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Brief Moments
By : mishisama
Category: InuYasha > General
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Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Brief
Moments
By Mishi

Chapter 17
Revelations

Inu-dai � It�s what Karen calls
InuYasha and Sesshoumaru�s father. Dai means great, or proceeding in Japanese.
She is calling him, �The Great Dog.�

Chichi-ue �Sesshoumaru
uses this when talking about his father. He actually uses this in the manga and
the anime. Chichi means father, while ue refers to
higher rank.� Kohaku uses Anee-ue (older sister of higher rank) for Sango. It works
the same.

Midoriko -The original priestess who fought against the
youkai. It was from the combination of her soul and the youkai�s
soul that formed the Shikon no Tama.

Toukimaru -The husband of Midoriko.
I made it up. This one is not canon. Touki means
winter season, and maru is a typical ending for a
young mans name.� It is a guy�s name that
I took a liking too.

Concubines -What Sesshoumaru says about concubines later in
the story is true. It was common for the upper classes to keep concubines. I
would go into a lot of the history, but I think that Sess
is going to explain it more in the next chapter. If I don�t write it into the
story, then I�ll write a special note on the subject next time.

Yutaka �I named this character after the bass player of the
band Buck-Tick. I�m so obsessed!

Now to the story�.

Rin had just begun her conversation with Nishi as
Sesshoumaru emerged from the forest. He appeared to be carrying a large boar by
its hind legs. The animal�s head was missing, and its belly had been sliced
open at an odd angle. The closer he came, the more disgusting the image
became.�

Sesshoumaru came to a dead stop directly in front of Rin.
Without turning his body to face her, or looking at her at all, he asked, �Will
this do?� The words came out of his mouth as if he had been talking to her
intimately, yet his face was as blank as ever. His entire stance conveyed an
eerie elegance that only he could accomplish with such ease.

Rin leaned away from the animal and nodded, �Arigatou
gozaimasu, Sesshoumaru-sama.�

With her appeasement, Sesshoumaru walked up to Inu Yasha and
tossed the carcass at his feet. �I�ve fulfilled my obligation. The rest is for
you,� he said and turned away.

�Hey,� Inu Yasha jumped up from his place at Kagome�s side.
�Where the hell are you going now?�

Without looking back, Sesshoumaru answered, �To rid myself
of this filth.�

As always, Jaken jumped up to follow his master, only to be
immediately rejected once again.

�Poor Jaken-sama,� Rin said sadly, while Jaken�s
body fell backwards into the grass.

�There�s not a drop of blood on him,� Nishi whispered.

�It�s the smell that he�s talking about,� Inu Yasha grumbled
as he watched Sesshoumaru disappear into the trees.

�Sango-chan!�
Kagome gasped as she took off after Sango, who was running towards the nearest
line of trees.

�Wha�what the�?� InuYasha asked in confusion as he spun around to face
Miroku.

Miroku�s back was to InuYasha as
he explained, �She suddenly got pale, and�before I know it, she was running.�

�Great,� InuYasha grumbled. �I guess I�ll start on this
thing.� He unsheathed Tessaiga, and announced, �If
I�m gutting the pig, someone else is getting the fire started. And it�s not
going to be me who cooks the thing.�

�Oh well, I�m sure that Kagome-sama
is with Sango by now. I�m sure it is better to let her tend to Sango, anyway,�
Miroku sighed. He didn�t care what chore he got stuck with, as long as he knew
that Sango was being looked after.

InuYasha stuck the end of the Tessaiga
into the meat, and then stood to remove his upper garments. Blood and pig�s fat
were not things he wanted all over his clothes. Despite his annoyance at being
left to gut the filthy animal, he tried to take Miroku feel better. �Sango�s a strong woman, you know. She probably just caught
wind of the smell,� He said as he tossed the clothes aside.� �I know I�ve smelled youkai who�ve had a
better scent. I�ll be surprised if I don�t puke before I�m finished.��

Miroku smiled and nodded towards InuYasha before saying,
�Come on, Shippo, help me look for firewood.�

�Can I come with him?� Nishi spoke up as Shippo hopped to
his feet.

