Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha or related characters they belong to the respective owners. OC's are mine.

Chapter Twenty Eight:


Inu no Taisho stood in his Inu form at the dais of the grand audience chamber as his brother entered. The scarred inuyokai was one of the most feared creatures within the western lands. The yokai lord always had to suppress a chuckle when he thought of the many legends that surrounded his brother's many centuries of life. They were almost as numerous as the stories about himself, and like his own many were fictitious stories dreamed up by humans…many of whom had never met either brother.

The scarred one knelt at the base of the dais then transformed into his true form. The audience chamber was not a place for hiding ones true self, and many retainers would take the opportunity to show off their own impressive forms…some more impressive than others.

A deep rumbling sound emanated from the scarred Inuyokai's throat, the yokai lord made his own replying sound. The retainers in the room who were not Inuyokai were quickly lost as they did not understand the natural language of Inuyokai, the Inuyokai retainers did their best to not eavesdrop on the private conversation. When those Inuyokai retainers in attendance were asked they merely stated their lord's brother was giving him a report on the year long absence.

Finale after about an hour of this the two brothers returned to their humanoid forms. Inu no Taisho nodded his head, "Welcome home brother…I hope my son was not too much trouble."

The scarred one growled low, "My nephew was no trouble…but next time could you maybe just send another Inuyokai and we could leave the hyperactive wolf with you."

Inu no Taisho chuckled, "I'm surprised he still lives. You're not known for your self control…if I remember right there is that legend where you leveled a castle because a young lord asked you too many questions."

The scarred one narrowed his eyes, "I believe that one was made up by human parents who got tired of their offspring asking endless questions…I believe the moral was not to annoy strangers, never know if they might turn out to be an easily irritated daiyokai."

The yokai lord nodded, "Yes…we must be getting ancient if the humans have started making such stories about us."

There was a round of gasps and utterance of denials by the many retainers in the room

The scarred one chuckled at the behavior of the retainers, "Brother…we're not quite that old. Though, perhaps we are, since we've become so short sighted to not notice events happening around us."

The yokai lord bowed his head, "You are talking in regards to my elder sons."

The scarred one nodded.

Inu no Taisho turned to the retainers, "Leave us…clear the chamber immediately." Quickly the retainers filed out of the room and the brothers were left alone. The yokai lord turned back to his brother, "What have you learned that I do not know?"

The scarred one growled low, "Sesshomaru has been much more violent toward his brother than we'd previously thought. The abuse was going on right under our noses…all those accidents during training. Let's just say they weren't accidents."

Inu no Taisho nodded his head, "I suspected as much. You merely confirmed my previous assumption." The lord narrowed his eyes, "I've already dealt with Sesshomaru. He's been cast out from the palace until I either summon him back, or he's ready to challenge my authority. Whichever comes first?"

The scarred one nodded, "I'd suggest sending our stealth specialist brother to keep an eye on him."

Inu no Taisho nodded, "I've sent third and fifth brothers to switch off observing his progress. They'll let me know how he's doing."

The scarred one bowed his head, "I'm going to guess you wish to also know how Inuyasha handled staying in the cave."

The elder brother tensed, "Was it as we expected?"

The younger brother avoided eye contact, "He relived the whole ordeal. It was not as we hoped all those years ago. The memories were there, just being suppressed. His senses recorded everything just as our own do…he's coping as well as can be expected…and he also blames his brother for the whole situation."

The yokai lord nodded, "Inuyasha has a right to be angry, but to blame his brother will not solve anything."

The scarred one took on a hardened expression, "If I may brother, could I make a suggestion…" The yokai waited for his brother's nod, "…Let your mate deal with this. I believe he may be more receptive of her now…he needs a mother gentle nature for this. You may come across to brash, plus she has had more experience dealing with human emotions…you must admit those aren't as clear cut as our own."

The lord nodded again, "I'm inclined to agree brother…your observations have yet to fail us. I will not interfere unless Inuyasha comes to me."

His brother bowed, "I have no doubt he'll come to you in time…just don't make him think your avoiding him."


The Lady guided Inuyasha to the dining hall where two of his siblings sat waiting for the morning meal. Kenshirou yawned and stretched, his chair creaking in protest to his movement. Airi had her head lying on her left arm while she used her right hand to twirl a knife in the air. Inuyasha noted Sesshomaru's absence but ignored that fact.

