Chapter 11- Legacies
Sesshomaru traced the intricate marble carved into the elaborate mantle, watching with satisfaction as a chunk of the elegant stone fell away under his claws. He fingered the small lump of mineral in his hands, gazing at its incomparable beauty. He and this marble were very much alike, beautiful beyond comparison, but hard as stone, impenetrable.
His blood still simmering at Inuyasha's words, Sesshomaru crushed the stone effortlessly, watching it fall to the floor in a sprinkling of dust. Gazing passively into the wavering flames that flickered in a roaring explosion of orange and red, he contemplated his brother's words, still ringing in his head.
"Thought I'd find you here."
Sesshomaru turned from the massive, deep set fireplace to see Inuyasha standing in the doorway of his living room.
The daiyoukai turned back to the flames. "Who let you in?"
"Jaken."
"Hn. I'll deal with him later."
Inuyasha cautiously approached his brother. He may have been an instigator and an ass, but Inuyasha wasn't stupid. Knowing Sesshomaru, the hanyou guessed he was still fuming over the exchange of words at the office.
But that didn't distill the fact that Inuyasha still needed Sesshomaru's help. Damn.
"I conclude from your persistent lingering that you still require my assistance."
Inuyasha came to stand behind his brother and rival. Both demons stared into the writhing flames, a warm glow enveloping them. All was quiet for several moments.
Inuyasha took this time to get a good look at Sesshomaru. To the untrained eye they looked quite similar to one another. But upon closer inspection one could see the differences. Inuyasha possessed fine silver tresses, whereas Sesshomaru's locks glowed an iridescent, downy white.
Then there were the eyes. Inuyasha had golden eyes, bright and fiery. Sesshoamru's where a darker hue, more tawny.
Looking into those eyes Inuyasha saw a hardened man. Inside those eyes lived a cold and calculated warrior who would not hesitate to dispatch an enemy.
Inuyasha needed Sesshomaru. He needed this warrior.
Wordlessly the half demon held up his arm, out towards his brother. Rolling up his shirt he exposed the pale underside of his forearm.
"You truly wish to do this?" Sesshomaru asked. His eyes were pinned to his brother and the offer he was about to make. There would be no going back once the blood was taken.
Inuyasha nodded, his jaw set. When honor was brutally shattered between Inu-youkai, the only way to redeem oneself was through the willing consent of bloodshed. The spilling of blood by the offended restored the order between the two involved. More severe than submitting, this was reserved for more serious offenses.
Inuyasha knew that this would not erase his and Sesshomaru's crippled past, but it was a stepping stone. By allowing Sesshomaru to spill his blood, Inuyasha was restoring the honor he had robbed from his brother through heartless words. A major insult to an inu-youkai's family was not taken lightly.
Inuyasha knew this now, which was the only reason why he was holding his arm before Sesshoamru's dagger claws. This was the only way to return things to the way they were, when he and Sesshomru more or less tolerated one another. It would repair some of the damage at least.
Inuyasha nodded, clenching his teeth. A slash of claws brought a dark splash to the velvety rug at their feet.
Sesshomaru watched as a gash cut through the flesh of his brother's arm, red running in rivulets down the pale skin.
Inuyasha gritted his teeth as Sesshoamru's poison ignited his veins, sending them into a burning frenzy.
I understand the reason for this bloodshed but why the hell did he have to use his poison! Inuyasha's heated thoughts were tinged with a hazy fog.
Through his blurry vision Inuyasha thought he saw a ghost of a smirk on his brothers lips. It was almost like he enjoyed injecting the poison. Knowing Sesshomaru, Inuyasha wouldn't put it past him to add his own personal touch. Like salt to the wound.
After a few moments where fire continued to lick at Inuyasha's scarlet drenched flesh, Sesshomaru nodded.
The blood had been spilt, honor repaid.
Inuyasha turned to leave, but was caught by his brother's vice like grip.
Sesshomaru rolled up his ivory sleeve, much to Inuyasha's gaping disbelief.
"Am I not worthy of the same fate?" He asked, his eyes pinning Inuyasha to the spot. The flames seemed to flourish under his brother's voice, rising up in a blast of heat.
Inuyasha saw the flames dance and wave wildly within Sesshomaru's eyes. He was offering his blood as payment for his indiscretions.
They were petty words, thrown in anger, tainting a family. He was offering the same punishment for his own biting tongue.
"Honor shattered is worthy of blood spilt." Sesshomaru gestured at his arm.
