InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter 46: Aftermath and Explanations ( Chapter 46 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Fyrloche 
Inuyasha tells of what happened in the cellar.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.04.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.3K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
Inuyasha tells of what happened in the cellar.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / / Drama | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 11.04.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.3K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Forty-six
A/N: God, I am sooo lazy! I know I need to write this but I just keep getting distracted. I have been doing a LOT of reading. I found the Buffy fanfic site called ‘Twisting the Hellmouth’. It has got a couple of very good Inuyasha/Buffy crossovers plus a ton of other Buffy crossovers. If you go to that site, I highly recommend the authors ‘Seige’, ‘GreyWizard’, ‘AnimeRonin’, and ‘Litmouse’. Now, to clarify, this story is not done yet. I do have a couple of things to clear up, not the least of which is the Yukiho situation. I don’t own Inuyasha but I do own the ‘Inuyasha Profiles’ book. It has a lot of great stuff in it.
Kagome stared at the softly glowing orb in her hands. Her finger sought out the imperfection that marred it’s otherwise perfectly smooth surface. ‘The shards I have should almost finish it.’ Unconsciously, she looked over at Sango, Miroku, and, most importantly, Kohaku. ‘Oh, Kami! What are we going to do?’ she thought in anguish.
Her thoughts were interrupted by two arms reaching around her and pulling her in for a comforting hug. “We’ll figure something out.” Inuyasha said softly in her ear.
She turned her face to him with a look of shock. “How…?”
Inuyasha chuckled lightly. “Your face ain’t hard to read.” He unwrapped his arms from her and stepped up to her side. “Let’s go see how they’re doing.”
Together, they walked over to their friends. Sango heard them approach and looked up with a smile on her face. The smile faded when she saw the sadness in Kagome’s eyes and the pink glow of the Shikon no Tama in her hands. Her eyes started to tear. “Kagome?” she said in an almost pleading tone.
Inuyasha held up his hand in a placating gesture. “Don’t worry, Sango. We haven’t come for your brother’s shard.”
Sango’s tears broke free from her eyes. “Thank you,” was all she could say before turning to look at her brother again.
Miroku stood with a slight groan and then regarded the half demon who was his closest friend. “Don’t you want the jewel, Inuyasha?”
His friend snorted. “Hell, no!” He cast a quick look at his brother who had walked up with Takara. “I’m stronger than any other youkai around so I don’t need to be a full youkai.” He put his arm around Kagome’s waist and pulled her into his side. He smirked. “Besides, if I lose the ears, she might decide she doesn’t love me anymore!”
Kagome swatted him.
Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at his brother. “Strongest youkai around?” he said in mock challenge.
Inuyasha grinned at his brother. Then he sobered and looked at his friends. “Sango.” he called softly, to get her attention. When she looked at him, he continued. “We haven’t come for your brother’s shard, but we need to figure out what we are going to do about it. Eventually, we will need it so that we can complete this damned jewel and get rid of it before anything else goes wrong.”
Sango closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded slightly. “I know Inuyasha, but, please,” she opened her eyes and turned to look at him, “let’s not talk about it right now.” She turned her face back to her brother and tightened her hug on him.
Inuyasha nodded in agreement and then turned his attention to Kohaku. Kohaku returned his stare. Inuyasha squatted and grinned at the young youkai slayer. “Thanks for the assist with Tessaiga back there.”
Kohaku looked at him impassively for a second before giving a slow, soft smile in answer. “I was just returning what belonged to you.”
“Uh-huh.” Inuyasha straightened back up with a smirk. “Maybe so, but you sure did it when I needed it.”
“How did Kohaku get Tessaiga anyway?” asked Miroku.
“The slayer cut it away from Inuyasha’s body when he ambushed him.”
Everyone looked at Takara in shock at this announcement, then to Kohaku, who looked at the ground in a mix of embarrassment and shame, and finally to Inuyasha. Inuyasha scratched the back of his head and grimaced.
