'What should we do with it?"

"Don't know. You take it, Sesshomaru. Our Group is full."

"No way."

"Can you two quit it already and decide what to do?"

Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Sesshomaru, Jaken and Rin are standing in a circle. Before them lies a naked unconscious girl with long blond hair, left behind by the spirit of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's father, Inu no Taisho, after he went back to the netherworld. He came to this world after one of his old swords, the So'unga, was defeated by Inuyasha and Sesshomaru.

MIYUKI, THE LAST HEIRLOOM.

VOLUME 1.
WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE A STRANGE GIRL ALONG ON A JOURNEY.
ESPECIALLY NOT WHEN SHE APPEARS OUT OF NOWHERE

Chapter 1. The strange girl from the afterlife.

"This'll never work out this way. We can't stay here for ever," says Miroku depressed. "I agree. Naraku is still out there. We have to find him," says Sango while nodding. "But we can't leave her here," says Kagome. "Of course we can. Let's go guys. I've had enough of this," says Inuyasha and he walks away. "Inuyasha! Sit boy!" Inuyasha lands with his face flat on the ground when the beans of segregation are activated.

"What you do that for, Kagome?" he asks angry.

"Look, this girl was left behind by your father's spirit," says Kagome mad. "Yeah, so?" asks Inuyasha irritated while he tries to get up. "So? We should take care of her. You're father must have a reason for this," Kagome yells. She's really mad this time. "Kagome has a point. She won't survive without help," says Sango thoughtful. "As a monk, I'm bound to help her. It's my sacred duty," says Miroku with an innocent voice and face. "You're such a pervert," Shippo whispers while Sango madly smacks Miroku on his head with the Hiraikotsu.

"I'm out of here," says Sesshomaru and he walks away, but someone grapes his ankle. Sesshomaru stops and looks down. The strange girl holds on to his ankle, while trying to get up. "Don't go," she says painfully. Then she starts coughing up blood. "Hey, are you okay?" Inuyasha asks, surprised that she has finally shown a sigh of life. Everyone walks towards the girl, but no one dares to touch her. "Don't go. Lord Sesshomaru, you can not win this fight. At least not without help," the girl says. Sesshomaru looks right into the bright blue eyes of the girl. Her long blond hair covers most of her naked body. "I don't need anyone. Now, let go," Sesshomaru commands. "Don't kid yourself…*cough…cough*, Sesshomaru. You're...not going... anywhere. Down …boys!" The girl faints while at the same time, a strange force makes Sesshomaru and Inuyasha fall flat on their faces. "Wow that was the same affect as the beans of segregation. Impressive," says Miroku while he looks at Inuyasha and Sesshomaru being knocked down and lying on the ground. "Indeed," Sango says.

"Just who is this girl?" asks Kagome on a bit scared tone.

"What should we do with her?" Miroku asks. The girl has been unconsciousness since she got Sesshomaru and Inuyasha flat on their faces. The two groups have been together for 3 days now and are staying in an abandoned hut. "How should I know?" asks Inuyasha, still irritated by the little trick the girl pulled on him. "Anyway. Sango and I are going to the village to get some medicine, and some clothes for her," says Kagome and she walks out the hut with Sango. "Come on, Shippo. We're going to catch some fish," Miroku tells Shippo. "Okay," says Shippo and he runs after Miroku.

"Jaken."

"Yes, milord?"

"Take Rin and go with them," Sesshomaru orders his minion. "Yes, milord. Come on Rin." Rin and Jaken leave the hut and the two dog demon brothers are now all alone in the hut, the girl lying between them. The tension in the air is almost visible.

"Damm. Why did father leave her with us?" Inuyasha says after a long and awkward silence. "I don't know," Sesshomaru says, which surprises Inuyasha. "By the way, Sesshomaru."

"What do you want?"

"Nah... just wondering. Why you are still here? Normally you would have gone a long time ago," Inuyasha remarks while lazily leaning against the wall of the hut. "I can't. Every time I try, she tells me to go down. So I'm stuck here until we decide what to do with her," Sesshomaru replies. He doesn't tell his brother that he's also curious about this girl. He wants to know who she is, just as much as Inuyasha. Only his motives are a bit different.