Heart strangely heavy, Inuyasha ran his claws across his brother's arm, having to push a little harder in order to penetrate his youkai skin. But it was flesh, and it gave easily enough.
Inuyasha watched in fascination as Sesshomaru's blood joined his own in spatters on the floor. Holding up their arms simultaneously the brothers touched their wounds together, red and intertwining.
But their blood could only repair so much, it couldn't heal a shattered past. That would take time and compromise from both.
For now though, each man's honor was restored.
Sesshomaru nodded and Inuyasha let out a grateful sigh, allowed his youkai to heal his wound, though not entirely. A pink scar was all that remained, as a reminder. He looked at his brother to see a similar line along his arm.
"We'll take my car." Sesshomaru intoned, walking past Inuyasha.
The hanyou grumbled, muttering under his breath the perfect capability his Ferrari had of getting them to their destination.
Sesshomaru ignored this, descending the elegant staircase of his town home. He walked across the gleaming floor, towards the elevator that would take them to the garage below.
Inuyasha couldn't help the sting of jealousy that burned in his chest. His own apartment would soon be a thing of the past. Not that it was anything compared to what Sesshomaru had. But Inuyasha would never admit that out loud.
Platinum doors whooshed open, revealing a spacious, carpeted elevator. Inuyasha stepped in briskly, eyeing the mirrored doors with mild curiosity. Where those diamonds sparkling in the glass?
Sesshomaru pushed a button and the doors closed, sinking them down below the main floor.
When they opened once more, a halogen lit garage flickered to life before them. Several shadows sat motionless under sheets.
Sesshomaru appeared to consider the shadows for a moment before walking to the fourth one down the row and flinging the sheet off gracefully.
A gleaming Maserati appeared, bathed in silver and black. Inuyasha didn't doubt that that the glittering in the hubcaps may have very well been diamonds. His brother had a thing for appearances, and he liked to show his regal superiority, Inuyasha knew this all too well.
"Showoff." He groused, already nursing the idea of possibly affording one of these babies.
Sesshomaru hid a smirk, flourishing the keys hauntingly before opening the door and getting into the vehicle.
Buttery leather slid over Inuyasha's back as he clambered into the passenger seat. He looked around with barley hidden amazement at the gleaming controls, taking a special interest in the surround sound system.
Sesshomaru slid the key into the ignition, igniting the engine which sprang to life with a purr. Hands already on the clutch, he effortlessly guided the car into drive, the vehicle obeying his every command fluidly.
The car glided forward, an action so smooth and flawless; Inuyasha doubted they would feel the most significant bump in the road.
"Direct me." Sesshomru commanded.
A screen on the dash board lit up. Where do you wish to go Mr. Takahashi?" A cool female voice asked crisply, the navigation screen awaiting an answer.
Sesshomaru turned an expectant eye on Inuyasha who hastily dug through his pockets for the crumpled stationary their father had handed him.
The daiyoukai sighed impatiently at his hanyou brother's lack of priority.
Inuyasha finally found the paper and handed it to Sesshomaru with a huff.
Unfolding the wrinkled page, his eyes scanned the writing before stating the destination.
The screen immediately coordinated the address and began to state directions.
Inuyasha watched clusters of buildings flash by as Sesshomaru propelled the car around the congestion that clogged Tokyo's streets.
They sped away from all the glitz and glamour that was the elite society, leaving behind the tall skyscrapers that housed money and status in favor for the neglected industrial region of the city.
Ramshackle buildings painted a depressing grey lined the streets. Gone was the silver and chrome that highlighted their polished society. They were in new territory now.
Humans and demons alike huddled on the sidewalks, their eyes fixed hungrily on the gleaming car as it crawled over the cracked pavement.
Peddlers and swindlers ambled up to the car, bony hands reaching for the new, gleaming treasure that had surfaced in their dull, grey world.
Inuyasha looked away, ashamed at the people's haggard appearance. He smoothed the lapels down on his designer suite, as if reassuring himself of his own elite status.
"There it is." Sesshomaru's placid tone pointed out the rusted, bent sign that showed them Bellwood Avenue in faded lettering
The car crawled down the street, past rows of industrial warehouses that loomed ominously before them.
Sesshomaru smoothly maneuvered the Maserati to sit idle next to a particularly shabby looking building. The shingles on the roof were dangling precariously; most of them had already been torn off, the weather taking its toll on the dilapidated building.
Sesshomaru cut the ignition and they excited the car, walking up the stained pavement and towards the door.
