InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the Fire ❯ To Fight a Losing Battle ( Chapter 5 )

Title: Into the Fire

Author: Chiaztolite

Rating: NC-17/M for future lemon, rape, and violence

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Inuyasha

 

A/N For reviewers in MM and FF: I hope you guys don't hate Shouri… I know, she seemed like a bitch in her first debut (Chapter 04), but please please please give her a chance. It was hard for her to `be nice' to Sesshoumaru considering her memory had been partially erased, and her upbringing had influenced her to hate everything about her original homeland. Oh God… If the readers hate her, I will be in a big trouble! She plays a big part in this story… Anyway, keep this warning in mind while you're reading Chapter 05, because she will do way worse things than what she did in the previous chapter. But she will get nicer, I promise!

-Chiaztolite-

 

Youki: youkai's energy/aura

Hime-sama: princess

Kitsune: fox

Nii-sama: older brother

 

 

Into the Fire

 

Chapter 05: To Fight a Losing Battle

 

Sesshoumaru still had his eyes locked on his sister's back, even though she refused to turn around and look at him. He could sense her uneasiness no matter how hard she tried to mask it with her haughty demeanor.

“Turn around” He could see her shoulder jerked when he commanded her with his calm, yet demanding voice. “Are you not going to look at your older brother?”

“…You are not my brother…” She wanted to smack herself for that quivers she heard in her own voice. “I do not even know you.”

Slowly, the youkai lord stepped forward. He felt his patience growing thin, as she kept denying him. The sight of her and Yuusou that he witnessed earlier filled his heart with jealousy. She was always on his mind ever since the day he lost her, yet he was erased from her memory so easily. He reached for her shoulder with his clawed hand, roughly turning her rigid body around. She was shocked when he forced her to face him. His hand was on her upper arm, shaking her body violently.

“Do not say that you do not remember me.” His voice was cold although his eyes burned with rage. “Are you telling me that you are that weak to be controlled by that insolent lord you called `grandfather'?!”

It was at that moment that she noticed one of his limbs is missing, since he shook her with only one arm. She lowered her gaze to the emptiness of his left sleeve, slightly wondered what had happened to him. He followed her eyes, but offered no comment or explanation for his missing limb. He shook her again to force her to lift her eyes back to his.

“Shouri,” her name rolled on his tongue. “Tell me you remember something about your life in the west. Tell me you remember who I am.” His tone remained restrained as he struggled to prevent desperation from creeping into his voice.

She tried to wriggle her way out of his tight grip, only to cause his claws to sink deeper into her flesh.

“I do not remember you!” she growled in fury. “Get your hand away from me, stranger! You're hurting me!”

Slowly, he loosened his grip as he felt her blood on his fingertips. She cringed from the pain he caused her, yet the wrath in her eyes burned stronger.

“I came here in search of my long lost sister…” he said quietly, still standing inches from her. “…Tell me she has not been lost forever. Tell me she is still here.”

Her body stiffened. There was a long pause between them, the air was heavy with uncomfortable silence. “I do not know who your sister is…” her voice was just as unemotional as her face when she replied.

Sesshoumaru tightened his jaw. He lifted his hand to his mouth and let his sharp fangs sank into the flesh of his palm, drawing blood. Shouri jerked up as the scent of blood filled her senses. He held his hand out to her, fresh blood gushed from his wound.

“Can't you tell?” he whispered hoarsely. “I have your blood, and you have mine. Our blood is identical… You are my sister!”

She looked away, the scent of his blood filled the air. `Why denying it…' a voice whispered inside of her. `You know he is your brother by blood… You have his hair, his markings… and he just proved you have the same blood too…Why are you still denying the truth?'

However, she was not lying when she told him she did not know who his sister was. Her memory of him and of anything that has to do with the west was lost to her. They might have the same body, his sister and her, but she had no idea of her. How could she become someone she does not know?

Sesshoumaru shook his head in despair. It was like talking to so someone who could not hear, trying to shove truth into deaf ears. He lowered his hand, letting his blood dripped onto the ground.

“Why do you trouble yourself to come now?” she asked him. “Considering you did not even bother to come for us 200 years ago!”

