Vol. I "After His Death"
Chapter 1 "Requiem"Standing in the charred smoldering rubble of what once was a huge magnificent mansion was an armored Yokai looking amongst the cinders and ashes in a futile attempt to find survivors. As he flipped over large charred timbers, he eventually saw the obi belonging to a fallen daiYokai. Before the Yokai could recover the body, his dog-ears perked hearing a woman weeping in from behind. When he turn around, he saw a woman cloaked in a red robe on her knees holding onto a newborn, which the newborn reeked of the stench of her and daiYokai. His eyes narrowed as he walked towards her, and he frowned not sure how to console the woman after losing her most cherished lover. He gently put his hand on the woman's shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "Are you Lady Izayoi?" he asked firmly. She looked up at him and nodded before there was a gust of wind. He looked back briefly smelling humans nearby, and he glared back at her. "You mustn't be here...Takemaru's men are still here…" he spoke severely to her.
She looked deep into his golden eyes, and she stared into them for a few moments before she gulped and nodded. "Forgive me, but I don't know where else to go. I don't have the strength to run" she said timidly.
The Yokai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "It doesn't matter…I will protect you" he said before he looked at the baby. "Is this my brother?" he asked as he pulled the blanket away from the baby's face. The baby had the same silver hair and dog- ears as his before he beamed with pride.
Her eyes widened with worry as more tears welled up. "Which one are you?" she asked weakly. She looked away cringing while praying it was the good brother.
He looked at her confused before he stroked the infant's face. "I'm InuGenki" he said giving her a faint smile. She let out a sigh of relief and exhaustion, while he stroked the baby's dog-ears.
She smiled at the sight beginning to trust him more. "I'm sorry…I just never seen any of my dearest's children other than my son" she said before she looked down at her precious. "You and InuYasha do look alike" she said cheerfully. She noticed that the Yokai was very distracted and knew straight away that trouble was near.
He looked back at her and wrapped an arm around her escorting her down the path. "You and InuYasha must come with me...and hurry" he said sternly.
She gulped. "Right" she muttered with a nod before draping the red robe over the infant.
"Stay close..." he told her while taking her hand.
He guided her away from the wreckage, while she got the baby settled down. "I'm sorry, but you'll have the time to mourn later...If Sesshomaru finds him, he'll kill you both" he said.
She clutched her son tightly crying into him as they hid out in a hollowed out log. InuGenki sat at the entrance standing guard facing away giving her the opportunity to breastfeed her child. She looked up at him and studied his silhouette. "Thank you…I don't think I could have made it without your help" she said before she covered up her breast and slug her baby around her back in a wrap. She crawled up to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind resting her cheek into his back. "I'm freezing" she said.
Chapter 2 "Father's Will"Several hours later, two old Yokai approached a giant dog beast in the middle of the woods. "Master InuGenki what are you doing here?!" the flea Yokai cheered.
InuGenki looked up at him annoyed, but Izayoi poked her head out from behind his tail. They could hear InuYasha begin to cry out, which they grew excited. "I was worried that you'd freeze to death out here milady" the sword-smith Yokai said before he looked directly at InuGenki. "I have an heirloom to give the boy" he said before he looked at her sternly. "Let me see the boy..." he requested.
She looked at them worried as she pulled her child out from her sling. "What's he going to do?" she asked nervously.
"Please be calm, milady. The Master had instructions for us to carry out in the event of his death" The flea Yokai said as the sword-smith took InuYasha and held out a black orb to the infant's right eye. The orb floated up, and it was absorbed into the child's eye, while the he started scream out in discomfort.
He smirked muttering in relief, "Well, now that's done..." He handed InuYasha back to his mother which she gently took her son into her chest rocking him in her arms to quell his wailing. InuGenki reverted to his human form and wrapped his arm around her.
"What's going to happen now?" she asked as she continued to rock her baby.
The three Yokai looked towards the ground, which InuGenki looked the most devastated amongst the three. He stood up and looked at them. "I'll take care of Sounga..." he said.
The sword-smith growled. "Don't be so foolish! That sword is way too dangerous for someone your level!" he yelled.
He looked back and growled loudly. "Father told me what to do with it...Just have a little faith in me just as he did" he said calmly.
"I don't doubt you know what to do with it…you just need to get stronger before you handle it. I wouldn't want to see the sword's power corrupt you" he said before InuGenki stood up defiantly. "Damn it! Will you listen to me!" the sword-smith shouted. They others watched helplessly as he flew towards the sword in the rubble. "You idiot! Come back here!"
Once he landed, he grabbed the sword, and the sword tried to possess InuGenki after he pulled it from its sheathe. To the others shock and the sword's chagrin, the sword failed to possess him as the purple tentacles were repelled by electricity.
"No way!" The sword-smith yelled.
InuGenki gulped realizing this was probably a mistake as he had to exert a lot of Yoki to combat the sword's. "I'm impressed boy! But, you won't last long!" the sword spoke.
He slung the sword over his shoulder and looked at them with a glare before Saya, the sheathe spoke harshly at him, "What are you doing!? Put Sounga back before it's too late!" InuGenki growled in frustration before he sheathed the sword, which Saya made a sigh of relief. "It's fortunate to see you here Lord InuGenki. Since you're able to handle Sounga, I have a favor to ask of you"
"A favor?"
"Yes, I want you to take us to that Bone eater's well in Musashi Province"
"What are you nuts? That's Sesshomaru's domain!"
"That's why I want you to do it! At least you can conjure Sounga's power. He won't dare think twice about crossing our path" Saya finished before InuGenki took flight. He landed near sword-smith Yokai, which he was trying to help Izayoi onto his three eyed bull. "Things are going to turn out alright after all" Saya chimed.
"That was incredible milord! You're just as powerful as your father" the flea Yokai said.
The sword-smith Yokai stuck his nose up and closed his eyes smugly. "Hardly, he's still just a pup compared to him. He's going to have to do a hell of a lot more than wield Sounga to get a nod from me" he scoffed as he crossed his arms over his chest. InuGenki shot him an ominous leer which unnerved the sword-smith. His Yoki flared up, and it frightened everyone making the baby cry out in fear.
