Talilia looked about the forest before she darted through the trees, delicate lacy wings beating furiously. Swerving out of the way of a hanging tree branch, she looked wildly over her shoulder at the approaching beast. Talilia was a faerie, a young one at that. She was one of the candidates for the next queen, and Michika, her mother, had sent her out to collect some items for the brew.
Dusk was falling rapidly on the fleeing faerie as she flew on, hopelessly lost in the grim forest. What am I going to do, she thought. There's no one here to help me. The sun is going down, that beast is gaining on me and wants my magic! Even as a trainee faerie, she had a powerful bit of magic. Faeries were hunted for their ability to grant a wish so someone, and Talilia was no exception.
If she had been a full grown faerie, she could make herself invisible. Muttering a spell under her breath, she created a tiny ball of flame in her hand, just enough to see her way through the forest, yet not strong enough so that the light could be completely seen. She watched worriedly as she flew on, the flaming ball in her palm growing smaller and smaller.
Brother Dearest
By: Phantom Phire
The night was a bad place for a Faerie to lost. Trainee Faeries' powers relied on the cycle of day, while full-grown faeries could cast spells at night. Even now, her magic was diminishing, her time was growing short. She had enough magic to grant one wish to a beast at her current level, but if she did so, she would not have enough magic to sustain her own life force.
She would die.
The flame in her fist snapped and then died out, leaving her to hover confusedly in the dark forest. I don't know where to go, she though frantically. Her wings started shrinking and she hurriedly touched down on the ground, looking about her. I can pretend to be a human, she thought. But that beast would kill me anyway!
With a loud SNAP, tree trunks broke as the lumbering ogre stomped into the clearing. It peered down at her with bright, scarlet eyes, before speaking in a hissing, voice, echoed by the looming shadows of the tall trees around them. You are a faerie, I can tell. It said. I demand that you grant me a wish. I know of your abilities.
"I c-can't!" she stuttered, backing against a tree. Panic and anxiety welled inside her as she felt her back hit the rough bark. "I-I don't h-have any m-magic!"
LIES! The ogre roared. It raised its long, shinning claws. . .
"EEEEK!" The poor faerie shrieked and cowered, covering her eyes and ducking into a small ball. Please, help me! Help me, someone, anyone!! I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die. . .I'm too young to die!!!!
The blow never came.
Cautiously, she uncovered her eyes and gazed astoundly as the ogre laid slain on the forest floor, purple-black blood gushing out over the foliage, burning and dissolving plants as it did so. Standing in front of her was another demon, wielding a huge blade. . .
"O-oh, please don't h-hurt me, I'm just a p-poor wanderer," she begged to the puzzled demon. "I-I can't g-grant any wishes at n-night!"
The demon looked at her in confusion before he sheathed the gigantic blade. "I don't know who the hell you are," he replied, looking at her with bright golden eyes. His long silver hair blew in the wind as he spoke, and she saw the ears perched on his head. So he's a half-demon. . . She thought. "But you shouldn't be wandering around at night. Go home, little girl." With that, the half-demon leaped away, fading among the shadows. . .
Talilia gazed in wonder after the half-demon. I have to repay him, somehow, she thought. Or mother would be angry with me. I'm not strong enough to grant a wish yet—or maybe, it depends on what his wish is. . .
--*--
Inuyasha swung out of the clearing, leaping softly into the camping pit that the group had decided to stay in for tonight. He looked over his companions and noticed that Miroku was still awake, although as soon as he had appeared he returned to sleep.
Inuyasha leaped into the tree branches over Kagome, looking down at the sleeping girl who was clutching Shippo to her chest. The shikon jewel sparkled from its place around her neck, and looking at the fragment of the jewel made him start wondering again. . .
What do I want, he asked himself. Days before, Kagome had asked him what he would wish for when they completed the jewel. At that time, he was torn for a decision, and he still was. I owe my life, but would she be satisfied if I brought her to life? The hanyou shifted uncomfortably on the tree branch. But I can't love her anymore. I don't know who I even love right now. I don't want to see another woman hurt. . . I don't want to be a human. I couldn't protect anyone. But if I became a full demon like Sesshomaru. . . would I finally fit in? He remembered Miroku asking that question as well—'have you seen anyone every do something good with the jewel shards?' He had asked. 'It seems that he bearer of the jewel loses his soul. . .'
