4Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.
Title: Ever Us—A Historical perspective of the 1792 Tsunami
Author: Gayle Nightingale
Prompt: Chap 8 Ever Us. Details behind the "colossal marital fight of the century"
Word Count: 2081
Rated: G
Genre: Romance/Family
Pairing: Inuyasha/Sesshomaru. A yaoi story.
Remarks: A copy of a letter from Professor Takahashi to his historical colleagues regarding the 1792 Tsunami. Reference Chap 8 of Ever Us
Ever Us—A Historical perspective of the 1792 Tsunami
Kenichi Takahashi, PhD
Professor of History
Tokyo University
Dear Colleagues and Lovers of History,
I would be remiss in my report of history to not include a little known fact regarding the actual cause of the Great Tsunami of 1792. For all the history records record the event as result of an earthquake the likes Japan has not seen in a multitude of years, I know the cause of the earthquake. Should our Geology colleagues nod an agreement that they too understand the mechanics of an earthquake, they would be in deed correct but not the actual cause.
My parents were the actual cause.
Allow me to delineate the story so that it can be recorded in the annuals of history of all time. My elder sister is the primary source of this information although through the years we have teased out some minor details from my dad. My father is still silent over the issue.
It was a lovely day. My parents had a habit of walking the countryside for extended periods of time. My father was a physician and it was before he had developed a name for himself. He was not always the caring, compassionate man he is today. At that time one could say he was rather icy. Proud, stoic, emotionless, he found it difficult to express his emotions. Well, all but anger and that he had in a large amount.
Physiologists today say that anger is a primary emotion and that it is not uncommon for men to express themselves through anger, mostly because they get frustrated and can't express it in other way.
Regardless they were walking through the forest, the ocean at their side, with my sister who was then only a toddler and my Uncle Jaken, who has been a faithful servant to my great parents for these many centuries.
My sister had grown tired of walking and had grabbed for my father's sleeve. She said she asked him to pick her up but he just stopped and stared at her. She said it was a frightening expression and she ran to our dad to hide behind him.
My dad had been admiring the plants and otherwise not watching over Keiko so when he felt her shaking hands grab his hakamas he immediately went into the defensive protective position, hiding Keiko on his back under his flowing beautiful white hair. He looked about for the cause of her distress but after smelling nothing but Uncle Jake and his mate he stood to his full height.
I can only imagine the language my dad used as I have heard it all my life.
"What the f—k, Sesshomaru?! Why is Keiko so frightened?!"
When asked, my dad denies his foul language saying that if we learned any foul words it must have been from the castle soldiers. But I digress.
My sister said the she could see my great father's face through a gap in the hair of my dad. Sesshomaru reportedly shook his hair from his face and relayed that she needed to toughen up and walk for herself. He would not carry her.
My dad was aghast and could not find words for several moments opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of the water.
Finally he calmed briefly and said, "Are you telling me that she is afraid of you! Did you hurt my baby?"
"Of course not. I did not touch her."
Inuyasha pulled Keiko from his back and promptly smelled her all over while he examined her for poison or slaps or any mark on her person. Finding her clear of marks, he talked to her.
"Keiko, why were you so scared, Princess?"
"Father stared at me."
Having faced that particular stare all his younger life, my dad understood and internally quivered.
"Sesshomaru! What is your issue! She is only a pup; your own flesh and blood!"
"I have told you once and I detest repeating myself. She needs to toughen up and walk for herself."
"Are you shitting me?! She is a toddler and not strong enough for long walks yet."
"Yes and she will remain weak as long as you coddle her"
Again my dad sputtered and raked his brain for an explanation to my father's comments.
"Of course I coddle her. She is our and I repeat OUR pup and a miracle at that. But she is but a pup and cannot walk 20 miles a day like we can."
"Then we must start training her," he replied and turning started to walk away as though the conversation was completed.
Dear colleagues if any of you have had the opportunity to meet my amazing parents then you will know that my dad always gets the last word when it comes to HIS children.
Inuyasha lovingly sat Keiko down with Uncle Jaken with the quick instruction to watch over her or else and ran up to my father. Grabbing his shoulder he spun him so they were face to face.
"This discussion is NOT over," my dad said.
"I see nothing more to discuss," my father replied.
Perhaps the 222 years of mating should have alerted my father to my dad's mental state but it is true what they say about teaching old dog's new tricks.
"It is NOT over. I have been the caring parent, the emotional parent, the one for her to hug and the shoulder for her to cry on. I have been the one to hold her in the middle of the night when her nightmares wake her. But I do not have a sole responsibility for her emotional growth and development. You must step up to these responsibilities. You say you want to be a great physician. Well let me tell you, LORD SESSHOMARU, a great physician has compassion! And until you develop some compassion you are just a lowly healer. Have you forgotten all the lessons Rin taught you about loving?!
