Sesshoumaru Wept

:::Chapter 6: Something Wicked This Way Comes Pt. 2:::

Anubis strode down the sandstone walled corridor, purpose oozing from his very pores. His immaculately braided hair swung free from its confinement in time with his noiseless steps. Two large carved doors graced the end of the hall, and he knelt on one knee in front of them. On either side of the doors were Osiris' guards-tall humanoid creatures with the heads of Nubian Ibices, large curled horns on either side of their heads.

"Why have you come, Son of Ra?" they asked in tandem.

"I have been granted an audience with Osiris, great ones," Anubis replied.

"Enter," they said and moved to allow him passage. The doors creaked open and candlelight spilled onto the warm brown sandstone floor, and the doors shut when he was fully inside.

The room was not as Anubis had expected. It was sparsely furnished and even more sparsely decorated. Incense burned in small holders at either side of the archway leading to what appeared to be a balcony over looking the gods' lands. It was in this archway that Osiris stood with his back to the jackal god. Long flowing robes of blue enshrouded his green-tinted skin, and the atef crown rested on his regal head.

"Anubis," the revered deity said in greeting.

"My Lord."

"Why have you requested an audience with me?" Osiris asked, still not facing Anubis.

"I come to discuss an important matter with you," he replied, not stepping any further into the room.

"And what matter might that be?"

Silence stretched out between the gods, and Anubis spoke again: "Permission to go to war with the Son of Touga."


Sesshoumaru lay stroking InuYasha's hair when Fukinmaru's bigger than life presence came within sensing range. InuYasha whimpered in his sleep and curled more closely to his brother at the appearance of the powerful alpha male's aura, and Sesshoumaru tightened his moko around the boy, assuring him that he was protected. Many, many years had passed since last he'd seen Fukinmaru-many years before InuYasha was born. They were inseparable to the point whispers flew around the castle hinting that Fukinmaru could have found his first mate. Sesshoumaru sighed. So much had changed.

He heard Fukinmaru land outside, and the foolish miko attempting to kill him. He would have rolled his eyes but he was too dignified to do such an uncouth thing, even in the face of such stupidity. He felt his heart begin to beat faster as the deep voice of his eldest brother rang out. Sesshoumaru couldn't believe he was actually getting nervous. But this wasn't just anyone. This was Fukinmaru. The door slid open, and he almost jumped-almost-when the massive form of the inu stepped through, sliding it closed softly behind him. It never ceased to amaze Sesshoumaru that such incredible power could be harnessed to perform such a mundane action as shutting a door without tearing it off of its hinges.

They stared at each other for a moment. Then Sesshoumaru dipped his head in greeting, lowering his eyes as he did so to acknowledge the older alpha and patriarch of the inu clan. While Sesshoumaru was the Lord of the West, having inherited the title from their sire, Fukinmaru was the eldest male in the family, and as such, never submitted to Sesshoumaru.

"You came," he whispered.

"You need me," was Fukinmaru's simple reply.

A near inaudible whine came from the back of Sesshoumaru's throat, a slight sound Fukinmaru was sure none but he would ever be able to hear. It was a desperate sound. He stepped forward and the whine turned into a deep-chested growl.

"MINE!" Sesshoumaru exclaimed, his moko bristling. Fukinmaru noticed the movement and knew whatever the pup believed he had claimed was covered by the fuzzy appendage.

"Yes, yes, little brother. Yours," he said, moving slowly forward to kneel beside the younger male. "May I see what belongs to you?"

Sesshoumaru hesitated, but uncurled his mokomoko from InuYasha's head. Fukinmaru's expression grew sad, and he reached out a hand to gently run the back of it up one of the furry ears.

"So it's true." He looked at Sesshoumaru. "Why didn't you send for me?"

"All of my energy has gone to keeping us alive," he replied, looking away. Fukinmaru cupped Sesshoumaru's face and placed his forehead against the younger brother's forehead, looking him in the eyes.

