Disclaimer, in case it wasn't obvious. I don't own Inuyasha, or really any other property. Thank you.
Being Alive
Chapter XIX: Fangs.
Kohaku:
The chain had whipped through the air, wrapping around his target's legs while the half-demon nearby made another leaping dodge from Kirara. As soon as the chain's links tightened, locking it in place, the monk stopped and began to wobble. The battle had only been engaged for a few moments, and the pair of them had looked at him with some confusion, mostly undoubtedly to do with his age. Youth was perhaps a weapon he'd not thought of it as.
All the same, even as the monk wobbled for several seconds, Kohaku moved in for the kill, well, hopefully not, but he moved in for the victory. With his hands firm on the chain to his weapon, he pulled himself closer, keeping it locked in place as best he could against his struggling target.
"Boy, I warn you now, I do not wish to hurt you!" the man yelled.
Truth be told from what Kohaku had seen so far, he would be more worried about the half-demon by a mile, than the priest. It wasn't even fair how simple it was to stop this man in his tracks. By the time he closed in, he'd already managed to manipulate the chain around the monk to drop him to the ground, having halted his flimsy attempt at a balance act with one sharp pull with both of his hands. When he hit the ground, Kohaku was already on top of him before he pressed the blade to the neck, before looking up.
"Hey!"
Kirara and the feral one stopped and turned towards him as he grabbed monk's hair to prove his point, pressing the sharp of the blade against the monk's throat as he heard a struggled response.
"Shit," was the first thing he heard from the half-demon as the fighting seemed to slowly extinguish. "Let him go!"
"No," Kohaku responded sharply. "You stand down first."
There was an incredulous look on the half-demon, but internally Kohaku was sure he'd managed to halt the fight. Just with a glance he'd already told Kirara to back off, knowing that this was their moment. They didn't need some big fight to win this, they didn't have time for that. Lord Sesshoumaru had informed them of the plan, and it required them being quick, and then being gone. It also helped if he could… avoid… bloodshed, at all costs.
Reluctantly, the half-demon now seemed to lower his guard, but he could tell in a reflexive action the other warrior could cut down himself in a moment if he wasn't careful. The monk in the meantime was glaring up at him, clearly thinking of ways to get out of his predicament. Right now, Kohaku knew he needed to act, quickly. Edging the blade against the man's throat again he looked at Jaken, who was running forward, holding the staff.
"Get the pearl," he said, ordering the imp without a second thought, his own training coming to the fore as he fought to push his anxiety down.
"Quiet, you foul little human," the monster squawked in response before running towards Inuyasha.
If it weren't for him, just even moving the way he was, Kohaku knew that Jaken would have been killed already by Inuyasha, or at the very least injured. The half demon-remained still before snarling between the two of them. Tensions were running high, which meant that they needed to act quickly.
"What the Hell do the two of you want? You planning on killing us?"
"And deny Lord Sesshoumaru the honour? Hah! I'd be killed myself," Jaken laughed. "No, we have come to collect what is the rightful property of the grand and powerful Lord Sesshoumaru!"
"Well, if you haven't noticed we're traveling a bit light. Maybe you should wait for Sesshoumaru, you know, the less of an idiot Sesshoumaru, to come back and you can work it out with him."
"Hold still," Kohaku ordered Inuyasha, before edging the monk's neck up slightly. "We'll be gone in a moment."
"Why?" Inuyasha asked coolly, clearly trying to ignore at least part of his friend's plight, which was smart, but the young demon-slayer knew smart was bad, questions in general, were bad.
"Because you have the thing which we seek, Inuyasha," Jaken said, his devilish voice rising with an absurd amount of amusement.
"Jaken!" Kohaku warned.
The half-demon seemed to be ready to make a break for it, though Kohaku was still warningly holding the blade in his hand. Waving the two-headed staff in front of Inuyasha, Jaken started cackling as the air around them shifted, the smell of demonic energies seemingly filling the air.
Suddenly, the staff which his counterpart held started to laugh as a golden light emerged from Inuyasha's right eye. He groaned in pain before a hand instinctively came up to block the bolts of energy, though it scorched the half demon's hands, making them shoot away a second later as his pupil opened up, and a black pearl was sucked into the air before plopping down in front of them, Jaken reaching down and picking it up.
"Lord Sesshoumaru will be most pleased," he chuckled, though his eyes darted up to the very much enraged Inuyasha.
Even holding his friend hostage wasn't going to keep this from getting ugly, and Kohaku could see that. Unfortunately, he also hadn't noticed the monk shifting beneath him, before the young-boy felt an elbow slam into his gut. The monk had managed to turn his head enough as well that his sickle only grazed the side of his folly's cheek. Before he knew it, Kohaku was the one sprawling back.
Hearing Jaken squeal a moment later, Kohaku knew now was the time to go. And it was time to go fast.
"Kirara!" he shouted, winding his chain in as quickly as he could while beyond, he saw Inuyasha preparing to strike down the small minion of their mutual master.
Their other companion, the spirit-cat, the one he'd known his whole life however, saved everything as she swept in, grasping Jaken in her mouth as he screamed helplessly, pulling him aside from a strike from Inuyasha's claws as he shook helplessly in her mouth, almost seemingly beginning to pass out as he was jostled about.
The large cat rushed towards him, and Kohaku finished wrapping his chain, just as he saw the black pearl drift from the barely conscious Jaken's grip. Holstering his weapon, he reached with one hand, grabbing the pearl mid air, and with the other catching the scruff of Kirara just as she took to the air at high speed. Hoisting himself up, he slipped the pearl into his clothes before grabbing Jaken, pulling him from the jaws of Kirara carefully and putting him in front of him.
"ooOoOooooo… what… You stupid cat-creature! Can't you see that I was totally fine! This is an indignity! Lord Sesshoumaru will hear of!- The pearl! Oh no! I dropped it! Lord Sesshoumaru will-"
Kohaku tapped his compatriot on the shoulder, before smiling down at him, wincing from the strike which the monk had landed on him as he bent over, pulling the pearl out briefly to show him, before placing it back in his tunic.
"We've got it."
