Update; I realize I miss-spelled Tensaiga, and many of you think I have the swords confused. I know which is which, my spelling just sucks, and the computer does not know how to correct Japanese. You'll notice I spelled one Tetsusaiga and the other Tetsaiga at first, because a friend of mine was ABSOLUTELY sure that was how it was spelled. I corrected this error at about chapter five when I went out and looked up the spelling myself. (I had gotten about 10 emails and 5 reviews saying it was wrong by then but they couldn't seem to agree on how it was spelled) I don't have time to go back and correct everything so just try to bare it past chapter five. I promise that it's worth it. If you get past chapter five and it's not, feel free to flame me.
Jackie: Another round of insanity from yours truly! I usually write Trigun fanfics, but I'm broadening my base with my first ever Inuyasha fic. Don't forget to review. I can't keep my readers happy if they don't tell me what they want. Don't be shy about correcting my spelling of important character or object names. I'd like to get those right, but don't bother on weather the whether outside is good, I've never gotten that right and probably never will. If you can bare the bad spelling, I think you'll enjoy my fics.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA. I am in no way profiting from this.
Chapter One; Sesshomaru and the influence of Tetsusaiga
Morning sunlight broke through the branches of the trees and glittered the path in front of him as he walked on steadily. The birds sung their good morning songs and squirrels darted here and there gathering nuts for winter. Rin scurried with them, gathering flowers and chasing butterflies. In spite of this constant play, she did not slow him down. Jaken chased after her, constantly chastising her behavior, and lamenting over his fate in being a human's babysitter.
Sesshomaru was about to command Jaken to let her be, but the wind picked up. On it was the thick stench of human blood. LOTS of human blood.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru said coldly, "You and Rin stay here."
"What is it, my lord?" Rin chimed.
"I have business to tend to," Sesshomaru started, "That is all you need know."
"How dare you question the great-" Jaken started.
"Let her be, Jaken," Sesshomaru said harshly, "I will return soon. Jaken, if Rin is not with you when I return your life will be forfeit."
Once when he left Rin with Jaken she'd been abducted by Kagura, soon after that she nearly died falling off a cliff. Why was she there? To save Jaken from poisoning, so Sesshomaru had taken to adding on that little threat.
With that he was off. He didn't even notice the mindless flattery that continued to spill from the lips of both of his vassals. A few miles up the path emptied into a clearing. Just as he arrived he was thrust back by a blinding flash of blue light. He held his good arm over his eyes, and the light scalded the skin of his forearm like boiling water. It was an attack made with pure, unbridled spiritual power.
When it subsided, he lowered his arm without as much as a flinch of pain. In the center of the clearing was a man in full armor, surrounded by dead soldiers and one very crispy and very dead thunder demon. What cloth could be seen between the shifting plates of the warrior's armor was red with blood. It was the most blood Sesshomaru had seen a mortal loose and still be able to stand. He attributed that to the person's spiritual power.
A warrior-monk barely standing, a dead demon, and a few dozen dead men was his full tally of the scene. With that he made his swift conclusions. The demon had obviously terrorized their village, and they were sent to kill it. It was no business that concerned him. As he turned to go, the man picked up a spear and started piercing and scraping the ground.
Sesshomaru's interest again returned. What could that man be thinking? He was digging something… A grave? Did he really mean to dig dozens of graves with a spear and in his current state? It was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever witnessed. Stupid humans.
Still the man seemed to make progress. He carved out half of the first grave rather quickly. Then he wavered where he stood, and gripped the spear for support. Once steady, he started again, but this time he passed out totally.
"Well," Sesshomaru said to himself absently, "His wounds got the better of him."
Just as he was turning to go again Tetsusaiga pulsed. Sesshomaru glanced at the sword. There was always a good reason that the sword desired to be pulled, and so, Seshomaru drew the blade that would not cut living flesh. He followed its impulses to the man. The ground around him was purple with blood.
"This stupid mortal?" Sesshomaru said in an unreadable tone, with a slight narrowing of his golden eyes, "Why this particular one?"
In spite of his arguments, Tetsusaiga had never lead him wrong. In fact, without this 'useless' sword, as he had once put it, he would have been dead twice; Once in a battle against his aggravating whelp of a half-brother, and then again when he faced the resurrected leader of the panther demon tribe. Then there was Rin, sweet Rin, he would not let it be known but the little human was inspiring uncomfortable feelings of kinship. She was becoming his daughter by straight bond of the heart. How could he, Lord Sesshomaru, have such feelings of fatherly love for a human that would grow old and perish long before he would look even a day older?
But he did, and instead of being angry, he was grateful. He would not, could not, say it. But he was truly grateful. She was a ray of love and innocence that lit his ravaged, war-torn existence. He never smiled, but when Rin was around playing and looking up into his eyes, sometimes he felt like smiling back. Maybe one day he would.
So he drew his sword and did away with the creatures that came to take the man to the netherworld. The man groaned slightly and pushed up on all fours. His helmet slipped off his head and he turned his face up to look at the impressive demon lord. A woman. Sesshomaru thought with amazment.
Unnaturally silver-blue eyes, framed in long black eyelashes regarded him slowly. Her face was dirty, and her hair was matted with sweat and blood. That was when he smelled it. Her blood was different.
He bent closer and she did not retreat. He inhaled deeply. She did not smell human, and she did not smell like a demon. She did not reek like a half-breed either. She smelled as different from all three as a rabbit might smell. However, the air around her still crackled with spiritual energy. Only a human could wield the spiritual powers he'd just witnessed. And yet, there was the small issue of her aura. She was surrounded in the dark rivulets of a demon aura.
"What are you?" Sesshomaru asked so plainly he might have been asking for the time.
She did not answer, "I was dead. How is it that I am resurrected?"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He expected to be answered when he asked a question. However, without so much as raising his voice he said, "I brought you back, but if you prefer I can undo what I've done. I ask a final time; what are you?"
"I am human," She said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "What do I look like?"
"I see," Sesshomaru said coldly and stood.
She must have been drenched in the demon's blood during the battle. Mixing with her own blood would explain the smell, and until the blood was purified she would appear to have a demonic aura. It made perfect sense.
"Wait, please!" The woman shouted, "Please, I beg you to resurrect my comrades."
"I was under no obligation to resurrect you," He said without turning back to her, "What makes you think I would do such a thing? I have nothing to gain."
"Please," the desperation was obvious in her voice, "Please, I will pledge my life in service to you. I will give you ten fortunes, anything you ask!"
He stopped and contemplated things for a moment. Another human female around… No readable emotion showed on his face, but beneath that was a war between disgust for the human race and his growing attachment to Rin. The woman was spiritually gifted, and might serve as an additional line of protection for Rin. Then again, she might just be another vassal that he spent far too much of his precious time protecting.
He didn't have time to take on and look after another human. Not while he was in persuit of Naraku. Maybe when this was done, and Rin came to need or desire the companionship of her own race he would consider it. For now the timing was wrong, and he had no need of these "ten fortunes" she spoke of. He was about to continue to walk away when Tetsusaiga pulsed again. Sesshomaru looked down on it with palpable aggravation. You'd better know what you're doing…
"Say your good-byes," Sesshomaru said with no evidence of his aggravation as he drew his sword, "And meet me in the forest. It seems that I have some use for you."
With lightening speed he sliced through the many beings of the netherworld carefully avoiding the ones that surrounded the demon. How strange a day it was that he would come to the aid of humans and leave a demon to its fate. With a slight growl of disgust at this fact he vanished into the woods and waited for the human woman. Tetsusaiga, again you lead me to save human lives…
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Jackie: see ya next update!