AN: Hey guys! Sorry the update was delayed today. In case you haven't already seen it, I spent this past weekend drawing for the #SessRinCinema challenge, and it's actually for this story, because I did a rendition of the movie poster for The Parent Trap with the SessRin family. You can view it on my Facebook or on the SessRinisCanon Discord. Now, the chapter you've all been waiting for….
Chapter 13: Family Reunion
Less than forty-eight hours after her initial incarceration, Towa was led to an interrogation room in the immigration detention facility once again. She wasn't in handcuffs, at least, but when she sat down across from her immigration officer, she noticed an object on the table that appeared similar to a single cuff, although it appeared to be made of plastic. She didn't know why she would be here now unless something had happened.
"Is something wrong, officer?" she asked when he said nothing.
"We are officially sending the request for your deportation to the North today. It will be directed to the Dog Demon Clan."
Towa sat up straighter. "But, if my father's at war…it could be some time before he gets it."
The officer's jaw tensed. "According to our sources, the battle at the Panther Gate has concluded. The armies are returning home…although it appears that they were successful, as some are staying put."
Towa fought back a grin. Papa did it!
"Of course, we're continuing to monitor the situation to make sure the armies do not breach The Wall, but…given so far, that does not appear to be their objective."
Of course not. She wanted to tell the officer, "I told you so," but she didn't want to fan the flames.
Then the officer stood up and said, "You're free to go."
Towa blinked up at him. "Free to go…back to my cell?"
"No. Home."
Her eyes widened, and she gasped. "Really?"
"Yes," he grit out, like it cost him something. "You've certainly got friends in high places…. Don't rejoice too much, though. You're being released and instead put under house arrest, which means if you're found outside your property when we come by for surprise inspections, you'll end up right back here."
"I understand," Towa answered. She wasn't about to complain.
The officer picked up the cuff. "This is a tracking anklet. It tells us where you are at all times. You'll have to wear it until the day you return to the North. If you break it, take it off, or leave a 200-meter radius around your property, it will alert us, and we'll come find you and put you right back in here. Understand?"
"Yes, sir."
He knelt down and attached the tracking anklet to her leg before leading her out to the lobby, where her family was waiting for her.
"Towa!" Mama cried out, rushing forward and enveloping her in a hug. "Baby, are you alright? Did they treat you well?" she asked, pulling away and looking her over.
"I'm fine, Mama. I promise. But I'm so glad to be back with you," Towa said, hugging her again.
Aunt Kagome joined them to make it a group hug. "We're so glad you're coming home, Towa."
"Alright, can we maybe do this at home? I don't want to be here any longer than we have to, and we're already going to have to wrestle our way through a crowd," Uncle Inuyasha said.
Towa frowned. "What do you mean?"
He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "See for yourself."
Towa walked to the front doors of the detention center with her mother right behind her and gasped as she looked through the glass walls at the crowd assembled on the pavement below. As soon as she stepped outside, cheers started ringing out.
Several people held signs reading, "Free Towa!" Others read, "Half-Demons Have Rights!" and "Let Moroha Meet Mom!"
Across the street, a smaller counter-protest held up posters saying, "No Northerners Here," "Keep Humans Safe," and "Deport All Illegals." But she didn't have time to dwell on them and their jeers as the crowd below moved to engulf her, snapping photos and telling her they stood with her and they hoped she would be reunited with her whole family again. Some even wanted her autograph. A few half-demons were also in the crowd, some of whom she recognized from camp, and they too echoed their support.
It took several minutes for Uncle Inuyasha to clear a path for them to their car and then for him to inch out of the parking lot and onto the road, where lines of protesters waved at her in passing and cheered.
"How did they know I'd be released today?" Towa asked.
"They didn't, I don't think," Aunt Kagome said. "But when news of your incarceration went out, people came here and started protesting. It was small at first, but it really gained momentum over the last twenty-four hours. I think it took everyone by joyful surprise at just how quickly you got out. Shiori sure worked some magic."
"So, it really was her?" Towa asked.
"I think she just sped up the process," Mama said, laying Towa against her shoulder and rubbing her back. "But I'm sure the protests helped. I'll be everyone in that building was very annoyed. People sure do know how to be noisy and block traffic!"
When they got home, Towa immediately took a shower, since she hadn't done so in a couple days, and it was somewhat awkward with the anklet on. But no sooner had she gotten out than her mother came up to her and said, "The press is at the door again. They wondered if you wanted to give a statement now that you've been released."
Towa groaned. She had honestly had enough of the press and everything lately. She just wanted to go to bed. "I don't want to deal with them today."
"No problem. I'll get rid of them," her uncle said with a wicked grin while cracking his knuckles.
Since Towa no longer had to attend school, she started working full-time at the flower shop instead. Of course, that meant she inevitably ran into Hisui on her first day, and she had quite forgotten about his confession in all the excitement.
We he opened the door and found her arranging a floral display, he froze on the threshold, and Towa heard his heart skip a beat.
She waved shyly. "Uh, hi there, Hisui. Long time no see."
He swallowed thickly. "Hi, uh…Towa, right?" He pointed to the backroom. "Could we talk for a moment?"
