A/N: Hello! Well, I didn't even know I left this story up, I thought I deleted it. Anyways, I was bored and I was checking old accounts and I read the final reviews of this story. Most of them said "if you are really bored then please write further". Truth be told, I am really bored. I just finished my last exams of school. It's now vacation: I've got nothing to do. My dad is sick, work won't be available until after Christmas (unless I do waitressing and haha that ain't gonna happen!).

Just to clear something up: I never said I didn't like writing. I love writing, at the particular moment I just did not WANT to write. Although I have matured (I mean for heaven's sake it's been a good 3 years) and I've decided to 'share' my writing again. I also started again on Fiction Press. On FP my name will be the same as this one soon (for now it remains Kiyoshi for in case old fans want to continue reading this story and do not recognize me if I change it to my FP name).

Particularly, I'm not much into fanfiction (anymore) but I think it's a wonderful thing for people who want to write about things they think will happen or that they wished had happened.

Anyway, I am welcoming myself back, temporarily. I do not know how long I will be on this site for, or how many stories I will write. But I do promise I will TRY and finish this story. I have forgotten most of the plot but after rereading it I did get inspiration. So even if it's not the original plot that I wanted 3 years ago, this story will continue and I will try to finish it.

That said, I am sorry for those I have disappointed. I do not expect you to understand why I did what I did and I am also not going to bother explaining (because truth be told, I don't really think any of you care or could be bothered to care).

And so, I end my huge speech and onto the story! Enoy.

Chapter 17

"What's that smell?" Inu no Taishō suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Sesshōmaru looked at his father confused then smelled the ait around him – studying the scent of his surroundings, 'Could this be?'

"Takemaru…" Inu no Taishō said and got ready to unsheathe his sword.

"No, father," Sesshōmaru quickly stopped his father from doing anything. "You might smell the dead, but that is not one of Takemaru's minions."

Inu no Taishō looked confused.

"Smell, father. You will pick up Inuyasha's scent beneath the decay," Sesshōmaru instructed his father. "Why would Inuyasha be with Takemaru without fighting? Therefore, it is not Takemaru."

"Then who is it?" Inu no Taishō questioned.

"Kikyo," Sesshōmaru said and at that moment his brother walked out between the trees with Kikyo right behind him.

"Inuyasha?" Inu no Taishō looked confused when he saw a clay vessel following his son.

"Father, this is Kikyo. She needs a place to stay in order to regain her energy. Some place safe," Inuyasha said.

Sesshōmaru glared at Inuyasha then turned around and walked towards the palace, "I do not want any part in this."

Inuyasha and his father just watched Sesshōmaru fade away in between the trees. Inu no Taishō turned his attention back to Inuysha, "If she is a friend of yours I do not see why not."

Kikyo walked in front of Inuyasha and bowed down, "Thank you, Inu no Taishō."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"You're doing a great job," Izayoi smiled at Rin. Jaken was sitting in a corner, very irritated that Sesshōmaru did not ask him to accompany them. Now he was babysitting Rin and he did not see a point in it as Izayoi was busy teaching Rin how to mix certain herbs in order to make certain cures.

"Ugh! When will it end!" Jaken got up very impatiently.

"Oh shut up, Jaken," Setsuko said and hit him over the head with his staff. Jaken was caught of guard and decided against saying anything and just sat back down as his staff fell in front of him.

"Sestuko-sama!" Rin smiled. Setsuko was caught a bit off guard at the girl's happiness of seeing her.

"Sestuko, can I help you?" Izayoi asked.

"Uh… no," again Setsuko was caught off guard when Izayoi was being nice to her. "I just came to see what Rin was up to. Sesshōmaru would never forgive me if anything happens to her."

"I thought it was Jaken's task to look after her?" Izayoi smiled knowing that it was not the real reason that Setsuko came.

"Oh yeah sure. But you certainly won't trust that thing to look after a child, would you?"

"Thing?" Jaken said and sunk further into the ground.

"Jaken-sama isn't that bad. We have lots of fun together," Rin smiled.

"Of course you do," Setsuko smiled at the little girl, "But if a big yōkai were to attack, Jaken would be left defenceless and then Sesshōmaru would kill him for not defending you."

Rin just giggled.

"What are you guys doing?" Setsuko asked.

"I'm showing her how to mix herbs," Izayoi said.

"Oh that sounds like fun!" She looked at Rin, "Can I help?"

"Of course you can, Setsuko-sama," Rin said.

"Okay, but you will have to help me," Setsuko smiled, "I don't know anything about herbs!"

Izayoi knew that Setsuko was lying. This was just her ability with children, she was good with them. Underneath all those layers of dark repelling evil, Setsuko was a very nice person – not necessarily towards humans. Maybe the only reason she was being nice to Rin was because Rin meant something to Sesshōmaru. Whatever the case, Setsuko was being nice to all humans alike, including Inuyahsa.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Kagome sighed. She finally worked through most of her homework. Not that it mattered, she won't be returning to her time in a while. Not while Takemaru was on the loose. She heard the front door open and she saw Sesshōmaru coming inside. For a brief moment she stopped next to her and looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"Uh… can I help you?" she asked a bit freaked out.

