yeah... so SO sorry about the wait. i couldn't remember how i had planned to end this. it just wouldn't come. so yeah, it's a page short. but i think i've got writer's block or somthing. anyway, the poll from the last chapter is still up... (for those of you who dont bother checking back when i update the story.)

if you haven't already, be aware that you should go back a chapter because i replaced the 'author note' chapter with an actuall chapter, short though it is. it's meant to be a transition between the major parts of the story.

anyway, enjoy!

Inuyasha and all associated characters (C) Rumiko Takahashi.


Tonight, tonight it all ends. And tonight it all begins, Sesshoumaru pondered, staring out into the forest around the shrine. He was seated outside on the walkway surrounding the temple in the early morning. The miko, his brother, and the monk and the demon slayer were all slumbering peacefully inside. Not even the sun had risen yet, and the dew was coalescing on the grass blades as little globular warriors, massing towards an offensive against the day star that they couldn't hope to win.

It was so peaceful without other beings. No one to question him or talk to him. Just himself, his thoughts and the gentle stirring of the breezes.

But this, too, must change. He had to get his brother up, for today, at midday as the tailor said, the koinu's kimono was done. He would have to give his brother his armor too, although he wasn't sure the pup knew exactly what he was being given. Oh, well; he'd learn in due time.

Then there was the matter of the boy's hair. He would also have to bathe well and in the proper scents. And all this must be done at the castle, which would be the cause of several lost hours as Inuyasha and his miko spent as much of their free time exploring as they could. Which meant that, if he really wanted to get anything done today at all, not to mention before the ceremony, he would have to get Inuyasha up now. Which the pup would not like.

Sighing softly, the taiyoukai got up and padded into the shine and through the main assembly area. He passed with confidence through the pitch black halls, finding his way to his brother's room swiftly and surely.

The pup was sleeping on a futon, wonder of all wonders, and quite deeply, too. He must have finally worn himself out. Oh, yes, Sesshoumaru was completely aware of his brother's restlessness the night prior.

He knelt quickly to the red-clad figure's side and stretched out a hand, then paused. A wicked though had crossed his mind. The taiyoukai's lip twitched. Oooooh, he really shouldn't. The pup would be furious with him. He really, really, really, REALLY shouldn't. His lip twitched again. But it would be so funny… Sesshoumaru frowned. And he really did deserve it, for all those times the brat had ruined his kimono. His mind made up, the taiyoukai got up as swiftly and silently as he came and made his way back out.

He paused silently outside of the miko's room, pondering. There was the very real possibility that she would rush out in a panic and give him a generally bothersome headache if he were to follow through with his plan. But of course, if he let her in on said plan she would probably frown at him disapprovingly. She was 'mature' after all.

The taiyoukai blinked. Thinking of which, when had he become so 'immature'? He sighed; it was probably his subconscious' way of making up for the last 200 years or so that he hadn't got to spend with his little brother. Which in no way meant that he wasn't going to go through with it.

Smiling a deviously evil little smile, the taiyoukai entered the miko's room, woke her up gently, and bid her to follow. She opened her mouth but he hushed her with a gesture. It wouldn't do for his prey to awaken early.

He waited as she put on a yakuta and those strange shoes that she was always wearing. Strange, but quick and effective.

Nodding, he lead her outside and through the forest to the edge of a slow-moving river and, having grabbed a pail from inside the shrine, scooped up a decent quantity of the chilled water. He turned around to Kagome and smiled ever so slightly. Her shoes were slightly muddy from the soft ground of the river bank, and her yakuta was a deep sea-green in the pre-dawn light. Yet, the strange miko held an elegant, sure air about herself that reminded the taiyoukai of younger years. She would have made an admirable noble.

He sneered, unlike those fools. But today would change them, he would see to that. Those silly laws they enacted and enforced, only to fulfill their own selfish desire to be 'pure'. This day would see a new dawn. And if dusk of an era required that blood be shed, well, some days the sun dawned red.

She brought him out of his musings with a yawn and a bleary blink. Shaking his head to remove the last ponderings, the taiyoukai once again bid his brother's miko to follow. They retraced the path back through the forest to the shrine, the raven head bowed sleepily to follow the footsteps of the silver headed demon. It wasn't until they were paused outside his brother's quarters that the miko finally started coming awake.

Setting the pail down without a sound, the taiyoukai put an ear to his brother's door and listened carefully.

