{Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, so don't sue me. College has a strict hold on my wallet anyway.}

Vengeance

By Striking Falcon

Chapter Three: The Marks of My Brother

Inuyasha awakened after dark, his head absorbing his surroundings. He was still in the hut and the old man was still by the fire. Everything looked the same, but Inuyasha's nose noticed someone his eyes did not. He stood up and walked to the door. He stepped outside and adjusted to the lack of light. It wasn't a new moon night. That had been two days ago. But it was almost as bad. Inuyasha's eyes focused in the darkness, allowing him to search with his eyes as well as his nose. A small figure stepped closer to him and he instinctively grabbed it around the neck, the little frog-like creature sputtering under his grasp.

"RELEASE ME HALF-BREED!!!!" Jakken shrieked, stirring the village around them. The villagers came out of their houses to watch the struggle. Jakken continued to kick and squeal.

"RELEASE ME OR MY LORD WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD!!!!"

Inuyasha grinned, his fangs glinting in the moonlight. He considered ripping the toad to bits for all the trouble he caused in the past, but decided not to. Besides, he could always wait until later and watch Kagome kick the shit out of him. He opened his hand and Jakken dropped to the ground with a soul satisfying thump! {AN: Forgive me, people, but I hate that little toad!} Jakken straightened himself up and motioned for Inuyasha to follow him. He cast a nasty look at a couple of children who were laughing at him. Inuyasha nudged him along with his foot, which only made their laughter worse. Jakken lead Inuyasha out of the village and down a dirt path. They walked for hours, not saying a word. Inuyasha thought back to Kagome.

'I hope she's ok. And I hope she isn't mad.' He fingered the jewel shard around his neck.

'She's going to sit me straight into Hell for this.' Inuyasha groaned, remembering something else he'd done in the process.

'I meant to scratch her, but I didn't mean to get this,' he thought as his hand reached into his kimono. Inside it was the red scarf with the gold button. Inuyasha smiled down at it, deciding to keep it.

********

Jakken came to a stop in front of a large drawbridge. He gave a shout to the gateman and the bridge lowered, allowing them to pass. As they crossed it and into the castle, Inuyasha kept an eye on the servants. Some were human, but most were either wraiths or lesser demons. They eyed him as well but kept their distance, having already been told of the consequences if they attacked him. Inuyasha knew they could sense the jewel shard, and was glad he had only taken the necklace and not the jar as well. {AN: In my fic, there is a jewel piece on a necklace and a jar with shards. I'm not certain if its true, b/c the Cartoon Network is such a tease.} Jakken came to a stop in front of one of the many rooms along a corridor and pointed for him to enter. Sesshoumaru greeted him when he stepped in and shut the door.

"Inuyasha. You remembered our oath?"

Inuyasha nodded.

"Good. You must prepare. The Tournament begins in one week. You have much training to do."

Inuyasha grimaced. "What do you mean, training?"

Sesshoumaru glided past him, out of the room and into the hallway.

"You shall see. Do what my servants tell you."

With that he disappeared down the hallway, Jakken following close behind. Two humans stepped from a corner of the room and lead him to a different one further down the corridor. There was a natural hot spring in the center of the floor, filled with water. The humans assisted Inuyasha in removing his robes {::le sigh::} and stepping into the water. Inuyasha surveyed the scurrying humans and smiled. One of the humans, a woman Kagome's age, turned to him as the light of the torch reflected off an exposed fang. She squeaked and hurried by, her fear overcoming her scent. Inuyasha chuckled softly. His brother had his humans well trained. He thought of Kagome and twisted a finger around the rosary. 'If only I could get Kagome like that.' He laughed out loud at that one, the servants around him cringing.

"Kagome…like…that," he gasped as he tried to get a hold of himself.

"She'd probably bash my head in if she knew I was even thinking about it."

Inuyasha gave way under his fit, sliding into the water with a glub. His chest was still shaking when he resurfaced.

"What is so funny?"

Inuyasha started and jerked away from the sound.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "You are frightening my servants, half-breed."

Inuyasha took a breath and leaned back, still watching Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru crossed the room to the bath to sit beside him, his finger jabbing into one of Inuyasha's ears.

"Yow!"

Sesshoumaru shook his head again as Inuyasha batted at his hand. "Inuyasha, really. Your ears are filthy. I'm surprised you can hear." He turned to a nearby servant.

"Make sure every part of him is clean, his hair brushed and pulled back."

The servant nodded and hurried away. Another servant was on the other end, pouring a blue liquid into the water from a clear flask. Inuyasha eyed him warily.

"What's he doing?" he asked as Sesshoumaru released his ear. The ear flicked at him, obviously annoyed at being handled so roughly.

"He is adding something to the water."

"I can see that, genius. Why is he doing it?"

"'Genius?' What's that?"

Inuyasha groaned. 'I must miss Kagome more than I thought. I just used one of her words.' He shook his head and dismissed Sesshoumaru's question.

"Hey Fluffy, I asked you a question. Why is he adding that crap to the water?"

Sesshoumaru winced at the nickname, forgetting about the strange word for the time being.

"Look at yourself, half-breed. That is what he's doing."

Inuyasha looked down and stared in total shock. Blue stripes covered his arms and legs. Stripes just like Sesshoumaru's. Sesshoumaru handed him a mirror. Inuyasha's face held the same marks as his brother, only his were blue instead of purple, with a purple crescent instead of Sesshoumaru's blue. Inuyasha blinked at his reflection.

