Chichiue (Honoured Father)

Written by Sarga

July to December 2006

Summary: On their quest to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha's group comes across another half dog-demon. Why is he so anxious to join their quest for the Shikon Jewel? What startling secrets will he reveal?

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha and I have no money to sue for.

Translations:

Inu :: dog

hanyou :: half demon

kami :: gods

youkai :: demon

- - - - - - - - - -

Chapter 4: Heart in Hand

A silver-haired hanyou youth entered his mother's bed chamber. It was well past noon, the sun arcing it's way back downward. It was unusual for his mother to be in her room for so long, she was always the first up.

As the child pulled aside the bed curtain, he was met with a sight no child should ever have to see. His mother's broken and bloody body lay twisted in the covers on her bed, her short breaths were raspy and violent and her heavy lidded eyes were unfocused.

"Momma?" the youth whispered in fear, shock overwhelming him. He had never seen one so close to death before, let alone a loved one.

"Adachi..." her voice, normally soft and beautiful, was marred by a gurgle deep in her throat.

The youth felt a weak hand grasp for his and he held it tight, as if by holding onto it he could slow his mother's inevitable death.

"Adachi..." His mother's eyes struggled to focus on his, but it seemed to be a loosing battle. "Avenge me..."

Her body contorted in pain and Adachi felt her grasp tighten painfully.

"Find him, find...your father..."

Whatever his mother had been about to say was cut off with a violent choking cough. Adachi felt her grasp fall limp as her eyes glazed unseeing before him.

Find his father.

Avenge her.

- - - - - - - - - -

Adachi awoke sharply, the nightmare had appeared again, after years of clear sleeping. Every few years he would be reminded of his mother in this way, and every time it happened he was left with a renewed sense of urgency to fulfill his promise to her.

Avenge her death.

Adachi's father was dead. There was no way to fulfill his promise, directly, but maybe if he destroyed the proof of his father's betrayal and infidelity. Maybe, if he killed Inuyasha...

Adachi shook his head and dropped down from his perch. Inuyasha was upwind, hunting for breakfast, blowing off steam; whatever he was doing, Adachi did not care. Inuyasha was far enough away to prevent any brash actions on Adachi's part. Actions he would undoubtedly regret later.

Adachi found himself kneeling next to Kagome's sleeping form, her peaceful face free of the anger she seemed to bare so often in Inuyasha's presence. For her sake, he would not kill the Mutt. Adachi lightly brushed a curl of hair from her eyes and heard her sigh lightly at his touch. Emboldened by her reaction, he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"Inuyasha..." her whisper was barely audible.

Adachi pulled his thumb away, a wry smile on his face. Even in sleep, she thought of him. Kagome had met Inuyasha first, and in him saw the same face, the same hair, the same eyes. In Adachi she saw Inuyasha. That would not do.

Adachi leaped back into the tree.

Nope, that would not do at all.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome awoke, to an unusual sight: mid-summer snow. Blinking to clear her vision, Kagome sat up in confusion. Shaking her head when the silvery blanket did not disappear, Kagome looked around her and realized that it was in a pile underneath a tree and it was not snow. Perplexed, Kagome stood up and walked to the pile, kneeling next to it.

"Hair...?" Kagome questioned as she lifted the detached strands from their resting place on the ground.

When Adachi landed in front of her, just beyond the pile of discarded hair, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Falling onto her backside, Kagome gave a startled look to the hanyou. Instead of long, gleaming locks, his hair was pulled into a tight top-knot.

Seeing Kagome's shocked look, Adachi shook his head lightly and chuckled. Helping her to her feet, he addressed her questioning gaze.

"Do you like it?" Adachi chuckled. "It's my own work..." He proceeded to fluff up his hair vainly with obvious dramatic flair, wiggling his ears for effect.

Kagome giggled and Adachi smiled as she reached her hand out to brush it along the newly cut edges. This was a good sign to him, she was accepting his new visage.

Shippo jumped to Kagome's shoulder, having stirred awake when Kagome's warmth had left him.

"Why'd ya do that?" Shippo pointed to Adachi's head. "Isn't the top-knot a human thing?"

Adachi smirked, folding his arms and leaning back against the tree. "Like I said yesterday, we make our own rules. Besides," his smile faltered almost imperceptibly. "It had to be done."

A rustling behind them halted any further discussion on the matter as the remainder of the camp began to awaken. Miroku seemed oblivious to Adachi's change in hairstyle while Sango made up for Miroku's lack of interest by continuously staring.

Inuyasha returned with fish a few minutes later, coming to an abrupt stop at the sight of Adachi. "Oi, did ya lose a fight with a crab demon?"

