Title: Falling Stars
Author: Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi still owns all. :-)
Dedication: To all those who enjoy the journey.
Note: Sorry about taking so long to upload! You'd think I'd learn by now not to tote only copies of stories around on a floppy, but noooooo. So should we all be surprised when the file gets corrupted and I have to re-write the whole damn thing (including my lovely 15 page outline!) from scratch?
Ack. I'm a moron. Okay, I'm reuploading this chapter to better show a certain event. *mumbles something about perspective third person being a bitch* Hope this helps!
And damn, I cannot write action sequences. Oh, well. Just close your eyes and pretend, okay? :-) Thanks!
-Cel.
Chapter 10
He stood silently, his eyes closed even as his ears swiveled to listen to the rapid steps of the enemy unseen. Growling with frustration as he couldn't pinpoint his nemesis's ever-changing location, Inuyasha opened his eyes and glared at his brother.
"Do not degrade yourself by playing the hanyou's game," the youkai stated, his low voice strong and arrogant.
He turned suddenly, unable to help himself as he heard Naraku's mad laughter echo throughout the damp field. Everywhere. It was coming from everywhere.
"Brother!" Sesshoumaru snapped harshly, the word invading Inuyasha's muddled brain until the hanyou jumped slightly with a start. "You concentrate on the wrong enemy."
Inuyasha growled, his lips pulling back reflexively as he bared his fangs. "Naraku."
He could smell him, the foul stench hanging in the still air as if to tease the young dog demon into insanity. He stepped forward, his whole being thrumming with the need to exact vengeance, to taste the unnatural creature's blood, to…
"Inuyasha!"
He blinked, his reddening eyes watering as he looked up at the owner of the white hand that lay so innocuously upon his shoulder. Sesshoumaru?
"The girl's soul lies with the Stealer, not the hanyou."
Inuyasha shook his head slowly, his golden eyes squinting in confusion as he looked upon the tall, imposing creature that stood gloating before him.
"Stealer?"
Sesshoumaru snorted in impatience, the sound startling to Inuyasha's sensitive ears.
"Impulsive as ever, I see. Do you not even learn the identity of your enemy before you attack?"
Violently, the young hanyou shrugged his brother's hand off.
"Somebody has to attack," Inuyasha angrily retorted. "You're always too busy running off your ugly mouth to do a damn thing."
"Every moment you waste arguing with me brings the Stealer a second closer to consuming the girl's soul."
Inuyasha shook his head, his mouth pulling into a fierce frown as he considered his estranged brother's words. Against his better judgment, he turned his attention away from his brother and the madman who stalked the shadows of the field and back onto the gigantic creature that hovered before him.
"Kikyou," he whispered almost devoutly, ignoring the way his brother tilted his head thoughtfully at the soft word. Taking his eyes from the empty shell of the girl he loved, Inuyasha focused his attention back upon the creature, even as his heart threatened to stop in horror as he suddenly recalled the stories he once heard of the youkai known as Stealers.
The Tetsusaiga drawn and gleaming in the sunlight, Inuyasha crouched down upon his haunches as he prepared to leap.
He sat there, his silver head pressed in fear against his mother's slender, trembling legs as he listened to the old man speak.
"Hush, Jiran!" his mother's voice, normally soft and comforting resounded staunchly throughout the elegant room. "You are scaring him!"
The old man shook his bald head, his ancient eyes focused upon the stubborn young mother even as they narrowed in frustration.
"Lady, he must be prepared for the horrors of the world out there," the man insisted even as he kneeled down next to the child. "How could he be expected to fulfill his duties as advisor to Lord Sesshoumaru if he is ignorant of the world around him?"
"Jiran! He is a child! There is no need for him to hear of this now."
Squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he hugged his mother's leg, Inuyasha tried to ignore the old, foul smell of Jiran's rancid breath.
"You say that even as your mate and his son are off fighting one? Ignorance isn't protection, Lady. Ignorance leads only to pain and defeat.
"Listen to me, Inuyasha-sama," the man started suddenly, turning to the boy, his tones rebellious as he continued to speak over the woman's objections.