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Sesshoumaru the Younger:
There it had been again. Despite the shame of losing their initial fight, Sesshoumaru had now seen his counterpart's weakness several times. He'd been foolish enough to reveal it to him not just today, but even in day's past. Saving Inuyasha and traveling with him, reluctance when fighting him, resurrecting him after he had killed him, and now fighting without the intention of killing his enemy outright. He'd seen every moment of hesitation before him. The shallow seconds that ticked by while he'd been searching for the right directions to steady his course of action. Whoever that Sesshoumaru was, he had become indecisive. Even as Jaken and Kohaku sped past them, he noticed his double's keen instincts target them, but stall at the last moment. He could not bring himself to slay Jaken, or risk his life.
That was not something Sesshoumaru himself, his true self, would falter in. He had decided on his course centuries before this moment. His course had been set in the days of his disputes with his father. He would rise to become the most powerful warrior in the world, and he would test himself against anyone who dared to think they were better than this Sesshoumaru. The fang of destruction would elevate him in power to a new height, from which he would dispatch his elder-self, as well as Inuyasha and anyone else.
I will be the one to achieve final victory.
Even now as he rushed through the air next to the cat creature however, he was sure to keep an eye on his counterparts. Jaken appeared ruffled, though little else, and Kohaku, despite being a human child, seemed to be only mildly disrupted. He was favouring his abdomen, though there was no sign of blood. The cat itself seemed to have several marks from claws, but nothing more than superficial wounds. That had gone remarkably better than he'd even hoped. Truth be told, he had suspicions that either Jaken or Kohaku may have died in the venture, though he did expect them to retrieve the key for him.
Now though, now they were running out of time. They had perhaps two minutes in advantage on their pursuers. He would not be able to mask their scent, and both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru would be able to track them. This meant now was the time to act. He would not be able to stop the other Sesshoumaru forever, and his compatriots would no longer have the element of surprise on Inuyasha, no matter how disgraceful he was.
"There," Sesshoumaru ordered, pointing to an opening in the forests below. Diving down and sensing his minions' pursuit, he landed on the ground gracefully, turning to Jaken and Kohaku immediately he grabbed the two-headed staff before looking sharply at the two of them.
"The pearl, now."
"My Lord, we have achieved our goal!" Jaken started. "Inuyasha and-"
"Now." He repeated, before Kohaku hurried pulled the black orb from his tunic, almost fumbling as he handed it to him.
Dropping it to the ground a second later, he lanced it with the tip of the staff. The staff cackled madly as an aura burst forth, black-purple light filled the air around them. Energies sparked as the pearl became darker and darker, before the gateway was made clear, the entrance vanishing, and leading to the destination he could never find.
Beyond the portal, he knew what awaited him. It was his father's tomb, and the inheritance he had been denied since the moment of his father's death. An unnecessary death, all to save the fool who held this place for so long. Even his mother had clearly known about this, denying him his destiny. If he could bring back that foul seductress and kill her as a reprisal, he would.
"A portal," Jaken whispered. "What lay beyond it?"
"My father's tomb, and the legacy he left for me," Sesshoumaru said bluntly. "Now, come. We do not have time for this."
Even before he took his leap, he cast a quick glance to the direction he knew his opponents would come from, and knew they would be on them in seconds. Kohaku and Kirara had already leaped into the void, fearlessly so, as Jaken looked in the direction of the others before turning back to Sesshoumaru.
"I will stay here and prevent them from following you, milord! I will not allow them to interrupt this for you. I pray only that I can withstand their onslaught long enough to-"
Jaken's voice was already distance as he had decided not to wait for his compatriot. Even if Jaken offered only a few seconds of resistance, every second counted. Better yet, he knew the other Sesshoumaru would not have the stomach to kill Jaken. To understand his enemy's disposition and his weakness so well was almost exhilarating, truthfully. At every turn he could outplay him, despite the great power he wielded with his Bakusaiga. The simple truth was, he knew that his other self simply did not have the edge required to cut the way a warrior must cut. Despite his appearance being near the same, he was a flimsy sword at this point.
And once I have the Tessaiga in my possession, I will destroy him, and the others.
As soon as he appeared once more, he was greeted by a sight that might have been unnerving, were it not for his race towards completion. The great tower built of his father's bones. Its mouth was ajar, as if his father was crying out into the greater world around him. An emblem of what should have been a magnificent ruler. It loomed over the entire landscape as a beacon of who he had been. The truth was however, that his father had been a weak man, in the end. Looking upon his corpse, even if he hated to admit it, offered more pity and disdain than admiration and reverence.
The newest companions he found himself with were already floating, looking awestruck at where they found themselves.
"Follow," Sesshoumaru ordered bluntly, taking off towards the mouth with haste.
He plunged through its jaws and descended to the belly of the tomb. Bones of fallen enemies, human and demon alike, littered the floor. They hadn't been intruders, but to represent fallen enemies before the Great Dog Demon. Toga, Lord of the Western Lands, and general of the Dog Demons. A title for the man who was and little more.
But behind all the titles. Behind the walls made of his father's ribs and armour. Beyond the bones in this room, he could see that which he had always desired. He could see the sword he'd demanded on the night of his father's final battle. A battle against a dragon, and then a fight against a man. There it stood, the tip of the katana in its basic form, stabbed into the altar where it stood. It was shameful it'd been allowed to appear to be in this scale of disrepair, though in truth he knew the sword was in the same state it was the final day his father carried it.
It was impossible not to let himself smile, even if only a gradual amount.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, is that what you seek?" Kohaku asked as he dismounted the cat.
"Yes, the legendary blade of my father. With the power to slay one hundred demons with the single stroke of its blade. The fang of destruction, built from my father's very own fang."
Walking briskly towards it, he reached out, taking hold of his destiny at the same moment his fingers wrapped around the hilt of the blade, taking it into his possession. His power, and his possession. For all his short-comings, his father's legacy would be redeemed through him with the power of this sword. He would not allow himself to become as frail as his father had become, and he would-
Just as his demonic energies tapped into the blade as he pulled on it to withdraw the blade, a crackle of energy scorched his fingers as the steel of the blade remained anchored in the raised level of the altar. He held on for several seconds before withdrawing his hand, his fingers burning with the energies from the blade itself.
His eyes peered at his skin, though unmarked, he could feel the energy from the sword coursing through his hand. For a brief second, he had it, only to be rejected and turned away. A barrier existed anchoring it to this place.
"Wh-what happened?"