"We will take care of this oversight, pup. I am here now."

They stayed like that for several minutes, strengthening their bond. Reluctantly, Fukinmaru pulled away and stood tall in the room, his two moko billowing to either side of his large body.

"What does the Lord of the West require from this one? As ever, I am at your service, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru covered InuYasha again and tossed a scroll to the taller dog.

"This is the missive I have received from the human ruler Hideyoshi," Sesshoumaru stated and waited for Fukinmaru to read it. As his eyes scanned the meticulously written letter, his brow furrowed.

"He is tactless," Fukinmaru said, eyes still roving the paper. "What would you like me to do?"

"I believe he knows I will deny him entry. I would ask that you confirm my suspicion and find Hideyoshi's army. I think it will be camped out close to the Western castle."

The patriarch nodded once and rolled the scroll up once more.

"Consider it done, pup," he said. "I shall return in a day's time."

"I will be attempting to get through one more time," Sesshoumaru said to Fukinmaru's retreating back. The dog stopped. He looked over his shoulder.

"Promise me you will be careful, Sesshoumaru. The West can't afford to lose you," he said, and then considered his words. "I can't afford to lose you."

"I will prepare before I go and do my best to come back whole."

Fukinmaru nodded. "That's all I ask."

And he was gone.


In the south of Japan, a large mass of demon troops was walking. Amid the foot soldiers were wooden carts covered with grey and blue tapestries with golden dragons crawling through golden clouds-some carts being pulled by demon dogs yoked together, and others being pulled by demon snow lions. Scattered throughout the innumerable bodies were immense sloth-like and dragon-like beasts with howdahs strapped to their backs to carry the army's supplies. In the troop, demon soldiers stood beside human soldiers and exchanged friendly, hushed banter. In the middle of the moving horde were a number of carts housing mates, wives and children of the assembled. Some humans were on short, rugged Mongolian horses with saddles that were once brightly colored, but had lost the sharpness of color in the sunlight from fading. The men were in thigh-length deels, baggy breeches and khurims. Their boots were black and turned up at the toes, and almost all wore sharply pointed hats with a brim of grey fur. On pikes carried by the horsemen and horsewomen were flags with a black sun and crescent moon adorning the colorful fabric. At the head of the army were two inuyoukai in humanoid form, flanked by a number of private guards. On the taller male's forehead was a black sun with rays extending outward, and the shorter male had a black crescent moon. They each held a child and to their sides walked three males and four females. Night was becoming day, and they paused to watch the sun rise.

"It is good to be home," the taller male said.

"Indeed it is," the other replied.

They said nothing more as the horizon seemed to catch fire in the land of the rising sun.


Outside of the house, Sesshoumaru finished tying his black obi. He was up and about for the first time since InuYasha brought him back to the village after his collapse, and he was already preparing to go out again. He made a thoughtful noise as he noticed his clothes fitting more tightly than he remembered and tugged a bit on the hem of his haori. He held his arm out, marveling at how short his sleeves were and checked out the leg hems of his hakama. He realized he had the miko to thank-specifically, the shot she gave him. It allowed his body enough of a reprieve from fighting the high level of pain so it could focus on his growth; a positive thing, considering his second mokomoko should have grown in by this point in his life, and he should have been much taller. He flexed his hand once, feeling a renewed strength and steeled himself for his final assault. Sesshoumaru frowned. If it didn't work this time, he wasn't sure he would live long enough to try again. It had to work.

InuYasha and his pack were milling about at a cautious distance from him. Even injured, their experience with the demon lord taught them a valuable lesson in giving the wounded dog his space. Sesshoumaru observed them covertly as they studied him, the monk outright staring. It amused Sesshoumaru that they would whisper to each other about his person, thinking he couldn't-or wouldn't-hear them. All except the demon slayer. She kept her thoughts to herself but for some reason, did not apprise the others of his superior hearing, a fact she would have known due to her line of work. Interesting. Sesshoumaru was tucking Tenseiga into the obi when Fukinmaru appeared without warning, holding his aura in very closely to his body. Sesshoumaru watched InuYasha's reaction out of the corner of his eye, as the pup's ears went flat against his head, and he scuttled a bit closer to the humans.