The Lady cleared her throat lightly to gain the attention of the two pups, "Kenshirou, Airi, your brother is home."

The two pups turned to see Inuyasha and both rushed up to him. Kenshirou stopped short, but Airi bowled the older hanyo over, "You're finale back!"

"Eh…careful I'm still healing!" Inuyasha grumbled as he gently pulled his little sister off him.

The other three looked at him seriously. The Lady was the first to speak, "Healing?"

Inuyasha nodded, "Figured Uncle would have told you guys in one of his reports. About a month ago some pathetic traveling priest tried to purify Koga and me. We'd stopped at a river to rest, and Uncle had just gone to hunt some food. Then this priest comes by on the road we hadn't actually notice. We were just sitting there minding out own business when the fool started chanting at us and throwing sutras. Koga was able to get out of the way, but the guy had come from behind me…his first sutra hit me square in the back. Trust me those things hurt, and really you wouldn't expect a little scrap of paper to hurt that much."

Airi look shocked, "What happened then…did Koga get the priest?"

Inuyasha shook his head, "He tried but the guy hit over the head with those strange staves they carry."

The Lady smirked, "I take it your Uncle arrived quickly."

Inuyasha nodded, "I knew our only way out of that situation would be Uncle's intervention. While it was painful to move with that sutra, I forced myself to scratch my arm to draw out my blood. That brought Uncle coming quick."

Kenshirou shivered, "Human or Inu form?"

Inuyasha grimaced, "Inu…"

They need no further detail as they all immediately got the mental image of a massive Inuyokai landing with explosive force behind the holy man, and the fear in the man's eyes at the Inuyokai disposed of him in a vicious manner.

Inuyasha skipped the gory details, "After dealing with the priest, Uncle returned to his human form and ripped the sutra off my back. The paper seemed to burn him, but before it could do any real damage it shriveled up and turned to ash."

The Lady nodded, "No run of the mill human priest can do harm to a daiyokai of your uncle's caliber. In fact the only holy person I think he's ever run into who could harm him was that priestess he used to travel with…"

The three pups looked confused. It was Kenshirou who spoke first, "Uncle traveled with a priestess…why?"

The Lady smirked, "That's a tale for him to tell…as it occurred centuries before I was even born." The Lady waited for Inuyasha and Airi to stand then ushered them back toward the table, "Now, why don't we all settle in for morning meal…I'm sure the kitchens have whipped up something special for Inuyasha's return."


Hours later Inuyasha was wandering around the palace, re-familiarizing himself with his home. He was walking down a rather crowded corridor when he felt a massive aura slam into him. He immediately noticed that several others within the corridor had dropped to their knees or had been literally flattened by the wave of energy. Others like himself where struggling against the wave, but several of them were failing spectacularly.

Inuyasha felt a hand on his shoulder and the weight of the aura lifted from him. He turned to see the eldest of his father's sisters. She smiled at the hanyo, "Welcome back Inuyasha…do you know why brother is so angery?"

Inuyasha then realized the aura belonged to his scarred uncle, "Eh, not a clue. Seemed to be in a fine mood last time I saw him…maybe father pissed him off?"

The female warrior shook her head, "Not likely. My eldest brother is smart enough not to anger that particular sibling…they're to close in strength. A fight between them would only end in utter devastation for this entire region. They'd be calling the Western Lands the Western Wastelands…because that's all that would be left after such a battle."

Inuyasha was surprised by the information, "So fight between dad and uncle is a bad thing…shouldn't someone be trying to prevent that?"

His aunt closed her eyes for a minute, "It's not that…your father's in his study…and old Scarface is down at the wolves' den. Wonder what he's doing there?"


The scarred yokai was not pleased…the current emotion was rage, but was beyond the base level of rage. This was the rage to end all rages. Cowed before him was a group of wolves who'd been assigned to guard this place. The scarred one leveled his blood red eyes on the leader of the group, "What do you mean it was stolen?"

The wolf nervously tried to sit up under the weight of the Inuyokai's aura, "My Lord! Four months ago we went out to hunt…when we got back a human had been in our cave. He'd found the jewel…and…and he took it. We tried to track him, b…but he was killed by a yokai and the jewel was taken. We lost track of that yokai…we…we had to return here, we couldn't abandon our den…"

The Inuyokai snarled dangerously, "Abandon your den! You idiot…it wasn't your den you were supposed to be guarding. It was that blasted jewel. Do you understand the danger that little trinket possesses…" The wolves all looked confused, and this further enraged the scarred one, "…that jewel possesses limitless power. It could make even weaklings like you as strong as a daiyokai like me. In the wrong hands that power could cost untold lives…you were to keep it guarded at all times. My barrier kept yokai away from it, you were to keep humans away from it."