The reality of time came into play. With enough time and offerings, he could break a barrier or spell, even one as powerful at this. There were creatures he could bring to his aid, called upon out of loyalty, or made to serve out to desperation. Unfortunately, none could resolve his issue now. Despite knowing the exploits for his counterpart, he had gambled that he would have a blade in hand that could spar with his counterpart. That had always been the deciding factor, the blade which had cut him down the first time. Kohaku and Kirara would not last against Inuyasha either, let alone the other human.
Part of him briefly considered telling them to flee, thou he made no such comment, instead, he scowled openly at his hand, bitterness displaying itself openly from behind his mask of indifference for the first time. It was apparently intimidating enough that he heard Kohaku shuffle back.
"I warned you before, the blade cannot be yours. It is not meant for you," his own voice echoed from behind.
Managing to restore his composure, he slowly turned to look behind him, having already sensed, if only for a second, the arrival of the others. The monk, his foolish half-brother, and Sesshoumaru all stood there looking at him. From next to Inuyasha's face, he could see Myoga peering out from strands of hair as well, clearly having hitched a ride.
"Jaken?" he asked dully, unsure even as to why.
"Fine," Sesshoumaru remarked in turn. "Though you will want to collect him after you leave this place."
"I still think we should have finished him off," Inuyasha grumbled, only to take a step back with his other self turned a cold glare at him, daring to question him openly was a great insult.
The offering of asylum was now leveled at him. That was unexpected. His doppelganger offering him such a branch was something he'd need to consider, but consider quickly.
"Just like that, you'd let me go? After I had your friends attacked and found this place?" he asked. "Surely you know how foolish that would be. What would stop me from simply coming back to claim the sword, either from here, or from Inuyasha's corpse?"
The same yellow eyes, wizened and calculating, stared back at him. He'd been forward about his intentions, if he left here, this would be far from over.
"You would be willing to die here, rather than retreat?"
"Lord Sesshoumaru-" Kohaku said. "I'm not sure-"
His double was looking at the boy, and he noticed the glint of familiarity. It didn't need to be said, perhaps he could even see some concern. Was he concerned for a random human child? Even then he wasn't sure, but he actually doubted that. No matter how far he'd fallen, he doubted very much he cared so much for collateral damage.
A glint of ambition sparked within him when he looked at Kohaku. Wouldn't it be fateful if he knew this child? He knew this other Sesshoumaru was from another world, another time. All he needed to do was play into his game. A hint, a tick, and he actually held an advantage he'd not imagined prior.
"Boy," he said, being certain to not use his name. "Remain calm. Their position of strength is false. Their offer is empty."
Turning his attention back to his counterpart, he remained cold as he took a step forward.
"That is a lie," his counterpart was quick to remark. "Would you doom your own ward so readily? Endangering his life so quickly?"
"Lord Sesshoumaru, we should avoid fighting a child if we could," Miroku said. "I am unsure of the cat demon however."
"She's not a demon," Kohaku shot back as the cat growled behind him. "And I was good enough to stop you, monk."
"I think you'll find that won't happen this time," the human countered his 'ward'. "Listen to us, we can help you with whatever is happening. Whatever that Sesshoumaru has offered you-"
"I am loyal to my Lord Sesshoumaru," the boy countered, his tone becoming dug in, even for a child.
Looking back towards the others, Sesshoumaru, the younger of the two, felt some confidence, though he almost froze as he spoke.
"Kohaku," the elder said, catching the boy's attention. "There is no dishonour not involving yourself in this. The sword cannot be retrieved. Leave this failed venture and your master will do the same."
And there it was. This game had players in it from before. Were things playing out much as they had in his world? Was he walking down the path he once walked? He doubted it, there was too much uncertainty for that. But through listening to his own nature, he now found his opportunity to achieve what he wanted. To defeat his counterpart was unlikely, but to kill Inuyasha, and prevent any further disputes of his claims… that was far more likely.
Snapping his whip out, the green lashes of energy cut across the distance between the two parts, the first strike cutting across Inuyasha before sending him back. As if on cue, the boy threw his own sickle forward, aiming for the monk, who proceeded to deflect it with his staff while the cat took to the limited air above them. Bakusaiga, the sword which was not in his possession, was drawn and hung dangerously for a second before his he rushed forward. The blade cut past him several times as he looked for an opening for his claws to strike back. Each sweep of the blade left a small wave of corrosive energy in the air, buzzing past him as he felt just how close he was to serious injury or worse.
It appeared that his confidence may have been misplaced, given the intensity of the fighting.
"Inuyasha!" the monk shouted. "I could use a hand!"
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Inuyasha:
The cat-demon shot down from above, it's teeth and claws ready, a wild warped screech carrying over the air as it descended at him. They'd already had an exchange outside, and he was guessing he had an idea of what was going to happen. Despite this thing being smart, it wasn't as on-point as a humanoid demonic entity, and without the same form, its attacks were limited, though powerful enough to leave him with reminders of mistakes. Or worse, if those teeth got to the wrong spot, it might leave him with a fatal injury.
Hopping to the side as it came down on him, he drew his own claws, slashing back, aiming for the places he'd already made headway before. Only this time, the cat moved, hopping to the side in a quick motion. When he leaped after it, it dodged again, though this time prepped itself to pounce back. What followed were a series of leaps, each one increasingly frantic as they raced off, trying to be the one gaining the final advantage to gain the opportunity for a strike. How surprisingly frustrating it was, wasn't lost on Inuyasha as it cleared over him with another bound before he took off in pursuit once more.
This time, it took its gamble, hitting the ground and leaping back towards him, trying to catch him in mid air, unaware. Tucking himself in as it passed, he felt it's claws slash across his left should, ripping through his robe and cutting into his skin. But he'd found his own mark, his claw slashing across the beast's underbelly. The cat screeched before slamming into the wall of the tomb and dropping to the ground. It struggled to move, giving a gagging noise as it tried to paw its way up.
Good. If their Sesshoumaru really thinks he has this in the bag, he's out of his mind.
When they'd first appeared here, he'd heard Myoga mutter that this was his father's tomb. Indeed, it was his father. It felt all too weird to be fighting inside of it. Not that he had any deep, hidden respect for his old man. In fact, he never met the guy, and didn't really care how fancy or huge his dead body was made to look behind whatever black pearl he'd left behind.
"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted again.
"I'm coming! If you didn't notice I was bus-"
A chained claw shot towards him, the bone-metal hook cut past his arm, slashing his forearm as he saw the boy perched on Miroku's staff, before backflipping off it and landing next to the supposedly sacred sword. Truth be told, the sword looked like a total piece of garbage. Though that was hardly on top of his mind when he flinched back from his wound, moving to the side as the furious child tried now to square off against both him and Miroku.
