I do not own Inuyasha!
While they waited for Inuyasha's and Koga's arrival, Kagome's mind took her back to the last time that she'd lived in this quaint little town called Edo. It was twenty seven years ago to be exact.
The first two years after she'd left was spent with Sesshomaru, being exiled and adding two beautiful daughters to their already large family. The next twenty five years had them travelling throughout Japan and neighboring countries on their noble pilgrimage for salvation. It was quite odd Kagome thought, even after all these many years Edo remained unchanged, it was as if time stood still in the town, like it's soul was captured in a painting where it would forever be untouched.
The few homes that could be seen from this point way out on the horizon were small with smoke rising from the chimneys, as villagers became awake and prepared their morning meals. The smell of sweet wood and other burning lumber wafted in the air and carried to their nostrils by the mild morning breeze.
The scents were earthy and filled with life, reminding Kagome of the days when she'd hunted jewel shards with her friends as a time travelling teen, spending many nights out in the open under a moonlit sky, and cooking a meal over a log fire.
Those were the good old days, but with life nothing stays the same, fortunately for her she has a loving mate and beautiful children by her side. The heavy footsteps and chatter coming in their direction alerted them of their guest's arrival, and breaking her chain of thought.
The quick strides of the inu-hanyou and wolf demon closed the distance in mere seconds, stopping as they joined the family. Koga's sunny blue gaze looked from Sesshomaru's tall form to the children and then settling on Kagome. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes he might still be in doubt even after Inuyasha assured him of the facts.
Still it was hard to believe how all their lives ended up. He had married Ayame and they had three litters up to date comprising of twins at every birthing. He had grown to love her over the years and was a very contented male. His clan had grown exponentially after the defeat of Naraku. It was a time of peace, a time for love and family, and they'd gone about their daily lives doing nothing but marrying and having babies.
In the few seconds that he came to stand before them reflecting Kagome seemed impatient and spoke.
"Are you just going to stand there and stare impolitely…Or are you going to greet me?"
Koga laughed long. "Ha-ha, Ha-ha, you haven't changed at all Kagome."
The weird silence was broken and Kagome hugged him for a few seconds, then Inuyasha who returned the embrace shyly.
Kagome introduced Koga to the children and by the time she was down to the seventh child Koga interjected playfully.
"How do you keep track of all their names?"
Kagome smiled, Inuyasha laughed aloud while Sesshomaru looked on silently. There was an ill wind in the atmosphere, the scent of chaos and destruction. Maybe Inuyasha would know he thought, because he couldn't make sense of the feelings of evil or the scents.
Inuyasha took notice and saw that the children had grown to be teenagers. They were beautiful adolescents, mature beyond their years and polite. The only child he wasn't familiar with was Aiko who kept staring at his ears. She was her mother's daughter in every way, because as soon as he had that thought the young demoness spoke up.
"Uncle Inuyasha your ears just twitched…Can I touch them?"
Inuyasha scowled, everyone else laughed except Sesshomaru whose thoughts were on other things.
Turning to Kagome who was laughing so hard at this point that her eyes watered, Inuyasha asked suspiciously.
"Did you put her up to this?"
Kagome could barely contain her mirth but tried regardless. "Oh no…I wouldn't…I didn't," and laughed even harder as Aiko walked up to Inuyasha who was shorter than her by about three inches and brushed her long fingers over his furry ears.
"Oh my they are so soft!" Aiko exclaimed.
Inuyasha ears flattened onto his skull instinctively with embarrassment, but his niece wasn't finished with him yet, as she hugged and kissed the top of his head.
"Nice to meet you uncle, I've heard so much about you from mother and Shippo," she said in the most cheerful tone.
"Alright enough of this," Inuyasha countered and removed himself from the hug.
With the merry greetings out of the way it was time for the real reason why they were here. Sesshomaru put the worrying thoughts from his mind and concentrated on his family. They were quite taken up with the newly arrived guests, and his youngest child was being herself and inquisitive.
"Inuyasha have the preparations been made?" Sesshomaru asked speaking for the first time.
"Yes," he said, "follow me."
They walked briskly for about half mile then came to a halt by the tree of ages, the place where Kagome met Inuyasha for the first time sealed to its trunk in sleep. Further down into the thickness of the undergrowth a rooftop peeked out from the dense vegetation.
Leading the way Inuyasha led the party through the bushes and into a small clearing where a large house awaited them. It was a home of simple design, but elegant. The first floor was equipped with a large kitchen, adjoining living and eating area, a bathroom, and a long and spacious front porch. The upper floor consisted of five bedrooms and two bathrooms; this is where they would live until their work was done.
Kagome looked at the home and sighed in contentment. Over the years moving around became less burdensome because they'd made many friends and people who joined their organization, like Koga and Inuyasha among others who not only prepared a place for them to stay, but also spread the word through meetings and the distribution of written notices ahead of time.
Kagome with the help of the girls prepared a meal that they all partook of on the patio in the cool evening breeze.
When the table was cleared of the dinner plates, utensils and refreshments served, Sesshomaru inquired. "Inuyasha what is that strange smell and presence I scented earlier?"
Resting the glass carefully down on the table Inuyasha responded.
"Dragons."