*cough...cough*

They both look to the source of the coughs. They see the girl is trying to get up. "Lie down. You're not healed yet," says Inuyasha and he tries to push the girl back down. But instead of doing what Inuyasha wants her to do; she grabs his face gently with one hand, while leaning on the other one. "What the?" says Inuyasha astonished. The girl strokes her fingertips all over his chin, his cheek, his forehead and his ears, as if she needs her hands to see. "What is she doing?" asks Sesshomaru while he kneels down next to Inuyasha. "I don't know," Inuyasha says while he smacks away the hand. The girl looks surprised at him while holding her head tilted. Then she turns to Sesshomaru and does the same with him. "It's like she is doing an examination of us," says Sesshomaru. He doesn't stop her. "Se…Sesshomaru… …Inuyasha," the girl says quietly. She has to put a lot of energy into talking and because of that, her voice sounds soft and exhausted. The boys look surprised at the girl. "She spoke."

"Sesshomaru… Inuyasha. He was right all this time. He does live on in the two of you. I'm so glad," she says with a bright smile, where after she faints again. "Hey!" yells Inuyasha but the girl is already far away. Sesshomaru catches her before she falls and lays her softly on the ground again. "What was that all about?" Inuyasha asks. "How should I know?"

"Here Miyuki, we bought you some clothes in the village." Kagome gives the clothes to Miyuki. Miyuki came by at the moment everyone returned to the hut. She told them a little about herself, like her name, but she couldn't tell much, because she lost a lot of her memories. Miyuki looks surprised from Kagome to the clothes in her arms and back again. "Thank you," Miyuki says. "It was the best we could get. I hope you like it," says Sango while Miyuki's looking at the red kimono. There's a blue dress for underneath it, a piece of white silk and a piece of green silk for around the waist, which will be hold into place by a black rope, at the end of the rope hangs a row of Japanese coins with prayers written on it. At the end of the row hang two bells and a tassel. "We bought the coins for you from the priest of the shrine in the village. He said that it will improve your health. We thought you could use it," Sango explains when she sees that Miyuki is trying to study the coins. "That is so thoughtful of you. Thank you," Miyuki answers greatfully. There is also a brown trouser, which stops around Miyuki's calves. "It's great! Thank you so much… Oh" Miyuki discovers a tear from the bottom of the kimono, all the way up to the waist. The tear stops where the two pieces of silk were to be placed. "Oh, it's torn. We'll get you a new one. We're so sorry!" Kagome says, apparently not aware that the tear had been there from the very start. Miyuki examines the tear. "No, it's okay. I like it this way. Thank you so much, priestess Kagome." Miyuki smiles at Kagome and then tries to stand up. "Are you sure you can move already?" "I'm fine… Ms. Sango, was it, right?"

"Yes. Alright, but don't overdo it," Sango replies. Miyuki stands up, holding her blanket before her to cover her naked body. "Sure, I'll…" She faints before she can even finish that sentence. Again, it's due Sesshomaru's fast response that Miyuki doesn't fall on the ground. "Geez. She's so persistent. This is the 3rd time she tries to get up and faints," Inuyasha whines. "Shut up, Inuyasha," says Sesshomaru while he sits down with Miyuki sleeping in his arm.

"Humpf." Inuyasha turns his back to his brother, all offended. "By the way, Sesshomaru. Why are you still here? Normally you would've been long gone by now," asks Kagome. Sesshomaru sighs, as he has heard that question for the third time already. "I'll show you…" Sesshomaru lays Miyuki away and walks away. "Hey! Where are you going?" Inuyasha yells surprised.

"Just watch." Sesshomaru walks on.

*Ping*

"What was that sound? It sounded like something snapped," says Kagome surprised. "Sesshomaru, down boy!" says a strange angry voice and Sesshomaru falls flat on his face. "Ai. That must have hurt," Sango says. "Milord!" Rin says surprised and the little girl runs to her master. "Lord Sesshomaru! Are you alright milord?" Jaken asks while Sesshomaru is getting up again.

