Bonds of Resonance

Chapter 6: Uncertainty

He'd promised himself the moment his grandfather made his unwelcome presence known within his home that day that he would control his temper, that he would present, there within his study, what a dignified and respectable youkai he was in his own right, regardless - yet due to - his great father's honorable blood.

And he'd sat there for little under a half-hour, and despite his vow to himself, he still found himself losing his patience and his temper within though was able to remain relatively calm outwardly as High Elder Shuguuru reiterated that which Sesshomaru had already known.

"That is our offer, Sesshomaru; You are to ascend to High Elder Himoto's position in the Council the moment he retires. You will then henceforth undergo extensive training throughout the next century, and by way of that training, will earn respect and prestige for your newly obtained position as the North's High Elder, and will hold council and equal status with that of myself, Furin of the South, Utami of the East and Kushimiho of the Islands.

"As High Elders, we are encouraged to hold council with our peers for suggestions in regards to important decisions, but ultimately make the decisions for the land and peoples in which we oversee and rule. And we answer to none in command other than Hier Councilman, Elder Mujishimaru.

"While you ascend to the title of High Elder, so will your half-brother inherit the title and responsibilities as Sectional of the West, and thus be known as High Lord Inuyasha. He, too, will go through training for the next century, perhaps longer depending on his education, or lack thereof. Unlike you, however, he will be stationed within the West's castle and will not be permitted to make the mistakes you have by wandering the countryside at whim. Should he defy the orders of his superiors, he will be summoned and dealt with accordingly; punishment will not sway from him merely because of his bloodline like it has with other subordinates in the past."

Silence encompassed the room as the old grey dog regarded Sesshomaru's reaction. When he found nothing but the acknowledging of information, he continued.

"However, of all this you know and were informed of by not only High Elder Himoto himself, but also in a document sent to you by Hier Councilman, Elder Mujishimaru.

"Collectively, you will also receive a letter from me no later than this evening in regards to the final formality before trial where we shall summon you once again on a different matter separate from the one you were called for recently. Do you understand, Sectional?"

Sesshomaru repressed the desire to snarl as he nodded his understanding, and was more than a little relieved when the old bastard stood to leave.

As the High Elder moved to look out the patio, he said leisurely, "You should also be aware of something else, Sesshomaru."

A moment of silence erupted between the two, the soft noises of nature outside otherwise deafening to their ears.

"High Elder?"

"When you accept the position- and you will- know that the moment you do you forfeit any right and or claim you may have laid upon your brother." Shuguuru opened his hand to catch a falling blossom petal upon his palm, not needing to look over at his grandson to know his eyes were uncharacteristically wide in what one could consider alarm. "Know that when you become a High Elder, your hope to mate - should offspring of such wandering blood as yours even be able to - will not be permitted for the duration of your century of training."

The Elder smiled to himself as he let the wind pick the petal off his hand and carry it away into the garden. He could hear his grandson's heart pick up at his last statement. Good.

"And should the person you wish to mate with be... otherwise in training themselves... Neither you nor your prospective partner can join in union of your mating. Not until your sacred duties to your people are fulfilled, and certainly not until he is of legal age."

"I beg your pardon, High Elder Shuguuru," Sesshomaru finally cut in, his words clipped yet cordial. "That is something that does not concern you, nor the Council of Elders."

"So you would think, youngling. But laws are what they are, and you will have plenty of time to learn, never mind contemplate, how far the extent of our laws go, as well as how each law broken is punished."

"What my brother and I do in our personal life has NO affect on-!" Sesshomaru snapped.

"Know your station, Sectional!" Shuguuru turned, eyes flashing red as his aura suddenly engulfed that of the young daiyoukai's. Sesshomaru fell short and silent, averting his gaze, though the scowl still ever present. "The moment you inherit the title of High Elder your life, your love, your passion, not even your hatred belongs to you. Everything you are, everything you do belongs to the land and people; your only focus will be on ensuring that. Should you fail, should you give into your body's desires - whether it's taking the life of another in revenge, or sharing someone's flesh and bed - you will ultimately forfeit either your life by taking another's, or sentence your lover to death after indulging in them.

"What we do is sacred, the steps to understand that concept even more so, which is why you will not only devote yourself in words but also bind yourself in blood as well. Any sin you commit while under Oath will affect your loved ones no matter how you feel you can justify them.

"Know that you will only be free of the restrictions of the Oath yet bound to its cause, when you have finished your training. So should your half-breed sibling still be training when you finish, you are more than free to take whoever you wish into your bed. Aside from him."

Instantaneous rage flushed through Sesshomaru, his reaction not going unnoticed by Shuguuru.

"Know that if you take him before your finished with both of your sacred trainings, you will lose him forever, be it by exile... or death. I will make absolutely sure of that, especially should you turn out as weak in such discipline of the flesh as that of your blood."

And with that Shuguuru converted into grey-blue energy and whisked away through the open patio doors, leaving a reeling Sectional in his wake. It wasn't long then that Inuyasha had bursted through the front doors of his study, wearing nothing but a kinagashi and his panting mouth.

In reflection, Sesshomaru couldn't help but be slightly thankful for the shock his mind was going through because he felt, for some reason, that were he as calm and collected inwardly as he was on the outside, that things would be far more dire for whatever future his sibling and he may or may not have.

- - -

Sesshomaru balanced his head against his forefinger and thumb, eyes clinched as he felt a headache coming on at the memory of his meeting with his grandfather earlier that day, and all that it entailed.

