!” Alir hollered.

The next thing Miroku knew his arm had been pulled away from his face and something else was  being held over his mouth and nose. Something that smelled sickly sweet, but  admittedly did not make his lungs ache. Still…he struggled automatically.

Not that it did him any good as he soon found himself pressed tightly between two very large, two very strong, two very male demons.

Entirely too much male flesh was being pressed to his own lately.

“You’re probably going to pass out anyway…but you’re human…so what can ya do?” Alir quipped right before everything went black.

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Miroku awoke suddenly, coughing and sputtering as he flailed against the rushing world. He was just able to catch himself before his stomach came rushing up.

Blinking bleary eyes Miroku was greeted by the sight of a relieved Sango and Kagome hovering above him.

“Thank goodness.” Kagome sighed.

“W-Wh-Where? Wh-What?” Miroku struggled.

“Its okay.” Sango soothed. “You’ve been unconscious for about an hour.”

“Those two demons.” Miroku muttered. What had they done to him?

“…You’re welcome.” Miroku heard from somewhere off to the right.

“They saved you.” Kagome informed. “Found us too.”

Oh…well then.

“Many thanks.” Miroku croaked.. “Where are we? What’s going on?”

“We are a bit west of where we were I think.” Sango replied. “We had to backtrack for quite a ways to find a place that wasn’t overwhelmed by miasma.”

“Naraku.” Miroku growled, pulling himself up into a sitting position.

“Completely disappeared.” Sango informed. She sounded as wore out and sick as Miroku felt. Without a thought he reached out and caught her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. She smiled weakly and squeezed back.

“I don’t get it.” Kagome sighed. “He always tries to take what he wants and run. But he didn’t get any shards, and we’re alive…so what did he want?”

“Inuyasha.” Miroku whispered.
Sango shook her head slowly.

“Its almost impossible to search but…we couldn’t find any trace of him. Him or Shippo…they’re both gone.”

Miroku squeezed his eyes tightly shut, cutting off any tears before they could start. He stared at Kagome, and for a moment his temper flared. How could she not mention it? How could she ask such a question?

Then he noticed the back of her head, and part of her forehead, was covered in flaky, dry blood. Plus just above her ear was a large gash that split its way towards the back of her neck. Which explained why she seemed so off, and wobbled from time to time despite the fact that she was sitting down. She had obviously taken a solid shot to the head, maybe more then one.

“Well we can’t just sit here.” Miroku proclaimed as he tried to stand, only to fall back onto his butt.

“Just calm down.” Sango ordered firmly. “We can’t run off like we are now. We don’t even know where to go. We can’t help anyone if we are wiped out or wandering around aimlessly.”

Miroku growled and grabbed his staff from the ground next to him. Then he looked at the two demons.

“What do you two think?” He asked. “You are soldiers correct? In Sesshomaru’s military?”

“I think Lord Sesshomaru is going to kill us, bring us back, then kill us again.” Alir grumbled.

“But in all seriousness….I really don’t know.” Tren interjected. “Without knowing where this Naraku went, a base,  hideout…something…or even if he did take Lord Inuyasha. I would suggest returning to the castle for reinforcements. However….given that there is no trace of Lord Inuyasha, and I highly doubt the body just disappeared. We can only assume that he was taken and must give chase. It is all we can do…but we’ll have to canvas the area. Surely there must be some indication of where they went…and who knows…maybe Lord Inuyasha recovered enough to get to safety.”

“That’s a big fucking if Tren.” Alir spat. “And you’re also forgetting that if we don’t let Sesshomaru know what’s happened….well do I even have to say it? How can we report back and give chase?”

“What I want to know is how Naraku knew where we were.” Kagome wondered sluggishly. Then her eyes narrowed on the two demons. “Maybe it was you.” She accused. “How do we know we can trust you?”

“Kagome.” Sango chided. But the two hardly seemed affected.

“As if we care what you think woman.” Alir spat. “We swore an oath. Our lives for his if need be. What have you done?”

“Big deal!” Kagome snapped. “You work for Sesshomaru! Since when has he cared?! Especially after all that he had done to Inuyasha!”Miroku could tell that it was the miko’s worry for the hanyou that drove her, the head wound probably didn’t help matters. But not only were they in no shape to fend off the two should they decide upon violence, they also clearly needed help. However he couldn’t say anything to her because she did have a point, one that Miroku had pondered himself.

What was the story behind Sesshomaru’s sudden change of heart? And it had been sudden. Sesshomaru had just appeared to battle Nefrume, and then had been uncharacteristically gentle in securing Inuyasha’s further cooperation. Miroku would be overjoyed for Inuyasha if his own blood had finally accepted him. But that didn’t mean that he trusted the demon Lord, or his men.

But what choice did they really have? Without Inuyasha himself they were sorely lacking in muscle.

“Since about a few months ago.” Tren reported. “Other then that I do not know. Nor care. Lord Inuyasha is of the blood, and ours in not to question why.”

Kagome hurmphed, but before anyone could speak further the sounds of something tearing through the bushes reached them. Everyone tensed, and hands reached for weapons.

Moments past as the sounds drew closer and closer, and each individual coiled tighter and tighter till the point where Miroku felt so wound he would not have been surprised if something explosively ruptured. He might not have been able to stand up, but he sure as hell could take out some knees.

The bushes some five feet away in front of Miroku quivered, and he heard a small grunt. Alir raised his sickle high, just waiting for whatever it was to make an appearance.

Rustle….

Rustle…..

Pop!< br>
Shippo blew through the bushes, and eeped in frozen throated terror as Alir’s sickle stopped a tiny centimeter from his throat.  

“Shippo!” Everyone seemed to cry out at once.
The kit was panting, his legs shook, and in his hands was a pommel and sheath that Miroku would recognize anywhere.

Tetsusaiga.

Miroku couldn’t believe it, and quickly said a small pray of thanks for whatever had allowed the kit to escape. But…why would he have Inuyasha’s Fang?

Inuyasha would never give it up unless…unless….oh no.

Unless he were dead…or perhaps….had somehow given it to Shippo before Naraku or anyone else could get their vile hands on it.

Or Shippo had merely come across it and snatched it for similar reasons.

Miroku truly wanted to be positive…but at the same time he was naturally much more realistic.

The kit had only been in the small clearing with them for a few seconds, but his eyes darted to and fro. Before anyone could move, even Kagome who clearly wanted to embrace him, the fox seemed to spot what he was looking for.

“Kirara!” He barked, voice high and desperate.

The neko’s head snapped to attention, obviously puzzled as she mewed softly at the kit. A sharp, urgent series of barks spilled out of the child, and instantly she was on her feet, transforming in a burst of flame.

“Lets go!” Shippo demanded breathlessly.

The neko surged forward with a renewed sense of purpose it seemed, lunging right for the kit.

“Kirara?! Shippo?! Wha?!” Sango fumbled.

The child hopped on the demonic feline, and Kirara took to the sky. Miroku was just able to get a hand hold on the neko before she took off and he certainly did not like hanging onto her rear for dear life with most of his body dangling at a dangerous height off of the ground.

“Shippo!” Kagome shouted. “What are you doing?! Get back here before you get hurt!”

“Naraku’s got Inuyasha!” Shippo screamed.

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< br> Sesshomaru kept one ear half tuned to the meeting at hand. He wasn’t sure how much more rambling he could take really. One would think that having a corpse drug out of the room would have tightened tongues.

But it this case it appeared that one would be wrong.

The two sides were bickering back and forth in an age old squabble of the rabble vs. the high born. All brought about by Imalia’s rise….

