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Pissed Off Irish Chick: Hello once again Irish Chick! Trust me there was more to add on but I almost hurt myself typing it up. (Tip: never type with your head close to the computer when sleepy!)

Whispering Kage: Lol. This Amerisa loves your review. This review made Amerisa smile and laugh. This Amerisa also loves Tatsuo's character!

Kira Kyuuketsuki: Before I created this story neither did I!

YunaNeko: Thanks. Watashi wa!

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(As a little side note the length of this story depends on where I start in Book 3 of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series which is still undetermined.)

Chapter 4

"To enjoy the flavor of life take big bites."

-Robert Heinlein

SESSHOMARU P.O.V

I sighed heavily as I watched the miko sleep away in the guest bedchamber. How I knowingly succombed to Tatsuo's foolish endeavor to mess with the woman's mind was beyond me. In the past, when I was a pup and still training to become the next Lord, Tatsuo would rangle me into these messes. Wether it was playing tricks on my father, disturbing the help, or trying to look under the dresses of the Ladies of the Court it was always Tatsuo who built me up to it.

He would often tell me that our actions were his way of teaching me about life and living. I would ask him exactly how his bizarre methods would teach me about life and living and he would always reply with the same answer.

"It's about enjoying everything in life as if it was the last thing you would ever experience. Not just going day-by-day and living based on the views of others."

After Tatsuo's disappearance, those words haunted me. I tried hard to experience life as he wanted but the pressures of being my father's heir took a toll on me, though it is not something I would admit. Any type of weakness, as I was taught, could be your ultimate downfall. I took these words seriously for they were the only ones I felt could give me true meaning to the life I lead.

"Are you just gonna sit there all night and gaze at her like some helpless lover my Lord?"

I closed my eyes for a moment's peace. I heard the thumping of his feet come closer and stop until they were on the other side of the miko's futon. I heard a rustling of clothing and opened my eyes to see that he had crouched down to sit on the floor just I had.

"What is it that you want from this Sesshomaru now? Or do you enjoy making this Sesshomaru play the fool for you over and again?"

I watched as Tatsuo looked away from my gaze to the outline of Kagome's body underneath the blanket I draped over her.

"Look Sesshomaru. I can tell how much my leaving you hurt-"

"It did not hurt this Sesshomaru," I lied. I knew he knew that I did.

"-and as much I wanted to come back," he continued, "I couldn't. I couldn't tell you why I left but I couldn't tell you goodbye."

"Why?" I spat. "So you wouldn't have to deal with this Sesshomaru's pathetic whining as to why the very being he looked up to, other than his father, was abandoning him? Or maybe it was the latter. That you didn't give a damn about this Sesshomaru in the first place?" I could tell that I had hit a nerve for a fire lit up in his eyes as he stared me down.

"You know that is not true. I cared for you like a son and I still do. Just because I wasn't there doesn't disprove that."

I huffed and turned back to the miko who, surprisingly, was still fast asleep.

"Why did you come back?" I asked.

Tatsuo shifted.

Hn. Uncomfortable was he? 'As he should be.'

"Why did you leave? And do not presume to think that this Sesshomaru will not understand for he understands far more than you can imagine. Also, you have brought the miko here along with you, which is very peculiar seeing as how you and her have no specific relation or connection."

Tatsuo rubbed a hand down his face and laid down next to the miko. He stared up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head. "I am not from here Sesshomaru."

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Your birthplace is not Japan?"

Tatsuo shook his head. "No. I meant that I am not of this world. I am from another place, another world." He turned toward me. "That is why I was your father's greatest asset," he said as he turned his gaze back towards the ceiling. "No friend or foe could ever figure me out or defeat me. Thus it was harder to get dirt on me to shame my name with dirt from my past, which would in turn shame your father. As years passed my presence in the Taisho home became the talk of every Lords house. The mysterious stranger without a home, a family, no history at all. A mysterious stranger who just waltz in one day and gains the attention of the most feared and respected Lord in the country."

Silence passed over us as I let his words sink in. 'He is not from this world? Impossible.'

"If you are not from this world, then where are you from?"

"It's difficult to explain. I'm from a place that's divided into 4 nation. The Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, and the Water Tribes. Obviously I am from the fire nation."

"Why name these nations after the elements?"

"Because the people are also divided. People who bend water, fire, air, and earth. And by bending, I mean that they can control the elements. Sometimes bending powers can skip one or more generations in a family so not everyone can bend an element."

"Hn. That does not explain to this Sesshomaru why you left." I admit that I was immensly surprised at his confession. A world where ningens could control water, earth, fire, and air sounded ludacris but in the back of mind I knew I had heard of stranger tales.

"I..." he sighed. "...my race, dragons of course, were going extinct because the people of the fire nation were hunting us as a sport. The current ruler, Fire Lord Ozai deemed it as a right of passage. If you conquer a dragon you can conquer anything. My father was one of the dragons who were being hunted the most due to his ability to outsmart his predators and blend in with his surroundings. But soon my father's charade of parading around as a human ended when one of Ozai's warriors saw him transform and immediately told him of my father's so-called trechery, something I still do not understand."

