InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter 21: The Clothes Make the Man ( Chapter 21 )

Chapter Twenty-one

A/N:Okay, folks! This story is about to get very interesting, or at least I hope you think so! The themes are about to get a little darker. There will still be some humor thrown in to keep it from getting too somber, but there is going to be some heartache as well. Be sure to tell me what you think of the upcoming chapters, and remember, I don't get offended. I might feel the need to defend myself and my views from time to time, (nods to PJ) but I relish criticism. So, feel free to take your best shot! I don't own Inuyasha, besides, I don't want to know what bad habits my kids would pick up from him if I did!

After breakfast, Daremo approached the brothers. "My Lord Sesshomaru, I must ask you this. How set are you on following protocol?"

"What do you mean, Daremo?"

"Would you be offended if Lord Inuyasha preceded you into the audience chamber? I only ask this of you because his cousin, Lord Genki and his aunt, the Lady Mariko, are anxious to see him."

"Hold a moment. The Lady Mariko still lives?" Sesshomaru asked quietly.

"Yes, my Lord."

Sesshomaru turned to Inuyuasha. "I will suspend protocol in this instance. I would do nothing to disappoint that woman."

Inuyasha looked at his brother in shock. "You know Aunt Mariko?!"

"Why are you so surprised, Inuyasha? I am older than you, and I was present when father made his treaty with your grandfather. I met with both your mother and your aunt before the marriage." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Your aunt was a most lovely and gracious woman who treated me with great kindness, in spite of my bad manners." The last was said with some regret.

"Bad manners?" prompted Inuyasha.

sigh "In my youth, I was quick to believe that I was superior to all humans."

"Feh! That hasn't changed!"

"That is not completely true. I am superior, but there are humans that are worth my respect. You travel with two, your mate and the exterminator. Your aunt is another worthy of my respect."

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open in shock. He never thought he would hear his brother admit that any human was worth his respect!

Sesshomaru's lips turned up in a slight smile from the expression on Inuyasha's face. "You don't agree with me?"

Inuyasha's mouth snapped shut. "No! I mean, yes. Argh! I mean that I agree with you. They are all worthy of respect."

"Then it is agreed?" asked Daremo.

"Yes, it is agreed. However, I would like to come in with my brother. I would like to pay my respect to Lady Mariko." 'And to apologize for my behavior as an immature demon.' he thought to himself.

"Excellent! Now, I have brought something for you, Lord Inuyasha. It is a gift from your aunt. She thought that you might not have something formal to wear." He snapped his fingers for a servant to come forward with a package.

"What's wrong with what I have on?" asked the indignant hanyou.

"Nothing, if you are going to care for animals or are going into battle." responded Sesshomaru. "You need more fromal attire for court, Inuyasha." As Inuyasha began to protest, Sesshomaru cut him off. "Think of your cousin and aunt, if not for yourself. You do not want to embaress them in court, do you?"

sigh "No, I don't want to embaress them. It's just that... I've never had any other clothes than these. Father gave them to me as a child, and I have never wanted any others. These are comfortable." The servant held out the package for Inuyasha, at Daremo's gesture. "Very well. I'll go change." He looked for Kagome and the others. They were nowhere to be seen. "I guess everyone else is changing already."

"Indeed. Now I must go and put on more formal attire, as well." He cast a sly look at his brother. "Should I send a servant to help you change?"

"That won't be necessary." replied Inuyasha, coldly.

Daremo laughed silently as Inuyasha stalked off to his room with the package.

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An hour later, everyone had gathered in the front hall. Everyone, except Inuyasha. Kagome was pacing the floor, which is quite a task in a kimono. "Where is he?" she fretted. "If he doesn't show up soon, I'll 's' word him into next week!"

"Now, now, Kagome!"laughed Miroku. "That would hardly be fair!"

She turned to look at the monk. "What do you mean?"

"He has had to wait on you numerous times, and he is much more impatient than you are!"

She glared at him and started to make a rude comment, then thought better of it. He was right. Inuyasha had waited for her plenty of times, and he definately was more impatient than she was! "You're right, Miroku. It's just that.." she looked embaressed.

"What, Kagome?" asked Sango, who had been listening to her friends quiet fussing.

"Kimono's are not my favorite thing to wear. I feel like I'm going to trip every time I take a step." She blushed, lightly. "I'm not very graceful in one of these things!" She looked back at Miroku. "And all this is beside the point. What is keeping him?"

