Chapter 4:
Synergy
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
― Aristotle
Prompt: Brotherhood by John Dreamer
"Please, allow me to make sure I am understanding this," Kazuhiro murmured as he rubbed his temples. "Masaru does not wish for your line to rule over the East any longer. He sees you as danger to the way things have been set generations before any of us. And this is all because you had a wayward time in your life as General of the Four War Gods? This does not make any sense, Ryura!"
Ryura, with his jaw resting in the palm of his hand and leaning on an elbow, rolled his eyes. "Exactly my point. Masaru himself does not make sense, and I am half tempted to believe he has lost his mind," Ryura said.
"What brought this on, anyhow?" Kazuhiro lowered his hand to look to Ryura, a frown settled on his face.
"I am unsure. He held my family in high regard," Ryura admitted. "Even Sesshoumaru is clueless about it, he doesn't know what set Masaru off."
Inukimi glanced at her son beside her. "Is this true, Sesshoumaru? You have no clue at all."
"I have an idea, but with no solid proof to show, it is merely assumptions," Sesshoumaru said as he flicked his eyes over to his mother.
"I think we're all grasping at straws, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said from beside Ryura. "I know I'm not going to mind if you tell us."
Ryura nodded in agreement while Kazuhiro sighed, "The Lady is correct. It will at least be a start and give us something to look into," he said.
"Very well. Kagome," Sesshoumaru addressed her, turning his golden gaze on her. "We have both seen and been through many things while hunting Naraku. In your experiences what would normally change a person's personality so much that their own family would be confused?"
Kagome blinked quickly and thought on it. Her eyes drifted over to Kohaku and the young man nodded to her. "Possession. I have seen it with my own eyes, have experienced it myself, and know others who have, too."
Inuyasha frowned, thinking of the times Kagome had been forced to attack him by either Menomaru or Tsubaki. "Yeah, that's right there. Or trickery, like Naraku loooooved to do," he said sourly while thinking of his own experiences with Kikyou.
"What do you mean?" Kazuhiro asked as he looked between Inuyasha and Kagome, who shared a look between each other.
"Naraku was infamous for tricking people into betraying who they cared for. Inuyasha and Kikyou, the former guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Kohaku and Sango. Inuyasha and myself. He had tried to trick Sesshoumaru before in the past, too," Kagome explained. "He also slaughtered the majority of Kouga's tribe, and made Kouga think it was Inuyasha who had done it."
Miroku frowned softly. "He had a large arsenal of weapons at his disposal that were meant for trickery – shards of the Shikon no Tama being one. Naraku could also shape shift, which is how he not only tricked my grandfather, but Inuyasha and Kikyou as well."
"His spider webbing was like puppet strings, too. He forced me to slaughter my entire family. Sango was the only one to survive," Kohaku spoke softly with his eyes focused on the table he was sitting at.
"And he contracted a dark Miko to taint the Shikon no Tama and use it as a conductor for a curse. Her name was Tsubaki, and she tried to get me to kill Inuyasha," Kagome admitted. "He tried to use Ryura to his advantage once, too..."
The group fell silent, thinking over what they had either said or heard. Kazuhiro looked at each seated, then focused on Ryura. "What exactly did Naraku do to you, Ryura?"
Ryura sighed, knowing he was going to be asked that. "When I was the General of the Four War Gods, we each had spheres of power. Naraku somehow managed to either recreate the one I used, or he found it, then he put a corrupted shard of the Shikon no Tama in it. If it wasn't for Kagome breaking the sphere and purifying the shard, I'd most likely be dead."
"All these experiences," Sesshoumaru began, "Lead me to the conclusion that Masaru may be possessed or under a curse."
"That does have merit to it, but how would we find out?" Kazuhiro asked as he raised a dark brow.
"Yuichi and Akira will be able to help," Ryura said, nodding. "After this is over I will speak with them."
"Very well. If Masaru has simply lost his mind and does declare war, what exactly are you wanting, Ryura?"
Ryura peered over at Kazuhiro, considering the Lord's question. "Resources and an army. You know as well as I that Masaru does not jest with the size of his army. It would not matter if I have those who fought and killed Naraku with me. It would simply be too much."
"How big of an army are you suggesting?" the Southern Lord asked as tilted his head with a thoughtful look on his face.
"I have roughly a few hundred over twenty thousand. Masaru has over a hundred thousand along with a squad of a hundred Daiyoukai. Exactly how big of an army do you think I will need, Kazuhiro?" Ryura asked with a frown.
Kagome stared at her mate. Twenty thousand? Ryura had managed to gather over twenty thousand soldiers in only three years? His lands had gone without a Lord for centuries now and despite that he managed to gather an army that, in most circumstances, would be a force to be reckoned with.
"Well you have the support of my tribe. All of it," Kouga said, finally speaking for the first time since the meeting began. Beside him, his mate nodded. "Mine as well," Ayame promised.
