Always My Soul
By: dragonfly-rising
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters
Inuyasha had watched Kagome throw his father from her with a mixture of dispassion and fear. He was hard pressed to not simply ignore the sight, the other personalities of his soul insisting his attention be solely on the miko. With his usual bend towards diplomacy he thrust the others aside and ran to the now human looking body of Inutashio who was rising slowly, a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
"Damn mikos...that's gratitude for you.... try and save their lives and what do you get? A face full of dirt and exclusion from one of the best fights this century has ever known. This is the last time I mess with that girl!" Inutashio grumbled irritably.
"Are you alright?" Inuyasha asked worriedly as he reached him.
Inutashio scowled momentarily then barked a short laugh, "Yes yes Inu...what did you think? That she had killed me?"
Inuyasha chuckled, "I guess not."
Inutashio smiled fully, "I did not think she had it in her still to be that concerned about my well being...nice of her though I must admit. It is almost your time my boy you had better pay attention."
As he finished speaking Inutashio motioned with his hand and Inuyasha followed the motion. The sight the met his eyes brought a flood of memories and emotions that almost overwhelmed him with guilt. Kagome and Ferlias were locked in battle a corona of green, pink, and black warring energies surrounding their straining figures.
~ I left her during such a battle...I ran from her when she needed me most. ~ Whispered one of the personalities to him.
~ I killed her during such a battle. ~ Whispered another, more full of guilt then he could ever be.
~ I abandoned her before she could do this. ~ Whispered another still.
Inuyasha put a hand to his head as thousands of voices cried out their own account of what they had done, how they had betrayed her. Self-loathing filled Inuyasha as he was overwhelmed by the traitorous voices, his mind teeming with recriminations. His own guilt over what had happened to Kikyo only adding fuel to the conflagration. His betrayals of Kagome looming larger and larger in his mind, encompassing even the worst of the others until his body ached with the force of his self torture.
~ Is it not enough that here and now you wish to save her? ~ Asked Inutashio's gentle voice interrupting his thoughts.
Inuyasha blinked and raised his eyes to find his father looking at him thoughtfully. He realized in that moment how kind his father was for supporting the mikos all of this time. He had never thought of his father as a "kind" person, just as the great Lord of the Western Lands, a youkai lord of power and might. He wondered why he had never really delved into what type of person Inutashio had been, what had made him a great youkai lord. He knew it was because he had never really wanted to know, had never wanted to destroy his image of him.
Inutashio smiled softly ~ Perhaps another time my Inuyasha...for now let us leave it at I am proud of you...of who you have become and I always will be. Concentrate Inuyasha...Kagome needs you more then the mikos need their loves...she is of the now and they have been long dead. ~
Inuyasha nodded, tears stinging his eyes then turned his awareness to Kagome. In a heartbeat he called on his own emotions pushing the others from his mind. He knew that if he allowed the others to fill him with their guilt there would be no turning back from it. It interfered with his attention to the ongoing battle and their pain be damned if it put Kagome in danger.
More intense wrath flooded him as Kagome slipped to one knee, a yelp of pain coming from her. He was about to move when Miroku launched himself at Ferlias's unguarded back and impaled the youkai with his staff. Kagome slipped away from Ferlias quickly rising to her feet.
This was enough for Inuyasha. He drew Tetsusaiga without thought, barely noticing that Miroku had removed his staff and had stepped back. Inuyasha didn't falter as he rushed at the kneeling youkai thinking only of Ferlias's death. At the last moment Ferlias looked up at Inuyasha, his eyes narrowing in some unknown thought. Inuyasha brought his sword down, aiming for the neck of Ferlias. In a flash the youkai lord brought his sword up and blocked the intended deathblow. Inuyasha quickly brought Tetsusaiga around to the side, his anger growing. Ferlias blocked this as well and slid his sword up Inuyasha's until their hilts locked.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed, her voice low with anger and concern.
Ferlias grinned at Inuyasha then in one swift movement grasped his head with his large hand. Inuyasha strained to break the hold only to be immersed in a terrible, ripping pain that raced from end to end of his body. He heard himself cry out. Suddenly he was flying into the air and he tensed for the impact with the ground, still unbalanced from abrupt release from the pain. As quickly as he could he rose, ready to go after Ferlias again despite how his head swam.
He witnessed Sango step forward and let fly Hiraikotsu. He silently cheered as the weapon rocketed into Ferlias sending him backwards. Inuyasha readied to attack yet again but stopped after only one step forward as a blade impaled Ferlias from behind, directly where the youkai lord's heart should be. Blood poured down his robes from the wound.
Ferlias looked up at the sky and Inuyasha imagined he was asking the higher beings why they would allow something like this to happen to him. Inuyasha grinned, beginning his trek forward again only to be stopped by his father's arm.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha snapped.
"It isn't over Inuyasha...you are at risk. Stay beside me until she is finished" Inutashio ordered forbiddingly.
Inuyasha scowled not understanding what the problem was until a shock of miko power made him yelp in surprise and pain. He stared in awe as Ferlias was surrounded by the most concentrated miko energy Inuyasha had ever encountered. His blood boiled with little fires from the nearness of such an awesome force. His father moved farther in front of him protectively now joined by Sango who stood in much the same way. He had not realized that she had moved there and was startled to find Miroku standing next to him. He felt as if he had been in a daze and slowly resheathed Tetsusaiga.
A roar from Ferlias brought Inuyasha's attention back and what he saw he knew would be burned into his memory forever.
