A Family Tussle

Sesshoumaru's eyes stilted as he scrutinised the large congregation of hanyou gathered at the courtyard.

They were disrupted by his sudden appearance and looking wildly confused, the whole lot of them. He had never seen such a huge cast of miserable creatures before.

Sesshoumaru breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank the gods he was born of pure, noble blood. He would kill himself if he looked like anything near this grotesque bunch, with their fat noses and stumpy legs.

Was this the new army Aokimaru had dreamt of forming? What a joke.

His sight returned to the general on the stage.

"Aokimaru, I shall offer you a chance to explain this travesty before I assume the worst. After which I will deal with you accordingly."

General Aokimaru yawned and stretched his back. "Ah, how I despise gate-crashers. You've always been a rude one, haven't you? But go on, do what you must. You never had good thoughts of me anyway."

"Oi, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha shouted in the crowd. He waved his hand to catch his half-sibling's attention. "Yoo hoo! I'm over here!"

Sesshoumaru snapped his head to Inuyasha's screechy voice in a moment of distraction. A look of shock crossed over his face. "You... What are you doing here?"

Inuyasha finally reached him. "I should be the one asking you that, you—"

"I'm not talking to you, you inbred!" Sesshoumaru replied, slapping him away. His eyes were trained on the young miko trying to hide herself behind Sango."Wench!" he called.

Kagome groaned. "I'm not a wench!" she yelled back in the crowd.

"Then, lass!"

"Arghhh!"

"Sesshoumaru! I will not have you speak to Kagome in that manner," Aokimaru said in an impatient tone. "The lady is poised for an important position in my army. Such a degrading title does not suit her."

Sesshoumaru snarled back. "Preposterous. A human lass has no place in the army."

"And I'll have you know that your values are old-fashioned and outdated," Aokimaru replied, growing hostile. "It's close-minded creatures like you that stall our progress as demons."

"Then let's have a duel," Sesshoumaru stated, barely flinching. "The winner gets to have a final say over her fate."

Aokimaru took time to register his words, before he threw back his head and laughed, loud and unhinged. Behind him Johnny the ninja-colonel and Goro the samurai-captain looked at each other in wary.

"A duel?" His grin was wide and maniacal. "I hadn't tasted blood in ages. It's set then!"

"Umm guys?" Kagome piped up, but no one heard her.

A powerful wave of youki pulsed forth from the general. The crowd of half-demons yelped and backed away as his figure morphed and stretched into a gigantic, towering form.

Inuyasha dashed back to his friends. "Damn, I thought it was just going to be a swordfight! Aokimaru means business this time!"

Sesshoumaru looked every bit as shocked as him, staggering back with his sword.

Everyone fleed as Aokimaru's true form filled the courtyard. His beast was revealed as a hound, with a dark coat as black as night. His curved claws jutted out sharp and deadly from his paws, seeping poison into the ground. A bright ember burned for an eye, whilst a deep gash of scar ran over his other.

He was frightening, a black creature of wild, malevolent energy. Aokimaru leapt and howled at the sky, before his legs thundered back onto the ground.

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw as he drew Bakusaiga back into his scabbard. Provoked, his own beast awakened within him, stirred by Aokimaru's howl. His features began to warp and elongate, growing canine-like, his golden eyes tinged red.

Sesshoumaru pranced on his four legs, in full youkai form. The colour of his silver coat shimmered under the sun, contrasting against Aokimaru's, day beside night. His glinting fangs gnashed back in a grin, acid dripping from black lips, dissolving everything it touched. His eyes glowed a crimson red as they lashed at his opponent.

Their potent auras clashed, threatening the other. Even Kagome could feel her goosebumps rise as she watched the two great dog-demons growl and snarl at each other, crouched low and ready to attack.

She thought Sesshoumaru was big. But she quickly learnt that there was another dog out there that surpassed him in size alone. He looked like a pup against Aokimaru.

Aokimaru leapt over the wall of the fortress, heading for the higher mountains. Sesshoumaru quickly followed suit.

Everyone gasped and spoke in high whispers after the pair was gone, leaving a cloud of dust and pools of poisonous drool in their wake.

"Hey, you said he was your uncle," Shippo said, intrigued by the whole spectacle. "He looks nothing like Sesshoumaru!"