Towa took a deep breath, knowing what was coming. She had looked out on battlefields with less tremors in her heart, but it was precisely because she was a warrior that she knew she could get through this. And she did have to get through this, or else their working relationship would be awkward for as long as she stayed here.
After making sure her mother wasn't in the backroom, Towa closed the door and locked it. She turned to Hisui.
"I'm sorry!" they both blurted out at the same time.
Towa's eyes widened. "W-What are you sorry for?"
Hisui grimaced. "For confessing to you. I must look like an absolute fool—I couldn't even tell that the girl I've loved for years wasn't even her!"
"Well, to be fair…here in the South, it really wouldn't have been possible for her to be someone else, so you couldn't have known…."
"Even so. To think I finally gained the courage to speak up, thinking that Setsuna's kindness meant she reciprocated my feelings, but in actuality, it was just your kindness. I can't figure out whether that means I don't love Setsuna the way I think I should, since I responded so much to your personality, or if I just needed a push." He buried his head in his hands.
"Oh, Hisui, I'm so sorry!" Towa exclaimed, stepping over and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. She was comfortable enough with that much contact now that they had been studying together for a few weeks. "This is all my fault. That day you started confessing…I really wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to do. Obviously, I was trying to keep it a secret that I wasn't Setsuna, and I didn't want to get your hopes up…but I didn't want to let you down either. Honestly, I don't know how Setsuna feels about you. I mean…you probably know her even better than I do, because you've known her for so much longer. And I'm kind of jealous of you for that!"
Hisui let out a huff of laughter. "I guess you have a point."
"Look, you're a great guy, Hisui, and if Setsuna's open to it, I would happily see you be her boyfriend." She grinned. "In fact…maybe I can do something to get her thinking about it, huh?"
Now Hisui looked wary. "Like what?"
Towa pulled away and shrugged, going back to the door. "I don't know! But if you have any suggestions, let me know—the sooner the better! My time here is limited, and we don't know when exactly I'll be deported."
Hisui shook his head in amazement. "How can you talk about your deportation like that so nonchalantly? I mean…you're going to be separated from your sister and mother again."
"Yeah…I'm trying not to think of that." She forced her smile back on. "For now, I'm just going to live like every day is my last with my mother. That way, whatever comes…I'll have no regrets."
And that's precisely what Towa did. She spent her days working alongside Mama in her shop and her nights hanging out with her mother, aunt, and uncle (until he had to go to work) watching TV and movies, playing games, and looking through the family photo albums.
Granted, Hisui, ever the tutor, told her she shouldn't stop learning just because she no longer had to attend school, so he gave her homework assignments from Setsuna's books that he would check after they got off work. When Towa asked him why she had to study things that she wouldn't need anymore when she went back North, he said, "You never know what your future will bring. I mean, three months ago, did you see yourself living in the South?" Faced with that logic, she couldn't argue.
About three weeks after Towa returned home, there was a knock on their door that evening, just as they were about to sit down to dinner.
"Who could that be?" Mama wondered.
"I'll see who it is," Uncle Inuyasha said, grumbling on his way to the door about people not having the decency to keep from visiting around standard meal hours. Even so, his body growing taut with wariness—a habit formed over the past several weeks of the media accosting them. When he opened the door, a familiar whiff of bat cut in beneath the smells of dinner, and Towa grinned. "Oh, hey Shiori," her uncle greeted, letting her in.
"Shiori, what an unexpected surprise!" Rin exclaimed, getting up.
Miss Shiori froze in the doorway. "Oh my, I'm so sorry to stop by without calling first. I've interrupted your dinner."
"It's fine," Aunt Kagome said, while Uncle Inuyasha muttered how it decidedly was not. She glared at him, and he flinched. Aunt Kagome then turned a beaming smile back onto the councilor. "After all, it must be something extremely important if you've come here yourself."
Mama worried her hands. "Is this…about Towa's deportation?"
"Yes," Miss Shiori answered, and Towa's heart seized. She had been trying not to get comfortable here these last three weeks, knowing that the dream would end at any moment—but it still surprised her despite how much she had anticipated it.
"Won't you please sit down?" Mama asked. "Let me get you a cup of tea at least."
"Please don't go to any trouble. I won't be here long," Miss Shiori said, taking the proffered seat. "Actually, I've only come to deliver a message…from General Sesshoumaru."
Towa and Rin gasped, meeting each other's eyes, and Towa saw her same hope reflected in her mother's.
"What's that piece of work been up to?" Inuyasha asked, picking his ear.
"See for yourself," Miss Shiori replied, opening a briefcase she carried and pulling out a black folio. She flipped it open and removed a piece of fine, folded rice paper. "We've been corresponding over the last three weeks—most of that time is taken up by debates and deliveries, I'm afraid—but I thought you'd like to read his words for yourself." She smiled as she the letter to Towa. "This was in reply to the official notice we sent about your deportation and our wish to import Setsuna at the same time."