Kagome strode up to Inuyasha and got right in his face. “What happened?”
Inuyasha scowled and folded his arms in front of him. “Nothin’ that I couldn’t handle.”
Kagome’s eyes narrowed. “Inuyasha.” she said, in a dangerous tone.
Inuyasha’s scowl deepened even more. He glared at Takara. “You just had to go and say something.”
Sesshoumaru put his arm around his mate’s shoulder in a protective gesture. “Do not blame her, little brother.” he said softly. “Just answer my sister’s question and be done with it.”
Inuyasha huffed. “Fine! I’ll tell you.” He did a double take. “Sister?“
Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at him. “She is your mate, is she not? Therefore, brother, she is my sister.“ He waved his hand in dismissal of the subject. “She is worthy of the title.“
Inuyasha grunted in response, and then peered at Kagome for a second. “I don’t suppose you’ll take the short version, will ya’?”
Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him.
Inuyasha sighed. “I didn’t think so.”
Flashback
Inuyasha made his way down into the darkness. Naraku’s stench filled his nose as he tracked Takara’s scent making him want to gag. “Can’t smell anything!” he complained aloud. “Gods, Naraku stinks!” Still, he could barely make out Takara’s scent and was slowly following it. Suddenly her scent became very strong just outside a heavy door. “Takara?” he called questioningly as he paused outside the door.
From inside he heard a muffled “Inuyasha?” and then a stronger scream of “Inuyasha! Help me!”
That was all he needed to hear. He flexed his claws. “Sankontessou!” The door shattered under his attack. He rushed into the room to be greeted with the sight of Takara shackled to the far wall. “Takara!” he shouted, and then noticed the state of undress that she was in. He reddened and quickly averted his gaze. “Let’s get you out of here. Sesshoumaru might need my help.” He slashed the bonds holding her arms and then shrugged out of his firerat top. “Here.”
Takara took the top gratefully. “Thank you, Inuyasha. Let’s get out of here. I want to see Sesshoumaru.”
Inuyasha nodded and started to turn when he heard a whisper of sound behind him, just before he felt a sharp pain in his back and saw the point of Kohaku’s chain sickle come out of his upper chest below his left shoulder. As he fell to his knees, he felt Kohaku yank on the chain and retrieve his weapon. Driven by instinct, he dived to one side just in time to avoid most of the downward slash by Kohaku. Most, but not all. The blade cut down between Inuyasha and Tessaiga, removing the sword from its master. Inuyasha landed heavily on his back, griping his shoulder. Kohaku appeared from out of nowhere to stand over him with that dead look on his face. He lifted his chain sickle with no emotion.
“Inuyasha!” was all Takara had time to scream before the blade descended.
“Shit!” Inuyasha exclaimed as he rolled hard to the side to avoid the cut. Coming up in a crouch, he glared at Sango’s little brother. “Damn it, Kohaku! I don’t want to hurt you!”
Kohaku’s face was impassive as he began to twirl the weighted end of his chain.
Inuyasha growled in frustration as he watched Sango’s little brother. ‘I don’t want to hurt him, for Sango’s sake.’ He feinted slightly to gauge his opponent’s reaction. ‘The only problem is that he is too damn good to fake out and take down easy.’ He felt his pulse quicken involuntarily at the thought of battle. ‘And, I’ve got to be careful not to lose control of my youkai.’ He cast a quick glance at Tessaiga. As soon as he did it, he cursed himself for his mistake.
It was just the opening that Kohaku was waiting on. He cast the chain in a looping throw to wrap around Inuyasha’s neck.
To Inuyasha’s credit, he was able to partially block the weighted chain. He got his hand up in time for it to wrap around his arm instead of his neck. In reflex, he pulled sharply against the chain. This was another mistake.