Sesshomaru left her to defend herself, though if this continued he was going to adjourn the meeting entirely no matter who protested.

Most of the focus had been on her and the recent changes in the castle, and quite frankly Sesshomaru was rather sick of it. The only reason he hadn’t put a stop to it already was due to the utter lack of attention he was giving them.

Both sides had a point in his eyes.

On one hand  yes…breeding was important. Purity of blood, strength of that blood…Sesshomaru was not who he was by accident. Thousands of years, and generation after generation of proper breeding had given him the raw materials to become the Sesshomaru.

But on the other hand those who could do the job should be allowed their chance. It was foolish to cast aside resources for antiquated traditions sake.

But could they actually do it? That was a popular counter…one Sesshomaru agreed with to a point.

That was what training and conditioning were for, Imalia’s side pressed. To weed out the weak and other undesirables. That Sesshomaru could also agree with.

It had always been a trial by fire after all, and those that came out deserved every bit of what they had earned.

The entire privilege vs. perseverance debate was one that Sesshomaru had opted to stay out of since the beginning of his reign. He was high born yes, but had worked  extremely hard to become what he was.

It was a common misconception by the  peasants. One of noble birth had a hundred times more that was expected of them. Especially in his own case. He had to achieve perfection. The slightest flaw would simply never do. NEVER do.

Some even had the audacity to whisper that he had never truly worked a day in his life. Bah! Had any one of them had to endure fifteen hours a day of swordsmanship? Had to practice again, and again, and AGAIN, until everything, every movement, every gesture, was perfect?

Had they ever had to pour hour after hour after hour over books thicker then ever the sturdiest armor plate until every word had been absorbed? Had they been put to the test again and again? Mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually pounded upon until there was absolutely nothing left at the end of the day.

Sesshomaru could not  recall how many times he had been carried to bed because he simply couldn’t walk, couldn’t even crawl.

Had they been punished by their teachers for any and all mistakes and failures? Did they have to endure the cane’s kiss? The cramped hand of hundreds of pages worth of written essays?

Of course not.

For they were not noble. It was not expected of them.

Sesshomaru’s thoughts drifted back to Inuyasha, and even in this context his sibling offered a puzzle.

Inuyasha had noble parentage yet had been birthed by the lowest of low in demonic society. Had not one ounce of formal training, yet who could deny the results his force, Sesshomaru refused to call what the hanyou did skill, achieved?
Traditionally he had earned nothing, yet deserved much.
Sesshomaru thought on it as he split his gaze between Garith and Imalia. He longed for a reason to restore Garith to his position. There had been  so much upheaval since that moment and Sesshomaru found himself craving the stability that he had enjoyed under his ex-right hand.

Garith was a traditionalist to be sure, and with that came complaints of course, but in Garith’s mind everyone had a place, and just because one did not like that place did not mean it was not theirs.

Such was life…no one ever seemed content to just be who they were. But Garith, like Sesshomaru himself, had been born into the position. His Father had been commander before him, serving Sesshomaru’s Grandfather. With such a pedigree Garith had worked very, very hard to live up to what was expected of him, and Sesshomaru could not remember hearing of one complaint when Inu-Taisho had chosen Garith to replace his Father.

Of course Sesshomaru couldn’t recall anyone ever complaining about anything his own Father had done.

But it wasn’t an automatic position, just because his Father had held it did not mean Garith would inherit it. He was the natural choice yes, and he rose to it. Just like Sesshomaru he had been bred for it, and every step of his life had been devoted to making his ready for it.

That was something the people just did not seem to understand. Who would anyone want for a high-responsibility position? A line up of possible candidates, each perhaps just good enough in various areas to be considered? Or someone who had been trained for it since birth?

For Sesshomaru the answer had been easy.

Which is why, when he had inherited the throne, and even had to fight for his birthright, he had kept Garith on.
That is when there had been soft grumblings. Wasn’t fair, shadows whispered, someone else should have been given a chance.

But who else was there? Garith was only a bit older then Sesshomaru himself, and had just been entering the prime he was now in at that time. He had the experience, the talent…he was everything that could be wanted.

Imalia on the other hand…yes she had led her merc band, which was now integrated into Sesshomaru’s army, but she was not the leader Garith had been. She had done more to divide the palace then anyone Sesshomaru could remember.

It had only been that ancient law that had planted her within his home. Stupid, ridiculous law…honestly…what had his ancestor been thinking? Blessedly he had been unchallenged when removing it, undoubtedly because of others fear that they too could be supplanted by a strangers beating.

But the fact was that being able to defeat Garith in single combat did not make her a competent commander. Nor did it earn Sesshomaru’s trust. He still spoke to Garith on matters of security, moral, current training, any standout recruits, and other sensitive issues.
Imalia had raised an issue at being so cut out, and yes she did have a point, the commander did have a right to know…but Sesshomaru did not think of her as his TRUE commander.

She had earned nothing, deserved nothing, and one slip up and she would be removed. She had to earn from him, he did not have to grant her anything.

As it was all Sesshomaru was waiting for was an excuse, and curiously he had the feeling that she knew that. Which bothered him….what kind of person would stay where they clearly were not wanted?

Sesshomaru found himself wondering….who would Inuyasha prefer?
Sesshomaru smiled faintly as the answer came to him. The hanyou detested them both no doubt. But he would wager that the boy would favor Imalia. At least at first anyway. Treatment and how they handled themselves around him could raise or spoil the boy’s opinion.

But Sesshomaru was fairly certain that Inuyasha would back Imalia’s victory, and thus declare her worthy of the position. Sesshomaru felt he could be mistaken of course, but Inuyasha had the same survival of the fittest mindset that had probably led to the law in the first place.

Or perhaps he was selling the hanyou short.

But no matter….Inuyasha was not here, and Sesshomaru had already made up his mind on the matter. He merely needed to speak to Garith on his decision. Politically he could not simply remove her, but he was certain that it would not take long to come across a credible, if political, reason.

She had no place in his home, and the disrespect, the lack of discipline and other undesirables had not appeared until she had taken command. In fact, had Inuyasha not so soundly beaten her Sesshomaru could have used her words towards the hanyou to oust her. But as it was Inuyasha’s retaliation had been enough.

It annoyed Sesshomaru that he simply could not be rid of her…well…he could but it would cause him headaches later on. Oh how he detested politics….

If it came right down to it…if he could not have his reason, and she would not relent…then he would kill her. No fuss…no bother…just quick death.

Sesshomaru turned his ear back to the table, and was agitated to find that they were STILL bickering.

“Enough!” He ground out, silencing the table. “You squabbling ends now…and if there is nothing pertinent to discuss then this meeting is over.”

“There is one thing the council is concerned about.” A voice at the end of the table informed.

Oh joy…whatever could this be?

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes as his attention settled on Villamil. While technically a very distant cousin of his Father, Sesshomaru had always detested the other Inu. Never mind that his bloodline was too watered down and poorly bred to have any real power, not to mention the persistent rumors of sterility. Villamil was just to devoted to playing the game.

Always had been apparently, but from what Inu-Taisho had told Sesshomaru it had really kicked into  high gear after the council had been stripped of all its real power.

A tired old man, still scrabbling after the scraps of the past. A man whose purpose was gone, if it had ever truly existed at all, and who seemed to have nothing better to do then plot and scheme in the shadows…that was all he was.

Villamil was still a gifted public orator, and greasy enough for ambassador work to be sure. But the form  was put to little true use, and he was too cowardly for the latter.

