Ch. 6 Family Business
As brothers, Inu-Yasha and Sessho-maru had never been very close, they'd never been allowed to be. From Inu-Yasha's birth they had been torn apart as their father's household and supporters separated into factions, those who chose to support Sessho-maru as the future Lord of the West or those who chose to support their father's decision to make Inu-Yasha the future Lord.
Their father considered himself a forward thinking man and believed that, in not too many years, the balance of power in the land would switch from the demons to the humans. He saw Inu-Yasha as an intermediary who would understand both demon and human perspective and do what was needed to keep the demon race from extinction.
He did not, however, predict the turmoil under his own roof. His decision to make a 'half-breed' Lord over demons rankled the pride of most and was distasteful to the rest. His preaching did not convince his followers and the resulting chaos ended in both his and his human wife's deaths.
In the aftermath, Sessho-maru was declared Lord by some while others left for stronger Lords or to follow their own paths. Inu-Yasha, still very young, was banished from his brother's lands and declared outcast. Sessho- maru had hated his brother at the time, blaming Inu-Yasha and his father's weakness for reducing the Western realm to a pittance of its former glory.
Sessho-maru began to rebuild, trying to restore prestige to his beleaguered kingdom. To be a great demon lord, one needed to be the strongest. He needed to become a great slayer of demons and one to be feared by all. He had hoped to achieve this status with the Tetsu-Saiga and thus he had striven relentlessly to obtain it.
But, with the purifying of the Shikon jewel the age of demons had passed. The sword was now in two pieces and Sessho-maru had to build his kingdom another way. Among humans, money and possessions held power, so, Sessho- maru used these as his building blocks. Lands were purchased and gold piled up. Over the years, items of wealth from the past became more valuable. Sessho-maru found that he needed to continually 'modernize' to stay ahead of the game. Gradually, servants became employees and a kingdom became a business.
His only family now being Rin's descendants, Sessho-maru devoted his spare time to taking care of the many generations that passed. Oh, there were still some demons out there. Some of the more human-like and cunning ones had survived, but he never found any he would call friend or that seemed to stick around more than a few paltry decades.
Often, in moments of contemplation, Sessho-maru would curse the childhood associates of his father's court from depriving him of his one chance at a lasting relationship, his family. It's funny sometimes how memory works. Lately, more and more of his memories of Inu-Yasha had been - different. His brother's ears twitching as he peered at him around corners, a hug he had quickly brushed off in annoyance, those large worshipful eyes. If he were to go back and change it he would make it so, instead of shunning his brother's presence, he would take him under his wing, build up that hero worship. And then, when grown, that fire, tenacity and power would have served him.
Now he finally had family again. A son, and one who happened to be his lost brother's reincarnation. A son who, unfortunately, retained all the painful memories of their past. This was going to take some work.
* * * *
Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo were playing shogi. Up to their usual tricks again, each kept a sharp eye on the board lest the pieces should 'unexplainably' change position while one or the other wasn't looking. The phone rang.
"Kasumi dear, could you get that," Soun called out.
"Sure father," Kasumi called back, drying her hands on a dishtowel. She walked over to the phone and picked it up. "Moshi, moshi. How can I help you? Oh certainly, I'll let them know right away. Mr. Saotome, the principle from Ranma's school called. He says he needs to see you and Mrs. Saotome right away."
"What has that boy done now? What a dishonorable son to make his father leave the comfort of home,"
"Actually it's my home . . ." Soun muttered under his breath.
"after all the years I worked and slaved for him."
"Should I call Auntie?"
"No, no I . . ." Genma began hastily.
"Call me about what?" Nodoka said in a severe tone, stepping up behind him.
Genma nearly jumped out of his skin. "Nodoka dear, you don't need to . . ."
"I'm coming to see my son, Genma. Kasumi, did the school say why we were needed?"
"No, they just said it was about Ranma and it was important for both of you to be there."
"I see," Nodoka touched the katana at her back lightly. Genma flinched. "Husband."
Genma grunted in dismay and Soun rubbed his hands together gleefully. Knowing it would be unfavorable for him to return to the game after even a brief absence, Genma 'accidentally' knocked the shogi board over as he exited.
"Sorry about that Tendo. Guess we'll have to do the game over again."
