A/N: Please review so I know if anyone at all is reading this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyahsa or any of its characters. Masuyo is mine.

Chapter Two

Sesshoumaru almost dropped the flea in astonishment at his solemn announcement. The idea that the girl could be from the future was inconceivable to him. It really shouldn't have been. Things such as time travel shouldn't have shocked him. Yet it did. Not that he would ever let anyone know it did. Instead, he continued to regard Myouga with impassive expression, as if he hadn't just completely been unnerved. "Is she?" he inquired mildly in the same tone that one uses when a neighbor goes on and on about their child's accomplishments when one really doesn't care.

Used to Inuyasha's explosive displays, Sesshoumaru's eerie coolness left the flea baffled as to what he should do. He had been expecting his words to produce at least minor surprise. "Ah... Yes. She is. So you see, it is possible. My concern is that Masuyo intends on making changes in the past so that he will not be destroyed...." An almost tangible tension hung in the air and with it were the three unspoken words: by your father.

His father's battle with Masuyo predated Sesshoumaru's birth by almost a hundred years. He had only heard stories of it. Masuyo was a vicious enemy, drunk on his own power and darkness. Sesshoumaru did not quail at killing, but Masuyo was the villain of his childhood stories. He was the Big Bad Wolf. The Evil Stepmother. The Witch. The Vengeful Spirit. The Monster in the Closet. All of these things rolled into one. Surely, like all children, the young dog youkai had woven stories where he would defeat the villain and be the hero of the tales. After all, no child's first impression of itself is that they will one day be cruel and be perceived as evil. Yet, now he would have to face Masuyo in actuality. It was an intriguing thought. Sesshoumaru's father had been greatly wounded by the battle and had even lingered near death because of it. Needless to say, Sesshoumaru had always heard that Masuyo was a formidable opponent.

Jaken and Rin added nothing to the conversation. They could see that Sesshoumaru was bothered by Myouga's words, but could not conceive why. Jaken had never heard the tale of Masuyo, and thus neither had Rin. A long silence stretched, Myouga continuing to cower in Sesshoumaru's hand. This close to him, he could see that the dog youkai was not pleased at all. The flea rather suspected that his relatively long life would come to a screeching halt at any moment.

For his part, Sesshoumaru had reached a decision. It was not a decision he was pleased with having to make. Yet, he was rational, not driven by hot emotions. He was sensible. Cool. In control. This meant that he was forced to realize that if Masuyo had given his father so much trouble, then it was unlikely that Sesshoumaru, on his own, could defeat him. It galled him to reach that realization. It was bad enough that he had to secretly admit to himself that his hanyou brother had grown powerful, but now he would have to show everyone else that he realized it- by bringing Inuyasha into this fight.

It is not as if you have a choice. Your brother defeated Ryuukoytsusei by himself with the Tetsusaiga.

I could have done the same if I could have wielded Tetsusaiga.

But you can't. Your blood prevents it. You will need Inuyasha.

Need? No. I need no one. He would simply be expedient.

As you say, but it is not wise to risk it. Should Masuyo succeed, we will no longer exist.

That is not a risk I shall take.

Focussing his eyes on the cringing Myouga, Sesshoumaru finally responded, "Where is my worthless little brother?"

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Inuyasha sneezed.

Miroku glanced over from where he was walking next to Sango, offering lightly, "Someone must be talking bad about you."

"Keh!" was the hanyou's only response, folding his arms before him. He continued walking ahead of the group, ignoring the rain that was drenching his hair.

"More than likely he's just wet and miserable like the rest of us and won't admit it." Kagome tried in vain to keep her sopping bangs from her eyes, casting a death glare to Inuyasha.

"He deserves it!" Shippou was shivering in the basket of Kagome's bicycle, "If the idiot would stop being so dumb and let us get shelter, then we all could be warm!"

Inuyasha turned and glared at the kitsune, "Just keep it up, runt, and I'll use your scrawny hide to 'keep warm'." He took a threatening step towards the bike.

