A1969: yay! Sequel! Woot! I'm back!
Inuyasha: damn…and I thought we were finally rid of her.

Kagome: Inuyasha, don't be so harsh!
A1969: bleh! Anyway, here it is—the sequel to my 'The Last Moon Demon' fic. Urgh…I was reading that fic again and I realized that Sesshoumaru is sooo OOC. Ick. My bad, I guess. I'll try to remedy that in this sequel! Mwahhaha! Now I'm not going to waste time rambling so…Inuyasha? Disclaimer?

Inuyasha: what? No way!

A1969: aw, come now—it's only once. It's not like you're gonna get a rash or anything…

Inuyasha: bah! –silence- fine—this idiot doesn't own the show or the characters—except for the OCs and the plot…

Summary: it's been seventy years since the death of Mizuki. Sesshoumaru has grown colder and distant, even to his own children. Kagome and Inuyasha are up to their necks in dealing with the East and the rebels that plan to throw down Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru's daughter, Tsumiko, encounters a strange woman who may be able to heal her father's ruined heart and in the middle of it all is a war between two gods, and a battle with old foes...

//-Chapter One-\\

S e v e n t y Y e a r s

/\\//\\//\

-Kagome-

"Not again!" Inuyasha's rough voice cut through the early morning like a knife.

I sighed and stared at him for a moment, hitching my backpack over my shoulder as I did so. "Inuyasha, I've gotta go," I said, sighing. It was always hard to convince him to let me go West, to his elder brother's palace. "I promised Tsumiko and Shigeru that I'd be there...Besides...Hakudoshi promised to teach Shippou how to use the naginata."

As if on cue, Shippou strolled around the corner of the silent hallway of Inuyasha's palace, hands behind his neck, whistling. In the seventy years that had passed, Shippou had aged. He looked thirteen or fourteen now.

"You went last week," Inuyasha pointed out, folding his arms across his chest.

I sighed. "That was last week," I said, as Shippou approached us.

"What's the holdup, Kagome?" Shippou asked, glancing from me to Inuyasha. "Aren't we going yet? Remember—it's a long way West!"

"You're not going," Inuyasha said stubbornly, pouting.

Shippou raised an eyebrow at him. "Why not, Lord Inuyasha?" he asked.

I saw Inuaysha's ear twitch. He hated to be addressed as Lord of the Eastern Lands. Why, I didn't know.

"We went there last week," he repeated. "Besides..." His voice trailed off as he thought of an appropriate excuse to keep us from leaving.

"If you've got no good reason, we're going," I said.

He glared at me. "Now, listen here, Kagome," he began imperiously.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "Do you want me to say it?" I threatened.

He glared at me, opened his mouth to reply, but before he could even think of anything to say, our attention was drawn to a soft mewing sound coming from behind us. I glanced over my shoulder just as Kirara came pattering towards us, her two tails held high in the air.

"Hey, Kirara!" I greeted cheerfully as she leapt lightly onto my shoulder.

"Master Inuyasha!" a small voice called out, a voice that came from Kirara. Kirara scratched the back of her ear with her hind leg and a second later, a small figure for jumped from her ear and onto Inuyasha's nose.

"Greetings!" Myouga greeted as he began sucking. He slowly started to swell and Inuyasha swatted him. The flea youkai slowly drifted towards Inuyasha's palm.

"Myouga," Inuyasha said, sighing. "What now?"

"Master, we have work to do!" Myouga reminded him. Myouga was Inuyasha's adviser when it came to running the ruined Eastern lands.

Inuyasha grimaced. "But it's too early for work," Inuyasha complained.

Myouga shook his head. "You mustn't procrastinate, Master," Myouga said. "Don't want to give those vassals a reason to think you're incompetent, do we?"

"Bah!"

"Inuyasha," I said as Shippou, Kirara and I turned to leave. "We'll be off now. I promise we'll be back before nightfall!"

"Kagome, just a minute, you—"

"See you!" I called as we hurriedly ran out of the double doors of the palace.

