DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha characters are the creation of, and © to Rumiko Takahashi, and subsequent parties. Full Circle is the creation of my demented mind, and © to Shun'u Hanashiro 2000-2002.

Author's Notes: Italicized text (or //) can indicate private/unvoiced thoughts – or – flashback sequences. Colons [::] indicate insinuated thoughts by another character into one's subconscious. Be forewarned that all of the events prior to tankouban 14 of the manga are up for grabs in this story.

July 2002

F U L L • C I R C L E

An Inuyasha Fanfiction

By Shun'u Hanashiro

Part 10: Define "Human"

Naraku turned back towards Inuyasha and his allies. "Where was I? Oh, yes. Family reunions are always a bitch, don't you think?" He glanced at Kagome, "But they can also be quite interesting when you meet new relatives."

An iron fist closed around Inuyasha's heart and squeezed uncomfortably tight. "Leave her out of it, Naraku. This fight is between you and me."

"Her?" Naraku's smile was full of artifice. Kyosuke remembered that expression well. He had been a child when Naraku and his father had had their last confrontation, but he still remembered the crafty smirk and twisted words. Naraku still had a penchant for stealing bodies of beautiful people to house his bodiless spirit. The only thing that truly belonged to Naraku was his nature. That was of his own making.

"Kagome," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. His patience was nearly depleted and Naraku's constant needling was slowly eating away at the small shred left.

"Ah yes," Naraku turned his head a little to fully look at the girl in question. She had just retrieved her weapons and was clutching the flimsy-looking bow with a death grip. "Kagome. An interesting specimen of humanity... Wherever do you find these humans, Inuyasha?"

"Heh." Inuyasha saw Naraku signal his offspring to come closer with a flick of his fingers. Apparently Naraku didn't feel so confident without backup nearby. "You should know, Naraku. You were human once."

If only for a second, Inuyasha caught the arrested surprise on Naraku's face. It was enough to encourage him to continue. If he could live through a confrontation with his brother... Inuyasha smirked and finished with, "You're more human than I am."

Kagome blinked. Well, *that's* interesting. What did you say to him, Sesshoumaru-san? Sesshoumaru barely stirred to life with a rustle of his sleeves. He crossed both arms across his chest indifferently. The boredom in his expression was marked. What makes you think I did anything?

Kagome wasn't the only person to think that Sesshoumaru was influencing his brother. Naraku looked at him askance. "Sesshoumaru-sama. How disappointed I am to find that you're collaborating with Inuyasha."

"Sesshoumaru has no part in your dispute with Inuyasha, Naraku," Sesshoumaru said in his old manner. Had Naraku known better, he would have run at the calmness of the demon lord's gently spoken words. It was the tone Sesshoumaru had taken when he had slashed Jaken in half before offhandedly reviving the little retainer. There was no question that Naraku would not be resurrected in kind. "However, there is another matter that this Sesshoumaru wishes to discuss."

Inuyasha tensed, almost expecting Sesshoumaru to turn his back on them in betrayal. Trust was hard earned and they hadn't safely bridged the gap yet. What Sesshoumaru said next threw him off balance; the youkai lord didn't do anything to confirm Inuyasha's misgivings. His actions served to mystify Inuyasha even more.

"You have something that does not belong to you."

Naraku only had one thing that Sesshoumaru might be interested in. He wasn't about to give it up any time soon. "And what would that be, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Shikon no Tama."

Only Inuyasha had enough gumption to break through the tension that fell over all of them at Sesshoumaru's bald declaration.

"Bastard." There was an interesting mix of grudging respect and ruffled annoyance. "Why do you always have to be so bloody dramatic, Sesshoumaru?"

**********

Kagome had to agree with Inuyasha, though only silently. A now familiar voice in her head told her to stay out of the confrontation. She didn't know why he wanted her to remain silent but since she would rather not attract anyone's attention anyhow, she complied, choosing instead to keep a lookout for deception.

