Chapter Twenty-Six: Unexpected Reunions

The thing to remember about fathers is... they're men. A girl has to keep it in mind: They are dragon-seekers, bent on improbable rescues. Scratch any father, you find someone chock-full of qualms and romantic terrors, believing change is a threat, like your first shoes with heels on, like your first bicycle...

-Phyllis McGinley

The mortal world wasn't at all what they'd expected upon their return, they appeared within a forest outside of the city where spiritual activity was unnaturally high. A field had been cleared within a recent battle, opponents littered around the silver haired demon lord that had turned his wrath upon them.

Chad and Ishida were both unconscious but seemed more or less in tact. Orihime had moist cheeks and there was a gentle glow around her as she leaned over a much more bloodied Ichigo. Apparently the substitute soul reaper had been holding the demon lord off after he'd killed other soul reaper's within the area. To Ichigo's credit, there were a couple of small but bleeding wounds on Sesshomaru's body.

The pair appeared and Byakuya intercepted the quick steps of the demon, swords sparking as they hit each other. Sesshomaru's honeyed gaze narrowed on Byakuya and Kagome as they stood between him and the gateway to soul society that was closing behind them. "Do you think I cannot find a way myself? I command the Tensaiga, you are at most buying them time."

"Sesshomaru." Kagome frowned a little at his attitude, what exactly had gotten into him anyway? She walked up next to Byakuya despite the drawn swords. "Calm down, what's wrong? Why are you having such a problem with soul society now?"

"Hell...that's where you were when you were dead Kagome, was it not?" The demon lord replied coldly, knowingly. "How long do you think they left Rin there after she was killed?"

"Rin?" Kagome blinked slowly, the name giving her pause. It was logical for Rin to have been a priestess if Kagome was her descendant, but it came as a shock for her. "But...stop...you have to stop. It's fine now...it'll all be fixed."

"And then? The ones that fought to have themselves removed from their torment will only be tormented again?" The demon lord replied harshly, pushing Byakuya back and holding his blade next to him, the field shaking with the pressure that came from him. "Do you think I'll let them do that to her."

"If she was one of the ones trying to unmake everything she deserves such a fate." Byakuya commented, frowning at Kagome as she elbowed him in the side.

"NOT HELPING!" She hissed at Byakuya angrily.

"Don't listen to Byakuya, he's stupid sometimes!" She glared at her fiance and then looked back to Sesshomaru. "Listen. I don't think Rin would do that, I didn't see her anywhere in the people that had attacked. They're trying to unmake the world...do you really think Rin would want that?"

Kagome wasn't certain herself, so many priests she'd thought would be good had switched sides.

"Those people. The former holy men and women. They brought Rin, wanted me to trade my blood for her." Sesshomaru replied, watching Kagome but his gaze flickering to Byakuya distrustfully. He didn't smell the same. She had a worried expression thought and he added. "I did not give it to them. I don't wish to see the world destroyed, for as many of the pests within it holds much for me still. I took Rin from them and she's resting now, she was poisoned but I believe she'll recover."

"Sesshomaru...I don't think any of the soul reaper's use poison..." Kagome found something to grasp onto. "Please, just calm down...if you take us to her I can heal her, and you can hear what she has to say."

The demon lord had a moment of contemplation, then slipped his sword away. "Acceptable, but if she states that she's been tormented because of those spiritual vermin...I will wipe them away."

Byakuya was about to reply but got another elbow in the ribs and a glare from Kagome. "Stop being difficult!"

The nobleman scowled at her, leaning down to return a whisper. "And if this girl tells him to keep going? Then what? Do you think I cannot defeat him?"

"I didn't say that." She frowned at him. "Why is it all 'macho beat each other with swords' with men, I thought you'd be a little different as a noble...I want to see if Rin is okay myself. I knew her, in the past..."

"If he continues to state he's against soul society, it is my duty to end him." Byakuya reminded her seriously. "I'll indulge you in this though."

Sesshomaru could hear them, and was vaguely insulted they would believe otherwise. The spiritual vermin was only still following and not bleeding out because he didn't want to hurt Kagome. Kagome at least actually wanted to help Rin and figure out what was happening, the boy she loved continued to be nothing more than an irritable nuisance.

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Sestran frowned some as he dodged a line of fire from Yamamoto, it had gotten close enough to singe some of his golden locks. He frowned at the smell of burnt hair and spun his hand, pushing earth upward with the old man. Though he was more spry than the youth expected and he was forced to arch it out and around him more like a spider web and that was sliced apart ineffectually.

"We're going to be at this all day." Sestran commented drily as water gushed from the ground and became steam as Yamamoto's sword carved into the aquatic shield. "Can you not accept that father is gone? It is quite ungracious of you to act in this manner."

"You could have never defeated your father." The old man scoffed at him. "Even if you are stronger than I ever expected, I would not believe such a lie."

Sestran shook his head, a shot of earth from the ground finally catching and en-wrapping the old general. "You are as pigheaded as ever. How much of the soul society do you plan to burn down before you realize the truth? Do you think I'll allow you to continue this childish behavior for much longer? Haven't you noticed yet? I've been going easy on you."

The older man seemed about to reply but the earth crushed around his body and pushed the air from his lungs, shifting and waving fast enough that his sword wasn't able to penetrate it. The greater show of power that entrapped him making his eyes widen.

"Now there we are." Sestran nodded, loosening the grip a bit. "Are you ready to relax and stop burning down everything? You know how much time it's going to take for this area to return to normal?"

"You murdered your father..." Yamamoto came to realization finally, it was the only logical explanation for Sestran having gained the power. The old man staring. "How could you? Are you obsessed with power that much?"

