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Chapter 30: White Brothers

Ginnezu dashed through the halls of the High Stone's deep chambers, making a beeline for her destination. She could have traveled much faster had she been in her true form, but the precious bundle she carried was far too valuable to risk dropping. In this section of the vast underground "castle," she passed many Dogs, most of them Silver, Gray, and the occasional Black, all of them in their true forms, the size of the halls and doors comforably accomodating them.

She skidded to a stop at the end of a hall, before a particularly ornate door. This one was very large, and required a good deal of her demonic strength to slide it open. When she had created a small gap, she squeezed into the dimly-lit interior, quickly composing herself and straightening her clothing.

"Great Lady, I have come!" she announced into the darkened room.

In the far side of the chamber, shrouded in darkness, something massive stirred. The sound of low, deep breaths echoed through the large room, and heavy footsteps made a four-beat rhythm on the floor. A monstrous shadow could be seen at the edge of the light, pale amber eyes reflecting the dim lamplight.

Suddenly, the shadow shifted, shrinking. The huge shape that dwarfed even the massive Gray Dogs guarding the entrance slowly dwindled to the size of a mere man, taking the shape of a human being. When the transformation was complete, the shadow stepped forward into the light.

The eyes had not changed; they were still cold, ruthless, dangerous. But the figure that stood now illuminated was anything but threatening--a finely-dressed Lady, so very old but still beautiful, with long white hair and thick dark stripes across whatever skin was exposed. A long, white, puffy tail curled primly about her feet, and she regarded the other Dog with cool disdain.

"So, you've returned, Ginnezu."

Ginnezu smiled warmly, eyes happy and excited though she held her manner firmly and respectfully. "Yes, I have. And I've so much to tell you. Look, Mother...look what I've brought for you!"

The ancient Lady's eyes grew bright as Ginnezu raised the unwrapped Shikon shard into the light.

* * * * *

"So, you finally decided to come home, eh, little brother?"

"Sesshomaru..." Inuyasha drew back from his elder half-brother, a low growl welling up deep in his chest. He bared his fangs and set his feet, golden eyes flashing wary anger. Every muscle tensed and ready, he flexed his claws, fully expecting to have to launch into deadly combat right then and there. It would be a shame about the nice kimono...

Sesshomaru regarded him boredly. "Do quit that nonsense, little brother. I'm not here to fight you."

Inuyasha didn't budge, his lip curling into a hateful snarl. He'd trust Sesshomaru just about as far as he could throw him--in his true form, that is.

"You can stand down, little brother," Sesshomaru said, raising an eyebrow. "Do you think that I would profane my father's home by spilling blood here? And yours, no less--which is, by half, his blood as well."

"I think you'd do anything, if it served your purposes." Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, and he relaxed his claws carefully, half expecting the older demon to jump him the moment he let down his guard. His brother was wearing his usual getup, pale kimono and magenta-purple sashes, but his ornate armor and swords were gone. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Sesshomaru shook his head in amused exasperation. "Dolt. This is the Full Moon Howl-Gathering, and it is customary for all dog-demons to gather here on this night. Besides that, this is my ancestral home--I have every right to be here, just as you do."

That made Inuyasha blink--Sesshomaru, accepting him as part of the White Clan, even admitting his right to stand in their father's home? He didn't realize that all the suspicion on his face had been replaced with surprise until Sesshomaru actually chuckled at him.

"You needn't look so shocked, little brother. You and I may have our...differences, privately, but here in this place, among the Lords of our people, I am required to treat you with...more proper consideration."

Inuyasha's expression, still a bit dazed, slid to something almost mocking. "Heh, yeah, I'll bet. You can't kill me with so many others watching, is that it?"

"Out of respect for our father, it is rather unseemly of us to have our disagreements publicly," Sesshomaru answered, striding toward the younger demon. "In the eyes of our people we are brothers in the White Clan, the sons of Lord Seibunishi, and we shall conduct ourselves accordingly."

His words held a tone of veiled threat, as if warning Inuyasha not to misbehave. The half-demon held his ground as his brother approached to within a meter of him and looked him up and down. "Hey, what are you...?"

"Hm. I suppose you'll do," Sesshomaru said at last, a resigned expression on his face. "Clothing proper to your station does help rid you of the 'beggar' look you always sport, wearing those ridiculous red rags of yours."