"Once the Stealer has the soul, it will never let go until you force it to. But be wary, child. Although it cannot steal a youkai soul, your han…"
Inuyasha cringed as he felt his mother breathe harshly, her anger nearly tangible in its unspoken warning.
"Your blood…" Jiran hastily continued, the word sounding distinctly odd on the man's wrinkled lips, "… is in danger. You must kill this beast, Inuyasha-sama. But be wary of the beast's stomach for it is in there that its victims' tortured souls are housed. One slash to the stomach will destroy the souls, leaving them unable to be born again in a new life and therefore forced to spend the rest of their existence in horrible agony."
"Where do I hit?" the child asked shakily, his eyes still hidden by the soft length of his mother's kimono.
Jiran laughed, a harsh sound that startled even the hanyou's mother.
"The little warrior, indeed. Your father will be pleased, Inuyasha-sama," the man nodded as he cupped the child's pointed chin in his hands. "Open your eyes. This is important."
Two gnarled fingers reached up slowly only to drag the wrinkled lengths across the child's smooth, soft neck. "One slash here to destroy to beast, but one slash here…" Jiran smiled gruesomely as he drew the fingers across the bottom of Inuyasha's small, rotund belly, "to free the souls trapped inside."
"And the victims?" his mother suddenly inserted, her voice low and urgent. "Will they return to their bodies once the Stealer is defeated?"
The elderly man sighed as he laid a comforting palm on the beautiful woman's shoulder.
"That, I'm afraid, m'lady, is impossible. Once a small amount of time passes, the body will begin to die and can no longer embrace the soul."
Startled by his mother's sudden, sharp intake of breath, Inuyasha looked up into her shining, watering eyes.
"So they are dead."
The man nodded once, an uncharacteristic compassion softening the harsh lines of his face.
"Milord and Lord Sesshoumaru have undoubtedly already destroyed the creature and put an end to their suffering."
The woman laughed briefly, a broken sound. Softly, she brushed her lips against her son's silken hair. "Well, it appears we will remain at your father's fortress a little longer than we originally intended, Inuyasha. But do not fear, we WILL return home."
Inuyasha frowned, his heart wrenching as he could feel the horrible sorrow and helplessness overwhelm his mother's petite form. His lids fluttered closed as the strong odour of salt tears invaded his senses.
This… this Stealer thing made his mother cry, he realised, his small body tensing with anger as his fingers flexed instinctively into a fist.
And for that, it would pay.
He snarled, his own blood dripping down his chin from the small holes his fangs had created when he bit his lower lip.
So this was a Stealer, Inuyasha growled as he stalked slowly, carefully, around to the creature's side.
A pleased, feral smile usurped his lips as he watched his elder brother wait warily on the other side, his hands gnarled and ready for the command to strike.
Quietly, his nearly scarlet eyes transversed the creature's form, pausing only for a moment on the bulbous belly which housed Kikyou's stolen spirit.
He would be damned before he let anyone take the girl away from him. No. Not after he just found her again.
She was his. No matter what form or name she assumed, she was still his Kikyou.
His heart's mate.
His eyes speaking a million words of intention as he met his brother's, Inuyasha leapt high into the air, the spring breeze pushing against his tensed body with a refreshing pressure as he brought Tetsusaiga high above his head.
Grinning as he felt the force of his brother's claws as they cut through the air and directly below the Stealer's stomach, Inuyasha sliced the sword across the slimy neck, howling in triumph as he felt the a stream of hot blood spray over his face even as he heard Sesshoumaru's startled grunt.
He turned away as a bright, white light erupted from the bleeding gut, the brilliance blinding as it jolted back to the form which lay on the muddy ground.
Satisfied, Inuyasha looked towards the brother who stood deathly still with a hand pressed oddly against his silk-encased stomach next to the Stealer's shredded corpse.
Once, then twice the youkai nodded nearly imperceptibly. Narrow golden eyes filled with something like approval as the brothers' gazes met, Sesshoumaru's elegant form wavering slightly even as a small stream of blood leaked out from between the lord's slender fingers.
Inuyasha blinked, his heart pounding faster and more chaotically now at his brother's subtle gesture than during the actual battle itself.