Earlier I mentioned Father was icy. I should also comment that my dad is the fire in their relationship. He still has a way of heating my father's frosty demeanor. On this particular day though he not only lit a fire but he set off an explosion.
My father is a very proud demon. He does not like being talked down too. He does not like being second best. And any hint that he would be less than perfect made him MAD.
Sesshomaru immediately grabbed his Tenseiga, swinging it as he drew it from the sheath. I am grateful personally he grabbed for that sword as if he had grabbed Bakusaiga I would not exist. The blow hit my dad with its full force blowing him into the nearest tree with a sickening splat. My sister states that even recalling the intensity of that sound still makes her nauseated. She and Uncle Jaken could only sit and watch aghast with the scene playing out in front of them. They thought Father had killed Dad.
But Dad is strong and a force to be reckoned with. He is the Inuhanyou that beat Naraku after all. You can find his entry in the historical annuals of the Feudal age. Inuyasha moaned and cracked his back as he dropped to his knees. He took a moment to stare at my father and then said,
"So this is where and how it ends. So be it."
My sister said it was the tone of his voice that distressed her the most. Calm and quiet. The hair on her neck stood on end. Uncle Jaken immediately started crying and begging them to stop but it was though neither could hear. Neither saw anything but each other. Their eyes were red and anger filled the air.
Inuyasha drew Tessaiga from its sheath and catapulted himself back at Sesshomaru. The massive fangs of their father clashed with a great roar. It was though their father was crying out from the depths of the underworld and that he was in excruciating pain. The interlocked blades and Inuyasha's momentum pushed Sesshomaru back twenty feet. Sesshomaru sunk his heels in the ground and leaned into Tenseiga. With a mighty snarl he shoved Inuyasha away. He pulled his blade back over his left shoulder and swung another mighty blow. This time my dad was prepared for the hit and raised Tenseiga to block the attack. Regardless of the block it still sent my dad cartwheeling down the forest, smashing into trees and destroying bushes for a swath of hundreds of yards.
After righting himself he ran back and just yards before physically touching my father he swung the Tessaiga and yelled, "Wind Scar!"
The wind scar raced through the air toward Sesshomaru, the wind devastating everything in its path, the sound deafening. Father quickly raised his blade and it formed a barrier. Keiko said it looked like a big beach ball made of air with father in the center.
Father did not rest after the strike though. He immediately returned the assault and they went blow for blow for a while. My sister is not sure how long the battle lasted. She assures me it lasted what seemed like forever. I am sure that is true, because both men were strong and stubborn and even now I can see their passion for each other as an example of their true emotions.
Next was the part I want to assure gets in the history books. Father aimed a meido at Dad. Dad just stood there waiting for it. Keiko said he was tired and bleeding and appeared to be at his end. She yelled out, "DADDY!" in her loudest voice. The innocent sound of her voice broke through his emotional fog and he looked her way. They made eye contact and he jumped straight up in the air. Then hoovering over the meido ovaloid he launched a backlash wave. The two attacks met in a colossal explosion and drilled into the earth. Within seconds the earth began shaking and the water from the nearby ocean receded leaving hundreds of ocean life forms out of their normal environment. Then the water stopped; the wave standing still as it increased in girth and height. Then it started returning for the shore. The previous sounds of gentle slapping of the water on the sand had now changed to the frightful roar of a great beast. The mounting wall of water was getting closer and closer to the shore.
Keiko was staring at the oncoming wall and realized it would be the end of them all. Keiko's scream for help cut through our father's red haze of fury with surgical accuracy.
Father shook his head as though clearing cobwebs from his face and then he immediately transformed into his demon form and tossed Inuyasha, Keiko, and Uncle Jaken on his back and flew away avoiding certain death.
Dad will admit that the near loss of their child brought them to their knees. They fiercely hugged each other and their daughter, tears flowing unchecked. Even Uncle Jaken clung to them crying his relief. I will not include Uncle Jaken's version of the story as I don't have Keiko's agreement as to his larger than life contributions to the event, but I do believe he was part of the group hug.
I was born the following year and I don't ever recall a moment where I wasn't hugged or smothered in affection by both of my parents. So whatever concessions were made by both parents after the "colossal marital fight of the century" have been true to this day.
Unfortunately there were many lifeforms that were lost that day. Among the humans 15,000 were lost. The number of the ocean and forest creatures was not gathered but well over 100,000 creatures. It truly was a tragedy. But from tragedy is born new life and new goals.
I respectfully submit this treatise for your consideration and inclusion in the annuals of history.
Collegially,
Kenichi Takahashi, PhD
Professor of History
Tokyo University
