Disclaimer: Sorry, I am not Inuyasha's owner...(grins) Only in my dreams!
A/N: Okay, I know that this is getting old but I have to announce that THIS time (although HAS caught up with me and I have like 90-some emails as a result the last I checked) My AOL account refuses to log me on. Last night I had the SAME problem with Internet Explorer, it wouldn't let the internet thru at all, but AOL worked just fine. Now it's the reverse. I can live without AOL for a while, but it means that my emails (and reviews) are out of my reach for now. (Groans) I am VERY sorry for that, I'm going to try and use FF's review pages to get everyone who reviewed for the last chapter to thank them, but that means I have to write just the name down in my little writer's notebook and then make note of them here, rather than flipping to AOL to look at the email to answer questions...so all I can do is thank you for reviewing...I'm also late in posting this...I have no excuse except that I've had a few computer problems, exams, and laziness, as well as the work I've begun on this story's sequel...YES you read that right...last night I even dreamed I was heavily pregnant (call it sympathy pain for Kagome in te sequel (winkwink))...the sequel is actually being WRITTEN...but not likely to be posted until I reach chapter five or so and am sure it's not going to die on me...for your reference I'm on chapter 1 as we speak...once more, if you're bored I recommend "My name isn't 'Hanyou'" by Jaiasa. You can find it on my favorite stories...she needs encouragement...I LOVE this chapter guys, hope you do too! (grins, winks) THANK YOU ALL!
Brother's Blood
Inuyasha hesitated in the trees that skirted the well's meadow. Kagome, clinging tightly to his back, looked into the meadow from over her mate's shoulder, fearfully. What was he pausing for? Was Sesshomaru already waiting for them? Had the decoy scents on the horse worked? But for all her worry when she peered over his shoulder and into the clearing she saw nothing.
"Inuyasha…?" she whispered, quietly. The hanyou sighed and slowly let her down off his back. Her feet touched down into the snow, her boots crunching through it. Stubborn as always the hanyou, she noted swiftly, wasn't wearing any shoes at all…
"Kagome…" he breathed her name as if it were a prayer; she felt fear and nervousness sprout within her abruptly. What would he say? Was he going to try and sacrifice himself? She had the childish urge to clap her palm over his lips to silence him and just cling to him, pleading to stay and live, love, fight or die beside him, to never be parted…but she knew what must be done for his happiness, for the future…
"Kagome, if I don't come to get you…" she felt a cold lump of terror and grief rise in her throat hearing his words, his uncertainty, "Don't come back."
"No, Inuyasha, don't…" she felt the tears spilling immediately at the thought of living without him, she shook her head furiously. "I can't think about that…"
"Just promise me, Kagome, you won't come back unless I come for you and tell you it's safe…" his amber eyes were wide and utterly serious, Kagome could've stared into their depths for years and years without desiring to see anything else in the entire world. But, sadly, she knew that wasn't an option open to her.
Mutely she nodded in answer to him. She felt his arms wrap around her then and pull her into a warm, desperate embrace. She started crying quietly, trying futilely to hold back her sobbing until after she was safe back in her era…
She felt Inuyasha's hot breath in her ear then, whispering, "If the pup is a girl what do you think about calling her Takara, our treasure?"
Despite her tears she smiled against him, "I was thinking of Nozomi, our hope." At her words Inuyasha's grip on her tightened, she sensed that he approved of her choice.
"You'll be the best mother a pup could ever ask for, Kagome." His lips nuzzled her neck, and she heard him take a deep breath, scenting her no doubt. The hanyou had always taken great pleasure in her scent, though Kagome wasn't exactly sure why—except for the fact that he was inherently part dog…
"What if it's a boy?" she asked, feeling their lack of time together acutely. She needed to hear Inuyasha's opinion on the pup now or she might never get the chance…at that thought her eyes started to water with tears all over again and she sniffled, trying to hold them back…
Inuyasha released her and stared into her eyes, hard for a moment. His father had named him just before he had died—barely. Inutaisho had passed on the term "dog," in his name to his second-born son, the child of the human woman he loved and had saved from death. If Inuyasha also passed on the term "dog," in a child's name it would become a tradition…it seemed right to the hanyou, yet it didn't make it any easier for him to think of a name…Kagome laughed then, startling him. His ears twitched nervously, they were running short on time, soon he'd have to send her through the well and fight his brother…he blinked at his mate, "What's funny?"
She smiled through her tears, "I thought of the perfect name…"
"What is it?"
"Koinu." Puppy.
