InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ New Dawnings ( Chapter 62 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.05.2006 | Updated On: 08.12.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 11.0K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 10.05.2006 | Updated On: 08.12.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.2K | Visits: 11.0K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 62 - New Dawnings
Inuyasha stirred right at sunrise, the transformation just getting underway. It was always rather unsettling, being pulled from his dreams at the sensation of his entire body thundering out in a pulse that chimed harmoniously throughout his very being. It wasn’t considered a painful sensation. Rather, he was quite looking forward to it. It signaled the return of his true self, and any physical discomfort associated with the changes were openly welcomed.
Springing into a sitting position, he soon realized he regretted his quick movements, as he felt a horrible pain suddenly shoot through his chest. Glancing down over himself, Inuyasha could not see the extent of the damage, thanks to a fresh set of bandages, but thanks also to his returning sense of smell, he could easily detect the scent of burnt flesh.
Kagome had bolted awake right beside him, probably in a combination of feeling the pulse of her own youkai blood return to her, and the simple reality of having the person with whom you were snuggled against suddenly shoot up and away from you. Even though Kagome lacked the physical discomfort of having her ears morph and shift their shape and position, and her canine teeth and nails grow into fangs and claws, she still marveled at the sensation of her higher senses returning. All of a sudden, it was like she could feel again, like the fog of her mind had been lifted. The sounds of the world flowed freely into her, as though she had just removed a pair of industrial strength earplugs. The change in her vision’s clarity was so great, the only way she thought to describe it was like for a person who needs glasses, who then put on said eyewear, even though her sight was never blurry to begin with. It was hard to explain, so she was relieved to know that she didn’t have to - explain it, that is. The next thing she noticed, after taking a deep, welcoming intake of breath, was the horrid stench of burnt flesh! Yuck!
Her hand shot up to her nose, and then a humorous snickering coming from her left caused her to turn in curiosity as to what, exactly, was so funny.
“Morning…” Inuyasha greeted, with a silly smile upon his face.
“Inuyasha!” she cried joyously, as she flung herself upon him, the fog of having just woken up leaving her the instant she recalled the horrid events of the night before.
Their private moment was short lived, as two more cries of “Inuyasha!” both chimed in unison, Sango and Miroku having heard Kagome’s cry from across the corridor, as they rushed in as quickly as they could.
“Jeez, you guys act like I almost died or something…” he attempted to joke. It was becoming his standard line for greetings after having recovered from a nearly fatal injury.
“Baka” Kagome whispered against him, unable to hold her tears back any longer.
He softened his expression as his arms moved to wrap around her body, holding her tightly against him. He felt the discomfort in his chest, but he could ignore it, she was more important.
“I’m all right guys…” Inuyasha started in their friends’ direction, nodding in a way to acknowledge he knew damn well what nearly happened, again. “Why don’t you two go get some breakfast or something?”
Sango and Miroku caught on instantly, understanding that their friends wished to have some time alone, but they were ever so thankful to see for themselves that he was in fact going to be all right. Wordlessly, they both offered him a quick smile and a nod, before they showed themselves out of the chamber.
“Hey…” he attempted to soothe in his mate’s ear, once they were alone, but her tears would not subside.
“I was *sniff* so worried *sniff* I thought I was really *sniff* going to lose you.”
Now, ordinarily, that would have been his cue to throw out some idiotic remark, like “Takes more than that to get to me!” or “I’m much stronger than a weak human!” but under the circumstances, Inuyasha knew better. In the privacy of their bedchamber, in the privacy of their embrace, he smoothed the hair away from her ear, and whispered into it.
“I was scared…too.”
Her grip of him tightened, which caused a mild wave of pain to wash through his chest, nowhere near as severely as it had hurt him the night before, but still…
“I’m sorry.” she mumbled as she backed away from him, having felt it through their bond, which was once again in place, and standing strong.
“I’m fine…but, what did you do?” he asked, reaching up to feel his chest.
“You wouldn’t stop bleeding, so I…”
“Burnt me?” he interrupted, recalling when she’d attempted that technique against his hand. Of course, that was an entirely different scenario, and it was no wonder why it hadn’t worked back then, but this time…
“Uh, yeah…” she admitted, not knowing if she should like the tone of his voice or not. “You wouldn’t stop bleeding otherwise.”
Brushing past her explanation, he nodded vaguely, acknowledging he trusted her judgment when it came to courses of action, but one thing he recalled from the night before popped out in his mind.
“I thought I’d already lost too much blood to survive.” The way he’d said it shown with his unbridled relief that he had been wrong in his assumption, and his gratitude for her intelligence and determination to save him, yet again.
“You probably had, I’m sure.” Kagome acknowledged slowly, nodding solemnly.
Inuyasha wrinkled his face at that, and muttered “Now I’m confused.”
His mate smiled, and leaned in for a gentle kiss, simply for the fact that she had yet to receive her good morning kiss that day, before she promptly launched into the story of all that had happened the night before. They possessed no secrets.
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Walking down towards the dinning hall, Inuyasha could not stop staring at the veins on his left arm, although no track mark remained from Myouga’s procedure. Kagome was truly amazing, his wife never ceased to amaze him. Then, on cue, Inuyasha proceeded to amaze himself, when he realized that he’d just used the word wife within his own mind, instead of the word mate. He supposed, to himself, the two words were supposedly interchangeable, each meaning basically the same thing. Kagome was his mate. Kagome was his wife. The terms were one in the same, and it should be irrelevant. But, for some reason, some reason he was sure that stemmed from his human side, the term “wife” just seemed to mean so much more. In reality, it should honestly be the other way around, since the human marriage bond did not necessarily carry with it the strictness of the youkai mating bond. But he supposed what made the difference to him was the fact that marriage had the “wedding” associated with it, where they proclaimed their love and joining to one another in front of a crowed of onlookers. Before, she had agreed to become his mate, fully comprehending that it meant forever, but the act itself was done in private, in secret, and only those of demonic blood would even be aware that such a bond had taken place. The human ceremony was like standing on the roof tops, shouting out to the entire world that you were joined with this person, relatives, and friends, and relatives of friends, whom she almost never saw, being privy to their joining, simply because she wished it to be public knowledge. That in and of itself meant more to him than he figured she realized, so he had taken a moment to tell her just how greatly he’d been touched during their extravaganza at the hotel. All his life he had grown up with the belief that no one would want to be the mate of a hanyou, and he’d honestly thought he had a lifetime of solitude to look forward to, until that fateful day when Kagome had confessed her feelings, and her desires. But what made it all the more remarkable to him now, was the fact that she openly wished to declare her love of him to everyone they met, using the term “husband” herself, whenever she was speaking with other humans. Most wouldn’t understand the term “mate” and think her an unwed whore. Acknowledging that they actually were married made the joining more acceptable in their eyes. Of course, there was the occasional villager they’d encountered amongst their travels who had openly voiced that they did not approve of their joining, no matter what, but as Kagome had so eloquently put it, “Screw them.” He could not help but to chuckle at the memory.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, eyebrow raised as they rounded the last turn before reaching the dinning area.