�Stay here with me and Rin,� InuYasha ordered. �Things will
get done quicker, if he is in a rush to get back to you.�

Nishi watched dejectedly as Shippo was lead away by Miroku.
However, Rin didn�t let Nishi sit and sulk. Instead, Rin went back to asking
questions.

�He would pick something this messy, just because it took
so little effort to kill,� Inu Yasha thought as he cut a large piece of the
meat away from the body. �Heaven forbid the mighty Sesshoumaru should get
dirt under his pretty nails.��

******

By the time Sango had realized that running wasn�t making
her feel better, she was in the forest. She had thrown herself against a large
rock, just in time to empty the contents of her stomach behind it.�

Kagome waited silently as Sango fought to keep her hair away
from her face. Without a word, Kagome moved up beside her friend, and took over
the job of tending the long black hair.

When there had been nothing left to expel, Sango stood up by
leaning on the rock for support. With a shaky voice, she whispered, �I�m sorry,
Kagome-chan. I didn�t want anyone to see that.�

Kagome placed her hand on Sango�s
back. She made small circles with the flat of her palm as she said, �I know,
but I followed anyway. You don�t have to worry about it.�

�Arigatou,� Sango replied. She was still too embarrassed to
say much more.

�What�s happening Sango-chan?
This is only the second time that I�ve seen you sick like this. Are you ok?�

�I need your help to answer that question.�

Kagome looked at her with a puzzled expression.

�I got sick like this the morning of your wedding. Your
mother was the only other person awake, and she found me in the bathroom. I was
too embarrassed to talk to her about it. So, she insisted that I bring
something back with me. She said that you would be able to help me use it.�

Kagome took a second to wonder what Mama could have sent back.
Then suddenly it came together in her mind. �Oh my God�,� she gasped and put
her hand over her mouth. �Sango-chan, are you talking
about a pregnancy test?�

Sango looked up at Kagome with even greater embarrassment
than before, and replied, �I don�t know what that thing is called. But�I do
think that I�m pregnant. All the signs are there. I need to be sure before I
tell Miroku.�

Kagome tossed her arms around her friend, and asked, �Why
did you wait so long to tell me?�

Sango returned the hug and responded, �You had so much to
deal with. I didn�t want to burden you.�

�You should�ve told me. You�re my best friend. Don�t ever
think that way again,� Kagome insisted. �Where�s the test?�

�It�s back at the village. We�d have to sneak back to get
it.�

�Do you think you can run without getting sick again?�

�I hope so. I think it was the smell of the boar that made
me sick.�

�Then let�s go. If we are gone too long, they�ll come
looking for us. If we�re lucky, you�ll have an answer really soon.�

**********

InuYasha stomped through the forest. He had left Miroku and
Shippo to cook the pieces of pork he had cut. A large towel had been draped
across his naked left shoulder, and he was holding a bar of soap in his right
hand. He was hungry, tired, and thanks to the boar, he stank. He had no choice
but to take a bath in the cold river. It was something he was not looking
forward too.

�Great, Sesshoumaru had the same damned idea that I had,�
he thought as his brother�s scent came to him on the breeze. �He would pick
this spot. Screw it! I don�t feel like walking any farther. He�s gonna have to share.�

InuYasha exited the trees to find Sesshoumaru�s clothing
lying on the side of the river, and his brother standing in waist deep water.

�Why are you here?� Sesshoumaru asked arrogantly, without
bothering to turn around.

�Your choice in food stinks,� InuYasha said as he washed his
hands in the water.

Sesshoumaru looked back at InuYasha. He had found amusement in
the pun, and could not resist the smirk that appeared on his lips.�

�Nice to know that Rin�s given you a sense of humor,�
InuYasha mumbled in amazement.

Sesshoumaru blocked out the words and returned to his task
of splashing water onto his body.

InuYasha dried his hands with the towel and threw it over a
nearby rock. Successfully removing some of the mess from his hands, he removed
his pants without leaving a smell on them. He looked down at the water and
said, �Damn, that�s going to be cold.� Taking a deep breath and clutching the
soap, he rushed into the water and fell backwards.

�Cold, cold, cold, cold, COLD!�
InuYasha yelled as he popped up out of the water.��

�Stop acting like a child,� Sesshoumaru demanded with a hint
of annoyance in his voice.

