Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its affiliates. I do own the characters I created for this story and the ideas in this story.
Chapter 2: Unexpected Visitor
"Saphira! Akio!" Souta's voice called from the top of the stairs. Saphira tried to shake the feeling off but had no such luck.
She followed Akio up the rest of the stairs and into the house. She was immediately tackled and crushed.
"Saphira! I'm so glad you came!" Karen's voice cried.
"It's no problem, really," Saphira said trying to breath, for a human Karen was exceptionally strong. "How's Grandma?"
Karen pulled away from Saphira brushing her hair out of her face like she had done when Saphira had been a child. "She's stabilized. They've been fighting the fever off with something called an ice blanket. It's like a plastic cover that they lay on the bed and iced water goes through it. Grandma lays on it and it cools her body. We're going to the hospital after dinner."
"Good," Saphira said.
"We added a guest house onto the opposite side the house. The girls share your mother's old room, and Akio has Great-Grandpa's old room," Karen said leading Saphira into the kitchen. Sure enough the back door no longer led outside, but had been turned into a hallway leading to the guest house.
"How have things been?" Saphira asked setting her roll-away suitcase down.
"Well, Souta was cleaning out the attic and found something interesting," Karen said looking at Saphira thoughtfully.
"What was it?" Saphira asked.
"It was a long box with Inumaru's name on it," Karen said carefully. "It's very old, and the handwriting has all but faded away."
The hair on Saphira's neck stood up on end. "Show it to me."
Karen shrugged and led Saphira up to the second floor, then pulled the stairs down that led up to the attic. The attic was dusty and full of boxes.
"Here it is," Karen said picking up a very long box, long enough to hold a sword. "We didn't know if you wanted him to have it or not. Souta wanted you to see it before he did."
But Saphira ignored her aunt's ramblings and was staring at the handwriting on the box. She hadn't seen that handwriting for almost eighteen years. She knew the hand that had written her eldest son's name belonged to her long dead mate.
She ripped the box open and was stunned to see Tessaiga, looking as old and worn as ever. There was a note underneath the sword, and Saphira recognized it as Inuyasha's chicken scratch.
Inumaru, if you are receiving this sword than I have died before I could give it to you myself. If I have died then I left the sword in the care of your uncle, who will give it to you when you are ready. Live well, my son. Inuyasha
Saphira clutched the note to her chest as blue dots danced in front of her eyes.
"Saphira?" Karen said but her voice was faraway.
Saphira fainted dropping the sword and box.
Souta hearing the heavy thunk of something hitting the floor climbed the stairs.
"Karen? What's happened?" He asked unable to see his niece laying on the floor.
"Oh, dear," Karen said. "I showed her the sword and she fainted. You'll have to help me pick her up."
"I'm too old for that! We'll have to call Akio and Inumaru," Souta said climbing back down the stairs and calling the boys. "Put the sword away, Karen."
Karen quickly hid the sword and pocketed the note before the boys climbed up the stairs to carry Saphira down.
"What happened, Aunt Karen?" Inumaru asked setting his mother down on the sofa.
"Jet lag I guess," Karen said shrugging. Inumaru could smell the lie on his aunt, but said nothing. He was sure his mother would tell him what had happened when she came to.
"You kids get ready to go to the hospital," Souta said to the children gathered around the sofa.
"Who's staying here with Mom?" Inumaru asked looking down at his mother.
"I'll stay," Maruchi volunteered. "Grandma will want to see you, Inumaru."
Inumaru nodded, his real mother had been his grandmother's oldest child and her only daughter. Kagome had died in the invasion when he was only three along with his father and his uncle, he guessed. He was the only thing left of his mother, besides Saphira. Since Saphira obviously couldn't go, it made sense he would go.
Soon Maruchi was left alone with his mother. Karen had fixed him a plate of food before leaving, but set it down and rummaged through the pantry looking for Raman noodles.
"Inumaru?" Saphira's voice called weakly.
Maruchi trotted into the living and hovered over his mother. "It's me, Mom, Maruchi."
"Oh, hey baby," Saphira smiled at her son. "You look just like your father."
Her comment threw him off. She had never said anything about his father before.
"Except your eyes, they're mine," Saphira frowned for a moment then brushed her hand against the markings on his face. "I'm sorry you have nothing to remember him by."
