Author's Notes:

This is more or less the second half of "There and Back Again," as it picks up where the other leaves off. Actually, um, it's more than half, as this came out way longer than the original did. For those that haven't read the original, I've put a summary of it at the bottom of this chapter on it. Short form is, this is a three-way crossover, with the third part "silent". Obviously, it's a Nadesico-Inuyasha crossover, but Inuyasha's battles aren't a good match for Nadesico's, so I brought in some of the thinking behind Rurouni Kenshin, although none of the characters are here. (Hence, my calling it a silent third crossover. ^_^) If there are questions about this, lemme know, and if you have questions about Nadesico, drop by Peacefuldays.org or Rurihoshino.com. And go buy the movie, since ADV finally released it. ;-)

// \\

"Terminal On."

"Good morning, Sesshoumaru-sama. You have. One. New message waiting. Begin playback?"

"Please." Sesshoumaru still wasn't sure why he extended courtesy to a house terminal. He also still wasn't sure why the damn thing had to tell him that he had a message waiting for him when it was the bloody "new message" light that made him turn it on in the first place.

"Message from the Chairman of Nergal Industries, Inutaishou Inuyasha. Beginning playback."

"Good morning, Father," a face said as the message began playback. "I hope this message finds you well. Ship time is on GMT or I would place a person-to-person call with you."

"Are you always so formal with your father?" Ruri's head popped into the camera's range over his right shoulder as her arm snaked over his left. "Besides, if he wrapped my birthday present for you he probably knows what we're calling him about." As the normally reserved Hoshino Ruri was exuberant, yes, he did know why his son was contacting him. Sesshoumaru decided to not to point out to the terminal that he had helped his son pick out the rock on her hand in addition to having been the conspirator in charge of the cake. The point of the video letter itself was formality. Sesshoumaru reached over to his filing cabinet and started thumbing through his degrees to see if any granted him minister rights as the letter continued.

His son had pinned his fiancee's arms around himself and tried to continue. "Father, I am writing you to announce both my acceptance of the seat of chairman with Nergal Industries as well as, and more importantly, to announce my engagement to the current captain of the Nadesico, Hoshino Ruri. With your blessing, sir, we will begin wedding preparations, and would ask that your esteemed self officiate the ceremony." Sesshoumaru pulled a folder of likely degrees and leafed through them a little slower. His son droned on with formalities neither party really cared about but were tradition-bound to say and hear.

"And so, all said father, we look forward to discussing the situation further upon our return to earth. Peace and Long Life, Inutaishou Inuyasha."

"Bai bai, daddy!" Ruri called as the screen blinked black. Sesshoumaru pulled a few law books to check on a few degrees' status regarding "minister".

// \\

Inuyasha sighed and tilted his head back to look up at Ruri. "You know, the whole point of that was formality and following protocol. He already knew I was proposing tonight."

She leaned further over his head and kissed him again, 'Baka. But I don't want to be formal tonight. Besides, wouldn't it be against protocol for the Chairman of Nergal to make out with the Captain of one of the ships his company owns?'

He pulled Ruri into his lap and kissed her properly. 'Touché.'

'See? You're already learning to let me win.' They ended the kiss and she leaned her head on his chest.

The youkai squeezed her to him slightly. 'You know, you're in a very... bouncy mood this evening.'

She sighed, enjoying the embrace. 'I just feel like I have a right to be happy for once, and I am.'

He rose from the desk's chair, still holding her in his arms. 'Wait for a minute. I need your terminal.'

He paused and let her punch a series of commands in Omoikane. 'There,' she thought when she finished.

'What was that for?'

'Baka. Now as far as anyone is concerned, I'm in my quarters.'

'Unless they try the door.'

'It's locked with an emergencies-only filter. And the only people who're in the filter are the Chairman of Nergal, the resident vice-admiral, and the first officer, all of whom are well aware of who you are. Tonight, I get to sleep by your side like we did in Sengoku Jidai.'

The youkai laughed at his hanyou bride-to-be's words. 'Are you eighten and engaged or thirteen with a schoolgirl's crush?' He asked as he plopped them on the quarters' couch.

