Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or related stuff. Rumiko Takahashi does. If I did, Sesshoumaru would be topless more often, Moko-moko-sama (sp?) would get way more attention, Inuyasha's ears would be thoroughly abused, Naraku would never wear armor or use those tentacles, Miroku would never rest, and Myoga would never recover from the constant abuse I would put him through.
Author's Notes:
Thanks so much to all who review! Especially thealchemist'sdaughter, who inspired this chapter and the next.
Review Responses:
Davinci: Thanks! I just love the relationship between Rin and Sesshoumaru
Ching Sparkle Sparkle: I'm really not sure what to say, but I can't not respond to "meow". Hehehe. No worries if you didn't have time to review every chapter. It would have been nice (pout), but if you don't have time you don't have time. I'm just glad you read and enjoy this.
Psycho Demon-Witch: I think there are many things he should want to know about, but he seems to try and bury his past more than wonder about it. Like when he didn't want to talk about his mother with Kagome, or when he says he doesn't care about avenging his father's death when he's fighting Ryokotsei (sp?). But then there's those moments when he's talking to Kagome and starts to open up a bit, and that's what makes me think that as it comes up, he would wonder, but he wouldn't just have a bunch of questions at the top of his head. Just a theory though. I agree though, under those circumstances his mind would probably draw a blank.
thealchemist'sdaughter: Thanks so much for the suggestion! It's a record! One review inspiring more than one chapter! So nice! Yay!
Ok, major OOC-ness warning. When I started writing this chapter, I had intended to keep him as close to character as possible, but as I started breaking down his explanation, I sort of lost control of it and took it farther than I meant, and having no self-discipline whatsoever, I couldn't bring myself to delete it. The first few pages are just as I meant them to be, but the bit about his mom was sorta out there.
Ch. 5 Lords of the West Part IInuyasha continued to growl to himself, arms crossed, and eyes apparently diverted, but he continued to glance at his brother through the corner of his eye. Then Sesshoumaru did something so very like Sesshoumaru, it really shouldn't have surprised him- shouldn't, but did. Sesshoumaru got up and started to walk towards the castle.
"Where-"
"Jaken." The imp demon in question stumbled into view, looking particularly harassed and out of breath.
"Yes, milord?"
"My armor needs tending. Send someone to my quarters to get it."
"… B-but milord… Your armor isn't in your room, you're wearing…" The imp looked suddenly uneasy as he noticed his lord's expressionless stare gazing unrelenting and without blinking upon him. "Y-yes milord, right away milord!" and with that, he bowed and scrambled out of sight.
"What was that about?"
Why do you care?
"I am going to change. If you wish to continue questioning me, I suggest you start walking."
"Huh?" Inuyasha's brow creased in confusion. Then he noticed his brother had put a large distance between them, and didn't appear to be slowing down. "Oh!" Inuyasha rushed off to follow his brother. Inuyasha caught up quickly.
What the hell? Why change now of all times? He's been dressed like that for days, he's been here for hours, and he could have changed then. Why wait until now?
"What's with you?"
"Power is with me, as well as agility, a massive army of demons who no longer fear death, a formidable family heritage, Tokijin, Tensaiga-"
"That isn't what I meant."
No, but I'm not going to give an easy time of it.
Sesshoumaru stared at him blankly.
"You said you wouldn't avoid answering!"
"This Sesshoumaru is avoiding nothing. I am only forcing you to ask the question you are trying to ask, rather than being lazy and attempting to force me to interpret your every word."
"Whatever. Why did you wait until now to get changed?"
"This Sesshoumaru is in no rush."
Inuyasha growled.
"You call that a growl, Little Brother?"
"Yeah, like you could do better." Sesshoumaru smirked.
Is that a challenge? Sesshoumaru turned to Inuyasha, his eyes large and red, his face contorted in a snarl, and growled. The growl was not louder than Inuyasha's, but deeper. The hanyou could feel his very bones vibrate with the force of the growl.
H-how did he… Astonishment was painted over Inuyasha's face, his eyes comically large, and his arms rose in defense. He recovered quickly, and lowered his hands. Sesshoumaru smirked again, before turning and walking away."That was nothing, Inuyasha. At his fiercest, Father's growl shook the earth."
"What was he like?"
"I thought you didn't care."
"I-I'm curious. His remains are so big, and he must have been strong to growl like that."
"Hai, he was that- enormous and powerful. Everything he did he did firmly, never hesitating. He ruled his lands with strength and dignity, enforcing order and justice at all times. He was the most effective and admired Lord these lands have ever had."
"Ha! Then you admit he was better than you!" Sesshoumaru fixed his brother with an emotionless stare.
"Of course." Inuyasha fell to the ground. When he was standing again, Sesshoumaru was turning a corner well ahead. Inuyasha ran to catch up.
Heh. It's always been like this. He goes around effortlessly while I struggle just to keep up. Inuyasha was going to ask Sesshoumaru about it, but as he rounded the corner he was shocked speechless.
In front of him was a long corridor with a tall, arched ceiling. Hard wood floors were polished to a shine, and the walls were covered in images of dog demons. On the left wall, covering the entire wall was an impressive mural depicting what appeared to be the history of the family, and on the right were huge portraits of what appeared to be dog demons and their families. Sesshoumaru walked past unaffected, but Inuyasha was overcome.
"Sesshoumaru…" Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder, but did not stop. "What is this place?"
"Obviously, this is a hallway."
"Yes, but all this?"
He would be excited. He may be a prince of the west, but he wasn't raised as one.
"This hallway depicts our family history. On the left, a mural depicts key events, and on the right are portraits of the great lords of the west, and their families."
"It's so… so…" Inuyasha's eyes were wide as he took in his surroundings. Sesshoumaru just looked bored.
