Chapter IV

There was a long pause after Sesshomaru motioned them to sit. Nanami had arrived to serve them tea. They sipped their tea ackwardly. Inuhime knew that her twin would be displeased about having all these bitches around. She also took a chance to study her half-brother. He was shaking his leg impatiently.

"Such impatience," she thought. She then looked at her half-brother's friends. She could feel that they are a little uncomfortable. Perhaps, it's the atmosphere or is it her twin's overhelming presence? Possibly both? First, she decided to study the human male that she now knew as Miroku. His aura was surprisingly calm. She could tell that he was powerful monk. Quite handsome for a human, too. "Hn, I wonder if he has a significant other. There's one way to find out." She looked inside his heart with her mind's eye. "Hn, yes. Yes, he does. And she's right next to him. Sango, was it her name? Yes, they are definitely together. Speaking of..." She studied his wife. "This human female has a strong aura. She also seems a little nervous, too. Perhaps, it's due to us three daiyoukai. And then there's Kagome. The one who defy my twin. She, also, has a strong aura... and a huge one, in fact. She's a miko... a powerful miko. Hn..." She then looked at the youngest... well if he was human, that is. "A kitsune; not really surprising to find one around humans. Given that they liked to play around with them. He's so young. I wonder what happened to his family. Maybe I'll ask one day." Then she looked at Kirara. "This aura is so familiar. I just can't place when or where I encountered it." She looked at her mother. "I have to give mother credit for not being so oppressive and aggressive towards them, especially Inuyasha." She then looked at her twin. She chuckled because she could tell that he was getting a little impatient. "Inuyasha and him has so much in common, but I dare not to tell them that, though. Perhaps, one day I will, but definitely not yet."

She cleared her throat to get their attention. "Lord Brother, I know that you don't wish to find a mate, but we can't ignore those lords. So, mother and I decided to indulge them. I am not saying that you have to choose by the end of the month. I am not saying that at all. All I am saying is to humor them, Sesshou. That's all."

"Humor them, how?"

"I don't know. You and I both know that they will come and try to get your attention. So, I suggest you give it to them. The last thing we need is a rebellion from our court and the Cardinal Lords. You know that I am right in this."

"Sesshomaru, your sister is right," Inukimi added. "Besides it would be fun." She smirked when she heard Sesshomaru growled. "Oh, yes, this will be fun, indeed," she thought.

"Hn. I didn't know about this fun you speak of, Mother. However, this one will do as you suggested."

"Thank you, Sesshou." She looked over to their guests. "So, how did you all meet? It's truly uncommon to hear about or to find that a monk, a miko, and a demon slayer with an hanyou and a kitsune. However, I am not surprise to find that the demon slayer is accompany by a nekoyoukai or any other demon of the like."

"Keh, I don't see if it's any of your fucking business!"

"Inuyasha, she's your sister," Kagome yelled.

"Feh, who cares?"

"Inuyasha, that's so rude! You..."

"Kagome," Inuhime interrupted. "It's fine. I don't blame him. After all, he hardly knows me."

"Yes, but how are you suppose to get to know each other if you don't ask anything."

"Kagome, I will not force him to get to know me."

"But..."

Inuhime put up a hand signaling that she had enough. "I am just happy to see him again. However, I am still curious how you all met? Care to indulge me?"

Sesshomaru can't help, but he too was curious to know, although, he knew that the miko and his hanyou brother had sometime met before he encountered them that night. Inukimi was thinking something similar along those lines. Why? Who knows, but the Kami.

Kagome thought about how to start. "Okay, Sesshomaru already knows that I am from the future, so..." She cleared her throat. "Well, you probably won't believe me, but..."

"Kagome! You can't..."

"Shut up, Inuyasha! I can and I will."

"But Kagome..." Inuyasha whined.

"Are you sure, Lady Kagome," Miroku asked to interrupt his brash friend.

"Yes."

"Alright, you'll have our support. Right, Sango? Shippo?" Both Sango and Shippo nodded.

"Thanks guys." She smiled. She looked at Inuyasha who was currently sulking like a pup who didn't get his way. She shook her head. "Anyways, before I start you must know something, first."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes because she also looked at him as if she was pleading for him to support her story. He sighed inwardly. He nodded discreetly. She smiled gratefully at him. Inuhime pulled out her fan and pretend to feel like she was hot or something. However, in reality, she wanted to hide her mirth of her facial expression. She could never accomplished Sesshomaru's emotionless, expressionless facade. She was more expressive than her twin was.

