Chapter 9 - Within

I definitely don't own Inuyasha

Heads up: CH. 10 is the last chapter. I would have posted this on 8 but I wasn't sure if I was going to do another chapter after 10 but it doesn't look that way. I also like to end on even numbers so it will be 10, not including the interlude! :(

"SESSHOUMARU…", yelling wasn't doing much good. Obviously they were out of range of each other's hearing.

Inuyasha leaned against the wall to rest. The bleeding had finally stopped. Looking at the path that seemed to stretch for all eternity he allowed his mind to wander to the stone. What could something so small really mean for both of them? Even once he and Sesshoumaru were cured, wouldn't Sesshoumaru still just go back to being the way he was before? The mistreating, uncaring nature was still all to evident under the illness. Maybe it was Sesshoumaru's lack of words or simply the way he made quick work of any of his questions, until recently. Even though he wanted his brother to get better, he had appreciated the small bond that they had acquired during the journey. Illness had actually brought his brother down to a respectable level. Second thoughts raced through his mind but he quickly shook them away. Resentment would only be the result of those thoughts and he knew that feeling already. A bond wasn't something that could be forced, even Mitchiko must have known that. She could only hope, just like himself, that this experience was going to work.

….

Sesshoumaru walked along the path. He was truly tired as he realized just how much he had relied on his sense smell. But he now realized something else. He hadn't truly relied on any of his own abilities after falling under Mitchiko's spell. Ten days had passed and he had never even cared to question Inuyasha to make sure that they were traveling in the right direction. He had solely depended on his younger brother to get them there. The loss, now, was clear and brought to mind the question of who would find who first? Looking down the path, he came to a stop. It made sense. No matter what he wanted, it really wasn't his choice to make. Mitchiko need not explain her intention here. Whether or not this journey ended was dependent upon Inuyasha. Maybe this entire journey wasn't pointless. He had learned things about himself and his brother that he hadn't thought about before. Maybe they weren't so different from each other after all. Inuyasha's human emotions were what had saved him but their father's blood was what made him strong enough to do so.

….

The eerie silence inside the mountain paralleled the feelings inside Inuyasha. Something inside him told him that with every step he took forward he was moving backward.

"Inuyasha…"

Interrupted from his thoughts, Inuyasha turned to face the direction from which Mitchiko's voice was coming. He waited as her figure approached him from the darkness. Stopping within an arm's length, she faced him as she continued.

"What is keeping you from your brother, Inuyasha?"

"What are you talkin' about?"

"You shouldn't have any trouble finding your brother."

"What do you mean? I can't see him, hear him or smell him."

"Why do you rely on your senses rather than what's within?"

Inuyasha was puzzled by the question. His expression told Mitchiko to continue.

" Ever since you stepped into that light you've had doubts not just about trusting your brother but about giving up what little you have obtained from him so far. You two are family. You should be able the feel your brother's distress within yourself. You never knew it was supposed to be there because you and your brother have always fought each other."

"tch…if I've never had it, how am I supposed to know when its there?"

Placing her hand on his shoulder she responded.

"Maybe a bond is not something that can be forced but it can be shaped and created. I believe that it was you who said that if you wanted change bad enough it would happen. You are the key to your brother's cure. His cure is not just from this spell of illness, but from himself and his past as is yours. When you're ready to find your brother, you will. Clear your mind of all your negative thoughts. When your mind is clear, you'll feel it."

Light surrounded her and she disappeared leaving Inuyasha with her words.

Watching Mitchiko disappear, the memory of the dream ran through his mind once again. How long had he run away from his brother before he had finally decided to stop and face him? There were so many things, back then, that he had never understood. Even now he couldn't figure out why it would take something as drastic as this spell to bring them together. They were brothers, half or not, they both shared their father's blood but Sesshoumaru didn't see it that way. It pained him to think that if he went back that nothing would be different. Closing his eyes he fist his hands at his sides, it was his choice to make. Only a clear mind and a feeling from within would lead him back to his brother.

….