"Something doesn't feel right." Inuyasha murmured, his senses on high alert in case this was a trap. It wouldn't surprise him if father put some sort of test behind this. Always an interior motive with him.
"I agree." Sesshomaru fixed amber steeled orbs on the doorway.
"Someone should check it out." Inuyasasha advised lowly, eyeing the door with pinned ears.
"Precisely." No sooner had Sesshomaru spoken and Inuyasha found himself being shoved violently towards the door.
"Wha—Arg!" His protest was cut off by a stab of energy shooting through his body. Fire licked through his veins, frying his senses. For one terrible second all he knew was the heat that held him in its blistering clutches. Then he was blasted off his feet and thrown back to land on the concrete in a crumpled heap.
"What the hell Sesshomaru!" He seethed, jumping up and dusting off his suite.
The barest hint of a smirk wafted across Sesshomaru's face, his mask shifting for a fraction of a second. "Someone needed to successfully test whatever protection that has been placed over this establishment. You seemed like the perfect candidate dear brother."
"I see you've discovered the barrier, how very astute of you." A raspy voice broke the tension in the air, and both brothers turned to see an elderly man hobbling up the path towards them.
He relied heavily on the cane he was leaning upon. Inuyasha watched with weary eyes as the old man clacked across the concrete, his can leading him. His skin was leathered and worn with deep wrinkles that penetrated the sandpaper thin flesh. Dark watery eyes peered out from gaunt sockets. The man wore his white hair in a tight bun high atop his head, the thin tendrils stretching tight across his aging scalp.
Immediately Sesshomaru was on guard. "What business have you here?" He asked coldly, his eyes pinned to the old man. Although he appeared to be nonthreatening, the daiyoukai refused to relax. There was no need to make a show to this aged human, who was clearly inferior to him, but Sesshomaru would expose himself only slightly, should the need arise.
"Haven't changed at all have you Sesshomaru?" The man chuckled to himself, a rasping, wet cough deep in the back of his throat.
Only the slight widening of Sesshomaru's eyes showed any change in his demeanor. Inuyasha knew the subtle signs to look for in his emotionless brother.
"You would associate with a person of my caliber? You must truly be delusional old man." Sesshomaru towered over the hobbling man, raw and unimaginable power radiating from him. He would remind this elderly tripe not to stick his nose where it didn't belong.
"Just like your father, always needing to enforce your power. But that is where the similarities end. Your father enforced his power only when the need arose to protect someone. You on the other hand hold no such desire."
Sesshomaru stared at the man, a calculating look sparking in his golden eyes. "I have no need for such trifle concerns."
Stepping towards the man, the gleam in his eye turned deadly. "Now, you will tell me who you are." In a flash of silver Sesshomaru lunged. But his endeavors left him empty handed.
"Up here hot head!" A voice yelled.
Both brothers looked up to see the hunched man had launched himself into the air and was descending on them rapidly. A torrent of fire escaped his thin lips. The flame flared wildly, a spinning wall of blistering heat that careened towards Sesshomaru.
Sesshomaru merely flicked his wrist and a long flicker of gold cut the wall of flames in half, slashing the fire into a blazing shower of ashes that flickered to the pavement below where they burned out quickly.
The man landed with a grunt, stooping on the pavement. "If you're through with the theatrics I think we should get down to business. The names Totosai, I'm an old friend of your fathers. He requested me to summon the two of you when the time came to bestow you with his legacies."
Inuyasha raised a brow. "Legacies", he snorted. "We're already loaded, what else could he possibly wish to bestow on us?"
Totosai turned to Inuyasha, seriousness flooding his eyes. "Something much more valuable then money."
Inuyasha snorted, but followed the beckoning man nonetheless.
He led them through a maze like hallway that twisted and turned within the echoing warehouse.
After several moments they came to a dead end were another door greeted them. This one was made of dark mahogany oak, polished to a gleaming shine. It looked out of place in the dusty warehouse.
"Now where did I put those keys?" Totosai began to rummage through his pockets.
"I hate to break it to you old man, but there's no key hole." Inuyasha pointed to the door, a blank expression on his face.
"Balderdash! Doesn't mean it doesn't take the key, just have to find the right one is all." Totosai rattled on; jingling the ring of endless keys he had procured from his pocket.
Sesshomaru's eyes flashed with impatience. "Find the key promptly or I will force the door open."
Totosai chuckled. "Good luck with that. This door has a spell placed on it, youkai are unable to penetrate it. The only way it works is if you have the key to unlock it."
