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Rin made his way upstairs with Sesshomaru trailing begrudgingly behind her. She had woken up early and had gotten ready for the day. She had dressed in her usual orange, short sleeve button down and a simple black, cotton suspender skirt that stopped only slightly above the knee. She was excited to introduce some new things to the boys today.

She looked back to her partner and noticed that he was showing some obvious effort in keeping up. Hesitating for a moment she confronted him, "Lord Sesshomaru...don't you think you should eat something? You did have a few snacks a couple of days ago, so…um... maybe you can tell me something you would want that is more ...substantial?"

He glared at her before grouching out, "This change you mentioned is proving quite inconvenient." He huffed. "But if I must comply to stop it impeding me further then I will eat raw meat."

She beamed down at him. "Thank you for telling me. I have several places that will be able to provide several types, so I'm sure we can find something you will favor." Rin continued to list off several options he could choose from along with how happy she was that he was finally willing to eat.

Sesshomaru listened patiently but was surprised how well he was taking her antics and overall presence. He usually never stood for such impudence but her behavior was oddly relaxing to be around. This was a development he was not expecting.

They made it to the guest room Kagome has been using during her stay at Rin's home. She knocked on the door a couple of times and called out to its inhabitants before brandishing a key.

"I did give fair warning before resorting to such rude behavior, so I'm doing nothing wrong." She said with mock concern as she gave Sesshomaru a cheeky grin. He huffed indulgently at her antics.

Rin giggled as she stepped into the room to see that the pair were still sleeping. "Really. Of course, she sleeps on the last free day we will get in a while." Sesshomaru looked interested in that comment but kept silent.

Huffing she strode over to the bed and snatched the pillow from under her causing her to yelp. "Riiin, why would you do this to me?" Kagome whined as she sat up in her kitty pajamas. Her hair was a mess and looked like it was trying to escape her head.

Rin was about the bop her with the pillow when a low growl stopped her.

She turned to see Inuyasha growling at her, his eyes glowing red. He did not seem to be himself and ready to attack her. Shocked at the sudden aggression, Rin mistakenly moved too quickly still clutching the offending pillow.

Inuyasha lunged at her with his fangs ready to tear into her flesh but failed to reach her as Sesshomaru tackled him. Unfortunately, it seemed that whatever happened to him had spread to his brother. His red, flashing eyes held no recognition for his brother and they did not show his usual temperament.

He roughly bit down on the back of his little brother's neck, red splotches of blood dripping on the floor, a sizzling sound emitting from the wound, forcing him down and holding him there. Inuyasha was thrashing wildly causing more blood to splatter on the tiled floor.

Rin alarmed and recognizing the acidic smell coming from the fighting dogs. "Ad coniungere sociis!" Almost as soon as the tether formed she pulled on it as hard as she could. Despite her best effort Sesshomaru barely moved and refused to let go.

Kagome, fully awake and considerably freaked out, shot out of bed. She watched in horror and fear for a moment as she tried to figure out what she should do. When she thought back to that little magic lesson with Rin's uncle.

"Rin, the magic stuff that Mr. Mori taught us is primarily placing power and importance in words using Latin as a medium right?" She spoke frantically nearly tripping over her words.

"What does this…!?"

"JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION!"

Rin was not sure what this had to do with the current situation but answered nonetheless. "Yes, all you need to know is what you want to do and say a corresponding word." She continued to struggle with pulling her pair away from his struggling brother.

"Then, I just need to think of them passing out and say...say...WHAT IS THE LATIN WORD FOR SLEEP?!" Kagome was trying her best to stay calm but the fighting had taken a dangerous turn.

"It…it's sopor!"

Kagome shouted the word with as much feeling as she could, hoping that it would be enough to subdue the dogs. Inuyasha stopped struggling almost immediately, but his brother turned to them, with fiery red eyes, growling as he took a step toward Kagome before succumbing to the spell.

A moment later there were two large dogs passed out on the floor. One slowly healing an open wound on his neck.

