Bonds of Resonance

Chapter 3: Unrest

"You have both been s-summoned, my Lord."

It had been a week since the meager stag had stuttered those words. A week since the Council of Elders had sent some peon to inform the daiyoukai of his immediate, required Summons. The underlying insult to the youkai's pride and station was rather significant (especially if his suspicions were correct in who had orchestrated how the message was delivered).

It did not help the daiyoukai's mood any when his brother had walked into his study earlier that day during a private meeting between Togi and himself. They had been right in the middle of discussing the Summons, in addition to how, or rather who was sent to deliver said Summons.

A eunuch... they'd dare to insult him to such a level?! Sesshomaru thought darkly just before his sibling opened his beautiful, naive mouth.

"What's a eunuch?" Inuyasha had asked, plopping down onto a cushion without a care in the world. "And, uh- What are we talking about?"

Sesshomaru's glare narrowed further as Togi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Tact, it seemed, was not something Inuyasha carried in his very limited arsenal.

Sesshomaru and his Head of Guard had been discussing the ramifications of a certain inuyoukai eviscerating half his staff, if only to take his frustrations out on someone other than declaring outright war on the invincible Council. Granted, whenever Sesshomaru and Togi "discussed the ramifications" of something, it usually meant Togi doing his best to reign in the rather temperamental inu's insatiable appetite of retribution (regardless of whose blood was shed, or whether it was a rational notion or not) where his pride was concerned.

Sesshomaru had answered the hanyou's inquiry of what exactly a "eunuch" was, his tone clipped, still highly incensed over the entire occurrence, while Inuyasha could only stare in silence, wide-eyed.

That particular incident was days ago, and since then the demon had calmed down, the brothers having silently decided to deal with "the Summons" when it happened, not before. It was only when they had finally (nearly) relaxed that it did happen.


- - -


The daiyoukai sat on his balcony watching in amusement as two supposedly mature beings rushed back and forth across the main gardens, one laughing merrily and the other squwaking in complaint. Though this time, the squawking wasn't from an exasperated Jaken, but a rather disgruntled Inuyasha.

Rin chased after the hanyou with what Sesshomaru had come to find was one of the half-demon's greatest fears. The demon snorted, his eyes dancing in merriment at the memory of earlier that day when both Rin and he had first become aware of Inuyasha's silly, irrational phobia.

It had poured for the first few hours of daylight that morning, disturbing the many plans Rin had set up to begin at dawn during the one day the demon lord had taken off from barricading himself up in his study working. The woman-child had stared outside, pouting at the rain until the ominous grey clouds finally dispersed. She coaxed the two inus into taking a walk around the gardens with her so they could all enjoy the fresh smell of rain while engaging in a one-participant-contest (Inuyasha refused and Sesshomaru neither agreed nor declined) of who could locate the most rainbows.

She led their group, Sesshomaru walking contentedly behind her bouncing step as Inuyasha trailed morosely behind him. Even though the hanyou followed, rather dejectedly, he made sure to still grumble his immense dislike for going outside (in addition to why he hated it) after it rained, complaining to himself more than anyone else.

However, when Rin caught the last part of the half-demon's whiney rant ("-horrible... abundant, gooey, gross demonic spawn of sick. Why am I following you sadists?!"), she paused in her step, looking back to inquire further.

"Inuyasha-san? What do you find 'gooey and horrible'?" Rin had asked curiously, having been about to ask what a "sadist" was but refrained when Sesshomaru shot his sibling a disapproving look before continuing to walk past Rin, the girl falling into step with the hanyou behind her lord.

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull at having been heard, though he complied with the girl's request and, in a painfully embarrassed, though completely serious tone, answered, "Mimizu..."

Both Sesshomaru and Rin froze mid-step, either turning to face Inuyasha completely or angling their neck to look back at the flushed male.

"What?!"

Sesshomaru was the first to recover. "You are... afraid of-"

"I didn't say I was AFRAID, jackass!" Inuyasha snapped, crossing his arms and huffing.

"You sound like they make you uncomfortable, Inuyasha-san," Rin said next.

