A/N: And here is chapter thirty nine. In truth this is chapter forty and as a way to celebrate I'll be doing a request. It's okay if people are not interested (I used to do so with drawing when I was younger), but know that I will do a few one-shot request stories as a gift (it's also almost my birthday and I like to something like this)^^

Anyway, thank you all for all your wonderful reviews. Like always I love them very much so feel free to leave them:)

Enjoy!

o.O.o

Chapter Thirty-Nine, Your Father's Son

Venting streams of soft light scattered across the earth and the cold autumn air blazed around him. As Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshōmaru, supreme ruler, didn't like to be summoned. In the past two-hundred years it had barely ever happened and he soured through the sky, furiously. His youki curled around him as he weaved through the sky. The large air fortress his father had build when he'd been just a child loomed up before him and he gracefully leapt at the stone entrance of the castle. Two guards gasped when he stepped into the light of the torches and almost fell over their own feet to open the double doors leading into the moonstone hall.

"My Lord," his closest advisor squeaked, skipping to a stop when he noticed him, but Sesshōmaru ignored the daintily looking man.

The doors to his mother's throne room, which she used as her personal feeding place, opened automatically. His mother, as beautiful and elegant as he'd remembered was lounging in her usual throne, legs tucked to on side. Her fur-trimmed kimono hung snugly at her form and Sesshōmaru suspected she had washed herself recently.

At the base of her throat her celestial amulet gleamed, but Sesshōmaru has no interest in her necklace that day.

"Haha-ue," he greeted slowly, clawed fingers briefly fan over the scabbard of his sword.

"My son," she retorted softly, red lips curving upwards, "it has been so long."

He exhaled softly, already tired with the upcoming conversation and she cocked her head to the side. "I've heard so many stories about your strength, my Son. Roal tells me the Western lands have remained almost complete peaceful for four decades."

"Hn,"

"How like your father are you," Inukimo commented, nimble fingers playing with the gleaming blue stone of her necklace. Sesshōmaru stiffened and his mouth drew back in a sneer.

"Haha-ue?"

"I know about your human pet." She clarified, cocking her head to the side. "If you can even call her human that is. How much of your power did you grant her to do what you did?"

"Is this why you asked for me?"

Inukimo smiled coldly, feigning contemplation. "Yes and no. A human was not what I expected of course, but the council would like to see a strong mate. Is she strong?"

"She is not my mate, Mother," he retorted exasperatedly.

"No," Inukimo admitted and he noticed the dark, dried blood caked beneath her nails, "but she is pretty, is she not?"

He clenched his teeth. This was not a conversation he was willing to have. Especially not with his mother. "This is not a conversation we'll be having. Suffice it to say that the girl was a enjoyable distraction."

"Chi-haru, right?" His mother asked, her voice almost simpering, and she slowly ran the pads of her fingers over her fur-trimmed kimono. Her silver hair fanning over her shoulder and he eyed her blue amulet again before folding her hands in her lap.

He tilted his face back, hoping he would find patience in the ancient cracks of the ceiling before slowly moving towards the throne at her side. When he was younger he would take his place next to her quite often, every time his father went out to patrol. He took a seat and propped his arm up on his knee. "Hn, yes, Miko Chiharu."

"Yes, a Miko. A curious choice as well."

"Her spiritual gifts are no surprise to you. You've been researching her." He realised slowly, his mother's lips quirked up even more.

"Of course, I have."

"I do not need you nosying in my affairs."

"Of course, you do. I want to meet that girl." She sounded somewhat affronted and Sesshōmaru supposed it was only because the Miko had travelled home, that she wasn't here right that moment. His mother would have easily tested her. Her abilities and especially her original strength. It was something he would have to avoid at all costs.

"She—" he started, overthinking what it was he should say to make his stubborn mother back off. "She has been my entertainment."

"You've bedded her? How unusual. I was unaware of such curiosity to the human flesh."

"I haven't bedded her," he snapped briefly letting his youki flare. "I've been merely pushing Inuyasha's friends and his buttons."