"Dammit, Kagome, get back here!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Seventy years had passed...

Seventy years had passed since our final battle with Naraku—seventy years had passed since Mizuki died. And so many things had changed...

After our battle with Naraku, Miroku and Sango married. They had had three children—twin daughters, named Mari and Miya, and a younger son named Sayoshi. Miroku and Sango had both passed away thirty years ago. I sighed. I will never forget that day...the day they both passed away. Funny, how they both passed on, on the same day...

They had passed on when their children were already middle-aged. Mari, the elder twin, had become a nun, which, according to Inuyasha, was a sin. It was blasphemous of him to say so, but looking at Mari, one would have felt that her taking the tonsure was a sin. Despite being middle-aged, Mari still looked beautiful. Between her and Miya, she was the more beauteous of the two. She had had many suitors and, according to Inuyasha, Mari became a nun to escape them all.

Miya was another matter. She wasn't as beautiful as Mari, but she was far more graceful and gentle. Like Mari, she didn't look middle-aged—she looked younger than her years. She had married a warrior named Houten. It was rather funny how he courted her—he had to prove himself worthy of her hand by beating Miroku in a fight. It had been close, but eventually, Houten won and gained Miya for his bride. They had a lovely daughter named Shiyoko. My heart tightened at the thought of the fourteen year old Shiyoko, who resembled Sango to such a degree that, sometimes, during the times I felt a bit nostalgic, I would accidentally call her 'Sango'. The only difference between her and her grandmother was that she was no fighter—she was as ladylike and delicate as they came.

Sayoshi, Miroku and Sango's younger son, pretty much lived an ordinary life...almost. He had married a princess named Lady Senna whom he rescued from demons with the little spiritual power he had inherited from his father, Miroku. He and Senna lived in a castle, small but luxurious with their thirteen year old son Kiyoshige. Once again, my heart tightened. Kiyoshige resembled Miroku. He had even inherited his erstwhile grandfather's spiritual powers. The only thing he hadn't inherited from Miroku was his lechery. Inuyasha had once said that this was a good thing...or so he says.

Kohaku was now middle-aged and an accomplished demon slayer, like his late sister. He lived in the late Kaede's village, along with Kikyou, who had returned to protect the village, along with Kanna, Naraku's former incarnate, and her shikigami, Kochou and Asuka.

I sighed as I thought of Kikyou. Time could not touch her. She was still the same priestess seventy years ago. I tried not to feel downtrodden at the fact that Inuyasha still had not—or could not—choose between us.

I let out another sigh—this time for Sesshoumaru.

He had been the most affected by that last battle. Seventy years had passed since Mizuki had died and he was clearly still not over her. Sure, he didn't show it, but, if you knew him long enough, you would know that he was still moping...more than moping, he was still depressed. The evidence of which were that he adamantly refused to marry again, much to his mother's chagrin, and the fact that he could not bear to hear Mizuki's name spoken out loud.

After Mizuki had died, Sesshoumaru seemed more like a machine than a demon. Even Inuyasha was concerned during the first few years following Mizuki's death. Sesshoumaru had grown colder and he was perpetually locked up in his study, trying to keep himself from thinking about the woman he had lost.

This didn't bode well for Shigeru and Tsumiko. Their father never once showed them that he cared for them. The only time he did show it was when he was training Shigeru how to fight and how to act as his heir, and these he did so coldly that it hardly even mattered. Well...at least he was paying attention to Shigeru. I couldn't say the same for Tsumiko, though...

Maybe it was because she had her late mother's eyes, or maybe it was because she was a moon demon, but Sesshoumaru didn't seem to pay her any mind at all. In fact...I've never heard him speak to her. It was so unfair, poor girl; I mean, she resembled her father more than her mother, for crying out loud! But still, Sesshoumaru was Sesshoumaru.

