great update thank you for updating.

Gender swapping for the win. I love this story so much!

Wow, just wow.  You've hit it on the nogging.  A great chapter.  It's full of action, suspense, and Sesshoumaru's standard snarkiness.  It is awesome.  I especially like how you included Ah-Un!  I do suppose that Kagome had to get to the battlefield somehow, LOL, so it was a nice solution.  Sesshoumaru is less than happy to see her.  Which makes he wonder if youkai have a different standard that discourages their women from fighting.  It almost parallels human culture in ways too. 

I also wonder if Jaken was left to watch Rin.

Too amusing.

I like how you've handled Inuyasha too.  By rights he should be marrying Sara-hime, being half-human, but it does make more sense with Sesshoumaru being the eldest, and the reigning Lord.  I especially like, however, how Inuyasha is part of Sesshoumaru's family, even if as an elder brother he tolerates his existence too.  It's nice to see them together, fighting side by side, instead of fighting each other.  It's very refreshing.

I do wonder what will happen to Kagome now too.  She was hurt by that youkai, and it left some of its tooth behind.  Totosai did warn her not to allow herself to be injured, which makes me think that the fangs of that youkai might have been poisoned or something nastier like a youki-infused bacterial infection. 

>.>.

Yeowch.

~ Pyre

Nicely done.  I adore the addition of Ayame.  She melds nicely with Kouga.  I like how he's not an obnoxious snit in this story.  He's always sniffing around Kagome in the anime and manga.  It's kind of annoying.  Here he's more of the territorial pack-wolf, without the boyish personality.  He's ironically more manly.

*blushes*

Sesshoumaru is wonderful here.  He shows his true colours as an honourable youkai Lord.  He's willing to aid Kouga's forces to defend their lands, like a proper ally.  I have a growing dislike for Sara, not because she's human, or noble-born, but because she's so congenial.  It's like she has no backbone at all.  Which makes perfect sense, as she's a product of the noble life.  She's obviously sheltered, not neccessarily spirited, or educated, but bred for a specific purpose - to make a good match later in life. 

She'd be the perfect noble human wife, only her betrothed isn't human.

I think Sesshoumaru likes a little fire in his women. 

It is obvious that he likes Kagome more than he lets on.  He thought of her in the instant that 'Sara' glued herself to his back.  I love how you put her in the scene half-clothed.  It's as if she was expecting Sesshoumaru to ravish her like in a cheesy romance novel before he gallivanted off to war.  It's even more obvious that he tolerates her existence.  I don't even think he likes her, based solely on his reactions to her trying to 'appeal' to his manliness.

She failed terribly.

It's amusing to think that Sesshoumaru prefers argumentative Kagome to Sara-hime.

Maybe he likes a woman that works well with her hands. 

*reddens*

Oh gosh that sounded terrible!

Sorry!  XD!

~ Pyre

P.S: I know nothing about swords too, other than they're very sharp and heavy.  You did quite well in breaking down the brewing process of how Kagome and Totosai work their magicalness into the blades.  I found it very interesting!

I did wonder if we were dealing with modern Kagome or a version of her born in Fuedal times.  Thank you for the subtle clarification.  I especially liked your background for Kagome's family.  It's sad that her mother died in that fashion, but it does make me wonder if she was born during the early years when Naraku first started to make his presence known in the feudal lands.  The bandits, if that was what they were (I'm thinking youkai if she was able to fry them) were likely Naraku's henchmen sent in to terrorize the local populace.  Saying that he could have had a reason for targetting Kagome's village and family, being the Shikon no Tama.

I especially thought that Totosai finding her was a genius move.  He adopted her too.  It makes sense why she calls him 'Jiji' now.  Aw.  Which kind of parallels Sesshoumaru adopting Rin.  Maybe he should ask Totosai for advice on raising little human girls.  LOL. I love how Sesshoumaru treats Rin like a bad-tempered house-pet.  She's a bit more vocal than a cat so I can understand the problem.  She does need entertainment though.  Perhaps he needs a wife and or a live-in caretaker for her.  I volunteer, Kagome.  