"Hey! It's armor!" Inuyasha protested.

"Indeed," Sesshomaru said--and was that a trace of humor in his tone?

Inuyasha was growing increasingly uneasy standing this close to his older brother, so he backed away carefully, putting some distance between them. The older demon was acting so odd--so unlike himself that Inuyasha's suspicion increased every moment. He didn't know whether to start a fight or walk away--his brother was being...weird.

Sesshomaru ignored the retreat, instead tilting his head curiously and changing the subject. "I see that Lord Kaishika has seen to your needs. Those were his servants I saw in the hall. And he even had the nerve to have them dress you in one of Father's old kimonos...though I can't say you don't present it well."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, his hand coming up unconsciously to brush the silk cloth. "This...was my father's...?"

"It's been taken in a bit to make it fit--but yes, I recognize it." Sesshomaru smiled a little more widely, looking almost truly amused--and making Inuyasha stare some more. "I daresay you'll turn a few heads by the time this Council is over. You do look quite like Father when you wash up and dress respectably. I'll bet that was Uncle's idea, as well."

"'Uncle?'" Inuyasha's eyebrows went up.

"Lord Byakugata," Sesshomaru explained, as if it were obvious. "He is Father's uncle, and therefore our great-uncle. No doubt he and Lord Kaishika went in on this together. They were always very close to Father."

"Uncle...?" Inuyasha gulped, his eyes still wide and surprised.

"You and I are not the only living White Dogs, little brother. I should think it would be obvious, even to you, that you would have some relations among the White Clan." Sesshomaru paused, glancing around. "Well, how do you like your mother's quarters?"

Inuyasha froze again. The right-angle turns were coming far too fast for the young half-demon. First Sesshomaru wasn't going to kill him, but was actually speaking to him. Next there was his father's kimono, and then the knowledge of his great-uncle. Now...

"M-Mother's room...?" He immediately glanced around, the details of the small, cozy chamber coming into sharp focus as their importance suddenly leaped upward in his mind. "This was...her room?"

Sesshomaru nodded, though he couldn't keep the dark look off his face. "Didn't you see the carving on the door outside? Father had it built exclusively for Lady Ayako. He even did much of the work himself." He gestured to the fine, well-crafted bed. "You were born here, in this very room, right on that very spot. On a Full Moon's eve not unlike this one."

Inuyasha stared at the bed, at the brilliantly patterned covers, swallowing hard as the implications of that statement struck home. This room--the place of his birth, his mother's home--where, given the chance, they might have been a family...

"I remember that night," Sesshomaru said, his voice oddly soft--and Inuyasha jumped when he realized that his older brother was standing right beside him. "When you were born. I was there, along with all the other Daimyos. It was a strange, uneasy time. Everyone wanted to honor their Lord and his new heir, but they were afraid of what a half-human child might mean."

"I didn't want to upset anyone or cause a big mess, I just wish..." Inuyasha found that, oddly, his brother's close presence did not frighten him as it should have. "I wish I could have known him. I don't remember anything about my father..."

Sesshomaru suddenly snorted derisively, turning to stride toward the door. "Well then," he said, his voice uncharacteristically uneven, "you're not much worse off than I."

The strange tone in his brother's voice, something Inuyasha had never heard before, made him whirl and follow him into the hall. "Sesshomaru!" he called. "What do you mean?"

The older dog-demon paused in the paneled hall, but he didn't turn.

Inuyasha stepped closer. "What did you mean, 'worse off?' What do you have to be so bitter about? You knew him--he was your father, not just some legendary demon you've only heard about in stories!"

"I knew him." Sesshomaru's tone was low, almost angry. "And he knew me. He was my father, but I was never really his son. Why do you think he left Tetsusaiga to you? You were his favorite!"

Inuyasha pulled back, surprised. "But I...didn't..."

Sesshomaru turned to the other door in the small, square hallway--the one door that had not yet been opened. Gripping its fine wooden frame, he slid it open almost forcefully, stepping aside so that Inuyasha could look within. "No, you didn't have to do anything. He loved you anyway, from the moment you were born. Look, little brother--look well at the life he wanted for you."

