A/N: Hey everyone...
I think I have a bit of bad news... I might not be updating as regularly with this story.
I've currently got about six stories spread out over three websites that I have to update, four of which I have to update on a regular basis, the other two which I need to write epilogues for, plus a bunch of one-shots I need to work on, as well as a continuation for a challenge fic that I need to get posted, not to mention all the crap I have to do in my life off the computer.
I don't know if this will actually cause I great impact on the story though... Considering I usually update at least one story every day... Hopefully I'll be able to keep up a fairly regular update routine. This is just a warning in case I can't-- there probably won't be updates ever one or two days anymore... might take me three or four. Maybe even (dare I say it?) five.
Gomen again, but I just can't keep up updating every story every single day... No matter how much I wish I could...
Oh, and thanks to everyone who read Subjection, Subjugation-- that story should be updated sometime in the near future... I hope anyway...
-RamblingPhilosopher - Lol, yeah, he probably is going to be quite the strange character to portray. Hopefully I can have some fun with him too though. -- Lol... okay... I'm not entirely certain what to say to that... Just... smile and nod... -- Lol, I quite personally have a very low tolerance for American/Canadian idol (the only judge I've ever seen with any sense on either of those shows is Simon. Paula is an absolute RETARD!) but if you and your stupid friend Samuel like watching it, then by all means...
--cutie-inuyasha-sexy-sesshomaru - Lol, well I have no idea if your name is bad or not (I'm not a name critic) though, while it is a bit of a mouthful (or whatever), it is, most definitely, 100 completely TRUE! Lol, I don't actually have a genre, all I know is that the majority of my music seems to end up being rock... but I just listen to whatever I hear that I like. The only genres of music I can honestly say I have no tolerance for is rap and country. -- Is it cold down here? Huh. Well that's an interesting question. I'm gonna say no for right now, because, at least by Canadian standards (which can be quite different from America, believe me) it's fairly warm... might need a jacket to go out sometimes, but... However, will it be this way tomorrow, I have no idea. We have no set pattern of weather down here. And our seasons are definitely different. Especially in Saskatchewan. Believe me, if there is one province to visit for it's crazy extreme weather, that's it. Their seasons consist of Rainy (Flood weather here!), Blazing hot (Fry an egg on the bloody pavement hot!), Windy (as in, hold onto your hat and strap yourself into your seat windy), and sub-zero temperatures. Lol... okay, think I got a bit carried away in that topic... I honestly don't know how it happens, I just start talking, and WHAM! I can't stop! Anyway... The Bahama's? Nope. I've never actually been out of Canada... not that I know of. I've still got a lot to explore here... why?
-Inume-Blue - Lol, don't worry, everybody got a bit behind with those last two updates. -- And no, don't worry, that's not the "END" of the story. When I reach the end I'll post "Owari" so that you can know, alright? This is just mostly because the little symbols I put up don't always show, so sometimes I let people know it's the end so they don't go wandering into the glossary thinking it's part of the chapter. What kind of ending would that be anyway? I'd have to create a sequel or something... and even then that would be a crap-ass way to end the story... Wait, I can't end it?... Ever! OO... Lol, I don't think I could manage that! I could try, but I don't think I could manage it... -- Yeah, I imagine that Inuyasha's just trying to remember her scent... just her in general. I suppose though it's all really up to you and your imagination. -- Will Sesshomaru ever find love? Hm. I don't know. I mean, there was that episode with Sara, but then again she only loved him, and he didn't love her in return... I actually don't think he will. Not in the anime anyway. In the Manga though, maybe, since they're continuing that. Everybody wants him to end up with Rin though. I personally think that's a little creepy (even if she does get older)... Ayame? Huh. Now that's a pairing I've never seen before (probably haven't been looking hard enough). It would definitely be an interesting thing to play out... I mean, she's a little spit-fire but also a bit childish and not unlike Inuyasha in some traits, whereas he's... well, he's him. Still, if it can be introduced in a plausible way, there's no reason it shouldn't work. They made Rin following after Sesshomaru work after all, didn't they? (Though I, personally, think that Koga is going to end up with Ayame. I think that's the only reason they created her-- to give them a plausible excuse to get rid of Koga when they finally put Inu and Kags together). -- Will their relationship increase? Hm. I don't know. I suppose it already has, hasn't it? Everybody wants to see a lemon between them though... woosh... I just can't see that far ahead yet...
