Important Pre-Reading Info:
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inuyasha, his companions and his story. I merely borrowed them for a time to have my way with them. Strictly for fun, no profit or disrespect intended.
I also give a nod to the TV series Chuck, which explains the chapter titles. I hate coming up with good titles.
I do take credit for the Ocs and Sesshoumaru's castle though.
Credit Due: I started writing this after reading the beginnings of Jezz-Ra's Pride Story. I couldn't help but wish to explore the idea of Sesshoumaru being dead and Inuyasha's reaction to his new role.
Title: Legacy of Loss
Author: Fluffy's Green Comb
Date: 2009
Rating: NC-17 (or M)
Pairing: Sesshoumaru/Inuyasha
Warnings: YOAI (two guys having sex), INUCEST (that's incest between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha), character death, violence, angst, bit of torture later, anal, swearing, really bad grammar…
Summary: Sesshoumaru is dead and Inuyasha must prove his ability as Lord of the Western Lands. He also must come to term with his own feelings.
Legacy of Loss
Inuyasha stood before his group testing the air with his astute nose while frowning. His white dog ears flipped in annoyance upon the top of his head as he sifted through the scents and sounds of the area.
For some inexplicable reason he felt as though a part of him had just been rendered from his body, leaving his innards raw and his heart wounded. It had happened in a moment and the hanyou was desperately using his nose and ears to try and find some explanation for the sudden feeling.
"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?" the soft voice of the demon-slayer asked as she stopped behind him. One hand hoisted her weapon on her shoulder as she glanced around the surrounding trees.
"I dunno, just….somethin' feels off is all." The hanyou shrugged indifferently as his large golden eyes roamed in opposite directions as his flicking ears. "Hey, Miroku, Kagome, do you sense anything?"
The monk paused beside the demon-slayer, closing his eyes in thought for a moment before shaking his head negatively. The soft metallic jingle of the rings on his staff enhanced the negative movement of his body. "No, Inuyasha, I sense no strong evil aura nor any strong good aura for that matter. I believe there to be a few lesser demons lurking in the forest, but nothing threatening."
Kagome stopped her pink bicycle beside them, hopping off it and to the side looking about with wide brown eyes. "Nope, no jewel shards. What feels off Inuyasha?"
The neko who had been asleep in the front basket lifted its head up beside the fox kit and mewed in question. Shippo yawned. "I have no idea Kirara. Hey guys, can we have a break soon? I'm starving!"
Inuyasha turned to glare at the fox demon. "What?! How can you want a break now? You haven't done anything all damn day but ride around while Kagome does all the work!"
Shippo folded his small arms across his chest and puffed out his chin importantly. "Hmph. I have too been doing work; I've been making sure our back is protected."
The half-dog demon growled and raised his clawed fingers into a fist and began to walk towards the bike with purpose. "Why you little - "
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's tense voice warned. The Hanyou froze and screwed his eyes shut with a cringe, pale hair cascading over his red-clothed shoulders as he prepared for the worst. This thankfully did not come. Slowly Inuyasha pried open one golden eye to peer worriedly at Kagome. The girl stood before him with one hand on her hip and her stance irritated. "Inuyasha," her voice repeated sounding much calmer this time. "I could use a rest as well, my…back is aching. Is there a river near by? It would be too much to ask if there was a hot spring way out here. But a river would do to freshen up and catch some fish for lunch."
"Alright!" Shippo exclaimed with glee.
Sango allowed a point of her Hiraikotsu to rest on the ground as she rubbed her shoulder. "I too could use a short break; my arm is not fully recovered from our last battle. How is your leg healing Inuyasha?"
The half-demon stood with his back to them and his arms tucked into the sleeves of his fire-rat haori. "Keh. I'm healed, half-demon remember, I don't take days to heal like you humans do." He sniffed the air a few times while his ears continued their nervous dance a top his head. "Water's that way." He muttered as he stretched out an arm and one clawed finger pointed slightly east of their position.
"Dear Sango, I could offer you a massage to -" Miroku began as Sango picked up her weapon and started to walk away.
"Monk." The voice was stern as the Hiraikotsu made contact with the top of Miroku's head.