Inuyasha gave up, concluding that this old man was crazy, having knocked his head in one too many times.
Producing an old fashioned key he turned to the Inu-youkai standing before him.
"Sometimes things are more then they appear." He stated ominously.
Before Inuyasha could comprehend what the old geezer was blathering about Totosai had pressed the key into a notch on the door that Inuyasha hadn't noticed before.
An iridescent glow began emitting from the door, bathing it a golden light. Inuyasha could just make out the words engraving themselves into the wood.
Those who enter here must willingly put forth a sacrifice dear. A liquid life taken from within will lead to the heart's true desire.
"What the hell does that mean?" Inuyasha balked at the riddle on the door. Leave it to his father to make everything complicated.
Sesshomaru stood stone still, a fixated gaze on the gleaming words. How could his father be so incredibly moronic? He blamed it on that woman; she had made him soft hearted.
The taiyoukai lashed out, a blur of silver, catching his brother on the arm, slashing through the expensive coat and into his flesh.
Taking Inuyasha's arm forcefully Sesshomaru flicked a smattering of Inuyasha's blood upon the door.
"Again with the blood!" Inuyasha groused.
"Fool," Sesshomaru hissed. "Blood is the life force needed in order to open the door."
"Well then why isn't it opening genius?" Inuyasha gestured at the door where his brother had slung blood on. Crimson spattered the letters, marring them.
"It takes the will of two in order for this door to yield its treasure." Totosai spoke up
Inuyasha raised a brow. What was the old man babbling about now? Will of two?
"Imbecile" Sesshomaru hissed, holding out his arm for the second time.
Recognition dawned on the hanyou before he aimed a slash at his brother's veins. Dark liquid seeped into his claws.
Ambling up to the door he pressed a bloody hand on the spot where Sesshomaru's mark dripped.
For a moment nothing happened. Then the door seemed to absorb the blood, soaking it into the ancient wood. A serious of clicks was heard as the sound of many bolts shifted from their resting places.
The door swung open with an ominous creak, having long been locked.
Totosai gestured to the long corridor that awaited them. "After you."
Inuyasha peered intently down the shadowy hall, his golden orbs glinting in the gloom.
"Not afraid, are we little brother? Surely a descendent of father would not taint his blood with such a human emotion. " Sesshomaru said with a haughty twitch to his lips.
Inuyasha snorted, quickly smothering the knots that had tangled in his stomach. He strutted forward, determined to prove his worth.
He walked briskly down the corridor, his Italian shoes clicking on the concrete floor. Inuyasha's senses were on high alert in case some unforeseen danger should make itself known.
But nothing appeared. The hallway soon ended, opening up into a wide room. Hung along the walls were velvet tapestries dyed in the deepest crimson. They displayed the crest of their father. It was an inuyoukai in his dog form, lying majestically before two swords, whose blades crossed one another. The dog almost seemed to be guarding them.
Inuyasha stared inquisitively at the crest, the gears in his head turning. He had recalled seeing the tapestry as a young child, but never gave any real thought to its meaning.
A flicker of movement caught his eye and he turned to see Sesshomaru standing there silently.
But Sesshomaru was not looking at him. Instead his eyes seemed to look past, locked onto something at the far end of the room.
It was then that Inuyasha saw them. Two platforms, carved in the smoothest granite. Each with a notch engraved in them. In each indentation lay a sword, sheathed in a scabbard.
Inuyasha read the writing carved into one of the stone tablets. To the one whose heart clings to humanity. My blade will reveal thy power only when thy will is given for another.
A thrilling pulse shot through the hanyou as he stood, transfixed by the blade. His heart shuddered in his chest, the blood pumping hot and fast. The sword seemed to call out to him. His fingers itched to take hold of it. Stepping closer he wrapped a hand around the scabbard. Instantly a wave of warmth flowed from his fingertips, filling his entire body. The warmth seemed to be emanating from the sword. He pulled it from its resting place. The sheathed blade slid easily out of the groove and into his trembling hands.
He turned to see Sesshomaru staring with hardened eyes at the other blade. The stone words read: To the one whose heart lies in secret. My blade will reveal thy power only when thy heart beats for another.
Across the city, Kagome shuddered. She felt a sudden thrill within her. Glancing around her small studio apartment she rubbed her shoulders, trying to ease the eerie feeling that had swept over her like ice. Her heart thrummed erratically in her chest, almost as if it yearned to escape, as if something had called out to it.