'Both.'

// \\

They both woke early the next morning. Neither was much of a morning person, but both had a long list of duties to attend to for the day. As much as both wanted to stay put and just be together, the universe does not stop its motions because a couple admits to the world that they love each other.

Ruri was finishing tugging her uniform into place as she stepped from the bedroom area into the office area of the suite. Her love was buried in his terminal reviewing the Nergal Master Project List but looked up when he felt her presence in the room. Inutaishou's Lackeys were there as well, encircled with papers and multiple portable terminals and laptops on the couch and its surrounding floor space.

"Don't you ever give these guys a break?"

"Sure, but not for a couple of days. Until I was officially made chairman several areas of Nergal's files were still classified. Front!" One of the two assistants snapped his head up. "Greg-san, would you get Ruri-chan that file?" The man nodded and dug through a nearby stack of manila and white.

"Oh, one small item before the business day, Ruri-chan. Can the Lackeys call you nee-san? It's become a tradition for them - they've been calling me nii-san for a while."

Ruri nodded, a bit bewildered. "So long as I get nii-chan," she teased as Greg handed her a thick file.

"This is one of the begrudgingly declassified ones. It's Nergal's involvement in a certain kidnapping a few years ago."

Ruri took the file and turned it over in her hands. She didn't want to read anything in it, at least not yet. Maybe in a few days, maybe in a few weeks. Right now, she just wanted to be happy.

"I haven't found the courage to read it yet either, love. Besides, you have more right to its contents than I do, and I will not hide anything from you. Well, except presents." The last brought a small smile to Ruri. 'I agree with you, too. Let's just try to be happy for a few days.'

Feeling comforted, Ruri smiled and grabbed a muffin and orange juice from the tray one of the Lackeys had brought in. She kissed her fiance and headed for the bridge.

// \\

To say that patrol is boring is a truism. Though it may seem odd, on the days when you do nothing at all, you've done your job right. Nothing of consequence was happening on the bridge, and it was still too early for any meaningful conversation to be developing. She was tempted to open the file on the edge of her console when a light flashed over at comm.

"Captain, we are being hailed by a merchant-class vessel, The Opportunist."

Ruri stood and leaned on her con. What was a merchant-class vessel doing out here? "Confirm ship identity and open visual channel."

"Vessel matches records in ship's database," the backup operator reported. It was rather evident that Hari was avoiding her for the time being.

"Channel open, Captain."

The ever-unchanging starfield was replaced by a dishevelled-looking man in a sea captain's hat. He looked like he reeked of vodka and hadn't slept in a week.

"I need to speak with the Chairman! Now!"

"I would first like to be told who led you to believe that the Nergal Chairman was here." 'Inu-kun, there's a psycho here to see you. I don't know what he wants yet.'

'Should I come up to the bridge?'

'Not yet, koi. If I need you, I'll let you know.'

"I know that he's there, and I will speak with him, IN PERSON! Deny my request and I'll fire on your ship!"

For the benefit of the other end, Ruri neglected to hit mute and seated herself in her chair. "Operator, please confirm armament of opposing vessel."

The computer operator rattled off the standard merchant-class armaments.

"Calculate risk of damage to ship in battle."

"Zero mark zero. Zero. One, Captain." Still, youkai don't live a thousand years by trusting everyone.

"Sir, please stand down and state your business with the chairman. If you fire upon us, we will not hesitate to return fire."

"My business is solely with the chairman. It may NOT be discussed with anyone else."

"Sir, I am authorized to speak on behalf of the chairman. Anything that you would say to him can be said to me."

'I'm on it, Ruri-chan.'

"You're bluffing."

The new message light flashed on Ruri's console. With a smile and gesture that would have made Kirk proud she punched the command. "Am I?"

The face of her of her love flashed onto her viewscreen and the merchant's.

"Greetings. I am Inutaishou Inuyasha, President and Chairman of Nergal Industries as of two-zero-three-one Greenwich Mean Time yesterday. I hereby authorize Captain Hoshino Ruri of the Nadesico to speak on my behalf while I am aboard her vessel, so that I might attend to matters pertaining to the change of office within Nergal. I regret that I am unable to speak with you at this time. Please extend Captain Hoshino any courtesies you would extend to myself, and I assure you that she will reciprocate."