"Kagome, you should leave," Sesshōmaru said and walked on.

"Are you chasing me away?" Kagome asked and looked at him (his back anyway).

"No. Just be back before sunset," Sesshōmaru said and disappeared.

"Weird guy…" Kagome thought. She decided to ignore it and continued with her work. Soon after the doors opened again and Inu no Taishō enetered.

"Hey!" Kagome greeted, "Did you find the human?"

"Yes, we did," Inu no Taishō said. "One of Inuyasha's friends. She'll be staying here for a while."

'Inuyasha's friends?' Kagome thought then soon enough it was clear to her when Inuysaha and Kikyo both entered the palace. 'Kikyo?! How did she find Inuyasha here? Why's Inuyasha letting her in? She tried to kill him!'

Inu no Taishō ordered one of the servants to take Kikyo to one of the spare rooms and help her settle in.

"Well then, excuse me," Inu no Taishō said and walked back outside into the garden.

"Inuyasha, how can you let Kikyo stay here?" Kagome got up from her chair. "She tried to kill you!"

"That was a long time ago. She just needs to recover then she'll be gone," Inuyasha said and walked towards his room.

'How stubborn,' Kagome thought.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Izayoi decided to let Setsuko and Rin carry on on their own. They seemed to be having tons of fun and she thought it would be perfect to leave them to bond. She went outside into the garden because she knew it was her husband's favourite place.

"Finally we can get some peace and relaxation," Izayoi said and sat down next to her husband, in his arms.

"Oh yes, finally," he agreed. "These two boys are a handful. I'm just glad Setsuko came to her senses."

"So am I, she seems to like Rin a lot."

"If Sesshōmaru likes Rin then it's only logical for Setsuko to like Rin as well."

Izayoi smiled and rested her head against his chest. Their few minutes of relaxation was over when they heard a loud thud coming from inside. Both looked up and they saw a flash coming from Inuyasha's room and a few bricks falling out of the wall after an explosion occurred.

"Not again," Inu no Taishō's eyes was glowing red. That's how angry he was. "At one point they get a long, the nest they don't. I just can't leave those two boys alone!" When he got up and rush of wind covered the lands and he headed inside.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Baka," Sesshōmaru pinned Inuyasha against the wall with his hand around his neck. "Why'd you bring Kikyo here?"

"What's the big deal?" Inuyasha asked, "It's not as if you care."

Sesshōmaru tossed Inuyasha to the side allowing him to crash against a wall, "Has it not occurred to you that Naraku might be following her? Thus, putting us all in danger?"

Sesshōmaru unsheathed Tōkijin and slashed a powerful attack at Inuyasha, exploding him into the wall.

"Since when do you care anyway?!" Inuyasha asked and drew Tessaiga. "Kaze no Kizu!"

Sesshōmaru blocked it with Tenseiga. "Inuyasha, stop letting your emotions get in the way. Kikyo is dead. If she dies again it'll be to everyone's benefit."

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Inuyasha yelled and slashed another Kaze no Kizu at Sesshōmaru and this time he dodged it.

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!" Kagome yelled as soon as she got into the room followed by Inu no Taishō who was ready to attack any of the two boys.

Sesshōmaru just stood there and looked how Inuyasha picked himself up form the ground.

"You two!" Inu no Taishō growled. "Stop it, immediately!"

Inuyasha ignored his father's wishes and charged towards Sesshōmaru with Sankon Tessō. Sesshōmaru dodged it and hit Inuyasha into the wall.

"I rest my case, little brother," Sesshōmaru said spiteful. "You last three actions were done from uncontrolled human emotions, therefore they failed. Get you act together. Get rid of Kikyo. There is no place for her."

"Why you!" Inuyasha got up again but before he could attack again, Sesshōmaru left the room.

'What in the world?' Kagome was stunned from the words Sesshōmaru just spoke.

Inu no Taishō just observed his eldest son leaving the room. He knew exactly what he was trying to do, but he was unsure of what Kikyo had to do with anything.

"Inuyasha," Inu no Taishō spoke.

"Eh?" Inuyasha looked at him.

"You and I, tomorrow on the training course. At dawn. Don't be late," and with that his father left the room as well.

"What the hell? I don't need any training! Keh!" Inuyasha said.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

"Sesshōmaru, thank you," his father said whilst walking behind him. "Although I am going to punish you by making you fix Inuyasha's wall in the morning."

"You can't be serious," Sesshōmaru just walked onwards.

Inu no Taishō stopped in his tracks and saw Izayoi looking at them, "What's going on?"

He walked towards her and locked one arm around her waist as they walked downstairs.

"I have missed too much of Inuyasha's life."

"It's not your fault."

"Maybe if I had been there he would have had more balance in his life."

"Balance?"

"Between being a human and demon at the same time."

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

This chapter was probably a bit short. Anyway, I can't guarantee when I'll update again. But I won't leave you hanging – not for too long anyway.

Lil