Kohaku had been well trained in the art of youkai slaying. His father had drummed into him that no battle plan ever lasted past the first clash. This meant that while his attack had failed to do what he wanted it to do; he immediately planned another move that would take advantage of his opponent. When Inuyasha pulled against the chain, Kohaku went with it. He used the momentum of the pull to increase his own attack. Flipping in mid air, he landed a double kick to Inuyasha’s chest, knocking him backwards. He spun, landing like a cat, and then launched a leg sweep attack while Inuyasha was off balance.
Inuyasha fell but managed a spin that allowed him to land with his hands against the floor. He spun to the side and got his feet under him so that he could come up in a defensive crouch. ‘Damn, he’s good!’ Inuyasha thought. ‘But,’ he shook off the chain wrapped around his arm, ‘I’m better.’ He crossed his arms over his chest and dug his claws into his shoulders to coat them in his blood. He leapt backwards and swept his arms outward in opposing arcs snarling “Hijinkessou!” He deliberately aimed for the floor at Kohaku’s feet, hoping that the force of the attack would knock him off balance or at least distract him from Inuyasha’s next attack. The force of the attack blasted the young youkai slayer off his feet and flung him into the far wall. His body slid the floor to fall in a motionless heap.
“Damn!” Inuyasha exclaimed, rushing over to check the boy out. “Gods, Sango will never forgive me if I’ve killed him.” His concern led him right into the trap. As he leaned over to check Kohaku, the still body suddenly spun and slashed the concerned hanyou across the chest, scoring him deeply.
“Inuyasha!” Takara screamed.
It was all too much for the hanyou. The stress of thinking that he had killed the boy; the pain of his wound; the smell of his blood - all these things coupled with the fact that the Tessaiga was not on his hip led to the pulse in his youkai. He tried to fight it, but the blood had been held in check for so long that it was determined to get out.
“Takara!” he grated out. “Get away! I can’t control this!”
Kohaku gathered himself and prepared to attack the distracted hanyou. He had raised his weapon, preparing to strike, when Inuyasha’s head snapped around to look at him with blood red eyes. Kohaku stopped at this new development and wondered briefly if he should rethink his attack strategy when Inuyasha darted in and backhanded him into the wall. This time, he didn’t have to feign unconsciousness.
Inside Inuyasha, his youkai blood raged for release. Inuyasha felt the transformations begin. He fought for control and then felt something *snap* inside of him. The transformation continued, but he had control! His mind, while feeling rage, was not an unthinking killing machine. He barely had time to register this in his mind when he realized something even more astounding. His transformation wasn’t stopping! He could feel his face elongating and his body growing. Realizing what was happening; he dropped to all fours as he was already almost as big as Jeninji. Looking over at Takara, he knew that he was going to have to protect her when his body reached its full size. He padded over to her and knocked her down with his muzzle, bracing himself over her. When she started to move away he gave her a whining growl and forced out a raspy “Stay!”
Takara looked up at the rapidly growing hanyou, watching as his back cracked the floor above them. She could see his eyes and read the anger there, but that he had it under control. He shook his head as if to clear it and then looked at her with a kind of lolling grin. Before she could react, he bent his head down and caught her up in his jaws, then flexed his muscles and leapt straight up out of the building, causing it to explode outward.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888888888888888888888888888
“And that’s pretty much all I remember.” Inuyasha finished telling what happened in the basement.
Kagome stared at him in shock. “But, how…?”
Inuyasha shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t really care. It’s just something else I can do now.”
“But, it might be a strengthening of your youkai blood, Inuyasha.” Miroku protested. “It would behoove us to know how this occurred so that we can be assured that you never loose control of it.”
“Indeed.” came a cold voice from the side. “The blood of a great inuyoukai runs through the veins of my brother. If he is able to further suppress the weak human blood that is within him to become more like his noble bloodline, then I say ‘Let him.’.”
Miroku blanched slightly, but answered the taiyoukai. “But what if he looses control?”
“What of it?”
Miroku gaped at him. “He could kill humans!”
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at him. “Has he yet?”