The two then exited the Tendo house and headed for the high school, a very nervous Genma in the lead. Upon entering Furinkon high they were directed to a small office to sit and wait. Nodoka sat stiffly in her seat, her hands primly folded, while the Saotome patriarch fidgeted in his chair. When Nodoka began caressing the weapon at her back, he started to sweat. Then the door opened and a smartly dressed silver haired man entered the room. Nodoka instantly went pale. Genma felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. This wasn't good.
"If it isn't 'father abuse' and 'mother neglect'." Sessho-maru's golden eyes blazed with inner fire. "We're going to have a little chat about my son."
"He's not . . ." Nodoka began to hiss.
"SIT DOWN and SHUT UP woman!" Nodoka withered before him. Sessho-maru turned to Genma. The room began to shimmer, as a haze, similar to heat waves off a freeway, started to exude from him. "Demons, known for their cruelty in a true dog-eat-dog fashion," Sessho-maru bared his fangs, "would not treat their young as you have. You have no honor. Your only saving grace is that you have made my son a decent fighter. For that and for the boy's conscience's sake, I will refrain from disemboweling you."
Genma shrunk as far as was physically possible into the chair. This wasn't supposed to happen. They hadn't summoned him. How could Ranma's real father be here? Why had he come?
Sessho-maru then turned to Nodoka.
"You can not have him back," she stated, trembling. "His life belongs to me. By his honor, should he show any signs of demon power he is to commit seppuku."
"Oh?" Sessho-maru enquired, quickly looking back through Ranma's memories, "And just when did he promise to do that?".
Nodoka promptly pulled out a piece of paper she had taken down from her living room wall earlier that morning. Pressing it flat, she rudely held it up for him to see instead of handing it to him.
Sessho-maru snapped his fingers and the contract promptly went up in flames. "A five-year-old's forced hand print holds no power legally, nor does it bind anyone's honor. I would have expected much better from you. You started out with such potential."
Nodoka opened her mouth to respond and he cut her off with a gesture.
"I now release you from the Yamatta family's sacred charge. You are not worthy."
Nodoka gripped the hilt of the katana tightly, then gasped as blue lightning crackled forth from it shocking her. The bundle fell to the floor.
"Leave it," Sessho-maru said as she reached for it again.
Nodoka clutched her injured hand and glared at him, but made no further move to pick up the blade.
"By this time, my lawyers have transferred custody of Ranma to me. This wasn't to hard considering Genma's criminal record. He will be listed under my family name and I will be his sole caretaker from this point on."
"You can't do that!" Genma jumped to his feet. "I challenge you."
"Very well, mortal. If you are conscious in 5 seconds I'll consider your claim."
Genma tensed up for a hard fight. It would require him to unseal the forbidden techniques, but he was not about to allow his comfortable future of living off the boy to be taken away.
He actually lasted two of the five seconds.
Stepping towards the door, away from Genma's smoking body, Sessho-maru rapped on it lightly once.
Immediately the door opened, revealing two large men dressed in uniforms with the West Corp. logo.
"Please escort the lady home. The man you can dump anywhere, just don't kill him." As Nodoka was led out, Sessho-maru stopped her with a hand. "By the way, this means that any and all contracts or obligations Genma has made for Ranma are now null and void."
Nodoka clenched her jaw, thinking furiously as she was taken out the doors. There had to be something she could do, someone she could call. She was not going to lose her son. And, if he became evil, she would simply order him to kill himself, as any faithful son would do for his mother.
After the Saotomes left, Sessho-maru went to get Ranma. He had originally planned to confront the couple with Ranma there, but then decided that he would most likely feel obligated to defend his belated parents. He had already told Ranma of the legal changes that were being made in his life. As Sessho-maru entered the other room, Ranma looked up at him quickly, as if snapping out of a daze.
"I have something for you."
Ranma followed his father into the room recently vacated by the Saotomes. Putting one hand on Ranma's shoulder, Sessho-maru gently pushed the boy towards the bundle on the floor. "Pick it up."
Ranma blanched as he recognized the katana his mother always carried. Stepping up to it, he crouched down to look at it. Furrowing his brow, he reached forward, pulled the cloth free, and gasped. He looked up at Sessho- maru, eyes wide, and at the later's nod touched the Tetsu-Saiga.
And the two pieces became one.
Author's note: This was my roughest chapter yet. Basically, I've been trying to tie together the earlier chapters with what I want to do with the later ones. I promise there will be more with Kagome, but the next chapter will be Ranma getting a little fitting revenge on the rest of the Nerima wrecking crew.
