Memory of a Soul
Ailian Rhys

Disclaimer: See previous.

Chapter Three: Ages

He had absolutely no idea what that thing was. It had wheels like a carriage—although much more solid and colored like pitch—yet the shape was nothing like any coach he'd ever seen. Its whole form seemed to be made of a substance similar to a sword, but it appeared much thinner and had a strange scent to it that was far different from sword steel. And how was it supposed to move? That black inuyoukai had told him it was for transportation, but he couldn't determine how. Unless that smaller red not-steel coach before it pulled it, but how did that get anywhere?

The great Sesshoumaru-sama pondered this as he waited for the other youkai to bring back the spying humans. These thoughts—although straining his curiosity—were much easier for him to contemplate than what had just happened moments before. Not the ceremony, he knew exactly what that had been. He didn't know why it had occurred but was certain these mongrels had some reason for it. What was most perplexing to him were the humans. Or one in particular. She—

Sesshoumaru felt the muscles in his lone arm tighten but he forced them to relax before they became a fist, so the youkai woman hovering behind him wouldn't notice his agitation. It took much longer than he would have liked to have the tendons obey him as they had before—yet he supposed all of his built up skills and gained instincts would have to return to him. Yet despite that he knew he still had power over the servile demons around him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, may this meek Yayoi direct your attention this way?" the female inuyoukai muttered respectfully behind him, her husky voice tentative and polite. He knew she was acting, or at least that such a tone was something very uncommon for her to ever use.

He did not respond right away. Instead he turned his head to glance at where the other two youkai had gone. The nekoyoukai had one of the humans, the one he had no concern for. She dragged the unconscious form behind her over the gravel carelessly. Luckily for her he had only said alive, not unscathed, or she would need to be punished. The other, who appeared to be a mongrel toriyoukai, carried the other one, actually taking the effort to lift her from the ground and hold her in his arms.

The taiyoukai felt his eyes unconsciously drift towards this girl and settle on her. She did look very similar to his young ward, didn't she? But how could it be her?

Sesshoumaru was not stupid. He could figure out that he was no longer in his era. The strange transportation and the very scent of the earth was enough to tell him that. He wasn't even remotely close to the Sengoku Jidai. The land about him had the scent of dead youkai. Apparently descendants of his clan had been buried about him after his death.

Yet beyond the smell of deceased demon was the hideous stench ofhumans. And not just the two they had found either. The whole atmosphere seemed to be permanently infused with their odor, every part of the earth screamed of a human impact to his keen senses. The putrid, bitter stench of a village of humans had been aggravating before. But now it was almost overwhelming. He still felt a trace of the nausea he'd experienced only moments before when his senses had first awakened again. It had been as if someone had blown a whole cloud of human stench directly into his face.

It seemed that in this new era youkai were the minority. Or perhaps not even large enough to be considered that. And if the three who soon gathered about him were any indication, it really was no surprise that it was so. He felt no other youki even half as strong as his own anywhere nearby.

The girl shifted in the tori's arms, almost as if she was sleeping. That was when Sesshoumaru noticed that he was still staring at her and dragged his eyes away to stare upwards at the sky. The moon was that of his clan, the crescent. No wonder they had performed this ritual tonight.

He would not think of the girl anymore tonight. Not until his mind was clear again. Right now his thoughts were jumbled, as if he'd stepped into an untidy room and everything needed to be reordered again.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, this humble Yayoi wonders what—"

"They will come with me." If she was his ward or not, he needed to figure that out. She would come, no complaints.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." There was a rustle of silk as the demon bowed. "Will it please Sesshoumaru-sama to come with me? There are items of yours to be retrieved."

Only then did he turn to look at the inuyoukai. She kept her eyes lowered respectfully. But the respect did not come from fear; the scent was nowhere to be found on her. Instead it appeared to come from training. Training and a sense of worship that he actually found quite unsettling. Contrary to popular belief he did not find such obsession very pleasing. They were actually nothing but annoyances. And annoyances sometimes developed into difficulties. If his past had taught him anything it had been that.

