White Fire
Chapter 11: Scars That Never Heal
He turned to pear at the group that had been with him for six faithful years.
The had been with him as they sought the Shikon Jewel, battled demons, faced the devious Naraku, and argued and bickered among each other.
Still, they were friends; they always had been, they always will be.
Inuyasha watched Shippo flirting with his new girlfriend; a young fox demon who was annoying everyone else to death. Shippo let the girl walk all over him, she was to flirty to really care about Shippo; but the gang was going to let Shippo enjoy himself for a little longer before they broke the news to the thirteen-year old Kitsune. Kagome and Sango sat chatting by the river as Miroku played with his three-year old son, Ryu.
Though they usually stayed back in Kayede's village now; they had begun to realize that the missed going on journeys as they did when they were hunting the shards of the Shikon jewel. The now half-demon Kagome rocked the little Sasaki in her lap. Sasaki had gold eyes and white hair like Inuyasha, but her face looked like Kagome's. She also had the same stripes as Sesshoumaru... or maybe... Sesshyo. Inuyasha had forgotten about his other brother until just that moment... yes, they did look more like the fire-cat's redder, longer stripes. Weird. As he sat pondering his thoughts were interrupted by a crying Sasaki.
Not more crying... does she ever shut up? Inuyasha wondered. Though he loved his daughter he got sick of the eighteen-month old child crying... to bad she wasn't as well behaved as Sesshoumaru's little accomplice, Rin. How old was she now? Fourteen? Fifteen? Something close to that... and why wasn't Sasaki shutting up?
Usually Kagome could make her be quiet in only a minute... she only cried like this when Sesshoumaru or any other assorted demons were around. Kayede said that she had strong demon-sensing abilities, so she cried when she sensed them because she was to young to know that the evil aruas she sensed were not in the least bit interested in harming her. Inuyasha sniffed around. It was a demon all right, pretty close too... the scent was vaguely familiar, but his sense of smell was impaired after Kagome somehow convinced him the cut up some garlic to use in the making of some kind of food, that, even though Inuyasha still couldn't smell, was very tasty. He could ask Kagome to see if she recognized it, but she still wasn't as used to identifying individual people by their smells yet, so he couldn't rely to heavily on her. He jumped out of his tree and marched over to Kagome. "Stay here." he ordered; knowing fully well she wouldn't; he wasn't surprised when she got up to follow him, still carrying Sasaki in her arms. Dumb wench, doesn't she know she and Sasaki could get hurt? he thought lamely. There, in reality, was no way a demon could get past Kagome and Inuyasha at the same time. Kagome had been pretty tough (for a human) before; now she was equal in power to most weaker demons; not to mention she also had Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga there as well.
Inuyasha got to the top of the little hill be the river and looked down toward the bank; eyes falling upon Sasaki's object of disturbance. Striped to the waist and standing in water up to his knees, a fairly tall, slender demon with long white hair tied back and braided; he stood motionlessly in the river, staring intently into the clear water. He was facing toward them, and, though he didn't look up, the slight twitch of his cat-like ears, exactly like Inuyasha's, told them that he knew they were here. Inuyasha was just about to storm down to the side of the river and demand what he was doing here, when a slight tremor ran through the lean muscle of the pretty demon's arm, his eyes narrowing into concentration, and, without any warning, his hand shot under the water, coming back with a rather large fish. His red-striped, clawed hand grasped the dog-sized fish by the tail, and swung it over his shoulder. He leapt out of the water in one graceful jump, landing on the bank by a campfire with a spit set up over it. Not turning even looking at Inuyasha and his mate, yet never actually not looking at them, he sat down facing toward them, set the fish on a rock, and began cleaning it. Inuyasha stared dumbfounded at the demon for a second, stammering, "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" "Having lunch. You want some?"
His voice was silky and regally feline; it was formal and rich like Sesshoumaru's, but with the faintest twinge of cockiness to it.
"No, I do not want any of your nasty fish! I asked you a question, and I expect you to answer it!"