Her expression turned sour at the mention of his half-brother and he felt a brief sing of victory travel through him. It was very brief though. His mother's expression turned cold and unreadable again and he pushed his silver hair over one shoulder. He'd pitied and worried for her when Chichi-ue betrayed her with the human wench Izayoi. It was for that reason she was allowed to remain Lady of the West, until he found someone to bare him a heir.

That did not mean, however, he appreciated her trying to get a grip on his life.

"If she's strong—"

"Haha-ue…" he slowly started but his mother paid his carefully veiled threat no mind and Sesshōmaru sat back in a way that would have considered defeat if he hadn't looked so displeased about it. His mother ignored it all and was giving a vivid description about the girl and how he should definitely bring her with him next time he decided to grace the Western Castle with his presence.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

Chiharu Higurashi was completely unaware of what irritated Sesshōmaru, but she could tell there was something upsetting him all the same. The irritated pulse of his youki in her system distracted her greatly. He was tiring in ever way she rubbed her fingers over her hakama clad legs. The curtains and windows in her bedroom were open and let the chilled winter air inside. Kagome had left for Sengoku jidai last evening and while she had planned going as well, she'd been feeling off all night.

So much even that her mother had insisted she'd stay in bed and go when she felt better.

Chiharu felt better. Just not all that much. Her stomach was still upset. She'd probably ate something bad and her nerves were all over the place. It was odd.

Buyō the family cat was sprawled out on her pillow and his tail waggled around in what Chiharu now new was an invitation to be scratched behind the ears. His yellowish cat eyes glowed dimly in the almost dark room and she smiled warmly. "I know little one, I would love to spend the rest of the night here with you, but I can't you know?"

The cat made a soft meowing sound and she smiled again, continuing to fold her underwear neatly and placed it in her knapsack. It wasn't exactly a knapsack, but just a normal bag (with the design of a knapsack). Chiharu liked as it was not memorable or stood out. People in Sengoku jidai often looked dumbstruck at Kagome's large pack and as she was planning on meeting Sesshōmaru now and then (probably much easier as he was traveling in the same direction to go after Naraku), she would want to blend in.

"Chiharu-chan?"

Her bedroom door slowly opened and Mrs Higurashi leant against the doorjamb. She was still wearing her pink frilly apron and her hair was slightly tousled.

"Yes, mama?"

"Are you sure you're not staying another night? You're still pale."

Chiharu smiled: "I promise I am fine. Fast embolism you know?"

Mrs Higurashi smiled worriedly and pressed her hand against her forehead. Allyson tried to smile reassuringly again. She was warm, warmer with a few degrees and her mother could probably feel the fever of her reiki and youki burning beneath her skin. Mrs Higurashi had never said so, but the extreme change in her daughter's body made her worry greatly.

She still wore a slight knit in her brow when Chiharu stepped in front of her mirror and fastened the blue haori around her waist with the pretty sash Sesshōmaru had gotten her. She met her mother's worried gaze through the mirror.

"Why do you worry so much more about me then about Kagome-Onee-chan?"

Her mother scoffed: "I worry about you two equally, but you are even less careful with yourself than Kagome is."

"That's not true—" Chiharu started before smoothing a stray lock of hair behind her ear and falling silent.

It was somewhat true she supposed. Her body and abilities had changed so much she gained an extremely dulled pain limit. Moreover, she was close to unbreakable and it had boosted her self convince quite a bit. If she fell out of a tree she would mostly have a scratch for the effort, while if Kagome fell— she would break bones that took a month or even longer to heal.

She sighed, fastening the scabbard of her sword at her hip and straightening her empty quiver on her back: "I could promise you, I'll be more careful. Would that help?"

"That would be good."

"If you could do something for me." Chiharu said smirking at her reflection.

Mrs Higurashi gave her an amused look and pulled Chiharu's hair back, combing her fingers through the thick mass: "And what's that?"

"When you see Arjun, and you happen to be with the car, try and drive him over."

Her mother chuckled, tying an old-fashioned bow in Chiharu's hair: "Don't worry. Your grandfather is dealing with it."