Inuyasha laughed, "Sounds perfect to me…" he smiled for a moment, briefly rendered a mute by the sudden realization that they were speaking of, and naming, a child he may never see…his clawed hands clenched at the thought, making Kagome winch a little as his grip bit into her shoulders, but she said nothing of it. Both of them understood in the tense silence that this might be the last time they ever saw each other, the last time they spoke to one another—their last words, their last conversation…
Inuyasha let go of Kagome then and reached to his waist where her obi sash had been tied to him throughout his struggle, incarceration, and flight home. I need to give her something, anything…he thought desperately, searching himself. He'd put the haori onto the horse…damn it! His father had passed on the haori to Inuyasha's mother, now he wanted to do the same for Kagome…
Kagome had noticed her mate's abrupt distress and she shook her head slowly, "Inuyasha," she reached one had up and touched his cheek tenderly. The hanyou stared down at her, eyes shining with emotion, waiting, listening to her, feeling their time slipping away, coming so quickly to an end… "You don't need to give me anything, just come back for me…" she choked and her voice broke when she whispered the rest of it, "The pup is enough…"
Inuyasha nodded, stunned into silence, and then his ears fell backward and his face twisted into a cold mask of anger. I refuse to die now, I refuse to lose her and the pup…I'm not finished living yet, I fought hard for her and I'll fight for the pup too! In the back of his mind a tingle started, his nose instinctively worked the air, seeking the hated scent of his half-brother. Sesshomaru has come…it's time that we settled this…I won't stop until I've killed the bastard!
"He's here." Inuyasha growled, looking away from Kagome and into the meadow. She looked too, shivering suddenly in the cold, outside of Inuyasha's protective arms. Nothing stirred in the cold, snowy clearing, but both knew that at any moment the inuyoukai lord would descend and ruin their lives…
Inuyasha took hold of Kagome swiftly and leapt from the cover of the trees, bounding across the open space…he could feel his brother overhead, coming for her. The rage and his own earnest terror at the thought of losing his Kagome fueled his muscles—the hanyou flew through the open distance, the well appeared to be rushing at them to Kagome, she clung to him fearfully, desperately afraid.
They reached the wooden boxy structure and Inuyasha held Kagome over it, hardly even breathing any faster than normal. Her legs dangled in the free space, her hands transferred carefully from Inuyasha's shoulders to the well's edges. He let his grip on her fade; instead he withdrew, only touching her hands that still gripped the well's rim. Kagome paused a moment, looking back up to her mate, longingly, the tears wavering in her eyes.
"I love you, Inuyasha…"
"I love you Kagome—I'm going to come for you..." he lowered his lips to hers swiftly, capturing her in one last, hungry kiss. It was a seal for his promise to her, it filled her with the strength to let go of the well, to fall into the oblivion of time, back into her own era…
Inuyasha felt his heart clench up inside of him as the warmth of her fingers below his disappeared, as the taste, smell, and feel of her lips against his own was ripped away. Shuddering he opened his eyes and stared into the dark depths of the well…he was alone…Kagome had gone…
She was safe…
A presence reached him then. The hair on Inuyasha's arms and the back of his neck stood on end. If he'd been able to take on a true form—that of a huge and powerful white dog like his brother and father—Inuyasha's entire body would've bristled in outrage…I'll kill the son of a bitch…
"Hello, little brother." Sesshomaru's voice nearly purred behind him.
Inuyasha whirled on him, his face a mask of hatred, "I'm afraid you're too late you asshole! She's somewhere you can't touch her!"
Sesshomaru's expression didn't change, but he cocked his face to one side, apparently trying to appear as if Inuyasha intrigued him. "Oh? Is that so? You can travel through that well, correct? Who's to say that I can't do it as well?"
Inuyasha's every muscle twitched and cramped up, taut with tension and rage and hatred, "You'll be dead in a few seconds, we'll never know…"
"Don't lie to yourself, little brother." Sesshomaru crooned, smiling minutely, but the arrogance flashing in his golden eyes made Inuyasha's blood boil.
"I would rather die than live without her you asshole! You think you've outsmarted me but you've only planned out your own death!" Inuyasha drew Tetsuseiga; the deadly sword glowed with energy, awaiting its use eagerly.
Now Sesshomaru grinned, the expression mature and fully formed, a rare thing for the usually stony dog demon, his eyes flashed red briefly, "As you wish, Inuyasha! It shall be my pleasure!" he grabbed Tokijin and drew the sword—it glowed an eerie greenish-blue, mirroring Tetsuseiga's own energy and enthusiasm for the approaching battle.
"Wind scar!" Inuyasha screamed, flinging the sword high into the air and then crashing it down, sending a wave of energy toward his brother. The fight had begun…
Sesshomaru didn't jump to avoid the wave, although he was certainly fast enough that he could've. Instead he lifted Tokijin and swung with the blade, sending a wave of his own toward the hanyou, deflecting the threat.
Inuyasha didn't hesitate. Screaming, he rushed at the battling winds of demonic energy and slashed through them, trying to send both waves back at his brother. Sesshomaru saw the attack coming and leapt to avoid it—landing directly beside the well.
Inuyasha's mind was spinning. What was Sesshomaru doing?! Was he going to go through the well just as they'd spoken of before the fight had begun?
"You BASTARD!" Inuyasha shouted, snarling. Without thought he flung Tetsuseiga into the ground, emitting an instant wind scar at his brother. Sesshomaru leapt away from the attack, once again far too fast…and to Inuyasha's horror his half-brother landed on top of Kagome's well, his face expressionless, his eyes narrowed and cold.
"I'LL KILL YOU!" panicked Inuyasha rushed forward, sword upheld, ready to slice his brother to pieces.
Sesshomaru paused only a moment and then lifted Tokijin into the air and jumped up and away from the well, yet as he soared upwards, the demon lord arched the blade through the air and sent a wave of energy straight into the well.
There was an explosion. Inuyasha was blown backward, straight off his feet. He recovered swiftly, leaping back up, blinking and shaking his head. His nose itched with dust thrown about by the disturbance. He paused, breathing hard, looking through the dust for his miserable brother…
The well was nothing but rubble; it had been turned into a pile of broken and splintered wood. It was destroyed…rage swept through the hanyou, terror, and grief all at once. Would the well let anyone pass anymore? If he won this battle and assured Kagome's safety at his side, would he even be able to come and get her now?
Inuyasha's fists clenched into balls of fury.
"Well, little brother, shall we call it a day?" came his brother's slow, calm, unaffected and unemotional drawl from behind him…
Inuyasha felt his heartbeat pounding in his head…his fangs seemed suddenly too large for his mouth; his mind was overrun with his senses. The dust was going to suffocate him, his brother smelled of victory and arrogance…and fear…the old bastard fears me, he's going to run away…
He whirled and faced his half brother, who was already twenty feet away and smirking at him victoriously. Any moment now he'd lift into the air and fly away to his castle in the Western Lands, his strange and beautiful Rin waiting as his mate…while Inuyasha was left alone but with his life, knowing that 500 years into the future Kagome would cry when he never came…she would bear his child and whisper to it of a legendary father it was destined never to know…he could almost hear her sweet voice in his head, teary, distraught, "Oh little Koinu, he was such a strong, handsome man…so loyal and loving, he gave his life for the both of us…I know he would've given anything to have been able to see you…just once."
"No, this day isn't over yet…" Inuyasha's fingers loosened on Tetsuseiga and the sword fell from his grip to the ground. It flashed briefly and then reappeared—nothing but a battered and dull blade in its unimpressive untransformed state.
Sesshomaru was stunned, he remained where he was out of simple disbelief at what he was seeing.
The hanyou's eyes flashed and flared up a brilliant red, his amber irises vanished from sight into the blood red of his rage. His pupils appeared a strange eerie blue, the hanyou's soul burning directly beneath. His claws lengthened and Inuyasha dropped onto all fours, his ears seemed to become pointier, they turned to face Sesshomaru directly, taking him in. The hanyou's fangs were more pronounced; he could no longer close his lips over them completely. Jagged bluish-purple streaks broke out on his cheeks—the same as their father's.
Sesshomaru didn't miss the scent that now rose from the former hanyou—it was a scent he hadn't smelled in uncountable years—their father. Inuyasha had become a raw and wild beast—and Sesshomaru was startled to find that deep inside him he was scared witless. He narrowed his eyes on Inuyasha, studying him. He's crazy…he'll fight until he kills himself, he's senseless in this form, but determined…I'll have to kill him. Sesshomaru raised Tokijin into the air and steeled himself for his half-brother's attack…
…And then he felt a thrill of raw and intense fear tear through him. A new scent came to him, clear and as strong as day—AhUn and Rin…No!
Inuyasha leapt at him then, claws ready to rip right through him. Sesshomaru, distracted, moved a second too late and heard a terrible ripping and shattering sound as the hanyou's claws met with, and tore through his armor and his outer kimono. He swung Tokijin at his brother as he leapt away, but the hanyou was too swift, running on simple animal instincts. He dodged and rolled away, snarling just like a dog.