Naraku was very nearly sneering at the demon lord. Imprudently secure in his assumption that he held all of the cards in their dangerous game and completely unaware that there were more wild cards than he had ever accounted for. Sesshoumaru could have warned him about underestimating his enemies had he the inclination; he did not.

"And what makes you think that I will give it up, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Naraku chuckled insidiously. He was still playing his mind-games. "It seems that like Inuyasha, your reason has been addled by this female. She must be special, indeed, to weaken even you." Naraku never even spared Kagome a glance as he insulted her through his tone if not his words. He was fully occupied gauging both dog demons' reactions to his words.

Predictable? Yes. However, that fact did not lessen the splendor of Inuyasha's anger as he leapt towards Naraku with the promise of a slow and painful death in his reddening eyes. The surge of youki was enough to make the trees tremble as Inuyasha met the challenge in Naraku's words and raised the wager threefold. Kyosuke watched the hanyou curiously and noticed how demonic energy crackled around Inuyasha and sparked off of everything that it came in contact with.

Kikyou stepped back into the protection of shadows. This was a new and more worthy opponent. This was an Inuyasha that she did not know. First the unwelcome realization of Inuyasha's half-brother being the fabled cold-blooded Lord of the Western Lands, then the presence of yet another troublesome houshi, and now this? The scales had just tipped drastically against Naraku's favor and she liked that not at all. She needed to withdraw and rethink her plans. Let Naraku fight a losing battle.

Preparing to depart, a sense of danger, the weight of a malevolent stare, made her look back. What she saw did not reassure her. While Inuyasha and Naraku were engaged in their duel, the demon lord had not moved. But… his eyes were watchful. Not allowing a single emotion or thought to cross her face – not even concern for Inuyasha as he began what could well be a fatal battle against Naraku – Kikyou met eyes two shades warmer than Inuyasha's clear golden ones, and learned why so many feared his half-brother.

Cold. Unyielding. Cruel. Merciless…

So many more words could be used to describe Inuyasha's half-brother. Where Inuyasha was all fire – quick to anger and just as quick to forgive – this one was colder than a midwinter's night when the northern winds raged and ice abounded. He could not be moved like Inuyasha could be: through sentiment, compassion, and nostalgia. He would not. What made Inuyasha special amongst youkai was his humanity, something that was completely lacking in the demon lord. As was expected of a full-blooded youkai… except that even youkai had emotions. Raw and unrefined though they were, youkai knew how to feel emotions on some level. Not the demon lord. Inuyasha might be the one with the temper and flamboyant expressions, but that only made him a creature of nature. In stark contrast, Sesshoumaru was a wild creature… a force of nature that would shape the world around him rather than allowing it to shape him.

Kikyou knew in that instant that she never wanted to face off with this demon lord. Either in a fair battle or one predisposed in her favor, she would lose – maybe not necessarily because he was smarter, faster, or stronger, but simply because he didn't know how to lose. Not when it truly mattered to him.

**********

The priestess's thoughts were easy to read. Although her face showed nothing, her entire posture was tense. In one sweep he assessed her as a possible threat and then dismissed her as an equal to Naraku: human, undead, corrupted, weak… Inuyasha loves this… thing… Thoroughly disgusted, he wondered what the hell his brother was thinking to even consider spending his life with her. Obviously he wasn't thinking at all. Foolish, naïve, sentimental Inuyasha… you need to learn that not all things are worth fighting for. Don't you know that she's more likely to kill you in your sleep than spend eternity faithfully by your side?

Tethered spirits were crying, screaming in his head. Begging anyone who could hear them to be freed from their prison of earth and bones. Translucent whitish forms were writhing in and about Kikyou's earthen body, trapped there by her superior power and unwillingly feeding her life. Every few minutes he would hear one screech louder in its death toll, and then the spirit would wither away to nothing. Consumed by Kikyou's hungry, incomplete soul. Her will to live was incredibly strong to be able to do such a thing, but that did not lessen the revulsion he felt. Being who and what he was, he was able to hear the cries and pleas… the incessant anguish. She was a cruel-hearted woman to continue her vengeful quest without a care for the ones she sacrificed.