My soul is mine, he told himself. If I were a full demon, then I would get respect. I could protect my "family". . . If I become stronger, will my heart be stronger too? Would I finally be able to make my choice. . .?
Talilia smiled as she stood, back to a tree trunk, farther away from camp. So that is what he wants. . .She thought. I think maybe I can grant his wish. . . The small faerie slid, back down, to the base of the trunk, wrapping her arms around her knees. If a trainee faerie could grant a wish and complete it, she would become a full-grown faerie. She would wait till daylight. . . and then the hanyou would have a surprise.
--*--
Dawn broke out when Inuyasha hustling everyone to wake up.
"C'mon get up! We have shards to find!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome moaned. "It's too early!"
"Yeah!" Shippo chimed in. He snuggled down into her sleeping bag and buried his face among the material.
"You're a demon! It shouldn't be too early for you!" Inuyasha snarled. He grabbed the kitsune by the tail and yanked him out of the bag. The little fox yelled angrily. "You big oaf!! Put me down!! KAGOME!!"
"Sit," Kagome answered boredly. She buried her head back in her blue sleeping bag as the hanyou crashed to the ground, muttering some choice words that would make any good mother faint. Shippo leaped out from under him just in time and landed on Kagome's bag, where he promptly went to sleep.
Sango and Miroku were already up. Miroku was busy stoking the fire to bring it up again, after he had banked for the night. Suddenly, the flames popped up full force, and the monk stumbled backwards in surprise. "What the--"
"Good morning," a beautiful voice rang in the area. Everyone looked up in astonishment as Talilia fluttered down into the area. The morning rays of light reflected off her translucent wings, which were crisscrossed in golden webs of color. She had bright emerald eyes and long black hair. She was about as tall as Souta, Kagome noted. "Sorry about that," she apologized to Miroku. "I was trying to help you rebuild your fire."
"What are you?" Sango asked in awe. She reached behind her back for her boomerang, fingers grasping the handle as she stood, ready to leap into battle at any given second. Kirara came from behind, meowing curiously.
The faerie looked alarmed as she hovered there. "Please don't hurt me," she told them. "I bring you no harm. I'm just a trainee faerie. I got lost in the woods last night, and an Ogre was chasing me. I wanted to thank you," she bowed to Inuyasha, "For saving my life. In return, I will grant your wish."
"Wish?" Inuyasha snorted. "I need nothing right not except to get going for those shards." He looked at Talilia.
The faerie was at lost for words before she quickly shook her head and bowed again. "By faerie standards, I must grant a wish," she cried hastily. "My mother would be shamed by the others if they found she raised an impudent pixie. I heard your wish last night," she added. "I'm not full-grown yet, so the wish I grant you can last only a day. You must accept!"
"I told you, I don't want anything!" Inuyasha barked. "Whatever I want I can get it on my own!"
"Please, sir," The faerie begged. "No man is an island. Every once in awhile, some wishes require a little divine intervention! Please. . .?"
"No."
"I have too!" Talilia insisted desperately. "You leave me no choice!" Fluttering high into the air over the fire, she raised her fingers and bean chanting in faerie tongue. Rays of golden light expelled from the fire, twisting around her feet, assisting her in her incantation and increasing her powers.
Continuing with her spell, the faerie closed her eyes as a glyph appeared on her forehead. The mass of golden light at her feet twisted into the same glyph, and another one formed under Inuyasha. The brilliant golden light shot out of the glyph in the design it was drawn in—a pillar of light bearing the phoenix, the sign of Talilia's clan. Everyone would know she was casting a magic spell.
"What kind of--" Kagome, Miroku, and Sango stood in stupefied wonder as the rays spun around the half-breed. He felt a tingling sensation, and suddenly his senses felt ten times sharper than before—in amazement he looked at his claws—they were sharper and longer, though they held no poison. His heart began to hammer wildly—Wha. . . What in seven hells?!?! The bright lights obscured the other's vision, but he could see perfectly, and more so as the beautiful light faded and disappeared.
"I-Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered. He looked at her and she gasped.
"What's wrong?" he asked in confusion. She remained silent for a moment before she dug into her backpack, pulling out a small hand-held mirror. Holding the shinning glass up to his face, even he gasped in shock. The reflection staring back at him was no longer that of a half-demon, but instead with a full-demon's markings; long, pointed ears, facial strips and a crescent moon on his forehead. His dog ears had disappeared and his hair was longer and smoother as well.