"That's not the same as being AFRAID is it?! And besides, you stuck up prick-" Inuyasha continued on his tangent, now directing his embarrassment toward his sibling instead.

Rin regarded the angry, sputtering half-demon for a moment before she knelt down to the ground, fumbled around in the grass and stood back up upon finding her quarry. She held it up in front of Inuyasha's face for him to see.

Inuyasha paused in his rant, eyes going cross-eyed before he realized what it was he was looking at.

And he nearly tripped over his own feet as he stepped back. With each step Rin took forward, Inuyasha would nearly launch himself backwards, doubling the space between them; him, her, and the mimizu.

That was when the chase began, and where it currently was now; Rin running rather un-lady like after his brother whom was shouting obscenities, as Sesshomaru could only watch and muse over.

It seemed Inuyasha truly was afraid, not just uncomfortable, around the earth dwellers that were known as "worms".

It wasn't a moment later that Sesshomaru let out a chuckle at the mere notion of someone who wielded a six-foot sword possibly being afraid of a six centimeter invertebrate, when he sensed a group of people his brother had yet to, his mood turning as gloomy as the sky had been earlier that day.

The daiyoukai glared over toward the north wall, all traces of humor long gone, as one hackle-raising thought crossed his mind.

THEY had finally decided to show up.

A small entourage that had been sent by the council suddenly appeared in front of the group on top of the main wall. While Sesshomaru had sensed them a moment before, their presence only now invaded Inuyasha's senses upon their landing. Without skipping a beat, the hanyou stopped mid run, whirled around, and grabbed Rin by the elbow, shoving her behind him protectively. He then brandished Tetsusaiga in a single, graceful maneuver and released the Wind Scar.

Had the entourage been from anywhere else the youkai would have put a stop to Inuyasha's instinctual behavior, but, as it was, the seven beings on the wall were from the Sky Residence, and so the youkai kept silent, letting things play out for the moment.

The messengers dispersed with surprised shouts as the gargantuan wave of power obliterated a good portion of the wall. They dropped back into formation closer to Sesshomaru where they presumed they'd be a bit safer.

"Who the hell are you!" Inuyasha yelled, still shielding Rin behind his back, aiming the Earth Fang at the intruders regardless that his brother was directly behind them.

The demon brigade seemed shocked that the hanyou would still continue to brandish his formidable weapon at them even with his sibling standing so close... Was he insane?!

"Inuyasha, that will be enough," Sesshomaru's bored voice said suddenly. The half-demon frowned but put his sword away. "They have come to escort us to the Summons."

The demons nodded once, remaining silent.

"Keh, use the door like regular people, woulda ya? When you just show up outta nowhere like that you're bound to get your heads sliced clear off your shoulders that way. I thought you were some sort of assassinating ninja brigade," Inuyasha fussed, walking toward them. Nudging Rin out from behind him; his off way of letting her know she was safe.

With that the brothers said their goodbyes to Rin and left with the Council's messengers, all respectively orbing or flying up to the Sky Residence, Sesshomaru insisting Inuyasha and he orb together rather than summon his cloud for alternative reasons. Orbing would allow the brothers the ability to talk without eavesdroppers (as well as for the fact that it was more intimate than just standing on a cloud of youki).

Sesshomaru grabbed the protesting half-demon and secured an arm around him, pulling the shorter body against his chest tightly. Inuyasha shut up the next moment, blushing slightly but ceasing in his objections. As their bodies changed from form to ki, the youkai's mind reached out to his sibling's.

"Inuyasha, do you remember our discussion regarding the hierarchy of demon society?"

"I think so..." the hanyou answered slowly.

"Then you will do well to keep your comments in check as well as to yourself," Sesshomaru warned seriously.

Inuyasha's heart beat picked up in full understanding.

That's right... Even with how powerful and feared Sesshomaru was... he was still, comparably, weaker. Not in only position, but also in political power and strength, to the people they were about to meet with.

It was a hard notion to get around, that his sibling didn't actually have sunshine pouring out his ass as Inuyasha had always presumed, that his brother did indeed take orders from a higher power. That higher power being the Council of Elders.