Towa pulled open the letter to find her father's familiar calligraphy, although the strokes looked a little agitated, as if he had had trouble holding the brush. Towa hoped he wasn't hurt, and she read on to see if she could find out:
To Chief Gojou of the Department of Immigration,
Per your request for the simultaneous deportations of Towa of the Dog Demon Clan and Setsuna Watanabe, I propose that the citizen exchange occur on neutral ground. Furthermore, I request the opportunity to turn this exchange into a negotiation about the terms of the ceasefire.
Together with my ally, Lord General Kirinmaru of the East, I have taken full control of the Northern Wall and wish to renegotiate the terms for half-demons and their families. Let us meet on neutral ground in a place already equipped for such conversations: Camp Half Demon.
In addition to Towa's presence, I demand as part of the terms for this negotiation that she be accompanied by her family members, Rin Watanabe as well as Inuyasha and Kagome Higurashi.
Failure to meet these demands will be met with swift retribution.
Sesshoumaru, Lord General of the West
Towa shook her head wryly. That's Papa, alright. Making requests with one side of his mouth and spitting out threats through the other.
Miss Shiori then handed her another letter, which read:
To the representatives of the South,
I agree to the meeting set for the week of the third through ninth days in the month of the gods at the hour of the goat. The following shall be accompanying me into the Zone of Neutrality….
He went on to list all those who would be in his retinue that week in October: Setsuna, Inukimi, Moroha, Koga, and a few of their guards. In addition, Kirinmaru was bringing along his Four Perils, as well as Riku, Osamu, and Rion.
"I'm going to get to see my baby!" Aunt Kagome shrieked, throwing her arms around her husband. "Shiori, is it possible we could get her a passport or visa or something so she can come back with us? We still have her birth certificate."
"I'll look into it," Miss Shiori answered.
"Grandmother's coming?" Towa asked, unable to hide the shock in her voice.
"Aw, shit. That's a meeting I've been avoiding for centuries," Inuyasha griped.
Rin, however, smiled. "Oh, thank goodness. I've never felt right about failing to meet Sesshoumaru's mother before we got married. I'm glad I'll finally be able to meet her!"
Towa chuckled weakly, her lips twitching. "I'm glad you're excited, Mama." I really hope Grandmother's warmed up to the idea of Mama's existence by now.
Rin sniffed just then, and Towa looked up. "Mama, what's wrong."
Her mother wiped away some moisture in her eyes. "Nothing at all, my girl. I just…can't believe it. This is really happening, isn't it? It's…not a dream?"
Miss Shiori beamed. "But it is a dream, Rin: one we're finally realizing. Of course…this is still technically a diplomatic meeting as well as a citizen exchange. There will be very tight security around everyone, so while I can't promise that your families will be able to be together all the time without supervision…it's a start, isn't it?"
"I don't care," Rin answered. "This is more than we've had in fourteen years. I'm just ready to see my husband and daughter again."
With less than two weeks until the meeting, everything started happening really fast. The family was given permits not only to be let onto the road leading to The Wall but also special clearances and documents to get into the Zone of Neutrality. Miss Shiori even managed to obtain a special visa for Moroha that would allow her to stay long enough to exchange her citizenship, if she so desired.
Finally, the day of meeting arrived. The family left early in the morning so they would have enough time to get to The Wall, settle into their cabin, and get ready for the official first meeting between parties.
In fact, Miss Shiori had built in some time on the official schedule that would allow the Dog Demon Clan members to have a private family reunion before the official start of the conference.
Since Uncle Inuyasha hated waiting around, he and Aunt Kagome had gone on a walk around the camp so he could show her the spots tied to memories with Moroha. Meanwhile, Towa was left with her mother to get ready for the meeting.
Rin went into the bathroom, and given all the noise going on in there, Towa was sure she wasn't coming out anytime soon. So, Towa went ahead and slipped on Setsuna's navy dress that she had worn on one of her interviews. (Her mother had insisted on a dress over a nice pants outfit, since Miss Shiori said that select members of the media would be in attendance at the conference as well.)
And then she waited. And waited. And waited.
After an hour, Towa knocked on the door to the bathroom. "Are you doing alright in there, Mama?" Towa may not have lived with her mother for long, but by now she knew that Mama was not exactly a fussy person when it came to her looks. She worked in a flower shop, after all—she was going to get dirty and wet, so she didn't take much time to make herself up.
The door finally unclicked, and Rin peeked her head out of the bathroom. Her eyes shone with shimmery highlighter, and pink lip gloss glistened on her lips. "Towa, can I get your opinion?"
"Sure!"
"Tell me…is it too much?" her mother asked, opening the door wide. She was wearing a violet halter dress with an illusion neckline. "I know this is technically a conference, which would mean wearing a business formal outfit, but I…." She blushed. "I wanted to look nice for your father…."
Towa beamed. "You look beautiful, Mama!"
"Really? Because I haven't worn the dress in a few years, and I'm wondering if I'm getting too old or fat for it. Is my pudge showing too much? I didn't have thirty-year pudge when your father last saw me—although now that I think about it, I may still have had some pregnancy pudge—but regardless, I know he's going to look the same as he always has," Rin fretted, going back to the mirror in the bathroom and turning this way and that.
