I Do Not Own InuYasha


Ichariba Chode

行逢りば兄弟

"Though we meet but once, even by chance, we are friends for life"


IV: 24


Year 839...

Somewhere near Akita, Japan...

A few days of hard flying on A-Un and Rin was at her wits end with entertaining Sesshōmaru. The pup was not happy about this, at least not until she saw the western shores coming into sight. She wanted to weep for joy at the sight of the familiar shoreline. Having travelled all over Japan with her lord as a child she was more than familiar with the sights of her homeland, he had made her memorize a great many.

"Look my lord," she whispered into the sleeping pup's ear. Sesshōmaru grumbled as he shifted on her lap. In the autumn's mist it would've been easy to miss, but this was the north eastern shore, she smiled. They were near Hokkaido InuYōkai Clan and Akita InuYōkai Clan territories, thank the kami, if she could make it to them then she would be able to find a way to the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan. This was good!

Sesshōmaru was suddenly fully awake, hoisting himself up between A-Un's heads. She gripped his mokomoko firmly. They were both wet and miserable, no need to make it worse by getting a swim in the ocean.

"Rin!?" he called out.

"Hm?" she hummed.

"Where are we?"

"If we are where I think we are then we are north, near the Hokkaido or Akita territories," she called to him. She was hoping they were closer to the Akita territories rather than the Hokkaido; she was a bit more familiar with the Akita history than the Hokkaido.

The Akita were one of the Shikoku's closest allies and their founding Alpha of the Clan was still in charge. Odate-sama was a dear friend of Kimi-sama's, and a close ally. She hoped that that was still true, because she did not know who the Alpha of the Hokkaido Clan was right at this moment.

"Who is Bokusenō?" he asked her again.

"Well, he's a trusted advisor of my lord, he's nearer the to the east than the west, but he is in the north."

"Why do you need him?" Sesshōmaru asked.

"I need him to help me decipher what Chang'e's scroll means," Rin explained.

"I can do that," he protested.

"Hai, you could, but I think we need someone who truly understands what the scroll says, not just the hanji written," she explained.

"Oh."

"It's not that I do not believe you couldn't do this, it's a matter of I think that this is something you will learn, in time, not now," she mused. "I have the utmost confidence that you will sort this out," she promised.

He nodded determinedly which had her smiling. Slowly A-Un started his decent which had her holding onto Sesshōmaru a bit tighter. Eventully they landed on the lightly snowed in shores of their homeland which had her taking a deep breath as she swung off A-Un, holding the reigns and Sesshōmaru followed suit. The late autumn was turning to winter, this would make travelling more difficult, and she had no doubts there were no travel areas of Japan she should not go with Sesshōmaru being who he was, but that had never stopped her lord when she was a child. However, her lord also had the power to back his ability to walk wherever he wanted.

Now, it was a human and a Shikoku InuYōkai Clan heir.

"We need to find the Akita InuYōkai Clan, Odate-sama will be able to help us, and get us supplies," she said.

"Odate-sama?" Sesshōmaru asked. "He's friends with mother," he informed her as they moved towards the forest.

"Hai, he is," she nodded.

"Why do we need supplies?"

"Well, winter is coming upon us, there's only going to be more snow, it's best we are prepared rather than left to die of exposure."

"Cold kills humans?" he asked.

"Hai, cold kills humans," she nodded.

He nodded seriously. "Humans are weak."

"Compared to yōkai, hai, we are," she chuckled. "Have you ever been to the Akita home?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"Well, this is our first diplomatic trip, let us attempt not to blow up their castle," she chuckled." Zhēnzhū Gǎng Palace doesn't count as our first diplomatic trip," she promised as they started inland.

"That wasn't very diplomatic," he agreed.

"No it wasn't, but we would've made Kimi-sama proud," she decided.

For the first time in her entire life, Rin was glad she had had the smarts to grab boots before running out of a palace, the snow wasn't thick, but it was a nice blanket, no doubt it would get worse as time continued. Snow was a menace for travelling, she was aware of that. That thought hit her and she turned to her lord, the pup was determinedly not shivering, but she snatched up his mokomoko and wrapped it around his shoulders and neck.

"There, yōkai die of cold too when they are too little or too young," she reminded him.

"Do not," he huffed.

"Do too, let's go find Odate-sama," she mused as she took his hand and they started walking again.

There was movement in the forest as they walked which had Rin slowing a bit, Sesshōmaru's ears twitched as he looked around while A-Un's heads looked opposite directions now. Rin could feel the change in the air, and sensed the pack moving around her.

When she was young she had trained in winters with Zen, Riki, and Goro this way.

"Remain calm, do not shift forms, my lord," she warned lowly. The pack, if the Akita deployed the same tactics as the Shikoku, were circling them. The last thing they needed was a fight, her lord would probably win but she didn't want to test that.

Suddenly a large brindle Akita stood before them and she felt his power shift, then snap as his humanoid appearance took place of his yōkai appearance. She recognized his markings then. For the Shikoku served Tsukuyomi-kami, and as such Shikoku's line was marked as servants of the moon. But the Akita were famed for following Izanagi, and the sun marked the line of Odate.