“Yes, I have.” Inuyasha spoke softly.
Sesshoumaru turned to look at his brother. “Were they helpless? Innocent?”
“They were bandits led by a youkai that was draining young women of their life.” answered Kagome.
“And you feel guilty for killing them?” Sesshoumaru was almost incredulous. “Inuyasha.” he intoned, solemnly. “To kill such as those does not stain your honor.”
“But they were human!” Inuyasha protested. “And, I,” he paused in shame, “I enjoyed killing them.”
“You killed filth. Even the humans would have called them filth and would have executed them.” Sesshoumaru looked Inuyasha in the eye. “I am a Lord. I judge the citizens of my demesnes when they have committed infractions to my law. This duty came to me from our father. Even though you are the second son, you have a responsibility to do the same.” Sesshoumaru smiled, grimly. “As for enjoying killing humans, who hasn’t?”
Inuyasha growled as Kagome and the others gasped at the proclamation from the demon lord.
“You,” Sesshoumaru pointed at Inuyasha, “are what you are, a youkai with a noble lineage. You have not killed the weak or the innocent. That you enjoyed killing that which deserved to be killed is of no consequence.” Sesshoumaru looked at his brother shrewdly. “Answer me this. Have you ever enjoyed killing youkai?”
“If they deserved it.” answered Inuyasha curtly.
“Then what is the difference? Being human does not make them any less deserving of death for their actions.”
“But, they were helpless.”
“I doubt that they were helpless. Perhaps weaker than you, but not helpless.” Sesshoumaru frowned at his brother. “Inuyasha, you are a powerful youkai. By your reasoning, since you are stronger than the youkai you have slain then they were helpless and you murdered them.”
“That’s crazy!” exclaimed Inuyasha. “Youkai and humans are not the same. Humans are weaker than youkai!”
“And yet, humans kill youkai.” Sesshoumaru indicated Sango and Kohaku. “Some do it with great success.” He frowned again. “What the being is does not matter. What the being does with its existence does. Do not feel guilt over killing evil men, just as you feel no guilt over killing evil youkai.”
Inuyasha scowled. “You’ve given me something to think about.” He looked around at the group. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m hungry. Let‘s get back to Genki‘s.”
All but Sesshoumaru smiled at the apparent incongruity of that statement. As Kagome moved to help Sango get Kohaku on Kirara’s back and Takara went to help Inutaro, a shadow passed over the group. Suddenly, a voice came from the air above. “Master Inuyasha! Master Inuyasha!”
“Figures!” snorted Inuyasha. “He always shows up after the danger is over.” He shaded his eyes as he looked up to see a small figure jump from the back of a crow. As the small flea demon landed on Inuyasha, he began to jump up and down in excitement.
“Oh, Master!” Myouga exclaimed. “I am so happy to see that you are all right!”
“Of course I am jiji. We just faced down Naraku. Why shouldn’t I be alright?”
Myouga sweat dropped. “Eehh, no reason, my Lord. None at all.”
Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. He quickly snatched up the flea between his fingers before the little coward ran off. “Alright, you little coward, spill! Why should something be wrong with me?”
Myouga’s eyes got big and he began pleading with his master. “Please, my Lord! It was an accident! I didn’t mean to do it! It’s just that I could taste your blood and it was so good that I couldn’t help myself and before I knew it I had taken it all.”
“What are you talking about, you senile old bug?!”
“Your mate, Yukiho.” Myouga trembled in great fear for the punishment he was sure he was about to receive. “I accidentally drank all your blood from her body and severed the mating. Please don’t kill me!”
All stared at the flea, completely dumbstruck.
A/N: Well, it’s about time. My muse went on an extended vacation. I was blocked big time. For the life of me, I couldn’t get past a certain part in this chapter. Well, the rest of this tale isn’t long in telling. I’m almost done. I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story and in my last author’s note, I’ll even get around to naming names. I would also like to thank those who voted for ‘Afternoon Delight’. It placed 3rd in the poetry/songfic category with the InuyashaFanGuild. Take care, Fyrloche.