"What would I get out of it?" Kazuhiro asked with a small frown.
"What would you want?" Ryura retorted, his tone that of boredom.
Kazuhiro's eyes drifted over to land on Kagome, leering at her in a way that made Ryura rise up and lean over the table, his hand shooting out to grab Kazuhiro roughly by the front of his armor and pull him half way over the table until they were nose to nose.
Ryura snarled in Kazuhiro's face then with an oddly calm voice said, "I will give into Masaru's demands of vacating my position as Lord of the East before I allow you to touch Kagome. Do I make myself clear, shark?"
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had bowed up as well. The hanyou was visibly shaking with the effort he was putting into keeping himself seated. Sesshoumaru, however, seemed to appear bigger than he normally would. He looked far more imposing and dangerous now than he had only a few seconds earlier. Kouga was growling along with Ayame, and Kohaku looked as if he was just about to reach over and punch Kazuhiro's head off of his shoulders.
"My, my. I wish I still had my Wind Tunnel," Miroku said with a scowl. "I think being sliced in half by my wife's Hiraikotsu would be more pleasing to my eyes, however."
Kazuhiro frowned. "I was not aware the Lady was this loved," he murmured.
"They're all my friends, and Ryura's my mate. What else were you expecting?" Kagome said, offended. "If it was Ayame you looked at like that, I would've just gone ahead and melted your face off."
Inukimi watched with interest as Ryura shoved Kazuhiro away from him. Seeing everyone's reactions had been a surprise to her, as well. Sesshoumaru's response, however silent it was, was the most shocking. Never since Sesshoumaru had been born had Inukimi seen him take on that aggressive of a stance. She was almost positive if Ryura had not grabbed Kazuhiro, Sesshoumaru would have.
"I meant to offense," Kazuhiro said as he straightened his armor. To his chagrin, Ryura had jerked him forward hard enough to actually loosen the straps that held the armor in place. "Perhaps I am simply not used to a Miko being this close with youkai. I see now that Ryura mated the Lady out of love and not for politics and power."
"Huh?" Kagome blurted out. "What?"
"He means he thought at first I mated with you to give some boon to my line," Ryura said once he was settled down again next to Kagome. "You remember what Sesshoumaru said three years ago, ne?"
Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru. "Y-yes," she stuttered. "I remember."
That had Inukimi surprised, again, and she quickly looked between Kagome and Sesshoumaru. What was going on, exactly?
"Fuck, can we get a move on? I'm wastin' daylight here," Inuyasha grumbled out, apparently wanting to change the subject, and fast.
"Very well," Kazuhiro said. "In return for resources and help forming a large enough army to oppose Masaru should it come to that, I would ask for a display from your side, Ryura."
"I'm sorry?" Ryura asked. He blinked quickly then looked curiously to the Southern Lord.
"I want to see the power of the ones who ended Naraku's terror," Kazuhiro said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I would also ask that Akira and Yuichi join, as well."
"What sort of fuckin' request is that? I don't get it. What would you get out of watchin' us fight?" Inuyasha shook his head as he spoke, sending his silver-white hair flying about his face. "It just doesn't make sense."
"I'm wondering the same thing," Kouga asked, just as confused as Inuyasha.
"It is simple. I am a Samebito," Kazuhiro explained. "I take pride in not only my own prowess, but in those of my allies. Considering you, Lord Ryura, have nothing else to offer at the moment with your Lands still being rebuilt, I will take the reassurance of knowing what soldiers I give you will be left in the good hands of those who know how a battlefield truly works. After all, I do not want my own reputation to plummet into nothing should you prove to not use what I give you to the best of your abilities."
"That's... it?" Kagome leaned forward slightly, staring at Kazuhiro while expecting him to grow a second head, or to suddenly laugh and say he was kidding.
"That is all, Lady Kagome. Surely it can be arranged?"
Ryura glanced down to his mate, not really believing what he was hearing. Judging by the look on Kagome's face, she didn't truly believe it either. His ruby-red eyes slid shut and he rolled the idea over in his head. There wasn't any real harm in it, and it had been some time since any of them had truly fought. If anything, the "display" could be seen as a warm up, or a test to see where they would need to improve themselves.
"I will allow it," Ryura finally said, deciding for each and every single one of them.
"Truly?" Sesshoumaru asked, brows rising.
Ryura's eyes opened and he glanced at the Inu Daiyoukai. "Hn," he hummed with a soft nod. "First, however, I will ask to be given time so I can visit Totosai. I wish to have a weapon commissioned."
"Very well," Kazuhiro conceded.
Three hours after the meeting Ryura took Kagome and Tsuyoshi with him as he headed to find Totosai. As they were flying, Ryura was filling Tsuyoshi in on what was going to happen. The water Dragon's brows were furrowed together, appearing confused as Inuyasha and Kouga had been when they first heard Kazuhiro's conditions.
"He is an odd one, to say the least," Tsuyoshi said.