"Are you becoming as senile as he was?" Sestran asked with a sad sort of smile. "I never wanted this...but I put off my responsibility for so long everyone suffered for it. Do you really think Aizen's little grasp for power would have succeeded if my father was still sane? He's been going for ages now, allowing the balance to spiral out of control. I had to remove the root of the problem or everything would have been infected with his insanity."

"Prince...King Sestran..." Yamamoto seemed to realize who he was actually speaking to. "Forgive me, I thought..."

"It's fine old friend." Sestran answered, glad to see the fires of his blade withdrawing. "There are just some other things we must discuss. Changes must be made and we have things we must accomplish."

"You must have a coronation officially before too many begin to defect." The old man stated, straightening his kimono after he was released from the stone. "So much is already in turmoil."

"Yes, well if you can get over that pride and obsession with tradition there are a lot of things we need to work on." Sestran stated. "Time for mourning will have to wait...we need to clean out the stragglers and begin to rebuild from our broken state."

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"Wow, she's so much older now..." Kagome commented as Sesshomaru took them into the room where he was holding his ward. She settled nearby and focused on her, calling her healing magic to her fingers as the golden glow enveloped her and the girl. Byakuya frowning at Kagome using her powers at all after other issues that had come up. Remembering the way she'd nearly faded away in the tunnel...

The glow only lasted a moment though and he caught her as she fumbled when pausing, holding her close and ignoring the superior expression Sesshomaru was giving the both of them. Though the demon lord's attention swiftly shifted as Rin moved a little, the girl moaning before her eyes fluttered open slowly.

"Lord Sesshomaru..." She breathed in surprise, pushing herself up to a sit before shivering a little, the drugs they'd given her not completely worked out of her system by Kagome's magic. "...I knew you would save me...wait...you can't listen to the others...they're trying to destroy everything. If you gave them blood then we have to..."

She paused as the silver haired demon pulled her into a long hug, a smile spreading over her lips after the frightened expression had been taking over her face. She snuggled into the fur of his tail and knew with a deep breath just felt comforted, everything would be fine now, no one could do anything to the world without her Lord Sesshomaru's permission after all.

"It's fine." His deep voice though his chest made her feel protected. "I didn't give them anything. I know better than to immediately trust anyone...but what of what they told me was true. How long have you been tormented because of someone else's mistake?"

"It doesn't matter now." Rin shook her head and smiled, backing up to breath easier away from the tight embrace. "I knew I'd see you again, that's what made everything okay...I just...I'm worried about Miroku...and Kaede...I can't believe she turned on us."

"Miroku?" Kagome broke in this time, blinking in surprise. "Kaede? What happened to them? What's going on?"

"Good to see you again Miss Kagome." Rin replied, hopping over to give the other girl a hug. "Not all of us were with the group trying to destruct things. Some of us wandered off on our own, or joined a camp away from the others to live together. Kaede started that camp, but she was working for Keshizu...I still have a hard time believing it."

"Kaede was working for them?" Kagome's heart dropped a little. For the first time the light bulb came on and she knew what the Prince had meant by the souls being judged again. "What about Miroku?"

"He never turned, but they captured him..."

"Not exactly." Kagome blinked, turning back to see the familiar Monk in shock. She ran over and hugged him.

"Miroku...is it you? How are you here?" She blinked in shock at him, eyes wide.

"I escaped using one of their own portals when they were distracted. It seems that whenever they cease to be in Hueco Mundo they simply cease to be. It has several of them defecting from Nendin. I believe Keshizu is gone to elsewhere now." Miroku answered, giving Kagome a hug and smiling at her. "I never quite realized how far in the future you actually meant when you talked about it."

"Seems a lot of judgments have been made." Byakuya commented, glancing to where Sesshomaru was actually smiling. "May I take back news that the thoughts of war where nothing more than a rumor to try to stir more problems?"

Sesshomaru glanced to Byakuya from Rin, meeting his gaze then nodding once. "Yes. Though you be careful with Kagome, I'll still be checking in now and again."

"Don't start you two." Kagome interrupted with a sigh.

"Oh Sesshomaru...I want you to meet Miroku...we're together." Rin bounced over to the monk as she cheerfully said the words.

"What?" Sesshomaru stated frigidly, any trace of the smile wiped clean.

"Um..." Miroku commented awkwardly. "Hi."

It was obvious it wasn't a meeting he was prepared for.

"I think we should go Kagome." Byakuya commented, looking between them. "I don't think this is a trouble we can help with. There is something I want to give you at the estate as long as everything appears to be finished..."

Kagome nodded a little, she wanted to talk to her friends, but given the chill that had just entered the room, she had to agree with Byakuya that it probably wasn't the best time and the pair excused themselves.

"Poor Miroku..." Kagome stated with a shake of her head as they walked away toward the steps. "Probably better if I never tell Sesshomaru about him."

Byakuya raised a curious brow as they headed away from the main house to get the space to open another portal back to soul society.

Kagome idly pondered if there was a 'frequent gate runner mile program' with as much as they'd been traveling between realms lately. She hoped that this would finally resolve things.

End Chapter

Ouch Ichigo - but he got in some hits on Sesshy - that's impressive! I enjoyed writing Kagome elbowing the heck out of poor Byakuya's ribs. Winding things down a little now, but still a few things to take care of.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Teldra - As always - :)

Sugar0o - I'm glad you enjoy my humble fiction so much. And, well, I liked the way things turned out here. I had to have a betrayer and of the three 'main' characters from Inuyasha that were in HM on the 'good' side she seemed the most logical choice to me. You guessed me on the Miroku/Rin thing. Though I like the way sesshy reacted to it. *munches cookies* As for a trilogy: I'm not sure yet. I want to but have to come up with something new.

pclark - He's gonna beat the crap out of the poor Bleach cast. :) Then get all sappy when Rin wakes up ;)