InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tale of the Twins ❯ Chapter 32: Kareishikyo ( Chapter 32 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Chapter Thirty-Two
Kareishikyo
Because Sesshoumaru, Naraku, and Rin never told their children/adopted siblings/acquaintance that they were coming to meet them, it was a huge surprise for them when they flew down beside them as they traveled.
Shuarra Meitsuki looked shocked, but delighted; she gave the three hugs upon seeing them. Kaida was pleasantly surprised; she greeted them and asked about their journey to Japan. Kuraimaru, as usual, merely raised an eyebrow to convey his surprise and said and did nothing.
After a brief reunion, the mostly family set out to find the location of the old castle, Sesshoumaru being the one to lead the expedition. With Sesshoumaru, it took a lot shorter time than it would have otherwise. The twins were relying on their vague memories and searching for any traces of a demonic aura without any luck. The dog demon, however, practically lead them straight to it, his memory in pristine condition, and, despite how the landscape had naturally changed since their departure, his sense of smell and direction undistorted.
The palace itself was no longer there. In its place, there was nothing other than trees. The twins wandered around the area freely. Sometimes, a memory would trigger. Other times, they recognized the place right away, though it had changed. Kaida and Rin prepared lunch, as it was about that time. Naraku and Sesshoumaru walked away in silence, each considering their memories and how long it had been since they had made the decision to leave.
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly, standing amidst the wild cherry trees. He had no doubt that they were descendants of the old garden. There were no blossoms at this time of year, though. He leaned against one particularly large one, gazing up at the branches, bearing little fruit, as the birds had picked them nearly clean.
“Let's not leave Japan again,” Sesshoumaru said. “Let's abandon the house in America and stay here.”
Naraku glanced up, where Sesshoumaru was looking. He was watching two small birds—he didn't know what kind—trying to get to a particularly difficult to reach cherry. “I wouldn't mind that. It would be nice to stay home for a while.”
“I agree,” Sesshoumaru said. He listened in the distance to Kuraimaru and Shuarra, then again to Rin and Kaida talking. “Kuraimaru seems to like Kaida.”
“Does that bother you?”
Sesshoumaru shook his head once. “No.”
“She is European.”
He looked upwards again. “That sort of thing doesn't bother me. She's still a youkai. That she's a different breed makes little difference.” He paused for a moment. “I had been hoping that he might choose Rin though.”
Naraku frowned. “Rin?”
Sesshoumaru nodded. “She needs someone. And so does he.”
“I don't think Rin really `needs' anyone. She's never lacking. Maybe one day, but let her be for now.”
“You're probably right.”
“I am.”
He looked around. “Let's stay here. Rebuild the palace.”
Naraku considered that, and then immediately abolished the very thought. Humans wouldn't just accept the palace being here—not in this day and age. “Let's make it a bit less conspicuous.”
Sesshoumaru smiled a little—just enough to call it a smile. “Very well. But something similar, perhaps on a smaller scale.” He already had some ideas. He had so liked the large French double doors, and the European beds were a great idea…
It had taken a long time using human laborers, but they had managed to get it done in a few years' time. Sesshoumaru had wanted the palace to be something real, and not a very real illusion, so they had to stay in a human city while they waited. It wasn't a big deal any more. The strangeness of coexisting had ceased to be strange. It was simply normal.
At any rate, after construction was complete and it was furnished appropriately, and as close to what it had been so very long ago, they moved in. Kaida disappeared from time to time around the move, not sure if she should really be going with them or not. Shuarra and Rin were a little bit concerned that she might travel back to Europe or America, but she apparently stayed around Japan, because she was never gone for more than a couple days at a time. Kuraimaru, however, was not concerned in the least—either because he knew her well enough to know that she wasn't really going anywhere, or because he truly was unconcerned about the issue. It was difficult to say with him.
Naturally, Naraku and Sesshoumaru didn't care one way or another.
There was still a fair bit of tension between Sesshoumaru and Kuraimaru. Any time that it got to the point where the younger of the two might attack, though, Kuraimaru went away. He would sometimes disappear for up to a week. Shuarra Meitsuki, when he did that, was terrified that he might decide to not come back again. However, her fears were always laid to rest when he returned with an apology to her.
Rin and Kaida got along well, and Rin was teaching her Japanese in their spare time. Kaida learned quickly. When Rin spoke about how it had been when she had first met Sesshoumaru, Kaida listened with rapt attention and, in turn, spoke about what it had been like in Europe.
Apparently, as suspected, the demons in Europe had been eradicated, or fled to lesser-known parts of the world. Mostly, they suspected, they were just disappearing. Ceasing to exist in a world where myths and legends were slowly dying all around.
