InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What Could Have Been ❯ Chapter Three: The Black Pearl on the Right ( Chapter 3 )

Binas: I don't own anything but my interperatation of the concept of Toga surviving. Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha. 

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It was about a week later at nightfall when Myoga returned to Toga with Totosai in tow, which meant thundering into the middle of the garden that Toga occupied on Momo the three-eyed demon bovine. The sound from the grand entrance reverberated off the outer walls of the buildings and the trees.

“Sssh! Be quiet!” Toga whispered with urgency. “Everyone is asleep! If we wake anyone up there will be trouble!”

“Sorry about that,” Totosai apologized as he dismounted from Momo and walked up to the infamous dog demon general.

Instead of the preferred bow, Totosai, out of nowhere, slapped Toga across the face with his extremely long tongue. Toga gave a slight uncomfortable look towards Totosai and said, “I would appreciate it if you did not lick me like that.”

“What?” Totosai asked, confusion dawning his face. “I didn't lick you. Why would I anyways?”

Toga sighed and shook his head. He was uncertain if Totosai was playing senile or if he was actually entering the second childhood known as old age. Regardless, there was a task that was needed to be done and it had to be done quickly.

The middle-aged dog demon handed Tessaiga and the Black Pearl to Totosai and said, “Get these to Hosenki and quickly. The less that Sesshomaru knows about this, the better. And Myoga, I trust you to make sure the intended message is received.”

“Yes, my lord,” Myoga said.

“Hey, don’t sell me short just yet, you old dog!” Totosai retaliated in the best whisper he could manage as he took the Black Pearl and Tessaiga from Toga. “My memory is not that far gone! I assure you that everything will go as intended.”

“Then hurry,” Toga replied. “Time is not on our side. Not only is every passing second bringing us closer to Sesshomaru coming to claim something that is not his, but my wife’s father discovering us. He will surely think very ill of this and punish Izayoi and the babe severely for my disobedience.”

Totosai nodded with elderly determination. He climbed upon Momo and said, “I will return the moment the Black Pearl is prepared for the new plan. You take care of yourself. No more battling with fatal wounds like that again for you, mister. You gave us all quite a scare.”

Toga gave a small smile in response to Totosai’s mock fatherly tone of voice. Before anyone in the area could blink an eye, Momo flew away with Totosai and Myoga on his back. The middle-aged dog demon could count on Myoga and Totosai, regardless of their eccentricities and penchant for fleeing from danger. They had talents that laid in other aspects of their being and great loyalty that Toga greatly appreciated, even in his darkest days. Now if only they could stop teasing the poor magnolia tree demon, Bokuseno.

It did not take any longer than five days for Totosai to return to Toga with the completed, repurposed Black Pearl. Like the previous meeting, it was nightfall when Totosai presented the mystical gem to his long-time friend.

“Here you go,” Totosai said, holding the little black orb known as the Black Pearl before Toga. “It is now ready to be given to Inuyasha for safe keeping.”

Totosai carefully placed the Black Pearl into the palm of Toga's right hand. Toga enclosed his hand around it to be sure that it did not get lost anywhere.

“Thank you, Totosai,” Toga said as he gave a respectful bow.

“You’re welcome, Toga,” Totosai said as his hand travelled to his waist. He unhooked a sheathed blade from his obi and handed it to Toga. “And here is a little something I whipped up as quick as I could. I had some spare materials from when you requested that coffin cheater of yours to be made. It is no Tessaiga nor Tensaiga, but it should do the trick in keeping you out of some trouble when it comes to that bratty lord. It should be strong enough to do its job, but not be remarkable enough for Sesshomaru to go after it. The last thing we need is for him to do is find it and lust after it.”

Toga nodded with a small, lopsided smile, not needing to say a word to show his gratitude for the look in his eyes did that for him as he humbly took the sword and hooked it to the obi tied around his waist.

“Well, I'd best be off now,” Totosai said. “I am long overdue for a bath. Good bye, Toga.”

“Bye, Totosai,” Toga replied as Totosai mounted his bovine friend and flew away.

Toga from that point entered the castle as quickly and quietly as possible. Once he reached the room that his his wife and child were in, he entered and approached Izayoi and Inuyasha. He kneeled before them and wasted no time in gently inserting the Black Pearl into Inuyasha’s right eye with careful precision. During the process, his baby boy looked up at the small sphere with curiosity. He did not even flinch as it merged with the pupil of his right eye. It was relieving to know that Tessaiga was safe just like how he intended.

“What was that, Toga?” Izayoi asked.

“Something that will greatly help Inuyasha when the time comes,” Toga said. “It will be known as the Black Pearl on the right. Seen, but never seen; protected, yet never known to its protector.”

Izayoi smiled. Even though she had a vague idea of what her husband meant, she could trust him to come up with a suitable way of protecting those that he loved deeply.

Toga watched as Izayoi then proceeded to blow little raspberries onto Inuyasha's bare stomach, making him coo in delight. His youngest making such little sounds was a feat that warmed the demon general's heart and made him smile with not just pride, but love as well.

His little boy was growing fast in comparison to the human whelps that had been born only a month ago, prior to the small family arriving. It had been at least sixteen days since Toga saved his wife and child from Takemaru and his little boy was already making use of the muscles in his neck to increase his visual range.

Toga whistled a couple of notes, causing Inuyasha to twitch his fuzzy little ears, signifying that his curiosity was piqued. Toga smiled when he saw those wide, innocent golden eyes look at him. Unlike a newborn human's crossed and unfocused eyes, Inuyasha's eyes were focused and looking at the source of the whistling.

“Are all demons this responsive at such a young age?” Izayoi asked as she gently rubbed one of her son's ears. “Human infants I have seen can barely move for about three months.”

“It depends on the type of demon,” Toga replied. “Some are more receptive than others prior to the first month before their growth begins to slow, others remain slow in maturing for their entire lives.”

“That is fascinating,” Izayoi said with a way smile. “I wonder which route our son will take. Human lives are finite and I wish to see our baby grow into a fine, young man just like his father.”

Toga embraced his wife with an arm and said, “I will do everything within my power to ensure that your wish comes true.”

Izayoi felt Toga's warm lips and cool, wet nose make contact with her right cheek. The temperature differences made her body shudder, but the kiss was pleasing in spite of that. Izayoi turned her head and faced her husband. Her soft, dark violet eyes bore into the warm, bright golden eyes that Toga possesed. Her painted lips met Toga’s unpainted lips and she gave him a loving kiss, leaving behind a bit of her lip paint. When she saw what she left behind, she laughed.

“What is so funny, my dear Izayoi?” Toga asked, raising a confused eyebrow.

“You should paint your lips with mine more often, beloved,” Izayoi replied as she pointed to a nearby bucket of water.

Toga walked over to the water bucket and crouched before it. He looked at his rippling reflection and shook his head with humored smile on his face.

“We should try to get some sleep,” Toga said as he got up and came back over to Izayoi and kissed her forehead. “Good night, Izayoi.”

“Good night, Toga,” Izayoi said.

Toga then kneeled down to his son and kissed his forehead and said, “Good night, Inuyasha. Sleep tight, both you.”

With that, the small family retired for the rest of the night.