Akida: Blegh, I apologize for that huge block of absence, a lot of....err.....weird crap came up and all of my creative juices were sucked dry by the Creative Juice Eating Parasite. That and some strange events occurring at home have been interfering with my writing. Anyways! another installment brought to you by your friendly (lazy-ass) author!

-:-Disclaimer-:- ::Glares at the lawyers standing around the room:: I'm not saying it! You can forget it, I refuse to comply sick twisted little games! ::torture noises involving monkeys and Telle Tubies are heard.....much pained screaming.:: Never! I'll never give in! Death before conformity!!

Lifeline

By: Akida

Stuck on You! Like Paper and Glue!

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The light outside shifted as a cloud removed itself from obscuring the suns light, and a window next to the door poured light on an occupied section of the wall Inuyasha faced. A figure dressed in a plain blue robe sat on a rush mat with a head of silver silk, and demonic ambers eyes placed in a pale porcelain face. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as he found the blue crescent moon on his forehead and elfin ears hiding amongst the platinum cascade of hair.

"Inuyasha what a surprise to see you here," Sesshomaru began coolly as he centered his focus on his half-breed brother. "I had a feeling we'd meet again very soon."

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The area outside of the shack had been deserted within a matter of seconds. No living breathing creature could be heard, seen, or smelt. Even the insects had vacated the premises for safer ground.

Inside the foreboding shack, the tension in the air caused by the two rivals, was beginning to suffocate the humans in the area....literally. Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippo watched their snowy haired companion as he squared off against his seated half brother, looking very much the high and mighty ass that he could be somtimes.

"Bastard, what the hell do you think your doing here?! Your smelling up the air with your stench!" Inuyasha barked hair raising steadily.

"Tch, how rude of you of all people to scoff at my bodily odor, or perhaps its your scent that you've picked up and found distasteful. Besides I don't have to explain my motives or intentions to an insignificant pest such as yourself. You sully the air with your presence."

A vein popped out of the hanyou's head, this just hadn't been a good couple of days at all. Being nearly ripped to shreds by a low level demon was a huge blow to his ego, and on top of that his sides still flamed with pain, and that infuriating irritation on his neck was starting to get on his nerves.

Fueled by these irritations that seemed to follow him like a gaggle of unwanted ragamuffins, he drew his sword as it transformed upon release, and destroyed the wall and hopefully his brother with an angry howl.

Sesshomaru, however, had waltzed this little jig before and he nonchalantly faded through the wall to his right. He tilted his head trying to figure out how he'd melded through the wall like that, but decided to deal with it later and return to the field of battle for now. Surveying the damage done to his temporary shelter, he watched his half brother crash through the ceiling and land in front of him.

He shook his head disapprovingly: "Inuyasha you really should watch that temper of yours, you wouldn't want to be branded a mindless savage....even though that's all you'll ever be--"

"SHUT UP!!" Inuyasha threw his weight into the sword and aimed to turn his brother into a bloody splotch.

"Tsk tsk," Sesshomaru chuckled taking to the air to avoid his brothers inartistic sword stroke, and closed the distance between them grabbing him around the neck, squeezing mercilessly. "You really ought to watch where you swing that oversized stick....you could put someone's eye out."

With one fluid twist of the arm he vaulted his brother into a nearby wall, and smiled broadly at the sickening crunch of a body in contact with a hard surface. He flinched quickly as a searing shot of pain ran down the dorsal side of his body, and he shook his shoulders to relieve it. He sidestepped an oncoming holy arrow, glaring at the raven haired girl who's eyes held an unwavering strength, and sent a wave of poison slithering towards her.

"Kagome! Look out!" Miroku cried as he ran to her and cast a shielding barrier about them. The demonic substance collided with the barrier, hung for a second, then bounded back to its astonished caster who narrowly escaped being killed by his own attack. The monk stared at the used and tattered spell scroll and raised an eyebrow. "Wow....so that's what this ones for!"

Sesshomaru leapt to the air to avoid being hit, not wanting to know if his converted attack could really kill him, but he couldn't avoid the flashing arc of light from his left side. He gave a low growl as the unmistakable sword bit into his left shoulder, ripping his arm clean off again.

"Ha! How do ya like them apples eh mutt breath?!" Inuyasha mocked as he recoiled to aim another blow at his head.

"Be silent and know your place mongrel!" Sesshomaru hissed and clawed at Inuyasha's eyes sending enough venom through his talons to kill off a herd of elephants. Hearing the satisfying scream of pain he grasped a handful of his brothers white main and slammed his head into the ground.