As brothers, Inu-Yasha and Sessho-maru had never been very close, they'd never been allowed to be. From Inu-Yasha's birth they had been torn apart as their father's household and supporters separated into factions, those who chose to support Sessho-maru as the future Lord of the West or those who chose to support their father's decision to make Inu-Yasha the future Lord.
Their father considered himself a forward thinking man and believed that, in not too many years, the balance of power in the land would switch from the demons to the humans. He saw Inu-Yasha as an intermediary who would understand both demon and human perspective and do what was needed to keep the demon race from extinction.
He did not, however, predict the turmoil under his own roof. His decision to make a 'half-breed' Lord over demons rankled the pride of most and was distasteful to the rest. His preaching did not convince his followers and the resulting chaos ended in both his and his human wife's deaths.
In the aftermath, Sessho-maru was declared Lord by some while others left for stronger Lords or to follow their own paths. Inu-Yasha, still very young, was banished from his brother's lands and declared outcast. Sessho- maru had hated his brother at the time, blaming Inu-Yasha and his father's weakness for reducing the Western realm to a pittance of its former glory.
Sessho-maru began to rebuild, trying to restore prestige to his beleaguered kingdom. To be a great demon lord, one needed to be the strongest. He needed to become a great slayer of demons and one to be feared by all. He had hoped to achieve this status with the Tetsu-Saiga and thus he had striven relentlessly to obtain it.
But, with the purifying of the Shikon jewel the age of demons had passed. The sword was now in two pieces and Sessho-maru had to build his kingdom another way. Among humans, money and possessions held power, so, Sessho- maru used these as his building blocks. Lands were purchased and gold piled up. Over the years, items of wealth from the past became more valuable. Sessho-maru found that he needed to continually 'modernize' to stay ahead of the game. Gradually, servants became employees and a kingdom became a business.
His only family now being Rin's descendants, Sessho-maru devoted his spare time to taking care of the many generations that passed. Oh, there were still some demons out there. Some of the more human-like and cunning ones had survived, but he never found any he would call friend or that seemed to stick around more than a few paltry decades.
Often, in moments of contemplation, Sessho-maru would curse the childhood associates of his father's court from depriving him of his one chance at a lasting relationship, his family. It's funny sometimes how memory works. Lately, more and more of his memories of Inu-Yasha had been - different. His brother's ears twitching as he peered at him around corners, a hug he had quickly brushed off in annoyance, those large worshipful eyes. If he were to go back and change it he would make it so, instead of shunning his brother's presence, he would take him under his wing, build up that hero worship. And then, when grown, that fire, tenacity and power would have served him.
Now he finally had family again. A son, and one who happened to be his lost brother's reincarnation. A son who, unfortunately, retained all the painful memories of their past. This was going to take some work.
* * * *
Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo were playing shogi. Up to their usual tricks again, each kept a sharp eye on the board lest the pieces should 'unexplainably' change position while one or the other wasn't looking. The phone rang.
"Kasumi dear, could you get that," Soun called out.
"Sure father," Kasumi called back, drying her hands on a dishtowel. She walked over to the phone and picked it up. "Moshi, moshi. How can I help you? Oh certainly, I'll let them know right away. Mr. Saotome, the principle from Ranma's school called. He says he needs to see you and Mrs. Saotome right away."
"What has that boy done now? What a dishonorable son to make his father leave the comfort of home,"
"Actually it's my home . . ." Soun muttered under his breath.
"after all the years I worked and slaved for him."
"Should I call Auntie?"
"No, no I . . ." Genma began hastily.
"Call me about what?" Nodoka said in a severe tone, stepping up behind him.
Genma nearly jumped out of his skin. "Nodoka dear, you don't need to . . ."
"I'm coming to see my son, Genma. Kasumi, did the school say why we were needed?"
"No, they just said it was about Ranma and it was important for both of you to be there."
"I see," Nodoka touched the katana at her back lightly. Genma flinched. "Husband."
Genma grunted in dismay and Soun rubbed his hands together gleefully. Knowing it would be unfavorable for him to return to the game after even a brief absence, Genma 'accidentally' knocked the shogi board over as he exited.
"Sorry about that Tendo. Guess we'll have to do the game over again."