-Clouds of the Sky - Lol, yes, I do feel special! Seriously though, if you guys don't stop feeding my ego, this stuff is gonna start going to my head! -- Huh... huh... Lol, well that's... an interesting question. The only reason I'd want to pick out my own coffin is to make certain people didn't bury me in one that was really expensive and lined with silk and polished to perfection and whatever else. I'm dead for hell's sake, and I don't think It'll really make that big a difference if I've got oak or cardboard. Lol, sorry, I don't want to make you depressed, but I really hate the idea of someone spending a lot of money to make my corpse comfortable... Ooooooookay, I'll just shut up now... (honestly, I really gotta get a lock for my mouth!)
-Punk Rock Miko2 - Lol, thanks! I'll try to...
-angelwingz21 - Well you're gonna have to wait, because we're not there yet. Still, glad you enjoyed the chapters!
-xolovexinuyasha - Lol, well, actually, believe it or not... I believe it. Maybe that's just because I don't know what either sounds like, so I don't know what the big deal is, but... -- Volleyball again! Shit, are they trying to kill you! Still, if it's the last day then hopefully there'll be something to look forward to besides breaking your arms on a fly white circle being pelted at you over a net. -- Lol, well if it is illegle, then I suppose it's not a good idea to go around telling everybody about it, neh? Not that I care, but... You finish a coke? A whole one? Lol, wow, that's quite the accomplishment! -- You curse all the time huh?... Doesn't everybody?
-Almandine-Azaleea - Lol, yep I imagine that would be a good reason, and lots of scents seem to be tied up in hair... And I don't care if you don't review every chapter, just so long as you let me know you're still with me every once in a while, that's fine with me. -- I'm glad you enjoy the way I "alternate" -- I personally don't notice it all that much... when I do though, I'm usually thinking "oh great, switch around like this and jump all over the place confusing the hell out of everyone until their heads explode..." Or something along those lines...
-Black Betty - Lol, well, as long as we're being honest, I'm gonna tell you that I know the second one is better. The first one is just more of a filler and nothing really happening. At least in the second one we get to see some interaction between our two fav characters.
-Ania24 - ... Okay, normally I try and address things in order, but I have to say this first... why would I kill you?... That suggestion is perfectly logical to me (and I am working on Miroku and Sango, they just haven't wanted to come up all that much yet) and even if it weren't, you still have every reason to submit your ideas, and I like hearing all of them. That's not saying that I'll use all of them, but I still like them, so... why would I kill you for that? -- Anyway, glad you enjoyed the chapters... sorry if this seems kinda curt, but my mind just short-circuited, and I can't think of any way to end this review...
-Lord Makura - Lol
-Sexy Kat - Eh heh... yeah... two chapters every day... falls over... Lol, sorry but I don't think I'll have the energy to do that... -- And I don't mind. By all means, do that. Whatever it takes to get it out of your system. -- Lol, don't worry, Sess isn't going to be showing emotion... not too much anyway. He might smile a bit though... maybe... if I can wrap my head around that... Otherwise, he'll probably stay the same old stoic bastard we all know an love!
-wolfygirl13 - Lol, should I call Willie Wonka and ask him for some assistance? Still, at least chibi's seem to be calming down a bit now and actually helping out, which is good... and Sess seems to have given up on the plan to take over venus in a candy made rocket (in hindsight, this is probably a really smart move) adn... well, I'm not even gonna touch the Rin subject. I suppose Inuyasha could tear her to shreds for guessing like that, but then again, she did save his life... or something, so I suppose he owes her... And Naraku's back... hm. Well, hopefully he's... better... Even if he is acting suspiciously normal. -- Lol, glad everybody enjoyed the chapter! And don't worry about the mops, you can keep them -- (BTW, sorry if this is short, but I don't actually have any caffeine within reach, and I am very rapidly draining of all my energy... -.-)
-Farrah - Lol, well hopefully that little curse of yours hasn't been passed onto me. I got this chapter up, so I don't think it has... besides, I don't think I could just leave this story hanging in the middle like that. If there ever comes a time when I don't update for an entire year, I'm probably dead. Or else I killed my computer and have yet to replace it. Either way, somebody died so I have a plausible excuse. Still, I've got no plans of stopping the story. And the stopping of the story is most certainly not an attempt on your life. Quite personally, I prefer poison... (JJ). -- Little kids are pestering you? Huh. Now, are these just random little kids, or do you actually know them?
-Wish-full Thinker - Lol, was it down before? -- Yep, Inu in Kagome's time. But then again, since she's not going to school (I don't think anyway) she might be able to keep an eye on him so there might not be as big a problem as there usually is, neh?
-Kuroi - Lol! Thanks!