"You best not get on his bad side right now. He's just as strong as Lord Sesshomaru" the flea Yokai warned.
"I'm well aware of that, Myoga, but even Lord Sesshomaru is nothing compared to their father" Totosai said sternly.
Izayoi rocked her baby, which he settled down once InuGenki relaxed. "Oh my…I've seen that look before. Must run in the family, doesn't it, Totosai?" Izayoi said before she giggled to herself.
After he managed to calm himself down and looked at the group sternly. "I must go now " he said. He walked by Izayoi and smiled faintly at InuYasha reaching up to rub behind his ear.
She frowned at him. "Just don't hurt yourself, okay? He's going to need you when he's older. I'm only human after all" she said.
"I'll be sure to have Myoga check in with you. If anything bad happens, I'll step in" he said after he heard his little brother coo.
"Thank you, milord" she said bowing to him.
"Well, I'll be taking her off to her estate. I would like to give you a memento from your father, so please visit me once you're finished your errand" Totosai said.
"A memento?"
"It's a surprise…so hurry up if you want to find out what it is"
"Alright then. Well, Sayonara" he said before he leaped into the air and flew off. A contrail followed behind him as he flew off into an approaching rainstorm. He stared into the cloud as it symbolized the melancholy inside. Flashbacks of his last conversation with his father flooded his consciousness as the rain pelted his face.
Chapter 3 "Father's Secrets"InuGenki started to fly low and eventually he landed beginning to run through the trees concealing his cargo on his back. Saya's spirit sat on top of his shoulder and looked down at him curiously. "You know…For as much time you've spent with your father, we've never gotten to talk much, you and I"
InuGenki continued on, but he slowed his pace giving some of his attention towards Saya. "I want you to know something. It's about why your mother and father grew apart from each other" Saya said.
"It's wouldn't have anything to do with father preferring me would it?" he said.
"Well…it's a little more to it than that. He did not prefer you. He cared for you both just as equally. The fact in the matter is, he knew about your potential since you were born. In his words, he believed that you were created first, but Lord Sesshomaru came out first. He knew you were just as strong as Lord Sesshomaru. Your father grew more and more frustrated with your mother only focusing on him. She didn't see the point in teaching you how to be a ruler. He would argue with her tooth and nail that it would be irresponsible to neglect you.
He saw what it did to you. Trying to prove that you were just as strong as Lord Sesshomaru was like trying to herd cats. You stopped caring to put any effort into sparing matches with anyone. He took it upon himself and focused on you just to motivate you. It irritated him greatly to see wasted potential" Saya explained.
InuGenki reached up to rub the side his head cringing at memory when his father wacked him on the head before he was given a stern lecturing. "Keh, well, at least I turned out decent" he said.
"That you did. You turned out like your father in more ways than one" Saya remarked before he got in front of InuGenki's view. "I have something to ask you. Did you ever make love to a human before?" he asked.
InuGenki stopped abruptly and his eye twitched. "Why the hell do you want to know a thing like that?"
"Oh nothing. I just don't know if you preferred humans over Yokai"
"As long as she cooks me a big meal and strokes my ego, I don't care if she's a human, yokai, or shinigami" InuGenki mumbled.
"You sure that's the only thing you want her to stroke?" Saya remarked.
InuGenki rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why do you ask such a stupid question?" he grumbled continuing on.
They got to a clearing in the woods near the well. "Whew, I thought we would have encountered Lord Sesshomaru by now. We're very lucky"
InuGenki walked through the woods and looked around cautiously. "Well, all he has to do is wait for me to throw you in" he added.
Saya chuckled to himself. "That's true…but he's not that much a coward!" He shouted back hoping that he was listening in. He looked to InuGenki and beamed with pride. "You are one of the only ones I know who can hold their own against the master and make him got all out sometime. Remember what he told you, It doesn't take the strongest to win a battle…all it takes is a little strategy. Speaking of which, I have some important information about Tensaiga that you'd might like to hear. You see that sword cannot cut something in this realm" he advised him.
"I already know that" InuGenki muttered as they drew near the well.
"Oh, you did? Well, Tetsusaiga…" Saya said before InuGenki roared out.
"I know everything about Tetsusaiga also!"
"Not Everything…" Saya muttered under his breath. "You know…this is not the first time I've been in this well" he continued on.
InuGenki looked down the dry well, and he could smell the corpses of slain Yokai. "What's your plan?"
"Whenever Yokai's corpse was thrown into the well, it would vanish" Saya explained, but InuGenki interrupted again.
"I can still smell dead Yokai in there. They aren't gone if I can still smell 'em"
"This well is a portal to another world. The only yokai who have traveled in this well was your father, but I only tell you this for one reason only, for I'm intending to keep Sounga sealed for seven-hundred years until we find a way to deal with it. Surely by then, you'll be plenty strong enough to wield it without any effort. If some kind of crisis should arise, I'm sure you will be able to retrieve Sounga there" Saya muttered before the spirit looked back at him. "Well, It looks like this is goodbye for now" he said before InuGenki dangled the scabbard over.
"Yea…see you in seven-hundred years then" InuGenki said before he dropped the sword and scabbard. He watched it plunge into the darkness, and then a bright beam of purple light shot into the sky.
"Farewell!" Saya's voice echoed.
InuGenki heard footsteps behind him and creaking of a bow. He looked back at a priestess aiming her arrow at him. He glanced back at her annoyed to have a weapon pointed at him. She had fair skin and was very beautiful.
"What are you doing to our well?" she shouted as her bow strained.
"I'm not here to cause discord. I was sent here according to my father's last wishes" he said.
The priestess lowered her bow and let out a sigh of relief. "I believe you. The great evil I sensed has passed" she said before she stowed her arrow into her quiver. "You look familiar. You're a Tiangou, are you not? I've never seen you around here before. Was he your father?" she asked.
"If you're referring to the Inu no Taisho, then yes, I am one of his sons" InuGenki said.
"One of? He had more than one son?" she gasped.
