Chapter Twelve: Artifacts

Sesshoumaru bit back the growl of anger that threatened to escape his lips upon Naraku's entrance. Wrinkling his nose and turning away from the beaming hanyou, Sesshoumaru walked to his chair and sat down. He felt small hands grip his pants and his mouth turned down in a frown as he felt those hands shake uncontrollably.

"What is it that you want, Naraku?" Sesshoumaru asked between clenched teeth.

Naraku waved his hand and glanced around the room. "Ahh, I see that you have received a shipment. May I?" He waved towards the boxes.

"You may not!" Sesshoumaru snapped. "Now answer my question."

Naraku turned to look at Sesshoumaru with narrowed eyes. "Boy, you will learn to give me some respect around here. I am older then you are by several hundred years and I will not be commanded by one such as you!"

Sesshoumaru snarled softly. "Respect is given only to those who deserve it, Naraku. State your business or be gone!" He stood up and leaned over the desk slightly.

Naraku sniffed. "I came to see if you have given any thought to my proposal."

Sesshoumaru gnashed his teeth together in anger. "Did I not already inform you that you gaining any control of my business is a ridiculous fantasy on your behalf?"

Naraku's aura flared and Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose.

"Remove yourself from my place of business. Whatever prospects that you had set up with my father before his death, are no longer in effect now." Sesshoumaru hissed between his clenched teeth.

"Boy, you would be wise to consider my proposal." Naraku began.

"I have and my answer is the same as before. No!" Sesshoumaru sat back down in his chair but didn't miss the sneer Naraku produced.

"You will regret this, Mr. Souske." Naraku hissed.

"Naraku, remove yourself from my presence. I have found you to be irritating and extremely nauseating to my senses. Your ridiculous attempts to gain control of my fathers company, which mind you, now belongs to me, have been grinding on my nerves. I find you to be rather dull." Sesshoumaru mentally smirked at how his words ruffled the hanyou.

Naraku glared at the youkai seated behind the desk and he hissed. "Sesshoumaru Souske, perhaps you should consider this then. If you do not take my offer, then you and your family will suffer from my wrath…"

Sesshoumaru cut in before he could continue. "Mind your tongue, Naraku. Your threats have no basis here. You have no power in this era that you may have had in the Sengoku Jidai, the authorities have taken care of this little problem. You are as helpless as the rest of us. Be aware however, should anything happen to my family, I will hunt you down myself and take care of your simpering pathetic self. You are nothing but a hanyou who has no power in comparison to a full bred youkai!"

"Oh but I do, Sesshoumaru!" Naraku pulled out an object from his pocket and Sesshoumaru gasped softly. It was identical to the pink object that lay inside the box he had been inspecting earlier.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "That thing is supposed to frighten me?"

Naraku laughed. "Do you have any idea what this is, Sesshoumaru? It's the Shikon no Tama. The power is from the old days, one that grants its bearer whatever wishes he or she desires. This enables me to use my power as I once did in the feudal era."

Sesshoumaru breathed a soft laugh. "Naraku, that object is only half of the Shikon Jewel. Pray tell where the rest is?"

Naraku scowled. "It is being shipped to my office as we speak, Sesshoumaru. Good day." He spun around and slammed the door behind him.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. 'The Shikon no Tama? Hmph.' Small hands gripped his pants tightly again and he leaned over to peer under the desk. "You can come out now."

The small girl crawled out and stood before him shaking from head to foot.

"You fear that man?" Sesshoumaru asked softly, staring at her shivering form.

The girl nodded, blinking back tears.

"You know him from somewhere?"

Again the girl nodded.

"Hmph. Eat, then we will find somewhere for you to stay until we find your family."

Her little hands gripped his arm and he glanced at her curiously. Her head shook frantically, and large tears filled her eyes again.

"What is it?"

She waved at herself and then looked down. Snapping her fingers she reached for his pen and a piece of paper and quickly scrawled some words down.

Sesshoumaru took the paper from her and read. 'Family dead, Rin is alone.'

He gasped and looked up. "Rin is it? What happened to your family?"

She took the paper and wrote more down. 'Killed for that circle thing.'

Sesshoumaru pulled the object from his pocket and held it up. "They were killed for this?" He frowned deeply.

The girl nodded. She wrote something more down. 'Papa told me to bring it here.'

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I see, and you have no other family to reside with?"

The girl shook her head slowly, the tears running down her face.

He rubbed the base of his nose and sighed. Flicking open his cell phone, he called his brother. "Inuyasha?"

"Hai?"

"Get the spare room ready, we will be having a guest." Without explaining himself further, Sesshoumaru stood up and walked over to the bookshelf and placed the items into a bag. Then he reached into the box and carefully wrapped the items inside and placed them into the bag. Waving to the girl, he pocketed the manifest and opened the door to his office and tilted his head at the magnolia youkai standing outside. "Bokusenou, find any information you can on recent murders, missing children, anything. Rin will be staying with me for now."