The tense silence was abruptly interrupted by Rin's ringtone.

"Hello?" Rin answered absently. She was still in shock and was still not sure what to do next.

Hirohide's voice came from the device in his usual calm tenor. "I expect you and Kagome to be at the entrance of the Mori Estate in approximately thirty minutes along with your summons."

"What do you mean? I thought the Mori Elder forbade me from stepping foot there." Brought completely out of her reverie by this new development. The Mori Elder has disliked that her uncle took her in as his charge from the beginning. He was resolute about ostracising Rin from the rest of the Mori household.

"What would be so imp…" Before she could finish her question her uncle had already ended the call. Rin looked at her phone in exasperation. Her uncle really needed to take a moment to fill people in before moving on.

"What is going on?" Kagome asked. She could see that the shock her friend was displaying was not pertaining to the scare with the dogs. 'What could be more shocking than that sudden shift in personality?' She thought.

"Well, we're going to the Mori estate with Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha." She stated simply.

Kagome cursed.

The Mori Estate was located in a privately-owned, mountainous stretch of land surrounded by a forest. The estate was constructed several hundred years ago by the ancestors of the Mori family. The architecture was done in the traditional Minka style. The homes within its perimeter were a mix of this traditional style and a more western interpretation. Gardens, ponds, and stone pathways separated the satellite houses. The main house was in the middle of the estate and halfway up one of the mild mountains and the most extravagant, traditional house.

The group had been escorted from Rin's manor by her uncle's secretary to the gates of the estate. The towering perimeter wall was daunting to approach and decorated with a giant mural of trees and greenery.

The gates opened and her uncle was there to greet them. He had an entourage that seemed to be impeding his usual efficiency. Rin knew from the tight expression that he was about to burst. However, the mindless group of suck-ups were not catching any of these warning signs and continued to try and flatter the man.

She did not want to bring attention to herself because, although she has never set foot here before, she was plenty familiar with how this family feels about her connection with her uncle and overall presence. They were unforgiving and merciless to those they deem as outsiders even if they were of the same blood.

But she could never really adhere to that mindset and would rather avoid seeing her uncle lash out at these people, even if they did deserve it.

Rin took a deep breath before speaking out. "H-hello, Uncle Hirohide. W-what was i-it you needed us for?" She stuttered out reaching over to grab her other arm.

The people that fawning and being a hinderance took notice of their guests for the first time. The sudden shift from the positive, airy atmosphere to a cold, heavy one was expected. The cold and almost angry looks they were sending the two girls were uncomfortable, to say the least. It was as if they believed themselves in some way nobles looking down at a common serf. In fact, that would be an apt description for the majority of the Mori household. An unchanging, stagnant facet of old-world nobility.

They clutched tightly onto their title that survived the centuries and would gladly tear apart anything that would tarnish or outshine their link to the rich heritage. Especially modern ideals that focused more on the achievements of individuals and not the propagation of a household's lineage.

"What is she doing here, Hirohide?" A small woman with a simple bob said. She was accompanied by a small monkey no bigger than a man's hand.

"Isn't she banned from the estate?" This time a man somewhat taller than Rin's uncle spoke up. He had what looked like a raven on his shoulder but it had three feet instead of two.

A few more grown men and women spoke negatively about the young women that were in their presence as if they were not there. This continued for some time until Hirohide had had enough of their foolishness.

It seemed that Rin's attempt at intervening before this outburst was in vain.

"Silence!" Hirohide was finished dealing with their constant chattering. "They were invited by me so we could get some information on their new summoned partners." He shot a glare at the gaggle of hindrances that he was forced to acknowledge as his relatives. "You all should know that the Mori household has a tradition of documenting the summons contracted to its members."

One of the braver men in the group of admirers spoke up. "But wasn't she ousted from this family and that person there is not even a part of this household. As heir shouldn't you be more aware of your actions and their consequences."

Hirohide balled his fist and tried to take a deep breath. He had always hated the close-minded and stagnant views the Moris held dear. The antiquated views, his father had placed on an undeserved pedestal, are one of the first things he will have to change when inherits the position of the family head.

