Chapter 18

Saki: Hey Peoples.......I'm so tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrreed!!!!!

Kags: Huh? Why are you so tired Saki-Chan?

Saki: I dunno.............Just tired............

Kenji: Maybe she's anemic.

Kai: I'm surprised you even know what anemic mean, let alone use it properly in a sentence.

Kenji: Grrrrrr!!!! -Chases Kai around growling-

Sessh: Are they at it again?

Kags: Yes. Fix Saki. She's drooling on the floor.

Saki: -laying on floor with butt int eh air, making a lake of drool around her, making dead zombie groans-

Kags: Saki-Can does not own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does! She owns all the other characters she made up though ^^......What's wrong with her Sesshomaru?!

Sessh: I think it's lack of sleep......or maybe she's been writing too much

Kags: Well get her to bed immediately!!!

Saki: -Still drooling and groaning-

~*~*~*~

"So Kenji, what brings you here to the village?" Came Rin as she brought forth a plate of tea for herself and Kenji. Kenji meanwhile was playing with Riku and Kin. He looked up at his older sister when she asked her question. "Well.....Rin-Oneesan.......me and Father got into another fight. He won't even let me call him Otou-San. He wants straight up Father with him. Kai and the twins get special treatment as usual. But........I'm just so tired of him ignoring me."

Rin sighed as she walked over and kneeled infront of him and placed the cups of tea in between them. "Now Kenji. You know Otou-San loves you."

Kenji looked up at her with a tear in his eyes. "If he loves me, why do I feel so abandoned?!" Everything in the room went silent. Everyone was looking at Kenji with wide and saddened eyes. Breaking the silence, Kohaku walked into the house. "Rin. I'm ho-- Oh! Kenji-Kun! It's good to see you again. How's everything at-- Kenji-Kun? You alright?" Kohaku sat next to Kenji, trying to comfort him, along with the rest of his family. Kenji explained everything to Kohaku, and Kohaku only sighed. "Kenji-Kun. That's how Sesshomaru-Sama was with me when Rin got pregnant with the twins. I was in SO much trouble."

Kenji looked over at Rin and saw her nodding. He chuckled then sighed staring at his untouched cup of tea. "I just get so angry at Father and Kai. When I'm angry, I just wish everyone would just turn to nothing. That way it would be quiet. I could be free from their inanities. But when I'm feeling too alone, I wish that I had just one person by my side. Someone who could understand me. Someone who I could understand. Right now......I don't think I'll ever find someone like that. Not even in Father or Kai." Rin and Kohaku looked at eachotehr in worry for Kenji. Kenji got up and adjusted his sword. 'I'd better go back home to the castle. Thanks for listening to my stupid problems Onee-San."

Rin smiled and hugged Kenji. "No problem Kenji." Kenji shook Kohaku's hand and hugged his cousins before leaving. Rin turned to Kohaku and sighed. "Otou-San is getting to attached to the others. He's practically forgotten that Kenji is his son."

Kohaku hugged his wife and craddled her. "Why don't we go pay a visit to your father. Maybe talking to him will help things out. We can ride on Kirara and Tamuya." Rin nodded and they both looked towards their children who were cheering about seeing Ojii-San again.

~*~*~*~

Four eyes were peering from bushes as Kenji walked out of the house. "So he's Sesshomaru's son. Is he the strong one? Or the weak, scholar one?" Asked a masculine voice.

"I think that one is the scholar. I hear Sesshomaru treasures his eldest son, which means, he must be the strong one." Came a feminine voice. "WE must tell Mother and Father of our findings Brother."

"That we must Sister. Let us leave this God forsaken village." And the two voices fled the area.

~*~*~*~

When Kenji got back to the castle, about three days later, he found his two sisters there waiting for him. "Huh? Kariin? Kiyomi? What are you doing out here?"

Kiyomi spoke up first. "Rin-Oneesan and Kohaku-Oniisan are here. Kohaku-Oniisan looked really angry Kenji. Do you know why?" Kariin spoke next. "And Rin-Oneesan didn't look happy either."

Kenji growled inwardly and gave and audible sigh. "Where are Riku and Kin?"