Inuyasha peered curiously into the chamber beyond, momentarily confused. It was a scant touch smaller than his mother's room, and the wall screens were painted more vibrantly, with more active, playful scenes. Another ornate bed stood against one wall while a fine cabinet stood against the other. A fine, small kimono was hung on a rack in one corner, a pair of slippers sitting beneath it. Various toys were set at the foot of the bed--some stuffed animals of silk and linen, little clay statuettes and wooden figures, and even several brightly-colored tops and a little wheeled wagon.

It took him several perplexed moments to puzzle out that this was a child's room. He required another full beat before he realized that it was his. "Mine...?" he croaked, just to be sure.

"Yours." Sesshomaru was gazing within as well, his eyes just slightly distant. "I remember the first time Father tucked you in here, the very first night you slept all by yourself. I was standing..." He blinked, looking almost surprised. "Right here."

Inuyasha licked his lips, looking from the bed to his brother and back again, feeling the weight of history between these walls. So much of what was important in his life had taken place in these very chambers, and he could not recall a bit of it. "I just don't remember..."

"Nearly everyone else does," Sesshomaru replied. "You were the darling child of the Clan, doted on by all the Ladies--but a noisy little ball of fluff and always underfoot." The corner of his mouth quirked up. "You chewed on everything, too."

Inuyasha almost choked, a touch of red on his cheeks. "I what?"

"Never could keep anything out of your mouth," Sesshomaru continued, a touch of cruel amusement in his expression. He found himself enjoying his younger brother's embarassment. "And as soon as you learned to walk, you were not only underfoot but in the way, and always getting into things. You drove your caretakers to their wits' end--and caused me no little amount of trouble trying to keep you out of it."

Inuyasha goggled at him. "You were...?"

Sesshomaru gave him a look that was vaguely disgusted. "Who else do you think had to play babysitter when your nannies lost track of you? And you always seemed to find me whenever you got loose."

"Can't imagine why," Inuyasha snorted, somewhat disbelieving.

"Neither can I, but you always did," Sesshomaru said, with the same slightly disgruntled tone. "You'd come toddling up with a silly smile on your face, latching on to my knees and following me about like the little lost puppy that you were..." He shook his head. "The Ladies always seemed to find you adorable for that."

Inuyasha bristled at this, but couldn't seem to find the right words to leap to his own defense. The very idea that he had been at one point in his life "little," "adorable," and "fluffy" did not appeal to his currently tough, masculine self-image. However, his elder brother had been a first-hand eyewitness, and Sesshomaru was not likely to lie about something as embarassing as this. So he settled for a scowl and a grumble, coming quite close to a disgruntled pout.

Sesshomaru gestured again to Inuyasha's former bedroom. "Father had this all set up for you then; each piece here was either made by him or handpicked especially for you." He frowned, that dark look coming to his face again. "He never did such a thing for me."

Inuyasha glanced at his brother, waiting for the elder dog-demon to go on. Sesshomaru had never opened up to him like this before--hell, they'd never even spoken more than a few sentences to each other in a single meeting, and every time their paths had crossed in the past, there had been bloodshed. He knew that he would normally be turning his back on the other demon and stomping away, but something...just something...was holding him here. Something inside him wanted to listen.

"No matter how I yearned for it, my father never gave me even half of what he lavished on you," Sesshomaru continued, his voice growing bitter. "I lived my entire young life trying to be the best son I could, but in the end, it wasn't enough. He tossed aside my two centuries of striving in favor of you, as soon as he saw you--and you never had to do one damn thing to earn it."

Inuyasha stared at him. Suddenly, Shirokiba's words came back to him; words that spoke of Sesshomaru's pain, caused by Seibunishi's absence from his life.

At that memory, Inuyasha found himself feeling something for his brother that he had never felt before--pity. And with that realization, his mouth opened, and he found himself saying to Sesshomaru something he thought he would never stoop low enough to say.

"I...I'm sorry."

Apparently it surprised Sesshomaru too--the elder White Dog actually went blank-faced for a moment, golden eyes wide. It was so comical on Sesshomaru's normally cool, impassive face that, had the situation not been so grave, Inuyasha might have burst out laughing. But things were far too serious for that.