"Ouch, I didn't even touch you!" he called out rubbing the welt forming on his scalp.
Sango snorted, "Consider it a pre-emptive strike."
Shippo shook his head sadly as Kagome walked beside her bike, guiding it after her friends. "Will he ever learn? I mean seriously."
"Somehow Shippo, I don't think he will. Inuyasha, we're leaving you behind!" Kagome called over her shoulder as the group disappeared over a rise in the path.
Inuyasha blinked, "Wha? Hey! Wait up!" He exclaimed as he bounded after the small group, catching up in a matter of steps to fall in beside Kagome. Miroku walked behind them and Sango ahead of them. It was often quicker to travel with Miroku out of groping distance and the two knew this. It never stopped Miroku from starting lustfully at Sango's perfect bottom, or the alluring short skirt swaying as Kagome walked in front of him though.
"Inuyasha? What is it you felt before?" After a few moments traveling along the path in silence Kagome's soft voice inquired.
Inuyasha shrugged with a frown, his arms still tucked in his sleeves as he walked beside her. His fringe of white hair was covering his down-turned face as he thought. The two furry ears a top his head swivelling madly. "I dunno, it's hard to explain…just off," he muttered.
"Could you try to explain, Inuyasha? Was it a demon or a smell?" Kagome prodded curiously.
The hanyou frowned in thought. It had been an abrupt feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was a spike of sheer dread despite there being no reason to be afraid. There had also been a second sensation, as though something vitally important had been lost though all his friends were right here. But, how was he supposed to explain that? His brown furrowed further as he struggled to find the words for his friends. "No, it wasn't a smell, and I don't think it was a demon. It was really weird. Just, all of a sudden I had this feeling, like my stomach was falling. I also felt like something was missing…I dunno how to say it. Like something big was just…gone."
Kagome stared at him worriedly, "Something inside your body was gone? Like an organ?"
"Yeah…" Inuyasha blinked. "No! Not like an organ dumbass! Like something out there - " he swept his arm in a haphazard circle around himself. "Suddenly disappeared, somthin' really big 'cause it made a giant hole in my senses."
"Inuyasha! Be nicer to Kagome!" Shippo chirped at him.
Kagome's eye twitched slightly. "Inuyasha, I am not a dumbass," she ground out through gritted teeth before turning on him and screaming at him. "I just want to know what's going on, ok? I was worried about you when you said all that! It made it sound like you were hurt! I worry about you, you big moron! Sit!"
The sky was filled with panicked birds as they took to flight as Inuyasha created a crater in the ground with his face. His arms twitched and sporadically and he grumbled things best not repeated soberly. Kagome stepped around the hole he had made in the earth and kept walked with Shippo snickering down at him.
Sango glanced back over her shoulder and simply shook her head before moving onward. Some things never changed. Already she could hear the soft babble of water over rocks near by and she adjusted her walk towards it.
Miroku paused by the crater and offered his hand to Inuyasha. "We truly do need to work on your vocabulary skills, my friend, where the fairer sex is involved."
Inuyasha took the hand and let Miroku help pull him up before dusting himself off. "Leave it to you to talk about sex, you pervert."
Miroku's sapphire eyes twinkled happily as he put an arm around Inuyasha's shoulders. "Now then, about what you were saying to Kagome. You felt as though something disappeared abruptly?"
Inuyasha slid out from under the monk's arm but remained walking beside him. "Yeah, like something really big and important just…stopped. I dunno where or what it could be though, I can't smell or hear anything different around here."
Miroku frowned and brought his hand to his chin in thought. "This is most peculiar and worrisome. Perhaps a strong demonic force has been removed from the world."
"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "Whatever it was, I bet Naraku was behind it too. That bastard."
Miroku's eyes shifted to the side to regard Inuyasha curiously, "Why would you assume it to be Naraku?"
"Because it's always frigging Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted balling up his fist. "Who else would make something big disappear like that?!"
"He does have a point, Miroku, generally when there is something unsettling or odd going on, it is Naraku." Sango addressed them as she set her weapon down against a tree. They had reached the river -- which was really more of a large stream.
