(31/01/2011) - Hello again! I was on a roll today for this story! Uhm.. about this chapter well I wont say anything but if you read something that contradicts with something that happened previous than PLEASE let me know. I haven't written this for so long that sometimes I forget what I have and haven't done. Also I did some research and apparently a lot of my japanese history weapon facts are wrong. Which.. is really annoying for my perfectionist side. I can't be bothered to fix it all up now.. so yeah. Anyways enjoy!

(¯`v´¯)

¸.•´¸.•*¨) ¸.•*¨)
(¸.•´ (¸.•´ .•´ ¸¸.•¨¯`•.• ´*

You're Kinda, Sorta, Basically, Pretty Much, Always On My Mind.

°°•. .•°ღ°•. .•°°

I Don't Own Inuyasha

"Talking"

60. Hisao

"Ahh, shut up already! Stop repeating the same stupid lecture."

"Not until you promise, Inuyasha!"

"You mustn't neglect using Tetsusaiga again!"

It was a quite afternoon, or at least would have been if not for Meoga and I. This morning's fight was still fresh in our minds, yet nobody but us wanted to make a big deal out of it.

I thought Sango would have just as much emotion about this as I since she had been with me when Mika explained the horrors of a hanyo gone yokai. All she seemed to care about at the moment was the broken Hiraikotsu. Toutousai was kindly fixing it for her, and I didn't see any reason to sit beside him and watch, but both Sango and Shippo took interest in his craft.

"Bah!" Inuyasha scoffed. He tried to pull of my hands as I took a break from shaking him, but it didn't work.

"You - need - to – use - it!" I shook him between words.

"You aren't going to give it up, surely," Miroku interrupted. His face was wet, as was his hair. He'd been washing off in the small river just under the small cliff we sat upon. I hesitated one more, taken in surprise by his appearance. He hadn't bothered to tie his hair back just yet, and the free shoulder-length locks of straight raven hair gave his face and entirely different look. That, with the gold piercing, he could easily pull off being a member of a rock band back home.

"Maybe Tetsusaiga has gotten a little heavier but.." Miroku trailed off, flashing a lecherous smile in my direction when he noticed my gaze.

"A little!" Inuyasha glared at the monk, and grabbed the hilt of Tetsusaiga, "You lot say it so easily, but.."

He seemed to have forgotten were on a cliff. The Tetsusaiga transformed right out over the river, and due to the immense weight it pulled him right off his seat and into the icy cold water. I had almost fallen with him if not for the ability to let go. The splash however, drenched my entire left side and I sighed.

"What do you think, Kaori-sama?" Miroku asked.

"About what?" I replied.

"I think, we should tell Inuyasha the truth."

I stared at him, a wave of nausea coming over me, "So you knew then.. When did you..?"

"Sango informed me while you were out talking with Inuyasha last night," Miroku answered.

"I see.." I stared down at my hands. I had almost forgotten that Miroku and Sango were people too who had conversations while others weren't around. I wondered what else they knew of, what else they spoke about, while I was busy distracted with Inuyasha.

The yokai blood that flows through out our veins is just about powerful enough to take over and control our mind; change how we think and feel. As long as our will to live is strong enough to awaken it once we shall forever be plagued with it. The more often it happens, the harder it will be to settle down, until eventually we're consumed by the very thing that helped us live..

Well that is unless you have a support. The blood of a powerful priestess flowing in my veins is my support, keeping the yokai in check, is enough to keep me safe... Inuyasha however must rely on Tetsusaiga.. something he no longer wants to deal with. He never wanted the sword in the first place, and though Inuyasha seems attached to it, abandoning Tetsusaiga might turn out just as simple as we feared.

"I don't think we should tell him anything," I admitted. I felt like such a hypocrite. Here I was, the girl who had cried and screamed about keeping secrets, and yet I was voting to keep this important fact away from the person I had made promise to not do the same.

"Really, Kaori-sama?" Miroku asked. He seemed quite shocked.

"If Inuyasha knew.." I started, wondering how I was going to explain without making myself seem like a horrible person, "He might decide to only transform and fight that way without Tetsusaiga. I know him, he isn't just going after Naraku because of Kikyo, he wants the jewel, to become a yokai. This might be just a simpler route. We've seen the strength increase when we transformed.. He's simple. If transforming means stronger and easier, he'll go for it."

"I see.." Miroku mumbled, "It would be come a habit after all I guess."

"You really have your hands full," Toutousai said. This aged voice brought me out of the conversation, and I turned to see that Inuyasha had finally emerged from the river. He was sitting beside the old man – who had black smoke coming out of his nose and ears – ringing out his kimono.

"You're turning human, then also turning into a monster, aren't you."

