Okay, last time, Inuyasha had been poisoned by a serpent-eel youkai, but Sesshomaru arrived after hearing Rin's screams, will he save Inuyasha with his Tenseiga?
殺生丸 ＆ 犬夜叉: きょうだい イン 甲鉄
Sesshomaru & Inuyasha: Kyoudai in Kōtetsu
Sesshomaru & Inuyasha: Brothers in Arms章 4 – 天生牙 静寂
Sho 4 – Tenseiga 's Shijima
Chapter 4 – Tenseiga's Silence
"So, he has saved Rin and killed himself; foolish hanyou."
Sesshomaru could not help thinking how little he understood of the hanyou lying before him looking so pathetic and weak, and perhaps even a little misdirected in his priorities. Was he suicidal? Did he simply wish to die? To tackle a youkai in his current form without a weapon was thoroughly senseless.
He remembered the last time he had seen him in that form less than three years ago when they were fighting Mouryoumaru; he had cared not if he had killed him, himself. So how had he not recognized his scent now? Probably because he had done his best to forget it.
Despite his constant references to Inuyasha's hanyou state, the youkai lord had not given much thought to the actual implications; his defenselessness. Should he care? From the events of a couple of weeks ago, it was clear they would never be able to air their differences. Besides, he had thought he was dead long before when he was sealed by the miko's sister. Would it matter if there was one less hanyou in the world now? No, one less hanyou with human-tinged blood would matter to no-one.
But this one; Sesshomaru's thoughts paused as he studied the wounded victim; this one was his chichi-ue's second son. The son his chichi-ue had died protecting. As much as he had always detested that fact in the past; Sesshomaru now acknowledged the truth of it and he had begun to accept it. Despite his personal conflicts regarding his chichi-ue's death, perhaps he always had. So why is it that seeing the hanyou in this form, again stirred up his old hatred? Had he not abandoned them along with his desire to obtain the Tetsusaiga? Had not the events of the past couple of years made him aware of his chichi-ue's desire for his two sons to fight together and not each other? Had he not tried to bridge the gap between them not two weeks earlier? It had not gone as he had intended, but he had made the effort. Had he not? Does his form now matter? Is he not the same hanyou that he was two weeks ago?
But, Sesshomaru's thoughts paused again; was it truly the hanyou he despised or his weakness; that human weakness that was sprawled out before him in all its sorted glory? Despite his uncertainty, Sesshomaru directed a questioning, yet still slightly widened gaze toward the miko.
Kaede shook her head briefly before responding. "There's naught I can do, the poison has spread too quickly." Her despondent words and expression seemed to unleash Rin's tears once more. She began to cry with abandon.
"Let me see him," Sesshomaru directed.
Kaede pushed aside the covering to reveal Inuyasha's ravaged body.
The miko had hurriedly layered his wounds with clumps of rags to soak up the blood and any poison they could absorb, but the blood seeped forward in a deluge. Though both of his sides, his face and his neck were severely injured, the hanyou's left side had taken the most damage. Despite the rags the miko had managed to throw across him, his arms and shoulders were covered in wounds, while the youkai's poison flowed purplish-black just beneath the skin protruding beyond them. It was traveling fast. Sesshomaru knew the hanyou's chances of survival were likely non-existent in his current form. "How long before he reverts to his hanyou self?"
"Not 'til morning," Kaede said reflectively, looking down at Inuyasha's unconscious body. Ever since he had been reawakened, she had long since thought he would outlive her. "But I'm not sure he'll make it until then." She added almost as an afterthought, "He's already lived longer than any normal human would have in this condition."
Sesshomaru reached for his Tenseiga, but pulled back slowly, closing his fingers around open air. His mouth grew tight, his expression a frozen mask. Tenseiga remained silent. As far gone as he was already, Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha needed help, but could it be? Tenseiga would not heal him? The youkai lord looked down at his sword almost in puzzled disbelief. Why would it not? Without his hanyou powers, he would never survive that poison. If he let him die, would Tenseiga bring him back then? This was a healing sword, was it not? The sword remained staunchly silent.
Sesshomaru studied Inuyasha intently; he could scent his human blood coursing through his veins. He could scent his impending death suspended heavy in the air.
"What is this chichi-ue? I do not understand." Sesshomaru found himself wondering contemptuously to himself; as he narrowed his brows and looked down to study the dying hanyou. "Is this another test for I, Sesshomaru? If there was any reason for me to be left Tenseiga, I would believe this was it. But if he cannot be saved by your fang, does that mean I must save him with mine?"
The youkai lord did not like the thought of that; to save the hanyou with his own fangs-despicable. He was not worthy.
"Inuyasha-saaaaan," Rin began to whimper again.
Sesshomaru turned his head and fixed a narrow golden gaze upon her. He could see her once lively brown eyes, turning red with tears. He could hear her heart pulsing in her body. He could scent the tears that scalded her eyes as she cried for this hanyou. He could scent her blood boiling in anguish-her human blood.
Sesshomaru knew if Inuyasha was going to live; it would be up to him, alone. As much as he hated the thought, it would have to be him that saved him; repulsive though it may be. Though he looked human, he was still his brother; still part youkai; and it appeared that only youkai healing treatments would save him now.
"Please, pleeeaaase don't die," Rin wailed, interrupting his thoughts once more. "I don't want you to die. I'm so sorry."
The hanyou had killed himself to save her-a human. And now Rin suffered because of it. Was this a question of the heart? Or something else? When he walked his lands alone, the youkai lord had concerned himself not with issues such as this. But now, something within him told him his chichi-ue would never forgive him for letting this hanyou die; for letting his brother die. He refused to allow himself think whether he would forgive himself.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru turned slightly and called across his shoulder, "Take Rin outside."
