InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter Thirty-one ( Chapter 31 )

Chapter Thirty-one

A/N: Hi, guys. Ever just have a serious case of the 'don't give a dang'? That's kind of what I've got. I'm tired. Been working 60+ hours a week for a while now, and my head feels like it's ready to explode. Makes it very hard to be as creative as I would like to be. sigh But, I don't need to vent my problems here. Makes me sound whiney. Since I am writing in such a depressed feeling, however, I might as well tell you that Inuyasha has come to an end in Japan. The final episode, #167, aired in Japan in Sept. I don't know how it ends. There is a fourth movie coming out soon, so all is not lost. Anyway, it is time to continue my little tale. I don't own Inuyasha.

"I wish to speak to you in private."

Sesshoumaru looked at Takara calmly and then nodded his head. "As you wish." He turned and headed into the woods.

Takara started to follow him when Inutaro grabbed her arm. "What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"I'm going to plead mother's case with him." Takara pulled away from him. "Fighting with him is not the answer. He is more powerful than you." She paused. "Besides, he seems to have a soft spot for me, for some reason."

Inuyasha snorted. "You don't know him very well, do you?"

Inutaro glared at his father and then glared at Takara. "Oh, alright! You can try."

Takara cocked an eyebrow at him. "Thank you for your permission." she commented, drily. That said, she turned to follow Sesshoumaru into the woods.

Inutaro looked at Inuyasha and Kagome. "Will she be alright?" He took a deep breath. "He won't ... demand .... anything from her to agree not to execute our mother, will he?"

Inuyasha's face darkened. "Sesshoumaru is many things; arrogant, stubbourn, and an asshole; but he has honor. I may not like him or completely trust him when it comes to the Tessaiga, but I do not fear for the safety of Kagome, Sango, or any other woman around him. Do not imply otherwise."

Inutaro paled in the face of his father's anger. "I'm sorry, Father." He took a deep breath and sighed. "It's just that many men have tried to take advantage of her. That since she is a hanyou, she must be some kind of wild animal in heat. They think that is less than a real woman. I'm just an over protective brother."

Inuyasha's face lost it's angry edge. "I'm a little over protective of the women in my life, too."

Kagome actually snorted, trying to hold in her laughter.

"What's your problem?"

Kagome looked at him and couldn't help it. She lost it completely and began laughing. "That has got to be one of the biggest understatements I have ever heard." she gasped.

In the meantime, Shippou had made his way from Kagome's shoulder to the ground and had walked over to where Inutaro was. "So, Inuyasha is your father, right?"

Inutaro looked down at the kitsune in surprise. "Yes, he is. Why do you ask?"

Shippou suddenly grinned and leapt up to Inutaro's shoulder. "Great!" he exclaimed. "That means I have a big brother, now!"

Inutaro's jaw dropped. "Brother?"

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Sesshoumaru paused in a clearing a few hundred paces from where Inuyasha and his mate were. While he waited on Takara to arrive, he mused on the events of the day. "Inuyasha, you certainly have a way of bringing about the most bizarre turns of event." He caught Takara's scent before she entered the clearing. He stood even straighter but kept his back to her as she came into the open. "You wished to speak to me in private. What is it that you desire?"

That question had an unexpected affect on Takara. She flushed. 'Where did that come from?' she thought as she took a deep breath to compose herself. She lowered her head and began. "My lord," she began, not seeing the very slight shudder that went through Sesshoumaru as she said that, "I wish to plead for my mother's life."

Sesshoumaru turned until his face was in profile. He did not trust himself to look directly at her just yet, so he watched her from the corner of his eye. "She has soiled the honor of my family. That must be washed away with her blood." He turned his back to her again. "Unless you have a better punishment, I plan to carry out this once we get her seperated from Inuyasha."

"Wouldn't that be punishment enough?" begged Takara. "To be seperated from the one you love, never to see them again."

