To Foreign Lands [Private]

Mika looked as Kurama smiled, the smile turning into a look of mild surprise at the fact that he sensed another fox. "Interesting." He muttered, walking towards the meeting. "Marius, look after the girls for us. You too, Aiko." Stepping foreard, he turned into a somehow elegant looking giant dark red and brown fox, leaving Mika with a strange sense of awe as she watched him take off after the others. "Wow... He's bigger than I expected him to be... and so many tails, too."

Kagome blinked, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of the two. "You two really are purely paternal twins. Completely colored different." She muttered. Turning towards Inuyasha to say something about how he shouldn't be so hasty to fight his brother, she stopped and went completely still as Kurama landed without making the ground shake despite his massive size. Stepping forward, she watched as he effortlessly returned to normal. "Look who it is. Little Inuyasha, all grown up."

Ron looked down when he touched her hand, her expression turning mildly curious. It was odd to see him initiate physical contact like that. Hearing him speak, she looked at him with an innocent gaze before it turned into a look of shock when his hand came up to her cheek. Was... Did he... Holy gods! Her face flared up into an intense blush as she realized what was happening, as her body went into auto pilot and leaned up and forward, touching her lips to his.

Toga watched Mika carefully resisting his instincts to growl at her. He kept saying in the back of his head that he was among friends and family. He was a bit relieved when she confirmed that Asagi would be alright, and Toki was very happy with the news in particular. "Well that's good...although...I don't have any idea of what I'm doing. Keiko seems to know how to teach better than I can" she said. Keiko blushed. "Oh hush you...I think you'll to just fine. Everyone has to start somewhere" she said. Aiko scowled at him. "Right..." he muttered skeptically. He was too focused to realize just how beautiful the ladies were, and how distracting it was for gentlemen. They all heard the mention of four beings approaching, which Toga and Toki both transformed into their giant dog forms to go intercept them.

Kirara was stopped about fifteen miles away from the castle, which it was in sight off in the distance. InuYasha growled lowly not recognizing them at first, but he was able to figure them out by smell. "Toga? Toki? Is that you?" he asked. Toga and Toki reverted into their humanoid forms, and Toki giggled. "Look! It's that girl from another time! You know that one I've told you about?" she asked. Toga stared at her completely confused. "She's...different" he muttered. He looked up at InuYasha and smiled. "I'm glad to see you're alive wait..." he said before he pointed at Tetsusaiga. "You have Tetsusaiga already?" he asked. InuYasha smirked and drew his blade to show it off. "Yea! I've mastered all of its techniques...I wanted to show them off to Big Brother" he said. Toki glared at him. "You know the rules! No opening up portals to the underworld around the castle!" she said. Shippo snickered at this. "Someone's getting in trouble" he muttered. Toga chuckled to himself. "Yea, he'll still kick your ass even with your sword power-ups" he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Anyway, Father and Mother are having meeting with important daiyokai at the moment. He should be available later tonight...unless he tries to sneak out" he said. Toki laughed. "It will be a cold day in hell he'll make it past mother" she joked.

Sesshomaru looked down at her hand and frowned to her words. He reached down to touch her hand gently. "I'm glad that you are safe here...but...something has been telling me that..." he said before he reached up to touch her cheek to caress it. "...you want something more from me" he said as he looked into her eyes deeply. He was leaning in slowly and watching her lips closely to see if his intuition was correct.

Mika walked over and passed a slightly glowing hand over the young woman's forehead, smiling faintly when she truly didn't find anything wrong with her but a sudden onset of stress. "I think you will find that she will be a much more enthusiastic student when she recovers tomorrow Lady Toki." Kurama laughed nervously rubbing the back of his head while looking a little embarrassed about forgetting about the artifact. "Ah. That. I got so distracted by the beautiful ladies that I forgot.I probably should go and introduce myself." Mika made a scoffing noise, standing up and walking over to Marius, who was looking off in the distance. "What is it?" She whispered to him. "Four beings are approaching. One of them is human... and pregnant."

Rin looked down at her hands when he came over and sat down next to her. When he asked that question she flicked a small pebble by her side towards the wall opposite of her. "I was casing pain. I didn't even really try to and yet... I was nothing but a problem. I wanted to stay... because I didn't want to cause you guys anymore trouble. Anymore pain...."

Toga nodded slowly to her comment, and he sighed heavily. "Yes, well...some of the things I'd like to keep the same. I was...quite happy with the life I had with my wife and family" he admitted before he gasped catching her when she went lip. "Asagi? Hey! Snap out of it!" he shouted. Keiko touched her brother's shoulder. "It's okay...she's just overwhelmed" she said. Toga gulped. "Do you think I told her too much!?" he asked. Keiko shook her head. "No, you told her that her dream came true" she said. Toki cleared her throat. "Well, she still has to get stronger before mother allows you two to wed" she said. Toga nodded. "Yea, mother had to do the same thing before she married father. It's really hard for a woman to reach her potential when she gets weighed down with kids" he said. Aiko looked over at Kurama. "Hey! What was that relic thing you were talking about earlier?" he asked hoping to change the subject.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and reflected on that day. "You weren't stupid. You were brave and altruistic; moreover, you shown me why father could have fallen for a human. I saved you because I thought it was what tenseiga wanted me to do, but when you died again it was made clear to me that it was tenseiga telling me it was alright to have these...emotions" he said honestly. He walked over and sat down next to her. "So let me ask you this...why did you choose to stay here?" he asked.

