I'm so sorry for the late update! They say troubles come in threes. I had school exams, (which I have literally been in tears over), English coursework and then, right when I had time to actually write, the stupid writer's block came along!
Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, I wouldn't be struggling with stupid exams and evil essays!
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver.
"Are you ready, Taija?" Inuyasha lounged in the God tree, trying to hide his impatience of starting. The summer heat was doing nothing to cool his temper, either.
"Almost." Sheesh! What gives? Anyone would think that he wanted to see his brother – the one who tries to kill him every time they so much as look at each other.
"I'm ready." Kohaku appeared from behind his sister, wearing his youkai exterminating clothes and a determined look on his face.
"You are not going!" Inuyasha and Sango both shouted it at the same time.
"Yes I am."
"You are not. That's final!"
Oh, that's Inuyasha. Tact all the way. Sango tried to reason her brother out on this one.
"Why do you think that you are coming?"
"Because I've met Sesshomaru, and Rin, the little girl, when I was under Naraku's control."
"So?" Inuyasha wisely decided to stay quiet at this point.
"Sesshomaru would do anything for that little kid. Anything. She's met Kagome once - I think you said – and she'd ask to bring her back to life."
"And you have to come because…?"
"You'd scare her."
"I'd scare her? What about that damn brother of mine?" Inuyasha dropped to the ground in astonishment.
"He saved her life. She trusts him, and you've fought him…"
"Oh fine!" Inuyasha exploded. "You can come."
"Inuyasha," Sango glared at the hanyou.
"Look, I'll look after him. It's not like we're chasing Naraku or anything."
"…Ok."
"Yeah! I knew you'd see it my way!" Kohaku started walking forwards. "Come on!"
"Hey! I'm leading!"
Sango sighed. It was going to be a long journey.
>
Rin hummed a little tune to herself. The little girl was really happy today. The weather was perfect, not too hot and not to cold, and the fields were green and filled with flowers. She was picking purple dog violets whenever she could, and had amassed a large bunch. Then there was the fact that Jaken was gone to visit somewhere or other. It meant that she didn't have some annoying toad in her ear all the time. Jaken was fun to tease, but after a while, even the bright and bubbly girl needed a break.
Ah, there. Sesshomaru had stopped. Rin happily skipped over to her adopted guardian, picking a daisy en-route. The daisy she put behind her ear, pretending that she was a fairy princess in a fairy tale. As for the dog violets…
Sesshomaru stopped to sniff the air. Something smelt funny, and it wasn't a youkai either. A girl. Yes. But she had a strong taint of death about her. Maybe…
"Fluffy?" The cute human child standing besides his pelt jerked him out of his thoughts. The silver-haired inu-youkai sighed. Sometimes Rin really didn't get it. He was the greatest youkai in the western lands, of noble blood. Other youkai feared him. Humans cowered before him. Yet this little girl…
I'm a sort of plaything.
It made a refreshing change though.
"Rin picked these for Sesshomaru!" The dog picked them out of Rin's hand with the greatest care. Yes. Dog violets. Rin defiantly had a sense of humour.
"They are beautiful, Rin." Her eyes lit up.
"Then Fluffy likes them?"
Why did she have to look so cute in that orange and yellow kimono? Sesshomaru hated violets… they had been Inuyasha's mother's favourite flowers. But he couldn't bear to hurt her either. Sighing, he tucked them inside his clothing.
"I do. Now, why don't you go play?"
"Ok!"
As Rin skipped off, the inu-youkai glared at the innocent flowers.
Yuk… flowers stink!
He would get rid of them as soon as he could. That was a promise. The lord of the western lands did not go around with the purple stars of nature peeking out of his clothes!
Now, what had he been thinking of?
As Rin started singing, he gave up. It couldn't have been important.
>
Kikyo breathed a sigh of relief as the dog turned away to his child-companion. She had been thinking of talking to him… but that seemed a bad idea now.
I wish to see how Inuyasha fares.
Her first love, though she had never meant to be with him, had not had great persuasive powers. She had been hoping to get there ahead of him and reason with his brother.
Now, she was content to watch. She knew Inuyasha's decision. She could wait.
It seems I am no longer a pawn but an observer. Let us see how this will turn out.
>
Kohaku pulled at his tight clothing, trying to allow some air to reach his hot body.
I hate travelling.
Although the three had gotten off to a rocky start, Sango, Inuyasha and Kohaku had managed to agree on when and where they would halt for the night, a vast improvement from the last two nights, when the weary boy had had to endure yelling matches between his sister and the hanyou, the one fiery and short tempered, the other worried and stressed.
Now, Inuyasha lay in a tree apparently asleep and Sango lay against a different tree, defiantly asleep.
Kohaku looked up at the hanyou with wonder. He was not asleep, the boy could tell that much straight off. His ears were pricked and following every little sound and his breathing, while regular, was not that of a sleeper. Kohaku had had the fright of his life when he got up the previous night to add more wood to the fire and Inuyasha had sprung from the tree, hand on his sword. He would not make that mistake again. Evidently the silver-haired boy was tense.