Before responding he took a moment to calm down so as not to do something he would regret later. "Her father, my elder brother, was not banished or cut off. He simply left for research that was largely necessary for the development of the summoning and bonding procedures for us and our supernatural counterparts. The same research that the Mori family took as their own achievement." He glared at the adults around with such disgust you would think he was looking at an unwashed dumpster for a trashy restaurant.

The gaggle looked away from the seething man they were just singing praises for. The assortment of animals at their sides leaned into their summoners in an attempt to comfort them.

"You lot have caused enough of a scene. As you said we have someone not of our household among us so we need to protect our image instead of destroying it as you have done," The weasel on Hirohide's shoulder accused.

"Simant, don't bother with them." He turned to the girls. "We will be heading to the archives to register your summons and get their basic background. Miss Higurashi, you were invited to do the same considering your summon is related to Rin's."

He took a moment to study the girls. "Where are those dogs of yours?"

"Wellll, we kinda put them to sleep and can't seem to wake them up. So we put them in a storage gem my mom made for us." Kagome went on to explain the situation that led up to this point.

Hirohide sighed. "I will help you find a spell to wake them up but let's get to the archive room first." He shot a glance at Rin noting her discomfort then marched off, presumably to their destination.

The archives were a building all its own that was located at a halfway point of the main house and the bottom of the mountain with the estate. Thousands of combatant pairs were documented here along with varying amounts of information. The household had taken it upon themselves to have personal records along with the official reports kept by the government and the FORT organization.

The Mori family has been known to only have combatants on documented records as well as several historical observations, autobiographies, and any bits of information they deemed important or interesting. Rin always wondered why the household seemed to pressure its members about the strength they have no control over, especially considering how it seems to be a dominant trait.

A rather odd and scientifically unfounded phenomenon.

The inside of the building was a rather large grand chamber complete with an open second story. The interior showcased a noble setting with the strong, dark oak wood in the banisters of the second floor and staircases. There were areas in the front foyer that had some sturdy tables and chairs that were meant to study the documents in house.

There were rows upon rows of shelves filled to the brim with folders and scrolls and loose documents along with some traditionally and modernly bound books. The family records held such an expansive collection that it would not be too much of an exaggeration to call it a historian's holy ground.

Their escort turned to them and told them to bring their partners out of the gem. Kagome compiled by touching the gem and calling her summons name. Rin doing the same with her own gem.

"Storage gems are quite expensive. It must be convenient to have a mother with the spatial core." Hirohide looked at the gems with appreciation as he addressed Kagome.

"Yeah, you jealous?" She boasted quite proud of her mother and having something to lord over Rin's uncle. But realizing she heard a term that she wasn't familiar with and she leaned over to her friend to ask about it. "What's a- … uh, core?"

"A core is the term used for the center of our power in the body. It's usually referenced with the type of power you awakened to." Rin whispered back.

"Focus you two." Hirohide scolded them. "How exactly did this happen?"

"Uncle, we already ex…"

"I know the circumstances around this result, but how exactly did you cast the spell in question." He interrupted.

Kagome looked toward Rin, who did the same, as she started to pick at the seam of her skirt. "Well, I ...um… just shouted the word sleep in Latin and hoped it would work." She refused to look at the man who had been their mentor for most of their lives.

He looked livid. "That was extremely dangerous and irresponsible. Magic is easy enough to initiate but the consequences can be catastrophic. The only way to keep that outcome from happening you need to be calm and have a clear image of what you want to happen, and if applicable, for how long." He gave each of the girls a hard, serious stare.

"However, I understand that it was an emergency and they are in no danger of lasting effect from this incident." He relented and took a moment to check a few of the brothers' vitals before speaking a word or two in Latin. The dogs started to stir from their comatose state.

"Ugh… what the hell happened?" Inuyasha crudely spoke as he roused from his stupor.

