It was the faintest sound, even to her keen hearing. Tinny like the chime of a bell, a bright and silvery crackling. A wintry sound.
She left off from her lofty meditations upon her high and gilded throne. She descended the dais and swept off toward that lone far tower from which the bell-like sound had tolled.
Under the furling golden eaves of the bell-tower, a frozen fountain lay. She lighted near it and approached it. The frosted surface cleared as she peered down upon it, becoming a mirror beneath her will, and the subtle power of her appraisal.
On the other side of this enchanted mirror, an inuyoukai face gazed back at hers.
Its owner was a stranger to her, yet she knew him still. She knew him at once, though she had resisted the urge before now to behold him. As she gazed upon him at last, her breath caught in her chest.
She touched her enameled claws to the mirror’s icy surface, and smiled.
Little one. Do you know me?
The pup yipped and pounced upon her image. He, too, recognized her, if only by instinct. She saw his sharp, dark claws unsheath, those tell-tale envenomed claws of her clan, whose youki signature had set the dormant mirror to chiming. They struck the glassy surface with impressive force for one so young. Her smile widened.
With a flick of her hand, she spun the mirror like a disc. The pup pursued her phantom self in whirring flight. She watched with pride as he pivoted in midair, leaping clumsily yet boldly in time with her changing course. As he growled undaunted, she laughed for joy, and the sound of her own merriment after such a long time was like a draught of warmth to the soul.
The pup panted, tiring. She cast a parting glance to his moon-marked brow, and recalled her image from afar. The mirror darkened, frosting over once again. She withdrew, and returned to her palace.
Alone in her solar, she gazed out across the frozen landscape. But her thoughts ranged even farther. A small, sneaking sound drew her attention back.
“Myouga,” she said, slanting her eyes down to where the flea youkai stood, frozen mid-spring, “have you come to steal my blood again so soon?”
“Ah, my Lady,” Myouga squeaked, sweat-dropping. “I would never presume…but, if by chance you are inclined to take pity on a poor lowly flea such as me…”
“You thought me distracted.”
Myouga balked. “F-forgive me, my Lady. But you did seem so.”
Her eyes returned to the frozen vista as she sighed. “I saw him today.”
“Who, my Lady?”
“You know who,” she said, her glance sliding back toward her parasitic vassal. “My grandson.”
“Ah…i-is that so?” The flea withdrew a handkerchief with which to mop his shiny brow. “May I ask…that is, my Lady…what do you intend?”
“I intend nothing,” she replied briskly, her pride wounded yet still very much intact. “When Sesshoumaru sees fit to involve me, then I shall be involved. I’ll not impose myself where I am not wanted.”
“O-of course, my Lady…as you say.”
“But there is one thing which troubles me.”
“What is that, my Lady?”
“Surely you saw the color of the mark.”
“R-red, my Lady. Yes, I saw…”
Her eyes cut to him sharply. “You are not ignorant of the lore of my house, are you, Myouga?”
“I—I must profess, I know something of it.” The flea turned rather puce. “Red crescents signify bloodlust. But ancient history isn’t everything, is it?”
“No,” she said quietly, as if to herself. “No, I do not believe it is so. Yet I would know your thoughts—do you think, as I do, that my grandson favors him?”
“Most certainly, my Lady, the little prince takes after his formidable sire—”
“No,” she said, smiling wistfully, “I meant, Touga.”
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Happy Holidays! ❄🎄💕
Eeek! What intrigue lies in waiting! Looking forward to more! Happy Christmas!
Thanks so much, L-desu!! Hope you had a wonderful holiday! 💕
Thank you Charrrr for blessing us with this great chapter
🥹🥰❤️ Happy holidays
Yay so glad you enjoyed it, Nooch! Thanks so much & happy holidays!! 💕
Omg thank you so much for this! Loving the story and how it’s going! Happy holidays and congrats on your engagement! I’m so addicted to this fanfic and all your writings!!