“Father and I thought you were dead…” His tight voice responded. No matter how many times he looked at the female inuyoukai, her exterior proved that she was indeed his sister. Alas, she had lost all the love and warmth she ever had for him when they were young. He watched her distanced herself from him, her eyes stared into the blank space. `How did it come to this…' he thought grimly. A small part of him thought that he made a mistake by coming to this eastern land. A few days ago, all the reminiscent of his past are nothing but dim, distant memories. He could have endured life with those memories but instead, he chose to reopen this old wound.

“If you had come that day…” He heard her whispered icily. “My mother would still be alive…” Slowly she turned to face him. Loathing and disgust covered her façade like a thick blanket. “You and your father killed her… It was your fault that she died!”

Her spiteful words struck him, piercing his heart. His eyes blaze with golden flames as Lord Hyougo appeared in his mind.

“Fool…” he hissed at her. “He has poisoned your mind completely. He had kidnapped both you and Mother, he faked your death so that Father will not search for you… Are you telling me you are so foolish not to see that the murderer was him?!”

She bared her fangs at him, hissing between her clenched teeth. “Do NOT insult my grandfather…You are nothing but a lowly creature from the west…You are not even worthy to mention his name!”

That was it for Sesshoumaru. She had pushed it far, too far…

Rage took him as he lifted his hand to slap her hard on her face. Never in his life had he ever imagined that he could hurt Shouri, not to mention letting his wrath took hold of him as he laid that one strike on her cheek. He felt neither satisfaction nor contentment in doing so, only pain.

Shouri felt her cheek burned as she realized what he had done to her. She uttered no sound when he struck her, but her heart cringed in agony, her eyes shut tight. The force of his blow had turned her head to the side, leaving her profile to his vision.

Without a word, he left her. He saw no point in causing more pain and anger to both of them.

`Enough…' he said to himself as he walked back to the palace. `It is time to settle old accounts…'

 

 

Lord Hyougo stood on an airy veranda outside his chamber, staring at the moon and lost in the realm of his thought. He turned around as he sensed another presence. It was Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the Western Lands, standing just a few feet away from him with a frosty expression on his immaculate face.

“Is there anything that you need?” the Eastern Lord asked him, even though he could guess what his grandson would demand from him. Sesshoumaru did not answer, he was just looking at his grandfather, the lord whom he despised so much for destroying the happiness of his family. And now, when he remembered what happened between him and Shouri, he was given a new reason to loath him.

“I want you to give Shouri her memory back.” He sternly replied.

Lord Hyougo could not hide the smile on his lips, as he had known his answer from the very beginning.

“And why should I do that…?”

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed when he heard the response. The sarcastic tone in the lord's voice enraged him greatly. “It is my sister's memory.” His hand reached Toukijin and he freed the sword from its sheath. “She has every right to remember her past.”

Lord Hyougo arched one of his eyebrows at his action. “Oh, so you are planning to fight me, boy?”

The young youkai lord growled at the impudent word thrown at him. “I swear to all Gods…” he hissed between his clenched teeth. “Tonight will be the night I have your blood smeared on the walls of your palace. I will not rest in peace until I have slain you and burned your whole kingdom to the ground… This will be your punishment.”

Lord Hyougo jumped gracefully to the ground. He took a few steps toward his grandson with the same smile still carved on his lips.

“How confident…” he said. “Do not forget who you are talking to, Grandson… No matter how powerful you are, you are no more than a puppy compared to me.”

Sesshoumaru's lips curled in a vicious smile as he heard those condescending words. His golden eyes sizzled with bloodlust. “We shall see…”

With a speed of a lightning, he leaped forward and swayed his sword in a mighty force. To a mere human's eyes or those of a lesser being, his move was so fast that it was invincible. But the Lord of the East dodged his attack easily, and jumped to land behind him. Just as swift and fierce as his first attack, he turned on his heels and went after his opponent. This time, Lord Hyougo met his frontal assault with his own sword. Their youki collided, forming a whirlwind around them. The sound of metal crashing broke the silence of the night, causing several servants to come running to see what was with all the commotion. One of Lord Hyougo's generals was ready to jump in and defend his master. However, he froze when he saw the lord's smiling face. He seemed to be enjoying the fight. Lord Hyougo gave the general a sharp glance, forbidding him to interfere. The general just inclined his head and as he was told, he stayed back.