InuYasha stood up and splashed his way farther into the
water, which brought him closer to Sesshoumaru. �Oh forgive me, Oukou-sama,� he
said sarcastically. He was going to drop it after the comment, but he couldn�t.
Losing the sarcastic tone, he followed up with, �I know I�m spoilt by Kagome�s
world, but you�re telling me that you don�t think this water�s cold?�

�I do not choose to complain about it, as if I were a
child.�

�Man, you�re a pain,� InuYasha snorted and turned his back
to Sesshoumaru.

�Your acting a bit overconfident, aren�t you?� Sesshoumaru
was showing the first sign of anger since InuYasha had entered the water.

�No!� He snapped as he turned to face Sesshoumaru. �If you
think about it, we�re both very naked, and standing in very cold water. And�,�
InuYasha pointed towards the riverbank. �All our weapons are over there. I
don�t think we�ll be touching each other.�

The logic had left Sesshoumaru stunned and staring at
InuYasha.

�Why does everyone give me that look?!�

*****

The last rays of sunlight loomed over restless heads as the
group waited for Karen. Dinner had taken much longer to prepare than to eat.
For a group mixed with human and youkai, waiting wasn�t what anyone wanted.

Inu Yasha finished the last of his dinner and throw the
stick towards the fire. �Karen�s been gone for hours. I wish she�d come back
and get this over with. I�m tired of waiting for her,� Inu Yasha griped as he
rested his head on Kagome�s lap.

�You�ll find that Karen does things according to her own
notion of time,� Sesshoumaru commented in a flat voice. He was seated with
crossed legs between Rin and Jaken.

�I�m sure she�ll be here soon. Just be still and let me read
this,� Kagome said putting her hand on Inu Yasha�s chest. She was trying to read
one of her textbooks as Inu Yasha wiggled around looking for a comfortable
position to lie in.

�Hey,� Inu Yasha whispered as he looked up at her. When she
ignored him, he pushed his hand in front of the page she was reading. �You and
Sango were gone for a long time. What were you doing?�

�You and Sesshoumaru were gone just as long as we were. What
were you doing?� She returned, and guided his hand down to rest on his chest.

�We were taking a bath,� he answered, acting slightly
annoyed by the dodging of his question.

�Long bath. You honestly tolerated
each other for that long?�

�Karen�s probably ordered him to play nice. I don�t know�
Maybe it was Rin. Why won�t you answer my question? Is there something wrong
with Sango?�

�No, you�ll find out soon enough. Now drop it, and let me
study.�

InuYasha rolled his eyes and gave in. However, he was not
happy. He let out an exasperated sigh to make his agitation known.

Sesshoumaru, who had been forcing himself to concentrate
over Inu Yasha�s whining, had been examining those around him. As tedious as
the idea had seemed at first, it was helping to pass the time. However, the
more he observed, the less he understood about how Karen could insist that he
be involved with Inu Yasha�s life. InuYasha fit in all too well with his odd
group of humans and youkai. Sesshoumaru didn�t believe that he could fit into
this world as his brother did. His brother�s world seemed to suffocating to
him.

Allowing his attention to shift from InuYasha and Kagome, he
turned to observe his next example. Nishi was snuggled against Shippo�s arm. She was reading over his shoulder, while he
flipped through pages of his kitsune book. This vision had seemed no different
from what he had witnessed with InuYasha; the female of the relationship still
held the upper hand. Continuing on, he watched Miroku and Sango for a brief
moment.� Miroku was holding Sango as she
rested against his chest. They were busy whispering about some nonsense that Sesshoumaru had no interest in; it was something about how
they were touching. At least in this relationship, it appeared that the man
knew his proper place as the dominant being. Although, Sesshoumaru could
understand this man more than the other two, he still couldn�t see himself
being lowered to such foolish behaviors.�

Out of the corner of his vision, Sesshoumaru noted his tiny
group as it compared to what he saw. Jaken, who was seated to his left, was
hard at work trying to understand the hypnotic trappings of Shippo�s
Game Boy. For the most part, it was keeping the youkai quiet. Occasionally, he
would stop to curse the machine for its �strange magic.�

Runa had finally returned, but she
was happy to remain at a great distance from the group. He could feel her stare
like a weight on his back. He didn�t need to look directly at her to see that
she was lying in a vulgar position. It seemed that she still believed that he
would give into her, just as he had so many times in the past.