There were only two things that would have been with him in his grave. The Tenseiga and the Toukijin. There was a small hope for his armor, but he doubted it was still suitable. And he had the suspicion that it may be difficult to find new. These mongrels had managed to scrap up a copy of his traveling kimono. He could tell it was new since the material still needed to be broken in. That and it reeked of human hands. Yet they had not brought a duplicate for his armor. So either they thought it would be here or they had no way of retrieving something like it.

This really was not the time to think about clothing. He could already feel the swords awakening again, feeling his presence. Soon the Tenseiga would be reaching for him again, as it had done in a time long ago when his father had first presented it to him.

He gave a curt nod to the inuyoukai and followed her to the lip of his grave. Familiar invisible tendrils of energy stretched out from the Tenseiga, pushing questioningly against him as if to make certain he was really there. And he let it go, not trying to push it away as he had done previously. It seemed satisfied that he was whole again and the energy soon went to soothe the jagged edges of the earlier rite. Sesshoumaru did not truly understand why this sword favored him so much, yet it had always done so, as if it were a mother watching after a wayward child.

Looking down into the dark crevice in the earth he searched for where the swords were lain out. They were over to the sides; each wrapped in silk, as was the burial rite. Toukijin sat to the right, Tenseiga to the left. While the healing sword was impatiently seeking him out Toukijin sat quiet. It never was one for more than hatred.

Without a single glance at the female beside him he leapt down into the old tomb, knowing no one else dare touch what was his. He gathered up the Tenseiga first, strapping it into place before reaching for the Toukijin. As he placed the sword back in its position above Tenseiga he thought he sensed the sword growling at him, as if impatient that he had waited so long. Not only in picking it up but also in returning to the living realm. He ignored the temperamental blade as usual, leaping right back out of his old grave.

He landed with a girl's prone body at his feet. He gazed down at this body impassively, taking a moment to realize whom it had been. That girl. The girl who had carried part of his soul. The part that had not gone back to the earth as it should have.

The part he couldn't understand.

Not really wishing to ponder the notion any longer tonight he simply hooked his foot under the dead girl's arm before dragging her back and pushing her over into the gaping hole behind. Her white hair spread out like shafts of moonlight over the dark soil below, a face that did look rather like his own staring upwards with its ghastly blank eyes. He glared at this face coldly for a moment, silently damning her for even believing she could come close to the great Sesshoumaru before turning his back and moving towards the odd carriages again.

The other youkai still waited on the path; their captives still unconscious. The toriyoukai tilted his head to the side as the two inuyoukai returned as if to ask them both a question.

"Yes," the female behind Sesshoumaru spoke up softly. "It would be best if we did so." Here she stepped forward a bit so Sesshoumaru could see her bow deeply, her long hair tumbling over her shoulders in an unruly mess. "Please forgive us, Sesshoumaru-sama, yet we must take up our modern forms now. I wish it were not so."

Sesshoumaru didn't reply to that, his silence having to be her only answer. He had already deduced that they did not appear in these forms often. The talismans around their necks were enough to tell him of that little fact. What he didn't expect was that the transformation was so despicable. They lost their demon attributes to be human. Yet thankfully they did not take on much of the human odor, for which Sesshoumaru could be grudgingly thankful.

The inuyoukai glanced at him with pathetic human blue eyes now and gestured to the curious green vehicle. "Please allow this humble Yayoi to escort Sesshoumaru-sama to his new place of residence."

And eyebrow went up at that. Place of residence, hm? And where would that be? Some human-invested dwelling? If that were so it would not be for long. Either that or they would not be around for very long. They only reason they were still alive now was that they had gone through this effort to reawaken his body.

