InuYasha Fan Fiction / Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Minds, Shattered Hearts ❯ Brand, the Unicorn, and Miroku ( Chapter 9 )

The first thing my companions did once they got their jaws off the floor was start yacking them, asking me a barrage of questions.

 

“Shut up! I need to trump Random before I do anything else.”

 

I got lots of glares for that.

 

“Miroku, you need to come with me.” I saw him start to argue. “Don't say anything, just come here!”

 

He did, and I pulled out Random's trump, and stared at it. Miroku did too, but I'm not sure he really understood what he was doing.

 

“Who?”

 

“Corwin. We have big problems. Brand's back.”

 

“WHAT! Hold on, I want to take this in my chambers.” I waited while he strode through the library, past some sentries, and into a mostly empty room, save for some drums.

 

“Now tell me what you mean, Brand's back.”

 

“The Logrus adopted him, and when he fell into the Abyss, it saved him, and gave him a new body—Naraku. He also said that I was Miroku's grandfather. Do you know anything I don't?”

 

We had been speaking in Thari, as Random didn't know Japanese. Miroku heard his name, though, and scrowled, but held his tongue.

 

Random ground his teeth. “Shortly after I fled to Texorami the first time, some… two-hundred years ago, Amber time, Deirdre visited me.”

 

I did some mental math, and figured I had just been exiled to Shadow Earth, if not right before.

 

“She had fled Amber because she found herself… pregnant.”

 

“What does this have to do with Miroku?”

 

“I'm getting to that. She fled because it was your child.” My jaw dropped. I had impregnated my own sister? Sure, I cared about her, and sometimes wished she wasn't my sibling, but…

 

He continued. “You two had been drinking, and… well, you fill in the rest. She was afraid Oberon would kill the baby, because how he's always felt about sibling marriages. She had the baby, a girl, and left. I named her Azumi—Deirdre didn't want to name her—but I knew I couldn't take care of her, nor did I want to. So I found Sister Flora on Shadow Earth, and asked her to take care Azumi, or find her a home. You'll have to ask Flora about the rest.”

 

“Before I go, a few last things. First, tell Fiona, Benedict, and Gerard to get ready. I'm going to need all of them. Second, about the Shikon Jewel. Brand said it was the Heart of the Unicorn.” He sucked in a sharp breath. “Do you think it is something similar in nature to the Jewel of Judgment?”

 

He nodded. “Sounds like it. Do you know anything more about its priestess, Moridiko?”

 

“No. But I intend to find out. Soon. If Brand does what I'm thinking he might…” I did not want to think about the consequences.

 

“What do you think he's going to attempt?”

 

“I think he's going to try to destroy it entirely. The Unicorn is the Pattern. If he destroys her heart… he'll kill Amber.”

 

“This is more of a problem than I thought. Hurry. I'll gather the others, and get them ready to transfer to you. Call Flora, find out all you can about the boy” he indicated Miroku, “and trump me when your finished.”

 

I passed my hand over the trump, then pulled out Flora's. Before I contacted her, I turned to Miroku.

 

“It seems I may just be your grandfather. I'm going to find out.”

 

He nodded. “Please do. But, tell me, who was that you were just talking to?”

 

“King Random, my brother.”

 

“And what will it mean if I am your grandson?”

 

“I will ask Flora to escort you to the Pattern, to walk it. With Brand running around, we need all the manpower we can get, and this will unlock much strength in you.”

 

I studied Flora's picture. Pretty, but not the brightest of us.

 

“Brother!”

 

“Flora, I need some information I believe you have, and I need it now.”

 

She nodded, wary. “What is it, Corwin? You sound pressed for time.”

 

“Did Deirdre ever have my child?”

 

“Yes, quite a while ago. A girl, Azumi. Random brought her to me, asked me to take care of her. I didn't want to raise a child, especially when Eric had just asked me to keep tabs on you, so I went to where you were at the time—Japan. I found Buddhist monk, Mushin, I think his name was, and gave her to him. He was already caring for an orphaned boy, with the strangest hole in his hand. Had to wear prayer beads just to keep it from sucking him in.”

 

I sighed. So it was true. I turned to Miroku. “I am your grandfather. I need you to walk the Pattern, and now.”

 

He opened his mouth to protest, but I silenced him.

 

“This is not open to discussion. You will go. She will escort you.”

 

“Flora, do you know Japanese?”

 

She nodded.

 

I switched to it then, and said, “I need you to take Miroku down to the Pattern. Give him a set of trumps when he's finished, and tell him how to use them. I need you to hurry, so don't give him a tour of the Palace. And don't flirt with him.” I switched back to Thari, “He's a bit of a pervert, so don't be surprised if he gropes you.”

 

I snickered when her eyes enlarged to the size of saucers.

 

“He wouldn't!”

 

“Oh, yes he would. So be warned.” I changed back to Japanese. “Are you both ready?”

 

I received two nods.

 

“Take her hand, and step forward, then.”

 

He did, and gasped when he found himself on the other side of the looking glass.

 

“I'll hurry, brother.”

 

I replaced her trump and pulled out Random's again.

 

I didn't wait for an answer when I felt contact.

 

“I'm ready for them.”

 

His image shifted. I could see the three I had asked for behind him, all three armed, Gerard with his fists and spiked gauntlets, Fiona with several daggers, both throwing and handheld, and Benedict with a long, two handed sword; he now had both hands to use it. All three had horses as well. Martin appeared in the corner of the trump, but remained still.

 

Benedict came first, followed by Gerard and Fiona.

 

Random nodded, bid us farewell, and returned to his still-life portrait.

 

I addressed them in Thari. “I suppose Random briefed you?” It was an unnessesary question, from their looks of dismay. All three nodded, anyhow.

 

Fiona gasped when she saw Kagome. She had almost as much self-control as Julian, and this breach disturbed me. She knew something that no one else did, but I also knew she was possibly the most powerful among us, save for Brand.

 

I turned to Inuyasha and the others. “Three of my siblings, Gerard, Benedict, and Fiona. They will be accompanying us.” My tone told them it was already decided. “We need to go and see this priestess, Moridiko.”

 

“Why? Does this have something to do with Naraku, or what he said?” Sango asked.

 

“It has everything to do with that. I believe she may be my grandmother.”

 

“Where's Miroku?” Shippou questioned.

 

“I sent him with Sister Flora to walk the Pattern. He will return shortly.”

 

I wondered what happened to my daughter, if she was still alive. Probably not, since Miroku was traveling with this group. I also wondered how he could be so powerful, unless Brand had meant that Miroku and I were brothers… How dysfunctional was my family? He couldn't have meant Inuyasha—he was Swayvill's son. Shippou was a pure Chaosian. There weren't any other males traveling with us.

 

I sighed. Thinking too much about this was going to give even me a headache.