"Is there not a village nearby? We should ask if anyone has noticed anything." Kagome suggested as she lugged her bike over and parked it against a tree. Shippo and Kirara hopped out of the basket onto the grass happily.
"True. I do believe there is a village about two hours walk from here. It might be wise to see if we can procure some lodgings for the night. It has been a while since I've enjoyed a bath and a comfortable place to lay my weary head." Miroku pondered quietly.
"A bath would be wonderful." Kagome agreed as she pulled her yellow backpack from the bike.
"Agreed, it would be nice to have a break. We all seem to be a little short-tempered today…well, more so than usual," Sango muttered stretching her arms.
"Keh. Whatever," Inuyasha muttered in annoyance. He pounced up a nearby tree and perched squatting on a branch. His white ears still straining to catch any noise out of the ordinary while his nose was wriggling on hyper-alert. Whatever had caused the feeling inside him had not vanished. There was now a dull empty ache in his chest that he couldn't explain which was making him most anxious. His eyebrows wrinkled as he tried to figure out what was wrong. Honestly, it was like the dread of knowing you had lost someone close before you were told. Just that knowing feeling of heartache that meant you were alone again.
Inuyasha had been left alone most of his life. The feeling of loss and abandonment were never far from him. Yet, why was there such an intense feeling now? His friends were below him and all were safe. Shippo was running around like an idiot. Miroku and Kirara were pulling fish from the river while Sango cheered them on. Kagome had started a small fire and was rubbing her feet while scolding Shippo to be careful.
Keade was still in the village. Besides, he wouldn't feel this intense over that old hag. God only knew where Myoga was festering. That left only…Inuyasha's large golden eyes widened in shock. "Kikyo…" he whispered on the soft summer breeze.
No, what if something had happened to her? Surely not. She was far too strong, and besides she was already dead! But…the hanyou was now fiddling with his claws in uncertainty. Yes, he would be very upset if something had happened to Kikyo. He did still love her after all. He probably always would. She was the first person who didn't see him as a filthy half-breed. The first person - other than his mother, or Myoga - who believed in him. Who thought him worthy to talk to and understood that he had feelings as well. Pffft. Feelings. What was he? A little girl? No way.
Still, what if something had happened to her? How could he find out?
In frustration he balanced on the branch and scratched he ear viciously with his back right foot. He hated sitting around like this and worrying. He needed to do something. Going to spend a night in a town filled with humans who hated him on sight was not what he would call being helpful to his already anxious thoughts. But, if his gang needed to go, he would go with them because if he didn't one of them would surely get hurt without him there. Especially Kagome. She was like a trouble finding beacon. Something was always trying to eat/mate/or kill the wench because of her ability to locate and purify the Shikon jewel.
Inuyasha had vowed to protect the large-hearted human girl. It was something he would never go back on, despite the fact she could be damn scary at times.
Kagome was his friend. Yes, she could be loud and irritating at times, but wasn't he loud and irritating all the time? Anyway, he knew he girl would do anything to save him and they had gotten close over their journey. Their fighting was to be expected. It was because they did understand each other that they could scream at one another and then apologize for it after. Well, Inuyasha apologized anyway. Wench.
Besides, without Kagome he would still be stuck to that tree. Also, because of her he had met and gotten to know a lot of people and demons he would never had been able to otherwise. For the first time in his life he actually had…friends. He had people who cared and worried about him other than his mother, Myoga and Kikyo. Though he would never admit it on the outside, being cared for was nice. It was something he had longed for. To be accepted by others and seen as an individual and not just something to throw rocks at.
For the first time in his life Inuyasha felt belonging. He would fight tooth and nail to protect those who gave him that.
Even so, he felt there was something missing still…something he had not come to terms with as yet. But, it didn't matter. He got whatever he could take right?
"…yasha doesn't want it I'll eat it for him!" Shippo's voice cracked through his thoughts.
"Eh?" Inuyasha questioned and pulled his attention to the others below him. The smell of cooked fish permeated his nostrils and he could see his companions each had one. Shippo was leaning toward the small fish still on the stick skewer by the fire. "Hey! Hands off brat! That's mine!" He charged from the branch, tackled the kit and yanked the fish out of his reach. Shippo struggled to get up and steal the fish from under Inuyasha's foot. The Hanyou gulped it down greedily into his empty belly.