Chiharu grinned: "Save his soul."

Her mother smiled before embracing her from behind, enfolding Chiharu in her warm arms and she breathed out slowly. "Gonna miss you, mama."

"Tell that Lord— how does Kagome call him again— Lord Icicle to be decent to you."

"Lord Icicle?"

"She was upset."

Chiharu grinned again and they went towards the well house together. Sitting down on the ledge of the well, Chiharu smiled one more time at her mother, before pushing back and dissolved in the blink of an eye.

Travelling through time, even after some time, was still strange. When the bluish light around her faded, her feet landed quietly on the dirt and she slowly craned her neck, peering up at the sky. The ground below her was once again unyielding under her feet, no longer the free-fall it was when she would jump in the well and Chiharu felt around for the dense nest of vines. The sky above her was already darkening and she started to climb up.

She pulled herself over the lid of the well, nails clawing at the wood and feet trampling at the very air. The day had waned, the last rays of the sun slipping past the horizon and and inky darkness had already crept beneath the trees. There must have been a storm, because the forest-floor was littered with branches, leaves and large pieces of bark.

There was something else too and she froze.

She shivered when she noticed the heavy metallic scent of blood into he air. There were animal intestines tangled into a bush not too far from her and she didn't think those came from any storm. Rolling her shoulders to ease the sudden fear and tension that settled into her, she took a few steps away from the well. It was odd that she couldn't hear the chirping of birds or the soft rustling of small wildlife around. Carefully, she pushed her aura out, the youki crackling and lifting her hair up, but she sensed little.

"Definitely time to make myself sparse." She muttered and tightened the straps of her bag and started down the path towards the village of Edo. She didn't get far as suddenly the bushes moved and a large brown yōkai, with the height and width of a small truck stepped out.

He was large, brownish fur covering his body and large horns protruding from his head. His eyes were huge, bloodshot and blood coated his mouth. He obviously had been the one feeding on the animals and she realised with a sudden shock that human bones hung as a bizarre sort of necklace around his thick neck. His lips pulled back in a feral grin and he slowly inhaled, nostrils widening. "Hello there," he croaked and she felt her reiki surge. The instinctual response to protect herself.

Even worse, he was still able to conceal his youki.

Instinctively, she reached behind her for her bow and arrows, but realised with growing horror she didn't bring her arrows. Why would she? She'd been home and although you had your average bandit, she didn't need bow and arrows with most people. Her finger curled tightly around the handle of her sword.

He went for her. At least she saw that coming from a mile away and she dodged. She was faster than he was and as she ducked down, avoiding his claws she drew her blade. Twirling around on the ball of her foot, just as sesshōmaru had demonstrated more than once, she aimed for his left flank and smiled derisively when the beast howled. She'd pierced his upper leg, immediately drawing blood.

He swiped at her again, now more out of revenge than bloodlust and she took to the air. The sharp katana was unexpected and she gasped when it pierced her shoulder. Just as she'd seen Inuyasha do before, she punched at the blade. It made a sickening clang against her knuckles and a horrible pain shot up the appendage, but she ignored it, trying to gain distance away from him.

Chiharu scrambled backwards, fingers cradling her injured shoulder and her arm stinging like she poured acid over it. The bulky Yōkai charged at her again and Chiharu barely had time to move aside, creating a kekkai only in the nick of time. The monster howled when a large part of his arm burned against her shield and he dropped his sword. The fur on his hands and forearms fizzling with hostile holy power and she pointed the point of her own sword at him. It sputtered as Sesshōmaru's acid power made the fang turn a sickly green and her own aura pushed it forward.

He hadn't expected youki and reiki combined, as had so many others before him not expected, and she watched with a sort of morbid fascination as forty percent of his arm was melted away, leaving a bloody angry mass. She could see broken tendons and white from what must have been bone, poking out and felt slightly sick.

