Family Reunion!!! by Keiko Yuki

Unexpected Invitations

Family Reunion!!!

Inuyasha receives an invitation to a family reunion from...Sesshoumaru?! Inuyasha absolutely does not want to even be within ten miles of Sesshoumaru let alone in the same house! Kagome convinces him to go and she goes with him. Of course it's going to be a looooong week. Yes, week. This is no regular family reunion, all the taiyoukai will be there and Inuyasha has to be on his best behaviour, with Kagome's and Sesshoumaru's help. Sess/Kag Mir/San & Inu/OC

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or their characters. They belong to the great Rumiko Takahashi *bows*. I do, however own Keiko (me!) and Masaru. Hahaha! And I do own Shina too, although I'm still not sure when she'll show up.

Ch. 1 Unexpected invitations

"INUYASHA!!!!"

Said hanyou cringed at the woman's angry voice. He knew what was going to happen and his ears flattened in expectation. "OSUWARI!"

*BOOM*

"Bitch! Fucking wench! Damn you ya fu..." He barely got to finish his tirade as her mouth opened and repeated the one word he hated the most several times. "Osuwari osuwari osuwari osuwari!!!!"

Their audience flinched at the hanyou's obvious pain and suffering. Soon their painful expressions were replaced with ones of glee. Inuyasha's pain was a form of entertainment for them now, and they loved being the audience of such a spectacle.

Sango shook her head disapprovingly as her friends argued once again. She was about to speak when a familiar but unwanted feeling emerged near her backside. Her temple rising, she swung her hiraikotsu like a baseball bat at the hentai houshi. "Learn your lesson for once!" She yelled at the black dot that was Miroku in the sky. Watching him disappear, she decided to go lift him from the crater he was bound to have made with his landing in the forest. Sighing, she walked away to find him. Keeping an ear out for the crash he was about to make.

Shippou shook his head disapprovingly, everyone acted like such a child that he wondered who the adults were. "I am most definitely more mature than all of them put together." He opened his eyes and looked at Kagome and Inuyasha. They'd been arguing about Kouga again. "Times three" he added as an afterthought as he watched them continue to fight.

Shippo spoke his thoughts aloud, he knew no one was paying attention to him let alone hear him anyway. "No matter how many times Kagome reassures him that she doesn't like Kouga that way, he still gets so jealous. It's not even like he's with her or anything. I mean, he chose Kikyo for Pete's sake. Kagome should be able to chose whoever she wants but noooo."

"Interesting." A deep husky voice replied to his mini tirade on his companions. The hair on his neck stood on end, he'd heard this voice many times before and it could belong to no other than the evil Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru smirked at the eminent fear in the pup's scent. "Do not worry child, I do not come here to kill you or your friends." Even though Sesshoumaru had told him he meant no harm Shippou still feared him and the loss of his and his friend's lives. "W...what are you doing here Sesshoumaru!" Shippo stuttered, he had failed at trying to sound brave. Instead he wound up with a cowardly squeak.

Just then a red blur appeared in front of Shippou, blocking his vision. "What the hell are ya doin here ya no good bastard." Sesshoumaru dodged the punch that Inuyasha threw at him. "What a wonderful way to greet your own flesh and blood, little brother." Those last words were laced with malice and disgust.

Kagome stood, forgetting their earlier argument, bow raised and arrow notched. "What is it that you're here for Sesshoumaru." Her words were neutral, not full of hatred or malice like his brother's voice always was.

Sesshoumaru regarded the girl. She stood tall, yet she probably would only reach his chest. She was ready for battle but still gave him the chance to explain himself. 'Maybe there are some smart ningen after all, this one seems to be rational unlike the brash Inuyasha.' He heard the bushes behind him rustle and a small gasp then sighed, his musings cut short. Glancing behind him, he spoke firmly but not in the usual ruthless way in which he spoke to the others. "Come out Rin."

Kagome looked at the bush that had grasped their enemy's seemingly undivided attention so quickly. A small child emerged, no more than eight years old. What shocked her most was the fact that she was a human child. She dusted off her orange kimono and smiled apologetically at the youkai lord. Her hair was a little dirty and her clothes had gotten brown smudges where she was kneeling behind the bush earlier.

