Woot! Ok so I'm really happy! I passed my night school geometry course, that I was taking for a scholarship, with the highest grade in the class and the teacher is letting me miss the last day! And the Inu Gods took pity on me and blessed me with episodes 51, 52, 127, 135, AND 140! sighs in bliss Ahhh life is good. Anyway enough with my rambling!

Onto the good part, it's "The Talk" time!


Inuyasha wasn't happy and when Inuyasha wasn't happy about something, he let everyone know about it

Inuyasha wasn't happy and when Inuyasha wasn't happy about something, he let everyone know about it. Not only had he been blackmailed by his wife but now he had to find the damn kitsune and give him 'The Talk', whatever the hell that was. Well, if he was going to suffer through this then he was going to make someone suffer with him. Namely a certain licentious monk. Misery loves company after all.

"Oi, bouzu!" he yelled rudely and jumped onto the porch of the monk's new house, sniffing delicately for his scent.

Miroku appeared a second later in the doorway, saying testily in a hushed voice, "Can't you be quiet, Inuyasha?" He glanced behind him, checking on something. "Sango's taking a nap."

"Good, she won't miss you then." Inuyasha pushed open the door and snagged the other man's robes, attempting to drag him away.

Miroku smacked the hanyou on the head with his staff and Inuyasha hissed loudly. "What was that fo-"

He was cut off as the human's hands covered his mouth forcibly. "I told you to be quiet!"

Inuyasha pushed him away, rubbing his bruised skull indignantly, and muttering expletives under his breath. Miroku ignored the hanyou's complaining. He had been asking for it.

"What do you want?" Miroku demanded.

"Kagome wants me to give Shippo 'The Talk'," Inuyasha informed him.

Miroku's eyebrows shot up into his hairline, violet eyes expanding. "You don't mean The Talk, do you?"

"Yes, The Talk," Inuyasha repeated with a roll of his eyes.

Miroku gasped, a hand flying to his mouth. "You poor man," he said pityingly.

"Nuh uh," Inuyasha shook his head, sizing up Miroku like prey. "We poor men. I'm not doing this by myself."

Miroku hefted his staff threatening. "Absolutely not! I most certainly am not going to get dragged into this. You just keep me out of it."

"Keh! You need the practice. It'll be a good learning experience for when your son is this age."

"I shall pray to Buddha for a daughter then!" Miroku replied somewhat hotly.

Inuyasha snorted contemptuously, crossing his wide sleeved arms over his chest. "Miroku, after all the unholy deeds and acts you've committed, I wouldn't be so confident. If anything Buddha will give you a son to spite you. Or a daughter to spite you since then you won't be able to teach her any lecherous acts. Either way, you're shit out of luck."

Miroku eyed him for a moment, absorbing that little speech. He hated to admit it but the hanyou was right. Boy or girl, he was going to be on the sharp end of the stick no matter what. Sighing dramatically, he lowered his staff and regained his normal cool, confident composure. "Very well. Let us be off then!" He flourished his staff to point in the direction of the village in an extravagant gesture.

Inuyasha made a sound somewhere between disgust and annoyance then stomped off fractiously. Miroku was just too theatric for his tastes, plus he wanted to get this stupid talk over with.

The monk caught up with him and they made their way down the stairs to the village. The two were indeed a very odd couple; the belligerent dog hanyou and the perverse but magnanimous huoshi. It was quite a feat that two had become such close friends, best friends in fact. Of course, none of their relationships were exactly common.

Inuyasha, for example, was married to the miko from the future, a woman whose humane nature greatly contrasted his rough and often course manners. His other friends were a demon exterminator who had tried to kill him, a bratty kitsune who taunted him continuously, and an old one eyed woman who had created the subduing rosary around his neck. Nope, Inuyasha was far from normal in just about every standard.

Miroku ranked right up there with him when it came to strange ties. The monk who liked to touch had married the independent woman who didn't like to be touched. Before meeting Inuyasha and Kagome he had been hesitant to form bonds with others due to the ever present threat of his demise lying in the Kazaana. They had taught him to live each day to the fullest and appreciate the ones that you had while you could.

Neither man had any regrets and while the road here had been long and hard, it had been worth it.

