Inuyasha is like a car. I don't own any.
If you notice, the title of part two has changed. This is because I did something I thought I'd never really do. I dedicated a song to a later chapter. In fact, I liked it so much I gave this part the song as a title. It fits so very nicely. Who would have thought? Anyway, the song itself I believe will be part of chapter 17 itself if everything goes to plan; so you will have to wait till then for lyrics and stuff, if you don't know it.

Html is so much better for uploading. Simple to create, but a pain in the ass to fix up when converting long word documents to html. So my updates will probable take just a bit longer. Sorry about that.

Hope you enjoyed the last chapter. It was quite long. It was still a good 4500 without my notes. I noticed you people were asleep last chapter, and I hope that won't be the case this chapter. Cause it gets even better from here on out. We got some fluff on its way, along with my humiliation of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha won't know what hit him.

Mind over Matter
Part 2: Open Your Eyes
Chapter 14 - Back for More
**************************


A breeze blew across the meadow Inuyasha was standing in, ruffling his fire rat fur. He heard Fate's fading voice:

"Remember what I told you, Inuyasha, and I believe someone wants to have a few words with you..."

A figure about Inuyasha's size appeared at the meadows edge. Inuyasha turned to him as he spoke.

"It has been quite a while, Inuyasha, since I have been able to see you again. I am quite fortunate to have been allowed this chance to see you one more time." The voice was hard and rough, yet held an underlying tone of gentleness and caring.

"Who are you?" was Inuyasha's only reply.

"You don't recognize your own father? Really Inuyasha, I thought better of you." A man roughly Inuyasha's height appeared from the shadows. He had the same silvery white hair, and looked to be well into his seventies. He wore a kimono similar to that of Sesshomaru.

"Father?" Inuyasha asked, confused, surprised, and utterly at a loss for words. It has been, what years, since he had last seen his father, if you didn't count the years he spent pinned. He had died when he was just a young child. Leaving him and his mother to fend for themselves.

"Don't look so shocked Inuyasha. I am still dead. I just got a chance to talk to you."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked.

"Why what?"

Inuyasha had a lot of questions that he wanted answered. "Why everything? Why did you have to get yourself killed? Why did you leave mother and I to fight for ourselves? Why hide the pearl in my eye? Why..."

Inuyasha's father cut him of with a wave of his hand. "I should have seen this coming. All right, first of, I didn't intentionally get myself killed; it just turned out that way. That bastard got me before I could get him. It was one of my foolhardy acts where I was trying to save the day. I didn't mean for all those things to happen to you, but the did. It was one of my biggest failures. I regretted dying the first day Sesshomaru kicked you out of the den. It has pained me to watch the way you were forced to grow up. No one should have had to go through that. But I must say I am proud of you. You have managed to survive, and you have already discovered you are much more powerful than I ever was. You managed to defeat the dragon I was only able to seal. Never doubt your human side, Inuyasha. It gives you much more power than you realize."

"But I am not much without Tetsusaiga, and that was made with your fang." Inuyasha reasoned. He did not like to be in the spotlight, and this much praise was coming as a shock to him.

"Nonsense. Tetsusaiga just focuses your energy. You produce all of its power. It has a bit of its own, to protect you and itself, but the mass of it comes from you." He poked Inuyasha in his chest to prove his point.

"But why give it to me?"

"That answer is simple, and it lies before your eyes. It was to protect your human friends. You knew that though, didn't you?"

"I guess I did."

"And don't mind Sesshomaru too much.

"WHAT? DON'T MIND SESSHOMARU SO MUCH? ARE YOU CRAZY? HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO KILL ME FOR THE PAST WHO KNOWS HOW MANY YEARS?"

"Calm down. Yes, I know he has, and I am most displeased with him about it. He will get what he deserves though, in due time. That sword I gave him will give him a rude awakening soon."

"You mean that other one he has, but never uses?"

"Yep. He will find out soon enough the great power that sword has."

"What great power?"

"You will see, my son. Now I must go, our time is up." His father gave him a quick hug, and walked of to the edge of the meadow. "Shiron was a great friend of mine. I am sure you will enjoy his company..."

"Wait!" Inuyasha reached after his father, not wanting him to go, not after this long.

