I can offer no real apologies here that will quell the upset I've caused all of you for my extended absence, but please be kind! I officially transferred to a new position, got married and one of my dogs passed away, so it's been a very stressful time for me, made even worse by family trying to tell me how to do my own wedding... Don't you just love family? Now you know where Suminako gets it from!

Thank you to all those who've been kind enough to leave me those wonderful reviews! Believe me, I felt really guilty about not updating sooner, but I had lost my mojo during these past months and have just recently got back my drive. I also had to redo my notes (they got lost somehow), and I had to solidify my existing timeline to fit in my new characters. Let me tell you what a pain that was!

So without further ado, please sit back and enjoy, and welcome the newest hottie to our cast – Shinzuku! I think you guys are gonna like him… _^

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Chapter Eight

"Rise, you lazy dogs, and ready your posts!"

A deep baritone voice cut through the still evening air with its commanding tone, disturbing the peace the two soldiers had only moments ago enjoyed. A black, leather-clad boot poked none-too-gently into the ribcage of the soldier next to it, jostling the young warrior from his impromptu nap.

Shinzuku watched as the two pups hastily rose from their napping positions, bowed, then scurried off to their posts along the eastern wall, a deep frown marring his handsome visage. His dark purple eyes narrowed in contemplation as he considered the future of the twins from the fire clan. They were very young, just shy of three-hundred years, and had not yet seen time on a true battlefield. Yet, despite their inexperience, the two had managed to make their way into the Royal ranks due to their demonstrated prowess in the dojo. But would their skills be enough to please the great Lord Sesshoumaru and allow them to stay?

He shook his head, the action sending his long ebony braid swishing from side to side, the silken tip reaching just shy of his slim hipline. Approaching the cluster of soldiers patrolling the eastern wall, he uttered the command that predictably sent everyone scrambling into a panic.

"His Lord and the Matriarch approach. Have the chambers made ready and a feast prepared. They bring guests."

He watched, intrigued, when the sudden bustle of activity left the fire twins glancing about in confusion. The pair had just arrived the night before, and had not had the chance to be fully briefed on procedures. Reaching out with his right arm, he grabbed Hirakujo as he passed, stopping the old youkai in the midst of his task.

Hirakujo, realizing just who it was that had stopped him, quickly bowed in reverence and respect to the head general of the Royal ranks. Though the general was nearly two-hundred years his junior, he was still a blood relative of the Royal House, and known far and wide for his skills in war, tactics, and power – a standing unmatched by any save for their sovereign Lord and the Great General himself, may he rest in peace.

Hirakujo, himself, was not a weak youkai by any means. Appointed into the Royal ranks at a very young age, he had worked his way quickly up the ranks to the position of commander of the Northern regiment with displays of his skills in strategy and warfare. His lifelong dream of one day replacing the Lord Sesshoumaru as head general was dashed when the Great General died unexpectedly at the hands of Ryuukotsusei and a human samurai. As expected, the Lord rose to take his father's place on the throne. Arguments and rebellions exploded quickly across the lands with news of the General's death and the rise of his still-very young son, but the Lord had quickly squashed all manner of disputes against himself and his great father by personally executing each and every last rebel – all without the aide of his father's vast armies. Since that time, there had been a peace across the lands and all the clans unlike any other before.

But it was not in serenity that this new peace ensued. Instead, it was one wrought by the sheer terror of the new Lord's wrath. Not even in puphood had the young Lord been known to be lenient or benevolent, and over the last two-hundred-fifty years, no one had dared to challenge him again, save for one – the panther tribe.

It was because of this debacle that the young Lord had finally decided to fill his long-vacant position of head general, and he, Hirakujo – pride of all the soldiers birthed from the wind clan – had mistakenly thought himself to be the top candidate. Instead, his dreams of prestige and title were dashed when the sovereign Lord turned his calculating gaze to that of the mountain clan. But Hirakujo could never fault the young Lord for his choice. The new head general was indeed a formidable force both on and off the battlefield.

"Yes, General Sir?" he inquired as he stood back up, his deep voice rough from old age.

Shinzuku took a moment to size up the long-time commander of the North, taking in the youkai's kempt appearance. As with all those borne from the wind clan, Hirakujo bore a single thin jagged magenta stripe across each cheek, and his cropped white hair was just as wild as his origins. His crystal blue eyes, though much older, were still sharp with a cunning intellect, a trait only few could boast. His forehead was barren, the royal insignia that adorned his great-aunt's brow missing from those clan members not of the royal lineage.

"Hirakujo," Shinzuku said, "Recruit another soldier from the fire clan to see to the training of the new twins before our Lord arrives."

"At once, General Sir," Hirakujo replied, bowing once more before moving off to fulfill his general's request, grabbing the two clueless twins and guiding them back to the soldiers' barracks.

Shinzuku watched them go before turning back to the palace in search of Mayuko, head of the Royal household. He had felt the overwhelming presence of purification within the approaching party, and he needed to ensure that all were made aware that his Lord and Matriarch were bringing not only humans, but holy people back to the stronghold.

