EVIL LAUGH! Sorry, I just felt like doing that…
Well, here's Chapter 27, I don't really have much to say in the beginning anymore…except for I've found another song that characterizes Inuyasha: "Take it All Away" (theme song to A Man Apart)…I really like the song, and I may be giving away too much, but it will tie in later in the story…that's all I'm going to say! ::Whips out uberly cool katana and glances around nervously::
Dragonfly Angle: He may live, he may not…you'll just have to find out for yourself ^_^. Sorry, but I don't like giving away hints of my story (which is funny because I'm the kind of guy that you can tell me exactly what happens in a movie and I'll still enjoy the movie as if I hadn't seen it before)…in addition to the fact it's not as much fun for you, some people wouldn't like seeing the hint plastered before the story…sorry ^_^.
Eartha: No, I didn't forget about Jaken: I just couldn't figure out a good way to write in him being revived by Sesshoumaru…I actually like Jaken, so I can't have him dead forever, now can I? He was revived when Sesshoumaru left to find Inuyasha (imagine Sesshoumaru storming by him, whipping out Tenseiga and slashing the oni, then Jaken standing up, confused, and running after him screaming, "SESSHOUMARU SAMA! MATTE KUDASAI! (PLEASE WAIT!)"
Anonymous: Thanks, not to sound self-absorbed but I really like it too ^_^.
Youkai Chick Supreme: No, I'm not a surfer boy…I want to try to surf, but news flash to everyone whose not from California: all of California isn't like south California around San Diego and stuff…it's actually cold and rainy and sleety most of the winter; even now it's still cold, cloudy, and it's supposed to rain tonight, and I don't surf ^_^.
If you want to call me surfer boy, no problem; as a general rule, I don't really answer to nicknames when spoken aloud (the sole exceptions are Shirtless Samurai and Kaminari; Kaminari because it's my name in my Japanese class, Shirtless Samurai because when I got my katana I wasn't wearing a shirt and my friends decided to tease me about looking like a samurai with no shirt).
BurningBritelyOne: Yeah, I know that I've kind of neglected Kagome, I'm gonna try to write her into fight scenes more often now, though, because I too like her fighting in the anime (but then again she hasn't really had a chance: Sesshoumaru's kind of Inuyasha's fight alone, Onigumo trapped her in the cocoon, and Kouga was competition for Inuyasha)…I wrote it into the chapter where she and Inuyasha were fighting together, but she'll have her day, don't worry…
Sammy: Thanks for the praise, and it's no problem about the translations: I find myself hard-pressed not to write them, actually, unless I forget like I did with 'nete' ^_^0
Chibi-Kagome: I'm writing it like I think it would happen in the series; they will eventually get closer, it's just not going to happen right away…they will, however! SO SAYS I! ::thrusts katana up towards ceiling::
Methinks I've had too much sugar, and should really sheathe my sword before I hurt myself/my poor ceiling…::sheathes katana:: And without further delay, minus the disclaimer (sigh, as always!) here's the story!
I want to own Inuyasha, but Miss Takahashi turned me down on my offer of a sandwich _
Chapter 27
Both brothers stood, spilling blood from their respective wounds; Sesshoumaru's chest and stomach bleeding and burning from the youki of Inuyasha's energy; Inuyasha, vision slightly blurred and body burning as even the tiny dose of poison he had received began to work its way into his system.
"Listen, Sesshoumaru! It wasn't Inuyasha that attacked Rin—he was with me all day yesterday!" Kagome shouted. "It was probably Naraku wearing the guise of Inuyasha—you don't know Naraku, he can change to the appearance of any person!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes didn't even flicker in Kagome's direction, trained on Inuyasha who was staring back at him with equal, although more readable, emotion.
"This is just like how he tricked Inuyasha and Kikyo, he manipulates everyone around him to get what he wants! You're both probably falling right into one of his traps!!!"
"He may be able to duplicate forms, but he cannot possibly duplicate scents well enough to trick me," Sesshoumaru said, no part of his figure moving. "I know the half-breed's scent better than anyone, and there was no mistaking the trail I followed back here."
For a second—a brief, dark moment—a shadow of doubt passed over Kagome, condemning Inuyasha…but just as quickly the dark seed of suspicion was gone: this was Inuyasha she was talking about! He couldn't have killed Rin for no reason at all…he'd been gone a long time with the deer, yes, but he wouldn't be able to wield the Tetsuaiga if he didn't care for humans!
Mentally berating herself for even doubting him for a second, she turned to scream at Sesshoumaru, but was too late—the sound of ringing metal had begun once more, and Kagome merely sighed as she wished with all her might that Sesshoumaru had a copy of Inuyasha's rosary beads…
Inuyasha, meanwhile, was beginning to have a rough time fighting Sesshoumaru: the youkai toxin had fully worked its way into his system and was slowly beginning to cut his speed, blur his vision, sap his strength…all of which was being cancelled out, for the moment, by his rock-hard determination to once and for all beat the hell out of his bastard brother—sword clashed sword, metal ground metal, as the two blades met once again, and just as quickly spinning around to meet again…
Until Inuyasha, displaying a presence of mind that most would think impossible for him, swept the Toukijin to the side and down as he spun around, catching Sesshoumaru in the face with a solid foot and sending him reeling back.