"Odate-sama," she bowed her head slightly.

"I know the marks on the pup, the Shikoku heir, but tell me why is he with you, human?" the Akita inuyōkai snarled lowly as he cracked his knuckles menacingly.

"Because my lord ordered me to return Sesshōmaru-sama to his Clan, and to do that I need humbly seek the assistance of the Akita Clan, Odate-sama," she explained.

"You bear this pup's mark, human," Odate stated.

"Hai, I do," she admitted. There was no point in denying what was there, what had marked her most of her life as Sesshōmaru's.

"And why should I help you, a human?" he growled. "I could just kill you and return the pup for a handsome reward!" he smiled.

"You touch Rin, I will kill you," Sesshōmaru snarled possessively which had her looking at the other alpha.

"You heard my lord, and trust me, you do not wish to test him, despite his young age," she assured Odate. In her time Odate had lost his eye for underestimating an opponent, Rin didn't think that it was Sesshōmaru whom he had underestimated.

"Rin rescued me," Sesshōmaru stated haughtily.

"Did she now? Never known a human to succeed in rescuing a daiyōkai pup," Odate mused. "You must regale me with your feats," he insisted.

"I would be happy to," Rin bowed her head slightly. "But I must plead that we do it in your home rather than here, humans are weak afterall and we die of the cold," she pointed out.

The inuyōkai blinked at her, all of them stunned and suddenly a booming laugh escaped Odate.

"Hai, we will, back Akai Taiyō Castle," he stated.

"Thank you, my lord," she replied.

"Never entertained a member of the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan or the Packs," he mused ferally.

"We shan't impose upon you long," she promised as she walked after him. His other guards materialized behind her and Sesshōmaru, she sensed her lord's unease about their arrival, but she didn't stress about it. The more relaxed and calm she radiated for Sesshōmaru, the calmer the pup would remain.

"Tell me, human, how is it you've come to be in the ranks of the Shikoku inuyōkai Pack," Odate asked as they walked.

"Her name is Rin!" Sesshōmaru barked.

"Only my lord and his mother are permitted to call me human, di si again at your own peril," she warned him. "And I was long since adopted into the Shikoku InuYōkai Pack, since my childhood."

"I didn't think Shikoku's pack would welcome a human," he remarked. "Not with Tōga running things as Inu no Taishō."

"He has not choice in the matter, my lord outranks him," she firmly replied.

"So, you are a ward of Shikoku's? Strange, but then he always was an eccentric alpha." Odate seemed to assess her in a new light. "You remind me of someone," he said after a small bit of time.

"I have one of those faces," she dismissed.


Tsuzuki Castle...

The first snow was reported in the north and her heart sunk at the news. Death of Jimmu had scattered the Hyōnekozoku, not surprising really. Tōga was out there looking for their son, and Kimi had remained here in Tsuzuki for the time being to run things for the Clan.

Delegations from the other Packs within the Clan would be here for the winter meetings, the planning of spring planting, distribution of resources, and protection of their territories. Kimi wasn't looking forward to it, she was worrying about her son. What little she knew about Chang'e and Tiāngǒu left her terrified for her pup, a part of her, a very dominant part of her wanted to run off and tear apart the spirit worlds for her pup, but she couldn't do that. She was Alpha of the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan.

"Kimi-sama?" a voice called from behind her which had her turning to look at Tōga's consort, Michi, from the Hokkaido InuYōkai Clan.

"What is it?" she sighed.

"The other alphas have arriged," she said. "And this, it's from Tokushima."

Kimi snatched up the parcel from the other consort and walked away as she went to her private quarters. Iya was still safe with the nursemaids so she felt comfortable opening the parcel.

'Kimi-sama,

-I have found a lead for Sesshōmaru-sama's location, the scent is very faint, it's to the north. I will travel to the Akita InuYōkai Clan territories and speak with Odate-sama about this matter, due to weather though this may take me some time.

-Tokushima'

She closed the message and took a deep breath, Tokushima was the best hunter of the Packs within her clan, he would find her son, of that she had no doubts. She hoped to every kami she knew that Sesshōmaru was safe, that he was well looked after, and he would return home soon.

She also hoped Tōga finally killed his parents for this offense. There was only so much of this she could take! For the first time in her life she wished to have the comfort of a lover, Tōga would never be a comfort to her for he was a partner, but she yearned for a lover's arms around her whispering promises of good tidyings for her son's fate in her ear. She wished for the first time in her lifetime she had not mated Tōga, and that she was not Alpha in her father's stead. She just wanted someone, anyone to promise her that her son would be alright.

If anything happened to Sesshōmaru she would not survive the loss.

"My lady?" Michi's voice called through her fusma.

"Hai?" she called back immediately burning the missive from Tokushima.

"Your uncle is requesting our presence," the consort said.

"I will be right there," she stated icily as she watched the last of Tokushima's missive turn to ash and the small flame flicker out. All that remained was ash, with that in mind she left her quarters, no one would know her weakness right now.


Year 1581...

Zhēnzhū Gǎng Palace, Spirit World, China...

