InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride (In the Name of Love) ❯ Chapter 49

Pride (In the Name of Love) 49 / ??
Written by Jezz-Ra
Warnings - Not all warnings apply to all chapters. Yaoi, Het, Rape, Lemon, Violence, Language, Torture, Angst, Incest, Dark (at times). It's a massive story, folks, it's got a little bit of everything.
Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, don't make money off it. Wish I did.

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// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - I had fun with this chapter. ^^ I hope y'all en joy it as much as I did.
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"So what, exactly, are you going to do with all this stuff?" Miroku finally asked. Sairex grinned.

"Noting."

"Nothing? But..."

"YOU are going to do plenty vith it, however. I can't zee, I can't very vell be measuring out ingredients and vhatnot."

"Good point. What do I need to do first, then?""Vell, da heart needs to be cut up into zmall pieces."

Miroku glanced at the massive dragon heart. "That...is going to take forever."

"Vell, I never zaid it'd be a quick process. After it is cut up, ve boil it vith a few of da tings you brought until da vater is gone, den ve get to pound it into paste."

Miroku frowned. "Are you serious?"

Sairex snorted. "Of course I'm zerious. Vhat, did you tink I just vanted it for a snack? Anyvay, da boiling process vill take a couple days, so...ve might as vell get dat started and den get zome zleep. Have a meeting in da morning..."

Miroku sighed and headed out to find something big enough to start chopping the heart with.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Morning rolled around, and the defense council started setting up for its first meeting. Inuyasha, Kouga, Sairex, and Miroku were all at the table and munching on a light breakfast. It was a few moments before Sesshoumaru and Tpga stumbled in, both of them looking like they hadn't slept terribly well. And in truth, they really hadn't, though it was not for lack of trying.

Inuyasha gave Sesshoumaru a knowing smirk and received a death glare in response. The hanyou's sensitive nose could pick up well enough that nothing major had actually happened between the two of them... but that didn't mean he was above teasing his brother given the opportunity.

Toga yawned and stretched. "Alright, settle down, boys. Now, we all know the problem...there have been far too many attacks on this House of late. Successful attacks, I might add, and that is more than a little distressing to me."Sairex spoke up first. "Vell, I can zet up zome zpell-vebs and teach Miroku how to as vell. Dat vill keep any...extraplanar and zneaky zorts from being able to zurprise us again. It vill provide a zhield dat no Circle demon can pass vithout alerting us as vell as alert us vhen someone breaches any unguarded parts of da perimeter."

"Good, good."

"My wolves should be arriving tomorrow morning. Soon as they get here, we'll set up a guard at various points. I promise you, if anything happens at ANY point on your borders, every guard in your lands will know about it within a couple moments.""Great, bunch of noisy wolves howlin' all over the place...." Inuyasha rolled his eyes and dodged the good natured swat from Kouga.

"Good. As long as we are all aware something is wrong, we should be able to defend against it. Inuyasha, I would like you and Prince Kouga to also set up border patrols. Hand-pick a few units and run patrols yourselves. You are more than a match for all but the most powerful of creatures that would dare come to my lands in hostility."Inuyasha nodded. "Sounds good to me.""Good. I'm glad we have that taken care of. Now, as I am rapidly regaining my strength and you all have your various duties, I shall be announcing my public return soon. I'll have to throw a banquet or some such thing to reassure all those that don't believe my resurrection..." Here Toga glanced at Sesshoumaru.

"I shall make the arrangements."

"Thank you. Oh, yes...Inuyasha... I have a gift for you."

"Yeah?" Inuyasha blinked and peered at his father, ears twitching forward in curiosity. Sesshoumaru answered for him, however.

"A proper wardrobe of clothing and some armor so you don't have to walk around looking like some gods-forsaken heathen.""Sesshoumaru," Toga scolded gently.

Sesshoumaru glanced at his father and paused for a moment before continuing.. "Barbarian vagrant? Uncultured plebian?"

Inuyasha smirked and flicked a bite of his breakfast at his brother's face with a grin. The taiyoukai barely managed to get a hand up to block the flying food, surprised at the edible assault. He then grinned hugely. He knew it was just a change of clothing and whatnot, but it made him feel so much more like an official ranking member of the House. "Thank you...I'm eager to try 'em out."

Toga grinned and sipped at his drink. "It was actually Sesshoumaru's idea."

Inuyasha's gaze traveled to his brother. "Really?"

"No. Our Lord Father was up all night attempting to come up with a really cunning lie to tell you, and that was it," Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes.

"That would explain why you both look so tired." Inuyasha said with a smile, all wide-eyed innocence. Toga coughed and Sesshoumaru's gaze shot down to his plate, his cheeks tinging a slight shade of red. Before either of the two could respond, however, a piercing howl echoed from across the courtyard. Kouga leapt to his feet and darted to the window, ears twitching.

