For some time Inukimi, Kimiko, and Zoku were searching for the hoju, the sacred gem that the counsel had Inuhime's powers sealed within. They searched very place where Inukimi thought that she had put it. They, even, went to Inukimi's Sky Palace, but no avail. When they returned, they were so tired. They searched all over the estate of both the Western Palace and the Sky Palace. It seemed very hopeless.
Inukimi said as they returned to the library, "I know that I had it somewhere secure. Nobody knew of those places except for InuTaisho, Sesshomaru, Inuhime, and myself. There was no way that I had taken it. Also there was no way they could had taken it, either."
Meanwhile, InuTaisho, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru were talking to each other without snarling or yelling from the brothers... I mean, half-brothers. It was probably due to the fact that their father was present. They were interrupted by the noise that the three females were making. All three went to investigate, when they heard the last sentence of what Inukimi said.
"... Also there was no way they could had taken it, either." "Who couldn't had taken what, Kimi?"
Inukimi and the other two were startled by the booming, deep voice from the Dog General.
"Taisho, how long did you, three, were standing there?"
InuTaisho quirked his perfect right eyebrow. Zoku rolled her eyes.
"Milady, you might as well tell them." "Tell us what, Kimi?"
Inukimi sighed as she slumped her shoulders in defeat and her eyes were cast down.
"Alright."
She raised her eyes to look at her love. Knowing full well, that InuTaisho would be very upset with her.
She sighed again. "After you died, Taisho, I was in so much grief that I wasn't thinking straight. The counsel had seen her as a threat. They called her a traitor and the reason for your death that night. They wanted her head. All of them except for Kimiko did. I summoned the god of sorcery to give me the hoju. I didn't know if he knew what would be use for. However, he warned me about using it to seal one's power. He told me that if the gem sensed that the sealing was unjust. It would returned to him for him to undo the sealing before it was too late. I took what he told me to heart. When the gem hadn't disappeared, I thought it was an omen, that what the counsel said about her was indeed true. I was so enraged that I wanted to take all of her power, but the gem was full to a breaking point. The counsel wanted to take extra measures. They wanted to take her life. I remembered that they tried to manipulate me to take my pup's life. However, my beast wouldn't let me. Even if I wanted to, the beast had taken control then. She admitted to me that she was confused. Kimiko suggested that she should be under house arrest for a year. After I sealed her powers within the gem, I took it to a secure place only you, me, Sesshomaru, or Inuhime would know where to find it. However, it's now gone. It's unknown to when it disappeared or where had it gone to. My first thought was the kami, who had given me the gem. When I summoned him, he denied that he had it. He said that the only person who could had it was the person who had their powers sealed. He explained, because it was her powers, only she would know where to go find it. However it seemed impossible because she was locked inside her rooms. She, also, was guarded every day and every night until she was imprisoned in a cave, a year later. Are you angry with me, Taisho?" "No, I am not really suggesting anything. You could assume that all you want, however, she would had to pick up the object in question. Now how could she done that if she was in her seikitai form." "Hm."
InuTaisho shook his head. "No. It's now in the past. We couldn't change it if we wanted to. However, what you didn't know about Inuhime, is that she could project a seikitai*, which could allow her to roam the estate wherever or whenever she desired to do so. It doesn't matter anymore."
Sesshomaru said, "Wait a minute, father. Are you suggesting that Inuhime could have stolen the hoju in her seikitai form?"
That seemed to squash their suspicions. However InuTaisho, Zoku, and Sesshomaru knew better, though. Inuhime had many hidden talents that no one knew of except for her father, her best friend, and her twin brother. They were the only ones who were suspicious of Inuhime. It was because they knew she was cunning enough to do it. However the questions was: Did she did it in her seikitai form? Could she had done it? If she did, where did she put the object in question?
Zoku had an idea, but she needed the Gurimoa* to do it. Before she could say anything Inukimi spoke.
"I am feeling quite fatigue. Grandmother, would you take me to my rooms?" "Yes, I feel quite fatigue as well."
With that they left the Library.
After they left, all three males looked at Zoku.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" "You know where it is, don't you?" "What? No! I didn't know anything about the hoju until I read that stupid Impu!" "Watch your tone, when you are talking to me, pup! The Impu isn't stupid. It's sacred." "Sacred my ass, Taisho! If it was so sacred, it wouldn't just take her powers like that! I thought the Impu was suppose to help the innocents, not condemn them!"
