Author's Note:  Footnotes are at the end of the chapter.

******

There and Back Again

Chapter Five:  Sweet Soul Sister

            "Inu-san."

            "Nani?" [1]

            "About... what you were asking me earlier... about Einstein?"

            "Yeah.  Well, Otou-san and I think that the Shikon no Tama only exists at one point in both space and time."

            Ruri thought for a second.  "That would mean that it can be carried forward and backward in time, but if we carried a jewel shard back in time, it could not meet itself."

            "That's what we think, at least.  After the miko Kikyou-sama died, the Shikon no Tama completely disappeared out of existence until it reappeared in the reincarnated form of Kikyou-sama, Kagome-sama.  In the past several hundred years, Otou-san, and more recently I, haven't been able to find any more jewel shards than those four, and the last one we acquired only recently.  To say it only exists in one point in both space and time doesn't make total sense, but it's closer than any other explanation we've been able to find in our studies."

            They walked back into the museum/armory and placed the Chulip Crystals in a case near the Shikon shards.  As he replaced Hiraikotsu to its home, he paused to remove its carrying ribbon.  He handed it to Hoshino, who stared at him as if he were crazy.

            "What?  You can't carry Tetsusaiga on your waist, you're still too short.  I'll show you how to tie it, if that's your problem." [2]

            Sesshoumaru, who'd been listening from the doorway, tossed his son a ribbon from somewhere in his garments.  He began to show Hoshino how to tie the ribbon around the scabbard so that she could carry the sword across her back.

            "So any human could pick this sword up and do what I just did, but demons cannot?" she asked as she began lacing knots.

            "Nope," the youkai responded, lacing his father's ribbon around Tenseiga's scabbard so she could follow the knots.  "If your mother or father picked it up, it'd probably just remain a regular sword.  Kagome-obasan never transformed the Tetsusaiga.  Remember, the sword was forged for Inuyasha-sama.  That means the bearer must have some demon blood in him, or her."

            Ruri's eyes widened as he said that.  "You mean..."

            "Why do you think Father called you 'hanyou'?" Inuyasha replied, finishing the last knot and laying his sword on the floor next to Ruri for her to finish hers by.  He stood and walked down the wall of weapons.  "You'll have every right to be angry with Father and me for doing this, but we've examined your DNA, as well as that of Yurika-san and Akito-san.  We were interested in the Chulips from the time we first heard about them, because we wondered if they were in any way connected to Kagome-obasan's well.  Nergal's contacting me was a rather opportune coincidence."  He selected a wakizashi [3] from the wall and carried it back to join Hoshino where she was sitting.

            "We compared the DNA of Yurika-san and Akito-san to that of 'normal' humans and that of Kagome-obasan, to see if we could find out anything interesting.  After seeing you in the Miss Nadesico fiasco, our curiosity was piqued so we studied your DNA as well."  He wisely decided to ignore the reddening in her face at mentioning the event.

            "You share DNA fragments with Father and me.  Our guess is they were by products of the gene tampering done to you as an embryo.  That's where you receive your youkai blood.  There are several fragments not found in normal humans that are found in your adoptive parents, Kagome-obasan, and the three of us.  The more pronounced this particular fragment is, the more propensity you have towards personally warping space-time."

            Sesshoumaru reappeared at the door again.  "Dinner is prepared.  Join us whenever you please."

            Hoshino quickly secured the last knot and went to stand up.  Inuyasha grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

            "Ruri-chan, I intend to go to Sengoku Jidai to return these four shards to Inuyasha.  After they are returned, I do not know if I will be come trapped in that era.  That is what I needed the CC's for - as a last ditch effort to return.  It was Nergal's idea that you be assigned to their 'project'.  Otou-san and I never had any intention of involving you or your family in this.  We, and I, will not force you to come with me.  I will not deny your presence in this, but I neither demand it nor even ask it of you."

            Hoshino smiled, "I want to see how the story ends, baka."

            Inuyasha returned the smile and released her arm.  "I have one more thing to say," he said as they rose to go to the dining room.  "You remember that Father said that Kagome-obasan was the reincarnation of the miko Kikyou-sama?"

            "Hai."

            "From what I've seen today, you may be the reincarnation of Inuyasha-sama.  And no genetic tampering could cause that.  Just as Kagome-obasan could call upon powers that Kikyou-sama held without thinking about it, so you've tapped into Inuyasha's abilities with Tetsusaiga without even being told what they are."

            He tucked the wakizashi into his belt as they stepped into the dining room.  "Oh, and it's Kaze no Kizu."

            "What is?"

            "The attack you used."

******

            Dinner passed rather uneventfully.   Akito and Yurika took their daughter's decision to accompany her strange friend into the past much better than normal parents would have.  But then, Inuyasha reflected that he'd heard Hoshino was actually the one who brought everyone back onto the Nadesico for its mutiny, so in retrospect no reaction other than an expected amount of mother's worry could be expected.

            After dinner, Inuyasha presented the wakizashi to Ruri. "Tetsusaiga's yours, but it's still as big as you are.  This sword can't perform anything like Kaze no Kizu, but it's easier to use and no less dangerous."

            Sesshoumaru stood behind his son.  "It is called The Hanyou's Protector.  It has the ability to bring out your youkai blood for you to use, without having the blood cloud your mind the way it normally will.  That does not mean it makes bringing out youkai blood safe, but it makes it manageable for one such as yourself who is already in control of her mind."

            The elder demon placed a hand on his son's shoulder.  "Tomorrow you will train with my son.  I lived through Sengoku Jidai, and it was a very dangerous era.  You must know how to defend yourself apart from the strength of either Inuyasha.  The two of you may leave for the past at any time after you have trained a full day."

             Akito and Yurika returned to the dining room from taking dishes into the kitchen in time to hear the last part.  A few more minutes of conversation and the group began to separate to prepare for bed.

            "Oh!  Wait!" Yurika cried.  "Sesshoumaru-sama never told us if they ever recovered all of the jewel fragments!"

            Akito, thinking he knew the answer, rubbed Yurika's head playfully.  "How could they have all of the shards if four are sitting in the other room?"

            "Actually," Inuyasha replied, "They will.  You forget that in this feudal fairy tale, events don't occur in order."

            The two stared at the youkai.

            "Baka."

            They stared at their daughter.

            "What do you think we're going back for?"

******

Footnotes:

1.  Nani – what?

2.  Tying something to a sword – I don't claim to understand this and don't know how to tie it, but there is a particular way which you tie a carrying strap to a scabbard.  Japanese sword-smithing is far more of an art form than Western.  Thus, a lot of traditions have evolved around it, including the proper way to tie something to a sheath.

3.  Wakizashi – A Japanese short sword.  Japanese blades, are generally carried on your off-side (non sword-arm) and with the edge pointing up.  Thus, the sword curves downwards towards the ground.  This makes it almost impossible to draw while sitting down.  A Katana (such as Tenseiga) also has one other problem.  99% of all strikes with a Katana are slashing moves (just look at how much space it takes Kenshin or Inuyasha to swing their weapon even when they don't go flying through the air).  Thus the wakizashi evolved as a way for samurai to remain effectively armed indoors.