"Man, you can't beat a kid Miroku, are you serious?" Inuyasha asked. "I thought you said you had this."
"I don't want to kill him, Inuyasha, he's just a child!" Miroku protested. "If you hadn't noticed I can stop him, but it would result in his death."
"For some reason I think that's what our other friend over there is banking on."
Inuyasha eyed the other two Sesshoumaru's just as the sound of lashes colliding with the sword sparked through the air. The two of them shooting past one another before Inuyasha felt them whoosh past, seeing the two collide with the wall and send cracks up the side of the insides of this already precarious structure. The sounds of clashes and steel were all he could hear, and that was fine by him. Even if his brother hated to hear it, he'd be the one coming to help in only a few moments once he took care of the kid.
The kid was staring at his injured friend too, which might help him have an advantage. He already knew not to ask for him to give up, at least.
Alright, I'm going for it.
Bare feet hit the surface of the ground as Inuyasha bolted forward, his eyes locked onto the last target. The boy threw his sickle out once more, only this time Inuyasha caught the offending blade in mid air. Just as he landed with it in hand, he prepared to strike out with his other arm when he saw with intense reflexes and motion, Kohaku grab the sword, the Tessaiga, as if out of instinct. He ripped it from its place and cut him across the chest before he could finish his strike. Flinching as he felt blood seep into his robe.
The boy rolled back, holding the blade properly, defensively, as he dropped his chain, literally backed into a corner.
"Kid," Inuyasha breathed angrily. "You have no idea how much you're making me not regret this."
Only there was a pause.
"H-he has the Tessaiga?!" Myoga almost shouted from behind his ear. "That's impossible though! The barrier! Surely… no, he doesn't seem to have access to its power."
It's just some piece of crap anyway.
"Shut up," he whispered back. "I'm not worried about the dumb sword. I'm trying not to gut this kid to win."
Moving up to his side, Miroku held his staff firm as he moved in himself.
"On three," Miroku said, nodding at him, implying they both move in at once. "Three!"
There was no count, trying to hope for the surprise. He'd picked up on that the second Miroku had nodded at him. Running forward, he rolled to the side as the kid cut at him, aiming for a lethal strike. When he did, Miroku's staff shot in, connecting with the side of his head. The lights behind the eyes immediately went out as the kid dropped to the ground, hard.
Great, that's both down.
Walking over, he reached down, picking up the now loose sword.
"Incredible! The Tessaiga! The Sword made with your father's fang! One of the greatest weapons ever forged!"
"This piece of crap?"
"I sense there could be great power behind that blade, Inuyasha," Miroku said, beginning to tend to the child, trying to make sure he was alright before propping him up against the wall. "This boy has been thoroughly trained. It's a shame that he's seemingly so blindly loyal to-"
Sesshoumaru fell back, sliding against the ground as Inuyasha tried to figure out which one it was. Only as he looked at the two of them, there was a quick realization, something was wrong…
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Sesshoumaru the Elder:
Claws raked across his chest as he cut Bakusaiga against his opponent's side, the sizzling nature of the blade's edge was intense enough that even he heard his opposition grunt in pain, meaning that the cut had been well placed. Much like his battle with the demon from his own time, Romulus, his opponent had found himself against an opponent who could defend and attack at a distance better. The only thing left to do was get in close, but even his own venture into that, despite being mildly more successful, was a failure. Had they not fallen into the well, he knew the outcome of that battle.
Pulling the sword back, he felt the unexpected knuckles of his other self collide with the side of his cheek. A cut would have left him less dazed, which meant his counterpart had been planning something else. The sound of the cat, Kirara, howling before slamming into the wall could be heard. It'd not taken long, but Inuyasha had already defeated Sango's mount. That meant that Kohaku would be subdued shortly afterwards. Before he could react further, he felt his counterpart's hand on his chest. Grabbing it with his own, he began dripping venom onto the exposed skin, the sound was not lost on either of them before they were both jetted towards the wall, his counterpart driving forward with full speed and force. With his free hand on his arm, knowing there wasn't enough time to stab with his blade, Sesshoumaru tilted them before they both crashed into the wall, spreading the impact between the two of them.
It'd be a lie to say the impact hadn't left its mark on him, though his eyes immediately caught view of the target in his proximity, knowing it'd left a clear and present mark there as well. The sensation of the wind being knocked from his lungs was unfamiliar, at least in this way. A brief second had only passed before he saw a claw slip through the air, the deadly blades at the end of each finger coming for his head. Pulling back just in time, he saw the right-hand crash into the wall, the surface around where each knife was imbedded melting with toxic corrosion. Finally, with Bakusaiga in hand, Sesshoumaru stepped to the side before thrusting, intent on skewering his opponent, and putting an end to the grizzle display which had been. A part of himself even, almost wanted to scream in protest, what was done, was now done. Only despite his aim being true, his other self's nature of survival and boldness kicked in, just as his had against the forementioned Romulus. Sesshoumaru's double grabbed the back of the sword mid thrust, pulling it to the side as it barely missed his centre of mass, stabbing the blade into the wall itself. Immediately and quickly, the elder then cut the other Sesshoumaru across the chest, before releasing the hilt of the sword and slashing him along the side of his neck and face. Blood splattered into the air as several deep cuts appeared, almost catching his counterpart's eye.
The claws tore out of the wall however as he felt them turn, raking across his chest and neck, leaving blood to shoot back before the other hand, bleeding and burnt from its contact with his blade, came up, cutting him across the belly as well before he was kicked back. His feet slid across the bone saturated floor as the two of them stared down one another, blood dripped from every place before he noticed his double turning and looking sharply to Kirara, and then looking to where he now knew Kohaku lay unconscious. The golden eyes widened when he saw what Sesshoumaru knew too to be true.
His own eyes turned to see Inuyasha holding the Tessaiga, the Fang of Destruction, the sword his father had left for his son. Over time, the sword would be known more for Inuyasha than their father Toga. If things stayed as they had been, of course. The blade became reforged with Inuyasha's fang, and he would increase the power of the blade by attaching more and more powers and essence to it, before restoring it to its near-full form with the power of the Meido-Zangetshua.
