Chapter 9

The Lost Memories of Inu No Taisho

"Can we stop and rest yet?" Shippo asked, as he lingered behind the others.

"No, Shippo," Kagome said sadly, "We have to keep moving through tonight, if we want to reach the Southern Lands by tomorrow."

I looked down. The others were getting exhausted, all except for Sesshomaru, the Cullens, and I. Even InuYasha was starting to show signs of fatigue.

"Sesshomaru," I said catching up with him in the front, "Perhaps we should stop for the night. We need supplies, and the others need rest."

He did not answer me, he simply kept on walking, and I sighed in disappointment.

But, within about an hour, Sesshomaru came to a dead stop, along with the rest of us.

"We'll rest here for the night." He announced, and then turned back to glance at me, but then resumed walking forward.

"I think Sesshomaru-Sama is starting to like you." Rin said skipping merrily up to me.

My eyebrows lifted in surprise at her.

"What would make you say such things?"

She shrugged. "Sesshomaru-Sama doesn't usually let people other than master Jaken and I follow him. I think he's getting used to you."

I thought about that. Sesshomaru…he had always kept his feelings hidden, always sober. His eyes always seemed cold, and hard, whenever you looked into them. But now, ever since he met Rin, there is a softness and warmth in them.

Sesshomaru always said, "I can trust no one in this world," yet, why does he let Rin and Jaken follow him? Or, why does he always seem very protective of them?

My eyes widened, a memory coming back to mind.

"Father, do you insist on going?" I asked nervously, as blood dripped from his wounds, from his recent battle with Ryukotsusei.

"Do you intend to stop me, daughter?" My father's words blew with the wind, as he gazed ahead into the full moon.

"Arashi is right," Sesshomaru put in, "You're wounds from the battle with Ryukotsusei have not yet healed."

"And do you also intend to stop me, Sesshomaru?" His words lingered in my head.

"I will not stand in your way," Sesshomaru retorted, "However, before you leave, you must entrust the swords Sounga, and Tetsusaiga, to me."

"And if I refuse, will you kill me, your own father?"

"Father-" I called, reaching out to him, but Sesshomaru held out his arm in front of me, preventing me from moving any closer to him.

"Why do you seek power my children?" His voice sounded hurt, as he addressed both of us.

The waves crashed to the shore, as silence rolled on.

"The path I walk is of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me." Sesshomaru said, his eyes hard and cold.

"Supreme conquest." My father retorted, but his eyes never left the moon. "And you, Arashi," he addressed me now, "why do you seek power?"

My eyes narrowed. "I believe that only power, will allow me to succeed in all my desires." My voice was hard, and cold, just like Sesshomaru's.

The waves crashed louder on the shore, and the wind blew the scent of my father's blood to my nose.

"Tell me Sesshomaru," my father addressed him now, " do you have someone to protect?"

A moment of silence went by, between all 3 of us.

"Protect?" Sesshomaru questioned. "The answer is no. I, Sesshomaru, have no need of such."

With that, he turned around, and began to walk away.

When he was out of sight, and a few minutes of silence went by, Inu No Taisho spoke once more.

"And what about you my daughter, do you have someone to protect?"

My eyes narrowed. "Why would I waste my time protecting someone? Ridiculous." With that, I turned to leave.

"Arashi." Inu No Taisho said, and when I looked back, he was turned towards me.

"You are like Sesshomaru so much, and yet you do not realize it," he shook his head, "You will find what you are looking for through power, though it is not through the power of which you seek."

My eyes narrowed, but I bowed my head in comprehension, before turning around again, and leaving, not knowing that this would be the last time that I would see my father.

"Arashi, ARASHI?" my thoughts were interrupted by someone calling my name.

"What is it?" I asked, turning to see InuYasha looking at me with questioned eyes.

"Keh, what's the matter with you?" he asked, now in his usual tone.

"Nothing," I replied quickly, looking down.

"Whatever." InuYasha said, and he walked away, going to sit up in a nearby tree.

What did father mean when he said, "though it is not through the power of which you seek"?

Kagome started a fire, and began preparing dinner for the humans, and later, Rin came back with freshly caught animals for Sesshomaru, Jaken and me.