Shaking his head in a way meant to say never mind, he lowered his arm, letting the sleeve of his kosode fall, as he grabbed her hand, entwining his fingers with her own, as he asked “Do you even realize how much I love you?”
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They lounged around the castle for two more days, while Inuyasha’s wounds continued to heal. Sango and Miroku both took back off with Kirara sometime shortly after lunch on the first day, since they had said the others would be eager to hear the news of his recovery, not to mention their overall joined success with the battle against the East. Kagome had asked Miroku to check with Kaede if there was anything the elder miko had heard of as far as miko energy successfully merging with youkai energy to create a purifying demonic attack. He had certainly never heard of such a thing himself, but wasn’t surprised in the least to learn that Kagome had managed to accomplish it, regardless.
It was the third morning since the night of the new moon when they received a surprise visitor at their chamber door. He was too little to knock, but fortunately was able to fit right underneath the door. It was also fortunate that as small as he was, he still possessed a detectable aura, or at least, for a miko as powerful as Kagome, he did.
They were both stirring, and Inuyasha was actually just getting ready to lean over and give his wife a kiss - that would hopefully lead to more than kissing - when she stilled his movements with a hand placed firmly upon his healed chest, as she stated “We have a visitor.”
Groaning, and opening his senses to whoever was encroaching upon their position, he smirked when he too realized who it was.
“Master Inuyasha, you are looking strong and healthy this morning.”
“Out with it, Myouga.” he spat, never liking when the flea-youkai attempted his ‘kiss up’ routine. He always failed at it miserably.
“Very well.” said youkai stated, clearly not amused, as he muttered something about gratitude, to which Inuyasha just rolled his eyes, though the truth was he was grateful for his retainer’s actions.
“Lord Sesshoumaru wishes to see you both in his records chamber, right away.”
“And he sent you to summon us?” the hanyou questioned in return, eyebrow raised. The truth was they hadn’t even realized Myouga was still hanging around the castle.
In response, the flea-youkai grumbled something incoherent under his breath, that sounded like it might have been something about Sesshoumaru claiming that if he were going to hang around, that he should at least make himself useful. Inuyasha tried desperately to keep his humor to himself as his servant made his departure, hoping against hope that Myouga had at least been smart enough to not voice such ‘pleasantries’ aloud in his brother’s presence.
Getting up and dressed, Kagome was once again sporting her typical miko ensemble, which had been thoroughly removed of any and all bloodstains and/or scents. Inuyasha was still wearing the raw silk hakama that had been provided for him, as well as a white cotton kosode that would serve well as his new kosode from then on. Heading down the corridor that led to Sesshoumaru’s records chamber, they wondered briefly what it was that the Taiyoukai wanted to see them about. Kagome had since informed Inuyasha that she had been told Sesshoumaru wished to speak with her once everyone was recovered, but she hadn’t been told what about, and the curiosity was starting to get to her.
Entering the chamber, they were surprised to see Sesshoumaru looking more casual than they ever recalled seeing him before. Though Kagome had seen him dining without his boots on, as she noted that higher youkai society apparently shared the tradition of not wearing footwear indoors, she couldn’t recall ever having seen him without his armor or boa. He was dressed merely in his silk kimono, consisting of a kosode, hitoe and hakama. His tabi clad feet carried him soundlessly across the chamber floor as he moved to greet them upon entry.
“I’m pleased you could make it on such short notice.”
The fact that he had referred to himself in the first person also showed that he was being less formal than usual for the time being.
“How are you feeling?” Kagome asked him, the sincerity of her concern overly apparent, as her eyes reflected an odd combination of worry and relief. After all, the last time she’d laid eyes on him was when he was struggling to pull himself upon Kirara’s back, as the nekomata flew him to safety.
“This Sesshoumaru has fully recovered.” he answered matter-of-factly, and raised an eyebrow at the visible relief that washed over not only his half-brother’s mate, but his half-brother as well.
“I’m glad.” Inuyasha stated softly, speaking up for the first time since entering the chamber.
“What was it you wished to speak with us about?” Kagome asked next, not in a way meant to be rude, as though she were rushing through their conversation, but merely in a manner of genuine curiosity, as she could simply stand the suspense no longer.
“Ah, yes…” Sesshoumaru stated calmly, as though he were trying to decide the best way to approach the subject at hand, “Please, be seated.”
That said, Kagome and Inuyasha both moved across the room, and into the 15th century French gothic-style chairs that she loved so much.
“What I wish to speak with you both about is the new development of Kagome’s youkai abilities.”
It startled Kagome to hear Sesshoumaru speak her name, that being only the second time she could ever recall him doing so. Then what he’d said sunk in, and she blushed before stating “I didn’t know I had such abilities. If Tetsusaiga had not called to me, I never would have thought to use it.”
“That was this Sesshoumaru’s assumption.” he stated, suddenly looking and sounding extremely formal, as he greeted them from the opposite side of his desk. Despite the fact that his dress was lacking in armor, he still projected the fact that he was a force not to be reckoned with. Never mind the fact that the ningen woman with-child that sat across from him had single-handedly saved his life one week prior.
“It would appear,” he continued after a moment, “that your miko aura has united with the youkai blood within your system. You have detectable youki.” he stated matter-of-factly once more.
“But how is that possible?” she asked, not disputing his claim, but baffled by the situation all the same.
“That remains a mystery, however…” He paused, as though he were truly taking a moment to ponder his next words. “The blood of our father is extremely strong, for any youkai, and your miko abilities are also unnaturally strong for a miko of this age. It is my belief that it is the separate strength of each of these two forces that have allowed them to unite, rather than cancel each other out.”
Kagome and Inuyasha each nodded, deciding it was as good an explanation as any.
“So this is a good thing, right?” Inuyasha asked after a moment, wishing to make sure that Kagome wasn’t in any risk of her soul suddenly deciding to wage war on itself, as one half attempted to purify the other.
“Yes, little brother, this is a good thing.” Sesshoumaru answered, sensing his brother’s concerns. “Your mate is likely the single strongest opponent known to our time.” He did well to hide the injury to his pride admitting such a statement aloud had caused him. But there was no logic in denying what was so obvious.
“So that’s what you wanted to tell me?” Kagome asked, fascinated by all that had happened, but honestly wishing that things could’ve just silently gone back to normal.
“In part.” the Taiyoukai stated, adding “However, there is more. An idea that occurred to me as I recovered my energy.”
That statement caused both of his guests to raise an eyebrow in curiosity, and he found it quite humorous how the two had managed to mimic each other’s expression when it was quite clear that they had not attempted to do so.