Inuyasha placed the cleaned and gutted fish in front of Miroku as Adachi responded with a low growl. Sango, suddenly aware that she was staring, hastily began working on preparing the meat to be cooked over the fire.

"What's the matter Mutt, afraid of a little competition?" Adachi heard Kagome's sharp intake of breath as they both anticipated Inuyasha's response.

"Competition? There is no competition. Kagome knows where she belongs," Inuyasha postured. "Right by my side, finding jewel shards!"

An enraged squeak was all Inuyasha heard before he crashed to the ground at the speed of sound. The sound of Kagome's heavy footsteps stomping out of the clearing let him know that he was in trouble. The crater he resided in let him know that it was BIG trouble.

Adachi followed quickly after Kagome, her fuming mumbles sounding a little like 'kill' and 'maim' to his expert ears. Catching up with her as she stood at the edge of the hot spring, Adachi put a hand on her shoulder. As she turned to face him, he could see the unmistakable sign of tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Don't worry about him, Kagome," Adachi breathed, brushing his thumb across her cheek. "He's a fool! You would make any half-demon a worthy mate."

Kagome made a small gasp as Adachi leaned towards her, capturing her lips with his own. He felt her pulse quicken and wrapped an arm gently around her waist. Instead of the sweet surrender he was hoping for, however, he felt her body go rigid as she pulled herself bodily away.

"Adachi, no. I...I don't like you like that..." Kagome whispered. "Even if he treats me like that, I...I can't..."

Adachi placed a clawed finger delicately on her lips. "Shh. It's okay." He flashed her a toothy grin. "I figured as much," Adachi shrugged, pulling his arm away. "Can't blame a guy for trying, though, huh?"

Kagome gave him a half-hearted smile.

Pulling Kagome into a hug and taking a deep inhalation of her intoxicating scent, Adachi attempted to provide her comfort in another way. "I can't speak for him, but I know you are irreplaceable, and not just because of your jewel detection skills." He kissed her on the forehead tenderly. "If you ever have a change of heart, I'll be waiting for you."

Without waiting for Kagome's reaction, Adachi took to the trees before she could see his repressed rage at his brother's stupidity.

- - - - - - - - - -

Adachi eyed Inuyasha warily.

Inuyasha eyed Adachi warily.

The pair made the rest of the group weary.

Miroku broke the stifling silence. "We should be able to reach the next town by mid-afternoon."

Kagome, Sango and Shippo ate their breakfast without commenting.

Miroku sighed and shrugged. "Can't say I didn't try," he mumbled, returning to his own meal.

Her breakfast finished, Kagome packed up the rest of the campsite into her backpack. She turned quietly and lead the way back to the road.

As they walked in uncomfortable silence, Sango elbowed Kagome. "I think now's as good a time as any to ask Adachi about his demon nature," she whispered. "It's not like he's got anything better to do."

Considering Sango's suggestion, Kagome looked towards the hanyou pair at the front of the pack. Their subtle growling contest was turning not-so-subtle and Kagome sighed her agreement. Walking up to the pair she gently clasped Adachi's arm, swinging both of the brother's gazes sharply towards her intrusion.

"If you two aren't too busy, I'm going to borrow Adachi for a while." Kagome did not wait for a response and proceeded to bring Adachi to the rear of the pack. Sango kept Inuyasha moving forward, and while he could still hear the conversation, Sango would not let him jump at his brother before he could answer Kagome's questions.

"What did you mean yesterday? When you said you had to 'break his control'?" Kagome queried.

With a snort, Adachi gave a smirk. "I mean, even with our father's sword, he can't control his own blood. I was a child when I learned the skill and I only had this to fall back on."

Adachi pulled a necklace out from under his shirt. A small tooth hung on a simple chain, the fang obviously from a dog demon.

"Mother didn't have time to have it crafted into something more useful," Adachi glanced meaningfully towards his brother. "Say, like a sword or something. She did, however, manage to find someone to imbue demon-suppression magic into a necklace, something about my father's strength lending itself to me in times of need.

"As it stands, I rarely need it. The only time I've ever changed was when I was nearly killed during an attack on my mentor's home. I protected him nearly at the cost of myself. He...trained me...after that." Adachi smirked at the memory. "I have to give credit to the old man, he was very wise and, now that I look back on it, somewhat crazy. He brought me closer and closer to death until my body was so used to the state that it didn't react like his." Adachi motioned his head towards Inuyasha.

Kagome's eyes widened as Adachi spoke. "Your trainer sounds brutal," she gasped.

Adachi chuckled. "Not at all. Think about it...he pushed me hard enough to build my strength but gave me enough slack to not drive my demon blood over the edge. If he hadn't done what he did, I would have died a dozen times in the past sixty years." Adachi sobered up as he spoke. "I was in no shape to survive on my own when my mother died."