“Thrill me.” Sesshomaru quipped, not even bothering to hide his disdain, to which Villamil scowled.

“You are without a mate-”

“-Which you never cease to be silent about-”

“-and thus without and heir. You leave the castle continuously with no appointed second-”

“-My business is my own-”

“-if something were to happen to-

“-Nothing will happen to this Sesshomaru-”

“-Nothing was supposed to happen to Inu-Taisho!” Villamil shouted, slapping the table for effect. “But at least he had the sense to have you as a backup. At least he wasn’t willing to throw the west into chaos!”

There was passion there, and it seemed to affect some at the table. But Sesshomaru was hardly fooled.

“Your concern for this Sesshomaru’s wellbeing is touching.” He half sneered.
Villamil shook, putting  on a show of controlling himself, and leveled the stare of a wise elder to a foolish pup on Sesshomaru.

“Three times this year prospects have gathers, and three times you have ignored them. Do you think it funny? They come from all corners of the West, and wish to gather again. Some still remain here, dressed to please you.”

This time Sesshomaru did roll his eyes.

“They can dress to please me another time, or on their own time. This Sesshomaru is not some wandering thrall of and erection to be propositioned.”

“My Lord…” One of the others began.

“Did my Father pick my Mother out of a line up?” Sesshomaru interrupted. “Did she parade herself in front of him like a piece of meat on a hook? How low you must think of those gathered, and how low they must think of me to display themselves as such.”

That quieted the table, and earned himself an  inspective look from Imalia.

“And on the contrary….there is already an heir.” Sesshomaru stated. There was something of a soft, collective gasp.

Sesshomaru smiled inside….oh he was going to enjoy this.

“I…I was not aware that you had any bastard children.” Garith fumbled, almost as if he did not truly mean to speak.

“I do not.” Sesshomaru stated.

“Then you have mated?” Came another.

“No.”

“Then how…”

“My Father has two living sons.” Sesshomaru responded.

“The hanyou!?” Villamil squealed. “You can NOT be serious!!”

“I am simply stating facts.” Sesshomaru informed coolly, hiding his humor.

“A hanyou can not rule the West!” Came a snarl.

“I suggest that you grow used to the idea.” Sesshomaru growled back. “Because as soon as he returns he shall be officially instilled in his position.”

Sesshomaru enjoyed the dumbfounded, horrified looks on certain faces. Perhaps this meeting hadn’t been a total waste of time after all.

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T he wind whipped against Miroku’s face as he held on for dear life. He was struggling to pull himself fully onto the neko, but he was afraid to release a handhold for fear of being blown off. He had no idea how fast they were going, but it was faster then he had ever moved through the air. But Shippo seemed quite dissatisfied.

“Faster!” The kit cried out. “Go! GO!”

Kirara’s muscles tensed, and Miroku’s whole body rattled as the speed increased. They had to be at least close to two days away from Sesshomaru’s castle, and there was simply no way that they could cover that distance in the ten minutes they had been take it, no matter what Shippo wanted.

Miroku’s hands were aching, alerting him to the very real possibility that he might just fall.

“Shippo!” He cried out. “We have to slow down! I can’t hang on much longer!”

The kit turned his head, and jumped slightly. From the look on his face it appeared that he hadn’t even known Miroku had been there. Shippo popped up to his feet, and strode across the neko’s back. Inuyasha’s sword was strapped across his back using the rope the hanyou used to secure it on his hip. He adjusted the sword slightly, and then his little hands reached out for Miroku.

One hand caught his sleeve, and the other dug into Miroku’s hair. Shippo started to pull, and Miroku didn’t have any choice but to go along with it. Never mind the whole fall-to-your-death thing, if he didn’t then he would have a very large chunk of his hair torn out.

Between the two of them they managed to get Miroku’s upper body up, and then with a helpful butt thrust that really should have come earlier, from Kirara both of them skid across her back.

Shippo scampered back up to the back of Kirara’s neck, not even sparing Miroku a second thought.

When his heart finally removed itself from his throat, and he was able to do more then death grip the neko’s fur, he finally sat up. Miroku looked down, then promptly wished he had not.

It wasn’t just the distance to the ground, but the speed at which everything was zipping by. Miroku’s fingers tightened into Kirara’s fur, he did not ever remember going this fast for anything. Yet still Shippo goaded her to go faster, and even more amazingly she did just that.

It struck Miroku as odd.. He knew that the neko was more intelligent then her appearance suggested, but he had never seen her ignore Sango, or obey Shippo in such a manner. Were the three demons closer then any of their human companions had known?

But still….

“Shippo!” Miroku chided. “Don’t push her so hard! Do you want her to have a heart attack?”
Shippo growled in his childlike way.

‘We don’t have any time to mess around!”

“I understand that.” Miroku reported. “But the distance is too great. We can’t help Inuyasha if Kirara passes out and crashes!”

The neko apparently took offense to that, and snorted derisively.

“Hey! I’m just thinking about your health!” Miroku snapped. “I don’t want any more of my friends dropping on me!”
The neko’s demeanor shifted, and she made an apologetic noise.

“We still have to hurry!” Shippo insisted. “Inuyasha could die any minute now!”

Miroku’s heart ached, and he laid a hand on the kitsune’s shoulder. How did he explain that Inuyasha was likely dead already? Dead long before Naraku had gotten to him? For all they knew Naraku had simply destroyed the body, or his miasma had…or worse.

The only evidence against any of it was the sword on Shippo’s back. But even then…Inuyasha had been close to death’s door before Naraku had attacked. How long could he last in Naraku’s clutches?

Miroku shuddered, not wanting to think upon it.

“Shippo…” He started.

“…don’t care if he said he was dying. Doesn’t matter.” Miroku heard Shippo whimper under his breath. He blinked slowly, not quite prepared for Shippo to know more then he had seen.

“He…he told you?” The monk asked softly. Shippo nodded, sniffling as he did.

“W-When he gave m-me the sword.”

So…Inuyasha had been alive at that point. But was that truly a good thing? Or a bad one considering his current predicament.

“But it doesn’t matter.” Shippo stated firmly. “Because Rin told me that Sesshomaru has a sword that can bring back the dead.”
Miroku was a bit too stunned for words by that tidbit. It went against everything he had learned as a monk, everything he knew about the natural world.

Could it be?

A sword, a killing tool, that could revive the dead? How was that even possible?

Perhaps the child had been mistaken…but…Miroku DID remember hearing Totosai mention something about Sesshomaru’s sword, and he kicked himself mentally for not paying closer attention at the time.

Damn Sango’s delectable, round ass!

He had seen demonic power wreck unbelievable destruction, Inuyasha’s Wind Scar for instance, but could the reverse be true?

“To Sesshomaru then.” Miroku said firmly.

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They actually made amazing time. Nearly two days to get  where they had been and three hours to return to Sesshomaru’s castle. Kirara stumbled as she landed, cause Shippo and Miroku to nearly face plant when they barely managed to hop off before she transformed back into her smaller form.

Miroku had figured out a while back that her smaller self was far more then just for cuteness and camouflage sake. She seemed to  both greatly conserve, and rapidly regain energy in her smaller, kitten-like state.

Still…Miroku felt a pang of guilt as she panted heavily upon the ground, her little chest bouncing like a piston. He scooped the neko up, and placed her upon his shoulder. She seemed to appreciate the gesture, and the gentle scratching behind the ears.

Someone had to give her credit as Shippo was already marching his way towards the two demons standing in front of where Miroku remembered their being a bridge. Apparently it both raised and lowered, easily deductible considering it wasn’t there and he could see it over the intimidating chasm. Though it struck him as odd that there would be guards posted at all.

