Sesshomaru stood out on the balcony and looked out upon the city below. It was hard to believe how much had changed in a mere 500 years. He knew he had changed. In five centuries he had only aged a few years. But he no longer scorned humans, in fact, he liked them. He, Sesshomaru, liked humans! He smiled at the idea, almost laughed. That was another change that had occured. He still had trouble with emotions, but he laughed much easier. All because of a small child long ago.

His cell phone chirpped and he glanced at the reminder on the screen. He had to get a card soon. He already had the gift for his sister-in-law's birthday but he had to get it in the mail soon. It still took things a while to get from New York to Tokyo. He had googled the girl just last year, when he was sure he had worked things out with his long lost brother on the other side of the well.

On his way out he paused to admire the swords on the wall. He had many that he had collected over time, but only two were in display cases. One was a 'useless' sword that had made his life so much richer a long time ago. The other was his own fang, forged to teach young men to mind their manners when his girl turned 14. That one had never drawn blood but he had turned it around once or twice to use the blunt side on a young man's head.

Out on the street he recieved many stares. The markings on his face looked like tatoos, and his long hair had never been cut despite the change in fashions. But even with his punk rocker apperance he choose to dress in a white suit. And if all that didn't look strange enough this 'weirdo' had a white furry 'something' draped over one shoulder.

Adults exchanged whispers. Young children pointed. He was always some what amused, after all, every one knew some one who was a bit off. If only they knew...

A little girl born with a tail. Two teenage boys covered head to toe in fur. They all had human blood, just like a blonde in Tokyo who NEVER took off his baseball cap.

Sesshomaru stopped as he passed the play ground and watched the children. He listened to their joyful laughter and thought about Rin. For 70 years she had been his sunshine, his life. but she grew old and he did not. He had missed her so.

About 50 years later he had met a small boy working out in a rice paddy. The child seemed familliar but he couldn't place it. He had stopped to speak to him. The boy had a sweet personality. And an innocent, opptomistic outlook. And he moved with a grace and certainty learned from a long forgotten father. He soon figured out who the boy was.

Sesshomaru visited that paddy for many years. He never told the boy why he seemed so familiar to the boy, that would have been to much information for the child to handle. Later he met a single mother with a small child of her own. A nun, a farmer, he always managed to find her. Or she found him.

He suddenly felt eyes on him. He looked and noticed a little girl to his left. She had tangled blonde hair and huge blue eyes. She held dandelions in her hand as she stared up at him. The eyes were blue now, but he recognised them.

He smiled, the second time that day! "My name is Sesshomaru. What is yours?"

The child gave him no answer, instead she offered him one of the sunshine colored blossoms she held.

"She doesn't speak." A woman informed him walking up behind the child "her name is Racheal. I'm Dana."

"You are her mother?"

"I'm a social worker. Racheal is a ward of the state." She then told the child to go play. The two adults watched as she skipped gracefully along. First on one foot, then the other, pausing only to pluck dandelions from the thick grass.

"So she is mute?"

"Yeah. It happens. Her whole family died in a terrible car accident. She hasn't spoken a word since."

Sesshomaru watched Racheal play. "Dana, with whom should I speak if I wish to adopt a child?"