Completely different from Kagome... Sesshoumaru watched her fly away indifferently. Let Inuyasha deal with his own problems so long as none of it reflects on the family name. If he has not tarnished it already… This constant drama is tiresome.

**********

There was little room left for thought as Inuyasha moved faster than he ever had in his life. All of the aches and pains, all of the worries, all of the long hours of searching were forgotten as he was revitalized by youkai fury and bloodlust. Releasing the constant leash he held on his youkai blood was easy without Tetsusaiga's inhibiting properties to mute his heritage. Maybe too easy… but the worry came and went with barely any notice from Inuyasha as he attempted to engage in hand to hand combat with Naraku who dodged with frustrating alacrity.

From a safe distance, Kagome watched. Anxiety colored her vision and made every strike between Inuyasha and Naraku seem like the one that would end Inuyasha's life. Her hands clenched and unclenched around the bow and quiver that she held so tightly. Every time a drop of Inuyasha's blood fell to the ground, she winced. For each hit that Inuyasha landed on Naraku she silently cheered. She knew that it was more likely to be Naraku's puppet than his true form that Inuyasha was battling but it felt good to see Inuyasha get the upper hand. And through it all the others were silent. Kyosuke simply had no history with Inuyasha to truly care for the hanyou. He hoped for Naraku's demise, certainly, but that was about all he felt in the matter. Kikyou?

Kagome turned to look for the priestess. "Where's Kikyou?"

"She has fled," Sesshoumaru said coolly.

"Fled?" Kyosuke asked. "Should we worry about that?"

"No need…" Sesshoumaru considered the air of remoteness about the priestess. "She will not trouble us today. The priestess has nothing to gain from Inuyasha winning and she knows that he will."

Hopeful, Kagome asked. "Do you really think…?"

"Undoubtedly." Sesshoumaru noted that Inuyasha's strength and speed had improved. Still… giving Inuyasha compliments was… distasteful. "The idiot has no excuses for losing against a mere puppet."

Kyosuke rolled his eyes in Sesshoumaru's direction. "Is he always this disagreeable?"

Kagome was about to say "no" but one glance at the forbidding demon lord had the word stick in her throat. No, Sesshoumaru did not want anyone to know that he was capable of kindness. Kagome sighed, "Yes, unfortunately."

**********

The Gray Witch followed Kikyou's trail with ease. She blended into the darkness so well that she became a part of it. Undistinguishable from any of the other shadows cast beneath the morning light. So far the priestess had not addressed her, although Kikyou must have felt her presence. Incredible… that she still exists to this day… the protector of the Shikon no Tama and the destroyer of evil has become everything that she sought to banish from the world. How like Naraku to cause such an abomination to come into creation. After all… he did create me… and Urasue was my sister.

"Naraku's firstborn… old witch, come out."

"Kikyou-sama."

Kikyou faced the haggard crone with a blank stare. "What do you desire from me?"

"Freedom, priestess," the Gray Witch answered truthfully. Naraku would lose, but she did not want to stake her freedom on his defeat.

Kikyou looked deeply into the old woman's eyes. Eyes dark gray like her own but with a fathomless aspect to them that lent her weathered features a strange and ageless quality. Something so familiar about those eyes… I cannot place it…

"What makes you think that I, Kikyou, would aid your escape from Naraku's bonds? You are his spawn, are you not?" Kikyou looked beyond the witch to see Inuyasha and Naraku move their battlefield to the treetops. Both were slowing down, but neither was giving in to the other. "Should you not be loyal to he who has created you, who has given you life?"

"If that were the case, then you would be loyal to Kagome, the child from whom you were created and without whom you would not exist," the Gray Witch dared to say. Kikyou looked like someone had just slapped her. "But things are not always so simple, are they, Kikyou-sama?"

"Witch," Kikyou hissed. "You dare!"

"I dare," gray clashed with gray, "because I know what it is like to live in the shadow of another."

"What would you know?" Kikyou asked, not comprehending what the witch was telling her. "You are naught but a part of him."

"A part created from the pieces of his soul that he hated the most."