It was clear what he had become.
"Faerie!" he whipped around and in less than a second stood next to the now-frightened faerie, grabbing her by her fragile wings. She cried out as he glared at her. "What did you do to me?!" he demanded.
"I-I heard your wish last n-night," she whispered. "You wanted to be a full-demon because then y-you could protect them--" she cast a desperate glance at the rest of the group—"And then you would finally fit in! I c-couldn't give you your whole wish so I-I granted it for o-one day!"
Inuyasha released her, growling lowly as the frightened girl took to the skies and flew away as fast as her wings could take her. Maybe I shouldn't have done that, she thought to herself. Now he seems so angry!
Angry was an understatement. Inuyasha punched the tree next to him, and the entire trunk shattered into pieces. They watched in awe as the half-turned-full demon tensed and then sprang high into the air—higher than he could before. "I'm going out," he growled to them. "I'll be back later. Don't wait up."
With that said, Inuyasha leaped deeper into the forest, far, far away from the rest of the group.
--*--
Sesshomaru walked ahead on the road, eyes kept to the front, slow and steady pace never wavering. He listened as Rin stopped to pick flowers and then ran to catch up to him, and Jaken complaining, as always. The graceful demon lord looked to the south; there was an approaching demon aura, one that felt somewhat familiar, but different all the same. "Rin," he said, in his usual cold, monotonous voice, "Stay away. Jaken. Go with her."
"B-But milord!" Jaken cried. "Why must I watch over this human?"
Sesshomaru turned and sent a emotionless gaze at him. "Yes, milord," Jaken sighed. "Come, Rin," he commanded. Rin dropped her flowers and stampeded over him. "Yay Yay Yay!" she cried, disappearing into the woods with Jaken hobbling after her.
Sesshomaru turned his attention back to the approaching aura from the south. His senses reached out, groped around for information; the demon was a dog demon, around his level; that information did not surprise him. There were plenty of dog demons and few half-breeds, like his brother. What surprised him was that this demon carried their royal family's marks. The scent was familiar, but he just couldn't grasp onto it; like someone, something, an elusive creature that would not identify itself.
Through his view, he had two choices now; one, to go ahead and fight this creature, or two, to wait, and demand information from him. Running was not an option for a demon lord like he. Fleeing from battle was a cowardly act and only used by useless creatures such as his servant.
He stood there, facing the south, when the demon leaped out of the trees and landed gracefully to the road. "God damn faerie thing--" He mumbled as he straightened. In an instant, he picked up Sesshomaru's sent and wheeled around, snarling loudly.
"Sesshomaru. . ." it growled. . .
--*--
Inuyasha tensed himself, waiting for the customary attack, when Sesshomaru didn't move. "What do you want?" he asked in bored voice.
"You bas--" It hit Inuyasha that he looked different, smelled different, moved different, and in no way could Sesshomaru identify who he was. "Nothing," he replaced, trying his best to stare at Sesshomaru with the same indifferent eyes. "Why are you here?"
"I have rights to pass through these lands," he answered automatically, as if he did this everyday. "I am Sesshomaru, demon lord of the Western Lands. You are. . .?" His eyes moved to the tetsuaiga at his waist, and his eyes narrowed. "Where did you obtain that blade?" he added, somehow managing to make himself look nonchalant, as if he were asking the weather report.
"This katana belongs to me," Inuyasha blurted before realizing his mistake. "I am Keishou," he took the nearest name he could think of off the top of his head, "And I found this katana from some half-breed. His name was Inu—Inu something." He kept his voice cold and steady, hoping that Sesshomaru would buy the excuse.
As he expected, the Lord's eyes narrowed. "You know Inuyasha?" he managed, trying hard to keep disdain out of his voice.
"Yes, I do," Keishou/Inuyasha replied. "I saw this blade, and stole it from him. I can touch the scabbard and naught else, for the damned half-breed has some sort of protecting spell on its handle." Mentally, he knocked himself on the head. It felt so weird to be insulting himself—but if that was what it took he would do it.0
"I am very interested in that blade," Sesshomaru. "Since you cannot grasp such a weapon and it is useless, perhaps you would trade it for something else?"