-Anime-Dork - Lol, wow, you've been around that long? Still, glad you're enjoying it and that I could help brighten up your day just a little bit! -- My new character? Amaya? Lol, sorry, I don't know if you consider her new or not, but to me she's an old character, and then I've got the other OC's... not to mention the fact that my brain is just about ready to explode (personal thing, nothing to do with you ) so I'm really out of it and am probably not making any sense... just lost my train of thought anyway, so I suppose that doesn't really matter... Yeesh, how ADD am I tonight? -- Yay! I got the characters down! I hate it when I have to (or just end up) putting them ooc without any sort of logical reason... or for a logical reason. Especially Sesshomaru. I don't know why, but it drives me nuts. Maybe it's because people are reading the fic to see those characters, not other characters in those character's bodies... If that made any sense. Lol, well there you go, you get a full on dose of my ranting power. My condolences to you. -- And Arigato to you for reading this fic! It wouldn't be half as good as it is if it weren't for people reading it and telling me what they think!
Okay is that it?
Okay...
-.-
Woosh!
Okay, well I guess before I go there's only one thing left to do (and no, it's not a disclaimer. Just take a look at all my previous disclaimers for that.)
I'm just recommending the fic "An Unwanted Slave" by soaring-bright-flame. ( check it out here: h t t p / w w w . fanfiction . net / s /2776454/ 1 / -- Without the spaces). It's really great, and I wish I could give it a full recommendation, but I've really got no energy left, so just go read it and... yeah.
-.-
Chapter 63 - Conversation
'You can't be serious.' Sango said, looking wide-eyed from the miko to the hanyou and back again.
It had been more than a week since they had arrived at Sesshomaru's, but this was really the first time they had all been together since then.
The taijiya had been eager to see her little brother now that he was free of Naraku, but had been advised several times to give him the chance to get used to the idea of her being there again, and so she had spent nearly all her time with Miroku, which was fine by her.
The monk actually seemed to be putting some serious thought into their relationship now that he was conscious and knew how close they had come to loosing it. He hadn't actually groped her once since they had arrived here-- something that Inuyasha, in one of his moments of brash sarcasm, had stated was a clear sign of the apocolypse.
In truth, the hanyou didn't act much like his old self anymore.
He was calmer, quieter, and seemed almost nervous around them. He only seemed to be at peace when Kagome or his brother was near-- only seemed to be comfortable then.
And it was quite obvious how differently the new and old relationships were being forged.
Sesshomaru seemed to be fairly protective of his baby brother now, always watching him. The demon lord seemed more at ease himself now, less cold, as though the frigidness of before had been a direct result of a bitterness he didn't really feel toward his little brother.
Of course, he was by no means friendly now, and he still had a death-glare that could freeze the very deepest circles of hell, but he was definitely different... somehow, by protecting and looking after his little brother, he had been changed.
And Inuyasha was changed too.
None of them actually knew what Naraku had done to the hanyou-- only that it had been much worse than what had been done to them. Kagome told them about what she had seen of the hanyou before she had been dragged away-- the collar, the jewel shards in his neck, everything that she could remember-- but, judging by the way she stated it-- the look that came over her face and the icy flicker in Sesshomaru's eyes-- that had only been a small taste of what the hanyou had gone through.
And his eyes were so haunted now...
Yet, for all that, he seemed to be doing well.
And it was a little strange sometimes to see him in his new state.
In Sesshomaru's presence he was, not timid per se, but definitely submissive in most manners, clearly understanding that his brother was there to protect him, and accepting that protection in any way it was given.
However, in Kagome's presence, he seemed to almost switch roles, always hovering near the girl, his youki silently warning away any that sought to approach her and do her harm.
Sango doubted Kagome could feel it, but even now, while they were all here and so relaxed, that same sort of protectiveness hovered around the hanyou and the miko.
Kagome frowned slightly at glanced at Inuyasha, who was standing a few centimetres behind her, silent, staring at Sango and waiting for the conversation to run it's course.
'Of course we are.' The miko said after a moment, looking back at the slayer. 'It's been forever since I've been to see my family. They'll think I've been killed or something. I can't just let them go on believing that!'
'But if you do this you could be killed!' The slayer said in exasperation, looking to Miroku for help. The monk, however, seemed uninclined to say much-- seeming more content to give this situation another of his silent assessments.
'That never stopped you.'
Sango turned wide-eyed back toward the other two, her eyes focusing on Inuyasha, who had clearly been the one to say that. There was no mistaking his voice for Kagome's, even if he had quieted down some.
'What are you talking about?' She asked slowly, not certain she wanted to know.
Inuyasha stared at her with a calmness she had never seen in the half-demon before.