"Geeze, what were you thinking up there? I've only been calling you for the last 5 minutes." Kagome complained as she finished her own fish.
"Keh, I was just thinking about how much you guys do need a bath," the half-demon smirked as he licked the remains of fish from his stick. Why did he get the smallest one? Shippo probably got the largest, the jerk.
Both of the girls gave him dark looks and Miroku only shrugged placidly. "We all could use a bath Inuyasha. Though, I must say, you could go in first."
Inuyasha froze slightly mortified by the monk's intonation, "What? You sayin' I stink?"
"Like a wet dog dragged through a dead groundhog," Kagome snorted.
Inuyasha's large eyes went wide and he tried to sniff himself, utterly horrified. There was no way he could smell that bad, certainly he'd have noticed that. The odd dance he was doing to try and catch a whiff of himself was making his companions laugh good-naturedly.
"So Miroku, are you detecting an ominous aura in the town's direction then?" Sango deadpanned.
"Hmm, I do believe that might be the case, dear Sango," the Monk's eyes glittered playfully.
"Mew." Kirara added from Sango's side.
"I guess I do kinda stink, but not that bad!" Inuyasha grumbled as he flopped down to sit cross-legged with his arms in his sleeves again.
"Inuyasha you always smell bad," Shippo teased as he darted out of striking range. "But you only bath once a -"
Miroku's head snapped up and his brow furrowed. His hand automatically reaching to his other hand to touch the prayer beads and cloth that kept his wind tunnel at bay on it. "Something is coming."
Sango was on her feet, reaching for her weapon, "I feel it."
"There's no shard coming. Shippo stay close." Kagome motioned for the small fox demon as she ran to her bike and shouldered her quiver.
Inuyasha was also on his feet looking around through the trees. There was nothing but the normal wildlife, bugs and birds there. But he definitely felt something getting closer. Feeling his heckles rise he tilted his head upwards and squinted at the sky. "Yeah, I feel something too…feels really familiar…" His muscles tensed and his claws extended as he prepared to fight.
"Well w-what is it?" Shippo stuttered hugging Kagome's ankle. "W-where is I-it?"
Kirara remained unphased, yawning cutely.
"What is it girl? Do you know what it is?" Sango asked the small creature who just blinked up at her with a small mew.
Inuyasha squinted again as he watched a spec in the sky getting larger, "Hey, up there." All eyes turned upward to watch, weapons drawn and ready. The small dot became a blob. Then the blob began to take on a rather unusual and strangely familiar dark and scaly shape with a flowing mane trailing from two draconic heads.
"Is that…?" Sango began.
"It looks like…" Miroku continued.
"It can't be…" Shippo stammered.
"Why is it coming to us? And wait, is it just…no…she's there too, but why is she alone, where is…" Kagome wondered.
Inuyasha drew his Tetsusaiga. "Show yourself Sesshoumaru! I know you've gotta be around here you sneaky asshole! There's no way Rin and your dragon would be coming here otherwise!" he bellowed glaring around at the trees surrounding them. At any moment he expected a blur of ethereal white to flash by and attempt to skewer him like the fish he just ate. The analogy gave his stomach a bit of a twist as he gripped his sword tighter. As far as he knew, Sesshoumaru didn't eat humans because he found them so repulsive. But, then again, who knew what his high and mighty brother actually ate?
The two headed dragon landed by the stream with a surprising amount of grace. The great beast blinked at the group assembled in front of it and sat down unconcerned. From its saddled back a small girl wearing an orange kimono and her dark hair with a single pig tail at the top of her head climbed off the creature. The normally tiny girl with the radiant smile and bright eyes was nearly obscured from view considering she was wrapped completely in a white fur boa.
"Hello Rin!" Kagome welcomed the child warmly.
"Lady Kagome!" The small girl exclaimed with equal warmth in her small voice. Inuyasha's white ear twitched slightly. This kid was normally absurdly bubbly. Happiness to a degree that bordered on psychosis in his opinion. Then again, you'd have to be nuts to follow his brother around willingly. Just look at that creepy kappa. Completely mental that one.