The lawyer raised his brows in surprise. "Sesshoumaru she is a human, and a youkai taking care of one will cause an upheaval."

"She has nowhere else to go, and it is better then her staying in the alley. Alert the guards and security outside that Naraku is no longer welcome on these premises." Without another word, Sesshoumaru entered the elevator with the girl in tow and headed towards his car.

He needed to access Inuyasha and Shippou's laptops and find out more information on the artifacts his father was seeking. Namely the Shikon no Tama that Naraku had produced, and he carried in his bag. Shaking his head at not taking advanced archeology and history as his brother had this year, he wondered if Inuyasha knew anything on the jewel. He had instead taken up advanced calculus and advanced physics. Rolling his eyes, he turned his head slightly to see if Rin still followed him.

Unlocking the doors to the car, he waved to the backseat and she climbed in as silently as she had always been and he wondered if she could speak. Shaking his head and shutting the door, Sesshoumaru climbed into the drivers side and started the car quickly, once again lost in thought.

Now he knew there had been some connection to the antiques and his father's demise and he would not rest until he solved the mystery. Somehow this girl Rin was connected with this situation, and in his opinion far too young to be involved.

He pulled into the driveway and saw the front door open, revealing Inuyasha looking far better then he had earlier in the day. Sesshoumaru turned his head to peer at the small child.

"Come, there is someone you should meet." He said softly.

The girl nodded and unbuckled herself and crawled out of the car slowly, and somewhat hesitantly. Sesshoumaru followed suit and lead the way to the front doors. "Inuyasha."

Inuyasha cocked his head to the side. "Sess."

"This is Rin, she will be staying with us for awhile. I will explain everything once we get inside. I will need yours and Shippou's laptops set up." Sesshoumaru said.

Inuyasha nodded and they entered the house silently.

----------------------------

Soon Sesshoumaru stood over his brother's shoulder, watching him boot up the computers, and sighed at how long everything was taking. Inuyasha snorted and finally got up from the chair and waved Sesshoumaru over to it. "Everything is ready. What are you doing exactly?"

Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder and made sure Rin was occupied with the cartoons Inuyasha had turned on for her, and waved his brother to pull up a chair. "We are going to figure out what is going on, once and for all."

Inuyasha lifted a brow and sat down. "Okay."

"What can you tell me about the Shikon no Tama?" Sesshoumaru asked, searching the desk for the mouse that seemed to be missing. Turning his head to his brother with an annoyed look, he asked. "Where is the damn mouse?" Glancing under the table and on the floor he glared at his brother. "And where is the hard drive thing?"

Inuyasha chuckled and flicked his finger over the keyboard and to Sesshoumaru's surprise the cursor on the monitor moved. "The hard drive is built into the machine. The CPU is also inside."

Narrowing his eyes, he watched as Inuyasha moved his finger over a flat spot on the computer and sniffed. "Bloody confusing machines, if you ask me. Make them all the same or not at all." He grumbled.

"This is the mouse, for laptops you use this thing, or you can go out and buy a laptop mouse. Regular desktop computers use a mouse on the table." Inuyasha explained and nodded in approval when Sesshoumaru ran his finger over the flat mouse. "Now what is this about the Shikon no Tama?"

"You are taking advanced archeology and history in school, so surely you must know about antiques and stuff, right?" Sesshoumaru said.

"Hai, some things, not all yet. Don't forget I just started taking the course this semester."

"What do you know about the Shikon Jewel?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Not a whole bunch, the discussion just started on it, and the information is vague at best. Apparently this jewel was from Sengoku Jidai era."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Go on."

Inuyasha shrugged again. "Well the story or history of it says that it is the jewel of four souls. Aramitama (courage), Nigimitama (friendship), Kushimitama (wisdom), and Sakimitama (love). When all are united in one person, they unite to form a powerful balance within the soul to be used for good or evil."

Sesshoumaru nodded and paused in his mouse scrolling to listen.

"The jewel was created in a battle of a great miko (priestess) named, Midoriko and a powerful yōukai. She was able to seize the souls of yōukai and purify them, this power coming from having a positive balance of the four souls within her heart, and in a time of many yōukai ravaging the earth those who possessed spiritual powers such as hers were considered to be as powerful as one hundred samurai. Her spiritual power alone paled that of any other person alive, and it was said she could purify and destroy ten yōukai at once. Her final adversary and the one that claimed her life was created by many yōukai joined and anchored within the evil heart of a human who secretly lusted for her."

Sesshoumaru frowned. "So a youkai lusted for this human miko?"

Inuyasha nodded. "So the story goes. Anyways, After seven days and seven nights of fighting, Midoriko realized that she would be unable to fight off the yōukai, and as she was drawn into the creature's massive jaws, she seized the spirit of the yōukai and bound it within her own with the last of her power, killing both of them and creating the Shikon Jewel, which burst from her chest. Within the jewel, her soul and the souls of the yōukai she bound with it still battle on. The state of this battle is influenced by the person who possesses the jewel."

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "All this happened back in the Sengoku Jidai?"

