Chapter Text
Naturally, after all the fighting with Kirinmaru dies down and the twins able to have a calm moment for once with their flesh-and-blood parents, Towa wants answers.
Rin and Jaken, acting as Sesshoumaru's voice for most queries, try their best. But after all the immediately relevant questions are asked and answered – such as Setsuna's missing memories directly following the forest fire, Riku's true identity, and the state of the land post-Kirinmaru – Towa finds herself at a loss for words.
She really doesn't know her parents at all.
Towa had originally come to the Sengoku Era only to get back Setsuna's memories and her ability to sleep. Although she had become somewhat curious about her biological parents when Moroha had revealed that they were the children of the "great Sesshoumaru", that had been quickly squashed by the Tree of Ages' insistence that fighting against Kirinmaru would lead to a mortal showdown with their father, which she wanted to avoid, patricide not being one of the things she particularly wanted to commit. She also already had Sota Papa and Mama back home, and compared to them, Sesshoumaru and their mother were abstractions that she could learn more about but ultimately didn't really need to.
But now that they're in front of her, it dawns on Towa that she can and should make up for lost time with them. Although home is in the Reiwa Era and she'll keep trying to return there, she can reclaim her past while figuring out a way to go back at the same time.
"Towa, Setsuna," their mother begins, looking hopeful but also shy now that the tension from the battle has passed. "I know it's been a long time since we've been together as a family. Your mother regrets having to be away for so long. But if you wouldn't mind, please come stay with me and your father for at least a little while. We want to – we want to get to know you two again."
When Towa notices the tears in Rin's eyes and that even Sesshoumaru's body is stiffening, she knows that she can't do anything else but accept her offer.
"There's no need to to cry! I know that what happened in the past wasn't your fault at all, so I'll come with you, uh, Mother!" She cringes internally at the awkwardly delivered epithet but Rin seems to be perking up already. "I really do want to know more about all of my family, just like Setsuna," and at this, Towa nudges her sister in the side.
"What, I said no such thing –"
When Rin comes over to take Setsuna's hands into her own and enthusiastically entreats her to come to the family manor, while Setsuna simply stares back with increasing awkwardness and terror, Towa knows that it's all over for her, too.
What she did is a bit under-handed, but Towa figures that it's the only way Setsuna will join her.
Then she realizes that she has heard barely a peep from Sesshoumaru – their incredible and honestly terrifying father – the whole time. She should try to say something to him, Towa thinks, but what exactly?
"So... Father..."
The great dog demon angles his head slightly toward her.
"Uh..."
He's listening, Towa's assured of that, but his gaze bores such holes in her that it's hard to think. Next to Rin, who has been hugging Setsuna and giggling excitedly about what she and the twins will do together now they've been reunited, Sesshoumaru seems carved from ice with a personality to match. How exactly did these two get together in the first place is a question that starts to form in Towa's mind.
"Oh, come out with it already, child –" Jaken intercedes before getting a rock to the head for his trouble. Towa blinks. Where did Sesshoumaru even get that rock from?
"Continue." That's the first word Towa's heard from him in a while.
After a few moments pass, Towa asks lamely, "So, where do you and Mother live?"
It's not riveting conversation but she does need to know this piece of information at least. Plus asking the other question she has in mind doesn't seem like a good idea yet.
Sesshoumaru considers the question before giving her a small nod.
"Get everyone ready. Then follow me." He turns around as if everybody is already on the same page as him and begins to walk away.
Towa's about to shout, "Wait," but then she finds Rin pulling along a still wide-eyed Setsuna and even Jaken's recovered quickly enough to start running toward his master's feet.
So she gives up and goes with the flow, following after the group, as her mind begins to hum with all of the things that she would like to learn from her once-lost family, never mind the fact that Setsuna is glaring daggers at her.