"Yes, I'm one of three. Sadly, father passed away protecting his newest child"
"I'm sorry to hear that" she said as she slung her bow over her shoulder. "Why don't you come join me for tea" she said before she turned her back on him. She did her best to hide her blush, but he saw her infatuation as clear as day.
"I would love to" he said lowly.
Chapter 4 "InuGenki and the Miko"As they entered the village, some of the villagers working in the rice fields watched on curiously, but they went back to work after seeing them enter the tea house. Inside he waited for her to prepare an impromptu tea ceremony. He examined her figure from head to toe, which it reminded him of an old flame back when he was very young. She looked back at him frantically trying to make everything presentable "My apologies, I know this isn't much to what you're used to, but…" she said before InuGenki interrupted.
"You're doing alright. You're doing quite well with what you have, and I appreciate your gesture" he said.
A light smile came onto her lips, and she bowed to him. "Thank you, milord" she said before she looked up to him happily. "By the way, my name is Mitsuki." she said as sat on her knees beside him. She touched his hand curious to see how he would react to her advances.
He turned his hand and held onto her's reciprocating her sentiments with a warm smile, which she almost squealed with excitement. "My name is InuGenki" he told her.
"You are very young and handsome, Lord InuGenki" She said staring down Kosode getting a good view of the definition of his impressive pectorals as he removed his armor.
"Heh, Thanks, you're quite beautiful yourself" he said before he realized what she was doing and gave her a good look at his muscular arm raising it up and letting the sleeve slide up. He flexed and slid the sleeve even farther showing her his bicep. She covered her mouth and started giggling at him.
"Oh my…you're even bigger than I thought" she said reaching over to touch it and his chest.
Suddenly a group of women fell in through the door and piled on top of each other. InuGenki stared at them strangely as Mitsuki was caught fondling his bicep and a hand tucked into his collar contacting the bare skin of his pectoral.
The women realized what was happening and they stood up bowing to them. "Forgive us, milady! We were curious about the handsome stranger you brought with you…is he staying here for long" they said.
InuGenki laughed rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "You know what I am don't you?"
They giggled. "A Kami of course!" one said.
Before he could say anything else, Mitsuki covered his mouth instantly and smiled. "You are right! I'm asking him to protect our village! Now please give us some privacy!" she said firmly albeit passive-aggressively. He nodded with her hand over his mouth, and they all got the hint and left.
She took in a deep breath and sighed heavily before she went back to preparing the ceremony. "Bothersome hens" she said calm and collectively with her back turned towards him as she started to whisk the tea aggressively in gritting her teeth in frustration.
After the tea and meal was presented to him, she sat her hands into her lap and looked up to him curiously. "If you don't mind me asking, what where your father's last words to you, Lord InuGenki?" she asked.
(•••)
He recalled back to meeting his father on the snowy shores of Sado Island. The thought of his father being in such a condition made his stomach churn. He remembered it vividly, and he told her the story.
"Your wounds...what happened?" he muttered.
His father did not bother to look back at him as he reflected on his life. "Don't worry about me...InuGenki" He said wearily.
InuGenki clenched his fist and growled. "I would have helped you with Ryukotsusei...had I known he'd give you that much trouble" he said.
His father smiled faintly. "It was my fight not yours anyway…I got careless, nothing more" he said before he sighed heavily holding his side in pain. "I want you to watch over everything for me...while I'm away" he said calmly.
InuGenki's eye twitched at that notion. "What? What do you mean everything?" he muttered in disbelief.
His father looked off into the ocean. "You know as much as I do that I won't survive these wounds for much longer..." he said plainly.
InuGenki frowned. "I don't believe that! You are going to her aren't you?" he asked.
His father sighed heavily before he suddenly coughed up blood. "If you had a choice to lay around and lick your wounds or give your life up to save another's life...would you pick the latter?" he inquired.
InuGenki looked at the blood on the ground and grew angry. "I don't understand why I can't help you. I know how to use both Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga. I can save her while you rest!" he shouted.
His father grew impatient with him. "No! I know when I don't have enough energy to recover from these wounds. I'm not going to fight Yokai…it's just simple humans" his voice boomed.
InuGenki bowed to his father. "I won't let your sacrifice be in vain" he said firmly.
His father looked up and smiled. "You've made me proud InuGenki…" he said before he drew Tetsusaiga. InuGenki looked up at his father surprised before he took it from him. "But there is one thing you can help me with. I want you to put a barrier on Tetsusaiga for me" he said with confidence.
Myoga were both stunned. "What are you thinking? InuGenki won't place that strong of a barrier" he yelled.
The father looked at the flea Yokai intensely. "The barrier on Tetsusaiga shall be based off InuGenki's Yoki and not mine. If was based on my power it would break once I die. As InuGenki gets stronger, so will the barrier. Only InuYasha is meant to wield it" he said.
InuGenki's concentration was broken to this news, which he raised an eyebrow. "InuYasha?" he asked.
The father smiled happily. "He's your little brother...take care of him for me" he said.
InuGenki cracked a slight smile and laughed as he regained his composure. "You've already picked a name for him? How do you know it's a boy?" he said as his hands started to glow. Brilliant yellow electricity arched around the mighty sword and soon after it pulsated and hummed.
His father nodded. "Izayoi picked the name if our child was a boy. Toki if our child was a girl" he said as InuGenki handed Tetsusaiga back to him.
"I can tell by the taste of a woman's blood whether she's having a boy or a girl" Myoga chimed in.
The father chuckled at this and stowed Tetsusaiga away. "I heard you commissioned for Totosai to forge a fang of your own. I have to admit it's going to be a beauty when it's done...great design and ability too..." he said before he grabbed his chest in pain. He started to frown remembering his own plight. "All I ask of you is to get rid of Sounga, establish your own land, keep an eye on InuYasha, and produce me many grandchildren" he said with a big smile.
InuGenki stared at him speechless before he nodded slowly. "Right...you coming Myoga?" he asked as he walked up to them.
"No...I need a few more moments with master" he said.
His father reached up to pat him on the back. "You've made me proud, my son. Go to your mother and tell her the news" he said before InuGenki nodded.