Inuyasha sighed. "The time of the jewels creation is not known. Many think it was the early part of the Feudal era, but others think it was created way earlier then that."

Rolling his eyes Sesshoumaru turned back to the computer. "So what is the significance of this jewel?"

"Keh! Haven't you been listening? The Shikon no Tama grants its bearer extreme power. I mean if a full blooded youkai were to possess it, I can be sure that his or her power would increase ten fold, if not more."

"So it can be used for good or for evil?"

"Hai, but the histories said nothing about the jewel actually ever being used for good, or evil, just that whoever held it destruction was always in its wake. I mean, hell, the history class is talking about the last group who possessed the jewel, and yet it was never whole."

Sesshoumaru frowned and glanced at his brother. "Go on."

"Well so far in my class, we talked about a group who were looking for the shards. Apparently the jewel was shattered and this new miko girl who possessed it was the one who shattered it. According to the text, it says that even a shard of the jewel was able to grant unbelievable power to its possessor."

"So why did she destroy it?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"It was an accident according to the story. She had released a hanyou back in the day, who then tried to kill her for the jewel. She somehow bound him to some weird looking shrine necklace; I think it's called a rosary. Anyways, they eventually began to trust one another and while she was saving some kid and trying to defeat a youkai, she shattered the jewel into something like thousands of pieces."

"Well the girl was a baka then." Sesshoumaru snorted, turning his attention back to the computer.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Baka or not, she and the hanyou had to find the shards. Just one shard was powerful enough to destroy. Anyways the story says that eventually she and the hanyou were accompanied by an orphaned kitsune, a monk, a demon exterminator, and a two tailed fire cat."

"Two tailed fire cat?" Sesshoumaru exclaimed. "They were almost extinct back in the feudal era."

Inuyasha nodded. "That's pretty much where the story ends. According to the text, it says the jewel was never completed; half was in their possession, and the other half in an evil hanyou's. It was said that the hanyou's brother sealed the evil hanyou, and was left in a dormant state, but his half of the jewel was never found. According to the books, the jewel pretty much disappeared after that, and was never seen or heard of again."

"Just like the samurai Kenshin."

Inuyasha snorted. "I am sure there have been many things that haven't been seen since that era. Didn't father ever tell you of his experiences of the feudal era?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No you were the one who soaked up his tales."

Inuyasha snorted. "So why the sudden interest in the Shikon Jewel? Going to go look for it?"

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "Ridiculous." He pulled the bag over and pulled out a piece of cloth and placed it on the table. "Look at that."

Inuyasha frowned and unwrapped the object and whistled between his teeth. The pink object pulsed and caused both brothers to freeze. "Uhh, Sess? What's it doing?"

Sesshoumaru flipped a piece of Kleenex over it and wrinkled his nose.

Inuyasha widened his eyes and stared at his brother. "Is this what I think you're trying to tell me what I think it is?"

Sesshoumaru snorted. "I think this is half of the jewel. Hai."

Inuyasha gulped. "Sess, do you realize how important this thing is, if its what we think it is? How so many people will be trying to get their hands on it?"

"That's why I brought it home. Naraku has the other half and tried to inform me that the other half of it is being shipped to his company. He was the one who mentioned it was the Shikon no Tama."

"Oh Kami. This sucks." Inuyasha moaned.

"This is what the little girl had on her, and Bokusenou told me it belonged to a monk from the feudal era." Sesshoumaru said tossing the round object onto the desk.

"That's part of the Shakujo. The monk had a curse in his hand." Inuyasha blinked.

"The Kazanaa." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"The monk got the curse from the evil hanyou that was sealed. Apparently it was from his grandfather, or father, can't remember, but the monk was lured into wooing a human woman who turned out to be the evil hanyou in disguise." Inuyasha grinned. "Apparently the monk was a lecher."

"So what Bokusenou said was true, that the monk could suck up even the most powerful youkai into this Kazanaa?" Sesshoumaru asked frowning at the monitor, trying to find the files they had saved.

"Hai. What the histories say anyway. He apparently proposed to the demon exterminator, but after the evil hanyou was sealed, no further word was recorded on them."

Sesshoumaru pulled out another object and tossed that onto the desk. "To me this looks like a spinning top that children would play with. What do you know about this thing?"

Inuyasha picked it up and turned it over. "Looks like a toy a kit would play with. They were notorious for pulling pranks and using items like this for their illusion games. Shippou might know more about it. He is a kitsune."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "Indeed. And this?" He tossed the bag of acorns onto the desk.

"Another kit thing, I think." Inuyasha chuckled at the bag. "Was all this shipped to father's office?"

"Plus several others." Sesshoumaru nodded.

The doorbell rang and Inuyasha turned his head. "Who do you think that is?"

Sesshoumaru closed the laptops and gathered the items into the bag and stood up. He shook his head as he made his way to the front door and was surprised when his nose picked up a familiar scent he had been introduced to earlier that day, morning to be exact. Furrowing his brows, he opened the door and tilted his head at the young girl named Kagome, who stood there with her hands clasped in front of her, shyly and apologetically.