They reached the front of Shippo's home and Miroku made himself comfortable on the porch as Inuyasha went inside to get him. Though Miroku wondered if sending Inuyasha in to get him had been a wise idea, as seconds later he heard them squabbling about Kami knows what. Sighing, he directed his attention to the village, searching for Kohaku.

The boy had excused himself when Sango had gone to take her nap. Miroku hadn't seen him since.

The screen door banged open and Shippo came thumping out, his brows lowered into a scowl. Inuyasha followed him, looking equally irate. Miroku suppressed another sigh.

"Ok now that I'm out here, what do you guys want?" the kitsune snapped irritably.

"We're going to have a little talk," Inuyasha replied tartly, taking a seat beside Miroku.

"Talk about what?"

"The Talk."

Shippo stared at him in shock and disbelief, as if he had said the words "I'm pregnant" rather then "The Talk."

"I think I'd rather take relationship advice from Kaede than you two," he answered bluntly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, brat?" Inuyasha snarled as Miroku tried to look innocent.

"Well, to be honest, both of you suck with relationships," Shippo stated frankly, causing both males to draw themselves up rigidly at the insult. The kitsune pointed a claw at Inuyasha. "You couldn't decide between your first love and a new love, even after the first love tried to kill you several times. Despite the fact your new love loved every part of you, you still ran back to the old one who didn't truly accept who you were." He moved his claw so it trained on Miroku. "You...Geez what can I say about you? You loved every woman who crossed your path and didn't care who she was so long as she was pretty. You're swallow and inept when it comes to the opposite sex. I think that covers everything."

Miroku sighed loudly in an act of disappointment, muttering, "How ungrateful."

Inuyasha was not nearly so discreetly. He leaped to his feet and approached the kitsune, cracking his knuckles dangerously. "You ready to die, Shippo?"

The kitsune backed up, realizing too late that he had perhaps gone too far. Luck was not with him either and his back hit the wall of the house, preventing him from retreating. But kitsune's are born with an innate sense of getting out of tricky situations and the perfect plan came to Shippo as the angered hanyou drew close to him.

Shippo pointed a claw over Inuyasha's shoulder, and yelled, "Oh my Kami, look! It's Jinsoku!"

Unfortunately Inuyasha wasn't as gullible as Shippo assumed and the hanyou only paused and sniffed the air, determining that the horse was nowhere near. He was about to start squealing and cowering when Miroku's staff thumped onto Inuyasha's head for the second time in under thirty minutes.

"Now, Inuyasha, we must be diplomatic about this. You promised Kagome you'd do this, didn't you now?" he said in a tone like he was talking to a young child.

Inuyasha hissed in annoyance, massaging his bruised noggin. "Fine!" He grabbed Shippo by the front of his shirt and pulled him roughly to the ground, the three men sitting in a triangle shape. "There! That was pretty diplomatic."

Miroku heaved another heavy sigh, mouthing "Why me" to the sky.

"This is ridiculous!" Shippo exclaimed. "I'm not taking advice from neither of you! Naraku was probably better at handling women then the two of you combined!"

"Shut up, brat!" Inuyasha interrupted the kitsunes rant. "Kagome is making me do this, so just sit down and be quiet!"

"I'd rather ask Sesshoumaru to be my mate and wear a kimono then listen to the wanton advice of you!"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to retort but Miroku beat him to it, exploding loudly, "Will both of you shut up?! We're adults not children! Can we at least attempt to act like it?!"

Shippo was about to point out that Inuyasha was the one who never acted like an adult but a stormy look from the huoshi made him bite his tongue. He settled for a good sulk instead; crossing his arms over his chest, and sinking down till he slouched to make sure they knew he was sulking.

Inuyasha shimmered with anger but simply said a single "Keh" and pointedly ignored the chilly stare of Miroku.

Miroku waited a moment but neither demon said anything, trying to out sulk the other. Well as long as they were quiet that was fine. "Now then, shall we begin?"

"Starting with which part?" Inuyasha asked, drawing out of his funk to get the stupid lecture over with.

Miroku grinned carnally. "My favorite part of course! The sex part."

Shippo and Inuyasha both made "Ugh" sounds, followed by Shippo stating, "This is exactly what I meant."

"We most certainly are not going to discuss that!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Ah but, Inuyasha, it is very important."

"I don't care! You can keep your little night time adventures to yourself!"