Ryura chuckled. "I'm not going to question it now. It was better than his first suggestion."
"Oh?" asked the water Dragon.
"He wanted me," Kagome grumbled as she stuffed her arms over her chest.
At the very mention of that Ryura instinctively held Kagome tighter against his chest. Tsuyoshi's head snapped to the side and he stared wide-eyed at the Miko, wondering if he had heard her correctly. She had been grumbling, after all. Judging from Ryura's reaction, however, Tsuyoshi knew he had not heard wrong at all, and at the same time, Tsuyoshi felt fury bloom to life in his chest.
"How dare he?" Tsuyoshi hissed. "How on earth did he think he was actually going to be granted such a request?"
"Apparently he thought I mated with Kagome for her power," Ryura explained, frowning. "I wouldn't worry about it too much now, though. He was set straight fairly quick."
"Good," Tsuyoshi growled out.
"So..." Kagome said, trying to take the Dragons' minds off of Kazuhiro. "What weapon are you getting made?" Her question was directed at Ryura.
"A spear for you," Ryura said as he grinned widely. "Tsuyoshi knows spears better than I do, so I wanted him to come to watch Totosai make it."
Tsuyoshi smiled tightly, still partly upset with what he heard about the Southern Lord. "I will do what I can. You will have a fine spear by the end of the day, Lady Kagome."
"Really? ...for me?" Kagome asked with wide eyes. At Ryura's nod she squealed loudly and hugged him tightly around the neck. "Thank you so much!"
Ryura laughed as he nuzzled his nose against Kagome's cheek. "Of course," he murmured to her.
The trio fell into a comfortable silence after that until Ryura felt the air around him heating up and the scent of sulfur assaulted his nose. They were close to the volcano Totosai called his home. The air began to thin and against him, Ryura could feel Kagome's breathing become strained. Ryura almost went into a panicked fit until Kagome's reiki flooded around her body, and shortly after her breathing returned to normal.
"Purifying the air," she said with a small smile. Kagome felt the panic course through her and Ryura's bond with curiosity following as a close second. "I had to do this a lot with miasma."
Tsuyoshi grinned at their sides, faintly impressed with Kagome's actions. Both he and Ryura had forgotten the air around Totosai's home was fatal to humans. It wasn't like they brought humans with them when they went to see Totosai, after all. This was the first time Kagome had ever came with them.
"What's this?" Totosai asked as his head rose, boggling eyes looking to the sky. "Kagome?"
The aged fire-youkai watched the sky until he saw Ryura and Tsuyoshi crest a side of the volcano. Totosai's eyes almost fell out of his head when he saw Kagome resting in Ryura's arms.
"Whaaaaat!?" Totosai exclaimed, continuing to watch the three. "What fresh hell is this!?"
Ryura's booming laughter informed Totosai that the Dragon had heard him. "Oi brat, whaddya doin' with Kagome? When did she come back, anyway!?" Totosai hollered up at them.
"About five days ago!" Totosai heard Kagome shout.
"And I'm just now hearing about this?" the fire-youkai exclaimed loudly once the three were on the ground. He was further shocked when he saw the markings on Kagome's face, resulting in Totosai falling over in a dead faint.
"Too many surprises at once, I guess." Tsuyoshi said as he moved over and poked at Totosai's head with a black booted foot. "I pray he does not stay out for long."
"He won't," Ryura said, and without saying anything further he left Kagome's side, stepped over to Totosai and pulled Raijinga from its sheath on his back. He pointed the tip of the large sword at Totosai's chest and with a small pulse of his youki, sent a small jolt of lightning at Totosai.
Totosai was instantly awake and on his feet, frantically looking around. His eyes rested on Ryura's grinning face, making Totosai grumble loudly and blush as Kagome's giggles reached his ears. He knew what hair he had was now sticking up all over the place.
"Pfeh," Totosai muttered. "Anyway, what are you all here for?"
Ryura, still grinning, answered. "I would like to ask a spear made for Kagome."
"A spear!? What?" Totosai shouted. "Since when do you use a spear, girl!?"
"I've learned to use one, been training for three years!" Kagome admitted with a grin.
Totosai was quiet, looking Kagome up and down. He eventually sighed with his shoulders hunching. "Since it's for Kagome I'll do it," he said.
Suddenly pulling out a pair of pliers from somewhere in his haori, Totosai grinned wildly and looked at Ryura. "Open wide."
Tsuyoshi flinched, knowing what was coming next. He looked away as Totosai moved forward. The sounds of metal on fang met his ears, following by a loud pop, and then Ryura snarling. Kagome cried out in shock and began to ask Totosai what the hell he did that for.
"It's for the spear of course. What did you think I was going to make it out of, huh? Metal is far too weak for you, Kagome," Totosai said.
The fire-youkai disappeared into his home shortly after, only to call out to the three to follow him. Kagome leading them, they moved to stand just at the entrance of Totosai's home and spotted the youkai pulling out a small black box.
"What's that?" Kagome asked curiously.
"Last of Lord Touga's fangs," Totosai said with a nod.
"What!?" Ryura, Kagome, and Tsuyoshi yelled at the same time. "Why do you have one of those!?" Ryura asked after.
"That's 'cause the old dog felt I was gonna need one in the future and had me save it. I know he was Kagome's father in a different life and I recently received instructions from him to use this fang in time with your own, Ryura," Totosai muttered as he opened the box.
Youki began to immediately spill forth from the open box. It was strong, powerful, breath-taking, and so obviously belonging to the long dead Touga. Kagome shuddered at the feeling of Touga's youki, her breath coming and going in short pants. So this was the true power of the former Inu no Taisho. It was incredibly terrifying and soothing at the same time.
Ryura stood quietly, too stunned to say anything. Tsuyoshi was in much the same state. It had been so long since they felt Touga's youki and they weren't exactly for sure how to react. None of them moved as Totosai moved over to his forge and began the heating process.
Within Totosai's volcano home, Ryura sat with his hands loosely clasped in front of him. The Dragon's eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow, coming and going at even intervals. The white of his youki swirled around him as a vortex, combining with the blue lightning that was crackling out from his body. Every time Totosai would slam on the weapon he was forging with a hammer, Ryura's youki would spike and would flow into the weapon, greedily sucking it up as a drowning man would air.
To Totosai's other side Kagome sat in the same position as Ryura, yet within her hands she held a small part of a fang with the dangerous point of what remained pulsing gently against her skin. Bright gold youki leaked from that fang, trickling its way towards the weapon.
Totosai cooled down the metal like substance he was working, only to repeat the same processes over again, his eyes never once leaving the creation. What he was doing was a delicate process, one only he could do, and it required his full attention. Totosai was blending together not only the youki of two powerful Daiyoukai, but the fangs of two powerful Daiyoukai at the same time.
Over and over Totosai would work the fangs together with fire as hot as hell-fire as he molded it into a desired shape, only to cool it down rapidly in ice cold water. Slowly the shaft and bottom of a spear was beginning to form and while the blended fangs were still hot, Totosai quickly pulled out a seperate set of tools and began to carve designs into the heated metal-like fang. He worked like an artist with the gold and white youki flowing from either side of him being his pants and the spear his canvas.
When he was finished, Totosai quickly shoved the shaft into the icy water and turned to pull out the last part of Ryura's fang he had to work with, which as he did so began to take on the shape of a spear's blade. Lightning sparked around the blade while it was being formed and a sudden gust of wind blew through the forge, sending clothes and hair billowing in all directions. The wind never died down, only continued to gust faster and faster until Totosai inhaled deeply, cheeks expanding almost comically outwards. He then released the pent-up air directly on the spear blade. The gale was quickly taken in by the blade itself until nothing remained.
Totosai continued to work well into the night, not stopping for any purpose. Ryura and Kagome didn't seem bothered by this in the slightest, possibly due to their meditative states. Ryura didn't even notice it when Totosai reached over and with a deft slice of his claws, cut a lock of Ryura's hair. The fire-youkai did the same to Kagome, then he moved over to where he originally pulled the box that held Touga's fang and pulled out yet another box. Opening it a braided, long lock of hair was revealed, its silver-white color shining in the fires from the forge.
A scent drifted up to Totosai and he smiled fondly with nostalgia, then shook himself of the feeling and while using most of the hair he had gathered, he began to weave it into a long strip of cloth that was at least as long as Totosai was tall. As he did this the three colors – white, blue, and black – mingled together until a deep navy blue was left.
Totosai hummed thoughtfully, looking over what remained of the silver-white lock of hair. He stared at it for just a short moment, then a grin bloomed to life on his face. He had an idea, and it came to him as if someone popped it in his head for him. Creating what he was going to was not something Totosai normally did.
Pulling from the youki of what was leaking from the piece of fang in Kagome's hand, Totosai created another braid. He mixed the youki with his natural fires, wrapping both around the small braid of hair he was creating until all that remained was a thin, delicate looking chain that almost appeared metal with its bright silver-white appearance. Totosai moved over to Kagome after he was finished and plucked the fang from the palm of her hand. His fire and the golden youki were called forth once more and with it he attached the piece of fang to the chain.
"Kagome," he said as he finished. "Open your eyes, girlie."
The Miko reacted slowly, eyelids fluttering as her consciousness returned to her until Totosai was looking into the crystaline orbs once they opened. He gave her a bright smile and leaned forward, placing the necklace he had just created over her head.
Kagome gave him a confused look then gazed down at the necklace. "What is this?" she asked softly.
"A present from your father to celebrate your mating," Totosai remarked, his smile turning kind.
"H-how did..." Kagome trailed off with her voice cracking. Her eyes misted over and she stared down at the beautiful piece of jewelry. Touga's youki was gently pulsing through the fang and the chain. It was calm and soothing, love and pride swelling outwards to wrap around her.
Totosai chuckled. "I had a sudden thought and made it. There's no way I came up with that on my own, so I'm gonna guess Touga-inukami put the thought in my brain. Jewelry just isn't something I do, really."
Kagome's hands wrapped around the fang and she bent over, crying softly as she put her balled hands against her cheek. Her fingers became wet as they met with her tears.
"Thank you, Totosai. Thank you so much," Kagome said softly, then her words turned into mumbled gratitude to the fire-youkai.
"Kagome?" Ryura groggily asked as he too came out of his trance. "Kagome, what's wrong?"
Ryura stumbled to his feet while sharply shaking his head. Looking over, he saw Kagome leaning over with her hands against her face, and faintly he could see the gleaming silver-white of her necklace. Worried far more now than he was before, Ryura quickly was at her side and kneeling, his hands working to pull Kagome's own away from her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked again, and Kagome finally looked up at him with bloodshot eyes.
Kagome slowly opened her hands and Ryura exhaled sharply at what was lying in her palms. This was the last thing he was expecting to see, to feel, and to smell.
"Tsuyoshi!" Ryura yelled and quickly the water Dragon was rushing into Totosai's home, making his way over to the pair on the ground with long strides. Tsuyoshi flicked his blue eyes over to Totosai, who grinned wickedly, then he returned his attentions to his Lord and Lady. Ryura shuffled to the side to show Tsuyoshi what Kagome was holding, and the water Dragon almost fell over.
"T-that..." Tsuyoshi mumbled, and Ryura nodded.
"What? What is it?" Kagome asked while wiping the wetness from her face with the sleeve of her haori. "What's going on?"
"How did you get that, Kagome?" Ryura asked.
"I made it for her," Totosai answered for her, repeating what he had said before. "The thought suddenly hit me, and I know Touga-inukami had something to do with it. Jewelry just isn't something I do, you know."
"You know what this means, then?" Tsuyoshi asked as he turned to face Totosai.
The fire-youkai youkai nodded, still grinning. He knew exactly what it meant, and he was wishing so hard Sesshoumaru was here just so he could see the ice prince's reaction.
"What is it!?" Kagome snapped.
Ryura calmed her down by running a hand along the back of her neck. "There is a way Daiyoukai will... adopt, if you will, others into their family," Ryura began to explain. "They will take one of their fangs and a lock of their hair and have a necklace created from the two. When done, the person who is being adopted will take the fang and cut open the palm of their hand with it, then allow the youki of the Daiyoukai to enter them. It is as close as one can get to blood relations."
Kagome blinked once then looked down to the fang in her hand. Touga was wanting to posthumously adopt her? "What does that even mean?" she muttered loudly, wondering just what it was that the former Inu no Taisho was thinking.
"He wants to be your father as Touga, not just as Hikaru," Ryura supplied. "That's all I can think of."
"But he's dead?" Kagome asked, confused even more now.
Ryura nodded once. "He is, but he's also a Kami now. He was made a Kami as Touga, and still carries Touga's appearance instead of one from a different incarnation of his soul. He is more Touga than he is Hikaru. Why wouldn't he want to still be a father to you?"
"So, if I do this, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are going to be my...brothers?"
"Yup," Totosai said. "And I wish I could see Sesshoumaru's reaction. Come on, Lord Touga! At least give me this!" he yelled as he looked up and shook a fist at the roof of his home. "You know how many beatings I put up with 'cause I wouldn't forge that brat a weapon!?"
As he listened to Totosai's rant, Tsuyoshi suddenly stiffened up and without warning, shot off to stand at the side of Ryura with a surprised look on his face.
"Which brat would you not forge a weapon for again, Totosai?" Sesshoumaru said as he ducked down to enter the fire-youkai's home.
"Whaaaat!? Why are you here!?" Totosai exclaimed as he pointed a clawed finger at the Inu Daiyoukai.
"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome said with a smile once he had walked further inside.
Ryura and Tsuyoshi only stared with wide eyes, wondering pretty much the same thing Totosai was. Sesshoumaru looked far more calm than anyone else in the room at the moment. His golden eyes settled on the fang in Kagome's hand, and suddenly that calmness vanished.
"You..." Sesshoumaru said, trailing off with his eyes widening. "How is this possible? Father is dead."
"He left me the stuff to do it with," Totosai explained. "You know your father had the gift of foresight as well as I do, Sesshoumaru."
"And even to this day his actions make no sense to me whatsoever," Sesshoumaru growled.
Realizing how he was acting, Sesshoumaru collected himself and with a sigh, moved to stand in front of Kagome and the Dragons. He knelt and placed his right hand on top of her hand that held the fang, eyes closing slowly. Kagome jerked with surprise and together with the Dragons and Totosai, watched with wide, unbelieving eyes as Sesshoumaru leaned over and rested his forehead on top of Kagome and his joined hands.
"I will accept this if it is what you want," Sesshoumaru said. "Since you have chosen Ryura as your mate, I have no other way to accept you into my family except for this."
Totosai fell over at the declaration, sputtering and red in the face. "Who are you and what did you do to Sesshoumaru?" he asked.
A small rock met his head and he yelped, glaring at Sesshoumaru. Totosai didn't even see Sesshoumaru move! He grumbled and decided to sit and wait quietly until all this was over. He was far more interested to watch and see what was going to happen. Never before had a Miko been adopted by a Daiyoukai, and Totosai didn't know how it was going to end.
Kagome didn't notice Totosai's sudden quiet behavior. Not even Ryura and Tsuyoshi noticed it. They were too shocked to really notice anything except for Kagome and Sesshoumaru. Ryura anxiously looked at Kagome from the corner of his eye, wondering what she would do.
"I... I'd like that," Kagome said finally with a small nod and a smile.
Sesshoumaru nodded and pulled away from her hand to take the fang between two fingers. "This will hurt," he said before he shoved the point of the fang deep into Kagome's palm. She cried out at the sudden shock and Ryura snarled loudly, having felt the pain through his mating bond with Kagome. The scent of her blood only made his snarl increase in volume. It was taking everything in him not to reach out and rip Sesshoumaru's face off.
Touga's gold youki erupted from the fang protruding from Kagome's hand and slowly entered the still bleeding wound. Kagome felt the youki mingle with her blood and without warning she screamed, throwing her head back. It felt like her body was on fire.
"What's going on!?" Ryura snapped as he held Kagome upright, keeping her from falling over. Her body was stiff as a board and shaking.
"She is Miko," Sesshoumaru said loud enough to be heard over Kagome's screams. "The youki and reiki are warring. The reiki will have to accept my father's youki, or the youki will be forced out."
"Why didn't you say that before stabbing her? Damnit, Sesshoumaru!" Ryura yelled.
Tsuyoshi knelt to Kagome's side and over her head he looked to Ryura. "You need to support her, not argue with Sesshoumaru. You are her mate."
Ryura calmed down quickly after that and resigned himself to wait while gently stroking his knuckles over Kagome's cheek, murmuring to her quietly. There was nothing else he could do. He waited for what felt like an eternity until Kagome's screams ceased. The Miko collasped against him, panting and clawing at his silk covered chest.
"It hurts..." she whimpered.
Frowning, Ryura began to rock from side to side in attempt to calm his hurting mate. He could feel it coursing through his own body as if it was her own. Touga's youki was coursing through Kagome like liquid fire, burning her and fighting against her reiki.
"Kagome, listen to me. You must accept it, just like you accepted our bond," Ryura said into her hair. "Stop fighting it."
"B-but what... what if it destroys... my reiki?" Kagome gasped out. "Touga, he... he's so strong. So much stronger th-than me. I don't... I don't want to be... weak, I c-can't be weak!"
"Let it," Sesshoumaru rumbled. "My sire would not do this and leave you powerless, Kagome. If you truly wish to accept this, let go."
Ryura dipped his head down further until his mouth was against Kagome's ear. "Even if it does leave you powerless, I'll protect you. You know that right, Kagome?" he voiced in a whisper.
Kagome let go at that. She sagged against Ryura and stopped fighting against the youki. The liquid fire raged through her veins and deep within herself, Kagome began to feel her very structure change. Her reiki, no longer fighting against Touga's youki, began to mix with the golden energy. Blue and gold joined together, lighting Kagome's soul with a green glow.
There were no outward signs to what was happening to Kagome. Her hair remained black, her staring yet unseeing eyes stayed blue; she still appeared to be human. Her nails blunt, her ears round, everything remained the same. Her scent told a different story, however.
Kagome's once pure scent had changed and now she smelt like the daughter of an Inu Daiyoukai; of Touga.
Her reiki combining with the youki had warped the ritual in such a way that Kagome was not just simply an adopted daughter of Touga. It had turned her into his true daughter.
Kagome was now a hanyou.
"How is that even possible?" Ryura asked Sesshoumaru as they sat together outside Totosai's home. Ryura was cradling an unconscious Kagome against him, the Miko having passed out shortly after the ritual was complete.
"My sire is now a Kami. When it comes to that, I highly doubt anything is impossible for him," Sesshoumaru said. "You have said that Kagome was his daughter in another life. Since he is a Kami now, why would he not want Kagome as his daughter? He became a Kami while he was Touga, not as Kagome's father – he always was a selfish individual, after all."
"I do not think any of us believed the ritual would result in Lady Kagome becoming Lord Touga's own daughter," Tsuyoshi mumbled from beside Ryura.
"What does this mean for her, though? She's a Miko! You can't have youki and reiki at your disposal at the same time," Ryura said. "This is far more complex than a mating bond. My soul is tied with Kagome's. Sure, she had to accept my youki for it to happen, but it wasn't permanent."
"We will have to wait and see," Tsuyoshi said. Sesshoumaru nodded once in agreement with the water Dragon and then the trio fell silent, pondering over what was going on.
"It's finished," Totosai said as he exited his home some time later. In his hands he carried a spear that looked as if it should be hung on a wall as decoration and not actually used in battle.
The spear held a fang-like blade as its tip, much like Tsuyoshi's did, and its silver-white metal gleamed in the moonlight. The shaft of the spear was wrapped with the navy blue cloth Totosai had woven from the three locks of hair, and etched into the neck and butt of the spear were Dragon and Inu youkai in their true forms.
Ryura shifted Kagome until her chest was against his back with his left arm draped over her stomach. With his now free hand he took the spear from Totosai and eyed it carefully up and down. A grin managed to spread its way across his face, despite his worry for Kagome.
"It's wonderful, Totosai. Thank you," Ryura said as he bowed his head politely in thanks to the fire-youkai.
Totosai grunted and waved a hand. "Don't worry about it," he grumbled as he too flopped down to sit on the ground and rub at the aching muscles in his neck and shoulders. Eyes darting over to Kagome the fire-youkai raised a brow, "Wonder when she's gonna wake up."
"I...don't know," Ryura murmured. "She feels fine. There's no sickness. Her heart's beating normally. She doesn't have a fever. There's nothing disturbing coming through the bond. It's like she's just...asleep."
Little to their knowledge Kagome wasn't exactly asleep, per-say. She was oblivious to the world around her, yes, but the world inside her was a whole different story. Her very structuring, basically her DNA, changing caused Kagome to receded into her soul. The Miko was prodding at the energy inside of her as her subconscious walked aimlessly through her own soul.
It was an odd experience, to say the least.
She was also alone, and it was beginning to frighten her. Kagome had never been one to be by herself for such a long period. She thrived off contact with others, needing it as if it were the air itself. Her friends and her family were important to her and without them Kagome knew she wouldn't survive. Like a dog grieving its missing owner, Kagome was grieving at the loss of contact from the people she cared for, especially Ryura.
Kagome, for some reason, couldn't feel him, even though she was floating about her own soul. Shouldn't she have felt something? Ryura and her souls were bound together. There should have been at least a trace of the Daiyoukai somewhere.
But there was nothing, and it left Kagome feeling cold and empty.
What was she supposed to do? How was she going to wake up? Kagome didn't know the answer to either of those questions, and so, she continued to wander around without any real direction. She couldn't feel anything except for herself, her very energy. It was like she was having an out-of-body experience, but at the same time, Kagome couldn't see anything, either.
Who knew a Miko's soul could be so dark? But, then again, there was no real need for light, now was there? There was no sun, no fire. There wasn't anything Kagome needed to see. It was like she was in a void.
A void? Kagome's thoughts centered around that and she looked around the darkness with worry. A void. Was this what Ryura had experienced for six hundred years in the realm of the Kami, even though only six months had passed since for her and everyone else? Is this what he felt? Nothing.
Sounds, light, scents... there wasn't anything except for Kagome's own consciousness. Is this truly what her mate had been put through for six hundred years?
Kagome's world stopped at that moment as sadness flooded through her. He hadn't been trapped in a void. He had been trapped in his own soul. His own darkened place where light had no reason to exist. Purity, evil, good, righteous, maliciousness... To a soul it didn't matter. It would always be a dark place. Touga had been the one to bring him out of it and together with the Kami, gave Ryura another chance at life.
Now Kagome understood why Ryura had been nervous traveling through the well. Six hundred years in a place like this was enough to drive anyone insane, and Kagome felt pride knowing her mate didn't go insane.
"Kagome..." a voice said, snapping her out of her thoughts. She couldn't see anything, so searching for whoever the voice belonged to was pointless. Where had she heard that voice before, anyway?
Ah, fighting against the Shikon no Tama, she thought.
"Touga?" she asked.
"Oh come now, little one. I am your father," Touga responded. Kagome could hear the grin in his voice.
Kagome gave a short laugh. "Hello to you too, dad."
"Come with me, Kagome," he said. Kagome didn't get a chance to respond. She felt herself being pulled away from her soul.
Light flooded her vision bright enough she had to shield her eyes with a hand, and only when she had adjusted did she dare to lower that hand. Touga stood before her, looking as he had as the Inu no Taisho when he had been alive. He wore a warm smile on his face and his hands were settled on his hips.
"Where are we?" Kagome asked.
Touga took a short look around. "In the realm of the Kami. This is where I have visited with Ryura."
"Does that mean I disappeared in front of his eyes?" Kagome grinned faintly. "If I did I bet he's freaking out."
"Hm... I would not worry so much about that now. Tsuyoshi and Sesshoumaru are with him. He will be fine," Touga reassured her with his words and began to move forward.