Sesshoumaru approved?
Biting his lower lip as he tried to force the startling thought from his head, Inuyasha turned from his brother and raced to check on the girl who lay unconscious among the bloodied mud.
Response to reviews:
Steph: Wooo. I'm relieved you liked that one! I wasn't sure about the ending. Was afraid it was kind of trite, but I needed it to go like that. Dammit. :-) I usually use your comments as my basis for deciding on whether or not one of my chapters was okay, so I'm ecstatic Ch 9 passed the litmus test!
Vernal Equinox: Eeek! Internet-less! *sniffles sadly* That's just not right, man. Just not right! *grin* Thanks!! *bounce* The Sango thing will be in a side story after FS is complete. It won't be a part of the actual story so those who wish to ignore it, can feel free to and not really lose out on any plotlines.
Jaye: Oooops! Sorry! I didn't really think it would remain much of a cliffhanger since I had planned to upload the resolution within a couple hours, but... ah! life works in mysterious ways. And regarding your question about Shippou and Kagome, *innocent look* you may just have something there!
Winter: Thanks! With any luck, you won't change your oh-so-nice opinion as the story continues. ;-) *GRIN* Glad you liked the J/S/R scene. That one was a lot of fun to write!
Brooke: Kagome? Dead? *grin* Would I do that to you? *innocent look* Hope you liked the fight scene (as small as it was!)
Voldersnort x 3: *innocent look* Okay, I admit you have a point about the tax refund thing, but dammit! a girl can dream, can't she? :-) Glad you liked this bit. I was kind of thinking it would either flop or soar, so I'm definitely relieved it did okay with you. :-)
Angry Gen: *GRIN* Don't worry, poor Inu isn't doomed to have a sad end, though he definitely is going to have to work for redemption, especially after tonight's chapter. As for Sesshoumaru being a bastard... Isn't he though? *likes that word- bastard* Poor Inu is sorta still lost in immaturity (remember that saying that girls mature faster than boys? That's even moreso true when it comes to the hanyou :-)... and a theme of betrayal? I swear, AG, you keep giving me all these wonderful ideas! *grin*
She-Ronin: If that isn't the most flattering, ego-boosting review, I don't know what is. All I can say is *THANK YOU*! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! *buys you nailpolish to make up for your nails*
No One: Bah! Don't worry! Things usually work out for the best, especially when it comes to fanfiction. :-) Hey, if I still have the energy after this fic is through, I'll finally write that damn IY/K fic that's been floating around in my head for a while just to make you happy. :-)
Oxygen: I don't think I can say that I've EVER felt so happy to be told someone hated me before. *GRIN* Oh, don't worry about this one ending any time soon. Unlike poor Sesshoumaru, I'm a bit more on the never-ending loquacious side. :-)
Stormlight: *grin* Miracles never cease, eh? I admit I'm writing Rin and Jaken kind of blindly, but I'm trying to make up for my inevitable consistency mistakes by making it slightly cute. :-)
Pianita: Thanks! *whispers conspiringly* My bet is on the dog demon. *innocent look*
Alyson: Men. :-) Strange creatures, aren't they? And I agree completely when it comes to Rin/Jaken! Or at least, so I hope. :-) As for Sess/IY, I'm kind of surprised more writers haven't had them fighting side by side. It just seems to be a natural step in the scheme of things, you know? :-)
Inuki: Thank you, Inuki! :-) I wish I could say otherwise, but right now, things don't look very good for Inuyasha romance-wise! Hope you can forgive me!
Nizuno: *GRIN* Anything? Muahahaha! A willing victim! I think I've found heaven! :-) Hey, thank you so much for your review! I can't tell you how happy it makes me :-)
Lightning: Oooops! Sorry, hon.
Ranma Inverse: Oh, bah! No worries. :-) Reviews are gifts readers give, not something fanfic writers should expect. Just know I really appreciate your time. Thanks a whole bunch, sweetie. :-)
Sammy-chan: Eeeek! Sorry, Sammy! I'll try harder next time!
Thanks, guys!