"Playing with Kai and Emi. They seem to be getting along quite well as of late, don't you agree Aniki?" Came Kariin. Kariin looked at Kenji and saw that he was just as furious as Kohaku was when he came to the castle. Kariin took Kiyomi's hand and ran into the castle. "Come Kiyomi! Uh...I need help uh.........I just need help!" Kiyomi nodded. She new how Kenji got when he was mad as well.

Kenji wanted nothing more than to go into his dad's office and yell at everyone in there. Kohaku and Rin for butting into his family's business, and his parents for treating him as the disgrace of the family. Kenji walked into the castle after calming down for ten seconds. He walked passed his father's office where he could hear yelling for both genders. He walked passed Kai's room, which is where Rin's twins were, with Kai and Haruki's and Hano's eldest daughter Emi.

Emi and Kai have been the best of friends since childhood. But it only seems recently that their friendship is becoming something far more than mere friendship.

Kenji finally got to his large room. It was very basic. A bed, a dresser, a few swords and fans hanging on the wall, and a picture of a large dog demon. It was his grandmother's room. The same room Kagome used when she first arrived at the castle. Kenji sighed and tossed his sword on the bed, and he walked over to the dresser and kicked it our of anger. The dresser wobbled, and returned upright. Kenji sat on his bed grunting, holding his head in his hands. "Why won't this feeling ever go away......?"

"What feeling my young friend?" Came a soft feminine voice. Kenji gasped and looked up at the window. There, standing in front of him was a girl with long black hair, in a high ponytail. She had gold bells in her hair. She had on traditional miko clothing, but he could tell she was a demon, he could smell it, but he also could smell the stench of a graveyard. It was a rather strange combination. "Who are you?" He said standing up, grabbing his sword.

The young girl smiled and stepped onto the floor. "My name is Mari. I know what you speak of Kenjimaru, son of Sesshomaru." She said walking to his bed and flopping on it. "I know you wish to be alone, but you also seek a companion."

Kenji sighed. "Its' true. But how do you know this?"

"Because Kenji-Sama.....I feel the same way." She said looked at him with a gentle smile. "When I'm angry, I just wish everyone would just turn to nothing. That way it would be quiet. I could be free from their inanities. But when I'm feeling too alone, I wish that I had just one person by my side. Someone who could understand me. Someone who I could understand."

Kenji gasped. He recalled saying the same exact words. Kenji brushed his bangs behind his ear, but it just took its place back in his face. "You know....uh...Mari-San?" She nodded at her name. "Mari-San. I feel like you know me...in a strange stalking kind of way." He said with a weird face. "Thank you for talking to me. Maybe I'll see you again." He asked with a happy grin. Mari nodded and hopped on his window sill. "Perhaps." She said with a wink and jumped out of the window and vanished.

Kenji felt strange. He felt, happy. He grabbed his sword and tied it on his sash and walked out of his room with a slight skip in his step. As he walked out of his room, he by passed his parents, Rin and Kohaku. He waved to them and smiled as he continued to walk.

Sesshoamru smirked. "See! The boy is perfectly happy. We treat him perfectly."

Rin sighed. "You lie."

Sesshomaru growled. "We Taisho's don't lie." He said harshly.

Rin shook her head. "No. You just don't tell the truth." She took Kohaku's hand and went to find their children so they could leave.

Sesshoamru stood there in shock. Rin, his very own daughter, had stood up to him, and completely hurt his pride. His face flushed red a little bit, and he stormed off out of his study. About two steps out of the office and came across the twin girls. "Girls.....please no--"

"Otou-San." Came Kyomi. "Rin-Oneesan is right."

"Taisho's don't lie......but you don't tell the truth." Came Kariin. "You only care about Kai. You even start to treat us like that." She said as her and her sister walked away from their father.

Sesshomaru growled. He stormed off again and passed the room where Kai and Emi were. He stopped and looked into the room. He saw his eldest hugging Emi. He watched them for a minute and sighed. He remembered his love for Kagome. He turned around and walked to his bedroom and sat on his extra large king sized bed. He put his head in his hands and sighed. "Am I really being that bad of a father?"

~*~*~*~

the next day, Kenji was outside, swinging his sword around, in an unswordsman like manner. He saw his elder brother and glared and looked away, sheathing his sword. He saw his father walking outside and marched passed him. He stuck his tongue out at his father as he passed and sighed and looked at the ground. "Again with the ignoring Father." He said to himself.

"He means well Kenji." Kenji looked up and saw him mom looking at him. She hadn't aged a day it seemed. "Hello Mother."