The girl under the fluff wasn't smiling, and her eyes looked rather less cheery than he was used to and it was weird to him. Her voice was off too, more subdued though it was always quiet that he heard before. Really, he only saw the girl a couple times so it was hard to tell if she was off, maybe she had a stomach ache from something his brother had fed her.
Grudgingly, Inuyasha sheathed his fang after glancing around surreptitiously once more. His large golden eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the fluffy thing that held the little girl in its midst. He leaned closer to her and sniffed as inconspicuously as he was able.
He could smell her vaguely, rather like a fresh tulip bulb coming out of the earth. It was hard to tell because the overpowering smell of Sesshoumaru nearly drowned her out. His brother's stench was as bold as his aura. Cold like one of Kagome's mints, but with a heavy musky undertone, and whatever scented bath shit he had been using recently.
It was normal enough that Inuyasha could barely make out the girl's smell from his brother's. Sesshoumaru never took that fluffy thing off so it was well swathed in his scent. Plus, he was the type to make sure all his stuff reeked of him, including his ward. Sesshoumaru always was a territorial bastard, and any sane youkai - and most not so sane - would bugger off if they smelled Sesshoumaru on something alive and knew who the smell belonged to. What this meant though was that all Inuyasha could smell was Sesshoumaru and not any delicate change in the girl's scent. Not as though he knew her smell well enough to anyway.
There was something else though on the fluffy fur that caused his stomach to knot slightly. He furrowed his brow and leaned in a little closer making damn sure he had smelled right. Sure enough, there was the faint and most unsettling odour of Sesshoumaru's blood.
Rin was giggling at Inuyasha. He was squatting on all fours, hovering around her sniffing without shame.
"Good afternoon, Lady Rin, may I inquire as to what we owe the pleasure of your visit to?" Miroku asked kindly.
"Hey, shouldn't that thing be attached to Lord Sesshoumaru?" Shippo demanded from behind Kagome's leg. He was all bold now that the prospect of immediate danger had passed.
"It's good to see you again, Rin!" Kagome gently shoved the half-dog demon in the too large red robes away from the child. She knelt down and opened her arms as Rin eagerly trotted forward so the two hugged happily in greeting. While this occurred Inuyasha continued to glance about the trees expectantly.
"Why are you alone, Rin, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" Sango asked quietly.
"Keh. I bet he's just downwind, waiting to make a big entrance," Inuyasha huffed, one hand drifting to his sword at his hip.
"Rin's not alone Miss Sango, Rin is with Ah and Un. Yes, Shippo, the Mokomoko is always with my Lord. But, he passed it to Rin on the field and asked that Rin keep it safe for him." The small girl announced.
"The fur has a name?" Shippo looked incredulous.
"Mokomoko? What is that thing anyway? I've never seen Lord Sesshoumaru without it; I actually thought it might be attached to him." Kagome wondered aloud as she held Rin's small hand before looking at the girl in concern, "What's wrong Rin? Did something happen? You don't seem yourself today…"
Inuyasha stood facing the trees, his back to the group as he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He didn't like that scent of blood. If something had made Sesshoumaru bleed; other than him, it must have been a really powerful youkai. It was unnerving him more than he liked to admit to himself. His brother was an ass, yes but he was a damn strong one. "Where's Sesshoumaru hiddin' anyway?" he spat out.
Rin lowered her head to look at the ground. Behind her Ah and Un let out a sad moan that startled Kirara. The Nekomata had been observing the dragon's tail with keen interest.
Inuyasha's ears plastered back to his skull as the feeling of dread and loss he had been having seemed to explode in his chest. The silence was enough, but he just couldn't bring himself to believe that what his gut was telling him was true…Sesshoumaru…hurt? No fucking way. Besides, he probably deserved it the bastard. Pissing off something he couldn't fully handle with his cold arrogance. Serves him right if he got hurt.
Rin's small voice was eerily calm despite its sadness as she spoke. "My Lord Sesshoumaru never hides. He is dead."
Not even the buzzing of a fly or flutter of a leaf disturbed the void of crushing silence that followed in that statement's wake.
A/N: I've actually almost finished this story now. I just need to type it out x.x; And I originally have this posted on AFF but opted to do it here too.