Sesshoumaru Wept

:::Chapter 5: Something Wicked This Way Comes Pt. 1:::

"Ahh, Ma'at, my old friend," the ancient Nepalese monk said with a smile. "How is the world faring these days?"

"Not well, I am afraid," she replied. He nodded slowly and began to walk, Ma'at falling into step beside him.

"I am not omniscient, as you know. Please tell me what I may help you with."

Ma'at considered a moment, reaching out to touch one of the epically proportioned mushroom stems while she gathered her thoughts. "I have come for... advice. You are better equipped than I to understand those of the mortal plane." She paused, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I feel I am missing something in the whole situation with Sesshoumaru and InuYasha, something that is being hidden from my eyes."

"Something hidden from the Eyes of Ma'at?" he said. "That would be a feat, would it not?"

She chuckled softly. "I do not hold myself in such high esteem that I believe myself infallible. Even gods have imperfections. But yes. It is not something that should be so easily hidden, which has led me to believe another immortal has done this."

Shakyamuni's expression became sad. "Not good. Not at all."

Ma'at remained silent. She knew from experience he would speak in his own time, and what he'd say would help her greatly. They had been walking together for a while when the Buddha finally asked: "Why are you really here?"

Ma'at sighed deeply. "Because it seems you have young Sesshoumaru's ear." She stopped walking. "There is war on the horizon, and I fear for this world if I cannot avert it. Men war with each other. Men war with demons and demons war with men. But this will bring bloodshed between the Coptic and Mortal Planes. I cannot allow it! The balance of existence is tenuous, even in the best of times. Warfare of this magnitude could severe the veils between worlds, Roushi."

The priest nodded at her words, simply listening. She gave him a sly look. "Besides, your own yaksha are guarding the sword in which Ammit is imprisoned, are they not?"

"They are indeed, Goddess," Shakyamuni said, growing serious. "The mortal realm pushes and pulls against itself in never-ending chaos. What is perceived as "good" and "evil" changes with the direction of the wind in the heart of man. I am interfering in this way because if Ammit were to be released on the populations, the balance would swing irrevocably toward one side. While I do not dare directly intercede, I have done what I can to protect what you hold dear."

He paused, a hand gently stroking his chin, lost in thought. When he spoke again, his voice was soft. "But I might be able to tell you what you are missing in regard to the sons of Touga. They are Kindred."

"What?" Ma'at snarled. She began pacing like a caged animal, her wings shuddering in agitation, as the pieces of the complex puzzle fell into place. "Then Sesshoumaru should be dead, but..."

A myriad of emotions played out on the Goddess' flawless face. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Anubis... you shall never lie to me again."


Pain lanced through Sesshoumaru's body as the slayer and monk aided him in lying on the pallet. His growl came out as more of a wet gurgle with the amount of blood still dripping down the back of his throat. The two humans backed away, not knowing if their lives were in danger from such a wounded predator as the Lord of the West.

"Send in the fox kit," Sesshoumaru managed. When he saw the doubting looks they gave him, he snapped: "I'm not going to kill him. Send him in now!"

Quickly, they retreated from the room, leaving the demon lord alone in his agony. Sango called for Shippou, who had been playing at the edge of the forest with the village children. It had taken years of assurance from Kaede and Kagome for the villagers to warm up to the small demon fox, but when they did, it was completely. Frequently Shippou could be found helping the human females with their gardening, or watching their children while they snuck off to have an afternoon tryst with their mates. Shippou bounded up to Sango, smiling.

"Lord Sesshoumaru asked to see you," Sango said, unusually somber.

"B-but why?" Shippou asked, his tail drooping.

"I don't know. He won't hurt you, though." She knelt, getting face to face with him. "But if you feel threatened, call us. We'll be right outside, so you don't have to fear."

Shippou nodded and took a deep breath. He walked into the room Sesshoumaru was in and closed the door behind him. With a few softly muttered words, the inside of the house glowed for a fraction of a second, and he chuckled.