Inu's face disappeared from the screen to be replaced by the far less attractive face of the merchant captain. Apparently, the former had knocked the wind from the sails of the latter.

"Um, I've come to, er, renegotiate the terms of my contract."

Inu had keyed in a terminal to the conversation, more for the Lackeys' benefit than his own. All three dove at their screens to track down the contract in question.

"You see, I wish to re-examine the early termination portion of my contract."

"Bingo!" Greg, AKA Lackey #1, passed a file to Inu and Ruri on a secure channel.

"I see," Ruri calmly replied. "And what exactly do you find disagreeable with your terms?"

'Ruri-chan, it's standard language that Nergal didn't write. He's got a zero chance in hell of renegotiating that part. He's in a Kobiyashi Maru if he goes... SHIT! Ruri! Have you scanned that ship for lifeforms?'

'Baka, you take for granted that a merchant vessel has at least one life form on it.'

'Trust me. Please.'

"Sir, please allow us a few minutes to acquaint ourselves with that portion of your contract." Comm followed her lead and killed the channel. "Operator, scan vessel for life forms."

The bridge crew stared at their captain as the computer operator touched controls. She blinked and turned to face her captain. "No life forms found."

"Run the fastest recalibration you can and re-scan."

"Confirmed, no life forms."

'Anata?'

'They're not in Kobiyashi Maru. We are. Apparently one of my adversaries has decided to test me already.'

"Open a channel to the opposing vessel."

"Channel open, ma'am."

"Captain, please transmit to my communications officer your course, including point of origin and port of destination."

"But about my complaints regarding my contract-"

"Your contract is in order. If you have a problem with the early termination portion, I suggest that you take it up with the Solar Trade Commission instead of Nergal."

"This isn't the en-"

"Other side has terminated connection, Captain," the comm officer calmly reported.

"Captain! We're being fired upon!" Despite knowing no damage would happen, there was still a slight edge of panic in the operator's voice. The ship shook slightly as the conventional warheads exploded harmlessly off the distortion field.

"Tactical, disable their weapons systems, engines and any communications equipment you can target. We're not too far from a port, we'll tow the garbage there and drop it off while we pick up supplies."

Tactical officer Willams Haruko of Japanese-American descent was considered the most sadistic gunner in any of the Earth's fleets. She took great pride in simply crippling enemies instead of outright destroying them. Ruri's order was sweet and delicious to the woman, and Ruri knew it.

'Hey, Ruri-chan, is she attached?'

'No,' Ruri responded pensively.

'Hmm. I think Father needs a date to bring to the wedding.'

'Baka.'

'Just a thought.'

The crew watched as Williams worked her targeting skills. Since the ship was in no danger, she took her time and missed no shots. Ruri gave the order and two Aestivalis were deployed to secure tow lines to the crippled vessel. The bridge crew collectively stretched and started miscellaneous conversations. The miscellaneous conversations quickly became a bridge-wide conversation on the subject of the passenger that the ship had picked up the day before.

"So, I wonder what the new Chairman's like?" Communications officer Lisette Johnson wondered aloud.

Haruko leaned closely to her fellow officer's ear and half-whispered, "They say he's vicious with a sword, a real deeeemon."

Lisette laughed. "Oh, please!"

"Kawaiiii" was all that the navigator could get out of her mouth.

'Inu, get down here.'

'Why, dearest? You've dispatched with the situation.'

'Not that situation, this one.'

'I see. Well, I guess I'll come to your rescue. Or maybe it's my rescue I'm coming to.'

'Baka.'

Ruri blinked back to the bridge to see Haruko leaning over the captain's console. "Rumors are spreading, Captain, that a question was asked last night at that big-wig dinner party."

Vice-admiral O'Conner stepped up behind the captain's chair. "My dear girl, you are an excellent shot, but you aren't very observant at all, are you?"

