An Interesting Diversion

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

-oOo-

"Father, why did you bring that human back to life?"

Sesshoumaru stared out into the night skies above western Japan, lost in memories of the distant past – memories of when he was young.

"Why should I not do so, Sesshoumaru?"

He remembered staring first at his father, uncertainly, then looking back at the small human child that his father had just raised in defiance of the youkai that had killed it. He'd been so confused.

"It is human, and therefore weak. We are youkai, and by that token, strong. Is it not true that the strong survive, and the weak perish? Why, then, save it?"

"Any youkai can kill, my son – but only I can give life. And this one does not have any desire to be the same as every other youkai. Therefore, having this power over death, makes me stronger – remember this, Sesshoumaru – compassion does not make you weak... not even in our world. It just makes you unique."

He'd spent hours considering his father's words, but had been too blinded by the power of death, to care for the power of life at that time – and even now, several centuries later, he was only beginning to understand what his father had spoken of so long ago.

With a glance towards the fire, he let his gaze settle on the two figures it highlighted – two human females... both that he had saved, in one way or another. Rin, from death, and also from hell, and the miko, from betrayal and harm. Now, thinking about what his father had tried to impart to him, he had to admit – he did not feel weak because he had saved those who were not as strong as he, himself, was.

No, he most certainly did not feel weak.

Then again, he thought, as his eyes lingered on a certain raven-haired miko, strength wasn't necessarily measured in only one way. For there were many who would have given up if faced with even a quarter of the things that both females had faced – even youkai, and yet, neither of them had done so.

He turned his gaze once more to the heavens. Perhaps there was value in other forms of power...

Certainly, he would watch the two, and see what he could learn from them.

It would, at the least, be an interesting diversion.

~oOo~

A/N: Up until now, this has been posted exclusively on Dokuga. But since it has done so well over there, I decided to post it on ff . Net, as well. I hope the readers enjoy..

Amber