InuYasha looked around the quarters that Sesshōmaru had brought them to, and was stunned at their beauty. Even his mother, and Tsuzuki Castle didn't have finery like this, it was almost like a different world. Sesshōmaru had said nothing until now, and now his brother grasped a table and held himself upright.

"You fool!" InuYasha hissed.

Sesshōmaru growled lowly and threateningly when InuYasha went to him.

"So what is the plan, why is Miroku in the woods rather than here?" InuYasha demanded stepping away from his brother. Sesshōmaru pushed himself upright anght and walked to the bed, taking a seat on it before removing his heavy armor.

"Miroku looks like a monk who came with Rin and I last time we were here, Wu Min, Wu Min stole several documents about our grandmother's immortality and how to end it," he sighed.

"So?"

"So we will need Miroku to do exactly what Fǔ Yáng orders," he sighed.

"Who the fuck is Fǔ Yáng?"

"Fǔ Yáng is a nine tailed kitsune who has sworn fidelity to Mikadzuki-sama," he answered tiredly. InuYasha figured that it had taken a lot of energy for Sesshōmaru to pull off the stunt he had, especially with a curse running rampant in his heart and chest.

"And this helps us how?"

"Because if we can kill Chang'e we take her lands and can leave," he stated. "I already have a delegate who can manage this province."

"So this is a power grab?" InuYasha huffed, a bit affronted by his brother's self serving ways.

"No, this is unfettered access to one of the most extensive libraries in any realm and research on Magatsuhi," he answered. "As well as the Honekui no Ido."

"Why do we need information about Honekui no Ido?"

"Something Bokusenō said once," Sesshōmaru answered but didn't elaborate. InuYasha was a bit annoyed with his brother until the doors were opened and in walked a stunning yōkai. He was a bit startled at her beauty.

"Imperial Prince Jūn Ān, Empress Chang'e has requested your presence," she started.

Sesshōmaru waved her off before sprawling out on the bed and shutting his eyes.

"What's that about?"

"The coronation," he answered.

"So, you become Emperor, what's this matter?"

"While I am becoming emperor, you and your monk will be killing Chang'e," he stated.

"We will?"

"Hai, Fǔ Yáng will inform the monk," Sesshōmaru breathed and didn't elaborate. InuYasha opted to leave his brother alone as he walked out of the room and looked at the garden, though it was beautiful he felt very trapped here, and wished he was back home or in Tsuzuki Castle.

He felt like he was back in the shiro his mother had raised him in until her death, it was rather stifling. He noticed the servants and dignitaries fluttering about, as well as the lack of life within the palace walls. Honestly, he was amazed if Rin had actually been here and hadn't blown it all to hell.


Year 1309...

Setsuna Castle, Japan...

Her hair fell around her as she stood in her garden at the small marker that she had erected for her daughter. It was the first time since her daughter had been buried that she had been here. Negai's name was neatly carved into the marker, and there was a small incense burning. Her lip trembled as she stood there in the heavy snow of midwinter and shivered against the cold.

She wondered where Tōga was now.

Her own husband's missive about her miscarriage of their daughter had been rather dismissive, and heartless, it had her wanting to scream at Takemaru for all that she had lost. It also made her wonder if Tōga would handle this matter than her husband had, she wanted to know if he would even care, or if he'd hold her tightly and just let her weep.

Takemaru had merely said that this was a gift from Kami so they could begin again and do it right. A chance for her to make them a son.

Oh Kami that had killed her. Her precious little Negai wasn't good enough for her husband and that had killed her inside, she wanted Tōga's arms around her. She wanted someone to mourn the loss of her daughter with her, to understand her agony and sorrow. Rin would have understood, though it wouldn't have been as deep, Tōga would've too, but Takemaru…

Her husband was dead to her, if he should survive the war she would bear him no children.


Anoyo To no Sakai, Japan...

Tōga glared at the fallen body of Shishinki, Sō'unga trembled in his grasp as he held the Meidō Stone in his hand and stared at Izanami's favored servant.

"I need these," he said, his voice shaking.

"They will kill you," the daiyōkai informed him meekly, the wound of missing half his face and head was a hideous one. Tōga was surprised Shishinki was still breathing, he could see the brain and insides of Shishinki's face from where Tōga had deflected the Meidō Zangetsuha back to Shishinki. The small orb had torn off half the daiyōkai's face.

"Then I'll die saving my sons," he stated tiredly as he sheathed Sō'unga and held his prize in his hand.

"This isn't over Tōga! I will get my Meidō Stone back!"

"You know where we are, if you can take if from Kimi-sama you are welcomed to try," he snarled icily before stalking off. He couldn't fail his sons, he couldn't let his sons fail, not again, he couldn't lose more pups because he was incapable of being a decent father. He would not let Rin's future fail. Perhaps in death he would be a better father than he ever had been in life.

Walking through the Gates of the Afterlife and to the mortal realm he released a shaky breath as he felt a bit more of his power drained from him. Kami, he didn't know how much longer he could keep doing this, the snow was already to his waist when he entered the realm of mortals.

Suddenly he was struck by an overwhelming, agonizing, familiar sorrow, and he sighed, he needed to get to Izayoi.