The weapons officer blinked and stared up at the officer then over to First Officer Saburouta, waiting for an explanation. Shock spread over the Vice Admiral's face as he looked around the room to see bewilderment in every quarter. "Do you mean that on a bridge full of women that an old codger like me is the only one who noticed it this morning?"

It was at that moment that the Chairman of Nergal, who had been lurking just outside the door sensor's range, chose to step onto the bridge. The crew's eyes were still sweeping back and forth between their Senior Officers, and, even though he was less than six feet away from the trio, the chairman was completely unnoticed except by Ruri.

"Chairman on the Bridge!" Ruri snapped, and everyone but Ruri turned and saluted. Ruri had walked up to the chairman to exchange formalities, but found that she couldn't talk because Inuyasha's mouth was blocking hers.

'Baka.'

'It worked, didn't it?'

// \\

Sesshoumaru thumbed through yet another set of folders filled with his diplomas. Old age hath its privileges, but being a thousand years old was sometimes a pain in the ass. You accumulated too much junk to be able to find anything useful. Making sure he was legal to perform the ceremony would likely prove the hardest task about the wedding. And Misumaru-Tenkawa hadn't called him back yet. Granted, he hadn't told her why he was calling her, but still, it was getting impolite.

He sighed and thumbed an old-fashioned remote to bring his terminal to life. Selecting a newscast he continued to leaf through a mountain of papers. Too bad Jaken had died a few years ago. The toad might have actually been useful for this.

"Archeologists today discovered a new find, right here in Tokyo, dating all the way back to Sengoku Jidai!" Sesshoumaru put down his papers, wondering if it was the tomb of anybody he knew.

"We're live with Doctor Urashima of Tokyo University. Doctor, what can you tell us about this find?"

"Well, It was definitely supposed to be a tomb, but we didn't actually discover a body inside. We've been able to determine that it was designed to be the final resting place of someone named 'Kanna', but it doesn't appear that she was ever interred here."

"I believe," the youkai snorted at the screen, "that my future daughter-in-law would say 'baka.' However."

// \\

The video call light on the chairman's terminal blinked, then sounded. Ruri sleepily sat up and groped sleepily for the panel. "Dammit, Omoikane, answer the phone!"

The terminal blinked to life, and Ruri was faced with her to-be father-in-law

"Daughter, would you awaken my son?"

"One second." 'BAAAAAAKAAAAA!'

Inuyasha jerked up to a sitting position. "'What's wrong?'"

'Beats me. He's your father.' Ruri flopped back against the mattress.

Inu climbed over her already-sleeping form as he tried to shake his head awake. "Father, I apol-"

Sesshoumaru held up his hand, cutting his son off. "One, it's late. Two, you already told me of your behavior in Sengoku Jidai, and I have faith in your innocence. If not, that will save me a lot of pain when it comes to figuring out if I'm already qualified to marry you two."

Inu blushed at the intimation and scratched his head. "Didn't you get ordained by the Catholic Church about fifty years ago as a joke?"

"Hmm. I should check and see if I'm still a 'member' of the church."

"Father, I don't think you called me about a minister's license. And yes, you still need it. Yurika-san would kill all of us if Ruri's wedding weren't at least the same size as hers and Akito-san's."

Sesshoumaru reflected on the latter. "You are correct, my son. To the matter at hand. Do you remember your uncle's telling of how Naraku was defeated?"

The younger youkai shook some more cobwebs from his brain. "Naraku's spirit could not be entirely destroyed, so in a final act of defiance Kanna sealed him in her mirror. He almost wasn't contained and, like Midoriko, she was forced to seal herself inside the mirror as well. Inuyasha and company gave Kanna a proper burial, and the Houshi sealed it."

"And Kagura?"

The cobwebs still weren't quite out of his mind. "What about my ex? I've zero regrets about leaving her." He smiled down at Ruri and brushed her cheek with his hand. "Besides, even if I had not been forbidden to mate with youkai, I doubt I would have taken her, nor she taken me. On top of that, after meeting Ruri-chan--"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. "You knew?"

"Knew what? Father, I'm not awake. Onegai, naze nani."