Asagi felt a strange pressure start to weigh down on her when he started to speak, as if some other world was pushing its energy into her as he explained what weighed so heavy on his heart. "Oh... Oh, that's big." She muttered, closing her eyes as she processed it, or at least tried to. Taking in a slow deep breath, she managed to smile at him. "You don't need to fret and worry over something that happened at another time. It might never happen... that way. The bad stuff anyway." She let out a light laugh before her eyes closed and she crumpled to the ground unconscious, the confusing jumble of thoughts at such a weighty revelation too much for the young woman.

Ron smiled, seeing that moment his expression changed, showing his surprise. That was new. The smile fled her face, her expression turning slightly worried when he looked so stern. "You... saved me. I was a stupid, silly human girl that helped a wounded yokai. When I... died, you didn't have to help me. But you did. And when I died again, you came after me, even though you could have failed. You were... are my hero. Why wouldn't I want to go with you?"

Toga kept his glance down at the ground, but he stiffened up hearing Asagi's footsteps approach him. He grimaced after hearing what she had to say, and he thought to himself. Should he tell her? He thought the hell with it, and he gulped holding his breath. "I don't want to burden you with all the details, but...when father and I were in the realm of spirit and time, the shinigami there looked into our memories to see if we truly had a need to be there...I found out that my father was not from this time...in fact he's from an alternate time where things happen completely different from things here...up to a certain point" he explained before he looked deep into her eyes. "I saw my future through his eyes, and I was married to yo...a young beautiful and powerful hanyo. We had three boys, two girls, and a sixth child on the way. That was when that bastard Sensomaru showed up. He absorbed everyone! You, our children..." he said before he blushed blurting out the truth.

Sesshomaru looked at her surprised completely caught off guard by her response, but he quickly regained his composure. "Rin...You've grown into quite the remarkable woman..." he mused before his look turned very stern. He was not about to scold her, but he wanted to get something off his chest. "...When I gave you a choice to live with humans, and you chose me instead...just what exactly were you hoping would become between us?" he asked.

Shippo's eyes grew wide with excitement. "Yea! Alright!" he shouted with glee. InuYasha grumbled to himself. "Oh, great..." he muttered before he turned to Kirara. "Let's go Kirara!" he shouted. Kirara transformed in a burst of flames before she allowed them all to climb onto her back. She sensed the power from the direction of the castle and immediately knew where they were going. She flew off, and Kagome could notice a stark contrast between the warmer more populated areas of Sesshomaru's lands and the colder more remote areas of InuGenki's lands. There were a lot more yokai living there than humans, and they felt a lot stronger. In all reaches of his lands were a youkai comparable to Toran of the panther demon tribe.

Mika stepped back, her hands tightening slightly at her side, a frown creasing her brow. "Aiko-" She stopped speaking when Toga had his outburst, letting her body relax even as her power shimmered beneath the surface, ready to break that seal on her to protect her if she needed to. Asagi felt Keiko's hands tighten around her own, but oddly enough she didn't feel any sense of dread or fear. She was... calm. Taking her hands carefully from Keiko's, she stood to her feet and brushed herself free from dirt before walking over to Toga. She did not like when he looked away from her. What was he afraid of? "Lord Toga. Whenever I am not working, I would be glad to listen to anything weighing heavily on your mind."

Rin easily caught that look in his eyes, and she could remember very clearly that day that she had woken up in his mother's home. It hadn't shown in his expression, but his eyes... they expressed far more. "I know. I am forever in your debt." She stood a bit taller with a cheeky smile on her face. "If you need anything my lord, let me know."

Kagome felt the very faint edge of a fiery presence off in the direction of the castle, before she looked at Shippo. "I don't see why not. You might even meet someone... powerful there. That can teach you, hm?"

Toki sighed and looked off to the side. "I...I dunno..." she muttered still rubbing her arm. "I just wished father took me with him too" she muttered lowly. She did not believe it when Toga said that she was powerful, but she felt like she needed to get stronger and be just as strong as her parents. Toga chuckled to himself as he slapped at Kurama's back. "I have seen things that you'll never believe" he said before he looked towards Aiko and Mika's dispute. "Don't you find it funny that they bicker like that?" he whispered. Keiko giggled to herself recognizing Asagi's feelings. "Aw, that's so cute" she said as she rubbed her back tenderly. "You're in love" she whispered back to her. She had no idea with whom she was in love with, but she was pretty sure that it was most likely Toga based of the reaction she had with him earlier. Aiko was growling at Mika, and he got into her face. "Why are you getting after me for!? He's the one who's throwing his life away! My father didn't do that when my mother died!" he shouted. Toga glanced over at Aiko coldly. "That's enough!" he raised his voice. He was having images of his father watching everyone die at the hands of Sensomaru and the world ending. He knew the melancholy his father felt afterwards, and his yoki flared up suddenly making the air feel heavy and heated. "You cannot force him to get over the loss of a loved one or the injustices he's experienced. You've never been old enough to comprehend what father went through. Well, I've seen way too much shit that he's gone through! He's dragged me to the end of the world and back! I've seen everyone I know and love perish! Don't you forget that he blew himself up once! And it was all in vain! Don't you dare claim to be an expert on how to deal with one's life!" he shouted in a demonic tone. Toki and Yumi both felt their hearts skip a beat not sensing this kind of dread since their father lost his temper over hearing InuYasha getting pinned to the Goshinboku. Aiko gulped and took a few steps back. "Okay...I'll stop..." he muttered submissively. Keiko was equally terrified albeit she was a lot farther away from him, which she believed he was about to transform, and she clutched onto Asagi's hands, but his yoki relented as he clenched his fists looking at them with his red demon eyes which faded back to normal. "I'm sorry..." he muttered. Keiko shot a glare at Aiko, but she looked over at Toga recognizing he was shell shocked. He was looking over at Asagi intensely, but when their eyes met he looked away fearing that she was afraid of him. "Toga, do you need someone to talk to?" she asked.