Laughing silently to himself, he pushed all memory of Runa out of his mind, and turned to look over at Rin. She
was lying peacefully on her back, with her knees bent upwards, and her arms
extended above her head. Before he could stop himself, he was noticing the
curves of her body. Her chest was fuller than he had realized before. Her
stomach and hips also had more of a curve to them.

He closed his eyes and forced his mind to think. �How did
I not realize this before? How could she have changed without my noticing?� He
tried to remember how often she had grown out of the kimonos that he had
acquired for her, but it wasn�t an easy task. This had only been the third
pattern that he had seen her dressed in. He clearly recalled the first kimono
that he had seen her in, and the first that he had had made for her. He had
always taken her to the same woman for her clothing, because the woman didn�t
care that she was serving a youkai. She had cared only about the riches that
Sesshoumaru had laid in her hands. It had been this woman who had picked the pattern
of cloth, and it was she who stored the cloth away for them to use again and
again. Each visit had been the same. Each trip had seemed so trivial. There had
been nothing to stand out in his mind.

He struggled with the notion of it all. He hated being
forced into patterns, because they restricted him. He was the man who hated
restriction beyond all things, yet he always found himself confined by his own
devices; trapped by his own inability to change. �Did keeping her in this
same pattern hide how she was changing? Was I trying to keep her a child
forever?� He wondered to himself.

As inconspicuously as he could, Sesshoumaru leaned forward
and let his long hair cover the side of his face. Sitting his elbow on his
thigh, he rested his chin in his palm. There was just enough of a gap between
the hair and his fur to peek out of. It was from behind this barrier of silver
and white that he gave in to his desire to look at her. She was content with
lying there beside him. He could feel it. The feeling made his chest ache.
Suddenly, he was disgusted by the fact that he had used Runa
to satisfy his sexual cravings in the past. �I was right to keep her a
child. I don�t deserve her. Keeping her a child was keeping her safe. I�ll only
destroy her, if I do what Karen asks.�

�Isn�t the sky sad to look at, Sesshoumaru-sama?�
Rin asked as she looked at him.

Her question had caught him off guard. As his mind let go of
the thought, his eyes met hers. It had only been for a moment, but that one
look sent a panic through him that he had never known before. Jerking his head
to face forward, he tossed all of his hair around his face. Keeping himself as
calm as he could, he answered in a low voice, �I wouldn�t know.�

A smirk crept onto Inu Yasha�s lips as he laughed to himself,
�Busted!�

Regardless of Sesshoumaru�s refusal to look at her, Rin
watched him as she explained in a dreamy voice, �During the day it looks like
ice. It�s all white and blue. Just before dark it changes and looks like fire.
It has all these pretty shades of purple and red and orange. But then the night
comes� and it�s all black. There�s nothing there anymore. Like the sky is
hiding all those pretty colors.�

�The stars are there. It�s not completely black,� Miroku
commented as he hugged Sango�s shoulders a little
tighter, which caused her to turn her face into his chest; her embarrassment
was getting the better of her.

After thinking about it for a moment, Rin continued, �The
stars don�t give off enough light to make the sky look alive�they�re just there.�

Miroku replied, �That might be so, but a little light is
better than no light at all. Perhaps that little bit of light brings more life
to the sky than you can see.�

Sesshoumaru was incredibly grateful to feel Karen�s youki.
�Karen is nearby.�

�I feel her too, but where is she?� Kagome asked, while
looking around her.

�I am here,� Karen announced from behind Kagome.

Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. �How did you�� she
began to ask.

�As I have explained previously, I am able to mask my presence,�
Karen said in a pleasant voice as she passed Kagome, and walked towards
Sesshoumaru.

Karen�s voice might not have indicated any change from her
usual personality, but Kagome could sense that there was something different.
She looked at the faces around her, examining the auras that surrounded them.
It appeared that Sesshoumaru was the only other individual who had noted this
change about Karen. Not only did it show in his energy, but it also showed in
his eyes. If she was reading him correctly, he seemed to be shocked by what he
was seeing.

�Sesshoumaru, I must talk to you before I begin my promised
explanation. Follow me, please,� she requested gently as she moved past Rin.