“It had previously been my intention to commission a short blade for Kagura…” he began, adding “So should she, for whatever reason, find herself without her fan, she would not also then find herself defenseless.”
“That’s a good idea.” Kagome nodded her agreement, not yet quite putting two and two together.
“You think we should make Kagome a sword?” Inuyasha asked, not sure if he liked the idea, simply for the fact that his mate should not be fighting, because he should protect her.
Shaking his head in the negative, Sesshoumaru stated “A blade would not be logical to commission for one whose natural skill is archery.”
Kagome nodded slowly, stating, more to herself really, “I don’t think I’d feel comfortable trying to learn a sword.”
“Nor should you feel required to do so.” Sesshoumaru consoled, as he added, “You are a miko, and should stick with the miko’s weapon of choice.”
“Arrows.” Inuyasha stated, nodding his understanding.
“But I go through my arrows too quickly, it wouldn’t be practical to try and make them demonic. I can harness my miko energy into regular ol’ wooden arrows just fine.”
“It was not the arrows themselves I thought to modify, miko, but rather, the bow with which you fire them.”
“My bow?” she asked, slowly realizing exactly what he was suggesting, even as he continued.
“I shall be traveling to Totosai within a fortnight to forge the short blade for Kagura of my fang, and I presume also you will be requiring Bokusenou to commission a new scabbard for Tetsusaiga?” he finished in a question directed towards his brother, to which he received a silent nod. The sheath had served Inuyasha well, but the last blast from Daikomaru it had deflected had successfully splintered the wood in half. “This I can accomplish during my travels, as I already intend on seeing Bokusenou regarding the sheath for Kagura’s blade. It was our father’s old friend, that sparked my idea, miko…” Sesshoumaru finished, addressing Kagome that time.
“You wish to commission me a bow from Bokusenou’s wood?” she asked, suddenly sounding rather excited, like any girl should be when faced with the idea of receiving a customized present. Inuyasha could not help but to chuckle.
“You deserve no less, miko, do not sell yourself short.” Sesshoumaru scolded friendlily, as he added, “Inuyasha shall incorporate his fangs into the bow, as well.”
“I shall?” said hanyou spoke up, quirking an eyebrow, not at all about to argue against the idea, but amused how Sesshoumaru seemed to just love speaking about him as though he was not there, or as though they had previously discussed and agreed upon any of what he was currently revealing.
“Yes, you shall.” Sesshoumaru answered, raising the edge of his lips in an almost undetectable smile, unless you knew where to look.
“Then Kagome could utilize the Wind Scar with her bow…” Inuyasha thought out loud, as he realized what Sesshoumaru was suggesting was just about the best damn idea in the entire world.
“Precisely.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” she asked, recalling how devastating the attack had been.
“I am quite certain that the strength put forth into such an attack would be entirely within your control.” he stated, acknowledging her unvoiced concern. “It had been your intention to give Daikomaru all that you had to offer, and you delivered flawlessly.” he complemented, adding “But also do not forget that Tetsusaiga, generally speaking, would still be more powerful than your new bow, possessing not only Inuyasha’s fang, but the fang of our father, as well.”
“Of course.” she nodded her concede.
“Well, what the hell are we waiting for?” Inuyasha spoke up suddenly, in typical Inuyasha style. It actually earned the smallest of chuckles to escape his older half-brother’s lips, and his ears sprung forward to be sure he wasn’t hearing things, which of course only caused Sesshoumaru’s chuckle to deepen, ever so slightly.
“You and your ears.” he mumbled, relaxing his posture, as his body language as well as his statement let them know that his moment of formality had passed.
“I’ll have you know Kagome happens to like my ears…a lot.”
“That is more information than this Sesshoumaru wishes to possess.”
“Okay boys…” Kagome piped up, eager to put a quick end to that direction of conversation. “But though I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Inuyasha…”
“Hey!”
“…. that I would like to move forward with this plan as quickly as possible.” she continued unhindered.
Smirking silently to himself that time, Sesshoumaru conceded, and nodding, said “I understand, and agree that it would be unwise to hesitate when you are so close to delivering your pup.” he acknowledged. “I am quite sure you wish to return to the familiarity of your human village.”
She remained silent that time, but nodded that he was correct.
“I shall hasten my departure, but cannot properly estimate the length of time Totosai will require to complete such a task.”
“Stupid old fart.” Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.
“Be that as it may,” Sesshoumaru agreed, “He is a master of his trade.”
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“Quit pouting.”
“Iaammot pooutng… Inuyasha managed to grumble through his pained jaw, his right hand never leaving where it rested just below his nose, as he appeared to be hiding his mouth from view, but was in actuality nursing the sensitive gums where his fangs had once resided.
“They’ll grow back in like a day.”
“Ssssstill hurtssss.” he hissed, whistling through the gaps in his teeth like a snake.
They had ended up accompanying Sesshoumaru on his trek to Totosai’s, after Inuyasha had received the new kimono of fire-rat that had been in creation during his recovery. He still missed his old one, but in reality, the new one was identical. Once he felt more secure, at least dressed in garments that offered the protection he had become accustomed to, he readily agreed that he and Kagome would join him, as they rode upon Ah-Un while Sesshoumaru flew beside them on his cloud of youki. Since the old fire-youkai stated it would take several days to accomplish his task, Inuyasha, after relinquishing his fangs, had then decided to take Kagome back to the village. Sesshoumaru assured him he would deliver the bow to them when it was completed, as he would be continually checking in with Totosai’s progress as he also forged Kagura’s short katana. It wasn’t as though they didn’t like hanging around the plush castle grounds of the Western compound, but Inuyasha had responsibilities to attend to back at his village. The winter season was approaching rapidly, and he still had more firewood to chop. Anything to get his mind off of being “less of an inu” as he had put it until his fangs grew back. But it was for a good cause, Kagome reminded him, as she also came up with a few ways to take his mind off of his teeth.
In actuality, it took the old youkai just under a week. Everyone was shocked when Sesshoumaru made his personal appearance in the village, none of the villagers having ever encountered the Taiyoukai personally before, though they had all since been informed that their village rested under his protection. Nobody feared him, but rather, most people revered him. They were humbled that a grand Taiyoukai such as himself would ever take interest in their quiet little village, and they knew it was all thanks to Inuyasha and Kagome.
When Sesshoumaru delivered the bow directly into Kagome’s hands, which he told her was named Junsuishi, she could instantly feel upon contact the sheer strength and power that flowed throughout the weapon. It was a rich, deep wooden grain, swirled with what appeared to be the tiniest strands of silver. She would ask about that. But what caught her attention more prominently was the glistening fangs adorning each end of the bow, the string itself attacked to the tips of said fangs by some unseen force. She could feel the youki that swirled and pulsed within the bow as she gripped it more firmly, the Wind Scar becoming visible to her when she knew where to look, just as the Wind Scar was now always visible to Inuyasha around Tetsusaiga’s blade, whenever he chose to utilize the attack. Sesshoumaru explained that the bow’s string was demonic in nature, and would never break, nor be damaged by the purification properties of her arrows, as her aura would naturally protect the youki of the bow from her purifications just as her body naturally protected her unborn hanyou pup. It would not be something she would even need to keep in conscious thought, as her natural instincts would simply not allow her to harm or hinder herself in any way.
