{I do not own Inuyasha} Please enjoy!
Chapter 1 – At the last second.
He was doing it.
He was ending it once and for all.
He held his hand around Inuyasha's slender neck and slowly squeezed the life out of him. His eyes bleeding red, youki unleashed, Sesshoumaru felt the fire in his blood. The world would finally be free of the wretched hanyou, that filthy abomination, his father's mistake - Sesshoumaru thought.
It was a warm, summer day. The sun had reached its highest point when the group encountered the raging Daiyoukai. It was the same as it had always been. Inuyasha provoking Sesshoumaru, whilst he insulted Inuyasha. Only this time was different. Sesshoumaru looked more ferocious than ever. His eyes had bled red when their swords struck.
Inuyasha's friends were all scattered around the area, trying to survive their massive wounds. Making sure that they wouldn't take their last breath, not today. Kagome yelled at Sesshoumaru. "Stop it! You're killing him! Stop it Sesshoumaru! Please!" she screamed hoping that Sesshoumaru had learned the meaning of the word mercy. She clutched her side hoping it would stop the bleeding. But it was no use. She had lost a lot of blood and was seemingly fighting a hopeless battle
They had tried to help their friend. But if the hanyou couldn't keep up with the Daiyoukai, neither could the humans. Still they wouldn't leave their friend to fight alone. They would help him if they could. But they really were no match for Sesshoumaru, he easily knocked them out one by one. He wasn't gentle about it either, they were just a nuisance that should learn their place.
Sesshoumaru himself, had no conscious thought about hurting them. He did not even know why he had chosen today to end things. Maybe it was because of what Naraku had done to him that morning. The spider hanyou had sent one of his minions to kill Rin, leaving a very pissed Sesshoumaru as their only job done. Sesshoumaru had been in a bad mood since then, and running into the only other hanyou he knew did not help him settle down at all. The brash, uncouth words of his little brother sent knew sparks under the heat of his anger. Sesshoumaru just snapped.
Inuyasha was digging his tattered claws in the arm holding his body up from the ground. But they barely even drew blood. Sesshoumaru didn't even notice it - if he did, he made no attempt to get the claws away. He was just staring, staring into Inuyasha's eyes as he tightened his grip. Those eyes held fear in them, an ugly, pale amber. Whereas the Daiyoukai's were emotionless. He was killing his brother and did not seem to mind it one bit. Inuyasha's legs had stopped kicking as the hanyou had no more strength to do so. He was dying. Even though Tessaiga lay discarded somewhere, Inuyasha's body didn't do what it usually did by instinct, the demon blood didn't take over. It was already too late, he was already too weak.
Sesshoumaru still stared into Inuyasha's eyes. No emotion could be found on his face. He just looked at them, how they slowly lost their light and turned dark. "It is over" Sesshoumaru announced, magenta eyelids closing. Only slightly hearing Inuyasha's faint, last heartbeat. He was finally free of his curse. A strange feeling had been building up in his gut, but Sesshoumaru chose to ignore it.
But just before Sesshoumaru released him, there was suddenly a great light enveloping the two brothers. Sesshoumaru was startled, though he did not show it, and dropped the hanyou. When Sesshoumaru looked around him he noticed that the light came from Tenseiga.
"Sesshoumaru what have you done?!" Came a voice. If Sesshoumaru had the same ears as his half-brother, they would've flattened against his head. He knew this voice. He knew it all too well. It was the voice of his late father, the great Inu no Taisho.
Sesshoumaru looked around him to find the origin of the voice. Out of nowhere his father descended from the skies. He was glowing and slightly transparent but when his feet touched the ground a wave of powerful youki came as his father turned to his earthly looks.
Sesshoumaru was shocked to say the least. This time it was showing on his face too. Out of nowhere his father, his dead father, had come forth and was now standing a few feet away looking at Sesshoumaru, no trace of amusement on his face. Golden eyes staring at him in shock.
InuTaisho walked towards his eldest son and, quite simply, punched him. Sesshoumaru was to surprised to react. Giving a huff, he turned around and kneeled next to his youngest. His pup, clothes all ripped up and bloody. He took Inuyasha's shoulders and helped him sit up. A violent coughing streak came from Inuyasha. "How?" Sesshoumaru asked bewildered. The punch wasn't that hard and he quickly recovered from it as if nothing happened. But he was quite sure that Inuyasha's heart had beaten its last. So how come the inu-hanyou was now very much alive?
Thick brows frowned, "Thankfully Tenseiga acted just in time, calling me from the netherworld, saving Inuyasha in the nick of time and sparing you from the most stupid mistake you'd ever make." InuTaisho growled at his son. "Tenseiga healed Inuyasha just before he died. Making you unsuccessful." He moved Inuyasha's hair out of his face. Oh how much the boy resembled his lovely Izayoi. But he also had the strong characteristics of Inuyoukai. Except for the elven ears, those were replaced by to lovely canine ears on top of his head. Inutaisho would not have been able to resist touching them if they hadn't been torn apart.