Lady Takara, Sesshoumaru's mother, seeing that her son was neglecting her grandchildren, decided to raise them both on her own. She had moved back to the Western palace and took Shigeru and Tsumiko under her wing. She had asked me to help her with them and I willingly agreed, much to Inuyasha's chagrin, though he had nothing against his niece and nephew, both of whom he was secretly very, very fond of.

Well, at least it wasn't all sad for Sesshoumaru. Jaken, fearing his lord would be even more depressed and more subdued at the death of someone else, had managed, by some miracle, to find a way to make Rin immortal. I smiled as I thought of her—she looked around twelve or thirteen now, acting as big sister to Tsumiko and Shigeru, both of whom appeared about seven in human years. Myouga once said that Shigeru and Tsumiko were in a certain stage where they aged about just as fast as half-demons. He had also said that their aging would slow down dramatically when they reached puberty, which might be around fifty years from now. It had been like that with Sesshoumaru, he said.

I sighed again. Sesshoumaru...I truly do hope that he would snap out of it. Someday.

/\\//\\//\\/

-Sesshoumaru-

Not again.

"Sesshoumaru, you really must reconsider," Mother's voice echoed throughout my study. I inwardly growled. To think that she would bring up this vexing topic again was most irksome. How exasperating, and an utter waste of my time.

I tried to ignore her as I looked out at the veranda, at the garden. "Sesshoumaru," Mother said, sighing.

I was silent.

"Lady Yuhiko is very much available and very suitable for you." She had said them—the words that I didn't want to hear.

I inwardly sighed. This topic and this discussion were most vexing.

"You know my answer."

I could hear her growl softly in aggravation. "Listen to me, Sesshoumaru," she said, her tone forceful. "You have said the same thing year after year. Lady Yuhiko has been waiting for you for decades. She's very suitable for you. If you don't care for her, fine. But do find yourself another wife!"

I turned to face her, anger bubbling just beneath the surface.

"It's been seventy years since Mizu"—I growled at her, and she rolled her eyes—"since she died, for crying out loud!" she exclaimed.

I glared at her. Normally, I wouldn't be so disrespectful, but on this particular subject...

"I've no desire to marry again," I said flatly.

Mother narrowed her eyes at me. "Well, at least do it for your children's sake!" she went on. "They need a mother."

"They have you...they have Kagome. They don't need someone else," I pointed out, wishing she would go away.

She was silent for a moment, and I could feel her narrowed eyes on my back. "Mizuki wouldn't want to see you like this," she said, very softly.

I narrowed my eyes menacingly at the sound of her name. I was silent, not trusting myself to speak lest I should lash out at her.

"She wouldn't want you to wallow away in grief," Mother went on. "She'd want you to move on. Mizuki would—"

I turned to her. "Silence!" I hissed, my anger boiling just beneath the surface.

Mother narrowed her eyes at me. She looked menacing. "She'd be horridly ashamed of you," she sneered. "Not only would she be ashamed of you, my son, she'd be most saddened to see you like this—moping! It is horridly out of character for you!"

I had had enough. "Leave."

Mother was silent, staring at me, her eyes still narrowed—menacingly. "If you wish to drown in self-pity, then fine!" she snapped. She turned her back on me, slid open the door and left the room, sliding the door behind her with such force that the wood cracked.

I sighed then turned my attention to the garden again, just as four figures ran into it, giggling loudly and shouting happily.

/\\//\\//

-Tsumiko-

"Rin-nee-chan, looook!" I screamed as I darted into the garden ahead of everyone else. The garden was beautiful. Cypress, paulownia, magnolia and pine trees and towering acacia trees stood here and there, their leaves swaying softly in the breeze. The grass looked as smooth as velvet beneath my feet. The water of the ponds, in which the koi fish swam lazily in, rippled with the breeze.

"Tsumiko, wait for us!" my elder sister, Rin called. Though she looked over seventy, she still looked around twelve, thanks to Master Jaken.

"Hurry!" I called out, running among the paulownias.

"Wait up, little idiot!" I heard Hakudoshi call out. "That kid can be quick."