Kagome was no stranger to the ways of folklore and legend, especially when it came to the demons that roamed the city. Her grandfather had told her of the supernatural link that demons possessed. They were beings tied to the strings of power. They possessed an otherworldliness that seemed to cling to their souls.
The old man had even gone so far as to suggest Kagome's own fate was joined to that of the supernatural.
"Ridiculous." Kagome muttered. She may live in a world where demons roamed the streets, but she was the one who decided her own life, not some mumbo jumbo spewed from a spiritual old man, even if he was her grandfather.
Inuyasha was in awe as he clutched the blade in quaking hands. So this was the legacy that father had left to them. And those words, carved on the wall, what had they meant? The hanyou was baffled by the entire situation.
"So you have at long last been presented with the legacies your father has left you." Totosai's voice croaked, echoing off the stone walls.
"And what exactly does he intend for us to do with these?" Inuyasha asked, hefting the sword from hand to hand.
Metal clanged, ringing in Inuyasha's ears. He swung around, nerves trembling in anticipation.
Sesshomaru stood, his own sword pointed directly at him.
"Now is the time that I will test fathers so called legacy." He smiled in triumph and swung the sword as fast as lighting.
Inuyasha didn't have time to block. But there was no pain, no wound like he had been expecting.
"What the hell Sesshomaru!" He seethed. Electricity sparked in his veins as the dog within him howled at the injustice.
But his brother did not respond. Sesshomaru stood, stony faced, holding the sword in a white knuckled hand.
"What is the meaning of this?" He hissed, staring at the sword as if it were an insect he had just squashed beneath his fine Italian shoes.
"Tensaiga is not a sword that is meant to cut." Totosai explained. "Didn't you read the inscription?"
Without a word Sesshomaru turned on the spot, electricity crackling in his wake. Inuyasha caught the flash of crimson in his brother's eyes and wisely chose not to approach him.
"Each of your swords is unique in that it was forged with its master's personality in mind. You and Sesshomaru are as different as night and day, so of course the swords would reflect the same. These blades take a look into the wielder's soul, and only when the master has discovered his true self and accepted it will the sword reveal itself to him."
Inuyasha stared at the empty doorway. If Sesshomaru's true self was present it was buried beneath many layers. The hanyou knew it would be a long time before those layers could be peeled back to reveal the core that the taiyoukai had been shielding for many years.
Walking out the door, in a haze, Inuyasha could just make out the black flash as his ride peeled out of the parking lot with squealing tires. He wasn't too surprised, in all honesty.
He turned around, ready to grouse to Totosai, but the old geezer had vanished. Figures.
Whipping out his cell, he quickly dialed Kaede. "Hey. I need a ride," he spoke into the receiver.
"Well isn't that just convenient for you isn't it?" Kaede's voice barked over the phone. Calling her on her day off was probably not the best solution. But what was he supposed to do, take the bus?
"I'm getting my nails done, so you will just have to wait." He cringed at her crisp tone. Definitely not a good idea.
Fifteen agonizing minutes later, in which Inuyasha counted the cracks on the side walk, Kaede appeared in her Avalon.
Inuyasha noted her red painted nails glittering as she gripped the steering wheel. He jerked his head. "So, that's how you spend your paycheck?"
Kaede sniffed. "How I spend my money is none of your business," She spoke hauntingly, while sneaking a peek at her shining fingers.
"I could smell the acrylic as soon as you pulled up!" Inuyasha griped, rolling down the window to escape the chemical odor.
"The fact that you even know what that is scares me." Kaede retorted smoothly while making a left turn.
"My mom used to get her nails done a lot when I was a kid. I spent a lot of time holed up in my room trying to escape the smell."
Kaede nodded in sympathy. Izayoi was one for making herself look her best. She painted herself up to appease the demon society, to blend in with their brilliant, flawless world.
But that didn't stop the whispers.
Whore.
Wanton.
Human.
The words spilled from their lips like poison, tainting, taunting, destroying.
Inuyasha shook his head, trying to banish the whispers that had plagued his past.
"What's that?" Kaede jerked her head at the sword lying nearly forgotten in his lap.
"It's called Tetsaiga, apparently father left me this rusty old sword. I don't know what he expects me to do with such an old relic." Inuyasha idly tucked the sword into his pant loop.
Kaede shook her head. If only he knew.
"And what of Shippou?" The elder woman questioned. It had been a few days since Inuyasha had seen the fox kitsune. It was time to reassure the kit that he hadn't been abandoned; God knows he needed such comfort.
Inuyasha nodded. "Swing by and we can pick him up. I'm sure he's anxious enough as it is."