"Overprotective," he muttered to himself, facing the dog. The fox boy approached Sesshoumaru and bowed. "My Lord, you needed me?"

"Hankomaru," the lord stated, blood running from the side of his mouth, "I need you to find InuYasha. The barrier is down and that evil dung heap is with him."

"My Lord, he does not listen to Shippou. What shall I tell him?"

Sesshoumaru considered the other's words. "Tell him... tell him I would speak to him about the painting he found. It should be enough to pique his interest. And when you are finished with that task, find Fukinmaru and send him to me also. Tell him InuYasha is still unaware of his pack and to be discreet."

Hankomaru chuckled again, like the tinkling of small bells and just as infectious. Sesshoumaru almost smiled in response to his younger brother's action.

" 'Fukinmaru' and 'discreet' are not well acquainted, my Lord, but I shall relay your message immediately," he said and bowed.

"Han," Sesshoumaru called as the boy was about to open the door. "Be careful. I trust not that miko."

"I will be, brother," Hankomaru stated. "And you get better. We can't lose another as powerful as you."

He slid the door shut, remembering to don his helpless fox kit persona as he looked between Sango and Miroku with big, watery eyes.

"H-he wants me t-to find InuYasha. He wants to t-talk," Shippou said as Sango checked him over to make sure he was unharmed.

"Will you be ok on your own?" Miroku asked. "I could come with you-"

"No!" he said, then changed his tone. "I mean, I can move very quickly by myself and the sooner I get to InuYasha, the sooner he and I can be back."

Miroku nodded. "Ok. But you know if you need me, I'm here."

"Thank you, Miroku," Shippou said, patting the monk's hand. "I'll be back as soon as I find dog boy."

Shippou padded off into the trees, following InuYasha's scent from earlier in the evening. As soon as he was out of sensing range, his body began to stretch and groan under his transformation. Two thin mokomoko budded from his shoulder blades and grew until they brushed the forest floor, and as his tail elongated, it turned snow white like his hair. His deep green eyes turned a greenish-gold with a puckish spark in their depths, lending a faery-like air to the short halfling. Two white foxy ears appeared on the top of his head with the tips black as a moonless night; his arms and legs were black, also, to just above the elbow and knee. He shook the cramped feeling off, enjoying the rare moment of being in his real form. He would be able to find their younger brother faster in this form and from what Sesshoumaru said, he knew time was of the essence. He pulled in his powerful aura which he inherited from his sire, and followed InuYasha's scent, moving as a white streak through the dense trees and underbrush.


InuYasha tucked his hands into the sleeves of his haori to hide his fingers' nervous fiddling. He may have loved Kikyou once, but that didn't mean he trusted her with knowing how uncomfortable she now made him feel. There was something... off about Kikyou he hadn't felt when she was alive, and until he could figure it out, he remained distant each time he encountered her. He frowned. He knew Kagome didn't believe he was over this love affair, but it didn't matter. Not any longer. He had wanted Kagome-and badly-until her actions (and comments) indicated to him that she didn't trust him as far as she could throw him. InuYasha sighed. Sango and Miroku hadn't helped the situation, either. Nearly a year had passed since the last time they'd discussed mating, or "marrying" to use her word, he thought, rolling his eyes. He growled softly. It would be wonderful to finish off Naraku and send Kagome back to her time permanently so he could figure out what he was going to do with the rest of his life.

The fine hairs on the nape of his neck rose sharply, his instincts screaming at him to defend himself. He whipped around and found nothing behind him. Brown eyes narrowed from the shadows as Kikyou waited for the right moment to grab the insolent half-demon. She approached soundlessly and watched him look around wildly for the predator stalking him. Closer and closer she edged until she was almost on top of him. And out of the forest sprang that damned fox InuYasha traveled with! His sudden appearance startled both she and InuYasha. Kikyou could have growled.

"InuYasha!" Shippou called loudly, pouncing on the half-demon's head.