Sesshoumaru's soul twisted in his body. With supreme will to override the pain his heart felt, he turned to see that Takara was on her knees and that she was bowed all the way to the ground in a position of supplication and submission.

"Stand" he commanded.

"The pain of losing a part of your soul is significant." he stated, after she had regained her feet. "The hell that is endured may be enough punishment to satisfy my families honor." He ignored the look of hope that came to Takara's face. He had to.

"Then you will let her live?"

"I make no promises, but I will consider it." Sesshoumaru suddenly found himself in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, my lord!" cried Takara, her tears running down her cheeks and losing themselves in Sesshoumaru's hakama. "That is all I ask."

Sesshoumaru was shocked and allowed his guard to slip. His arm went around her and he breathed in her scent. It brought back memories of his mate and his heart screamed at him for relief from the grief that it had endured. He felt his youkai build inside of him with the intent of claiming this woman and restoring his soul.

Sesshoumaru growled savagely and pushed her away from him.

Takara's face was stricken. She fell to the ground and cried out. "Please forgive me, my lord! I was just so overwhelmed with gratitude..."

Sesshouamru's eyes flashed red as he stuggled to control his youkai. His body shuddering with effort, he slowly brought his instincts back under control. As his impassive mask slipped back into place, he spoke to Takara in a cold voice. "Do not touch me again."

Takara looked up at this tall youkai who had pushed her away from him. She had watched him struggle to maintain control and had been fearful that he would lose. His scent had told her what he was controlling. That he would feel desire that strong scared her .... and excited her. She didn't know him, had never met him before that day. But something about him seemd so familiar, as if she had known him all her life. She was intrigued by this feeling. But his flat statement caused her heart to squeeze in her chest. Was she that repulsive to him? She didn't think so, because of the strength of his reaction. She bowed low to the ground. "I apologize, Lord Sesshoumaru. It was improper of me to embrace you without your leave. I will not do so again."

Knowing that she couldn't see his face from her position, he allowed his mask to slip and he let some of his pain be reflected in his eyes. Jaken could see his lord's face, though, from the edge of the clearing where he had finally caught up with Takara. "Oh, my poor lord." groaned the little vassel. 'I had best let my lord know that I am here.' he thought. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" he called in his loudest voice. "Where are you, my lord?"

His eyes impassive again, he looked toward the edge of the clearing were that annoying voice could be heard. He turned from Takara and began walking. "Attend me." he ordered, as he strode past Jaken.

Takara was left in the clearing, alone. She felt wrung out. She had been prepared to beg for a long time for her mother's life and yet Lord Sesshoumaru had seemed to give her request consideration after only one asking. His comments at her question of whether separation would be enough left her food for thought. 'He sounded as if he knew what that would be like.' And then his reaction to her embrace. The more she thought about it, the more she became convinced that it wasn't disgust that caused him to push her away from him. 'He was protecting me, from himself.' This thought brought up another question. 'Why? Why did I affect him that strongly. He has been acting as if we were mates and had been seperated.' Something nagged at her mind. The reaction of the toad demon to her name and the fact that he had known it before she had been introduced. 'I was named for my aunt, who died before I was born. Maybe Mother has some insight into this. Lord Genki will let me talk to her, I know. I've got to ask Mother.' This thought in her mind, she stood and began making her way back to the manor.

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Sesshoumaru walked through the clearing were Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippou, and Inutaro were. He paused long enough to look at his brother with his mate and state, "It is getting late.", before continuing to the manor.

Inutaro called after him. "Wait, Lord Sesshoumaru. Where is my sister?"

Sesshoumaru did not stop walking. "I know not, nor do I care."

Inutaro watched him walk away. "Rude, isn't he." commented Inutaro.

Inuyasha snorted. "For him, that was good manners."

"He is a bit reserved." chimed in Kagome.

"Reserved?!" Inuyasha was incredulous. Kagome could describe anyone in terms that wouldn't make them look too bad.