He stood over his brothers twitching body, raising his remaining arm to deliver the final blow cracking his fingers in anticipation, and smiling at the futile shouts of his friends as they rushed towards him trying to prevent the inevitable. Oh yes, victory was oh so sweet, and he relished it a bit longer before he let out a manic burst of laughter and plunged his claws through the air towards his brothers unprotected chest.

Then the searing pain returned and ripped a hole into his skull and behind his eyes, and he let out a yowl as he dug his fingers into his head staggering away from his brother, grinding his teeth as a throbbing sensation clouded his vision and floaters swam in front of his eyes. He fell to one knee as he felt the suffocating presence return and constrict his throat, and pawed at his throat trying in vain to let oxygen into his burning lungs.

His body convulsed as blood dripped from his mouth and his eyes rolled back into his head, and somewhere mocking laughter ran through his mind. The world was darkening and he thought this an unsightly way to die for a demon lord.

Then the pain cleared up and the strangling sensation ceased, and he coughed the remaining bits of blood from his mouth and throat, doubling up on his side and attempting to rise. A similar hacking noise sounded from his right and he turned to watch as his half brother staggered to his feet, spitting out blood and breathing haggardly. Inuyasha's eyes came into focus yet they still watered from coming into contact with the venom, and he rubbed at them as his ears twitched. Sesshomaru eyed him, then a presence and a shrill cawing noise above him caught his attention.

"My my, brothers shouldn't fight as you two do. Whatever happened to the spirit of brotherly love hn," sweet feminine voice sounded from above the inu-yokai.

The woman before Sesshomaru was wreathed in black smoke and swallowed up everything around her, and her curvaceous body seemed born from the misty substance. Her pale face and ruby red lips accented her feral red cat-like eyes. Her long ash black hair was the picture of chaos, as it coiled around her like millions of tiny snakes. A black bird materialized from her shoulder with a loud sucking cracking noise, as if it had come from her very bones and flesh, which was most likely the case.

"Forgive me for putting you through such grueling pain, but what can I say, I just can't stand it when people don't get along," she laughed ascending from her lofty height and striding over to the two brothers.

Sesshomaru hadn't noticed it before but the environment around them had gone deathly still and dark, and observed the frozen forms of Inuyasha's companions in various states of rushing to aid their fallen friend. He sniffed irritably and rose into his aristocratic stance despite the discomfort that it caused.

"And you are?"

"Ah forgive me for my rudeness, you may call me Ananya, Lord of the Western Lands; Sesshomaru and your dear sweet half brother Inuyasha." She grinned as they each took a step back, the later drawing out Tetsusaiga and holding it behind his head ready for a striking blow. "Oh my don't look so taken aback, I make it my business to know things like this my darlings."

"Feh, your just nothing but a worthless--!"

"Silence!!" She screamed sending a shock wave towards the hanyou which made him twist with pain as his body was assailed by all manners of torture. He drove his sword into the ground to steady his weakened body, and glanced over at his shuddering brother, trying to make sense of their predicament and why would Sesshomaru appear to be in such pain as him?

"Aw, I'm terribly sorry Sesshy I didn't mean to hurt you too." Ananya said gliding over and cupping his chin in her hand, smiling angelically as he growled at her realizing that he was paralyzed from sharing his brothers 'sympathy pains'. "Its just that I have a touchy spot for lesser people who think they've the right to insult me. You understand how I feel right sweetheart?"

"Get your hands off me you damn wench, throat removal is my specialty," he replied in an icy tone that could freeze hell.

She threw her head back and laughed to the heavens, then turned to give him a predatory gaze. "Your cute when your angry." Then she frowned as she surveyed the damage to his shoulder where a bloody stump remained of his latest prosthesis. "Aw you poor baby, that must get in the way now and then hm? Well I can fix that for you."

Snaking her hand inside the folds of his robes and gripping his shoulder tightly, ignoring the hissing sounds coming from the severely pissed off demon, she closed her eyes channeling her energy through him causing a tingling sensation to creep down the inu yokai's shoulder and envelope the area in a soft green glow. Gasping sharply he felt the muscles, tendons, tissue and bone snapping and squirming away from his body. He stared in slight awe as bones reconstructed themselves, tendons reattached, muscles began appearing and interlacing. Pale porcelain skin seemed to grow from the newly regenerated arm, and familiar red markings etched into his hand and sharp claws sprouted from his fingertips.