The lead wolf bowed, "I'm sorry my lord, please give us another chance we'll track it down and return it."

The scarred one narrowed his gaze, "Kirara!"

Out of the forest nearby a small cat yokai jumped out and landed on the scarred one's outstretched hand. It merely looked up at him with a curious expression.

The Inuyokai growled low and nonthreatening, "Go to the exterminators' village…aid them in tracking the jewel, and reclaiming it. Tell them to find someone to purify the jewel, and dispose of it. Once that is done our duty to our former mistress will be fulfilled and we'll be fee of the burden of our pasts."

The cat mewed then leapt into the air and transformed into a much larger form and flew off into the sky.

One of the wolves snickered, "You're really going to rely on some pathetic cat yokai and a bunch of humans. We wolves could do all that in half the time."

The scarred one turned to them, "It will be very hard for you to do so…seeing as you'll be dead in three seconds."

Three seconds later the scarred one left the den and returned to the palace. In his wake he left the group of wolves dead, with a note pinned to the lead wolf stating they'd been punished for dereliction of duty.


Back at the palace The Lady of the West was sitting in her tea room when the door slid open and Inuyasha stepped in and bowed. He remained silent as the Lady scrutinized him then motioned for him to sit. She'd watched his movements closely both when he'd first entered the palace grounds that morning, and when they'd walked to the dining hall. She'd noticed his movements were much more reserved, even cautious, as though he expected an attack at any moment.

She allowed the uneasy silence to settle for several minutes before she addressed her stepson, "It is curious. You've never been one to seek me out…something must be troubling you greatly to make you desire to come to me."

Inuyasha kept his head bowed as he spoke, "Um…I remember what happened…when I was eight…while I was abducted."

The Lady moved so she was sitting next to the pup, "It would be best not to dwell on such thoughts. That was the past, you should accept that it happened and let it go. Those responsible have faced their fate…they did not live more than a day after you were found. Your father and brother saw to that personally."

Inuyasha frowned confused, "Sesshomaru?"

The Lady nodded, "He requested to go with your father. He knew it was his duty to protect you…he would have even killed that worthless little toad Jaken, but bonds of honor would not allow it."

Inuyasha's confusion continued, "Bonds of honor? What bonds?"

The Lady sighed slightly, "Something we wished you to never learn about. The Kappa, Jaken, was the only reason you lived long enough to be rescued. Such actions would constitute a life bond, which you would have owed to that little toad. Your brother was going to kill Jaken immediately, but was stopped by your uncle. That was because your uncle realized the implications. If your brother attacked Jaken, he could have claimed the life bond; your brother's attack would have hit your body instead." She saw the question in the hanyo's eyes but shook her head, "Don't ask how, even I don't understand all the intricate details of these arrangements."

She made sure Inuyasha was paying attention and continued, "Anyways, your brother's attack would have hit you. Considering your condition at that time, it would have without a doubt killed you. There is one taboo that must never be broken among the inuyokai. An inuyokai must never be the cause of one of their siblings' death. The taboo is not in effect during a time of conflict among our tribe, such as the battle between our tribes' leader and his heir."

Inuyasha bowed his head, "What would have happened to Sesshomaru?"

The Lady had a grim look on her face, "Your father would have been forced to terminate him immediately. There is no room for mercy in this reguard."

Inuyasha's expression turned to anger, "That's what those yokai were after…trying to get father to kill his own son?"

The Lady shrugged, "We'll never know their full intentions. Your father was not exactly in a talkative mood when he was hunting them."

Inuyasha nodded, "Do you know why Uncle was mad earlier?"

The Lady chuckled, "Mad? That would be a grievous understatement. He's furious?"

Inuyasha looked confused, "Furious…why?"

The Lady frowned, "A dangerous artifact was stolen…it is why Koga and his two friends were given rooms in the palace. The wolves assigned to guard the artifact were to be punished."

Inuyasha frowned, "What artifact?"

The Lady's frown deepened, "The Jewel of Four Souls…"


End Chapter Twenty Eight

A/N: Sorry about not posting last night, here's a decent length chapter to make up for the pathetic excuse for a chapter.