Fulfilled

He was coming! He was really coming! He jumped up in excitement, hardly able to detain himself, squealing in almost girlish joy.

"Yay!" he squealed over and over. "Yay! He's coming! He's actually coming to me!"

The young boy standing at his side was devoid of any emotion of the impending encounter. He merely watched as the man, who was supposed to be more mature than himself, given his age, bounce up and down like a child. The young boy gave a small sigh and gestured towards the direction from which the visitor would come.

"You know," the boy said, a tone of annoyance slipping into his voice. "You don't have to jump up and down like that. It's actually embarrassing to be standing here with you."

But the elder man did not hear his escort. He was too busy jumping about, a happy grin painted on his lips.

"Yay! I'm so excited! He's coming to me! Inuyasha's coming to me!"

After a while, the young boy calmed him down, calling his name and grabbing his arm.

"Master Jakotsu," the boy said sternly. "I understand you are excited, but if you continue to bounce around like this, then you are going to use up all your energy, and will have none for the fight."

Jakotsu stopped, his lavender kimono falling back into place as well as his long, raven hair, which was pinned back as usual. He turned his painted face to the boy, and his smile faded.

"Oh, I suppose you're right," he said, taking a seat on a nearby boulder.

"I trust you will get rid of Inuyasha," the boy said.

"Don't worry. I'll kill him. And I'll bring back his cute little dog ears as a prize," Jakotsu said, licking his lips and winking.

The boy nodded and then set off into the woods, disappearing through the branches. Jakotsu watched after him for a long while before sighing and staring off towards the mountains, from whence Inuyasha was to emerge, any time now.

"Come to think of it," Jakotsu said aloud. "I really don't know anything about that Kohaku kid."

He was referring, of course, to his young, expressionless escort, who had scolded him of his excitement. It was Kohaku that had come to Jakotsu in the first place, when the afternoon had begun to give in to dusk, and the setting sun was just beginning to paint the sky with magnificent hues. He had stopped by this river for water when the young ninja boy came to him. He informed him that Inuyasha was on his way to this very area, on the trail of Naraku.

"Of course, I don't know anything about this Naraku guy either," he said. "Bankotsu's the only one who's ever seen him…"

Nonetheless, he had been excited to learn the news, since he knew that Inuyasha was headed towards Mount Hakurei, and would have to come in his direction in order to get there. And now, all he had to do was wait.

He didn't have to wait long. The little half-breed came barreling down the mountain pass, his companions close behind, with the exception of that girl, who was riding on his back. Oh, how he hated the little priestess girl, who threatened to steal away the heart of his Inuyasha. He allowed his painted smile to disappear behind a frown and gave a little, inaudible growl at the girl.

"Soon," he vowed to himself. "Inuyasha will be mine."

Before long, Inuyasha skidded to a halt about forty feet away from the seated man. Jakotsu could do nothing more than smile. It didn't matter anymore that that priestess girl was riding on his back not a minute before. Inuyasha was here, right before his eyes, and staring at him with that deadly golden glare. Such a blissful moment it was, and while Jakotsu wanted so desperately for it to last forever, so that he could admire the silver locks for the remainder of time, he stood, grabbing the hilt of his sword. He drew it swiftly, but did not point it at the group. Instead, he balanced it on his shoulder, and stared at the half-breed.

"Inuyasha," he said slowly, relishing how the word spilled off his tongue. "I'm so flattered that you stopped for me."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha retorted quickly. "It's not like I'm giving you any special treatment. You're of the Shichinintai, and that means that I have to kill you."

"You, kill me?" Jakotsu put a hand to his heart as though it hurt. "Go ahead and kill me then, if you can!"

With his final words, he whipped the sword from its place on his shoulder and thrust it downwards, the extended blade snaking the ground with lightning fast speed towards Inuyasha and his companions. He was disappointed, however, as the monk, the demon slayer and the kogitsune rode high into the air and out of reach on the little fire demon, and even further as Inuyasha grabbed the priestess girl and leapt aside.