Seshsomaru landed a safe distance away, his eyes searching the meadow for the source of the scents that had so frightened him. Where are they?!
Then from the far edge of the clearing he saw Rin running toward him, she was wearing a black kimono with a white obi—it was short and childlike. He felt his breath catch in his throat. The stupid, stupid girl! She was coming toward him directly opposite him, making Inuyasha the one in the middle, snarling, wild and deadly. Rin had no armor on; she wasn't even wearing the Senseiga!
Sesshomaru rushed at Inuyasha, who had heard and scented Rin as well and was now starting to take an interest in her. But Inuyasha heard him and waited for the rushing blow…at the last minute he rolled away from Sesshomaru's swing and slashed at his passing legs with one free set of claws.
Blood spurted into the air…but Sesshomaru made no sound and didn't slow. He reached Rin, forcing her behind him.
"My lord…" Rin's eyes were wide, she was gaping with noticeable terror at her future mate's bloodied legs, at the red stain that was spreading over his clothes and spilling onto the ground.
"You defied me!" his eyes flared red as he threw her a sideways glare.
"I had no choice my lord! You must stop this!"
"No, Rin, I must kill him…"
Out in the field Inuyasha was staring at his own bloodied claws, gloating over his brother's wound, his brother's vulnerability. He started to cackle hoarsely, but his voice was lower now, guttural, an animal's, and it was incoherent to both Rin and Sesshomaru. Perhaps Inuyasha wasn't even trying to speak; perhaps he was gone for good, nothing but a rampaging beast…
"Sesshomaru," Rin's voice was desperate, and with some annoyance the demon lord noticed that she'd forgotten to address him as her lord. He threw her a warning glance—which she completely ignored. "Sesshomaru," she repeated more firmly, "You must stop this. You're brothers!"
"I have no relation to that beast…" Sesshomaru snarled, his glare now on Inuyasha who was readying himself for another kamikaze attack.
"Yes you do! If you just left him alone he'd never be a threat to either of us or our children! But when you make him suffer—you turn him into that!" she gestured frantically to the wild hanyou poised for attack in the meadow, and Sesshomaru felt a ripple of fear pass through him…part of him knew Rin was right, Inuyasha was a threat, but only because he'd been pestered. He wanted nothing to do with the Western Lands; he'd always been outcast from them. He'd never known or cared much about Sesshomaru's doings...
Inuyasha made a terrible sound—a cross between a scream of rage and a howl of bloodlust—and rushed at Sesshomaru and Rin, claws ready to draw blood. Sesshomaru slashed Tokijin through the air, sending his own version of the wind scar at his brother, but, much to Sesshomaru's surprise and terror, the hanyou leapt clean over the approaching wave…
"Rin, get behind me NOW!" he shouted coldly, and pushed her aside swiftly. The girl cried out and stumbled, landing hard on the ground, stunned. Inuyasha crashed into Sesshomaru then and the two tumbled wildly, sword against claws, brother against brother, demon against demon. Rin watched with huge, frightened eyes. She'd come too late…she'd never be able to stop them now…
Sesshomaru slashed with Tokijin and Inuyasha howled wildly and withdrew, jumping away from his brother. He landed in a pool of his own darkened blood, but he wasn't panting, and his claws were red with Sesshomaru's blood for the second time. In the fray the hanyou had slashed his brother several times, leaving him with terrible gashes across his chest and belly. Inuyasha had, however, been too slow to escape damage this time—a jagged slash from Tokijin into his right shoulder had left him bleeding heavily. But the hanyou was wild and seemed to feel absolutely no pain. In fact he laughed as he righted himself and narrowed his blood red eyes at his brother once more.
Pools of blood were forming at the feet of both brothers.
Sesshomaru was tiring of his brother's antics and savage attacking. Also Rin's presence was weakening his desire to fight at all. If she were to be harmed…he lifted Tokijin and snarled at his brother. "Die Inuyasha!" he slashed with the sword and sent another energy wave at him.
Once more Inuyasha leapt upward, avoiding and dodging the wave, but he was more tired than he appeared, and when he landed he paused just long enough for Sesshomaru to slash with Tokijin again. The second wave was larger than the first and wider, it would be harder to avoid. Inuyasha growled as he watched it coming for him…in his thoughtless form he barely had sense enough to reach for Tetsuseiga's sheath and hold it up to defend himself from the onslaught…
But there was another who wasn't so lucky.