"I love you, Inuyasha. Don't ever forget it." Came his fathers fading voice as he disappeared into the shadows.

Inuyasha fell to his knees as the meadow melted away into blackness. He murmured a soft "father, come back..." before he lost consciousness.

~~~

An evil presence filled the air. It was sending chills down Miroku's back. He quickened his pace.

Miroku: "I sense a foreboding presence."

Sango: "I sense it too. Do you think it involves Inuyasha?"

Miroku: "I certainly hope not."

The reached the god tree, to find a still unconscious hanyou pinned to the tree.

CRACK

Shiron appeared next to the tree. He had an impatient look on his face.

Shiron: "I don't like this one bit. Metal had destroyed Inuyasha's den. Luckily, you two weren't in there. I wanted Kagome to do this, but time has run out."

Shiron reached up, and took hold of the arrow. It shined with a purple light as he took hold of it. A blue sphere of light appeared and floated around Inuyasha Then the purple light of the arrow intensified into a white light, blinding Miroku and Sango. The light all suddenly collapsed into the arrow, and the arrow blew up in a brilliant shower of multicolored sparks. Inuyasha slumped to the ground. Shiron blew the steam from his hand.

"That smarts." He shook his hand a bit to get rid of the feeling.

Inuyasha groaned from his position on the ground.

"So our slumbering hanyou wakes. How do you feel?"

Inuyasha got up with the help of Shiron and Miroku.

Inuyasha: "I feel like I have had a mountain dropped on top of me, been sat hundreds of times, then shocked to death, but other than that I am all right."

Shiron: "Stupid question, I know. Still it is not everyday I unseal people from their traps. I was slightly curious as to how one felt after going through that."

Inuyasha developed a splitting headache. Memories came flooding back to him, from his early childhood, all the way to the present. Then the pain hit him. Kagome had betrayed him, and sealed him to the same tree. It hurt even more when he realized it was in no way his fault, he had even killed Kikyou himself. What more proof would she have needed? After all they had been through, all the times he had saved her had meant nothing. She had done the worst possible thing: hurt him where he could only be hurt, and left him to rot for all eternity. Shiron saw the emotion play in Inuyasha's eyes. He knew the hanyou was strong, and would not let emotion seep through. He knew what he was feeling, and knew what his reaction would be. Inuyasha vowed he would never open him self up again. It hurt too much. It didn't matter why she had did it, it was too perplexing for him to even think about it, but the fact was she did, and he never was going to let it happen again. Shiron closed his eyes and put his hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, as he slumped back down against the tree.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Shiron asked quietly

"No fucking shit. Of course it does." Came Inuyasha's gruff response. His voice was cracking.

Shiron sighed. He nodded. "Of course. What you are feeling is one of the worst pains one can ever feel. Mental is expert at dealing it out."

Inuyasha looked up at him. "What do you fucking mean?"

Shiron sat down beside him. "Do you know the reason why Kagome pinned you?"

Inuyasha shook his head no.

"Then let me tell you. She was fighting a phantom. A phantom especially created to split you both apart. I am sure you recognize the style from Naraku."

Inuyasha pondered on what he just said. "You mean he just fucking tricked me and Kagome just like Naraku did fifty years ago with me and Kikyou?"

"Well, yes. But it goes deeper than that. He wanted to make sure if you ever got loose, that you would never be able to get her back. So he got her involved with someone else."

This news was all too shocking to Inuyasha. To wake up and find he had been tricked yet again, by the same trick, was infuriating. He felt his blood begin to boil.

"Good, Inuyasha, very good. Let your anger rise. You need a good hate of Mental."

Inuyasha was grinding his teeth from the rage. He had been tricked twice! With the same trick, no less. And Kagome was off with someone else. He got up, but collapsed when he felt all the last of his energy drain out of him. He collapsed back down.

"Good. To hate Mental is okay, but don't let it consume you, or your hate will destroy you. It almost destroyed me once. You must place your faith in Kagome now, Inuyasha. She has before her one of her major decisions that she will have to make in her life. You will not be able to force her choice, for it is hers to make. All we can do now is hope."

"So we have to fucking sit here and hope she "chooses right?" that is bullshit."

"Well, we wouldn't know her true loyalties then. It kind of defeats the purpose of her choice. So sit back and relax. We will know soon enough what she decided upon."

