A/N: EEEP! It took me so long to update this time! I'm sorry! Well anywho, I don't have much to say. Fortunately for all of you, this story is already just about finished, so the chapters are already nicely written. My brain is about fried right now, at least for this story. I'm totally blank as far as this fic goes right now, so it's good that I've already written most of it. So anyways, thanks so much to all of my readers, and thanks even more to my reviewers! You guys make me so happy!

Reminder-... /-/-/-/memory;... +-+-+-+past, not a memory;... /-/-+memory and past;... #(anything after)special pov

Disclaimer: I don't own any character except for Juzume, nor do I own any song except for the one Juzume sang. And, later...well I don't want to give it away. Read and find out. Er, well, it isn't in this chapter...bleh, nevermind. Ugh. Ignore me. I'm braindead right now. -pokes greyish-pink mass of brain cells-

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Chapter 20-Immortal (Adema)

I'm not afraid to die, my soul will travel on...

Sesshoumaru walked through the forest slowly, taking his time to find the old magnolia tree. Truthfully, he wasn't sure he wanted to come to the forest. After all, it was pretty close to the old castle...

"Well, if it isn't Lord Sesshoumaru," a massive voice boomed out through the forest.

"So, you noticed me, Bokuseno," Sesshoumaru greeted neutrally. He took a few more steps, stopping a few feet in front of the tree. A face materialized from the bark, blinking it's heavy eyes and looking at him.

"Have you a question for me?" the tree asked. "I've heard of nothing new happening, besides your constant feud with your brother. Tell me, what seems to trouble you? You look haggard."

"How so?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Have you seen your reflection lately?" Bokuseno chuckled. "You look half my age!"

"Huh," Sesshoumaru scoffed, running his hand through his hair in exasperation. "Let's just say that some old memories that I thought were long-dead have come back from thier graves."

"Sit down, pup. Talk to me as you did when you were a child. I am still here," the old demon soothed.

"I am no longer a pup," Sesshoumaru said idly as he sat down anyways.

"You will always be a pup compared to me," Bokuseno said firmly. "Now tell me what's been bothering you."

"I have a question first," Sesshoumaru said. "I've been hearing a voice lately..."

"Say nothing more," Bokuseno chuckled. "A voice from the nethers, neither from heaven nor hell, that brings about your past and forces you to deal with it, that claims to be your own thoughts? I know well enough about it, Lord Sesshoumaru. It is harmless to your body, destructive for your emotional stability, and it always tells the truth. It is always sent, but can never be called upon by evil. Usually, the gods themselves will commision it, but sometimes spirits of the past will require it's services. You can never tell who sent it unless it tells you itself. Does that answer your question?"

"You enjoy knowing everything, don't you?" Sesshoumaru teased weakly.

"Of course," Bokuseno smirked. Both of them knew that the old tree didn't know everything, but he knew pretty much anything that he was asked, which was close enough.

"I've been having nightmares...and memories..." Sesshoumaru started a bit uncomfortably.

"Come here, pup," Bokuseno said gently. "Do not forget how you lay at my roots and played in my branches when you were a bumbling toddler. I will not have you so hesitant to seek comfort when I know you are in need of it."

"I keep telling you, I'm not a pup anymore," Sesshoumaru protested.

"Pups are not the only ones ever in need of comfort," Bokuseno informed him.

Sesshoumaru sighed wearily and gave up on the idle argument, then moved over to prop himself against the tree heavily. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, then began his story.

"Well, about a week ago..."

Sesshoumaru finished just as night fell, then looked up at the old tree carefully.

"Hmm," Bokuseno would have nodded thoughtfully if he was able. "Seems like you need to come to terms with your past, my Lord. It does you no good to brood or dwell, nor does it do you any good to hide your feelings behind a thousand masks. You cannot live in your own world forever."

"What should I do, Bokuseno?" Sesshoumaru asked softly, troubled.

"You remind me of your father," Bokuseno remarked idly. "So intense and fierce, trying your best to be something that you are not. And whether you deny it, your brother resembles him too. I suppose the old Lord really is immortal," the tree sighed. "He may have died in body, but his soul has traveled on. He still breathes within you and your brother, and in that, he is truly will be immortal. For you will live within your children, as will Inuyasha, and your father will carry on through each generation, until the end of time itself."