"Mama, he's not going to care about that at all, and you shouldn't either!"
"I know, but…I'm not the nineteen-year-old girl I was when we parted. Not that thirty-three isn't still young, but…I can see where time is starting to take its effect," Rin said, tapping a finger on the circles under her eyes.
Towa walked over and hugged her mother, staring at her through the mirror. "He's not going to think anything about that when he sees you. He's just going to be so happy to be with you again. But if you're that worried…maybe we can pull some of your hair back and in a half-ponytail?" she mused, taking some stands and holding them for her mother to see. She smiled. "Yes! That adds a little bit of youthful atmosphere—but not too much, since he needs to see how you're matured."
Rin smiled. "Yes, I like that."
As Towa pulled her mother's hair back, she sighed and said, "I admire you for keeping it long, Mama—I couldn't stand mine and chopped it all off."
"Oh, I'm sorry you had to inherit my awful hair," Rin said, reaching back to ruffle Towa's head. "Setsuna was so lucky to get blessed with your father's texture. Oh, how I've envied her for it!"
"Me too!" Towa laughed.
Of course, because Rin had gotten gussied up, she then doted on Towa, adding just a touch of makeup to her face and putting a flower clip in her hair.
"I think Grandmother might die of shock when she sees me," Towa remarked, looking in the mirror. "The most I do for celebrations is put on a proper kimono at her insistence."
"Good—you put her off guard, so that she'll be too shocked to be disappointed with me when I greet her," Rin answered.
Afterwards, Rin found the cabin stifling, so she and Towa walked over to her old garden (with a guard in tow) to look at it while they waited. Though the sunflowers were all bare and browning, the vegetables were ripe and ready for picking.
"Oh, I'd eat one of these now if I didn't want to make a mess of myself," Rin said, squatting down to run her finger of the smooth skin of a pepper. "I'm so glad they kept this garden alive, even though the construction." She stood up and clapped her hands together. "Let's take some pictures!"
She pulled out her camera, making Towa pose with the flowers. Towa then took some pictures of her mother alone before they devolved into taking serious and silly selfies together. As they laughed at a particularly silly one, Towa's heart roiled with both joy and anxiety. Will I be able to hang out with Mama like this again when this is all over? I'm going to miss her so much.
She loved Papa and Grandmother, and she had grown used to being the one to bring joy into the household, but sometimes it was exhausting being the only one smiling or laughing. She and her father would play games of go, and she and her grandmother often listened to the court musicians play, and while she loved being able to spend time with them like that, spending time with Mama was different.
Living with just one parent is living in a world of extremes, but together it'd be perfect. I just know it. After all, there was a time for laughter and a time for silence.
Mama looked at the time on her phone. "It's nearly 13:30. Do you think they've arrived yet? The conference begins at 14:00, but I haven't heard anything. We should probably go to the meeting hall, right?"
Just then, a few people started shouting down near the edge of camp.
"What's going on?" Rin said, grasping Towa's arm.
"Stay there, ladies," their guard said, holding out an arm. Behind the wall of the Sunflower Cabin as they were, they couldn't see what was happening down the way, though the guard kept himself in the road.
Towa strained to hear the individual words, but the most she was picking up was, "Hey, you can't—!" She sniffed, searching for any unusual scents, but whatever was causing the ruckus was downwind.
Just then, their guard reached for his gun and held out an arm. "Halt, sir! I need you to return to your party. You can't—hey!"
Just then, a familiar figure flew around the guard in a flash of silver and white. Towa's face split into a grin. "Papa!"
Just as he landed on the edge of the garden, the guard pulled out his gun and raised it. "Stop right there!"
"No, don't hurt him!" Towa cried out, rushing forward and placing herself between the guard and her father. "Please, he won't harm us!"
Her mother's breathless voice cut through the tense air like a bolt of lightning. "S-Sesshoumaru?"
The guard's arms lowered, and Towa turned her head back towards her parents.
Tears sparkled in her mother's eyes, and he legs trembled as if she was trying to move but couldn't.
And so, because she wouldn't come to him, he went to her. In two swift strides, he crossed the distance between them.
At the same time, a herd of feet pounded the dirt road behind them, and Towa glanced back to find Setsuna and Moroha running up to the cabin with a whole convoy of angry guards and officials behind them. They all froze as they witnessed the scene unfolding.
Towa grinned at her twin and grabbed her hand. Moroha beamed and latched onto her other arm. There would be time later for their reunion. Right now was her parents' time.
Her papa cupped her mother's jaw with both hands. "Rin, my heart. Now I live again."
"Oh, Sesshoumaru," Rin said through a thick throat, placing her hands over his and rubbing her cheek against them. "I can't believe this. Tell me it's not a dream, for I've imagined this so many times."
"As have I. I courted sleep much more these past few years perchance to dream of you."
"I've missed you so, so much."
"I promised I would see you again. I would not lie to you."
Rin chuckled wetly and shook her head. "No, you've never once lied to me, my love."
