Guest: First of all, if you noticed Sesshōmaru was 400 years in the original world, and Sesshōmaru in the new world is around 200. This means that Inuyasha has not been born yet, thus Toga is still alive. As for his mother's death, I didn't like her so I killed her off. As for updating, I'm having a bit of writer's block…

Sorry!


To Guest Reviewer, Snowbird: Well… although your guess is kinda close, no they are not going to merge into one. Ish. While I am having a bit of a writer's block, I will try to update ASAP.
As for Sesshōmaru's suffering… it makes me cry every time I write it. Which is why I avoid do so like the plague.
Thank you for reviewing!


To Guest Reviewer: Well XD to you too!


Juila N SnowMiko: Yup! Absolutely had to, there was no other way.

*grin*


DarkenedRequiem: While I do apologize for the hurts, I'm afraid I can't apologize for the feels… But no worries! There are many more to come, both happy and sad and those moments that make you stand up (or sit straighter) and go, "YES! HAH! BRILLIANT!"

Thank you for reviewing, I should be updating sometime this week… err month.


crazykenz: Yes, it is posted on Dokuga, but best Kagome portrayal? Uh… I'm not sure if I should be astonished or delighted.

*shrugs happily*

I guess I'll be both.

*laughs*

Thank you! I mean seriously! Wow… Do you really think this story is that good?


Avarianna:Why thank you! I most certainly will have happy writings!


To Guest Reviewer, Natalie: *teary eyes* Really? I mean, really really? Gosh, I don't know what to say…

*bows grandly*

Thank you!

I should update sometime next week.


CrescentMelody: Well, I suppose you could say it is a parallel world, but it's also set in the past (notice Inu no Tashio is still alive). Which means, I get to have a ball!


To Guest Reviewer, TDANIEL: Nah, there's so much more interesting things to do! My mind is just teeming with ideas! I myself can't even be sure of where this fiction will lead. Thank you for reviewing!


Kimori Takahashi: Still deciding… totally hit a writer's block. It's like, there's sooo many things to do, but none of them are right. So sitting here… trying to find the right one...


KariaB: *bows* To be honest, I'm rather excited as well!

*rubs hands together gleefully*

My! So may things to do, timing to set and bombs to drop! So many things to do and it's only midnight! Ladies and gentlemen, this is (will be) a very big day!


It was late at night when Kagome unfurled herself from Keiko's grip. Sitting up, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, yawning as she did so. Carefully walking over the newly enlarged clearing to kneel at the stream, she stopped abruptly in her act of reaching with her cupped hands for a drink.

"Lady, is there something wrong?"

At the still voice the was carried in the wind that gently caressed her cheek, Kagome smiled.

"No," she whispered, "Everything is just fine."

Glancing behind her, the smile widened. Seiko was sleeping in his tree, while Gin was curled up in the roots below.

In the short time she had known them, they were already so precious to her. Seiko still held the habit of keeping to himself, separate from the others, but he was rapidly coming out of his shell. The way his eyes crinkled and his fangs would peek out from his mouth when he was happy or amused was adorable. Several times she had caught a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, opening his mouth as if to speak.

Gin, instead of being the one to sacrifice and protect the others, he could now freely come and go as he liked, without worrying about the dangers. His personality had revealed the more mischievous nature of his heritage, instead of the serious attitude Kagome had noticed he displayed often. His heritage brought up several questions as he had claimed to be both a silver and a red kitsune.

As for Keiko, it seemed as the days went by, the little panther built up more energy and the will to play. She was always bouncing, running after things that caught her attention. The child was constantly moving. Despite her feline characteristics, Keiko did not prefer to lounge around in the sun, as most cats would. But she did purr when her hair was stroked or brushed.

"They have grow, have they not, Lady?"

Starting from her thoughts, Kagome nodded.

"Yes. So much in so little time."

The voice took on a solemn tone as a stillness forced the wind to slow.

"Time touches everything. From the birds in the air, to the trees in this forest. From the daiyoukai walking the lands, to the human child wailing in the night."

There was a pause, as if they did not want to continue their speech. Hesitating, debating to keep quiet, or to speak. In the silence, Kagome spoke.

"Yet Time does not bound me like others."

Lifting her eyes, the miko looked to the still darkened sky.

"Do you know about the affects of Time on you?"

"No," she whispered.

A soft sound, as if a sigh, could be heard lightly.

"While time is a possessive thing, it's hold on you is weak. Taken from the time you were born, you changed the time you were sent, thus changing the future you once lived."

The winds began to pick up as if in anger, as a roll of thunder faintly echoed in the night. The trees spoke harshly, the creaking sound of branches shifting was followed by the flapping of wings as the bird took flight.

"Those false kami then ripped you from the time you were to have stayed, sending you here. Time no longer confines you, but as it does everything living thing, it still effects you."

Kagome laughed quietly.

"And here I was worrying about leaving the children behind, about what would happen to the village if I died," she said almost sadly, "How long do you think I will live?"