~~~

Sesshomaru was flying on his cloud thingy, when he felt the evil presence. The presence perturbed him. He descended down to the tree level. He had left Rin in the care of his vassal, back at the den. She had put up a fight about him leaving, and he had to assure the little girl that he was just out to patrol his lands, and would be back very soon. She wouldn't have let go of his puff if he hadn't promised. He absent-mindedly stroked his puff. 'Ahh, soft, soft puff.' He broke out his trance when he scraped the top of the trees. 'How embarrassing' Sesshomaru thought. He was relieved to know that there was at least no one around. It would not be good to have been caught enjoying his tail so much. The toughest demon in the land, captivated by his own tail. He really was quite fortunate that no one was around to see that. He felt his sword pulse, in what felt strangely like it was laughing at him. It stopped, and he dismissed it. 'What a useless sword...'

~~~

Kagome was sitting at her desk, gazing through the window at the stars. Everything was happening much too fast for her. First there was the incident with Inuyasha, then she met Yasuo, then Shiron had popped up and destroyed, yet again the firm platform she was building. She didn't know what to feel anymore. She had the strangest feeling that Shiron was right. She could feel the darkness around her, like a cloud. Something was definitely not right with her world; that much she knew. Apparently she had to make a choice. Yet she couldn't. She knew Inuyasha had a rough exterior that hid his shy and gentle personality. But then she also knew that Yasuo was gentle and nice, and was just as hot as Inuyasha was. She only hoped Yasuo didn't hide a darker personality, or that would spell trouble latter on. She found it hard to believe that he worked for Mental, with the way he was. It was impossible for someone that nice to work for someone that mean and despicable. She was at a deadlock. She couldn't choose. 'Gods, I feel like Inuyasha.' It seemed the choice was obvious to everyone but her. She wondered if he had felt like this. 'I'll have to ask him later.'