Inuyasha, whose fangs had since grown back, marveled at the craftsmanship of the bow, even as he graciously accepted his new scabbard for Tetsusaiga, drawing it from the standard one a villager had provided for him to use in the mean time. Sesshoumaru continued to explain that just like Tetsusaiga’s sheath, her bow also possessed a demonic barrier against youki attacks. She would be able to utilize the bow itself with her miko powers as well, just as she had previously done, without her knowledge, when she’d deflected Tsubaki’s curse, however, against an attack either too strong for such a deflection, or one that would otherwise catch her by surprise, the bow’s new barrier would automatically be in place, to protect her of its own accord, without requiring her deliberate forethought to do so. Such a shield could prove invaluable.
She now, essentially, had three weapons in one. Should she choose to not harness any of her energies, and fire an ordinary arrow that would be no different from any other arrow fired from any other bow. That was usually the best course of action to take when one was merely trying to make a point. She could also ignore the demonic natures of the bow, and fire a purifying arrow, no different from her purifying arrows of the past. But, should she find herself up against a foe of great strength, she could utilize the Wind Scar in conjunction with her purification powers, just as she had done with Tetsusaiga. One final thing Sesshoumaru had explained was that the bow, like Tetsusaiga, possessed another barrier, which would not permit any full-blooded youkai to touch it without injury. It could only be properly wielded by one who was a mixture of both human and youkai blood and auras, and should Inuyasha prove a decent shot, he would probably be able to handle the bow himself in an emergency, just as Tetsusaiga had accepted her. In the hands of a human, just as Tetsusaiga remained in its rusty katana form, Junsuishi would be nearly harmless, reduced to that of nothing but an ordinary bow. Kagome would, unfortunately, lose her abilities to harness the Wind Scar during her night of weakness, but at least she did not lose her miko powers during that time.
While they took in all that had been said, nodding their understanding and gratitude, one thing suddenly struck Kagome as odd.
“But you held the bow, and it did not reject you.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in response to her observation, noting that the girl did not lack in intelligence.
“Junsuishi does not reject this Sesshoumaru because I have incorporated myself within its being, as well.”
Widening her eyes in shock, and proceeding to skim over the appearance of the bow once more, Kagome reminded herself of something she’d meant to ask about already.
“The silver strands?” she asked, already realizing she could sense the separation in his youki among the strands vs. her mate’s youki within the fangs, if she really concentrated.
“My hair.” he answered.
Inuyasha was floored.
“You didn’t have to do that…” he commented, baffled, and humbled, and honestly feeling a little threatened. Kagome was his to protect. But Sesshoumaru is the alpha… he reminded himself, as he suppressed his urge to growl out a challenge.
Sesshoumaru seemed to have sensed the desire within his brother regardless, however, as he softened his gaze towards his younger sibling, while he stated “Calm yourself, I have no intention of displacing your claim of protection over your own mate.” Sensing Inuyasha’s aura relax, he continued, “If you would care to examine your new scabbard, you will find that I have incorporated my hairs within its wood, as well.”
Shocked, Inuyasha glanced down at the sheathed blade at his hip, realizing his brother was right. Since the blade already possessed his own youki, as well as that of their father’s, it was so faint a difference that he hadn’t really noticed it, until he too, like Kagome, focused and concentrated, and then he realized he could sense his brother’s aura reflected in the scabbard.
“Why?” It was all he could manage to say at the moment.
“As the alpha male of our pack, it is my responsibility to protect all of those under my rule.” Sesshoumaru stated, and for a moment it appeared as though he was planning on leaving that as his entire explanation, until he suddenly added “With you choosing to dwell so far from the heart of the West, it would be an opportunity of conquest for an enemy that decided to strike, not at my lands, but at your village, instead.” That was said as he glanced around the peaceful backdrop that his brother chose to call home. Human children were running and laughing in the distance, a single kitsune child scampering among them as they played, and the aura of the Goshinboku tree seemed to engulf the surrounding area for those who were sensitive enough to feel it. Yes, he had chosen a good home.
Inuyasha didn’t know what to say, he was so touched. He and his brother had certainly gone 180 from how things always used to be between them. Now here he was, basically admitting that he was concerned that being tied to the West could make them targets for his enemies, and he’d gone out of his way to ensure their safety with just a touch more protection. Incorporating his own youki into their weapons would certainly lend them his strength in some way. But as Inuyasha thought about it, his hair was woven within Tetsusaiga’s scabbard, not the sword itself, and Kagome’s bow was also not so much the heart of her weapon as were her arrows, so whatever purpose it was intended to serve, the use was obviously more for defense rather than offense.
Sometimes Inuyasha wondered if his brother was telepathic, and merely kept the fact hidden from him, as Sesshoumaru once again appeared to answer his thoughts, as his voice was suddenly heard speaking up once more with…
“My youki will increase the nature of the wood’s barrier to also deflect against both demonic as well as non-demonic poisons and miasmas. While in contact with your person, your youki will merge with my own, and enable you to function normally. You would also be able to maintain physical contact with other individuals, your pups or pack-mates, for example, and as such, protect them as well.”
Kagome didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to think. Her natural impulse was telling her to do one very specific thing, but she found herself hesitating, her entire body twitching slightly as a sign of her uncertainty. Then, words that he had spoken to her once before echoed back in her mind “Do not fear angering this Sesshoumaru.”
Keeping that in mind, she embraced the desires of her human heart, as she rushed forward, and embraced the Taiyoukai.
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Author’s Note:
“Junsuishi”
There are a few ways to interpret this name. Junsui means “pure” and shi means “death,” so the bow’s name could literally be translated as “Pure Death.” However, shi also means “poem,” so “Pure Poem” or “Pure Poetry” or “Poetry of Purity” if you wanted to get creative (and ignore the lacking of the possessive no), could also be perceived from this title. Jun without the added sui can also means “pure,” Junsu being a rather common male name, with su meaning “master.” (Though su can also means “number,” and “vinegar,” but we’ll ignore that.) Ishi, though it can literally mean “stone,” also means “will” or “determination,” so another possible interpretation of the bow’s name could be something along the lines of “Pure Master of Will” or “Mastery of Pure Will” or any number of combinations along similar lines. Knowing Totosai, the bow likely has a rather elaborate meaning behind its name, like “The Master of All that is Pure” or some BS, but I’m sure if Sesshoumaru had anything to say as far as naming the bow was concerned, then the bow’s name is simply “Pure Death.” That is what Kagome and Inuyasha have both silently decided upon, anyhow.