"Damn you!" Inuyasha growled. "Leave them out of this! Your fight is with me and me alone!"

The sword retracted and gave a small recoil as it came back together, but Jakotsu held it with ease, placing it on his shoulder once again.

"Awww, Inuyasha. Why'd you have to dodge that?" he whined, frowning in disappointment.

"Because I'm not in the mood to die today. Sorry to disappoint you," Inuyasha said, setting the girl down. Jakotsu watched in anger now as the half demon whispered something to the girl, and she ran back a few yards, taking refuge with the rest of the group.

"You should tell that girl to stay away from you for good," Jakotsu said, venom filling his jealous voice. "You belong to me and me alone. Don't you ever forget that. Not ever."

"Me belong to you? Not likely. I don't belong to anyone!"

The end of Inuyasha's statement was followed by the unsheathing of his own sword, the Tetsusaiga. Jakotsu grinned and licked his lips tantalizingly.

"Those ears of yours," Jakotsu said, his voice becoming sultry. "Will be all mine."

He could only grin as Inuyasha grimaced, whether from the sound of his voice, what it implied or what he said, he wasn't sure.

"That's just sick!" Inuyasha said, holding his sword at the ready in front of him. "I should kill you just for saying that!"

"Like I said; go ahead, if you can!" Jakotsu shouted, whipping his sword in Inuyasha's direction once again.

The blades extended once more, and glided through the air. Inuyasha didn't have time to react. The blades cut up his arms and legs and he cried out as they went back to their original form. Jakotsu smiled again, relishing the sounds of the cries he had earned.

Without giving the half demon a chance to recover, he threw down his sword again, and this time, the blades encircled and trapped him. He pulled them tightly together, constricting the half-breed, and earning another cry of pain.

"You're not as talented and strong as you think," Jakotsu teased, taking a step closer. "In fact, you fell so easily into my trap. If I didn't know it was really you, I might question your identity. But I know you're Inuyasha. You're the only one who can have such a dreamy look in his eyes!"

Inuyasha cringed again, and growled as he struggled against the blades.

"You're a sick, sick man, you know that?"

"Sick? No, I don't think so," Jakotsu said, pulling the blades tighter. Inuyasha groaned in pain but held back a cry, which caused him to pull them tighter still. After a long moment, the half demon let out another cry, and Jakotsu sighed in pleasure.

"Well, Inuyasha," he said happily. "As much as I am enjoying this, I'm afraid I have to cut our time short. After all, I was ordered to kill you."

As he began to tighten the blades once again, something unexpected happened. Inuyasha actually pushed out his arms, pushing against the pressure of the steel that constricted his body. With what seemed like a tremendous amount of effort, the half demon broke free at last, landing on the ground with a very pronounced thud! He lay there for a long moment, and then got up, and brandished his sword once again.

"This isn't over yet," he growled.

Inuyasha then attempted his Wind Scar technique, which of course, failed. He was not a demon, after all, and therefore possessed no demonic aura from which to draw the Wind Scar. At this, Jakotsu laughed gleefully and attacked, but his attacks were evaded. No matter how many times he struck, Inuyasha dodged each one now, and he became frustrated. In the end, it was a draw.

"I'm getting bored with this," Jakotsu said, sheathing his sword as the sun bid its last farewell for the night and disappeared behind the mountains. He turned and began to walk away, towards Mount Hakurei. "Come back to me when you get stronger, okay?"

He was gone before Inuyasha had any time to react to the invitation.


He did not expect to meet his fate at the hands of Inuyasha only days later. Rather, it was Renkotsu who finished him, but he left with a smile. Although he had not killed Inuyasha, or gotten to play with those cute little dog ears, he had had the chance to battle him. In his mind, the experience had been exhilarating, and as he died for the second time, he realized that he was fulfilled.