Sesshomaru looked at her with great doubt when she said that she was okay. She watched her pull out the bottle and take a pill before he closed his eyes. "If you need anything, let me know. I don't like to see you in discomfort" he spoke softly. When he opened his eyes, he shown a warmer caring side of him.

InuYasha smiled at Kagome with pride. "He lives in a giant castle inside a huge youkai town surrounded by giant walls! It's not as big as Tokyo, but I think you'll like it" he said before he rushed off. He came back within five minutes with Kirara and Shippo. Shippo looked up at her frowning. "Can I come too? I've heard a lot of stories from my father about Lord InuGenki" he said. InuYasha did not seem too keen on him going, but now Kagome was involved, so he did not want to be punished.

Kurama looked towards Toga, a slight frown on his face as he looked back at her. "The only reason you feel weaker than him is because he spent time in a place that is outside the normal flow of time. You really shouldn't talk your own powers down like that. I have a feeling that your mother probably wouldn't like to hear that you are talking in such a way." The fox daiyoukai saw that awkward smile from Toga, and he pretended like he didn't know what the man was thinking. Marius had shut down at this point, and Mika walked over at Aiko, popping him on the chest with a firm hit. "Drop it, okay?" Asagi scooted closer to Keiko to whisper, "I can feel him. Not his power, but more like his... soul. His heart. It is like a deep, smoldering inferno. It... causes something..." she laid her hand over her stomach. "Here." She really, really hoped Keiko could deduce who she was talking about. Even whispering, she didn't want to say his name.

Rin looked up as she pulled the box she had her other kimonos in, and managed a smile, somehow not turning into an embarrassed red mess when he spoke that last part. "I'm okay." She reached under a pale pink kimono and pulled out a small white bottle. Kagome had brought her a small bottle of modern medicine when she had informed her that her pain was so intense, that if she was already sitting or laying down when it started, she was unable to get up all day. She even occasionally got sick form it as well. Quickly taking one of the small white pills, she stowed the bottle and the new kimono away carefully before she stood to her feet, brushing off her knees. "See? Just fine."

Kagome stood up from where she picked up her basket that held the stuff she had brought from home, looking at him with a smile. "I don't see why not. We haven't left the village in a long time. It would be nice to see this fabled big brother of yours."

Toki bit the inside of her cheek lightly as she tried to figure out what she should do. "Well...I want a good mate, but...I also want to finish mastering my powers. I'm feel like I'm so behind compared to Toga. I just don't think I have the time to go out boyfriend hunting" she said. Toga looked away and rubbed his arm. "Yea, well...I wish I had time to relax...I honestly think the men you are looking for are too afraid to ask you out because of your power and who your father is. It's kind of easier for me or Akio to find a girl...well, maybe just me" he said before Akio scowled at him. "Hey!" Toga smirked at him then sighed. "My point is, you probably want to make yourself an alter ego to draw them in. You should have the ability to do that right?" he asked. Toki nodded slowly. "Yea?" she muttered. "Well, you should try to be as vague as possible if they ask you anything about your family or your lineage. Don't reveal yourself until you feel like you are certain they are the right one" Toga said. Toki sighed heavily and puffed her cheeks out. "That sounds awfully beneath me. You think mother would approve of me finding a male weaker than me?" she asked. Toga crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you want to marry a relative or travel to the far corners of the globe?" he asked trying to make a point. He then looked over at Kurama and smiled awkwardly, but he said nothing. Toki noticed this and glared at him. "What was that all about?" she shouted. Toga laughed. "Oh nothing" he said. Akio rolled his eyes at Marius crossed his arms over his chest hearing his plans and scowled at him. "You know how boring that sounds? What's the point on living?" he scoffed. Keiko ignored the conversations outside and focused only on Asagi. "Good, good...you're finding your elemental nature" she said before she leaned in more closely. "...and what else? It can't be that embarrassing" she asked. "Come, you can whisper it into my ear. I won't judge" she said with a warm smile. She was aware of a yuki-onna and her succubus like tenancies, so she was prepared to hear her mention lustful and pervy feelings or even a desire.

Sesshomaru caught up with Rin and followed her into her hut. He stood in the doorway with his hands tucked into opposite sleeves. "Rin...is everything alright?" he asked with a slight hint of concern. His eyes narrowed upon her trying to determine a cause of her discomfort. "Are you cramping again?" he asked. He wondered what he should do not used to seeing her like this, and it bothered him greatly.