Inuyasha scratched his head. "I don't know, a really distant relative, maybe?"

"I actually felt scared just now," Sango said, touching her thumping chest.

"I know right!" Kagome added. "I thought they were going to tear out their throats right here!"

Johnny and Goro rushed to join them. "Holy gadzooks! This is the first time I saw the General in full force!" the ninja-colonel squealed. "Everyone! He was so strong and handsome, wasn't he? That's who General Aokimaru is for you, and he's going to march our new army into the future!"

Everyone cheered. Miroku sighed, massaging his temples. "This is just propaganda, isn't it?"

Admist the clamour of excited voices, something managed to distract Kagome. It was a piece of object lying on the ground, of which she curiously picked up.

It was Aokimaru's eyepatch.

~*. *. *~

"It's been two days," Kagome said, as she was sitting in a hot tub with Sango and Shippo. "And they haven't returned yet. I'm getting really worried."

"Don't be,"Shippo beamed." It's normal for youkai to hash it out for days. Although who do you think is going to win, Sango-chan?"

"Honestly I have no idea,"the taijiya replied."While Aokimaru does look more experienced with age, we've been through many surprises, haven't we?" She poked Kagome. "And all because Sesshoumaru called you a lass. How do you feel, getting caught between their crossfire?"

Kagome blushed hard. "Nonsense! Sesshoumaru already planned to whack him in the first place. It had nothing to do with me."

"Ah, why are you acting humble, Kagome-chan? Or should we call you... Your Imperial Highness?"

"Guys, stop that!" she fumed. Sango and Shippo continued to giggle.

The whole day Kagome had been loitering around the fortress although she spent most of her time with her friends, watching the new recruits train under Johnny and Goro's tutelage. Even Inuyasha had poked his head out to observe, although he said nothing much.

Johnny proved to be fearsome when shaping them into fit soldiers during their basic military training. Gone was his flamboyance and mild manners. He yelled constantly, calling them rainbows and pansies, and didn't bat an eyelid when the recruits screamed for mercy at their two-hundredth sit-up.

"Cripes, he's fierce in the battlefield," Shippo went, with renewed admiration.

Goro was his opposite. Where the colonel had to scream his orders, the captain commanded fear and respect with a single glance. His recruits knew if they were required to run a 5-mile or a ten-mile from just a head gesture. He almost never had to raise his voice.

Goro had a habit of stripping the top half of his robe and letting it hang around his waist. It was a common sight to see him walking around the yard among his recurits, his muscled bare chest glistening under the hot sun.

Kagome nudged Sango who had her eyes glued to the captain, and started singing to the taijiya's embarrassment. "It's getting hot in here, so take out all your clothes!" They squealed when Goro passed them a smile from afar.

Inuyasha and Miroku glanced at each before bursting into laughter. "They're really clueless, aren't they?" Inuyasha wheezed.

"What's so funny, guys?" Shippo piped innocently.

That evening after their bath, Kagome returned to her room. She saw Inuyasha's Tetris game at the corner, its batteries flung out. Sighing, she picked the batteries up and fixed it back into the game.

She found Inuyasha at the verandah, playing catch with Kirara. His smile disappeared when he saw her and he promptly sat down.

They hadn't been talking much since their argument. Kagome hated being on his bad terms. It just naturally spoiled her mood for anything. Once again she found herself giving in.

"Your game," she said, placing it behind him. "I fixed it."

Inuyasha merely grunted. Kagome twisted her mouth and turned to leave. "Hey," he suddenly said. "Have you made up your mind? Over this whole oracle thing?"

Kagome folded her arms and huffed. "You're just like Sesshoumaru, aren't you?"

"No... I mean like, if you really wanna do it, then you should just go ahead, you know."

"Are you serious? Or are you being sarcastic?"

"I'm serious," he frowned. "I don't like Aokimaru but I don't think he's the type to make stupid decisions either. If he sees something in the army and in you, it must be true, isn't it?"

Kagome laughed and flicked his nose. "Oh Inuyasha. Did watching the army train gave you a change of heart?"

He bristled. "It's not that. I just want to see you do better things for yourself, that's all. Something's that within your element." He peered at her. "I know you don't like to fight, Kagome."

