*A/N* Thank you again to my wonderful neta Creature of Shadow! I don't own nothin'
Deep within the halls of the western complex, an auburn kitsune flopped down on his futon with a tired sigh, arching his back he stretched his toes and legs until he could feel the opposing muscles begin to cramp before he relaxed. The recent trip to Edo, while it had not been particularly long, had been stressful for the entire party.
Shippo found himself again in the position of bodyguard for Kagome and possibly the one who was to whisk her from danger should it arise. Sesshomaru had been very clear with him that should Kagome resist and try to return to the battle site, the kit had his direct order to render her unconscious and drag her to safety.
Over the past century and a half, the fox found himself growing ever more solidly into his role as retainer of the West. His daily routine began with training under the rangers until he was deemed worthy to take his place among them. He was now the 4th western general of Sesshomaru's forces, as well as a traveling bodyguard for the Lady of the West.
Shippo smirked, it was still odd to him to think of Kags in terms of her official title. She had been a surrogate mother first and then a friend, he knew she would always be just Kagome to him. He supposed it was the same for Inuyasha as well. After having known her as the time traveling Miko, it was hard to see her as a regal youkai lady.
His relationship with Inuyasha had improved over time, aided not only by his place in Sesshomaru's house, but also the change that had occurred in the former hanyou. He had grown up and matured greatly since the times he had used to thump the tiny fox kit over the head. Shippo had loved to get him 'sat' by Kagome on purpose and Inuyasha knew it.
That particular game had matured as well and Shippo now had a new partner in crime in the form of Satoshi. He and the blonde kitsune were a veritable well of tricks and pranks that they rained down upon the unsuspecting inu with relish. Satoshi had always thought Inuyasha to be a brash jackass and the discovery of another who shared his view had been exciting to say the least.
As a ranger, Shippo had the luxury of sharing his quarters with only one other youkai, everyone else in the response forces slept in the barracks, large long rooms lined with cots. It was only natural for his room mate to be Satoshi, they had shared quarters since he first arrived with Kagome all those years ago and no problems had ever arisen.
Satoshi had not been present for their trip to the East, he had remained at the manor to assist Inuyasha with watching over the children. Shippo found that he missed the companionship they shared and looked forward to hatching their next scheme.
"Oi, what kept you, boy?" a familiar voice snapped him out of his reverie.
Turning toward his friend he rolled his eyes. "The dragons are so slow, they take forever to do anything." he replied with a huff, running a hand through his tousled bangs.
Satoshi sat down next to him and bumped his shoulder, earning the blonde an exasperated look. "How did it go though?"
Shippo scoffed. "They promised nothing and just talked a lot of long winded bull about being strong allies and true to the bond with the West." Shippo leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees and looked at Satoshi. "The dragons are trying to stay as neutral as possible, while still being named our allies, that way if things go sour, they can side with the stronger party."
"Fucking cowards." The blonde snarled, momentarily dropping his customary playful demeanor in favor of intense ire. A hand on his arm got his attention, and he looked up into clear turquoise eyes.
"They're just weak Sato-kun. They began as lizards crawling on their bellies." The slight curl of Shippo's lip and the light in his intelligent eyes brought Satoshi back from the edge of anger; while the blond's loss of temper was rare, he found Shippo had the uncanny ability to calm him.
"And they're not far from it now." snorted Satoshi,
Shippo grinned. " Just shinier." he replied, eliciting an answering grin from his companion.
The two kitsune had grown closer as the years went by, forming a deep and complex bond as they survived battles both physical and emotional together. Each had lost their families at an early age, Satoshi being taken in by Sesshomaru as an adolescent kit and raised by Kenta and Takeshi.
The feline ranger and his sister knew well the feeling of loss associated with being without parents and clan, their quiet support had helped Satoshi as he grew and learned battle craft. Kenta rounded out his adopted family as the garrulous father he was missing. The wolf always punctuated his lessons with amusing and fascinating tales of the great inu house of the west, the ookami clan in the north, where his brother's son ruled as prince and dark strange tales of a mighty warrior priestess and a jewel of souls.
Shippo answered with his own tales of his travels, beginning with the terrifying thunder brothers battle with Inuyasha and Kagome's fierce defense of him, even though she was ningen and he youkai. From that day onward, the two of them served as his surrogate mother and father, Miroku and Sango filled a place as siblings for him. Each one in the troupe knew keenly what loss was, and they settled into an easy union, protecting and loving one another.
Finding another who was so like himself after enduring much of the same trials and hardships, being bolstered by the same kind of unwavering support was a revelation for Satoshi. He had thought himself completely unique and as such, alone. The feeling of solitude in a crowded room was one that had often struck him, until the time he came to know Shippo. Looking at the auburn kit, Satoshi marveled at the gifts bestowed upon him by the Kami.