Miroku looked like he was going to argue but stopped himself with some effort, sliding a hand sedately across the front of his robes. "Very well then. What do you wish to discuss, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou's face fell and he froze in mortification. He began stuttering for an answer, trying to conceal his embarrassment, "Huh-how should I know. This is your job."

Miroku prayed for patience, tightening his hands frustratingly around his staff. "Okay...We'll start with some general rules about dealing with women then. The rules every man needs to know to survive in the deadly world of females."

He had their full attention now, both of them interested in what he was going to say.

"Rule Number One," Miroku held up one finger extravagantly, pausing for effect. "Rule Number One is that the woman is always right."

"That's a lie," Inuyasha snapped.

"No it isn't. It's true. The woman is always right."

"Feh! Bunch of bullshit is what it is. Most of the time women are wrong."

Shippo was looking back and forth between the two older males, his head spinning.

"Doesn't matter if they're wrong or right. A woman is always right even if she's wrong," Miroku said wisely.

"What the hell sort of dream talk are you spouting? If a woman is wrong, she's wrong. Period."

"No, you're wrong. Women are right."

"Oh please, give me a break. Kagome is wrong nine out of ten times."

"Fine. All women, except for certain miko's named Kagome, are right."

Inuyasha considered that for a moment before nodding. "Ok, that works."

With that little tiff out of the way, Miroku resumed where he had left off when Shippo said, "But wait, if a man's alone in the forest and no women are around to hear, is he still wrong?"

Both monk and hanyou froze, Miroku's mouth sliding shut. They both looked uncertainly at each other, totally at a loss.

"I...I don't know," Miroku stammered.

"Kami, this is making my head hurt," Inuyasha moaned, clasping fistfuls of his hair while lowering his face down to touch his indian style crossed legs.

Several moments of silence stretched by as the three males picked their brains, trying to come up with a conceivable answer to Shippo's question. When failure was imminent, Miroku shock himself from his stupor. "Okay, let's leave that alone. We'll ask a woman later or something."

Inuyasha and Shippo muttered agreements, greatly relieved.

"Anyway Rule Number Two," Miroku held up two fingers. "Rule Number Two is if it appears the female is wrong it is because of a flagrant misunderstanding on the male's part, often caused by something the male said or did wrong. When this happens you must apologize immediately under any circumstances."

"But Inuyasha never-"

"That's why Inuyasha never gets laid."

"Hey!" Inuyasha bellowed fiercely.

"Rule Number Three," Miroku held up three fingers, ignoring Inuyasha's scathing retorts. "A female can change her mind at any time but a male must get the written consent of the female before he is allowed to change his mind."

Shippo frowned at him. He wasn't buying any of this.

Inuyasha was too busy still growling over Miroku's last comment to pay any attention.

"Rule Number Four." Four fingers were held up. "The female has every right to be angry and upset at any time. The male must remain calm at all times unless the female wants him to be angry or upset."

"But Inuyasha-"

"Again that's why he never gets laid."

"Shut your damn mouth, bouzu!"

"Rule Number Five! At all times, what is important is what the female meant, not what she said."

Inuyasha went cross eyed. "What the hell does that mean? Stop speaking in riddles!"

"This is so stupid," Shippo muttered darkly.

Miroku placed his hands on his crossed legs, ultimately proud with his lecture. Giving his own child The Talk years from now would be a cinch. "Inuyasha, do you have anything to add?"

"Yeah. Shippo, whatever you do, marry a mute. It'll make things so much easier."

"You guys are idiots," Shippo replied snobbishly.

Inuyasha clenched his fist, barely refraining from smacking the kitsune on the head. Miroku quickly tried to soothe the situation.

"Shippo, this is for your own well being," he said. "Inuyasha and I have been married for a while now so we understand these things. We also went through courtship and the relationship before marriage."

"That's only because Kagome and Sango put up with you cause they're nice people. You two wouldn't know how to court a cabbage much less a woman."

Miroku's staff flew out, blocking Inuyasha's hand from descending on Shippo's skull. Sighing deeply, Miroku closed his eyes, drawing patience. "Now Shippo-"

"Stupid runt!" Inuyasha snarled, cutting off Miroku. "You talk so much crap but can't back it up! Where's your mate, huh?! Where's your girlfriend, huh?!"