He heard some sleep-noises and rustling but no indication that his brother was conscious. Carefully, oh-so, carefully, did Sesshoumaru open the shoji screen to his brother's room. He picked up the pail, bid the miko to wait (who then sighed quietly and rolled her eyes), and then tip-toed ever so quietly into the room. He paused at the head of his brother's futon, snickered, then up-ended the pail and it's ice-cold contents.

"AURGH!" the inu youkai was on his feet in seconds, ready to behead whoever had disturbed his sleep and then stopped dead in his tracks. Sesshoumaru tried so hard to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching and almost succeeded too, but the fish he had un-intentionally caught in his bucket chose that time to flop on top of Inuyasha's head and slide down into his haori, inciting a freakish hop-hop dance to get the thing out.

Even Kagome cracked a smile at that.

When all were calm (and dry) again, Sesshoumaru told Inuyasha something he should have told him three days ago.

"Inuyasha," the taiyoukai began, setting aside his chopsticks from the wonderful fish meal he had just partaken of, "due to your new status, you and Kagome…"

"Mmmmhpf?" the youkai inquired through several ounces of rice.

The elder tried again, "Inu clan laws…"

"What he's trying to say, Inuyasha," the miko interrupted quietly, "is that we can't be together."

Inuyasha choked.

"Due to certain Inu societal laws, inu youkai are forbidden to mate with humans," Sesshoumaru concluded.

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed, "You mean I went through all this crap, just to learn that I cant…!?" he trailed off, hopelessly.

All the taiyoukai could do was nod. His jaw contacted squarely with Inuyasha's fist.

"You mean to tell me," the youkai started, his eyes flashing red, "that you didn't share this before I made the wish on the Tama?"

"I was not allowed, Inuyasha." His brother implored, gently massaging the bruise he could feel forming, "Speaking of these laws to those exiled is one of Inu societies greatest offenses. I would have been stripped of my title and hunted until they killed me."

"YOU STILL SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME!" now furious, there was no avoiding his brother's transformation. Eyes now a solid red, his markings expanded and he pounced on his brother, claws bared. Sesshoumaru was only glad they were outside, having wanted to enjoy the sunrise with their breakfast, as he missed any furniture or doors as they went sailing through the air.

Seconds after they hit the ground, Inuyasha pulled them to their feet, his claws catching his brother across the cheek and down the chest. Sesshoumaru grunted, lashing out with a fist that missed it's mark, and managing to dodge the next two swipes of his brother's claws by an inch and a lucky twist of fate that sent him stumbling backwards.

Growling loudly, Inuyasha kept at his brother as his fangs and claws continued to grow. He managed to get a nip at one of his brother's forearms before they both managed to grab on to each other and started to sharpen their claws on their respective brother's hide. Snarls, yips, growls and barks filled the air as the two went at it, teeth bared. Finally, both skidded back, Sesshoumaru's white kimono in tatters, his right arm useless, Inuyasha bleeding from a particularly nasty gash on his thigh, a few solid blows to his abdomen and a hearty scratch across his left eye.

Apparently this wasn't enough for the youkai in his new state, as he snarled again, spittle dribbling down his chin, and began to glow. Seeing his brother enveloped in a white light, Sesshoumaru started to panic. There was no way his brother was old enough for that particular feat. But it seemed he was, as the white silhouette transformed into a much larger silhouette. Much larger.

Panic increasing, Sesshoumaru did the only thing he knew how; he transformed himself. By the time he had recovered from the slightly dizzying effects of the transformation, Inuyasha was just starting to react to them. Feeling the need for much distance and time, he grabbed Inuyasha around the scruff with his teeth and flung him further away from the temple, bounding quickly after.

As he watched Inuyasha shake off the throw and the after effects of transforming, he examined his brother. The markings were there, same as his humanoid form. He was slightly smaller than the taiyoukai, probably due to the fact he was still an adolescent, not quite having reached the five hundred years necessary. As such, he lacked the plumage of an adult, his fur slightly softer; he looked much like a pup, and yet he appeared older than he was.

Hm, Sesshoumaru thought, probably a result of his human blood. He matured faster when he was hanyou.

Brought out of his musings, the taiyoukai was just able to dodge a snap of his sibling's jaws. He growled; if the damn puppy had let him finish, he would know that all wasn't lost!

Inuyasha! he barked, hoping that his brother wasn't so far gone as to not hear his mental cry.

Dodging another bite, he tried again, listen to me, you stupid youkai!

Great way to get me to listen to you, asshole! Insult my intelligence!

Sesshoumaru sighed in relief, Baka. There is a way out of this. Now there's enough of us that I can overturn the Shiyakusho's decisions regarding humans. You and the miko don't have to be apart forever.