A/N: God, I am sooo lazy! I know I need to write this but I just keep getting distracted. I have been doing a LOT of reading. I found the Buffy fanfic site called ‘Twisting the Hellmouth’. It has got a couple of very good Inuyasha/Buffy crossovers plus a ton of other Buffy crossovers. If you go to that site, I highly recommend the authors ‘Seige’, ‘GreyWizard’, ‘AnimeRonin’, and ‘Litmouse’. Now, to clarify, this story is not done yet. I do have a couple of things to clear up, not the least of which is the Yukiho situation. I don’t own Inuyasha but I do own the ‘Inuyasha Profiles’ book. It has a lot of great stuff in it.
Kagome stared at the softly glowing orb in her hands. Her finger sought out the imperfection that marred it’s otherwise perfectly smooth surface. ‘The shards I have should almost finish it.’ Unconsciously, she looked over at Sango, Miroku, and, most importantly, Kohaku. ‘Oh, Kami! What are we going to do?’ she thought in anguish.
Her thoughts were interrupted by two arms reaching around her and pulling her in for a comforting hug. “We’ll figure something out.” Inuyasha said softly in her ear.
She turned her face to him with a look of shock. “How…?”
Inuyasha chuckled lightly. “Your face ain’t hard to read.” He unwrapped his arms from her and stepped up to her side. “Let’s go see how they’re doing.”
Together, they walked over to their friends. Sango heard them approach and looked up with a smile on her face. The smile faded when she saw the sadness in Kagome’s eyes and the pink glow of the Shikon no Tama in her hands. Her eyes started to tear. “Kagome?” she said in an almost pleading tone.
Inuyasha held up his hand in a placating gesture. “Don’t worry, Sango. We haven’t come for your brother’s shard.”
Sango’s tears broke free from her eyes. “Thank you,” was all she could say before turning to look at her brother again.
Miroku stood with a slight groan and then regarded the half demon who was his closest friend. “Don’t you want the jewel, Inuyasha?”
His friend snorted. “Hell, no!” He cast a quick look at his brother who had walked up with Takara. “I’m stronger than any other youkai around so I don’t need to be a full youkai.” He put his arm around Kagome’s waist and pulled her into his side. He smirked. “Besides, if I lose the ears, she might decide she doesn’t love me anymore!”
Kagome swatted him.
Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at his brother. “Strongest youkai around?” he said in mock challenge.
Inuyasha grinned at his brother. Then he sobered and looked at his friends. “Sango.” he called softly, to get her attention. When she looked at him, he continued. “We haven’t come for your brother’s shard, but we need to figure out what we are going to do about it. Eventually, we will need it so that we can complete this damned jewel and get rid of it before anything else goes wrong.”
Sango closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded slightly. “I know Inuyasha, but, please,” she opened her eyes and turned to look at him, “let’s not talk about it right now.” She turned her face back to her brother and tightened her hug on him.
Inuyasha nodded in agreement and then turned his attention to Kohaku. Kohaku returned his stare. Inuyasha squatted and grinned at the young youkai slayer. “Thanks for the assist with Tessaiga back there.”
Kohaku looked at him impassively for a second before giving a slow, soft smile in answer. “I was just returning what belonged to you.”
“Uh-huh.” Inuyasha straightened back up with a smirk. “Maybe so, but you sure did it when I needed it.”
“How did Kohaku get Tessaiga anyway?” asked Miroku.
“The slayer cut it away from Inuyasha’s body when he ambushed him.”
Everyone looked at Takara in shock at this announcement, then to Kohaku, who looked at the ground in a mix of embarrassment and shame, and finally to Inuyasha. Inuyasha scratched the back of his head and grimaced.
Kagome strode up to Inuyasha and got right in his face. “What happened?”
Inuyasha scowled and folded his arms in front of him. “Nothin’ that I couldn’t handle.”