He did not notice the hours passing as he stood in thought and reflection, nor did he realize his brother and ward-servant had left him to his thoughts for just as long until he heard their light bantering coming down the corridor toward his study. Blinking slowly, Sesshomaru's eyes finally focused, his mind registering the sights around him consciously as he slid easily and efficiently from his previous, seemingly vacant state. It was only now that he realized, somewhat taken back, that it was nearly sunset, and no longer around the noon hour.

Sesshomaru glanced back toward the door as it was slid open, the noise having grown louder and more volatile, it seemed, the closer they came within range of the daiyoukai.

"Make me, you stupid, little gay bird!"

It took all of three seconds before the last of Sesshomaru's defenses shattered, quickly followed by (but not quite yet) his patience. With his control blundering under the emotional turmoil of his current dilemma thanks to the Council, Sesshomaru quietly chanted to himself as he took slow, deep breaths as the verbal chaos around him continued to escalate.

"What did you call me, you dirty, promiscuous hanyou!"

"You heard me! All those gaudy, colorful feathers, and that mop of blue hair on your head- don't even get me started on your eyes!" Inuyasha jabbed.

"Look who's talking, freak-mutant dog!"

Inuyasha flinched in his smugness, going still and then slowly turning his head to the side to regard the youth.

-before dive-bombing on top of him, tackling him to the floor where they proceeded to scuffle about.

"I'll give you a freak-mutant dog! Right after I pluck out all your feathers and make a a woman's hat out of them, you dumbass turkey!"

"I'm a peacock, not a turkey, half-wit!" Kazuki crowed back, trying to wrestle the half-demon off of him. "And if you touch my feathers, I'll skin your ears off your head!"

Sesshomaru's eye twitched a bit at that. He rather liked his sibling's oddly endearing-

"Oooh, you just try it, you little-" Inuyasha snapped, attempting to pull at one of Kazuki's feathers unsuccessfully.

Sesshomaru felt a vein throb uncomfortably in his right temple, quickly growing tired of their nearly daily habit of scrapping with each other. It also did not help matters that their bickering greatly resembled that of a pair of close yet constantly rivaling siblings... Ones that had grown up and cared for one another,... ones like Inuyasha and he should have been had he not immersed himself in his own misery at their father's death, and completely ignoring that which he had risked and traded his life for.

He'd have been lying to himself if he said that witnessing Inuyasha and Kazuki's spats had no ill effect on him. Because admittedly, if only to himself for now, he would often find himself in the company of loneliness and regret, feeling not only left out but also... slightly jealous.

"In- u- yasha," came a rather low yet powerfully enunciated command.

The horseplay ceased, both participants pausing at the request- err, demand- and looking over to the one who had intervened.

Molten eyes stared at them heavily from the balcony, the sun falling as an array of brilliant amethyst, silky oranges and deep crimsons framed the daiyoukai in a regal, yet intimidating collection of light. It didn't really help that the the demon was apparently warring within himself over something if the small amounts of his youki leaking out here and there, causing a rather sinister crackle every so often, was anything to go by.

Inuyasha and Kazuki let go of one another, either slowly separating and lowering their heads in reprimand (dumbass turkey) or falling silent in contemplation (mutant dog).

"You are dismissed for the evening, Kazuki."

"Oh, y-yes, my Lord!" and with that the young peacock stood up, bowing before his lord. He paused to share a brief look with Inuyasha, before letting himself out of the room.

Inuyasha watched as the kid shut the door, noting the concern Kazuki's face held. The boy was right in what he'd expressed through that look; something was going on with the demon that neither felt they would be able to solve for him. But the hanyou amended that thought the next minute, vowing he'd be damned if that stopped him from at least trying.

"I wish to retire for the night," the demon started, his attention turning to the darkening sky behind him.

Inuyasha's brow scrunched, "Okay, well, let’s go to our room then-"

"No, Inuyasha. I wish to retire, alone," Sesshomaru amended, still not looking at his sibling.

Silence greeted the youkai, and finally he turned to face the hanyou. What he saw nearly cracked his resolve to take time to think without distraction.

Eyes hidden within the shadows of his bowed head, and fists clenched at his side, Inuyasha bit his lip. Alone? That bastard wanted to go back to their room alone? He wanted to kick Inuyasha out of their room!?

The half-demon inhaled as steadily as he could, trying to calm himself down so he didn't do anything rash, like rush forward and start beating the tactlessness out of his jerkoff of a brother! However, he found that while his mind entertained the idea of violence currently, his heart did not and instead guided his actions to do the right thing.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said as the hanyou turned and walked over to the door silently.

"It's fine, I'll see you tomorrow," came the soft, scratchy reply. He turned around slightly at the door frame, eyes still hidden, as he uttered, "Goodnight, Sesshomaru." And with that, he closed the shoji screen, leaving the demon to do as he pleased; whether it was standing their for hours on end, or retiring for the evening. He just couldn't stay and watch as his older brother left him there to go back to their room without him.

It was minutes later when the half-demon was already gone that the daiyoukai spoke to nothing but the ghost of the feeling his brother left behind. More meaning than any combination of words could formulate trickled in the demon's voice as he merely said, "Inuyasha..."


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Author's Note: Eeep! Don't keel meehh! heh. In any case, I have the outline for the next chapter done (which is pretty much "written out" so it's not really an outline..), so it won't take long to work on ch 7. Haven't edited this so I apologize if it's rough! I'll edit it while I also work on ch 7 8D Hope you enjoyed! Lemme know what you think!