Knowing how much her father hated an audience, Towa turned around and tried shooing the onlookers back. Some of the media must have been in the group, because naturally, a few of them had their phones out, trying to take videos. But with Setsuna's and Moroha's help, she quietly pushed them back around the corner of the house. Still, she couldn't resist a quick peek back at her parents, and her jaw dropped when she saw something she never believed she would see in her life.
Her father's guard completely down as his lips tenderly met her mother's.
While the officials went back to organize the Northern contingent and make sure everyone else was accounted for, Towa, Setsuna, and Moroha snuck away towards the old farmhouse meeting room.
"Uncle, Aunty, look who I found!" Towa announced, bursting through the doors?
"About time you got he—Moroha?" Uncle Inuyasha said, his eyes widening.
"Dad!" Moroha cried out, running forward and leaping into his arms. He caught her, spinning her around like one would a child and not a teenage. But Moroha didn't seem to mind.
"I can't believe it—seeing you twice in one year. Things are finally starting to look up," he murmured, practically smothering her against his chest.
"Inuyasha, quit hogging her all to yourself!" Aunt Kagome cried out, pounding weakly on his back. "Let me see my baby's face!"
Moroha gasped when Inuyasha finally let her go, but she hardly had a moment to regain her composure before her mother lunged forward and grabbed her cheeks, squishing her face and staring at it. Tears lined Kagome's eyes. "Dear gods, you really are the spitting image of your father. I had wondered if it was just the camera, but…."
"Izzat a bad fing?" Moroha asked through smushed lips, her eyes darting around nervously.
Aunt Kagome shook her head with a small chuckle. "Not at all. I love his face, after all. Come here, my little girl." Then she swooped in and gave Moroha and slightly less bone-crushing hug.
"Oh Mom, I'm so glad I finally got to meet you," Moroha wheedled out through a thick throat, tears glimmering at the corners of her eyes.
Towa wiped away her own tears while Setsuna fanned her eyes. Inuyasha looked over at them then and smiled at Setsuna. "Get over here, kiddo. I haven't seen you in a couple months."
Setsuna padded forward into her uncle's arms. "What, did Towa stop pretending to be me so early?"
"Nah, she kept up the bad acting for about a month, but I figured it out long before."
"Uncle, when will you stop going on about that!" Towa huffed, blowing out her cheeks in her customary pout.
He snickered. "Not anytime soon. Setsuna's going to have quite a reputation to rebuild."
Setsuna frowned and pulled away, turning a hard stare on her sister. "What did you do?"
"Hey, that's hardly true! I mean, everybody knows now that the Setsuna they knew wasn't her, so your classmates won't be confused about why you started failing everything, and the rest of the world knows that I'm the media darling."
"Media…darling?" Setsuna echoed.
"We've got a lot of catching up to do, kiddo," Uncle Inuyasha said, patting Setsuna's head. "But first I've gotta know—how long until Sesshoumaru figured it out?"
Setsuna glanced away, rambling. "Well, um…that's still up in the air, but—"
"From the very start," Sesshoumaru said, his low voice cutting through the pleasant atmosphere as he walked in with Rin on his arm.
"Ha! Really? And I thought Towa was bad," Inuyasha laughed.
Setsuna blushed. "Father, you could have continued to let me believe it took that whole week."
"Papa!" Towa cried out, running up and flinging her arms around him as she wedged herself carefully between the spikes of his armor in a practiced move.
His hand came up to rest against her back. "Towa. You have been gone too long."
"I'm sorry I worried you, Papa," Towa said, nuzzling against his chest like a puppy and taking a deep breath. Setsuna's Mokomoko had just enough scent to tide her over, but now as his full musk enveloped her, she felt right back at home.
When her father's arm disappeared from her back, Towa pulled away to let them into the room. Just then, her mother spotted her cousin. "Is that Moroha?"
"Aunty Rin?" Moroha asked.
"Oh, I've heard so much about you!" Rin said, pulling away from her husband to give her niece a hug. "I'm so glad to meet you. I hear you're quite the daring little lady."
"That would be all due to me, thank you very much," Kouga announced, striding into the room.
"Uncle Kouga!" Towa exclaimed, waving at him.
Inuyasha's nose crinkled. "Ugh, I forgot you were coming."
"Hey, mutt—I raise your daughter for fourteen years, and this is the thanks I get?" Kouga answered, striding over and poking Inuyasha hard in the chest.
"It's a good thing nature is stronger than nurture—that's all I'm gonna say," Inuyasha snapped back.
"Inuyasha, enough!" Aunt Kagome exclaimed. She came up to Kouga. "Please excuse him, sir. You're…Kouga, right?" She grabbed his hands in hers, and Inuyasha balked. "Thank you so much for watching over Moroha in our stead all these years. That is a debt we'll never be able to repay."
Kouga's eyes softened. "Naw, you don't need to worry about anything like that, missy. My wife and I were happy to do it. Besides…this actually repays my life debt to the mutt," he said, nodding his head towards Inuyasha. His expression flattened as he glanced over at him. "Hey mutt face, you could take a few lessons in politeness from this sweet wife of yours over here."
Inuyasha batted Kouga's hands away. "I'll be polite when you're not fondling my wife, you mangy wolf!"
"Who's fondling?" Kouga and Kagome exclaimed at the same time.