The walked onward in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Kagome asked the hardest question she had ever asked anyone.

"Do you think you could do the same for Inuyasha?"

The entire group froze in their tracks. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, glaring towards his brother with the 'better control'. Sango and Miroku looked to Kagome with shock.

Adachi shook his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Not me." He opened his eyes and stared into hers. "But you could."

"Me?" Kagome whispered, her voice clear in the dead silence.

"You're the one who can bring him back if he goes over the edge. He trusts you enough to push him to the edge without defending himself. If he's willing, you'd be able."

Kagome looked to Inuyasha. In that instant, the world melted away, leaving just the two of them. She saw in him the desire to grow stronger, not in the way he had desired before, for the sake of becoming the strongest demon, rather to grow strong for her sake, to be a better protector. Looking into his eyes she knew that Adachi was right, only she could do this.

Kagome, her eyes still locked with Inuyasha's, asked Adachi one final question.

"How?"

- - - - - - - - - -

Kagome stood tall, her bow drawn back, her arrow pointed steadily at her unmoving target: Inuyasha.

Inuyasha closed his eyes, relying on Kagome's ever-improving skills to aim true.

Kagome took a deep breath and let fly the first of many arrows meant to break him down. The arrows, while not imbued with her spiritual energy, still packed a wallop and after plucking the sixth from his torso, Inuyasha began to feel lightheaded. He wobbled on his feet and Kagome hesitated, her stomach flipping inside of her as her concern began to overwhelm her.

"More," Inuyasha grunted.

Kagome complied.

On that first day, Inuyasha collapsed after seventeen arrows. On the second day, having recovered overnight, he lasted for six more. On the third day, Kagome thought she had killed him. On the fourth day, Inuyasha spent reassuring Kagome the end result would be worthwhile. On the fifth, sixth and seventh days Inuyasha collapsed without changing, his demon blood showing no sign of overtaking him.

On the eighth day, as Kagome drew her twenty-fourth arrow, Inuyasha once again on the brink of blood-loss induced unconsciousness something new happened. Without warning, Kagome found her back to a tree and her throat at the business end of a sword. Adachi's red eyes blazed into her own and Kagome panicked. With a flash of spiritual energy, the best she could manage was to singe his hand.

A feral growl was all either of them heard before Adachi was impacted by a fast-moving body. The streak of blood left on Kagome's shirt told her of who had defended her from the unprovoked attack, and soon she saw the pair roll into view, a non-demon Inuyasha pummeled Adachi. The latter, making no further threatening movements, took the beating without resistance.

"Stop, Inuyasha," Kagome breathed, hoping against hope that she was right.

Inuyasha halted, the unmoving body under him making no indication that it would do anything but remain dormant. As Inuyasha backed away, Adachi opened his eyes and grinned.

"Congratulations, Mutt. Looks like you've gained control over your demon blood."

Inuyasha, his stance somewhat weakened, still did not move from in between Adachi and Kagome. It wasn't until Adachi had removed himself that Inuyasha allowed himself the luxury of sinking to the ground.

Hopefully it would be so easy when battling against Naraku.

- - - - - - - - - -

Inuyasha sat in Kaede's hut when a familiar and unwelcome scent made itself known. Growling low, Inuyasha rose to his feet and reached for Tetsusaiga.

"Sesshoumaru."

Without further explanation, Inuyasha was off like a shot, heading towards the distinct scent that was his demon half-brother.

Adachi looked to Kagome for an explanation.

"Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's and your half-brother," Kagome explained. "He's a full demon who doesn't like human/demon interactions and sees hanyou as abominations. He keeps trying to kill Inuyasha for Tetsusaiga."

Adachi nodded, motioning for Kagome to climb on his back before taking off after Inuyasha. Shippo ran towards the river to find Sango and Miroku.

As Adachi and Kagome approached the brothers both of them smelled the distinctive tang of blood on the wind. Inuyasha's blood.

As they ran into view Inuyasha let loose a bloody attack towards his immaculate brother.

Adachi dropped Kagome gracefully to the ground. Without explanation, he ran into the fray, knocking a wounded Inuyasha clear out of the battlefield.

Sango and Miroku, riding atop Kilala landed next to Kagome, drawing their weapons defensively, not willing to be caught with their guards down.

"You son of a..." Adachi yelled as his form was overcome by a wave of rage. Lunging at Sesshoumaru, Adachi missed his target as it shifted easily out of the way.

So much for control.

"Adachi," Sesshoumaru responded calmly as he avoided yet another attack. "I thought your mother would have killed you by now," Kagome saw a flash of emotion in Sesshoumaru's eyes as he added a final word that shocked them all into silence: "Son."

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:-: Sarga