I dedicate this chapter the Gilded Sapphire Sprint Buddies. I could not have written this without you.
Family Game Night Chapter 10 Game Over?
"I wish…..," Kagome's voice started softly. Then she was enveloped by a glowing pink radiance. Her voice cut off as she faded from view. The pink light rose in the sky, then streaked in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well.
Several voices cried out, "Kagome!"
Sesshoumaru looked up as Inuyasha emerged from the well's depths for the tenth time. Evidently the hanyo was as unsuccessful at opening the portal this time as he had been the previous nine attempts. Glancing about the clearing, the daiyoukai took in the defeated expressions on his companions' faces. They had just yesterday defeated the greatest threat of their age, yet they were as mournful as if they had lost the battle. Had Kagome been present, she would have said words to bolster their morale. Of course, if Kagome had been present, there would be no need for that encouragement. Since Inuyasha was not seeing to their needs as a leader should, the burden fell to him.
"The miko would be displeased by this melancholy display," he intoned in his rumbling baritone. "She made all of us aware that this would be a likely outcome from her wish. Did she not have words with each of you in advance to convey her farewells? Did she not make it apparent that she wanted your lives to be full and happy ones? Come, it is time to stop this foolish maundering and celebrate our victory properly. Afterward, we will take counsel and decide what course of action is appropriate in Kagome's absence."
With these words, Sesshoumaru turned away from the well and began to stride toward the village where Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un awaited his return. A movement on his side caused him to look down, where he saw Shippou scurrying to catch up. "Mama would not want us to be sad. She'd want us to be happy for ourselves and each other. Thank you for reminding me of that. Also, I need to be happy for Rin's sake. Mama would want that. She always tried to be happy for me, even when she wasn't feeling so happy herself."
"Hnn," The kitsune had clearly absorbed more than just tutoring from the kind miko. Sesshoumaru hoped that the kit would continue to hold that attitude as time went on. Shippou would help Rin with that and in return, likely Rin would also help Shippou. He only wished his own heart could be lightened so easily. He hadn't quite realized how much he himself would miss Kagome in the wake of her disappearance. For now, he had responsibilities as a leader, as a mentor, and, he would admit to himself, as a friend.
Once they were all assembled in front of Kaede's hut, the group slowly began to cheer each other up. Of course, Miroku was likely assisted by a copious amount of sake. Nor was the monk the only one to imbibe. They told their story to the assembled villagers, ate a great deal of the food offered to them, and stayed up late honoring those who had fallen as well as those who survived. Nor was Kagome's name allowed to be forgotten, though none of them knew for sure if she was alive in her own time, or disappeared for all time.
The next morning, Sesshoumaru rose early, as he usually did. Unlike many of the others, who would be slow to rise and in pain when they did so, he had not overindulged. Yesterday was to seal the final moments of the long hunt to find the jewel shards and the pursuit to end Naraku. It was now time to turn his attention, and as many of the others' as he could safely confide in, to the lack of youkai in the future.
He combed one clawed hand through his long silver hair as he thought upon the prodigious task ahead.
Later that afternoon, the mostly recovered group assembled nearby the tree stump table that had seen their first forays into Family Game Nights. The original boxes of puzzles were placed upon it. It seemed an appropriate setting for what was to come. Sesshoumaru listened to their casual discussions for what they planned to do next. At a natural pause in the chatter, he spoke, "This Sesshoumaru has been tasked with preventing a tragedy. The path is long and complicated, but doable. Failure is not an option. A promise was given, honor compels this one to change the future in order to keep it.
"What are you yapping about, ya prick? Who gave you a task to change the what?" barked Inuyasha.
"You should already know this, Inuyasha. For you have seen it. The miko…Kagome spoke to me some time back. She said there were no youkai in her time. That we were all gone. She grieved that this had come to pass. She said she did not want to live in such a world. Therefore, the goal is to make sure this does not come to pass. To assure the continuation of demon kind into the future. That we may reunite with Kagome and prevent her from whatever fate she would choose in our absence. To that end, I shall fight for our survival. I will battle this alone, if needs must. But I believe it to have a better chance of success with the help of those here and perhaps others as we go on."