Taken aback yet again by the old woman, Kikyou stared. Then a smile formed. "I see… so… you are his humanity."

"I am the forsaken child," she said softly. "Loved and hated most by Naraku, my father; and unknown by my mother. Will you help me, Kikyou-sama?"

She might have some uses… "Come with me."

**********

"Come back here, Naraku!" Inuyasha yelled at the retreating baboon pelt.

"Shouldn't we help him?" Kyosuke asked.

"…"

Sesshoumaru ignored the houshi and watched as Inuyasha leapt to meet Naraku midair. Inuyasha's claws had lengthened and curved into razor sharp sickles. He had almost fully transformed into his full-blood form. Eyes red, face marked with purple bolts of lightning, and fangs curving over his lower lip. Inuyasha looked similar to himself and yet dissimilar at the same time. Hm… a crude imitation… yet somehow adequate to fight a creature such as Naraku… Sesshoumaru ignored his conscience as it told him that he was being too severe with Inuyasha.

"It's all right, Kyosuke-sama," Kagome was saying from beside him, "We'll know when to do something. If we act too soon then Naraku will escape and we won't be able to find a way out of here."

"If Inuyasha cannot handle this battle on his own," Sesshoumaru finally looked away from Inuyasha and stated frostily, "then he is unfit to wield Tetsusaiga."

Kagome immediately took umbrage at his attitude and glared at him, "Sesshoumaru! That's unfair. You can't judge Inuyasha—"

"Can I not?"

Kyosuke coughed. "Perhaps now isn't the time?" He reminded them.

Kagome snapped her teeth together and continued the conversation privately. Ooh! It's so irritating when you take on that tone.

Sesshoumaru glared right back at her. And what tone might that be? Don't forget whom you're speaking to, girl.

You know what tone, Sesshoumaru! That I'm-the-almighty-Lord-Sesshoumaru-and-no-one-can-cross-me tone. His brows arched and she could read his thoughts only too clearly – despite the fact that Sesshoumaru didn't utter a single thing either vocally or mentally. Her understanding had nothing to do with their link whatsoever. Overbearing brute! Ooh! Kagome stomped away from him to prevent any hasty actions on her part, such as the possibility of smacking that arrogant look off of his face.

Kyosuke got the sense that he had been forgotten. Again. He sighed. Resigned to the fact that yet another opportunity for procreating was slipping through his fingers.

**********

Naraku was playing with him. Tempting him with the possibility of success, then pulling back at the very last minute only to laugh in his face. Inuyasha felt familiar frustration eat at him. Every attempt he made was just another failure.

::Failure? How apropos…:: Naraku laughed in his head. ::You always were a failure at everything, weren't you Inuyasha. Failure at being a son; failure at being a youkai; failure at protecting your beloved mother; failure at love… always have been, always will be a failure, won't you? What difference would it make for you to fail once more? Par for the course, don't you think?::

Inuyasha flew at Naraku with renewed determination and rage. Naraku was laying his private demons bare in the most despicable manner possible. If it had been months ago, even days ago, he might have caved and given into weakness: he might have surrendered to the pain and given up as Naraku obviously intended for him to do.

Now… now things were different…

Things had changed…

To the untrained eye he seemed to be attacking wildly, arms swinging without a specific sighted target. To his brother who watched intently from below, his strategy was effective against Naraku. The baboon pelt made it even easier for Inuyasha to succeed, for its weight hindered Naraku's movements and slowed his speed. Effect at the cost of efficiency – Inuyasha's strategy took full advantage of Naraku's vanity.

First he swung with his right hand then followed with his left just as Naraku anticipated. But while Naraku expected him to stop there to recoup, Inuyasha continued with his momentum and plowed into Naraku. He forced Naraku back by tackling him with his lowered right shoulder, twisting his torso at the last moment before contact in order to put the most power into his attack. Naraku flew backwards from the force, his baboon pelt obscuring his vision and rendering him momentarily blind. In that moment of blindness Inuyasha landed. A fully transformed Inuyasha didn't waste precious time on letting Naraku recover or goad him further into making hasty mistakes with his poisonous words. Bloodlust was upon him and Tetsusaiga was far, far away.