"Oh Kenji. You don't have to call me that. I'm not your Otou-San."

Kenji sighed once again. "I have to. Father demands it." He said walking away.

"Your father loves you Kenji. He will remember it, before the end." She said going back inside. She was going to plan Sesshomaru's demise for ignoring her son.

~*~*~*~

Kenji was out in the forest now, sitting on a large flat boulder in a clearing. He was sick and tired of this life. He was tired of being ignored. He was tired of everything. He just wanted to leave. "Everything alright Kenjimaru-Sama?"

Kenji gasped and looked up. "Oh. Its you Mari-Chan. Please. Don't call me that. It makes me sound like my father, and I don't want that." He said bluntly. "Kenji-Kun is just fight with me." He said cheerfully.

"You wanna leave. Don't you Kenji-Kun?"

"Yeah. I wish I could go somewhere, where I'm accepted. I want to be seen for who I am, no matter how inadequate I may be." He said sighing into his hands. Mari looked at him, and felt very troubled by this. "There is a village, int eh Western Lands.....that isn't known by your father. It homes yokai's, hanyou's and humans. They all coincide, living in peace. It's called Inuyasha Village."

Kenji looked at her and smiled. "That sounds fantastic. I'll go there right away...........why don't you come with me. We can live there together." Mari gasped and took a few steps back. "I....I can't. I'm sorry Kenji-Kun. Inuyasha Village is a two days trip to the North-East. Gomen ne sai!" She said running off into the bushes. Kenji watched her leave and he sighed. "One more to leave me." He sighed and went back to castle to gather his things and leave tonight, while everyone was asleep.

Meanwhile, Mari walked into one of the darker parts of the forest. Then she was struck by a surge of lightning. Mari gasped and screamed in agony. When the electricity left, She looked over her sizzling shoulder and saw her twin brother. "M-M-Masa......?! Wh-What are you doing?"

"He's following orders Mari. Something you aren't doing." Came a sadistic voice.

"Now now Naraku. We musn't be to harsh. After all. Her falling for young Kenji can prove him to be weaker than we expect him to be." Came Kikyou's voice from the shadows.

"M-Mother. Father." Naraku thought for a momment snad smirked. "Kenji is the studious, and weak one. WE must take him down, and if it means you getting in the way Mari. We will. I will have your own brother take you down." With that, the hanyou left with his mate, and his son.

Mari gasped and fled the scene.

~*~*~*~

Kenji got home feeling somewhat releaved. He was going to leave his fucked up family. He was overjoyed actually. His walk became a jog, then went into a full on sprint. He ran into the castle, rounding corners as fast as he could, before finally running smack into his father. Kenji fell to his butt with a audible "Oof!" Kenji looked up and saw Sesshomaru and smirked. "Hey Dad." He said with a cocky voice.

Sesshoamru growled at his son. "You impudent little brat!!" He siad ready to back hand Kenji, before Kai intervened. "Otou-San. If I may, I'd like to fight Kenji again." He said with a smirk

Kenji looked at his elder brother and smirked as well. "You're on." All three boys walked outside to the training grounds. Once they were there, Kai flew at Kenji drawing his sword, slashing at Kenji. Kai had gotten faster, but Kenji was still the fastest out of the two of them. Kenji jumped and landed on Kai's sword, standing on it, while Kai was holding it. "You can't beat me Kai." Then Kenji was knocked off his feet by another adversary.

"He may not be able to. But I can." Came Sesshomaru as he held his sword at Kenji. Kenji stared up at his father with fearful eyes. He stood up at took a deep breath. He looked at his father and smirked. "You're on." With that, the fight started between father and son.

~*~*~*~

Kagome and the girls were walking through the castle corridors when Haaruki approached them. "M'ladies!!! Sesshomaru-Sama and Kenjimaru-San are fighting!!"

Kagome sighed. "Alright Haruki-Chan. We'll go break it up."

"Please hurry Kagome-Chan! Kenji-San is really hurt. Hano had to rush out there to help him, but Sesshomaru-Sama said he's slay him if he touched Kenji!!"

Kagome and the girls gasped as they sprinted off to find Sesshomaru and the boys. When she reached outside, Sesshomaru was in his giant dog form, and Kenji sat on the ground, gasping for breath. His blood covered his haori. He felt like he was going to die by his father's hands, so he closed his eyes, waiting for the finishing blow.