Then again there was probably a signal to lower the raise the intimidating gate that he remembered seeing.

“We need to  see Sesshomaru!” Shippo declared.
The two guards just stared at them, chuckling amongst themselves.

“I don’t recall any midget Lords being due today.” One of them quipped.

“Its important!” Shippo insisted. “Let us  in!”

“Beat it kid…” The other dismissed before giving Miroku an unfriendly look.

The attitude was distressing, nothing at all like what he had experienced before. Granted he had only interacted with a very small portion of the castle, it hadn’t seemed wise to wander. Still…they were only doing their job, and could see the questionable nature of a child demanding entrance. Not to mention how irate Shippo was becoming, wouldn’t help their cause really.

‘It is about Inuyasha!” Shippo shouted. “He’s in trouble!”

“Inu…yasha?”

“Lor d Sesshomaru’s younger brother.” Miroku supplied helpfully. But again came the hateful glare.

“I know who he is human.” The demon spat. “What of it?”

Miroku was a bit taken aback by that.

“He needs Sesshomaru’s’ help!” Shippo pleaded. “He could get killed!”

“Which is what should have been done the day he was shat out by some worthless human.” The other demon stated matter-of-factly. “Hanyou freak.”

Now Miroku was getting angry. No…more then angry.

“What would your Lord Sesshomaru think of something were to happen to his sibling because you denied us entrance?” He growled.

The bigger demon grinned wickedly.

“And how is he going to find out exactly?”
There was a clear threat in that. A threat that had Miroku’s brain churning.

It was going to be a gamble either way they proceeded. If they broke in and found Sesshomaru, and this was indeed information that he would want relayed…then they would be alright.

But what if…what if Sesshomaru didn’t care?

What if it had all been a ruse.

Inuyasha had been positive about the situation. Having apparently made some sort  of deal. But Miroku still had his doubts.

Few could deny that Inuyasha was severely jaded, but even with that, with all his distrust….Miroku was certain that in his heart of hearts the hanyou desperately wanted to go home, to have his last remaining family accept him.  It was enough to blind a man to things he did not want to see.

Miroku considered himself to be more objective on the subject, though more pro-Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had not proven much to him.

But he had sent guards with Inuyasha. Why would he do that if not out of concern for Inuyasha’s safety?

But could they really trust the two? Kagome’s accusation rang in his ears. They really had nothing that said the two demons could be trusted, though they had apparently saved his own life. But that still did not mean that they could be trusted…a mark in their favor for sure, but Miroku understood ruses and false faces…he used them himself enough.

He really didn’t have an answer, and could only pray that they could be trusted. Especially since he had left the two girls with them. But he could not let Shippo go off by himself, not matter how much he would worry about Sango and Kagome.

However there was little time to focus on those what ifs…he had his current life gamble to focus on after all.

Shippo was growing more and more desperate and aggressive, and the two demons were likewise, baring teeth, hands caressing weapons…not a good picture at all.

But what to do?

If Sesshomaru could be trusted then perhaps they could force their way in and somehow…fight their way to Sesshomaru if needed. Though there really was no “we” in this. It would be him fighting, Shippo was far too young to do anything other then make a run for it.
However…if Sesshomaru was not what he had been portraying to Inuyasha…then they were dead. Him, Shippo, Kirara…and Inuyasha. All dead. Not to mention that Kagome and Sango would probably follow.

Miroku closed his eyes, and prayed with all his heart.

For the wisdom to choose…..and the luck to be right.
Quite the gamble after all…which side to place his bet on?

Do nothing…and Inuyasha would be gone forever.

Try…and face the possibility of a horrible death.

“Shippo…enough.” Miroku ordered sternly. “Come here.”
Shippo grunted in protest, and started to argue. That was until Miroku opened his eyes and glared at him.

He then turned his stare to the two demons ahead of them as Shippo’s little hands touched his leg.

Miroku raised his hand slowly.

“Wind tunnel!!”

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“Hlurph!” Inuyasha retched as some horrible blood/bile mix sprayed out of his mouth. Choking and sputtering he tried to draw breath.

His mind swam and swooned….disorientated was just too mild a word for how he felt. Pain…yes there was pain.. Nothing but pain  really.

Red, raw agony in seemingly every fiber of his being. That and he was freezing…lovely.

What happened to the loving warmth he had felt some indeterminable time ago?

He could barely see out of one eye, and the other was pressed into some sort of coarse, rank bedding along with the rest of that side of his face. His shoulders felt like they were being yanked right out of their sockets and when he tried to pull his arms in they wouldn’t budge. His wrists ached, and his hands were numb.

What was going on?

Struggling mentally he managed to regain a small parcel of awareness. As it was he was flat on his face with his arms being pulled back between his legs. His feet were also tied, just like his wrists, and when he tried to at least close his legs he discovered that there was a steel bar in between them.

His back and neck, especially neck, were throbbing with pain, sending daggers down his abused spine and into his muscles.

The restrained position had his ass up in the air….and he was naked.

Totally. Utterly. Naked.

Naked with his ass in the air.

Legs spread.

Which left him…wide open in more ways then one.

The gloomy lit room smelled of death, decay, and something worse. Where was he? Why was he tied in a very compromising, helpless, position and in a room that smelled of death and rotting flesh?

He didn’t hear any screams or anything like that. But he had a moment of panic, and sheer soul aching terror that brought tears to his eyes.
Was he in hell?

Inuyasha was unable to hold back a shuddering sob.

That was it…he was in hell.

After all this time  he had finally died, been judged without even realizing it, and cast off into hell.

But why?

Was it because he had killed that man and his dog? Had eaten…..

Inuyasha gagged, the memory just as raw as the day it had occurred.

It had been an accident! He hadn’t meant to kill anyone! And he had had to eat…he had been a child! He had to survive!
Wasn’t fair! WASN’T FAIR!!

Inuyasha pulled at his bonds, but he had no strength in which to draw upon, and they barely budged. He twisted his head further to the side, cranking it even worse as he heard soft footsteps approaching.

He tried to call out, to explain that this all had to be some kind of mistake. But the only thing that would come out was more bloody bile. He couldn’t control his panic at this point, and nearly started to sob.

He didn’t deserve to be punished!

After everything he had lived through…hadn’t he suffered enough?! Didn’t he deserve some semblance of peace!? Not…not an eternity of the same!

A door opened…and Inuyasha tried to turn his head to the other side to see what was coming. But he couldn’t get his neck to turn even a fraction of an inch, and shockwaves of pain tore through it when he tried.

Inuyasha whimpered softly, unable to maintain a stoic face in the wake of all this new unknown.

“Ahhh…finally awake?” Naraku cooed eagerly. “I was rather worried that my concoction wouldn’t  work, that you would be lost to death before we could have any….fun.”

Inuyasha froze.

If this wasn’t hell…it was something close.

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IT took a few moments, and the two demons were in oblivion long before, but finally the bridge chains gave way under the force of Miroku’s Wind tunnel.

KA-THWHAM!!

The ground shook from the force of the impact, and Miroku was already sprinting across it  before he had even finished re-covering his cursed appendage. He didn’t bother letting the kit try to keep up, opting to just carry the child himself.

He didn’t know how long they had before any guards showed up. Be a flood of them no doubt. A noise that loud, in a castle as big as Sesshomaru’s fortress of holy Buddha that’s huge?

Their only hope was that it would be startling enough, rare enough, that it would take some time before anyone could mobilize.

Or better yet…mass confusion. Yeah…that could be helpful.