I suddenly felt something ram hard into my back, sending me sprawling on the ground. I felt my hands graze against the grass, and I growled angrily, knowing who it was that was on top of me, tackling me to the ground.

"Shigeru, get off me!" I demanded, standing up and sending my elder twin brother flying through the air. Shigeru landed neatly on his feet, a few meters away from me.

"You're too slow," he said impassively. Between me and him, Shigeru was the one who took after Father the most.

"Whaddya mean 'too slow'?" Hakudoshi muttered as he and Rin-nee-chan caught up at last.

I stuck my tongue out at Shigeru, and he narrowed his eyes at me. "What were you so excited about?" Rin-nee-chan asked.

I beamed at her and turned to the purple iris flowers that bloomed along one of the ponds' edges. I frowned.

"It's gone," I reported to elder sister.

"What's gone?" she asked.

"A butterfly," I said innocently.

They all stared at me.

"You dragged us all the way here just for some butterfly?" Hakudoshi asked, incredulous.

I shrugged. "It was very pretty," I said. "I've never seen anything like it before—it was blue and it was as big as my hand and it had nice, velvety wings and strange silver markings and—"

"Chichiue," Shigeru suddenly said, his eyes fixed on the veranda around the palace.

We all turned. Father was standing at the veranda, his gaze fixed on us. The moment we caught sight of him, we all turned a little more sombre. Father's cold gaze was fixed on us. For a moment, his eyes fell on me—they were colder than usual—then on Shigeru. Father inclined his head, an unspoken signal for Shigeru to go to him.

"Yes, Father." Shigeru didn't spare us another glance as he left us, and headed straight for Father. I watched as Shigeru reached Father's side, watched as both of them went into the palace.

I sighed. Father never paid me any mind, but I was used to it.

"Heh," Hakudoshi said, folding his arms across his chest. "Shigeru takes after Sesshoumaru, doesn't he?" His question was meant for elder sister.

Rin-nee-chan nodded. "Yes," she said. "Shigeru will be Chichiue in miniature."

Hakudoshi let out a long, suffering sigh. "Geez," Hakudoshi went on. "Two Sesshoumarus? That'll be a nightmare for Inuyasha that will."

I felt a bit buoyed at the mention of Uncle Inuyasha. Aunt Kagome was coming over today, and I hoped that Uncle Inuyasha would be with her. Unlike Father, Uncle Inuyasha actually talked, listened and played with me. It was very funny to see Uncle Inuyasha and Aunt Kagome fighting, because it usually ended with Uncle Inuyasha's face in the ground.

"Speaking of Inuyasha," Hakudoshi went on, as we moved away from the veranda and towards the lake. "Wonder when he'll be here? I need a good sparring partner."

"Aunt Kagome is coming today," Rin-nee-chan answered as the three of us walked along the lake's edge. I sighed and looked at the still, peaceful water. I wanted to use my power and make ripples dance across the still surface, I don't know why. Maybe because its stillness reminded me so much of Father...

"Well, look who's here," Hakudoshi said as the three of us stopped in our tracks.

A woman was walking towards us, her raven hair blowing softly in the breeze.

/\\//\\//\

-Kagome-

"Aunt Kagomeeeee!"

A second later, I felt the full force of Tsumiko as she rammed into me, hugging me around the waist and knocking the breath out of me.

"Oomph!" I gasped as Tsumiko's arms tightened around my waist like chains.

"Tsumiko!" I said, as I gently loosened Tsumiko's grip around my waist. "I'd nearly forgotten how exuberant you are!"

I looked down at the young moon demoness with affection. The only thing of Mizuki's that she had inherited, were her mother's beautiful blue-gray eyes. She looked very beautiful and very adorable. Even though she was still somewhat young, Tsumiko had always been rather precocious. Her only drawbacks were her occasional bursts of childishness—which wasn't a drawback, seeing as she was still a child—a penchant for stubbornness, misbehaving, and a tendency for klutziness.

"Uncle Inuyasha isn't with you?" She looked disappointed.