Kagome’s eyes narrowed. “Inuyasha.” she said, in a dangerous tone.
Inuyasha’s scowl deepened even more. He glared at Takara. “You just had to go and say something.”
Sesshoumaru put his arm around his mate’s shoulder in a protective gesture. “Do not blame her, little brother.” he said softly. “Just answer my sister’s question and be done with it.”
Inuyasha huffed. “Fine! I’ll tell you.” He did a double take. “Sister?“
Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at him. “She is your mate, is she not? Therefore, brother, she is my sister.“ He waved his hand in dismissal of the subject. “She is worthy of the title.“
Inuyasha grunted in response, and then peered at Kagome for a second. “I don’t suppose you’ll take the short version, will ya’?”
Kagome cocked an eyebrow at him.
Inuyasha sighed. “I didn’t think so.”
Flashback
Inuyasha made his way down into the darkness. Naraku’s stench filled his nose as he tracked Takara’s scent making him want to gag. “Can’t smell anything!” he complained aloud. “Gods, Naraku stinks!” Still, he could barely make out Takara’s scent and was slowly following it. Suddenly her scent became very strong just outside a heavy door. “Takara?” he called questioningly as he paused outside the door.
From inside he heard a muffled “Inuyasha?” and then a stronger scream of “Inuyasha! Help me!”
That was all he needed to hear. He flexed his claws. “Sankontessou!” The door shattered under his attack. He rushed into the room to be greeted with the sight of Takara shackled to the far wall. “Takara!” he shouted, and then noticed the state of undress that she was in. He reddened and quickly averted his gaze. “Let’s get you out of here. Sesshoumaru might need my help.” He slashed the bonds holding her arms and then shrugged out of his firerat top. “Here.”
Takara took the top gratefully. “Thank you, Inuyasha. Let’s get out of here. I want to see Sesshoumaru.”
Inuyasha nodded and started to turn when he heard a whisper of sound behind him, just before he felt a sharp pain in his back and saw the point of Kohaku’s chain sickle come out of his upper chest below his left shoulder. As he fell to his knees, he felt Kohaku yank on the chain and retrieve his weapon. Driven by instinct, he dived to one side just in time to avoid most of the downward slash by Kohaku. Most, but not all. The blade cut down between Inuyasha and Tessaiga, removing the sword from its master. Inuyasha landed heavily on his back, griping his shoulder. Kohaku appeared from out of nowhere to stand over him with that dead look on his face. He lifted his chain sickle with no emotion.
“Inuyasha!” was all Takara had time to scream before the blade descended.
“Shit!” Inuyasha exclaimed as he rolled hard to the side to avoid the cut. Coming up in a crouch, he glared at Sango’s little brother. “Damn it, Kohaku! I don’t want to hurt you!”
Kohaku’s face was impassive as he began to twirl the weighted end of his chain.
Inuyasha growled in frustration as he watched Sango’s little brother. ‘I don’t want to hurt him, for Sango’s sake.’ He feinted slightly to gauge his opponent’s reaction. ‘The only problem is that he is too damn good to fake out and take down easy.’ He felt his pulse quicken involuntarily at the thought of battle. ‘And, I’ve got to be careful not to lose control of my youkai.’ He cast a quick glance at Tessaiga. As soon as he did it, he cursed himself for his mistake.
It was just the opening that Kohaku was waiting on. He cast the chain in a looping throw to wrap around Inuyasha’s neck.
To Inuyasha’s credit, he was able to partially block the weighted chain. He got his hand up in time for it to wrap around his arm instead of his neck. In reflex, he pulled sharply against the chain. This was another mistake.
Kohaku had been well trained in the art of youkai slaying. His father had drummed into him that no battle plan ever lasted past the first clash. This meant that while his attack had failed to do what he wanted it to do; he immediately planned another move that would take advantage of his opponent. When Inuyasha pulled against the chain, Kohaku went with it. He used the momentum of the pull to increase his own attack. Flipping in mid air, he landed a double kick to Inuyasha’s chest, knocking him backwards. He spun, landing like a cat, and then launched a leg sweep attack while Inuyasha was off balance.