"Thank you, for everything…Father" he said. He transformed into his giant dog beast form and flew off leaving behind a contrail. He growled lowly seeing Sesshomaru ahead, which their eyes met, and it felt like years instead of seconds for the time it took to pass each other.
(•••)
He snapped out of his flashback, and he looked around to see where he was. He noticed the priestess snuggled up to him with her hand slid underneath his kimono rubbing his chest. "So what am I?" He pondered.
She reached up to touch him on the cheek to make him look at her. "You're your father's legacy" she said as she reached under his collar to rub his chest. "You're by far the strongest Yokai I've ever encountered, Lord InuGenki; you're most likely the strongest one I will see in my lifetime" she said hoping to boost his confidence.
She cozied up to him and smiled thoughtfully. "Do you like children?" she asked clutching onto his chest looking into his eyes deeply.
He stared into her eyes confused and gulped. "I don't mind them…" he said before two girls young rushed in with bows in hand.
The eldest girl shouted, "Mommy, mommy, mommy! I did it!" Her eyes went wide seeing her mother on top of a Yokai getting cozy with him. She trembled feeling his immense Yoki, which she did not understand why her mother would not be afraid of him.
"Mommy? Who's that?" the youngest daughter asked unaware of his Yoki.
Chapter 5 "The Guardian and Protector"Mitsuki was once again caught trying to romance with the young yokai lord this time with her daughters. She introduced InuGenki to them patting his chest endearingly. "He's a very good friend" The priestess said with a giggle.
"But Mother! He's a yokai! How can he be our friend?" her eldest protested.
She hoped that InuGenki had a good temperament towards children like he claimed. "Don't think of good and bad as black and white. Learn to judge someone on character and not looks. You never know when you can make powerful allies with someone. Lord InuGenki here is the son of the Great Dog Yokai, and he has that same benevolent yoki" she said patting his chest again.
"You have children?" InuGenki asked.
"Yes…My husband died in a war before my youngest was born. It's really hard raising two girls on your own and do my duties" she said with a hint of exhaustion.
He glanced at them and smirked. "Your mother is very tired. Why don't you pick some herbs?" he asked.
They bowed to him and ran off before he chuckled to himself. "Cute kids…" he said before Mitsuki sighed happily in agreement. He smiled at her. "You're quite young to have this many children" he said.
She smiled with a very bright red hue to her face. "Thank you…you know…I really wish you were human. You make really good company" she said before she looked up at him embarrassed. "It's difficult to find a good man. They just don't want to deal with someone else's children" she said.
"I don't find 'em much of a problem. Maybe I could learn a few things" he said before she giggled at him. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing…I just thought I misheard you. Did my ears deceive me or did you just agree to being their father?" she said.
"Hmm, I guess I did" he said while putting his hand to his chin. "We are friends after all" he said before he chuckled to himself lightly seeing to eyes peering in from the threshold. "I know you are there" he raised his voice in amusement. The two girls flinched and ran away, but their mother smiled cheerfully.
"I've been always weary about taking them out to exorcise their first yokai. I know that you can give them proper advice and guidance, milord" she said before she bowed to him.
"I think I can give you help with that" he said.
After they consumed the food and tea, he stood up. "Must take my leave now" he muttered as he dusted himself off. "I have business to attend to, but I shall return whenever I can" he said before he went to his armor. She gathered up the bowls and utensils putting them onto a tray, and she smiled at him bowing to him. "Thank you, milord" she said before she left the tea house with him. She watched him leap up into the sky and turn into a large dog beast running across the land, which her two daughters both saw him gasping in shock.
"He's huge!" Her eldest shrieked.
Mitsuki smiled watching him satisfied with her new friend. "Well of course he is…he might be even bigger than his father" she remarked before she looked towards her daughters. "Tiangou are said to guard the gates of heaven. They can grow so massive that they can swallow the moon and sun"
"But, I thought they were also the harbingers of war" Her eldest daughter asked.
Her mother laughed. "No, no! That's a Tengu! Tiangou are from the mainland and much better looking. You'll find out the difference in time" she said before she looked back at the speck in the sky. "It is also said his father could open the gates of hell, bring back the dead, and kill a hundred yokai with one stroke of his blade. You wouldn't want to get on the bad side of that particular yokai would you?"
Her daughters both gulped and shook their heads, and she sighed happily going to wash her tea set. "At least he'll bring me piece of mind should Lord Sesshomaru were to show up"
"Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Yes, he is next in line to control the Great Dog Yokai's lands. I have heard that he's doesn't see humans as favorably as his father. I can't sleep well knowing that some like him could be in charge. At least with Lord Toga, things were more stable for us…without him…we're going to have to partner with yokai like Lord InuGenki to keep us safe" she said simply. She gave her daughters a stern glance. "Know that he will outlive you, I, your children, your grandchildren...I do this for our family's sake" she said.
Chapter 6 "Father's Gesture"Meanwhile, InuGenki had made his way to Totosai's home in the volcanic wastelands to the west. The smell of sulfur was strong and almost suffocating. Totosai was hard at work with a sword, which InuGenki stopped outside waiting for him to reach a stopping point. Totosai soon stopped hammering and set the blade aside. "Well, well, well…if it isn't the famous InuGenki?" he said sarcastically.
InuGenki looked around and crossed his arms over his chest. "You said father left me something, old man?" he asked.
"Oh yes that, I almost forgot" Totosai mumbled before he went to the back of his home and pulled up a cloth unveiling the Great Dog Yokai's armor hanging on a stand catching InuGenki off guard. InuGenki stared at the armor stuck in a trance at this seemingly surreal moment. "Wow, thank you" InuGenki said bowing to him and the armor. He started to remove his own armor, and Totosai opened a chest and pulled out vambraces, gauntlets, armored boots, and sash all belonging to the Great Dog Yokai presenting them to him.
He tried them on before he slid his father's armor on. He changed from intimidating to terrifying, and he adjusted some straps on his vambrace, gauntlets, and armored boots.
Totosai stared at him and stroked his chin smirking. "Well, you may not have gotten one of his fangs or his land, but I'll have to admit that he was right about his armor looking best on you. You almost look just like him" he said before he cleared his throat nervously about bringing up a touchy subject with him. "Your mother has his clothes at the castle" he said before he went back to his job.