"Perhaps, I should have sent a servant to help him change." stated Sesshomaru.

"Change?" asked Kagome. "Change into what? Inuyasha has no other clothes than his fire rat outfit."

Before Sesshomaru could explain, Inuyasha's voice came from the entrance to the hallway leading to the rooms. "Change into this." he said, as he stepped from the hallway. Everyone turned to look at him. And then they stared at him in silence. Even Shippou and Rin stopped their playing and looked at him in surprise. Finally, Inuyasha broke the silence. "What is everyone staring at?!" he said, loudly.

"Inuyasha." began Kagome, but she was cut off.

"Wow, papa Inu!" exclaimed Shippou. He ran up to jump on Inuyasha's shoulder. "You look good! You should wear clothes like this more often."

"I agree." said Miroku. He approached Inuyasha. "These robes are of an older style, but the cut of them suits you."

"Feh! I'm only wearing them to please my aunt. She sent them for me to wear."

"Well, they certainly look good on you. They are almost worth the wait. Now, what kept you?" demanded Kagome.

"I had trouble putting these on."

"You had trouble dressing?"

"No!" responded the irratated hanyou. "I had trouble putting these on because of the scent on them. They belonged to grandfather." This last was said, sadly. "The scent brought up old memories."

"Bad ones?" asked Kagome, her voice full of concern.

"Some, not all." Inuyasha changed the subject. "So. You like the new outfit." He turned to model it for her and the others. The robes were of a simple cut, and the colors were muted, but there was a very subtle design that drew the eye and improved the look. The robes seemed to be made to enhance the wearer without drawing attention away from the wearer.

"Your grandfather was a man of simple taste."

"Yes, he was. He didn't believe in grand displays of his power or wealth. He always thought of himself as a simple soldier who had had good fortune."

"Your grandfather was many things, but simple was not one of them." This statement came from Sesshomaru. "He was a man of carefully controlled power. He had no need for posturing." Sesshomaru paused. "Much like myself."

Inuyasha snorted but let the comment pass. "Well, what are we waiting for Daremo. Let's go!" This said, he strode out the front door.

Everyone looked at each other in exasperation. "We wait for him and he acts like he had to wait for us!" exclaimed Sango.

A yell came from outside. "Come on, we don't have all day!"

"Kagome? If you please?" asked Miroku.

"It would be my pleasure. Inuyasha, SIT!"

"ARGH!" "Ow! Inuyasha get off me!"

"Oh, no! I forgot Shippou was on his shoulder!"

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The Lady Mariko watched her son pace the audiance chamber floor with a tolerant smile. Her fathers genes had breed true in her son. Even though he was a little over sixty-four years old, he still carried himself erect and with strength. He also had a touch of her fathers impatience.

"What is keeping them?" he asked out loud, not really expecting an answer.

"Patience, my son. We have waited sixty years to see Inuyasha again. A few more hours will not matter."

Genki paused in his pacing to look at his mother. "Your a fine one to talk, mother. The servants told me that you did not sleep last evening."

Lady Mariko sighed. "True. I am anxious to see him. I wonder what type of man he has grown into."

"Demon, mother. Remember that he is a demon and may be offended by calling him a man."

"Nonsense, Genki! He is my nephew and he will know what I mean if I say that."

Further talk was ended by the entrance of a servant. "My lord, the party approaches the main gate."

"Excellent. You may go." he dismissed the servant and stepped up to his place next to his mother. As he settled in next to her, he had an errant thought. "Mother?"

"Yes, my son?"

"Do you think we should summon her?"

"Not yet, Genki. I want some time for myself with Inuyasha before we bring her into this."

"Do you think that wise?"

"Perhaps not, but it is my decision to make. The consequences shall be on my head."

"Very well, mother. But she will get very upset when she finds out that he is alive and we didn't tell her."

"I know. But I want to see him before she takes over his time." Lady Mariko paused. "She hasn't seen him in fifty years. But I haven't seen him in sixty years, and my time grows short. She will have plenty of time to be with him, later. Now, let's not talk of this anymore. He will be here soon."

"Yes, mother." He reached out and gently gripped his mother's hand for a moment. She patted the back of his hand with her free hand and settled in to wait on her nephew.

A/N: This is beginning to get fun again. And now to begin my time honored tradition of the cliffhanger. I haven't been using it to its full potential, as of late, but that is about to change. See you later.