The two then exited the Tendo house and headed for the high school, a very nervous Genma in the lead. Upon entering Furinkon high they were directed to a small office to sit and wait. Nodoka sat stiffly in her seat, her hands primly folded, while the Saotome patriarch fidgeted in his chair. When Nodoka began caressing the weapon at her back, he started to sweat. Then the door opened and a smartly dressed silver haired man entered the room. Nodoka instantly went pale. Genma felt the hairs rise on the back of his neck. This wasn't good.
"If it isn't 'father abuse' and 'mother neglect'." Sessho-maru's golden eyes blazed with inner fire. "We're going to have a little chat about my son."
"He's not . . ." Nodoka began to hiss.
"SIT DOWN and SHUT UP woman!" Nodoka withered before him. Sessho-maru turned to Genma. The room began to shimmer, as a haze, similar to heat waves off a freeway, started to exude from him. "Demons, known for their cruelty in a true dog-eat-dog fashion," Sessho-maru bared his fangs, "would not treat their young as you have. You have no honor. Your only saving grace is that you have made my son a decent fighter. For that and for the boy's conscience's sake, I will refrain from disemboweling you."
Genma shrunk as far as was physically possible into the chair. This wasn't supposed to happen. They hadn't summoned him. How could Ranma's real father be here? Why had he come?
Sessho-maru then turned to Nodoka.
"You can not have him back," she stated, trembling. "His life belongs to me. By his honor, should he show any signs of demon power he is to commit seppuku."
"Oh?" Sessho-maru enquired, quickly looking back through Ranma's memories, "And just when did he promise to do that?".
Nodoka promptly pulled out a piece of paper she had taken down from her living room wall earlier that morning. Pressing it flat, she rudely held it up for him to see instead of handing it to him.
Sessho-maru snapped his fingers and the contract promptly went up in flames. "A five-year-old's forced hand print holds no power legally, nor does it bind anyone's honor. I would have expected much better from you. You started out with such potential."
Nodoka opened her mouth to respond and he cut her off with a gesture.
"I now release you from the Yamatta family's sacred charge. You are not worthy."
Nodoka gripped the hilt of the katana tightly, then gasped as blue lightning crackled forth from it shocking her. The bundle fell to the floor.
"Leave it," Sessho-maru said as she reached for it again.
Nodoka clutched her injured hand and glared at him, but made no further move to pick up the blade.
"By this time, my lawyers have transferred custody of Ranma to me. This wasn't to hard considering Genma's criminal record. He will be listed under my family name and I will be his sole caretaker from this point on."
"You can't do that!" Genma jumped to his feet. "I challenge you."
"Very well, mortal. If you are conscious in 5 seconds I'll consider your claim."
Genma tensed up for a hard fight. It would require him to unseal the forbidden techniques, but he was not about to allow his comfortable future of living off the boy to be taken away.
He actually lasted two of the five seconds.
Stepping towards the door, away from Genma's smoking body, Sessho-maru rapped on it lightly once.
Immediately the door opened, revealing two large men dressed in uniforms with the West Corp. logo.
"Please escort the lady home. The man you can dump anywhere, just don't kill him." As Nodoka was led out, Sessho-maru stopped her with a hand. "By the way, this means that any and all contracts or obligations Genma has made for Ranma are now null and void."
Nodoka clenched her jaw, thinking furiously as she was taken out the doors. There had to be something she could do, someone she could call. She was not going to lose her son. And, if he became evil, she would simply order him to kill himself, as any faithful son would do for his mother.
After the Saotomes left, Sessho-maru went to get Ranma. He had originally planned to confront the couple with Ranma there, but then decided that he would most likely feel obligated to defend his belated parents. He had already told Ranma of the legal changes that were being made in his life. As Sessho-maru entered the other room, Ranma looked up at him quickly, as if snapping out of a daze.
"I have something for you."
Ranma followed his father into the room recently vacated by the Saotomes. Putting one hand on Ranma's shoulder, Sessho-maru gently pushed the boy towards the bundle on the floor. "Pick it up."
Ranma blanched as he recognized the katana his mother always carried. Stepping up to it, he crouched down to look at it. Furrowing his brow, he reached forward, pulled the cloth free, and gasped. He looked up at Sessho- maru, eyes wide, and at the later's nod touched the Tetsu-Saiga.
And the two pieces became one.
Author's note: This was my roughest chapter yet. Basically, I've been trying to tie together the earlier chapters with what I want to do with the later ones. I promise there will be more with Kagome, but the next chapter will be Ranma getting a little fitting revenge on the rest of the Nerima wrecking crew.