Author: Celyia (ladycelyia@aol.com)
Genre: Romance
Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi still owns all. :-)
Dedication: To all those who enjoy the journey.
Note: Sorry about taking so long to upload! You'd think I'd learn by now not to tote only copies of stories around on a floppy, but noooooo. So should we all be surprised when the file gets corrupted and I have to re-write the whole damn thing (including my lovely 15 page outline!) from scratch?
Ack. I'm a moron. Okay, I'm reuploading this chapter to better show a certain event. *mumbles something about perspective third person being a bitch* Hope this helps!
And damn, I cannot write action sequences. Oh, well. Just close your eyes and pretend, okay? :-) Thanks!
-Cel.
Chapter 10
He stood silently, his eyes closed even as his ears swiveled to listen to the rapid steps of the enemy unseen. Growling with frustration as he couldn't pinpoint his nemesis's ever-changing location, Inuyasha opened his eyes and glared at his brother.
"Do not degrade yourself by playing the hanyou's game," the youkai stated, his low voice strong and arrogant.
He turned suddenly, unable to help himself as he heard Naraku's mad laughter echo throughout the damp field. Everywhere. It was coming from everywhere.
"Brother!" Sesshoumaru snapped harshly, the word invading Inuyasha's muddled brain until the hanyou jumped slightly with a start. "You concentrate on the wrong enemy."
Inuyasha growled, his lips pulling back reflexively as he bared his fangs. "Naraku."
He could smell him, the foul stench hanging in the still air as if to tease the young dog demon into insanity. He stepped forward, his whole being thrumming with the need to exact vengeance, to taste the unnatural creature's blood, to…
"Inuyasha!"
He blinked, his reddening eyes watering as he looked up at the owner of the white hand that lay so innocuously upon his shoulder. Sesshoumaru?
"The girl's soul lies with the Stealer, not the hanyou."
Inuyasha shook his head slowly, his golden eyes squinting in confusion as he looked upon the tall, imposing creature that stood gloating before him.
"Stealer?"
Sesshoumaru snorted in impatience, the sound startling to Inuyasha's sensitive ears.
"Impulsive as ever, I see. Do you not even learn the identity of your enemy before you attack?"
Violently, the young hanyou shrugged his brother's hand off.
"Somebody has to attack," Inuyasha angrily retorted. "You're always too busy running off your ugly mouth to do a damn thing."
"Every moment you waste arguing with me brings the Stealer a second closer to consuming the girl's soul."
Inuyasha shook his head, his mouth pulling into a fierce frown as he considered his estranged brother's words. Against his better judgment, he turned his attention away from his brother and the madman who stalked the shadows of the field and back onto the gigantic creature that hovered before him.
"Kikyou," he whispered almost devoutly, ignoring the way his brother tilted his head thoughtfully at the soft word. Taking his eyes from the empty shell of the girl he loved, Inuyasha focused his attention back upon the creature, even as his heart threatened to stop in horror as he suddenly recalled the stories he once heard of the youkai known as Stealers.
The Tetsusaiga drawn and gleaming in the sunlight, Inuyasha crouched down upon his haunches as he prepared to leap.
He sat there, his silver head pressed in fear against his mother's slender, trembling legs as he listened to the old man speak.
"Hush, Jiran!" his mother's voice, normally soft and comforting resounded staunchly throughout the elegant room. "You are scaring him!"
The old man shook his bald head, his ancient eyes focused upon the stubborn young mother even as they narrowed in frustration.
"Lady, he must be prepared for the horrors of the world out there," the man insisted even as he kneeled down next to the child. "How could he be expected to fulfill his duties as advisor to Lord Sesshoumaru if he is ignorant of the world around him?"
"Jiran! He is a child! There is no need for him to hear of this now."
Squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he hugged his mother's leg, Inuyasha tried to ignore the old, foul smell of Jiran's rancid breath.
"You say that even as your mate and his son are off fighting one? Ignorance isn't protection, Lady. Ignorance leads only to pain and defeat.
"Listen to me, Inuyasha-sama," the man started suddenly, turning to the boy, his tones rebellious as he continued to speak over the woman's objections.