Sesshomaru scoffed and lept at his son, and then, in an instant, being pinned down by a large black dog, growling at him. "Get off Kagome!!"

"Not on your life Sesshomaru!!!!! You kill him, I kill you!!! It's as simple as that!!!!!" Kagome got off of Sesshomaru and continued to growl. "Our room. Now!!!!" She said reutning to her humanoid form and walked to her and Sesshomaru's room. Sesshomaru turned to Kenji, who was now running away from the scene. Away from Hano, away from his brother, away from the family. Sesshomaru sighed, returning to his humanoid form and walked to his quarters. He walked in, shutting and locking the door. "Why did you stop our fi—SLAP!!!!!" Sesshomaru's head turned with the large slap he received from Kagome. "HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!" She shreiked ready to slap him again.

Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist this time. She went to slap him again with her other hand, and Sesshomaru grabbed that one as well, pinning her to the wall behind her. "Let go of me Sesshomaru!"

Sesshoamru growled and kissed Kagome, roughly. Kagome gasped and growled, kneeing him int eh stomach, which caused him to let go, and hold his stomach. "How dare you harm my son!!"

Sesshomaru nodded. "Indeed. Your son. He is not my son any longer."

"Any longer? Sesshomaru. He was never your son. Or at least the way you treated him. Ever since that one time in the garden years ago, you treated him like he was a piece of dirt. All he has wanted was your approval. That's why he continued to get stronger and stronger."

Sesshomaru looked at Kagome with surprised eyes. "Nani?" He said then sat on his bed. He ran a hand through his long, silver hair. "Now what.....?"

"You will apologize to him and treat him like your son!!!" Sesshomaru walked over to Kagome and hugged her. "Gomen ne sai Koishii. I dishonored the Taisho family for treating my son this way." Kagome hugged her mate back and smiled. "Sesshomaru. I love you. And I always will, but you--"

"Otou-San!!!! Okaa-San!!!! Open up!!!!" Came Karrin as she banged on the door of her parent's bedroom. Sesshomaru looked up at the door and walked over to it, opening it up for Kariin. "What is it Kariin?"

"Kenji-Oniisan isn't here anymore!!!"

Sesshomaru sighed. "He'll be back in a few days. He's just blowing off steam." He said patting his daughter on the head, shutting the door. He walked over to Kagome and kissed her gently. "When Kenji returns home, we'll start fresh. I, Sesshomaru Taisho, promise to treat Kenjimaru like my son."

Kagome smiled, and rested her head on Sesshomaru's chest. "That's all I ask for Sesshomaru."

~*~*~*~

Kenji continued to run and run. What would've been a two day journey, was becoming an over night journey. Kenji was already half way to Inuyasha's Village. Kenji came to a stop when he smelt a demon nearby. He sniffed the air once or twice then sighed. "You can come out now Mari. I know your scent." Mari slowly crept out of the bushes and chuckled nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "There's no fooling you is there Kenji-Kun?"

Kenji chuckled. "Well Mari-Chan, since you're here, would you like to come with me to Inuyasha Village?"

Mari looked at him and looked over her shoulder to make sure no one was there. Kenji looked at her with a confused look and leaned over to see what she was looking at. "Whatcha lookin' at Mari?"

Mari looked back at him with a slight gasp. She chuckled nervously and looked overf her shoulder one more time before looking at him again. "O-O-Oh n-nothing Kenji-Kun." She looked at him with a soft smile. "I'd love to go with you Kenji-Kun......b-but........"

Kenji looked at her and put a hand on her shoulder. "But?" He saw Mari lower her head and a few tears escape. He bent down slightly so he could look at the girl in the face. "Mari? A-Are you okay?"

Mari looked up at Kenji and lunged herself at him, wrapping her arm around his neck. Kenji felt his face turn a slight pink, he felt tears drip onto his haori, so he could obviously tell she was crying. He sighed sadly and wrapped his arms around the girl, letting her cry into his shoulder.

Mari began to mumble in the other's shoulder. "My family hates the Taisho's. Including you. But I can't do anything to harm you. I know this is so sudden, but I couldn't help myself but................I............I think I like you!!!" She said screaming into his shoulder. Kenji gasped and looked at the girl crying into his shoulder. He pulled her in closer and began to stroke her long black hair. "Mari..........I think I........." Kenji pulled away and started to lower his lips to the girl's. Just as their lips were about to meet, Mari jumped, and slapped the back of her neck. Kenji looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You okay?"