"Hmph," Shippo snorted, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his back on the spitting hanyou. "I could have any woman I want when I want," he stated haughtily.

"Yeah right. You're a damn liar," Inuyasha argued.

"Oh? Want me to prove it then?" Shippo raised an eyebrow at him, grinning evilly.

"Sure, go right ahead. Make a fool out of yourself."

Smirking, Shippo got to his feet. He searched the village in front of him, spying a young woman walking by carrying a basket full of laundry. Chuckling, the kitsune jumped down the porch steps and approached the young woman.

Inuyasha and Miroku watched carefully as Shippo said a few choice words to the young girl. She laughed and blushed a little coyly, though she made no move to get away or slap him. The two older males watched spell bound as Shippo said a couple more things to her before the girl nodded her head in agreement, giving Shippo a saucy, feral grin. She started walking off and Shippo followed, giving them a big smile and wave.

Neither of them could look away until Shippo disappeared with the girl around the corner, their brains and eyes locked in disbelief.

"Impossible," Inuyasha breathed finally.

"Master, teach me," Miroku pathetically whined.


Miroku was heading back to his home when he spotted the figure he had been periodically searching for. Kohaku emerged from the trees with Jinsoku behind him, returning from wherever they had gone to.

It was an interesting relationship, the man and his hanyou horse. In some queer way Jinsoku was Kohaku's best friend and ally. It made Miroku pity him a bit, to have to revert to speaking to an animal that could not respond with words or gestures beyond vague head thrusts and neighs.

Moving off the steps, Miroku approached him, and smiled kindly when Kohaku looked up and caught sight of him.

"Have you been to see Sango?" he asked the black clothed rider.

Kohaku frowned slightly and shook his head. "I haven't been back since she took her nap. Is she awake?"

"I am not certain but most likely she sleeps still." He paused a moment then spoke the words that would set in motion his promise. "Would you mind accompanying me for a walk, Kohaku?"

The man's visage faltered, ready to refuse. But his lips tightened, his eyes focused on the ground, a charade of emotions playing across his face. Miroku waited patiently until his countenance stilled and he nodded, once.

Miroku's smile widened, glad that the young man had accepted the offer. "Thank you. Let us go this way." He indicated a direction with his staff.

There was no reply from Kohaku and Miroku set off in the direction he had pointed to, hearing the steps of the young man pursue him. But along with those steps came the plodding of horses hooves and he stole a glance over his shoulder, finding Jinsoku trotting devotedly next to its master. Miroku hated to do it but he knew the horse needed to be gotten rid of. While it may have been silly to most common villagers, Miroku was certain the animal could understand human speech as good as Kirara, if not better. The horse was an accidental spy, an eavesdropper, and an unwelcome one.

Stopping in his tracks, he turned to face Kohaku, his eyes flickering between boy and horse. "Kohaku, would you mind if we walk alone?" He flicked his eyes to Jinsoku to show what he meant.

Kohaku and Jinsoku looked at each other, Kohaku raising an eyebrow. Miroku had the faint notion that Jinsoku would have mirrored the gesture had he possessed eyebrows.

"Okay...Go bother Inuyasha, Jinsoku," Kohaku ordered his mount.

The horse snickered in what must have been delight and ambled off to find the other hanyou of the village, leaving Miroku exclusively with Kohaku. Miroku resumed their walk posthaste, knowing the exact destination he had in mind.

They walked in silence, through the village and away from it, into the forest, emerging onto a clearing with a well in its center. The Bone Eaters Well sat like an omen on the grass, its wide mouth yawning upwards. It was a bit more cracked and dried since the last time Miroku had seen it but was relatively the same. He had not seen it in close to two years now. There had been no reason to visit it after Kagome had made her decision but yet it remained, a lonely reminder of the journey they had gone through, an emblem of their pasts.

Miroku drew a few meters away from it and stopped, a thousand memories dancing in his head. The sound of Kohaku halting behind him reached his ears but his attention was focused on the well. Remembrances of hard battles, hardships outnumbered, evils conquered flashed past him.

How long had it been since they had traveled the country side, fighting demons, searching for Naraku? It amazed him that it only been a few years ago. It felt like an eternity, as if he had done all those things in a past life and was experiencing flash backs. They had grown much, settled down, become...lazy. Their lives were average. No longer were they the breathtaking idolized heros they had once been.