The elder brother stood and shook himself. Confused as he was he wouldn't dare show it affected him. Instead, he observed his unfamiliar location, annoyed that he found himself in a second location after essentially being knocked out again, and strode over to Hirohide. "I expect you have an explanation for this inconvenience." He shot a rather pointed look at Kagome when he said this.

"The two of you were experiencing a need to protect your summoners. This must be since you will have your powers restored tomorrow."

"So, now we will lose our sanity if we think that they are in any perceived danger, no matter how small?" He grounded out, his eyes flickering red. This news would have been quite reassuring to the two supernaturals, if not for yet another change to norms they were used to, as being in this weakened state for such a long time had been very disconcerting for them. Inuyasha was grumbling about how this was not something he had to deal with the last time he arrived in this reality.

"No, no. That is only how it will be for the next five or so hours from when such behavior first happens." He responded casually as he moves on to another topic. The boys, on the other hand, were seething.

He turned toward the girls with that in mind. "On the subject of tomorrow, that is also when you will receive the examination to find out the type of your cores and the strength of your familiars. Are you prepared?"

Rin looked a little uncomfortable. "Well not exactly. But we did get them some clothes when we were out shopping, in case they have a human form." They had gotten lucky because there was an associate who had the ability to appraise people and items. This allowed them to pick clothing with the right sizes although, since the appraiser was of the civilian class, they couldn't give them any more information.

"Hmm...well, you should be fine considering your past achievements but do not become complacent. Now then let's get these records over with. We'll get the types and class when you all get examined tomorrow."

The documentation went as anyone would expect. They did get some intriguing information about the current affairs of the demonic reality. Hirohide was straightening up the papers to put into the records when he thought of something.

He turned to the dogs when he spoke again. "Did you tell your partners what this exam entails?"

"Uh, no. But it should be fine considering that we won't need to show any coordination with our familiars." Kagome answered optimistically.

"So, they don't know." He stared at them for a while longer before whistling. "Come here, you two." Kagome and Rin were taken aback that he would have the audacity.

Inuyasha started to growl immediately. "Who the hell do you think you're whistling at?"

Sesshomaru quite noticeably bristled at the impertinent behavior. If looks could kill then Rin's uncle would be as dead as a doornail.

The person who was on the receiving end of this stare was not perturbed in the slightest. Unfortunately, the weasel on his shoulder was not feeling that same sense of calm. Poor creature was so agitated he looked ready to vacate the room at top speed. 'I forgot to ask why he is so conscious of these dogs. Well, that will have to wait for another occasion." He thought to himself.

"You two will be expected to fight, well more like spar, with the one summoned you. This will be to help you finalize your decision on whether to enter into a permanent contract with them." He breezed through the explanation.

Inuyasha was about to yell some more profanities for his disrespect when he processed what he said. "So, I get to beat her up and go home without any consequences? Nice!" Kagome gave an insulted huff.

"What makes you think that you will be able to. I'd wipe the floor with you, no problem."

This interaction would have lasted longer if not for the person who burst through the doors as loudly as possible. This was perceived as a threat by the dogs and they started growling and barking at the intruder while getting between them and their charge.

They were about to attack when blue chains appeared to restrain them. Simant had jumped from his master's shoulder to call upon his powers. He seemed to be struggling despite the two demons' near powerless state.

Hirohide noted this and observed the situation curiously before addressing the one who had rudely entered and set this all in motion. "Good afternoon, Father."

"Hirohide! How dare you allow that abomination into the estate!? You even allowed an outside into our ranks!" The Mori Head was aggressive in his delivery looking ready to actually harm his son for this so-called offense. He disregarded the barely held back dogs in chains as he stomped up to his son.

Rin had flinched and drawn into herself. She wanted to sneak off to a dark corner and wait out the rage this man seemed to radiate whenever it involved her or her deceased father. She would have done just that if not for her friend and newly acquired companion's presence. The trembling girl looked over to see her friend was looking both offended and perturbed by the raving ball of wrath in front of her.

No one would really blame her reaction as it was a rather jarring realization. This was not the figure you would expect to be Hirohide's father considering his usual poise and temperament.