~~~

She watched from her post outside of the house. She knew Kagome would have to choose soon, before anything bad happened. She spotted movement near the shrines steps. She adjusted her position and relaxed her eyes. It was Yasuo, the one Shiron had told her about. It was fairly late, but not too late that he couldn't excuse his timing. He looked to be up to no good. Rynn sat there for a moment. She didn't want to interfere with her choice, but she was afraid of what he was capable of doing. Her miko powers didn't work on humans, and even with her experience, she wouldn't be able to throw off Yasuo if he decided to make a move. Then she came up with a plan. She wasn't a kitsune for nothing...

~~~

Kagome was jerked out of her thoughts by the doorbell. She knew her family slept like logs, so she went to go find out who was here at this late hour. She didn't notice the small white tail sticking out behind the TV. A small smile formed on the TV screen as Kagome made her way to the door. She opened the door to find Yasuo, one the people plaguing her mind that night.

"Uh, hi, Yasuo, what are you doing here so late?" Kagome suppressed a yawn. It was late after all.

Yasuo: "Yeah, I know. Sorry to disturb you if you were sleeping."

Kagome: "Oh, well, I wasn't really asleep, I was just... thinking."

Yasuo: "Really? About what?"

Kagome: "About why you were here so late."

Yasuo put an arm behind his head. "Oh yeah. I work fairly late, and I thought I would pay you a visit on my way home. I hope that wasn't a crime."

Kagome giggled. "I guess not. Want to come in?"

Yasuo: "Sure!"

Kagome: "Want anything?"

Yasuo: "I'm all right. You don't though."

The both went into the living room and sat down on the couch.

Kagome: "I have had a lot on my mind lately?"

Yasuo: "Really? What kind of stuff?"

Kagome: "Oh just the usual stuff. School work..."

Yasuo: "But that isn't all of it, is it?"

Kagome shifted her gaze to the TV. "No."

Yasuo: "Come on, you can tell me..."

Kagome: "Well, just recently, a big choice was laid on my shoulders. And I don't know which way to go."

Yasuo: "Well, what is making it so hard to decide?"

Kagome: "It's the choices I have are both very alike, and I am having trouble deciding."

Yasuo: "Well, just go with the one that contains the least pain, and the most happiness."

Kagome considered this. She shifted her gaze back on him, looking for any signs of weakness, or an evil plot afoot. She could find none. Something was definitely wrong. She couldn't find one imperfection. No one in the world was that perfect.

Yasuo: "What's wrong? You're staring at me like I am going to turn into a demon and eat you or something."

Kagome: "That wouldn't surprise me."

Yasuo looked at her quizzically.

Kagome: "What I mean is, everything seems too perfect. You, your arrival, the proximity to the dance, everything. It disturbs me."

Yasuo: "So you are telling me you are scared because everything is the way it should be?"

Kagome: "Not scared, just uneasy. My experiences have made me a little, well, paranoid."

Yasuo: "I guess I see your point. I guess I would be a bit paranoid if things were finally going well. You don't have to be paranoid though. I am not going to do anything to hurt you, ever." 'Close one there. She almost got me. Mental would not have been very pleased.

Kagome: "What did you just say?"

Yasuo: "The part about not going to do anything to hurt you, ever?"

Kagome: "No, after that. The part about a close one and an unhappy Mental."

Rynn (the TV): 'Got you, you deceitful bastard. I hope she rips you limb from limb.'

Yasuo: "I have no idea what you are talking about, I said no such things." 'Oh crap, what the hell? How did she hear my thoughts?'

Kagome crossed her arms and glared at him. "My question exactly."

Yasuo: 'Shit.' He noticed a movement behind the TV. He caught a glimpse of white. 'So that is why...'

Kagome: "Why what?"

Yasuo stood up, and pulled out a 9mm from the holster in his back. He aimed it at the TV, and emptied the clip into it. Smoke poured out of the crater in the TVC screen. Kagome was in shock. He had entrapped her. He really did work for Mental, and was about to kill her. The guy was nuts. He ejected the clip from the gun, and replaced it with a fresh one. By the time he had done that, Kagome was already out the door and headed for the well house. A second later, Yasuo realized she was gone and where she had gone. "Shit." He turned and ran after her.

Kagome ripped open the door just as gunshots ricochet of the wood next to her. She gasped, and dodged a few more bullets and ducked inside. Once inside she dove down into the well, not bothering with the ladder. It was a rough landing, butt it didn't hurt too much. She saw her arrow, and yanked it out. But nothing happened. She silently cursed. She heard him come through the door, slightly out of breath, and reloading. She heard the gun cock just as she was enveloped in a purple mist. 'Thank the gods...' A rain of bullets came down on the place where she once was.

"Shit"

"I agree with you." A dark voice came from behind him. Yasuo turned around to face him.

"Mm... Mmm... Men... Mental... I can explain..."

"Silence. Go down after her. And don't come back until she is dead. You'll need this." Mental stuck a piece of the Shikon into his stomach. "Now get out of my sight."

Yasuo went down after his prey...

~~~

Inuyasha was impatient. And he was immobile from the energy drain. Combine the two and you have a very grumpy hanyou. He sat there cursing every few minutes.

"Why the fuck can't I move?"

"Well, Inuyasha, you can't move because you exhausted yourself when you tried to stop that arrow. Just because you were pinned, doesn't mean that you got to take a nap. You were frozen in time and place by the magic."

Inuyasha returned to his pouting.

Shiron felt his wife appear nearby.

Shiron: 'Why did you leave her?'

Rynn: 'She is on her way over.'

Shiron: 'Really? It is about time.'

Rynn: 'She is being followed though."

Shiron: 'Figures. How long?'

Rynn: 'Soon. Maybe a couple of minutes, to a half hour.'

Shiron: 'Thanks'

Rynn: 'Don't mention it.'

Shiron: 'Think I can borrow some of the good stuff?'

Rynn: 'You mean my good energy drink?'

Shiron: 'Yep.'

Rynn: 'Does he need it that bad?'

Shiron looked over at the pouting Inuyasha. He prided himself on having a lot of patience, but Inuyasha was starting to get a bit on his nerves. It was never fun to be around a lovesick dog demon.

Shiron: 'Yeah. He is wearing my patience thin.'

Rynn: 'Really? That is bad. Here you go.'

A small black can with a few green striped on it appeared into Shiron's open hand.

Shiron: 'Thanks baby.'

Rynn: 'You owe me. That was my last can.'

Shiron: 'Just tell me when.'