Toga set his glass down so he didn't accidently smash it. "You have GOT to be kidding me..."

Kouga listened for a moment before making his announcement. "Ginta says we got what looks like a war-party coming to the front door. They aren't making any attempt to hide. Cat demons, by the look of em, and with the seal of the East."

"Kanjiro..." Sesshoumaru said with a wince.

Inuyasha thought for a moment, then grinned. "Hey, I got a plan...you guys just stay here. I'll take care of this. Where are my new clothes? I want to look official."

"In your room. The Eastern Lord has been an issue?" Toga arched an eyebrow and glanced at Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha had already hopped from the room.

"He is strong and stubborn. I was able to keep him more or less under control but he saw Inuyasha's ascension to the throne as ..suspicious, at best."

"I see...I wonder what your brother has planned." Toga leaned back and took another sip of his drink. "This should be interesting."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Inuyasha grinned maniacally as he looked at himself in the mirror. He puffed out his chest, feeling particularly intimidating and impressive looking in his new outfit, which was similar to the style of his father and brother but had different designs and a bit more red.

He hurried to the door to greet none other than Kanjiro himself, putting on his best polite but disinterested look. Kanjiro inclined his head stiffly, trying not to show his surprise at the hanyou's change of decor. "Lord Inuyasha, I am here to end this farce."

"Farce? Hm. Perhaps you should come in and join me. We can discuss this civilly. I have no desire to fight your little army."

Kanjiro growled, but nodded. "Fine."

"Come with me." Inuyasha smiled pleasantly and strode off to the dining hall.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-oThe East almost lost their Lord to heart failure. Kanjiro, moody but determined to end Inuyasha's 'false reign', stalked into the dining hall and stopped dead, his jaw unhinging at the sight of first Sesshoumaru, then Toga. He stared in unabashed shock.

"My Lord Father, Lord Sesshoumaru, I believe you both know Lord Kanjiro? He is here to discuss the terms of our surrender, I believe."

Toga smiled in a way that bared his fangs. "Really, now..."

"Oh please, do have a seat, Lord Kanjiro." Sesshoumaru said calmly.

Kanjiro finally got his mind and his mouth to connect enough to form words. "You're dead!" He pointed somewhat accusingly at Toga.

Toga glanced down at himself. "Funny, that...I don't feel very dead. My Sesshoumaru, perhaps I am mistaken in my old age?""You are quite alive, my Lord Father."

"Mm. I do think my mind is going, however." Toga stood up smoothly and strode over in front of Kanjiro. The slender, willowy neko was dwarfed by the broad-shouldered, heavily armored inu. "I believe I imagined something was said of the surrender of my House."

"Oh, no, you remember just fine," Inuyasha supplied helpfully.

Toga's grin was fierce, his golden eyes lighting up, and something about him seemed to just scream that he would LOVE to bathe in neko-blood. Kanjiro was pale and took a couple steps backward at the inu's feral smile.

"Will you not join us for breakfast, Lord Kanjiro? It seems we have much to discuss," Sesshoumaru purred, sipping at his tea and trying hard to hide his glee. He HATED his long-time rival and was loving every moment of this.

Kanjiro scrambled backwards several more steps, fumbling for the door. "I-I apologize, my lords...something....something has come up and I need to attend to it. Another time."

"General Kouga, would you mind escorting our guest out?" Toga asked. Kanjiro's eyes widened further at the implications of Kouga's presence. The wolf pack, closely allied with the West? Perhaps his own position wasn't so secure as he thought...

"Of course, my lord." Kouga said with a smart bow, giving Kanjiro a toothy grin, his tail lashing and betraying his amusement.

Once they were out of the room, Inuyasha and Toga broke out into laughter. Sesshoumaru even joined them with a small chuckle, truly amused. "Oh, well played, little brother...well played indeed."

"Hehehe...I thought the kitty was going to keel over..." Inuyasha snickered.

"I didn't think breakfast was THAT dreadful." Toga smirked as he glanced at their plates.

Sesshoumaru stood up after their mirth had died down some. "If you will excuse me, I need to check on Rin. I intend to begin training her in combat. It is high time she learned some self defense."

Toga nodded. "Shall we all meet for dinner, then?"

After that was taken care of, they parted and went their separate ways.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru was still grinning inwardly by the time he made it to Rin's room, tapping lightly on the door. "Rin? Are you awake?"

Rin's voice called cheerily a moment later. "Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru entered the room...and stopped dead, his eyes widening. He couldn't make sense of what he was seeing.

Rin stood before him, but she had changed. Jagged crimson stripes decorated her face. Her eyes were red, sharp little fangs peeked over her lower lip, her fingers ended in talons, and a long fluffy white length of fur draped around her shoulders and trailed down her sides.

A moment later, a growl came from his transformed ward.