I like how you included Sesshoumaru's betrothed.  It was a nice if unexpected complication.  I do wonder how any relationship he has potentially with Kagome will complicate an already complicated situation.  Sesshoumaru obvious does not return her interest.  I find it incredibly odd that they are betrothed, regardless of the inter-land peace treaty.  I mean he'll outlive her a thousand times over, unless he can somehow increase her lifespan to match his own.  Could have something to do with his youkai.  Which also makes me wonder if Kagome is different, somehow, other than being a Miko, but in her having been around youki constantly while in Totosai's presence. 

Could she be for example, unusually resilient, or more adept at being immune to the effects of youki.  I mean she's human.  It can't be healthy for a human to be around that much concentrated energy for long periods of time.  Saying that she is a Miko.  Technically youki to her would be harmless if she can neutralise it firsthand.  I do wonder about Rin though.  She's a child, which also raises, all manner of questions about how Sesshoumaru's beast deals with bonded females of different ages.  Perhaps he recognises Rin as a packmate in need of protection because she's the equivalent of a pup, and a female, meaning that she requires extra protection.

But Kagome, I imagine is closer to being an adult, although you don't state what age she is.  It's more hinted at.  She's also unmarried, unafraid of youkai, and unusually compassionate.  She doesn't harbour the usual stereotype fear of youkai like that human Lord.  She's more openminded.  She could also fry Sesshoumaru within an inch of his youkai-hood.  So she can emasculate him fast.  Ouch.

I almost feel sorry for him.

Almost.

~ Pyre

And the plot thickens!  BTW I totally forgot that Sesshy was checking Kagome out in the last chapter.  Whoops.  Saying that!  This ia another good addition to your literary arsenal.  I especially liked the twist and pull of Sesshy's sudden unwilling bond to Rin.  It's very subtle, and sly of Touga-sama to just fling Tenesiga at Sesshy and subtly by way of its making, bind his youki to unsuspecting humans.  I mean.  Would anyone really want to be part of his pack?

*blinks*

Ok, that was a trick question. 

We all would want to be part of his pack, although the dying first to join might be a bit of a sacrifice first off.  I initially thought that Rin was going to have a heart-attack when Sesshy left her or tried to leave her like that.  It worried me until he came back inside Totosai's workshop and decided to play along.  It does explain why his inner-beast was being a pain in the keister too.  Plus now Sesshy ends up, by force of his Dad's will, having to have a little human girl following him around. 

I laughed when he said, "Rin, come".

Aw!

And she follows dutifully like a little puppy!

Double-Aw!

It is also quite amusing to see Kagome decide to make him that sword now, from his own tooth no less. 

I am mystified about that 'pain' in her shoulder though. 

Could that be the same one that Sesshy was perving at?

Or she might have pulled something. 

LOL!

I can't actually tell!

~ Pyre

Say waaht! 

LMAO!

You brought Rin back!  *cuddles Rin*  She's so cute and awesome and bound to make Sesshy less of an arrogant prig!  'Cause now he'll find out that he actually, *giggles* has that thing we call a heart! 

Aw! *pats Sesshy on the noggin*

See!  I knew he was loveable in a kind of prickly hedgehog fashion! 

You've captured his confusion perfectly in this chapter, especially his quite WTF reaction over Tenseiga actually working for a change!  I love how it parallels to the anime and manga, especially with him using the sword again to revive Rin!

Aw!

The reaction of his 'inner beast' going growly over little Rin being hurt is awesome!  Aw!  Sesshy is all protective-Daddy mode even though he doesn't understand it, just yet! 

I also enjoyed how Kagome is all protective-Mommy mode when she tries to rescue little Rin from the Kappa-youkai.  It does make me wonder how she managed to get in the water/river in the first place, and maybe whether or not she'll actually potentially be terrified of Jaken.  I can see her already thinking Ah-Un is like a big reptilian puppy-dog! 