InuYasha stood beside Kagome and looked to her worried. "Hey, I'm going to ask Miroku if I can borrow Kirara. I was wondering if you'd like to go see my big brother and his wife? I was thinking about asking him to help us with youkai problem. They both already know about what happens to me on the night without a moon" he asked.

The man gave a slight shrug, looking towards the castle. His thoughts wandered, and he chuckled with a shake of his head to clear the bothersome thoughts from his mind. "Having to be stationary can make the process take even longer. If you cannot persuade your mother to let you personally choose, you should just name a region. I'm sure all she wants is for it to work out for you like it did for her." Marius looked at Aiko, his eyes slightly dull in color at the moment. "Unless I die... all my plan is to do is live. Simple enough." Asagi looked towards Marius for a moment with one cracked eye, before she returned to her original position, eyes closed. "Cold, a deep cold like the cold coming off of a mountain. But then...." Her words fell off, and she fidgited slightlt in place. "Its too embarassing...." She muttered.

Toki and some of the others listened to Kurama and his story about Tomiko, which she smiled at him warmly. "Awe, You see...why can't I find a good guy who don't bother me and suffocate me?" she asked more to herself. Aiko looked at Marius strangely. "Why would you give up on a thing like that? What plan are you talking about?" he asked. Keiko was quietly observing Asagi and her progress, and she was smiling seeing that she was a natural at this. "My, you pick up things rather quickly. So tell me, what did you feel?" she asked curiously.

Sesshomaru sensed that Rin was deeply troubled, and a part of him wanted to go an console her. He looked back over at Kagome and frowned. "I was under the impression that the one that Sensomaru came with was the same that you came back with; However, I no longer believe that to be the case. I doubt that his reappearance occurring after InuGenki's is a mere coincidence" he said before InuYasha walked out from the shadows. "You think that Lady Akemi did something with it?" he asked. Sesshomaru looked at him sternly. "She was responsible for hiding one of the shards in father's grave site. It's quite possible that she may have the second one under our noses" he said before he sighed heavily and walked off towards Rin. "I would leave it there" he said. InuYasha growled. "Don't you get it? The Shikon no Tama is going to find a way back! That is its will!" he shouted. Sesshomaru looked back at him annoyed. "You've destroyed the first one...you shouldn't have a problem destroying this one if it surfaces. It's not my problem" he said.

Kurama looked off towards the west, fondly remembering the first time he had ever met Tomiko. "Tomiko picked me. Said she chose me because I was the only one that presented my gift of a jade inlaid mirror, and didn't hang around and bother her like everyone else. I was greatly infatuated with her, but at the same time she intimidated me. She was so beautiful and powerful." Marius looked at Toki when she turned her attention towards him, and he shook his head, somehow managing a smile run as his heart ached. "No, and I don't really plan on it, either. Love... family... They really aren't in the plan anymore." Asagi glanced towards Marius, feeling for the man, before she turned her attention back to Keiko. "Okay." Closing her eyes, she did as she was told. With each deep breath she took in and then let out, the conversations around her faded into the background. She shivered when she became aware of the cold energy given form in her mind's eye ran across her skin. She could feel her power, but strangely enough, she could feel the echo of another's power from deep within her own.

Ron closed her eyes as she heard the coldness in his voice. Deep in her heart, she actually believed him to underestimating the situation, but she kept it silent. "I'm going to put this away. Thank you!" She reiterated, before turning and walking away. She had felt a deep, sharp pain, and she knew it was that time again. She used the pretext of putting away the beautiful kimono to go take care of the pain before it really got started. Kagome watched her walk away, and she frowned slightly. "I had heard a rumor when I came back of a second jewel... This is really bad...."

Toki giggled to herself feeling like she understood Kurama, which he was sort of like her father in some ways since they were friends after all. Toki sighed heavily and fidgeted with her fingers while biting her lip. "Oh, well, I wish I could leave the castle more often and see more potential mates. I'm always around the castle entertaining guests and helping out mother" she said lowly. She was really nervous about asking her mother such a big thing thinking that she was against her looking for boys. "Well, Father and Uncle Sesshomaru were brought to Mother. I thought that was how it worked for a Lady of my stature" she remarked. Toga frowned after hearing this story, and he clenched his fist thinking about what happened to his father. He could not say anything to them, but Toki knew what he was thinking about. She looked over at Marius and smiled. "Have you started looking for another mate? We have a really cute dragon hanyo living in the castle" she asked with a smile. Keiko made Asagi sit with her butt on the ground and with her legs crossed. "Okay, this might be a little difficult with so many people, so I would suggest you try this in a quiet place" she said before she sat like Asagi and held her hands together cupping them. "When you close your eyes, focus on everything going on inside your body. Listen to your breathing...your heart beats...feel the blood flow through your veins...feel your body tingle with yoki. Can you sense your yoki?" she asked.

Sesshomaru was very glad that she liked his gift. "I thought you'd might like it" he said with a slight smile. Jaken scowled. "Sensomaru? I thought your brother InuGenki was brought back!" he shouted. Sesshomaru glared at him and his yoki flared. "I thought I told you to not mention that slacker's name around me!" he raised his voice. Jaken fell back and cowered behind Ah-un. "I'm sorry milord!" he shouted. He looked towards Rin and sighed. "Sensomaru is just a cheap knock off of Naraku...nothing more. Just like Moryomaru" he said coldly. He looked towards Kagome and frowned. "I've heard rumors that there's a second Shikon Jewel somewhere around here. I believe Lady Akemi may have used it to resurrect her husband after he blew himself up" he told her suggesting that they go up North to speak with her about it.