Yet he did not wish to spend the night out in this dreary grave area. His thoughts were far to cluttered, he needed time to meditate. And he did not think it would be wise to do so here. And so he accepted her offer silently, allowing her to lead him to the odd coach and open the door—which gave a loud snap that he didn't expect. His ears twitched reflexively and he cursed them silently. His basic youkai instincts were in the foreground now instead of the patiently worked on reflexes he had honed over his years. This was going to start to become very bothersome if he did not set to work fixing it immediately.

It was not as easy to climb into the contraption as he'd thought it would be and he nearly hit his head on the top of the doorframe. He growled faintly, wanting very much to tear the offending piece off, but he restrained himself. Such senseless violence wouldn't serve any purpose now. So he resigned himself to sending it mental death threats as the inuyoukai bowed once he was inside and closed the door with a jarring bang. Sesshoumaru immediately hunkered down to fit more comfortably into the small dark space but he instantly scolded himself and his still base instincts and made himself sit up straight cautiously.

The seating in the small compartment was dreadfully uncomfortably and it all smelled terrible. He wanted to wrinkle his nose in disgust but only folded his single hand in his lap and stared at the ceiling. He could see it clearly despite the darkness and the tinted windows on either side. He could see everything through them perfectly as well and didn't understand why they were like that. Was it to hide?

Sesshoumaru felt his agitation grow. Hide? Why must he hide? That was too degrading for a taiyoukai such as he. He was about to move towards the door again and try to figure out how the latches worked when he heard a snap similar to the one that signaled the door opening, but it came from the vehicle in front. Shifting slightly he peered through the seats in the front through the larger window and saw the toriyoukai putting the humans into the red coach. After he had set them both down he closed the door with another reverberating slam and jerked his head in Sesshoumaru's direction. The taiyoukai turned his head away, not willing to look at where the girl that looked so much like his late ward was. He pushed those thoughts from his mind immediately.

It wasn't long until there was a click near the front of the vehicle and the now human female inuyoukai slid into the seat. She glanced back at the demon behind her and bowed her head again. "I would recommend watching you ears, Sesshoumaru-sama."

Watch his ears? What sort of ridiculous?

The answer came to him as soon as the woman shoved a slim object into the wheel that sat in the front and what now had to be some sort of beast in front of them roared to live. Sesshoumaru winced at the sound, hearing a great deal of grinding and clanking, hissing and sputtering all at once that rattled his sensitive ears. He felt them twitch again and he shook his head, trying to focus on something else. But they wouldn't listen to him and instead seemed content to ruin themselves with those odd sounds.

He was certain this was going to be a long trip.

*

Rinako woke to the sensation of moving. It was a smooth rolling motion with the occasional bump. Something whirled to her right while a faint wind whistled nearby. Rinako lay still in the gentle blackness about her, trying to remember what had happened. The images flooded back into her mind like a swelling river and her eyes flew open, dispelling the darkness.

Her eyes met the roof of a car. So that's what was moving her. She stared at the dark gray ceiling, trying to push back the memories of earlier. She needed to think clearly. Apparently the demons had listened to the new arrival—was he more powerful than them perhaps? —and she was still alive.

But what of Azarni? Trying to move as subtly as possible she shifted her head to look around. She was on the backseat of what had to be the sedan, due to the smaller size. She glanced down and was relieved to find Azarni stretched out on the floor below her. She was lain over the partition between the two front seats, which was undoubtedly uncomfortable but at least she was alive. Or at least she appeared to be. Rinako squinted and was able to make out the steady fall and rise of her breathing.

She felt herself sigh aloud with relief. Thank all gods above for that small favor.

"Finally awake are you?"

Rinako nearly leapt out of her skin when a familiar voice called to her from the front. She lifted her head and noticed the back of a dark-haired man's head. Her eyes lifted further to find green eyes peering at her in the rearview mirror. It seemed that Ryoichi was their driver.

"What did you two think you were doin' followin' us anyway, sweetheart?" His voice was just as pleasant as before, as if he was only talking about the two having followed them to a party or something equally mundane.