"Once the Stealer has the soul, it will never let go until you force it to. But be wary, child. Although it cannot steal a youkai soul, your han…"
Inuyasha cringed as he felt his mother breathe harshly, her anger nearly tangible in its unspoken warning.
"Your blood…" Jiran hastily continued, the word sounding distinctly odd on the man's wrinkled lips, "… is in danger. You must kill this beast, Inuyasha-sama. But be wary of the beast's stomach for it is in there that its victims' tortured souls are housed. One slash to the stomach will destroy the souls, leaving them unable to be born again in a new life and therefore forced to spend the rest of their existence in horrible agony."
"Where do I hit?" the child asked shakily, his eyes still hidden by the soft length of his mother's kimono.
Jiran laughed, a harsh sound that startled even the hanyou's mother.
"The little warrior, indeed. Your father will be pleased, Inuyasha-sama," the man nodded as he cupped the child's pointed chin in his hands. "Open your eyes. This is important."
Two gnarled fingers reached up slowly only to drag the wrinkled lengths across the child's smooth, soft neck. "One slash here to destroy to beast, but one slash here…" Jiran smiled gruesomely as he drew the fingers across the bottom of Inuyasha's small, rotund belly, "to free the souls trapped inside."
"And the victims?" his mother suddenly inserted, her voice low and urgent. "Will they return to their bodies once the Stealer is defeated?"
The elderly man sighed as he laid a comforting palm on the beautiful woman's shoulder.
"That, I'm afraid, m'lady, is impossible. Once a small amount of time passes, the body will begin to die and can no longer embrace the soul."
Startled by his mother's sudden, sharp intake of breath, Inuyasha looked up into her shining, watering eyes.
"So they are dead."
The man nodded once, an uncharacteristic compassion softening the harsh lines of his face.
"Milord and Lord Sesshoumaru have undoubtedly already destroyed the creature and put an end to their suffering."
The woman laughed briefly, a broken sound. Softly, she brushed her lips against her son's silken hair. "Well, it appears we will remain at your father's fortress a little longer than we originally intended, Inuyasha. But do not fear, we WILL return home."
Inuyasha frowned, his heart wrenching as he could feel the horrible sorrow and helplessness overwhelm his mother's petite form. His lids fluttered closed as the strong odour of salt tears invaded his senses.
This… this Stealer thing made his mother cry, he realised, his small body tensing with anger as his fingers flexed instinctively into a fist.
And for that, it would pay.
He snarled, his own blood dripping down his chin from the small holes his fangs had created when he bit his lower lip.
So this was a Stealer, Inuyasha growled as he stalked slowly, carefully, around to the creature's side.
A pleased, feral smile usurped his lips as he watched his elder brother wait warily on the other side, his hands gnarled and ready for the command to strike.
Quietly, his nearly scarlet eyes transversed the creature's form, pausing only for a moment on the bulbous belly which housed Kikyou's stolen spirit.
He would be damned before he let anyone take the girl away from him. No. Not after he just found her again.
She was his. No matter what form or name she assumed, she was still his Kikyou.
His heart's mate.
His eyes speaking a million words of intention as he met his brother's, Inuyasha leapt high into the air, the spring breeze pushing against his tensed body with a refreshing pressure as he brought Tetsusaiga high above his head.
Grinning as he felt the force of his brother's claws as they cut through the air and directly below the Stealer's stomach, Inuyasha sliced the sword across the slimy neck, howling in triumph as he felt the a stream of hot blood spray over his face even as he heard Sesshoumaru's startled grunt.
He turned away as a bright, white light erupted from the bleeding gut, the brilliance blinding as it jolted back to the form which lay on the muddy ground.
Satisfied, Inuyasha looked towards the brother who stood deathly still with a hand pressed oddly against his silk-encased stomach next to the Stealer's shredded corpse.
Once, then twice the youkai nodded nearly imperceptibly. Narrow golden eyes filled with something like approval as the brothers' gazes met, Sesshoumaru's elegant form wavering slightly even as a small stream of blood leaked out from between the lord's slender fingers.