I shook my head. "Sorry, Tsumi-chan," I said, using my nickname for her. "He's rather busy."

"Too bad." An indolent voice said.

I looked up from Tsumiko just as Hakudoshi and Rin made their way towards us. Hakudoshi looked around ten or eleven, and Rin around twelve or even thirteen. Rin had surprised us when she had grown out of her 'little girl' stage and into her 'big sister' stage. She was very pretty but, like Tsumiko, she could also be quite stubborn and would occasionally give into bursts of childishness every now and then.

Hakudoshi was entirely different. Except for the physical traits, Hakudoshi had barely changed in the last seventy years. He was still quite strong—in fact, he picked fights with Inuyasha occasionally—and still rather arrogant. Though on the outside, he maintained a rough, Inuyasha-like exterior, on the inside, he was quite devious, cunning and secretive. In fact, I'd heard from Takara-sama that Sesshoumaru trusted Hakudoshi with certain tasks that were far too enigmatic to be understood, much to Jaken's dismay. Still, despite the deviousness, ruthlessness and arrogance, Hakudoshi actually cared about some people, Tsumiko in particular, whom he teasingly called 'little idiot'.

I smiled at them as they approached. "Hey, Rin, Hakudoshi," I greeted. "Eh? Where's Shigeru?"

Shigeru was Sesshoumaru in miniature. The fact that his Father himself trained him, made Shigeru a rather powerful child. He had obviously picked up not only his Father's good looks, but also his impassiveness, coldness and stoic demeanor. In fact, it was rather difficult to force an emotion out of Shigeru sometimes. I inwardly sighed at that. I didn't want to think of what Mizuki would feel if she saw how her son was nearing total heartlessness. But, of course, there were times when Shigeru acted immature...

"Shigeru is with Chichiue," Tsumiko said. I didn't miss the sad note in her voice. It must have been hard for her. Sesshoumaru often ignored her and didn't seem to care much about her. Was it because, like her erstwhile Mother, she was a moon demoness? I couldn't be sure.

Her face suddenly lit up. "Aunt Kagome, I have sooo much to tell you!" she gushed, tugging at the sleeves of my haori. "This morning, I saw a beautiful butterfly! It had nice silvery markings, blue velvety wings and—"

"Give it a rest, little idiot," Hakudoshi said, in that teasing tone of his. "You don't need to bore Kagome to death with every little detail of every little thing you see."

Tsumiko stuck out her tongue at him.

"Yeesh, Hakudoshi, you calling Tsumiko an idiot is pretty hypocritical, don't you think?" A familiar, rough voice said. We all spun around.

"Inuyasha!" Hakudoshi said, smirking. "What? Come to lose again, eh?" If he hadn't been so engrossed in thoughts about fighting Inuyasha, then he'd notice something different.

I took a tiny whiff of the air and smiled slightly just as Inuyasha stopped in front of us. Rin glanced at me, her eyebrows raised. I said nothing, but nodded, smiling.

Suddenly, there was a puff of green smoke and Inuyasha vanished. "Shippou!" Rin cried out happily, as Shippou materialized in front of us.

"Hey Rin," Shippou greeted.

Hakudoshi blinked. "Dammit," he muttered, annoyed. "Kitsune and their tricks."

We all giggled at the flustered expression he wore. "Shut up!" Hakudoshi ordered. "I was hoping it was Inuyasha—I've been waiting for a good spar."

"Why don't you spar with Shigeru?" I asked, as soon as our giggles subsided. "I'm sure he's more than capable of sparring with you."

Hakudoshi sneered. "I don't fight kids," he said. "And if you're about to ask why I won't spar with Sesshoumaru...well, let's just say that I actually value my life."

"You can spar with me!" Shippou suddenly said. "Besides, you said you'd teach me how to use the naginata properly!"

"Oh, right," Hakudoshi said dryly. "Well, you're not much of a challenge"—Shippou looked indignant—"but I guess sparring with you is better than sparring with Jaken. Come on!"