"I never wanted to cause this much trouble, for you or anyone," Inuyasha continued, taking advantage of his brother's surprised silence. "I never even knew. I just want to live. I don't give a damn about the stupid succession, Sesshomaru--hell, you can have it for all I care. I'm no Lord--I don't have the first idea about how to run the Western Lands. All I ever wanted was to live a normal life and be happy--that's all! But my mother was killed, Father died, and you...! I...I've been living in a hell on earth for most of my life--one thing after another went horribly wrong, no matter what I tried to do! You had Father--you had a good life! And Shirokiba told me Father did care about you but your own mother made damn sure you couldn't see it--!"

"Shut up!" Sesshomaru snapped, so suddenly that Inuyasha's fangs closed in surprise with an audible click.

There was silence between them for long, heavy moments as two sets of golden eyes stared into each other. Inuyasha was a little shocked at having seen this side of Sesshomaru, a side filled with pain, anger, regret; it was something he thought his brother was incapable of feeling.

"I know about my mother," Sesshomaru said softly. "I've known for a long time. Why do you think I don't live here any more? She disowned me over sixty years ago, after I refused to kill you."

Inuyasha found himself gaping in surprise once again. Sesshomaru...refused to kill me?

"Lady Yukishima has been plotting to gain control of the Western Lands for centuries," Sesshomaru went on. "Even though she's a noble, she is...of an impure line. I bear these cursed stripes because of her. I was born because of her plans--and once, I was part of them. She still works toward her goal, even to this day; beware the Black and Silver Clans, for they serve her will alone. Most of all, beware of her--she is more dangerous than you can imagine."

He's warning me? Inuyasha blinked in surprise. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, almost suspicious with disbelief. "I thought you wanted me dead. You hate me, you've almost killed me so many times, and you want Father's sword--"

"What is between us remains between us," Sesshomaru replied, a brief fire flashing through his narrowed golden eyes. "There is a difference between wanting to kill you for my own reasons, and allowing another Clan to desecrate my father's bloodline because of their own petty plots. If anyone destroys you, it's going to be me."

"I...I see..." Inuyasha gave him a reluctant half-smile, feeling an oh-so-strange sense of...relief. As if here, in this place, on this night, he could trust his brother--probably more than he could trust anyone else. "I guess you'll still be coming after the Tetsusaiga, huh?"

Seemingly surprised at his acceptance, Sesshomaru almost unconsciously returned the smile. "Every chance I get. One day I'll have it."

"You can sure as hell try." Inuyasha found his smile slowly becoming a grin. An insane idea came to him then--the oddest request he'd ever thought of. "But...let's just fight over the Tetsusaiga, alright?"

Sesshomaru regarded him silently, one brow raised curiously.

He dropped his eyes, embarassed, but continued. "I don't want this to be about hate and revenge. If you want the sword, come fight me for it, but don't...don't do it because you hate me."

Sesshomaru paused, taking a deep breath and speaking almost reluctantly, as if he were loathe to admit it. "I do not hate you, little brother."

That statement brought Inuyasha's head up. "What?"

"I cannot say I like you, but I do not hate you," Sesshomaru continued, still reluctantly. "You're just a child; none of this is your fault. Most of it began before you were born, and most of it ended before you were old enough to remember. As much as I've wished I could hate you over the years, I've never found that I have."

Although he resented being called a child, Inuyasha didn't argue his brother's point. It almost shocked him to the point of near-speechlessness to hear words like these from the older demon's mouth. It was becoming more and more apparent that he could trust his brother, at least in this. When he finally managed to find his tongue again, he spoke haltingly but earnestly. "Well...since we're being...all honest and everything..." He scratched an ear, searching for the right words. With his brother's truthful statement, he was almost reluctant to admit this. "To tell you the truth...I did hate you."

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow again. "I see."

Inuyasha scowled. "Listen. When I was little, I heard nothing but good about you. You know that? My mother never told me anything bad about my big brother. And I believed her. I liked you, and I trusted you. But ever since...that night..." He swallowed hard. "You betrayed that trust. I hated you. I hated you so much I wanted to tear you apart myself, and I almost did in Father's grave...but...I pulled my last strike, I just couldn't..."

"Indeed." Sesshomaru's face was suddenly maddeningly neutral; Inuyasha could read nothing from him.