There was a strange sense of a return to normal, a sense of nostalgia. Long ago he'd relinquished his hatred of Inuyasha, or the fact that his father had left him his greatest gift, something which would protect him both from his royal-demonic blood, as well at from the outside world. It was only meant for him once he was ready, and that was something he was unsure of at this point, but for him to have it felt right.
"Disgusting," Sesshoumaru's younger counterpart breathed, blood still soaking into his kimono. "To think that our father's legacy now lay in the hands of you, Inuyasha. Anything left of the honour his name once carried is sullied so long as your hands hold onto that sword."
"Geeze, thanks. Mister, I'm going to throw everything away because I'm a loser. Your little frog friend is down and out, and you can't hide behind this kid and his cat anymore. It's just you, me, the monk, and you, and I've got to say that I like our odds. I've got the sword, for all it's worth. What do you think happens now?"
Already Miroku was holding the prayer beads around his hand defensively, though there was an intent for him to use his Wind Tunnel to help in the decision behind this battle. But there was a problem and he knew it all too well, the younger version of himself may have been blinded by his hatred right now, but behind him was Bakusaiga. It was something not lost on him, which meant it was not lost on his other self.
"Miroku, now would be a wise time to-"
The other Sesshoumaru took several quick steps backwards, before his left hand reached out, grasping the hilt of the Bakusaiga, a blade crafted for his purpose. Its full power could never be unlocked by anyone but himself, even Inuyasha, someone who shared his blood, only managed to achieve a small sliver of its power when he'd killed Naraku's incarnation.
Metal sliding against the stone of the wall was all he heard in response as his own breathing hitched, and for the first-time real concern was written on his face.
"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku shouted, throwing his arm out as bones by the thousand were sucked in.
The vortex expanded as it sucked in more and more. The cat creature began to shriek as it started to slide, its paws wet with its own blood. His younger-self didn't know how to use the blade, not yet. He would need to be stopped before he had any kind of reasonable time with it. The only problem was, if Miroku destroyed both him and the sword-
Sesshoumaru's younger body dashed forward, rushing straight towards the wind tunnel. Side jumping away from the cone of the attack only when it seemed like it was too late, he shifted around Miroku before his reaction time could respond, but not before Sesshoumaru's himself. Already he shot his own whip out, tagging Miroku from the side and sending him sprawling to the ground just as the blade passed through what would have been the side of his head. Inuyasha jumped back as well at the last moment as an arc of energy, not the full attack from the Bakusaiga, slashed through where the two had been standing and even came close to where he himself was, the energy crackling along the surface of the floor with burnt, corroded ground beneath it.
"Shit!" Inuyasha's voice broke through the silence as he saw the smile appear on his double's face.
"I believe you told me this blade was even stronger than the Tessaiga. Is it not fitting then, that I now possess this sword? I can sense its power simply by holding it. Far better in the hands of someone who is not bound to such frailty such as yourself."
The words came out as his double moved back again, keeping the blade held flawlessly as he did, prepared to cut down any challenge. They could make their exchanges again, but he knew that unlike himself, his counterpart held no hesitation in how he fought. His attack had aimed to kill both Inuyasha and Miroku. Not that it surprised him in the slightest, were he in his double's shoes… well, he would be his double.
The same amnesty which had been offered as well, would not be returned, they were all aware of that already. Though his younger opponent wasn't the only one with tools to utilize.
"Far worse in the hands of someone who doesn't understand it, or the responsibility of how to use it," he responded back bluntly. "You don't know what it is to earn anything, Sesshoumaru. You have suffered no true strife until the moment you met me. That sword can only be misused by someone as pitiable as yourself."
The reflection of this words had the desired impact. Green energy crackled along the edge of the blade. Oddly, speaking such hard truths to himself of a younger time, were just as hard on him, as they were on… him. There had been few obstacles his natural gifts hadn't allowed him to overcome with ease.
He quickly made eye contact with the currently anxiety riddled Inuyasha. When he turned his attention back within a split second, he hoped he'd sent enough of a message to the half-demon before a cascade of emerald power shot towards him. It was far larger and more extensive than his first cut had been. It meant much to his own disdain; his opponent's power had been growing already as he was already becoming rapidly in-tune with what he possessed. It wasn't a surprise given his own natural aptitude to control weaponry.
Dashing to the side, Inuyasha didn't flinch as he grabbed away the Tessaiga. Golden energy scorched around his hand as he openly winced, having long since forgotten the power of the wards that sealed away this weapon from the touch of a demon. The blade transformed as he infused it with his will, merging his energies with that of the blade as the golden light around it not only crackled from the hilt, but from the blade itself as its true form emerged. The wind between them became visible as he saw the arch he needed to cut through within the blind of an eye.
Father, I can sense your power within this blade, I feel it through the ward that now burns me. Lend me the power to stop this.
The edge of the blade glowed hotly before he cut straight through the barrier within the wind.
"Wh-what the Hell is that?!" Inuyasha cried out before the world turned to a rumble of noise and light.
The hilt still crackled against his skin as it burned more and more deeply even after he'd completed the stroke. The cut through the air, the Wind Scar, the attack which could slay 100 demons in a single stroke of the blade, cut across scene before them. In the path of his attack stood his other self, only turning to see it seemingly at the last moment. The wall of light, cut along the arc of his strike, blasted throughout the tomb. An explosion emerged behind them as part of the wall was rend open by the attack. Even then he didn't relinquish the blade, feeling it burning ever more through his palm and fingers, even going as far as to weaken him, if only because he needed to see the result of the attack.
"That's crazy! What the Hell kind of sword is this?! Did you see that?!"
"Sesshoumaru, that sword's power is unbelievable, I cannot-" Miroku had started from where he was perched on the ground.
The smoke parted as he felt it first. Without even thinking the future warrior had already shoved Inuyasha aside, looking at him directly as his half-brother stared back at him in disbelief. Pointing Tessaiga forward with all his demonic energy and with the blade itself holding steady, he met what was coming head on.
"SESSHOUMARU!"
Bakusaiga's power was unleashed on him from behind the wave of smoke, clearly his counterpart had leaned into the full power of the blade already, especially now with the response. The poisonous energy swarmed over him as the sparks of raw power buzzed in the air. Tessaiga flexed under the strain and his own power waned just as the green tide crested over him. As the energy parted around him, he heard the explosive force of energy behind him, knowing that another part of their father's tomb had been blasted away.
