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Curse of the Dragon	By : fallenangel7583 Category: InuYasha > General Views: 34158 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 50
- 51
- 52
~~ Curse of the Dragon ~~

~~ Chapter 52 ~~fields of innocence

Kagome dropped her backpack onto the science lab desk with a defeated sigh and fell into the chair on the left of Sango. Miroku paused behind Kagome and scowled, staring from the girl in the chair next to his girlfriend to Sango herself. Kagome batted her eyes twice at him then muttered in a low voice, �If you want me to move��

Sango laughed and put her arm around Kagome�s shoulders, giving her a hard squeeze while staring at Miroku with a glimmer of a smirk on her face, �sorry Miroku�Kagome�s mine today��

Miroku�s eyes widened while a smile crawled to his lips, his hentai mind spinning in the possibilities. Grabbing a chair from the deserted table behind the two, he dragged it to the right of Sango and put his chin on the desk, giving the two girls a wide-eyed doe look, �can I watch?�

Kagome blinked very slowly then looked to Sango, �if you would?�

Sango grinned at the girl then turned to look at Miroku. She tilted her head to meet his gaze then whacked him across the back of his head, �Hentia Houshi, bad!�

Miroku grimaced and lifted his head from the table, pouting as he rubbed his newly acquired bump. �I was merely suggesting��

Kagome rolled her eyes in his direction and gave him a glower out from under her eyebrows. �Keep it up Miroku��

Sango turned to Kagome and gave her a small reassuring smile, �It�s fine, Kagome�don�t worry about anything.�

Kagome sighed loudly and rested her head in her hands on the table. �He isn�t here�Sesshoumaru isn�t in school, Rin isn�t in school and neither is InuYasha.�

Miroku glanced behind them to the empty rows of desks then back to Kagome with a small frown. He tapped his foot on the cold tile floor and scowled, �neither is Bankotsu or Hiten.�

Sango threw Miroku a deadly hostile glower while Kagome turned to look behind then and blanched. Turning back around she swallowed hard and stared into the table, �do you think�I don�t know�that maybe he�s with them?�

Sango cringed at how feigned the tone of Kagome�s voice was and looked to Miroku for help. �Well�I doubt he would do anything�well��

Miroku leaned across the table and put one of his hands on top of Kagome�s. �Kagome, InuYasha loves you and regardless of how ignorant he might have been in the past about issues with those two idiots; he wouldn�t stoop to passing you up for them, trust me.� he blinked and sighed at the blank stare she gave him. After a long moment, he sat back and creased his brows, �Did something happen between you two?�

Kagome gave Miroku an incredulous glare and rolled her eyes, �when doesn�t something?�

Miroku smirked as a glimmer returned to his eyes sparking mischief, �that�s right, I forgot�you two are worse then rabbits.� He shook his head and turned to look at Sango, �I do not understand why I am the pervert out of this group, honestly.�

Kagome sighed and banged her forehead into the table, �why did I find the jackass of them all?�

Sango smiled and wrapped her arm around her friend, resting her head on Kagome�s shoulder, �do you want me to kick his ass for you?�

Kagome simply shook her head no, �I�ll do it myself if he�s with those two lunatics.�

Miroku shrugged and looked to the empty table in front of them, �do you two know where Rin is today? She�s missing as well.�

Sango shrugged and commented, �Maybe Sesshoumaru got sick of following her around and kept her home instead. I honestly thought he was going to take Kenchi�s head off in class the other day.�

Kagome called up to the two, her voice muffled by the table her face was planted against, �he probably would too��

Miroku laughed and leaned back in his chair, �I can see it now�Kenchi telling Sesshoumaru he has to join the musical�Sesshoumaru unscrewing the man�s head and playing soccer with it; that would be something to see.�

Sango glared at Miroku and pointed a finger at him, �you only say that because he fails you.�

Miroku gave her a look that just screamed out the American phrase, �duh�. �Come now, Sango�of course I hate him for that to.�

Kagome responded for Sango, �Then join the play and actually be able to graduate.�

Miroku grimaced and sat his chair back on its four legs, �I don�t know�I�m really not a musical type of person. I mean�singing�in front of that many people��

Sango rolled her eyes and held out her hand towards Miroku, �you can�t sing!�

Miroku pouted and put a hand to his chest before grabbing her extended appendage, �Sango, I�m hurt that you think that less of me. I thought we covered this yesterday�I can sing, I simply chose not to. But for you, my dear�I would sing a hundred sonnets until I was blue in the face��

Kagome sat up quickly, her eyes wide as she snapped her head to her left to stare at shocked pair, �what if something happened? I mean�everyone from the house is missing�what if something happened at the house?�

Sango bit the tip of her bottom lip and gave Miroku a worried glance, �that would explain��

Miroku glanced to the front of the room to where Ms. Faillion was preparing to start class. Leaning towards Sango, he whispered, �I can sneak out and take a run over there if you want me to. I know you both want to�learn�or something.�

Kagome blanched further and shook her head no, �I want to go�I need to go��

Sango sighed as the bell rung for all students to take their seats. She slowly shrugged her shoulders at the other two and commented, �I guess we have to wait now.�

Kagome stood up abruptly and grabbed her book bag, �the hell we do�come on.� Grabbing Sango�s hand, she all but yanked the girl from her chair as they ran down the isle of the classroom.

Ms. Faillion was about to begin her class when Kagome and Sango rushed by unexpectedly, making a beeline for the door. She put her hands to her hips and growled out, �Hold it!�

Sango called back as Kagome swung open the door, pulling her from the room, �Can�t do�Kagome�s�uhh�not feeling well�we�ll be back�maybe�� by time she got the maybe out, they were halfway down the hallway.

Miroku sighed and grabbed his book bag and followed in suit, slightly agitated that they left him behind. He walked slower from the classroom and paused at the door, when Ms. Faillion screamed out to him, �Wait a damn minute��. Miroku grinned and looked over his shoulder to the angry Youkai and pointed towards the direction that the two girls ran with a rather goofy smile on his face, �Kagome�s hers today�I want to watch�� he winked at the teacher and slammed the door behind him, granting him an extra three seconds before the teacher could scream any further.

Out of breath by time he reached the parking lot, he called out to the two girls who were hovering at his Ferrari. �Hey�that wasn�t nice leaving me there��

Sango pulled out Miroku�s keys from her coat pocket and opened up the car. �Are you coming or not Houshi?�

Miroku patted down his pockets with a look of complete confusion. His eyes darkened playfully as he reached the car. �Why my dear Sango�did you take my car keys from me?�

Sango winked at the boy and snapped her head towards the backseat �get in.�

Miroku�s eyes widened and all looks of playing fell from his face, �Sango, my pet�I love you as I love life itself, but I�m afraid, my dear�that no one drives Lola but me.�

Kagome raised an eyebrow and stared at him from the passenger seat, as the English name rolled off her tongue, �Lola?�

Miroku blinked then looked to Kagome, �yes�Lola��

Sango sighed and looked to Miroku, �I�ll leave you here with those diluted fantasies if you don�t get into the back seat.�

Miroku blanched and shook his head once, shaking himself back to reality, �Sango, my sweet�I�m sorry but I will not��

Sango started the car and threw it into gear with the door still open, �coming or not Houshi?�

Miroku looked mirrored a child who was told Santa clause does not exist�. With a sigh, he pushed Sango�s seat up and crawled into his back seat, trying to be ever so careful of the black leather interior. �Sango�if you are going to drive her��

Sango growled as she slammed on the gas, spinning the tires on the pavement. Miroku�s cries of displeasure rivaled the sound the car made. Pushing the car into drive, the three shot out of the parking lot.