Kagome mumbled the word distractedly, as the sensation of fear welled up in her heart when she remembered the first encounter with one at the council meeting. It had been an ominous and scary sight to behold, one that left her shivering not only from the might of the beast but from fear itself.
The children all remained quiet although the idea of dragons were a little terrifying, none of them had ever seen one except for Taizo, so their fears were built on stories that they'd heard. While they all contemplated on the matter Koga was the one to break the silence.
"To the south of my territory there are a series of small human villages that were said to be attacked by two large dragons, but I have not seen or was able to confirm if the allegations were true."
Kagome could not tear her gaze from his face as he'd spoken, because if what he said was true, then they not only have a species to save but dragons to dispose of. Because if dragons were in fact attacking and devastating human villages, that one singular act could undo all that they have worked for tirelessly over the years.
Sesshomaru studied Kagome while sipping the bitter but slightly sweet wine in the glass, knowing full well what she was thinking and the consequences of those actions.
"It is the truth," Inuyasha finally said lifting his head. "Ryoma sired three children with your former partner," and tilting his head in Sesshomaru's direction he continued. "They have taken a liking for the flesh of livestock and the blood of young human maidens. I have been to the site of their devastation."
Sesshomaru glanced west; the sun was already slipping below the horizon.
"Inuyasha take me to this place," he said, his voice low and cold.
Getting up from the table quickly, the pair made their way outside disappearing in the bushes leaving everyone else at a loss for words.
Sesshomaru held onto his brother's shoulder without saying a word, formed his orb and transported them away. At Inuyasha's prompting they landed into the middle of an abandoned village. He stepped forward, the smell of death and sulfur permeated the air like the bowels of hell.
It was a stench so foul that it almost made him hesitant, made him want to make a hasty retreat, but he wouldn't. This place was one that he was quite familiar with, it was the human village that as a lord he was directly responsible for, and he knew the tenants.
On closer inspection he found that most of the inhabitants perished in the fires, but a hut furthest from the rest stood undamaged. He and Inuyasha discovered the strange sight simultaneously and approached cautiously with swords drawn.
By scent alone there didn't seems to be any indication of life, but experienced had taught him never to take anything at face value. Inuyasha went to the back while he continued to the front of the hut. A large rat rushing pass him coming from under the door startled him, he stopped a few moments, then continued slowly, cautiously forward listening and scenting the air for intruders or anything odd, but there was nothing.
He felt when the wind picked up along with massive energies and jumped into the air just before he heard Inuyasha shouted.
"Wind scar!"
The blast tore a huge hole down the center of the two room hut. He expelled a breath as the smoke cleared and re-joined Inuyasha on the ground.
To the extreme right of the first hut bodies were piled on top of each other that looked to be young girls, although they couldn't be sure because of the state of decay on some of the bodies. It was a gory and disturbing sight, one that made the blood freeze, crawling creepily under the skin.
"Come Inuyasha there is no life to be found here,"
Raising his palms over the corpses and releasing acidic poisons dissolved the rotting flesh into a puddle of goo, then he turned to go, but for the briefest of instances an image flashed across his eyes before disappearing into the bushes.
He moved swiftly and gave chase, catching up with the human and stood before her like a white tower. She gasped with fright and fell onto her bottom looking up at the cold demon.
"Please don't kill me…I am sorry." She cried lowering her head.
Giving the situation some thought he decided to talk to her and find out what he could.
"I will not harm you," he said softly.
The young girl looked away from the ground and on him with wet eyes and a dirty face. Inuyasha caught up with them momentarily looking on silently.
"What are you doing in a place like this?" Inuyasha asked.
The girl glanced away from him then answered. "This used to be my home, but the winged demons came and destroyed it."
"Why were you spared when everyone else perished?" Sesshomaru inquired thoughtfully.
She was silent a moment before answering. "I was away on an errand when the attacks occurred. I came back only to witness half the town being burnt, while females my age were gathered..?"
Her emotions took control of her then and she began to cry in earnest, her face buried in her palms. The brothers waited patiently until she calmed and continued.
"One by one my friends and only sister were devoured," she finished off lowly, shaking her head from side to side as the tears continued to flow.
"How was it done because I found their bodies inside that old hut?" Inuyasha asked curiously.
"All I know is what I saw. They were two of them flying around, and after they set the town ablaze they turned into beautiful men like you two. They grabbed the girls and kissed them, and after a while they fell to the ground looking like old women. I ran away after I witnessed two more girls dying the same way."
Her voice broke with the tears as she'd recounted the sad events.
"There is nothing here now so why did you come back?" Sesshomaru asked thoughtfully.
The girl sighed. "I was hungry that is why I came back."
They took the bedraggled girl with them, leaving her behind would have been too cruel; alone, hungry and desolate. Sesshomaru decided something very important on his way back to his family. He had to act now or all that he, his mate, his children and others have labored for would be for naught.
He had to find a way to rid of Ryoma and his offspring's, his mother and thus reclaiming his kingdom. But the tree hermit's prophesy resounded inside his head like a dreadful headache. 'Regaining your kingdom will give you some leverage in the war for absolution, but it will be to the detriment of your mate.'
How will regaining my kingdom hurt Kagome and drive my family apart? While he sped home he kept on asking himself the same question over and over, while the answer to it remained a puzzle.
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