Kouga turned away and crossed his arms. "Ya know, I'm startin' to think that raising your pup might have overpaid the debt I owe you."
"I saved your damn life, you ungrateful bastard!"
The two might have gone at it more had another equally cool voice as Sesshoumaru's not cut through the air. "I see you inherited nothing of your father's charm. A pity it was lost on both his sons. It was one of his best—if most troublesome—characteristics."
Inuyasha flinched, the blood draining from his face.
Moroha's eyes widened. "Granny, have you never met my dad before?"
"G-Granny?!" Inuyasha said in a strangled voice.
Inukimi walked into the room, taking in everyone—her eyes lingering longer on Inuyasha, Towa, and Rin. She looked back at Inuyasha, looking him up and down. "Hm. I see you did inherit his eyebrows, however."
"I what?" Inuyasha slapped a hand over his forehead.
Towa rushed in to save her uncle. "Grandmother, let me introduce you to Mama." She grabbed Inukimi's hand and pulled her over to her parents. "Grandmother, this is my amazing mother, Rin. Mama, this is Inukimi, the Lady of the West."
"I title I hold only because my son's…wife…has not been there to claim it," Inukimi answered, looking Rin up and down.
Rin pulled out of Sesshoumaru's grip and executed a deep bow. "Lady Mother, please forgive your daughter's most belated greetings."
"Hmph." Inukimi glanced up at her son. "I suppose you could have done worse, son." Rin rose from her bow, her face carefully neutral, and Towa was so proud of her mother for that. She knew her Grandmother's words were more often cutting than not. Then Inukimi met Rin's gaze. "You raised Setsuna well. She is a strong girl and a fine warrior."
Rin's expression morphed into one of complete joy, and she nodded. "She is indeed! Both our girls are." She then looked up at Sesshoumaru with such adoration, praying monks would be put to shame. Her father's face was so soft basking in her glow that Towa was floored.
Fourteen years, and the love they shared never dwindled, despite the hardships. Towa had never really thought about love before, but she knew then that if she was ever to fall in love, she wanted to have the kind of love her parents shared.
The family reunion continued with more laughs, fights, and awkward silences for the next half hour before the demons were called away to start the official conference.
As Sesshoumaru walked toward the door, he said, "Inuyasha, you come too."
"Why? I ain't someone in charge," his half-brother shot back.
Sesshoumaru sent a hard look at him over his shoulder. "You must speak for the half-demons."
"Ain't Shiori here to do that?"
Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed. "You are part of this clan. You must shoulder at least a modicum of the responsibility that comes with it."
That caused Inuyasha to falter. It took all of two seconds for him to snap out of it. "What the hell, Sesshoumaru? For hundreds of years, you tell me I'm not even part of the family, but now that there's actual work to be done, I'm part of the clan?" Suddenly, he smirked and crossed his arms. "Huh, I get it. You're afraid you can't negotiate your way out of this because you're such a hard-ass."
"Believe what you will," Sesshoumaru answered, striding out of the room, his pelt flowing behind him and curling up in a way that was almost like a master crooking his finger at a dog.
"Hey, wait up—you just said I'm supposed to come!" Inuyasha cried out, running after his brother.
Kagome sighed. "Fourteen years, and those two haven't eased up at all."
"On the contrary—I think they're getting along much better now," Rin answered with a smile.
"It's probably thanks to Moroha. After living with Uncle Inuyasha for two months, I've noticed that she's basically the female version of him. So, Papa's gotten very used to having his brother around, in a matter of speaking," Towa said, throwing her arms over her cousin's shoulders.
Moroha swiped her nose with her finger. "It's a good thing I'm such a cute niece that he just couldn't resist having me around."
As with every dream, this one too had to come to an end. Setsuna was used to the weeks in her modern, hectic life flying by, but this was one week she wished could have lasted forever.
Her father, uncle, and grandmother were in negotiations much of the time, but that left her, Towa, Moroha, Aunt Kagome, Mother, and Rion to spend quality girl-time together in the oasis of the camp (and even the constant guards hovering on the edge of their vision couldn't dampen their spirits). Rion even recounted their adventures to a very interested Towa, who was more confused than mortified by the fact that Setsuna had had to imply she would kiss Riku to trick him when she and Rion ran away.
"Sounds like both my girls have admirers," their mother giggled. Then she sighed. "They grow up so fast."
Setsuna frowned. "Who's admiring me?"
Towa turned beat red. "Um…someone may have confessed to me while I was being you—but I swear I didn't do anything improper, like accept or reject him! You'll have to do that yourself when he tries again!"
"W-Who?" Setsuna demanded, but no matter how she tried to get Towa to spill the beans, her sister kept her mouth shut. It was the one time she wished Towa's lips were as loose as Moroha's.
They were able to spend time with her father, uncle, and—when she deigned it—her grandmother outside of meeting hours. The Southern government had provided all of the meals for the week, and it had honestly been a shock to Setsuna to see most of the demons eating. Of course, she knew the wolf tribe contingent were voracious eaters, but seeing Kirinmaru partake of the vegetarian offerings and even his Four Perils break bread with the rest of them had been nothing short of surprising. Her own father and grandmother barely touched a thing, although they appeared to eat just enough to be polite.