Kagome laughed ruefully as Miroku lost all color to his face at the lack of Sango�s�proper�driving skills. �Miroku, clam down�I�m sure Sango is a good driver.�

Sango swerved around a parked car and cut off a white SUV in the lane next to her as they sped along the outer highways of the city, �damn right I am�only have had two accidents and in the last one, I swear the pole jumped out to hit me.�

Kagome laughed at the joke while Miroku only let out a small gurgle of worry. �Calm down Miroku�I swear�you�re more protective of this heap of metal then you are of Sango.�

Miroku blinked and snapped back, �Sango can take care of herself��

Sango growled and slammed the car into a power slide as they came down the exit ramp towards the mansion, �in comparison to what, Miroku?�

Miroku grabbed onto the headrests of the two front seats and yelled, �Sango, watch out for the tree!�

Sango nearly missed colliding with a small park at the bottom of the ramp as she slid around another corner, �you were saying?�

Miroku threw his head back and cried, �I love you Sango�I love you Sango�I love you Sango�don�t hurt my baby�I love you Sango!�

Kagome shook her head as Sango rolled her eyes and leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, gazing out into the forest. She blocked out the couples bickering as they made their way to the chateau and sighed helplessly. �Where are you InuYasha? Are you hurt�are you okay?�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

InuYasha took in a deep breath and ran one hand through his soaked silver hair. He was cold, hungry, tired and least to say drenched and on top of that, he was at one place he had avoided going to for nearly ten years. He inhaled deeply before pushing open the rusted iron gate of the muddy field. He grimaced as he made his way through the puddles of mud and of earth, leaving his prints behind him in the soft clay. Each footstep echoed in his ears as he struggled to hold onto his nerve. �It�s been to long�I have to do this�I have to. There�s too much going on right now and I need to be able to concentrate. She can help�I know she can.� He stared out through the once so beautiful grassy field�a place he remembered all to well. The last time he had been here had been the second to worst day of his life�only four days after the proclaimed worst day. He paused, remembering the way, then turned to his left and continued down the beaten path. He clenched his hand around the green stems of the dozen roses mixed with wild flowers that he had bought earlier from the market as his eyes began to haze over. It was like having double vision�one part of his mind saw the area for what it was today; a mess�a brown gravel path that had weeds spurting out from the sides of the broken walkway...puddles of mud and of broken dreams�shattered memories that clung to the trees whispering to him�taunting him from the dead and cracked branches. The field�the field that had once been so beautifully covered in wildflowers and lilies�of green grass that he had spent countless times rolling amongst and playing in�was barren�hardly the place he remembered. Yet now, the sky was a desolate gray�bleak and unreceptive�threatening to drown him if he stayed outside long enough. The Kami�s didn�t want him here�they had forsaken him from this place. But it didn�t matter�it was something he had to do.

The rain continued to pour down from the heavens, mocking his journey and his trials. It hadn�t let up from the previous afternoon and InuYasha was beginning to wonder if it ever would. The other part of his mind, the one that begged for him to remember once upon a time, forced his eyes to see the green lush fields that he had spent so many days cuddled in its grass, counting stars in the sky or deciphering clouds for what they truly were. Days of his innocence�days where he didn�t have a burden on his shoulders�where he could lay about and not care what was happening around him. A time when corrupting angelic beauties named Kagome never crossed his mind. His mind forced him to remember the way the trees whistled as the wind danced with their leaves�through their branches. Shivers wracked his body as he remembered just what it felt like to have that same wind tracing his back as he sat on the highest branch of the old tree, staring out at the fields as if he was king of the world. And then there was her voice; so beautiful was it, like a sonnet of love being declared at sunset� so angelic and welcoming�so loving and warm. Her words could sooth his soul or wash away his deepest worry. He missed the hymns she used to sing to him�the way she used to curl him into her arms and rock him to sleep. He missed her�he missed her with all of his heart. Closing his eyes, he took the final step towards the tree that he used to sit with her under every day and listen while she read to him�the place that he had spent most of his childhood�the last place he had seen her. He stared blankly at the tree for a moment before letting his eyes travel downwards to the small stone that rested at its roots. His brows creased with untamed rage and sorrow�with anger and pain�with the feeling that the world was spinning once again out of his control and all he could do was watch. Dropping to his knees, InuYasha ran two fingers over the simple stone that rested in the ground� �Sato Izayoi. 1967-1995.�

�Mother.�

There was nothing more�just her name on a small moss covered stone that was hardly taken care of. His eyes darkened as his hand gently reached out to touch the headstone. Instantly tears welled in his eyes as he remembered everything that lead up to her being buried here�that lead up to his mother�s death. Things that he had shoved off into the back of his mind�things that he chose not to remember. He had kept himself from her grave site for nearly a decade for fear of remembering those things that had destroyed all he had known�things that were the monsters of his nightmares�his own personal Freddy Kruger�s and Jason�s; his own personal demons. Swallowing hard, he hung his head as memories over flooded his mind and held his eyelids open to watch in utter powerlessness.

She was beautiful. There was nothing that he had ever seen that could compare to the woman in front of him. Her long raven hair reached down to her knees, always pulled back away from her delicate and pale face. Her hair was like silk, he remembered, as it whipped about the pair that sat alone on the grassy knoll, staring out over the fields of Kyushu. She wrapped one of her slender arms around the young boy and pulled him to her side, planting a loving kiss between the two ears on the top of his head. Her red lips were pulled back to a sad smile, and the laugh lines around her eyes had fallen to deeper depths�and her eyes�they were shining pools of an emotion that the seven-year-old Hanyou could not understand. He knew it now; looking back at that day�it had been misery�of hopelessness�of despondency. She knew what was going to happen and yet she kept marching�never daring once to cower in front of him�never daring to turn face. She was the strongest person he ever knew. Izayio smiled down at her young son, and then held out her hand in front of him. �InuYasha.�

The young boy turned to look up at his mother and gave her a toothy grin, his eyes clamed tightly shut and trusting. �Mama?� something about her tone made him open his eyes. Tonight was not a normal night, he figured out slowly as he looked at her face. She wasn�t singing as she normally was�or fidgeting speaking of lands far away and a man he hardly knew. They would not run about the field, trying to capture fire flies or read of pirates and boys who could fly. They wouldn�t wait, tonight, for the lights to go off at their small cottage until beginning the trek back across the lands to return home cloaked in darkness. No�not tonight�and never again.

The woman looked down at InuYasha and rubbed his hair gently, letting her fingers trace over his delicate ears that only she could touch. She pet him soothingly as she called out, �I got news today�from a friend in town.� Her voice cracked and she swallowed once, quickly covering for the flaw with a small cough. What she never knew was that InuYasha could smell the tears welling in her eyes�he could smell her fear and her misery and it scared him shitless. �Do you remember that nice man who was here a few months ago? The one who took us to dinner in town?�

InuYasha fused his brows together and stared up into the multicolored sky that was teetering with rivets of pinks and purples�colors of the setting sun. Suddenly he gasped and bobbed his head, �you mean the man who had my hair and eyes?�

He felt her hand twitch in his hair but never the less; she continued soothing him�or herself�both of them. �Yes, baby, that man. He�he won�t be coming back to see us again, InuYasha.�

InuYasha felt his ears slowly fall backwards to his head as his eyes lowered from the night sky to look to his mother, �why mama? Was it something I said? Was he angry I didn�t greet him last time he came by?�

Izayio closed her eyes and held in a rough sob that sent tremors through her body. She shook her head slowly then gazed down into her son�s molten amber gaze�his gaze. If InuYasha had any of her physical attributes, it was her nose and chin�the rest was completely Inu No Tashio�s�or should it be said, the late Inu no Tashio. She swallowed hard and took her hand from his head. �No, InuYasha, he wasn�t mad at you.� she turned so rapidly InuYasha nearly tumbled backwards. Her hands were suddenly on his shoulders as she kneeled down on his level to look him in the eyes. Her brown eyes implored him to listen to her words and remember them�words that haunted all of his dreams�words that he only had come to understand after meeting Ryen. �He loved you, InuYasha�never ever let anyone tell you different. Though he couldn�t be with us here�all the time�he still loved you. I know you don�t understand, and I don�t expect you to, but one day�one day when you�re older, I will explain it to you�and you will understand then.� She pulled the young startled lad into her chest and crushed him in her embrace. �I love you as well, my InuYasha�I love you so much.�

InuYasha blinked when a drop of salty water dropped onto the tip of his nose and glanced up, pulling away from her embrace. Something he had never thought his mother capable of�something he had thought her to strong to do�it was something that he never thought he would see. His mother was crying; and it broke his heart. That day�that night sitting on the hill where she was now a part of�was the beginning of the end. It was the end of his innocence, then end of his childhood�

InuYasha blinked away the teary memory as he turned to look down at the grave. Placing the flowers by the head stone, he whispered into the winds, �did you know that he loved you as well, mother? He did�I know that now�and he loved you with all of his heart.� He blinked furiously and wiped the tears that managed to survive his long eyelashes off of his cheeks, mixing them with the rain on the floor. �I miss you mom�every day. It isn�t the same without you.� he sighed and brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them as he stared at the small marker of his mother life. �Why did the gods hate us enough to leave you�such a wonderful person�with such a shitty resting place? I miss you so much mom�so much. I�� he sighed and ran a hand through his hair before letting his legs fall into Indian style. He placed one hand on the stone and closed his eyes, as if speaking to her soul. �I�ve cleaned up my act mom�I really have. I�I was in some dark places for a while�places that I wouldn�t have wanted you to see me in�places I hate myself for going. I realize that now�and I don�t know why it was so hard to grasp. I�did some bad things, mom. I did some bad things and hurt some people pretty bad. But�I�m atoning for those slowly, I think. At least I�m trying to. I�m sorry, mom�I really am; I should have been here long ago�I should have stopped by to talk. I�m sorry.� A tear slid from his eye that he let drip down his face for the first time in years without interruption. �I�I met someone mom�someone I think you would like. She�s really the reason I straightened out�without her�I�� he sighed and opened his eyes slowly. �I want to be with her mom�I want to be with her for the rest of my life. I�ve nearly lost her a few times and I refuse to let that happen again. So I�m back�and I�m going to go see Jiji to get your stuff. You know�the box that you made for me right before we left? I hid it good�I doubt that they have found it. I dare them to stand in my way. I know you wouldn�t want me to be angry with them but I can�t help it mom.� He curled one hand into a fist as he growled, �they ruined you�ruined us. I hate them, mom�I really do. But I swear to you�I swear that I won�t lay a hand on them. I�m just getting it and going.�

He swallowed hard and turned his face towards the heaven, trying to wash the years of sin from his skin, from his soul. He exhaled into the cold November air and sighed. �I need your help mom�I find myself lost so often with how to deal with Kagome�and how to express myself to her. I just keep managing to f�uhh�mess things up for us. I guess I inherited that from Ryen.� His eyes opened slowly as he turned to look back at the gravestone. �Mom�he�s alive. I don�t know if you were close with him, but he�s alive. I�m sure that my dad talked about his brother�I hope he did. I guess Ryen isn�t that bad�he is always around at the worst times though. He nags and b�uhh�argues with Sesshoumaru and me a lot but he seems to be pretty intent on helping us out. That�s another thing�Sesshoumaru and me are slowly starting to get along a little better then we have in the past. After running out Launia for being a wench that got dad killed�we have really come together to work through this. He�s dating one of Kagome�s friends whose a little spitfire but a good person. They are good together; kind of keep each other in check if you know what I mean.�

Running a hand under each of his eyes, he pushed away the new tears, �mom�I�m in love with Kagome. I realized that a while ago and she says she loves me as well. i�we�re not ready to get married, god knows�but we are so close that at points it hurts. I have two friends, mom�if you could call them that�that kind of showed up at the new school I�m in randomly and are really putting a strain on Kagome and me. I feel at points like they are trying to force up apart�and I guess they are. Why can�t I tell them to get lost mom? At points I want to�and at others I just want something that is familiar to be back in my life�something constant. It�s not that I don�t trust Kagome to stay with me�I guess I just don�t trust myself. I don�t know how you were always so strong around me mom, I really don�t. I wish I had half of your will power. My mouth still runs a minute and a half faster then my brain and I�m sure that one day I�m going to screw something up with her beyond repair. I have nearly, a couple times�with her family and her�.� he sighed and shook his head, fighting off the settled layer of dew that coated his hair. �How do I stop myself from ruining the relationship? How do I keep my mouth shut? Mom�how did you do it? How were you able to stand up to everything with such an absolute determined strength? I�I need you mom�I miss you so much and I really need your guidance. I miss your guidance.�

He looked at the sky and grimaced as the rain continued to pour down. Slowly he let his gaze fall back to the ground with a scowl. �I don�t want to leave�I feel like I have so much to tell you�but it�s getting really nasty out here and there are things I need to do.� he sighed and lowered his head to the stone to place both hands on it along with his forehead. �I miss you so much mom�I wish you were here. But I guess in a way you are�� he felt a warm feeling tug at his heart and he smiled, �yeah, you are. I love you mom�.� He felt two twin tears seep down his cheeks as he kissed the tiny stone lightly. �I�ll be back, I promise�and I�ll introduce you to Kagome then.� With painstaking efforts, he forced himself to pull away from the stone and open his eyes. His eyes turned up to the old tree that held so many memories for him that he couldn�t help but to stand up and place one hand against the bark. With an impulse, the hanyou bent his knees and jumped into branches of the tree carefully, wisely choosing where he landed. Before he knew it, he was nearing the top as he had so many years ago. Yet it felt like yesterday that he would seek shelter in the arms of the old tree. A Tree of Ages; that is what his mother had called it. He knew that simply meant that the tree was ancient�that it had been around for centuries. Kagome had one behind her shrine in Tokyo�there were a few around Japan. With a lingering warm feeling, he nestled back into a sloped branch that always reminded him of hammock that didn�t move. He rested his back on the branch and closed his eyes as more memories poured through his mind.

Staring out across the field to where his mother was, the younger hanyou could hardly hold in his fleeting giggles. They were playing hide and go seek today�and he had the best hiding spot ever! Nestled at the top of his mother�s favorite tree, he peered out from between the evergreen leaves to watch for his mother in the distance. He could see her now and she was standing on the top of the hill, glancing about the field with a smile etched onto her face. �She was always smiling�she never let me see through that wall to what was behind it. She never burdened me with her problems�with what everyone whispered�with what everyone called her.� He giggled as she began walking towards the tree then she paused as a voice rung out across the meadow. The voice was cold and impassive to the young boy�and yet looking back today, InuYasha could notice the affection that rung in the words�unheard by anyone who didn�t know what to look for. It was the same voice that Sesshoumaru used with Rin. The voice that day had scared the little hanyou into cowering into the branches, not daring to move. He could smell the Youkai scent from the man and knew his mother might be in danger. His grandfather told him that demon�s were nothing but trouble�worthless plagues on the world. He told InuYasha that demons were dangerous. �He was right.� The voice that passed through the fields that day demanded attention. �Izayio.�

InuYasha felt a growl push out of his throat as his mother turned on her search for her young boy and a larger smile broke out across her face. Before InuYasha could blink, the man was now standing below him with his mother in his arms. The young six-year-old boy narrowed his eyes and made a face as the man kissed his mother on the mouth affectionately yet briefly. The man pulled back, his silver ponytail sparkling in the morning sun.

�Good morning, my lord. What are you doing in Beppu?� she spoke with such a diligent air to her voice, one would question if she was speaking to a lover or to a royal officer.

The man stared down at her and traced one finger down her cheeks. �I have come to see you and the boy�where is he?�

Izayio never moved but simply smiled and let her eyes drift upwards. InuYasha pulled himself closer to the branch, wishing to become invisible as he spied down on his mother and this man who he had seen but a handful of times before.

Inu no Tashio stared upward for a moment, his eyes immediately settling on the outline of his son in the mix of the evergreen tree. A look passed through the man�s stoic eyes that made InuYasha cower before the lord turned back to his mother. �I�am having�issues�Izayio, back in Tokyo. I wanted to come here personally to warn you�to tell you�� the words fell away from the lord�s face as he no longer could face the woman he had shamed so ruefully into baring him an illegitimate son that he could not take care of properly.

Izayio nodded slowly and moved forward to embrace the demon, resting her head on his chest. �I understand.�

The demon lord looked down to the woman and paused. �I may not��

Izayio nodded sternly, placing one fingertip to his lips. �As I said, I understand. Just...not in front of our son��

Inu no Tashio looked up again to see a white blur of hair accompanied by two ears that he had grown to love so much disappear into the tree again. With a very small smile to the woman that vanished almost immediately, he commented, �it seems my boy is shy.�

�Careful is a better word.�

�Indeed.�

And then he was gone. InuYasha had later learned that his mother had met him one last time on the hill after tucking the youngster into bed, and returned to the house almost as silently. He hadn�t been able to place the smell that accompanied her until later in life�after experience had overwhelmed innocence. He realized the smell had been tears�she had been sobbing under the strenuous parting. Both were not fools�they knew what was going to happen. Neither InuYasha nor Izayio saw his father again after that day.