"Who said that just now?" Miroku asks. "She did!" Shippo points his finger at Miyuki. Miyuki is sitting up straight and one of her eyes has turned pith black. "What the?"

"That voice just now, was Miyuki?" says Kagome surprised.

"What's up with this girl, anyway?"

'They're all asleep. Good.' Miyuki stands up and walks out of the hut. She ties her blanket around her body like a dress, while she walks outside. "I hope they won't find out," she says and she runs towards the forest.

"Ya heard that, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha says when he opens his eyes. "Yes, I did," Sesshomaru answers while he also opens his eyes. They were both only half asleep, so they both noticed the sound of the door and the cracking of the old wood. They both sit up to examine the situation. Inuyasha is the first to notice. "Hey, where's Miyuki?"

"She's gone?" Sesshomaru says, his voice sounding slightly surprised, as the girl wasn't even able to stand up before without help, or fainting. "Yes. Come on, let's take a look what's going on out there," Inuyasha whispers, not expecting his older brother to follow him. However, surprisingly enough his brother replies with a short yes. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha walk out of the hut. They see someone running away behind the trees. They saw the person for less than a second, but they were both pretty sure that they saw someone run. "That way," points Sesshomaru. "Let's check this out." Both guys follow the strange smell of the spy.

"Do you hear that?" asks Inuyasha after a while. "Yes. It's a waterfall." Then Sesshomaru suddenly stops. "What's wrong?" his brother asks. "Don't you smell that, little brother?" Inuyasha sniffs in the air. "Yeah. It's the scent of human blood. Fresh human blood. What is going on?" Inuyasha asks.

"How should I know," Sesshomaru sneers. Both boys run faster towards the sound of the waterfall, while they still follow the track of the spy. While doing so, the smell of blood gets stronger.

"It's been some time, milord," she says with a content smile on her face. "It's good to see you again, Ikuymi," the pulsating light asnwers. Miyuki stands naked in the middle of the lake. Before her stand the spirit of the great dog demon, the father of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, lord Inu no Taisho. "I'm happy to see you too, milord," Miyuki replies with a smile. "So, tell me, Ikuymi, are you satisfied now? Now, that you've seen my sons," Inu no Taisho asks.

"Yes, milord. And you were right, you still live on as a part of them. I'm glad it is that way. And I'm even more glad to know this," Miyuki answers, a bit embarrassed because she doubted her master.
"But you don't seem that pleased to me at all," notifies the Inu lord. "Well, this'll mean I've got to come back now, right? Back to the world of the dead," Miyuki answers. "You don't want to, do you, Ikuymi? I thought you said that this was your home."

"I was out all of the time I've been here. I've never been long in this world, since we travelled together."

"Yes, I know. So, how are my sons doing?" Inu no Taisho asks, changing the subject. "Well, Inuyasha has your patience and temper," Miyuki start whereafter both the spirits and Miyuki burst into laughing. "Yeah, he really has my patients and temper, I guess. Well, let's say it runs in the blood," the spirit says. "Yes. Although he doesn't really look like you, milord. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, is a speaking image of you."

"Yes, you're right. I thought I was looking in the mirror when I saw him," Inu no Taisho says while scratching himself behind the ear. Miyuki chuckles. "Yeah. But he inherited his temper and patience from his mother. As well as his control of his anger and other emotions." The spirit shivers. "That was one scary woman," he says. "Please don't remind me, milord. Brrr. She was one hell of a demon," Miyuki adds. Now they both shiver out of fear for Inu nu Taisho's first wife. "I'm glad I only saw her once or twice," Miyuki says, she sounds really relieved.

"I was married to her."

"That's your own fault, milord... ... ... but wait a second. Now I get it!"

"What is it, Ikuymi?" Inu no Taisho asks surprised.