Kurama gave a slight shrug, a mischievous glint in his eyes even though his expression didn't show any notable emotion. When she said something about him meaning it, he smirked. "I don't make threats... mostly promises." When she mentioned all the suitors, he laughed, thinking about how she might find it really annoying. "You know, you can always choose your own potential suitor. Tell your parents you want to look on your own. It couldn't hurt anything." Marius meanwhile looked a little uncomfortable, and Mika walked up to him, placing a gentle hand to his back. "You need to talk about it, Lord Marius." She muttered, and Marius sighed. "I was once the ruler of every dragon in Europe. I had a wife named Selna, and we had a daughter we named Silva a hundred years ago. My wife and child were murdered while I was incapacitated by my own men. I killed them, let my chosen successor take over, and I left after putting them to rest. I ended up in China thirty years later, and it wasn't until forty nine year ago that I made it to Nihon." Asagi looked over at Keiko and managed a smile. She seemed really nice. "Okay...."

- - - - -

Rin jumped and smiled widely when he landed, waving big. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She put the bow she had been using over her shoulder, Kagome getting up from her seat and walking over to the girl's side. Rin's eyes lit up when he pulled out the Kimono, and she took it carefully, running her fingers over one of the silver cranes stitched into the deep blue fabric. "This is pretty." When he said that name, she felt the hair on her arms stand up, and she looked at Kagome, looking a little worried. "Sensomaru." The woman muttered, feeling an odd feeling in the back of her mind. "That's not good...."

Toki kinda looked at Kurama oddly with his comment and cocked her head cutely to the side. "Just what do you mean by that? Do you think that I don't have any good taste in men?" she asked. She laughed to herself imagining her parents castrating the first man who tried to sleep with her. "I'm surprised that you would even go that far Lord Kurama" she commented before she covered her mouth giggling to herself. "I think you mean that. You know, I have quite a lot of problems with suitor coming over already..." she said. Yumi nodded to this and she giggled to herself. "Lady Akemi as been trying to find good candidates to take Lady Toki's hand in marriage. Lady Chomi and Lady Setsura have been bringing over suitors from their lands, but all of them have a pompous or grandiose personality. Lady Toki likes more playful and modest guys like father...err, Lord InuGenki" she said. Toki blushed and squirmed a little. "Yumi! Just what are you trying to pull here!?" she asked faking her outrage although it was clear she did not mind this information getting out. Toga scratched his head. "So why is it that you're all the way over here? Father never told me those circumstances" he asked. Keiko sat next to Asagi and had her hands crossed over her lap. "Asagi? Would you mind meditating with me? I'm going to show you a trick father taught me with manipulating yoki" she said in a motherly tone.

Sesshomaru had just landed in the archery range and with closing two fingers like scissors caught an arrow fired at him which would have struck him in the face, and he lowered the arrow and approached the two women. Jaken and Ah-un soon landed behind him. He frowned noticing how much Rin had grown. He reached into his chest pulling out a new luxurious kimono from behind his armor before he presented it to her. "Here, this is for the ones you've outgrown" he mentioned before he looked around sensing a familiar scent in aura in the wind. "It would appear that Sensomaru has been revived" he deduced.

Kurama raised an eyebrow when Toki spoke, and he let out a sigh, like that of an elder realizing their age compared to a young one. "Don't grow up so fast, Toki. I'd hate to have to run interference when your parents aren't around. A few men might end up losing some hair... a finger... or a whole limb." The tone of his voice caused Mika to cough, which suppressed the laugh she wanted to give. His actions were... strange, and funny. She watched him carefully, as his expression became introspective. "Not really. Tomiko would come back from the dead and kick my ass if I did what I wanted to do. So I just put the fear into them, and spread word of what they did. I leave their fate to my wife's former subjects." Asagi rolled her eyes at Aiko's actions, seeing him as rather childish, turning her attention to Toga when he arrived. Marius blinked, looking mildly surprised that the young man knew his language. "Wales, really. Former king of dragons in all of Europe." Kurama looked at Toki, motioning towards the dragon daiyokai. "Lord Marius is from an area of the world collectively called Europe. It is halfway across the world. I have seen it once in my life."

- - - - -

Rin worked on her archery with Kagome watching on. After they had gotten Miroku all patched up, Rin had gone out and gotten a few herbs she saw by the village well, and made a tea for Kagome, which had settled the kid and her stomach. As thanks, the young woman was helping coach Rin. "Your form is perfect, Rin. Now you need to try and hold your breath before you shoot." She lightly chewed on her bottom lip. "I wish I could make up some kind of moving targets for you."