InuYasha opened his eyes slowly halfway, a look of complete sorrow encompassing the hanyou�s face. �He returned home knowing that Launia was going to set him up�that she was going to get him killed.� He blinked away and looked down to the gravestone. �How did you do it mom? How did you keep so strong?�

InuYasha groaned wearily, tired from the long night journey and mentally exhausted from the day. It had taken every bone in his body to get him here�coming back had gone against every moral he had. When he left for America with Launia and Sesshoumaru, he vowed never to return here�to this place. To be here now�knowing what he did in his past�in his short lifetime; it hurt. With a grunt, InuYasha rolled backwards off the branch and landed on both of his feet on the ground with the agility of a cat. He looked down once at the grave and fresh flowers that lined the stone. �I love you mom.� Turning his back to the tree�to the grave�he walked soundlessly out of the field towards town. �And miles to go before I sleep�and miles to go before I sleep*�. He reached the old Iron Gate that blocked the field from the opposing countryside hills. Opening it slowly, he glanced once over his shoulder and smiled softly, �I�ll make it right mom, I promise.� With lingering steps, he began the ten-mile walk back towards the main center of Beppu City and to his hotel. Tomorrow he would take a taxi out here and deal with the family.

~*~*~*~~**~*~*~*~**~~**~*~*~*

Kagome slammed her fist into the front door a few more times before sinking to the steps, her head in her hands. Miroku scavenged around the grounds, nearly sure that InuYasha had mentioned something about a key under a flowerpot�or a pot of something. Sango sat down on the steps next to Kagome and wrapped one arm around the young girl, resting her head on her friend�s shoulder. �I�m sure they are fine, Kagome. Maybe they just had to�run�out somewhere.�

Kagome blinked back tears and looked sadly to Sango, �I doubt that, Sango. He would call me�I know he would. InuYasha would never just up and leave unless he�� she broke off the sentence as a voice in her head screamed, �unless he was fed up with you and your mother and all the intervening. Bankotsu and Hiten came to bring him home, you know that! He probably finally gave in and went back to Kyushu.� She cringed and squirmed on the step, resting her head on top of Sango�s. Very quietly, she added, �what if he left me?�

Miroku crouched down in front of the two and put one of his hands on each girl�s knee. �Lighten up, you two�moping won�t make the three of them materialize. What about Ryen, I�m sure he knows something.�

Kagome blushed suddenly, her eyes falling to the floor. �I really�really�don�t want to see Ryen right now�� she clenched her jaw, not wanting to say anything more about the traumatizing experience at her house the previous evening. She closed her eyes and tried to fight off the memories. The afternoon had gone smoothly enough until her mother told Kagome to stay on the couch with InuYasha and InuYasha grew �bored� of the movie. Next thing she knew her mother was yelling, InuYasha had been nearly pulled over the couch by his ears in the grasp of a very angry older male demon and her mother was saying something about never seeing the light of the sun again. Yeah�there had been some light interaction. �And when I say light, I mean heavy�� she grimaced again, wincing at the memory that was fresh in her mind. His hands had slipped under the blankets that had surrounded the two as they laid together watching one of the �God Father� movies. Next thing she knew, his mouth was latched onto her neck, gently kissing her, one hand had become intimate with one of her breasts under her shirt and his other hand was working its way into her underwear. She had heard the cough from Ryen when he caught the spike in the couples scent but had ignored it, forgetting completely about just whose company she was in. Ryen had given them the grace of a second warning cough when InuYasha�s hands once again came to close to her nether-regions before pulling the hanyou over the couch roughly, one hand on his neck, the other on his ear, without a third warning. That only excited her mother into grounding her as well. It wasn�t as if he had actually touched her�.

Sango shot Miroku an inquisitive glance, as Kagome seemed to have ventured off into her own world of memories that flushed her face. Miroku�s grin grew wide and Sango kicked out a foot gently, nudging the boy and tipping him over to end up sprawled out on his back on the walkway to the mansion. �Hentia, get your mind out of the gutter and focus on what we need to know.�

Kagome yelped as Miroku�s hand was ripped from her knee and shot a glare at Sango then at the boy. Her face turned to an even deeper crimson shade, as she muttered, �Just don�t ask.�

Miroku rubbed his neck as he stood up slowly, then offered the girls a hand to stand up with. �Come on�we�re doing no good here. We might as well go back to school and wait to hear anything from them.�

Kagome stood with the boy�s help then pulled away from him. �No�I think I�m going to wait here.� Her eyes turned back to the mansion as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Inuyasha�s cell again, to see if things had yet to change. No�the phone rung once then went to his voicemail. Sighing, she snapped the small plastic device shut and shoved it into her pockets. �Where are you InuYasha? Are you mad at me? Are you okay?�

Sango stood as well and kissed Miroku on the cheek, making sure that he knew she was playing with him earlier then flashed him a worried glance. She turned and walked towards Kagome, �the hell you are going to stay here. Come on, you�re going back with us. Who knows who is still around here looking to get revenge? This isn�t a safe place to be by yourself.�

Kagome flashed Sango a determined set glower, �I�m not leaving.�

Miroku sighed and glanced down the driveway, watching the gates slowly open to admit another person. �Uhh�guys��

Sango ignored the monk as she pulled at Kagome�s arm, �yes, you are. We are all leaving.�

�Guys��

Kagome rolled her eyes and pulled her arm from Sango�s grasp, �look, I need to speak with InuYasha to make sure we�re okay�I�m worried. Something just doesn�t feel right.�

�Sango�Kagome��

Both girls snapped their heads around and screamed, �What?� then blanched. Standing in front of a Kawasaki motorcycle was their favorite police uncle. Kagome blanched and immediately looked to the ground, her cheeks sporting a healthy pink tint, and Sango gulped. �Ryen�what brings you around here?�

Ryen took off his helmet and dropped it onto his seat and then took off his black mirror tinted sunglasses. Stuffing them into his back pocket, he crossed his arms slowly, �I could really ask you all the same. But see, I get this cool little excuse to be here�it�s called ownership; I own this house. So�what�s your excuse?�

Miroku blinked once then rubbed the back of his neck, �well�we are looking for any of our three buddies that reside here.�

Ryen glanced at Miroku and tilted his head back to think for a moment, �well, Sesshoumaru has Rin at the doctors��

Sango and Kagome both snapped their full attention towards the older demon, �what�s wrong?� they asked in unison.

Ryen chuckled and held out his hands then walked past the three kids to the door. Pulling his set of keys from his pocket, he undid the locks. �Nothing is wrong, don�t worry yourselves. They just needed to talk to someone about things that don�t concern you.�

Kagome smiled and closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. �Sesshoumaru got Rin help. Good, it�s about time.� she opened her eyes slowly and swallowed hard, �what�about InuYasha?�

Ryen turned to look at Kagome with a rather set look of confusion etching his face. �You mean he wasn�t with you at school?�

Sango licked her lips slowly; dread working it�s way into the corners of her mind. �If that baka really skipped down with those two idiots�I swear I will have his balls as wind chimes before the end of the week.�

Miroku shifted his weight nervously, and shook his head slowly.

Ryen scratched behind one of his ears, the air of the group telling him his answer. �Well�that wasn�t expected.�

Kagome blinked a few times, and then narrowed her eyes. �What do you mean not expected?�

Ryen shrugged and made a face, �I honestly expected the baka not to leave your side. To hear he�s anywhere else but�� he laughed and shook his head, �don�t worry about it, Kagome�I�m sure he�ll turn up. Probably got cold feet for the day or something�maybe wanted to clear his mind. Your mom kind of bitched him out something nasty yesterday, Kagome��

�With Bankotsu and Hiten?� Sango clamped a hand over her mouth and winced, she hadn�t meant to voice that. She snapped a look of apology at Kagome whose eyes had widened considerably and turned to walk towards Miroku�s car without another word.