Hirohide weathered this storm of anger like a parent waiting out a child's tantrum. "Are you finished?" His voice dripped a venom that had Rin and Kagome gasping. They had never seen the icy man actually express his displeasure. He was always one to dryly comment on one's misbehavior or tease the person he was talking to.

"As you know, it is custom to document all Mori family members and in some exceptions close friends of the family. This criterion fits both of the young women present." He continued with that same venom. "Now, it would do for you to remember your manners in front of guests and younger members of the household."

"You have no right to speak to me in such a way! And that...that child," he threw his hand towards Rin while grinding that word, obviously wanting to say a more offensive word, "is not apart of this family." The sudden movement towards his charge caused Sesshomaru to growl and charge at the impassioned man.

"Simant."

The command was answered instantaneously with the chains around the large dog tightening fiercely causing him to crash down with a vengeful bark.

The Mori elder seems to acknowledge the two chained dogs for the first time. "What are these mutts doing here?" He meant it to sound authoritative but it sounded more like a petulant child.

Hirohide ignored his question and instead addressed his earlier statement with a glare with enough hatred and spite to freeze any lesser man's heart instantly, the room noticeably dropping several degrees. "These young adults are indeed affiliated with this family as you never officially banished or disowned my elder brother, your first son, so Rin is apart of this household. The only reason she is not allowed to take her rightful place is that you wanted to spite your son for making his own decisions."

He took a moment to calm himself down. "You have no reason to interrupt as this would not have involved you in any way if you had stayed on course with your schedule."

Hirohide's father looked at him for a moment longer before growling and storming out aggravating the dogs again. At the entrance, a stag looked into the records room and bowed its head in apology before following the angry man.

"Rin, Kagome, that is all for now. You should go to the car for now and I will bring the boys to you once they calm down." His normal demeanor was back but strained.

They nodded before making their way out of the building in uncomfortable silence. After a moment, he whispered something and the demons in front of him calmed down.

Once they were in control of themselves Simant was able to finally stop restraining them. He tiredly slunk his way back to his master's side and jumped onto his lap.

Hirohide absently petted the weasel while he took a moment to reorder his thoughts.

He watched, almost absently, as Sesshomaru slowly stood up and shook himself trying to clear the fog from his mind. Inuyasha slumped in a sitting position drained for that extended episode.

"I understand that you will still need to make the decision of whether you stay or not yourselves." He looked at Inuyasha when he said this. "However, I do believe that your time here will be beneficial. Your presence will also be very reassuring in regards to there safety."

Hirohide looked tired and drained. It seems like the girls' safety has been a constant worry for the pepper haired man.

"What could be dangering their safety to cause you such concern?" Sesshomaru asked. The canine was not seeing what would be a cause to worry in the society he had a glimpse of.

"Yeah. It looked safer than ever out there. It was way worse during my first time here." Inuyasha was just as confused as his brother.

Hirohide just smiled ruefully. "Many things have changed and though the danger is no longer constant. It is far from safer." He made a dismissive gesture while addressing his summon. "Simant, please escort them to the girls."

Kagome decided that maybe they could go to her home to unwind for the event tomorrow. The run-in with the Mori family in general and their summons aggressive actions they could use a bit of a calming atmosphere.

"Sure. But let's stop by a butcher for Lord Sesshomaru." Rin was still a bit worried about whether he would start eating as he should.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at the comment. He was still not entirely in agreement for this change but was not going to act like a child either.

With that decided she asked the driver that Hirohide had supplied to take them to their new destinations.

They make it to the Higurashi residence in a little over an hour later. Mostly due to Inuyasha trying to get all the types of meats at the butchery. This lead to a need to stop by Rin's manor to store some of the excessive amounts of food and for Rin to get some things for the impromptu slumber party.

With that settled, they went to have a much deserved relaxing evening with good company.

A/N: I'm sorry for the late update. I was not in the best situation to update sooner but that has been solved. I will try to update more regularly in the future.