At the same time came Shippou's, "Ack! Kagome!" quickly followed by Kagome's, "SIT Inuyasha!" To the kitsune's satisfaction, his tormentor landed in a rather large mud puddle.

Lifting his head complete with muddied silver locks, Inuyasha shot a dark look at Kagome as she and the others continued to walk on, "Why the hell do you always choose his side, wench?"

"Because you're always bullying him, Inuyasha." The girl didn't look back at him as she said it.

Shippou felt compelled to add an exuberant, "That's right!" The fox child was smug in his small victory, to say the least. He was a little less smug when he caught Inuyasha's expression.

Shippou is going to regret his mouth one of these days...Inuyasha didn't have long to contemplate it, though, before his ruminations were interrupted by a startled yelp.

Kagome had fallen off her bike and was staring forward in astonishment. Following her gaze, the hanyou found a sight that displeased him greatly. Internally bristling at the fact he had not smelled his brother before his arrival, Inuyasha lept to his feet.

"You jerk!" The words came from the kitsune before the child had time to consider the consequences of his words, "You knocked Kagome from her..." Sesshoumaru's eyes fell on Shippou with cold disinterest and the child wisely decided that silence would be the best course of action by letting out a quiet whimper and darting to hide behind Miroku. The monk wasn't exactly thrilled with being used as a shield, but he kept his calm demeanor all the same.

Sesshoumaru, as always, appeared flawless, even in the pouring rain. Quite aware of his own disheveled appearance, Inuyasha was sorely tempted to fling mud at the youkai lord just to see if it would stick. Such an action would be considered childish, however, and he had no desire to give his older brother more reason to be condescending. He compromised by shaking his heard in dog-like manner, causing the remaining mud to spray over all nearby. Unfortunately, Inuyasha didn't think about the fact that 'all nearby' included Kagome.

"Inuyasha!"

The hanyou barely glanced at her, though he was inwardly cringing. Please don't say The Word. Not in front of Sesshoumaru. His mouth, being as unintelligent as always, said, "Keh! Its your fault I have mud all over me anyway." The argument must have worked, for Kagome simply looked away silently. This allowed Inuyasha to turn his attention back to his brother, who was currently simply flicking off the bits of mud that had fallen on his otherwise immaculate clothing.

Finally, as if realizing that there was silence, Sesshoumaru looked up and inquired impassively, "Are you done yet?"

"If ya don't like it, then you can leave." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, completely unsure of why his brother was here. It couldn't be for the Tetsusaiga, for Sesshoumaru had quit trying to get his hands-or should I say hand- on the sword ever since he got Toukijin. "Why are you here?"

A slight smile curved Sesshoumaru's lips, causing Miroku, Sango, and Kagome all to take a subtle, subconscious step back. It was scary when he smiled for it gave the impression of a cat about to pounce. Of course, he would be insulted by any insinuation that he was cat-like in any way. "Can I not simply decide to see how my little brother is doing?"

Deciding that question was too absurd to even answer, Inuyasha responded with a growl, "What do you want?"

Well, here was the point of no return. Sesshoumaru inwardly sighed, again quickly running through the different scenarios in his head. If the outcome could be anything else, he wouldn't be forced to do this.

Yes, well, it won't be anything else. The consequence of failure is simply too high to risk.

I am aware of that. Which is why I am here, is it not? I will do what must be done.

Then why are you still reconsidering it?

Because the idea of involving Inuyasha is distasteful to me.

So are those fish that Rin keeps giving you. But you gag down those.

I will do what is necessary.

I wouldn't call eating those fish necessary. They really are vile. You just don't want to upset the girl.

It is a fortunate thing that such thoughts can be thought in a manner of seconds, else those watching would begin to suspect something. As it was, it just appeared to be a dramatic pause that increased the menacing aspect of the youkai named Sesshoumaru. He fixed his cool gaze on Inuyasha, "Very well. I want..." Do what must be done. The next words were forced out, though no one knew except for him, "your help."

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Please review! The next chapter will be out soon if anyone has any interest in this story at all. If not, then it'd just be silly for me to continuing working on it. -_-