The hierarchy of demon society went like this:

At the very top was the Hier (or Head) Councilman, also known as the Hier Elder, the one who had the absolute final say in anything and everything that the demon society dealt with. The Hier Elder in current power, and had been for as long as anyone could remember, was Hier Elder Mujishimaru, a kindly old demon, though very strict in his reign.

Under the Hier Elder were the High Councilmen, a total of five demons that represented a specific part of the Island. The High Elders were Shuguuru (representing the West), Himoto (representing the North), Furin (representing the South), Utami (representing the East), and Kushimiho (who represented the small chain islands off the main Island). The High Councilmen, while essentially rulers, only handled matters regarding their land with issuing their decisions (and mainly resided in the Sky Residence, rarely stepping upon land), while their vassals, the Sectionals, handled the bodily, landly matters directly.

The Sectionals, also known as "High Lords" or "Daiyoukai", were basically the maintainers of their sectional domain within one of the five parts of the Island, and there were anywhere from one to four high lords appointed to one domain. In the West were the Sectionals, Lords Hisumoshi and Sesshomaru, overlooked by High Elder Shuguuru. The North and East had three Sectionals, while the South had one, and the chain islands had three as well. The number of Sectionals per domain depended on the size of the domain, and then to a lord's competency in ruling that domain.

Beneath the Sectionals were the Collectives, whom were referred to as the Sectional's "appendages", which were mainly representatives of castle towns and smaller, surrounding towns, respectively.

Needless to say, Sesshomaru was one of two Lords of the West, answering to two higher powers than he, and no matter how he looked at it, Inuyasha couldn't help but feel out of place when he though of his position (or lack thereof) in the articulate and ancient tree of power the demon society had established long, long ago.

And as his brother and he broke the clouds and came upon the Sky Residence, he felt more than a little unnerved with his lack of position, never mind his surroundings. While they were led down a long stretch of balcony and in to an impossibly large room, he wondered if they could really handle this Summons thing now that it was happening...

Taking their seats, Inuyasha glanced around the room, noticing all of the nasty looks he was receiving, ones that weren't just the typical "What is a lowly half-breed like you doing here" kind of looks he knew so well and received throughout the majority of his life.

What the hell? First Sesshomaru had been suspiciously withdrawn for most of the week yet needy with the hanyou (an odd combination in and of itself surprisingly) but then to come here - upon demand no less - and get all these worse than death glances from people he didn't even know? What... the HELL?

Something was definitely not right.

"Hey, Sesshomaru, what's this about anyway?" Inuyasha asked, turning to regard his brother.

The youkai, a hard look still plastered on his face, finally answered Inuyasha fully since they'd received the Summons.

And all the half-demon was able to do aside from take out Tetsusaiga and make his brother eat the damn thing, was to stare, trying to remember to hold his tongue and not start shouting.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed angrily as he demanded to know why he wasn't told about it sooner, why Sesshomaru would keep the fact that he was in trouble because of his choice of wanting to be with Inuyasha, and only Inuyasha.

"It is not your burden to bear," Sesshomaru replied solemnly.

Inuyasha stared for a long time in complete astonishment before tersely replying, "You are such an idiot."

The demon gave Inuyasha a look that told him his patience was nearly non-existent as it was and to not test it. But test it the hanyou did.

"Not my burden to bear... keh! If you didn't know, there's two of us in this... (the hanyou motioned between them) whatever the hell this is. It most definitely concerns me! Don't tell me it's not my burden to bear, too, stupid jackass," the hanyou hissed, looking away as his mood turned sour. Instead of attempting to be the higher person by not acknowledging that he knew people were glaring at him, the frustrated inuhanyou gave in and started glaring right back.

"Inuyasha," the youkai began, his voice strangely soft compared to his cold features.

"What the hell do you want now?"

Before Sesshomaru could continue with whatever he wanted to say, the room's occupants stood, their attention turning toward the back.

The Elders had arrived.


- - -


The five High Elder Councilmen were in a state of frenzy when Hier Elder Mujinshimaru, the Head, and most powerful, of the Council, explained why the two brothers, as well as the rest of the council, had been required to attend a prompt and rather unexpected Summons.

"What?!"