As soon as it was completed, the light fading away, he could hold on no longer. Already on his knees, the supposed Dog Lord released the hilt. The smell of corroded stone and molten flesh filled his nostrils simultaneously while he simply tried to hold onto his conscious state. Even as the smoke parted between them, he could see the damage the Wind Scar had brought fully, with the other Sesshoumaru, clearly haggard, but fully functional, standing at the heart of where the Bakusaiga had parted the Wind Scar.
They stood in inverted states. But as the sound of Tessaiga hitting the floor was heard, he knew the truth of it. His hand was so badly mauled it could no longer be called functional, and his hope of using Tessaiga's full power to win such a battle was lost. Fortune turned twice in one day, and now it turned decided against him. Inuyasha would not have the strength to defeat that Sesshoumaru, not alone. And Sesshoumaru knew in seconds, he would be.
The other demon didn't proclaim victory, or mock him, but instead he heard the one word he'd said to so many.
"Die."
It took everything to stand up, trying to prepare his claws before the other Sesshoumaru closed the distance, only to already feel the blade slash across his chest. The poison energy from within it cracked against his skin as he felt himself freeze in place for a heartbeat before sliding back, skidding before falling onto his side, half hanging over the wall. His corrupted wound already oozed blood along the scarred floor beneath him as his head peered down, seeing the immense drop to jagged rocks, and hearing the sound of the strange, carrion demon birds as they announced themselves.
How ironic, it would be at his father's tomb that he died.
The sound of footsteps coming over to him were heard as he tried to pull himself back from the brink before a foot shoved into his chest. Managing to turn his head up towards the arrogant creature above him, he almost snarled himself, though he in truth didn't want to give him the satisfaction.
"A fitting death for a creature who walked in the path of our father. I have become greater than both him, and you," he heard say, the tone unflinchingly self-satisfied as he pointed the tip of the blade towards his neck.
"Hey, IDIOT!"
Turning his head sharply, he saw his counterpart pull the sword back and block against the swing of the now transformed Tessaiga.
"Wretch," he heard his older counterpart sneer as the two blades connected, sparks flying in the air as the two weapons made contact with one another in a series of clashes.
A hand helped pull him back as the two fighters continued their deadly dance further away, with his other self clearly maintaining the greatest advantage so far.
"Are you alright?" Miroku asked, the human looking on just as he was, but trying to help.
The wound on his chest throbbed, and in a way that he knew was more threatening than his other injuries. Bakusaiga was a blade that left its mark on anything it touched, including even a creature such as himself. But that wasn't something he had to worry about now. Instead, his eyes only fell on the very poor battle as it was happening now.
"Fine enough," he responded, though he didn't mention he was unable to rise, or use his right hand. "Help Inuyasha."
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Inuyasha:
He's so fast!
By the time he swung the blade, Sesshoumaru either moved around it, or had already deflected it with the Bakusaiga. He was chasing after a ghost almost, striking at where Sesshoumaru had been, rather than where he was. Even when he made broader attacks, they found nothing but air.
"And this, little brother, is why your human blood is a disgrace. For all the power father left you, he watered it down with the disgusting blood of an animal little better than a pig."
The words were spoken flawlessly even as Inuyasha struck head down, slamming the transformed blade into the ground in front of him. He was so angry he could barely see straight. Unfortunately, he knew that was what Sesshoumaru had wanted, and he couldn't help but give it to him. The full-blooded demon had already side stepped him, slashing him with his claws as he moved past, raking past his chest this time as he landed behind him. Gagging in pain, Inuyasha almost fell to his knees, knowing Sesshoumaru hadn't delivered the killing blow if only to make him suffer a few moments before this was all over.
It was more than ironic, that this guy just called his mom a pig and called him half-live stock, when the exact same person as him, had just very much saved his life, and he knew that's exactly what happened as well.
Damn it. If I don't come through, we're all dead. I saw what Sesshoumaru did to make this thing change, but I don't understand how he got this thing's whole power out in a single attack. That was crazy, was that him or the sword?
Taking the precious seconds his opponent had clearly offered him, Inuyasha climbed back to his feet before turning around, blade in hand.
"Yea, well, after I beat you, what excuse are you going to have about calling me half-live stock? Ever consider that I don't care what dear old dad did? Maybe you should get a life of your own."
"That sword is enough reason to care about what our father did," Sesshoumaru immediately countered, his tone subtly bitter. "Look at how you wield it. You don't even understand its full power. The Wind Scar is the true power of the blade, and you just use it as a club. Your ignorance is immeasurable, and your skill is non-existent. Your very breathing is a disgrace to my family."
He could still remember when he'd arrived at his village as a child. In fact, he could remember the scorn he'd heaped upon his own mother as she begged him for mercy, showing up for no other reason than his own greed. He was vicious enough that he couldn't even just let something go. How this guy turned into the other one, the one who just saved his life, he didn't know. Quite frankly, he didn't even care, not really anymore. In truth, he idly felt a pang of remorse for what this creature must have put their father through, and later his mother.
"I'd rather be ignorant than being as cruel as you. For all that power you claim? You're just a small little man. You're so petty you'd even spit in the face of your own father. I wonder why he didn't leave anything to you? It's not hard to figure out, even for some half-demon like me. Let me guess, you take after your mother? Was she as kind as you are, Sesshoumaru? Or is dad's taste in women consistent, and did she oink just like mine?"
"Lord Inuyasha, what are you doing?!" Myoga whispered in a hushed panic from behind his ear.
"Shut up, if you don't like it you can get off me."
Finally. Finally, he could see a scowl appeared on Sesshoumaru's face this time. There it was, that thing that had been hiding behind his mask of indifference and calm. It'd edged out a few times so far in the fight, but now it was on display for him to see. He wanted him to be angry? Fine. Inuyasha though, wasn't going to just let this go without saying his piece too. It appeared evidently that it was too hot to handle at least in a small way for his older brother.
The attack that was about to come, ceased however, when a voice broke through. The older Sesshoumaru had managed to get to his knees.
"Inuyasha…" he declared, loud enough to be heard, but his voice very clearly weakened. "To unlock the Wind Scar, you need to cut between the wind."
The singing of Bakusaiga whistled through the air as the blade twirled once in the younger one's hand, just as he turned towards the elder, clearly intent on finishing the job. Even as he did, Inuyasha couldn't see the Wind. Even with his senses honed as much as they could be, only the faintest whisps appeared on the edge of his eyes, sensing it almost like an aura. Desperation kicked in as he realized what was about to follow.
