A/N: … well this author's note is actually really important… for those who actually care … I'm gonna be honest with you guys, I am not Kiyoshi, Kiyoshi is just some stupid fake identity I made up to recover from some shit I went through last year around this time. I'm really Noriko Fujita who you'll find on this website as well…

What I'm REALLY trying to tell you guys… I'm FED UP. Yes call me selfish call me WHATEVER you wish, I don't give a shit. Basically I don't want to write further… I never wanted to write Inuyasha fanfiction to begin with. The Inuyasha series (and Manga) is just too awesome to try and write a story about it. I'll be honest… fanfiction SUCK… because it's ALWAYS OOC (not that there's anything wrong with it.. I support OOC, but this goes beyond my reasons), no matter how you look at it. Its fun to read but meh… the only reason I wrote this was to overcome my fear but it didn't work (just don't ask…)

I'd like to state ONE thing though… if you plan to tell me something like "This is exactly why, YOU should never EVER write any type of story," then please state a reason WHY. I'd obviously not agree with you. But then again WHO CARES it's just a fooking STORY.

Okay… that's about as far as my ranting goes… I only have one more thing to say: this wasn't how I planned to have this chapter, and this will be the last chapter. What I'm trying to say is, I'm taking the easy way out again. Hate me if you must, I'm used to it by now -.-;

Chapter Sixteen

Setsuko walked outside of the dog village. She turned around to look at it one last time.

Inu no Taishō got up from his chair and looked at her. "Don't leave just yet Setsuko. Sesshōmaru might not show it but he's hurt inside. He really needs you more than he needs me right now. Stay for his sake."

She shook the thought out of her mind. She walked further to begin a new journey… She couldn't stay in the presence of Inu no Taishō any longer. It hurts too much. Forgive me, Sesshōmaru. She walked further. Soon enough she caught the scent of a human. "A human? In these parts?" She looked around. "Humans never come here unless they've been ordered by the Dog Lord. What's going on?" She went to investigate.

Night already showed its face to the earth. Sesshōmaru sat outside in the garden of the castle at the bottom of a tree looking at the moon. Whatever thoughts ran through his mind was interrupted.

"Hey," Inuyasha stood a few feet in front of his brother.

Sesshōmaru looked at him annoyed. "What do you want?"

By the welcoming Inuyasha got he just wanted to spat something back and forget everything he was going to say, but by the looks of Sesshōmaru's face… it seemed that he was vaguely showing an emotion. Sadness. "I never got time to thank you for saving me…" Inuyasha spoke through gritted teeth, trying to sound as polite as possible which was an impossible task for him. But to piss his brother of now wouldn't be very wise.

"I didn't do it on purpose," Sesshōmaru glared at him.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Yea, whatever." He looked around and studied the snow. "Aren't you cold?" He had absolutely no idea where that came from.

Sesshōmaru looked the other way. "You're the one who goes around without shoes." Sesshōmaru got up and walked towards Inuyasha. "Let's go inside." Obviously that was just as hard to say for Sesshōmaru as for Inuyasha thanking him. The two brothers walked into the castle together.

Sesshōmaru walked down stairs the next morning when he smelled his mother's scent. When he reached the breakfast table he noticed his mother sitting there with his father. Most unpredictable moment.

"Sesshōmaru," Sestuko said. "I've decided to stay."

"Where are the rest of the people?" Sesshōmaru questioned.

"Well I'll leave you two alone," Inu no Taishō got up. "Besides, I have stacks of work to finish." And he left the room.

"What's going on?" Sesshōmaru asked.

"Nothing, I just had to tell your father something," Setsuko got up. "At least greet me properly," she walked towards him and flung her arms around him.

"What was that about?" Izayoi asked Inu no Taishō when he walked back into the room. "What did Setsuko want?"

"She smelled a human close to the east entrance. I'll be checking it out," he spoke as he took one of his swords off from the wall. "Maybe this would be a good opportunity to take Sesshōmaru and Inuyasha both with me."

"Alright, but do be careful," Izayoi said before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Inu no Taishō placed an arm around her waist and kissed her back. Izayoi gently tapped his chest. "Right now's not the time to follow your animal instincts. Go take Inuyasha and Sesshōmaru out, this might just be that final push you need for them to work together."