"This is absolutely ridiculous!"

"It's unheard of!"

"I refuse to accept this... rumored decision as true, young Lord," said another Elder, distaste rolling off his tongue.

"I concur with High Elder Furin. Why would you feel you can have no other at your side, why are you so insistent of this matter? What possible reason could be important enough to-"

The daiyoukai in question did his best to restrain the glare that was building upon his brow at their distrust of his own judgment, never mind the dismissive reference they used in regards to his sibling. He nearly wondered, what with their audacity as it was, why they hadn't just asked what they truly wanted to know outright; Why love a half-demon? Why wish to devote your remaining days to the hanyou your father sired with a human?

As if to challenge the silent demands of his decision, the youkai opened what was sure to become a floodgate.

“Reason," he began tightly, facade melting from one of anger to contentedness as his eyes slipped over to meet his sibling's, finishing with, "is unneeded.”

One sentence, full of meaning and silent messages, not only for his brother but for the ones that would think to threaten their bond, conveyed: I will keep him by my side; I will not relent in this decision. Cease in questioning my judgment. Should you challenge this further, you will have effectively declared war against not only my brother and myself, but against my entire Household as well. And, rest assured, I will be the one to end it, my life be damned. As yours will be, too.

The unspoken promise was heard by all, an uproar erupting among the attending aristocrats as well as a good portion of the Council.

A wrinkled hand went up, silencing the room with a non-verbal threat. The Head Councilman reigned control over his attending people before addressing the Lord of the West.

"Your decision, Lord Sesshomaru, is based on your wish for him (the Elder sent a short look at Inuyasha) to be your life beta?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened perceptibly, his gaze shooting from the Lord of the Old Codgers to his sibling in a heartbeat.

"Correct." Sesshomaru was definitive as Inuyasha blushed slightly, trying his best to keep a mask similar to his brother's on.

Shocked gasps exploded once again, murmurs rushing all around the room in droves.

The old man sighed, raising his hand again, the room silencing instantaneously. "Then you leave me no choice, young Lord." The demon leaned to his side, whispering something to his co-council that neither Inuyasha nor Sesshomaru were able to pick up. With a slow nod to his brethren, the old youkai turned back to the brothers. "Lord Sesshomaru, young Lord Inuyasha," he called them forward. The siblings stood, walking to stand before the front of the Council. "We have decided to postpone our approval or declination of this decision-"

"You can't do that-!" Inuyasha started, stepping forward to protest automatically.

"SILENCE!" a court guardian, the council's guard, yelled out, taking a step toward the hanyou in warning.

"Let him speak," the Hier Elder said calmly.

Inuyasha nearly stuck his tongue out at the guard before focusing on the situation at hand.

And regretting having said a thing in the first place.

Everyone was staring at him, waiting for him to say something grand or... amazing. And all he had really wanted to say in the first place was, "Look, whether you agree with our decision or not... it's none of your business. Being with me isn't gonna change the way my brother runs the West. If anything it'd be more of a benefit for you guys."

The Hier Elder seemed amused at the half-demon's outburst while others looked horrified and or appalled at the half-breed's brazen attitude and blatant show of disrespect. "And what benefit would that be, little one?"

Inuyasha flinched at being referred to as "little one", though managed to open his mouth and form coherent reasons. "Well... for one, he'd learn to be more patient. I have a... talent, I guess, of testing that a lot, I'm told," the hanyou mumbled.

The Hier Elder laughed aloud, startling the assembly.

"'sides, I'm sure you've seen it yourselves, how much stronger he's become," Inuyasha added.

The Elder smiled kindly, about to respond when one of the more prickly Elders beat him to it.

"I wouldn't say Sesshomaru has become stronger necessarily, little half-demon. If anything, I would say he's become... soft. Weak, some might dare to say. This is merely speculation passed between commoners, of course." Harsh whispers enshrouded the room at the High Elder of the West's remark.

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull, glaring hard at this new old codger. Who the hell did he think he was saying that so casually and right in front of Sesshomaru!