He had no idea where Sesshomaru might be, and the idea of a friendly face appearing was probably  too much to hope for. He hadn’t really met that many people in the caste the firs time in, and had no idea who had traveled with Inuyasha and how well they had gotten along.

Inuyasha wasn’t the most pleasant of hanyou’s at times after all.

Miroku turned the first corner he came to, hoping to maybe get away form where people would be coming from. With any luck Shippo’s nose might be able to pick up something helpful.

Unfortunately…the moment he turned that corner there were many, many metal tips of many, many sharp weapons pointed right at him.

“Oh dear…” Miroku whispered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sesshomaru was just in the process of silencing those gathered and calling a close to their adjoined business when a heavy, wall shaking crash did half of that for him. At least for a few moments before the squawking started.

“What was that?!”

“What’s going on?!”

The occupants of the table reminded him of frantic chickens fluttering around the pen. Humorous…but grating on the ears.

“Silence.” Sesshomaru deadpanned.

Comically, most did just that, knowing that his  tone generally broke no room for disobedience when it came out of his mouth. But several of them still fidgeted nervously, their eyes fluttering between him and the door to the room. Clearly unsure of what to be more frightened of.

“Is the castle under attack?” Villamil squeaked, fear causing his voice to tremble.

Sesshomaru sneered for a moment, unable to suppress it in time. The old fool had never had to bleed to accomplish anything in his life.

Imalia started to stand, but Garith’s voice stopped her.

“Our scouts and watchmen on the wall would have sent word of an invading force days ago. Whatever it is much be small. Our men can handle it, and a report is undoubtedly on its way.”

Technically Garith was right. The top ranks of the castle did not go rushing to every little disturbance, and Garth was still the captain of the guard, in charge of the castles defenses. But there was an insult in his tone, a chiding behind the words. As if Imalia was too stupid to understand simple procedure.

Still…such a thunderous calamity…..Sesshomaru would be a food to simply ignore it. Not to mention it would get him away from these gathered annoyances.



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Miroku’s shoulder nearly popped from its socket as he hurled sutras at the demons gathered in front. He didn’t actually have to throw half as he did, but there was something about an impending skewering that motivated a person. He did feel a moment of guilt as the holy symbols flared and began to burn demonic flesh.

They would live of course, no one weak enough to fall to such a small thing would last long under Sesshomaru he would bet. But it would still paralyze and burn. He had no desire to injure possibly allies  but….sharpened steel points and all that fun.

Unfortunately he still had no idea where the Western Lord was, and he certainly couldn’t ask now.. Perhaps this wasn’t such a good idea….

But Inuyasha had risked his life for all of them, Miroku’s own more then once…hell…more then ten times, so he could do no less then what the hanyou had done himself.

“Shippo can you smell any-”

“-There they are!”

Miroku whirled around, dropping Shippo and Kirara on accident as he did. Two very large demons were thundering right towards them, shaking the stone floor from the very size of them. The sound of flame bursting in the air reached Miroku’s ears from behind him, and he didn’t even have to look back to know that the neko had just transformed once again.

He didn’t have time to look back, couldn’t afford to. He did not want to fight, but he highly doubted negotiation was going to work. He gripped his staff tightly, and as the old saying went….braced for impact.

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Shippo hadn’t been prepared for such a sudden drop, and the subsequent head first impact that had seriously rung his bell. But he managed to shake it loose just in time to see Kirara drop two giant demons with a full force body check, and Miroku follow up by bringing his solid staff down upon the tops of their heads as hard as he could.

It probably wouldn’t last long, but for the moment that did the trick, they were out.

Shippo gritted his teeth in frustration. Why wouldn’t anyone listen!? Inuyasha was in trouble! And he had said Sesshomaru had promised to help. Promised! Breaking a promise was the worst thing you could do to someone, his Father had told him that many times.

Shippo wasn’t stupid though, he knew how Sesshomaru had beat up Inuyasha so many times. But that was before he made a promise!

Shippo straightened the sword on his back and tried to focus on what Miroku had said before the head-floor near merger. Something about smell…but what would be smell-oh right! DUH! Sesshomaru!

The problem was that he smelled a whole bunch of things with sorta a Sesshomaru undertone. That and the whole place smelled like Inu, not wet Inu fortunately, but it was so utterly soaked into everything that he couldn’t really get a fix on any single position.

Or so he thought it was a general Inu and Sesshomaru smell, he hadn’t made it a point to memorize the scent of the guy who generally seemed to be trying to kill them. A mistake perhaps. He couldn’t smell Inuyasha at all either, so he couldn’t even use that.

But there were so many scents in over it, so Sesshomaru couldn’t have come this way recently. A demon as powerful as Sesshomaru was almost always pouring off scent, marking everything, especially in his own home, that was unless he didn’t want to. Shippo knew that some of the higher born demons could somehow restrict their scent to a degree…even though he had no idea how they did such a thing.

“We are not going to keep getting lucky here…we need to find Sesshomaru.” Miroku stated, more to himself then anything.

Pressure….pressure. That was all Shippo could feel.

Panic.
That too was there. Panic for Inuyasha, terror over their separation, and urgency to do something about it.

But he was just a kid! What could he do?!

“Which is why you came to Sesshomaru idiot.” His brain chided.

Oh yeah.

Another nose full of air…but nothing smelled familiar! Wait…except….

“This way!” Shippo shouted urgently as he took off down the second hall on the left. He could hear Miroku and Kirara following but he didn’t look back. Somebody had to get to Sesshomaru no matter what.

“Ah!” Shippo squeaked as another demon popped out in front of him, blocking the hallway with his bulk. Thankfully he was able to dive between his legs, and from behind, only moments later, he heard the sounds of bodies hitting bodies, and then meat hitting the floor. But he kept on running, which made him feel so terribly guilty, so guilty that it hurt.

But he couldn’t fight, couldn’t really help. But if he could get  to Sesshomaru….

Another corner and he heard Kirara roar as he turned it, he wobbled, slid, crashed into a wall but managed to stay on his feet. His legs were killing him…between trying to drag Inuyasha’s  giant butt to safety, and Shippo could swear he was bigger then he had ever been, and then running for what felt like an hour before he finally found everyone, now this mad dash…he was one tired Kitsune.

But thankfully, six or so feet down the hall he saw his target.

“Rin! Rin!” He cried out.

The girl’s head  whipped around, her face first showing something of surprise, which then morphed into excitement.

“Heeeey Shippo!” She returned, smiling and waving emphatically at him.

The relief of seeing her mixed with all his physical exertion up to this point and as he stopped in front of her he couldn’t seem to catch is breath at all.

“When did you get back?” She asked cheerfully. “I thought you were going to be gone for a while.”
Shippo shook his head as he waved his hand negatively, panting all the while.

“No…ugh….help…” He gasped.

“Help?” Rin repeated quizzically. “What’s wrong?”

“Inu…in…in trouble….need….Sesshomaru…” Shippo panted. “Hurry…or -gulp- h-he’ll…b-b-be killed…”

“What?!” Rin squealed. “Killed?!”

Shippo nodded.

“Where’s Sesshomaru?”

“Rin knows where Lord Sesshomaru is!” She declared. “Come on!”

The human girl took Shippo by the hand and took off back the way he had come, dragging him behind her and just nearly missing Miroku.

“This way!” The girl cried out.

More running, seemingly endless corridors, and after a point Shippo was sure that the girl had to be lost. What was worse was that he could hear people stomping about, yelling back and forth to each other. Yelling about them. Looking for them.