Inuyasha blinked, his heart pounding faster and more chaotically now at his brother's subtle gesture than during the actual battle itself.
Sesshoumaru approved?
Biting his lower lip as he tried to force the startling thought from his head, Inuyasha turned from his brother and raced to check on the girl who lay unconscious among the bloodied mud.
Response to reviews:
Steph: Wooo. I'm relieved you liked that one! I wasn't sure about the ending. Was afraid it was kind of trite, but I needed it to go like that. Dammit. :-) I usually use your comments as my basis for deciding on whether or not one of my chapters was okay, so I'm ecstatic Ch 9 passed the litmus test!
Vernal Equinox: Eeek! Internet-less! *sniffles sadly* That's just not right, man. Just not right! *grin* Thanks!! *bounce* The Sango thing will be in a side story after FS is complete. It won't be a part of the actual story so those who wish to ignore it, can feel free to and not really lose out on any plotlines.
Jaye: Oooops! Sorry! I didn't really think it would remain much of a cliffhanger since I had planned to upload the resolution within a couple hours, but... ah! life works in mysterious ways. And regarding your question about Shippou and Kagome, *innocent look* you may just have something there!
Winter: Thanks! With any luck, you won't change your oh-so-nice opinion as the story continues. ;-) *GRIN* Glad you liked the J/S/R scene. That one was a lot of fun to write!
Brooke: Kagome? Dead? *grin* Would I do that to you? *innocent look* Hope you liked the fight scene (as small as it was!)
Voldersnort x 3: *innocent look* Okay, I admit you have a point about the tax refund thing, but dammit! a girl can dream, can't she? :-) Glad you liked this bit. I was kind of thinking it would either flop or soar, so I'm definitely relieved it did okay with you. :-)
Angry Gen: *GRIN* Don't worry, poor Inu isn't doomed to have a sad end, though he definitely is going to have to work for redemption, especially after tonight's chapter. As for Sesshoumaru being a bastard... Isn't he though? *likes that word- bastard* Poor Inu is sorta still lost in immaturity (remember that saying that girls mature faster than boys? That's even moreso true when it comes to the hanyou :-)... and a theme of betrayal? I swear, AG, you keep giving me all these wonderful ideas! *grin*
She-Ronin: If that isn't the most flattering, ego-boosting review, I don't know what is. All I can say is *THANK YOU*! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! *buys you nailpolish to make up for your nails*
No One: Bah! Don't worry! Things usually work out for the best, especially when it comes to fanfiction. :-) Hey, if I still have the energy after this fic is through, I'll finally write that damn IY/K fic that's been floating around in my head for a while just to make you happy. :-)
Oxygen: I don't think I can say that I've EVER felt so happy to be told someone hated me before. *GRIN* Oh, don't worry about this one ending any time soon. Unlike poor Sesshoumaru, I'm a bit more on the never-ending loquacious side. :-)
Stormlight: *grin* Miracles never cease, eh? I admit I'm writing Rin and Jaken kind of blindly, but I'm trying to make up for my inevitable consistency mistakes by making it slightly cute. :-)
Pianita: Thanks! *whispers conspiringly* My bet is on the dog demon. *innocent look*
Alyson: Men. :-) Strange creatures, aren't they? And I agree completely when it comes to Rin/Jaken! Or at least, so I hope. :-) As for Sess/IY, I'm kind of surprised more writers haven't had them fighting side by side. It just seems to be a natural step in the scheme of things, you know? :-)
Inuki: Thank you, Inuki! :-) I wish I could say otherwise, but right now, things don't look very good for Inuyasha romance-wise! Hope you can forgive me!
Nizuno: *GRIN* Anything? Muahahaha! A willing victim! I think I've found heaven! :-) Hey, thank you so much for your review! I can't tell you how happy it makes me :-)
Lightning: Oooops! Sorry, hon.
Ranma Inverse: Oh, bah! No worries. :-) Reviews are gifts readers give, not something fanfic writers should expect. Just know I really appreciate your time. Thanks a whole bunch, sweetie. :-)
Sammy-chan: Eeeek! Sorry, Sammy! I'll try harder next time!
Thanks, guys!