InuGenki sighed wearily and set his old armor aside before he started to walk off. Once he got to the front of the cave, Totosai randomly called out, "…InuGenki?" which InuGenki stopped and looked back at him as Totosai set his hammer aside once more and stared at the sword looking at him indirectly through the reflection. "You're a good kid" he mumbled lowly before he started blowing fire onto the blade.
InuGenki stopped and looked at him strangely. "What happened? Why did you bring that up?" he asked.
"What you've done for Lady Izayoi and little InuYasha…You've earned the right to wear that armor in my eyes. I'm proud that you aren't seeking Tetsusaiga's power. Rumor has it, most of your father's allies are very upset with Sesshomaru's foolishness. If I were you, I would talk to them. They are very powerful allies to have. Your mother has been telling them on your behalf that you're ready to lead them" Totosai rambled.
InuGenki was most confused to this and took a couple steps closer not believing what he had heard. "Mother? Why would she want to have anything to do with me?" InuGenki asked coldly.
"Your mother does inquire with about your development. She knows what happened during the Panther tribe invasion, and she was very impressed" he said before InuGenki interrupted him.
"Does she think that I'm just going to forget her neglect?" he raised his voice crossing his arms over his chest.
"Neglect? Hmmm, that's a very strong word to use. She didn't abandon you after you left her womb. I know she gave Sesshomaru more attention…and favored him…" Totosai rambled before he noticed InuGenki glaring at him.
"And your point is!?" he growled.
"My point is, she's still your mother. She was young when she had you two. We all make mistakes…especially when we were young" Totosai advised him.
InuGenki paused and looked at the ground thinking to reflecting on what he said. "Big wounds take a longer time to heal" he said before he walked off.
"Your mother wishes reconcile with you. She is doing her best to keep your father's lands from falling apart. You need to let it go Lord InuGenki!" Totosai told him as he left.
InuGenki flew off and lost in thought. "She only wants to reconcile with me because she doesn't want to lose her comfortable way of living" he said.
"Master, she has wanted to speak with you since your fight with the panther tribe, but you were just too stubborn to go" Myoga chimed in.
InuGenki growled and caught on to what was going on. "Tch, this is one of his damn tests isn't it? He wants me to talk to her"
"I don't believe it's a test Milord. Your father has told you more than once to visit her more often. You only chose to go out of your way to avoid her" He corrected him.
InuGenki went quiet and glared off into the distance, and it was a very tense journey. Once he landed on the steps of the castle in the sky. He walked past many yokai guards who stared at him in his newly acquired armor in shock and pride. His mother sat on her throne beaming with satisfaction as her eyes traced his armor. It appeared she was anticipating his arrival as she had bottle of sake and two cups.
She stood up with outstretched arms and looked at him with longing eyes. "Come and give your mother a hug" she said warmly. He walked up to her awkwardly, and she glomped onto him holding onto him tight. "You make your mother very pleased" she said as she started to rub his back. "So strong! So responsible! So handsome!" she said with a devious grin.
She let him go before she headed inside the castle. "Come with me. I have things your father wished for you to have" she said casually. He sighed and followed her to a closet which she pulled out most of his father's clothes. She handed him a set, but she got playful and shoved them into his chest. "Try them on!" she told him firmly.
He looked at her annoyed, but she smiled at him with excitement. He entered an empty room to swap clothes, while his mother left to fetch some things out of her bedroom. When he opened the door, she came in and grabbed his hair. "What are you doing?" he asked. She giggled as she put his hair in a high ponytail and tied it off with a purple strand of fabric.
"There! You look much more respectable now!" she said before she showed him a mirror.
His eye twitched seeing what she was up to. "Are you trying to make me look like father?" he asked.
"Oh no, I'd have to slice off those adorable dog ears of yours" she said before she let out a macabre giggle. "I don't know why you have those ears…they make you look less of a pure bred" she stated.
He glared at her. "If they got a problem with my ears, they can kiss my ass" he muttered. He looked at her amused. "Do my ears bug you that much?" he asked.
"No, no! I love them. I'm just worried that other Yokai won't take you seriously thinking that you aren't as strong as you are" she said.
He smirked. "Well, how do you think I get my kicks?" he muttered.
"You're a naughty dog" she said as she patted him on his pauldron.
A guard approached them, and he bowed. "Lady Meihui, Please forgive me for interrupting, but your subjects from Hokuriku and Kita-Kanto regions are here to see Lord InuGenki" he said humbly.
"Lord InuGenki? I like the way you speak to my son" his mother said beaming with pride.
Chapter 7 "Inu no Taisho of the Northern Lands"InuGenki looked at the guard strangely, and he walked outside. There were over forty daiyokai waiting in a row at the top of the large stairway. They stood up erect and were shocked at first believing that the Great Dog Yokai was still alive at first. They are even more shocked to see just how closely InuGenki resembled their fallen leader. They remained silent as they all bowed to him. InuGenki was caught off guard with their compliance, but he looked back seeing his mother smirking with satisfaction.
"Uh, Why do you all bow to me now?" he asked.
They looked up at him intensely. "Your brother has abandoned his duty as the successor to your father. We will not tolerate his priorities in his selfish endeavors over the security of the Western Lands. Your mother has assured us that you are the one to lead us. We entrust our lands and resources to you, milord" the wolf Yokai.
InuGenki stared at them in shock, but his mother laughed with her hand covering her mouth. "Oh my! Isn't this a twist…Sesshomaru better watch out or he'll lose all of his lands" she remarked as she looked at the men. InuGenki looked back at her suspicious that this was her doing, which she got impatient with him. "Well? Aren't you going to accept their proposal?" she raised her voice.
He sighed heavily and looked back at them. "Very well. I suppose if you feel I am best to lead you, then I shall" he said.
"This castle shall remain on the border between the Eastern and Western lands. It is to be neutral" she said.
InuGenki closed his eyes visualizing his lands. "Border huh? This castle is well away from the border" he mentioned.