"I must have been really good in my last life." he mused.
Shippo presented a quandary for the blond ranger, familial affection he was familiar with, the loyalty of soldiers was something that was well known to him, but the stirring in his gut that he associated with the kit next to him was something new. He was not one to chase moonbeams nor wax poetic about anything, ever, yet here beside him was this amazing soul that he could not explain his magnetic draw and connection to.
It was something visceral and utterly real, something even he could not deny was more than simple camaraderie, when he looked at Shippo he felt...complete, and dare he say it, at peace. For the first time in his life, he felt restful and steady, instead of having the impression of holding a mask in front of his face to keep others from worrying.
"Hey." came the quiet voice of Shippo, "Where'd you go just then?"
Satoshi found himself staring into those striking turquoise eyes full of concern and lively curiosity, reaching up, he grasped the base of Shippo's skull and pulled him in to touch brows with a soft smile reserved only for the auburn kit.
"No where. Just glad to have you back now."
Shippo exhaled lightly placing his own hand over his blonde companion's wrist and squeezing, letting him know he returned the sentiment. Satoshi was his brother in every sense of the word, a pillar of strength and support, exasperating trickster and constant friend, Shippo had welcomed the progression of their relationship with an open heart.
Around the passing of his second century, Shippo had manifested his second tail, as was expected for kitsune, they gained another each century until they reached nine. Satoshi boasted three and was instrumental in easing his passing into adulthood.
Shippo gained invaluable wisdom from the usually flippant ranger and they grew ever closer with each passing year. The blond kitsune nuzzled his partner's cheek, letting his eyes drift shut as he took in Shippo's familiar scent, the younger kit let out a contented sigh and leaned into Satoshi's welcoming embrace losing himself in the arms of his lover.
"Tell me again why we're going to the continent?"
Sesshomaru repressed the urge to sigh openly at his brother; he turned and fixed the former hanyou with a baleful glare.
"Because we are veritably swimming in allies." Was his frosty reply, belatedly he thought he should have used simpler words as he watched a veiled expression of confusion cross Inuyasha's face.
"Alright Oni-sama," he snapped, drawing out the honorific, "don't waste your sarcasm on my account." Apparently the younger inu had picked up enough to know he was being made fun of even if the meaning of the words eluded him.
"The youkai lords on the continent may be willing to ally with us against the zealots." Came Kenta's neutrally pitched reply; he had been witness to the exchange between the brothers and knew exactly how to diffuse both of them at once. He could see that Sesshomaru's patience was as thin as was Inuyasha's, not that this was surprising in the least, but it would not help the meeting that was about to take place.
Haruko entered the study shortly behind the ookami ranger and seated himself near his father without a word. Sesshomaru glanced at his firstborn, taking in his quiet composure and schooled himself into his customary state of stoic boredom.
"We will be meeting with Liu Bei in one week's time." The elder Inu's smooth baritone called the attention of each youkai in the room. "Our main goal is to secure their support with either military or intelligence to create a barrier against the zealots."
The expressions of the males around the table tightened at the mention of the zealots, over the past century, a group of ningen clerics following a foreign religion had increased in their popularity across Nippon. This so called religion of peace was more violent than any spiritual belief ever seen by both youkai and Kami.
Since the arrival of a priest from some far off land he called Espania, the tide of anti-youkai sentiment had grown among the ningen population as a whole. It seemed, contrary to Shinto and Buddhist teaching, demons were fiends from a world of evil, not their own race at all. The extreme polarities of the Christians screamed of imbalance and served to spread fear and misconceptions about the youkai.
Some years ago, a group of well meaning youkai had attempted to talk with the western clerics and show they were beings like any other, displaying their capacity for flaws and feelings to the foreigners. It had ended disastrously, with most of the party being killed before they could speak; the rest of them had been held and used as examples for the followers of these lunatics of how bestial and evil demons in fact were. They tortured the poor youkai to the point of their animal traits releasing, each time it happened, the clerics has righteously pointed to the evil motives that were obviously responsible and evident in their snarls and howls.
A single youkai had been released; 'to tell the others their time is short' was the missive. It had been all Kagome and Sesshomaru could do to prevent the council declaring all out war on the ningen as a whole. As things stood, anyone who identified themselves as followers of the foreign religion could expect their lives be forfeit at the hands of youkai. Kagome had continued her efforts to foster peace and understanding between ningen and youkai and as a result, the western lands were a mix of both races. The only place in Japan where hanyou were not stymied, but accepted as anyone else.
This was a state of affairs that did not endear the hanshin to youkai nobility. Sesshomaru knew it weighed heavily on Kagome to be looked upon negatively, but he was impressed every day by the integrity she showed in keeping true to her values. Their children, he decided, had a wonderful role model in their mother. He would not change her for the world.