Kagome looked up and smiled shyly and mumbled under her breath. "I'm sorry to barge in on you. I mean, I should have called, but I couldn't find the number, and it's so late."

Sesshoumaru smirked. "Iie, it's alright. Come in."

"My grandfather discovered that you dealt in antiques and he gave me a few items to bring you." Kagome said softly, pulling a bright yellow backpack from her shoulders.

Sesshoumaru raised a brow but led her into the living room. "I trust you remember my brother?"

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Hai, Konnichiwa, Inuyasha-sama."

Inuyasha snorted. "Just Inuyasha, please. If you're going to give a formal title, give it to him." He waved to Sesshoumaru.

Kagome smiled and nodded. Inuyasha pulled another chair over and waved for her to sit down. She turned to them both when she was seated and opened her backpack. The girl took out a small bag with a dark warped thing inside and Sesshoumaru bit back a laugh.

"That's a dried up duck foot." He muttered.

Kagome rolled her eyes and nodded. "Hai, I know. But he made me bring it over. He's always finding something, saying its an ancient artifact or something."

"You live at the shrine?" Inuyasha asked, placing the dried foot to the side.

Kagome nodded, and blushed slightly.

"Do you know anything about the feudal era?"

Kagome nodded again. "A little, from what my grandfather has told us. I mean, our shrine wasn't built back then, but it is in the same location as the Goshinboku was."

Inuyasha blinked. "You mean the sacred tree that had the sealed hanyou attached to it?"

Kagome smiled and nodded. "Yes. The tree still has the burn mark and the hole where the arrow had been, sealing him to it."

Inuyasha grinned. "Oh Kami, that is neat. So your shrine was built on the location. That is cool."

"My grandfather gave me this to bring too, he said it was a shard from the Shikon no Tama." She said as she pulled out a small jar with a single shard in it.

Both brothers gasped. Inuyasha took the jar and held it in front of his face. He turned to the girl. "How did you get this?"

Kagome shrugged. "Gramps said that it was found in his father's time. According to him, it was a single shard that had been embedded in a young kids shoulder, or back."

Sesshoumaru shook his head and pulled the rosary from the bag he had hidden his treasures in. "Do you know anything about this?" He asked both the youngsters.

Inuyasha sniffed at the necklace dangling from his brother's fingers and snorted. Kagome narrowed her eyes at it. "It looks like a rosary. I heard that shrine maidens made them."

"Bokusenou told me that it was the rosary that was bound around the ancient hanyou's neck, which in turn controlled him."

Inuyasha scoffed. "So the story goes. How can a human girl control a hanyou? I mean really?"

Sesshoumaru grinned and placed it around his brother's neck. "A vast improvement if you ask me."

Kagome giggled. "If that's the same rosary from that era, that was bound around the hanyou's neck then a subduing spell was also attached to it." She placed her fingers to her lips. "If I remember correctly, it was an Inuhanyou and the shrine maiden had said a single word that made him submit to her will."

Inuyasha growled and shoved himself to his feet, glaring at the girl. "Ridiculous. What word would have been used? If this is the same kotodama no nenju, that is."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "Sit down, Inuyasha. They are harmless antiquities, nothing to them at all."

Kagome nodded. "I believe the story goes that all these items were sealed away and a curse was placed upon them should they ever be discovered or mentioned. At least that's what my grandfather said."

Inuyasha sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "How come you know so much about this stuff?"

"Well I am taking advanced history in school, and majoring in archeology. I want to travel the world and discover stuff like this." Kagome smiled.

Inuyasha stared at the girl with wide eyes. "Really? What school do you go to?"

"Mitaka Daiyon junior high school." Kagome smiled. "Where do you go? I've never seen you around before."

Inuyasha sniffed. "We just moved here. We start school there on Monday."

Kagome nodded. "That's cool, what are you taking? Maybe we have a few classes together?"

Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and began pacing. "Same thing I took before."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the familiar attitude his brother was displaying. He recalled the same thing when Inuyasha had first met Kikyou and the attitude had not diminished during their brief relationship. Now the baka was once again trying to show indifference and nonchalant moods.

Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru flipped open the laptops and listened to their conversation.

Inuyasha paced back and forth, trying his best to ignore the girl. In all truth, she reminded him somewhat of Kikyou. For some reason this girl Kagome didn't find them to be frightening, and didn't taunt them as most humans did whenever they were around.

Kagome rolled her eyes. She had come across other youkai who were just as protective over their feelings before. This certainly wasn't any different. She knew her school had tried extremely hard to keep the youkai out, but eventually it had converted as most of the others had. There were only a hand full of youkai in her school, most of which had been chased out by the parents, or kids in a threatening way.

There were perhaps only a handful or two left within the school and she wondered how long it would be until these two were chased out as well. Shrugging, Kagome watched the annoying pacing the hanyou was doing and she bit back a sigh of irritation. Was this something he did on a regular basis? Shaking her head, she sighed aloud this time.