Sesshomaru was getting tired of the arguing.
"Enough!"
InuTaisho and Zoku stopped and looked at Sesshomaru. Both of them quirked their eyebrows. He took a deep breath.
"Listen! I know, we are trying to help Inuki, but arguing among ourselves isn't doing any good for us or for her for that matter. The Impu is sacred because it was given to us by the kami themselves. The Silver Inu Tribe was chosen to keep it's secrets and use them for the good. The Impu, itself, is neutral, which means, depending on the motive of the sorcerer, the spells could use for good or evil. Therefore the Kami themselves are neutral. Some destroy lives..." "And some recreate lives." "Because that was what Inuki told me many years ago about the Impu. She told me that the Impu's magic couldn't be reverse unless you are Okuninushi. He's the only one who could reserve the seal, only if the said seal sealed an innocent. A demon without offensive power is almost harmless. It would have to know hand-to-hand combat or a weapon without youki. If you are lucky, Okuninushi would restore at least one offensive weapon of your being like my poison claws. How mother knew how to summon him is a beyond me." "Well, I have an idea, that could help to find out the whereabouts of the hoju. However I need the Gurimoa. It contains many incantations that could assist us to find the hoju."
Inuyasha, in the mean time, was confused. Yes, he knew what magic is, but he doesn't really like to use magic. All the magic he ever experience was bad. Like the time, when the Urasue resurrected Kikyo the first time by using Kikyo's ashes, graveyard soil, and a part of Kagome's soul.
Sesshomaru also didn't like using magic, but he trusted Zoku. He'd known her since he was a pup. Besides anything to get his sister back safely. He took a deep breath.
"The Gurimoa is hidden in the Library. Let me go get it while all of you go to my study. I'll be there in a moment."
Sesshomaru waited until they left to get the Gurimoa. However, when he turned around, he saw his father with a quirked eyebrow.
"Son, you didn't think that I would had known where the Gurimoa was. After all, I was the last one who had use its magical incantations." "I didn't even thought about it." "She's alright, considering that she's been fatigue for awhile now." "Hn, well, I remember your mother was like for awhile, but she'd got where she became restless. However, every female was different. Izayoi was an opposite to your mother. She wasn't restless, yet not fatigue either."
Sesshomaru nodded in understanding. They walked in silence until they entered the study. They noticed everyone sitting down waiting patiently, which was surprising that Inuyasha knew how to be patient. Koga and Ayame wanted to stay there to help them get Inuhime back, but earlier they got a message saying that they are much needed back at the Eastern Palace.
Ayame asked, "Where's Kagome? I want to tell her good-bye before I leave." "Kagome retired for the evening. If you desire to leave a note to her I will personally deliver it to her."
Ayame nodded as Sesshomaru gave her a stationary to write her note on.
Sango and Miroku also decided that they stayed far too long as it is.
Sango said, "Poor Kaede! I hope the children didn't exhausted her out too much. Could we also leave a note to Kagome?"
Sesshomaru nodded. After Ayame finished writing her note, she gave it to Sango. So, she could write a note to Kagome, too.
Afterwards, they said their good-byes and left to return home.
After a few moments in silence, Zoku cleared her throat.
"May I?" She gestured to the Gurimoa. Sesshomaru didn't hesitant to give her the Book of Magic/Spells.
"Thank you, milord."
Sesshomaru acknowledged her thanks with a nod.
Zoku opened up the sacred book. The book was huge. I was at least as big as the size of a human torso. It looked as if it had over 2,000 pages thick. Zoku flipped through some pages until she found spell called: 'Kami Summoning'. Zoku guessed that it was this spell that summoned Okuninushi to Inukimi. She noticed that the spell was basically easy; not as complicated as she thought it would be.
"Kami summoning is when a sorcerer specifically summon a god by saying what it governs and the name of the specific god."Zoku thought, "Is Inukimi a sorceress?" "Lord Taisho, did Inukimi know anything about magic? "Yes, why?" "Oh, I didn't know that she knew anything about the Magical Arts. I guess it doesn't matter, now."
She kept on reading until she got to a paragraph about the hoju. After she read it, she smiled in triumph.
InuTaisho said, "By the look on your face, you found something good." "Oh, yes, milord." "I think we should summon Okuninushi. I wonder if he would help us finding it."