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"Oi, wench, quit movin' around so much before you fall off!"

InuYasha's rough voice broke her momentarily from her appreciation of the beauty of the world below. She turned her head slightly to glare at him behind her. The back of Ah-Un was nearly three feet wide! How the heck could she fall off when she had not only that, but also InuYasha clinging to her with a death grip? Any harder and she was sure his claws would pierce through her shirt. She knew that he was only worried about her safety, as always, but sometimes the gruffness of his personality ruined any appreciation of that fact.

A deep rumble from in front had Kagome turning her gaze to the two impossibly huge inuyoukai carving a path out of the sky. Sesshoumaru was in front, and his head was tilted in just the right amount that one blood-red eye stared directly at her, making her shiver slightly in its intensity. InuYasha, mistaking that it was because she was cold, drew her back even further into his warm embrace, causing Sesshoumaru to shift his sight onto his little brother. Another deep growl broke the still of the evening air, and not for the first time, she wondered what he was saying.

"Shaddup asshole," InuYasha growled back in answer to his brother, "I ain't gonna drop her. You might, but I ain't."

That comment earned the hanyou another disapproving growl, in which Sesshoumaru turned his entire head back to glare at his brother, steam blowing from his nostrils in his anger. Suminako, wishing for the two to make peace, immediately blocked the sightline of both brothers and yipped sharply in reprimand. Both brothers snorted simultaneously – something Kagome and the others found extremely amusing – and returned to their previous ignorance of the other. Before long, another rumbling growl was heard from the head of the strange caravan in the sky, and Kagome looked to InuYasha for interpretation.

"Keh, he said we're approaching the fortress," was all he said, refusing to elaborate any further.

Excited once more with the week-long vacation they would be getting, not to mention being able to stay at a youkai palace in the sky, Kagome turned around, seeking Sango, and grinned like a maniac at the other woman, who matched her enthusiasm bit for bit.

Turning to face front once more, the young miko was greeted with the most amazing sight in her entire life. Rising from the foundation of what looked like an ordinary white cloud was an extremely large palace, the sheer size and magnificence of which would put the Emperor himself to shame, and again she wondered how on earth it managed to look so solid and defy gravity at the same time. Where was a camera when she needed one?

The size of the palace grounds was at least several acres wide, and shaped in a rectangular fashion. The grounds were raised from the large cloud in a tier-like fashion, similar to that of the Aztec pyramids or sacrificial platforms from her history books. From her vantage point, she could see tiny figures on each tier, some sitting, others walking about; probably soldiers, she thought, as it was hard to make out many details from so high up. In the middle was a long and grand staircase similar to those of her home shrine, minus the torii, leading up from the base to the top of the structure where the vast grounds were.

There were several structures built in the traditional Heian period architecture sprawled across the smooth white expanse of stone, and in the middle she could make out what looked to be a sizeable garden. Bright colourful figures walked to and fro, in and out of the various buildings, and if her senses going into overdrive were telling her correctly, they were mostly youkai. If there were any humans in this place at all, she couldn't tell.

Between the foremost building (which appeared to be the smallest building from what she could tell) and the top of the stairs stood a large platform of some sort. On the left end of it rose a large circular ring that glistened like jewels in the fading light of dusk, the center of the ring the colour of the deepest blue. As they got closer, Kagome could make out even more details of the interesting platform, and realized that the ring was made of the purest mother-of-pearl with swirls of gold flames etched into it. The middle of the ring was clothed in a lush fabric, reminiscent of raw silk or plush velvet, she couldn't tell, but it had some kind of iridescent sheen to it. A matching round pillow on the left-most end completed the look, and it suddenly dawned on her that she was looking at the most beautiful and lavish throne she had ever laid eyes on. Even Kaguya-hime's throne was nothing compared to this work of art.

As they got closer, Sesshoumaru and his mother suddenly disappeared in a swirl of youki and reappeared in their humanoid forms on the landing just before the throne. Ah-Un and Kirara set down next to them, and the non-aerial members of the odd party dismounted.

Finally getting to stretch their cramped muscles after the hour-long ride, Kagome and Sango whispered excitedly between each other as they took in their surroundings. They both seemed to completely forget that they were now surrounded by hundreds of inuyoukai who had impeccable hearing.

Everywhere they looked there were dozens and dozens of youkai littered about the large courtyard, some in armor, some without – but all were apparently high-level youkai if their completely humanoid forms told them anything. They were attired in various styles of fashion, the colours of which would put the most brilliant of rainbows to shame. But their gazes were drawn not only to the fine apparel around them, but to the actual faces that passed them by with nothing more than a glance or two in their direction. The females were gloriously beautiful, and the males…

"Drop-dead gorgeous," Kagome whispered out loud to Sango with a giggle.