He didn’t know what would happen if they were found, and something told him that having Rin around wouldn’t help at all.

Another hallway, the place was a darn maze really. He was about to ask Rin if she really did know where she was going, not to mention he could hear Miroku starting to lose his wind, when he caught a familiar flash of tail fur. A

At first he wasn’t sure, but then the scent hit him and he called out.

“Hey Atrius!”

The older blond Kitsune put on the brakes, causing himself to go slide around a corner.

“Little one?” Atrius puzzled as he stuck his head around the wall.

Shippo had only known the older Kit for a  short time before he had left with Inuyasha. But he had been really nice, and it had been great to see another Kit. Apparently he had thought nothing of slipping right  into  a kind of big brother role, something Inuyasha sort of had a times but not quite.

Rin screeched to a halt in front of the guard, and the only reason Shippo didn’t’ face plant into her back was because Miroku was quick enough to catch him by the back of his clothing.

“What are you doing here?” Atrius asked as he righted himself to stand in front of them. “Did you not leave with Lord Inuyasha? Has he returned? Never mind….it is not safe here, there is some kind of disturbance at the main gate. Come with me, I’ll get you tot the secure area.”

“Uh…well…” Miroku started, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “We are the disturbance.”
Atrius blinked.

“…Run that by me again?”

“There’s no time!” Rin shouted, startling the older Kit. “Shippo says Inuyasha’s in trouble!”

“What?”

Shippo swallowed, finally managing to catch a little bit of breath.

“Naraku’s got him.” Shippo informed. “He might die!”
Atrius blanched.

“Its true.” Miroku added. “We were attacked after Inuyasha suffered some kind of…of…I don’t’ know what. But we came seeking Sesshomaru’s aid. But the guards at the gate refused us entrance.”

“That’s right!” Shippo shouted. “They said they didn’t care! That he deserved it. So we broke in!”

“How horrible!” Rin gasped before staring up at Atrius. “Lord Sesshomaru is in the grumpy room right? We gotta go now!”

“The grumpy room?” Atrius chuckled, unable to ignore some sort of inside humor. “But yes….Lord Sesshomaru is this way…and if Lord Inuyasha is indeed in need, then we shouldn’t waste any time.”

The guard started down the hall, and Shippo found himself being drug after him by Rin once more. But inwardly he was relieved. Not only would they get to Sesshomaru, but now with a guard all the fighting would stop.
They finally came to a wide open chamber, and Shippo marveled at the sheer  size of it. He had never seen a room so big in his entire life. In fact…he would bet his last cheery loli that every hut in Kaede’s village could fit in the space and there would still be room for more.

Unfortunately he didn’t have time to admire the view for very long because the next thing he knew Miroku was crying out in shock and shoving him and Rin forward just in time to keep a truly massive hammer from crushing all three of them. The impact shook the stone floor under their feet, but the vibrations ahs nothing on the out of control pounding of Shippo’s runaway heart.

“You could have killed us!” He accused.

“That tends to happen to trespassers.” Hammer man growled.

“Now wait a minute…you have a lot of nerve.” Atrius snapped. “These are personal friends of Lord Inuyasha, and Lord Sesshomaru’s ward herself. There has been a misunde-”

“-There is no Lord Inuyasha. He’s a fucking hanyou, and that human has no place here…never did.” Hammerman interrupted.

The massive body crusher started to rise again, and Shippo tensed. But suddenly the demon lurched forward, crying out in pain as he crashed to the floor with Kirara and his back. The neko’s teeth were digging into either side of his head, and despite his flailing he couldn’t quite get a grip on her.
Then, with a tugging, jerk of her thick neck his cracked like a twig, his head twisting unnaturally way past its normal point. Even Shippo knew he was dead as a doornail from something like that.

There wasn’t much time to savor the moment as demons began to fill the giant hall, and none of them looked friendly.

They were on both sides, so escape wasn’t going to happen easily. He know that he couldn’t do much to any of the m, but he still pushed Rin behind him. Sure she was older, but darn it…she WAS still a girl after all.

“Um…trouble.” Miroku muttered.

“Indeed. Atrius responded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Through the thick walls Sesshomaru’s sensitive ears had been picking up sounds for the last several minutes. Running, shouting and the like.

In truth he would have left he room long before now to investigate the matter personally, but it was simply too amusing watching those who had bored him for son long sweat and squirm. Especially Villamil. The old dog looked like he could drop from fright any second now.

Especially when the sound began to escalate. Closer and closer, until the sounds of battle rang out from the hall outside the door.

“They’re in the castle!” Villamil hissed, his voice nearly trembling out of control. “What are we going to do?!”

“I assume you will defecate in your garments out of fear.” Sesshomaru scoffed, unable to withhold his disgust.

But the sounds of clashing metal, and the shouts of men did concern him slightly.

“Have you overstepped yourself Enyon?” Sesshomaru thought.

There was no way the Eastern army could get this far without notice. The wards would have gone off if nothing else. But a smaller group might be able to slip through…but would they be mad enough to try a direct assault on the castle?

Either way there had been no messenger, an alarming oddity at that, so Sesshomaru wasn’t about to wait. Clearly this much racket warranted his attention.

Sesshomaru rose, Imalia and Garith following suit.

“There had better be a good explanation  for this.” Sesshomaru growled.

Rin was practically breaking his hand from  ho tight she was gripping it, but Shippo could complain. Considering that they were weaving their way through battling demons, with so much steel and muscle flying around he would consider himself lucky if all he got was a sore hand out of this.
Some of the guards had sided with Atrius, and them too he guessed, but a lot of the others hadn’t. Things had become heated and unbelievably they had started to fight.

Which was how he and Rin had found themselves trying to maneuver through the mass of bodies. Rin had been pretty insistent that they use this moment to try to get to the door on the far side of the hall, where Sesshomaru should be according to the girl.

They had gotten separated from Atrius and Miroku however, so it was up to Shippo to protect her. Rin eeped in startled shock as a large demon just narrowly missed falling on top of her. She jumped forward and nearly bowled him right over, smacking him in the face with her butt.

Well…more like a hip but still….

“Ah!” Shippo cried out, jumping back and shoving Rin back with him as two wresting demons hit the ground in front of him.

Come on!” Shippo shouted as he bound over the two grappling foes, dragging Rin along with him.

Knees and feet. Knees and feet. That was pretty much all he could see.

More steel clanging, more bodies smashing together…and now he could smell blood in the air.  Pure chaos…that what it was.

But at least no one was aiming for them-axe in the face! Shippo’s brain screamed at him as eyes caught the heavy blade cutting its way through the air right towards his face.

He still had enough time to move, but if he did then Rin would get hit…and he couldn’t push her out of the way fast enough.
What would Inuyasha do?
Well that was easy…he would take it before he let one of the girls, or heck…any of get hit. But especially the girls…because…well they were girls, and girls needed to be protected.

“Gotta be a man.” Shippo thought, as he closed his eyes and braced himself.

CLANG!  

Shippo’s ears ached at the extremely sharp clash of steel pierced them. Speaking of sharp and piecing, when no axe split his skull in half Shippo opened his eyes slowly.

Atrius sword was stabbed down into stone, locking up axe that was mere centimeters from his face.

“Omigosh!” Rin gasped as she bear hugged him from behind, pulling him back away from the blades.

The two demons glared at each other, teeth bared in violent snarls as they pushed against one another’s strength.

“Lets go!” Rin hissed in his ear.

Whether or not they could get to the door without any help was debatable. But it jus didn’t’ feel right to take off without helping the person who had just saved his left.
Reaching down inside of himself Shippo called up his tiny youki. Drawing his hand back and opening it Shippo felt it spark.

