"Sesshomaru, you need to do this for your family and the West. While we are no longer in the Feudal Era, you have duties. You can unite clans with this arrangement. Myself, my sire and his before and so forth have always put our duties first. The Youkai Concil support this. You alone were bred for this right, my perfect pup. Do not fight me on this. You will obey."
Sesshomaru couldn't help but let his thoughts linger on the conversation he and his father had just nights ago. Quelling the urge to roll his eyes, he had been the model son. Strong, smart, excelling at everything and anything thrust in his face since he was a pup. But he was tired. Tired of giving his all into something that he was not sure he wanted. Well that wasn't exactly true. He loved the West and the power that came with it. But mating Kagura Kumo, wasn't what he wanted. Sesshomaru Taisho, heir of the Western Lands was going to rebel against his father. Starting with this. A tattoo shop. Because of the view Japanese had on tattooing. He had quite literally jumped at the chance to do something out of character. Something that his father would disapprove of.
"I'm telling you guys, this place is amazing. You'd think youkai can't get it done, but we can! Like I said, I came in here the other night and asked about it. I even saw a neko youkai with it done and his whole body was covered!" Excited was an understatement for Shippo. Having brought his friends with him to one of the local slums of Tokyo, it was like he was unaware of his dismal surroundings. As they walked up to one of the ugliest buildings on the street, Shippo turned around with a huge grin on his face only to have it waiver when he caught site of his companions faces. "What?"
"It looks sketchy as hell. Are you sure you guys want to do this?," Inuyasha asked gruffly trying to brush off the fact that he was nervous. Looking around the sparsely inhabited streets of Tokyo, Inuyasha watched hooded figures skulk about in the less than desirable neighborhood. Anyone out after midnight were either up to no good, drunk or both. "Dad would lose his shit, if we go through with it." He muttered.
"This Sesshomaru didn't realize, brother, that you were afraid."
"Yeah mutt, ya think you wouldn't be afraid of some hoodlums when you got three full demons with ya!" Laughed Koga, while clapping Inuyasha and Shippo on their backs.
"Keh, I'm not afraid ya mangey wolf! Just worried that Dad's gonna kill us all after he finds out about this. Let's just hurry it up already."
"Would it help that I know some of the workers?" Rubbing the back of his head sheepishly at the sight of Inuyasha flipping him off, Shippo continued on. "Yash is right though. Uncle Isamu will definitely kill me first before he tries to kill any of you, since I'm the one who brought it up. Let's just go inside before you all change your mind." With a pointed look at Inuyasha, Shippo opened the door to the building that looked like it had been abandoned. Were it not for the neon sign letting passerby's know it was open. The three youkai and hanyou entered the building feeling the ripple of reiki change as they entered the building. It was if they were walking through molasses. The barest hints of four different reiki signatures slightly prodding their auras and slowly down their movements.
Sesshomaru felt but also saw the electric blue reiki playfully coaxing his tightly bound youki to come out and play. Playfully enticing the deadly jyaki of his aura to release the youki from its confinement. Surprise quickly came into his golden orbs that two powers that were meant to be enemies easily intermingled. His youki, a part of a deadly predator for once did not have the edge to destroy. Before he could stop it, the blue reiki started to massage his youki, relaxing it to the point of docility. Sesshomaru couldn't help the feeling of contentment flood through his being but yet still annoyed at whoever had the audacity to touch his person. Reigning in his youki and smothering it with his jyaki, Sesshomaru prepared it to snap back at the offending power. Eyebrows slighted raised when he saw the reiki wave teasingly before disappearing altogether. Shaking his head, he and the rest of his tachi finally passed through whatever test the building put them through.
All except the Kitsune expecting what was on the outside to reflect what the building was like on the inside. Only to be surprised as they walked through the door. A spacious waiting room bathed in reds and blacks, plasma tvs mounted on the walls, leather massage chairs waiting to be used. Monk body guards in tailored suits stood at all five of the doorways and two were standing right by the entrance. An old miko sat at the desk in the traditional red and white miko garb. As they approached, the miko lifted her one functioning eye towards them pinning them with a stare as if she could see into the depths of the demonic souls.
"Hi Kaede-baa!"
With a small secretive smile at Shippo, the old miko spoke to them, "Welcome, to Reiki Infused, my name is Kaede. I believe this is your first time here, excluding Shippo-san," accepting Sesshomaru's slight nod she continued on. "Assuming you are here for what all youkai come to this establishment for, if you would please follow me." Directing the youkai to one of the rooms, she waited till they all sat on the rectangle table. Taking the seat at the head of the table, she allowed them to settle in, before she continued on, "Now before I give you all the paperwork to fill out, I'm going to give you a brief history les-.."
Already impatient Inuyasha cut her off, "Look lady, we came here to get it done. Not have a class session!"
"Shut ya trap mutt."
Disgruntled and clearly uncomfortable, Inuyasha mumbled out, "Whatever, continue on lady."