"Oh, well, there are a lot of broken parcels of land that will be given to you. It's not going to be a pretty border but most aren't" she said casually.
"Tch, sounds like a bit of a pain later on" He mumbled to himself.
"There will be more who will join you…they just haven't come to you yet" his mother said confidently.
InuGenki looked to his new allies and bowed instinctively. "Thank you, I'll do my best" he said modestly.
After having a formal meeting with the daiYokai, he found that his territory was a significantly larger than he thought covering the entire Hokuriku and Northeastern half of Kanto regions. There were exclaves all over the Tosando region. InuGenki left for the village where he met Mitsuki from earlier.
When he drew near, he could smell Yokai nearby and blood. He picked up his speed, and he saw that there was a fight against a giant fat boar Yokai and his underlings. He had already slain some of the farmers, and he was holding her youngest daughter as a meat shield. Without a second thought, he swooped in and sucker punched the boar snapping a tusk in half.
The boar lost consciousness and dropped the little girl, which she instinctively scrambled to her savior's side. InuGenki looked back at the Mitsuki and flashed her a warm smile. "Hey" he said casually.
She blushed and brushed a strand of hair off to the side. "Hey" she said being coy.
InuGenki looked down at the little girl and looked at her sternly. "Go to your mother. I can handle it from here" he said watching the underlings go to their leader's aid. He pointed at them and smirked. "You three will make the perfect meal for me! I've been craving pork all day!" he said with an evil smirk.
The underlings gulped and their knees wobbled in fear. Their leader awoke and picked himself off the ground. "That was pretty dirty what you pulled right there" he muttered.
InuGenki rolled his eyes at him. "You should quit your complaining. I'm sure you're used to filth as it is" he said as he flexed his claws.
The yokai took a good look at him, and he scratched his head. "That's funny…I thought you were the Inu no Taisho for a moment. I forgot that he's dead" he said.
InuGenki smirked and pointed to himself. "As of today, I'm the new Inu no Taisho of these lands" he said before the Yokai laughed. InuGenki charged at him as a white blur, and he appeared behind him. The Yokai fell silent, and his underlings watched in horror as their leader's head severed clean off and dropped to the ground rolling away from his body as it collapsed to the ground.
The underlings were horrified, and InuGenki looked at them coldly. "Tell everyone what you saw…make sure you let them hear that I'll do that same to them if they cause trouble!" he said grimly. He transformed into a giant dog beast and devoured their leader whole. The underlings fled in fear, but the villagers were shocked to see such a massive dog.
Mitsuki approached him and bowed before him. "Thank you for saving our village again, Dog god" she said before she reached up as he lowered his massive head, and she scratched behind his ear. Soon the rest of the villagers bowed to him, and he reverted to his human form.
"Dog god?" He muttered.
She took his hand and smiled. "Oh yes, how can I ever repay you?" she asked as she walked them behind a house out of view.
"Oh, Just give me a good meal, and I'll call it even" InuGenki said before she pushed him into the side of house and planted a smooch on his lips.
"You just ate a big meal…how about I offer my body to you my lord?" she said.
A smirk crept on his lips. "You've got my attention" he said as he placed his hands on her wide hips. She looked up at him happily giving him another smooch while caressing the side of his face. "Come with me…I know a place where we can be alone" he said before he scooped her up and flew her away.
While he took her to a private place, she admired his new armor knowing his new status. As they landed somewhere on the top of a mountain, she wrapped her arms around him and started locking lips before she lustfully reached down snaking her hand around to grope him and pet him. She squeaked and blushed looking up at him shocked, and she pressed her face into his chest embarrassed. "Be gentle…You're a very big…you could split me in two" she warned him.
He chuckled wholesomely and grabbed her shoulders firmly making her look up at him. He smiled at her and rubbed her back. "I know…do you still want to do this?"
She nodded quickly into his chest and hugged him. "I want to please you milord. I shall endure" she said looking down to embarrassed to let him see how intimidated and flustered she was, but she took a deep breath and proceeded.
Chapter 8 "Mitsuki's Good News"A couple months later, InuGenki revisited Mitsuki's village as it was being rebuilt, and he noticed something about her being different. He approached her and she ran straight up to him shouting. "Milord! You've returned!" She gave him a big hug, which she knew he got a good look at her belly.
"You've gained a bit of weight since last time" he remarked before she giggled.
"Well of course I've gained weight. Thanks to you, I'm no longer barren" she said playfully before she made him touch her taught baby belly.
He looked at her in shock. "You're pregnant!?" he shouted.
She nodded happily and looked into his eyes deeply with affection. "You have blessed me with a child. I couldn't believe it either" she said as the fetus kicked at his hand like crazy. She got onto her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek. "I am so glad to see you milord" she said with a blush.
He looked around the village noticing the residents looking at him talking amongst themselves. "Well isn't this a surprise…I happened to be in the area, so I stopped by to see how you were doing…I had no idea that you would get pregnant this easily" he said casually.
She was pleasantly surprised that he was not angry with her, but she remembered he was different from other Yokai. She took his hand and whisked him away to her house where she wanted to be alone with him not wanting him to be gawked at by the other villagers. She cuddled up under his arm and basked in his heat and took in his scent. "Are you done with meeting with all those DaiYokai?" she asked.
He scratched the back of his head and sighed heavily. "Yes, for now. I'll be here for a week. I can help your daughters with their training, just as I promised" he said as he lowered his hand to feel up her even wider hips.
She closed her eyes and thought about all the things she wanted to do to him. "Yes, but, I'm going to be selfish and have you all to myself for a while. I've yearned to feel you defile me once again, milord" she said as spun around to look up at him endearingly.
He gazed at her with very hungry eyes and a very seductive smirk. "I am looking forward to your selfishness" he teased.
"Are you okay with this, hun?" she asked.
"Sex makes babies. I was bound to father a child eventually" He said simply.
She laughed at him and tugged at his sash. "I was barren…I'm beginning to think you really are a deity if you managed to do this to me" she said very amused.