Inuyasha went in for the kill. Shredding the baboon pelt within moments and exposing Naraku's face at last.

Naraku's very pale, very human face… round-faced and still reeking of milk, the youth had barely put his foot across the threshold of adulthood before Naraku had taken his body.

And just as Inuyasha was about to strike the deathblow, just as his claws began to pierce the delicate skin of the neck and draw blood, Naraku's face morphed before Inuyasha's horrified eyes. The round cheeks hollowed out and the planes flattened to form sharper, higher cheekbones. Eyebrows arched into graceful wings. Brown hair darkened to an inky black, lengthened and straightened until not a curl remained. Only the skin remained the same unblemished ivory… except for where his claws had just barely pierced her neck.

"Kikyou…"

Kagome whispered, "Naraku… how heartless… to do such a thing…"

Inuyasha drew away in a rush and curled up into himself. Now he was back in his hanyou form and able to cry through his human blood.

"Even Inuyasha does not deserve this cruelty…" Sesshoumaru commented remotely, surprising Kyosuke with his sensitivity to the moment – no matter how cloaked it was by his innate austerity.

The Kikyou look-alike reached up to trace Inuyasha's silently falling tears. "Inuyasha, my love. Why do you cry? At last we are together again."

"Kikyou, I almost–" Inuyasha shook his head of whatever thought he was about to put into words. Some of the shock had worn off and his bearings were returning to him. Golden eyes hardened. "Naraku," he snarled furiously. "Coward! Hiding behind a woman's face. Show yourself!"

Kagome could have sworn that she saw a flash of self-doubt in Inuyasha's face, but the unfolding drama distracted her from thinking further on the matter. She edged a little closer to Inuyasha and Naraku's puppet.

Kikyou said, "But I'm real, Inuyasha. Can't you tell?" She raised her right arm and let her sleeve drop to her elbow. "Do you see? This is proof. It's the scar you gave me the first time we met. Don't you remember? You were spying on me…"

"You called me out and I knocked you down so you couldn't follow me." Inuyasha wavered in his resolve.

Kikyou then turned her forearm over to reveal five long scratches from the inside of her elbow to the pulse-point at her wrist. "And this is from when we fought over the jewel… you tried to grab it from me and grabbed my elbow instead. When you didn't let go your claws cut into my arm and left these marks."

"I remember," Inuyasha said. His voice was barely audible in its hoarseness.

"I'm real, Inuyasha." Gray eyes pleaded with him. "I'm real. Please believe me."

"Stop!"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha said softly.

"Stop your games," Kagome was staring at Kikyou's image.

"You…" Tears left thin, watery trails on Kikyou's face. "You're the one who ruined everything."

"You're not real," Kagome said gently.

"YES!" Kikyou turned to Inuyasha. "Yes, I am real. Inuyasha, you believe me, don't you? I'm human. I bleed the same as you. I love the same as you."

"You hate," Kagome whispered. "You hate and destroy. Maybe you were human once, but that was a long time ago."

Kikyou gestured at her form. "What am I then?" She looked at Inuyasha and demanded, "What else can I be if not human?" Inuyasha damned himself for wanting to believe her.

Sesshoumaru's voice cut through the games and lies. "You are an effigy."

It was so much easier for him. Emotions did not cloud his vision. He had nothing invested in this Kikyou. He had neither history, nor present, nor future dependent on her existence. Inuyasha held too much guilt and unrequited love for Kikyou; Kagome had too many fears that she had not as yet addressed. He suffered from none of those worries, and it made matters so much clearer.

Kikyou said angrily, "You are the one who is inhuman, Lord Sesshoumaru. You've killed without remorse innumerable beings. You've never cared for their lives or their families. Who are you to say that I, Kikyou, am not human when you haven't any humanity in you?"