Rin had leapt to her feet and rushed between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, trying to cease their senseless battle, trying to negotiate peace by standing where her mate and the crazed hanyou couldn't harm each other without hurting her as well…she'd thought that Inuyasha was the problem here, he was wild, he wouldn't blink at the thought of killing her…Seshsomaru was sure to see her and stop all his attacks…but she was wrong. Blinded by his hatred—and his need to end the battle quickly to get Rin to safety, Sesshomaru slashed with Tokijin ruthlessly, without noticing that Rin had dashed to place herself between the brothers to force a settlement.
By the time he noticed it was too late…
The wave struck both Rin and Inuyasha. Inuyasha was blown backward, rolling and tumbling, but the Tetsuseiga's sheath saved him from death or further wounding. Rin, however, took the full force of the blow. The energy of the wave cut through her kimono and slashed deep into her mortal flesh. Yet, despite the intense pain and fear she felt she made no sound.
This wasn't the first time she had died.
"RIN!"
Endnote: Great ending huh? (snickers) Okay...THANK YOUS and very VERY SORRY about this crap that AOL is putting me thru, to: Sprinda, ori-chan, fanfiction1, Kist(your name continually reminds me of Crush soda pop, I haven't the foggiest idea WHY but it's true! (shakes head)), Bunny, inuyasha-doggirl(creative name by the way!), Kareyi(THIS name is one I want to steal and name one of Miroku's children! (grins) I saw it and was like COOL! But I'd never steal like that, I SWEAR, got anymore really cool ones? I got characters left and right in some of my other stories waiting for neat names...), NefCanuck, lynnie1-23, amamile, wanna be kagome, lena17, Anonymous Miss, and linkmaster27. Okay once more I apologize, but since I wanted to post this (I'm late aren't I? I'll besurprised ifyou guys haven't given up with how steady I usually tend to be!) I had to be quick, and yet I couldn't just completely leave everybody out...okay, Mad-4-Manga I must say a special THANK YOU to you for reading the story I recomended, I watch her for updates and I saw that your name was on her reviews, and you even remembered ME! (SQUEES!) I feel really cool now (BIG grins) thank you again, and I have written your stories down now, when I'm done with this I shall investigate them (winks)...Emerald Ash Of COURSE you're a favorite! Your reviews are some of the sweetest and most encouraging! And you took the time to check out my other story, not everyone does that, it's true that some authors make one good one and the rest stink but you didn't assume that and you read the other I'm currently writing...need to post there too...GAH!...stupid me...I'm really sorry to hear you're sick, I hope you've gotten better...I DEARLY hope it wasn't the stomach flu? I HATE that illness, I have, quite literally, a phobia of vomiting. So I really hope you've gotten better...I know I hate being sick...this year I've stayed healthy so far, I have a running competition with a friend of mine...whoever gets sick first loses. But it doesn't ever work b/c when one of us THINKS we're getting sick we conveniently forget about telling the other the truth, so he claims never to have even had a scratchy throat, but I KNOW he has had one, he told me when he had it, but claims b/c he never got stuffy nose or actual sore throat it doesn't count. He also maintains that he knows I've been sick too, and that I lie to him about being well…grrr…anyway, I hope you feel better…(gives puppy eyes, whimpers for you)…cool-chick-rae (shakes head) mono's no fun, I hear, absolutely no fun. I don't think I have it, thankfully, b/c I think I'd be sicker, I just fail to get enough sleep. Today however, I went to sleep at 5 in the morning (sheepish smile) and woke at 2:30 in the afternoon (snickers shamefully). That's good sleep there, eh? Well, you know, you can have something in common with Kagome now, she always has mono, or so her grandpa should be telling her school friends (snickers)…thank you for being worried about me (grins, winks)…and lastly inuyasha'sbabe07 yes, I will read you fic, as soon as I get this posted, thanks for reading and reviewing my stuff! (grins) it's the least we can do for one another!
Okay, next chapter is named after the fic itself, so it gives you the impression that everything is ending badly, but do not panic my readers/reviewers. There IS an epilogue, and it is (ahems) mouth-wateringly good, as my middle sister told me (she was sitting on my bed when she actually was attracted to and started reading a printout from WORD of the epilogue. And she snickered and told me, "Rach this is good." So I have my sources…(winks))…so next is 26 So Much For The Hanyou's Happy Ending, and then the Epilogue: The Hanyou's New Family. hehe…methinks you'll likey… until next time! We're almost done! I go to read fanfics and write some more on my own! See ya!