Shiron shifted his attention to the fuming hanyou. He tossed the can to him. He caught it and sniffed it.

"What is this?"

"Energy drink. Drink it, and feel better. I am sick of you pouting over there. It was starting to dampen my mood." Shiron made a gesture with his hand, and the top popped open.

"You're..."

"Telekinetic. Yep. One of my many abilities. Along with being telepathic."

"You mean you can read my mind." A freaked out look crossed Inuyasha's face.

"Well, not really. I really only have a connection with my mate. Mind reading is much more complicated than you think, and you would know if I was prying into your mind."

That seemed to comfort him a bit, and he too a whiff of the drink. It was quite strong, but didn't smell displeasing or anything. He took a gulp, then chugged the rest of it.

5 second passed.

Inuyasha shot to his feet.

"Damn! What was that stuff? I feel ten times more powerful."

"Yeah, yeah, and you feel like you can take on the world and shit. Follow me, Kagome will be here shortly..."

Shiron got up and headed of to the well. Inuyasha took off and followed him. When they reached the well, the caffeine wore off.

"What the fuck? Where did all the energy go?"

"Huh? Oh that was just the caffeine. Great stuff, but doesn't last that long."

"caffeene?"

"Caffeine. Kind of drug. Don't trouble yourself with it."

At that moment Kagome clambered out of the well and took off full speed for the god tree. Shiron stopped Inuyasha from calling out to her. Before Inuyasha could question him, he gave him some instructions.

"Go follow her. But let her see the tree first. Then you can go to her. I have some business to take care off."

Shiron saw the look he was getting so he shooed him off. "Go. I have my reasons, you'll see."

Inuyasha nodded and took off...

~~~

Kagome knew she had to make it to the god tree before he caught up to her and killed her. She came to a skidding halt in front of the tree.

'He is not there. I don't believe it. He is not there.'

'What did you expect? You waited too long.' A voice told her.

'NOOOO!! I can't believe I am too late! I just can't be!

She reached up and felt the wood that Inuyasha had rested upon for fifty years. She saw the deeper hole, which she herself had caused. She slumped to her knees. "I am too late."

"Too late for what?"

Kagome whirled around to find Inuyasha standing behind her. She shot up and enveloped him in a big hug. He said something, but was muffled by Kagome. She didn't care, cause she was back, and wasn't going to be shot.

~~~

Shiron stood near the well and waited for him to show up. It took a few minutes, but his quarry showed up. He came scrabbling out of the well, looking for his prey. He saw her tracks, and was about to follow, when he felt a pressure on his neck, and was lifted clear of the ground.

"What have we here? It looks like a boy from the future. But what could he be doing here?"

Shiron moved from his hiding place, getting in front of the scared boy.

"Work for Mental, huh?"

Yasuo nodded.

"I guess you know what Mental does to those who fail him?"

He nodded again, and then stopped struggling.

"It will be fast."

Shiron snapped his neck. The boy collapsed to the ground. Kagome and Inuyasha were making their way back and saw the whole thing. Kagome was the first to speak.

"You know, you didn't have to kill him."

Shiron sighed.

"There are many things, Kagome, many things that are far worse than death. Mental probably knows every way to torture you, making death feel heavenly. I simply did him a favor."

"You still didn't have to kill him."

"Maybe I wasn't clear enough. He was not completely good, which is why he was used. This means he doesn't make a good ally. If we were to protect him, he still would have to watch his family die torturous deaths, and eventually, he would be taken from under us, then tortured and killed too. I would have put him in a hell of a lot of pain, either by protecting him or releasing him. So what I did was spare him the pain."

"That doesn't justify you killing him."

"When will you learn there are things worse than death. I won't live with the fact that I sent some one to their torture filled doom. If you could, then you can spare the next mercenary Mental sends. I guarantee you won't be able too. Now leads head back to the village. If I am not mistaken, I owe you all a story, and Inuyasha some time to recuperate."

******************

Enjoy? I did. I was going to include the explaination in this chapter, but it got a bit long, so it will be in the next one!

Review. You people didn't last time. That makes the Admiral very unhappy. So review.

Admiral chunks a toaster into the audience.

CLUNK

Audience: "zzzzzzzzz..."

Admiral: >_