"This Sesshomaru is assuming that you came to this world to create an escape for you and your father."

"Hai. But my attempts at a better life for me and my father were all for naught. I left because I could sense my father was in peril at that exact moment. That is why there were no goodbyes or a notice because it was all sudden. I was too late to save my father for an army of Ozai's followers had taken him down and killed him on the spot. I was proud of my father because from what I saw he had put up one hell of a fight and knowing my father it was definately a tough battle." Tatsuo stopped talking and I could feel his inner turmoil. I knew then I could not understand his pain no matter how hard I tried. While Tatsuo's father died with honor my father died protecting some human wench and her half-breed pup, who was wreaking havoc all around Japan following Naraku; another worthless half-breed.

"Anything else?" Tatsuo's monotone voice cut into my thoughts.

"Yes. How is the miko invovled?"

"She is Midoriko's reincarnation." I took note that when he spoke of Midoriko his body became less tense and his mouth twitched, almost begging to break out into a smile.

'Hn. Interesting. This Sesshomaru will have to have a private discussion with him later.'

I raised an eyebrow expecting him to elaborate.

"To make a long story short me and Midoriko had a...ahem...past. I knew her long before she became the famed Priestess Midoriko. We could never further our relationship past friendship because of who were and how society saw us even though our love was strong. In the end we had to seperate. Before Midoriko died she had come to me one night and told me that she wasn't the last of her line even though she didn't have any children."

FLASHBACK

TATSUO P.O.V

"Where is that woman? I've been out here for hours when it was her that asked me here!" I said to myself as I paced back and forth.

"Talking to yourself again Tatsuo? I'm begininning to think that you are going mad."

My heartbeat increased in my chest as Midoriko approached me. Her smile widening as she ran towards me and enveloped me in a hug. I buried my head in her hair and wrapped my arms tight around her waist.

"Mmm. Only for you Koi," I whispered in her ear. I felt her shiver under my touch and smiled against her collarbone. We had made an agreement to not cross the line of being friends to lovers no matter how much we yearned for each other. If we didn't part soon our agreement would be null and void.

"Oh Tatsuo. Me too. But you know we can't be together." She pulled back and rested her forehead on mine.

"I know. It breaks me everytime I think of it."

We stayed in our embrace for a while with nothing but the sounds of the forest around us. But all too soon, at least for me, Midoriko wriggled out of my grasp and stepped away.

"I came here to tell you that this will be our last time together." I lowered my head and clenched my fists. No matter how much I prepared, nothing could prepare me for the hurt that slithered into my heart.

"You know how I feel about you and that this seperation will be hard on me as well but I have to do what I have to do. Besides there are far greater things at this moment that we must worry about."

She stepped close to me and laid a hand on my arm. I hissed as I felt a burning sensation on my shoulder but it faded away into a bearable throbbing.

"What did you do to me?" I whispered.

"It is a mark. I burned your family crest into your skin." She lifted the sleeve of my kimono and indeed there was my family crest. Burning bright and red on my skin.

"Why?"

Midoriko sighed and looked off into the sky. Once she started talking I somehow felt that this wasn't Mirdoriko talking to me, but someone that was talking through her to me.

"I know that in the future I will die. But with you being demon you will not. When I die there will be a jewel that will come to existence. A jewel made from my very own soul. A jewel that will be handed down throughout my future reincarnations. I need you to look after every last one of them to make sure that the jewel will be kept safe. But there will come a time when there is one reincarnation who is different from all of the rest. It will be she who not only saves this world but yours too and you will have to be with her every step of the way. Do you understand me?"

I nodded numbly.

Midoriko smiled, the glazed look in her eyes gone. "Good."

"Midoriko!"

"Priestess Midoriko? Where are you?"

"Priestess!"

I growled low in my throat. Damn villagers could never give this woman a day of peace. Midoriko sighed. "Duty calls."

I watched as she walked away from me.

"Wait!"

She looked back at me.

"How do you know all of this?"

She said nothing but smile and turned away from me taking my heart with her.

END TATSUO P.O.V

END FLASHBACK

"Supposedly Kagome is the one she is talking about. I have never seen anyone odder than her in all of my life."

"This Sesshomaru agrees," I snorted in agreement causing Tatsuo to laugh wholeheartedly.

Sadly, a laugh that my inner pup missed.

END SESSHOMARU P.O.V

INUYASHA P.O.V

"When is Kagome coming back? It's been 2 days!" Shippou whined.

"Shut up runt. She'll come back when she's ready," I said impatiently as I laid back on my hands outside of the inn that the monk managed to weasle us into. Once again Miroku told the owner of said inn that there was some ominous prescence hovering around that was a threat to them and their visitors. Not wanting to take any risks, the owner quickly took up Miroku's offer to give threat inn protection.