Rinako turned her eyes away from those in the mirror. "Whatwhat was that?" She whispered her voice hoarse. "Whyyou-you killed themwith that"

Ryoichi didn't say anything for a long moment. Rinako hesitated before gingerly pulling herself into a sitting position, folding her legs underneath her to keep from stepping on Azarni. She stared at the man who sat kitty-corner to her. She could make out his profile in the moonlight, his dark eyes intent on the road. She was about to resign herself to the fact that he wasn't going to answer her when he laughed suddenly, a gruff bitter sound.

"You saw all of it then?"

Rinako nodded then realized he couldn't see her and made a quiet squeak of a reply.

Ryoichi shifted slightly in his seat and Rinako couldn't help picturing him covered with feathers again. She imagined his now plain hands gripping the steering wheel with three-inch claws. Buthe was normal now Had she imagined it all? Maybe both girls had fallen asleep while following Sachiko's friends on a useless chase and Rinako had dreamed it all. But then why would they be here in the red car? And with Ryoichi as their driver no less. He hadn't even denied what she'd stumbled over saying just a few minutes ago. He hadn't really said anything about it actually. Yet he hadn't seemed to think she was crazy.

Rinako sat in silence, listening to the sound of the wind flowing past the car and Azarni's soft steady breathing. Ryoichi didn't speak again but she could feel his eyes on her in the mirror. With great reluctance she lifted her eyes to meet his. She was surprised by the compassion she saw there.

"You want to know, don't you?"

"I think I do"

Ryoichi sighed quietly, the noise sounding rather loud in the mostly empty car. That's when Rinako really noticed the absence of the other members of his group. Was he taking them somewhere away from the others? Was he going toget rid of them?

"Bring them to me. Alive."

Those words echoed though her mind, spoken by a mysterious exotic voice she knew her imagination would never have been able to come up with. Even if she'd met every wealthy person in the entire world she would never have been able to think up someone so commanding and elegant. And no matter how many books or television shows she watched she would never have been able to even begin to think of something like that oddcreature.

Her heart started to thud heavily in her chest and she closed her fingers around her knees to drawn her attention away from those thoughts. Thinking of thatwhatever it was made a mixture of confusing emotions race through her. Shedidn't know what the beast was but she knewwho it was. It was very strange. A little part of her kept calling out, trying to drawn her attention to this little bit of knowledge that she somehow knew, but she ignored it. She wanted nothing to do with thatthing! All of those people—or rather demons—had died for itand Sachiko. Poor Sachiko... Rinako couldn't forget how she'd twisted like that, loosing some large part of herself that had killed her.

Rinako felt her throat tighten with approaching tears for Azarni's sister. She barely managed to catch Ryoichi's voice when he finally spoke. "I suppose there's no reason not to explain it all to you. This'll be the only chance you get to know what the hell's going on around here. It'll help some, seeing that Sesshoumaru-sama seems to wanna keep you around for some reason."

"Sesshou...maru?" She stumbled over the unfamiliar name, a frown appearing between her eyes.

"Yeah. The taiyoukai of the old Western Lands. A big shot in his day. Lord over a great number of us demons, not to mention humans," his eyes shifted over to hers in the mirror again before continuing. "I'm sure after years with Sachiko you know what a demon is. And I bet you figured out what I—we are. You're a smart girl."

Rinako inadvertently shifted back farther into her set. "Why do you talk to me as if you know me? I've only met you once."

Ryoichi sighed again, eyes back on the road. "Let me start from the beginning, all right?'

"All right"

"This is the very very beginning here. Back about five hundred years ago, although it had started long before that, demons-—or youkai as the old world called us—were the major species on the earth. Well, actually, we weren't that much larger in number than the human population, but we were more powerful and kept the more erprolific humans down. They were afraid of us, you see, and we liked it that way.

"To tell the truth though, I wasn't around during that time. All this I learned from my great grandfather, the man who gave my family our demon blood." He reached forward to put on the turn signal and turned onto a smaller road. Rinako squinted to see out the windshield and saw red taillights ahead of them. From the height they were at the lights had to belong to the SUV.