"Well..."

"He was right, though." said Shippou.

"What was that, runt?"

"I said 'He was right.' It is getting late." Suddenly the kitsune wailed. "And I never got to eat lunch!"

The three adults just looked at the kitsune. And then all three of their stomaches growled. Inuyasha looked at the other two. "It's been a long day. Let's get back to the manor before anything else can go wrong."

They walked back to the manor in silence. The fact that night was falling was a shock. This morning had promised to be a beautiful day and it had dissolved into chaos. They entered the manor and went to Lady Mariko's garden. At first, they thought that no one was there and as they started to leave to go to the audience chamber, a figure rose from the shadows around the base of the trees next to the gazing pool. "Inu-chan?" came the voice, low and soft.

Inuyasha and Inutaro spun to the sound of the voice. As one, they exclaimed, "Aunt Mariko!" and as one, they rushed to her. As they came up to her, she held open her arms to hold them both in her embrace. As she held them, she began to cry. Presently, she took her arm from around Inutaro to embrace Inuyasha, alone. "I am so very sorry, Inuyasha. This day started with such joy and promise and has ended in such pain and anguish." She lifted her hands to the sides of his head and drew his face down to kiss him on the forehead. "Please believe me, my darling one. If I had known that any of what transpired today was to happen, I never would have sent Daremo for you."

"It is alright, Aunt Mariko. All the pain of this day was worth seeing you again." Inuyasha returned her kiss to the forehead, then gathered her up into a fierce hug. "I love you and nothing will change that." he whispered into her ear as he held her.

"Oh, my dear Inu-chan!" she whispered as she began crying, again.

"Inuyasha." A man's voice called from the door of the garden. It was Lord Tanaka.

Inuyasha seperated from his aunt. "What do you want, Genki.?"

"I wanted to let you know that Yukiho was under house arrest."

"No!" protested Inutaro.

"Silence, Inutaro!" Genki snapped. "I have had my orders questioned enough for one day. She has been confined to her rooms and I will try her tomorrow for the crimes that she has commited."

"But, my lord...." began Inutaro.

Genki gave Inutaro his full attention. "Inutaro." he said, coldly. "I believe I gave you an order. Do not make me issue it again."

Inutaro stiffened and then bowed stiffly to his lord. "Hai, Lord Tanaka." He turned to leave. "Am I permitted to see her?"

"You may. But she is not to leave her rooms."

Inutaro started to leave the garden, then stopped. He turned to face Inuyasha and Kagome, who had come up to stand beside him. He bowed to Inuyasha. "It has been good to finally meet you, Fath... Inuyasha. I shall see you on the morrow." Without waiting for a reply, he left the garden.

Inuyasha stared after him for a moment before turning back to Genki and Mariko. Genki had guided his mother to a bench and was sitting with her. "Where are my friends?"

"They are in the audience chamber, waiting for you."

Inuyasha nodded. "Very well. We will be going back to the inn, now." He shifted his attention to center on his aunt. "Aunt Mariko. Please get some rest. I will see you in the morning. Come on guys, let's go." This said, he put his arm around Kagome and left the garden with Shippou scampering to his shoulder as they went through the door.

Genki and Lady Mariko sagged against each other. Genki put his arm around his mother's shoulders as she cried. He leaned back slightly, to contemplate the stars. "At least this day is over." he said, philisophically. "Tomorrow can't be any worse." He felt the wind rise as he said this and wondered if he had not just brought bad luck down on themselves.

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Kagura stood outside the camp that she shared with the retainers of her lord. She called the winds to her and let them rise. Then she smiled.

A/N: Thus it ends, for now. I shall see you guys fairly soon. My wife has promised me more time to write in the very near future. By the way, I found an overview of the last Inuyasha episode at InuyashaWorld. com. I won't say anything about it except that it is not the end of the story. See ya', Fyrloche.