Toki looked at Kurama amused and giggled. "Oh stop, I haven't grown up fully yet. I still have some growing to do" she said before she put her hands out below her chest giving a projection of where her breast would be in a few hundred years. "I still have my mother's blood in me" she remarked. Luckily for her, she was not growing as fast as her mother. She cleared her throat. "I take it you got your revenge then?" she asked. She looked at him disappointed. "Hey, look, I'm just trying to get her to learn basic stances and strikes" she said. Aiko looked at her oddly. "Aren't Yuki onna more known for using elemental attacks and spells...not for their physical attacks?" he asked. He smirked at Asagi and snickered. "Why thank you. I'm about the same age as InuYasha" he said. Toki sighed heavily. "You aren't that much older than Lord Toga...I don't know why he looks older, but it might have something to do with the Realm of Spirit and Time" she suggested. Yumi looked up at Asagi and blushed imagining her as an adult. Aiko looked over at Mika and smiled. "Hey do you want to get some training done?" he asked. Soon Toga arrived from the sky with his arms crossed. "Hey! What's everyone doing out here? Having a party?" He asked. Keiko and Aiko both stared at Toga in shock. "Whoa! You look...bigger!" They both said. Toga looked over at Marius and scratched the back of his head. "You're that Dragon dude...from Europe right?" he spoke in English. The others stared at him blankly thinking he was speaking some sort of gibberish. Toki raised an eyebrow at him. "What language is that?" she asked.

"Hello, Yumi." Kurama responded when the young woman pointed him out, and Marius noticed the guard's reactions, impressed on how Kurama just smiled. It didn't seem to bother the guy that he hadn't been recognized by the two guards. Having noticed Marius' expression earlier during the exchange, Kurama spoke up about it, "I rather like not being recognized sometimes. People always seem to clam up and treat me as if I am some kind of god."

Asagi swallowed the childish retort when Toki said that her brother did like her. It defied all logic that it could even be possible, but at this point she knew she was backed up into a corner. "Yes, Lady Toki. I apologize." She turned and watched the group approach, going wide eyed when she saw Marius walking along at the back of the group. "Training with Lady Toki I see, Asagi. Did you like the stories I gave you?" The girl nodded mutely. Kurama looked at Toki and walked up, putting a hand on top of her head, a smirk on his face. "Look at you. All grown up. Still short, though." Mika stood next to Marius, mildly surprised at this side of her father. The feeling of sadness he had hanging over him since he had first shown up was mostly gone. He looked at Asagi when Toki spoke about training, before looking back at her. "I won't fall for it easily, Toki." He then leaned in, "The girl is like you, like you mother. Coldness hangs around her like a coat. I am fire, she is ice. I cannot train the girl." Meanwhile, Asagi looked at Keiko, feeling a blush coming to her face. "H-Hi. I'm Asagi." She looked at Yumi, when the woman spoke up, before she looked back at the twin siblings. Turning her attention to Aiko, her head tilted to the side. "If you are the eldest, why does Toga look older than you?"

"Ow...doesn't that hurt?" Keiko asked as they walked through the thick forest. Aiko looked back at her oddly. "Does what hurt?" he mumbled. When they got to the main gate, there were two massive and imposing guards. Two oni that stood almost twenty feet tall crossing their clubs to block the path. "Halt, state your business or turn back" one said before Akio growled. "We're here to see our father dumbass!" he shouted. The guards laughed at him. "Oh yea? Just who do you think you are calling us a dumbass, half breed!?" his voice boomed. "Lord InuGenki has a big schedule today, and Lady Akemi has requested that no other guest be allowed in until further notice!" The other explained before he nudged the guard. "Watch it, he don't look much but he can really cause us problems" he warned him. The guard raised an eyebrow. "What you've dealt with them before, Ryuzu?" he asked. Ryuzu sighed heavily. "Those two have been trained by Lord InuGenki. It's how we lost our old guard" he explained. He gasped. "I though Lady Akemi relieved him of duty!" he shouted. Yumi stood behind them and cleared her throat. "Excuse me...I'd like to go out" she said abruptly. The guards both stiffened up and moved their clubs out of the way. She walked out and looked at the group recognizing most of them. "I'm sorry, but these two are right. Lord InuGenki and Lady Akemi won't be available for meetings at the moment. I can try to slide you all in for a dinner meeting. I'm sure that your father wouldn't mind. If you'd like, you can walk with me to the training grounds to pass the time" She said before she walked off humming to herself before she looked back at Kurama. "It's nice to see you again, Lord Kurama..." she mentioned just to see the guards' reaction, which they were in shock. "No way! That's Lord Kurama!?" they both shouted. Yumi giggled to herself. "Of course...why are you so surprised whenever a powerful Daiyokai shows up at the gate?" she asked. The guards blushed not able to make up a good come back, so she continued off down the path.

Toki placed her hand on her hip and sighed heavily. "I thought mother said you were shadowing our guards and spies...you mean to tell me you haven't learned a thing from them!?" she asked. She gave her an irritated look. "Enough! I will not tolerate hearing from you that you are not worthy. Toga likes you. Mother wouldn't go out of her way to make me train you if she didn't deem you worthy!" she shouted at her. Yumi showed up with Keiko and her group. Aiko was another very handsome product from InuGenki, and he had those cute adorable dog ears. "Hey Toki! What are you up to?" he asked. Toki turned towards him and crossed her arms over her chest. "What have I told you about addressing me as Lady Toki? Aiko?" she asked. Yumi giggled to herself. "Look who else I brought!" she said pointed at Kurama. Toki gasped. "No way! I haven't seen you in forever! Where have you been?" she shouted with excitement. She laughed nervously. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to know how to train people...would you?" she asked seeing if she could squirm her way out of training. Keiko came up to Asagi and smiled warmly. "I've never met you before...My name is Keiko, and that goofball with the dog ears is my brother Aiko. We're both Lord InuGenki's children" she introduced themselves. Yumi smiled. "These two are hanyo just like you and Lord InuYasha" she explained. She was curious just how Asagi would react to finding out that InuGenki had hanyo children. Aiko crossed his arms over his chest proudly. "I'm his eldest son" he said pointing to himself.