"Oh. Do you remember what Inuyasha-sama said happened to Kagura after the fight?"

"Um, no, Sesshoumaru-sama. I don't."

"Precisely, my son. We don't know what happened to Kagura."

Gears clicked. The young youkai was fully awake now. "You mean she is the same Kagura?"

Ruri felt the distress in his voice and brought her mind back to consciousness, filling in the gaps in the conversation from her love's mind as she got up and made coffee. No way to go back to sleep now.

"I believe so, yes. I apologize for not realizing it sooner, my son. It had been centuries since I had seen her last."

"There is no need to apologize, father. She did not recognize yourself, either. She was, at least, honest with me, unlike my mother. She would have mentioned remembering you of all people. Still, please tell me why you called. It cannot be to simply cross-check facts you yourself know better than I."

"Indeed," his father confirmed as Ruri handed Inuyasha coffee and sat beside him. He watched as his father punched a few commands into his terminal, and then Omoikane displayed a second screen which played back a news clip of an archaeological dig.

"I see," Inuyasha stated after the story finished. "So should I presume this is where the Kanna from our history was interred?"

"But the grave was empty," Ruri objected.

"Indeed. I will need to call in some favors to gain access to this professor in order to inquire further."

"Only one favor, father. Tokyo U. was where I acquired my first degree, and my antiquities studies were under Urashima Keitaro, whom most likely was the grandfather of the current professor." The youkai punched some commands into his console. "This was Urashima-sensei's residence during that time. As it had already been in his family for several generations, I should not be suprised to find this professor living there as well."

"Arigato, my son. I will let both of you know if I find anything else out. You each have enough to be concerned with as it is."

"Arigato, Sesshoumaru-sama."

The youkai set his cup on the nightstand and let himself fall backward against the mattress as his father's image faded. He shook his head again and Ruri stifled a laugh.

'What was that for?'

'It's just that there are only two times when it's evident you're a dog youkai.'

'Baka. And what are those times?'

'Baka yourself. When you scratch, and when you shake your head.'

The youkai sat up to kiss the hanyou. 'Well just stick a collar on me and call me Spot.'

'Only if after we start I get bored with the normal way.' Inuyasha was confused until she sent him a mental picture which left two things: no doubt, and his face the color of her fire rat kimono.

'Hey, whatever happened to that thirteen-year old with a schoolgirl's crush?'

'She was replaced by an eighteen-year old who's engaged.' It seemed to Inuyasha that she added extra sway to her hips as she sauntered to the head to get ready for duty.

// \\

Next up, Bell Peppers and Beef, Akito emerges and Fluffy's musical tastes revealed...

// \\

"There & Back Again" Summary:

While this is set two years after The Prince of Darkness, the first part begins in The Blank of Three Years, during the time Ruri was living with Yurika and Akito. (And if you need some canon on The Blank, head over to rurihoshino.com and peacefuldays.org.) What "There & Back Again" tries to do is draw two parallels, first between the house of Inutaishou (Inutaishou and his sons Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru) and Hoshino Ruri, and second between the Shards of Shikon (Shikon no Kakera) and Chulip Crystals. The theory is that due to the genetic manipulation done to Ruri as an embryo, she becomes something of a 32nd cousin to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. Also, it should be pointed out that I named Sesshoumaru's son Inuyasha, which is the Inuyasha who appears in this story. Also, in keeping with the whole reincarnation thing that Inuyasha has going on in it, I made Ruri the reincarnation of the hanyou.

As to what's going on with Ruri and Inu being in each other's thought (literaly, not metaphorically), in Sengoku Jidai Ruri was attacked and lost a good deal of blood in addition to being poisoned. Inu used his father's Tenseiga to heal the wound and cleanse the poison, but while the sword can heal wounds and resurrect the dead, it doesn't just replace blood. At least, I don't see it working that way. So, Inu uses the Tenseiga to create a blood transfusion between himself and Ruri. This had the unexpected effect of linking their minds in much the same way Dracula became linked to Mina Murray.

That story ends the same evening this one begins, with Inuyasha proposing to Ruri.