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he rose to follow her.

Continuing onward for several yards, Karen had found the
spot that suited her for sitting.
Karen was relieved to feel the coolness of the grass against
her body. She allowed the energy to rise up into her from the ground as she
seated herself. �I have no doubt that you will be on your way by the time the
sun rises. When you arrive at the temple, seek out Yutaka-sama.
He is my chief priest. He will advise you in my stead.�

�You hadn�t meant for your presence to be known to the girl.
It tells me that you are weak. Why is this?� He asked as he took a seat next to
her.

�Keep your voice low. I might not be able to conceal it for
long. It is taking too much to conceal my lack of strength.�

This caused him to raise an eyebrow. �You�re showing me your
weakness on purpose? You�ve not done this before. How can you be so confident
that I will not use this against you?� He asked coldly.

Karen responded, allowing her fatigue to be carried in her
voice, �You may hunger for vengeance, but you are still your father�s son. You
should be proud that I am showing you such weakness. Others would consider it
as a display of respect. Could you simply allow me to give that much to you?�

�Then tell me what did this to you?�

�I broke the rules,� Karen answered in a distant voice. �I
changed the flow of time to allow my lover to live�just a little while longer.
I had no choice but to use my own power to do this.�

�Your lover? That is where you�ve
been?� He asked accusingly, as though she had been leaving him to wait without
good reason.

�The situation is more complicated than you realize. I
needed answers to questions. I needed to know what he was willing to sacrifice
for his family. I had to know what I was willing to sacrifice for mine.� Karen
was ready to cry, but fought back the tears.

�I can�t believe what I am seeing. You are not one to give
this much without reason. What is your tie to that girl?�

Karen looked into his eyes. She was shocked that he had
noticed the importance of Kagome. She was also annoyed at his justified cynicism.
�What are you accusing me of?�

�You have a personal interest in the girl. I know you well
enough to see that. Do not lie to me.�

Knowing she couldn�t tell him the full truth, she offered
what she could. He would find out eventually, and she didn�t want this to be
another reason for him to doubt her character. �I took her grandfather as a
lover many, many years ago. He is the man for whom I changed time.� Karen wiped
her tears away, and struggled to continue, �I saw his death�I changed how it
came for him. I used my power to keep him with me. In the end, I am just as
much of a fool as he is. I could not let him go.�

Sesshoumaru knew there was more to the story. Although she
has given him a partial truth, it was still truth. Keeping his voice low and neutral,
Sesshoumaru asked, �My presence will be enough to refresh you�until you can
find a better source?�

�It is too late to seek out another lover. Kagome and
InuYasha need their answers. I will have to wait until everyone is safely at
rest.�

�Is there anything more that you require of me?�

�I will need to draw power from you,
if Kagome loses control of her body to the youki�it
should affect you very little. InuYasha knows how to calm her. If I am not
here, you will need to take my place as his strength.�

�I will consider this as my duty to my Empress. But know
this�I am near my limit.�

�You can only allow so much concern, can you?� She asked and
looked at him. Her tears were drying on her cheeks. �Have you ever respected
anyone other than your father?�

He stood and extended his hand to her, �I respected Izayoi-sama.� When she had made it to her feet, he looked
at her with a touch of sadness in his eyes, and whispered, �and you�once.��

He released her hand and walked away before she could speak.
As she matched his quick steps, she asked him at what point he had lost respect
for her. However, he refused to answer.

******

Karen took a seat several feet from Rin, purposely placing
Sesshoumaru between the young woman and herself.

�Well, I take it that I should start with the obvious? Who
am I? First, I am a Yasha. Yashas are lower order
gods who protect the temples in the west. My father is the master of the Yasha,
which dwell across the sea. In the Western Lands, I am worshiped for my ties to
nature and wealth, which I inherited from him. My mother was a youkai who could
not only see the path of time, but she could travel through time. I also
inherited these abilities from my mother.�

�You can travel through time like Kagome?� Shippo asked.

�Yes, I can travel back and forth through time. I do this
according to my will, not by using an object, as Kagome must. I may also see
the future of an individual, if I have a connection to them. This can allow me
to change their path in time, if it is necessary for me to do so.�

InuYasha, who was still using Kagome�s lap as a pillow,
popped up and whirled himself around to look at Karen. �You can change it!�

�What?� Miroku looked over at him.