“Fox fire!” He shouted as he hurled the fireball into the axe-man’s face.

“Grah!” He cried out as the ball of flame exploded on impact, sending little sparks everywhere.

Even though Shippo’s attack did little more then singe his skin the axe-man still took a step back, which gave them a little room.

“Not too bad little one.” Atrius praised “But it should be more like this.”

Atrius drew back his arm in much the same manner as Shippo had. But instead of a tiny ball of flame like Shippo’s, Atrius’s youki sparked and exploded into a sphere twice as  large as Kagome’s beach ball.

“Fox fire.” Atrius growled.

He hurled the ball, which slammed into the man, and hurled him through the air, knocking people out of the way until he hit the far wall. The ball exploded, sending sparks and flame everywhere, much to Shippo’s amazement.

He looked at his hands and wondered…could he do that one day?

There wasn’t time to ponder the future however, especially not when another demon nearly squished him, hitting the floor courtesy of Miroku’s staff.

“That’s it!” Rin suddenly shouted. “That’s the door right there!”

Shippo followed her pointed finger, and sure enough there was a big door.

On the other side of the room.

With dozens of demons in between.

Oh joy.

“How are we supposed to get that far?” Shippo asked her. “I can’t jump that far!”

“But we need Sesshomaru!” Miroku stated, shoving another attack away with his staff.

He looked at the door, then to Shippo…then back to the door.

“Grab on!” Miroku ordered as he swung his staff in a big arch. Shippo wasn’t sure what he was planning, and was just barely able to snag one of the golden rings. Then he was pulled off of his feet, the momentum yanking him up.

His grip wasn’t strong enough however, and the next thing he knew he was flung off.

Limbs flailing as he flew though the air Shippo realized where he was headed. A painful stop against a very sturdy looking door.

“Oh nice plan jerk!!” Shippo cried out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

S esshomaru had been prepared for many things as Garith opened the door. An out of breath messenger, a would-be assassin, perhaps even the Eastern Lord himself. But when a screaming kitsune child came flying into the room…he had to admit…he would not have called that.

The child hit the table, landing butt first in a water pitcher. His momentum never halted, and both him and the jug rocketed across the table, screaming the whole way. Eyes wide, mouth agape…water splashing all over the table.

What a sight.

Sesshomaru put his hand out, palming the kit’s entire torso as he brought he child to a halt. He could feel the child’s heart thundering in his chest, and it was then he recognized the head that sat between his middle and ring fingers.

It was Inuyasha’s little kit.

What was he doing here? Had Inuyasha  returned early?
The kitsune seemed dazed and when his eyes finally focused on Sesshomaru he gasped.

“Sesshomaru!” He cried out, pulling his bottom on of the pitcher with an audible pop. He squirmed free for Sesshomaru’s gasp, and admittedly Sesshomaru let him, and stood on the table. “NarakusgotInuyashayou’vegototcomequickhesgothimandInuyashasaid togotoyoucausehesdyingsoyou’vegottocomerightnow!” The kit blasted out at an unbelievable pace.

Sesshomaru blinked…he was sure that there had probably been words in that hyper fast noise…but not even his ears could separate them.

The incredible noise coming through the now open door did not help matters either.

“You two, see to whatever is the issue.” Sesshomaru ordered.

Imalia and Garith glared at each other, but nodded and stepped out, closing the door behind them.

The noise lever slightly dampened Sesshomaru turned his gaze to the child.

“Now child…would you be so kind as to repeat that. Slowly, and in actual, non-kitsune Japanese this time.”

It was then that Sesshomaru took notice of the sword strapped to  the kit’s back. Why it almost looked like-

“Naraku’s got Inuyasha.’ Shippo informed.
Sesshomaru froze, forgetting all about the sword at that moment.

“What?!” He ground out. “Explain. Now.”

Despite his tone, one that normally terrified any and all, the child didn’t even blink.

“W-We were just walking along, and Inuyasha hadn’t been looking well,  but then…then he just fell.” Shippo began, tears starting to build up in his eyes. “Then Naraku showed up, an-and everyone got scattered by those big arm things of his. I thought maybe Inuyasha had just been knocked out or something, and those two demons seemed to be keeping those slimy things attention. S-So I tried to drag Inuyasha away, but he’s just so heavy.”

Sesshomaru digested the information as the kit paused to hiccup and sniffle. Apparently arriving in front of him had been enough of a relief to cause the child to lose his put upon steel. He had to pause and examine what he had so far to keep from shaking the child and demanding answers. If Inuyasha was truly in danger then time was of the very essence.

But Sesshomaru had learned form Rin that you could not rush a young one. You had to let it come out as it could. Any forcefulness would only cause them to shut down, or become so overwhelmed that they forgot everything.

Still…why would Inuyasha just fall? A preemptive dart of some kind perhaps? But he could not help but think that it was something more, a case of the child not understanding, or lacking the knowledge of.

“I got him a little ways…but he was just too big.” Shippo insisted, almost as if blaming himself or asking for approval. “But then Inuyasha woke up. He woke up and told me that I had to go. I tried to help him, but he told me to go. He said….he said I had to come here because you promised. I’m dying he said. I said no! He was wrong! But he said it again, said that he was old and  gone. I’m dying and he said to take his sword and give it to you. Then Naraku took him, I saw it all and that’s why you’ve got to come now!”

The kit finished by unslinging the sword on his back, which he then held out to Sesshomaru. Almost automatically Sesshomaru took hold or it, and barely had to examine it to realize just what he held.

Tetsusaiga.

His Father’s iron crushing Fang, which now belonged to Inuyasha. A birthright which should have gone to Sesshomaru himself but instead had been willed to the hanyou…which Inuyasha had willed to be brought to…him.

But Inuyasha would NEVER give up his Fang, and certainly not Sesshomaru, he would not…unless….unless.

“He is hiding something.” Rang out in his head. “Said he was dying.” Came the kit’s voice.

Inuyasha agreeing so readily, being so reasonable.  Said he needed time, a truth and yet not, yet….Inuyasha knew…he knew he didn’t have that time.
Dying. Death. Inuyasha was dying. Inuyasha was dead…

Withholding it from Sesshomaru because…because….Looking at the sword had set off a chain reaction within Sesshomaru’s mind and heart, and when every puzzle piece clicked into place it sent off a terrified rage within him.

“Oh you stupid, stubborn little-ARGH!” Sesshomaru hissed, his eyes filling with red.

How could he have done it?!

Now it all made sense. The feeling that he had had, the noises he had heard when Inuyasha went off alone. The sickle, disheveled appearance of the hanyou when he had returned. Something had transpired. Something that had given Inuyasha information about his health.

Information that he had purposefully withheld.

There were no words that could describe how he felt. But his youki summed it up quite nicely. Just a throaty, raging, panic-filled scream

How could Inuyasha do such a thing? Why?

No…it didn’t’ matter right now. All that mattered was retrieving him. He could blister the hanyou’s bottom later. When he was safe and healthy.

Jamming the sword into his belt alongside his others Sesshomaru scooped up the kit, allowing him a never used before perch on his shoulder, and strode over to the box on the wall. Wrenching it open Sesshomaru curled fingers around the thick, multicolored rope and  yanked it hard enough that popped..

If Inuyasha was in dire straits he would undoubtedly require medical attention. With that Sesshomaru was headed out the door, his focus of suppressing the emotions exploding inside of him.

But when he got out side the room it was clear that wasn’t going to happen.

