InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Vying for Dominance ❯ Demon Blood ( Chapter 30 )

Demon Blood

 

 

Coarse and brash, but blunt and straight-forward; Inuyasha could never be anything else. It simply wasn't in him. No amount of lessons or instruction could change that. He simply had no use for deception, no need for politics or subtleties. He had never had the luxury of such things. He was what he was, and it was plainly obvious to any would look upon him.

 

Hanyou: a label given to him by his very birth. Shunned and feared by his human brothers, hated and hunted by his youkai brethren; he was an outcast, an outsider, something unwelcome and unwanted. All his life he had been such. All his life he had born the scrutiny and ridicule from all sides and by all creatures. He had survived it by making himself hard against it, by turning the insults and degradations around to be placed against those that would belittle him. He had fought for his survival, struggled with himself as much as those that would cast him aside to find his place in the world.

 

Had he not, had he not found his strength, had he not steeled his resolve, had he not proven himself worthy of the life he lived blessed to him by the life sacrificed for him to have it; he would died long ago, a death begot by his own brother's hand.

 

It was not out of malice or hatred that Sesshomaru had marked the hanyou for death. But then, it was not out of compassion that he would train him through their skirmishes. Every test, every battle; if Inuyasha did not improve, showed no sign of resilience, determination, courage to stand even in the face of impending defeat, then death surely would have found him long ago. But he had fought. Even against all odds and in the knowledge that he stood no hope of victory; still he fought, still he stood proudly.

 

But never had he stood with such pride as he did now.

 

In a place that was never meant to be his, surrounded by those that would see him not for any power or accomplishment that he owned, having no claim and no position, no rights and no voice; and still he stood, bearing the scrutiny of them all, having his words heard even though he knew they could never have the impact they should.

 

He renounced his blood, turned his back on the family that had never shown him welcome; and he did so with conviction. He stood now, telling them all that what they saw in him didn't matter, because he knew that anything they might see him as, that the one he stood for knew better, that She could see him when no one else could or would.

 

But in standing for Her, in marking his claim; Inuyasha showed more of what his miko saw than even he might have realized. The courage to stand even when looking at defeat, the strength to speak even when he had no voice, and the confidence in himself and his abilities to challenge any who would seek to deny him the rights he had taken when none would be given; this was what he showed them.

 

This is what I am. He made it a fact even though there was no need for it to be said. This is what I am. What shame was his to bear was his alone. Nothing they said or did would make it any different. This is what I am. He was hanyou, but still he had pride, still he had courage, still he had dignity. This is what I am. He would not be told, not have any other tell him he was undeserving of anything. He was his own council, his own person. This is what I am. He would not back down, would not retreat. This is what I am. He would fight for what was his.

 

And Sesshomaru had known.

 

Now was the time. There could be no better opportunity and no better reason. For all she had given the hanyou boy through their years together, in this Kagome would give him something far more than her friendship, her understanding, her acceptance. She gave him cause to stand amongst his people, and in so doing gave him the rights to speak. And that he spoke for her, she who had proven herself so valiantly and unquestionably, his voice carried even further.

 

What came next, to one who knew the secrets being held, seemed only natural.

 

“Miko Kagome,” Though she stood with Sesshomaru, as elder and overseer of the contests, Takked began the exchange, “Is this hanyou your champion as he claims?”

 

Kagome turned to Takked when he addressed her, but upon hearing his question, she couldn't help but smile. “Always. Inuyasha has been my champion, my protector, and my best friend since the very beginning of my journey.”

 

“Hardly an able protector to have allowed you to be captured.”

 

It was an insult and a challenge, but that it came from Sesshomaru, Inuyasha merely shrugged it off, meeting the piercing gold of his brother's scorning gaze with the hardened amber of his own. “Looks to me like she's doing fine enough on her own,” he returned with a vague gesture to her elaborate gown.

 

Kagome stood with the Lords of this gathering, dressed in the finery of their most established females; and it was no surprise to Inuyasha. Of course he had worried for her. He knew how dangerous such a place was to her because of her mortality and her miko blood; but he also knew Kagome, and Kagome had a knack for getting herself out of bad spots as easily as she got herself into them.

 

“Besides,” he added cockily, “Kagome wouldn't go down that easily, not by some bitch that doesn't know who she's messing with.”

 

“Wretched, filthy, repulsive hanyou!!” The furious roar filled the arena, a wrathful calling for retribution.