"Damn me if your intuition isn't spot on every time," the elder said, landing gently but still putting the humans on edge. "They are encamped a day's march from the castle. Your men haven't sensed them because there is an advanced concealing spell on the area."

Sesshoumaru sighed. "I had hoped I was wrong."

"Not this time," he said sadly.

Sesshoumaru put the final touches on his warring clothes and turned to InuYasha's pack.

"What is your name, slayer?" he asked.

"Sango, my Lord," Sango answered quickly, stepping forward and bowing.

"Sango, would you please braid my hair?"

Sango's eyes went wide at the request. Having studied demons since she could talk, she knew exactly what honor the Lord of the West was bestowing upon her.

"Yes, my Lord. I would be honored to," she replied, and almost interrupting her, InuYasha growled and spoke.

"Braid your own damned hair, bastard!"

"Stand down pup," Fukinmaru barked back at him, and InuYasha's ears slowly fell into his hair as he retreated once more, unsure how to respond to this dominant dog.

Sesshoumaru handed the leather strip to Sango and knelt up formally, with his ass on his heels and hands on his thighs, elbows outward. He did so in order for the much shorter human to be able to reach his sheet of hair. His eyes were half-lidded in meditation as Sango brushed it out first. With deft fingers, she meticulously separated it into segments, wanting the braid to be just as clean and functional as the one he first appeared with some days ago. Efficiently and quickly, she twisted the silky hair into a warlord braid and tied it off so it wouldn't come undone in battle. She walked to his front and knelt formally as well, and then bowed.

"Thank you my Lord for the honor," she said and didn't rise until Sesshoumaru bid her. He rose gracefully to his feet in one smooth motion by the strength in his calf muscles.

"InuYasha, I do believe your fox kit mentioned that I would give you an explanation of the painting you found. Do you still wish to know of it?"

InuYasha hesitantly nodded, eyes shifting uncomfortably between Sesshoumaru and the taller male.

"Then come," Sesshoumaru said, beginning his walk back to where he collapsed. "I do not have much time, but I will tell you what I know."

"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome spoke up. When he looked at her over his shoulder, she continued with: "Would it be alright for all of us to offer our help?"

He considered the humans a moment, and nodded sharply once.

"I am unsure what help you might offer, but you may accompany me," he said, walking away even as the pack scurried to grab their weapons and armor.

InuYasha followed Sesshoumaru to his right and a number of steps behind to avoid Fukinmaru on his immediate left. The two elder brothers whispered quietly between themselves, so quietly InuYasha couldn't make out most of what they were saying. Every so often, the weird one would glance back at him making InuYasha stumble and want to retreat from Sesshoumaru's side even more. However, he wanted answers, and he was willing to put up with the scrutiny to get them, no matter how uncomfortable it became. InuYasha faced forward and concentrated on what he wanted to know about the painting. Time slipped by and when Sesshoumaru and Fukinmaru stopped, he was surprised to find them standing where he'd uncovered it. Sesshoumaru bent down and picked up the decrepit piece of artwork. His deep golden eyes roved over its surface, and InuYasha nearly blurted out his horror when he saw Sesshoumaru smile wistfully. The bastard never smiled, and he sure as hell never did so wistfully. InuYasha rubbed his eyes and looked again, thinking it was a trick of the light. But it didn't go away.

"I remember the day the artist began working on this," Sesshoumaru said softly, as if to himself. "It was raining outside, and whenever the thunder sounded, I leapt into father's arms. I was so scared."

Sesshoumaru glanced around them at the nature-claimed building.