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
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Chapter 62 - New Dawnings
Inuyasha stirred right at sunrise, the transformation just getting underway. It was always rather unsettling, being pulled from his dreams at the sensation of his entire body thundering out in a pulse that chimed harmoniously throughout his very being. It wasn’t considered a painful sensation. Rather, he was quite looking forward to it. It signaled the return of his true self, and any physical discomfort associated with the changes were openly welcomed.
Springing into a sitting position, he soon realized he regretted his quick movements, as he felt a horrible pain suddenly shoot through his chest. Glancing down over himself, Inuyasha could not see the extent of the damage, thanks to a fresh set of bandages, but thanks also to his returning sense of smell, he could easily detect the scent of burnt flesh.
Kagome had bolted awake right beside him, probably in a combination of feeling the pulse of her own youkai blood return to her, and the simple reality of having the person with whom you were snuggled against suddenly shoot up and away from you. Even though Kagome lacked the physical discomfort of having her ears morph and shift their shape and position, and her canine teeth and nails grow into fangs and claws, she still marveled at the sensation of her higher senses returning. All of a sudden, it was like she could feel again, like the fog of her mind had been lifted. The sounds of the world flowed freely into her, as though she had just removed a pair of industrial strength earplugs. The change in her vision’s clarity was so great, the only way she thought to describe it was like for a person who needs glasses, who then put on said eyewear, even though her sight was never blurry to begin with. It was hard to explain, so she was relieved to know that she didn’t have to - explain it, that is. The next thing she noticed, after taking a deep, welcoming intake of breath, was the horrid stench of burnt flesh! Yuck!
Her hand shot up to her nose, and then a humorous snickering coming from her left caused her to turn in curiosity as to what, exactly, was so funny.
“Morning…” Inuyasha greeted, with a silly smile upon his face.
“Inuyasha!” she cried joyously, as she flung herself upon him, the fog of having just woken up leaving her the instant she recalled the horrid events of the night before.
Their private moment was short lived, as two more cries of “Inuyasha!” both chimed in unison, Sango and Miroku having heard Kagome’s cry from across the corridor, as they rushed in as quickly as they could.
“Jeez, you guys act like I almost died or something…” he attempted to joke. It was becoming his standard line for greetings after having recovered from a nearly fatal injury.
“Baka” Kagome whispered against him, unable to hold her tears back any longer.
He softened his expression as his arms moved to wrap around her body, holding her tightly against him. He felt the discomfort in his chest, but he could ignore it, she was more important.
“I’m all right guys…” Inuyasha started in their friends’ direction, nodding in a way to acknowledge he knew damn well what nearly happened, again. “Why don’t you two go get some breakfast or something?”
Sango and Miroku caught on instantly, understanding that their friends wished to have some time alone, but they were ever so thankful to see for themselves that he was in fact going to be all right. Wordlessly, they both offered him a quick smile and a nod, before they showed themselves out of the chamber.
“Hey…” he attempted to soothe in his mate’s ear, once they were alone, but her tears would not subside.
“I was *sniff* so worried *sniff* I thought I was really *sniff* going to lose you.”
Now, ordinarily, that would have been his cue to throw out some idiotic remark, like “Takes more than that to get to me!” or “I’m much stronger than a weak human!” but under the circumstances, Inuyasha knew better. In the privacy of their bedchamber, in the privacy of their embrace, he smoothed the hair away from her ear, and whispered into it.
“I was scared…too.”
Her grip of him tightened, which caused a mild wave of pain to wash through his chest, nowhere near as severely as it had hurt him the night before, but still…
“I’m sorry.” she mumbled as she backed away from him, having felt it through their bond, which was once again in place, and standing strong.
“I’m fine…but, what did you do?” he asked, reaching up to feel his chest.
“You wouldn’t stop bleeding, so I…”
“Burnt me?” he interrupted, recalling when she’d attempted that technique against his hand. Of course, that was an entirely different scenario, and it was no wonder why it hadn’t worked back then, but this time…
“Uh, yeah…” she admitted, not knowing if she should like the tone of his voice or not. “You wouldn’t stop bleeding otherwise.”
Brushing past her explanation, he nodded vaguely, acknowledging he trusted her judgment when it came to courses of action, but one thing he recalled from the night before popped out in his mind.
“I thought I’d already lost too much blood to survive.” The way he’d said it shown with his unbridled relief that he had been wrong in his assumption, and his gratitude for her intelligence and determination to save him, yet again.
“You probably had, I’m sure.” Kagome acknowledged slowly, nodding solemnly.
Inuyasha wrinkled his face at that, and muttered “Now I’m confused.”
His mate smiled, and leaned in for a gentle kiss, simply for the fact that she had yet to receive her good morning kiss that day, before she promptly launched into the story of all that had happened the night before. They possessed no secrets.
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Walking down towards the dinning hall, Inuyasha could not stop staring at the veins on his left arm, although no track mark remained from Myouga’s procedure. Kagome was truly amazing, his wife never ceased to amaze him. Then, on cue, Inuyasha proceeded to amaze himself, when he realized that he’d just used the word wife within his own mind, instead of the word mate. He supposed, to himself, the two words were supposedly interchangeable, each meaning basically the same thing. Kagome was his mate. Kagome was his wife. The terms were one in the same, and it should be irrelevant. But, for some reason, some reason he was sure that stemmed from his human side, the term “wife” just seemed to mean so much more. In reality, it should honestly be the other way around, since the human marriage bond did not necessarily carry with it the strictness of the youkai mating bond. But he supposed what made the difference to him was the fact that marriage had the “wedding” associated with it, where they proclaimed their love and joining to one another in front of a crowed of onlookers. Before, she had agreed to become his mate, fully comprehending that it meant forever, but the act itself was done in private, in secret, and only those of demonic blood would even be aware that such a bond had taken place. The human ceremony was like standing on the roof tops, shouting out to the entire world that you were joined with this person, relatives, and friends, and relatives of friends, whom she almost never saw, being privy to their joining, simply because she wished it to be public knowledge. That in and of itself meant more to him than he figured she realized, so he had taken a moment to tell her just how greatly he’d been touched during their extravaganza at the hotel. All his life he had grown up with the belief that no one would want to be the mate of a hanyou, and he’d honestly thought he had a lifetime of solitude to look forward to, until that fateful day when Kagome had confessed her feelings, and her desires. But what made it all the more remarkable to him now, was the fact that she openly wished to declare her love of him to everyone they met, using the term “husband” herself, whenever she was speaking with other humans. Most wouldn’t understand the term “mate” and think her an unwed whore. Acknowledging that they actually were married made the joining more acceptable in their eyes. Of course, there was the occasional villager they’d encountered amongst their travels who had openly voiced that they did not approve of their joining, no matter what, but as Kagome had so eloquently put it, “Screw them.” He could not help but to chuckle at the memory.