She removed her hand from his robes smirking at his expression, as he flexed his stiff yet movable fingers and arm, then leanied her crimson lips close to his ear whispering: "You'll thank me for it later sweetie, an arm is a terrible thing to waste."

Rising and walking a few feet away from them, hips swaying, she turned and said: "But I'm sure your more interested in your situation huh? Well then allow me to explain."

"I'm sure your both curious about that nasty little irritation on your necks," she nodded knowingly as the looks of recognition passed over their faces. "That's what I'd like to call a 'sympathy itch' and no matter how much you scratch it it'll never go away....unless I will it that is."

"That little itch is going to turn into a nice little tattooed collar of runes, " she said smiling as the said runes became spidery black imprints making slow progress around their necks, and she chuckled as Inuyasha clawed frantically at his neck. Sesshomaru merely closed his eyes and concentrated his demonic strength into transformation and decided that turning their unwanted guest into a satisfying meal was in order.

"What the hell is this?! Augh! this stuff burns! " Inuyasha cursed loudly, glared at her for a minute, the gripped his sword fiercely. "Well since your obviously pulling the strings here, then all I have to do is kill you first!!"

"Ah ah ah, temper temper," Ananya said lashing his arms to the ground with thin smoky strands, and pried his hands from Tetsusaiga. "Tut tut, its rude to attack people when they're trying to have a decent conversation. Now sit still and be a good little doggy."

She smiled at the numerous veins popping out of his head, then turned to Sesshomaru who was now in a similar "lashed to the ground" position minus the smoky tendrils. Somehow his transformation had been cancelled by his invisible restraints that he guessed were somehow tied to Inuyasha...how this was possible he couldn't comprehend....yet.

"Now then where was I? Oh yes I was explaining your dire predicament. Its common knowledge that the body cannot exist without the soul, and so the same applies to the soul not being able to exist in a tangible form if the body dies. Those runes around your necks will fuse your souls together and you two shall become one, in a matter of speaking, and your actions will be solely dependant on the other."

"So, Sesshomaru if you do intend to continue trying to kill your cute little brother, then you'd die along with him since you will both be sharing the same soul in a matter of minutes, pain and all."

Sesshomaru smirked. "If it would rid the world of this abomination then I would gladly fade from existence." He smirked cracking his knuckles as Inuyasha glared holes into his body. If looks could kill, then the platinum haired bishounen would be dead 3 times over.

"That's too bad Sesshy, I'm sure there would be someone who would miss you dearly and weep over your dead body....perhaps that girl you left behind at your residence? I'm sure she'd be very upset, wouldn't she?" She said watching the flit of emotions run across the stoic faced demon. "And Inuyasha, I'm sure that raven haired school girl from the future would be equally distressed if you died as well, imagine all the heartbreak you two would cause just by wanting to destroy each other. Its a bit melodramatic but facts are facts."

The two brothers exchanged unreadable looks as the spider like runes finished their trek around the necks of their victims. The irritated itching became a sudden flame of finality, then cooled and remained imprinted into the skin for all the world to see. Turning back to the grinning demoness the weight of the situation finally sank in, and another delicate thread of freedom had been severed leaving emptiness in its wake.

"Well boys I believe my work is done here, and please don't hold a grudge against me. I believe this will be a wonderful learning experience don't you? Seeing as you can't kill each other because of a few, discrepancies, I guess your forced to accept the fact that if you want to survive your going to have to rely on each other from now on......Oh please don't look at me with those faces.....you'll make me feel guilty!"

And with a flurry of manic laughter the impenetrable mists surrounding her body enveloped her and dispersed with the wind, carrying her eerie cackles in its wake as well as the harsh caws of the shadowy raven. The sky returned to its overcast hue, and life slowly thrummed into play as if nothing had interrupted its routine. However, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha remained locking eyes, sifting through their encounter, and very aware of the dark runes that created a binding connection between them. Life just couldn't get any better could it?

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"Damnit all!! Why does everything have to happen to me!!" Inuyasha howled punching a hole through the wooden floor of their current residence. "Damn that witch."

"Inuyasha calm down for pete's sake!! And quite punching holes into the floor, this isn't our house you know!! And I'm not going to tell the owner your mentally insane again! That excuse only works once!" Shippo yelled clenching his fists angrily.

"Shippo's right Inuyasha," Miorku said calmly sipping at a warm bowl of broth. "We don't have the funds to pay for your damages....besides....do you have any idea how long and hard I had to appeal to the lord of this residence just to let us sleep in one room and have one meal for one night?! Its not easy you know!"