"What are you doing here, Shippou?" he asked, pulling the kit off of his head by the scruff of his neck.

"Sesshoumaru wants to talk to you."

"Keh, whatever! The bastard can wait his turn."

"He told me to tell you he wanted to talk to you about the painting you found," Shippou said and climbed back onto InuYasha's shoulder. "Whatever that means."

InuYasha opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. It might be his only opportunity to speak with Sesshoumaru about what had happened a few nights ago, and maybe get some honest answers from the usually silent inu. He glanced around once more, hoping to be able to tell Kikyou he would be back later.

"Ok, let's go back," he said, not seeing hide nor hair of the dead miko.

Kikyou could only watch in impotent fury as her prey slipped out of her grasp. The one time he wasn't protected and that damned kit ruined it! She would get her revenge on ALL of them! As InuYasha and the fox left the clearing, the kit looked directly at her and stuck out his tongue. She screamed her rage.

InuYasha stopped, ears flicking. "Hey, did you hear that Shippou?"

"Yeah," he replied, grabbing InuYasha's head and pressing it to his stomach. "It was my belly. I'm hungry! Can we hurry up? Kagome should be back soon, and I bet she'll bring me ramen!"

"Why did Kagome go home?" he asked, picking his way through the underbrush.

"To get something for Sesshoumaru..."

The conversation trailed off as they walked out of Kikyou's range of hearing.


Kirara sited the village and dropped she and Kagome down softly. Kagome petted the transformed cat, thanking her, and heaved the heavy, yellow backpack over her shoulder. Waving a greeting to Sango and Miroku, she took her burden into the home Sesshoumaru was temporarily denned in. His eyes were closed but the tip of his moko flopped back and forth in agitation, reminding her of a cat's tail.

"The trip to your land should have taken much longer than just a few hours," Sesshoumaru said, piercing her with his gaze. "If the things you've brought do what you say they will, perhaps I shall be grateful enough to not require an explanation."

"Someday I might feel generous enough to satisfy your curiosity," she said, throwing the same look back to him.

They stared at each other for a few tense moments, and Kagome broke away first, knowing if she didn't, she'd have a very irate dog demon to contend with. She knelt on the floor to his side and pulled a needle out of her bag. The scent of the antiseptic hit his nose and he sneezed, eyes watering.

"Miko, what is that?" he forced out through the unnatural smell, as he watched her stick the needle into a vial of liquid.

"This is morphine, and it's made from opium. My grandfather needs it because as old as he is, his recent injury isn't healing very well," she explained.

Sesshoumaru scowled. "I do not need you to steal from an old human for my-"

"Oh hush," Kagome muttered, flicking the air out of the needle. "One shot is not going to hurt either you or my grandfather. Now, this part" she indicated the shaft, "will be going into your body here" she indicated his upper thigh, "or here," she indicated her own ass. "Which would you prefer?"

He gave her a skeptical look as he pointed to his thigh, not taking his eyes from her.

"It doesn't feel good to get a shot, so be prepared for a little pain like... like a bee sting, almost," she explained.

Sesshoumaru scoffed at her. "This Sesshoumaru can handle a little-OOOOOOOWWWWW!"

"I warned you," she chuckled, injecting the morphine into his muscle.

"That was more painful than a bee sting, wench," he growled and... pouted? Did she actually see the Lord of the West pouting? Her chuckle turned into a true laugh.

"You'll be fine, Sesshoumaru. In a human, it can take fifteen minutes, so I'm assuming you should be feeling it-" Sesshoumaru's eyes closed, and he fell back against the pile of furs. "Huh. About now. Well, that was faster than I expected."


InuYasha entered the village, going directly to Sesshoumaru. When he slid the door open, a strange sight greeted him. His brother had pink, glittery glasses with shiny stones around the rims on his face, and Kagome was trying her best to not laugh.

"Miko, I am unsure that these are appropriate for one of my station," he stated with a straight face. If InuYasha didn't know better, he might assume his royal pain-in-the-ass brother had just attempted to make a joke.