Chaos…one giant cluster of demons all battling it out with one another. Imalia and Garith were on either side of the door, ordering it all to cease, grabbing demons and dragging those that they could out of the fray.
Sesshomaru was already fighting a whirlwind of anger, worry, and panic…but this…his own soldiers fighting within his own home? No invading army, no nothing. Just a battle royal between those who should very well have known better.

It gave Sesshomaru’s boiling rage a crack in which to seep through, and a crack was all that was needed.

The kit was pushed right off of him by the pulses of Sesshomaru’s leaking youki, and Shippo was smart enough not to draw attention to himself.
Reaching out Sesshomaru wrenched at the first head he caught a hold of. One mighty twist and the weak neck gave with an audible crack. Seething with rage Sesshomaru tossed the corpse to the floor  like a broken doll. Those near him heard the sound and looked…and immediately paled. They stopped instantly, a wise move, but the bulk of the fighting did not…and that only served to enrage him further.

Enough! Is what he meant to say when he opened his mouth.

But the only thing that came out was a booming roar that shook the very walls.

That got their attention at long last. A wide eyed, open mouth, crap in ones pants kind of attention.

What is the meaning of all this?! He wanted to scream, but he was far too busy trying to control himself and not kill those assembled. It wasn’t just the shocking lack of discipline, but more of the immediacy of the situation. He did not have time for this. Inuyasha did not have time.
Every second he spent  dealing with this was a second taken away from Inuyasha’s care…and that had his youki going absolutely berserk.

“Lord Sesshomaru!” He heard Rin call out.
Scanning the clustered faces with eyes that cause even the most hardened demons to cower he finally found her, wedged protectively between Atrius and Inuyasha’s monk.

He really didn’t think his ire could possibly raise any higher, but it did.

Rin was in the middle of all this?!

“Explain.” Sesshomaru snarled, his voice having the same pitch as rocks being churned. While it took a few moments but soon a brave soul stepped forward.

“Beg pardon milord, but this human managed to tear down the front gate, some dark magic no doubt…and killed Ril and Telk in the process. He attacked us milord….everything kind of snowballed from there.”
Sesshomaru turned his head ever so slightly to stare at the monk. How could a human possibly do anything to the armored front gate?

Wait…Sesshomaru flicked his eyes to the monk’s hand. He had seen it in action once…but hadn’t thought it held that kind of power.

Still….in a way it pleased him on a primal level. The monk belonged to Inuyasha, and if his brother was wise enough to choose such companions then it boded well for Sesshomaru’s plans for him

“It would not have been necessary if they would have allowed us entrance. Miroku protested acidly. “We came here for help, and they only mocked us!

“That still does not explain this bedlam.” Imalia growled, glaring at Atrius.

To his credit the kid didn’t flinch.

“Some of us known our duty to our Lords and their charges.”

Sesshomaru caught the meaning of the kit’s words right away. Someone had attacked Inuyasha’s kit, or the monk and Atrius must have intervened or come across it, and then tensions began to snowball.

“There’s not time for this!” Rin cried out. “Shippo says Lord Inuyasha is in trouble!”

That was true…there was no time for any of this. He needed to leave. NOW.

“You are all dismissed.” Sesshomaru growled viciously. “But do NOT think this behavior will be forgotten or forgiven.”

Sesshomaru was almost amused when he turned  around and spotted heads hesitantly poking out of the meeting room.

Cowards.

“I will be taking my leave.” Sesshomaru stated as he glared at Imalia. “I expect this disrespect to be taken care of. Thoroughly.”

Whatever, if anything, she might do would only be a warm-up to Sesshomaru himself. He could promise that.

But he did not want anyone  resting easy during his absence. Oh no…not at all.

The hall was slowly emptying, various demons slipping out when they thought he wouldn’t notice. Too frightened to move when dismissed of course, might draw unwanted attention.

None of this had happened before, would have happened before, Imalia had arrived. She had been responsible for training as of late. She had been the one who split what had been one into two clashing factions.

Quite frankly Sesshomaru was beyond sick of it all. Which led him to his next point of order before he would take his leave. He turned, taking a breath as he prepared to speak when a horrified, heartbroken moan reached his ears.

His eyes flicked to the side, and there was Garith…collapsed on the ground, cradling a body in his lap. Sesshomaru knew instantly that it was the owner of the neck he had snapped. But he hadn’t really noticed who it had been. Garith’s reaction however, clearly informed him that it was none other then his son, Garan.

What luck.

As Sesshomaru approached Garith raised his head, his eyes red not with youki but with tears. It was a devastated, betrayed look.

“Why?” Garith whispered.

No real reason in truth. Bad luck on the boy’s part.
Sesshomaru hadn’t regretted demoting the boy, he was a poor solider all told. But Garith was a friend and Sesshomaru had no desire to harm him. Garith had already twisted the boy’s head back around, one less step to take then.

“Move Garith.” Sesshomaru ordered.

Garith’s eyes narrowed in confusion, and he clutched tighter at his son’s body.

Not having time to argue, too much had been wasted already, Sesshomaru simply hauled Garith up by the back of his armor and shoved him against the wall. Garith snarled, and drew his hands up as Sesshomaru unsheathed Tenseiga.

Not feeling like beating his old friend senseless, Sesshomaru swung as soon as he saw the little imps surrounding the body. A flash of light exploded in the air as they were ton asunder.

The effect was instantaneous as always.

Before Sesshomaru could even sheath the blade Garan had gasped and rose up, coughing and rubbing at his throat.

Garith made a sound that made relief too mild a word to use to describe it, and dove for his son, embracing him tightly. Garan looked disorientated, no surprised really…he had been dead only moments ago. But again…there was no time.

“Be thankful for your Father boy.” Sesshomaru growled. “You have a great deal to live up to, and you shame him with your actions.”

Again Sesshomaru hauled Garith up, but this time he did not just push him aside for room. Instead he drug the man away from everyone else and into a nearby empty room.

Garith no doubt did not appreciate being manhandled so, but there was no time. His youki was already SCREAMING for him to go, go, GO!

One more thing, as much as it pained him, he had to set this up.

How long had it been since the kit’s declaration? Five minutes? Seven?

Garith started to protest as he yanked himself free.

“Silence.” Came Sesshomaru’s fierce whisper.

It pained him to speak so to his old friend, but urgency demanded it.

“I have little time to spare. But I wish for you know that I did not single out your child by design. Beyond that, whilst I am gone it is my desire that you watch Imalia. Watch her Garith. I am beyond sick of this behavior and disrespect for my house. This never happened before….so watcher her Garith. Give me a reason. One reason and your position will be restored. Understand?”

Garith nodded.

“Yes sire.”

Garith only got about half of that out of his mouth when Sesshomaru started to turn. No more distractions, no more discussions, it was time to GO.
Sesshomaru did not even stop moving to pluck the kit up, he would need a guide after all,  and he tucked the child under his arm even as his strides grew quicker.

“You cannot leave Sesshomaru!” He heard Villamil cry out. “You’ve only just returned! There are matters that require your attention here. Your place is here!”

“My brother requires my aid.” Sesshomaru replied automatically. “And I do not require your permission. “He added.

“You-”

“Learn to control your tongue old dog. Lest you lose it.”

The kit squirmed under his arm as he stepped out onto the nearby balcony, obviously uncomfortable with the sheer amount of youki swirling around them.
Sesshomaru focused, willing all of his power into one purpose. Light exploded around them, and then the ball of lightning that was Sesshomaru rocketed through the air.

“I’m coming little brother.” He thought. “I’m coming.

To be continued.

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