Sesshoumaru attacked persistently, leaving his enemy no choice but to return each one of his strikes. His long whip of youki sliced the night air, forcing the Eastern Lord to retreat a few steps. Sesshoumaru took his chance and lunged forward swiftly, his sword ready to draw blood. Lord Hyougo attempted to leap backward, but it was too late: his grandson's blade was faster.

Sesshoumaru stared at the Eastern Lord with a satisfied look on his face. Red beads of blood dripped from the tip of his sword. He succeeded in drawing blood from his opponent, but Lord Hyougo was skillful to avoid damage to his vital organs. The elder lord's arm was wounded, yet he still retained his amused expression on his face.

“You are quite a formidable fighter for such a young lord.” He said.

Sesshoumaru replied with a sardonic smirk. He repositioned himself, taking his original fighting stance. Lord Hyougo was too, ready for the next attack. Again, he pounced at him, this time determined to aim for his heart. His blade met another blade, but he felt the difference in its energy. His eyes widened as he saw that it was Shouri who blocked his attack. Before he had a chance to react, she swung her sword at him, forcing him to withdraw.

Sesshoumaru hopped a few steps back before standing still with Toukijin still gripped tightly in his hand.

“Move,” he glared at her angrily. “Move or I will take you down with him, Shouri.”

“I can assure you it will not be so easy, Sesshoumaru-sama.” She replied coldly. She could hear her grandfather growled furiously because she interfered with his fight, but at that time she could not care less.

Sesshoumaru eyed her with his blazing golden orbs. He noticed the sword in her hand. `That is not Katsujinken…' he pondered. She left him no time to think, as she started with her aggressive attack. Her movements were graceful as she pounced, lunged, leaped forwards and backwards. Her body was light as air, allowing her to achieve incredible speed and velocity in each of her attacks. When his blade met hers, he could feel her vigorous aura. She possessed the same energy as their mother: cold but forceful, just like the frozen blue flame that forged Katsujinken. She returned his every strike, not willing to give in to him. When he used his whip on her, she dodged it easily, leaping backwards and still maintaining her poise. Her hand moved in haste, throwing two small blades at him. He had seen it coming, and secretly admired her speed and precise aim. He shifted his sword to block those two weapons she tossed him, and instantly, he sensed that another two was coming. He moved his body to the side in attempt to dodge her second try, but the stinging pain on the side of his neck proved that he had failed. He froze for a moment before he felt his body weakened by an unknown force from within him. His firm grip on Toukijin had loosened, the sword fell to the ground next to his feet. His legs were too weak to support the load of his body, causing him to droop down on his knees. His trembling hand pulled out two tiny, though sharp, arrows from his neck. Although his vision had blurred, he could still recognized them: the poison needles of the East. Ironically, she had struck him with the very same weaponry that attacked his father that fateful night. The blades turned out to be no more than tools of a well-planned gambit to get his attention away from what was coming. He saw her approaching him and stood before his now-powerless body. Slowly he lifted his face, unable to hide his shock when he looked at her. Her cold and emotionless expression was the last thing he saw before he lost himself to dark oblivion.

 

 

Sesshoumaru stirred as he felt the raging pain at the back of his head, causing him to let out a soft moan. Slowly, he opened his eyes and realized that he was back in the eastern palace's guest quarter.

“Sesshoumaru-sama!” he heard Rin's high-pitched voice. The little girl was kneeling down next to his futon with Jyaken on her side. “You are awake, Sesshoumaru-sama?” the girl spoke again.

He laid the palm of his head on his forehead as the headache would not subside.

“We were so worried about you, Sesshoumaru-sama.” Jyaken's annoying voice pierced his ears. “How dare that eastern witch poisoned you! If you command it, this Jyaken will use Niintoujyou to…”

“Jyaken,” his stern voice stopped the toad youkai to ramble on. “Shut up.”