Shuarra Meitsuki had Naraku's uncanny ability to make copies of herself. Which she did—frequently, to the annoyance of all. Shuarra, not being powerful, made fairly weak copies, so the issue of runaways or nuisances were minimal. Still, everyone would have liked it if she didn't do it so often.
One morning, she came down the stairs with a miniature version of herself that fit in her palm. It was annoying and too cheerful.
Sesshoumaru and Naraku left on an expedition to the mainland and came back a couple of weeks later.
When both Kaida and Kuraimaru had met them by the front gate, trying to stall them coming back inside, they knew something had gone terribly wrong. So, ignoring the two, they held their breath and went inside.
The sight made Sesshoumaru and Naraku stare in mute horror. There appeared to be twelve Shuarra Meitsuki-s. However, upon closer scrutiny, there were actually thirteen. There was a six-inch tall chibi version standing on the original's shoulder—still alive and well, much to the annoyance of all. Six of the copies were attending to Shuarra and Rin as if they were princesses—fanning them, filing nails, brushing hair, getting them drinks, and such.
One of the remaining six was running around the living room dusting, in a French maid's uniform. Another of them was face-down on the floor, sobbing softly. Another one was being chased about the living room by an angry-looking one with a hammer. One of the remaining two was going through bank statements, checks, and the like while simultaneously reading the newspaper about the current stock market.
Shuarra Meitsuki grinned and rushed over to her parents. “Hello! Welcome home! Did you enjoy your trip?”
“Welcome-welcome! Yay!” the chibi one cried, dancing around in a joyous circle. “You have arrived home safely! Hooray!”
The one lying on the floor sobbing looked up, then resumed sobbing. The angry one and the one trying not to get obliterated by the hammer froze in place upon seeing the murderous look in the parents' eyes.
“You destroyed the house when we were gone, didn't you?” Sesshoumaru demanded.
Shuarra laughed nervously. “Well, it's okay. Because we fixed it at minimum cost to you! Everything is as good as new—better! Because now there are some improvements, and all the furniture is new or dry cleaned, and—“
“And you wasted all of this energy on all of these stupid incarnations!” Naraku growled.
“And you wasted all of this energy on all of these stupid incarnations!” Naraku growled.
“Aaah! He's scary! Scary!” The chibi version dove behind her hair to hide.
“It wasn't a waste. I like them—and they were the ones that cleaned up. Hey, introduce yourselves!” she called to them.
One of the quieter incarnations walked up to them and bowed politely. “Hello. I am Shuarra Meitsuki Number One, and I will do whatever I am told to do.”
The one at the table looked up and attempted to bow without standing, which was difficult. “Hello. I am Shuarra Meitsuki Number Two, and my duty it to manage the family finances to the best of my ability, which Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki has given me much of.”
The one at the table looked up and attempted to bow without standing, which was difficult. “Hello. I am Shuarra Meitsuki Number Two, and my duty it to manage the family finances to the best of my ability, which Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki has given me much of.”
The crying one lifted her head again. “Hello. I am Shuarra Meitsuki Number Three, and I have been created from one aspect of Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki's personality—the depressed side.”
“Which is rarely seen!” the original commented.
The depressed Shuarra Meitsuki resumed sobbing softly. The angry one stomped up to them and glared at them venomously. However, she spoke politely. “Hello. I am Shuarra Meitsuki Number Four, and I have been created from Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki's anger.”
“Obviously,” Naraku muttered.
“Obviously,” Naraku muttered.
The one that had been screaming walked up to them, staying away from the angry one wisely. “I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Fifth, and I was created from Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki's mischievousness.”
One of the five ones that had been attending Rin and Shuarra bowed. “I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Sixth, and I was made to dance whenever I feel like it! Unless instructed otherwise, in which case I'm really good with electrical appliances!”
“I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Seventh, and I was made to stand around and look pretty unless instructed to do otherwise!”
“I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Eighth, and I was made from Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki's happiness!”
“I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Ninth, and I was made from Mistress Shuarra Meitsuki's love!”
“I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Tenth, and I was created to do whatever I was told to do—and do it cheerfully!”
The parents' absolute horror was slowly growing.
The maid one suddenly froze. “Oh my gods! It's my turn!” She fell off of the balcony, hitting her face on the floor. She immediately shot up. “I'm so sorry! I'm sorrysorrysorry SORRY!” She threw herself down on the ground in front of the original. “I'm soooo sorry! It's my turn and I wasn't paying attention!”