"No wonder you found me on one of your long journeys, milord. You were trying to escape her by travelling through the country all of the time. You were trying to postpone the moment you and her had to mate." It sounds like a reproach and Miyuki tries to keep her face in an accusatory glance. But it's no good, both Inu no Taisho and Miyuki burst into laughing. "You've got a sharp eye, Ikuymi. You just have to work on your timing, though."

"You're one to talk. Remember that time your wife was about to give birth to Sesshomaru? We were back just in the nick of time."

"I remember that, yeah. That was embarrassing. She was pregnant, and we took off on a journey, 4 months before she found out. We received the message from Myoga about it, when she was pregnant for 6 and a half months. We hurried back and arrived the day before the baby was born," Inu no Taisho says, trying to remember himself how it all went. "It WAS embarrassing. But, you know, it was kind of hilarious, if you put it all together. Don't you agree, milord?" Miyuki asks. Inu no Taisho shakes his head slowly while laughing and says: "It was. It was indeed." They both sigh of desire for those long gone, but great times, while they look at the moon.

"Hmm, yeah. We had a lot of fun back then. I've got a lot of good memories of that time," Miyuki says with a content sigh. They had done a great deal of great things back in their days. "No bad memories at all, Ikuymi?" Inu no Taisho asks surprised. Miyuki sighs. "Yes. I get what you're talking about."

"Yes. I mean that accident that killed my wife."

"Yes, the great fire…"

"Milady! We've got to get you out of here! Or you and your son will end up dying in the fire." Miyuki shook the shoulder of Sesshomaru's mother. "I beg of you, milady. Stand up! Please!" she begged, but Kyrinnia (this is the name I gave to Sesshomaru's mother, because I couldn't find her real name) didn't make any attempt to stand up.

"Ikuymi, take my son and flee. Hurry! Get him out of here!" Kyrinnia gave her baby to Miyuki. "But, milady!" Miyuki protested.

"Safe my son. Hurry! Go!" Kyrinnia commanded.

"No!"

"NOW!" Miyuki flinched. "Very well then, if that is what you wish." She took the newborn child in her arms and ran away with it. Away from the burning castle, to some place safe, leaving the lady of the castle behind, like she was commanded to. 'Ikuymi, take good care of my son. I trust you."

Miyuki finally reached the other servants, who ran to the top of a nearby hill for safety. "Where is lady Kyrinnia?" asked Keianna, head of the maids, when he saw Miyuki. Miyuki, who was still panting from the long run, sat down on a rock to rest.

"She demanded that I would save her son and leave her behind. I couldn't refuse," answered Miyuki when she caught her breath again. The baby in her arms suddenly started crying. "Sshhh… It's alright, my young lord. It's alright. Shh… don't cry," Miyuki whispered in order to calm the young boy down. Something in the castle exploded with a huge bang. The place where the castle used to stand is now one giant fire ball, nothing was left of it. Some servants cried, others looked incredulously at what used to be their home, but Miyuki ignored everything. She just rock the baby softly back and forth. "Don't cry, lord Sesshomaru. I'm here, everything is gonna be alright. I promise. I'll always be there for you." Miyuki hugged the baby and stroke her face against the baby's little face. "I'll be there for you, no matter what."

'Ikuymi, take good care of my son. He needs you.' Kyrinna still laid on the ground, surrounded by fire. 'I'm glad you will be safe, my son.' Tears rolled over her cheek. *You wanne die that bad, lady Kyrinna?*

"Who is that?" Kyrinna asked, surprised to hear a voice somewhere within the burning castle. As far as she knew, everyone had fled the place by now.

*If you die, what will happen to your son?* the strange female voice said.

"Ikuymi will take care of him. She promised me to. His father will look after him. He has to!" Kyrinna answered.

*You already know the truth, don't you?*

"The truth? Is this the fait that awaits my son?" Kyrinna asked while images of the future flash through her mind. She saw her son, grown up -probably around 500 year's old-, with Miyuki facing him. Both armed, ready to attack each other. And they did so, but her son seemed to go easy on the girl, like he was afraid to hurt her. And then...

Blood.