Sesshoumaru snorted and tried his best to ignore the two beside him. There had been so many times when Kikyou had lost her temper over his brother's antics, but those two had over come whatever differences they had had, and eventually had formed a relationship with one another. Rolling his eyes to the side, he watched out of the corner of his eye, what they were doing.

Kagome it seemed was getting annoyed with his brother's pacing, and he was also. Inuyasha seemed to ignore them completely. Sighing, he turned his head to say something when Kagome finally snapped.

"Will you stop pacing and sit down already?"

Inuyasha's head whirled to the side and then slammed into the ground with a startled cry.

Sesshoumaru blinked and stared at his brother for a moment and then barked out with a sharp laugh. "Clumsy fool, what the hell did you trip on?"

Inuyasha blinked and pulled himself to his feet and growled at his brother. Kagome just stared in surprise. "I didn't trip you baka! I was pulled down!" Inuyasha cursed.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and stifled his laughter and he noticed Kagome doing the same. Both of them were looking for a tear in the rug, or a corner that had lifted to cause Inuyasha to trip, but of course pride on the hanyou's part had taken over and he had been undignified with the implication of tripping.

Eventually the conversations had ceased and more investigations on Sesshoumaru's part had taken him to several folders on the laptops. He was not even aware of Kagome and Inuyasha moving over to the couch to spend time with the little girl Rin, nor was he aware of Kagome's departure. A tap on his shoulder brought him from his inner debates and he looked up startled.

"Uhh, Sess? It's like eleven at night. Tomorrow is Monday." Inuyasha informed him.

Sesshoumaru frowned and glanced at his watch surprised. "When did Kagome leave?"

Inuyasha shrugged and turned around. "Want me to put the girl to bed?"

Sesshoumaru allowed his eyes to wander over to the child on the couch sleeping peacefully and he nodded. "Hai."

Inuyasha smirked. "Felt sorry for a mortal? Where did she come from?" He asked, picking her up gently.

"She resided in the alley outside father's business. She carried the monks staff thing." Sesshoumaru snorted. "She has no family and Bokusenou is looking into what happened."

Inuyasha nodded. "Handy chaps aren't they?" He said referring to the lawyers.

"They can be." Sesshoumaru closed the computers and placed them into their bags and stood up stretching. He followed Inuyasha into the spare room and watched as his brother placed her on the bed.

"What's going to happen to the girl tomorrow when we leave for school?" Inuyasha asked, closing the door behind him.

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I'll have Jaken watch her."

Inuyasha chuckled. "What if he refuses?"

"He won't if he knows what's best for him." Sesshoumaru grinned flexing his claws for emphasis.

Inuyasha chuckled and shook his head as he walked into his room. "See you in the morning Sess."

Sesshoumaru nodded and proceeded to his own bedroom, and sat down on the bed, rubbing his eyes. He couldn't understand how his brother was able to sit in front of those infernal machines for as long as he did without it giving him a splitting headache. Flopping onto his bed, Sesshoumaru groaned.

The information he had been searching for still eluded him. What he wanted was more detailed explanations on the artifacts his father had been searching for, but nothing he had opened had permitted sating his curiosity.

He closed his eyes and sighed, but it was only mere minutes later, he thought when a dull hum filled his ears and he rolled over grunting. Who the hell was singing so late at night?

Blinking open his eyes, he glared at the clock that was producing the humming sound and he gaped at the time. It was seven. Already? He shot up in bed and glanced around. He hated when the days felt like that. Any given day off when one was supposed to enjoy sleeping in, always ended up causing one to wake earlier then possible. However on days that left you having to get up at the hour one did when given a day off, it left you feeling with wanting to sleep in.

Shaking his head annoyed, he wandered to the closet and pulled out the familiar school uniform and proceeded to the bathroom downstairs to shower. Sighing, he wondered if Inuyasha was awake yet and decided to leave the hanyou for a bit if he wasn't. There was no way he was going to put up with a cranky half-breed this morning.

Crawling into the shower, Sesshoumaru groaned in irritation. The day felt all wrong, and he furrowed his brows as to why. Something nudged at him, and he couldn't place his finger on it exactly.

He rinsed the suds out of his hair and exited the shower sniffing. Shaking the feeling of dread that filled him, he walked out of the bathroom and up the stairs to his brother's room. Knocking once, he heard the distinct sounds of growling.

"Wake up Inuyasha. We are already behind." Sesshoumaru grumbled, grumpy as well.

"Feh, another five minutes." Inuyasha's voice drifted through the thin wood of his door.

"Not possible. Look at the time." Sesshoumaru growled, and went back downstairs. He knocked on Jaken's door and called to the irritating toad. "Jaken, get up."

The door opened and revealed the kappa youkai looking rather flustered. "Yes sir?"

"As punishment for staying up so late, you have the task of watching over the girl Rin. Perhaps you will think twice on coming home late and drunk. Ne?" Sesshoumaru turned away from the startled youkai and flinched as his actions of the night before had not gone unnoticed by his employer. 'Girl?'