Sesshomaru loathed the current situation they found themselves in, reduced to begging help from the youkai on the continent did not sit well with the fiercely proud taiyoukai. Had he been the same inu as in his younger days, he would have stubbornly refused to ask, but fatherhood did strange things to one's sense of pride. His standards had not been lowered, but changed. He found there was nothing he would not do for his mate and their children. It was a shocking revelation for Sesshomaru when he finally understood his father's parting words to him all those years ago.
'Something to protect indeed.' he mused, glancing again at his self contained firstborn. He had been surprised when his son had emerged and took on the physical traits of his mother, for the first time in generations, the firstborn of the west was not a white inu. Oddly, Kagome had not been surprised and began a lengthy explanation of something called genes, of which there were dominant and recessive traits. Apparently, his coloring was quite rare and would probably show up in his grandchildren.
Shaking himself free of his internal world, Sesshomaru looked around the room and spoke. "The lions of the Continent are warriors. They will expect a symbolic duel to take place, most likely between the second in command of each party."
Inuyasha's eyes met his brother's, a silent question hanging there.
Sesshomaru continued. "It is their right to request any member of the party as an opponent, so we must all be prepared for this possibility," he paused. Looking at each of them in turn, stopping at his son, the two gazed at one another for a moment. "We must all be prepared for anything."
Sesshomaru was looking for any flash of uncertainty or trepidation from his heir. He was of the mind that his son was capable, though he had yet to see anything that truly set the boy apart from the rest. Haruko carried the golden eyes of the inu, and held his father's gaze without complaint or reaction. He gave a small nod to show he understood and that seemed to satisfy the taiyoukai, who moved on to other matters.
"We will be following this route through the Miao region." Sesshomaru spoke as he produced a scroll from beside him and rolled it out flat so they could all see. His tapered and graceful fingers traced the planned path through the southern region of the Lion's kingdom. "This will take us near their border with the Phoenix clan, so we must exercise caution."
"So why not take the northern route?" broke in Inuyasha. "Looks like it's got less hills and we would be further from the border."
"I do not entirely trust the lions yet." was the reply. "I would rather travel over land that has cover than traipse across flat grasslands for all the world to see."
"Ah." Inuyasha sat back and studied the map for a moment.
Haruko saw the wisdom of his father's choice, even though it took them dangerously close to the firebirds. They would have the cover of the forest and with their enhanced sense of hearing and smell, it was by far a better choice than open grasslands with never ceasing winds to hide both scent and sound.
"What about zealots?" Kenta asked. "Has there been any activity in this area?"
Sesshomaru shook his head, "Iie, the ningen of this region hold the belief they are themselves cousins of youkai, that they are all descended from an Inu and a Kami. They have so far rejected and repelled any zealots that have tried to settle there."
"Truly?" the ookami's surprise was evident in his tone.
"Hai, that is part of the reason we are attempting an alliance here, they live in harmony with the lions, much like the races here in the west. I believe they will be more inclined to accept my mate once an alliance is secured. The Kami on the continent do not get on well with the youkai."
Haruko quirked a brow at this. "Would it not be wise to save my presence for a later meeting Otou-sama?" his quiet tenor drew the unwavering attention of the elder Inu. No hint of uncertainty or really any emotion colored his son's words and Sesshomaru found himself impressed by his son's stoicism as he knew it was not easy for the boy to emulate.
"Any lord who accepts an alliance with the west, does so with the acceptance of it heir. Should they object to your bloodline, no treaty will be struck."
Inwardly, Haruko was concerned. Though he knew the west was running short of allies, hence this trip, the young inu didn't think he could bear it if he turned out to be the reason a deal was forgone. Knowing his father's expectations he showed nothing of the turmoil within and simply nodded without comment.
Inuyasha watched the reserved exchange between his brother and nephew with keen interest. He was very aware of the anxiety that came with mixed blood, while he was now full youkai thanks solely to Kagome's wish, the pain and uncertainty of his hanyou years had left psychological scars. He knew what it was like to realize that your blood was responsible for people hating you or looking down upon your family and for all his bluster in his younger days. He remembered the pain of that understanding.
Inuyasha was impressed with his brother's acceptance of his children's mixed blood. Not as surprised as he had been with the taiyoukai's initial acceptance of Kagome as a mate, but the former hanyou found his admiration and respect for his brother deepened with each passing year. Kikyo had not yet been able to conceive and as a result, Inuyasha figured they were probably the most doting aunt and uncle in existence. Spoiled rotten would be the best way to describe the brood.