Aw!

Better yet, I like how Kagome could swim!  I mean it would have been fairly embarassing if she'd sunk like a rock in the water while trying to rescue Rin.  Additionally I also like her giving Sesshy the cold shoulder, especially over his 'assassination' of the human Lord guy, whose name I totally forget right now.

Oops.

Saying that, it's giggle-worthy knowing that Kagome has sort of already decided to deny Sesshy his rightful sword.  Pun intended.  They are kind of phallic symbols of male strength and prowess and blah blah blah.

Maybe Sesshy is compensating for something?

Hmm?

*giggles*

~ Pyre

Call me a chronic reviewer. 

I can't help it.

This story is awesome.

I really enjoyed this chapter too.  The oddity of a human lordling requesting a youkai sword is especially curious.  I was immediately on edge like Kagome and Sesshoumaru.  Why would the leader of a holy village want something so unholy?  It didn't make a great deal of sense, until you added in Sesshoumaru as Kagome's escort.  I love his irritation over the guards thinking he was Kagome's pet.

A Miko leashing a powerful youkai like a puppy-dog.

It's a nice nod to the Sessy x Kagome pairing, but is subtle enough to show a darker side.  Other people would not be so accepting of their union.  That aside other humans would think that Sesshoumaru was Kagome's thrall and not her equal.  Their relationship so far isn't at that level yet, heck, they're not even friends.  They're more akin to acquaintances that tolerate each other's existence to being actual people that enjoy each other's company.  I think that they enjoy needling each other right now.  They're just feeling each other out, seeing what the boundaries are, and how far they can push them.  Not unlike a puppy pulling on it's parent's tail. 

It's very amusing.

I did think that the human village Lord would turn on them.  Kagome and Sesshoumaru couldn't escape without some kind of confrontation.  She is travelling in the presence of a youkai.  She called him her travelling companion.  They're on some kind of equal footing which for a die-hard traditionalist, and the superstitious, would be blasphemous.  Kagome was in need of correction. 

It was inevitable that Sesshoumaru would kill the Lord.  He's reacting on the premis that they went to the village peacefully and were afteward farewelled with hostility.  That the Lord tried to paint himself a saint, and conveniently forgot his own heresy is very appropriate.  He thought himself stronger, perhaps even unconquerable when he had a source of youkai power in hand, i.e. a youkai crafted sword.  The man is both arrogant and foolish in his assumption that he had the strength to weild to control said weapon.

I wonder if Sesshoumaru will liberate the sword?

Food for thought.

~ Pyre

He didn't, oh but he did! 

Sesshoumaru called Kagome old!

OLD!

Well he didn't actually say it, but he did infer it which shows that terrible thing he has constant trouble with.

Sesshoumaru has no manners.  He's like the puppy that was never taught not to pee on the rug inside.  He's so rude, not mean as in cruel, just downright rude.  He lacks Inuyasha's crudeness, but his 'I don't care what you think' attitude is both infuriating and hilarious.  I really like your rendition of him.  Sesshoumaru is perfectly arrogant, but he comes across as young, petulant, and inexperienced.  If I compared him with Touga-sama in the first chapter, Sesshoumaru pales in comparison.

You described Touga-sama as witty, charming, and mature.  He's old too, like Kagome, but he's been both a husband, and a father twice-over.  I do still find his suppposed 'infidelity' a little hard to swallow, but without it we wouldn't have the source of Sesshoumaru's ire.  That being poor Inuyasha.  Touga-sama has experienced life as an adult, so he has a greater depth of understanding in all things than his eldest son.  So he has foresight and prepares Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga for Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.  He doesn't differentiate between them.  They're both his sons.  It shows a level of fatherly love, attention, and maturity that Sesshoumaru lacks.  Touga-sama was planning for the future, long before Sesshoumaru had one.  Better yet, he asked Totosai to help him, he didn't demand as Sesshoumaru has done.