Inu no Taishō nodded at her. "I'll be back later." He walked out of the room then walked into Inuyasha's. Inuyasha was lying on the bed staring at the ceiling.

"Is the ceiling really that interesting?" Inu no Taishō looked up at the ceiling as well.

"Dad!" Inuyasha teasingly threw one of the fluffy toys at him. Inu no Taishō caught it.

"Well glad to see you found purpose for these," he spoke then put the toy down on the drawer. He walked forward then sat down on the bed.

Inuyasha sat up straight with a confused look on his face.

"I'm going out for a bit and I would like for you and Sesshōmaru to come with me," Inu no Taishō informed him. "Setsuko picked a human's scent up close by and I would like to check it out."

"What for? I thought you liked humans?" Inuyasha said with a slight growl.

"Just like yōkai, not all humans can be trusted, besides, maybe they just need help," he got up from the bed then walked to the doorway and looked back at Inuyasha. "You coming or not?"

Inuyasha stared at his father with awe before nodding his head yes. His father really was a great guy. He has no idea how Sesshōmaru is planning to surpass their father. Inuyasha jumped up then grabbed Tessaiga and walked out with his dad.

They walked to the dinning room to find Sesshōmaru and Setsuko. "Sorry we don't mean to interrupt. Sesshōmaru, do you have a moment?" Inu no Taishō spoke.

"Not like I have a choice," he mumbled and looked at his father with Inuyasha by his side a little bit further behind. Normally seeing your younger sibling with your parent signals you've done something wrong and they went and spilled the beans to your parents and now you're in trouble.

"We're going out for a while. Join us."

A moment of silence occurred as Sesshōmaru thought of the possible conclusions that could lead to.

"Well don't let me stop you," Setsuko stood up from her sitting place. "I'm gonna go see if Izayoi needs help with whatever she's doing," Setsuko gave a sheepish grin then walked passed Inu no Taishō and Inuyasha to exit the room. None the less, that was a mere phrase no one would've expected from her.

Sesshōmaru stood up and walked towards his father. "Since I have nothing else to do."

His father smiled at him. "We're looking for a human."

The three dog demons spread out on the east side of the village to search for the trespasser.

"Father, I doubt the human will still be here. Mother said she only smelled the person last night," Sesshōmaru said.

"It didn't rain last night therefore there should still be a trace of the human's scent."

Inuyasha completely ignored their conversation and kept sniffing for the human. His eyes widened when he picked up a whiff of the scent, but when he turned around to tell his father and brother he couldn't see them anymore, nor smell them.

"A lot of humans already passed by here already and you never get so worked up about it," Sesshōmaru stated.

"The fact that the guards couldn't pick up the scent gives me a good reason to worry," Inu no Taishō said. "The human wasn't far from the village and the guards should've smelled them by this distance. Setsuko admitted she only picked up the scent when she was quite a distance from the village."

Sesshōmaru and Inu no Taishō went quiet for a while as both of them sensed something is wrong.

"Why do I fail to smell Inuyasha?" Sesshōmaru asked and carefully studied his surroundings to see if he can spot his younger brother somewhere.

Inu no Taishō looked around as well. "So then it's not just me."

Inuyasha ignored the fact that he lost his father and brother but that's alright. It's not like he needs them to survive. Instead he followed the scent as he ran on all fours up a hill. The expression on his face was serious though. Whatever he smelled – he was determined to get it.

Is my nose deceiving me? This scent it can't be… Inuyasha arrived at the top of the hill and immediately came to a halt. He felt his heart skip a beat right then and there before the words escaped his lips; "Kikyo!"

"Kagome-chan," Sango called for the black haired girl.

"Uh?" Kagome looked up from her homework she brought along. For the very first time in history she got chance to do her homework in the feudal era. Izayoi also sat at the table and Setsuko was busy with the garden outside (well hopefully outside).

"Hōshi-sama and I are going out for a while. Just to smell the fresh air again, want to come along?" Sango asked her as Kirara jumped into her arms.