 

A black comet lit with a vengeance by the dark fires of his demon spirit, Kuro's attack held no restraint and would show no mercy. Even ground hardened by the tread of so many battles was devastated by the impact, long gouges splitting the earth in the ripping wake of the Inu's claws. But though the debris that was hurdled into the air and the dark burn of demon fires took over, a blaze of red remained that could not be caught in it.

 

Dodging fast, and using the fallout of rock and soil to turn and propel him through the air, Inuyasha maneuvered himself quickly back from his attacker. He wasted no time to find his footing again to square off against his new opponent, measuring even as he did so the other's size and stance. The Black had him outsized and outweighed by his muscular frame, and by devastation caused by the force of his attack, he had him outpowered as well. But size, strength, and power could only serve so far.

 

And in a battle, Inuyasha knew, there were some things that served better. “You got a problem with me being a hanyou, dog?”

 

“I have a problem with your very existence, vile scum,” Kuro returned in a low growl of unveiled hatred. “But that you dare speak of the Lady Gina, whose blood still stains this ground by the hand of that wretched miko, is an act that shall cost you your life!”

 

Inuyasha watched closely as the black lifted himself to a new stance, stretching his claws at his sides as he prepared to take his mark. Funny, but he knew that stance. Only this black couldn't pull it off quite as well as Sesshomaru. He set himself into a well known counter as he replied. “So I guess the bitch does know who she's dealing with when she wrongs Kagome,” he shot back smugly. “Too bad for her she figured it out a little too late.”

 

“You will die by those words, hanyou filth! Your blood will pay for your miko's spilling of my mate's!”

 

“HOLD!!”

 

A voice of command even when spoken, when lifted in a thundering pulse of power, Sesshomaru's voice was to be obeyed. “Kuro.” His address demanded acknowledgement. And though the black made challenge against being ordered with a dangerously low growl, he turned. When Kuro's eyes had taken focus on him, Sesshomaru lifted his hand to set on Kagome's shoulder and guide her forward. “You challenge the hanyou for crimes you attribute to this miko. As the one charged with her care, such a contest will be overseen by this Sesshomaru. Miko,” His hand tightened against Kagome's shoulder, calming the protest he knew was coming and conveying to her without words that she need to trust his decision, “Name your champion.”

 

She stiffened immediately, her own will fighting for her heart. But it was her mind that won out in the end. She understood that by making the match official Sesshomaru was ensuring Inuyasha walked away even if he lost. Of course, such understanding did not make acceptance any easier. But when she looked down to the arena floor, seeing her hanyou friend, her champion of all these years, set and ready for battle; even if in her mind she knew he stood a chance of loosing, her heart could never believe it was even possible.

 

He would win. She knew it. She could never believe otherwise. So it was with confidence that she spoke the name of her champion, “Inuyasha.”

 

“Then it is official,” Sesshomaru informed the Black Inu, as well as all who crowded the stadium grounds and walls. “The hanyou stands as the miko's champion. For what retribution you seek for your mate's honor against this female, find it in contest against him in accordance to our laws.”

 

Kuro stiffened in outrage at the decree. “Our laws?!” he questioned angrily. “You make a mockery of our laws to even consider giving that thing rights to stand as one of our females!”

 

But Sesshomaru would have none of the accusation, brushing it off as easily as everything else around him, a drop of water too small to ripple the placid waters. “Remember to whom you speak, Kuro. This Sesshomaru would never make light of the laws which govern this community forged by my Great and Terrible father.” He turned his attention across the arena floor, his eyes finding the wolf that had unknowingly come by his summons. “Ookami, speak now of your reasons for entering our den.”

 

As Kouga stepped forward, he did not forget his protocols. Though outside of these protected lands his encounters with the Inu Lord were no more than a passing acknowledgement if anything at all, here there was too much at stake, too many lives hanging in the balance for a Prince of his tribe to forget the delicate treaties that allied their different breeds. He bowed his head slightly to Sesshomaru before speaking.

 

“I have come to speak for the miko Kagome. As she has stood with my pack, lived with us, laughed with us, fought with us, and sacrificed for us; we call her now and forever, sister.”

 

“So you see, Kuro,” After hearing all he needed from the wolf, Sesshomaru turned back to the black Inu, “Even if her mortal status does not give the miko Kagome rights enough to have her champion stand for her, then her ties to the wolf pack do. The dens that could not see the mighty vision of the Great Community are not to be forgotten, such were my father's words when he formed the treaties that brought the calm following the Great Wars. Their rights are as ours are. And if they call this miko their sister, then she is to be treated as such, given rights as such. Deny you this, and you deny the cause for which you have so long fought for. Is the life of this hanyou worth so much to you that you would break the laws you have worked so long to see upheld? For if it is, then truly you never understood my father's vision.”