Kagome watched as the little girl bowed apologetically to Sesshoumaru. "Gomen ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, demo Rin got worried when Sesshoumaru was gone for so long. Rin decided to find you and Rin got scared when she saw you get attacked." She spoke quickly, like any child would when they were in trouble.

To everyone present's surprise, Sesshoumaru kneeled on one knee and stared the girl in the eye. "What have I told you Rin?" His voice sounded like that of a father scolding his daughter. Rin started to stare at the ground, which had suddenly become fascinating. Mumbling a reply she said wearily "not to follow you no matter what." Then her gaze shot up and into his eyes, hers once again filled with emotion. "But Rin was so worried! Rin just had to follow you Sesshoumaru-sama!"

This turn of events shocked Kagome and Shippo so much that they let their guards down. Inuyasha however, wasn't letting his guard down for nothing. His suspicion and hatred for the taiyoukai before them blinding him. "Cut the crap Sesshoumaru! What the hell is this ningen doing here?! You hate ningen don't you?!" Sesshoumaru covered the young girl's ears just as Inuyasha had opened his mouth.

"You would do well to watch your tongue when Rin is around or any child for that matter. I will not have her learning words that only a mouth as foul as yours would dare to speak. What kind of language is that to be using in front of a woman and children?" He asked with a smirk and released Rin's ears. Turning to Rin Sesshoumaru said in a firm tone "go back to Jaken Rin, I can assure you that no harm will come to me." Rin looked around at the people around her in slight apprehension before bowing and turning around to do as her master said.

Watching her leave Sesshoumaru didn't turn around to face them until her form disappeared completely from view and hearing range. "Inuyasha, I need to converse with you." Inuyasha growled and unsheathed the Tetsusaiga once again growling. "To hell you do! I bet all you fucking want is the Tetsusaiga ya no good dirty rotten..." From out of nowhere a bellowed "OSUWARI" resounded through the forest, giving Inuyasha the time to widen his eyes in shock before he became reacquainted with his good buddy, the ground.

Sesshoumaru was surprised when the woman-child, Kagome, subdued Inuyasha. 'Hm, maybe she wants to hear what I have to say.' He looked at her, she had her bow down and the arrow back in the basket she carried them in on her back. She gave him a small bow and spoke in a neutral voice. "I would like to hear what you have to say, Sesshoumaru. I am curious to say the least. We will listen so long as you promise not to cause any harm to me or any of my companions." She looked into his eyes with a bravery that he could not put aside. 'Perhaps this creature isn't as weak and foolish as I presumed, clearly she is needed to persuade Inuyasha to join me.' "You have my word as lord of the western lands. I will not harm any of you, nor will I try to steal the Tetsusaiga, for that is not the reason of which I am here today."

'I don't know if I should trust him, but he did give us his word. I would like to know more about the little girl, Rin.' By now the subduing spell had worn off and Inuyasha was sitting up in his crater fuming. She could hear faint curses and some new colorful adjectives flow from his dirty mouth. With one glare, Kagome managed to silence him long enough to hear what Sesshoumaru had to say, especially the Tetsusaiga part.

Inuyasha's ears perked when Sesshoumaru said that he didn't want the Tetsusaiga. "What do you mean you don't want Tetsusaiga?!" Sesshoumaru gave him a glare "exactly what it sounds like, hanyou. I'm here because of the gathering that the royal families must participate in every fifty years. You should remember Inuyasha, after all, you weren't that young." Inuyasha's eyes widened and he gulped audibly "th...the ga...gathering?!"

Kagome stared from one brother to the other, clearly confused. Shippo bounced into Kagome's lap, his attention focused solely on the two brothers as well. "Inuyasha went to a gathering?" Shippo's question rang through the silence. Sesshoumaru turned amused eyes to the kit. "Yes, when he was young, as a matter of fact, he barely survived the last time." He turned his gaze back to Inuyasha where his usual tough facade returned. His arms were crossed over his chest and he huffed loudly.