Kohaku didn't blame him. He knew that his sister was missing the monk she had travelled with more than she would care to admit. What was his name now? Miroth? Miiku? Ah, Miroku. That was the one.
Personally, Kohaku thought that his sister could do a lot worse than him.
Then there was the absence of Kiara. The little neko that had always been with Sango was dead too, and though Kohaku knew that they were trying to save all those who had died, her absence still left that little void in his heart.
Shippou, of course, had wanted to know where they were going and it had been so hard to lie to the little kitsune. They couldn't let him get his hopes up, Inuyasha had been perfectly right.
"Still not asleep, kid?" Inuyasha opened an eye at the surprised boy.
"No. It's too hot."
Inuyasha snorted. "Try a tree. It's cooler up here."
Kohaku shrugged, then moved closer to his sister and closed his eyes.
Inuyasha looked down with unusually emotional eyes.
I wish that we could get on like that, me and Sesshomaru. We used to when I was little. What changed?
Inuyasha had no answer. The hanyou was so lost in thought that he failed to see the five magpies that sat in the tree opposite him, all watching intently. Up above, the moon looked on the silent scene.
If moons could think, then this one was probably quite confused. After all, it was perfectly cold in the sky.
>
Inuyasha, Sango and Kohaku were all on the road by the time the sun came up. The full moon was getting closer, and Inuyasha felt that he didn't have any time to waste. That same feeling was also with his companions as they walked due west. Sesshomaru was close, that much was evident to his nose. Just where…?
Sesshomaru carried Rin's sleeping form. He could smell his half-brother's scent, along with than of the Taija and her brother, the one he had brought back to life. They were near.
Inuyasha. That name… it brought shame to his family. A hanyou, the son of the Inu no Taisho? It was unthinkable. As a child, Sesshomaru had loved his little brother. As an adult…
We are enemies.
It was painful in some respects. Sesshomaru could have cushioned some of the crushing blows that had been struck at his brother by being there. But Inuyasha wasn't there when he needed him either. No. He was stuck to a tree in status. Which was brilliant for a needy brother willing to change. Just fabulous.
Rin stirred slightly and Sesshomaru placed her on the ground and waited for her to wake up. She could get to him as no one else could.
She's got me twisted around her little finger.
"It's morning?" She seemed confused.
"Yes. Now come on. We need to get moving."
"Ok."
Rin got up, stretched and smiled. "Rin is ready."
She's always cheerful. Why? Even when I treat her…
Inuyasha's scent was approaching rapidly, getting stronger. Sesshomaru braced himself, wondering what his little brother wanted.
Sure enough, Inuyasha appeared from the trees, followed by Sango and Kohaku. Rin appeared delighted.
"Rin's friend is back!" She flung herself at the surprised boy in a hug.
"Kohaku is back," he corrected.
"Rin's Kohaku!"
"I guess." Sango suppressed a giggle. Inuyasha looked at Sesshomaru.
"Why are you wearing violets?" he asked pointedly. Sesshomaru looked down.
From behind a tree, Kikyo winced.
Great start.
"Rin picked them for Sesshomaru!" The little girl was apparently quite pleased with herself.
"They're very pretty Rin," smiled Sango.
"Brother, why have you come?" Sesshomaru decided to make this brief.
"I need something off you."
"No."
"What? He hasn't said anything yet!" Sango had had all her hopes building on this moment… Sesshomaru was going to hear them out!
"Rin wants to hear. Tell Rin."
She's really cute. Thought Sango with a smile. And quite perceptive.
"Sorry, Rin. You can't help. Only my brother can." Inuyasha silently pleaded with the youkai to listen. It was his only chance.
"Very well. I will listen."
Phew. The thought was unanimous.
"You remember Naraku." Sesshomaru nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Good. I killed him."
"You?"
How is that possible? If I couldn't, there is no way…?
"Me and my friends. Sango, Kagome, Miroku, Shippou and Kiara." Sesshomaru nodded again, signalling Inuyasha to go on. "Three of them gave their lives in the battle."
Now that surprised Sesshomaru.
"So, you want me to give them back their lives." He summarised.
"Yes. We destroyed Naraku. You wanted him dead. Return the favour. Bring them back to life."
Sesshomaru regarded the three in front of him. The boy, biting his lip. The girl with her heart in her face and the hanyou with anxious eyes. Did those dead mean no much to them?
Very well.
He opened his mouth.
"I will not go."
Sango gasped and Kohaku bowed his head. Inuyasha blinked.
"Unless…"
They lifted their heads up again.
Sesshomaru smirked.
Silver – known as the tears of the moon. The Chinese used it on lockets to protect their children, and it is known for healing.
I saw five magpies myself this morning… followed by another two which flew in. Hmmm…. Seven magpies.
Ok… please make someone happy and hit the review button!
CN.