"Heh," Sesshoumaru shook his head lightly. "How profoundly philosophical. That doesn't answer my question."

"You haven't heard all I was going to say," Bokuseno chided mildly. "You are like your father in other ways, my young pup. For whether you admit it or not-and I know you don't-you do care for him."

"For who?" Sesshoumaru scoffed. "I cared for Father, yes, but he's dead now."

"That was not who I was refering to," Bokuseno said. "You care for Inuyasha."

"Impossible!" Sesshoumaru lied. "What makes you think that?"

"I can tell when you are lying, Sesshoumaru. I haven't known you all this time just to be fooled by your denial. It works well with others, but you cannot pull the wool over my eyes."

Sesshoumaru scoffed and looked to the side thoughtfully.

"I suppose I don't want to kill him," he finally admitted quietly.

"It goes further than that," Bokuseno sighed. "He reminds you of your father too, doesn't he?"

Sesshoumaru sighed in resignation. He couldn't hide anything from the old tree-demon.

"He does," the dog-demon admitted finally. "He looks like father, he sounds like father, he acts like father...he may not be as refined, but that's only due to his upbringing. Or lack of it after his mother died, I suppose. But he has that pride, that sense of justice, that fierceness and intensity, all of that-and he has the same heart. I don't know how he can give those humans a chance for his friendship after everything that humans have done to him, but he does. He cares for them. And even the demons that travel with him-he's been so mistreated, it's a wonder he can trust anyone. Father was the same way-always forgiving of people. He's just like Father."

"And it bothers you?" Bokuseno asked gently, though his question was really more of a statement.

"It does," Sesshoumaru sighed. "I wish...I wish he knew, Bokuseno. I really wish he knew he was like Father, I wish he knew that I cared. But he doesn't, and he never will. Even if I told him, do you think he'd believe me?"

"That would be a question for you to judge the answer to," Bokuseno said. "I cannot tell you whether he would care or not, for it is not my place to divulge information as such. I will not interfere with Fate."

"Thanks," Sesshoumaru scoffed sarcastically.

"I wish I could help you more, pup," Bokuseno said sincerely. "But you must choose your path by yourself. I cannot tell you the outcome even if I know, for you would base your decision on my dictum. No, you must go blindly into the path you follow, though I hate to make it hard for you. You must deal with this yourself, I cannot do it for you. I can only help so much-even if I were capable of holding your hand, I wouldn't," the tree chided lightly.

"I know," Sesshoumaru nodded wearily. "You know about that night, don't you?" he asked carefully.

"The night after your father died? Yes, I know," Bokuseno soothed. "You grew up too quickly, child. Your life is longer than the breaths you've taken, older than the summers you've seen."

"I can't count how many times I wish I would have been able to take it back," Sesshoumaru said softly. "How many times I wish I would have just left and never come back. I can't go back now, but by the gods...I wish I could, Bokuseno. I truly wish I could change everything that happened..."

"It's not too late yet," Bokuseno said. "You can still right a few of the wrongs. Some things cannot be changed, true, but others can. If you are willing to take a chance and risk it, you may or may not find liberation."

"You're not making this easier," Sesshoumaru grumbled.

"I never intended to," Bokuseno stated calmly.

"Well, I'm grateful that you've at least listened," Sesshoumaru said, getting ready to leave.

"Not so fast, pup," Bokuseno said. Sesshoumaru glanced at the tree expectantly.

"What?"

"You need rest," Bokuseno scolded lightly. "And you won't leave until you've gotten sufficient sleep."

"Conniving bastard. You know you can keep me here, don't you?" Sesshoumaru feigned anger.

"Yes. Now sleep, child. I will watch," Bokuseno assured him. Sesshoumaru sighed and gave up on the argument-it was usually pointless to try and argue with the old demon anyways. He almost never won.

Sesshoumaru settled down comfortably at the base of the tree, resting on the soft petals that Bokuseno had shed from his flowers, making a comfortable bed. Bokuseno swayed his branches slowly, rustling the leaves in a sort of peaceful rhythm, creating a subtle, soothing lullaby that calmed the dog-demon's frayed nerves and gently induced him into a dreamless sleep.

"He's just like his father," Bokuseno said quietly to himself. "Your question is answered, my Lord, though you realize it not...one demon truly can be immortal...just as your father is, for he breathes within you..."

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