"So you're not a full demon? Are you a half-breed?"

Ryoichi made a noise that sounded like surprise. "That girl told you about those too?"

"Yeah. Azarnishe used to be the half-demon when weplayed together."

The man up front snorted. "Hmmthe great Sesshoumaru-samaas a little girl playing games. A bit amusing, if you think about it."

Well, Rinako couldn't find it very funny, since she knew nothing about thisSesshoumaru-sama. Actually, she did know one thing. That was what that beast was called. She knew it deep down inside before Ryoichi's words had even alerted her.

The demon began again. "I'm very little demon actually. The only reason I could transform like I did was because of how powerful that little bit of blood actually is. My great grandfather was a descendant of a rather powerful toriyoukai. He was an actual full demon, which is very, very rare nowadays. They're all dead now, leaving their half and part descendants behind." He shook his head almost sadly. "A pity really. Some of them were noble creatures. Sure, they killed a bunch of people, but they were still noble. Upper class youkai had a great honor system"

The young woman stared at him as he continued on. He was so wrapped up in his history; it was actually quite disturbing. "Ryoichi-san" she mumbled softly, ripping him away from his tangent. The young man seemed to be generally surprised to hear her say his name that he turned his head fully to look at her. But seeing her suddenly frightened expression he quickly turned around.

"Sorry. I suppose I should keep my eyes on the road. We're getting to the mountains now."

"Mountains?" They were in the flatter land before, weren't they?

"You were out for about an hour or so. Both of you didn't take this very well"

Big surprise there Rinako thought dryly.

"I better get moving if I'm gonna get all this in," Ryoichi stated, giving Rinako another glance before starting off again. "There are different levels of youkai. My ancestor was just a high youkai, someone with power but no big holdings. But there were youkai who held whole expanses of land, which they guarded like a jealous wife does her husband—the best analogy I can come up with now. These were called Taiyoukai. And they were the most powerful, not only physically, but also with the hoards of followers and serfs they had.

"A youkai lived a good life by paying big to stay under a taiyoukai's good graces. That's how my family prospered. Either in goods, services, money, or even children for weddings. And to stay in the upper levels you followed one taiyoukai and one taiyoukai only. There were only four big positions, one for North, South, East, and West but of course any demon wanted to take over the spot of a taiyoukai. But you couldn't be wishy-washy and jump from one to the other, or you'd be dead shortly."

Rinako could tell he was going off again. Ryoichi voice had started to rise in volume and grow less tense as he cheerfully lectured on what had to be a favorite topic for him. The politics of demonsRinako couldn't understand why he was so fascinated. It all gave her the creeps.

"Ryoichi-sanwhat does this have to do with what's going on?"

The young man's stimulated voice fell to an abrupt halt. He gave her an almost sheepish look in the rearview mirror. "Terribly sorry. I'm getting off track, aren't I? Well, let me just say one thing. Taiyoukai kept order. And once Sesshoumaru of the West died his holdings fell to ruins. And, almost like a domino effect, the others ones started to fold as well until demons no longer had masters. And without masters there is no order. And that's how the humans overtook us. Just by our typical nature and the fact that they were more organized than we were."

"But Ryoichi-san"

"I'm getting therewhat is your name anyway?"

She hesitated. "Rinako"

A hand suddenly appeared over the seat. "I know this is more Western, but pleased to meet you, Rinako-san."

Rinako shook his hand quickly, allowing it to go back on the wheel. She barley touched his palm with her fingertips, almost afraid that claws would shoot out and grab her. Which was ridiculousright?

"Well, you see, youkai went into hiding. They ended up burying their blood under that of humans. Few even believe the tales told about them, although the one telling it may be of youkai blood themselves. And so the world pretty much forgot about us." He paused then and remained silent for a few minutes before going on. "Forgot expect for by a few. My family for instance, and Yayoi-san's—"

"Yayoi-san?"