"We didn't come here very often when I was a pup," Fukinmaru chimed in, leaning against a tree and arms folded loosely across his chest. "I think father, mother and Izayoi only started coming here regularly after your birth, Sesshoumaru."

"I think father only did so because Izayoi loved it here," the Lord replied.

"Everything you've ever told me is a lie?" InuYasha asked, unbelieving.

"What 'things' have I lied to you about, InuYasha?" Sesshoumaru asked, his face going blank.

"Well... my mother, for one! You said you hate me because of her!"

"When have I ever said that?" Sesshoumaru growled. InuYasha's hackles went up and got closer to his brother.

"When I was little!" he snapped back.

"Do you have memories of me telling you that?"

"I-I... well, Kikyou told me-"

Sesshoumaru grabbed InuYasha by his haori and lifted him eye to blood red eye with himself. "I don't want to hear that thieving miko's name in my presence EVER AGAIN! Are we clear, little brother?"

Afraid of the sudden and violent reaction to Kikyou's name, InuYasha nodded enthusiastically with wide eyes. The humans stepped back from the seemingly enraged demon, looking to each other and then to Sango for an answer. She shrugged, and they continued to watch in silence. Sesshoumaru dropped him to the ground and turned to shield the group from his internal struggle to gain control of his emotions. When he faced them again, he was once again collected and cold.

"I do not have time for this. If you have no actual memories of what I've said directly to you, there is nothing more to discuss about the matter," Sesshoumaru said calmly.

When InuYasha glanced away looking thoroughly subdued, Sesshoumaru levitated over the wall with Fukinmaru and both walked into the maintained area, while the rest of the pack trickled in at their own pace. Sesshoumaru knelt again, his eyes glazing over. Fukinmaru watched closely until he found Kagome standing beside him, unobtrusively. His attention was captured by the odd female their youngest brother traveled with and how focused she was on Sesshoumaru's actions.

Without tearing her eyes away, she whispered to Fukinmaru: "What is he doing?"

"He is tearing a hole in the membrane between worlds."

"Really?" Kagome asked in wonder, her head snapping around to face him. He chuckled.

"Really. He has unfinished business on the Coptic Plane."

"What business?"

"That is Sesshoumaru's story to tell," Fukinmaru said, indicating the kneeling lord. The silence drew out comfortably between the two of them.

"Sesshoumaru is an enigma to us," she finally said. "I've only known you for a few hours but I think I've seen more of who you are than I've ever seen of Sesshoumaru."

The patriarch nodded thoughtfully. "I'm not surprised. Sesshoumaru has always been a very private pup-"

A sharp exhale from Sesshoumaru had Fukinmaru by his side instantly.

"It's open," he stated as the elder tenderly wiped away the trail of blood coursing over his cheek.

"Are you prepared?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, resting in the strong arms. "I think so."

"Pup, you can't think you are. You have to know you are," Fukinmaru said, lifting his chin so they were face to face. He didn't want to release his younger brother. The weariness in him beat at the elder's heart. They stayed locked in a loose embrace, and then Sesshoumaru pulled away.

"I am ready."

He searched the younger male's face for anything less than complete dedication and found him to be telling the truth-he was as ready as he would ever be. Fukinmaru aided him to stand and handed him Tenseiga.

"Bring him home, Lord Sesshoumaru," he commanded.

"I will, patriarch," Sesshoumaru replied and faced the direction InuYasha saw him facing when the dog-eared boy leapt over the wall some days before.

It was eerily still as type of soundless spiritual shockwave ripped through each of the beings in the clearing, knocking the humans off of their feet and causing InuYasha to howl in pain as he fought to stand. He was about to lie down to make it easier on himself when he felt the thick arms of Fukinmaru around his shoulders, helping to hold him up. They stared a moment at each other, but quickly their attention was drawn to the brilliant light surrounding Sesshoumaru. It collapsed around him, leaving the standing, vacant body of the Western Lord in its wake and an oppressive, deathly silence.