Sango rubbed at the overly protruding vein in her companions head, wondering if it was possible to pop a blood vessel just by anger alone. "We understand your frustration Inuyasha, but could you please not vent it on material objects that have a very significant value to some people? If you want to throw a tantrum go outside and cut down a few trees, I'm sure our host would appreciate the extra firewood....."

"Are you even listening to my side of the story?! Your not the one with a friggin tattoo of death stamped into your skin are you?! I'm entitled to being pissed off right now, so shut up and leave me the hell alone!!--"

"You.....Go.....Outside.......Chop trees.....NOW!!" Sango twitched with rage and raised her boomerang over her head, threatening to pulverize the wide eyed hanyou at her feet. She jabbed a finger savagely at the open door, and watched him scurry out on all fours.

"Wow.....I wish I could do that once in a while," Shippo said shakily looking over to the now passive exterminator calmly sipping at a cup of tea as if nothing happened.

"And that's the scary thing about Sango....she lashes out with no prior warnings at all.....then reverts back to the mild mannered exterminator." Miroku said massaging his head wincing from the lump making its home there. "Speak softly and carry a large boomerang."

Kagome remained oblivious to the events around her, being more fixated on the frustrated account that Inuyasha had dictated to them about his dilemma. She sighed as the tell tale cracking and crashing sounds from outside signified Inuyasha's commencement of his labor. She turned the pro's and con's of the binding around:

1; Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were not going to kill each other anymore, hopefully. 2;They most likely had to remain together in order to ensure that neither brother died 3; They now were going to be at each other's throats for the rest of the binding, and were going to drive each other up the wall.

She nodded her head as if making some inward decision, got up from her seat on the mat, and walked outside with a set jaw as she formed what she wanted to speak to the two homicidal brothers about.

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::CRASH::

"Damn it! Why me of all people?! Why is it never anyone else?! What the hell did I do to anybody!!" Inuyasha yelled as he cut cleanly into another tree watching it topple to the lush bronzed grass of late afternoon. Picking his next target he demolished its base letting out a quick yelp as something heavy slammed into his head, landing a few feet away from him.

"I really wish you wouldn't vent your anger in such a savage manner little brother," Sesshomaru said flicking a strand of silver hair from his face. "But then again, I guess its only in the nature of a lesser demon to feel so angry at ones inferior status."

Inuyasha growled furiously barring a few fangs, and ignoring the large throbbing lump on the back of his head.

"Seeeesshoooomaruuuu!!"

"Oh hush you mongrel your very voice grates on my nerves," he cut in smoothly bounding onto another perch and reclining against its trunk. "And I would appreciate you not disturbing me anymore....why don't you attend to your duties out of my earshot?"

"You know what? I'm getting sick and tired of your arrogant ass, strutting around like you own everything!!" Inuyasha said placing a twitching hand on the hilt of his sword.

"And I'm a little tired of you addressing me as if we were equals. You should know that your place is among the humans you care for and protect so dearly....even the name half breed doesn't suit you.... you might as well be a complete human with the way your dirty blood flows."

"Fine!! We'll see who laughs last after I've gutted you like the swine you are!!" The enraged boy yelled drawing his sword and charging at the tree his brother occupied.

"Feh, you won't amount to much if you keep barking the same things over and over." Sesshomaru retorted sneering at him, cracking the claws on his newly regenerated arm wondering if the venom would pack an extra punch.

"STOP IT ALREADY!! YOU GUYS ARE RIDICULOUS!!"

They both stopped in mid attack and turned to stare at the shrill female voice. Kagome panted at her exertion of voice and stood straight after she'd gotten their attention. Now the hard part, finishing what she wanted to say under the scrutiny of two pairs of very scary looking eyes.

"Erm....well," she began shifting her weight uneasily. She'd dealt with Inuyasha, but Sesshomaru always looked like he was going to tear your head off at any moment. "You heard what that demon woman said, if you fight each other then all you'll be doing is hurting yourselves..." She decided to appeal to Inuyasha since she'd have a better chance. "So please, don't fight, your lives are solely dependant on each other now....and....I don't want to see either of you hurt because of such a stupid little binding spell......Its not worth it...."

She trailed off looking at the ground trying her best to look forlorn and depressed instead of on the verge of bashing her stubborn friends head in. A noise caught her attention and she looked up, smiling as the hanyou sheathed his blade.

"Feh, whatever. As long as I don't have to see you whine and start up the waterworks I'll let my idiot brother live for a while longer."

