The Miko and the Taiyoukai by Hana Ginkawa

True Balance

Title: True Balance

Pairings: Sesshoumaru/Kagome

Rating: G

Squicks: If you don't like alternate histories(since I don't know what Rumiko based the Inu no Taisho clan) and don't like 'fate' as it were, you might have a problem. . .

Summary: The reason behind the obsession. . .

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

It is said that the power of the Shiroinu clan of youkai was granted in the time before time, when the ancestor of Inu no Taisho assisted a ningen prince in a battle against a malevolent mountain deity. The Sun Goddess Amaterasu gave to the dog clan the power to dominate and hold the title of "taiyoukai" for assisting a child of her blood.

It is also said that the weakness of the line of Inu princes began that day as well.

But what was the weakness when itself gave the strength and prestige of the line?

Forgotten among the annuals of time, one clan would watch as their masters repeated history, time and time again. Destined to circle the baying pack chasing a true balance that would seem to never come.

His turn had come.

He watched and remembered. Tiny eyes would record as the line again proved its worth and once again proved its blood to be true.

He would not speak of that which he knew, for each successor had to discover for himself the alternate strength and weakness of his bloodline. Each had to balance out one against the other, but most ended up in failure. For that was the secret hidden within the gift given long ago: He who shall find balance, shall find eternal rule.

His first watch put the weakness over the strength. And died a death that could have been avoided. Although, he had to give it to the taiyoukai, for he almost got it right.

The watcher knew for certain that this 'killer of the world' would choose strength over weakness. And dare the man try to balance it out? No, for in the youkai's eyes blazed the knowledge of the mistake that tumbled the former ruler of the western lands.

Secretly, Myouga wondered if any successor of the Shiroinu clan had ever gotten it right after the first. He sincerely doubted it.

The watcher, though beholden to the successor of the clan, often found his life endangered by the son of the great Inu no Taisho. Hence he went for the son who would not kill him on sight, thus betraying generations of clansmen who stayed by the inu's side, but not entirely.

When the child first appeared at the lord's side, a slow fluttering began in his little heart, a hope that rose with every subsequent sighting.

Often the girl from the future would look at him as he would sigh after one such sighting.

"Myouga-jiichan, what's wrong?"

She was entirely too perceptive a child.

He would then breath in relief when the half-blood son engaged her in arguing, free from her intuitive gaze.

The scales began tipping then.

In little fits and starts, the youkai who would once have seen his brother die than carry a sword perceived as rightfully his began to assist the group that Inuyasha had gathered about himself. Or rather, that Kagome had gathered around Inuyasha.

As their war continued on, Myouga watched with curious eyes as the Lord of the Western Lands began to move ever closer into the comradeship of the searchers for the shards. He listened as the claim began with the protection of the little human ward the youkai kept by his side. A secret weapon, so to speak, against the plans of Naraku.

At times, the Lord would be unaware of glittering eyes taking in the sight of amber ones following the black-haired woman who collected souls to her very much the same way her former incarnation did. Only they came willingly into the fold of her caring, and forgiving arms.

Lord Sesshoumaru proved to be no exception.

Myouga held such hope in his heart then.

It blossomed that spring, when Inuyasha chose the original over the incarnation.

When the defeat of the common enemy created a void of peace in his passing.

When Kagome turned, inexplicably, into the arms of Sesshoumaru, instead of going home.

A weakness forged with such unwavering inner strength.