With a slight roll of an eye, Kaede went on with what she was saying, "Tattoos were not always looked down upon in Japan, as you all would recall from your history lessons. Dating back to the Jōmon period, tattoos were looked at as distinctive markers for every clan. Ningens used to revere and tried to emulate the beauty of your ancestors. Tattooing became essential for ningen royalty, it mimicked how youkai have their own markings the Kami's themselves blessed them with. Ningen began assimilating some of the youkai culture into their own. This was when peace rained all over Japan. It was a very prosperous time for all. It wasn't until the Sengoku Jidai period or more commonly known as the Warring States Era that the view on tattoos and youkai changed entirely. Nobunaga Oda chose to start an all consuming war with youkai. His all consuming hate and bigotry began to spread to all corners of Japan. He burned villages and killed many youkai: male, female or children. None were safe from his wrath. With the help of Ningen warlords he had coerced into his evil, he commanded legions of samurai. Many were lost on both sides. It wasn't until the great, InuNoTashio-sama, the great-great-great-great grand sire of you Taisho heirs, rose up to destroy Nobunaga. But then the unthinkable happened that no one could have expected with Nobunaga. He sold his soul to low level youkai, creating a half-youkai with immense power. Then InuNoTaisho enlisted the aid of the Shikon Priestess, Nakamura Midoriko."
A light knock at the door halted Kaede's words and she lightly flared her aura so her assistant knew to enter. As her eyes followed the movements of her assistant, watching as she gave each youkai the proper paperwork that would cover the liability on their part. She gestured to the pens in the middle of the table before continuing on. "But, even with Midoriko-sama's help, ningens placed heavy mistrust in youkai, due to the lies Nobunaga. No ningen then had any idea what Nobunaga had done, placing their trust blindly in a hanyou once ningen. In the village of Edo, the battle reached its peak. With a killing blow combined with the youki and reiki becoming one to kill the evil that was Nobunaga, Japan was at peace once more. InuNoTaisho and Midoriko created a treaty, forming peace between each species. Calling together every Daiyoukai Lord of each clan to sign and swear an oath to obey. There were many terms and conditions and each side was heavily affected. One of the stipulations of the treaty that no youkai talk about the plan to conceal the markings of youkai heritage. Midoriko thought that it would be best to hide the markings so peace could reign between the two species, but only for a time until ningen could be able to trust their youkai counterparts. So she created a binding spell and a powerful enchantment to hide everything that would show what you are. With the only way for it to be broken, by another miko's power and love for youkai."
With a heavy sigh Kaede looked wearily at the young youkai in the room. "What Midoriko didn't know then that overtime the heavy enchantment and binding would morph into something different. Instead of hiding their youkai markings, it took them away. No youkai offspring were born with any markings. Claws became dull, ears no longer pointed. Distinctive markings ceased to exist. It did not matter if you were Daiyoukai or a lower level youkai, no markings in any youkai have been seen in centuries. Had it not been for unique coloring, enhanced senses and your longevity one could mistake youkai as ningen. What we have discovered is that we can return what was always yours. The markings that should have be on your skin lay dormant, waiting. Also your powers need to be coaxed from the binding placed upon it. By the use of reiki, should you desire, we can awaken it. This may not be what you were expecting when you came here. We under you all come from prominent youkai families, but do not take this act of disobedience lightly. It is...not illegal. But it is frowned upon in youkai circles because of the shame that your ancestors had to suffer. Once you do this, as heirs of each clan, it will awaken the markings of each youkai in your clan. If you wish to continue on, the process, is excruciatingly painful because we awaken what has been bound so harshly. We match a miko with the same level of reiki as your youki. So that you may be able to take on your true characteristics, it is permanent. Please look over and read thoroughly the contract in front of you. If there aren't any questions, I will take my leave and return when you are ready."
"This one, has no questions for you Lady Miko. Neither do the others." With a curt nod, Sesshomaru dismissed Kaede from the room. His narrowed golden eyes quickly found Shippo's shocked green.
"I sw-swear Sessh," Shippo managed to stutter out, "I had no idea it was like this. I just thought we could get simple tattoos. Ya know? Act out a little and for it to be simple. I never thought for a second it was something like this." Looking at two seriously pissed off Daiyoukai and one inuhanyou who was uncharacteristically silent was daunting. Shippo could only hope for a light beating for all the trouble he put his friends through. Closing his eyes he silently prayed to any Kami that was listening for the beating to render him unconscious from the first hit.
Rubbing his face exasperatedly, Kouga stood up. "I'm not sure if this would be a good idea. It's one thing to tattoo ourselves but to awaken the markings of each of our clansmen, could have a disastrous effect for the treaty. I'm not sure this is worth it anymore. Sure humans are more accepting now, look at the hanyou. it could have serious repercussions. It's not your average tattoos." Curiously looking at Inuyasha who didn't even acknowledge the slight jab he had made at him.
Inuyasha's bangs were currently shadowing his normally expressive eyes but his aura was shifting between sadness and determination. Reading over the contract he slowly brought his eyes to his brothers. "Brother, please."
Slowly he nodded his head to his brother, half or not. Sesshomaru understood how much it would mean to Inuyasha to have demonic features. How badly his brother craved to be accepted by youkai society. He was only half and that you could smell from miles away. For him, he would disobey.
//////////
AN:
Hi all! CR here, review if you'd like to. I accept constructive criticism. It's a bit rough but I had to post it to at least give me an outline to follow because otherwise I'd have kept changing everything and never posted lol. I am looking for a beta. Also I can't promise updates every week. Maybe every two weeks. But I wil finish it out. Thanks! :)