"Long and illustrious." In spite of his apparent praise, he didn't seem in the slightest impressed.
"Big." Sesshoumaru was nearing the end of the corridor. As he approached the second to last portrait, he stopped, turned to the portrait, and bowed ever so slightly, before gazing up at it.
What? Sesshoumaru? That royal pain in the ass just bowed? To a portrait?
As Inuyasha reached Sesshoumaru, he looked up to where his brother was staring. Sesshoumaru had been staring at the image of a great demon lord. He had long, white hair tied back in a topknot, strong, spiked armor, white fur over his shoulder, and a single stripe on each cheek. His deep, striking golden eyes radiate warmth and power. He seemed happy. And strangely, with the exception of his expression…
"He kinda looks like you. But bigger, and… well, not evil."
"THAT is father."
"Oh." Inuyasha stared at the portrait for a while when he noticed the two other demons in the painting. His father had his arm around a slender female demon with pale, pale skin, and silver hair much darker than Sesshoumaru's and the same dark crescent moon on her father. She had warm, honey colored eyes and a smile that lit up her whole face, as she leaned into the arm holding her, with her head resting contently on the larger demon's shoulder. She had on a beautiful white silk kimono with simple gold flowers embroidered on the shoulders and the ends of her sleeve, and fastened with a beautiful honey colored obi to match her eyes. Both demons had there hands resting on the shoulders of a scrawny looking pup with large eyes that seemed to be full of life and expectation. He held his head high; his long silvery hair pulled back with his long bangs falling around his face. He, like the adults, seemed very happy; his large smile revealing two very small fangs. He was pale, though less so than the woman who Inuyasha assumed was his mother. The child was slender, and pale, and had inherited his mother's crescent moon marking, but there was something about him that was very like his father. He had his father's smile, and his expressive golden eyes.
Hang on, if that's their kid that would make this kid my brother. But I thought Sesshoumaru and me were the only ones left.
"Sesshoumaru?"
"Hn?"
"Whose that kid?" Sesshoumaru's eyes betrayed irritation.
"This Sesshoumaru."
"No way! But he looks so… so… happy! I didn't think you were ever that happy."
"That shows how little you know." Silence.
As Inuyasha stared openly at his brother, he noticed the next portrait, the last portrait in the hall. This portrait was unique, for of all the many portraits in the hall, this was the only portrait to include a human. Inuyasha's father, the Inu no taisho, was also in this picture, and in spite of looking slightly tired, he looked very happy, and very proud. He wore no armor, and had his arms wrapped affectionately around a beautiful human woman with long black hair and dark brown eyes. She leaned into her husband's loving embrace, her hands resting on her husband's hands, which in turn were resting on her undeniably pregnant stomach. The couple looked very happy together. Near the bottom of the portrait was the image of a much older Sesshoumaru than the previous picture. He was kneeling, with his hair in a topknot and wearing his usual armor. Sesshoumaru looked exactly as he did now, but with a difference. His face did not have that unaffected look, that extreme lack of expression.
He looks… tense. Almost resentful. Why?"Why do you look so pissed in this picture?" Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in irritation.
Because I was too weak and self indulgent to hide it.
"Because I lacked discipline. If I had as much discipline then as I do now, my resentment would not have shown."
"Then you were resentful?"
"You said it yourself." Inuyasha shook his head.
"No, I said you looked pissed. Why were you resentful?"
"Do you recognize that human in the portrait?" Inuyasha's gaze fell to the floor.
"Yeah. That's mom."
"Then you shouldn't need to ask."
"Well I'm asking."
"I have a great deal of respect and admiration for our father. It was… difficult… to see him stoop so low as to mate with a human. Especially since he ought not to have taken her as a mate in the first place. What do you notice, Inuyasha, about all of these portraits?"
"They're all demons." He said, starting to feel angry at Sesshoumaru for continuing to bring it up.
"Besides that." Inuyasha's expression changed instantly from one of loathing to one of complete bewilderment.
"Uh… The guys are all wearing armor?"
"That is a good point. What else?"
"Uh… There's usually more than one kid."
"That is because most of them lived a great deal longer than father. Besides that."
"I-I don't know… They all show the guy with his arm around a woman?"
"Yes, but what about the women?"
Inuyasha glared. "They're all demons."
"You're repeating yourself. Think, Little Brother, what do they all have in common?"
"I don't know, damn it! Why do you keep asking this? You're supposed to be answering MY questions, remember?"
"There is only one woman. Many of the demon lords appear in more than one portrait, but it's always with the same mate."
"Oh. You mean dog demons are only supposed to take one lover their whole life?"
"No. It is quite normal for a demon lord to take multiple mistresses and concubines in his life, although to my knowledge, father did not. But when one takes a mate, they do so for life. There is never meant to be two mates."
"You mean he had them at the same time?" Inuyasha was clearly shocked.
"No. My mother had been dead for centuries before my father met that…human. Father had said that he did not consider it dishonoring Mother's memory." Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment, but spoke again just as Inuyasha was about to speak. "It was difficult, seeing her sitting in mother's place at the table… more so, to see her taking Mother's place in that portrait."
How sad. And scary, that he can say all that without his face showing any emotion at all.
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End Chapter
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As I said earlier, definite ooc-ness, but come on, you had to know it was coming, how could I not go even a little out of character when talking about his past? People like Sesshoumaru aren't just born like that, they develop into it. And don't say its just because he's a demon, because there's a variety of different demons in the series with different personalities, all fitting with their history. So it's perfectly logical that Sesshoumaru would have thoroughly buried emotions related to his past, and it's not like his tone or expression betrayed those emotions, he was honor bound to answer truthfully, so he did.
Oh, and one more note- 7 pages!