If I can't do this he's done for.
"Thank you for your contribution, I understand that you don't wish for me to be bored, but I think I can take care of that myself," Sesshoumaru said, turning the blade to cut a slice through the air towards his brother.
A scroll hit his shoulder a second later however, bursting into green flame a second after it had. There was another turn of his attention, before he looked towards him again, realizing the surrounded element of where he was.
A more complete picture of the wind was starting to appear for him as he felt his desperation subside, even if only slightly.
"Do you really believe you can stop the three of us?" Miroku asked. "Surrender now, and you can still walk out of here."
It only took their enemy a moment to read the room, looking between all of them before settling between Miroku and himself.
"Your foolishness knows no bounds, I see. The idea that a human, no matter his power, as well as a half-demon were going to be my end is madness. The two of you will die first, before I finish my weaker self."
Energy crackled off the tip of the blade and Inuyasha felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. As soon as it had, he could see the wind, just like what Sesshoumaru had been talking about. He could see the scar in the wind. It was enough to make his breathing catch when he viewed it.
There it is! I can see it!... The Wind Scar!
"Tell me, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru said just as he brought the blade up higher. "Does your human heart tremble with fear at the sight of your death?'
Putting his left foot back as he prepared the Tessaiga, he just clenched his teeth together as he looked to take this head on.
"FEH! Gimme your best shot, loser!"
With a cut of the blade, Inuyasha heard only one word.
"Bakusaiga."
The green mass of energy materialized off the end of the blade as it was cut towards him. In response, he slashed forward and down, just as he thought he could. The blade carved straight through the scar in the wind, and almost reactively, he heard himself cry out.
"WIND SCAR!"
Despite the energy between the two of them, even as the golden light emerged and shot straight towards Sesshoumaru's attack, he could hear the shock in his brother's lungs, and he knew even if it was subtle, there was at least a raising of the eyebrows.
The two waves collided, colours swirling together as a storm of destruction reigned over the room between them. What was left of the bones scattered and were shattered. Wind picked up and burst in all directions, sending his own long hair fluttering as the two blades met directly, but with their stored energy. He was almost in disbelief that he'd done it, and even more so that the wind scar had matched the Bakusaiga.
"Fascinating, little brother, you're not as useless as you appear," Sesshoumaru's voice called over the storm. "But I, Sesshoumaru, am not concerned."
The golden light in the storm vanished, before a torrent of green energy, what was left of the conflagration, rolled towards him.
"Oh shi-"
When the wave crashed on him, he only had a second to raise the Tessiaga. When he did, he felt the burning green energy scattered at the edge of the blade. His robe sizzled as bits of it burned away, and he could feel his skin almost boil on his hands. It drove him to his knees as he was left breathing in the toxic air, almost making him want to vomit.
"Still alive?" Sesshoumaru asked, his blade once more sparking with power.
Spitting on the ground between them, Inuyasha gave a very crude response. His saliva hit the ground and simply burned away from the residual energy from the Bakusaiga.
"A fitting final gesture… Bakusaiga!"
The energy cut across the distance between them once more, only this time it stalled in the air. Then Inuyasha felt it himself, the intense force pulling him to his left side. Stabbing the tip of Tessaiga into the ground and anchoring himself, Inuyasha held on as the energy was drawn out of the air by the intense power of the Wind Tunnel, pulling the entirety of the blast to one side, causing it to be cast into the ground near him, scattering over metres of hardened stone, the very rock started to decay and melt across the once finished floor of the tomb.
The energy faded as Sesshoumaru too dug Bakusaiga into the base of the floor, turning to look at Miroku with a look of irritation and disdain. But then the wind stopped, as soon as Miroku was finished drawing in the power. He shrieked even as he fell back, holding his arm as green sparks shot out of his covered hand. Wrapping it with prayer beads again he just sat there, his arm trembling as darkened energies rose and fell out of it for several seconds, the entire time trying to stifle pained noises.
"Inuyasha," he managed. "I'm sorry… the energy, it's toxic. My hand. I can't. I didn't even take any of it in but… AHH!"
Shit.
The wind was reforming between the two of them, and Inuyasha could see Sesshoumaru preparing himself.
This was his last chance.
It's up to me. If I can't do this, it's over.
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Sesshoumaru, the Younger:
The monk has dealt with himself, even if it is in the most irritating way. It makes no difference. All he has bought Inuyasha is a few more moments.
Already his victory had been obscured a number of times by these less than worthy adversaries. Especially with his alternate self being in no condition to fight him any longer, it meant he was wasting his time toying with Inuyasha of all people. Even with the Tessaiga, the sword he'd desired for so long, his younger 'sibling' was little challenge. Twice now, Bakusaiga had been proven superior. First, when he blocked the attack, barely taking any harm, and overwhelmed the other Sesshoumaru in turn. Now? The two blades had met not only edge to edge, but power to power. It was his sword, Bakusaiga, which proved itself the superior. Inuyasha would not be able to harness the Wind Scar to save himself, and even if he could use it again so quickly, his sword would overwhelm it once more.
The monk would not be able to intervene again. The bloodied, dying body of his other self would not be able to intervene again either, not in his state. He could barely stand, let alone walk or move. Even calling out had been a struggle for him. The poisoned edge of the weapon and its energy was doing its work, even on a demon such as himself.
This would be the final test of his new sword. To kill Inuyasha, and defeat the Tessaiga for the last time. His father's fang, the Fang of Destruction, was secondary to what he now had. Briefly, he considered Kirara and Kohaku, nothing they both still lived, though the boy was barely moving and the cat was remaining hidden in a corner, reverting to its smaller state to try and recover from its injuries. Truly, his human ward had proven that not all humans were completely without worth. The Tenseiga had put him on this path, and though he was certain this wasn't the result his father imagined, it was something he most certainly was pleased with. He had found the one gem among the rocks, it would seem.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Inuyasha demanded, pulling himself back up and holding his blade firmly in his hands. "Are we doing this, or are you backing down now?"
There was a subtle wind forming around the Tessaiga itself as he knew Inuyasha was preparing himself. A fool, if he ever saw one. Still, there was something admirable in being defiant to the end. Thankfully however, this was his end. It would be removing the blight of his father's mistake, and removing the stain on his mother's honour in one final swing of the blade.