“What’s so funny?” she asked, eyebrow raised as they rounded the last turn before reaching the dinning area.
Shaking his head in a way meant to say never mind, he lowered his arm, letting the sleeve of his kosode fall, as he grabbed her hand, entwining his fingers with her own, as he asked “Do you even realize how much I love you?”
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They lounged around the castle for two more days, while Inuyasha’s wounds continued to heal. Sango and Miroku both took back off with Kirara sometime shortly after lunch on the first day, since they had said the others would be eager to hear the news of his recovery, not to mention their overall joined success with the battle against the East. Kagome had asked Miroku to check with Kaede if there was anything the elder miko had heard of as far as miko energy successfully merging with youkai energy to create a purifying demonic attack. He had certainly never heard of such a thing himself, but wasn’t surprised in the least to learn that Kagome had managed to accomplish it, regardless.
It was the third morning since the night of the new moon when they received a surprise visitor at their chamber door. He was too little to knock, but fortunately was able to fit right underneath the door. It was also fortunate that as small as he was, he still possessed a detectable aura, or at least, for a miko as powerful as Kagome, he did.
They were both stirring, and Inuyasha was actually just getting ready to lean over and give his wife a kiss - that would hopefully lead to more than kissing - when she stilled his movements with a hand placed firmly upon his healed chest, as she stated “We have a visitor.”
Groaning, and opening his senses to whoever was encroaching upon their position, he smirked when he too realized who it was.
“Master Inuyasha, you are looking strong and healthy this morning.”
“Out with it, Myouga.” he spat, never liking when the flea-youkai attempted his ‘kiss up’ routine. He always failed at it miserably.
“Very well.” said youkai stated, clearly not amused, as he muttered something about gratitude, to which Inuyasha just rolled his eyes, though the truth was he was grateful for his retainer’s actions.
“Lord Sesshoumaru wishes to see you both in his records chamber, right away.”
“And he sent you to summon us?” the hanyou questioned in return, eyebrow raised. The truth was they hadn’t even realized Myouga was still hanging around the castle.
In response, the flea-youkai grumbled something incoherent under his breath, that sounded like it might have been something about Sesshoumaru claiming that if he were going to hang around, that he should at least make himself useful. Inuyasha tried desperately to keep his humor to himself as his servant made his departure, hoping against hope that Myouga had at least been smart enough to not voice such ‘pleasantries’ aloud in his brother’s presence.
Getting up and dressed, Kagome was once again sporting her typical miko ensemble, which had been thoroughly removed of any and all bloodstains and/or scents. Inuyasha was still wearing the raw silk hakama that had been provided for him, as well as a white cotton kosode that would serve well as his new kosode from then on. Heading down the corridor that led to Sesshoumaru’s records chamber, they wondered briefly what it was that the Taiyoukai wanted to see them about. Kagome had since informed Inuyasha that she had been told Sesshoumaru wished to speak with her once everyone was recovered, but she hadn’t been told what about, and the curiosity was starting to get to her.
Entering the chamber, they were surprised to see Sesshoumaru looking more casual than they ever recalled seeing him before. Though Kagome had seen him dining without his boots on, as she noted that higher youkai society apparently shared the tradition of not wearing footwear indoors, she couldn’t recall ever having seen him without his armor or boa. He was dressed merely in his silk kimono, consisting of a kosode, hitoe and hakama. His tabi clad feet carried him soundlessly across the chamber floor as he moved to greet them upon entry.
“I’m pleased you could make it on such short notice.”
The fact that he had referred to himself in the first person also showed that he was being less formal than usual for the time being.
“How are you feeling?” Kagome asked him, the sincerity of her concern overly apparent, as her eyes reflected an odd combination of worry and relief. After all, the last time she’d laid eyes on him was when he was struggling to pull himself upon Kirara’s back, as the nekomata flew him to safety.
“This Sesshoumaru has fully recovered.” he answered matter-of-factly, and raised an eyebrow at the visible relief that washed over not only his half-brother’s mate, but his half-brother as well.
“I’m glad.” Inuyasha stated softly, speaking up for the first time since entering the chamber.
“What was it you wished to speak with us about?” Kagome asked next, not in a way meant to be rude, as though she were rushing through their conversation, but merely in a manner of genuine curiosity, as she could simply stand the suspense no longer.
“Ah, yes…” Sesshoumaru stated calmly, as though he were trying to decide the best way to approach the subject at hand, “Please, be seated.”
That said, Kagome and Inuyasha both moved across the room, and into the 15th century French gothic-style chairs that she loved so much.
“What I wish to speak with you both about is the new development of Kagome’s youkai abilities.”
It startled Kagome to hear Sesshoumaru speak her name, that being only the second time she could ever recall him doing so. Then what he’d said sunk in, and she blushed before stating “I didn’t know I had such abilities. If Tetsusaiga had not called to me, I never would have thought to use it.”
“That was this Sesshoumaru’s assumption.” he stated, suddenly looking and sounding extremely formal, as he greeted them from the opposite side of his desk. Despite the fact that his dress was lacking in armor, he still projected the fact that he was a force not to be reckoned with. Never mind the fact that the ningen woman with-child that sat across from him had single-handedly saved his life one week prior.
“It would appear,” he continued after a moment, “that your miko aura has united with the youkai blood within your system. You have detectable youki.” he stated matter-of-factly once more.
“But how is that possible?” she asked, not disputing his claim, but baffled by the situation all the same.
“That remains a mystery, however…” He paused, as though he were truly taking a moment to ponder his next words. “The blood of our father is extremely strong, for any youkai, and your miko abilities are also unnaturally strong for a miko of this age. It is my belief that it is the separate strength of each of these two forces that have allowed them to unite, rather than cancel each other out.”
Kagome and Inuyasha each nodded, deciding it was as good an explanation as any.
“So this is a good thing, right?” Inuyasha asked after a moment, wishing to make sure that Kagome wasn’t in any risk of her soul suddenly deciding to wage war on itself, as one half attempted to purify the other.
“Yes, little brother, this is a good thing.” Sesshoumaru answered, sensing his brother’s concerns. “Your mate is likely the single strongest opponent known to our time.” He did well to hide the injury to his pride admitting such a statement aloud had caused him. But there was no logic in denying what was so obvious.
“So that’s what you wanted to tell me?” Kagome asked, fascinated by all that had happened, but honestly wishing that things could’ve just silently gone back to normal.
“In part.” the Taiyoukai stated, adding “However, there is more. An idea that occurred to me as I recovered my energy.”
That statement caused both of his guests to raise an eyebrow in curiosity, and he found it quite humorous how the two had managed to mimic each other’s expression when it was quite clear that they had not attempted to do so.
“It had previously been my intention to commission a short blade for Kagura…” he began, adding “So should she, for whatever reason, find herself without her fan, she would not also then find herself defenseless.”