A deep raucous laugh startled them from their sight-seeing, and the two spun around only to come face-to-chest with a huge set of piercing armor similar to that of Sesshoumaru's, minus the daunting shoulder guard. At first, Kagome thought it was him, and was about to scold the daiyoukai for not respecting personal space etiquette when her eyes wandered upward to find the most dazzling pair of dark purple eyes staring back at her, accompanied by a large toothy grin. Okay, definitely not Sesshoumaru, she thought as she took a step back with Sango in tow.

Sesshoumaru, noticing how close the youkai was to his beloved, immediately moved to stand between the two females and the new male. As he stared the other male down, he emitted a low warning growl, to which the other male promptly drew back in his stance and bowed low.

"Apologies, my Lord," the other youkai stated in his subservient position, "I did not mean to startle the females."

"Hn," was all Sesshoumaru said, as he turned to dismiss his underling. He had other matters to attend to.

"Shinzuku," Suminako declared in an authoritative tone, to which the youkai bowed again. "Have you…?"

"Yes, my Lady," the youkai now known as Shinzuku replied, his deep voice sending shivers down the backs of the two girls. "All has been prepared."

"Very well," Suminako replied. "First, allow me to introduce you to Shinzuku of the mountain clan, head general of my son's armies, and cousin to Sesshoumaru and InuYasha."

Shinzuku beamed a roguish smile at them and bowed again with an exaggerated flourish, his eyes never leaving the two girls the entire time. His eyes roved lazily over their forms, Kagome's especially due to the indecent cut of her school uniform, his gaze holding a certain twinkle in them that soon became all-too-familiar to them.

"Pervert," Sango whispered to Kagome as she frowned at the offensive male. Great, he was just like Miroku, no matter how good-looking he was.

Kagome laughed appreciatively at her friend's comment, having also come to the same conclusion about the male. He sure acts differently than both brothers, Kagome thought, but wasn't he nice to look at though! The youkai was about as tall as Sesshoumaru, and looked vaguely like him, except his facial features appeared to have a bit more of a rugged and roguish appearance to them, where Sesshoumaru's was much more refined, almost effeminate in its lines. In fact, he looks more like InuYasha, she thought to herself, curiosity welling inside her as to exactly how he was related to the two brothers.

Shinzuku was very well-built, and his muscles seemed to scream at her from where he stood. They were a lot bigger than what she could make out from Sesshoumaru; but then again, she'd never seen the daiyoukai without his shirt on. This new male, however, wore a haori that was cut-off at the shoulders, showing off his bulging biceps. His hakama, though covered by black leg guards, was a simple black colour and billowy like Sesshoumaru and InuYasha's, kind of like MC Hammer pantsTM, she thought with a smirk. His haori, however, was made of very finely spun silk; the colour was of the darkest amethyst trimmed in gold, and matched the brilliance of his eyes. It was embroidered with an intricate gold leaf pattern that started at the collar and drifted down the left side, and was covered by spiky armor. The ensemble was completed by a gold and black obi tied around the armor at the waist.

Travelling upwards, his striking face was marked only by a single thick jagged blue stripe on each cheek, which contrasted sharply against his pale skin. His hair was a deep ebony colour, and thick bangs brushed against his bare forehead, the blackness of the silken strands making his eyes stand out even more. The mass of his hair was bound high atop his head and pulled into a long, thick braid, whose tip reached down to his slim hipline. Curled around his right shoulder was a furry pelt similar to that of Sesshoumaru's, but it was black and looked a bit smaller in comparison.

Kagome absently realized that she had been staring when the arresting male winked at her, causing her to blush fiercely and look away.

Shinzuku chuckled at her antics, clearly pleased with her interest in him. Another warning growl was issued, and Shinzuku rolled his eyes in a dramatic fashion. Obviously his cousin had some designs on the girl, but that didn't necessarily mean that she was taken… yet. But before he could formulate any sort of plan, another fierce growl broke through the tense atmosphere.

"None of you bastards better lay a hand on Kagome, ya got it?!" InuYasha snarled threateningly, his hand automatically flying to the hilt of Tetsusaiga. Shinzuku's piercing gaze was drawn to the sword with the action, and he immediately recognized the hilt of his great-uncle's sword.

"Ah," he drawled lazily, "You must be the famous InuYasha I have heard absolutely nothing about." So the hanyou was also after the girl. How intriguing, indeed.

Before InuYasha could do any more than sputter in indignation at the insult (he seemed to be getting a lot of those lately, for some odd reason), Suminako diplomatically stepped in, thwarting any ill-advised behaviour on her palace grounds.

"I shall speak to Mayuko about the sleeping arrangements. Girls, kindly follow after me. The boys may stay behind to… socialize… some more."

With that, the Matriarch turned in a colourful flutter of fur and white and indigo silks and made her way to the largest building in the center of the compound.

Shrugging at her friend's confused, yet amused, expression, Kagome linked arms with Sango and they both followed after the female inu, eyes once again drifting about the courtyard to gaze upon the utter magnificence of the inuyoukai royal palace. The two girls renewed their excited chatter amongst themselves as they talked about all the things they wanted to do whilst they were here, and most importantly, with whom.