So Zoku gathered all the necessary items to summon the god of sorcery. She placed white crystals and already lit white candles all around her. Then she sat on a mediation pillow. Once she was in a clear state of mind, she recited three times: 'Oh holy divine, please grant this lowly one her prayer. I summon thee, oh kami of sorcery. I summoned thee to seek answers. Oh I summon thee, kami Okuninushi.'
As soon as she finish reciting the saiji* of the third time, a bright, glittery white light appeared. InuTaisho, Inuyasha, and Sesshomaru had to hide their sensitive eyes from the light that was as bright as the sun. When it dimmed down a little the three males looked upon a very handsome looking god. Okuninushi looked upon his summoner. He could tell that this inuyoukai/shadow demon sorceress was very powerful. When he glance around his surroundings, he noticed the two Inu-daiyoukai and an hanyou standing near them.
He randomly thought, "Hmm, a hanyou standing near two powerful Inu-daiyoukai is strange, but refreshing and rare. Oh, they are related. I know I had been here before." "Who dares to summon a kami like myself?"
Zoku, who won't cower, stood up within her divine circle with her head held high, yet being respectful.
"I did, Okuninushi-muchi." She said that with a bow.
Okuninushi quirked his left eyebrow. "I wish to know my summoner's name." "I am Zokushi, Okuninushi-muchi." "Ah, yes, one of my favorite daughters. Where's the other one?"
Zoku furrowed her eyebrows. Okuninushi knew, but he, like Amaterasu, Benzaiten, and Izanami, love to toy with mortals. It was so much fun.
"The other one? Who do you mean, kami-muchi?" "The one who was always with you, of course, my child." "Oh. Please forgive my ignorance, kami-muchi."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Inuhime was abducted circa a month ago."
That had his attention, he knew by what his sisters said that one of their daughters were abducted. He had never thought she being one of his favorites.
"Your sister, Inuhime was abducted by whom?" "Well, we don't know yet. All we do know is that the abductor put a blood curse on her. We thought that if..." "You thought that you use the hoju to break the curse... "Inuyasha, baka, shut up!"
"We already knew that."
The Kami of Sorcery chuckled. "Oh, you remind me of Inuhime. She had never feared us, kami."
He sighed at the bitter-sweet memories. He looked from Inuyasha to Zoku.
"As I was saying, there are two ways to reverse the seal. Her sealed powers made her weak to resist such dark magic. It shouldn't even be possible since she's a Silver Inuyoukai. Whoever had done it, had known that information or they wouldn't had succeeded. ONE: return the hoju to me to reverse the seal. TWO: when you see Inuhime, you must use her youkai weapon after her weapon had absorb her power from the hoju." "How do we used her weapon?"
Okuninushi knew what they feared. He could sense their fear. He gave a long sigh.
"I believe you already know the answer to that question." "Well there is another way, but it wouldn't solve Inuhime's problem. Yes, her restored powers will be bestowed to her. However if she happens to be tainted by darkness, it would only make it worst than it already was."
Inuyasha asked, "Is there no other way?"
Sesshomaru said, "Therefore, we must slain her to free her from the curse and the darkness that she succumb to with her fang..."
Zoku and InuTaisho interrupted Sesshomaru, "Seitoshi no Tenga."
Okuninushi nodded. He could sense their emotion of fear turned into sorrow.
There was a moment of silence until Inuyasha broke it.
"What is the other way, anyway?" "Ever the curious one, aren't you, child." "Feh! Answer the damn question." "What?! He's taking his sweet ass time answering my fucking question!"
Zoku, InuTaisho, and Sesshomaru yelled in unison, "Inuyasha!"
InuTaisho bowed and apologized on the behalf of Inuyasha.
"Keh!"
Okuninushi chuckled at the mortals' antics. He once again waved a dismissive hand.
"Well, to answer the most patient and polite pup...*he said that sarcastically*... The other way is to break to gem. I must warn you, however, that the gem isn't easy to break. It's nearly indestructible as a diamond."
They all thought in unison, "What in seven hells is a diamond?"
Okuninuchi overheard their thoughts, but he wouldn't enlighten them. After all, knowledge must not be reveal all at once.
"I must be returning. I wish you luck on your journey. Farewell, my children, my thoughts will be with you."
With that said he vanished in thin air.
AN: *seikitai- astral body; *saiji- ritual; *Okuninuchi- the god of sorcery and healing; *Gurimoa- the book of magic/spells; *Impu- the book of seals; *Seitoshi no Tenga- the heavenly fang of life & death.
If there's anything that I missed please pm me. Thanks. I love y'all so much.
Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi
Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari
