Disclaimer

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 1

It was just another normal day. She decided to roam her palace along the eastern borderline of the lands. A report about some low class rogue youkai disturbing around this area had arrived earlier that day, and on a whim she'd come to see into it herself instead of just dispatching some solders to finish what needed to be done. And here she was, sitting on her throne inside her sky palace looking down on the greenery landscape with her almost never changed expression that showed exactly what she felt at the moment, boring. Where were those misbehave youkai? Raising from her place, walking gracefully down the endless stairway, she gathered youki around her feet, and less than half a blink later she disappeared from her palace, left behind where she had stood a fading mist of pink aura.

The full odor of trees, of earth, of wild lives hit her nostril in a nostalgic way. When was the last time she had been this close with nature? No amount of castle walls or armies could give a noble youkai of their standing the safe assurance as nature did. It was the truest meaning of safe. That kind of safe from the watching eyes of their enemies. That kind of safe from any scheming of those traitorous youkai council whom were waiting for the last remainings of their royal bloodline death so they could have things as they wanted. Youkai had not the need like a human hiding behind a strong defensive wall made of flesh or hard rocks and wood to protect their own life. A noble youkai would face the danger head on so they could eliminate all the threats attempted on their life or die in an honorable manner while protecting their objects. But that, did not mean she hate her castle, far from it.

She frowned as her footsteps brought her deeper into the forest. Something smelt familiar. Hiding her curiosity to no one in particular and let her sense lead her to the source of the current object holding her fascination, which was an old tree. Not so old as a certain demon tree she knew, though, she mentally noted.

Running her hand along the bark, her motion stopped as her lethal claws brushed over a small hole in the middle of the tree trunk. The rough skin of wood surrounding this hole somehow was refusing to fill this 'wound' as the other areas, which was already in a lighter shade of dark brown than the rest.

It took a while to get her buried memories resurfaced. And when it did, her eyes narrowed to slits. This was the scent of that small life he had died for. So the child somehow got himself pinned into this tree. Somewhere in the back of her mind registered this small information was known and forgotten, about more than five decades ago, thanked to an ill-fated youkai messenger of their clan who had nothing better to do than reported this to her and she'd dismissed that tiny life by a flick of her wrist. Ah, so that was the reason she'd noted to herself never used anything other than sheer force when within the castle walls, the goo took almost three days to be cleaned, and stank for a week. Such an unpleasant experience.

By the lingering scent of the child on the tree, it seemed not long ago he was freed from whatever pinned him here. And his more recent scent glued to one particular branch higher up. She looked at that one spot in faked amusement, Inuhanyou he might was, but the way he loved to be on a branch at such height, one could mistake him for a nekohanyou. All in all, he did not seem to hate the very tree which practically screamed his own weakness and failure.

And something else, much fainter than that of the child. She moved closer to the spot which that scent was strongest, even though, it was so barely there she thought she was imagining it, for she never expected that, for what it was, to be here. Her lips twitched as to confirm her suspicion. Interesting.

"And I thought you would need another 150 years to visit me again. Your mother is very moved, Sesshoumaru.". She said in a sing-sang voice, not bothering to hide her amusement in this turn of event as she slowly turned to see her son.

Adding a dramatic sniff mid-turn, she brought her sleeve up to cover her nose as she threw Sesshoumaru an accusing look. "My, you are so stink.", she drawled, "What have you been doing? Playing in a hole with a bunch of tanuki?"

His eyes narrowed at her. "Mother."

She had noticed that arm and new sword resting on his side together with Tenseiga the moment she took a glimpse at him, and instantly she knew what it was. She couldn't help it as her heart bursted with pride, although on outer she didn't show anything she was feeling and just went on with her usual taunting, knowing full well how he hated it. Oh for his father's sake, this pup of her had no sense of humor at all. Such an uncharmingly one…

"How do you feel, Sesshoumaru?", she asked, her hands cradled the Meidouseki as one of her thump gave a feather touch on the smooth surface of the stone. "Your little brother, Inuyasha, seemed to disappear inside the meidou. And he might never come back, this time."

His outer composure never changed as he stood there facing her. She met his stare with equally intenseness. The silent fell upon them was deafen as the calm before storm.

When the stolen Meidou Zangetsuha swallowed the miko, he'd just been a little surprise. So that damnable spider-hanyou had made a wish to the shikon no tama and somehow it involved Kagome, and why the Meidou Zangetsuha played any part in this? He had a little time to think before the brash hanyou of a little brother of his jumped high to the air and opened another meidou with his own Meidou Zangetsuha after a loud bark and lunged himself into the abyss, to find the miko, no doubt. He mentally sighed, irritated, annoyed, and another something he did not know what bubbled inside him. That fool didn't even think of the consequence if he couldn't find a way out when he got to her, had he found her at all. Last time it was Tenseiga's light. But this time there was nothing, he could think of, to bring the hanyou back in the living world. And why was he feeling… disturbed at the thought of Inuyasha may never return?

Whatever the hanyou did was not his concern. Inuyasha could go and die inside the meidou for all he cared. That what he always wanted, alright, for Inuyasha, the tainted of their bloodline, to cease his pitiful existence…

He closed his eyes.

What he wanted…

What he wanted…

He wanted…

His eyes snapped open. He felt her. In the forest of Inuyasha. He turned abruptly and started walking in her direction. He had not even made another step before Rin called out, "Sesshoumaru-sama?", that, in turn, got the humans and other youkai attention and they all looked at his back in expectant.

"Rin.", he addressed her, "Go back to the village."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama.", the little girl obeyed his order as usual without any inquiring.

Kohaku took his silent order as he looked at Sango uncertainly but she nodded her head in an assuring gesture. With that, he gave a slightly tug on the two-heads dragon's rein, and headed to the old miko Kaede's hut with Rin securely sat on the sadle in his front, Shippo on his right shoulder and Jaken clinging into whatever place he could grab on the dragon, which ended up being the tail.

When Sesshoumaru had made sure Rin was safe, for now, as all the potential threats were already taken care of or no longer in this world. And as long the little girl was out of sight, he would be spared from chasing after another hellhound if that she-devil decided to be funny, again. He would not risk having Rin in her present, and kami knew what kind of thing she conjured up this time just to piss him off. By now Rin was well taken care of, Sesshoumaru resumed his previous disrupted movement.

And that, too, got disrupted, again.

"Sesshoumaru—", Sango called but got cut off as he threw her a glare over his shoulder which clearly said 'be silent'. Though, she would not sway, "Inuyasha is—"

"This Sesshoumaru,", he said harshly, "has no concern about that filthy half-breed."

And he was gone before the human eyes could even blink.

"He is your only brother! Sesshoumaru!", she screamed after him as she dropped on her knees, a sob escaped her lips, another, and another, and tears follows soon after. Miroku place one hand on her shoulder as the other one, now freed from the deadly curse of Kazaana guided her to the crook of his neck, offered her whatever comfort he could at this moment as he, too, was suffering the same. How they had been fighting together but now all they could do was sitting here, believing in Inuyasha and Kagome and waiting for their return.

She was at the Goshinboku tree when he arrived. Apparently something in that old tree caught her attention and she took her time marveling the spot where Inuyasha had been pinned on for the last 50 years. His eyes narrowed when she stopped as he waited patiently for her acknowledgement.

"And I thought you would need another 150 years to visit me again. Your mother is very moved, Sesshoumaru.", she said as she turned toward him. His childhood with her had taught him a lesson when dealing with her, and he'd made it his habit, to ignore all her remarks whenever she made any comment about whatever it was regarding him.

It was not because ignoring her would make her shut up. It was because there was no other option for him or anyone else whenever it came to her dramatic reactions had she found something, or someone, to ease her boredom.

His eyes narrowed more as she threw him that ridiculous look. "My, you are so stink. What have you been doing? Playing in a hole with a bunch of tanuki?"

"Mother.", he greeted her, all the while trying his damnedest to not draw Bakusaiga and ran the sword through her head. That, would have to wait for another time, he had more urgent matter this day that was in needed to be done now.

She placed that boring expression on her face again as she started petting the Meidouseki, apparently no longer in the mood to have whatever she thought was a sentimental mother son reunion. He mentally snorted at the notion. And her voice ran through what distance between them, hit straight to his true reason of turning away from the humans earlier. "How do you feel, Sesshoumaru? Your little brother, Inuyasha, seemed to disappear inside the meidou. And he might never come back, this time."

Tell me something I don't know.

He looked at her hard as his eyes betrayed nothing he felt at the moment. He knew why he wanted to seek her. And the reason behind it annoyed him to no end.

"Mother, why are you here?", he asked her, instead.

"Mother, why are you here?"

She frowned. His outer was perfectly calm, but she knew it better. He was so tense, and looked as if he would turn into his demonic form and maim everything he saw at any moment, and very soon. Surely she could smell that human girl of his was out of harm way, staying somewhere in the human village nearby. Then what ailed her son this time?

"The Meidouseki was restless.", she started. "Since the time there was something of not capable of opening a meidou, opened it.". She looked at her son silently demanded an explanation.

He averted his eyes from her, looked up at the old tree, then closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. "An abomination of a damnable hanyou stole a small notion of the Meidou Zangetsuha's youki and cut that miko of Inuyasha with it. When that problematic hanyou was destroyed, the girl was thrown into the meidou.". If he had it in his person to roll his eyes, she'd sure he would, with the way his tone turned slightly sarcastic as he mentioned about this miko girl was all very close to that kind of ignoble action.

Oh, she couldn't help it. She couldn't at all. "Inuyasha.", she sniffed, "Oh, such a long time since I have heard the name of my nephew. I was almost convinced his name was disgusting filthy half-breed by all, even my own son."

"Mother.", he warned with a low growl as his hand twitched. She was pushing him. He knew it alright. And Tenseiga only brought back a lost life once. So that meant he could not just kill her right here and now and revived her to do the same all over again while expecting her to save the wasting time by getting on with whatever she was stalling by not telling him.

She sent him a side glance silently daring him to overstep his position. This son of her may gained more power in such a short period but that did not mean he could go ahead a think he was above all. Ah, she could see another reprimand session with him after this was in order as her eyes narrowed. "What else did you fail to mention?"

"I believed the shikon no tama was unharmed with the dead of that hanyou and now, being in wherever the miko is.", he hisses through his fangs, his hands clenched to fists. How he hated to admit the fact that Bakusaiga was unable to even scratch that accused little thing.

"The Shikon no tama.", she paused. During her ignorant years of the outside world, that one thing had not failed to reach her ears. One thing that was able to grant any wish, be it the wish of human, youkai, or hanyou. One thing was desired by almost all living beings. And yet, no answer for what was the purpose of such existence. Nothing was born in the living world just for the convenience of others without consequence.

"There is nothing to do here, now, Sesshoumaru.". She told him. Her tone left nothing for discussing, but left an opening for questioning, something she rarely did.

And questioned her he did. "Can you not open a meidou with the Meidouseki, Mother?"

"No.", she replied, "The Meidouseki refused to do anything."

"What do you mean by that?", his eyes narrowed at the black stone in her hands. Its twinkle lights never ceased swirling under the obsidian surface like the perpetual falling stars on the night sky.

"That, my son, means it's the will of the Meidouseki for no interference in whatever is happening or about to happen in the meidou.". She deadpanned.

His eyes widened at her words. He did not know what to think about this revelation, he had not come to her just to know it was a waste of time. Unknown anger was raising deep inside him as his eyes bled, he saw red. His body rigid as demonic aura gathering around him prepared for the upcoming transformation was about to take place. But her next words forced the process to stop abruptly as his body gave a jerk pulse signaling he was regaining his control over the inner youkai that was trying to take control over him.

"He is your father's son,", she said quietly, "too."

He looked at her in bewilderment as his eyes blinked back into the usual golden color. Had he heard her right? What in the devil had possessed this mother of his for her to be able to say such fact in this uncharacteristic manner?

"Don't look at me like that!", she snapped realized what she just said and how it sounded and that look on his face. "Unlike you, I am pretty straight forward about what I feel."

"I know, you just don't like to show it. I got this attitude from you, after all.", he calmly replied her, with the edge of smugness in it. It was not any day he could get her hackles raise, after all.

"Oh, not only his father blamed me for the resemblance looking, now his son blamed me for rubbing it off on him, too. What did I do to deserve this?", she sniffed dramatically again as her voice was on the verge of tear, as she brought one of her sleeve to cover her twitching lips.

Sesshoumaru inhaled and exhaled slowly, tried as he may to keep his anger and annoyance in check. Suddenly he did not feel sorry for her at all about the thought of his father left for the human woman. One must be all fool, deaf, and mute to be able to deal with this mother of his without losing their own sanity. And as if she'd read his thought, for her next words succeeded in silent him for any smart come back he was about to throw at her.

"Your father lost his life defending his human woman and their child.", he stared at her, where was she going with this? "His first born all fretted up and chased after a hellhound for a human child.", and tensed at this statement, "His second born threw his life away for a human girl to kami knew where in the pit of hell.", and the hatred did not go unnoticed to him as she purposely left it at that.

She looked at the sky. Her expression was already back to what people usually saw, if it was considered an expression at all, the kind of devoiding any feeling she had expression. "Really,", she walked away from him, "what it was with all the men in this household ended up the same way one after another.", and gone with that last remark.

Sesshoumaru was left standing alone facing the ancient holy tree. The last rays of dawn hit his eyes as he glanced at the horizon, noticed, for the first time in this day, how the sky was dyed in an all too familiar blood red color as that one time so long ago before darkness came and sucked every remaining lights into its greedy maws. And yet, even the night had come, surrounding him was the miraculous unseen lights with a foreign warmness that left him with a touch of loneliness in its wake.

Before he knew it, his thump was gently brushing against the same tiny hole in the Goshinboku tree trunk. All those years ago he'd come here, but his poison could not melt the sealing arrow which pierced through Inuyasha's heart. Though the boy had that peaceful expression when he was as good as dead back then, it was endearing in its own way, but it did not sit well with Sesshoumaru himself. He did not know what. And he did not know why.

But he had waited.

And 50 years later his patient was paid. The hanyou was awaken. But things did not go as he wanted.

His hatred arose a new.

His feelings took a ridiculous turn somewhere along the way.

And now he was left with a hollow inside, with no knowledge as to how to fill it.

Little did he know, the only way to right his heart came in the form of a red clad being with the twitching koinu ears and a brash behavior.

All was about to start, three days from now.