After we had finished eating, as usual, Sesshomaru wandered off to take the night watch, InuYasha slept soundly in a tree, Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kagome, Rin, and Jaken all slept on mats, and I sat leaning up against a tree, with my eyes closed, thinking.

Like the night before, footsteps approached me, and I warily opened my eyes, expecting to see Edward or one of the Cullens.

But I was surprised to see that it was none other than Kagome.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, "Did I wake you?" her voice was barely a whisper.

"No," I answered harshly, but she could tell that I was lying, as she sat down next to me, gazing up at the night sky.

There was silence, all except for the crackling of the fire, and the nearly silent sounds of the forest.

"Can I touch your ears?" Kagome said quickly after a few moments of silence.

My eyes widened, and I sat up completely, looking at her.

"You, want to-TOUCH my ears?" I said slowly, very puzzled by her question.

"Well, I've touched InuYasha's cute dog ears, and I know what a human ear feels like, but I've never touched a demon's ears yet." Her face was full of embarrassment, but was also hopeful and full of happiness.

"Okay…." I slightly leaned forward, and she ran her fingers along my long, pointed ears a few times, before leaning away.

It was silent for a while.

"Is that all you wanted?" I asked her.

"N-No," she said, but then blushed.

"What else do you want?" I asked, leaning back against the tree again.

"I-I just wanted to know… If you could…"

"If I could what?" I asked, arching one eyebrow, being very cautious.

"If you could tell me….a little about Sesshomaru?"

My eyes widened, and I jerked up to stare at her with wide eyes.

"You- out of all people-wish to know about Sesshomaru?"

Kagome nodded her head.

"What do you wish to know?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Well, I just wanted to know….why is he so solemn all the time?"

I sighed, and closed my eyes.

"Sesshomaru was never one to show emotion, he gets it from Sohi, our mother. He's more like her than our father." I explained.

"And…you're much more like your father." Kagome stated, not even asking.

"I guess." I said, my eyes opening sadly.

"I'm sorry." Kagome apologized looking down, and it was silent again.

"I was just-very close with him." I explained again, trying to break the sad feeling in the air.

"You miss him, don't you," She whispered, leaning forward, trying to look into my saddened gold eyes.

"Yes, very much so. And even though it may seem that Sesshomaru doesn't carry any emotions, he misses our father too."

A light rustle in the tree above reached my ears.

"And he even cares for his siblings, isn't that right InuYasha." I said in a taunting voice, slightly smiling, as InuYasha leapt out of the tree.

"Keh, Sesshomaru wouldn't care about me even if I was a full Yokai, or if his life was threatened." He said, crossing his arms, and turning away.

"Face it Arashi, he doesn't care about you, me, or anyone else."

"That's not true." a little voice said, and we all turned to see Rin groggily rubbing her eyes, and yawning. "Lord Sesshomaru cares, he just has a hard time of showing it, right Arashi?"

I was speechless for a moment, but then slightly nodded.

"Foolish child!" Jaken said, who was walking towards her with his staff, "Lord Sesshomaru cares for no one!"

"Yes he does! You take that back Jaken!" she yelled, tears escaping her eyes.

"Lay off Jaken!" InuYasha yelled, "She's just a kid."

"You're wrong master Jaken! I'll prove that he cares!" she said, and she ran off into the depths of the forest.

"Now look what you did!" Kagome yelled at the little toad demon.

"Jaken!" I yelled glaring at him, and he slightly fell back, frightened of me.

"Not to be a nuisance, but may I say that your glare is much like Lord Sesshomaru's."

I stepped on his head, and began walking into the woods.

"Where are you going?' InuYasha asked me, as I walked into the trees.

"I'm going to find Rin," I replied back, and I heard footsteps approach me. I saw that it was Kagome, dragging InuYasha behind her.

"We're coming with you." She said.

"Good, you take the east, and InuYasha, you take the west," I ordered, "I'll take the south."

"Fine." InuYasha said, and they both split off in two directions, as I continued forward, towards the south.

Rin's scent was in the air, and it was fresh, she had been heading this way.

I just needed to find her before she got close to the Great Mother's Castle.