The Shikon no Tama was gone and with it, everything else. The only tales that would be passed down, that would remember it, were his own children and Inuyasha's children should they have any. The rest of the world went on, forgetting the tale of the glowing jewel that granted wishes, forgetting the trouble that had occurred when it split. How astonishing that the jewel that had caused so much mayhem had been forgotten in a heartbeat.

"Kohaku," Miroku spoke, his voice thick with an emotion he couldn't define. "Do you see that well?"

A second ticked by. "Yes."

Miroku stared at the well, letting memory wash through him. When he spoke, he spoke almost unconsciously, not entirely aware of what he was saying.

"About ten years or so ago, a young woman came out of that well. She was from the future, a reincarnation of a powerful miko. Inside herself she carried the Shikon no Tama, a divine jewel she wasn't aware of carrying. The jewel was pulled out of her body by a youkai and to save herself she freed a hanyou from a tree, a hanyou who had been sealed by the original miko fifty years previous. The jewel was taken once again by a demon crow and the girl from the future shot it with an arrow. But with that shot she not only destroyed the bird, but split the jewel into perhaps hundreds of tiny fragments."

He moved towards the well until he was standing beside it, looking down into its murky depths. Kohaku silently came to his side, inspecting the well.

"The girl who had split the jewel," Miroku continued on softly, "allied herself with the hanyou and they went after the shards together, for the shards were dangerous. If a youkai got his hands on one he could cause devastating damage. It was a long hard journey and throughout it all the girl from the future witnessed the plight she had placed unintentionally on the human populace. She was forced to see all the destruction and trouble her mistake had caused , even in her closest companions. They too had fallen victim to the calamity caused by the jewel."

He flexed his hand at this point, the hand that had held the kazaana. Kohaku remained silent, watching the monk with quiet interest.

"But even if she were the one who had split the jewel and possibly the cause of all the death and depredation that had occurred because of it, she atoned her mistakes, righted her wrongs. She had the chance to run away, return back to the future and pretend that it had never happened, pretend it was a dream. But instead, she stayed and faced the problem she had helped create. She stayed because she felt guilty, because she wanted to make up for what had happened.. And her friends understood that. In turn, they were able to forgive her because they understood. They forgave her and did not blame her for the bad turn of events that had happened due to the jewel. She was not in control of the situation, had been unaware of what could happen. She was as much a victim as any of us."

His compelling violet eyes met Kohaku's troubled brown ones and Kohaku lowered his, knowing the monk was searching him.

"Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Miroku asked compassionately, barely above a whisper.

Kohaku struggled to answer, choking out painfully, "I don't have the mind to."

Miroku's eyes flashed with disappointment. "More like you don't want to. I think you understand."

He sat down on the edge of the well, cradling his staff. Kohaku didn't move, his side facing Miroku, and his head turned away so all the monk could see was the back of his head and a bit of a jaw line. He was clutching his jaw tightly, holding back something. He did understand.

"Your predicament is very similar to Kagome's," Miroku said clearly. "Like her, you did bad things without knowing it, without even being aware of it. And you had to witness the outcome of those deeds, the killing and slaying of human beings. But, like Kagome, you were no more in control of your own situation as she was of hers. You too are a victim, not a villain."

He hopped off the well and crossed the few steps needed to get close to the rigid young man. Kohaku refused to look at him and pity stabbed at Miroku's heart. Kohaku, so young in years but yet so old in mind and heart. How many lacerations can the soul take before it is broken? How many holes can the soul manage without dissipating into nothingness?

Miroku laid a commiserating hand on his shoulder. The boy stiffened further under the touch, his shoulders hunching, as if he were afraid of being struck.

Tightening his grip to show his empathy, Miroku whispered, "And like Kagome, the main companions of Kohaku have forgiven him for his actions. They understand because, like Kagome, Kohaku didn't run from his problems. He faced his problems and tried to atone for the sins he had committed. He too feels guilty and wants to make up for what happened." Miroku released him and turned to once again face the well thoughtfully. "But unlike Kagome, he has been unable to forgive himself," he murmured.

Kohaku could scarcely breathe past the lump in his throat. The compelling need to cry was overwhelming him and he fought it with every ounce of his strength, every ounce of his spirit. Tears were weakness and he could not afford weakness. What good were tears? They meant nothing to him. They were worth nothing.