Not that the kids had let it go to their heads, they looked up to their father far too much to ever act shamefully. What they liked best, he supposed, were the stories of the days of the Shikon no Tama. Something about tales depicting their own family as imperfect or non demons seemed to speak to the children, especially Akira, the least demonic of them.
Inuyasha could see both Kagome and Sesshomaru in the twins. Haruko was very like Kagome in both appearance and temperament. Well, her more recent temperament. Calm and compassionate, while Maeko was so similar to Sesshomaru, sometimes Inuyasha had to do a double take to make sure it was her. She had inherited that unnerving way of staring at you until you wanted to shed your skin for something more comfortable. The youngest child, however, was unlike either of them.
Kagome had said Akira reminded her of her little brother Souta, separated from her by so many years but Inuyasha had to disagree. When he looked at the kid, he got the weirdest feeling he was staring down Kagome's Ji-san and the nostalgic feeling would come back of the old man accosting him with useless scrolls.
"Now that we've reviewed our goals, I give you leave to get your things in order for the journey."
Inuyasha snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his brother's voice.
"We will leave on the morrow for the continent, be sure all is in order and you are ready for departure at dawn." Sesshomaru nodded to them and rose, signaling an end to their strategy meeting; Kenta and Haruko left together without comment and Inuyasha stayed a moment, looking at his brother.
"What is it brother?" the taiyoukai spoke without looking at him, his golden eyes focused on things only he could see as he was deep in thought.
"What are our chances this will go well?" Inuyasha held up a hand before Sesshomaru could speak. "Truly, do we stand a chance?"
Sesshomaru paused and then let out a breath that was slightly heavier than normal, a veritable sigh for anyone else. "This is our only chance brother." he said evenly. "If we fail in this, the youkai will eventually be forced to blend with the ningen and control from the shadows."
Inuyasha was struck dumb by this pronouncement from his proud brother.
"You mean hide?" he asked incredulously.
"Not immediately, but yes." Sharp golden eyes gazed at one another. "The zealots will not rest until we are all destroyed."
Inuyasha snorted. "We can handle a few ningen." he scoffed with a chuckle, his laughter died at the sigh of his brother shaking his head.
"You've seen Kagome's world," the taiyoukai replied, "did you see any youkai? Ever detect even a trace of youki or scent?"
"Couldn't smell anything but those awful -mach-ines, I think she called them. And didn't she change all that when you two healed the youkai?"
Sesshomaru was still for a fleeting moment as though weighing his options. "She and I have discussed it many times at length. With the benefit of knowing of these things already, she has shared stories of religious persecution, killing of all those who disagree with one's beliefs is a common event throughout the world of ningen."
"So? They kill one another for stupid things, what's that got to do with..."
"She doesn't think most of those killed for witchraft and heresy were in fact ningen, she thinks they were youkai caught by mobs."
Inuyasha was mercifully silent as Sesshomaru struggled with the information he was divulging; this was something Kagome had asked him not to share so they wouldn't alter anything, but he found himself unable to do so.
"You're not talking about a war then." Said Inuyasha, Sesshomaru shook his head curtly,
"I am speaking of centuries of systematic extermination." There was a short silence between brothers.
"So why don't we go underground now?"
Inuyasha's question cut him to the quick, and he felt himself becoming angered at his younger sibling. "We can still change things baka." the taiyoukai snapped. "That's why we're trying to ally with the Lions"
Inuyasha's brows shot up. "And if it doesn't work?"
"Then we begin our submersion into the ningen world." Sesshomaru's voice was heavy and filled with darkness.
It gave Inuyasha pause to hear such weight in his brother's voice. He knew the inu pride that warred within the taiyoukai cried out for the mass slaughter of those who posed a threat to the pack, he also that would not make anything better. In fact, it would hasten the deterioration of ningen and youkai relations to the point of hopelessness.
"Well then let's get going." was the younger inu's emphatic reply.
Sesshomaru looked at his brother, unspoken questions in his golden eyes, Inuyasha sounded so...vehement, the taiyoukai was somewhat surprised by his severity.
"I don't know about you Sesshomaru, but I don't want to hide from the humans. It's disgraceful, not to mention damn boring." A quicksilver grin flashed a fang at the demon lord. "Besides, I don't think there's a ningen alive who would think you're normal." With that, Inuyasha disappeared from the doorway with a chuckle and an insolent flash of silver hair, leaving Sesshomaru staring after him in mild irritation.
The taiyoukai of the west stared for a moment at the place his younger brother had been standing, shaking his head. He made his way through the halls of the manor in search of his mate, as, no doubt, Inuyasha was doing the same. They had much travel ahead of them and only one night to spend in leisure, he for one was not about to waste it.
*A/N* So I've decided to take us to China this time! Don't lurk! Review!