2,118I Do Not Own InuYasha
There is now a Character List Posted on Chapter 1, there's been so many new names and faces I felt it was time to share it.
Wasuremono
忘れ物
Forgotten or lost things;
An item left behind somewhere or forgotten at home
V: 3
23, February 1994...
General Hospital, Tokyo, Japan...
Rin lay in the hospital bed, her fingers rested on her swaddled baby, which felt… strange. She still loved the little one though, he was hers, she could see that. Her body hurt, which was annoying her but she felt fine, she knew the wound to her chest had been serious, she had been told often she was lucky. Still, everything hurt, and it didn't make her pride feel better knowing she had survived such an attack, she was better than that.
There was a small knock on the door which had her turning her head to see a slender young man a tad bit older than herself standing there. His eyes were large and curious, which had her softening as a smile tugged on them.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Hello," she murmured which had him walking into the room.
"I… I can't believe you're here," he whispered as he reached out and touched her cheek. She softened as her eyes fluttered shut slightly and she turned into the touch. A shudder raced through her as images of blood and fire were replaced with laughter and brightly colored jerseys.
"You told me not to stand at the edge of the peer, then you shoved me off," she murmured as she looked up at him.
He snorted as he sat. "You remember that!?"
"Our big brother had to come save me," she snorted and winced. Her chest still ached from the stab, and it was getting close to time to feed Bakusaiga.
"Ken'ichi bought us ice cream!" he laughed.
"It's good to see you, Tomomi," she smiled.
"I never believed you were dead," he whispered harshly as his eyes filled with tears.
"Really?" she asked dryly.
"Never," he admitted. "I always thought you were off, on a grand adventure," he chuckled humorlessly as his head fell down.
"I was," she agreed as she reached for him.
"I hear I have a nephew," he said looking up, wiping his eyes.
"Hai," she smiled as she looked back at her son. "Bakusaiga."
"Kami, could you pick a worse name!?" he snorted.
"I didn't pick it," she laughed as she slowly pushed herself up. She winced a bit as everything throbbed and reminded her how sore she was.
"Here," he was up fluffing the pillow behind her, she slowly reclined.
"Gramps will be here tomorrow with a change of clothes," Tomomi said.
"Mmm," she flinched a bit as it felt like lightning lanced through her chest from a small move.
"Gran and Gunny will be here tomorrow, they're flying in tonight, which is why mom and dad aren't here," he explained.
"How is everyone?" Rin asked as she reached over and let her fingers rest on Bakusaiga again.
"Happy, relieved, a bit confused, but mostly we're happy, so happy you're here," he said softly. "Yasu and Ken'ichi will be in the day after tomorrow, you know, to take you home," he explained.
"Mmm," she hummed as she looked at Bakusaiga.
"You have no idea how happy we are that you're… you're here," he said.
"I'm happy too," she admitted as she looked back at him and smiled.
"Where's his father?" Tomomi asked her.
"I don't know," she admitted. "We decided to separate, I wanted to come to Japan to find my family, and he needed to get his father's affairs in order," she explained. It felt false but also true.
"And?"
"And nothing," she said. "We were not married," she explained softly. "I left, he encouraged me to put the welfare of our child and myself before our relationship."
"That's not fair," Tomomi started.
"It's not, but it is what it is," she shrugged. "It's also very complicated," she said softly.
"How so?"
"His father never liked me," she whispered.
"And nothing," she shrugged. "This is for the best," she murmured. "I wouldn't want my child to be trapped by his father's ideals or beliefs, not like he was, and he agreed."
"You broke up with a man because of his father?"
"His father is a horrid, hateful man," she stated. "I didn't want my child raised in that, neither did he, so we agreed I should leave. Take Bakusaiga and go, I was starting to remember my past, and his father was becoming more volatile as he was ailing so it was for the best I leave."
"And he doesn't know…?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because his father never wanted Bakusaiga or I," she murmured.
"Rin that's…"
"It is what it is, when the time is right, we'll meet up again," she cut him off. "It wasn't safe for Bakusaiga and I to stay with him and he cares only about our safety."