The difference between father and son are astounding. 

Sesshoumaru is perfectly captured as being sulky, terrible young, and demanding.  He's only just feeling out the boundaries of his strength, thus breaking his swords, instead of finding a way to channel his abilities, and control them.  He just seems to want to overwhelm with power, and to control by sheer force of will.  Sesshoumaru is almost a force of nature.  An unstoppable gale, but he was challenged and curbed by Naraku, Kanna, and Kagura. 

The Heir of the Western Lands isn't so powerful after all. 

He's vulnerable. 

Now I see why he was being so forceful with Totosai.

Sesshoumaru is afraid of being overwhelmed himself.  If his people are at war.  His lands and Title are at risk.  He would become the Lord of a wasteland.  The sovereign of ghosts as his people are slain and or conquered or coerced into Naraku's service.  It makes me wonder if his subjects are loyal like Jaken, or should Sesshoumaru be watching his back against spies placed in his employ by his enemies?

I wonder how he's going to handle the eventual neccessity of having to settle down and make puppies of his very own too.  His perceptions of married life are wonderfully coloured in this chapter by his observations of his own father's romantic escapades.  I guess Touga-sama was doing more than just chasing knickerbockers in Izayoi's village.  He was planting hanyou puppies too.  The dirty old dog. 

I see a little foreshadowing here.  Perhaps Kagome might be filling that role in due time.  I hope she slaps Sesshoumaru for his rudeness, or zaps him.  He needs it. He might end up planting some hanyou puppies of his own in Kagome's garden.  I certainly hope so.

~ Pyre

LMAO!

Just classic! 

Sesshoumaru makes a demand of Totosai to make him a sword that doesn't break.  You capture his arrogance perfectly.  He's really irritating, but in a good way.  Sesshoumaru juxtapositions very well against Kagome.  You think she's a boy until she lets her hair down, literally.  Beautiful.  I love how she's ballsy, tough, and confident.  I also like how you've kept the core of her in-character too.  She avoids conflict not by running from it, but in compromising.  She doesn't cow-two to Sesshoumaru, but asserts herself fiercely, telling him firmly how their relationship is going to be.  If he's rude than she'll treat him the same.  She has backbone, but a gentleness to her too.

Bravo.

My favourite part though is where Sesshoumaru wants that sword made right now, but Totosai acknowledges the need while refusing to craft said weapon.  His 'playing forgetful' not only infuritates Sesshoumaru, but nicely frames the moment where he shoves Kagome into the limelight.  Impress her and Sesshoumaru gets his sword.  Now I wonder what will happen if he ticks her off instead. 

No sword perhaps?

XD.

I outright guffawed when Totosai had his moment.  It's almost as if he's wary of Sesshoumaru, but tolerates his presence at the same time.  Kind of like having a relative you have to talk too, but would rather ignore.  Sesshoumaru almost seems to clog up his work-space.  Maybe kicking him out with Kagome on his tail is more of an attempt for Totosai to get some peace and quiet.

The humour in this chapter is perfectly balanced with the seriousness.

You've gotten it spot on!

~ Pyre

Now I understand.  Touga-sama forged Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga for balance.  One sword destroys and the other in essence 'heals' the damage by resurrecting the souls that the first slew.  It's an odd combination, almost a paradox, but more understandable.  I like it.  I know that this part is canon, but your take on Sesshoumaru's frustration and jealousy is perfect.  He's furious over the obvious favouritism.  He doesn't see it for what it is.  Sesshoumaru doesn't need more power.  He's already powerful by blood and birth.  Inuyasha is by far weaker in comparison, being only half-youkai, but he's stronger because of his humanity.  He's still a jackass, but I couldn't help but go 'Aww!' in your scene where Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are children, and Touga-sama is introducing them to both the swords he'd commisioned from Totosai and Midoriko.