Sesshoumaru walked into the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on and went about preparing breakfast. He knew Inuyasha preferred steak and eggs in the morning, and so he went about preparing two of the same.

Inuyasha came into the kitchen and glared at his brother's back.

"Inuyasha, remove the glare from my person or I'll give you a reason to glare." Sesshoumaru muttered casually.

"Feh!" Inuyasha responded. "How come on days off I can't sleep in, but on days I have to be up I can sleep in for however long I want to?"

"Ironic, isn't it?" Sesshoumaru sniffed, flipping the steaks onto the plates.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and nodded his thanks to his brother as his plate of steak and eggs was placed before him. Even a coffee appeared under his nose and he had to admit that it was a nice gesture from his brother.

Once they had finished their breakfast, they prepared to leave, but not before Rin made her appearance and rubbed her eyes tiredly at the youkai who had taken her in. She grinned brightly at him and waved. Sesshoumaru wrinkled his nose and inclined his head in her direction, and walked out to the car thinking back on the happy and bright little smile she had gifted him with.

It took them only a few minutes to pull into the crowded parking lot of their school and as they exited, they both received several shocked stares and some looks of anger. Sesshoumaru waved Inuyasha to follow him as a group of burly boys stepped together beside a flashy car to stare at them. Inuyasha sniffed and followed his brother towards the school.

All too soon they both heard a familiar call and they turned to stare at Kagome who ran up to them waving. "Ohayou, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha tilted his head to the side as she walked up to them casually; seemingly completely unaware of the startled and stunned looks she was receiving for approaching them in the first place.

"Keh!" Inuyasha scoffed.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Ohayou, Kagome. You will not make yourself popular with hanging around either of us."

Kagome sniffed and waved her hand. "Who cares."

Inuyasha glanced at the girl who fell in step beside him and wondered what it was she wanted. "What do you want?"

Sesshoumaru smacked him over the head. "Enough, baka. I'll see you after school. Remember to turn your cell ring off and change it to vibrate."

"Keh, whatever." Inuyasha scoffed as his brother sauntered off.

Kagome grinned at him. "So what class do you have?"

Inuyasha sighed and pulled out his schedule and peered at it. "Advanced history." He grumbled.

Kagome nodded and clapped her hands together. "I do too. That's great. It's this way." She grabbed his arm and he widened his eyes in surprise. Even Kikyou had never touched him during school hours. Usually it was only in private that she ever laid a hand on him.

He allowed himself to be pulled along the halls, and into a room filled with kids their own age, and he followed Kagome to a desk in the center. She sat down and waved at the one beside her. "You can sit…by me."

Inuyasha stumbled and tried to catch himself as he was pulled to the floor forcefully. Several laughs filled his ears as he connected with the tiled floor and he grunted.

Shaking himself with a growl, he stood up and glanced around the floor for whatever had tripped him. Whatever it was, it was going to get a slow and painful death. Narrowing his eyes, he realized that this was the second time in Kagome's presence that he had fallen.

Flopping into the seat with a soft curse, he stared at the girl who shook her head and shrugged. The bell chimed and he blinked from his staring at the girl beside him and ignored the taunts and derogatory words from the other side of him. The teacher entered and placed his books on the desk calling for immediate attention.

The whispers and teasing did not cease in the slightest when the teacher began talking, and he almost growled when their whispered words sounded like loud chatter in his ears. Flattening them on the top of his head, Inuyasha sent a glare to the boy on his left.

The teacher turned to face the class, and Inuyasha heard every word that was uttered. "Now due to the extreme and lengthy timeline of the feudal era, I think that breaking this up into groups, so we can all view different parts of it, will be wiser then studying it all on an individual nature. We have a new student that has joined us from Takasago junior high school. Inuyasha Chidori was it? Nice to see you join our class, from what I understand is that you were taking a similar course in your old school?"

Inuyasha nodded, a faint pink tinting his cheeks at the sudden attention. "Hai."

The teacher nodded. "How far did you study?"

"We were discussing the Shikon no Tama."

A snicker from behind him snapped his attention away. "Perhaps him finding it would make him normal."

"He could wish to be human. Then he would fit in."

The teacher cleared his throat. "Boys, if you don't cease your taunting this instant, I will have you removed from my class and grant you an F."

Inuyasha gaped and stared at the teacher in surprise, and received a wink in response. Kagome grinned behind her hand and leaned over. "I'll tell you later." She whispered.

Inuyasha nodded and turned back to the teacher.

"As I was saying, your school has advanced further in the course then we have, so you don't have to do this project due to your marks already being outstanding for the report from Takasago. However I would love for you to do the project to enlighten us on what you already know?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Sure."

"Very well, you won't be graded on it, due to you already having been marked and graded, but think of it as a fun project."

Kagome leaned over. "Want to partner with me?" She whispered.