"No thanks, I'll stay here and wait for Inuyasha," Kagome smiled.

Sango nodded then she and Miroku walked out with Kirara.

Kagome looked in front of her again to meet Izayoi's friendly eyes. "You're really devoted to him, aren't you?"

Kagome felt her face heating up but tried to ignore it. This was Inuyasha's mom after all, one of the people she least wanted to know how she really felt. "Um… well…"

Izayoi gave her a warm grin, "No need to be embarrassed."

Okay, those words made Kagome sure Inuyasha took after his dad. And at that moment she was at a loss for words and found her books very interesting.

"I really appreciate it Kagome, and I am sure Inuyasha does too," Izayoi informed the girl.

"Yea, sure," Kagome's eyes filled up with depression once again thinking of Inuyasha and Kikyo. The one Inuyasha appreciated the most was Kikyo after all. She was the very first person who accepted Inuyasha for who he was and that just took all of the special ness away. Kagome could never fill Kikyo's shoes and that's what made her sad. Maybe that's why Inuyasha liked Kikyo more, because she was the first to accept him. Kagome tried to rub the thought away as she felt tears well up in her eyes and she look down further so that Izayoi wouldn't notice.

Concern covered itself over Izayoi's face. "Kagome… what's wrong?"

Damnit, she noticed, Kagome quickly forced the tears away then looked up with her usual cheery smile. "Nothing Izayoi-sama, I'm perfectly fine."

"You didn't look fine just a minute back," Izayoi said and leaned forward to look at Kagome more closely. "Is something bothering you?"

Kagome quickly shook her head no. There was no way she could tell Izayoi she was in love with Inuyasha. Besides, Izayoi might get mad at Inuyasha and tell him everything. That isn't what Kagome wanted. She wanted Inuyasha to be happy, and if that meant to see him with Kikyo, then she'll sacrifice. "Why would anything be bugging me? I'm perfectly fine," she smiled as wide as she could.

"Kagome," Izayoi's face turned more serious as she leaned back in her chair. "If Inuyasha did something to hurt you then I would like to know…"

"No!" Kagome quickly said as her defenses jumped up. "Of course not! What makes you think he'd do that?"

"Because your emotion changed from average to depression when we started talking about him," Izayoi's face was back to more concerned.

Kagome looked Izayoi in the eye. She sure knew her emotions.

"I thought you were dead!" Inuyasha said relieved to see his Kikyo still alive. (A/N: Do note that I think the third movie happened after the whole Shichinintai story, after the hole Mount. Hakurei doing. And when they left mount Hakurei they thought Kikyo was dead… since she wasn't in the third movie I kind of thought that it took place after that then since Kikyop was in the first and second movies and is in the fourth.)

"Inuyasha…" Kikyo sat in a tree with her Shinidamachu flying around her gathering more souls for her. "Seems that my barrier keeps falling and rebuilding itself then."

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha ran towards the tree.

"Don't come any closer…" Kikyo looked down at him. She was still too weak to move.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked.

"I was seeking a resting place to heal, but Naraku seemed to have found me every time. Here it seems saver. Why are you here? Naraku's far from the West," Kikyo stated.

"I guess you could say I live here…" Inuyasha hesitantly spoke.

"How so? You haven't defeated Naraku yet. Taking a break?"

"Guess you could say something like that…." Inuyasha slowly started to walk towards the tree and Kikyo's eyes followed him.

"What happened?" Inuyasha asked.

"Nothing, I just never died," Kikyo said and gazed up at the sky. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, I've finally met my father as both my parents have been revived," Inuyasha said in a cocky, but happy, tone.

"I would like to meet them," the sun landed on Kikyo's face to put a sparkle in her smile.

"You're on safe grounds now Kikyo. Let your barrier down…" Inuyasha's voice was full of doubt. He knew Kikyo and Kagome aren't best of friends, but he couldn't just leave her there.

"Where's that Kagome girl?" Kikyo asked.

A/N: Just imagine Takemaru jumped down a cliff and died and Inu-papa got Sou'unga back and killed all the masses of zombie armies and Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are getting along so great it's actually scary and the parents never died again. Yay, everybody wins.