Here is chapter 9 and I hope you guys enjoyed the last one! Now everything is back to reality, which means IT IS PRESENT TIME IN THIS CHAPTER! Only a couple of days of past, so please enjoy. By the way, this chapter has a lot of dialogue so I hope it's okay.

Chapter 9: A Brother's Bond

Inuyasha waited impatiently for Kagome for she was slowing him down, as always. "Sheesh Kagome, hurry up would you! You're slowing us down! I don't care what you're putting on your legs, it can't be that important!" Inuyasha couldn't hold it in anymore.

"What do you mean by that? Lotion is important and why were you looking at my legs anyway!" Kagome was furious. Miroku came over to try and calm them down. Pasted

"Now, now. I'm sure Inuyasha didn't mean to yell at you or look at your legs." Miroku had a hentei look in his eyes and he was in serious trouble when Sango saw that look in his eyes. She took out her hiraokotsu and hit the top Miroku's head with it. "Why are you looking at Kagome like that, monk!"

Miroku turned his head around and look at Sango with a wide grin on his face. "Sango, my dear. I would never look at Kagome like that. I only want to look at you." That earned him another hit on the head with Sango's hiraokotsu. Now Inuyasha became even angrier than he was before.

"Quit butting in you fake, lecherous monk! If you and your girlfriend wanna flirt with each other, then go grab a bush! And if don't wanna do that, then SHUT UP!"

"SIT BOY!" Inuyasha's face had met the dirt after what he realized what he had said. Sango and Miroku just stared at Kagome and Inuyasha. They were happy that she sat him, but they could have defended themselves.

"Inuyasha, what's up with you! You've been having these constant mood swings lately!" Kagome screamed at Inuyasha, who was now face first in the ground. When he stood up, he had this confusing look in his eyes.

"I don't know. You're gonna think it's strange, but I might as well tell you." Kagome was now listening to what Inuyasha was saying. "After every battle I have with Sesshomaru, I feel what he is feeling. And he could probably feel what I'm feeling. It's always been like this ever since I first met him. I could never explain it." Inuyasha looked out at the scenery as the wind blew through his hair. Kagome stared at Inuyasha at that moment.

"Maybe it's a bond between you two. A bond only brothers know." Inuyasha smirked at what Kagome said. Keh, the only bond we share is when our swords clash. Inuyasha just shrugged it off because it didn't really matter. Sesshomaru and him have always tried to kill each other, so this "bond" between them was no big deal and he could just ignore it.

Later that night

Inuyasha and Shippo went to find something to eat while Sango, Kagome, and Miroku were waiting for those two to come back. The girls were talking about something, but Miroku was thinking about something Kagome had stated earlier. "Maybe it's a bond between you two. A bond only brothers know." The words repeated over and over again in his head. That's impossible. Siblings don't share that kind of bond. Only a parent and child do. Maybe it's a different story with demons, but that's illogical. Miroku stopped thinking about that after Inuyasha and Shippo came back with some fish. After they cooked the fish, they ate it and soon grew sleepy. Once everyone was asleep, Inuyasha stayed up for a bit, just staring out into the darkness of the night. But soon, his eyelids were closed and sleep had finally captured him.

But once he was fast asleep, his dream started to change. The place around him was peaceful, quiet, and very bright. It was the same place where the un-mother took him. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, then watch episode 6 of Inuyasha.) Except this time, it was no illusion. He looked around as though he were trying to find someone; he froze when he saw a womanly figure emerge in front him. No it can't be… He stared at the figure in front of him, still trying to determine whether this was a dream or not.

"… Mother? Is that really you?" The woman walked closer to him and she held a warm smile, as though she were happy to see him. When she was close enough, Inuyasha ran up to her and embrace her in a hug. "Mother, it is you! I can't believe you're here with me! I don't know whether this is a dream or not, as long as you're here I don't care." Izayoi hugged him back and after a while, she pulled away from him.

"Inuyasha this is a dream, but you are partially awake. On the outside world, it will appear as though you are sleeping peacefully. You won't be able to wake up until I leave. I have come back from the dead, but it is only for a while." Inuyasha was speechless; he just couldn't believe that this was really Izayoi, his long dead mother. Expressions were shown all over him. Happy on his face, yet confusion within his eyes. Izayoi looked at her son and could still not believe that the last time she saw him he was very little. "Why have you come back in my dream, Mother? And why not in the real world?"

Izayoi had known her son would ask that and she was prepared to answers these questions. "I have long been dead, Inuyasha. So my body has disintegrated by now, so I can only come in your dream. I must get to the point and quick, my love. Inuyasha, you must know the truth and please find it out as soon as possible." Inuyasha's expression had changed for this wasn't exactly the conversation he was thinking of having with his long-dead mother.

"What are you talking about? What truth? About what, mother?"

"Sesshomaru has seen your father's fang in your body and now you must know the long-forgotten secret that I have taken to my grave." Inuyasha had even more confusion because now he has to hear this fang business again. He had to spend an entire afternoon with everyone asking Myoga about it and now; his own mother is talking about it. What the hell is so important about this stupid fang! Izayoi stared at her son once more, for she knew she would not get another chance to see him again. "Inuyasha, I am sorry to say that I must leave now. If I stay too long, then my spirit will vanish all together and my soul will be between these two worlds." All of a sudden, surrounded her as though she were being transported. Inuyasha tried to grab her arm, so could stay a little bit longer. But she gave him a gentle smile and urged him to let go. And so, he did and his mother said one last thing before leaving. "Inuyasha, please find out the secret. So that everyone will be at peace with themselves." Inuyasha stared at the spot where his mother had stood, for he could still not believe that his mother was alive. Even if it was for a mere minute or two, he was glad to see her again.