Mika closed her eyes as Marius' voice echoed in her mind. "Because of what he is, he can regulate his core temperature to keep himself from getting too sluggish. He creates a fire, as if he is about to attack, but he holds it in her chest." She would be unaware that Keiko could hear his mental voice now, making her the only other person other than Mika that could hear him. She felt a faint blush come to her face as she felt a rumble run through the dragon's massive body, a laugh echoing in her mind. When they landed, Mika watched as he changed back once they had all dismounted, and she was still in awe at the colors of his aura as he did so. She wondered if that was exclusive to his European breed.

- - - - -

Asagi had pretty much just had her mind blown. When Akemi brought up those... feelings, she was sure the woman was going to disapprove, harshly. This chance... was it a trick? Did her son know his mother was doing this? Why her?! Once they were to the clearing, she looked at Toki, an embarrassed blush on her face. "I'm sorry. I... I don't know anything." She felt like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. "I'm sorry you have to do this, my lady. I'd have liked for this to all remain... a dream. It's not like he'd even...."

Keiko giggled to herself imagining the chaos Marius could bring if he approached the castle in his dragon form. "Oh, it couldn't be as bad as a giant dog flying towards the castle" she said. She did not think much of it before they all got onto Marius's back before they flew off towards the castle. They got a new appreciation for just how beautiful the lands of Tohoku were. The mountain tops were coated with fresh snow, and it was pretty cold being up as high as they were. "It's freezing! Hey! You holding out okay?" Keiko asked him curious if the cold would make him sluggish based off his reptilian physiology. As they landed outside of the castle, a large giant dog daiyokai flew overhead. It was their grandmother, and she landed beyond the castle walls. Aiko gulped. "It's our Grandmother" he mumbled.

Toki fell to her knees and bowed to her mother. "I'm sorry mother...I forgot father is not well enough to be doing such duties" she said before she gasped realizing her mother was going to put the blame onto her. "What? Mother if you know she's got the potential then...why is it upon me that makes her qualified to marry Toga?" she blurted out. She grumbled to herself and looked towards Asagi. "Let's go...we have a lot to do" she said grabbing her hand and pretty much dragging her off towards the training grounds. They walked passed her grandmother who stared at them blankly before she giggled to herself thinking nothing of it. When they got out into the training grounds, Toki crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay! Do you know proper fighting poses and strikes?" she asked. She sounded very impatient and irritated, but it was not towards Asagi. She did not like being dragged into this sort of situation, and she was a bit insecure about her own abilities as a teacher.

When Akemi entered the throne room, InuGenki smiled at her finding her Junihitoe absolutely stunning, and her parents both smiled at her seeing how much happier she looked now that her husband had returned. "Oh, I'm glad that you are back to your old self" her mother said. They all stopped to hear the doors open, which Yuki escorted InuGenki's mother into the room. "Lady Chomi has arrived, milord" she said before she bowed and left. InuGenki looked at his mother in surprise. "Mother? What are you doing here?" he asked. Chomi glanced over at Akemi's parents and smiled. "My, it's almost like he acts like he hasn't seen me in fifty years" she remarked. Yoshiro laughed at this. "Heh, it has been a while since we last saw you" he said. Chomi looked towards her son and noticed the strange technology in his hand then she looked towards Akemi. "I have come here to give you some advice" she stated firmly. "Advice?" InuGenki asked. Chomi nodded. "I would suggest you heal up as quickly as you can. Your dear older brother wishes to test his strength against someone who is more his league. I may have slipped a notion to him that you are actually stronger than him" she said before gave them a mischievous smile. "My every time I see you, you look more and more like your father. If it weren't for those adorable ears of yours, you could really pass as him. How fitting is it that the you ended up looking like the parent who you spent more time with, and your brother Sesshomaru ended up looking like the parent who he spent more time with" she remarked before she let out a heavy melodramatic sigh. "Oh, if only we both shared more time with you equally! I wish I could have held you in my arms more!" she said before she smirked. "I can't believe that old dog was right about how you'd turn out..." she rambled. InuGenki blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "Uh, I thought you did not want us to fight?" he asked. Chomi giggled. "Well, a little five minute sparring match between you should be alright" she said before she looked towards Akemi. "You know, Sesshomaru was quite pleased to find out that his brother was alive and well. I'd hate to see him bored all of the time" she added.

Mika merely blinked slowly as her question, her right hand tightening slightly when Aiko had a bit of a rude reaction upon seeing it himself. What an idiot. She thought to herself before she looked over at Marius, when Keiko asked if he could fly them there. She had to swallow a laugh when she saw the mildly surprised look on his face. "Its been... a while since I've transported so many people at once. I heal pretty fast once treated, so we should be able to make it. Though... I will land a good distance from the castle, and we will approach by foot. I don't think a big red, foreign dragon flying over the castle would be a good idea."