'What?' Inuyasha whined, pawing the ground in agitation. Why didn't you say that!?

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, fighting off a headache. You. Didn't. Let. Me.

Inuyasha sat down on his haunches and blinked. Oh. Yeah.

The taiyoukai sighed in agitation, stupid little…

You say somethin'? Inuyasha demanded, growling slightly.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and returned to his human form, heading back in to the temple, "Come, Inuyasha; there are several things you must know before tonight."

The young dog demon stood up and followed his brother, tail swishing lazily back and forth as he shouldered his way through the tall trees. About five minutes of listening to branches crack and birds scatter made Sesshoumaru address the now-youkai, "Inuyasha, you draw too much attention in that form. Change back."

The taiyoukai could almost feel the heated glare he was certain was being directed at his back, sure, I'll just do something I've never done before in my life without even knowing how I got here in the first place. What an amazing plan, Sesshoumaru. Why didn't I think of that?

"Enough with the sarcasm, Inuyasha," the taiyoukai growled.

The dog demon stared at him as if to say, 'I wouldn't need sarcasm if you'd just tell me how!'

"It is… difficult to describe," the lord admitted. "It feels like a cross between swallowing an ocean and swallowing nails."

Swallowing nails

"Yes," fluffy sighed, trying to put into words something that was never meant to be spoken, "Sit down, Inuyasha."

The large dog looked at him skeptically before hurriedly sitting at his growl. He walked over to the white form, thinking back. All dog demons transform before they could talk, so he had to think back a long way, to when his father was trying to convince him to take human form.

He had been young by demon standards, a mere fifty years, and rash with more than a healthy dash of curiosity. It had taken the Great Dog Demon quite some time, and more than enough patience to get his son to sit still long enough to explain exactly how to transform back.

"Now Sesshoumaru, the trick to getting your form back is-"

"AH! Kouga! Not so fast, damnit! I can't keep up with you! KOUGA!"

A brown streak dashed into the relatively small clearing, followed later by a bright blue one. Sesshoumaru sighed; if it wasn't the wolf-brat.

The taiyoukai glanced imploringly at the heavens; would it be too much to ask for him to get through just one important conversation with his brother before he was interrupted? He must be cursed or something. Or the gods hated him. That must be it. He must have stepped on a kami's tail somewhere recently.

Both blurs ran right at Inuyasha, who did a very good impression of a chicken, at his indignant squawk.

Oi! Watch where you're going, dammit! the large puppy snarled.

Both blurs stopped suddenly, the wolf prince staring at him in shock as Shippou tried to scurry backwards from where he fell, "S-Sesshoumaru-!"

From where Sesshoumaru stood, carefully concealed behind Inuyasha's larger form, it was obvious that the kit was addressing Inuyasha's transformed state. The taiyoukai glanced at his brother; did they really look that alike?

"I-inu…yasha?!" the wolf looked as if he were about to faint in shock.

Yeah, what of it, mangy wolf? Inuyasha growled, baring fangs.

"Inuyasha?! Where?!" the kit backed up, hiding himself behind the wolf's tail. The small fox who had recently stopped short of Kouga's knee, now reached the wolf's thigh.

Right here, idiot! he shoved a large nose at the kit, which only frightened him further.

"Kouga! HELP!"

"Do not bother, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru finally said, emerging from behind his brother, "He cannot hear you."

"What-?"

What?

The wolf was the only one not surprised, "HA! You just gave me Kagome, dog breath! Your stupid kind and your stupid rules will never let you have Kagome as a full youkai! Even if you could get her to choose you over me, your own leaders wont let you!"

Shut up! Even if I cant have Kagome, she'd never choose a mangy wolf like you!

"We'll see about that, mutt!"

"If you are quite done, I have some business to attend to," the taiyoukai said in distain as he walked from the clearing.

He turned to look when he failed to detect the loud sound of cracking branches and disturbed birds, "Inuyasha."

The pup, who had been in a glaring match with the Prince of Wolves, turned at his brother's call and then proceeded to lope off after him at his summons, blowing a very ineffective raspberry at Kouga as he left.

He sniggered as he heard Shippou's startled exclamation behind him, "That's Inuyasha?!"


yeah, like i said at the begining, dont know exactly when i'll get the next one up, and i know that i'll probably loose readers over that. i honnestly dont care though. i like sharing this with you, but i'm not going to put out a POS just so you guys can have an update faster. there's a REASON i'm going this slow. and it's not cause i'm sadistic. although i am.