Overlooking Miroku�s question,
InuYasha stayed focused on Karen. �You can stop all this by changing time.
Naraku doesn�t have to exist. Kikyou doesn�t have to die.�

Karen watched InuYasha in silence; her face was so blank
that it could�ve been Sesshoumaru looking back at
him. As his own words brought more possibilities to his mind, he suddenly
became angry. �Damn you! Why didn�t you tell me this before?�

Her voice was flat and lacking in emotion as she answered
him, �I understand you are desperate, InuYasha. However, you are assuming that
I have more power than I actually have. True�being that I am not solely
restricted by time, as most beings are, I can manipulate it. Still, there would
be a price to be paid for what you ask. The price would not be worth the
outcome.�

�What would it cost me to go back, and
stop Onigumo from becoming Naraku?�

Without the slightest change of expression or tone, she
answered, �Your life.�

�NO!� Kagome cried, and threw her arms around his shoulders.
�That�s not an option!�

InuYasha swallowed hard as he looked at Karen in shock.

Karen spoke in a soft voice to InuYasha. �Think about how it
feels to have those arms around you. Could you go back to a time in which she
did not exist? Could you go back to that place, knowing that you would die
without seeing her face again? Would that be a price that you would willingly
pay to remove Naraku from this world?�

InuYasha wrapped his arms around Kagome and closed his eyes.
In a whisper, he answered, �No. I couldn�t do that.�

�I am glad to hear that. Please, do not ask me to do
something like that again.� Karen was quiet for several moments until she could
restore her peaceful exterior.
�
��With that out of the
way, I want to give you a bit of your family history.�

�Isn�t that a waste of time?� Sesshoumaru snorted.

�I have a proposition for both of Inu-dai�s
sons. I want this known before I offer it,� Karen stated in a condescending
tone, which served to inform Sesshoumaru that she would not tolerate another
interruption from him.

�I see. Please continue,� He returned. His words carried a
level tension that told everyone of his disapproval for being scolded.

�Man, they have that down to perfection,� Nishi whispered
into Shippo�s ear.

Shippo silently nodded with wide eyes.

�I came to this land at the request of the Buddhist priests.
The youkai during that time were rampant in the land, and the priests turned to
the Yasha for protection of their temples. During one of the many battles
between the Yasha and the youkai, I met Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha�s father.
Although Inu-dai was a youkai, he did not approve of
how the youkai were destroying the land. When it came time to fight, he sided
with the Yasha. Over time, several of the lower youkai sought Inu-dai�s protection. Of course, with his protection, also
came the protection of the Yasha.

�For several years the youkai fought the Yasha for control
of the land. This allowed time for a closeness to form between Inu-dai and
myself. The notion of a friendship between us was never in question. Despite
the fact that we had never considered being lovers, it came as no surprised
that both the Yasha and the youkai had called for a bond of marriage. We both
realized the benefits to the union, and consented. As a result, the land was at
peace for many years. Unfortunately, several of the troubling youkai were not
destroyed. They simply moved on to other lands. By the time Sesshoumaru had
reached the age to join his father in battle, rumors of youkai uprisings were
finding there way back to the Western Lands. We also heard stories of a great
Miko with incredible power. It was said that she could purify hundreds of
youkai at once.�

�Are you talking about Midoriko-sama?�
Sango inquired.

Karen smiled and continued, �The stories of Midoriko�s power were unbelievable. I had been left
speechless when I received a request for our aid. We left immediately, but we
had arrived too late to save her. My heart sank at the news that such a great
warrior had fallen to the youkai. Luckily, we were able to save the village�and
her family.�

�She had a family,� Sango muttered under her breath. �I
didn�t know that.�

Karen nodded. �It was her husband, Toukimaru, who took
possession of the Shikon no Tama. He had dropped to his knees after Inu-dai
placed it in his hands.� Karen stopped and looked at InuYasha. �Your father
knew that the jewel could not make him great. He believed that his actions
alone could do that. If you wish to be truly powerful, at least, learn that
lesson from him.� She then turned to Sesshoumaru and said, �Both
of you.��

Sesshoumaru looked at the fire without saying a word.