Uncle Inuyasha was usually the one to bring them up to speed on how negotiations were faring each day. It was slow progress. Her father had laid out his proposal for designating the Zone of Neutrality as a place for half-demons and their families to live.
The Southern government was, of course, concerned that the onus for such a project would be put upon them, since most of the half-demon population lived in the South—meaning they would be accustomed to all the trappings of Southern life that the Zone of Neutrality simply didn't have. While the remains of the electric grid, the sewer infrastructure, and some roads still existed, fourteen years of neglect were sure to have taken a toll, as evidenced by the Camp Half Demon project. Miss Shiori was forced to go into excruciating detail on everything it had taken to bring the camp into working order and how long the project had taken.
Those concerns were in part eased when Sesshoumaru and Kirinmaru offered to help fund the project and import menial labor. With demonic strength assisting in construction, it would take far less time. Also, the North still operated on a gold standard, meaning their coins were worth the weight of their metal, making them far more valuable than the paper currency of the South.
Another issue arose in terms of immigration and security. They debated whether the Zone of Neutrality would remain just that—a neutral zone with no government of its own—or if it needed to be named its own country. It took an entire day for them to agree that it should become a specialized autonomous region—it would not officially be recognized as a separate government and would remain a "neutral" space between the countries, but it would need to have representatives to speak for it to both the North and the South.
Then of course came the debates on how people should be let in. The demons were ready to just let any half-demon through the gates that wanted to go, but the South was a stickler for bureaucracy and insisted that there needed to be an application process so that each person could be vetted before being let through. Their worst fear, after all, was that by mixing humans, demons, and half-demons again, war would break out once more.
An application process would also allow them to know just how many houses were going to have to be built. As Miss Shiori pointed out, many half-demons did not have the financial resources to outright purchase a home, and she suggested that the application process be used as reparations for them. But then Inuyasha mentioned that not all half-demons who lived in the South had been forcibly evicted from the Zone, and other government officials agreed that it might send a bad message to give them something they hadn't "earned," so to speak.
Needless to say, a single week was not enough to work out all the details, but at the very least, the two delegations agreed to begin the Zone of Neutrality Rehabilitation Project, and that was a victory in and of itself.
To that end, Sesshoumaru offered to move into the Zone and see to the reconstruction efforts himself, on the condition that his family was allowed to live with him. Once again, he proposed using the camp as a base of operations until other villages could be rebuilt. While the Southern government did not appear to have a problem with that—remarking that theirs could be the first applications processed—the timeline did not suit Sesshoumaru's designs.
Two years. The Southern government argued that two years was the least amount of time needed to get an undertaking of this magnitude up and running. During that time, the Zone of Neutrality would continue to remain in use only for military officials.
Setsuna saw how this compromise bothered her father. According to Towa, his utter silence and the permanent crease in his brow indicated that he was absolutely inconsolable. That night, their mother stayed with their father, holding his hand, stroking his pelt, and consoling him.
"It won't be so terrible, Sesshoumaru. Haven't you always told me that years fly by like days to demonkind? You'll blink and it will be over."
"I cannot leave you again."
She squeezed his hand harder. "I know it will be difficult…but I think the parting will be easier this time. At least now we'll know. We'll have a set date for when we can see each other again."
Her mother was strong, but she also had tears in her eyes. So, Towa leaned against their mother, and Setsuna leaned against their father, and they stayed together in companionable silence that night.
Then, the day came for them to part ways.
There had been one final meeting that morning to reiterate next steps, open lines of communication, and tentatively plan for successive meetings. Those, at least, promised to be breaks within the two years when the family might reunite again. Then came time for their farewells.
"I can't believe we have to say goodbye again," Towa cried, hugging Setsuna.
"But look at what we accomplished—all because of your crazy plan," Setsuna said. When they pulled away, Setsuna smiled at her sister. "Thank you for talking me into breaking the law. I never would have done it otherwise."
Towa laughed. "I think Moroha's recklessness rubbed off on me over the years."
They looked over to their cousin, who was hugging Kouga.
"Take care, Moro," Kouga said, rubbing her back. "And don't let living in a fancy civilization beat the wild wolf outta ya."
"I won't, Pops. Thanks so much for everything. You know I love you and Ma, right?"
"Of course, kiddo, and we understand. We always knew this arrangement was temporary. We're just glad we got to have you as long as we did," Kouga said.
Moroha sniffed and pulled away. "Damn, Pops—one might think there's actually a heart in there under all that snark."
"Hey, wolves love their pups, okay? Never forget that," he said, ruffling her hair. "And if you ever get sick of living with the mutt and your mom, you know you're always welcome to come back—assuming those damn Southerners let you. I swear, I've never seen people so in love with paperwork. Friggin' armistice has made them soft."
Moroha laughed. "I'm not complaining." Then she trotted over to her cousins and threw her arms around Towa. "I can't believe I'm parting from you again. And this time I actually know about it. I still can't believe you guys didn't tell me you were switching. I'm not going to let you live that down."