- - - - -

Akemi's eyes narrowed slightly, the air in the room dropping several notable degrees at her daughter's reaction. "No? Your father do it? Your father has not yet fully recovered from his return." Asagi shuddered when the woman smiled faintly. "I guess you will have to be the one to tell your brother that his potential happiness will likely never happen." Asagi made a sound like a distressed mouse, and Akemi smiled, her anger gone in an instant. "Do not worry, young one. It will be fun. Now, I must return to my husband's side. We have guests." She turned, leaving the room, and a mortified Asagi behind. "W-What... What nust happened?" She muttered, feeling strangely dizzy.

Keiko noticed that Mika's eye was in its yokai form, which she pointed to her left eye. "Hey, does your eye normally do that?" she asked. Aiko looked at at his sister oddly. "does what normally?" he asked before he noticed Mika's eye. "Whoa! Your eye! It's not normal!" he shouted. Keiko rolled her eyes at him. "You're not normal Lord Dog Ears!" she shouted. Aiko frowned. "Hey! There's normal for me!" he muttered. Keiko sighed a bit of frustration before she looked over at Marius curiously. "Hey, could you fly us all over there? Or are you still too hurt?" she asked.

InuGenki looked around and got up to go out onto the third floor engawa and leaped down into the courtyard before he turned down the a passageway and got into a storage shed. He shuffled things about trying to get into a box stowed in the back. He put a couple fingers onto it undoing a seal before he opened it. Inside was plastic ziploc bags filled with foreign technology, which he stuffed a smart phone into his Sokutai as well as a pair of ear buds. He returned back to his throne room, and he popped in his earbuds listening to his playlist as he studied the papers. He felt like he's done this before, but his first guests was a surprise. It was his in-laws, and he pulled his earbuds out pausing his music. "Lord Yoshirou, Lady Setsura...what brings you here?" he asked curiously. The two bowed to him while smiling. "We have come to see our dear son-in-law. Is that a problem?" Setsura asked before she giggled covering her face with her sleeve finding that he looked much stronger than she anticipated. Yoshirou snickered. "I can't believe you're recovering this quickly" he commented. InuGenki smirked at him and closed his eyes thinking about his wife and her skills in nursing. "Heh, Akemi has been making sure I get plenty of rest" he said before he scratched the back of his head when Setsura giggled. "Oh? Has she proven to be the perfect wife for you, milord?" she asked. InuGenki chuckled to himself. "She has proven that every day. You've raised her well" he told her.

Toki looked at her mother in shock and huffed. "Wait! No way! That's going to slow me down! Can't Father do it? He likes to do that sort of thing! I don't know anything about training!" she said unaware that Asagi was a yuki onna hanyo. She had enough basic knowledge to get Asagi caught up so Akemi could have the time to nurse her husband and son back to full strength before she can give them more advanced training. Toki gulped seeing her mother get very upset with her and she looked at Asagi awkwardly.

Kaede came in to check on Kagome noticing that her sickness had not gotten any better when news about other people already returning to normal. She had her suspicions about Kagome, which she turned to InuYasha when they were helping Miroku. Miroku shown his gratitude towards Rin. "Yes, this will be a good learning experience for her" he said. InuYasha sighed heavily. "Let's hope it don't get infected" he remarked at Kaede approached them. "Excuse me InuYasha! I have a very important question for you" she asked before InuYasha raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" he asked. "Well, I was wondering when Kagome's time of the month was supposed to be?" she asked. InuYasha scratched his head. "Um, she said something about it being late" he said before Miroku closed his eyes snickering. "Whoa boy!" he muttered. InuYasha looked at him oddly before Kaede walked back into the hut having everything she needed to know. She knelled down and touched Kagome's shoulder. "Congratulations Lady Kagome" she whispered softly before InuYasha screamed out loud. "Pregnant!!? Already!?"

Mika looked over at Keiko, her right eye normal but her left eye was like it was in her demon form. Even with the seal the young woman had placed on her, her power still rolled beneath the surface, more like a calm wave than the intense storm it was the night before. "We should go soon. Power is amassing some distance away. We need to make sure that nothing in your father's area is causing it." Kurama felt a sense of pride in the back of his mind, knowing that Mika's awareness was so finely tuned.

- - - - -

Asagi took in a gulping breath as they stepped into the room, her hands held tightly together in front of her, her gaze on the ground. Hearing a slight twinkle across the room, she brought up her gaze and froze when she saw Lady Akemi standing there, giving her a look that was hard to guess at. Asagi felt really heavy for some reason, and she damn near fainted when the woman finally smiled, and it wasn't snarky or mean or angry. It was a soft smile, something she was not used to from the Lady Akemi. "Why are you so nervous, young one? Relax, breathe." Her expression easily turned official, as she stood straighter, giving off a sense of royalty. "I know of your shadowing our guards and spies, learning from them in secret. I also have heard of what lays deep in your heart. I will... entertain that deeply held secret, on two conditions. One, I want you to go out into the far right clearing from the castle, and do training with Toki every afternoon. You spent so long on that island, your potential powers retarded. I want to see how much stronger you get. Second... follow through on that shadowing you have been doing. Bring me information that no one knows on the five captains of the guard, and the two spy leaders we have here in the castle." The tasks she had set on the young woman were actually pretty damn hard, but she had to prove that she was strong enough for her to consider her for her precious son.