Curiosity - Chapter 7 - "It Must Be Done!"

Keeping his gaze towards his father steady, Sesshomaru replied simply as if the answer was insignificant,

"It has been two hundred years since you death."

The word "shocked" wouldn't even start to describe the look that was on the former Western Lord's face. If anyone were to look on him in that moment, none would be able to tell what he was thinking. Touga spent what felt to him like hours staring at his and Sesshomaru's feet, suddenly finding them very interesting. When he finally rounded up his seemingly endless amount of thoughts running through his head, his gaze fixated back to stare at his son.

"T..t...two h...hundred years?" He questioned again, not even trying to hide his stuttering. "Now I know you are not one for jokes or games, but you can't be serious! Nothing in these woods have changed! The area still smells as it did the last time I was here!" Touga now had a look of pure worry on his face as he slowly backed away from his son. "No, no, it can't be true... he can't be right... I couldn't have been gone so long... could I?"

Sesshomaru could tell that his father was borderline allowing his beast to take over. "He must be calmed, else he could cause some true damage."

"Father, it has been just barely over two hundred years since you last walked this earth. You know that this Sesshomaru would never lie to an elder, one of the many lessons I learned from you."

Taking a few moments to calm himself by deep breathing, Touga was able to gain enough control to keep his inner beast at bay. "At least for a little while, unless I am angered again."

The forest surrounding the clearing became eerily quiet while Touga stood in the center motionless, letting all of what he had just learned sink in. He just couldn't believe what he was told. Two hundred years? Had it truly been that long since he had walked this plain? Oh, what his love must have gone through during those last few years of her life. She must have been miserable without him there to protect her and their son.

Wait! He almost forgot all about Inuyasha! "Sesshomaru said that Inuyasha somehow managed to keep himself alive over the years. Does he means that Inuyasha practically raised himself? I'll just have to find out."

Before he had the chance to question Sesshomaru about the whereabouts of his youngest son, his inner beast decided to make an appearance in his mind.

"No, find pup later. We get mate back now!"

"Our love cannot come back, she has been dead for years. She wouldn't be able to come back even if we could somehow revive her."

"You forgot."

"What are you talking about? Forgotten what?"

"Alpha prophesy."

"One of father's prophesies? But which? He saw so much..."

"Mate."

"I know it is hard, but you must be more clear. He saw bits and pieces of our future about both our mates."

"True mate, when alpha die."

When he heard that reply from his beast, memories from years past began to flood into his mind. There was one memory in particular that kept popping up again and again. It was of his father on his deathbed...

*Flashback*

Touga silently stepped into his father's room, the smell of death getting stronger as the minutes passed. He knew his father's time in this world was nearing it's end. His father, Yatsuo, had requested his appearance one last time. For what, Touga did not know, but he did want to be there when his father passed on into the spirit world.

"Come closer my son, I wish tell you something."

Touga made his way closer to his father. Yatsuo's prone form sent chills up Touga's spine. Never in his four hundred years of life had he seen any demon look so sickly. His father had somehow contracted an illness that had become untreatable, it reduced his body to practically skin and bones. When he kneeled down next to his father, he saw that his eyes were once again glazed over, just as they were when Yatsuo saw bits of the past, present, or future.

Yatsuo took a hold on his son's hand and gripped it tightly. "Touga, you have not yet found your true mate."

Said inuyoukai's eyes widened, "What do you mean father? You saw where I would take Katsumi as mate, yet now you say she isn't my true mate. If she isn't, then who is?"

The corners of Yatsuo's mouth quirked up by just a margin. "Ah, my son. You are still so naive." He opened his mouth to speak, but only a coughing fit followed in it's wake. Catching his breath, Yatsuo began again, "Your true mate, she is an extremely beautiful princess. The prettiest of her kind, but be warned my son, a great trial will befall the both of you to see if your love prevails." With that, Yatsuo's breath started becoming short and Touga could tell that he had little time left on this earth.

"Father what do you mean by 'her kind'? Why must we be tested to see if our loves prevails?"

Taking in a deep breath, the soon departing Western Lord started speaking what he knew were his final words. "Bringing her back is the only way, it all depends on what you say."

"Please not another one of your riddles."

"Brought back from the dead she once was, but what brought her back then won't bring her back now. The eldest does nothing to help thy mate, so calling her back will be your fate. The power of love maybe strong, but it won't be enough. There is a power that must guide her, you will need her to help..." Another coughing fit overtook him, this one worse than the others, for when he pulled his hand back blood was trickling out the corner of his mouth.

"Who? Who is this woman? What must she help with?" Touga asked frantically.

Barely above a whispering tone, Yatsuo said his parting words. "All must be alive for the world to be saved."

And with that, he was gone.

*End Flashback*

"Is this what he meant? I have to go bring her back, but isn't her body to far gone or perhaps not even there?" Touga had to know where his true mate was buried and he needed to figure out how to bring her back. His father's prophesies had always been right, and he had a feeling that if this one wasn't fufilled a great turmoil would come to this world.

The entire time Touga was having his flashback, Sesshomaru just stayed where he stood, knowing the question that was about to be asked.

"Where is she buried Sesshomaru?" His father asked calmly while still staring at the ground.

"Hn, your human's grave is on the hill that overlooks the river at our eastern border, she is under the Sakura tree that now stands there."

Touga's gaze rose to look at the eastern skies, "Good, we must get going or else we won't make it there before nightfall. You have to help me bring her back, she is required to help ensure our futures." He began to take off when he noticed that Sesshomaru wasn't following him. He turned to look at his son and was disappointed with the cold response he received.

"I will not follow you father, there is no need to bring back that weak mortal that claims to love you. You will make this foolish journey alone."

"Sesshomaru, you will come with me. It is part of your destiny to help bring her..." He angrily replied before being cut off.

"Hn, this Sesshomaru refuses to help revive your human. She is not needed..." In that rare instance, Sesshomaru stopped short when he felt his father's beast taking control of him again.

"Grrrrr... IT MUST BE DONE!"