"Now Sesshoumaru, care to explain what has gotten into you? Why would you try to kill your brother?" His father demanded. His dark heavy eyebrows frowning in anger, but his eyes filled with disappointment.
"That he is my brother is of no consequence to me. He is simply a vile creature that has tainted your mighty blood with that of a human. He is an insolent, little, weak brat that must be put down." Sesshoumaru stated 'matter-of-factly'.
"Sesshoumaru, have you learned nothing?" his father said disappointedly, shaking his head. He then looked around and spotted the 3 humans and 2 demons lying scattered around the field. If left alone, they would surely die. "Who are those humans?" InuTaisho asked.
"They travel with the hanyou, they matter little to me." Sesshoumaru said.
"I see" InuTaisho then returned his attention to the hanyou in his arms. He found that Inuyasha was sleeping and thought he'd let him be. He laid Inuyasha back on the ground and then once again returned his attention to Sesshoumaru. He walked towards him and stopped right in front of him. Sesshoumaru's heart was beating just a little bit faster but he didn't show it. Then InuTaisho drew Tenseiga from its sheath that was at Sesshoumaru's hip. Without saying anything he then walked towards one of the humans. Kagome. He saw she had passed out. Probably from the huge slash in her abdomen and the blood loss it caused. He pointed Tenseiga at her and it started glowing. Slowly the wound in her abdomen closed. Sesshoumaru was shocked. He knew that Tenseiga could revive. But he never knew that it could heal as well. Thinking about it, Sesshoumaru thought it was logical. After all Tenseiga was called 'the sword of healing' as well.
InuTaisho did the same for the 3 other comrades, noticing that the 5th, a small fox demon, was very much alive and breathing and had only a few little scratches. "Are you all right kit?" Shippo gave no answer for he was to scared. "Your friends are healed now, it will take only a little while before they wake up." Shippo, though still scared, was relieved to hear his friends would be alright. He gave a shaky nod towards the dog demon. InuTaisho nodded back and started to lay the humans together and Inuyasha with them as well. So he had a clear view of all of them. He waved Shippo closer as well, to sit by their side.
"As much as I hate to interrupt you father, why would you heal these humans? What concern is it of yours?" Sesshoumaru said, getting quite tired of the little display.
"I am saving the pack of my youngest son from the monstrosity you have become" InuTaisho said angrily, now pure rage filled his eyes. "How dare you try to kill your brother! MY son! You dare say he is vile? That he is weak? Who was able to secure Tessaiga son? Wasn't he the one who cut of your arm? He has become strong by finding something to fight for, unlike you. No, he became strong so he could protect his comrades from you! Oh how you shame me. I should kill you for this!" Meanwhile he had closed his own hand around Sesshoumaru's neck, thinking it of a befitting punishment. Sesshoumaru had the nerve to return the gesture. They stared at each other in heated anger.
"Huh?" was suddenly heard. Two pairs of golden eyes suddenly went to the origin of the sound. Inuyasha had awoken, staring at them quite confused. Sesshoumaru and another man were literally at each other's throats. His wounds were mostly healed thanks to his demon blood, leaving only dried blood. You could see he was still a bit drowsy and his ears kept still.
"Inuyasha you're okay!" Shippo called as he threw himself against Inyasha's chest.
"Oi Shippo you okay?" he asked. After receiving a shaky nod he continued; "And the rest? Are they okay?" he asked as he searched around him. "Yeah, your uhm.. father said they'd be alright" Shippo said as he looked towards InuTaisho. Inuyasha followed his gaze, shock in his eyes. The man standing next to Sesshoumaru looked like a dog-demon. With long silver hair and golden eyes. And shippo had called him his father? There must have been some mistake, his father was dead.
"What the fuck is going on here? Who are you?" Inuyasha said angrily.
"What a ridiculous question. I am your father." InuTaisho said confused.
"What are you talking about, my father is dead!"
"It is true Inuyasha" Sesshoumaru said stoically.
"And why should I believe you? It wouldn't be the first time you brought back a fake dead parent to me, just to have your way!" remembering the time Sesshoumaru had used the un-mother to portray lady Izayoi. But what good would it do to bring his father back?
"Wait, Wait, WAIT! What is going on? What have you done to him Sesshoumaru?" questioning Inuyasha's comment, but receiving no reply "And you! Why don't you recognize me? Surely you have seen my face and smelt my scent in the castle?" InuTaisho asked Inuyasha.