�The man had very little to offer in gratitude for your
father�s deeds. Inu-dai, as well as myself, tried to convince the man that payment
was not necessary. He simply would not hear it. It was then that he offered his
only daughter to Inu-dai. The man was quite certain that the child would grow
to become both powerful and beautiful. She could not have seen more than five
winters.� Karen fell silent. Her eyes were distant as if she were reliving some
event in her mind. In a dreamy voice she said, �She was so young and full of
life. I have never known a child as precious as that little girl.�

She smiled and looked down. �We managed to convince
Toukimaru to keep the child for us. But only after Inu-dai promised to return
regularly to check on her development,� Karen finished with a slight giggle and
looked up. �Your father kept that promise. He returned to the village each
spring�when duty did not call him to be elsewhere, of course. Eventually, that
little girl had become the woman who stole his heart.�

InuYasha shock his head in frustration and snapped, �But he
was married to you! I�ve listened to all of this and not said anything. You are
telling me that my father was married to you, and at the same time�he fell in
love with another woman?��

�I understand if you are upset. You were not told about your
father�s life. It was too painful for your mother to discuss.�

�No! When does my mother come into this? How many women did
my father sleep with before I was born?�

�InuYasha, you half-wit! Karen is
trying to explain to you that Midoriko�s child was
your mother.� Sesshoumaru took over, unable to hold in his anger of Inu Yasha�s
lack of understanding. �It is the custom of the ruling class to take concubines
as lovers. Chichi-ue had a stable filled with
beautiful females. He ignored them all. Izayoi-sama
was the only one, other than my mother, who Chichi-ue
had ever claimed as a lover. Do not make him out to be a peasant, who practiced
sneaking around with common whores.�

�Enough, Sesshoumaru! You have made
your point.� Karen ordered.

Everyone looked at InuYasha, but it was Sango who voiced the
thoughts that played on everyone�s mind. �You�re descended from the priestess
of the Shikon no Tama!�

�You are tied to the jewel. It was no accident that you fell
into the trap of Naraku, or that you met Kagome. You are a part of the cycle
that keeps replaying itself. As the battle continues on within the jewel, Midoriko�s family continues the battle also. It was your
mother�s wish that I watch over you after her passing. She wanted you to be
happy in this world. She wanted��

InuYasha cut her off before she could finish. He was looking
at the ground and holding Kagome�s hand. �I don�t want to talk about her
anymore. If you have something else to explain�get it over with.�

�But InuYasha, this is about the jewel.� Shippo blurted.

InuYasha leaned forward and sat his arm on is knee, which
was bent upwards towards his chest. As he thought about what was being said, he
traced his bottom lip with his thumb. �No�,� he mumbled and shook his head. �No
it�s not. I know where this is going now. It�s not about the jewel. We�ve got
that covered. I�ll destroy Naraku, and I�ll get the jewel back.�

Kagome started to agree with Shippo, but Karen stopped her.
�I will respect his wishes, because he is not wrong. It can be discussed at
another time. Besides, my dear, wouldn�t you like to know how you fit into all
of this?�

Kagome looked at her.

�You are his wife. You will be affected by my proposal as
well. You must have questions. I believe that you questioned my involvement in
your near death experience.�

�What?� InuYasha turned to Kagome.

�When I was dying, I heard a voice in my head. I realized
this afternoon that it was her voice.�

�Why were you there? Why didn�t you reveal yourself then?�
InuYasha ranted.

�I was merely trying to make her give into the instinct of
self-preservation. She needed to let her power reach out to yours, in order to
save herself. She was not allowing this to be done. I had to force her body to
sleep, so that she would stop fighting. If I had taken material form at that
time, it would have been devastating. I was doing all that I could to intervene
without harming her further.�

�It was your power that saved her?� InuYasha asked.

�No, it was the combination of your power, and hers. I did
nothing more than make her sleep.�

�What do I need to know before you go into this proposal
thing?� Kagome interjected.

�From this moment on, you must stop doubting what you are,
and accept that you are a miko. Your present battle with the youki is not the
only danger you face. You will need to be prepared to use your power, before
Naraku makes his final move. This I have seen�he will make his move soon. When
he does, only you will be able to serve the fatal blow.�

�Her?� InuYasha asked pointing his finger at Kagome and
looking at Karen.