"Is he… is he yakuza or triad?" he asked.
"No," she answered honestly. "He's not bad, Tomomi, his father and he just… it's not safe as long as his father lives," she murmured. "And we both agreed Bakusaiga deserves a loving family and home."
"So you came looking for us?"
"I started remembering things, small things, so I thought to start there," she explained. "I was pregnant when the memories started coming," she said softly as she traced Bakusaiga's cheek. Her baby's head turned, and bleary eyes peered at her. She smiled at her son. "Doctor thought it was the influx of hormones," she whispered. "Started helping my brain unlock certain memories so to speak, and I decided to start my hunt in Tokyo," she explained. "We arrived last week."
"Why the kimono?"
"Well aside from my extremely traditional foster family, I also sort of wanted to put Bakusaiga's name there, we were all there already, so I wanted a good blessing for him."
"He's cute," Tomomi smiled at him.
"He takes after his father," she laughed. Her son eyed her, and she picked him up before he could start crying. She winced at the movement and the throbbing over her chest before she started moving the hospital gown aside. Bakusaiga nuzzled her before latching on. She pulled a blanket over him and her to keep the cold at bay, flinching when he sucked too hard.
"Then his father must've been very handsome," Tomomi chuckled.
"He is," she agreed.
24, February 1994...
Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan...
Sesshōmaru stood on the engawa of his mountain home staring out at Takamatsu. He had just returned home yesterday and taken up residence in his mortal home as that was to be expected. He would return to the yōkai realm soon enough.
It was quiet this night, winter had been exceptionally wet, but a mild winter comparatively. There was a distant hum of traffic, which was a constant of this modern era. He leaned on a post as he watched the night, his ears flexing straining against the noise. The soft steps behind him alerted him to his ward, which had him turning as Shiori appeared.
"Evening, my lord," the hanyō whispered as she shivered a bit, pulling her wrap tightly around him.
"Shiori," he replied.
"How was Shanghai?" she asked softly.
He shrugged.
"Were the other factions displeased?"
"We will see," he answered softly. Truthfully, most of his job as Emperor had entailed the continuation and assured fairness and the execution of his orders, ensuring they were done swiftly and fairly.
"What's bothering you, my lord?" Shiori asked.
"Nothing," he responded. "You will be assuming your father's mantel," he stated.
"Hai, I feel I'm ready," she admitted.
He nodded. Shiori was four hundred and twenty-nine years old, she was finally looking like a mature daiyōkai, and her hanyō traits were balancing, he was rather pleased with this recent development. There had been a period about two hundred years ago when her daiyōkai nature was out of control and her human nature was killing her, but the balance had been found when she was about three hundred.
Ever since he had found her, killed by the ookami, he had been protective of her like she were his own pup. He had resurrected her with the Tenseiga, and kept her cared for, letting her accompany him on his travels while also raising her as an heir. She reminded him so much of Tsukuyomaru that it was intimidating at times. Still, she was a gentle soul, especially now that she was balanced.
"I've been thinking about my leadership a lot lately," Shiori admitted.
"It will be good for you," he decided.
"I know," she smiled. "But I will need to find a daiyōkai mate," she sighed.
"I do not know hyakkikoumori courting rituals," he stated firmly.
"I'm not asking you to," she laughed. "No, I just, I think I'll need a mate for the yōkai and hanyō to see me as their leader."
"Your father," he started softly. "Would agree that is wise."
"But…?" she drawled out.
"Do not be hasty in selecting a mate, it is a lifelong bond," he warned.
"Is that why you haven't? I mean why you haven't selected a mate?" she clarified nervously.
He lifted a brow curiously.
"Um… I just, I heard some things… from the harem," she muttered shyly.
He nodded.
"They were thinking you were going to name Iya Empress," she said hastily. "Iya thinks you'll lay a claim on her soon."
Sesshōmaru shrugged. He hadn't selected a mate yet, he wasn't inclined to do so. Admittedly he found Iya's company the most tolerable of the seven consorts, but he wasn't inclined to claim her as his.