If the beast hadn't been furious, he was now and shōki started to leak from the monster's mouth. Shōki didn't hurt her, but the dark clouds of acid did make pinpointing him difficult. His aura was concealed (again) and with the rotting scent of death all around her, it was hard to tell where he would be coming from. She inched back, but suddenly sharp talons grazed her cheek and she stumbled, tripping over a fallen tree, her katana yanked out of her grip.

Evil yellow eyes glared at her, yet he still shot her a lewd look. "Your scent pleases me,"

The guttural sound of his voice made the heirs on her arms and the back of her neck stand on edge. She gasped when he eyed her up that way and she felt her back connect with the base of the well. Thorns tore at the hem of her hakama and pierced the skin. He approached slowly and her fingers tightened around the smooth worn wood of the well.

"Your scent does not please me." She hissed back, her hand gripping tightly at the lid of the well and she swung her leg up, kicking down on the yōkai's head. The bulky beast slammed into the ground and she used his momentarily confusion to jump back, circle around the well and turned around. It was not the bravest move, but at least it would keep her safe. He quickly came after her and as she was about to jump up into the trees when he struck out. She gasped when talons pierced her shoulder blade and choked back a yell when he used the claws cutting through her flesh to push her into the ground.

She gasped and her temple smacked against a tree root nearby. The small cuts from the thorns had already begun to heal, but she could feel her own blood drench through the back of her clothing. He pulled her off the forest floor and turned her over.

"Get off me!" She snapped and he grinned menacingly at her. His nose pinched as he sniffed her neck and she brought her head up colliding harshly with his. He howled and she was satisfied when his nose cracked. The satisfaction was only brief because struck back, punching her in her face.

Her head snapped sideways and the earth was damp; mud caked her cheek as he punched the air out of her and pushed her haori up. She pushed her knee up, intent to kick him hard in the face, but suddenly his yellowy eyes widened and his mouth slacked open. She sensed him a moment later and the amount of furious power that settled in the small clearing made her freeze as well.

"Enough,"

Sesshōmaru appeared in a flash of white and the yōkai jumped off of her as if she'd burned him, slamming into a tree. The Western Lord watched him with a detached sort of disinterest before looking at her. She recognised the I'm-going-to-kill-you look immediately and nervously yanked her haori back down over her stomach.

"Rogan," Sesshōmaru coldly stated, obviously already pushed past his patience point.

"My Lord," the yōkai croaked. The arrogance from earlier evaporated, but an intent glint still shone brightly into his eyes.

"What are you doing here, Rogan?"

"Just investigating M'Lord." the yōkai answered, not missing a beat. Chiharu slowly sat up and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"I see," he whispered.

Chiharu felt goosebumps spread over her arms and legs. She had never heard so much hostility in one sentence and she wasn't the only one who noticed. The yōkai, Rogan apparently, slowly backed away, eyes huge. A chill had settled into her lower abdomen and she felt the immense aura that Sesshōmaru mostly contained flicker in the air. The Daiyōkai growled, producing a green acid whip extending from his talons and in one swipe he sliced the yōkai in half.

She watched the two halves fall to the ground with a morbid sort of fascination and blood started to seep into the muddy earth. It was foolish to forget how strong this man actually was…

Sesshōmaru slowly turned towards the girl and she peered up at him with wide eyes. She had not known he could do that and her fingers curled in her self-regenerating Haori. "Sesshōmaru?"

A/N: For those of you who wonder, sexual experience or lack there of is difficult for me to write about. I can't say why, but it makes me a bit queasy. Either way, Chiharu is a sixteen soon to be seventeen-year-old girl and I suppose her curiosity is only natural. In a way she's curious and actually wants it out of the way, so to say, like all of us are at some point, but for now she'll be unsure about it (after all, aren't we all about new things).

And introducing; Sesshōmaru's mum. I'm not entirely sure how to write her (she didn't have that much screen time nor did she have much moment in the manga), but she seemed the type to scheme and very much slow his progression. Who wants to be compared to his detested father?

For those of you who worry about Arjun: he'll gets what's coming to him:)

Either way, like always, let me know what you'll think! Next update next week, around Thursday.

Inuyasha does not belong to me, but to Rumiko Takahashi