Keishou/Inuyasha eyes widened and his fingers involuntarily touched the scabbard. "This blade is not for sale," he said.
"It is of no use to you. Why do you keep it?"
Fuck, he thought. How am I gonna explain my way out of this one. . . Then he got an idea. "I wish to use it as a ransom," he replied quickly, trying to cover up the silent pause in their conversation. "That hanyou has shards of the Shikon no Tama. I want them."
"Then perhaps. . . you will trade that blade for these. . .?" Sesshomaru produced three shards out of his sleeve and gazed at him in the eye.
Inuyasha eyed the shards warily. So that was where some of the missing shards were, he thought. "Why are you not using those shards for yourself, Lord Sesshomaru?" Saying that name in respect made him want to puke.
"For the same reason as you," He shrugged, replacing the shards in his sleeve.
"Your story intrigues me," Keishou/Inuyasha said. "Perhaps you will find the time to tell me about it?"
"Why are you so interested in my life history, Keishou?" Sesshomaru looked at him, face still empty and cold, but his eyes told the barest of his secret—he was just as intrigued in Keishou as he was to him.
"We have common enemies. I would like to know more about this half-breed." Inuyasha lied through his teeth earnestly, hoping that Sesshomaru would continue. He was definitely wanted to know now, and his mind was scratching at him to find out.
Apparently, that excuse satisfied the demon lord to some extent. "Our story goes back a long time," He started. "Strong rivalry runs between us, not only because he obtained the Tetsusaiga, a blade that could kill 100 in a single swing, and that I received the Tenseiga, a blade that heals. It goes back to our childhood. . ."
". . ."
"Inuyasha is my half-brother. My father, Inutaisho, was lord of the western lands before me. He married my mother, and we lived in harmony for several years. But after wars started breaking out, my father fell in love with a human princess. My mother was furious with him, but did not break away because she had become dependent on his wealth. This human mother bore Inuyasha. For six years, I watched over him as an older brother. But then, my mother and his mother started fighting. Inutaisho could not decide which of his two wives he loved more, and so could not stop their constant battle. But one night, my mother started fighting with him, insulting Inuyasha's mother and so forth. He told her that his half-breed son was nothing that he could be ashamed of, and that Inuyasha would be the next lord of the Western lands. That upset my mother far worse, because when they had first married they had both agreed their first son would be the heir. In rage, my mother left, but next morning she attacked Inuyasha's mother. In rage, Inutaisho killed her."
". . ." Inuyasha still had nothing to say. But all this information shocked him to the core; he had always assumed Sesshomaru hated him because he had got the tetsusaiga and he hadn't. He never knew the history of his father and his two loves. This is why he hates me. . .
"During that time I was only fourteen years old. Many nights my mother cried to me when Inutaisho left to see Inuyasha's mother. He tried to conceal his nightly wanderings, but she still knew, and it pained her that her mate would abandon her for a human. She was a proud, strong demon, and would not dwell on depression for long. She decided that if Inutaisho couldn't chose between two of his mates, she'd persuade him to choose her. Every night we still talked, one-to-one, and she told me that if we ever split that I still carried the blood of a royal demon. She was very important to my life, so when she passed away, I naturally blamed it on Inuyasha."
"I see. . ." Inuyasha/Keishou answered slowly.
"In the end, I realized that I was somewhat wrong. I knew it was Inutaisho's fault, but after decades of hating my younger half-brother it was hard to let go of that hatred. I watched him when he was pinned by that priestess, when he met that other human wench. I still couldn't help but hate him. His life grew better; he had companions, friends, my father's most powerful fang, and a purpose in his life. I was jealous of him, but that jealousy was just taken over when I tried to convince myself that all I wanted was the sword. . ."
By this time, dusk was falling, and Sesshomaru had finished his story. "Now you understand," he said quietly. "I know only of one weakness of my younger brother, and that is that he cannot chose between his two loves, just like my father. Between the miko of the past, the girl of the future. But sometimes, he takes strength in the girl, and so it is clear to everyone but himself who he truly loves. . . just like my father. Have you nothing to say yet?"
"Nothing," he replied. The sun had set, the moon was rising. He felt a tingling in his body, as his hair grew shorter and more ragged, the elfish ears shortening. Holy shit, he thought. I'm gonna turn back soon. . . this isn't going to be funny. . .