By: dragonfly-rising
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters
Inuyasha had watched Kagome throw his father from her with a mixture of dispassion and fear. He was hard pressed to not simply ignore the sight, the other personalities of his soul insisting his attention be solely on the miko. With his usual bend towards diplomacy he thrust the others aside and ran to the now human looking body of Inutashio who was rising slowly, a slightly annoyed expression on his face.
"Damn mikos...that's gratitude for you.... try and save their lives and what do you get? A face full of dirt and exclusion from one of the best fights this century has ever known. This is the last time I mess with that girl!" Inutashio grumbled irritably.
"Are you alright?" Inuyasha asked worriedly as he reached him.
Inutashio scowled momentarily then barked a short laugh, "Yes yes Inu...what did you think? That she had killed me?"
Inuyasha chuckled, "I guess not."
Inutashio smiled fully, "I did not think she had it in her still to be that concerned about my well being...nice of her though I must admit. It is almost your time my boy you had better pay attention."
As he finished speaking Inutashio motioned with his hand and Inuyasha followed the motion. The sight the met his eyes brought a flood of memories and emotions that almost overwhelmed him with guilt. Kagome and Ferlias were locked in battle a corona of green, pink, and black warring energies surrounding their straining figures.
~ I left her during such a battle...I ran from her when she needed me most. ~ Whispered one of the personalities to him.
~ I killed her during such a battle. ~ Whispered another, more full of guilt then he could ever be.
~ I abandoned her before she could do this. ~ Whispered another still.
Inuyasha put a hand to his head as thousands of voices cried out their own account of what they had done, how they had betrayed her. Self-loathing filled Inuyasha as he was overwhelmed by the traitorous voices, his mind teeming with recriminations. His own guilt over what had happened to Kikyo only adding fuel to the conflagration. His betrayals of Kagome looming larger and larger in his mind, encompassing even the worst of the others until his body ached with the force of his self torture.
~ Is it not enough that here and now you wish to save her? ~ Asked Inutashio's gentle voice interrupting his thoughts.
Inuyasha blinked and raised his eyes to find his father looking at him thoughtfully. He realized in that moment how kind his father was for supporting the mikos all of this time. He had never thought of his father as a "kind" person, just as the great Lord of the Western Lands, a youkai lord of power and might. He wondered why he had never really delved into what type of person Inutashio had been, what had made him a great youkai lord. He knew it was because he had never really wanted to know, had never wanted to destroy his image of him.
Inutashio smiled softly ~ Perhaps another time my Inuyasha...for now let us leave it at I am proud of you...of who you have become and I always will be. Concentrate Inuyasha...Kagome needs you more then the mikos need their loves...she is of the now and they have been long dead. ~
Inuyasha nodded, tears stinging his eyes then turned his awareness to Kagome. In a heartbeat he called on his own emotions pushing the others from his mind. He knew that if he allowed the others to fill him with their guilt there would be no turning back from it. It interfered with his attention to the ongoing battle and their pain be damned if it put Kagome in danger.
More intense wrath flooded him as Kagome slipped to one knee, a yelp of pain coming from her. He was about to move when Miroku launched himself at Ferlias's unguarded back and impaled the youkai with his staff. Kagome slipped away from Ferlias quickly rising to her feet.
This was enough for Inuyasha. He drew Tetsusaiga without thought, barely noticing that Miroku had removed his staff and had stepped back. Inuyasha didn't falter as he rushed at the kneeling youkai thinking only of Ferlias's death. At the last moment Ferlias looked up at Inuyasha, his eyes narrowing in some unknown thought. Inuyasha brought his sword down, aiming for the neck of Ferlias. In a flash the youkai lord brought his sword up and blocked the intended deathblow. Inuyasha quickly brought Tetsusaiga around to the side, his anger growing. Ferlias blocked this as well and slid his sword up Inuyasha's until their hilts locked.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed, her voice low with anger and concern.
Ferlias grinned at Inuyasha then in one swift movement grasped his head with his large hand. Inuyasha strained to break the hold only to be immersed in a terrible, ripping pain that raced from end to end of his body. He heard himself cry out. Suddenly he was flying into the air and he tensed for the impact with the ground, still unbalanced from abrupt release from the pain. As quickly as he could he rose, ready to go after Ferlias again despite how his head swam.
He witnessed Sango step forward and let fly Hiraikotsu. He silently cheered as the weapon rocketed into Ferlias sending him backwards. Inuyasha readied to attack yet again but stopped after only one step forward as a blade impaled Ferlias from behind, directly where the youkai lord's heart should be. Blood poured down his robes from the wound.
Ferlias looked up at the sky and Inuyasha imagined he was asking the higher beings why they would allow something like this to happen to him. Inuyasha grinned, beginning his trek forward again only to be stopped by his father's arm.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha snapped.
"It isn't over Inuyasha...you are at risk. Stay beside me until she is finished" Inutashio ordered forbiddingly.
Inuyasha scowled not understanding what the problem was until a shock of miko power made him yelp in surprise and pain. He stared in awe as Ferlias was surrounded by the most concentrated miko energy Inuyasha had ever encountered. His blood boiled with little fires from the nearness of such an awesome force. His father moved farther in front of him protectively now joined by Sango who stood in much the same way. He had not realized that she had moved there and was startled to find Miroku standing next to him. He felt as if he had been in a daze and slowly resheathed Tetsusaiga.
A roar from Ferlias brought Inuyasha's attention back and what he saw he knew would be burned into his memory forever.