 

“You question my understanding?” This time, Sesshomaru had overstepped his bounds. Genera's son or no, Kuro would not stand for it. “I was fighting for the Community when you were nothing more than a pup! And in all my time defending the greatness of this Community that I helped the General to build, never have I born such insult as has been brought about by that miko wretch! She defiles everything that this Community has ever stood for! She and all her despicable race are exactly the kinds of creatures that will fall to our might! Stand for her if it is your wish, Sesshomaru, but do so and know it is not I that taints our Great Community.”

 

Having said his piece, and drawing from the crowd the deep rumbles of unrest he knew would come from his words against the supposed `leader', Kuro turned his sights back to Inuyasha. “Even if I do not take his life, that does not mean I ca not take his payment to me in pounds of flesh!”

 

And with no more words to be exchanged, he attacked.

 

The match was one-sided. Driven by his anger, his attacks fueled by the darkness of his rage; Kuro maintained the upper hand. Inuyasha was pushed on the defensive, every blow turned aside and every attack evaded coming closer and closer to hitting their mark. Forced to dodge and weave through the other's form, Inuyasha could find no room to counter. Even matching speed for speed was nearly overwhelming, and strength for strength was all but impossible. After all, he was hanyou, and he stood now against a full-blooded youkai.

 

Claws clashed against claws, and Kuro powered his way through Inuyasha's defense to land his first blow. As his left arm had come up to fend with the hanyou's block that would guard his head, his right pulled down to rake his claws through the soft belly of his opponent.

 

Inuyasha was saved from the full penetration of Kuro's claws only by the tough fibers of the Fire Rat Cloth he wore. Still, the intensity behind the assault left him winded as his demon blood surged to heal the deep gouges stretching his gut, and he was forced into retreat again. Ripping his own blood away from his body, Inuyasha threw out his own attack to give him room to withdrawal. The Blades of Blood tore through the space between him and his opponent, but with nothing more than a sweep of his arm, Kuro had knocked them away and set his mark anew.

 

The next break came when the hanyou's limited speed failed him. He took a hard hit in the side of the face, his jaw snapping out of alignment before his body was thrown through with the force of the blow. His recovery was quick, coming before he would have hit the ground to give him time to set himself for a landing; but it wasn't quick enough.

 

One hit landed, and Kuro had moved in for a finisher. Striking again at the injured stomach of the hanyou, Kuro caught him before he had a chance to reset himself. The blow hit him full-force, interrupting his fall only to send Inuyasha crashing into the arena walls.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“The hanyou is finished. He never stood a chance against Kuro.”

 

On the sidelines of the arena where he had been watching the contest with the hanyou's company, Jomon shook his head, replying without even turning to his Grey friend. “It isn't over yet, Haiiro,” he told him as he watched the fallen wood and debris that had covered the hanyou after his collision with the arena wall.

 

But Haiiro only sniffed haughtily in response. “Five hundred says Kuro puts him down without loosing a drop of blood.”

 

“I was only giving the hanyou the benefit of the doubt, Haiiro. I would not go so far as to lay money on him.”

 

A decisive snort interrupted the young Lords, drawing attention to the Wolf Prince. “You obviously ain't seen the mutt in action,” Kouga informed them smugly. “I'll take that bet.”

 

“I thought your kind did not carry currencies, cousin,” Jomon asked suspiciously.

 

But Kouga only shrugged, throwing a pouch filled with coin at his cousin. “I stole it from the monk.”

 

Miroku turned sharply at the mention of his name, being filled with hard resentment for the thieving wolf. His right hand tightened against the polished metal of his staff, a willful act to strengthen the seal against the angry winds of oblivion that stirred with his fury. “Would you care to repeat that, wolf?” he asked tightly.

 

“Oh, give me a break, Miroku. Don't think I don't know where you got that money.” Sending the monk a snide look, Kouga smirked when silence met his accusation. “Tell you what, monk. You tell everyone else here about your little side business and I'll give you back you money. Of course,” his smirk grew with wickedness as he looked back to the arena to watch the unfolding of the second round, “If you took it back, I'd have to tell mutt-face that you were betting against him.”

