Like Brother Like Sister
An Inuyasha Fan Fiction
By Kiah Watson
"Mama, what's a 'half breed'?" Inuyasha's mother looked down at him, a silvery tear falling down her cheek. "Honey, no matter what you are, you will always be my baby." She grabbed him up into the folds of her kimono and hugged him tightly. "Mommy, why are you crying?" Inuyasha looked up confusedly as a tear fell onto his cheek. She turned her gaze onto him, trying to smile. "It's just that, not everyone will understand how special you really are. And people, when they don't understand, get angry." Running her hands through his silky-silver hair, she placed a kiss upon his forehead. Then, she began to cry again and ushered him off. Thinking about what his mother had said, he went back over to the courtyard. It was voided and empty of the ridiculers from earlier. Picking up his forgotten ball, he suddenly felt very, very alone. And peculiar. Was he a monster? Was his whole family going to be threatened and in danger all because of him? "Hi Inuyasha! What's up? Why do you look so sad?" He turned to greet the smiling face of his little sister, Kaori. "Hi." He turned away. Somehow her happiness just didn't fit his mood. But his voice didn't escape Kaori, who had a peculiar way of sensing her brothers emotions. Understanding him and supporting him quite unlike anyone, she failed to miss the depression in his voice. "Wanna talk?" It was odd, sure he was her big bro, but somehow he depended on her in many more ways than he could count. Nodding, Inuyasha motioned to his back, a silent invitation to get on, and she quickly agreed. Soon they were flying through the trees, every once in a while passing a town. Kaori was a human, though everyone one in town treated her like the rest of her family, a freak. Some even thought of her odd silence and patience as witchcraft, but she just didn't like crowds, or people for that matter. Of course, none of this bothered her one bit. She had a loving family, the odd friend, so why should it? The cold air rushing around her, she snuggled close to Inuyasha's warm haori. Stroking his ears softly, she fell asleep to his steady pace. Feeling Kaori go slack, he grinned slightly, but as a thought passed through his mind he frowned. "How can people be so hostile, to her? Kaori and mom shouldn't have to put up with the ridicule we create, and yet go on loving us!" he growled to himself quietly. "Inuyasha…" Inuyasha heard her whisper in her sleep, pulling closer to his silver hair, not worried or scared a single bit of the hanyou. Smiling, he continued on, the moon outlining the two forms.
When they finally arrived home, Kaori got off Inuyasha's back and made her way to the door followed closely by him. He shuddered. Something didn't feel right. "Mom, dad, anybody home?" Her voice echoed through the empty halls. "Guess not." Together they walked into the kitchen, where Kaori made some rice balls and green tea. Sitting down, Inuyasha ignored his food and cast his head aside. "Now, what's up?" she began, lifting the steaming cup to her face, enjoying it's warmth. "D…do you ever, feel…embarrassed or in danger because of me?" He bit his lip and looked anywhere but directly at her, dreading the answer. Though she did not show it, like many of her feelings, her heart clenched at the raw emotion he displayed. Setting her cup down, she grabbed a rice ball and padded over to where he sat. Climbing into his arms, she felt him stiffen slightly. Ignoring that she said, tears almost forming in her eyes, "Inuyasha, I couldn't imagine having a more caring, loving, amazing big brother than you. Don't mind how others treat us! You are special and amazing, and no one can say differently." Wrapping his arms around her small form, he held her silently. She was all he had in this world to care about. "Thanks, for being my sis, and more than that a friend, my only friend." he whispered gently into her ear. Lifting her head, she kissed his cheek lovingly and with a small purr of content, fell asleep in his arms.
Looking down at her serene form, his ears suddenly perked. What was that noise? It was so far away yet, that without his demon hearing he would have missed it entirely. Gently lifting Kaori, he went to the door. "It's getting louder, dammit what is that?" he said to himself worriedly. Not worried about himself, but looking at the little girl he carried, he felt he out to hide. Running to their room, he locked the door quickly. Placing Kaori onto the bed, he seated himself next to her. Running his clawed fingers through her raven hair, he silently braced for anything that might happen. As if on cue, shouting surrounded the house and Inuyasha could hear doors opening and shutting. "Wh…what's going on?!" He turned to see Kaori looking from the door to him, having been awakened by the ransacking noises. "Shh, shh it's ok. Go hide there in the closet. It's another mob. I can handle them." Remembering the mobs from other times, and how even their father had had problems, she looked at him, pleading him to reconsider with her eyes. "Go!" Reluctantly Kaori headed toward the closet, followed by Inuyasha. Helping her hide, he hugged her quickly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just don't make a noise!" She whimpered slightly, but nodded. She knew no amount of whining could get him to change his mind. Especially since it was a life or death situation. Inuyasha stood, surveying his work, then shut the door gently. Just then, he heard the doorknob turn, and someone shout "Hey! This doors shut! Bring an ax, but be careful! Them demons, you have to kill'em with tricky ways!"