"But unlike Kagome, he never righted his wrongs." He could scarcely keep the sob from escaping from between his lips with his words, cursing his fragile disposition.

"Oh?" asked Miroku in a low voice, looking at the taijiya, who was about to collapse to his knees, over his shoulder. "What sort of atonement is there in punishing yourself? Why inflict more pain then there already is?"

Kohaku did collapse then, his fingers digging into the turf underneath him as the weight of his emotions was in danger of crushing him. "To feel the pain I caused so many others."

Miroku rotated around to face him, a soft frown creasing his lips. He squatted down so he was even with the hunched figure, staring into his face. Kohaku quickly turned away to hide himself. Gasping to control his shaking body, Kohaku heard Miroku say deeply, "And while you're off inflicting pain on yourself to feel the pain you have caused, you are inflicting more pain on others as you do so."

The quiet revelation made Kohaku freeze. He could not breath, speak, blink, swallow, nothing. It was a surprise that his heart could continue beating. It was true. No matter what he did he always caused Sango pain. While trying to find his atonement he had been hurting Sango. Whatever course of action he took, he hurt her. He couldn't do anything right it seemed. It was inevitable that he fail, fail himself, fail her, fail everyone. Whatever door, whatever path he choose, it would always be the wrong one. That was his curse, that was the execration he was forced to live with.

The hole in his chest grew, snatching away at his vital organs, draining his limbs until he was slumping. Loneliness, bitterness, self-hate, self-loathing, that was all that was left to him.

Miroku was wrong. How could they forgive him when no matter what he did he was always hurting them? If he stayed, his memory would plague them. If he left, his absence plagued them. Either way he was going to lose and at least his absence would fade with time, allow them to get on with their lives without him there to mess it up.

He'd rather suffer a thousand times over then force his sister into memories of past crimes, of life lost, of kin slain. If he stayed, she remembered, made her nostalgia, that was the gist of it. Already she had questioned him of their old home. He was a reminder of their hardships, like the well. The poor angst boy that was in desperate need of rescue.

Shippo was right.

He was the one who brought Sango heartache.

He wasn't a part of the Shikon hunter's group. He never had been. And he never would be. He was an outsider and he was alone, always alone.

Miroku watched in growing apprehension the flicker of emotions across Kohaku's face. The tears that Kohaku needed so desperately to shed were forced down and a few minutes later that desolate look was back into his eyes, devoid of any moisture. The boy had reached a decision in his mind and Miroku knew it was the wrong one. He had destined himself to a life of a derelict.

Miroku had failed.

"It is hard to forgive when the pain continues on. It is hard to forgive when the atonement was a barren revenge that could not be gained," Kohaku said. No longer was he whispering but speaking hard and bitterly. "If a murderer kills one person and is forgiven, if he kills again is he once more forgiven?"

"If the murder was unintentional," Miroku answered levelly.

"What if it is out of selfishness?"

Miroku wasn't sure what he was referring to. "If it is out of greed for himself then no, he would not be forgiven."

Kohaku grew quiet, his features hardening. A pregnant pause passed then he said faintly, "I see."

He stood and brushed himself off, taking a deep breath. Staring into the distant trees as the sun started to sink, he said in a monotone, "Are you finished with me, Huoshi-sama?"

Miroke regarded him regretfully. Kohaku had shut him out, closed himself behind mental barriers. Miroku wasn't sure if Kohaku planned to stay or not, though he was leaning more towards leaving. The boy had stated that his atonement could not be gained so there was nothing left for him to search for. But neither was he ready to partake in the life Sango and Miroku had made for themselves. His soul still screamed and withered, still burned with antipathy towards himself. His heart was crippled, decrepit, unable to let go and forgive.

"You may go," Miroku replied softly.

Kohaku spun on his heel to leave and as an afterthought, Miroku added after his retreating form, "And please, call me Miroku."

Kohaku paused for a half second, turning his head so Miroku saw half of his profile. He walked off without another word, hands clenched into fists at his side.

When the young man disappeared into the trees, Miroku looked into the well unhappily. He had hoped the little tale of Kagome's history would show that Kohaku was not alone in his plight. Others had done bad deeds and found the courage to accept what they had done and make up for it. Kohaku only wished to torture himself rather then face it. He admitted to the crimes but he could not face them head on like Kagome had done. He could not forgive and forget, a tactic that was harder then most people realize.

Miroku shook his head, grimacing. He didn't know what Kohaku planned and while he may have failed this round, he would not fail next time. No matter what, he was keeping that promise.


Sesshoumaru was meeting with Jogon and Kajuu again inside his office, watching the sunset as he listened to them drawl onwards. Kagura was also there, leaning against the wall yawning rudely and tapping her fan sluggishly against her thigh. He was as bored as she but he did a magnificently better job at hiding it.

"My Lord, the council of lords has been announced to take place in a few days time," Jogon informed him.

"Oh?" Sesshoumaru's head pivoted to look at the falcon youkai, showing his interest.

Kagura snorted in disfavor.

Jogon's golden eyes flickered nervously to the Lady before settling on his Lord, stating, "Yes, My Lord. It is being held in Lord Shouada's stronghold, to pay homage of his new stature as Lord of the Eastern Lands. You will have to leave a day or so early in order to arrive in time."

"Acknowledged," Sesshoumaru answered emotionlessly. "Anything else?"

Jogon and Kajuu glanced at one another, communicating to each other without words. Kajuu stepped forward to gain the floor and lifted his hand, showing a small stack of papers held in his clawed appendage.

"My Lord, several Lord's have become interested in the ore on your territories. Many of them have sent requests and offerings of trade and exchange for a portion of the ore-"

"Tell them it is already being used and we cannot partake of any of it," Sesshoumaru interrupted, returning his gaze to the horizon.

Kajuu faltered on his next words and Jogon spoke up, "But, sire, we have more ore than is necessary. There is plenty to trade with for other items we may need. Not even one-third of the ore has been mined."

"They have nothing in their possession that I am interested in," Sesshoumaru said icily. He fixed both advisors with an arctic stare. "Although it is quite interesting how so many Lords suddenly came to the know of the ore in my territories. I was not aware that I had departed this information upon any of them. Would you care to explain how they came to know of it?"

The temperature of the room felt as if it had dropped thirty degrees and Kagura watched with piqued interest as the two aides seemed a bit taken aback at the accusation.

Jogon wavered with his answer, looking bewildered and unable to conceive a good explanation.

Kajuu just looked bored and said smugly, "Word does have a way of passing fast. People will talk, word will travel. The soldiers are not the best candidates for holding information private and the Lords are slyer than devils. Kami only knows how many of the soldiers are in actuality spies. It is common knowledge that there will be at least one of the little scoundrels scurrying about behind tapestries and walls, listening in on conversations." He tapped his knuckles against the wall, as if the pre-mentioned spy was indeed lurking behind the wood.

Sesshoumaru didn't practically like Kajuu's answer but knew it wasn't worth worrying over. "Return their offers with a refusal."

Problem solved.

Kajuu bowed to show his understanding while Jogon tightened his lips in disagreement. Sesshoumaru paid him no mind. They didn't have to agree with his policies and decisions, so long as they carried them out he could careless.

"I believe that is all for the moment, sire," Kajuu said formally. "Shall I stop by the stables and have the stable hands prepare AhUn for when you depart?"

"I'll be providing my own transportation," Sesshoumaru replied impassively.

The baleful glare of his mate was not lost to him and he smirked inwardly. Of course she would be ticked off with him referring to her as his own method of transportation but Sesshoumaru be damned before he'd admit to requiring her assistance. While her presence did allow him to shovel some of the responsibilities onto her shoulders, he didn't need it. He could handle the tasks of rulership by himself easily, and he had before.

He had not taken her as a mate to employ her services or make life easier for him. Truthfully she made his life harder. He had taken her as a mate because he found her defiance of him...refreshing. Besides Rin and Inuyasha, she was the only person who wasn't afraid of him. She hadn't treated him any different than she did anyone else and the gall she had portrayed to him on their first acquaintances was invigorating, a nice change from the usual trembling fear and awe he was accustomed to. She had been a puzzle to him, the first person that he had trouble figuring out, a person he had trouble predicting. He found himself enjoying spending time with her, enjoying the fact he couldn't read her like a book. He could identify a number of her motives but never had he been able to entirely figure her out.