"I happen to agree with you," she said. "But I didn't know the strength you needed, so I bought a few for you to try on."

He took them off, and she handed him a blue pair with silver cherry blossoms on the sides. He ran his hand over the flowers, gave Kagome a look, but put them on anyway.

"Now, those aren't so bad, are they?" she asked as he looked at InuYasha, his golden eyes much larger through the frames than usual. InuYasha chuckled. Sesshoumaru picked up a scroll and tried to read.

"I am still unable to read it very well."

Without a word, InuYasha sat next to Kagome as she rummaged through her backpack, pulled out a pair of green metal glasses and handed them to Sesshoumaru. He put the glasses on, picked up the scroll and half-smiled. "These work very well. Thank you, miko."

"You are welcome, Sesshoumaru," Kagome said and began putting the other glasses back in her bag. She could return them to the store the next time she went home.

Sesshoumaru pushed the glasses to rest on his head. "Ask."

"I'm sorry?" Kagome said, confused.

"I am pleased with your gifts," he said, loosely crossing his arms over his chest. "You may request whatever you would like in return, within reason. I repay my debts, and you have done well bringing these things from your homeland."

Kagome glanced at InuYasha, nervous about the reaction she'd get from him if she voiced her desire out loud. Taking a deep breath, she chose to take the chance.

"My Lord, we could use your help to take Naraku down. We are at an impasse and cannot find him."

There it was, out in the open. She mentally braced herself for the tirade that would undoubtedly come from the younger brother. Several heart beats passed and InuYasha growled. Here it comes, she thought.

"Kagome! We don't need his help!" InuYasha yelled, making she and Sesshoumaru wince. "Wh-what... so you bring him a few things from your time and suddenly you're buddies?! Shouldn't he help just because we're related?!"

InuYasha was staring in disgust at Sesshoumaru as he spoke. The boy tried very hard to hate the elder, but Sesshoumaru could see the pain behind the mask. He wanted nothing more than to take the pup in his arms and assure him of his love and protection. But he couldn't. Not yet. It wasn't time for the truth to be revealed. Instead, without taking his eyes from InuYasha, Sesshoumaru said: "Miko, please leave us."

The pregnant lull permeated the space between them, until InuYasha flew at Sesshoumaru in a rage. All of his pent-up anger, hate, confusion and longing uncoiling in his long, thin adolescent body as his hands balled into fists. Sesshoumaru easily caught the boy's wrists and flipped him around so he was sitting on his lap, though still attempting to do damage to the full demon. He struggled in Sesshoumaru's iron grip, blind and deaf until the fight had drained out of him. It was then that he heard Sesshoumaru whispering gentle words to him, warm fingers caressing his ears.

"I hate you!" InuYasha shouted on a sob, and before he could stop, tears were rolling down his face.

"I know, pup," he replied quietly. "It's alright. You're safe. No one will hurt you now."

InuYasha threw back his head and howled out his grief. Sesshoumaru covered him with one of the furs and wrapped mokomoko around his brother. He howled until his voice broke, and they turned to soft whimpers. Sesshoumaru's thick arms were all his mind was registering, and instinctively, he nuzzled the divinely scented neck of his pack mate. His ears were flat even as Sesshoumaru stroked them and down his hair, comforting the younger inu. Feeling safer than he had in some time, InuYasha fell asleep in his archenemy's embrace.

Sesshoumaru petted the boy until he drifted to sleep, breath hitching occasionally from crying so hard. He shut his eyes, intent on dozing until Fukinmaru made his appearance. Kagome's morphine worked so much better than the opium he'd been smoking, and he was feeling stronger than he had in years, thanks to the unusual drug. He caught InuYasha's slip when he said she was from another time, filing it away to examine when he didn't have so much on his mind. He was drifting on the border of waking and sleeping when the figure of a large female lion entered the room. She appeared to be a normal lioness, save for her markings. Black, vertical lines drifted across her face, waxing and waning as they overlapped, as the colors of the aurora borealis billow and flow. She was Taweret, Goddess Demoness of Birth and Guardian of the Northern Sky; Sesshoumaru knew her well.