"Don't call me a monster!" Inuyasha snapped.

Toutousai turned his body in my direction and waved, "You too Kaori! How does it feel to be a monster!"

This earned him a sharp punch in the back of the head.

Inuyasha growled, "Even if I don't understand why it happe-"

"You don't understand huh." Toutousai interrupted, "You're an idiot, you know. I heard it from Meoga.."

My heart raced in panic and a icy chil ran into my blood. I had a feeling Toutousai was about to tell him what we're just agreed not to tell him.

"That when it looks like you'll die.."

I scrambled to my feet and ran as fast as I could over to the old man. He couldn't tell him!

"You transform."

At this I stumbled. Tripping over my own feet I landed on top of Sango's Hiraikotsu. For a moment I could only grumble to myself, but then I realized that it was scorching hot. The cold air had yet to cool it off from Toutousai's fire, and I yelped. I stuck my hands into the river, my eyes welling up with tears. Over my shoudler I glared at Toutousai, who only stared at me back with a blank expression.

"Now if Kaori has finished making out with Sango's Hiraikotsu.." he mumbled.

"I tripped you bastard!"

"I'll tell you my theory. Transforming into a yokai isn't your real strength. Inuyasha, as I said, Tetsusaiga's weight is because of your fang's weight."

My ears perked. This was what Meoga had said..or at least something like it.

"Before Tetsusaiga broke, it was your father's fang. In short, you were relying on your father to protect you. However this time Tetsusaiga isn't like that. You're handling your own fang, and protecting yourself. When you can freely swing Tetsusaiga as it is now.. It means you'll have truly become strong."

"Hey wait!" I said, pulling my hands out from the river, "That's completely different from what Meoga said a few months ago!"

"Hm? Meoga said something?" Toutousai looked at the flea on his shoulder.

"Yeah! When we were fighting those spider-heads, I picked up the Tetsusaiga and it was too heavy for me and Meoga said 'ohh the burden of protecting Kaori is too heavy which is why, blah blah blah.' if what you said is true then it should have been fine for me!"

Toutousai stared at me a moment, "Well, first thing is that Meoga is a retard and we must never rely on his word."

The bug squeaked at this, running off in tears.

"And secondly, yes, Kaori you are a huge burden, but also incredibly weak and thus, when it's transformed, you're too scrawny to carry it."

I couldn't say anything to this but Inuyasha burst out laughing. It was a refreshing sound, however one that annoyed me nonetheless.

"Haha, you're... too weak! What Meoga said was nothing but... a bunch of lies to... keep her from getting... mad!" he said between laughing fits.

I growled, "Oh hey guess what Inuyasha? Here's another piece of information you'll enjoy! Osuwari!"

He hit the rock hard, and when he finally lifted his head I could see his nose was bleeding. I felt kinda bad then, and promised to be a little more wary of our surroundings the next time I did that.

"What the hell, Kaori!" he shouted, wiping away the trickle of blood before it fell into his mouth.

I tried to make it look like I was still mad, but I could only pay attention to his pouting face. I sighed, mumbled a quiet apology and handed him a tissue from my bag.

"Anyways.." I sighed again, I sounded miserable, "Can you tell me about Hisao now?"

"Hmph, why should I tell you?" Toutousai said, folding his arms over his chest, "You're just a mean one, aren't you?"

"You know, if you were this annoying to anyone else, I would actually like you," I admitted, "But since you seem to enjoy picking on me I'm going to be mean."

"Well when you use that logic. Hisao is your brother."

I blinked. Silence wrapped itself around my throat and I found I couldn't speak. I looked around at everyone. They all seemed to be looking at me, waiting for me to talk but I had nothing to say. No words were trying to escape, why, even all my anxious worries had disappeared. I had nothing.

"Kaori doesn't have a brother," Inuyasha finally said, fed up with the awkward tension, "I've known her since forever and she does not have one!"

"Ahh well maybe I should be more specific then," Toutousai muttered, "Hisao is your dead older yokai half brother."

"D..dead?" I squeaked.

"Yes," Toutousai nodded, "You see, your father was quite the lecherous man in his time and is much older than he appears. He's had many wives, and many children. I think in totally he's had.. what, Meoga 20, 30?"

"47," the bug replied, suddenly back on his shoulder.

"47 children. You're the last."

I didn't say anything, so he continued.

"Of course to you that might sounds like a lot, and it is even a lot for many upper class yokai as well, but when you've lived for as long as he has, you could easily have over 100 children if you wanted. Hisao was the very first and born around the same time Inuyasha's father was. They were roughly the same age and when they were younger, fought over land furiously."

Inuyasha and I looked at each other for a split second and I noticed everyone else's gazes had shifted as well.