Inuyasha found himself floored. Why would anyone want to pair up with a hanyou? Gulping, he hesitantly nodded. Maybe she was doing this because she felt sorry for him? No her scent didn't send off pity, in fact it was the opposite. She was genuinely seeking his friendship and he couldn't understand why.

Kagome grinned happily. "We can start tonight if that's okay?" She whispered.

Inuyasha nodded and listened to the rest of the class, and almost swallowed his tongue as an infuriated youki filled the school. Shuddering from the intensity of it, he glanced towards the door, as did the teacher.

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Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes as more taunting words filled his ears and he silenced them with a glare over his shoulder. Biting his tongue, he reached into his pocket for the cell that was humming quietly and he lifted it to his ears. Who the hell would be calling him at school?

"Moshi, moshi?" He whispered, covering the phone with the flat of his hand.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Came an uncertain voice.

"Hai?" He snarled softly, his eyes following the movements of the teacher as he wrote something down on the chalkboard.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, something terrible has happened." The frantic voice uttered, causing him to stiffen. It was Myoga. "It has to do with the lady Kagura, sir."

"Tell me!" He snapped loudly, causing the teacher to whirl around surprised.

Ignoring the angry outcry from the teacher on having a cell in school, he listened to the frantic words of the flea youkai his mouth running dry with dread.

"Sir, she has been taken off life support, her step father ordered it this morning." The flea spoke quickly. "She…she…"

"She what?" Sesshoumaru growled loudly, and he sniffed in satisfaction as the class all nervously glanced at him.

"Milord, she passed on this morning shortly after…" Sesshoumaru flicked the phone closed, refusing to believe what he had just heard. He stood up and growled low as the teacher approached him. "Do not approach me!" He snarled, barring his fangs, and allowing his aura to flare around him in fury.

The teacher made to comment, but Sesshoumaru pushed past him and flung open the door, almost tearing it from its hinges.

His emotions were whirling through him and he didn't know what to do.

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Inuyasha gasped as the aura flared again and he immediately recognized it to be that of Sesshoumaru's. His stood and ran to the door, waving off the teachers startled exclamation at his sudden departure, and he heard several kids rise from their seats as he exited the room. Stopping long enough to sniff the air around him, he found his brother's scent heading in the direction of the school entrance and he bolted as fast as he could towards it.

He turned the corner and gulped audibly as Sesshoumaru reached the doors and shove them open with such force that the glass on the windows shattered.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha cried out, racing towards his brother, and skidding on the glass.

Sesshoumaru whirled around and snarled at Inuyasha. All his mind would allow him to comprehend was that this was another youkai approaching him intending to stop his rampage, and challenge him.

"No Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha barreled into his brother knocking them down, and he flinched as a set of sharp claws embedded into his back and threw him off.

Sesshoumaru rose to his feet and whirled around, heading away from the school. He needed to get to the hospital. 'Kagura.'

Inuyasha groaned at the rough landing but shook it off and gathered his feet. He could tell that several kids had exited the building to watch the show, but he didn't care. His brother was enraged over something and he would find out what.

"Sesshoumaru, stop!" Inuyasha cried launching himself at his brother once again, only to be caught and throw against a tree with such force the hanyou heard it crack under the pressure. Grunting, he slid down the tree, and once again got to his feet. "Sess! Onegai! Stop!"

Sesshoumaru whirled around and flicked his hand in the irritating intruders direction, not really sure what his hand was doing, but he smirked as a long whip of green shot from his fingers and raked the ground in front of the youkai.

Inuyasha snarled and skidded to a stop as his brother sent a youkai attack on him and he cursed. Was his brother so far gone in his rage that he couldn't hear him at all? Did he look at him as a threat? "Sesshoumaru, stop this! What happened?" Inuyasha snarled, flexing his claws at his brother who once again turned his back on him. Using the speed his sensei had taught him over his training lessons, Inuyasha barreled his brother over onto his stomach and pinned him down.

Leaning over, he whispered into his brother's ear. "Sesshoumaru, it's me, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha felt his brother stiffen and Sesshoumaru swallowed. "Inu…ya…sha?" His brother gasped.

"Hai. What happened?" He whispered, still trying to bring his brother out of his rage.

"Let me go!" Sesshoumaru snarled angrily.

"No, not until you tell me what happened." He cried out as his brother used his strength and dislodged him. Inuyasha flew back and panicked. What had happened? Blinking somewhat fearfully at the flare of intense youki Inuyasha had not yet experienced from his older brother, he crawled backwards on his hands and feet, mimicking a crab. "Stop…Sess. Please."

Sesshoumaru flicked his wrist in the youkai's direction and smirked satisfied as it connected with the other tearing through the shirt. He whirled around but was not expecting a sharp crack to his head and his mind faded into black.

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Inuyasha gasped as his teacher hefted a ruler and smacked it over his brother's forehead sharply, rendering his brother unconscious. The hanyou glanced up and blinked as his teacher smirked at him and nodded. His teacher was a youkai! Stumbling to his feet, he took in the silver marks on the forehead, and the blue hair that had not been there before.