"His reign and power went undisputed from the moment he inherited the title of Daiyoukai two hundred years ago. He is nearly four-centuries old and is still unmated. His father was mated when he was two hundred! To have waited this long, never mind choosing his illegitimate half-brother, a hanyou no less, as his life beta? Preposterous. Aianka would be rolling in her grave were she still alive to see such a shortcoming in judgment."

As the youkai spoke, Inuyasha's hackles had raised significantly, absently wondering who this Aianka person was the Elder mentioned, and before he realized it, he opened his mouth and forgot to keep his comments to himself.



"No one asked for your opinion, ya old crazy!" Inuyasha snapped, far too incensed to care much for administering decorum, never mind respect, to demons who saw him as nothing more, and no older, than a newly sprouted blade of grass the first spring had to offer... And he was indeed that, in all regards, compared to their ancient, rock-old millennia of life.

A collective gasp undulated through the room of attendees.

"You have no idea whom you're speaking to, boy," came the low reply, eyes narrowing dangerously at the half-demon before darting to Sesshomaru. "You ought to keep the one you wish to have as your bitch in line, Sesshomaru."

Out of the corner of his eye Inuyasha barely caught the tell-tale sign of his brother's anger shivering its way through the demon's armor clad body. Sheesh. If Inuyasha was close to losing it (too late actually), it was a wonder that his sibling was remaining in control of his temper and hadn't gone for the jackass's throat and ripped it out with his poison claws! Keh, had Inuyasha had his sibling's green whip thingy he woulda already been slapping the bastard's face silly with it!!

"That will be quite enough, Shuguuru," the Head of the Council, Hier Mujishimaru, admonished his comrade.

The old guy with the foul mouth, now known as Shuguuru, slit his eyes at the command but kept his mouth shut as the Hier turned back to the brothers.

"My apologizes, young Lords. This whole ordeal, while you have stated is none of our business, young Inuyasha, has still thrown us into disarray. We will convene for the time being and come to further conclusions, hopefully, the next time we meet. For now, however, you are free to return to your home. We will call upon you again when we see fit."

And as simply as that the Summons was over. The attendants picked there things up and began popping out this way and that. Before long, Sesshomaru and he were also making to leave the floating castle, the daiyoukai securing a strong arm around the hanyou's waist, having not spoken a word to him directly since the beginning of the trial, and orbing them back to the Household in complete and utter silence.

Inuyasha sighed. For a moment during the hearing he thought he'd gotten through to the leader of the Council of Elders, the Head Elder. Yet... Inuyasha couldn't help but feel that whatever they were going to take the time to "discuss", it would still not bode well for either him or his brother.

After all, unlike what his friends, what even Kagome, had come to believe through the love stories their human ancestors passed down from one generation to another... they all held one bitter truth, even if it was a skewed way of looking at it.

Love, while only powerful when experiencing it and only eternal when remembered, it still wasn't something that was everlasting in the end. It would always be... unable to stand the test of time should - in time - someone forget that love. And unfortunately more often than not it was usually overcome by self-preservation when an opposing force was intent on severing the bond.

But sometimes, in the very rarest of occurrences, the bond between people won out.

Even though Inuyasha felt he knew the outcome of his own relationship, even though he could pretty much anticipate what the Elders would decide, he wondered... Would it still be worth having felt the way he did? Would he still fight the Council's dooming decision regardless if it cost him his life? Would he still go against fate and remain in opposition, regardless if his brother gave in to the demands of his superiors?

Would he fight a losing battle?

A flash of light signaled the hanyou's brain that they were now at the entrance of their ancestral home, a sweet shout interrupting his thoughts, effectively clearing his mind.

"Inuyasha-saaaann!! Sesshomaru-samaaaaa! Welcome hooomee!!" Rin squealed, running over to them with an array of flowers.

The half-demon smiled as he caught sight of the smallest glimmer of happiness adorning his brother's otherwise vacant features.

Yes.

He would fight for this; for Sesshomaru's smile... For the demon's contented heart... For the adoring trust the young human woman before them praised the youkai with... and for the fact that he simply wanted to keep Sesshomaru with him always.

And there was no question in his mind that his brother felt the same, too.


~ * ~


Chapter end. Hope you enjoyed!
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