Ryoichi gave her a questioning glance in the mirror before laughing humorlessly. "Ahyes. We weren't all introduced were we? Bit of an inopportune time, if I may say so."

Rinako didn't laugh. She only looked down at her friend, who still lay unconscious on the floor of the car.

Not seeming to note her silence Ryoichi started off again. "Yayoi-san is that lady I bet you saw, the redhead? She's of the black dogs, you know." At Rinako's blank look he shrugged sheepishly, eyes back on the road again. "Orwell you wouldn't know, would you? Anyway, she, as an inuyoukai—dog demon of course—she naturally heard stories of other inuyoukai. Such as that of the white inutaiyoukai Sesshoumaru. History—or rumors, whichever strikes your fancy—says that he wasn't really dead."

These words seemed to draw Rinako's attention like a magnet. She found herself leaning forward. "What do you mean by that?"

Ryoichi glanced at her out of the corner of his eye before turning on the blinker and following the shadowed vehicle in front of them. "Well, you see, not only in physical aspects are humans and youkai different. They also differ spiritually. Humans are more ethereal beings, having their gods and dreaming of the sky. Youkai by contrast are of the earth. Their souls—or rather spirits—come from the earth and when they pass on the spirit goes back into the earth and mixes with the spiritual power there. That's what keeps the earth replenished, in a way. A sort of cycle, you know.

"Along with this a typical youkai soul can only belong to one body. We'll exclude those that possess others" Rinako blanched at this. "And if the body is brought back to life within a certain amount of time the soul will find the body again. It's a simple fact. That's why when demon exterminators went after a big demon they'd usually cut it up before they buried it, so it couldn't easily be put back together again."

"Demon exterminators?"

"Yeah, that used to be a big business, even back five hundred years ago. Humans chased after youkai using old youkai bones for weapons."

"You said that after a certain amount of time" Rinako began hesitantly before lapsing into silence.

Ryoichi seemed to know what she was getting at. "It's usually only a hundred or so years, not five hundred. So that's not what I was talking about." The young man took one hand off the wheel and used it to start tapping an insensibly rhythm on the seat. "Sesshoumaru-sama was said to be different. For some reason when he died, rumor says that all of his spirit didn't return. My great grandfather only tentatively agrees with this, but it's enough."

"Whatwhat happened to him then?"

"Wellno one knew for sure. So they just let it fade with history. But, somehow, Yayoi-san got her hands on this legend and took interest in it. She and I ended up meeting together some time ago and she told me about it. And how she was determined to find him."

Rinako was leaning against the back of the passenger seat now, intent on the story .It hooked her attention as if she were a fish and pulled her along. This is what she'd been waiting for him to get to. "But why'd she think she could find him? He was mostly dead, right?"

"Yeah. But she was set on it. I just sort of shrugged it off as a big fantasy of hers until the day we ran into Sachiko."

"Sachiko?"

Ryoichi nodded, eyes intent on the road, fingers still beating out a rhythm on the seat. "Yeah. Sachiko. As soon as I laid eyes on her, I could feel it."

"Feel what?"

"That she was him."

Rinako's heart stopped. Her jaw slid open as if it was suddenly unhinged and her eyes were big as full moons. Thatthat couldn't be. SachikoSachiko couldn't it

Her world seemed to fall down about her ankles as cold unreality came and gave her a swift kick in the face. Or perhaps it was reality that treated her so cruelly.

That beast couldn't be Sachiko It made no sense whatsoever!

Or perhaps it did. All those stories of youkai, the white hair, the attitude. That was Sachikobut was it that white-haired demontaiyoukai as well?

"You've got to be kidding me," the young woman blurted out before her mind fully understood what she was saying.

Ryoichi shook his head slowly. "Nope. Sorry honey, but I'm not. There was no mistaking it. Yayoi felt it too. And all those lower class youkai you sawwell, they were drawn to her too. The weaker are usually drawn to the stronger youki by instinct. And most of their demon blood was so weak they didn't understand what it was. But Yayoi and I did.