"Perhaps as long as you wish to defy Time. Perhaps, if you wish to live long, your life will stretch out, unendingly. If you wish to die, wish to disappear from this world, Time will grasp you firmly in it's hold."

A sudden thought occurred to Kagome and she straightened.

"How did you know I came from a different time?"

The leaves shook, amusement evident in the voice.

"Lady, the well was connected to the Land and the Land told us it's stories. Everything you have done, everything you have said, we know it all."

The miko sighed tiredly.

"It's sad, as you offer me all I could ever want and all I need do is ask, yet there is one thing even the gods could not give me."

"What is that, Lady?"

The winds inquired solemnly.

"They can't give me back my Sesshōmaru," Kagome whispered in a hoarse tone.

"No, they cannot," the trees agreed, "But, they have given you children to look after, a purpose and a part of life to look forward to."

At these words, the miko from the future of another world nodded silently before determinedly returning back to the fox, the snake and the panther.


When Bokuseno woke at first light, as was his habit, he was highly amused to see his old friend on the verge of sneaking in. There very thing he had insisted he didn't do the night before.

Toga held a small smile on his face. His hands weren't visible as they were stuffed into his long white sleeves. His hair was left down, unusual since the birth of his son due to the startling resemblance.

"Did you have a pleasant time, old friend?"

Shooting the chuckling youkai a half-hearted glare, the inu fell back against the wall, resting his hand on his swords as he did so.

"Even as this one does not see why this pertains to you, this Toga did indeed have a pleasant time," he said haughtily.

"With a human?" Bokuseno asked, curiosity evident in his brown eyes.

"With a human," the youkai parroted.

"And what does this human," the tree probed, "possess that the demoness of these lands lack?"

Heaving a sigh, Toga propped his head on his hand, his gorgeous golden orbs turning serious.

"Perhaps it is the way she smiles at me," he said almost absently, "Or maybe it's the way she dances in the sunlight."

Easing out of his bed, Bokuseno approached Inu no Taisho, questions evident in his gaze. When he spoke, it was in an authoritive voice that demanded answers.

"Toga, this human woman, you are very aware of the fact that if you establish any kind of relationship with her, her life will be placed in danger."

When the lord still didn't answer, the youkai mentally sighed.

"Youkai hate the humans. They think them the insects beneath our boots. Those with keener senses avoid them due to the conglomeration of smells that emanate from their bodies. Tell me, why is this one human different than-"

"Izayoi."

Leafy eyebrows raised. A smirk curved Toga's mouth, displaying pointed fangs.

"Her name is Izayoi and she is like no one I've ever seen. And besides," he added, cutting a sharp look to Bokuseno, "since when did you dislike humans?"

Holding up his hands peaceably, said youkai quickly corrected his friend's presumption.

"I hold no prejudice against humanity. While I do find them to be uneducated, blind, deaf and generally unlikeable, that does not mean I dislike humans."

"Keh!"

At Toga's scoff, the tree simply shrugged and turned, making his way towards the door.

"Honestly, old friend, haven't you learned by now that even as you strive for the benefit of others, there will always be those who work against you?"

The inu did not bother to dignify that question with an answer, but this was also due to the fact that a very pretty young demoness opened the door.

"My lord?"

"Yes, what is it?" he asked, standing from his spot on the floor, straightening his clothes as he did so.

Bowing respectfully, she spoke hesitantly.

"Your son has returned, Lord."

Sure enough, at the timid maid's words were followed by an immensely powerful, burning cold jyaki. As the servant woman left, Toga adopted a look, the very image of confusion and exhaustion.

"Honestly, that pup! I don't know what to do with him anymore! He's only a couple decades past 200 years and I suspect he'll be asking for a fight soon," he grumbled, "Keh! Constantly on about war and peace, he wields his power effortlessly, he gained perfect control when he was only 80 years!"

Barely stopping for a breath, he continued.

"Not to mention the jyaki he has gathered is enough to match mine! And it's easy to say I am one of the strongest in these lands! It wouldn't be a stretch to say the strongest!"

"Calm yourself, friend," Bokuseno spoke in a patient tone.

The inu snorted, strolling out of the room without a backwards glance.

"Sometimes, I wonder about that pup!"

"As does everyone who has met him," the tree remarked dryly.

"Oi! I heard that!" Toga called back, annoyance coating his words.

A moment passed in silence before Bokuseno spoke again.

"I imagine he's too afraid to actually ask his own son about his concerns," he mused.

The sudden burst of a blazing jyaki turned his attention to the door where Toga was staring murderously at him.

A haze fell over the tree's face and the appearance of an old and weary youkai was magnified.

"Oh? Don't mind me I'm just…" Bokuseno trailed off as he waved his hand absently.

He didn't have to be looking to know the old inu had rolled his eyes, rather dramatically too, before going out to greet his son.

As the great lord traveled down the long hallways and corridors leading to the front courtyard where his son was…waiting…he found himself thinking on the reason behind the return of his son.