Miroku closed his eyes and sighed as Sango ran to comfort her friend with a shower of apologies and half hearted attempts to make her think otherwise. �Do you think,� Miroku asked slowly, �that he would do something so foolish as leave town with those two delinquents?�

Ryen tottered in the doorway of the house for a moment, his gaze passing Miroku and looking over to Kagome and frowning. �I don�t think so but I�m going to have words with the boy when I find him.�

Miroku nodded briskly, �throw in a whack for me, will you?�

Ryen nodded then pulled out his cell phone. After dialing a number, he waved at the group, �go back to school�I�ll find him.�

Miroku bowed once curtly then walked to his car, yanking the car keys away from Sango who was standing with Kagome. �He�s on it�he�ll find him, don�t worry Kagome.�

Kagome didn�t seem convinced as she climbed into the backseat of the car. �I really don�t want to go back��

Sango rubbed Kagome�s knee from the front seat and gave her a warm smile, �don�t worry, Kags, we�ll find him. It will be fine.�

Miroku started up the car and drove out of the circle and out of the mansion. He was worried�he knew InuYasha was an idiot but this was really pushing the limit. Would he really skip town with those two jerks? Something inside of him doubted it and yet�he was missing. Miroku pulled out his cell phone and dialed the boy�s cell phone number. After one ring, the phone sent the call straight to voice mail. With a scowl, he put down his phone and cast Sango a disgruntled glance. �He�s monitoring his calls�something isn�t right. Where is he? Where would he go?�

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*

�You�re where?�

InuYasha ripped the earpiece of his phone away from his ear and grimaced. He paused mid step on the long deserted road and rolled his eyes. �Damn, old man, you don�t have to take my fucking ears off!�

�What the fuck are you doing in Kyushu?�

InuYasha scowled and looked around the peaceful countryside. He was nearing Lake Shidaka, which indicated he was about seven miles still from his destination. With a sigh, he dropped into the grass and closed his eyes, �look, Ryen, I ain�t answering to you. All I�ll say is I have shit I got to take care of.�

Ryen scowled while rummaging through the mansions refrigerator and stood up to glower at the phone, �you know I could be there in an hour if you keep this fucking game up. Now tell me the truth, you little shit; what are you doing there?� he laughed at the barrage of curses that ensued that one.

�Fuck you old man, I ain�t telling you.� InuYasha let out a deep sigh and stretched his back. �Besides, I didn�t tell you where in Kyushu I am so you could search all fucking year.�

Ryen made a face at the phone and tapped his claws on the marble counter top, �InuYasha�did nothing that we spoke of last night sink into your mind?�

InuYasha made a very similar face on his end at the same phone and rolled his eyes, �why the fuck do you think I�m here?�

Ryen let out a rather exasperated breath and shrugged, �to whack off with those little shits you run around with?� his tone lost its playful edge as he leaned his weight into the counter. �Look, InuYasha, I don�t know what you�re doing, but I�m no one to tell you to come back. I will say this though, I�m hoping you have good reasons behind your disappearance because one, Kagome�s worried sick and two, if I find out that you�re there with Bankotsu and Hiten��

�Don�t get your panties in a twist, old man; I�m here by myself.�

Ryen crushed the can of soda he had pulled from the refrigerator in his hand and yelped when it retaliated by blowing up in his face. Dropping his phone, the older demon swore loudly then grabbed a cloth from the sink, wiping down his face and then his phone. With a rather incredulous look, he glanced around him then to the ceiling and grimaced. �Hey Yash?�

InuYasha had been staring at his phone wide eyed after he heard the yell then flinched at the sudden change to his uncles tone, �yeah?�

�When does house cleaning drop by to spiffy up the place?�

InuYasha cocked one eyebrow and blinked, �we don�t have house cleaning.� Another swear blasted through his phone and InuYasha yanked away the phone from his ears, cringing at the sudden rash of ringing that echoed in his ear. With a growl, he yelled into the phone, �don�t fuckin do that�

Ryen snapped back, �look, don�t do anything stupid, Baka, and I might let you live when you get home. Call Kagome and get your ass back here.� Without letting his nephew get the last word in, he snapped his phone closed and stared at the mess that covered the ceiling and countertops. �Fuck!� The silver haired man walked hastily to the sink, his long silver braid swinging behind his head as he moved. He washed off the cloth first then began wiping down the counter and walls. Dropping the cloth into the sink, Ryen washed off his hands before pulling his coke-soaked shirt off of his body and depositing it in the sink as well. �Thank god for under shirts.� He looked over the dark blue muscle tee he always wore under his uniform top to make sure it wasn�t stained before walking from the house to the driveway to glance towards the detached garage. �Fucking wonderful�who the hell doesn�t keep fucking cleaning supplies in the damn house?� he grabbed his keys from his pocket and hit the automatic door opener that he had installed on his car keys and walked his motorcycle into the garage, grabbing a bottle of floor cleaner, a mop and a bucket on his way out. �People who don�t wash their own shit, that�s who.� He walked back into the house and kicked off his shoes. Filling the bucket with hot water, he began slowly to clean the ceiling with the mop then took care of the floor. After a long moment of cleaning, he dumped the bucket out in the sink and stared at the patch of wet floor. �Fucking brat�I should have killed him when I had the chance. If he didn�t piss me off�.� He laughed at the thought and dug back into the refrigerator. Pulling out another can of coke, he pushed it far away from his person before going back in to grab sandwich meats. With a growl, he dropped to his knees to pull out a bag from the back.

The front door opened very slowly, too slowly to be one of the three resident brats. Ryen paused in the middle of the refrigerator raid and reached to his side. Luckily, he had been on break from police duty and had his eagle on his side. Unbuckling the hoister, he pulled the gun to his side before sniffing the air carefully. His eyes widened to the fullest extent as he got a good whiff of the intruder. �Holy hell�you have got to be shitting me. Can my day get better?� He stood up slowly, using the reflection on the refridge to see the elegant form of the woman pause in the kitchen, her eyes catching the glimpse of white hair, a wife beater, and black slacks. He grinned when her voice rang out.

�You shouldn�t leave doors unlocked, little boy�didn�t your mother teach you anything?�

Ryen could feel his face twisting into a near sadistic smile as he remained still. �She thinks I�m Sesshoumaru. That stupid bitch has the audacity to walk back into this house after setting up her sons�not once but twice, to be killed! I should kill her where she stands! No�this is so much better. Let her see me for who she thinks I am.� Letting his voice slip into the normal Tashio stoic tone he used only when seriously pissed or threatened, he replied coolly, �what are you doing back here, wench?�

Launia stared at the back of what she thought was her son with a sneer on her face. In her right hand she clutched a small .52 caliber pistol that she kept with her for her safe keeping. She had been asked�no ordered�to return to the mansion to retrieve one thing that was needed to ensure the family�s downfall for their crimes. Without that sword that gives life, her and her associates could pick off the people those bastards cared about�one by one. They had killed Sesshoumaru�s love once�and when Launia had found out she nearly jumped for joy. But then news traveled downwind that he had a sword�a magical sword. It had sounded like some diluted fairy tale to her�something she didn�t believe. But then she learned different. Apparently her husband had three swords forged at some point in his life that was kept here at the mansion. One that had the ability to raise the dead, another that had the ability to take life and the other, and the strongest of the three, had the ability to destroy almost everything and open the gates of hell while it was at it. Heaven, earth and hell, she had been told by some people. That is what they represented, and it was what she needed to take from her bastard sons before they figured out how to use them. The retaliation would not work well if they could fight back. Then there was that damned cop who just always got in the way, but that was of little matter. He would be dealt with.

Launia wasn�t the mastermind of the plan�she was really far from it. yet she was the one who knew the house�the one who could get in. so she had basically been volunteered to do this mission and she knew there was no other choice. Now she stood in the last place she ever wanted to be again. She hadn�t expected to actually run into her estranged son, though. Maybe his bitch�maybe that bastard�s half brother�but not Sesshoumaru himself. A part of her burned at the thought of hurting her flesh in blood�but she easily could sway that thought. �His father was tainted�he�s tainted�he does not deserve to live.� Toying with the pistol, she narrowed her eyes to slits at his person. �You�you son of a bitch�I hope you know this is all your fault! Because of you my lover is dead�my son behind bars�I hope you�re happy, you arrogant little shit, because by time I�m done with you, that half-breed obscenity and your little whore, no one will be able to tell whose body is whose.�

Ryen clenched his jaw and straightened his back. He turned slowly to look behind him at the woman, the smile never leaving his face. �What are you saying about my sons?�

The look that crossed Launia�s face would have sent Ryen to the floor in a fit of laughter on a better day�hell�any day. It was a look that Ryen knew would stay with him for the rest of his life. It was small slivers of justice that he could help get back for his brother. Her jaw slacked at the base, gaping madly at the ghost who was in her refrigerator. Her normal fleshy face was pale white, all color having drained to the floor the moment he turned to her. Her normal crystal blue cynical eyes were wide with absolute terror. �I�Inu�Inuno�� she rubbed her eyes furiously then gawked wider as the image didn�t vanish.