The ride passed by quicker than he anticipated, and for that Inuyasha was glad.
The car pulled up in a cloud of dust and Inuyasha quickly opened the door.
"I see Shippou isn't the only one who is anxious." Kaeded nodded, a knowing smile on her face.
Fighting the burning in his cheeks, Inuyasha mumbled something incoherent before getting out.
As the doors swung shut behind him Inuyasha suppressed a grimace. This place always left him with a sour taste in his mouth.
As if on cue, Naraku stepped out from behind a massive pillar.
"Inuyasha, what a pleasant surprise." His voice was as smooth as velvet, the imputation creeping just below the surface.
Inuyasha snorted. He could see right through the other half demon's transparency. If there was one thing Inuyasha could not stand it was a fake. He turned away from the dark haired man before him, his nose already zeroing in on Shippou.
"The children are outdoors, engaging in some recreational activity." Naraku cut in, his dark eyes dancing with some unforeseen emotion. Inuyasha could swear it looked like delight, almost eagerness.
Inuyasha turned briskly, his nose leading him through the halls and towards the back of the villa.
Pushing open the massive patio doors, he was assaulted with the various scents of the outdoors. Pine, oak, water, dust, sweat, and the scent of demon washed over him.
He quickly picked out Shippou's scent among them and loped across the ground, his Italian shoes already accumulating a layer of dust and dirt. He didn't care.
A fresh aroma slammed into him, rattling his conscious. Inuyasha halted, eyes wide .
Salt.
The youkai within stirred, raising its head in confusion. A crackle of heat shattered within him and Inuyasha froze. A steady pulsing was radiating off of Tetsaiga.
What the hell? Inuyasha stared at the sword with disbelieving eyes. It seemed to awake a yearning within him. A violent heat clawed at his insides in desperation.
Inuyasha took a step forward and the heat intensified within, almost as if the sword were leading him somewhere.
The hanyou took off at a sprint, weaving his way through the trees, under branches, and around boulders.
He skidded around a corner, the soles of his shoes slipping in the dirt. The furious pulsing of Tetsaiga seemed to intensify, its tempo flaring loudly within Inuyasha's blood.
There, in the clearing was Shippou.
The small fox kit was huddled against a giant oak, his small arms wrapped around his knees. His arms were covered in scratches, his hair disheveled. Inuyasha noted the rips in his clothes.
The boy looked up from the sanctuary of his arms and let out a chocked gasp. Tears were falling freely down his gritty cheeks.
Shippou picked himself up wobbly, and with a strangled cry stumbled forward and launched himself into Inuyasha's chest.
Inuyasha stopped and pulled the boy flush against his chest, his arms encircling him. Shippou sobbed into his shirt, clutching fistfuls of the fabric in an attempt to be as close as possible.
Inuyasha's heart was reeling, while his youkai wined pitifully in an attempt to heal. He had no idea what had happened and had been unable to help. All he could do was let Shippou cry into his chest as he attempted to comfort him.
Tentatively, Inuyasha reached out his aura to Shippou's. A wall of fear, anguish, abandonment, and sorrow slammed into him full force, sending Inuyasha scrambling back. Horrified at the child's barrage of emotion Inuyasha clutched him closer, attempting to smother the feelings of distress that clung to the kit.
"It's all right," He murmured in a choked voice.
The youkai howled in desperation, clawing at its restraints. His blood demanded retribution for the sorrow in Shippou.
"I promise, I will always protect you," he whispered into Shippou's hair, his cheeks wet.
A content humming pulsed from Tetsaiga. Inuyasha stared at the sword in new found fascination. So this was father's legacy?
He stepped back, trying to untangle Shippou's death grip on his shirt.
"No!"
Inuyasha felt a strong push against his own aura, coupled with a rush of heat. The dog in him whined at the invading force, not threatened, but anxious, as if to welcome the nudge.
Had Shippou just pushed him? Inuyasha glanced down at the child.
Shippou's eyes were clenched shut, his tiny fists buried in the fabric.
He thought I was rejecting him, Inuyasha thought with a sinking heart.
Never.
He gathered the boy in his arms, holding him close to his chest. Shippou turned his face into the warmth.
Turning away from the meadow, he carried the boy through the trees and back towards the looming villa.
All right, what did you think? I know it has been forever (literally) since I have updated, and I apologize. I give credit to those amazing authors who are able to update every few weeks or even sooner. I have been working on this chapter for quite some time and I would appreciate any and all feedback.