Meanwhile in the outside world

"Kagome, why don't you try to sit him again?" Miroku asked, for he was desperate to wake Inuyasha up. Inuyasha was still asleep and they have tried everything to wake him up. Shippo had preformed his foxfire on him, Sango hit him on the head with her hiraokotsu, Miroku also hit him on the head with his staff, and Kagome sat him about five times already. "Have you gone crazy Miroku? It'll kill him! But, why won't he wake up!" Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's haori once more and tried to shake him. Looks like I really am going to have to sit him again. Inuyasha, please forgive me after this!

Kagome got away from him and she was ready to sit him for the 6th time in a row. Just then, Inuyasha started to stir and his eyelids began to open. Unlucky for him, Kagome didn't see him. "Inuyasha, sit boy!" Inuyasha screamed in pain for now he felt the pain of all six sits. Sango, Shippo, Miroku, and Kagome all heard his screams of agony and pain. Kagome smiled when she heard Inuyasha scream. She ran up to the hole in the ground where Inuyasha lay.

"Inuyasha, you're really alive. We thought you were dead or something." Inuyasha lifted his head and met Kagome's eyes. Her eyes were filled with happiness while his were filled with fury. "Why the hell did you sit me? You wench! When I get out of this hole, you are so gonna get it. And why the hell do I have all these lumps on my head! What the hell did you guys use me for, target practice!" Now Kagome and them started to back away from him while Inuyasha started barking at them louder and louder.

"Well, we wanted him back and he's back. So the fault is our own." Miroku stated. "Yup. That's true." Shippo said.

"Same here." Sango agreed with them. "Ditto" Kagome said while sighing. Now Inuyasha was barking even louder at them since now he could get out of the hole he was in.

That same night, in the Western Lands

Rin and Jaken had long been asleep while Sesshomaru was still up, staring at the full moon in the sky. He was just thinking, as usual. When he came back, the only thing he did was take care of some problems that were stirring within his lands. Sesshomaru was a little tired, so he decided to sleep but for only a few minutes. But once he was fast asleep, he wasn't able to wake up. Instead, he found himself in a place that only exists within the imagination. The place looked so unreal, but yet it was tranquil. "Why can't I wake up from this dream? What is keeping me here?" Just then he heard a woman's voice.

"When a spirit calls upon one of the living, the living will remain as they are until the spirit leaves them." Sesshomaru's eyes widen when he heard her voice the voice was calm yet demanding at the same time. There was mistake, it was… Izayoi. Sesshomaru turned around to see her and the only emotion that he had right now was annoyance. "What are you doing here, Izayoi? You are among the dead, this is not your place to be." Sesshomaru's cold tone still showed for he did not care if she was there. Izayoi hadn't answered him, but only walked closer to him until their bodies almost touched. Sesshomaru backed away a little, but that only caused her to come closer. When he finally stopped moving, Izayoi lifted her hand up to his face and touched his cheek.

"It has been 200 years since we last saw each other, Sesshomaru." He wasn't very much listening to her, for he was remembering the feeling of her skin against his. The next he knew, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close enough for a kiss. At first this surprised her, but then she soon kissed him back. It went on for a couple of minutes and after the kiss was broken off, Sesshomaru backed away. "That was a mistake. It wasn't supposed to happen." Izayoi let a laugh for she knew that Sesshomaru hadn't changed, not one goddamn bit.

"You can call it what you like Sesshomaru. I call it a long-forgotten kiss." Sesshomaru was now even angrier; he had not felt like visiting a ghost from his past. Besides, the only way a spirit could come back is if they had some business with the living. "You couldn't have come back just to tell me that."

"No Sesshomaru, that's not the reason I came back. The reason is that I am tired of watching you and Inuyasha fighting all the time. You must find out the truth, then tell him. I don't care how you find out. But find it out, and soon." Sesshomaru had not very much cared about what she was saying. But one thing he did not understand, did Izayoi just threaten him? "And if I don't? What will a dead spirit do to me?"

"Much more than you think, Sesshomaru." So I was correct. She is threatening me. This should be interesting. "Just go back to hell with my father, where you belong, you demon's whore!" Sesshomaru's anger had just reached its peak and apparently, so did Izayoi's. She turned away from him, so she could not look at him face. "You always were hard to deal with Sesshomaru. Just figure it out and hurry!" With that said, a bright circled her and she disappeared along with the light. But she said one last thing to him. "You're companions are worried about you. You should wake up."

Meanwhile

Rin still shook her lord and she was worried as to why he had not awakened yet. While she was trying to wake him up, Jaken was next to her, crying his eyes out. "No, Lord Sesshomaru's dead! He's dead, he's dead, and he's dead!" Suddenly, a cold tone was heard in the room.

"Jaken, would you be glad to see me dead?" When Rin had heard her lord speak, she smiled and hugged him very tightly. "Lord Sesshomaru, you're alive! Why wouldn't you wake up, my lord?" Sesshomaru stayed silent for a minute. He did not want to say that he was visiting a spirit from the netherworld, so he had to think of something.

"I… I was just tired. It was nothing to worry about Rin." What did she mean by, "find out the truth"?

Preview for Chapter 10: Resemblance

"Master Jaken, why do Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha look so much alike?" Jaken stared at the little girl in front of him. He only thought it to be a ridiculous question.

"They are brothers! Of course they would look alike!" Rin made a face that was angry but still cute. "Inuyasha looks more like Lord Sesshomaru than their father. Say Master Jaken, can Inuyasha be Lord Sesshomaru's son?"

All right, I hope you guys like that I update early. I'm going to be doing a lot of that this week, so make sure you review.