Sesshoumaru is beautifully shown as an arrogant prig.  Inuyasha is the gentler, sweeter child with a kinder temperament.  He's almost too gentle as he's bullied by Sesshoumaru.  I can see the foundations of their relationship.  They're brothers, but not bosom buddies. 

I especially enjoyed Sesshoumaru's thinking that Tenseiga is a 'Dud'. 

The sword saved his bacon in the battle with Naraku and it's no longer suddenly a dud.  Sesshoumaru doesn't seem so convinced though, especially after three hundred years!  I keep thinking that maybe Tenseiga just has certain 'standards'.  It doesn't speak to arrogant prigs unless they're worthy of being spoken too.  Kind of like Sesshoumaru himself but blunter, duller, and a lot haughtier. 

I like it!

~ Pyre

*giggles*

You know what?

This is an awesome, and I mean an awesome start.  I was reading through and wondering why Touga-sama would go to a weird youkai that lived inside the bones of a dead worm.  I wasn't sure what or who it was (what being the operative word) since bereft of the three-eyed cow, Totosai is kind of indistinguishable from other odd youkai.

When you started to get into the nitty-gritty of the forging of swords I knew it was Totosai.  The 'bug eyes' helped too since I recall Totosai looking like a Grandpa with sparse hair and huge bug-like eyes that take up half his face.  He must be able to see very well, probably better than 20/20 vision.  Just saying.

I was intrigued, thinking, why would Sesshoumaru's father go to Totosai?

I was puzzled by the addition of Midoriko.  All I thought as I read was 'isn't she dead and or imprisoned in the Shikon no Tama?'

I had to re-align my brain and squeal excitedly like a little girl when I read that Midoriko was helping Totosai to 'forge' youkai weapons and armour. 

Oh now you've caught my attention.

A Miko helping a youkai make mystical armour and weaponry. 

Nice.

I have to read where this is going now.

I giggled when Touga-sama wheedled a deal out of Midoriko and Totosai.  He's like 'Fangs here!  Make swords!  One go slash, slash, cut, slice, slice, make baby hanyou-son powerful, but no touchie by youkai!  Second sword no slice, cut, slash, slice, but make ghosts alive again, major suckage for naughty eldest son!'

I almost imagined a thumbs-up and a dirty youkai grin to go with it. 

I like the fact that it seems the forging of the swords is both intentional and a great joke at the expense of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru.  Inuyasha gets a sword that is powerful and that youkai can't touch, but it also quells his youkai blood, making him saner and less blood-thirsty.  Unfortunately the sword doesn't improve his manners.  Inuyasha is still a rude, crude, and potty-mouthed hanyou with a golden-heart.  Yes he's the good-guy.  But he's still a jackass despite his father's best intentions.

Sesshoumaru in comparison, despite being in possession of Tenseiga, doesn't learn humility or compassion until he meets Rin.  He probably carried that sword, unable to cut a damned thing, for years if not centuries probably cursing his father's very name.  He still unfortunately remains somewhat of an arrogant prig even after meeting Rin.  Yes he learns to be compassionate, but Touga-sama obviously couldn't take all of the youkai out of Sesshoumaru no matter how hard he tried.

It's hilarious.

Your start here makes me think that both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are 'works in progress' rather than being those kind of lads that have an epiphany one day and just turn good over-night.

I like your ideology better, especially with the addition of Midoriko.

I'm like 'Ooooh!  Shiny!  Must read!'

Wonderful start!

~ Pyre

Ooh, those marriage/pup questions were not nice reminders for Kagome!

Haha, Sesshomaru thinking Kagome was a boy was funny.

The flashback he had of his father explaining the two swords was great!

The first chapter has sure caught my attention! I like it, a lot.

If it is Shippou I really hope he's older, otherwise this is just a bit weird! How is it that neither of them notice that someone is there?

Uh oh... mom's here... you always end chapters at that place where you tell yourself you'll only read one more chapter, then go and get some stuff done... then you read one more and then one more...

At least it's only 7 pieces this time.

Your timing is perfect.