"Now don't be alarmed!" Meoga said, breaking another wave of tension, "It's not uncommon for demon families to have so much history. We live a long time, and Japan is not really that big a place if you think about it."

"Yes, well, Hisao was a great warrior and many believed he would be the one to rule the western lands. He was ruthless but fair, and he and Shoji – who worked under him as his servant at the time - gave me a great deal of business too."

"Why?" asked Sango.

"Hisao-sama was a perfectionist. He wanted the perfect sword to aid him, and yet was never happy with what he had first wanted later on. The Henshin no Tsurugi was the last thing I made him. Of course he wasn't happy with that either, and they hadn't started off the way you hold them now, Kiri. At first it was a true Tsurugi, not double katanas or perhaps they're wakizashi now.. no matter. Hisao-sama was still unhappy and broke it in two in his anger. But then that gave him the idea of two, and in the style of a katana. He had me reforge them much like I had to do with Tetsusaiga here. The name has obviously stayed the same, but Hisao-sama was much more pleased with this."

The swords on my hips suddenly felt heavy and awkward at my sides.

"Eventually however, Inu no Taishō had grown in power too, and eventually defeated and killed Hisao-sama. The Henshin no Tsurugi went missing after that, and weren't seen again until you showed up. Inu no Taisho became my customer and everything was quiet until of course, Inu no Taisho's death."

"How long ago was all this?" Miroku asked.

"Hmm.. Lemme think," Toutousai scratched his head, "A little under 500 years ago I do believe. Sesshoumaru might remember him. Hisao-sama died just when I think his 32nd sibling was born? Who was that again, Meoga?"

"Anju-sama."

"Oh right.." Toutousai rubbing his temples, "It's so stressful keeping track of all those brats. The only one worth remembering was Hisao-sama."

I was still struck silent. There was so much about my family I didn't even know about. I had almost 50 siblings..? My family was tied to Inuyasha's, this old man, Midoriko.. My stomach turned and for once instead of tears I wanted to throw up.

"Hey wait!" Inuyasha snapped, "If Kaori has all this family how come we haven't heard anything about them? Why didn't they come looking for her?"

These questions struck me a bit and made my heart ache. I should have asked those questions..

"Well Hisao-sama was a half-brother and died before Kiri was born," explained Toutousai. That was the third time he'd said my name wrong even though the night before he'd said it right. He seemed to enjoy switching between knowing things and not knowing things.. as if it was amusing to him. No one bothered to correct him.

"All of your siblings are half related to you, Kaori-sama," Meoga chirped, "Most of them are half related to each other, so there's no need to feel left out. Lord Takaharu took up many mistresses, and many children as you now know were produced from that. Haven't you ever wondered why Lord Takaharu never speaks?"

"Actually yeah.." I mumbled.

"Once Takaharu-sama had taken Mika-sama as his new wife or mistresses, Hisao's mother, a powerful inu yokai from the mainland grew jealous and felt inferior. To stop his lecherous flirting and womanizing she cut out his tongue!"

"Really..?" Miroku gulped, he seemed nervous. It was obvious why.

"Yes, I saw it myself," Meoga shuddered, "But that is why he has stayed with Mika. She is the only one who understands him, and he cannot say a word to attract another."

I got to my feet and stretched. My stomach was in knots and threatened viciously to stop the conversation or else it was going to rid itself of my breakfast, "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"I don't think so," Toutousai murmured, "Only 12 of your brothers and sisters are still alive and are mostly spread out all over some are even on the mainland. You needn't worry about accidentally running into them any time soon."

"Why are only 12 left alive?" Shippo wondered. It was an innocent question, but everyone shifted nervously.

"Just the normal things, wars, battles, death by injury or poison. 46 Inu Yokai running around was more than Japan could handle."

I excused myself after that, throwing my legs over the cliff 20 feet away and taking in large gulps of fresh air. I wasn't as passionate anymore about my family. This was more than I felt comfortable knowing. There was a band of Inu Yokai out there, other than Sesshoumaru, and they were all related to me. For years they never bothered to find me or look for me and my parents hadn't bothered to mention them either. It was one thing to find out about your lost parents, but then to know you're the youngest of 47 children.. and then that most of those children have died.. I felt I should have cried about just a huge dent left in my family history.. but if you've never known them how possibly could you miss them?

No one tried talking to me for the rest of the night, sensing that I needed some alone time. I watched listlessly as Inuyasha passed for the fifth, no sixth time in an hour. He stared at me from the corner of his eye as he passed. I could tell by his face he was wondering if he should come over here and beat a better mood out of me, and I was glad he chose not to.

These were one of those things better left alone.

End Of Chapter 60

°°•. .•°ღ°•. .•°°

R&R Please