 

And though Miroku was seething at the wolf's audacity, he knew he had lost this round. He wouldn't speak of the means by which he acquired the funds to finance his group's journey. Though a necessity, as he had been charged with the role of providing food and supplies for three humans a hanyou and two youkai throughout the course of their hunt for Naraku, the means by which he conducted his business was no other's concern but his own.

 

So, taking the out offered to him, he faked a charming smile that came all too easily. “Though gambling is against my practices as a holy man, I do not see any reason to discount Inuyasha as of yet.” He set his focus back to the arena, watching as the rubble and debris of Kuro's last attack was being pushed back by his long time comrade in arms. “One round hardly constitutes a match. Inuyasha is accustomed to being the underdog. And yet he is still standing, while others may not claim so much luck. Your wager, gentlemen, is matched. I suggest you watch and learn where the true strength of a hanyou lies.”

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Pushing away from the last of the fallen rubble, Inuyasha stretched to reset the structure of his resilient frame, every relocated joint and pull of healing muscle only fueling his determination. He had fought this fight before. A hundred times, a thousand times, a hundred thousand times; he had fought this fight. All odds against him, an opponent stronger, faster, more power given to him by his pure demon blood. But he had fought this fight, and he had been the one victorious. For all their power, every opponent had a weakness. It was only a matter of finding it.

 

He looked across the arena, seeing the way the Black had looked up to the dais platform to wait for a motion from the self-declared match keeper before advancing again. Sesshomaru however, was looking at him as he marked the beginning of the next round. As he waved his hand for continuance, Inuyasha caught the way two outstretched fingers had narrowed to one.

 

So, he thought, his focus traveling back to his opponent, Best of three is it?

 

He stretched out his claws, flexing his fingers in anticipation. It was time to even up the score a little.

 

“That was a pretty good warm-up, I have to admit. But now it's my turn.”

 

Kuro scoffed openly at the hanyou's bold decree. “Try as you will, hanyou. You shall never be of the caliber of a true Inu.”

 

Amber eyes narrowing in fury, Inuyasha spit back an insult of his own. “When you find one, let me know and I'll more than happily show him a thing or two. Till then, I'm gonna train my claws of you and see if I can't beat some of the ugly out of ya.”

 

Without waiting for a response, Inuyasha pushed strongly off the ground to launch his attack. He wasn't able to control the air as completely as a full-blooded youkai, but he knew how to fight within it. As he had expected, the Black pushed off he meet him; claws extended, reaching forward to meet his own. Inuyasha tucked just before the contact, making him fall the inch he needed to get below Kuro's counter. The impact deflected the Black's blow and Inuyasha turned in the air, using Kuro's own arm as leverage to bring his free arm back and land a tearing hit to the other's chest. Trained claws tore uninhibitedly through soft silk and unnatural flesh, but only for an instant before the force of the blow pushed the Inu back.

 

Inuyasha didn't follow. He knew what came next. He didn't need any kind of superior senses to feel its coming. Pulling back, Inuyasha saved himself from being exposed to the eruption of dark fires that blazed around Kuro the instant he had suffered his first blow, his demon blood sent into a rage to fuel him with more power.

 

Good. Bring it on. Hanyou or not, the same power ran through Inuyasha's veins. Dulled and diluted by his human blood, still the demon within him was powerful; his father's curse to him as much a gift as the fang he had left him to keep the power of it from taking over his mind.

 

But he didn't have Tetsusaiga, and he finally realized the true reason why. There were no weapons allowed in this fight, no help from the outside. All there was as a test of power and skill. Sesshomaru hadn't been trying to weaken him, hadn't been thinking of the coveted fang. He had been expecting this, knowing a battle in his arena was inevitable if Kagome was to be released from the clutches of the Inu. Shaeda was only his messenger, but the only one that could ever convince him to relinquish his father's fang for any length of time. They had known that he would be put to the test. They had known that his restraints and limits would be tested. And they had known what would happen, what could only happen without the seal placed upon him by his father's fang.

 

His opponent had already reached the second of three stages of power, the ultimate being the full transformation. If he could just get this fall, then he still had one more level of power to fall back on. It wouldn't be pretty, but with Kagome here with him, and Sesshomaru standing watch, he knew it would end quickly if he turned for the worse. Besides, he was fighting for Kagome. And for her, he would give everything he had. Everything, even if it meant loosing his mind to the dark burn of demon fires.