His faithful follower lowered his head at once, complying with his order. Rin stared at her master, her concern for his well-being was clearly shown on her face.

“Are you still hurt, Sesshoumaru-sama?” she asked. “Hyougo-sama gave you the antidote for the poison as soon as you collapsed…”

`How embarrassing…' he thought. `And ironic… The last time I saw her, she could not even jump on a tree, and on our next meeting she had already tried to kill me…'

He turned his head towards the door of the chamber as he sensed the Eastern Lord approaching. There was a brief knock before the sliding screen opened and Hyougo-sama walked in.

“Ah, you are awake.” He said when he saw him conscious. Sesshoumaru cocked his head towards the door, giving Jyaken and Rin a sign to leave. Both followed his command, leaving him alone with the Lord of the Eastern Lands.

“Your headache should be gone in a few hours.” Lord Hyougo told him before sitting down next to his futon. Sesshoumaru turned his head away, looking to the other side of the chamber.

“What do you want?” his cold voice greeted the elder.

Lord Hyougo took his time to reply, but his voice was soft when he uttered his words. “You have to forgive my granddaughter.” He said. “She is confused. She does not remember you, and I have raised her to loath everything about your country.”

A cold smile appeared on Sesshoumaru's lips. The beast in him wanted to kill the eastern lord that instant and get his revenge over and done with so that he could live the rest of his life in peace. The duel last night would have been the perfect occasion to slay the lord. Too bad his good-for-nothing sister had to interfere, though the reason why she did it was beyond him.

“Why do you detest the west so much?” he expressed his curiosity. “Neither my father nor I had ever attacked your land or killed your people. You have no reason to hold grudge against us.”

There was a long silence before Lord Hyougo told him. “It was an old grudge that I hold against your ancestor.” He stared at his grandson who was still looking the other way. “I have roamed this earth for almost 3000 years now. I have seen things beyond your imagination.” The lord's words caused Sesshoumaru's eyes to widen. 3000 years is a long time, even for a youkai…

“I was there when this entire land was split into four: west, east, north, and south. One of your ancestors was my sworn enemy. But I have never expected that this wrath would be carried on to your generation. I never meant to hurt your mother, you, or your sister…”

Sesshoumaru kept his silence. `It does not matter anymore…' he mused. `What have been lost were indeed lost forever.'

Lord Hyougo rose to his feet. He looked at his grandson one more time as he said, “I will leave you alone to rest now.”

Sesshoumaru turned to stare at the lord for the first time since he entered the chamber. “Thank you for your hospitality” He said coldly. “But I have no intention to stay. My business is done here.”

Lord Hyougo frowned. “But what about Shouri…” he started to speak.

Sesshoumaru stared away into space. His voice was as blank and emotionless as his exterior when he said, “I was dead to her the moment you took her memory away. She was dead to me the moment she tried to kill me with those needles…”

 

 

Shouri paced the palace garden back and forth, her heart troubled with her duel with the stranger from the west last night. She sat herself on a stone bench overlooking the pond. Her sleep had been restless, as she tossed and turned on her futon, thinking about what she had done. Her grandfather had sternly scolded her since using the poison needles in a respectable duel was forbidden, and also for her unnecessary interference in his fight. She covered her eyes with the palm of her hand, suddenly feeling exhausted. To make matters even worse, she had used their most poisonous needles, the one that could kill a being in an instant. If the stranger had been a weaker youkai, he would have died in a matter of seconds. Guilt lurked in her heart like an unwanted disease, as she realized there was no need to go that far.

`He started it first…' a voice spoke inside her mind. `He slapped you, remember?'

She shook her head furiously to rid the voices within her. Her cheek still burned with anger and shame whenever she recalled what he did to her in the pavilion. `Serves him right…' the voice spoke again.