"Yuki is also thinking you'll… you know, because she has no pack anymore which makes her more ideal," Shiori said softly.
He frowned. "She's a cub," he stated. "She's younger than you!"
Shiori laughed then. "Hai, but she has no political leverage or ties to a pack, she's been promised to you since she was in Ayame's womb, before the extinction of her pack."
"She is a cub," he reiterated as he stood up straight and started walking into his home. "I will send proclamations for the hyakkikoumori to select daiyōkai candidates for your hand," he stated as he walked.
"Thank you, my lord," she bowed slightly.
He nodded and left her as he entered his study. Alone he sat in his seat and reclined a bit.
In truth he hadn't thought about obtaining a true mate for himself, he just didn't feel inclined he was barely over a thousand years old, by daiyōkai standards he was exceptionally young. He was, barely beginning his reign and life by daiyōkai standards. Still, he knew he should think about claiming a mate, however wrong that felt.
He would need to consult his mother about that matter, his mother was in charge of his harem mostly, as he had little to do with them beyond selecting one to attend functions with him. He had more interactions with Shiori and Sōten than he did with his own harem. Looking at his ceiling he frowned, he couldn't escape the feeling that there was something missing in his life, something important and not to be misplaced. And yet, that something was missing.
Turning he looked out at his city and sighed, he would have to focus on what was missing later. Tomorrow he would have to deal with his brother's delegation and meetings, not something he was eager for. There was a soft knock on his door which had him looking over at Iya.
"Shiori said you were home," she said softly.
He inclined his head slightly as she walked in.
"I spoke with Ying Yue," she started. "She is concerned, said you were distracted the last few days."
"It is no concern," he dismissed.
"We are here to help," Iya started.
"Make preparations for my brother and his family," Sesshōmaru dismissed.
"Hai, my lord," she said with a slight bow of her head. "We only desire your happiness, Sesshōmaru-sama, it is not so wrong to desire that."
He said nothing to Iya as he turned to look at the city.
"I will have Zuzu and Yuki aid me," Iya murmured as she walked off.
Sesshōmaru closed his eyes as he rubbed his brow, what was he forgetting?
Tokyo, Japan...
Akimitsu sat there at his desk looking at the photos of Zaizen Rin's wounds when Yūdai came to stand over him.
"What are you thinking?" Yūdai asked him.
"I'm thinking he didn't know she was alive," Akimitsu admitted. "Look at this stab wound, docs say it should've hit her heart, but it missed, and it missed all arteries, but the wound is smooth. Anthropologist friend of mine compared the cuts on her bones, to the other victims, same kind of sword."
"We knew that," Yūdai stated.
"Hai, but there's a difference, same friend looked at Zaizen Rin's x-rays, says the woman's been in multiple sword fights, all her wounds are healed with methods used before modern medicine," he explained. "Said it's like he's looking at old onna-musha bones. Then there's her scars, these are either a large dog or wolf bites, should've killed her," he said. "The bruising here," he pulled up a photo of her arms then. "She's got training, these defensive patterns line up with many tantōjutsu moves, friend of mine who practices says these happen when opponents are larger and stronger and the smaller opponent works to protect the head," he demonstrated.
"So?"
"So, she's trained, she's not the Butcher's normal type, Zaizen Rin would fight, and has fought, this guy though, he picks the weak. Look at Suzuki Aiko, or Watanabe Jun, the Butcher picks the weak, he doesn't fight them," Akimitsu explained.
"You think Zaizen is lying?"
"No, but I do think that there's something about her which she's holding back," he admitted.
"And that's what's bothering you?"
"No," he admitted. "Women have secrets, it's not an unusual thing. What is bothering me is the Butcher's behavior."
"How so? Zaizen is his type, she's small, petite, unassuming, she was in the open of a public space," Yūdai pointed out.