Mari looked at him. "I think something bit me." She said looking at her palm. Kenji and Mari saw a small little flea demon, Kenji knew quite well. "Mioga-San?! What are you doing here?!"

"You know this bug?" Mari asked with a somewhat angered tone in her voice.

Kenji nodded. "Kenji-Sama?! There youa re!! You're sisters are worried sick about you!! You must return to the castle immediately!!!" He said bouncing up and down on Mari's hand. "By the way my dear, your blood is one of the most scrumptious blood I have ever tasted." Mari stared at the flea and then at Kenji with curious eyes.

Kenji shrugged. "He's a flea." he said bluntly. He looked at Mioga and gave a soft and gentle smile. "I'm not going back. I'm going with Mari here, to Inuyasha village."

Mioga gasped. "Kenji-Sama.......you can't go to that village. It's.......It's against your father's wishes."

Kenji glared at Mioga. "You lie. My father sent you to find me and bring me home so he can treat me like a piece of fucking trash!!! Well I won't have it!!! You can go back to Sesshomaru and tell him I want nothing to do with him anymore, and that I refuse to call that God forsaken castle my home!!!!" He screamed as he took Mari's hand and stomped off towards Inuyasha village.

Mioga watched th two storm off and couldn't believe his eyes. He was disowning his family and was going to meet his Uncle he didn't even knew he had. Boy this was going to be fun tell his father about this. Mioga sighed and began to hop off towards the castle.

~*~*~*~

The next morning, Kenji and Mari reached Inuyasha Village. Kenji saw many humans, hanyou's and yokai's walking around the village in perfect harmony. Kenji and Mari looked at were completely amazed. "This is perfect." Came Kenji as he continued to hold Mari's hand. Kenji felt a small ball hit his leg. He looked down and picked it up. He saw a small girl in a red kimono with long red hair and red ears on her head. "Excuse me......May I have my ball back pwease?" Came the small girl who looked no older than five.

Kenji looked at the small girl and smiled handing her the ball. "Sure thing Kiddo." Came Kenji as he patted her head. "Are you two yokai's?"

"H-Hai......."

"Are you new? Me knows all da peopows in da viwage."

"H-Hai. We're new."

"Do you need a pwace to stay? My daddy wiw give yous a pwace to stay. Come on!!!" She said running back to her hut. Kenji and Mari looked at each other and shrugged, following the little red headed girl.

"Otou-San!! We have fwends!!!"

A man in a red yukata, long flowing white hair, and white dog ears came walking out. "Really? Who is it?" The man stared at Kenji with wide eyes. He could smell their scent all over him. He shook the thought from his mind. The girll smiled and lept into her father's arms. "Otou-San!! Dees peoples are new! Dey need a pwace to stay. Can dey stay wit us?"

The man sighed. "Now Kagome. They're strangers. What did I tell you about bringing in strangers?"

Kenji looked at the girl with a shocked expression. 'That's.......Mom's name.....Coincidence....?'

"Uh....uh...excuse me. But we're looking to stay here.....like to live." Came Mari.

"Really? Who are you two?"

"My name is Mari."

"I'm Kenjimaru Taisho. Or at least I was. Now It's just Kenjimaru, or Kenji."

"Wait. Used to be? Is your father Sesshomaru Taisho?" Kenji growled at the man. "Don't ever say that man is my father again. Yes he is my biological father, but I disown him as my father because he disowned me as his son!!!!"

The man looked at him with wide eyes. "Well Kenji. I'll let you stay here. There isn't any open huts, so I have extra room here." He said setting Kagome down. "Now Kenji. I have a question for you. Did Sesshomaru ever mention having a brother?"

Kenji shook his head. "No. I heard my mother Kagome speak of him highly though. My mom said he was one of her mst dear friends. I don't know his name though."

The man couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "Heh. She would. Your mother is very kind and loving to everyone."

Kenji nodded with a soft smile. "Yeah she i-- wait a second. How do you so much about my mother?!" Asked Kenji a little bit annoyed.

The man chuckled and looked up at him with a sly grin. "I'm Sesshomaru's younger brother. I am.........Inuyasha."