Shouri let out a deep sigh. She had always been a gentle child, loved by everyone, just like her late mother. But the stranger had brought out the darkest, worst part of her. What happened last night proved it. All the spiteful words, her accusation…

`Should I apologize…' she mused as she rose to her feet and started pacing again. Before she had a chance to make up her mind, her keen sense of hearing captured some noises from the shrine across the pond. She felt alarmed, since the shrine was where her late mother's sword, Katsujinken, was kept. Swiftly, she leaped onto the body of water, her weightless body hopped on its surface until she reached the other side of the pond. She recognized the owners of the voices: the hanyou and his pack. She hid herself between the dense shrubs surrounding the old wooden building, quietly watching the intruders with interest and curiosity in her bright green eyes.

“Inuyasha, I don't think we're allowed to go in there.” The girl in a strange ensemble of clothing said. They were all standing in front of the closed entrance of the shrine. By the look of it, there was no doubt that they had felt the strong aura of the sword, and had grown curious by it. The hanyou snorted at the girl's warning.

“Oh, shut up, will ya!” Clearly, he was going to ignore her warning. He climbed the few steps toward the heavily carved wooden door, his hand reached for its golden handle.

“Really, Inuyasha…” the monk in dark blue robe tried to stop him. “I do not think anyone is allowed to enter this shrine. Let us not trigger more troubles.”

“I just want to see what's in there!” the hanyou they called `Inuyasha' barked at his companions. He turned his gaze back to the door to the shrine. “I sensed some strange power in there… It could be the legendary sword. I just want to take a look at it.”

Before any of his companions had another chance to stop him, he opened the door and went into the darkness. His friends looked at each other and shrugged before they followed him into the shadow that swallowed him.

 

The dark shrine was lit only by two burning candles, positioned at the far end of the spacious room. Kagome observed her surrounding, and noticed that the shrine looked somewhat similar to a dojo. Its rosewood floor was polished to shine under the candle light. The sweet, yet pungent scent of the wood made her a little bit lightheaded.

Inuyasha had his golden eyes on the sword, placed on a low pedestal in between the two candles. He could almost see the misty blue aura, swirling and surrounding the sword. Slowly he walked towards the object that had attracted his sense and attention, his hand extended to touch the plain black sheath of the sword. He was not even two-inches close to it when a blue light pushed him away in a powerful blow. He let out a loud, painful groan as his body flew to the other side of the room and crashed against the wall.

“What the…” he was about to curse when a low female voice stunned him.

“…You have been rejected by its barrier, hanyou…”

He jerked in alarm and turned to his side. Shouri was standing at the entrance to the shrine. Her green orbs intently eyed the creature who had trespassed the forbidden territory. She joined them in there, letting her entire body covered by the dark shadows. Her silver locks glittered under the candle light as she went closer to where the sword laid. She let her fingers grazed the smooth sheath, smiling as the barrier did not reject her. The sword knew its owner well.

“Only the females of eastern royal family may touch this sword. It responds to none other.” she glanced over her shoulder to the group who was watching.

“If it's such an important sword, why don't you have it with you all the time?!” she heard the hanyou barked at her. She turned around to glare at him, her eyes narrowed in revulsion as she remembered what her grandfather had told her yesterday.

`He did not even bother to come for her… Instead, he turned to seek the company of a mere human. At the end, it was your father who betrayed her.'

`Do you want to know how your mother died? When she found out your father had deserted her, she became ill. Her body grew weaker and weaker. Your father's name was on her lips as she drew her last breath. It was your father who killed her!'

“Katsujinken is a very powerful sword. I only use it for `special occasions'.” She answered him icily.

Kagome observed the energy that the mysterious sword emitted. Her powerful miko eyes allowed her to clearly see the blue aura that surrounds it. She did not feel evil or demonic energy from the sword, only chill.

The princess moved away from the sword and now approached them. She stopped a few feet away, keeping her distance from them. Kagome held her breath when she saw her face clearly for the first time. She had not been this close to them in distance inside the main court yesterday. Her resemblance to Sesshoumaru was undeniable, especially with those markings on her cheek, though she did not have the blue crescent moon tattoo on her silver-banged forehead.

“My brother Yuusou has told me the reason why you came here.” She said in her smooth, velvety voice. “You came to seek my help.”

Miroku stepped forward to respond. Had she was not an eerie inuyoukai princess and more importantly, Sesshoumaru's little sister, the lecherous monk would have begged her to bear his child several times by now.