"Wait for me!" Rin called out, as she followed Hakudoshi and Shippou, who both headed toward the training grounds. I smiled to myself. I had a sneaking suspicion that Rin had a little crush on Shippou.

"Don't take too long, you hear?" I called out after them. "I brought you guys something."

"Right! We won't take long, Aunt Kagome!" Rin called back. Tsumiko and I watched as they followed the cobblestone pathway out of the garden and into the training grounds.

"What'd you bring, Aunt Kagome?" Tsumiko asked, blinking.

I smiled enigmatically at her. "It would be unfair for the others if I showed you, wouldn't it?" I asked to which she pouted. Usually, when I visited them, I always brought them something from my Era. Seeing as seventy years had gone by, Grandpa and Mama both...passed away. But I still had Souta, though he was now quite old, around eighty, I should think; but he still had the vigour and strength of a middle-aged man. Souta had married his childhood sweetheart Hitomi, who had already passed away, and had a middle-aged son.

"I won't tell them!" Tsumiko promised, staring at me with blue-gray puppy dog eyes.

I smiled at her, but said nothing. She pouted again and I laughed. "Tsumi-chan, you'll have to wait!" I said, laughing at the expression on her face. "Now, why don't we go sit somewhere, and you can tell me how your week has been, hm?"

We found ourselves a nice spot underneath a tall acacia tree. I smiled as I looked up at the wide spreading canopy. The wind rustled softly above, rustling the leaves just a bit and causing the tree's tiny orange flowers to fall gently down on us.

"Well?" Tsumiko said as she plopped in front of me. I smiled again. Unlike her elder twin brother, Tsumiko wasn't that graceful, but her klutziness was more endearing than repulsing.

"Well what?" I asked playfully.

Tsumiko's blue-gray eyes strayed to my backpack, and then back to me. "Please, Aunt Kagome?" she pouted.

"We'll wait till everyone's here," I said. "Besides, you like surprises, don't you?"

She pouted again. "I guess," she said, sighing in defeat.

"So tell me how you're week has been," I requested.

For a fraction of a second, her eyes looked downcast, but then she lightened up. "It was fun!" she declared enthusiastically. "After you and Uncle Inuyasha left last week, Hakudoshi sparred with Master Jaken! It was very funny! Master Jaken said he didn't want to hurt Hakudoshi, and Hakudoshi kept taunting Master Jaken! Then Master Jaken lost his temper and used the Nintojou against Hakudoshi...I was very worried, but then Hakudoshi put up a barrier, and then Master Jaken lost, and then Shigeru sparred with Hakudoshi and..."

I let her ramble on. A part of me listened with growing amusement, while a part of me noted that she mentioned everyone, except for her father...

I inwardly sighed. Sesshoumaru had to get over Mizuki...for his daughter's sake.

"...and then Hakudoshi let me ride on Entei!" Tsumiko went on. "Shigeru said that I shouldn't, that it was too dangerous. Rin-nee-chan said so, too. But Hakudoshi was with me, and we had so much fun! We raced, Aunt Kagome! Me and Hakudoshi on Entei, while Rin-nee-chan flew with Shigeru! But you mustn't tell anyone, okay? Father will be very angry with Hakudoshi. Anyway, Aunt Kagome, Hakudoshi and I won! Rin-nee-chan said that Shigeru was still too slow to beat Entei, and Shigeru sulked, Aunt Kagome! He didn't talk for the whole day! And then, just yesterday..."

She never got to tell me what happened yesterday. At that moment, a familiar scent came our way, and we both looked up.

Takara-sama was making her way towards us. She walked with a stately spring in her step, her cold, golden eyes fixed on us. Though Takara-sama, like her son, was cold, she actually showed more emotion than Sesshoumaru.

"Kagome," she greeted.

Tsumiko and I hastily stood up. I bowed to her and she tilted her head slightly at me.

"Grandmamma!" Tsumiko said cheerfully, launching herself at the older youkai.