"It's not permanent. It will last for a month and a half. It will also keep you from becoming human whenever you do." Inuyasha stared at him questioningly. "I don't do this to help you. I do this to help myself. I can't have you becoming weaker than you already are when we avenge our father."

Inuyasha growled softly and continued his bath, ignoring Sesshoumaru as he left. The servants made sure he was well washed when he stepped out, even washing his hair. Inuyasha was lead to another room with a large futon. On the futon were new clothes, his old ones thrown in a careless heap in a corner of the room. Inuyasha studied each article as he put it on. The hakama and the slippers were snow white, the haori just like Sesshoumaru's, except his had blue trim on the right shoulder and sleeves instead of red. The sash around his waist was silver, with red trim. He put on the armor as well. Without the ears he would have been Sesshoumaru's twin. {AN: Male twin, since Sesshy looks so much like a girl. Somebody take pity on me and draw this.} The servants escorted him to the courtyard on the outside of the western wing of the castle. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle, watching Rin play in the flowers.

"I added flowers just for her," Sesshoumaru said as he turned to face Inuyasha. "She seems to enjoy them."

Inuyasha snickered.

"Seems you like humans more than you let on, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and chose to ignore him in favor of surveying his servants work on him.

"Good. You are dressed."

Sesshoumaru's eyes fell to Inuyasha's hair. It was dry, but now it looked like a rat's nest. Not what he ordered at all.

Sesshoumaru called for one of the servants attending Inuyasha. It was the same woman Inuyasha scared before. She scurried in and bowed deeply.

"Yes, my Lord?"

"Why is his hair not brushed?"

She paled and stared at the floor. "I do not know, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru glared at her, his facial expression no less than annoyed. "What do you mean you don't know?" he growled, his claws outstretched in her direction. Inuyasha stepped between them.

"Sesshoumaru, let her go. She wasn't even there."

The woman looked up at him, gazing at his back as if she somehow though he could protect her from her master's wrath. Sesshoumaru sighed, motioning for her to stand.

"Go and find a brush. Come back here and do it yourself. Bring a strap to tie it back."

Inuyasha spun her around, leaned forward and whispered "Bring the red sash in my old kimono. Use that to tie my hair." She nodded and scampered away.

Sesshoumaru's attention returned to Rin and her flowers. She giggled and ran up to him, a cherry blossom in her hand.

"For you, Sesshoumaru-sama," she giggled. {AN: Somebody pat me on the back! My first use of a real Japanese word! ::grins like an idiot::} Sesshoumaru bowed politely. When his head reached low enough to reach her, she placed the blossom in his hair. He blinked at her in surprise as she turned and skipped away. Inuyasha snickered.

"Seems like Rin likes you, brother."

Sesshoumaru looked past him as the woman came back, a brush and the red sash in her hand. Inuyasha kneeled down so she could reach as she started her task. It hurt a little at first, but soon it became almost relaxing. Inuyasha made a mental note to find some way to ask Kagome to do this when he returned. The woman finished and tied the sash into a low ponytail, the gold button glittering in the moonlight. She bowed to Sesshoumaru, then to Inuyasha when Sesshoumaru excused her. Sesshoumaru snickered when the wind sent the scent in the sash his way.

"Seems I'm not the only one with a reminder of his human in his hair."

Inuyasha blushed slightly, but didn't falter. "You said training, Fluffy. Training for what?"

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and told Rin to find Jakken so she could go to bed. She skipped back to the castle, but not before hugging Sesshoumaru's leg.

"Goodnight Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered sleepily. Sesshoumaru patted her head and she skipped away. {AN: Awww! Sesshy is such a big teddy bear!} Inuyasha waited until her footsteps faded, then burst into loud peels of laughter! {Jerk!} Sesshoumaru regarded him with a bored expression. Inuyasha continue to giggle, dropping to one knee and holding his chest as he did so.

"Are you quite finished?" Sesshoumaru asked when Inuyasha's laughter slowed. Inuyasha nodded, wiped the tears from his eyes, and stood up. Sesshoumaru shook his head and approached him.

"The blue liquid in your bathwater has enabled you to be able to do things you normally can't. We have one week for you to perfect them. Let's start with number one: the Beast."

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SF: {::pointing to Inu and Sesshy::} Its about time you two got along.

{::grumbles from both dog demons::}

SF: Men. Anyway, this is a four part series, in case I forgot to tell anyone. I have a 3 year old sister and dealing with her rots important parts of my brain. The preview is coming, if I ever get this t. v. to work. {::kicks t. v. mercilessly. It sputters to life::

Chapter Four: The Sparks of Hate

"What do you want most, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha looked up at him, hate dismissing the tears in his eyes.

"Vengeance."

Responses below:

Demon Girl: Thank you again, just in case I forgot to. Man, hyperactive little kids are worse than crack.

Suki-chan: Don't worry about your story. It will be just as good as mine, if not better. Let me know when you post it.

Mouse: I'm so glad you like it so much. Don't worry, I'll continue to supply. As for Inuyasha taking the jewel shard, he honestly thought he needed them. As you see from the chapter above, he wasted his time. Sesshou is always the man with a plan, or inuyoukai as it were.

Shandrial: I know! Inuyasha was dirty for that one!

Cristal Tears: Thank you! I promise not to leave you hanging!

Sorrow: Thank you SO MUCH for telling me! I had no idea! I'll fix it right away.