“That’s a good idea.” Kagome nodded her agreement, not yet quite putting two and two together.
“You think we should make Kagome a sword?” Inuyasha asked, not sure if he liked the idea, simply for the fact that his mate should not be fighting, because he should protect her.
Shaking his head in the negative, Sesshoumaru stated “A blade would not be logical to commission for one whose natural skill is archery.”
Kagome nodded slowly, stating, more to herself really, “I don’t think I’d feel comfortable trying to learn a sword.”
“Nor should you feel required to do so.” Sesshoumaru consoled, as he added, “You are a miko, and should stick with the miko’s weapon of choice.”
“Arrows.” Inuyasha stated, nodding his understanding.
“But I go through my arrows too quickly, it wouldn’t be practical to try and make them demonic. I can harness my miko energy into regular ol’ wooden arrows just fine.”
“It was not the arrows themselves I thought to modify, miko, but rather, the bow with which you fire them.”
“My bow?” she asked, slowly realizing exactly what he was suggesting, even as he continued.
“I shall be traveling to Totosai within a fortnight to forge the short blade for Kagura of my fang, and I presume also you will be requiring Bokusenou to commission a new scabbard for Tetsusaiga?” he finished in a question directed towards his brother, to which he received a silent nod. The sheath had served Inuyasha well, but the last blast from Daikomaru it had deflected had successfully splintered the wood in half. “This I can accomplish during my travels, as I already intend on seeing Bokusenou regarding the sheath for Kagura’s blade. It was our father’s old friend, that sparked my idea, miko…” Sesshoumaru finished, addressing Kagome that time.
“You wish to commission me a bow from Bokusenou’s wood?” she asked, suddenly sounding rather excited, like any girl should be when faced with the idea of receiving a customized present. Inuyasha could not help but to chuckle.
“You deserve no less, miko, do not sell yourself short.” Sesshoumaru scolded friendlily, as he added, “Inuyasha shall incorporate his fangs into the bow, as well.”
“I shall?” said hanyou spoke up, quirking an eyebrow, not at all about to argue against the idea, but amused how Sesshoumaru seemed to just love speaking about him as though he was not there, or as though they had previously discussed and agreed upon any of what he was currently revealing.
“Yes, you shall.” Sesshoumaru answered, raising the edge of his lips in an almost undetectable smile, unless you knew where to look.
“Then Kagome could utilize the Wind Scar with her bow…” Inuyasha thought out loud, as he realized what Sesshoumaru was suggesting was just about the best damn idea in the entire world.
“Precisely.”
“Do you think that’s wise?” she asked, recalling how devastating the attack had been.
“I am quite certain that the strength put forth into such an attack would be entirely within your control.” he stated, acknowledging her unvoiced concern. “It had been your intention to give Daikomaru all that you had to offer, and you delivered flawlessly.” he complemented, adding “But also do not forget that Tetsusaiga, generally speaking, would still be more powerful than your new bow, possessing not only Inuyasha’s fang, but the fang of our father, as well.”
“Of course.” she nodded her concede.
“Well, what the hell are we waiting for?” Inuyasha spoke up suddenly, in typical Inuyasha style. It actually earned the smallest of chuckles to escape his older half-brother’s lips, and his ears sprung forward to be sure he wasn’t hearing things, which of course only caused Sesshoumaru’s chuckle to deepen, ever so slightly.
“You and your ears.” he mumbled, relaxing his posture, as his body language as well as his statement let them know that his moment of formality had passed.
“I’ll have you know Kagome happens to like my ears…a lot.”
“That is more information than this Sesshoumaru wishes to possess.”
“Okay boys…” Kagome piped up, eager to put a quick end to that direction of conversation. “But though I hate to admit it, I have to agree with Inuyasha…”
“Hey!”
“…. that I would like to move forward with this plan as quickly as possible.” she continued unhindered.
Smirking silently to himself that time, Sesshoumaru conceded, and nodding, said “I understand, and agree that it would be unwise to hesitate when you are so close to delivering your pup.” he acknowledged. “I am quite sure you wish to return to the familiarity of your human village.”
She remained silent that time, but nodded that he was correct.
“I shall hasten my departure, but cannot properly estimate the length of time Totosai will require to complete such a task.”
“Stupid old fart.” Inuyasha grumbled under his breath.
“Be that as it may,” Sesshoumaru agreed, “He is a master of his trade.”
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“Quit pouting.”
“Iaammot pooutng… Inuyasha managed to grumble through his pained jaw, his right hand never leaving where it rested just below his nose, as he appeared to be hiding his mouth from view, but was in actuality nursing the sensitive gums where his fangs had once resided.
“They’ll grow back in like a day.”
“Ssssstill hurtssss.” he hissed, whistling through the gaps in his teeth like a snake.
They had ended up accompanying Sesshoumaru on his trek to Totosai’s, after Inuyasha had received the new kimono of fire-rat that had been in creation during his recovery. He still missed his old one, but in reality, the new one was identical. Once he felt more secure, at least dressed in garments that offered the protection he had become accustomed to, he readily agreed that he and Kagome would join him, as they rode upon Ah-Un while Sesshoumaru flew beside them on his cloud of youki. Since the old fire-youkai stated it would take several days to accomplish his task, Inuyasha, after relinquishing his fangs, had then decided to take Kagome back to the village. Sesshoumaru assured him he would deliver the bow to them when it was completed, as he would be continually checking in with Totosai’s progress as he also forged Kagura’s short katana. It wasn’t as though they didn’t like hanging around the plush castle grounds of the Western compound, but Inuyasha had responsibilities to attend to back at his village. The winter season was approaching rapidly, and he still had more firewood to chop. Anything to get his mind off of being “less of an inu” as he had put it until his fangs grew back. But it was for a good cause, Kagome reminded him, as she also came up with a few ways to take his mind off of his teeth.
In actuality, it took the old youkai just under a week. Everyone was shocked when Sesshoumaru made his personal appearance in the village, none of the villagers having ever encountered the Taiyoukai personally before, though they had all since been informed that their village rested under his protection. Nobody feared him, but rather, most people revered him. They were humbled that a grand Taiyoukai such as himself would ever take interest in their quiet little village, and they knew it was all thanks to Inuyasha and Kagome.
When Sesshoumaru delivered the bow directly into Kagome’s hands, which he told her was named Junsuishi, she could instantly feel upon contact the sheer strength and power that flowed throughout the weapon. It was a rich, deep wooden grain, swirled with what appeared to be the tiniest strands of silver. She would ask about that. But what caught her attention more prominently was the glistening fangs adorning each end of the bow, the string itself attacked to the tips of said fangs by some unseen force. She could feel the youki that swirled and pulsed within the bow as she gripped it more firmly, the Wind Scar becoming visible to her when she knew where to look, just as the Wind Scar was now always visible to Inuyasha around Tetsusaiga’s blade, whenever he chose to utilize the attack. Sesshoumaru explained that the bow’s string was demonic in nature, and would never break, nor be damaged by the purification properties of her arrows, as her aura would naturally protect the youki of the bow from her purifications just as her body naturally protected her unborn hanyou pup. It would not be something she would even need to keep in conscious thought, as her natural instincts would simply not allow her to harm or hinder herself in any way.