Kagome looked at him in shock. "But—but it's similar to fighting, if I'm advising a general—"

It wasn't the nature of an oracle's work that made her speechless. Rather it was how Inuyasha was being supportive if she decided to go towards that direction. So far everyone seemed to be against it, even if they had poked fun at her for it.

Just a few days ago, she was sure she didn't want the position. But Aokimaru was going to march in with his new army with or without her. If she was the Oracle, she could advise him and steer them to a good direction.

Plus, what Sesshoumaru said really infuriated her. A woman had no place in the army? Hah, he was obviously still stuck in the Middle Ages!

"Geez, you're making me have a real dillemma over this, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I'm just saying. Whatever you choose to do, I should be behind you, right?"

Kagome suffocated him with a tight, overjoyed hug. "What's wrong with you? Why are you so sweet, suddenly?"

His face went red and he pretended to push her. "Idiot! I'm always sweet! You're just blind!"

Suddenly he stiffened. His nose scrunched over a scent, and his ears perked up. "It's Aokimaru," he said. "He's returned."

"Oh! How about Sesshoumaru?"

"No idea. I can only trace Aokimaru's blood."

Kagome found herself tossing relentlessly in bed later that night. After awhile, she crept out of bed and walked past the rooms, and saw Johnny in one of them. He seemed busy, curled over the low table, elbows deep in something.

He saw her and beckoned her in. "Hey, Kagome sis! Come right in!"

She spotted a long piece of sash on the table, with an embroided image of a tiger on it. "It's alright, I'll just talk to you at the door."

"Is anything the matter?" Johnny asked with a tilt of his head.

"I heard that Aokimaru's back. Is that true?"

"Yes, it's true!" he whispered fiercely. "But he doesn't want anyone to see him, because he's badly injured!"

Kagome covered her gaping mouth. "Oh dear! Did he lose to Sesshoumaru?"

Johnny shrugged. "Who knows? Why, do you want to see him?"

"Yes, but I think I'll wait until he recovers."

"I hope you do decide to join us," he said wistfully, pulling Kagome's hand as she turned to leave. "We'll have so much fun together. I'll make sure no one bullies you! Nyaaan!~"

She giggled and tickled the back of his cat ears. "Gosh, you're so cute, Johnny-kun! Your wife must be so lucky to have you."

He purred back, brimming with happiness.

~*. *. *~

Sesshoumaru laid under a large, shady apple tree. His soft pelt that cushioned him was soaked in blood. He had sustained deep injuries from his fight with Aokimaru two days ago.

Naturally, he lost.

There must be something wrong in his fighting tactics, Sesshoumaru contemplated. He had been losing a lot of fights recently. Was it a lack of focus? Were his enemies getting stronger?

He remembered Okuni, the giant lemon and Rin's wire trap. The first one was an old hag, the second a fruit, the third made by a mere orphan. No, it wasn't his enemies.

It was him. There was something wrong with him.

Rin came back tottering on her little feet, bringing with her the smell of grilled fish. Sesshoumaru growled.

"Fish again?" he snapped. "I told you no human food."

Rin's lip trembled, her hand holding the fish she had prepared. "B-but you ate it just fine when we first met..."

"I've upgraded. I want caviar now. And it must be from a wild sturgeon from the Caspian Sea."

Rin ran back to Jaken who was pissing behind a tree.

"Sesshoumaru-sama's changed, I tell you! He's changed!" Rin wailed and throttled the kappa's neck. "He was never like this before. He loved my grilled fish!"

Jaken pulled up his pants and squinted at Sesshoumaru from afar. "I've long had my suspicions," he said. "Remember that time when I said he was talking to the aliens? They must have really abducted him for research and exchanged his body for this pathetic parody of our lord! Oh the sheer madness! The cruelty! No wonder he couldn't even win against his uncle!"

"We must find the aliens and beseech them to return our Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin cried, punching her fist in the air. "It will be our new mission from now on: Find the aliens!"

Sesshoumaru sighed under the tree, unaware of his wards' scathing observations on him. His thoughts drifted to Kagome.

If only the miko could sit still for once and be prim and proper, perhaps he could... After all, they did kiss once...

An apple dropped from the branch above and hit his face. It cracked the bridge of his nose and crooked it off-centre.

Sesshoumaru bellowed a curse and hurled the apple away, for his face was now no longer perfect.

To be continued!