He didn't have much time to do so, unfortunately, being a daiyoukai as he was and gifted with exceptional speed and strength. Upon rounding the corner and glimpsing his blood for the first time in a several decades, he inwardly cringed, although he kept walking closer as he took in the view.

Dressed in white silks with red decorating the edges, armor held in place by a yellow sash which also held a sword. The smooth, fluffy fur of his mokomoko that trailed down to his feet. A harsh jyaki, burning cold and freezing heat, was tightly reigned in as was his scent. Silver hair and hard gold eyes, a crescent moon and twin strips gracing his skin.

Although his son stood whole and well, the look composed entirely of the promise of death and a wintery stare was set firmly on the inu's face. As always, his scent was carefully reigned in, as was his immense jyaki.

"Sesshōmaru," Toga greeted him.

"Chichiue."

There was only a slight nod of acknowledgement as Sesshōmaru spoke in a deep baritone. Toga could feel his own face stiffening and his shoulders squaring.

"For what reason have you returned to your ancestral lands?"

The youkai's eyes closed as he strolled forward.

"This Sesshōmaru was unaware he needed a reason," he said as he brushed the side of his father's clothes faintly when he walked past.

Stopping just behind Toga, he spoke with a slight edge to his words as he glanced over his shoulder.

"This one is also unaware of the purpose for one such as you to seek out a human female. Did you, perhaps, need a reason for that?"

Toga did not move, but his jyaki began to seep out from his form. The sun, just peeking over the mountains, was covered by clouds as a darkness suddenly fell over the two youkai. The wind gave a mighty gust, then died down, as if to watch the confrontation between the Inu no Taisho, the daiyoukai of the west held in awe and fear by the rest of their kind, and his son, Sesshōmaru, also daiyoukai in his own right.

"Do you wish to challenge this one, pup?"

At the low menacing quality of his father's voice, Sesshōmaru turned his gaze to the palace before him.

"Chichiue, do you know why this one walks these Lands? Why this one speaks unceasingly of war and peace?"

Father and son stood in silence. Both possessing iron wills, beautiful silver hair and gorgeous gold eyes. Both much more alike than either could guess.

"No, those things are a mystery to this one," Toga said quietly. Pivoting, the inu set his stare on his tall and proud son.

"And this mystery leads you to assumptions and conclusions that are incorrect. Do not pretend to understand this one," he bit back harshly.

To which he father laughed mockingly as his fangs slid from his mouth in anger.

"Pretend to understand you? Since you were nursing from your mother, I did not know your thoughts, your goals. What your unwavering purpose in this life was. I still do not!"

Although the inu was not roaring, his voice low and controlled, fire burned with the weight of his emotions that he tried to impart to his stoic son.

"But, if you wish to enlighten me, I would listen," he continued, the anger gone from his deep and smooth voice as the clouds slid back to reveal the rising sun.

Sesshōmaru did not say anything, simply continued on his way until he came to the high walls of the royal family's gardens.

"Even as one would tell another what is plain as day in their minds, understanding is not as easy to come by," he remarked.

"I said I would listen. I never said I could understand," Toga countered, "But you are my son. My firstborn. It causes me pain that you hide yourself from me."

Sesshōmaru swung around, taking a large step as he did so, that he was face to face with his father.

For an instant, Toga could have sworn Sesshōmaru's face actually relaxed and a smile cross his lips.

"As much as this one is, as much as this one knows, he still is grateful for the council of his father."

Toga scoffed, folding his arms as he did so.

"Keh! It's natural," he spoke proudly, the tension easing between the two.

"Although, are you sure you have no desire to challenge your old man in a fight?" Toga asked speculatively as he stared suspiciously at Sesshōmaru's now emotionless face.

"There is no reason to war against one's allies," he said monotonously, as he resumed his course to the palace. With his back displayed to his father, he missed the twitch of the old inu's eye, but he did hear the words he mumbled.

"Keh, there he goes again! I swear, that has to be from his mother's side of the family!"

As Toga walked by the side of Sesshōmaru and shortly entered the palace, neither noticed the winds that swirled and swept over the yards before gusting strongly through the surrounding towns.


A/N Ah, I sorry readers! I beg forgiveness! Especially to those who are in Fanfiction and read 'Of Mikos Ayakashi and Demons'! I was going to update on Wednesday (both of them on the 16th [which might have been two weeks ago] {maybe three, actually} ), but I wasn't home all day long (had to leave around 7 o'clock in the morning) and I tried to write, I really did, but I hit this really high wall of writer's block. I'm sorry! But, to offer more excuses, I just had a birthday! Yay! Also, almost died from a tornado (which was on the same day, actually).

Anyways!

Since I have very, very little to work with on Toga's character, other than his serious moments, I get to imagine most of his relaxed personality. Well, it's not that hard, just add a dash of Inuyasha and a sprinkle of Sesshōmaru and mix in the personality of a great warrior and charismatic leader!

And so, please leave reviews! I survive off of them for weeks!

Until next time!

*waves*