Sometimes her fierce personality did get on his nerves and at those times he preferred to ignore her than argue with her. Arguing with her was like standing with a target sign strapped to your chest in the middle of a war zone; better ideas existed.

They were exact polar opposites, of this Sesshoumaru was well aware. Kagura was an enigma of fire, one quick to anger and sarcasm, a spirit that burned with inner fire and passion. Sesshoumaru was an enigma of ice, one that was frigid and aloof, cold and stoic. They balanced each other out, intermingled instead of battling and snuffling out the other.

Jogon and Kajuu bowed their way through the door, leaving the Lord and Lady to attend to other matters. When they were gone, Sesshoumaru rose and headed into the hall. Kagura emerged after him, yawning tiredly.

"I'm going for a bath," she said decisively, as if he had asked her what she were doing.

Sesshoumaru didn't reply and she walked away with a roll of her eyes. Running a hand through his silver tresses, Sesshoumaru headed to his room.

He identified Rin's scent as he approached his destination and found the girl a moment later. She was on her knees in the middle of the hallway, hovering over a batch of flat objects spread out across the stones. Her eyes were narrowed in concentration, her lips pursued, rubbing her chin with one hand whilst the other perched on her waist.

Keikai was standing a few feet in front of the girl, the flat objects between them.

Raising a silvery eyebrow, Sesshoumaru drew closer, finding that the paper thin items were pressed flowers. His movement caught the girl's eye and she looked up, a smile splitting her face.

"Hello, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she greeted energetically, Keikai lowering her head respectfully.

Sesshoumaru wasn't listening to their welcomes, his eyes roaming over the pressed flowers. "What are you doing?"

"Learning which herb is used for what illness," Rin replied in a distracted tone.

She was once more focused on the flowers and Sesshoumaru watched amused.

"What are you looking for?"

"Malva."

For a minute she continued to search the flowers before finally leaning forward and selecting a small white one with a yellow center.

"This one?" she asked curiously while looking imploring at Keikai.

Keikai nodded, grinning with pride. "Correct, Rin-sama."

Rin whooped and flung the flower in the air, letting it float in large loops back to the stones. Turning to the dog demon who was about to leave, she said, "Sesshoumaru-sama, am I going to the village tomorrow?"

Sesshoumaru stopped, the question catching him off guard. Damn he had forgotten about that. He did recall the argument with Kagura, how he had said he would think on changing his mind concerning Rin and the village. He hadn't though about it till now and he had the urge to grit his teeth.

Behind him, Keikai stepped around the flowers to stand close to Rin, watching the western lord uneasily. Rin for her part was waiting anxiously for Sesshoumaru's answer. She grew increasingly worried as he did not reply right away and the silence stretched.

"Very well," he said grudgingly and Rin would have wondered why he answered in such a way, but she was too busy being happy.

As she began chattering happily away to Keikai, Sesshoumaru observed her reaction to his decision. He had to admit Kagura had been right. The girl would wilt and break if she were imprisoned. His ward liked the village, a lot, and that thought made him feel...odd. As if he were...worried...As if he were losing something.

It was an absurd feeling and he rejected it. Why should he care if the girl liked the village so much? It wasn't as if he cared if she stayed here or ran off somewhere to bother somebody else.

Granted, he did provide for her, shelter her, feed her, clothe her. But he had no great emotional tie to her. She could disappear the next day and he wouldn't worry about it.

Stepping into his room, he closed the door behind him. Despite the heavy barrier, the girl's laughter could be heard and it rang in his ears. Her laughter was always a balm to him, but a toxin at the same time. It was a deadly medicine, a drug that could do more harm than good if not taken with precaution.

Shaking his head, he stepped away from the door, hearing her laughter fade as she and Keikai moved off.

Tomorrow she would go to the village. Tomorrow he would know what that damn kitsune was up to and if he had to take further steps to keep the youkai at bay.

He cracked his knuckles at the thought. Ah yes, further steps indeed.


Welp the time has finally come! Rin is coming to the village! Muahahah.

And yeah "The Talk" was rather silly but I hate writing depressing part, depressing part, depressing part, after depressing part. Sometimes the characters just need some time to laugh and do stupid things. If ya wanna know the rules for surviving with women, go to this website and scroll down:

www. cybercomm .net/ dano/ humor- menandwomen .html

Just remove the spaces.