Touzen's Discovery

As promised, the next morning, Touzen led his father out to where he had been playing the night before. He'd been further than Inuyasha initially thought. None of the patrols came this far out, and glancing back, he couldn't even see the village anymore.

"Damnit, kid, we gave you one rule for running around out here," he grumped.

They followed the creek a bit more, then Touzen stopped and pointed to a far cluster of rocks and bushes on either side of the water.

"Over there."

Inuyasha gave it a once over.

'Nothing suspicious so far.'

"What happened when you went over there?"

Touzen ran his hands together, trying to find the words.

"I think… I'm not sure. I just felt really sick and weak."

"Uh-huh… Stay here."

Touzen planted his feet obediently as his father strolled slowly closer to the spot. From what Inuyasha could tell, there was nothing here. No demons, no bandits, not even…

Tessaiga shuddered, and he set a hand on its hilt.

���But there's nothing here, Tessaiga. …Wait. That's the problem. There's nothing. I can't even smell any demons that might have passed by recently. And this air, it's too clean; but there's no reiki around.'

Inuyasha paused a few yards from the cluster. He could feel something twisting inside him like a bad headache. The longer he stood there, the worse it got. Whatever was going on here, he didn't like it. Inuyasha returned to his son and swept him onto his shoulders, bounding swiftly back to the village. He knocked before ducking his head inside Rin's hut.

"Hey, can you keep an eye on this one? Make sure he doesn't go running off anywhere."

He dropped Touzen inside as Rin waved, used to this. Her daughter, Izu, gaped excitedly at Touzen.

"What did you do this time?!"

Inuyasha left to fetch Kagome and Miroku, easily keeping up with their horses as they returned to the place Touzen had shown him. He gave Kagome a hand down and watched from a safer distance while the two spiritualists inspected the area.

"This place, it's so…calm and clean," she said with wonder. "I can't sense anything at all."

"Nor I," said the monk with worry. "It's unnatural."

'If even they're worried, this isn't good,' Inuyasha thought.

The trio took their time examining the area around the creek before homing in on the cluster of rocks and bushes Touzen had indicated. Inuyasha tried to get closer, but the headache came back. He endured it this time, hoping relaying his symptoms would help their search. Tessaiga shuddered at his hip as he began to stumble, woozy.

'I don't get it. What's going on?'

"Back away, Inuyasha. Lady Kagome has found something."

The hanyou gave no argument and moved to stand by the horses. He watched Kagome kneel with care and run her fingers along the ground between a pair of large stones. With Miroku's help, she unearthed a strange-looking vessel, roughly carved from rock. Neither recognized the symbols and no matter how they tried, they couldn't find a way to open the thing.

"Just break it!" Inuyasha called.

"We don't know what will happen!" Miroku retorted.

They didn't feel anything, but that didn't mean there wasn't something inside the vessel. A ravenous spirit, perhaps? Something else? In the end, they decided to try Inuyasha's plan. He distanced himself from the horses and drew his Tessaiga. It felt weaker, somehow… Kagome notched an arrow, ready to aim, but when Miroku managed to smash the vessel on the rocks, nothing happened. Slowly, Kagome lowered her bow.

"Empty?"

Miroku knelt and brushed through the pieces.

"No. Have a look at this."

Inuyasha followed his mate cautiously, but even as he loomed behind Miroku, he felt nothing. No headache, no fatigue.

"Is that a sutra?"

"If so, it is unlike any I have ever seen."

Miroku plucked the strip of paper from the rubble and carefully brushed it off so they could all see it.

"Can you make it out?" Kagome blinked up at the monk. "What does it say?"

"Maybe. I would like to consult my notes before making assumptions."

"Hang on, you're not bringing that back with us, are you?" Inuyasha snipped.

"Unless you would like to bring my library to me, in which case, I would be ever so grateful," Miroku beamed.

Inuyasha grumped.

"Fine, but let me see it first."

Miroku let his friend inspect the paper. Finding nothing strange or threatening, other than the unknown script, Inuyasha consented to bringing it and a few pieces of the shattered vessel back with them. Kagome disappeared with Miroku, and for the next several days, they poured over their experience and Miroku's notes trying to decipher the odd script. Inuyasha and Sango scoured the area around their village, searching for anything similar to what Touzen had found, but thankfully came up short. Whatever the vessel was, it was the only one of its kind for miles around.

***

Sesshoumaru was not the only one heading for the village. He glided leisurely through the clouds, followed by A-Un bearing a dozing Kintsuke and Jaken. Below, Sesshoumaru spotted a familiar feline with twin tails and fire around its paws, leading a trio of horses in the same direction. He knew who they were, but did not slow his pace, knowing they would meet at their mutual destination. A-Un descended first, landing in the glittering fields beyond the village's empty rice patties. Sesshoumaru secured a bundle under his arm as he alighted down, landing nearly on Rin's doorstep. There was no need for knocking.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

The straw flap swept aside a moment later. It was not Rin who greeted him, however, but her daughter, Izu. He accepted the adolescent's invitation inside.

"Mom is out checking the rice stocks with dad. Would you like me to go get her?"

Sesshoumaru found and settled into his usual place, setting the bundle beside him.

"I will wait."

He allowed himself to relax just so, watching the spitting image of his dear Rin prepare tea and warm a bowl of fruit seeds they kept specifically for his visits. Sesshoumaru did not eat human food, but the somewhat toxic apple, peach, and apricot seeds were a treat.

"You are well, Izu?"

"Very well, thank you for your concern, my lord."

Unlike her brother, Jin, Izu did not blather on excitedly whenever Sesshoumaru visited, so he was able to relish a bit of peace until, finally, his ward appeared. Rin's smile still shone like the sun, but her human frailties were showing more and more. Perhaps that was why Sesshoumaru chose to visit more often, because soon, in what was considered a blink of an eye to him, she would be forced to return to that dark place where even he could not reach her.

When that time came, not even Tenseiga would be able to bring her back to him.