"Wouldn't know about that. Never set foot inside it" Inuyasha shrugged.
"But Izayoi died many years ago when you were still very young, where have you remained when you were naught but a pup?"
"Look I survived on my own alright! I did what I had to. I stayed alive, grew up and here I am. Sorry I survived! Sorry I stained your fucking blood!" Inuyasha yelled, repeating all the words Sesshoumaru had thrown at him over the years.
Before anyone could act, InuTaisho jumped at Sesshoumaru and smacked him. He held him to the ground, hovered over him and choked him "You! You damn brat!" InuTaisho yelled "Is this what you call honor? Is this the extent of your pride!? To leave your pup hanyou brother on his own! You disgust me Sesshoumaru! You don't deserve to live!" Sesshoumaru, teeth clenched, struggled to get lose. Inuyasha was shocked to say the least. There his brother and his, supposedly, father were fighting ..over him. His father was about to kill Sesshoumaru for him. Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru and for the first time ever, saw fear in his eyes.
Inuyasha struggled what to do. Sesshoumaru was about to be killed. He would finally be free of his brother's hatred. Yet for some reason, it left a painful feeling in his stomach. He did not want him dead. Before he could stop himself he threw himself at InuTaisho, successfully throwing him to the ground and making him lose his grip on Sesshoumaru's throat. Inuyasha, now lying half over his brother and half over his father, was shocked of his own actions. Two pairs of golden eyes looked at him, equally shocked.
"Bunch of idiots!" Inuyasha quickly stood up and walked back to his friends, trying to wake them. Miroku had already started to awake. "Oi Miroku, you alright?" Miroku was still trying to shake the daze from his mind. He then woke Kagome and Sango seeing Shippo was already waking Kirara.
"Inu-"
"Why did you stop me? " InuTaisho interrupted Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru contemplating and said;
"I don't need anyone killed for my sake. You guys can do what you want, but I'm out of here." He then helped the wondering Miroku and Sango on Kirara's back. She, being a demon, was already completely awake. Inuyasha quickly grabbed his sword then he took Kagome on his back. He gave one last glance at the two dog demons, "Thanks" He said as he looked at his father. "Let's go Kirara, Shippo!" Shippo jumped on Kirara's back and they took flight. Inuyasha ran after them.
- o -
Sesshoumaru and InuTaisho were astonished. They sat there on the ground looking in the direction the hanyou and his group had taken off in. The silence was broken when InuTaisho broke in a laughing fit.
"Hahahahaha, that little rascal, haha, even when you tried to kill him he still saved your life! What a fine trait, his forgivingness, he must have inherited that from his mother. This is perfect. I'll let you live. I'll let you live with the knowledge that your little brother, a hanyou, saved your life. It's the perfect punishment for what you have done."
"He won't be forgiven for what he has done. I'll-"
"If you ever touch your brother again I will rip out your guts and feed them to all the hanyou's in this world!" InuTaisho yelled. You could feel the anger emanating from him. Then he calmed down and said; "Well then, it is time for me to go back, I am not supposed to be here after all. Remember Sesshoumaru, Tessaiga and Tenseiga are still loyal to me, if anything happens, I shall know. And I shall be there to stop you.." The demon turned to leave but just before he went he silently said; "I still hope you can make me proud someday" with this the demon jumped up and slowly vanished into thin air.
Sesshoumaru was left on his own. He had quite a lot of thinking to do. His father had warned him not to touch Inuyasha again, should he heed it? If Inuyasha hadn't interrupted today he.. Inuyasha had saved him, why? It didn't make any sense. Inuyasha never had any problem with hurting Sesshoumaru himself and when he came to his aid when fighting Naraku it was probably just to not give Naraku the satisfaction, not that he could ever succeed.. So why now? If InuTaisho hadn't interfered, Inuyasha would be dead right now. Sesshoumaru felt mortified. How dare his father interrupt! Sesshoumaru stood up and headed off to the opposite direction his little brother left in. He had to return to his mismatched pack.
- o -
Back at the village where Inuyasha and the rest had just returned to, it was very quiet. The villagers saw all the blood still clinging to their clothes and the exhausted looks on their faces. They had entered Kaede's hut. A warm fire lit the place and the scent of a warm broth filled their nostrils. No one had spoken yet. When Kaede asked what had happened, Shippo spoke;
"We were attacked by Sesshoumaru" he began, "Everyone was in really bad shape and Inuyasha.. he almost died. I wanted to help but there was nothing I could do! I was scared! ..Then this guy, Inuyasha's father, came to our rescue. He healed our wounds and attacked Sesshoumaru, that's when Inuyasha.. saved Sesshoumaru."