'Kohaku.' He said simply. Sango felt her stomach give a small lurch as she realised where he was likely going to take this conversation. And, surely enough-- 'You knew Kohaku was all but dead in Naraku's grasp-- didn't remember you-- and that going after him could get you and all of us killed. But that never stopped you. You didn't give up on him, and you were right not to do so.' His eyes shimmered slightly and seemed to harden, but not in an aggressive or angry way, more in determination. 'So don't ask Kagome to give up on her family now.'
An odd silence fell on the room at the end of the half-demon's words where there was nothing but Sango and Inuyasha, staring at one another, something strange passing between them as Sango began to realise that he was right. She had no right to argue this side of the battle. And even if she did, nothing she said was going to keep Kagome from her family, or Inuyasha from her.
Nothing could have kept her from her brother when he was under a spell and was a spectre, with no real hope of ever remembering or returning to her.
Nothing would keep Kagome from her family when she knew they were alive and worried about her. Especially if she had Inuyasha backing her in this.
The two were quite to forces to be reckoned with on their own, but together, they were nigh on unstoppable.
The moment of silence was shattered as Miroku suddenly decided to join in on the conversation again.
'It is obvious we are not going to dissuade the two of you.' He said slowly, drawing Inuyasha's golden eyes away from the slayer and up to him. 'Though I doubt Sesshomaru will be as inclined to give into this.' The hanyou's ears seemed to droop ever so slightly, but his eyes only hardened all the more.
And now it was Miroku and Inuyasha's turn to have a small stare-down, though it was broken long before Sango's and Inuyasha's had been when Miroku asked the expected, but still surprising question . 'Do you want us to come with you?'
Kagome seemed slightly surprised at this, but, again, it was Inuyasha that answered, though when this conversation had transferred from the females to the males, she had no idea.
'Don't be stupid, baka monk!' The hanyou said in a manner that was almost like his old one. 'It'll be difficult enough to get two of us there undetected, but what would we do once we got there? You can't get through the well-- hell, we don't even know if Kagome can anymore without the jewel shards-- and we could hardly leave you waiting out there in the open. Besides, you're still healing.' He pointed out.
'Alright, we get the point!' Miroku said, lifting a hand up defensively. 'We'll stay here for now.'
Inuyasha flattened his ears slightly, as though not quite believing that the monk had given in that easily, and he glared suspiciously at him for a moment.
'Inuyasha.' Sango said, drawing the half-demons eyes back to her, since Kagome seemed now to have been almost completely excluded from this conversation-- strange, since it was mostly about her. 'That still doesn't help you decide you know.'
Inuyasha frowned slightly as he stared at the taijiya. 'Decide what?' He asked slowly.
'How you're going to explain all this to Sesshomaru.' Inuyasha's eyes widened again, and his ears noticably drooped this time as Sango continued. 'Do you honestly think he'll let you go and do this?'
The hanyou glanced at Kagome and then shrugged. 'I don't know.' He replied honestly. 'I don't know what Sesshomaru will or will not let me do. All I know is that I've very recently recovered my family after I thought it was gone forever. And I'm not gonna let Kagome and her family go through the same thing. At least not without a fight.'
Sango stared at the half-demon a moment, and then, letting out a slightly defeated sounding sigh, nodded slowly.
After all, it's not like there was anything she could do anyway.
Inuyasha's mind was made up and there was nothing else for it.
And, if there was nothing else Naraku had left undamaged in the hanyou, it was his stubborn and unbelievably strong will.
Glossary
Miko - Priestess
Hanyou - Half-Demon
Taijiya - Um... Don't know the exact meaning of this, but basically I think it means exterminator...
Youki - A demon's energy, or aura (what allows them to transform)
Baka - Fool, idiot, incompetent, etc...
SPECIAL THANKS TO: RamblingPhilosopher (sorry, no name thing this chapter...), cutie-inuyasha-sexy-Sesshomaru, Inume-Blue, Clouds of the Sky, Punk Rock Miko2, angelwinz21, xolovexinuyasha, Almandine-Azaleea, Black Betty, Ania24, Lord Makura, Sexy Kat, wolfygirl13, Farrah, Wish-full Thinker, Kuroi and Anime-Dork -- Sorry guys, I can't think up a proper thanks at the moment... I think my brain just completely melted... (now there's a pleasant thought...)
CMoC - Savin' me - Nickelback ( -- Song I was listening to throughout most of the writing of the chapter), Breaking the Habit - Linken Park(sp?), Toy Soldiers - Martika, Homeless Heart - Amanda Stott, Fukai Mori (Deep Forest) - Do as Infinity, Four Seasons - (... I really don't know at the moment, and I'm too lazy to check), This is your life - Switchfoot, We are one tonight - Switchfoot
-.-