Inuyasha, whose fangs had since grown back, marveled at the craftsmanship of the bow, even as he graciously accepted his new scabbard for Tetsusaiga, drawing it from the standard one a villager had provided for him to use in the mean time. Sesshoumaru continued to explain that just like Tetsusaiga’s sheath, her bow also possessed a demonic barrier against youki attacks. She would be able to utilize the bow itself with her miko powers as well, just as she had previously done, without her knowledge, when she’d deflected Tsubaki’s curse, however, against an attack either too strong for such a deflection, or one that would otherwise catch her by surprise, the bow’s new barrier would automatically be in place, to protect her of its own accord, without requiring her deliberate forethought to do so. Such a shield could prove invaluable.
She now, essentially, had three weapons in one. Should she choose to not harness any of her energies, and fire an ordinary arrow that would be no different from any other arrow fired from any other bow. That was usually the best course of action to take when one was merely trying to make a point. She could also ignore the demonic natures of the bow, and fire a purifying arrow, no different from her purifying arrows of the past. But, should she find herself up against a foe of great strength, she could utilize the Wind Scar in conjunction with her purification powers, just as she had done with Tetsusaiga. One final thing Sesshoumaru had explained was that the bow, like Tetsusaiga, possessed another barrier, which would not permit any full-blooded youkai to touch it without injury. It could only be properly wielded by one who was a mixture of both human and youkai blood and auras, and should Inuyasha prove a decent shot, he would probably be able to handle the bow himself in an emergency, just as Tetsusaiga had accepted her. In the hands of a human, just as Tetsusaiga remained in its rusty katana form, Junsuishi would be nearly harmless, reduced to that of nothing but an ordinary bow. Kagome would, unfortunately, lose her abilities to harness the Wind Scar during her night of weakness, but at least she did not lose her miko powers during that time.
While they took in all that had been said, nodding their understanding and gratitude, one thing suddenly struck Kagome as odd.
“But you held the bow, and it did not reject you.”
Sesshoumaru nodded in response to her observation, noting that the girl did not lack in intelligence.
“Junsuishi does not reject this Sesshoumaru because I have incorporated myself within its being, as well.”
Widening her eyes in shock, and proceeding to skim over the appearance of the bow once more, Kagome reminded herself of something she’d meant to ask about already.
“The silver strands?” she asked, already realizing she could sense the separation in his youki among the strands vs. her mate’s youki within the fangs, if she really concentrated.
“My hair.” he answered.
Inuyasha was floored.
“You didn’t have to do that…” he commented, baffled, and humbled, and honestly feeling a little threatened. Kagome was his to protect. But Sesshoumaru is the alpha… he reminded himself, as he suppressed his urge to growl out a challenge.
Sesshoumaru seemed to have sensed the desire within his brother regardless, however, as he softened his gaze towards his younger sibling, while he stated “Calm yourself, I have no intention of displacing your claim of protection over your own mate.” Sensing Inuyasha’s aura relax, he continued, “If you would care to examine your new scabbard, you will find that I have incorporated my hairs within its wood, as well.”
Shocked, Inuyasha glanced down at the sheathed blade at his hip, realizing his brother was right. Since the blade already possessed his own youki, as well as that of their father’s, it was so faint a difference that he hadn’t really noticed it, until he too, like Kagome, focused and concentrated, and then he realized he could sense his brother’s aura reflected in the scabbard.
“Why?” It was all he could manage to say at the moment.
“As the alpha male of our pack, it is my responsibility to protect all of those under my rule.” Sesshoumaru stated, and for a moment it appeared as though he was planning on leaving that as his entire explanation, until he suddenly added “With you choosing to dwell so far from the heart of the West, it would be an opportunity of conquest for an enemy that decided to strike, not at my lands, but at your village, instead.” That was said as he glanced around the peaceful backdrop that his brother chose to call home. Human children were running and laughing in the distance, a single kitsune child scampering among them as they played, and the aura of the Goshinboku tree seemed to engulf the surrounding area for those who were sensitive enough to feel it. Yes, he had chosen a good home.
Inuyasha didn’t know what to say, he was so touched. He and his brother had certainly gone 180 from how things always used to be between them. Now here he was, basically admitting that he was concerned that being tied to the West could make them targets for his enemies, and he’d gone out of his way to ensure their safety with just a touch more protection. Incorporating his own youki into their weapons would certainly lend them his strength in some way. But as Inuyasha thought about it, his hair was woven within Tetsusaiga’s scabbard, not the sword itself, and Kagome’s bow was also not so much the heart of her weapon as were her arrows, so whatever purpose it was intended to serve, the use was obviously more for defense rather than offense.
Sometimes Inuyasha wondered if his brother was telepathic, and merely kept the fact hidden from him, as Sesshoumaru once again appeared to answer his thoughts, as his voice was suddenly heard speaking up once more with…
“My youki will increase the nature of the wood’s barrier to also deflect against both demonic as well as non-demonic poisons and miasmas. While in contact with your person, your youki will merge with my own, and enable you to function normally. You would also be able to maintain physical contact with other individuals, your pups or pack-mates, for example, and as such, protect them as well.”
Kagome didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know what to think. Her natural impulse was telling her to do one very specific thing, but she found herself hesitating, her entire body twitching slightly as a sign of her uncertainty. Then, words that he had spoken to her once before echoed back in her mind “Do not fear angering this Sesshoumaru.”
Keeping that in mind, she embraced the desires of her human heart, as she rushed forward, and embraced the Taiyoukai.
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Author’s Note:
“Junsuishi”
There are a few ways to interpret this name. Junsui means “pure” and shi means “death,” so the bow’s name could literally be translated as “Pure Death.” However, shi also means “poem,” so “Pure Poem” or “Pure Poetry” or “Poetry of Purity” if you wanted to get creative (and ignore the lacking of the possessive no), could also be perceived from this title. Jun without the added sui can also means “pure,” Junsu being a rather common male name, with su meaning “master.” (Though su can also means “number,” and “vinegar,” but we’ll ignore that.) Ishi, though it can literally mean “stone,” also means “will” or “determination,” so another possible interpretation of the bow’s name could be something along the lines of “Pure Master of Will” or “Mastery of Pure Will” or any number of combinations along similar lines. Knowing Totosai, the bow likely has a rather elaborate meaning behind its name, like “The Master of All that is Pure” or some BS, but I’m sure if Sesshoumaru had anything to say as far as naming the bow was concerned, then the bow’s name is simply “Pure Death.” That is what Kagome and Inuyasha have both silently decided upon, anyhow.