Later in the week InuGenki was accompanying her and her daughters out on a job. He had been a blessing to her ventures providing them quick transportation. The girls were aware that their mother had a relationship with him, and she was carrying his child. They had a lot of fun riding on top of a giant tiangou, and they absolutely loved how soft and silky his fur was or just seeing glimpses of his strength and power. They would be very disappointed whenever they had to dismount him. They got near a village, which once again they had to get off to allow him to revert to human form. The girls looked at him always amazed at how natural he was at doing it.
Their plan was to always leave him behind, so they could investigate the village and talk to the villagers without making them uneasy. InuGenki would go about the perimeter making observations and only jump in if he was needed. Most of the time however, he would just take a nap or polish his armor to pass the time as it were uneventful nine out of ten times.
Chapter 9 "Philosopher's Stone"Today the village they came across, they had found out that there was a strange outbreak of illnesses that was afflicting the village. The symptoms were not all the same, but as they got closer they could feel a strong jaki.
He followed it to its source first to find it, which it came from behind a rock. Mitsuki and her daughters converged at the site, and her youngest appeared ill. Mitsuki looked up at him concerned. "Well? What do you think?" she asked.
He looked at the rock and studied it. "It's a barrier…not particularly strong if you ask me…A powerful Miko like yourself shouldn't have any problem getting through" he said before she came up to the rock, and it melted away. The illusion was broken, and it revealed a cavern where a mouse yokai was busy preforming alchemy. She did not realize yet that her barrier had been broken until she turned back feeling InuGenki's yoki. She jumped at how quickly she was found by the priestess; moreover, she recognized the armor that he was wearing.
She laughed evilly. "Well, well, well, priestess. You are the first one to have found this place. Though I would be more impressed if you hadn't cheated and used a dog yokai to sniff me out" she muttered trying to avoid looking at him.
"What are you up to?" InuGenki's voice boomed impatiently.
The mouse yokai's heart jumped laughed again this time nervously, and it took a couple of moments before backed up against the wall reaching for something. She winked at him trying to use her sexuality as a weapon. "Wow, you're scary when you're annoyed. Talk about an attack dog" she muttered before she picked up a purple orb. "Ever heard of the Shikon no Tama?" she asked.
Mitsuki looked at the orb closely and stepped in front of her daughters sensing a growing danger. "Aye, are you claiming to possess the jewel?" she asked as InuGenki instinctively pulled her two daughters close with his hands on the opposite side of their shoulder.
The mouse yokai grinned evilly as she rolled the jewel between her fingers. "I might…" she said as she paid very close attention to InuGenki. "You know you place me in a strange predicament. If I use this I will certainly not stand a chance against…" she said before he turned his back on her muttering.
"It's not the real thing"
She huffed and clenched the jewel tightly. "Hey! That's rude! I'm talking here!" she shouted.
"She's not working alone. She's only buying time" He warned Mitsuki although it seemed like he was directing it towards her children.
The mouse yokai balled her fist up in anger. "Stupid mongrel! I'm going to teach you to stop interfering with other Yokai's business!" she said before the jewel started glowing. She started to transform into a hideous giant mouse monster, which the whole cave crumbled away. InuGenki created a barrier protecting Mitsuki and her daughters from being crushed by the debris.
Mitsuki was very relieved to have him on her side. "Thanks hun…you're a life saver" she said before she placed a hand over her baby bump. She looked up at the monster and frowned. "We cannot have her destroy the village!" she told him.
InuGenki looked very unimpressed with the monster. "I can handle it…just be on the lookout for her accomplices" he said sternly. She nodded and took hold of both her daughters taking them away once InuGenki dropped his barrier. He looked up at the monster and smirked evilly. "You better watch who you call a mongrel! You are looking at the new ruler of these lands" he said before he jumped up when she lashed at him to bite him.
"Sankon Tesso!" he shouted as he hacked his glowing claws at the monster's eyes.
The monster screamed out in agony grabbing her eyes stumbling forwards before he jumped back and kicked her where her spine met her skull. The monster fell to the growl paralyzed, and he crossed his arms over his chest watching the jewel roll out of her hand and shatter into many pieces. "Where are the others you've working with?" he demanded.
The mouse yokai reverted back to her original state and laughed weakly. "They are collecting more souls. This jewel is only as strong and durable as the amount of souls contained inside…and how powerful the soul is. That woman of yours would make a great piece to our collection"
InuGenki glared at her. "You are the one who cooks up the stones are you not? If I kill you, then I you have no way of using all those souls" he said as he hovered his foot over her head about to smash it in like a pumpkin. He was stopped once Mitsuki called his name out, which a growl came from deep within his throat. The mouse yokai did not move a muscle frozen with fear despite sensation coming back to her extremities.
He left her and found that her youngest had succumbed to the overwhelming Jaki. Two rat yokai held gourds sucking in the souls of the villagers, and it appeared that they already started utilizing the jewels to enhance their stranglehold on the village. Her eldest looked towards InuGenki relieved, and she tugged on Mitsuki's sleeve while she cradled her daughter in tears. He knew that they had taken the soul of the youngest, and he grew enraged.
"Unforgivable!" His shouted as a great wind blew away the Jaki and miasma as well as some of the structures and knocked down the rats. They glanced back at him stunned and the remaining villagers being protected by Mitsuki's barrier were gobsmacked as he drew his sword and glared at the rats with blood red eyes and enlarged markings on his cheeks.
In a silvery blur, both of their gourds were bisected. The souls leaked from the broken container and returned to their respective bodies, and the rats looked back at InuGenki realizing how deep a hole they dug. "What in the hell did she summon!? That armor! He can't be the Inu no Taisho!" they muttered in confusion.
"I have summoned Lord InuGenki! I serve him…he's a very powerful god…and he's very protective over children" she said placing her hand over her belly.
The rats started to flee screaming in a panic but they did went in the opposite direction as the cave, but the mouse yokai from earlier limped her way back into town and stared InuGenki down. "Well? Aren't you going to kill them? They know that you got a human pregnant…they'll surely tell others! After all, isn't that how your father died? He got too friendly with humans and got one knocked up?"
"You nothing about his death!" he shouted pointing his blade towards her.