"Tsumiko," Takara-sama said, sighing. "How many times must I tell you not to call me that? Do I look middle-aged to you, young lady?"

Tsumiko giggled and shook her head. Takara-sama still looked the same. In fact, she probably looked around twenty.

"But what am I supposed to call you, Grandmamma?" Tsumiko asked, blinking.

Takara-sama sighed. "I guess it can't be helped," she muttered. "Grandmamma it is then—you've been calling me that since you could first speak."

Tsumiko giggled again and gently pulled herself away from her. "Grandmamma, Aunt Kagome brought something for me!" she announced.

Takara-sama turned her attention to me. "Inuyasha hasn't come with you?" she asked.

"He was busy, Takara-sama," I said apologetically.

She nodded, and then frowned. "I had something I wanted to discuss with you both." She sighed. "It concerns..." Her gaze fell on her little granddaughter and she smiled at her. "Tsumiko, why don't you go play with the others?" she suggested. She must've wanted to tell me something she'd rather Tsumiko didn't hear.

"Hakudoshi is sparring with Shippou," she said.

"Your elder sister, Rin, is with them?" Takara-sama asked.

Tsumiko nodded. "Then it can hardly be a spar," Takara-sama said. "Go on, then."

Tsumiko hesitated then nodded. Takara-sama and I watched as she loped off towards the training grounds, almost skipping instead of walking.

"She takes after her mother, doesn't she?" Takara-sama suddenly said, out of the blue.

I stiffened. Unless you valued one of your limbs, you didn't mention or make any reference to Mizuki. Sesshoumaru would only be furious. So far, Takara-sama was the only who dared to mention her erstwhile daughter-in-law out loud.

"She is a...Moon Demon," I said slowly, quietly. Sesshoumaru had more than excellent ears.

I heard my companion sigh. "Actually," she went on. "I wanted to talk to you about Sesshoumaru."

I nodded. "Is he alright?" I couldn't help but be concerned. As the years went by, and as the tension between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru completely melted, I came to see him as a sort of brother. Though, of course, Sesshoumaru being like a brother would mean that Inuyasha and I...

"Oh, he's fine," Takara-sama muttered. "He's fine and stubborn."

"Stubborn?"

"You know, of course, that Lady Yuhiko has been interested in him?" she asked.

I nodded. "She's been interested in Sesshoumaru even when Mizu...even when she was still alive." Truth be told, I couldn't stand Yuhiko. She was beautiful, snobbish, somewhat obsequious, and temperamental.

"Her father offered her to be my son's bride." Takara-sama sighed.

"And let me guess...Sesshoumaru doesn't want her?" I hazarded.

Takara-sama scoffed. "Not only Lady Yuhiko," she said. "He doesn't want any other woman for that matter. Will you believe me if I tell you that he doesn't even have a mistress? His devotion to Mizuki is admirable, yes, but there's no need for him to act this way!"

It came as no surprise to me. Mizuki would always be the one woman who held Sesshoumaru's heart—even though she was dead.

Takara-sama sighed again. "Just today, I've tried talking to him," she went on. "I've pointed out that he should just remarry for the children's sake, but no! His head has to be harder than adamant." She sighed again. "And then I berated him about Mizuki, saying she'd be ashamed and saddened to see him this way. And do you know what he did? He ordered me to leave the room."

I sighed as Takara-sama continued. Sesshoumaru...

One day, he'd get over Mizuki's death, for his sake as well as Shigeru's and Tsumiko's...

Hopefully.

/\\//\\//\

A1969: there you have it, the first chapter.

Inuyasha: -rolls eyes- yeah. Hooray.

Kagome: Inuyasha, why are you being so sarcastic?

Inuyasha: I'm in this chapter!
A1969: aw...I'm sorry, Inu-chan, I'll make it up to ya!

Inuyasha: -eye twitch- Inu..chan...?

Kagome: I think it's cute.

A1969: anyway, people, don't forget to review, okay? So I know you all like the chapter...or not like it, for that matter. Review please!