The pale demon sighed. "Inuyasha, are you really that stupid, or have you gone blind in your old age?"
Inuyasha gaped. "Sesshyo?"
"Of course it is, stupid." Sesshyo said rather impatiently.
"Your other brother?" Kagome said quizzically. "... But what are you doing here? Aren't you the lord of the Southern Lands? Shouldn't you be back ruling your lands?"
Sesshyo had been carefully skinning the scales from the huge fish with a sharp dagger. As Kagome started to ask about the Southern Lands the knife slipped down the fish and sliced into Sesshyo's other hand, causing blood to ooze from the cut. Sesshyo looked down blankly at the bright red blood, gold eyes darkening.
Sesshyo was weak from all the energy he had lost in Hinosaiga's attack, but even if he had had his full strength he wouldn't have tried to prevent the punishment he was about to be dealt. He deserved it; he knew it. He had caused his family great disgrace; this was going to be a relatively minor punishment; Sesshyo, thought, knew he deserved more. His uncle paced around him like a predator looking for the best angle of attack...
"Sesshyo?"
Kagome's voice made him snap out of his little bout of deja vu. He turned and smiled at the pair to set them back at ease, then began to suck his bleeding hand. This cut was nothing, it would bleed for a few minutes, and the scar it would leave would be gone in a week. Inuyasha glared at him until Sesshyo got irritated at his pushy brother, and, forgetting himself, turned to glare back at Inuyasha. Inuyasha remembered Sesshyo's bright purple and red-gold eyes from before, they seemed to always be laughing at you, knowing something you didn't, or silently mocking you as you tried your best to ignore Sesshyo's intent stare; it had annoyed the hell out of Inuyasha. But this time it wasn't laughter, or even silent teasing. It was... nothing... Sesshyo's eyes were as blank and emotionless as Kikyo's.
"What happened to you?" Inuyasha blurted out. Sesshyo twitched, but this time remembering the knife in his hand, it continued to slowly slide down the fish, removing its silver-blue scales. Sesshyo growled almost inaudibly. "None of your damn business." he snapped.
"It is my business! I bet you'd tell Sesshoumaru; wouldn't you? Stuck up little brat... can't believe I'm related to you..."
"I can imagine..." Kagome muttered, before jumping out of her skin, recovering just in time to keep from dropping the strangely quiet Sasaki. Sesshyo, for no apparent reason, had just kicked the spit over, sending up shower of sparks as it crashed into the fire.
Looking up, she saw Sesshyo was shaking with fury, long demon fangs bared, a low growl deep in his throat; he stood glaring at Inuyasha for almost a minute before his face faded back to the docile expression he had on when they first encountered him. He turned to Kagome and bowed. "I'm sorry if I cause you any inconvenience." he said quietly; then he turned and snagged his black kimono shirt off a rock; finally beginning to make his way toward the forest, leaving his fish behind.
"What did you do?" Kagome demanded.
"Me?!" Inuyasha yelled. "He's the one getting all wacko! Why do you always take somebody else's' side, huh? Why can't you ever be on my side for once, stubborn wench?"
"SIT!"
*crash*
"Ow!"
***
Kagome fought her way through the thick undergrowth, following Sesshyo's scent trail through the woods. She could move faster right now, for she had left Sasaki with Sango and Shippo. She was currently wishing she was as good as Inuyasha was at jumping from tree branch to tree branch; she could move much faster that way, but she usually wound up on the ground when she tried. She just had to hope Sesshyo preferred the same leisurely pace as Sesshoumaru did, compared to Inuyasha's wild speed pace. She stood still, trying to use her still alien Hanyou abilities to listen for Sesshyo. She had almost given up when she heard the noise of a sword striking a tree. Climbing a bit further into the forest, she looked into a clearing in the forest that must've been where Sesshyo lived. There was a cave in the cliff face, the entrance easily big enough for a car to drive into. There was a unlit campfire, and small stream running down the cliff close to the entrance to the cave. Sesshyo stood of to the side of the clearing, unsheathed sword stuck halfway through a large old oak.
Kagome had the idea that he could've easily cut through it if he wanted to, though he appeared to be striking the tree out of anguish, not necessity. As he stood there shivering with the blade of the sword jammed into the tree, Kagome watching him, her jaw dropped. He was crying... not open sobbing or anything dramatic, just a single tear running down his cheek, but it was so utterly shocking she couldn't believe it.
"A big baby, isn't he?"
Kagome whirled on Inuyasha, slapping him so fast that he just sat there stunned.
"What'd I do?!" he snarled.
Hearing Inuyasha's voice, Sesshyo whirled on the pair hiding in the bushes. With one leap he was two feet away from them. Kagome's eyes followed the lines of his left arm, her gaze coming to rest on the sword he held in his clawed grip. She tried to determine which sword it was, but it was no use. She was too unfamiliar with the demon boy's two swords to tell them apart by looks; and, unlike Tetsusaiga; Hinosaiga and Hyokama didn't emit a mystic presence; thus, she was unable to identify them. It could've been just a regular Katana for all she knew.
"Taking up spying as your new hobby?" Sesshyo hissed, barely keeping his voice under control. He turned his head to look at Inuyasha, who was once again giving him that odd look; the one Sesshyo was rapidly losing his patience for.
"Why aren't you back in the Southern Lands, huh?" he quizzed.
Sesshyo opened his mouth, but no words came out; growing rather irritated with this little round of ten questions was he... He snapped his mouth back shut, his fangs coming back together with a click.
"Is it your job to torment me?" Choose your words carefully, distract them from the point, but don't distract them or they'll start quizzing you all over again...
"Is it your job to act like you're better than us? Damn, you're as bad as Sesshoumaru!" Sesshyo smiled inwardly; Inuyasha was a simpleton, it had been easy to divert his attention... but the girl, what was her name? Kagome. That's right. Now what was going to get her off this train of thought...?
"Ahem." Kagome cleared her throat.
Sesshyo almost jumped; looking down at her startled. Think, stupid! "Is that your baby I hear crying?" Oh, great... How lame, she's never gonna fall for that...
"Sasaki?! Could it be another demon?" She spun and dashed off through the bushes, leaving a surprised pair of demons behind her.
***
Kagome came out of the forest next to the bank where Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and the two children were. Sasaki wasn't crying; everything seemed to be in perfect order... but... something... something was wrong.
The breaking of tree limbs behind her made her quickly turn around; and upon doing so, she came face to face with her suspicions.
***
The two brothers glare at each other for a rather long time; their dog ears flattened against their skulls; Sesshyo's tail lashing around behind him.
"You don't like me very much, do you?" Sesshyo finally asked.
"No, I'm afraid I don't'."
"I expected as much."
Inuyasha finally couldn't stand this little confrontation any longer. "Listen!" he yelled. "I don't know what you're up to, but I don't like it! Nothing good ever comes from you and Sesshoumaru; I don't want to be caught up in this little scheme you've going here; so why don't you just beat it!"
"You're afraid for Kagome and Sasaki?" Sesshyo hissed.
Inuyasha didn't answer, but his face said it was true.
"You have nothing to fear from me, Inuyasha. If you had any sense, it would tell you that." And with that he turned away from Inuyasha for the first time since he had encountered them; Inuyasha gave a fleeting glance to Sesshyo's departing back, then did a double take. "Wha...?" he choked.
Sesshyo looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha. "Happy now?" he hissed.
"What is..." Inuyasha didn't get to finish his sentence; for at precisely that moment, a scream echoed through the forest.
***********************************************
Whee! What happened to Sesshyo? What did Inuyasha see that Sesshyo had been trying to hide?
What sort of evil is plaguing Kagome and the others?
Is Sesshyo going to cause trouble?
Will we finally find out why he is so terribly cursed with all this bad luck?
Will I keep this up for days?
Somebody stop me!
Chapter 11: Scars That Never Heal
He turned to pear at the group that had been with him for six faithful years.
The had been with him as they sought the Shikon Jewel, battled demons, faced the devious Naraku, and argued and bickered among each other.
Still, they were friends; they always had been, they always will be.
Inuyasha watched Shippo flirting with his new girlfriend; a young fox demon who was annoying everyone else to death. Shippo let the girl walk all over him, she was to flirty to really care about Shippo; but the gang was going to let Shippo enjoy himself for a little longer before they broke the news to the thirteen-year old Kitsune. Kagome and Sango sat chatting by the river as Miroku played with his three-year old son, Ryu.
Though they usually stayed back in Kayede's village now; they had begun to realize that the missed going on journeys as they did when they were hunting the shards of the Shikon jewel. The now half-demon Kagome rocked the little Sasaki in her lap. Sasaki had gold eyes and white hair like Inuyasha, but her face looked like Kagome's. She also had the same stripes as Sesshoumaru... or maybe... Sesshyo. Inuyasha had forgotten about his other brother until just that moment... yes, they did look more like the fire-cat's redder, longer stripes. Weird. As he sat pondering his thoughts were interrupted by a crying Sasaki.
Not more crying... does she ever shut up? Inuyasha wondered. Though he loved his daughter he got sick of the eighteen-month old child crying... to bad she wasn't as well behaved as Sesshoumaru's little accomplice, Rin. How old was she now? Fourteen? Fifteen? Something close to that... and why wasn't Sasaki shutting up?
Usually Kagome could make her be quiet in only a minute... she only cried like this when Sesshoumaru or any other assorted demons were around. Kayede said that she had strong demon-sensing abilities, so she cried when she sensed them because she was to young to know that the evil aruas she sensed were not in the least bit interested in harming her. Inuyasha sniffed around. It was a demon all right, pretty close too... the scent was vaguely familiar, but his sense of smell was impaired after Kagome somehow convinced him the cut up some garlic to use in the making of some kind of food, that, even though Inuyasha still couldn't smell, was very tasty. He could ask Kagome to see if she recognized it, but she still wasn't as used to identifying individual people by their smells yet, so he couldn't rely to heavily on her. He jumped out of his tree and marched over to Kagome. "Stay here." he ordered; knowing fully well she wouldn't; he wasn't surprised when she got up to follow him, still carrying Sasaki in her arms. Dumb wench, doesn't she know she and Sasaki could get hurt? he thought lamely. There, in reality, was no way a demon could get past Kagome and Inuyasha at the same time. Kagome had been pretty tough (for a human) before; now she was equal in power to most weaker demons; not to mention she also had Inuyasha and Tetsusaiga there as well.
Inuyasha got to the top of the little hill be the river and looked down toward the bank; eyes falling upon Sasaki's object of disturbance. Striped to the waist and standing in water up to his knees, a fairly tall, slender demon with long white hair tied back and braided; he stood motionlessly in the river, staring intently into the clear water. He was facing toward them, and, though he didn't look up, the slight twitch of his cat-like ears, exactly like Inuyasha's, told them that he knew they were here. Inuyasha was just about to storm down to the side of the river and demand what he was doing here, when a slight tremor ran through the lean muscle of the pretty demon's arm, his eyes narrowing into concentration, and, without any warning, his hand shot under the water, coming back with a rather large fish. His red-striped, clawed hand grasped the dog-sized fish by the tail, and swung it over his shoulder. He leapt out of the water in one graceful jump, landing on the bank by a campfire with a spit set up over it. Not turning even looking at Inuyasha and his mate, yet never actually not looking at them, he sat down facing toward them, set the fish on a rock, and began cleaning it. Inuyasha stared dumbfounded at the demon for a second, stammering, "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" "Having lunch. You want some?"
His voice was silky and regally feline; it was formal and rich like Sesshoumaru's, but with the faintest twinge of cockiness to it.
"No, I do not want any of your nasty fish! I asked you a question, and I expect you to answer it!"
The pale demon sighed. "Inuyasha, are you really that stupid, or have you gone blind in your old age?"
Inuyasha gaped. "Sesshyo?"
"Of course it is, stupid." Sesshyo said rather impatiently.
"Your other brother?" Kagome said quizzically. "... But what are you doing here? Aren't you the lord of the Southern Lands? Shouldn't you be back ruling your lands?"
Sesshyo had been carefully skinning the scales from the huge fish with a sharp dagger. As Kagome started to ask about the Southern Lands the knife slipped down the fish and sliced into Sesshyo's other hand, causing blood to ooze from the cut. Sesshyo looked down blankly at the bright red blood, gold eyes darkening.
Sesshyo was weak from all the energy he had lost in Hinosaiga's attack, but even if he had had his full strength he wouldn't have tried to prevent the punishment he was about to be dealt. He deserved it; he knew it. He had caused his family great disgrace; this was going to be a relatively minor punishment; Sesshyo, thought, knew he deserved more. His uncle paced around him like a predator looking for the best angle of attack...
"Sesshyo?"
Kagome's voice made him snap out of his little bout of deja vu. He turned and smiled at the pair to set them back at ease, then began to suck his bleeding hand. This cut was nothing, it would bleed for a few minutes, and the scar it would leave would be gone in a week. Inuyasha glared at him until Sesshyo got irritated at his pushy brother, and, forgetting himself, turned to glare back at Inuyasha. Inuyasha remembered Sesshyo's bright purple and red-gold eyes from before, they seemed to always be laughing at you, knowing something you didn't, or silently mocking you as you tried your best to ignore Sesshyo's intent stare; it had annoyed the hell out of Inuyasha. But this time it wasn't laughter, or even silent teasing. It was... nothing... Sesshyo's eyes were as blank and emotionless as Kikyo's.
"What happened to you?" Inuyasha blurted out. Sesshyo twitched, but this time remembering the knife in his hand, it continued to slowly slide down the fish, removing its silver-blue scales. Sesshyo growled almost inaudibly. "None of your damn business." he snapped.
"It is my business! I bet you'd tell Sesshoumaru; wouldn't you? Stuck up little brat... can't believe I'm related to you..."
"I can imagine..." Kagome muttered, before jumping out of her skin, recovering just in time to keep from dropping the strangely quiet Sasaki. Sesshyo, for no apparent reason, had just kicked the spit over, sending up shower of sparks as it crashed into the fire.
Looking up, she saw Sesshyo was shaking with fury, long demon fangs bared, a low growl deep in his throat; he stood glaring at Inuyasha for almost a minute before his face faded back to the docile expression he had on when they first encountered him. He turned to Kagome and bowed. "I'm sorry if I cause you any inconvenience." he said quietly; then he turned and snagged his black kimono shirt off a rock; finally beginning to make his way toward the forest, leaving his fish behind.
"What did you do?" Kagome demanded.
"Me?!" Inuyasha yelled. "He's the one getting all wacko! Why do you always take somebody else's' side, huh? Why can't you ever be on my side for once, stubborn wench?"
"SIT!"
*crash*
"Ow!"
***
Kagome fought her way through the thick undergrowth, following Sesshyo's scent trail through the woods. She could move faster right now, for she had left Sasaki with Sango and Shippo. She was currently wishing she was as good as Inuyasha was at jumping from tree branch to tree branch; she could move much faster that way, but she usually wound up on the ground when she tried. She just had to hope Sesshyo preferred the same leisurely pace as Sesshoumaru did, compared to Inuyasha's wild speed pace. She stood still, trying to use her still alien Hanyou abilities to listen for Sesshyo. She had almost given up when she heard the noise of a sword striking a tree. Climbing a bit further into the forest, she looked into a clearing in the forest that must've been where Sesshyo lived. There was a cave in the cliff face, the entrance easily big enough for a car to drive into. There was a unlit campfire, and small stream running down the cliff close to the entrance to the cave. Sesshyo stood of to the side of the clearing, unsheathed sword stuck halfway through a large old oak.
Kagome had the idea that he could've easily cut through it if he wanted to, though he appeared to be striking the tree out of anguish, not necessity. As he stood there shivering with the blade of the sword jammed into the tree, Kagome watching him, her jaw dropped. He was crying... not open sobbing or anything dramatic, just a single tear running down his cheek, but it was so utterly shocking she couldn't believe it.
"A big baby, isn't he?"
Kagome whirled on Inuyasha, slapping him so fast that he just sat there stunned.
"What'd I do?!" he snarled.
Hearing Inuyasha's voice, Sesshyo whirled on the pair hiding in the bushes. With one leap he was two feet away from them. Kagome's eyes followed the lines of his left arm, her gaze coming to rest on the sword he held in his clawed grip. She tried to determine which sword it was, but it was no use. She was too unfamiliar with the demon boy's two swords to tell them apart by looks; and, unlike Tetsusaiga; Hinosaiga and Hyokama didn't emit a mystic presence; thus, she was unable to identify them. It could've been just a regular Katana for all she knew.
"Taking up spying as your new hobby?" Sesshyo hissed, barely keeping his voice under control. He turned his head to look at Inuyasha, who was once again giving him that odd look; the one Sesshyo was rapidly losing his patience for.
"Why aren't you back in the Southern Lands, huh?" he quizzed.
Sesshyo opened his mouth, but no words came out; growing rather irritated with this little round of ten questions was he... He snapped his mouth back shut, his fangs coming back together with a click.
"Is it your job to torment me?" Choose your words carefully, distract them from the point, but don't distract them or they'll start quizzing you all over again...
"Is it your job to act like you're better than us? Damn, you're as bad as Sesshoumaru!" Sesshyo smiled inwardly; Inuyasha was a simpleton, it had been easy to divert his attention... but the girl, what was her name? Kagome. That's right. Now what was going to get her off this train of thought...?
"Ahem." Kagome cleared her throat.
Sesshyo almost jumped; looking down at her startled. Think, stupid! "Is that your baby I hear crying?" Oh, great... How lame, she's never gonna fall for that...
"Sasaki?! Could it be another demon?" She spun and dashed off through the bushes, leaving a surprised pair of demons behind her.
***
Kagome came out of the forest next to the bank where Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and the two children were. Sasaki wasn't crying; everything seemed to be in perfect order... but... something... something was wrong.
The breaking of tree limbs behind her made her quickly turn around; and upon doing so, she came face to face with her suspicions.
***
The two brothers glare at each other for a rather long time; their dog ears flattened against their skulls; Sesshyo's tail lashing around behind him.
"You don't like me very much, do you?" Sesshyo finally asked.
"No, I'm afraid I don't'."
"I expected as much."
Inuyasha finally couldn't stand this little confrontation any longer. "Listen!" he yelled. "I don't know what you're up to, but I don't like it! Nothing good ever comes from you and Sesshoumaru; I don't want to be caught up in this little scheme you've going here; so why don't you just beat it!"
"You're afraid for Kagome and Sasaki?" Sesshyo hissed.
Inuyasha didn't answer, but his face said it was true.
"You have nothing to fear from me, Inuyasha. If you had any sense, it would tell you that." And with that he turned away from Inuyasha for the first time since he had encountered them; Inuyasha gave a fleeting glance to Sesshyo's departing back, then did a double take. "Wha...?" he choked.
Sesshyo looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha. "Happy now?" he hissed.
"What is..." Inuyasha didn't get to finish his sentence; for at precisely that moment, a scream echoed through the forest.
***********************************************
Whee! What happened to Sesshyo? What did Inuyasha see that Sesshyo had been trying to hide?
What sort of evil is plaguing Kagome and the others?
Is Sesshyo going to cause trouble?
Will we finally find out why he is so terribly cursed with all this bad luck?
Will I keep this up for days?
Somebody stop me!