“Shouri-sama,” he addressed her politely. “We need you to join our quest to defeat the demon, Naraku…” But before the monk could proceed to persuade her, she stopped him with her calm tone.

“I have agreed to join you.” She could see them shocked by her sudden compliance. Both curiosity and suspicion were in their eyes, but she chose to let them unanswered.

“Do tell me who this demon is and your reason for pursuing him.” She softly commanded.

“The truth is, Hime-sama,” Kagome began to explain. “We have been after him ever since he started collecting the shards of Shikon no Tama, a very precious jewel that is capable of giving demons incredible power. He had consumed the completed jewel and has become a very powerful youkai. The last news we heard about him was that he had fled to the Mountain of Gods.”

Shouri kept her emotionless mask on, although her heart fluttered when she heard the mountain mentioned.

“Are you the miko guarding the jewel?” She asked the human girl. She could sense her strong spiritual power, even though the girl was not dressed in the usual white and red miko garb.

Kagome felt uncomfortable to answer her question. She had never thought that she is the guardian of Shikon no Tama. She came to Sengoku Jidai not too long ago. All this miko business was still all too weird to her.

“I am the reincarnation of the guardian miko.” She gave the princess her best answer. Shouri frowned at her strange answer, yet she did not question it further. She looked at the rest with questioning eyes, waiting for them to explain. When the monk explained his reason, she glanced down to look at his covered hand where his Kazaana was. `What a dreadful curse…' she thought. She still found it strange that a taijiya, a demon exterminator, would travel together with youkai, as they were supposed to be enemies. However, as the girl spoke about the death of her little brother with pure hatred in her voice, she believed her anyway. She felt it all too familiar. `Lost sibling…' she mused as she looked deep into the taijiya's eyes that were moist with her tears. She wondered grimly if the strange lord from the west had felt the same when he lost her. The little kitsune turned out to be an orphan who had followed them ever since they saved him. The youkai child looked at her with fright, and curiosity, in his big eyes before he squirmed and hide behind the miko.

One question remained. The Hanyou?

“Keh!” he snorted. “My reason is none of your business! Why don't YOU tell us why you were so eager to help?” The hanyou voiced his suspicion so blatantly. She chose to ignore his insolence and turned away, ready to leave them to go back to her palace.

“I cannot tell you my reason.” That was the only answer she could and would give them. “But I will help you nevertheless.” She glanced towards them one more time. “We will leave tomorrow morning at dawn. Forgive me, but I still have one more business to take care of.”

“Oy!” She heard the rude hanyou, her half-brother, called her. “I heard you poisoned Sesshoumaru?”

She stopped, yet did not turn to face him. A thin smile slowly curved on her lips. “If it is true, what will you do then?” she answered his question with another question. “Are you going to avenge your brother?”

“Hah! Why would I? It serves him right!” he sounded somewhat pleased to hear that the `stranger from the west' was hurt. “Oh, and he's not my brother!”

Shouri ignored his last remark and shortly, she was on her way back to the palace.

Sango sighed as they watched her leaving. “What a strange princess…” she said.

“Hmm…” Kagome was lost in her own thoughts. “Why do you think she decided to help us? Can we trust her?”

“No doubt it has something to do with this Mountain of Gods shit!” Inuyasha grumbled. His eyes were on Shouri's back. “I guess we have no choice right now but to trust her.”

“If she poisoned Sesshoumaru, does that mean she hates him, then?” Shippou asked from the top of Kagome's shoulder. The girl had a frown on her face. She did not sense any evil aura from the princess. However, she still questioned her motives for helping them so willingly. Maybe they had to be a little bit cautious after all, just in case…

 

 

Shouri stopped before the entrance to her grandfather's study. Just as usual, he had noticed her approaching. Before she had a chance to knock, his deep voice startled her.

“Come in, Shouri.”

Her grandfather was sitting behind his desk when she entered. She kept her head inclined as she kneeled down before him, never lifting her eyes from her lap. Lord Hyougo looked at his granddaughter with a knowing smile on his face. He understood her even before she began to speak. She had been curious about her past, her origin. He had been prepared for this, the sphere containing her past still safely kept.