Inuyasha fell but managed a spin that allowed him to land with his hands against the floor. He spun to the side and got his feet under him so that he could come up in a defensive crouch. ‘Damn, he’s good!’ Inuyasha thought. ‘But,’ he shook off the chain wrapped around his arm, ‘I’m better.’ He crossed his arms over his chest and dug his claws into his shoulders to coat them in his blood. He leapt backwards and swept his arms outward in opposing arcs snarling “Hijinkessou!” He deliberately aimed for the floor at Kohaku’s feet, hoping that the force of the attack would knock him off balance or at least distract him from Inuyasha’s next attack. The force of the attack blasted the young youkai slayer off his feet and flung him into the far wall. His body slid the floor to fall in a motionless heap.
“Damn!” Inuyasha exclaimed, rushing over to check the boy out. “Gods, Sango will never forgive me if I’ve killed him.” His concern led him right into the trap. As he leaned over to check Kohaku, the still body suddenly spun and slashed the concerned hanyou across the chest, scoring him deeply.
“Inuyasha!” Takara screamed.
It was all too much for the hanyou. The stress of thinking that he had killed the boy; the pain of his wound; the smell of his blood - all these things coupled with the fact that the Tessaiga was not on his hip led to the pulse in his youkai. He tried to fight it, but the blood had been held in check for so long that it was determined to get out.
“Takara!” he grated out. “Get away! I can’t control this!”
Kohaku gathered himself and prepared to attack the distracted hanyou. He had raised his weapon, preparing to strike, when Inuyasha’s head snapped around to look at him with blood red eyes. Kohaku stopped at this new development and wondered briefly if he should rethink his attack strategy when Inuyasha darted in and backhanded him into the wall. This time, he didn’t have to feign unconsciousness.
Inside Inuyasha, his youkai blood raged for release. Inuyasha felt the transformations begin. He fought for control and then felt something *snap* inside of him. The transformation continued, but he had control! His mind, while feeling rage, was not an unthinking killing machine. He barely had time to register this in his mind when he realized something even more astounding. His transformation wasn’t stopping! He could feel his face elongating and his body growing. Realizing what was happening; he dropped to all fours as he was already almost as big as Jeninji. Looking over at Takara, he knew that he was going to have to protect her when his body reached its full size. He padded over to her and knocked her down with his muzzle, bracing himself over her. When she started to move away he gave her a whining growl and forced out a raspy “Stay!”
Takara looked up at the rapidly growing hanyou, watching as his back cracked the floor above them. She could see his eyes and read the anger there, but that he had it under control. He shook his head as if to clear it and then looked at her with a kind of lolling grin. Before she could react, he bent his head down and caught her up in his jaws, then flexed his muscles and leapt straight up out of the building, causing it to explode outward.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 8888888888888888888888888888
“And that’s pretty much all I remember.” Inuyasha finished telling what happened in the basement.
Kagome stared at him in shock. “But, how…?”
Inuyasha shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t really care. It’s just something else I can do now.”
“But, it might be a strengthening of your youkai blood, Inuyasha.” Miroku protested. “It would behoove us to know how this occurred so that we can be assured that you never loose control of it.”
“Indeed.” came a cold voice from the side. “The blood of a great inuyoukai runs through the veins of my brother. If he is able to further suppress the weak human blood that is within him to become more like his noble bloodline, then I say ‘Let him.’.”
Miroku blanched slightly, but answered the taiyoukai. “But what if he looses control?”
“What of it?”
Miroku gaped at him. “He could kill humans!”
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at him. “Has he yet?”
“Yes, I have.” Inuyasha spoke softly.
Sesshoumaru turned to look at his brother. “Were they helpless? Innocent?”