'Stupid weak human.'

"Yes Inuyasha. I agree with Shippou. Besides wasn't Kagome supposed to come back 2 days ago? I mean you left saying that you had to and get her from the well and then you come back saying that she was going back home," Sango said as she sat off to the side polishing her Hirakotsu.

I sighed as I remembered what happened between me and Kagome. I felt a painful clenching in my chest as I thought about how Kagome was there to watch me and Kikyou. I couldn't help but wince as I remembered how betrayed she looked. Never had I felt as much guilt as I did then. What happened between me and Kikyou didn't even make me feel this bad!

But the feelings I had for Kikyou were hard to ignore considering that she was now among the living again.

'Idiot! She isn't alive! She's a walking clay doll impersonationg Kikyou!'

I growled. Stupid conscience.

Besides what the hell was I thinking when I told Kikyou I would think about it? I mean, there were times when I wished I had Kikyou instead of Kagome but there were even more times where I was thankful that Kagome was in my arms.

'Maybe you could have them both?'

My body tensed as the demon said of me decided to make an appearance.

'What?'

'You heard me. Why not both? You won't have to woory about losing Kagome or Kikyou and you will be fully satisfied.'

'Hmmm...I do like the sound of that.'

'No! Don't you think about it Inuyasha!'

My eyebrows furrowed as the human side of me decided to step in.

'You already know how on edge Kagome is about Kikyou even talking to you in private but now you want to have her as a mate as well as Kikyou? Not only will that break her heart she will lose all love and respect she has for you!'

I whined softly to myself as I thought about a future without Kagome. I wouldn't be able to watch her cook that ramen stuff for me, or mother Shippou and hope one day that it would be my our pup in her arms, or argue with her.

'True, but what about Kikyou? You two should have a chance at happiness again.'

Yeah. There was that problem again.

My thoughts were starting to conflict as my love for both Kagome and Kikyou grew. With Kikyou I sometimes felt restricted in my own self. Like I didn't want to make it too obvious to her that I was hanyou seeing as how she wanted me to turn human. On the other side she was the first human that was kind to me. The first to befriend me like no other would.

'That's all fine and everything but you two didn't have the trust like you and Kagome do!'

That's true too. With Kagome I felt powerful. I felt like I was able to do anything and everything with her by my side, where she told me that she would stay. I was still amazed with how much trust she put in me both on the battlefield and off it. That's why I wanted her as a mate, because of the way she made me feel and because I wanted to spend the rest of our lives showing her just how grateful I was for her feelings for me.

But...

'But what there are no buts!'

But I just couldn't leave Kikyou behind like that. I owed her my life considering she lost hers because of me.

'Exactly. With Kagome as your first mate and Kikyou as your second you could spend your life paying both of them back and you won't have to worry about hurting the other for they both will have a piece of you. Then when Kikyou dies you, as you know her body will not hold for long, you will still have Kagome.'

I quirked my eyebrow at that. That did sound like a great plan. Of course Kagome wouldn't like it at first but she would come around as she always does. Especially when I explain to her that Kikyou will soon die.

'That's a stupid idea.'

'No it's a wonderous idea.'

'No it's not. We can not have both. Besides I want Kagome!' Inuyasha's human side added.

'Hn. Well I want Kagome AND Kikyou. I won't stop until I have both.

'No!'

'Yes!'

'No!'

'Yes!'

I growled and leapt up as the voices in my head increased in sound.

'No!'

'YES!'

'NO!'

'YES!'

'NOOO'

"Shut up!" I yelled as I clutched my head. Just like that, the voices disappeared.

"Inuyasha?"

I looked over to see Miroku, Sango, and Shippou huddled up to each other.

"What?" I asked gruffly.

"Y-y were...your eyes...they were.." Shippou stuttered as he pointed at me from the top of the monk's head.

"Spit it out runt."

"I think what Shippou is trying to say Inuyasha is that your eyes were flickering back and forth between red and gold," Miroku said calmy as he plucked Shippou from the top of his head and handed him to Sango who was nodding in agreement.

"What? That's impossible."

"Obviously not. When you jumped up it looked like you were about to transform. Your claws were starting to grow and we could see your fangs but for some reason your dog ears were getting smaller too," Sango said.

"Yeah!" Shippou piped up. "But once you started yelling you went back to normal."

Said ears swiveled. I reached up to touch them. "They still feel the same size like always." They all shrugged. I thought back to the voices in my head that disappeared a minute ago. Could there arguing somehow have something to do with my momentary changes?

"Maybe you should ask Kaede about this. If she doesn't know what's wrong ask Totosai."

I nodded listening to Miroku. I turned around and leapt away intent on finding answers about what just happened.

A/N: Once again I had to stop (Freakin' eye strain) but here you go! I kinda wanted this to be a "fill-in" chapter on Sesshomaru's and Tatsuo's past with each other.

Until next time...

JA NE!