"What are you going to do? Strike down a small, weak, defenseless woman?" she asked.
"You made it out this far…I can see through your ruse. I know your kind!" he shouted.
She laughed evilly and reached into her kimono. "Well, then you should have killed me when you had the element of surprise" she said before she pulled out handfuls of the jewels and shoveled them into her mouth turning her into a colossal giant mouse. She swept her tail and destroyed half the village. "Ha! Ha! Ha! Now what will you do puny dog! I can squash you under my foot!"
InuGenki looked towards Mitsuki and frowned. "Take them away from here…they'll only get in my way!"
"Yes!" Mitsuki said before she looked towards the chieftain and he looked towards the children and the elderly. The fight started as the monster stomped down at InuGenki making the ground shake. "Lead everyone! I'll stay back and help the stragglers!" she shouted.
Everyone ran with the chieftain, and Mitsuki walked carrying her sickly youngest daughter and those who could not go as fast. She hoped and prayed that InuGenki could hold the monster off before he unleashed his full power. After they had gained some distance, she felt it explode and a loud terrifying roar filled the valley and echoed off the mountains. Her eldest daughter looked back and she saw him as tall as the mountains around him and towering over the monster. "Whoa, amazing"
Mitsuki looked back just in time to see InuGenki grab the mouse by the neck and threw her over the mountains and into a lake miles away. She collapsed onto her knees overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. "He's a lot bigger than I could even imagine…I'm glad he's fighting for us" she muttered before she stood back up seeing that he reverted back to his human form. "Let's go back!"
Chapter 10 "Inu Kami"After the epic battle, the villagers shown their gratitude towards the Great Dog Yokai, and he was given a very big feast. Some of the younger women were quite drawn to his exoticness and strength. They fanned him and presented him meats while Mitsuki purified the villagers who were still ill. The chieftain approached him and bowed. "Thank you, Great Dog God!" he said.
"Thank you almighty Dog God!" Mitsuki's eldest daughter shouted before she flashed him a happy smile. She ran up to him and hugged him around his neck. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for saving us!" she said as she buried her cheek into his pelt.
The crowd gasped very offended at the girl's insolence, and the chieftain was very angry with her; however, InuGenki reached around to pat her on the head gently. "How is your sister? Is she faring well?" he asked.
She hesitated and frowned. "Her fever hasn't broken yet, but she's awake" she spoke softly.
He closed his eyes and sighed heavily as he stood up with her hanging off his armor. "I'm going to speak with your mother" he said as he walked off. The chieftain watched carefully noticing the paternal bond between the girl and InuGenki. The women thought it was very cute with him filling in the role of father.
Mitsuki was checking on her youngest daughter when InuGenki stepped in quietly. She was wringing out a washcloth before she applied it to her daughter's forehead while humming a sweet loving lullaby softly. When she stood up, she turned straight into her lover's chest. She squeaked as her hand brushed against the spike of his breastplate. She looked up at him blushing not expecting him to sneak up on her that easily, but she looked down with a smile when he placed his hands onto her shoulders. "Sakiko is doing much better now…thanks to you" she said gratefully.
Her eldest daughter poked her head above InuGenki's pelt over his muscular shoulders smiling. "Mama, is your baby going to be as big and strong as Lord InuGenki?" she asked with approval. She giggled and slid down the pelt and reached into her. "He's so amazing, Mama! He just blew away that poison just by screaming! And then, and then, and then…he got huge!" she shouted.
Mitsuki giggled and caressed her daughter's head. "I know Itsuki, I saw" she said softly before she looked back at her lover. "Thank you for everything" she said as she rested her hand over her belly as her baby started kicking. "You are truly a blessing…and I still am convinced that you are divine" she said while she pressed against her belly to quell their unruly child.
Itsuki looked between them happily until she remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot! I found those herbs!" she said as she pulled out tree leaves. Her mother took the leaves and looked up at InuGenki happily. "Why don't you go eat something, and I'll tend to your pains later" she said.
Itsuki gasped and expressed genuine concern. "Oh no! Is Lord InuGenki hurt too?" she exclaimed.
InuGenki chuckled and turned to leave. "Don't worry about it" he said before she overtook him and held her arms out. He stopped and looked at her puzzled. "What are you doing?" he muttered.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you leave if you're hurt, milord!" she shouted as she closed her eyes.
He looked back at her mother who giggled to herself. "Let him be…only I can help him with this sort of pain" she said as she waved him off.
"Can you teach me? I want to help!" her daughter begged.
"You're too young to understand. I'm not going to die. Your mother is going to be giving me a forbidden massage technique to help me relax. She's strong enough to work deep enough into my muscles" he told her as he passed by.
Her mother smiled and nodded. "He's right. You have nothing to worry about. Just leave him be for now. He needs a place quiet to relax" she added, which her daughter set her arms down in defeat, but her mother shook her head. "Come help me with taking care of your sister" she invited her.
"Yes, mama" Her daughter said happily.
Later that night, Mitsuki was nude straddled on top of a nude InuGenki giving his pectoral, deltoids, and biceps a good rub down as well as to admire his physique. His arms were spread out while he closed his eyes trying to soak in the sensations from his lover. Once she was done, she collapsed on top of him and held onto his shoulders. "Lord InuGenki? I'm concerned for our child" she spoke quietly. He looked into her eyes intensely as he touched her back.
She bit her lip before she laid her head against his chest. "I'm worried about your blood…what if they can't handle it? What if it consumes their soul?" she asked as she traced the contours of his muscles.
He took a moment to think about her conundrum. "I see your fear, but I believe that your immense reiryoku will be passed down to our child. There will be balance, I know there will" he said with confidence.
She let out a heavy weary sigh. "You're so much stronger…I couldn't even fair against those Yokai…" she said before he began to caress the back of her head.
"You're pregnant. You can't expect to create life without spending more energy" he explained.
"Honey, It is taking a lot of energy from me…I don't want to burden you with having to protect me all the time. You are the ruler of these lands…and I'm only one human" She said before she gave him one last kiss. "You know as well as I do what my fate is…You are a godsend, milord. You truly are" she said before she smiled at him. "Thank you"