Before he could finish his thoughts, he had completed the transformation. His full demon appearance fell away, his half-breed senses returning.
"You. . ." Sesshomaru stared at him, displaying for the first time some emotion on his face. Shock was there; numbness, anger, confusion, check. "Inuyasha. . ."
Inuyasha looked away, resting his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. "I never knew. . ." he said quietly, but Sesshomaru heard him anyway. "I never knew why you hated me. . ."
Taken aback, the Demon Lord was at loss for words before he shook it off. "You do now," he fumbled, without a reasonable response.
"Yeah, well. . ." Inuyasha looked his brother in the eye. "You hate me because I have friends? A purpose? Looking for pieces of a freaking jewel twenty-four seven doesn't really qualify as a life. . ."
"I, lord Sesshomaru, have no companions to speak of, besides the little girl I found and my servant. You have a substitute family and I have none. Could you, in my position, remembering all that in our past, still love a half-brother who, lower than you, can live in peace?"
"Probably not. . ." Inuyasha admitted.
"My point."
"Still, you hate me just because of a stupid fight in the past?"
"It is not just 'the past'. Because of that fight, the closest person to me died."
"It is the past," he insisted softly. "That happened a really long time ago. You other, but holding a grudge against someone just because of something that happened before is kind of fucked up. I never knew anything about this, so how would you expect me to respond? Even the news that you use to watch over me is a. . . surprise." He laughed somewhat hollowly. "Because of our father, we hate each other," he continued. "What kind of family is that? I know my mother would want me to get alone with you, even if it kills me to do it. . . My mother loved both of us. She doesn't care you were her rival's son, so I don't think we should care either." Like Kagome told me. . . Inuyasha thought to himself. 'Your real mother would never want to hurt you,' she said.
Sesshomaru stared intently at his brother. For the first time in decades, he felt something other than pure and simple anger at his brother. "Perhaps," should be able to forget. Maybe you and I would never like each he replied. "But right now I cannot say anything more on this subject. Rin! Jaken! We will leave now." As the two hurried from the woods, Rin with her normal cheerful-oblivious-little-girl-who-is-completely-innocent expression and Jaken wearing a shocked one, they trailed Sesshomaru as he disappeared into the shadows. "Perhaps one day brother I will forget. . . but not now. I leave you unscathed. . . and call that enough sibling affection to last for awhile."
Inuyasha stood by the road, staring where Sesshomaru had vanished. The demon lord left no trail, and even now his scent was fading. I leave you unscathed. . . and call that enough sibling affection.
Right now, his brother couldn't let go of his despair his own mother caused. He failed to forget a painful past. The lies he told—about the tetsusaiga, the tenseiga—naïve lies that covered the real truth. But in the face of such awful truth, the lies he told were so much better, so much simpler, easier to understand and make a conclusion. He could've rested easy knowing his brother hated him, but now that he knew his past he probably couldn't forget either. Or know what to do the next time Sesshomaru popped up.
Shaking his head, he leaped away back to the camp.
They no longer hated each other so—but they didn't like each other either. Right now, they would not attack, but they still couldn't stand the others' presence. But maybe, just maybe, in years, decades, centuries, they forget the truth together—and perhaps restore the quiet love as brothers they once had, years and years ago.
As both brothers fled from each other on moonlit, Hanyou heading south, Lord heading north, Talilia smiled inwardly to herself. They would both have a bright future regardless of the present. Melting into the shadows once again, the faerie fluttered her wings—in completing his wish she had attained the right of a full-grown faerie. "See, I did help," she whispered softly. "Some wishes do require a little divine intervention."
With the last rays of silver light, she disappeared into the inky silhouettes cast by the light of the fading moon—setting on the past—and soared into the brighter shadows of the rising sun.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Almost forgot. DISCLAIMER. I own no one but Talilia in this story, which you, btw, pronounce Tai-lie-le-uh.
So, that's all I have to say, plus I'm really happy cuz I finally figured out how to keep this shit in pre-formatted mode!! This thing was a whole ten pages long. XD Anyway, review please and see ya all soon. ^___^ And this thing was ten pages! TEN WHOLE FREAKIN PAGES!!
Okay. . . I'm done now. -_-
~Phantom Phire [completed at 5:38 PM 12/14/03, 2 hours and 56 min]