"Yes me lord," Jaken responded, scurrying toward the child and grabbing her by the arm. "Come Rin, you're in the way."
"No, I want to stay," she resisted, pushing stubbornly at his hand, fighting to stay her ground, her eyes overflowing.
"Rin," Sesshomaru issued no commands, simply eyed her firmly.
Looking up momentarily, Rin slowly lowered her head in despair. "Yes, my lord," she sniffled, acknowledging his commanding will and finally complying meekly, but her tears continued to flow.
Sesshomaru strode across to the foot of the bed where Rin had knelt to better ascertain the condition of the young hanyou. He looked down his nose at the sight before him. To die like this, ridiculous, he thought. Was he or was he not the son of a daiyoukai? Inuyasha had been successful in his pursuit of Naraku, only to die at the hands of some low-level youkai, impossible!
"Give me the room," he ordered as was his custom, looking not at Kaede, but at the unknown male who knelt above his brother's head. He could not help but wonder why Inuyasha would allow so many to see him in this form. Surely he knew how dangerous this could be. But if he could not save him, would his choices truly matter?
"Anything else ye require?" Kaede replied, refraining from adding the submissive 'my lord' as a sarcastic ending. She was certain his arrogance would allow him to think she was indeed genuine. Though humiliated and annoyed to be so aggressively ordered from her own hut, Kaede pushed herself up and began to retreat. It made no sense to argue with this inu daiyoukai, he could probably dispatch of her without a thought. Besides, if Sesshomaru could save Inuyasha, she'd best let him.
"Miko," Sesshomaru called, just before she had reached the door. He did not bother to lift his head from the object of his scrutiny as he issued the following words. "The beads around his neck, they are an enchanted rosary are they not?"
Kaede turned back toward Inuyasha. The beads were there so long, she'd completely forgotten about them. "Yes."
"What do they do?" Sesshomaru asked with a demeanor that belied any true interest. He had clearly already made up his mind regarding any possible value they may or may not possess.
"They calm," Kaede paused as she considered whether to answer or not, then resigned herself, "his demonic nature."
"Calm... his demonic nature?" Sesshomaru blinked with disbelief, echoing her words with disgust as he analyzed the true meaning of them. Whipping his ahead around to face her, he glared with an icy golden stare. It was reasons such as these that his tolerance of most humans was so low. Inuyasha, though, seemed to prefer them. Sesshomaru decided not to question her further; he was certain she would not provide answers he would care to know. "Remove them," he commanded with a slight show of fangs as he dispensed a glare that should have frozen the miko in her tracks. "This hanyou's life is not meant for your simple pleasures."
He knew not their full spiritual nature, and honestly he cared not. His main point of disgust is that no brother of his should be so controlled and certainly not by humans. As for him, being a full youkai it was best he made no contact with beads that had been prayed upon.
Kaede knew immediately from his words and tone that Sesshomaru had absolutely no regard for anyone in the village; herself included; despite the fact that he had left Rin in her care. But she'd known that all along, he had simply regarded her as a means to an end; a place to keep the child until he could find something better. He had made it plain that Rin's stay would only be temporary. But this sudden display of distaste for humans was it truly from concern for Inuyasha? Did he in truth, actually care for his brother in a way, even he didn't know? Should it matter to her if he did? But even still, should she remove the beads? Kaede wondered. But did that even matter anymore? If she didn't remove them, the blessing on them might be dangerous to a full youkai; besides, this daiyoukai was not someone she should or even could refuse.
Resigning herself, Kaede uttered a few words of incantation as the beads disappeared from Inuyasha's neck, then reappeared in her hands. Turning her body, she headed sheepishly toward the door. She could imagine what Sesshomaru was thinking as his gaze seemed to burn a hole into her back; or even worst, maybe she couldn't.
Turning toward the victim once more, Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes in disgust at the sight before him. He stared at him hard for a moment, his expression blank as he intently studied the hanyou's human form. His golden eyes slowly traversed the length of his body, taking in the sight of the wounds covering him. "Human, how can you be my brother? How have you even survived so long?" Sesshomaru demanded aloud, disgusted with the vision before him; but suddenly his golden gaze narrowed and softened as he thought back. This was still his chichi-ue's son. Other than the piece of metal hanging from his hip, this was the last remnant of his legacy.
Sesshomaru looked at the hanyou anew. His chichi-ue had died protecting him. Had died protecting his mother. Why had he done that? Lately, since the time he had enhanced Tenseiga's killing ability, he had found his thoughts of those events difficult to bear. Though he feared no one, he feared where his thoughts could lead. And he was certain it was a place he did not wish to travel.
"Well Inuyasha," Sesshomaru murmured, taking a deep breath. "You will owe your elder brother your life when this is over," his eyes narrowing in harsh scrutiny as he looked down into the face of his unconscious brother. "Youkai have formed life-time alliances for less than that. That is the youkai way. What will you do?" He wondered as he untied the heko-obi circling his waist and slipped out his Bakusaiga and Tenseiga.
Perhaps all was not lost after all, Sesshomaru thought silently to himself, his lips curving ever so slightly as he studied the hanyou lying at his feet.
Hello: Here's my latest update, hopefully good things to come. Please provide feedback. Hope you enjoy!
daiyoukai - (great demon lord)
haha-ue - (mother)
haori - (outer shirt top)
heko-obi - (sash)
hiraikotsu - (bone that flies back)
inu daiyoukai - (great dog demon lord)
kazana - (wind tunnel)
miasma - (poison
one-san - (sister) )
miko - (priestess)
shikon no tama - (sacred jewel of four souls)
tsuka - (hilt)
youki - (demon power)