His mother's disorientation was making him nervous. Maybe she had a concussion.
"Do you want me to take you to the hospital, Mom?" He asked worriedly.
"Nonsense!" She said sitting up. There was a knock at the door and Maruchi looked down at his mother then walked into the hallway to answer the door.
"Can I help you?" Maruchi asked the man standing at the door. The man was tall, taller than Maruchi which was odd. The only person Maruchi knew that matched him in height was Inumaru. His sister being slightly shorter than both of them.
"Yes, I am an acquaintance of Saphira Ryuji," the man answered smoothly. Something seemed vaguely familiar about the man. His hair was almost the exact same color as Maruchi's hair and was short but not curly. His eyes were amber like Nakia's eyes.
"I'm afraid she's not feeling well at the moment," Maruchi said nervously. His mother was in no shape to handle some stranger's visit.
"Who is it, Maruchi?" Saphira called her voice surprisingly strong.
"Someone for you!" Maruchi called back.
The hairs on Saphira's neck stood up again as she stood and walked to the door.
She gasped catching sight of him, her blue eyes widening, and the blood draining from her face.
"Mom?" Maruchi asked worriedly.
"I...I...you're dead!" Saphira whispered to the stranger standing at the door.
"I survive through five hundred years of war, famine, and politics to see you. Then I have to track you down because you insist on moving from place to place as if you know that I am looking for you. And all you can say is that you thought I was dead?" The man asked incredulously.
"Leave me and my children alone," Saphira hissed stepping between the stranger and Maruchi.
Maruchi, picking up his mother's nervousness and anger, growled, "Who are you?"
The man smiled over Saphira's head at Maruchi. "Son of perfection, huh? I would have preferred Sesshoumaru junior," the man grinned showing off his fangs. "What about Nakia? That's not even Japanese or American."
Saphira, who had been growling, said, "It's Egyptian."
"Ah, yes, you were in Egypt before you had them weren't you?" He asked.
"What do you want from me?" Saphira growled.
Sesshoumaru stepped into the house, but when he looked down at her the teasing face was gone.
"Saphira, what happened was my fault," he said seriously.
"You're damn right it was," Saphira said. "You killed my mother and my brother, do you expect me to allow you back into my life after all this time."
Maruchi who had finally realized who the stranger was. "This my Dad?"
Saphira sighed and looked at her confused son. "Yes, he is, Maruchi."
"He...he killed Grandma?" Maruchi asked looking down at his mother. "And Inumaru how is that possible?"
Saphira sighed softly looking up at her son. "It's a long story, best saved for when all of you are present to hear it."
Maruchi cut his eyes back at the man who was supposed to be his father. "You've been around all this time?"
The man nodded curtly.
"If you didn't bother to come around till now, then I don't want you in my life," Maruchi said evenly stepping in front of his mother. "Nor my mother's life or my sister's. You may have sired me, but you have not earned the right to call yourself my father."
"Pup, I suggest that you step aside," Sesshoumaru said dispassionately.
"I think that the 'pup' is right," came a voice from behind Saphira.
She turned at the sound of her eldest son's voice. "Inumaru?"
He stood there, surprisingly holding Tessaiga casually at his side, and looking at Sesshoumaru almost fiercely. "In the old days, an interested male would have to battle the father of the female he sought."
"I am aware of what was done in the old days, pup," Sesshoumaru said with an edge of impatience.
"Since my mother's father is no longer on this earth," Inumaru continue as if Sesshoumaru had said nothing. "You will have to battle me instead."
"No," Saphira said whipping around to look at Inumaru. "I won't allow it."
Maruchi nodded in approval over his mother's head.
Sesshoumaru looked at Inumaru with an odd expression on his face. "Very well."
"I said no," Saphira growled, then turned to Sesshoumaru. "This has gone far enough, leave me and my family alone!"
"They are my pups," Sesshoumaru stated. "Isn't it customary for the father in this day and age to have visitation rights?"
"With those rights come child support," Saphira said irritably. "If you've been tracking me all this time you know damn well that I'm a lawyer. If you want visitation you owe me money for the last seventeen years."
Sesshoumaru reached into the pocket of the black leather overcoat he was wearing and pulled out a checkbook. "How much?"
"There is also the matter of proving that you are their father," Saphira said dismissing his question.