"I still hated you, you know," Inuyasha informed him, disgruntled by the other's sudden coolness. "You kept coming back for the Fang, and I thought you hated me, and you hurt Kagome--" He broke off, not wanting to bring up the subject of the human girl.

"You keep saying 'hated,'" Sesshomaru observed. "Why are you speaking in past tense?"

"Because I don't any more!" Inuyasha growled, embarassed at having to admit it.

"Hm." Sesshomaru's voice was almost wry. "And what, pray tell, brought about this amazing change of heart?"

"I just stopped somehow." Inuyasha shrugged, looking away. "When I was able to use the Tetsusaiga effectively, when I could fight and win my own battles, hating you just stopped mattering so much. And Shirokiba told me what you went through because of me, and I figured that I wasn't the only one who had it bad. I don't think I've forgiven you for...that night...yet...but I don't hate you any more. I have friends, and Kagome...and I stopped trying to...trying to measure up to you."

Sesshomaru still remained silent and unreadable.

"And just now," Inuyasha went on. "For the first time in my life--that I can remember, anyway--you actually talked to me like I'm a person, not a piece of dirt." He tilted an ear curiously. "Why are you being so...so...different all of a sudden?"

"I could ask the same of you, little brother," Sesshomaru said, in a slight tone of jest. "You're usually such a surly ruffian and you can't speak two words to me without an insult."

"I'm being serious," Inuyasha said, glaring at him.

Sesshomaru sighed. "Perhaps it is this place," he replied quietly. "The High Stone is my home, even if I am no longer able to dwell here, and it is your home as well, even though you may never choose to live here. This is neutral ground for us. I feel that...Father's soul still haunts these halls from time to time, looking in on his people."

"Right," Inuyasha responded softly. "Wouldn't do for Dad to see us quarrelling, would it, big brother?"

"Not tonight," Sesshomaru agreed, a smile once more beginning to touch his lips--it had not passed his notice that Inuyasha had called him "big brother" directly for the first time since their conversation began. "Tonight, I get to defy my mother openly once more. I know I have his blessing on that--and this time, little brother, you get to help."

Inuyasha grinned in return. "Well, you should know how much I enjoy pissing people off."

"I do indeed." Sesshomaru gave him a wry look--again earning a blink and a stare from Inuyasha. "And your mere presence should be just the thing to anger my mother. She's wanted me to kill you for years--I look forward to the expression on her face when she sees you and I come before the Council together."

"Now that you mention it, didn't Byakugata say he was going to come get me for that?" Inuyasha asked.

"Don't worry about it," Sesshomaru replied. "I told Uncle that I'd bring you when it was time. He'll be waiting for us in the Grand Hall. Speaking of which, we probably should head in that direction--the Council ought to convene soon."

Mumbling aquiesence, Inuyasha ducked his head and followed his older half-brother back through the sitting room and out the heavy doors that protected his mother's chambers from the rest of the castle's giant halls. As they walked through the massive passageways, Inuyasha found himself quite lost, and wondered if he'd even be able to find his way back to his mother's rooms.

"How the hell do you find your way around this maze?" he asked his brother.

"A few centuries' worth of experience helps," Sesshomaru replied, a little wryly. "And with a good sense of smell you can retrace your steps if you do get turned around."

"Ah," Inuyasha said with a teasing grin. "So you've gotten lost before too, eh?"

His brother glanced back at him disdainfully. "I was a young pup then."

"And were you underfoot when you were little, as well?" Inuyasha was beginning to enjoy this jesting little conversation.

"Certainly not," the older demon responded. "My mother instilled some sense of propriety and decorum in me, even at a young age. I was not allowed to run rampant about the High Stone, disturbing the peace, like a certain young rascal I could name."

Inuyasha blinked in surprise yet again; he'd never expected Sesshomaru to call him something like that.

"Don't lie to his young Lordship, Sesshomaru," spoke a dry, elderly feminine voice ahead of them. "You were every bit the rascal he was, and don't you deny it."

Inuyasha looked up in curiosity, wondering who the old lady was, somewhat astonished to note that she, too, was a White Dog.

However, beside him Sesshomaru stiffened, his face freezing in a strange combination of surprise and anger. He drew himself up straight, golden eyes narrowing, staring at the ancient White Lady that stood before them in the hall. His voice was low and rough, half in anger, half in respect.

"Mother..."

To be continued...