"Has anyone ever told you that Inuyasha looks just like you? He has those stripes too, when his youkai blood takes over," Kagome said as she looked up at the face of her father.
"You are the first, but I have noticed the traits," Touga said with a half-grin. "He is more gentle in appearance, like his mother, however."
"True." Kagome nodded. "Um... why? What happened?"
Touga knew what she was meaning. Why did he adopt her? Why was she now his true daughter, what caused it, was she hanyou, was she still Miko? What did it mean for her?
"I am a selfish creature, Kagome. I am sure Sesshoumaru would be more than happy to agree, as well," Touga said while putting his large, clawed hands on Kagome's shoulders. "You were my daughter when I lived as Hikaru, but I am no longer Hikaru. I have his memories, of course, but I am not him. And that just would not do."
"What about other children you had in other lives?" Kagome asked with a tilt of her head.
"To be honest, I can remember them, but only faintly. Amaterasu-kamisama will not tell me the reason for this," Touga paused for a moment. "Either way, you are my daughter. You have always been my daughter, except now, you are the daughter of Touga, and not the daughter of Hikaru. As much as it may pain you for me to say this, but Hikaru does no longer exist. He lives on in the memories of others, of course, but his soul will never again walk the earth. I, however, exist as a Kami. I exist as Touga. Why in the world would I not want you as my true daughter again?"
"But why now?" her voice was soft. "Why not before?"
"And if you had fallen in love with Sesshoumaru, and wished to mate him? It would not be possible for you would have been his sister," Touga grinned. "Considering you are mated with Ryura, I thought now was as good of time as any."
Touga fell silent, thinking over how to best explain what was happening to her without confusing her even more. When he found the words he raised a hand and brushed Kagome's bangs away from her face, looked to the diamond on her forehead that mimicked Ryura's, then smiled fondly at the sight.
"Kagome..." he said to gain her attention once again. When he had it, he continued. "You are no longer human. You are hanyou, like Inuyasha."
Kagome's breath left her in a rush. "That means I'm no longer a Miko..."
"Yes, you are."
"How?" Kagome blurted out. It was hard to tell if she was still Miko or not where she was. It felt like she had no power at all, really.
"Miko were given their abilities by the Kami, were they not?" Touga asked with a brow rising. Kagome nodded and he smirked at her. "And just what am I now?"
"...a Kami."
Kagome felt like she had just been hit with a truck at the revelation. Touga was just not any Kami. He was the Deity of Youkai, he was their patron. The Kami had given youkai a true place when they accepted Touga among them.
"Now, full-blooded youkai will never be able to be Miko or monks, like Miroku," Touga explained further. "This is reserved for hanyou. The world is changing, you know it is. You have seen it. You lived in it. Youkai are considered myths in your era, but they are anything but myths. More and more hanyou are born as the years go by. Energies blend together. You and Ryura will no longer by the only Daiyoukai and Miko mates after a few short centuries. Blood lines thin out, power remains dormant. You yourself had no idea you were a Miko until you entered the past."
Touga inhaled, catching his breath and calming himself. He had gotten a little too excited there for a moment. "However, when someone who carries the blood of a Miko, no matter how dormant it is... Should they meet and mate with Youkai, their power is awakened. Their children are born hanyou, and yet..."
Kagome stared at Touga, eyes widening. "Hanyou.. You found out how to calm their blood, didn't you?"
Touga gave her a dazzling, bright smile. "I have. Thanks to you and Ryura, thanks to this..." he lightly touched the fang resting at the base of her throat. His fang. "Hanyou will no longer lose their minds to their youkai blood. They can control it just as Ryura or Sesshoumaru would. It won't be automatic, and it will be a long process, but by the time your era rolls around, reiki will be so spread between blood lines that nearly every human in the world possesses it."
"And eventually youkai will no longer have to hide..." Kagome whispered, eyes growing even further in size.
"Exactly," Touga said, proud she had caught on so quickly. "That time will come when you are alive, and you must prepare yourself for it. Train as hard as you can for the next five hundred years. Work with Ryura, support him, aid him. Keep him sane," he stressed the words, and Kagome knew she meant the deal the Kami made with Ryura over his soul.
"I will," Kagome promised with a smile. "So how does this work? I'm still a Miko, but? There has to be something else. Your youki blended with my reiki."
"Imagine your reiki as it was. It was capable of healing wounds, and at the same time it could harm youkai. It could purify them, destroy their soul," Touga said softly. "Now? You will no longer destroy their soul. You will cleanse it and keep it in its youkai state. What ever youkai you purify, no matter how evil and vile they are, will be given another chance at life, just like your mate was. You will also be able to harm humans with it, considering the blend of youki. You will no longer be defenseless against humans should you be without a weapon."
Synergy, is what it was. Now it was Kagome's turn to be excited, and she couldn't wait to tell the others.