Kagome begun her tale that she was from the future and how she fell in the Bone-Eater's Well; then how she came across Inuyasha; then Shippo and the Thunder Brothers; then Miroku and his 'kidnapping' of Kagome and her bicycle; and then Sango and her tragic story about her family and village. As Kagome was telling them, Inuhime couldn't help, but to see it through her mind's eye. At the end of her story, they heard some sniffing from Inuhime. Sesshomaru sighed. He knew why she was sniffing; stories such those had always brought his sister's tears came to surface. It was rare, if not at all, for a youkai to cry.

"Are... are you alright, Lady Inuhime," Kagome asked. Inuhime hiccuped and nodded her head and then narrowed her eyes at Kagome, which in turn made her fidget.

"Kagome, I will say this once more. You all may call me, 'Inuki'. Just Inuki. None of that formal crap. It gets on my nerves." All Kagome could do was nodded. It was Sesshomaru's turned in show mirth... well only in his eyes, but it was there, nevertheless.

"And how did you meet Sesshomaru, miko," Inukimi asked in an unintentional disgust manner. Inuhime glared at her mother, then her mother narrowed her eyes at her. It was as if they were having a telepathic conversation. Inuhime eventually rolled her eyes and added, "Yes, I would like to know that as well."

Kagome laughed nervously because it was really an unpleasant memory, however, Inuyasha had no problem telling them. In fact, he didn't leave a detail out. "... yeah, the icicle-shoved-up-his-ass bastard had the nerve to have a female youkai... uh, what was it, Kagome?"

Kagome could feel Sesshomaru's murderous glare at them. Well, maybe not at her; more like Inuyasha than her. "Hey, wench! I asked you a question."

"Huh?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her. "You know the one who disguised herself as my mother." She didn't answer. "Whatever, the bastard used the bitch to find information about our old man's tomb. Then I had no idea, what he was talking about. He spoke of a riddle or some shit like that. Of course, I told him that if I knew what he was talking about I ain't gonna give the asshole what he wanted. Anyways, after the bitch got the what he sought after he killed her like she was nothing. Then he took the black pearl out of my right eye and then used that Two-Heads Staff thingy or whatever the fuck that was and opened up a portal to our old man's tomb. We fought of course. I'd hacked off his left arm and he ran away like a baby."

The more Inuyasha talked; the more Sesshomaru's murderous glared glare, if that was possible. Everyone in the room was getting even more uncomfortable than before. Kagome and the two female inudaiyoukai could see and feel Sesshomaru's aura flaring violently.

"I bet that Sesshomaru had never told them that part of the story. And judging the way Inuhime's eyes were narrowing at Sesshomaru, she didn't know it."

Inuyasha kept on and on until Inuhime had enough. "Alright, Inuyasha." Inuhime's voice wasn't soft as before. It was rough like her beast was making an appearance. Inukimi and Sesshomaru knew it, too. Inukimi couldn't believe that her son went that extreme to get hold of his father's fabled sword, the Tessaiga. Also to use the dead to accomplish it was inconceivable. No, she didn't particularly cared about Izayoi, but she still had respect for the dead. She looked at her daughter. Her eyes were flaming red. She knew what was coming. She then looked at her son. She had seen him swallowing an inaudible gulp. He, too, knew what was coming.

Inuhime couldn't believe what she was hearing, though, she didn't sense no deceit on Inuyasha's part either. She was a spiritual person and missing with the dead; youkai and human alike, is unacceptable. She could feel her beast stirring within her consciousness.

"I can't believe that our brother stoop so low to use Izayoi's memory like that," her beast yelled within her conscience.

"Yes, I can't believe that either. Why? Does he hate father that much?"

"I don't believe that he did that. We need answers now," her beast growled.

"I agree." She looked at those around her. She noticed how more uncomfortable they were. She can't blame them, though. She said with her beast, "This Inuhime needs to speak to her brother." She looked at her mother as if daring her to interfere. Inukimi nodded in acceptance and said, "Well, young ones, shall we go into the gardens? I imagine the kit would like to play with Rin. She and Jaken are there as we speak."

Kagome and the others nodded eagerly. However, Inuyasha wanted to see what would happen between his elder siblings. Kagome looked at Inuyasha. She was shocked to find that Inuyasha had a smirk on his face. She cleared her throat and said, "Inuyasha, you coming?"

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari