Disclaimer: This disclaimer will only appear in this chapter since I don't really think that there is a need to place it in every chapter, do you? If I were the creator of InuYasha, I would be getting paid for this, and it would be a movie, not a fanfic posted online. I just own the story, not the characters. Therefore, please do not steal my work or my ideas, (that's plagiarism) and please do not sue me as I will have very little disposable income to pay you. If you want to post my story on your site, please ask me first in a review.
Author's Request: Please review after you have read, otherwise, I don't know if I am writing a story that is worth continuing. If I don't know that it is worth continuing, I may not continue it. But fear not! I am not one of those authors that will only write and post new chapters when a certain number of reviews are made. There are even times when I am too lazy to click the review button ;) . I don't want flames, but constructive criticism is welcome.
A few questions answered as of 6 August 2003:
Q: Why have you taken so long to update?
A: Well, after I started this story, I had a lot of stuff came up and I did not have the time that I wanted to really work on it. I'd rather produce quality more than quantity. I also was in a rut for creative ideas, which I assure you is over.
Q: How long is this story going to be?
A: I can't give you the word or chapter count; however, this will be one of the more lengthy fanfics out there.
Q: Why the R Rating?
A: Because of violence, language and well, uh…….
Q: What pairings will there be?
A: The pairings that are implied in the series (I/K, M/S) and since I am also a Sess/Kag fan, you can expect some of that too ;)
Q: Will you answer my question in a forthcoming chapter?
A: Of course, just ask your question in your review so I know what I am answering.
Q: Do you have a mailing list?
A: Not right now, however, if there is a demand for it (let me know in reviews) I will create one.
Q: Is this going to be one of those family-esque lovey-dovey stories?
A: NO. I like Shippou and Rin and all, but I have never been a fan of the aforementioned types of stories. So if you don't see a lot of either of those two, just figure that they are enjoying themselves on an island vacation in Hawaii, all expenses paid by Sesshomaru. I might include a Shippou/Rin pairing though towards the end…
Q: Why the restructuring and the revisions?
A: I want this story to be better.
Lastly, enjoy the show.
Chapter One ~ Decisions, Demons and Destiny
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"InuYasha!"
"Kagome - Get behind me, the last time you tried to go against Sesshomaru with me, you know what happened."
Sesshomaru stood there calm as ever, waiting for InuYasha's attack. His brother was quick to judgment, and never seemed to have any strategy in battle. That weakness was the one that would cost his impudent hanyou brother and that wench their lives. The great Lord of the Western Lands was no ordinary youkai, as they all knew.
InuYasha and Sesshomaru stood tall, watching and waiting to see who would make the first move. Sesshomaru knew it would be his half-brother, and prepared himself to move quickly out of Tetsusaiga's way. For Kagome, time was at a stand still, even though several minutes had passed. The dog-eared demon was finally the first to attack.
"Kaze no kizu!" And with that, full force, InuYasha sent his sword's second most powerful attack towards his greatest foe. Kagome saw Sesshomaru leap up at InuYasha's first word and raise his sword to counterattack while InuYasha was still reeling from all the energy he put into his kaze no kizu. "InuYasha! Look up, Sesshomaru is coming at you-" Knowing that there was not enough time for him to react, Kagome ran to the hanyou she loved to push him out of the way, when as she reached him, Sesshomaru's toukijin had already let out its attack, and it was too late for him to shield them both from the attack that thundered down towards them at lightning speed.
Kagome was sent flying across the ground, clothes ripped to shreds and skin horribly marred, on InuYasha who was still conscious, unlike his companion. He has not received the brunt of the attack because she shielded him. When the dust settled, InuYasha was in shock, holding a lifeless Kagome in his arms, and Sesshomaru, was standing above his brother, with his sword at the hanyou's neck.
InuYasha ignored Sesshomaru and tried to breathe life back into Kagome, tears beginning to well up in his eyes, though he would never shed them in front of his cold aniki. "Sesshomaru! Why would you do this? This is too evil even for your indifferent ways of going about things you bastard! She didn't even have a chance, you saw her come towards me and you still attacked knowing that she would be hit! I'll kill you Sesshomaru for taking away the one person I had left in this world...." Sesshomaru stood silent contemplating what he had done. Sure, he killed the wench that followed his brother around; that much was obvious. Furthermore, InuYasha was not dead; that was even worse. After all, he had come for the tetsusaiga, and he couldn't take it from his brother if he was living. The sword would probably reject him again. 'Damn you father.' He was still in his train of thought when he was interrupted.
"Sesshomaru, why is it that you have to see to it that your own brother is dead or miserable? Why can't you just leave me alone after all I have been through? You had it easy Sesshomaru, you were everyone's favorite. No one rejected you, but me, I couldn't fit in no matter what I did. I looked up to you, and you just hated me. What have I done to you Sesshomaru, what has Kagome done to deserve death?"
Sesshomaru pondered what InuYasha had said. Was it that he never fit in? Their father doted more on InuYasha then himself. InuYasha was allowed to roam free, but Sesshomaru; he was the rightful heir to the Western Lands. He had responsibilities. His father didn't even give him a sword with which to protect the land. He got the useless Tenseiga, which, not only didn't kill, but resurrected. His hanyou of a brother, on the other hand, got one of the most powerful swords ever made, and that both angered and disturbed him to no end.
"InuYasha." Sesshomaru stared coldly at his brother. "Why do you think father left you the tetsusaiga? Moreover, why did he leave me Tenseiga? The sword you hold is better suited for me, the one who knew how to release its power from the start. You couldn't even appreciate it."
"This sword has become invaluable to me brother because it has allowed me to protect the ones closest to me, the way that father protected my mother. Perhaps you got Tenseiga as father's way of saying that you shouldn't be so cold-hearted, did you ever think of that you bastard?!" InuYasha started to get angrier than his grief. His youkai blood started to boil inside of him, wanting release to kill the one that lived to cause him pain and suffering.
"An old confidant of father said that maybe it was to show that we shouldn't fight each other. That must have been because he knows you are no match for me."
InuYasha stared down Sesshomaru for that last comment then looked down at the girl he held in his arms. 'Kikyo wanted me to be human because she didn't want to accept my youkai side. But Kagome, she loved me for everything I am, not in spite of it.' In one short moment, he had lost her, his one chance for happiness, killed by the one person that was left of his family, if you could call it that. 'Maybe Sesshomaru is right; maybe I am inferior and worthless. Then it would make sense that I couldn't protect her. But Kagome wouldn't want me to think that way. How could I dishonor her memory by doubting myself…'
"Why are you just sitting there hanyou, stand up and fight me for the sword that should be rightfully mine."
"Can't you shut up you self-righteous, pretentious bastard?! Do you think that I will fight you now and dishonor Kagome? Would you still stand and fight me if I had killed in cold blood, without a second thought, that little girl that started to follow you around?"
The demon Lord's shock at his half-brothers comment was visible for a split second on his face, and then it was gone. He had no attachments to that girl, she was attached to him. He had allowed her to live with him, and he acted like her guardian. Why? Why would Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands do such a thing? Then he remembered it was because he saved her with Tenseiga to test out the sword's capabilities on a human, but she latched onto him. As much as he enjoyed killing, he had distaste for unnecessary killing as a result of his honor. Besides, if InuYasha killed Rin, he could just revive her over and over again with Tenseiga.
"Well brother?"
"Go ahead and kill her InuYasha, I can just bring her back with the sword that father left for me. If you did kill her, I would destroy you for your disrespect and insubordination."
InuYasha eyes opened wide, could he ask Sesshomaru to revive Kagome? Would Sesshomaru, the only one capable of it, bring his Kagome back to life? He stared at her limp body that was growing colder and knew that no matter the cost, he would have to take the chance and swallow what pride he had left. InuYasha placed Kagome next to him and bowed ceremoniously. "Sesshomaru-sama, I beg of you, please use Tenseiga on Kagome-"
The full blooded youkai thought this over. He did not like unnecessary death, but he loved to see InuYasha suffer. If Rin was killed, he could bring her back, but if he couldn't, what would he feel? No, the Great Lord of the Western Lands does not feel. He eyed the sword that his brother held and offered him a deal.
"Hanyou, I will revive Kagome. However, in return, you must fight me for the tetsusaiga now. When I win, I claim the sword and your lives. If I, (he paused for a moment) Sesshomaru, lose, I will leave you be, for now." As an afterthought he added, "I may ask a favor of you. I will not ask for your sword since I will win that in battle. I will not ask for your life, since I will take that when I take the tetsusaiga."
InuYasha was no fool on these matters when it came to Sesshomaru, he had to take whatever he could or lose everything. "Am I willing to sacrifice myself for the chance to save Kagome, knowing that if I fail, we both lose our lives after Kagome risked hers to save mine?"