"My Lady," he said out loud.

~Sesshoumaru. I come to charge you to hurry. Anubis has requested audience with Osiris. Nothing good can come of it, I am sure,~ she said, her mouth not moving.

"I am going to attempt once more when Fukinmaru arrives. I am almost through the Citadel's defense. Have any noticed the hole?"

~No. Not to my knowledge. But I can keep Sobek away for only so long. He is sure to notice the breach upon his return.~

"Thank you, my Lady," he said, bowing his head. "It is more than I could have hoped for."

~When you get inside of the barrier, I will help you search for your brother. I can guarantee nothing, but I will try.~

"I am forever indebted to you, Goddess. Thank you for your help."

~Do not thank me yet, bravest Son of Touga. We have a long fight ahead of us if we are to save him.~

"I will do whatever I need to do to free him."

~I know this, child, she said as she began to fade. Be prepared, Lord of the West. I shall return as soon as I am able.~


Kagome slid the door shut after Sesshoumaru dismissed her. Though she wouldn't say it out loud, she was relieved he was going to deal with InuYasha. Sango and Miroku were working on one of the homes damaged in the last windstorm and waved to her as she came up to them. The three of them started as a pain-filled yowl split the peaceful village environment, and all of the villagers stopped, looking at the house Sesshoumaru was living in temporarily. Sorrowful howls she knew must be InuYasha's caused the hair on her body to stand up. He sounded so hurt she almost went to him, but was prevented by Miroku.

"They need to work out their problems without our interference," he said kindly. Kagome smiled at him, impressed at his insight at times in spite of how perverted he could be.

"You're right. They need some alone time," she said and chuckled to herself.

"Would you like to help?" he asked, handing her a makeshift hammer. "It would give you something to do while you wait."

"Sure," Kagome replied, taking it.

For some time they worked on the paper and wood structure, finally putting up the wall after its construction. Shippou joined them at some point, doing his best to look busy, and finally giving up when the children came to ask him to play. When the wall was secured under the heavy roof, a child came by with a bucket of water and ladle for the workers to take a break and have a drink. As they socialized, Kagome felt a nagging in her mind, where she had long since recognized her miko power originated.

"Hey," she said, looking to Sango and Miroku. "Do you feel something?"

"An older demon!" Sango exclaimed. "I haven't felt an aura like that for some years!"

"Get inside your homes," Kagome instructed the villagers as the group grabbed their weapons and stood ready.

It wasn't long before Sango pointed into the sky, toward a cloud that looked similar to the one Sesshoumaru rode. And it was racing directly to the village. When it was several yards above them, the cloud disappeared under the demon, and he fell to the ground in front of them. He landed lightly on his feet, but the sheer power of his aura washed over the area, kicking up a hard wind. He-for he was definitely male-looked like a more masculine version of Sesshoumaru, with an indigo crescent moon on his forehead and crests like InuYasha's. He was taller than the Lord of the West, and his long, silver hair was in dreadlocks and pulled into a ponytail. Around his throat was a thick steel band with intricate knotwork and two hound heads meeting in the front. Kagome immediately recognized the style of dress from Scotland, and she was intrigued as to why a Japanese dog demon would wear Scottish garb. The menace radiating from this being was too much: he was as powerful, if not more so, than Sesshoumaru. However, unlike Sesshoumaru, his power was raw and untamed rather than finely tuned, and Kagome reflexively loosed an arrow at the perceived threat. The arrow hit him above the heart, but he didn't flinch. He looked at it, then at Kagome, and laughed while he pulled it out.

"You must be InuYasha's bitch," he said, his voice deep. That he would know of her surprised Kagome. She didn't know what to say as he handed her arrow back to her with a familiar smirk on his face.

"So, where is my little brother?"