Lowering his eyes, Inuyasha stared at his brother's limp form and raced to his side. "Sess?" He whispered.

"Leave him for now." The teacher said softly. "Allow his rage to subside and for him to regain his senses. How old is this boy?"

"Sixteen human years, eight hundred or so youkai." Inuyasha whispered, stroking his brother's silver hair.

"Too young for such power." The youkai hissed, kneeling beside him. "He should be in a youkai school for controlling his abilities and his rage."

Inuyasha gulped and nodded. "Father had tried, but the school told him that Sess was too young. They said he had to wait until his eighteenth human year."

The teacher shook his head. "Let's get him inside. Is there anyone we should call?"

Inuyasha nodded and pulled out his cell, and quickly dialed the number his brother had made him memorize. "Bokusenou? It's Inuyasha. We have a problem at the school. I think you need to come and get Sess."

"Inuyasha? Hai, I just got word from Myoga. I know about it, and I will be there soon."

"Word on what?"

"Lady Kagura passed away this morning, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha sucked in his breath sharply. Was that why his brother had gone on a rampage? "Arigato, Bokusenou." Inuyasha closed the phone and watched amazed as the teacher hefted his brother into his arms effortlessly. He followed his teacher into the school and towards he suspected was the nurse's station.

Inuyasha didn't notice Kagome fall into step beside him, but once his brother was placed onto the bed, he turned and glanced at the presence beside him.

"Is he okay?" Kagome whispered.

"Hai. His girlfriend died this morning." Inuyasha whispered.

"Oh Kami, that's horrible." Kagome clutched her chest, showing that she was truly worried and feeling sad at the news.

Inuyasha shook his head in amazement. This human girl didn't know him or his brother, but she seemed to accept him regardless of that small handicap. Sighing, he watched as Sesshoumaru groaned and slowly slid open his eyes.

Inuyasha walked forward and knelt beside the small bed. "Sess?" He asked hesitantly.

Sesshoumaru groaned and rubbed his head. "What the hell hit me?"

Inuyasha sighed in relief now that he knew his brother was back to his old self. "That would have been a ruler."

Sesshoumaru creased his brow and grunted.

"Bokusenou is coming to get you." Inuyasha whispered.

Sesshoumaru nodded and swallowed.

The teacher walked into the room and glanced at the two boys curiously and then peered at Kagome. " I have canceled the rest of the class, Miss Higurashi, you are free to go to lunch if you wish."

"Hai, sensei." Kagome bowed and then left quickly.

"Mr. Chidori, I must say you led us on a bit of a panic."

Sesshoumaru cracked open an eye to peer at the new comer. "Did you hit me?"

"Hai. My name is Matsumori."

Sesshoumaru snorted. "You're youkai."

"Hai, as you are. However you are untrained in the arts. I think you should discuss attending a school based solely on youkai training and control that temper of yours."

"Tried that." Sesshoumaru scoffed. "Two years."

"Two years too late with your growing power. Your youketsu overpowers mine and I am thrice your age, if not more." Matsumori knelt beside Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "I will speak with a friend of mine at the youkai private schools ad get you into attendance."

Sesshoumaru frowned but nodded. Before anything more was said Bokusenou arrived in the doorway and cleared his throat. The teacher stood and both youkai gasped. "Matsumori?" Bokusenou blinked.

"Unbelievable." The teacher whispered. "Is it really you?" He chuckled.

Bokusenou nodded. "Still using rulers as weapons I see." He nodded towards Sesshoumaru who sat up rubbing his forehead.

The teacher shrugged and grinned. "It works, doesn't it? What can I say?"

Bokusenou shook his head with a sigh. "Still as brash I see. So what can you tell me about our young Sesshoumaru here?"

Matsumori turned and faced the youkai who glared at them both. "Besides the fact that he has too much power residing in his body? Not much. He has to get into youkai classes before that power destroys him."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I'm still here you know!" He snapped, and stood up.

The two elder youkai glanced at him in surprise. "So you are." Matsumori muttered.

Sesshoumaru growled and pushed past them. "Bokusenou, you know what my request is."

The lawyer sighed and shook his head." Perhaps another time we can catch up on old times, Matsumori."

The teacher grinned and nodded. "Indeed, I look forward to it."

Inuyasha made to follow but was stopped by the teacher. "Let him go alone for now. He will need your strength later I trust."

Inuyasha nodded and watched his brother leave with Bokusenou, and sighed. Rolling his shoulders, he heard a chuckle.

"Perhaps we should look at your wounds." Matsumori pointed to the bed and commanded him to take a seat. Rolling his eyes Inuyasha complied and sat down heavily.

He wondered what things were going to be like at home later. Would Sesshoumaru be there? Shaking his head, Inuyasha closed his eyes slowly.

"Fear not, Inuyasha, your brother is going to be fine."

Inuyasha snorted and winced when the teacher pulled his shirt off. It was going to be a long day, he realized.