"Hai, but men like the Butcher, they select their prey well, Suzuki and Watanabe are two examples, both were small, both built more like Zaizen, but they were weak. Broken homes, broken lives, barely getting by, they were easy pickings, they were willing to take bigger and bigger risks," Akimitsu said. "Zaizen didn't take a risk, not in how these women did, she came with a baby to a shrine, probably in the evening, she was attacked late evening, and even in traditional dress she fought hard."
"So…"
"The Butcher made a mistake," Akimitsu said firmly. "And if there's one thing about these kinds of predators that know, its that they will not relent because they made a mistake, he will go for her again."
"You think so?"
"Hai, I do, when she's more vulnerable than before," he muttered. Looking at the photo on Zaizen Rin's passport he pursed his lips.
"Media already broke with the story on the survivor," Yūdai informed him.
"I know," he muttered. Internally cursing the existence of Kobayashi Hanzō for breaking the story. Damn reporters had just put a massive target on Zaizen's back.
Year 1309...
Setsuna Castle...
Izayoi sat in her gardens when she felt him land behind her.
"Izayoi," he greeted.
"What brings you here, Tōga-sama?" she asked turning to look at him. He was hauntingly beautiful, and it terrified her as he stood in the snow watching her intensely.
"You're with child again," he stated.
"I… I am?" she questioned.
"Nose never lies," he chuckled as he tapped his nose.
"Takemaru is off to war again," she sighed. "Attack on the eastern boarders, the shōgun has summoned his aid," she explained.
"Is that not for the best?" he asked her.
"I… I do not know," she admitted. "Why are you here?" she asked softly.
"I came to offer you a way out," he replied.
"I'm sorry, what?" she asked.
"I… I could take you away from here," he offered as he came nearer.
"Tōga… that's… that is most inappropriate!" she stammered. She didn't know how to respond to him as he neared her.
"I know, but…" he tailed off.
"But?"
"I tire of scenting your unhappiness," he admitted. "I can make you happy," he promised.
"And who are you to judge my unhappiness?" she questioned as her hand came to rest over her middle.
"You are with child, again," he stated.
"I want children!" she hissed.
"But you hate Takemaru," he stated.
"I do not hate my husband!"
"He does not please you!" he snapped. "He did not comfort you when you wept or mourn the loss of Negai with you!"
"Just because he cannot and will not mourn," she started.
"He does not value you, Izayoi!" he cut her off.
"And what do you know of value?" she demanded.
"I…I learn the hard way," he admitted. "I am not always good," he murmured. "I am not always a good Alpha, my son will be a better Alpha than I ever could be, he takes after his mother that way. I have hurt my pup and mate in unforgivable ways, ways that Takemaru is harming you," he admitted softly. "I would like to redeem myself and to aid you."
"Why?"
"Because…I am fond of you," he said as he reached out. She didn't shrink as his claws came to trace her jawline. "I find myself in awe of you," he admitted softly. "You are an amazing woman, and I would like nothing more than to help you."
"I don't need your help," she whispered.
"Then what do you need from me?"
"I don't need anything, Tōga," she admitted. "You… you are so kind and generous to me, you're good," she admitted.
"Then let me help you," he murmured as he came over her.
Izayoi didn't know who moved first, merely that she wanted to kiss him and wanted his affections. His lips were soft, gentle, his fangs were sharp, but they didn't harm her as he deepened the kiss, tangling his claws in her hair and pressing her back against the tree. Snow toppled from the branches, but he never left her until they pulled apart panting. She could see her breath on the air as her eyes flicked to his swollen lips then back to those amber eyes.
"Forgive me," he whispered.
"You're good," she breathed.
"I… please, let me help you," he murmured as he rested his brow on hers.
"You can't," she murmured.
"Izayoi…" he started.
"You should… you should go," she sighed. "And you should not return, Tōga."
He said nothing as he leaned over and kissed her again before he disappeared. A ragged sob tore from her throat as she slid down in the snow, her hand resting over her child as she traced her sensitive lips. Kami forgive her! She wanted the daiyōkai.
Was that what pulled Rin to her Sesshōmaru-sama? Was that what love felt like? It was so much, and she didn't know how to feel about it. Izayoi desperately wished she could talk to someone about her confusion.