As much as he tried, Sesshoumaru couldn't shake the foreign discomfort within. Slightly shaking his head he tried to dismiss it, blaming it on the illness. Worry was not something he typically felt for anyone and especially not for Inuyasha but it was there and building by the moment. The dreams had been replaying in the back of his mind, particularly at the moment where he had been watching Inuyasha up in a tree on the night of the new moon. The root cause of his worry suddenly hit him almost as hard as the illusion's attack had. He wasn't sure what time of day it was but he and Inuyasha were going to have to find each other quickly. If he remembered correctly, the night of the new moon was tonight. Without any demonic power, the hanyou was helpless, needless to say he, himself, wasn't in the best condition either.

…..

Inuyasha unclenched his fists and relaxed his body. He allowed his mind to go blank as he focused on finding Sesshoumaru. Slowly, he felt a slight pulse build. As it strengthened it registered pain and fatigue but there was something else there that was stronger…worry? He could begin to feel the direction from which it was coming. The path disappeared as if it was no longer needed. Fearing the feeling wouldn't last he sped toward the source.

Inuyasha was in a dead sprint, not exactly sure where he was going, as he ran in the direction of the feeling. Everything from within was telling him that he had to keep going. Rounding a corner he felt the sensation strengthen then disappear. Surprised to see two golden eyes that were slightly wider than usual, Inuyasha quickly realized stopping was going to be very difficult.

"Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru questioned out loud as he realized that he was in the direct path of his brother who was moving at breakneck speed. His body disobeyed his every command to move quickly. His reflexes had taken a vacation some time ago. He really, really hated being sick. He simply braced as Inuyasha crashed dead into him. Jaken was one thing but with Inuyasha being almost as big and as strong as he was, traveling at that speed was no joke. Usually, he wouldn't admit to himself that something like this hurt, but it did.

Groaning, both of them managed to sit up.

"I'm going to kill you."

"geez…quit lying to yourself."

"Did you have to run?"

"What? You prefer that I walked and took my sweet time?"

"You could have stopped."

"You could have moved."

Inuyasha immediately received a look of something similar to disgust. It must have been the modification to the glare since Sesshoumaru was sick. Inuyasha smirked, not only at his brother's reaction but at the fact that he had been able to find him. He wouldn't have ever taken the chance of literally running into his brother without a sincerely promised death and maybe he could have stopped before doing so. He would have certainly tried in the past, but this time he didn't care. Mitchiko's advice had worked.

Despite Sesshoumaru's annoyance at the reunion, the anxiety had disappeared and he was actually relieved to see the little brother. He wasn't sure how Inuyasha had managed to find him without his sense of smell and even though it really didn't matter, he still wanted to know.

"How did you find me?"

"Gut feelings I guess. You were worried about something."

Sesshoumaru was a bit surprised but didn't respond.

"Well…were you?" Inuyasha questioned.

"It's not of any importance."

"humph…you say it but you don't mean it."

At that moment Inuyasha felt his body pulse and realized that he was changing. He had been so consumed with helping his brother and finding the stone that he had forgotten that it was the night of the new moon. His hair turned black as he gained human ears and his fangs and claws shortened.

Sesshoumaru allowed a slight huff to escape. Inuyasha noticed the sound and his brother's shift. Obviously the older brother hadn't meant for it to be heard.

"You knew…didn't you?"

"…"

"That's a yes."

"Far from it."

"Ha…so you're admitting that you were in fact worried about something."

"You're not going to stop, are you?"

"No."

"Believe what you want."

"I've been doing that all along, you ain't gotta give me permission."

"No one taught you how to speak did they?"

"Nobody taught you how to lie did they?"

"You are not supposed to answer a question with a question."

"I thought it was rhetrorical!"

At that statement Sesshoumaru coughed out a laugh. Inuyasha was taken aback by Sesshoumaru's reaction. He wasn't sure whether he should get up and run or lay down and play dead. Hoping that he wouldn't have to do either, he tried his luck.

"What?"

Sesshoumaru smirked again at the question. He had surprised himself by allowing the laugh to slip but he guessed that the whole situation must have gotten to him or maybe he was just getting comfortable around his younger brother.

"The correct pronunciation is rhetorical, Inuyasha."

Thanks everyone for your reviews.

(Final Chapter) Chapter 10: Bond - "What are we supposed to do?" "I don't know."