"I did not save Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled. "I just.. I wanted to get the hell away from there." Inuyasha left the part out where he started to pity Sesshoumaru. Being killed by your father for the sake of your hanyou brother? That was just so wrong. "Look I'm sorry this all happened to you. He came after me, but he hurt you as well" He said to his friends. "I promise you it won't happen again! Next time you guys run away as fast as you can! To be honest I don't think he'll care enough to come after you."
"You think we would just leave you there?" Kagome spoke for the first time. "Inuyasha we were all scared, we never thought that Sesshoumaru would go so far, especially since he's been so.. cooperative lately. But we would never leave you. We are friends and we stick together. We just have to be more careful next time." She said.
"She is right my friend. And if you are worried, we do not hold any grudge against you for saving Sesshoumaru. I take no pleasure in someone dying, no matter how much they hurt me or my friends." Miroku said. Though he wasn't sure that Sesshoumaru being alive and well was in their best interest, he was sincere when he said it. Besides, whether Inuyasha wanted to admit it or not, Sesshoumaru was his brother. Miroku still held hope that the two brothers would reconcile their difference someday. Though after today, it became even less likely.
It was quiet again after that, Miroku and Sango were sleeping again. Inuyasha stayed awake staring into the fire, when Kaede broke the silence once more. "Well Inuyasha, was your father as beautiful and mighty as they say?" Kaede said with a smile "Are ye happy ye finally got to meet him?"
Inuyasha looked at Kaede with a little bit of sadness in his eyes. "He looks a lot like Sesshoumaru" he said. Then he stood up and left the hut. He went to the Goshinboku tree to sit on one of its branches.
Inuyasha too, had a lot to think about. He had just met his father. He really did look a lot like Sesshoumaru. Though Inuyasha himself also inherited the silver hair and golden eyes, Sesshoumaru had a lot more. The same stripes covering his cheeks, the same powerful expression, the same sort of clothes and armor and scary strong look in their eyes. Though where Sesshoumaru held beauty, his father held masculinity. He probably won't ever see his father again after today. Too bad really, he had so much questions for him. Like, why a human?
And as for his brother.. How would they go on from now? Always looking over their shoulders for Sesshoumaru? Inuyasha knew now that he was no match for him. The next time Sesshoumaru would attack him, it would be the last. So Inuyasha had two choices he figured; he could meet Sesshoumaru head-on and die an honorable death. Or he could try to make sure that Sesshoumaru wouldn't want to kill him anymore, but how? How could you make someone stop wanting to kill you, after 200 years, because of who you are? Inuyasha was too tired to think about it. He allowed his eyes to close as he fell into a restless slumber.
- o -
"Inuyasha! Wake up! We need to talk" Kagome yelled from the base of the tree.
The sun had risen high up in the sky. It made a promise of another warm and beautiful day. Inuyasha was already awake when he smelled Kagome coming his way. But he didn't feel like moving. He had been a bit sluggish. But Kagome was right. They needed to talk. He was glad she was still in the feudal era, her presence comforts him. Inuyasha jumped out of the tree and, together with Kagome, headed towards Kaede's hut. Kagome would normally have scolded him for not greeting her properly, but she hadn't done that today, Inuyasha noticed. It was probably because of what happened yesterday.
When he entered the hut Sango and Miroku greeted, but they too had that look in their eyes that he had seen on Kagome multiple times. In times of hurt.
"Good morning Inuyasha, do ye feel any better today?" Kaede asked him as she handed him his breakfast.
"Yeah yeah. Let's just get this talk over with."He said as he started to gulp down the contents of his bowl.
"Very well then." Said Miroku "We need to discuss how we'll go on from now on."
"Sesshoumaru had always been a threat but because nothing serious ever happened lately, we started to let our guards down. I think it's safe to say that from now on Sesshoumaru is our number 1 enemy. Stopping him is probably impossible, no offence Inuyasha. But we would all have been dead yesterday if-"
"I know. We would have been dead if he hadn't shown up." Inuyasha interrupted Miroku.
"I know that. And I'll never put any off you in that kind of danger anymore! This is my business! I'll solve it!"
"Inuyasha haven't you learned anything! We said we'd stick together, didn't we?" Kagome interfered.
"Listen Kagome. I'm going to solve this with Sesshoumaru. And I can't have you guys with me then. You'd just be a nuisance. We cannot look over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. I'm going. I'll figure something out and I'll come back, I swear. You gotta let me do this." Inuyasha said holding the now crying girl in his arms.
"Are ye sure Inuyasha? Ye would try to reason with an unreasonable demon?" Kaede asked, worry showing on her face.
"Yes I'm sure. I have an idea, so don't worry. You'd better have lots of food for me when I get back!" He said with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. But he was only met with grim faces. This could go terribly wrong but they had to have faith in their friend.
I'm curious of what you think of it, please review!