Sesshomaru's blood. He fell on the ground. Dead. Miyuki, the one who was supposed to protect him, killed him, and was now laughing above his corpse*Yes, this is the fait that awaits you son. Now then, do you really want to die?*

"No, I want to protect my son! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Kyrinna screamed. Her scream transformed into some strange wicked power, which caused a huge explosion when it came into contact with the fire. The voice laughed evilly.

*Very well then. Be my warrior, lady Kyrinna. Help me to defeat the girl to protect your son.* Kyrinna's face was transformed into a mask of hate and anger when the flames consumed her body. 'I won't die a miserable death! NEVER! Nor will my son. I will stand in the way of that! I will protect him!'

"I remember. We never knew what caused that huge explosion back then. Speaking of which, have you been able to find her yet?" Miyuki asks, referring to Kyrinna. "No, I can't seem to find her anywhere," Inu no Taisho answers. "No wonder. The administration of the afterlife is falling behind in the paperwork. She may not be registered yet," Miyuki answers, thinking about the piles of paperwork she still has to do. "But I'm already registered and I died a long time after her," Inu no Taisho says surprised "You had a connection with me. You came through the backdoor," Miyuki says, waving his argument away.

"Oh."

"But I think it's time for me to go back now." A tear rolls down Miyuki's chin. "I can make you stay, Ikuymi," Inu no Taisho says soft and close to Miyuki's ear. Miyuki looks at the spirit with a sparkle of hope in her eyes and with a childish smile of happiness on her face. "Really? But why would you do that?" Miyuki's happiness changes into uncertainty. "You remember what you once told me yourself, when I came to the caste where you and Sesshomaru stayed short after Kyrinna died, don't you?" Inu no Taisho asks.

"Not exactly. You took away a part of my memories when you dropped me here, milord. That is something I DO remember," Miyuki answers a bit angry. Inu no Taisho chuckles soft. "You told me something about the spirits in the world after this one. 'The dead know everything, but they don't give a shit.' Does that ring a bell?" he asks. Miyuki bursts into laughing. "That's a brilliant statement, milord! I love it."

"I'm glad you like it. But think about it. The dead know everything. Everything. About the past, the present and the future." Miyuki stops laughing and looks seriously at Inu no Taisho. "You know something I don't, don't you? That's why you want me to stay," she says. Inu no Taisho smiles.

"Don't say you don't want to. I know you want to stay. There is a body of a young girl on the shore of the lake. She died this afternoon; you can take her body, so you can stay in this world just a little while longer. If you want to, of course," Inu no Taisho says, while he turns his head away, acting like he's not interested at all. He knows she won't turn this offer down, so he glances back at her with a little smile on his face.
"That means I can journey together with your sons and their groups!" Miyuki is overjoyed.

The spirit nods. "Yes, but on one condition." Miyuki bows down the way she used to bow down for him while there were still together. A bow Inu no Taisho remembers as a bow from the far in mainland. "Anything you wish, milord," Miyuki answers. "Tomorrow night, when the moon is at its highest point, take my sons to this lake. Only my sons, no one else," the spirit commands. "Of course, milord."

"Now go get your new body. We have to do the bonding ritual before the moon goes down. Otherwise your new body will reject you and throw you out." Miyuki runs over the lake towards her new body.

"Now give me your hand." Miyuki puts her hand on top Inu no Taisho's hand. Her new body has already changed into Miyuki's former self, which means the body has accepted the new spirit already. For the time being, at least. The spirit lets Miyuki slowly turning under his arm. Little drops of water fly around them. They have a beautiful silver glow, thanks to the moonlight.

"The smell of blood is gone. Completely gone," Inuyasha suddenly notices. "Not possible. It must be that half-breed nose of yours." Sesshomaru sniffs the air, finding the scent of blood to be gone. He lowers his head. They're climbing a cliff to follow the spy's scent. "See, I told you I was right," Inuyasha says, wanting to rub it right into his brother's face.

"Shut up, little brother. Let's hurry." Sesshomaru increases his speed when he reaches the edge of the cliff. "Don't have to tell me that twice." Inuyasha increases his speed too, to catch up with his brother. 'How can a normal spy go this fast in such a difficult terrain? It's like he just flies over it. Just like a ghost.'