"We watched her—and thus you two as well, which is how I know you so well—for a long time. And then Yayoi ended up telling her what we thought. And, to our amazement, she readily believed us, seeing that she was beginning to have strange memories. She told us about the dreams she had featuring a hanyou half brother, two swords, a strange pink jewel held by a human woman and a little girl with large brown eyes. And the fact that she recognized us was a dead giveaway. And with this Yayoi developed a plan."

The young man glanced back at Rinako, a look of deep compassion on his face. "I didn't know what it completely entailed, but I knew it involved sacrifices. Personally I just believed Yayoi was trying to revive his body to awaken the remaining spirit, and that Sachiko would get it. But, apparently, I was wrong and he took it all back."

"Butbut how could hehe be Sachiko? Sachiko was humanright?"

The young man nodded, lips pressing into a firm line. "Yeah. She was human all right. That's what we couldn't get either. Demons cannot be reincarnated. It's impossible. Definitely into a human. They're as different as light and day! Butit happened, didn't it? I can't understand it"

If you can't understand it, certainly I won't be able to. Rinako thought miserably, falling back away from the seat to slump against the backseat behind her, huddling down. Her brain was a whirl, jumping around like a child over rocks in a stream.

"The only person who'll know the answer," Ryoichi was stating in a very soft voice, "is Sesshoumaru-sama himself. But I doubt he'll answer anyone." He paused for a long drawn out minute before glancing at Rinako again in the mirror. Rinako caught his green eyes unintentionally and the two stared at one another. "Unless"

Rinako shuddered, not liking his thoughtful tone. "Unlesswhat?"

"Unless you can get it out of him."

"Me?" she asked incredulously.

Ryoichi nodded slowly, seeming to muse it over. "Yesyou may have a chance."

"Me?" Rinako squeaked again, her mind not centered enough to make an intelligent reply.

"Hey, he saved you for some reason or another"

"You were really going to kill me?"

Ryoichi looked a bit sheepish. "Well, I really didn't have any choice. Either I did it or he did. And let's just say I'd be much more But luckily"

"Luckily what?"

Green eyes peered at her again in the reflection of the glass, seeming to be looking for something. "He seemed to remember you from somewhere And apparently he likes you."

Rinako didn't know if that was a good or bad thing

-

A/N: Another one done! This one is kinda boring, but it's the "explaining" chapter, so you've have to deal with it. :-P I must say, it was fun to write all this through Ryoichi's character though. (And no, he's not a reincarnation. It's a bit obvious who is, though, isn't it? ^__^)

Anyway, yeah, some things here are not real canon IY stuffs. Like the swords having such outspoken personalities. I like doing it this way. I wrote them like that in my other (long-ish) Inu story. And besides, the Tenseiga has a big part in this. And I just think they're interesting

Also, the whole thing about the demon souls thing...I made that up. Yep, go me It's something that came to me a while ago, and I put it here. Hopeful it's original. And I'd like to keep it that way, thank you. But, knowing me, someone else came up with that for Inu Yasha (hehit would figure) But who knows, I might end up twisting it for an original someday (I'm very good at thatmost of my originals came from dropped fanfiction plots). But, then I'll find some fantasy author with the same thing. ::sigh:: But it's nothing to get worked up about now. (Gah! Rambling! Sorry!)

I tried to explain a great deal of what's going on here. But of course I didn't get everything. There are still bits and pieces floating around to still be told. But, knowing my luck, I'll probably forget something throughout the plotbut oh well. If anything doesn't click for you here feel free to ask, and if it's just a mess up by me, I'll explain it (this isn't too complicated, but heyyou never know.)

And there I go rambling again. ::kicks self::: Bad self

I'll leave you to your lives now (which I don't have, but I can't begrudge you people that ^__^)

::goes to try to play violin:: Ah, heck.. ::puts on violin CD:: Ah. It's too late to play anyway Neighbors might kill me. O_o.