“They were bandits led by a youkai that was draining young women of their life.” answered Kagome.
“And you feel guilty for killing them?” Sesshoumaru was almost incredulous. “Inuyasha.” he intoned, solemnly. “To kill such as those does not stain your honor.”
“But they were human!” Inuyasha protested. “And, I,” he paused in shame, “I enjoyed killing them.”
“You killed filth. Even the humans would have called them filth and would have executed them.” Sesshoumaru looked Inuyasha in the eye. “I am a Lord. I judge the citizens of my demesnes when they have committed infractions to my law. This duty came to me from our father. Even though you are the second son, you have a responsibility to do the same.” Sesshoumaru smiled, grimly. “As for enjoying killing humans, who hasn’t?”
Inuyasha growled as Kagome and the others gasped at the proclamation from the demon lord.
“You,” Sesshoumaru pointed at Inuyasha, “are what you are, a youkai with a noble lineage. You have not killed the weak or the innocent. That you enjoyed killing that which deserved to be killed is of no consequence.” Sesshoumaru looked at his brother shrewdly. “Answer me this. Have you ever enjoyed killing youkai?”
“If they deserved it.” answered Inuyasha curtly.
“Then what is the difference? Being human does not make them any less deserving of death for their actions.”
“But, they were helpless.”
“I doubt that they were helpless. Perhaps weaker than you, but not helpless.” Sesshoumaru frowned at his brother. “Inuyasha, you are a powerful youkai. By your reasoning, since you are stronger than the youkai you have slain then they were helpless and you murdered them.”
“That’s crazy!” exclaimed Inuyasha. “Youkai and humans are not the same. Humans are weaker than youkai!”
“And yet, humans kill youkai.” Sesshoumaru indicated Sango and Kohaku. “Some do it with great success.” He frowned again. “What the being is does not matter. What the being does with its existence does. Do not feel guilt over killing evil men, just as you feel no guilt over killing evil youkai.”
Inuyasha scowled. “You’ve given me something to think about.” He looked around at the group. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m hungry. Let‘s get back to Genki‘s.”
All but Sesshoumaru smiled at the apparent incongruity of that statement. As Kagome moved to help Sango get Kohaku on Kirara’s back and Takara went to help Inutaro, a shadow passed over the group. Suddenly, a voice came from the air above. “Master Inuyasha! Master Inuyasha!”
“Figures!” snorted Inuyasha. “He always shows up after the danger is over.” He shaded his eyes as he looked up to see a small figure jump from the back of a crow. As the small flea demon landed on Inuyasha, he began to jump up and down in excitement.
“Oh, Master!” Myouga exclaimed. “I am so happy to see that you are all right!”
“Of course I am jiji. We just faced down Naraku. Why shouldn’t I be alright?”
Myouga sweat dropped. “Eehh, no reason, my Lord. None at all.”
Inuyasha’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. He quickly snatched up the flea between his fingers before the little coward ran off. “Alright, you little coward, spill! Why should something be wrong with me?”
Myouga’s eyes got big and he began pleading with his master. “Please, my Lord! It was an accident! I didn’t mean to do it! It’s just that I could taste your blood and it was so good that I couldn’t help myself and before I knew it I had taken it all.”
“What are you talking about, you senile old bug?!”
“Your mate, Yukiho.” Myouga trembled in great fear for the punishment he was sure he was about to receive. “I accidentally drank all your blood from her body and severed the mating. Please don’t kill me!”
All stared at the flea, completely dumbstruck.
A/N: Well, it’s about time. My muse went on an extended vacation. I was blocked big time. For the life of me, I couldn’t get past a certain part in this chapter. Well, the rest of this tale isn’t long in telling. I’m almost done. I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story and in my last author’s note, I’ll even get around to naming names. I would also like to thank those who voted for ‘Afternoon Delight’. It placed 3rd in the poetry/songfic category with the InuyashaFanGuild. Take care, Fyrloche.