"We'll see each other again soon though!" Towa said. "Meanwhile, I hope you have fun living in the South. It's seriously amazing, Moroha. But loud. But also amazing. And your parents are super fun. You'll love it. But not school. School sucks."
"Hmph," Setsuna huffed. "I will tutor you."
The twins then turned to their parents, who were holding hands and staring at each other.
"You said the next meeting is in six months, right? We'll see you then, okay? Don't fret," their mother said, reaching up to caress their father's cheek. He closed his eyes, and Setsuna knew she wasn't imagining the minute movement of him tilting his head into her hand.
"I will work to make them move this process along faster," Sesshoumaru answered. "Humans are greedy creatures who lust for money. I would offer all I have to see you again that much faster."
Rin frowned. "You know how I feel about you spending excessively. Don't do more than you have to. I know you're a better strategist than that. You've always played your cards close to the vest. Don't stop now."
"I do not play cards."
Rin laughed. "Oh silly—it's just an expression. But next time, Setsuna and I will bring some, and we'll make a card player of you yet!"
The levity lasted only for a few seconds before the somber mood dampened their expressions again. "I love you, Sesshoumaru."
"My heart will not beat until we are together again," he answered.
He lowered his head, pressing their foreheads together. Then Rin pushed herself up just a bit more and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. Though it was not a long kiss by any means, even Setsuna could tell that their lips lingered on each other longer than such kisses usually merited.
When they parted, Sesshoumaru rubbed a thumb over Rin's cheeks, brushing away a tear. "One day soon, time will not impede us."
Their mother blushed, but she smiled nonetheless. "I can't wait."
Then she pulled away, keeping their hands interlocked until she was finally too far out of reach. She reached for Setsuna with her other hand, walking backwards toward the official vehicles that would transport them out of the Zone of Neutrality and never taking her eyes off her husband. Even when they were seated in the car, his stare bored through the window, meeting her gaze, breaking only when the vehicle turned around and drove to the South. Even then, Rin and Setsuna turned around in their seats, staring through the back window as Sesshoumaru's and Towa's forms grew smaller and smaller until they disappeared from view.
They rode in silence through the tunnel. The train of vehicles stopped on the other side of The Wall at the gatehouse. They had already been vetted on the other side, and Towa and Setsuna had relinquished their pearls to Rion in full sight of the officials, so there could be no tricks again. As keeper of the Shikon Jewel, they agreed that Rion should have custody of the pearls born from it.
Her uncle got out of the car behind them and started unloading their luggage from the vehicles and bringing them over to their car parked in the lot. Moroha was busy admiring the scenery.
"It doesn't look any different than the North," she said, walking onto the grass and staring at a copse of trees just ahead. "I'm kinda disappointed."
"Just wait. This is a military zone, so there's nothing here. We'll reach civilization soon enough, and your ears will be ringing," Setsuna answered. Even now, she was trying to tune out the chatter of the border guards, some of whom were talking about the new resolution for the Zone and debating whether or not it would work and others who were doing a head count.
Moroha narrowed her eyes at the trees. "Hey, did you see something flash in the trees just now?"
"Flash?" Setsuna echoed, pulling herself out of her thoughts. "No, why?"
"Girls!" Rin called out, coming over to them. "Come with me. They're rechecking that everybody's accounted for."
"Why?" Setsuna asked.
"I don't know—something about a guard not being at his post?" She grabbed Setsuna's hand.
The wind changed, and a faint click popped in Setsuna's ears. She turned around just as Moroha did. "Mother wait. Did you hear that too?" Setsuna asked.
"What is it?" Rin asked, stepping back to look in the direction her daughter was.
Moroha narrowed her eyes, scanning the trees. "Yeah, but I don't recognize it—"
A shot rang out. Setsuna's heart lurched.
A soft cry filled the air, and her mother's hand tensed around hers.
"W-What the hell was that?!" Moroha cried out, slapping her hands over her ears.
Rin's hand suddenly tensed in Setsuna's grasp. She turned and stared in horror as her mother fell to her knees, her shoulder bleeding red.
"Mother!"
Officials started running for cover while guards and soldiers pulled out their guns looking for the assailant. Setsuna bent down to hold her mother as Rin's breathing labored.
"Setsu…run," she gasped.
Another shot rang out, and pain lanced through Setsuna's back.
She cried out and curled over her mother, trying to shield her, but oh gods, the pain. She had suffered so many wounds in training—she should be used to this—but she could feel the bullet lodged within her.
"Holy shit!" Moroha cried out. "Setsuna, you're bleeding!"
"Moroha, get down!" Uncle Inuyasha cried out, running towards them.
"Mother…please…stay with me…" Setsuna murmured as her vision blurred between black and red.
"Shit—Setsuna!" The hollow echo of her uncle's voice filtered through her thoughts. "Don't give into the demon!"
"F-Father…Towa…help," Setsuna said before the world went red.
AN: …Yes, I am evil. Yes, this was always planned and not a result of me being evil in My Sanctuary. Yes, this is unfortunate timing that both stories are reaching these climaxes. Yes, there is only one chapter left. …See you then!