"I am Sesshoumaru. That was the name bestowed upon me at birth by my lord father, and it is the name that I will carry unto death by my lady mother's will." He regarded the puppet. "As for humanity… In my travels throughout these lands, I have observed that humanity is not something one is born with, but a trait learned through kindness and compassion. You were shown these things at one time, were you not, Naraku? And yet you still haven't learned what it means to be humane. That would seem to indicate a certain… inadequacy of intelligence on your part."

"Don't let him–" Kyosuke's yell came too late, "…escape…"

Naraku's puppet had already disintegrated into dust…

"I will not forget this affront, Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku's disembodied voice ricocheted against the slowly melting trees. "We could have been great allies, but you chose to let her bewitch you. Don't think that I do not see… your weakness."

"I think that our time has run out," Inuyasha said. He was drained from the whole ordeal. He lacked even the energy to argue with Naraku's accusations.

"It certainly appears that way," Kyosuke agreed grimly.

The Gray Dimension was collapsing around them. Whatever spell Naraku had used to create it was either weakening or, more likely, he was deliberately obliterating the dimension from existence. And of course it had to be while they were still trapped in it without a means of escape.

"What are we going to do?" Kagome asked. Her feet were beginning to sink into the ground as it softened and became pliant.

Inuyasha watched her hop onto a rock to keep from sinking into the earth only to have it deflate like one of the balloons she once brought from her time to entertain Shippou. Bah, balloon animals. Who ever thought of such nonsense anyhow? They must be stupid in the future or something. But the thought of Shippou, Miroku, Sango and Kaede gave his spirits a much-needed boost. "We're gonna get outta here," he said with some of his old fire.

"And how would you suggest we do that, oh brilliant one?"

"Shut up, Sesshoumaru! I don't hear you having any great ideas."

Oh boy… here we go again…

"You presume that I would bother to share my thoughts with you."

"Seemed mouthy enough with Naraku. Oh, I forgot." Inuyasha smacked a palm to his forehead. "The two of you are pretty much cut from the same cloth. You can probably share notes on methods for maiming and torturing people."

"Inuyasha… you have no idea how lucky you are that you're my brother. Otherwise I would have rid the world of your idiocy years ago to spare it the possibility of you breeding. I doubt it not that your mate would be equally idiotic and therefore your children are bound to have the most inferior of gene pools."

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha growled. His youki was rising again and he was actually trembling from holding himself back.

Kagome sighed.

Kyosuke sidled up to her. "Kagome-sama, I think I have a plan."

She looked hopefully at him. "Oh? What is it, Kyosuke-sama?"

He held up his cursed hand.

Both dog demons stopped arguing.

"Houshi," Sesshoumaru said, "you cannot."

Inuyasha scowled, "Why the hell not? It's how Miroku sent me… oh…"

Kyosuke grinned at them. "Don't worry about me, Sesshoumaru. I've got other tricks up these sleeves. Besides, I still have to avenge my family curse. I won't give up until Naraku's dead by my hands. This isn't the end of Kyosuke yet."

"Kyosuke-sama…" Kagome felt tears well. "You can't do this."

"Of course I can," he said with his usual cheer, not giving them any warning before he released the Air Rip upon them.

[End Part 10]

Author's Notes:

Sorry for the long delay in this chapter. Hope it lives up to expectations. ^_^ Please review if you like… or not… *grin* Thank you to all of you who have left reviews or emailed me about this fanfic. I really appreciate that you took the time to write. My apologies if I haven't replied; I've kind of lost track of all my email accounts over time… ^^;; Working on recouping them, but a lot of the emails I've recently recovered are ancient. Hmm… back to 2001, if I recall correctly.

For fanfiction updates, discussion, or questions, please join my mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/shunu. You can always email me at shunu@fanfiction.net or h_shunu@hotmail.com.

Next to come… err… sometime in the near/distant future ^_^:

Full Circle …11…

Full Circle: The Side Stories …2…

Labor Pains …4…

When the Caged Bird Sings …4…

Orpheus' Cry (on indefinite hold)

Definitions:

Same old, same old: hanyou, houshi, youkai, youki. That's about it. They're all the same as before.