The original glanced at the angry one, who happily obliged her. She kicked the maid in the ribs. The maid one abruptly stopped and shot to her feet again. She turned to the parents and made a deep bow. She smiled. “I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Eleventh and I was created to clean—constantly.” She ran off to resume her obsessive cleaning.
The chibi one marched out of her hiding place and bowed. “I am Shuarra Meitsuki the Chibi! I'm adorable, aren't I?”
Naraku looked around, then made a quick decision. His tentacles shot out and he destroyed every single one of them, including the chibi one. It was very gratifying as well as satisfying. He glanced at his daughter. She looked like she might cry.
“This is your own fault, Shuarra Meitsuki,” Kuraimaru informed her. As a retort, she slapped him and ran away to lock herself in her room for a few days. He sort of blinked and rolled his eyes. He glanced at Kaida, a little bit sheepishly, then looked away. They had something they had been meaning to tell Naraku and Sesshoumaru for several weeks, but were not quite sure how to go about it. They had agreed to tell them after their trip, but it seemed as though they were losing their nerve.
Kaida quickly regained hers, and, upon seeing that Kuraimaru had no intention whatsoever of telling them, she made the hasty decision to take it upon herself to do so. “We have news,” she said bluntly.
“Yes?” Sesshoumaru said.
“Kuraimaru and I are getting married,” she said even more bluntly.
Sesshoumaru didn't look the least bit surprised. For that matter, neither did Naraku. It didn't mean they weren't though. “Congratulations.”
“Rin and I are making the wedding plans. I don't want anything big. Just all of you will do,” Kaida said, suddenly very nervous—even sheepish. Kuraimaru had retreated beyond a veil of calm indifference, and so felt mildly safe.
“I see,” Sesshoumaru said. Kaida breathed a sigh of relief when Kuraimaru's parents left for the garden. They glanced at each other, feeling a little heat run to their faces, then looked away again. It had gone over well.
Sesshoumaru had been thinking about this for a while—years, in fact. He stared at the small orb in his hand—the Shikon no Tama. A small smile played about his lips. It was okay. No one was around to see it.
Kuraimaru was getting married—finally. Now if only they could find someone for Rin and Shuarra Meitsuki… All in due time, he supposed. It wasn't like Shuarra was ready for that anyway, and Rin seemed content just the way she was. No need to rush things just because one child was getting married. It really made him feel old, though. The times nowadays made him feel old too. Something new was being invented every day it seemed. Wars had been fought, won, and lost. The times had changed, and yet, they stayed very much the same. Some things—the important things—never really change.
He hadn't seen another demon since Kaida, despite all of his many journeys to random portions of the world, it was like they were only ones left. He supposed that it had to be true. Or maybe, like Kaida had, they were constantly traveling, so of course he never saw them. Maybe, they too blended in with humans. If they did either of those, he'd never seen or sensed them.
It would almost be lonely, if not for Naraku, the twins, and Kaida. Rin must have been the loneliest though—an immortal human. She never seemed to think anything of it. Was it all a front, though? Or was it the truth when she acted like she didn't care? It was impossible to say for sure.
The Shikon no Tama. It was glowing faintly in his hand. It had granted two wishes so far. Perhaps, it was time to take back one wish, and grant another silent wish.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. It had been worth it. It had been well-worth it. Worth every small annoyance, worth every petty problem, and every argument.
But it was time to give that up. He had found peace with himself. It wasn't the body that really mattered anyway. Yes, he would miss it. But… Making Naraku happy would be well worth it.
“Sesshoumaru! We're ready to start the wedding march! Where are you?” Rin's voice rang through the manor.
“Sesshoumaru?” Naraku called.
The others were waiting outside. Sesshoumaru was acting as the “priest,” (for lack of a better term) being the only one who knew how to conduct a traditional youkai wedding.
The door to the bedroom upstairs opened. Sesshoumaru bid his time walking down the stairs. Naraku was the first one to notice, of course. Rin stared at the outfit, then back at his face—a little more feminine, a different bearing…
She didn't say it out loud, though she did gasp slightly. Neither of them could say anything. She reached the bottom of the stairs.
“Where is everybody?” Shuarra demanded, running inside from the garden, lifting her kimono to free her legs in a very un-ladylike way. She froze upon seeing Sesshoumaru and dropped the fabric, letting it fall back to the floor.
“Sesshoumaru?” Kaida called. “You're taking quite a while…” Both she and Kuraimaru, who had been walking beside her, stopped.
It was Sesshoumaru, but it wasn't. It was Sesshoumaru, all right, but as she had been born—female. She was dressed in a traditional kimono and wearing it very well.
Naraku said, very quietly, her original name, “Kareishikyo.”