"Ugh, that sounds almost hilarious coming from you." Sesshomaru scoffed leaping into another tree and leaned against it with a sickened look on his face as he watched the boy catch fire.

"Aw shut up! This is your fault anyway you damn dog!!"

"MY FAULT?!"

"YES! Your fault. That Ananya woman must be after you for something seeing as she had all the time in the world to mess around with me!! What did you do?! Rape her sister?! Masticate a relative or two, or seven?! Or is she some sort of concubine of yours you tried to kill off and now she wants revenge?!" He narrowly missed a huge branch as it impacted in the spot where he previously occupied it. Kagome shivered and turned her head towards an impaled piece of earth, seeing how close it had came to tearing off her head.

"You dare accuse me of such vile acts?! Screw this curse, I'm going to do the world a favor and wipe your filthy hide from existence!!" Sesshomaru snarled eyes glowing red as he gripped the hilt of his sword, feeling demonic strength seep into his soul.

"Yeah I've heard that one before! Bring it bitch!!"

"SIIIIIT!!!"

::MOOSH:: "Augh!! Damnit Kagome what the hell?!"

"Shut it Inuyasha! Or I'll say it again--"

::CRACK::

".......::CRACK::?......" Kagome and Inuyasha stared at each other exchanging equally bewildered looks and turned their heads to stare at the compressed form of a very familiar figure. He lay sprawled out on the ground in Inuyasha's trademark "::MOOSH::" pose eating dirt. Kagome rose and slowly backed away from the platinum haired demon.

"Oh my...go-" She said eyes wide with surprise as the dirt smudged face of Sesshomaru, the almighty Lord of the Western Lands, lifted and blew a strand of loose hair from his face. Inuyasha twitched once before breaking out in manic fits of laughter and rolling over onto his side as huge tears welled in his eyes.

"Hahah....That's the--gahahah--funniest---ahahahah!! Hilarious!!----ahahah!!" He gasped pounding the earth with a fist attempting to stand but fell over once again.

"Oh my goodness Sesshomaru! I am soooo sorry! I had no idea that would happen!" Kagome said as her eyes went swirly as he propped his head up with an arm trying not to kill her with his icy glare.

"What's going on out here! Can't a body get some decent rest around here?!" Miroku shouted stomping through the door and into the night followed by Sango and Shippo who were equally annoyed. "You people sound like your moving a herd of-- what the--?"

"What happened out here?!" Sango finished for him as she surveyed the wreckage of several tall trees and two sprawled imprints on the ground, one of them still occupied and a snickering Inuyasha trying a pitiful attempt at standing upright, and staggered around like a drunkard when he did manage the upright position.

"I-I don't know," Kagome said kneeling a little ways away from the yokai that was popping a few veins. "I guess now that they share souls Inuyasha's 'Si--er--'command' is passed along between them somehow.....But I'm really sorry about that Sesshomaru I had no idea it was going to effect you too, and I wish I could reverse this somehow and--Eek!"

She let out a short squeak and fell back away from the rising demon as he dusted off his robes and huffed: "I suppose this is what you would call irony hn? In any case I've lost interest in our little chat little brother." And with that he leapt off into the night and disappeared within seconds. They all stood there for a few moments watching in the direction the demon had just left into, and looked at Kagome slowly. She cringed whimpering slightly.

"Whaaaaat? I swear I didn't know that was gonna happen....hoooonest."

"Well I'm not quite sure if this is a change for good or for worse," Miroku began sighing tiredly. "But at least we don't have to worry about him slitting our throats while we sleep.....I hope." They all nodded too exhausted to say anything else and trickled back inside the room, welcoming a long much needed sleep. Kagome watched as Inuyasha brought up the rear and stopped him with her gaze, he blinked still looking a little wobbly after his laughing fit, than walked past her dragging a clawed hand down her arm beckoning her inside. She resisted for a moment, look back behind her, then followed him stretching her arms above her head with a yawn.

Its going to be an interesting day tomorrow.....

Akida: Wai! Lookie updated chapter!! Alright I'm on a roll now, and I'm even half way done with planning out the next course of events in chapter 4! ::Cries waterfalls:: ::sniff:: I'm freee....freee from the disease called writers block that eats at you brains....::cries::...Somebody really does love me up there!!!

Sesshy: -.-;; Idiot

Akida: Aw, don't feel bad Fluffy...they're plenty of people who love you down here too!!

::Sessh screams as a mob of rabid fangirls chase him in circles attempting to rip his clothes off::

Akida: O.o ......oooo....maybe a little....too much love. I guess enough of it can actually kill you....eventually...