Charging in, ignoring the venom's fire eating away at his body, he thrust the Tetsuaiga in a straight line at Sesshoumaru's chest; rolling away from the attack, Sesshoumaru leapt up and swung Toukijin in a horizontal arc, and steel met bone as Inuyasha's upper arm stopped the blade from slicing cleanly through it—but leaving a slice half an inch deep in his arm. Tearing Toukijin from the already-gaping wound, Sesshoumaru released a blast of energy as sword exited wound, turning the clean cut into a bloody maw that was instantly cauterized by the heat of the blast.
Going on the defensive, trying to back away, Inuyasha was faced with the realization that he may have to unleash the might of the Bakuryuuha on Sesshoumaru to walk away from this fight alive—an idea that was, not surprisingly, far more appealing than it had been a few minutes ago. Unfortunately for Inuyasha, his foe was not giving him time to retreat and recoup: diving in like a raptor, sword stroke after sword stroke aiming for Inuyasha's injured body, blood streaming from his chest/back wound and arm, the fight was beginning to grow a little desperate.
'Can't…keep…going…like this…,' Inuyasha panted to himself, breath becoming more and more ragged as he was forced to either dodge or die; not seeing any opening that could possibly open up his going on the offensive—or any opening period, for that matter.
It was time for a risky move, and nothing is more dangerous in a sword fight than raising your sword to the sky and leaving yourself wide open to attack—unfortunately, this was just what Inuyasha was forced to do: Toukijin's strokes, glancing off the Tetsuaiga, were dispelling the winds that were trying to form the Wound of the Wind around the sword.
Inuyasha raised the sword to the heavens with his wounded arm, ignoring the agonizing hurt flowing from the wound as winds began wrapping around the sword once more, and thinking his victory seized, Sesshoumaru sliced in a horizontal arc, attempting to behead Inuyasha and end their brotherly war once and for all.
Haori offering some protection, though not much in the face of a sword as powerful as the Toukijin, Inuyasha raised his forearm up to take the blow; a KRACCKK was heard as Toukijin met nearly solid bone, but didn't cut through, thanks to the haori—but Inuyasha was now powerless to stop as the Toukijin once more released its pent up energy and shredded not only his haori, but his unwounded arm as well.
But that was all the time he needed to buy: the winds were complete, and Inuyasha's dangerous move had saved him; with a smug grin on his face, two wounded arms gripping the Tetsuaiga, Inuyasha swung the sword down with all his force, screaming, "KAZE NO KIZU!" as if his very life depended on it—which it did.
Sesshoumaru saw the mistake far too late, and barely managed to raise the Toukijin in time to block it: but as Inuyasha's was earlier, so was this only a partial block: the Wound of the Wind streamed through the Toukijin's protection, blasting Sesshoumaru not at full force—but close—as he was thrown back into the forest, the wind knocked out of his mighty chest.
Streaming blood from countless wounds, torn flesh flapping in the wind, Inuyasha's indecision fell from him: he was going to die if he didn't use the Bakuryuuha, his damn brother had started this, and he, for one, sure as hell wasn't going to lose a quarrel he'd had no part in.
With this in mind, Inuyasha watched the direction his brother had been knocked into, and concentrated…mind, body, and soul becoming one as he listened, tasted, smelt the youki flowing from his brother, just as he could feel his own growing as it reached out, searching, and—in a brief moment—finding the edge of Sesshoumaru's youki as he rushed back to the campsite.
Face wrung in concentration, Inuyasha tried to find that one spot among the clashing youki—the weak point, the flaw, the Wound of the Bakuryuuha, if you will.
And he found it, just as his brother burst into the clearing, eyes flaming red as he fought the call to transform into his youkai form, since doing so would certainly mean death. It was with this in mind that Sesshoumaru burst into Inuyasha's line of view, and his eyes widened in surprise as he saw what his hanyou brother had waiting for him there…a power greater than the likes of any the world had seen before, an energy that had carved the great Ryuukotsusei into bite-sized chunks of dragon flesh, a strength that the Toukijin had no answer to: an attack named in the scream that now tore from Inuyasha's throat.
"BAKURYUUHA!!!!!!!"
Well, you'll have to wait tomorrow to see my description of the Bakuryuuha: I need sleepy now, I'm not nearly as hyper as I was when I started the review responses a few hours ago…bleh…but oh well, you'll get to read it tomorrow: same place, same time!
As always, please read and REVIEW, since I'm only five REVIEWS away from hitting 300 REVIEWS ^_^0. Thanks!