He contemplated those who were in Inuyasha's pack. Inuyasha had actually seen the future. Grudgingly, he realized he would also have to let go of his prejudices towards humans and hanyo if any of demon kind were to survive. Whether Sesshoumaru liked it or not, he was going to have to figure out a way to work with his half-brother. And persuade Inuyasha to work with him as well.
Shippou and Rin would cooperate gladly. They had the most to gain by being a part of this, young as they were. Jaken would do as he was told, mostly.
Miroku and Sango were human. They would not live long enough to see either the demise nor the survival of youkai. However, they could be instrumental in shaping the attitudes of humans around them. At the very least the hearts of their own offspring could be steered toward working with youkai to achieve this goal. Especially if the request was phrased correctly.
Anyone else would have to be carefully scrutinized before being permitted into their confidence.
"What say you? Will you also aid in this one's quest? For surely this is as worthy a task as the slaying of the spider."
Miroku then spoke up, "How do you think you can prevent this? If it is as you say, and as Inuyasha has witnessed, how can you change the future without jeopardizing the history that leads to Kagome?"
"Because I have the proof that it can be done."
"WHAT!" Sesshoumaru was not certain which voice shouted the loudest, but all of them were clearly shocked and confused by his confident statement. Smugly, he held up his surety, the wad of paper in his hand that he laid upon the giant stump.
"This is my proof." He waved the papers in the direction of the puzzles. "Monk, if you would turn the boxes over and read the words on the bottom corner imprinted thereon." Miroku was the only one he was sure was literate.
"'Produced by Silver Dogs Designs'", Miroku read aloud, "I don't understand the point."
Sesshoumaru spread the papers on the flat surface. "All of the games that Kagome brought to us from the future are from the same merchant. This is a list of the wares that merchant carries. The merchant's name is 'Silver Dogs Designs'." He looked around at the puzzled faces.
Then Shippou shouted, "'Silver Dogs Designs'? As in inuyoukai? Like you and Inuyasha? Do you know this merchant? Can we find him now and ask how he got to the future?"
"No, kit, we can not ask how he got to the future, for he does not yet exist. But they will, in a couple of hundred years. But first we have to get there."
Sesshoumaru opened the game catalog and began to point at various entries.
"Each game has a history of its origin. There are dates written for human imperial reigns that have yet to take place. This is our guide to be sure we continue to exist."
"Do you not understand? Inuyasha, it says dogs, more than one. WE are the silver dogs. Who other could it be? We will found this trading house, become this merchant and produce games. Along the way we will need to figure out how to hide in the human occupied lands, create safe places to dwell, and most of all continue to play games in order to select the best ones to carry forward. Are you up to the task? All of you, are part of it. Will you create the future that allows 'Silver Dogs Designs' to exist so the miko's family game nights can begin? Will you work with this one to reach this future, the one where we continue to exist and thrive?"
Inuyasha looked startled. Sesshoumaru, his hated half-brother was asking for his help? Was asking him to be a part of plans to save demons? Did he want to save the demons? As he looked around the group, he realized half of his pack was youkai now. Kagome always gave second chances, maybe he could try and do the same. He could not give up on Kagome, his best friend. Even if she was 500 years away, he could work to make it so he could see her again. That was worth giving up his antagonism towards his half-brother and the rest of the youkai. Mostly. He felt Sesshoumaru's gaze boring into him, waiting for an answer.
"Keh."
There was a buzz of discussion, but Sesshoumaru knew the moment of change had passed with Inuyasha's grunt of agreement.
Kagome had inadvertently given Sesshoumaru a vision of what was to come and a map to fix it. He now had something to protect – the fate of all of youkai. As well, he had a promise to keep.