"I did not 'barely make it out alive' as you put it. I showed them didn't I? I'm still here aint I?" Shippo interrupted Inuyasha to ask his questions. "But, aren't those supposed to be very dangerous? Aren't there like a whole bunch of obstacles to go through and battles and stuff?" Sesshoumaru's attention took a turn towards at the kit again "where did you learn of this?" Shippo's chest puffed out with over-exaggerated pride "my father of course! He was once a general in your army! He participated in the gathering before he was relieved of duty."

"I'm back! So, when're we...." Sango trailed off as she spotted Sesshoumaru. Jumping backward and into a fighting stance Sango yelled out "what're you doing here Sesshoumaru!" Kagome jumped up and put a reassuring hand on Sango's to make her lower her weapon. "It's okay Sango. He's here peacefully, he promised not to hurt us." Kagome's gaze went to the floor beneath Sango's feet, which so happened to be purple. "Ano, Sango-chan?" Sango looked at Kagome "hai?" Kagome looked down, signaling for Sango to do the same. When Sango saw Miroku's blue face under her feet she quickly jumped off of him.

Quickly tossing her hiraikotsu aside, she bent down to help the suffocating houshi. "Sango...I think I'll need mouth to mouth..." He said softly and out of breath. Sango's eyebrow twitched at his audacity. As her fist raised to deck him one she felt a pair of hands holding her back from hitting him. Shocked eyes turned towards Kagome. "Now Sango, now's most definitely not the time for beating Miroku-sama senseless." Kagome gave her friend an encouraging smile and her smile grew bigger as Sango gave up and dusted off her skirt. "He isn't worth the energy anyway." Everyone heard her say as she retreated toward the other side of the camp and sat down in a huff.

Miroku chose this time to sit up and brush off all the dirt he could from his robes before gathering his staff and sitting between Inuyasha and Shippo. Shaking her head at her friend's antics, Kagome sat in front of the two brothers once again. Somewhere during their conversation Sesshoumaru situated himself on a boulder that was conveniently placed in the middle of camp. To Kagome's surprise, Inuyasha had become more 'mature' since the mentioning of this 'gathering' of theirs. 'Speaking of which...'

"Can someone explain to me what this gathering is about?"

Sesshoumaru gave her and the taijiya, who had nodded her head in response to the miko's question, a look before explaining. "The gathering, is for the four taiyoukai, their children, and their generals." At this Shippo swelled with pride. "They gather at a certain taiyoukai's palace to compete in a series of 'contests' if you will." He paused until the others (not including Inuyasha, who was sulking in a corner) nodded, signaling him to continue. "Of course, battles are part of the contests but their are also intellectual competitions as well." This sounds like some sort of game show or something. Kagome thought to herself as she paid attention to Miroku who had asked a question to Sesshoumaru.

"Excuse me Sesshoumaru-sama, but what does any of this have to do with Inuyasha here." He shoved a thumb toward the grumbling hanyou. "I mean, I would've thought you would never want to be near him let alone become allies with him in front of the great taiyoukai."

Turning his attention toward the monk, Sesshoumaru answered him "although I would never be under the same roof with him voluntarily." He paused to glare at Inuyasha who replied with a "the feeling's mutual bastard" before continuing. "For those who do not attend that are supposed to it is considered treason. And you know what happens when that happens don't you Inuyasha?"

Everyone turned to Inuyasha who had gulped audibly. "And, the family name is soiled, which I cannot allow. That is the reason for my being here and asking for you to go. If not for me then for our family name, father's name. The choice is up to you, I'll give you two moons to make your decision." And with that, Sesshoumaru stood and left with his silver hair being the only thing they could see as he disappeared into the woods, the same direction in which Rin had left earlier.

~*~

Shina- Oh, no! Will Inuyasha accept and compete, or will he say no and face the charge of treason and lose that pretty head of his?!

Keiko- Well, let's just see shall we? Next chapter of Family Reunion!!!...

Shina- Inuyasha's Choice! *glares at Keiko* Start writing!

Keiko- *whimpers in fear* demo...I just finished the first chapter! My hands hurt! Can't I just have a break Shi-chan?

Shina- *growls* NO! *brandishes her staff* You don't wanna be reintroduced to my staff do you?!

Keiko- Ano....iie. *sighs and returns to the computer to write next chapter*