Inuyasha felt himself shiver at the threat, what was he going to do? He could kill a few of them, but he knew that there were probably many more than that. It didn't matter, though because soon anger replaced his fear. "How dare they enter our home? Threaten us?!" hearing more excited yelling outside the door, he flexed his nails in anticipation. "All right! Thanks, for the ax. Now we can break the door down! If you two whelps are in there, you'll soon be sorry you ever spread your evil and witchcraft here!" With that said, they began to slash at the door. "No! Go away! If my father hears of this, you will all die!" Inuyasha was really angry now. "Hah hah! The little half breed is there, I knew it! Listen kid, by the time your wretched parents get here, you'll be dead! Don't worry though, they'll soon follow!" Another attack on the door, and this time the blade went all the way through. "I'm warning you! Leave now!" The men ignored him, and widened the hole a bit with their hands. The young hanyou could now see their faces, and could also see what they were doing. The hole was just big enough to through a bomb through, and that's just what they did. "No!" Inuyasha jumped to avoid the explosion as smoke and gas filled the room. Sleeping gas. Running to the door, he pulled with all his might. It didn't even budge. "Dammit, they've locked us in!" he thought, covering his ultra-sensitive nose. "We can't breathe these!" coughing, he made his way over to the closet. Throwing the door open, Kaori tumbled out, coughing horribly. "I...Inuyasha." and with that she collapsed into his arms. Pulling her close, he tried to shield her from the fumes, though his own arms and legs had begun to feel leaden. "Let, me,…out!!" Slamming into the door, he finally managed to break it, the splinters grazing his skin. "Whoa!" The entire house was ablaze, and the flames licked at them. Putting up a protective hand, he headed to the door. "They've locked us in! They want to burn us to death!" Nearly ducking a collapsing chair, he headed toward another exit, but it to proved locked. Turning, he suddenly noticed a window open slightly, not locked! Quickly walking over, he failed to notice a burning board crack loose from the ceiling, heading right for them! "Argh! Ah!" Inuyasha managed to toss Kaori aside before falling trapped beneath the log. Sliding across the burning floor, Kaori looked up, coughing. "Inuyasha? Brother!" All she could see was a wall of orange, red and yellow flames, angrily devouring their home. Suddenly turning, she saw a figure looming behind her, but was then struck unconscious once again. Struggling half-heartedly with the burning torch pinning him to the floor, Inuyasha realized that he hadn't much energy left. "Gods, is this the end? There's no way I'm goin anywhere soon. I just hope, Kaori makes it." Groaning as a new wave of heat and falling debris hit him, he went limp.
"Darling, look! The house!" The ebony-haired woman that had spoken clutched her husband, a silver haired demon who looked exactly like his son. "The children went home early! I remember! What if they're trapped inside!" The father felt a pang of sorrow go through his chest, before grabbing his wife. "If they're in there, don't worry! I'll find them! You go wait over there, and don't move!" Gently pushing her toward a crop of trees, he ran full speed towards the fiery inferno that had once been his house. Slamming through the door took minimal energy, and he gasped at what he saw. Heat waves hit him, and he had to shield his eyes of whirling ash and coals. The fire crackled beneath him, but the flames of his anger swirled higher than the ones at his feet. "Inuyasha! Kaori!" Stepping over charred furniture, he easily avoided a falling rafter. Running to his children's room, he saw the ax chips in the door. "No, please no." Stepping back, sorrow crossed his face. "Please don't be… dead!" Slipping back into the main hall, he saw it. A flash of silver! "Inuyasha! Son, is that you?!" Arriving just in time, he lifted the burning board with his bare hands and hurled it off the young hanyou. Grabbing him into the rough folds of his clothes, his father stroked his charred face lovingly. "Thank god you're all right. But what of Kaori?" He didn't wait to think about it as a noise disturbed his thoughts. The roof was about to collapse. Taking one last glance around the room, he reluctantly shot through the door, and just in time. Right behind him, the rafters gave one last creak, then fell into the rooms below. Shielding the two of them from the blaze, the man made his way back over to the trees, where his wife was frantic. "Oooh, gods thank you! You came back!" Grabbing Inuyasha, she rocked him close, as though the world would end should she lot go. "But what of…?" Her husband bit his lip and looked up, tears coming to his eyes. "No! She can't be, lord no, please!" And with that she collapsed sobbing into her husbands embrace, stroking her only remaining child's hair, and kissing him absent-mindedly. Inuyasha looked up with half closed eyes, watching his parents hug each other in grief. "K…Kaori." he whispered to himself, remembering. Then, clenching his eyes shut, he hugged his parents, a few stray tears running down his cheek. That was the day Inuyasha and his family lost his only sister, Kaori, in a fire that destroyed his home. Not too terribly long afterward, he lost his mom, then father. That's where the story we know picks up. Inuyasha forced himself to forget her as years passed, but she never left completely. Now in the future, many years in the future, we find Inuyasha and the gang in a situation that brings back some, unwanted memory's.