Ryen stuck the gun that was clenched in his hand into the back of his pants barrel first; making sure the safety was on. He took a step towards Launia, placing the bologna sandwich that was in his left hand down on the kitchen counter. Crossing his muscular arms, he leaned back and looked over the shell of the woman in front of him. He hadn�t seen the wench this close since high school. Back then she was decently pretty�her white blonde hair always perfectly straight and spotless, her blue eyes always so malicious and spiteful. Now her hair was in a messy bun, her face pale and lined with worry lines and crows feet around her eyes. She looked forty years older then when he last saw her. With a sneer, he looked over her with a controlled glance. If he were to be his brother, he would need to act the part. �Launia�it has been a while.�

Then in an act of sheer desperation, the wench dropped the gun to the floor and lunged into the stoic Youkai�s arms sobbing. Thick fake tears matted her cheeks like raindrops on a windowsill. �Oh, Inuno�I thought you dead!�

Ryen shoved her away from him and slapped her, open handed, across her right cheek, sending the bitch to the floor. Fighting with his thirst for vengeance, Ryen dropped to his knees beside Launia and pinned her to the ground with a hand around her thin throat. Holding her tight to the ground, he growled, �wench, you dare to touch this Inu no Tashio? Are you mad, woman? You, the insufferable wretch who plotted behind my back with my bitterest of enemies and lay in their bed as well�the bitch who set me up to take my life? You dare to lay your filth-ridden paws on me? I should kill you where you lay.�

Launia�s eyes widened in panic as she choked back, �I�m�sorry�my lord, I�m so sorry. He made me�hypnotized me�into doing those things. It was like a hex. I would never hurt the man who I loved so dear��

Ryen spat back, his blood igniting in absolute rage, �I should tear your throat out! Tell me this, whore, did he hypnotize you after you allowed him to defile you in our bed or before when you kept your scandalous behavior behind his bedroom door?�

Launia struggled against his grasp then sputtered when the pressure increased on her neck bones, �I�m sorry, my great and wise lord�I failed you. I fell for weakness, much as you did. I was lured by lust and made its prisoner. Please, forgive me!�

Ryen tightened his grasp and stood up, picking her up with him and slamming her into a wall to pin her there, a foot off the ground. �Tell me this, bitch; did you help Naraku plot against my sons?�

Launia�s eyes widened as the smell of fear overwhelmed the demon�s sense of smell. �No�never. I would never plot against my own flesh and blood.�

Both eyes traveled back to the kitchen to the fallen weapon that lay abandoned on the kitchen floor before his eyes dug holes into her skin. Ryen snarled, �speak the truth wench and I may consider letting you walk again in your pathetic existence you call life!�

Launia gulped audibly and looked behind Ryen. A flicker, like a candle in the midst of a storm, of disgust flashed through the female demon�s eyes before she verbally lashed back, �yes, you stupid fool. I did plot with Diegosan to kill the boys and when he was incapable of doing so, I spoke to the one who I knew�or thought�could get it done.� She looked over Ryen�s form with a steel resolve glistening back into her eyes. That was the Launia he knew and hated. �You wretch, how did you survive?�

Ryen brought her forward inches before slamming her ruthlessly back into the wall. �Bitch, I am the one doing the talking! I survived where you failed�where that miserable burnt corpse failed! Tell me, Launia, did your transactions with the son mirror those with his father? Did you jump into his bed as well?�

Launia�s eyes darkened as she snapped back, �Naraku is like a son to me, you arrogant bastard! To suggest me sleeping with him would be the same as me sleeping with my own flesh and blood! How feeble minded you are to focus the basis of a work relationship around sex. But then again, I forgot, you are used to dealing with whores!�

Ryen backhanded the woman, dropping her to the floor with a spilt lip. He numbed the urge to kick her in her stomach as he circled her body like a lion its prey. �You�re right, Launia�I married one, did I not?�

Launia scoffed and spit back, �that�s why I wanted you dead! You and those wretched children of yours!�

With as much control as he could muster over his rage, Ryen reached behind him and pulled his handcuffs off of his belt. Dropping his knee into her back, he grabbed one of her arms. �You are under arrest under the charge of conspiracy to commit murder as well as being an accomplice in an already carried out murder case that is currently under investigation by yours truly.�

Launia laughed in his face and pulled at her arms, �let me go, nave, you are no officer of the law!�

Ryen�s sadistic grin returned with malice as he grabbed her roughly by the front of her shirt. Pulling her face to face with him, he called out, �that�s where you�re wrong. I am a cop, Launia�I�ve been one for twenty years.�

Launia�s shrill laughter raked through Ryen�s bones like nails on a chalkboard, �don�t make me laugh, you insolent fool! You could never harbor such a job! To keep that bitch and that bastard child of yours from me was one thing, but to lead a double life as well? You speak of my being arrested for murder; tell me�what murder charge is that when there is no evidence that I have done anything wrong? You are alive!�

Ryen narrowed his eyes and called out in a sudden dangerous even tone, �look harder, bitch. You have always been a fool, Launia�always.�

Launia recoiled, obviously confused by the circles that the Tia-youkai was running around her with. �What matters do you speak of? Are you mad?�

Ryen pulled her towards the door and paused to open the garage door. Turning to look her dead in the eyes, he spat back, �I�m not mad, my dear�but maybe you are.�

Launia blinked once and began thrashing about under his touch, �let me go this instant. I demand answers! I demand to call my lawyer!�

Ryen scoffed and dragged her to the police car that he kept nestled away in the garage for when he needed to patrol the streets. Opening up the back seat, he grinned at how pale she suddenly became. �Like hell, you stupid wench. Request denied on grounds of you being a back stabbing slut. **�

Launia�s mouth dropped open as he shoved her into the back of the squad car. �Wait a damn minute��

Ryen turned to look at her and cocked his head to the side, �what is it now, wench?�

Launia�s eyes darkened as she stared up at him, �who the hell are you?�

The sunlight wormed its way into the garage, lighting up his molten glare setting it nearly ablaze in fury as he stared down at the woman in the car. He felt his lips twitch up to for a small grin, �what is the matter, Launia�you don�t recognize your own brother in law?�

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~

InuYasha checked into the motel and made his way up to the small room with trudging steps. Nearly breaking the door open to the bedroom, he turned on the light and sighed happily. The room was tiny�a small dresser and a television graced the front of a big mirror and a queen sized bed took up half the room. Turning and slamming the door shut, he bolted the two locks then began to peel the layers of clothes off that he wore on his path to the bathroom. He hadn�t packed a bag�he hadn�t packed anything really, just his wallet, a frown and his shoes. He had walked out of the mansion at eight last night and got on board a ferry leaving Tokyo at 9:30pm. The ride was twelve hours long and to say he liked boats was a giant overstatement. He spent the night with his head on the railing of the tiny vessel, violently heaving every thirty minutes�twenty five times all together in one night. It was worse then any high, hangover or acid trip he had ever had. When he reached port, he kissed the ground numerous times before shoveling down some breakfast at a local diner then beginning the ten-mile trek out to the middle of nowhere. Now it was about four in the afternoon and he could finally rest. Pulling his soaking wet shirt over his head, he picked it up and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the hot water to the small shower and smiled as the steam warmed the room. He struggled out of his blue jeans then threw them into the corner along with his top, pulling his boxers away with them as well. His skin was clammy and freezing�he could hardly feel his toes or his fingers for that matter.

Cringing, he stepped into the heated water and shivered involuntarily. The water splashed against his body and he lolled his head back with a sigh, letting it wash the sea salt out of his hair and off his skin, the mud and dirt from the walk to and from the field from his legs. The dirt that clung to his soul�the self-loathing for abandoning his mother�s grave�seemed to finally begin to loosen from his inner depths and wash down the drain with the rest of the filth. With a relieved sigh, InuYasha placed his arm on the tiled shower wall and rested his forehead against his skin. Everything had happened so fast that led up to him being here�events that he would never thought possible yesterday morning. He would never have thought himself to return here�never. And yet last night, sitting under the clouded night sky, he realized everything�and it hurt.