 

“Aww, did the puppy get a little scratch?” His determination set anew, Inuyasha taunted his foe, his feet moving him progressively in a loose circle around the Inu. Lifting his hand, he flexed his claws in a flashing display of the crimson staining their tips. “There's more where that came from.” He smirked. “Unless you just want to give up right now.”

 

“Wretched hanyou,” Kuro spit back in a voice heavy with dark vibrations. “You will learn your lesson in blood!”

 

Drawing upon even more stores of Energy, Kuro launched an attack using levels of speed undetectable by even a hanyou's eyes. Inuyasha made a move to block an attack he knew was coming, but he was too slow. His block came down around Kuro's arm, trapping it, but not before the Black had sunk the full length of his claws straight into the vital organs of his stomach.

 

Acrid poison burned in the air, smelling of death and the rot of once healthy skin and tissues. Inuyasha chocked on the air that ceased in his lungs, his body convulsing with a debilitating wave of pain and shock.

 

“You see, hanyou,” Kuro spit out in disgust as he twisted his claws to add to the damage, “You are weak and pathetic, and your only place is in shameful defeat at the ends of my claws.”

 

But the only response given by the hanyou was a dark and sinister laughter.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The air had changed. It shivered with unease as it brushed against her senses, tumbling vibrations that spoke of madness. Kagome closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to look upon the monster she knew had been born again into the world.

 

“Kagome.”

 

His voice whispered to her at the same time as he wrapped her in a comforting layer of his powerful aura. And though grateful for the support she knew Sesshomaru was trying to give her; nothing could quell her anxiety over what was to come or numb the pain that sprouted from the knowledge that she had done this, that she had been the one that caused Inuyasha's beast to take him over again.

 

But…Her eyes snapped open in awful realization. “Where is it?” she asked aloud, though only Sesshomaru would have understood her question.

 

“Go with Shaeda to the sidelines, but do not interfere until it is over.” He stopped her from turning to where she had found the shade at the right side of the dais platform by taking hold of her arm and forcing her gaze to meet his. “Until it is over,” he repeated his words, making it an order even she would not disobey.

 

And though reluctant, Kagome understood his meaning. She could not interfere. No matter how terrible the battle, no matter how much blood was spilt, and no matter what the outcome; she could not interfere. She hated it. She didn't want to agree to such terms. But she knew she had no choice. This was Inuyasha's battle. Like her, he was being forced to prove himself for this crowd that cheered for his defeat. For anyone to interfere would only make his shame that much greater, and give them yet another reason to shun him, to hate him. She couldn't interfere.

 

Nodding stiffly once to tell Sesshomaru that she wouldn't do anything, she turned and made her way over to Shaeda to be brought to the sidelines of the arena floor. But even as she went, her eyes locked back onto the battle unfolding, and she could see the demon that now held the place of her hanyou friend.

 

His features had shifted. Jagged lines of indigo cut their way across his cheeks, his claws and fangs lengthening with them in fearsome displays of things more deadly than any blade of steel. And his eyes were of burning crimson; thoughtless, mindless, knowing nothing but the battle of instincts and the flow of his demon blood.

 

The laughter flowing from his lips was twisted with the darkness of the fires now ruling him, and it was sickening.

 

Please. She sent a silent prayer to the gods and any other being that could hear her plea. Please just let him be okay.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Now…did I say that Inubaby was going to be fighting Sesshomaru? Nope ;) I sure didn't. Besides, Kuro is still in need of a lesson or two…but…as this chapter put me against a brick wall for a good amount of time, I highly doubt I'm going to try and tackle another round of hand-to-hand. Apparently, I suck at it XD. Whatever, I've got a few tricks for diverting. So I'm going to use them (I don't need the hassles of doing that again, and I'm sure no one will complain if it means the next chapter coming out in a more reasonable amount of time).

 

Lol, and I just have to make a comment about this. When I said I was going to watch UFC for writing this chapter, it really had nothing to do with the moves or the style of fighting, but more to the point of getting me in the mood for fighting in the bare-naked style. Martial arts movies (or, for that matter, any kind of action movie) are usually so one-sided that there is no real basis for a match (unless you count the final rounds in movies like bloodsport…but then, kickboxing isn't really part of Inuyasha's repertoire - he's more of a hands and claws type of fighter). Anyways, I just thought I'd clear that up a little for anyone who's interested. It was an inspirational thing (not like it helped any *-le sigh-*).

 

Right oh! That's all she wrote. I'm off for now.

 

Later days.

 

Shadow