Inu no Taisho guides Miyuki for a while through the strange dance. Then he starts to slowly fade away, while Miyuki still dances on to complete the bonding ritual. He lets her go and watches from a distance how Miyuki continuous to dance on. "Goodbye, my dear Ikuymi. May HE be with you," he whispers. The spirit of the great dog demon, Inu no Taisho, father of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, disappears in a flash of green and blue light, leaving the naked girl alone to perform the ritual.

They finally reach the lake. They both look at the scene that they see there. A young naked girl with long hair dances on the lake. Not in it, like you would've expected, but she dances on the surface of it. Silver drops of water float around her and the moon makes her long hair shine mysteriously.

"Just…who is that?" Inuyasha asks. The girl suddenly stops her dance and puts her arms above her head. Then she brings them in a slow motion down, until she reaches her belly, thereafter she makes a fast, unexpected pirouette. "This is unusual. This scent, it's the scent of the spy. But it's mixed with that of the girl," Sesshomaru says softly. Inuyasha nods. Suddenly the girl looks their way. "Shit. She heard us," Inuyasha says and they try to hide themselves behind a tree. But it's no good. She has seen them. They hear her gasp and then she starts running over the lake. She grabs something from a rock when she reaches the sore of the lake. It's a blanket which she puts around her. "Hey! Wait!" yells Inuyasha, but the girl keeps on running away from them, like her life depends on it. The brothers follow her into the forest, calling out to her that she has to wait. "Damm, she fast."

"Damm. We lost her," Inuyasha curses. The brothers are back at the hut, but they can't seem to find the girl. "Let's go inside and tell the others about it tomorrow. Then we'll decide what to do about it," Inuyasha says and he walks to the hut, yawning. Sesshomaru looks at the forest. "Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asks, wondering what his brother is thinking. "Very well." They walk to the hut. Inside they find everyone sleeping gently. Everyone including...

"Hey, look. It's Miyuki," notices Inuyasha. "She's back?" asks Sesshomaru while he looks at the sleeping Rin. "Yeah. How strange."

Everyone wakes up with the smell of baked eggs and spicy soup all around them. Kagome is the first one who goes outside to take a look. She finds Miyuki by the fire, playing with Kirara. She has tied her long blond hair together in a high tail and she is wearing the light blue dress, which stops a little down her crotch. She wears her red kimono only on her arms, so her shoulders are uncovered.

"Oh! Good morning, priestess Kagome. I didn't weak you up, did I?" she asks with a smile. Then she starts stirring the boiling soup. "No. Not at all Miyuki," Kagome replies, smelling the delicious soup. "I made breakfast for all of us. Do you think the others will wake up soon?" Miyuki asks."We're already here," says Inuyasha dry, while he and the others come out of the hut.

"Great. Right in time for breakfast." Miyuki puts her kimono on decently and ties it together. "It smells great," Miroku says when she sniffs the air. "Thank you, sir Monk Miroku. I hope you all like it." Miyuki smiles with childish joy.

"Breakfast! I'm hungry!" Rin comes running out of the hut, towards Miyuki. Miyuki turns into Rin direction, catches Rin in her arms when Rin jumps and starts hugging her. "Good morning, Rin," she says. "Good morning, Miyuki-chan," says Rin happy. "Wow, they seem to get along very well," says Miroku surprised, while they all sit down.

"Yeah, I wonder how that happened," replies Sango nodding. They all look at Miyuki, who is tickling Rin. "It was Rin who was there when Miyuki woke up for the first time. At least that's what Rin told me," Kagome explains.

"You slept well, Rin?" Miyuki asks when she stops tickling the little girl. "Hmm-mm. And you, Miyuki-chan? Did you sleep well?" Rin answers. "I had a strange dream, Rin. Just like yesterday and the day before yesterday," Miyuki says while she starts dividing bowls with hot soup to everyone. "A bad dream?" Rin asks. "Nope. It was a beautiful dream," Miyuki answers.