InuYasha leaned out his third story window to find his brother sitting a few feet down on the roof, his head turned towards the sky. InuYasha grimaced and looked up into the rain and mist that surrounded the chateau and then back to his brother. �Yo�baka�what the fuck are you doin� out there? Get in here before you get yourself sick!�

Sesshoumaru didn�t turn to look to his brother, he simply held out one finger putting proper emphasis on his point. �Youkai do not get sick.�

�No shit Sherlock!� InuYasha wanted to slam his window shut�he wanted to laugh at the boy but somehow he couldn�t�somehow he understood. With a grunt and an action he didn�t even understand himself, he climbed out onto the roof and sat himself next to Sesshoumaru. For a moment, neither spoke�they simply stared up into the clouds that loomed overhead with dangerous intent. InuYasha blinked ever so slowly then tilted his head to look to Sesshoumaru, �How is Rin doing?�

Sesshoumaru met his brother�s stare and growled, �How do you think she is doing?�

InuYasha cringed and shifted his weight. It was nearly seven PM but with the black thick clouds, one would have thought it to be near midnight. �I�� he paused and swallowed hard, �if there is anything I can do to help��

�There isn�t.�

InuYasha glowered at the boy and held up his two hands, �I�m just trying to fuckin say I�m here to talk, if you want to but geez, asshole, don�t bite my dick off about it. I�ll leave you to your wallowing then.� He started to get up but something wouldn�t let him�maybe it was his brother�s blank stare, or the frazzled and tired look in his eyes�or the fact that for one second, InuYasha could see through his brother�s normal strong barrier of self preservation and saw how much he was hurting, how helpless he felt. Maybe InuYasha was personifying it�maybe he was transposing his own fears of being in a similar situation onto his brother�but what he saw he would never forget. He frowned and put a hand on Sesshoumaru�s shoulder, keeping it there even as his brother feebly attempted to shake it off.

Sesshoumaru glowered at the younger boy for a long time, his eyes never leaving the matching set of amber eyes that glowed in the night sky. After a moment, Sesshoumaru blinked away and looked to the sky again. �What you have�InuYasha�with Kagome�why do you risk it? Why do you chance losing her?�

InuYasha blinked and let his hand slide off his brother�s shoulder. His eyebrows drew together in confusion as he shrugged, �what are you talking about?�

Sesshoumaru let his head hang down to his chest lazily for a moment with a loud sigh, before tilting his head to his right to glance at the hanyou, �are you truly the baka I have claimed you to be? Do you not see what you are doing to your relationship with that girl?�

InuYasha cocked an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru and asked incredulously, �What the hell are you talking about, bastard?�

Sesshoumaru sighed again and rolled his eyes, before resting his elbows on his propped knees. He stared out into the distant city for a long moment before shaking his head, �you don�t even see that you�re pushing her away, do you?�

InuYasha matched his brother�s pose, pulling a pack of cigarettes out of the front pocket of his hoodie and lighting up a smoke. �I am not pushing her away, Sesshoumaru. I�m really not. You don�t see what we see��

Sesshoumaru scoffed and shook his head, �which is a good thing, baka, because I would have to shoot myself if I, for even one moment, understood the methods to your madness.�

InuYasha sneered at the boy before offering him a cigarette. �I love her, Sesshoumaru.�

Sesshoumaru stared at the box for a moment before sighing deeply and agreeing to the smoke. He used his brother�s light, that he so willingly offered him, and took a deep drag on the nicotine. It was better then the booze he had consumed�but didn�t numb the burning pain. �You have an odd way of showing it, baka.�

InuYasha shrugged and laid back to rest on his elbows on the tiled roof. �Just cause I can get it up doesn�t mean you have to hate me�I�m sure you�ll get over this complex Sesso��

Sesshoumaru had the urge to throw the hanyou off the roof but reframed for the moment with a low growl, �InuYasha, stop your blabbering. It is annoying.� He sighed and exhaled the smoke from the cigarette. �You say that you love her�and yet all I see you do is shoot your mouth off, tell her you love her then proceed to coerce her into having sex with you at the stake of her reputation, her relationship with her mother and those who are her friends��

InuYasha sat up and growled, �Now wait a damn minute��

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow and stared at the boy before blowing a cloud of smoke in his face, �you cannot hide behind the word �love�, InuYasha�you can�t just taint the girl in the name of fun then claim that you love her.�

InuYasha pounded his fist into tile, growling back dangerously, �I do love her�just as you love Rin.�

Sesshoumaru stared at InuYasha as if he had grown a third head then laughed once callously, �You honestly believe that you love Kagome in the same aspect that I love Rin? Hanyou, you do not know what love is! You claim that you love this girl but are all too willing to hurt her. That is not love, InuYasha, it is lust�and you two are playing a dangerous game of mixing the two together��

InuYasha growled deeper and barked back, �shut your trap, bastard�I love Kagome!�

Sesshoumaru blinked once then turned to look back towards the city of Tokyo. �Tell me, InuYasha�if she were to tell you tomorrow that her mother forbade her to see you after school hours because she feared that Kagome was falling behind in her classes�what would you do?�

InuYasha rolled his eyes and pulled the cigarette from his mouth to tap against the end of two fingers, �tell her mother to shove off, that�s what.�

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes with a deep sigh, �and tell me�would you care about how Kagome felt for this? Would you care that it would jeopardize her relationship with her mother?�

InuYasha narrowed his eyes, �where are you going with this?�

Sesshoumaru tapped the burnt paper off the end of his cigarette and rested his head against the soaking wet roof, �you care only for what is good for you�what gets you off for the time. You claim that you have changed�and yet the only thing that you have changed, InuYasha, is your faithfulness and your drug intake factor.�

InuYasha was on his feet in a moment, �you don�t know shit about what you�re talking about! I am so sick of you fuckers telling me I�m not in love with Kagome. Damnit to hell, Sesshoumaru, I know I am!�

Sesshoumaru whipped his head up from the roof and spat back, �then act like it instead of the seven year old child that you won�t let grow up!�

InuYasha flinched as if struck then grew angry. His eyes darkened as his upper lip rolled back to a snarl, �what the fuck did you say?�

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and scoffed, �you refuse to let a part of your soul go, InuYasha. You refuse to grow up, like that infernal fairy tale of that stupid little boy. You refuse to think about anyone else in the long run but yourself and what is good for you.� He shifted his weight to face his fuming brother.

InuYasha shook his head, trying to process each thought that ran through his mind as well as the information that Sesshoumaru had just dropped on him. �Look, bastard, let�s get one thing straight, I love Kagome. I do look out for her well being��

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow and shifted his weight, �by destroying her reputation by tarnishing her in the stairwell of the high school or by knocking her up?�

InuYasha rolled his eyes and nearly screamed out in frustration, �do you all think me completely incompetent? I�m not a fucking ingrate, Sesshoumaru; I know when I can get her pregnant! You all fucking act as if every time I fuck her, I�m risking something! You fucking know as well as I do that I can only get her pregnant on the nights of the full moon, when my Youkai blood is the strongest or on the night of the new moon, when I�m human. You fucking know that, you shit head, why do you keep trying to use that shit against me?�

Sesshoumaru let a very small smile grace his lips, �that is my point. You say, �you all� in reference I shall guess to Ryen, Kagome and her mother as well?�

InuYasha blinked then took a drag from his cigarette before putting it out on his arm and throwing it into a puddle of water that lingered on the roof, �I�that is��

Sesshoumaru raised another eyebrow and shook his head slowly, �selfish. You know that you cannot get her pregnant and yet you allow her to worry�allow her mother to worry. That is why she keeps you two apart, you know�because she thinks you an insatiable animal that will probably knock up her daughter.�

InuYasha grimaced and swallowed hard. �I have meant to tell Kagome�it just never seems to come up.�

Sesshoumaru huffed once and shook his head, �again, selfish��

InuYasha blinked once and shook his head, turning his attention back to the countryside, �whatever, bastard. I love her as much as you love Rin.�

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes with an inward wince and frowned, �would you be willing to die for you human?�

InuYasha didn�t look at his brother and yet answered without missing a beat, �I would lie down and die voluntarily for Kagome. I would do anything for her��

Sesshoumaru squashed the butt of his cigarette on his shoe before throwing it off the roof, �then why do you treat her like trash?�

InuYasha snapped his head towards the older demon and growled, �I do no such thing.�

Sesshoumaru turned and in a very un-Sesshoumaru like movement, reached out and flicked the end of his brother�s nose. �You are worse a baka then I originally thought. Can you not see the difference between how you treat Kagome and how I treat Rin? Can you not see the difference between how Miroku treats Sango? Respect, InuYasha�you have no respect for the girl as a person, as a female or for her body. You use her when you want her and cast her away with harsh words when you do not. Today in chorus is the best example�but I can think of many others. You are leading her on, InuYasha, and if I know you, you are only going to hurt her in the end.� He moved back when InuYasha took a lame swing at the boy with a closed fist. Grabbing his brother�s receding arm, he pulled the hanyou closer, �you treat her like a whore and then when she is near breaking, cuddle her until she is nearly healed then with a smirk, you rip back open the wound.� Pushing the hanyou away, Sesshoumaru stood slowly, an all together far away and painstaking glimmer in his eyes, �I would kill to be able to have Rin the way you have Kagome�to be able to touch her freely and yet our relationship is strained because of what has happened. There have been nights where I could have laid my claim to her, InuYasha�I could have taken Rin without a second care�and yet I didn�t because I knew what it would do to her later on. To be in love, InuYasha, means to sacrifice your needs to meet the others�to be able to open yourself up without reserve to your significant other�to be able to trust the other. Kagome has done all of these�and she has continuously sacrificed herself for you�she has given up her friends, she has given up her reputation, she has pushed away her mother�s restrictions�all without a bat of the eye to make you happy. Tell me, InuYasha�what have you given up for her? Drugs and booze; all stuff that you do not need�. What have you truly given to her?�

InuYasha growled through the beginning of the boy�s speech but by the end, sat staring at his brother slack jawed. �What have I given up for Kagome? What have I sacrificed?� he blinked a few times and then dropped his gaze to the roof.