“I want my memory back, Grandfather…”

Her voice might have been quiet, she might have refused to look into his eyes, but her strong determination to retrieve what belonged to her was there nonetheless. He deeply sighed, causing her to lift her chin and return his gaze. Seeing her there reminded him so much of his daughter. Soon, Shouri would leave on a journey to defeat the demon Naraku and he could not help but feeling a little lonely.

“I see…” he said. “So it is time to return what was yours…”

Her emerald eyes bore into his. She had made up her mind to remember her life before she came to the eastern land, to remember who she really was, and who the strange youkai lord was to her. Lord Hyougo beckoned her to come closer. She moved behind his desk, kneeling right in front of him. He let the soft pad of his thumb traced her forehead as he closed his eyes and let his power surged through him. Shouri felt nothing but a radiating heat from the spot where her grandfather touched her. Somehow it made her eyes felt so heavy that she had to close them. The moment she shut her eyes tight, she began to see different colored shards, each containing pieces of her childhood memories. She was standing in the courtyard of a familiar palace when she saw a little female puppy cried out for her father as she ran to him. The handsome taiyoukai hoisted the young female up and kissed her cheek lovingly, her laughter was clear as a bell.

`Father…' Shouri whispered as she recognized his face. She knew his face, she knew him well… She recognized her mother: alive, looking blissful and more beautiful than she'd ever seen her. She tried to hold back her tears as she saw them kissed with her still on his arm, her brother was watching them with a shy smile on his face. It was a perfect picture of a happy family.

The vision changed and she was on a tree, leaning her head against the firm shoulder of a young male youkai: her brother. She could feel his warmth wrapped around her as she looked up to gaze at his handsome face, silently praying that they could be together forever.

Her vision changed again as she went through each of her cherished memories. There were blissful moments, and there were painful ones. She did not realize that tears rolled down her cheek as she recalled the painful memory of her mother's death. The young female inuyoukai had been there, watching her on the verge of death when her beloved's name escaped her lips as she drew her last breath. The pain in her heart was so unbearable that she cried out for her mother, her father, for all the loved ones she had lost. She was mourning for her father for the first time, and for her mother all over again. She remembered all the lonely nights after her mother's death when she laid alone on her futon, crying herself to sleep for a father and a brother who never came.

 

Lord Hyougo watched his granddaughter tear-streaked face. Her shoulder shook uncontrollably as she tried to hold back her sobs. She jerked as her real brother, the one member of the family she had left, came to mind

“Sesshoumaru nii-sama…” she whispered his name as if she was in a dream. She rose to her feet to search for him, her heart ached and longed to be with him.

“Shouri!” her grandfather's voice stopped her, and she glanced at him over her shoulder. “…He already left…” Lord Hyougo's voice softened as he told her.

She said nothing and ran out of his study. She ran and ran, bringing her closer to where she believed her brother was. In one swift motion, the sliding door flung open, and she came to face the empty room where he had stayed. Her eyes moved from corner to corner, trying to trace him, but she found no one. His scent still lingered in the air, but only emptiness remained. He was gone…

She stared bleakly into the space, still could not believe that he had left. She let herself dropped to the ground, her back leaned against the door frame. Her trembling hand moved to cover her mouth as she recalled what she had done to hurt him. She had attempted to kill him. Tears were now flowing freely down her beautiful face and onto her blue silk kimono, but she did not even care.

“Sesshoumaru nii-sama…” she whispered for him. But he was not there to answer her, or to tease her like he used to when they were just young puppies. “I am sorry…”

 

 

A/N: Oh my… I re-read the story from prologue to chapter 04, and I realized that I have made Sesshoumaru a little too emotional. I still want to put some emotions in him though, since this is his beloved little sister he's dealing with, not just some wench on the street. Anyway, he left her at the end… I don't think I'm being fair if he had to prolong his patience over and over again when she was so cruel to him. Oh well, please keep reading. The next chapter will be up in a couple of days. And review please!

-Chiaztolite-