�Kagome is the only one who will have the ability to do what
must be done. None of you realize the power that she is capable of. There has
not been a miko of such power, since Midoriko herself. The sheer fact that
Kagome can carry the youki within her body, without being overcome by it, and remaining
as pure as she is; proves that she has the power to purify Naraku�s
evil. However, removing Naraku from this world is not the end of it all. Once
the jewel is restored, Kagome will be the only one who can carry the jewel
without being destroyed by it. It will be very draining. What I am about to
propose might not seem to be worth the danger.�

InuYasha rested his forehead in his hand, and said, �As if
guarding the Shikon no Tama isn�t enough, you want her to do more?�

�I wish to make you an heir to my lands.�

Sesshoumaru made a small sound and looked at his mother. She
was very aware that he was watching her with questioning eyes, but it was his
turn to be ignored. �You would be in the line of succession behind Sesshoumaru.
I do doubt that you would ever see your rule come about. However, naming you my
heir would restore you as an honorable part of this family.�

Runa came forward and made her
presence known by yelling, �You can�t do that! You can�t place a hanyou in line
for the ruling power. It will not be accepted.�

�Do not take that tone with me Runa.
It is within my power to make this choice, and I have made it; my word is law
in my kingdom.�

�Sesshoumaru, are you going to stand for this?� Runa turned to Sesshoumaru to back up her words.

Sesshoumaru growled through his teeth, �Do not use such
familiar words with me. I will do as my Empress requests. Continue in this
manner and I will punish you, Runa.�

�Remove yourself from my sight.� Karen said sternly.

With flames in her eyes, Runa
stomped off into the darkness.

Pushing aside her anger, Karen went on, �I am sure you both
understand the danger you would be facing by accepting my offer. Please,
understand that you would be under my protection. This would lessen the danger
considerably.�

�I don�t understand why I�d want to do this. Why would I
want to put myself, and Kagome, in more danger?� He ran his hand back into his
hair.

�Both Inu-dai and Izayoi wanted
you to be recognized with the honor that your bloodline deserves.�

�That kind of honor sounds pretty screwed up to me,�
InuYasha laughed and shook his head, �Is that all?�

�There is one more thing, which applies to Kagome, as well
as to Rin.�

The comment caught both Sesshoumaru and Rin off guard.

�Unlike InuYasha, whom I have the power to make my heir,
neither of you would be accepted as anything other than concubines.�

Sesshoumaru shot up full of indignant pride and started to
leave.

�Your Empress commands you to sit, Sesshoumaru!� She threw
his words back at him, which sent his body to a screeching halt. �You must hear
this, regardless of how it displeases you.�

Swallowing his pride, he returned to his place between his
mother and Rin. He was careful to avoid making eye contact with those around
him.

�You would not be ordered to take youkai wives. The children
you father by your mates would be accepted as heirs. However, you will be
expected to act as if you would consider marriage. This would keep many mouths
quiet.�

�You�re sure that he wouldn�t be forced to marry anyone
else?� Kagome asked.

�You�re really thinking about this?� InuYasha barked at her.

�I don�t think you should turn her down. At
least�not without thinking about it.�

�Are you finished with me?� Sesshoumaru grumbled as he
fought to keep his control.

�You may take your leave.�

Sesshoumaru didn�t hesitate to rush off into the solitude of
the shadows.

As Jaken jumped up to follow, Karen grabbed him and looked
at Rin. �Remember what I told you.�

Rin took the words as her sign to follow Sesshoumaru, and
climbed to her feet.

�As for you�stay put.� Karen ordered Jaken, who looked like
he wanted to cry.

Family Tree

Karen Yasha � Inu-dai�� Toukimaru - Midoriko
�� |�� |
�� Sesshoumaru�� Izayoi - Inu Dai
�� |
�� Inu Yasha

Karen Yasha - Shinta Higurashi�� Ran Yasha � Rin�s Mom
�� |�� |
�� Yumeko Higurashi
� Takashi Sakurai�� Rin
�� |
��
|----------------------------------------|
Kagome Higurashi�� Souta Higurashi��
- 16
- 17
- 18
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Brief Moments	By : mishisama Category: InuYasha > General Views: 1097 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Brief Moments