Sesshoumaru let the silence of the night be his answer. Looking back out to the skyline, he blinked slowly, �she loves you without prejudice, InuYasha. She loves you for who you are inside and out�you will never find another girl like her, I can swear you that on father�s grave. And if you continue down the road you are heading, you will lose her, do you understand me?�

A stern cough echoed from above the two at a higher portion of the roof. Ryen sat staring into the heavens as well, at the top peak of the roof, his hands behind his head and the tiniest glimmer of a smile on his lips, �am I interrupting something?�
InuYasha wrinkled his nose and barked back, �don�t do that, old man�I don�t like not being to smell people who are around me.�

Ryen sat up and stared down at the two boys before sliding down the roof to sit to their left. �Sesshoumaru knew I was here�we were talking before you moseyed your way out here, slacker.�

InuYasha glanced at Sesshoumaru, who was once again staring out into the darkness as if it contained the answers he was seeking then back to the older demon. �Feh.� Sticking his chin into the air, he tried to gather his dignity from its shattered shards, �whatever you two say�I know I love Kagome��

Ryen looked at InuYasha and frowned, �I know you do, and just as I know for some odd reason she is completely head over heals for you as well. You two kids though need to tone down that�� he cringed and rolled his eyes, �mating�habit of yours. Keep it in your pants, InuYasha�I�m serious.�

InuYasha shot the man a deep glower then turned his attention to the puddles of rain on the roof. All three were already soaked through their clothes by the pouring rain but it didn�t matter�Youkai did not get sick.

Ryen exchanged a glance with Sesshoumaru then lifted his eyebrows, �hey Yash�have you thought of what car you want yet?�

InuYasha turned to look at Ryen with weary eyes, �come again? I thought the rules was to stay out of Kagome�s pants��

Sesshoumaru pointed out, �which he has failed miserably at.�

Ryen made a face and shrugged, �maybe�tell you what, we�ll discuss that more tomorrow. I need to know what you want though so I can start looking.�

InuYasha shot Ryen a long stare then with a slight smirk, he muttered, �well, a 2004 Maserarti MC12 would be acceptable��

Ryen laughed loudly then dropped the expression in an instant, �in your fucking dreams kid. That car is a racecar�they aren�t even releasing the freaking things into the streets yet. Besides, that is well over a million dollar car.�

InuYasha shrugged and grinned wickedly, �who said anything about a budget limit?�

Ryen snapped back, �same guy who told you to keep it in your pants, but you didn�t listen to that. Do you have a selective hearing problem, cause I�m thinking that you do? �It�s knows as Bakaism.�

InuYasha flipped him off then jumped when the demon reached out to grab his hand, more so, his finger and stuck his hand to the floor with wide eyes. His mind kept traveling back to his brother�s words and insinuations. �What have I done�why didn�t I see this earlier?�

Sesshoumaru and Ryen exchanged glances then both sighed quietly. Ryen stretched and cracked his neck to both sides. �If you ladies excuse me, I have places to be.�

InuYasha reached back and held a hand in front of Ryen before he could pass by, ��does her mom hate me?�

Ryen scowled and swallowed hard, �well, son, that�s hard to say�hate you, no. I have never known Kauai to hate anyone. She isn�t fond of the way you disrespect her daughter, even in the name of love�and was really not happy at all with what happened today.�

InuYasha blanched as his eyes darkened. �Is Kagome still alive over there?�

Ryen cringed and laughed lowly, �well�she is, but like I said, her mother isn�t to happy. I�m not either, mind you, but you ain�t my kid so I can�t discipline you. I will, however, kick the living shit out of you the next time you pull some shit like that, got me?�

InuYasha nodded slowly and quietly added, �tell her mom I�m sorry?�

Ryen snapped back, �tell her yourself, baka�I think you really need sit down and talk with her�and her daughter. They have a right to know what�you�entail of.�

InuYasha blinked then nodded again, and sat quietly as Ryen walked back across the roof and blinked after he jumped off the edge. He shook his head slowly and looked to Sesshoumaru, �I��

Sesshoumaru shook his head once. �InuYasha, I care not to hear any more of your bullshit tonight. Go to bed�get some sleep�and make things right in the morning. You have a lot to atone for.�

InuYasha frowned and slowly stood, �what about you? Are you coming inside?�

Sesshoumaru blinked then looked back towards the city, �no�not yet.�

InuYasha nodded slowly, �I know me and you have never been on a good standing with each other�I don�t think that is really going to change much�but, Sesshoumaru�I am here if you need to talk or just have someone to smoke with�. I know what Rin is going through isn�t easy�.�

Sesshoumaru cut him off, �you know nothing of what Rin is going through, though your feeble efforts are respected.�

InuYasha kicked a loose piece of tile towards the older demon carefully, letting it fall right before his form, �if you lose yourself out here, she won�t have anyone to rely on. Just�be there for her, and when she�s ready, she�ll come to you. She loves you, Sessh�.she�s just scared.�

Sesshoumaru blinked and swallowed hard, �I will handle Rin, don�t worry about it. Go to bed.�

InuYasha smirked and nodded once, walking back into the house. He stood in his room, his brother�s words echoing in his mind, �you have a lot to atone for.� His eyes seared in a brief memory of his mother and he realized, with some large amount of dread, that if he wanted to do it right, he would have to go back to square one.

InuYasha blinked open his eyes and groaned under the water. Holding his face to the stream of water, he let it flow over him. �I have to call Kagome�I have to try to explain what is going on. She�s tried to call me and is probably beyond pissed�but�what am I going to tell her, what can I say over a phone that she would believe? I know that disappearing isn�t helping what we have, and I know I�m going to get my ass handed to me, but I�ll be able to show her�I�ll be able to explain everything that she needs to know. Then�� he shut off the shower and grabbed a towel, quickly drying off his body, �then I�ll make it right between us�I�ll tell her everything she needs to know. I�ll give her everything she has given me. We�ll be right and not heaven or hell will be able to break us apart. I owe her that.�

~*~*~*~~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*

so�.this is I think the longest chapter that I have written thus far and it was a really spur of the moment thing, honestly. But it�s going places�promise. So yes, Mommy dearest takes center stage!!

- got a couple chapter notes to post. This one goes out to a few fans that have been�upset�with Yash�s behavior and lack of decorum. I want everyone to take into mind that I have skipped at most five days of story in the 52 chapters I have written. If I were to give the crew a date on which they met, I would saw the first Friday in October. The week that it has come to is the first Thursday in November. He has known Kagome for all of a month�and think of eight years of being a delinquent. He has changed for her�he isn�t drinking nor is he doing drugs but for him to turn into our loving yet gushing prince charming�it isn�t gonna happen. I like my boy with a little flare�he is never going to be a �normal� guy with her�yeah, his approach sucks as he learned in this chapter but I�m not going to mutate him into a much better character, and hopefully these next couple chapters will help in explaining his dysfunctions.

Quote- *- taken from Robert Frosts �stopping by the woods on a snowy evening�. A great poem, I would suggest it. basically it�s a story of a guy who just stops out at woods in the middle of a snow storm on the worst day of his life and thinks about how lovely to sin would be (or for that matter, as one of my many professors have determined it, to kill oneself to get rid of the pressure) but he has responsibility that he must attend to before he can rest, therefore not think of it.

**- I actually did some research, cause I really was going to have fun with Launia�s Miranda rights�but then I found out there are no Miranda rights in Japan�the prisoners really have NO rights. They can even be declined counsel, which is what Ryen does. intresting fact of useless knowledge (for now).
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Curse of the Dragon