"The power of Tessaiga must feel intoxicating to a creature as lowly as yourself," Sesshoumaru remarked. "The ability to destroy 100 lives in a single strike. To die having experienced its power at all is my gift to you, Inuyasha. My next gift, is ridding you of your miserable existence."
"Became a blow-hard once you got a new toy? Aren't you special?" Inuyasha challenged.
The intensity of the emerald energies sparking off his blade intensified as he pulled his sword into the air, just as Inuyasha did.
"Inuyasha," Miroku warned. "Please, a direct attack… isn't going to work."
"Shut the fuck up, Monk! I've got this."
"The Wind Scar will not be enough to defeat me,"he remarked in response as the peak energy of his sword was reached, just as Inuyasha started to charge towards him.
Did he intend to somehow connect with his attack before his? How foolish.
"BAKUSAIGA!" he announced triumphantly.
Striking downwards, his course was set to be perfect. Only he felt a pain in his wrist, it was as if it was burning. The trajectory of his strike pulled down and to the left as he felt his body jerk to one side. The slash came down, cutting a ravine in the floor itself. There was an astonished pause from him as Inuyasha brought his sword down ahead of him. On his wrist, he could see the tethered line of toxic energy from his own daemonic energy whip.
"WIND SCAR!"
The world in front of him became a torrent of violent energy, a swirling mass of golden chaos as his father's power was unleashed. The Wind Scar was severed perfectly by Inuyasha's strike, and the torrent of raw power rolled forward in a way that left him frozen, even if his body wasn't pulled to one side. He tried to pull back his sword for his guard, but the whip remained in place.
He turned to look at the source, seeing the barely conscious Sesshoumaru holding him in place with every ounce of his will, even leveraging himself against the floor and using his leg to hold himself in place. Violently, he pulled back, almost ripping the other Sesshoumaru off the ground and wall, but it was too late, before he could even hope to raise his guard, he felt it.
Light, noise, heat, and the violence of the Wind Scar scorched over his body. Lines of pure energy cut across his body as he felt what was left of his armour shatter and wounds opening up, trenches of them as his body felt as if it was going to be torn apart. Pain.
It was pain like he'd never experienced. He looked towards Inuyasha, feeling his eyes turn red as he realized he had been killed. He had been killed by INUYASHA of all people. Even with the intervention of the other invalids… it'd been his father's bastard who killed him.
"AHHHHHH!"
Energy scorched him even more as he felt as if he was going to be torn apart, before an inky layer of energy emerged over him, just as his body was being shredded. His limbs in tact, but his body scorned, the last thought he had was of confusion, as to why the destruction had ceased before he felt himself simply bleed away.
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Inuyasha:
"AHHHH!"
Inuyasha had only seen the whip appear just before the blade had plunged downward, the green energy exploding across the floor in a blaze of jade coloured pattern of light. The ground almost seemed to melt before he'd swung down his Wind Scar, cutting through the points where the wind met for the second time. This time, the bastard didn't get a chance to block, or send his own attack. When he took the shot unguarded, Inuyasha froze in place as he started to hear him scream. The whirlwind of energy was now ripping into him and he could see it.
Part of him was elated, but it was still disturbing to see the mirror image of someone he'd been traveling with now for months, being shredded. What was strange was once the black, almost inky energy emerged in the middle of the light, saturating it from within like a bubble of flowing darkness, before it simply vanished, taking Sesshoumaru along with it.
Behind where Sesshoumaru was, the Wind Scar exploded out the side of his father's body? Temple? Grave? Well, it exploded again, thundering across the peaks that covered the landscape beyond. The wind flowed in through the openings. Miroku was still shivering as he clutched his arm, and Sesshoumaru was half-laying against the floor still, but it looked over. The kid was starting to come to, it looked like, and the cat thing was trying to be reclusive and hide.
They'd just won. They'd just stopped that other Sesshoumaru, even after he got his hands on Bakusaiga. Looking at the now normal blade in his hand, Inuyasha paused, taking in what it was. It was a piece of his father, forged into a weapon, and left for him. The gravity of that wasn't entirely lost on him, even if he didn't know the old man, and certainly if he didn't care about him. It was noteworthy though, that even from beyond the grave, his father cared enough about him to leave this to him.
"Lord Inuyasha," Myoga spoke up, hopping from across the floor. "That was spectacular, you've already mastered the Wind Scar! It is apart of the true power of the Tessaiga! My Lord would be so pleased to see that, even if it remorsefully had to be used to kill… your brother. I am sure your father would understand."
"He is still alive," Sesshoumaru's voice echoed, even if weakly. "And he still has the sword."
That was enough to give Inuyasha pause, even as he walked over to the downed demon. How did he know- he must know what that black energy was then? Great, that meant a pissed off, dangerous Sesshoumaru was out there, didn't it?
Still, his more immediate concern was even looking at the grisly wound on his sibling's chest was. It didn't look natural. It wasn't like anything he'd ever seen before.
"We've gotta get you bandaged up. And we've gotta figure out how to get out of here."
"I can show you the way," Sesshoumaru managed, though didn't pull himself up.
Reaching down, he took his hand, pulling him to his feet.
"What about those two?" he then asked, referring to the kid and the cat.
"We will take them with us for now. They will leave of their own accord once they can," he managed.
Great, just letting enemies go. One of you wants to kill everyone in sight, the other guy doesn't seemingly want to hurt a fly. What the hell happened to make these guys this different?
Of course, he didn't have the full story, and Sesshoumaru didn't seem willing to share much more, especially now. Hobbling with him, he moved towards Mirkou.
What a Mess.
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Author's Notes:
We've hit 100 reviews! Thank you for all the support everyone. I enjoy putting this content out for everyone. I've not been very productive, but I hope to get things back to normal soon. Just refurbing these chapters that I had finalized has been a nice escape from my life lol.
I'm not as big into the action chapters as with my Dragon Ball content, for the Inuyasha story, not because I don't like it but I enjoy the psychological elements more. Still, I'm basing the pacing on the manga/show, so action will be spread consistently throughout.
Thank you everyone who drops reviews, and even just reads. People enjoying the content always makes me want to produce more of it. All reviews with accounts were answered by PM.
Also, to answer the guest reviewer (Boagerss), I can't wait for more Sesshoumaru and Kagura content. It'll be exciting, I promise.