Aww thank you, Mia!! Appreciate the congrats & well wishes! So happy to know how much you’ve enjoyed my stories!! Happy holidays! 💕
I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU GAVE US ANOTHER BONUS SCENE KJDSGLKDSJG I AM SCREAMINGGGG. This is soooo gooooooooooood!!! I’M STILL WAITING ON SHIN’S FOURTH FORM I HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS <3 THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT
😉 😉
So glad you enjoyed the bonus scene, bella! I was so excited to share it!! (Love Sess!Mom 🙂 )
Happy holidays, friend!! 💕
So Sesshoumaru’s mother is not going to get involved until asked. Guess Inuyasha gets more time to do whatever he’s up to. I wonder why Inuyasha always seems to be with Sango’s brother.?
They’re a demon-slaying duo 😉
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Oh this… Char this is so beautifully written. Outdoing yourself, as usual. The visuals were fantastic and by the gods I was dying over how perfectly you wrote Myōga. The marking being red had me intrigued earlier in the story and I’m super excited to see that there *is* story to it. The whole bloodlust thing had me thinking back to that snake incident and the way you described it like a crime scene. I remember thinking there was overkill that might be concerning. Ruh-roh.
“The visuals were fantastic and by the gods I was dying over how perfectly you wrote Myōga. ” – ahh thank you so much, Uissuteffu! Myouga is so fun haha – glad you enjoyed his cameo here!
Hope you continue to enjoy the intrigue ;)Thanks so much for sharing your take!! 💕
Aww, yay for grandma! hahaha, as far as the red crescent, I mean, Kagome did already note his viciousness with the snake for example. Could still be just rumors/old wives tales and he’s the normal level of murdery for a pup, if not they are all going to have their hands full as Shin grows up.
Yep there’s so much still up in the air where Shin’s concerned! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Alia!! 💕
Awesome. Wonder what that means
The intrigue!!!!!!!! I’m so excited! Love this
Yayy thanks, mim! Hope you enjoy how the plot thickens 😉
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Aww the Lady finally got to meet her grandson! The way she first detected him was so subtle yet so perf. I, too, would be delighted if the first thing I see is a lil puppy face staring back at me XD
The red crescent made me think about the snake, but even in that context his bloodlust seems more ‘protective’ than cruel for the sake of it. Shin is boisterous, but he’s also extremely well-behaved and has amazing control over his powers. From the last chapter he’s also careful of his strength around his mama. I think he’ll be alright 🥹
These updates made my day so much! Happy holidays!! ❤️💕
“I, too, would be delighted if the first thing I see is a lil puppy face staring back at me XD” – oh yeah me too! That’s like a dream!! 🙂
Love hearing your thoughts on the crescent & Shin’s character! Thanks so much for sharing, friend, and happy holidays!!💕
Bless these hefty doses of Shin cuteness 🤗 He’s a bright point of light in this story.
Happy Holidays!! Thank you for these wonderful gifts 🌟💕
“He’s a bright point of light in this story.” – couldn’t agree more!!
Thanks so much, oskorreia! Happy Holidays!! 💕
The plot thickensssss
In the spirit of Inuverse magic and wonders, I hope that Touga’s likeness is the only thing Shin shares with his grandpa and he’s not, like… a demonic reincarnation XD I know that with So’unga, the Inutaishou could hypothetically waltz out of the underworld any time he pleases but let him not mess with his son like that HAHA 😂
Hahaha Touga does like to meddle in his sons’ lives – even from beyond the grave XD
Thanks for sharing your theory, Kova! Hope you enjoy how the story progresses from here!!💕
It’s interesting how the former lord’s vassals see Sesshoumaru in Shin but the Lady of the West sees Touga. I wonder in what way she means? So curious!
“I wonder in what way she means? So curious!” – 😉 😉
Thanks for sharing, hanayome! Happy Holidays 💕
ooh finally the Western Lady’s perspective! It ties in so well with the last bonus scene💕💕💕
This whole day for Shin has been like — “when mother takes you to see the flittering little peoples and she is in fine humour so you are rewarded for being an agreeable young boy.” 🐶🍭
Yayy so glad you enjoyed hearing from the Lady herself! (Love her to pieces, she’s so glamorous!!)
Shin sure seems to be having a blast XD Thanks for sharing, friend!! Happy Holidays 💕