"A simple blood test," Sesshoumaru said shrugging.
"By the time you put in for a paternity order my sister and I will have already come of age and can decide for ourselves whether or not we want anything to do with you," Maruchi said silkily matching his father's arrogance.
Sesshoumaru regarded Maruchi thoughtfully before replying. "Your loyalty to your mother is admirable, but did she tell you why she left me in the first place?"
"It doesn't matter, there's no sense in digging up what's already been buried," Maruchi said wisely.
"Your wisdom comes from my lineage, it will do you well to remember that," Sesshoumaru said regarding his son. "Now, if you don't mind Saphira, I would like to have back what you stole."
Saphira glared at him. "You mean the sword that you thought was worthless and had no value?"
"True enough, but it still belongs to me," he said. Saphira had been in such a hurry to leave the past that she had brought the sword with her to the future. Inumaru and the sword were the only reminders of what had transpired five hundred years before.
Saphira shrugged. "I don't care."
Sesshoumaru glared at her coldly.
"I think that you should be going now," Inumaru said as the sound of tires crunching the gravel in the driveway could be faintly heard.
"A moment with your mother," Sesshoumaru said not taking his eyes off her.
Maruchi began to protest but stopped when Inumaru shook his head. "Come on."
The boys stepped into the living room but were still only a few feet away.
Sesshoumaru leaned towards Saphira and whispered softly into her ear. "I need you, don't you understand?"
As her eyes widened he disappeared from the door and her family came in through the kitchen door. Saphira mentally shook herself out of the daze her former mate had instilled in her.
"Mom!" Nakia called coming into the hallway. "Oh! There you are! Feeling better?"
Saphira smiled weakly at her daughter. "Sorta, what's up?"
Nakia bubbling with energy bounced up to her. "Ami says that there's a club for teens not too far from here. Can I go? Please, Mom!"
Saphira regarded her daughter wearily. "Only if one of your brothers go with you."
"Inumaru! Maruchi!" She called running into the living room. "Rock, paper, scissors to see who has to go with me!"
Saphira heard the boys groan, and then the murmur of 'rock, paper, scissors and couldn't help but smile.
"Inumaru!" Nakia laughed then came back into the hall. "Mom, Inumaru's going with us."
"Okay," Saphira said. "I want to see what you're wearing before you leave."
"Fine," Nakia agreed readily and ran up the stairs to search for an outfit.
A few minutes later she ran down the stairs again. "Mom, can I take a limo?"
"You'll have to pay for it," Saphira said.
"Yes!" Nakia grinned and ran back up the stairs. Inumaru walked lazily out of the living and past Saphira to climb the stairs.
"Keep a close eyes her, Inu," Saphira said.
"We'll have to all talk later," he said looking down at her. "We have a right to know what happened."
"I know," she gulped. "It's-it's hard to talk about it, you know?"
Inumaru only smiled sadly. "The truth usually is."
He made his way up the stairs as Nakia made her way back down. She was wearing a short, shimmering blue, cocktail dress. It was strappy, accenting her graceful neck and shoulders. She wore on her feet silver high heels that shimmered when they caught the light just right.
"Okay," Saphira said approving the dress. "You can do your make-up and hair now."
Nakia grinned and made her way back up the stairs.
"I can never figure out how she runs around in those heels," Saphira grumbled as she sat down next to Maruchi. "How do you always win that game?"
Maruchi grinned as he changed the channels on the T.V. "Inumaru always picks scissors, paper and then rock."
Both Inumaru and Nakia came down the stairs a short while later ready to go. Inumaru had on black dress slacks with a midnight blue, button up, dress shirt. His hair was braided with his bangs falling into his amber eyes.
"You look good, baby," Saphira said standing on her tip toes to kiss him on the cheek.
"Hey! What about me?" Nakia pouted playfully.
"You look good too, honey," Saphira said hugging her. "Be good and don't talk to strangers."
"Yada yada yada," Nakia mocked playfully. "We know, Mom!"
"Just reminding you," Saphira said. "Go on, the limo driver has been beeping his horn for the past five minutes."
Inumaru opened the door for his sister and cousins.
"Take care of her, Inumaru," Saphira said pinching his cheek in a motherly way. "I don't want to have to hurt you."
Inumaru only smiled. "Gotcha."