Chapter VII
The Promise of the New Moon
"Inuyasha, run!" Nobara cries as the tai-youkai leaps towards them. She pushes the young hanyou away and he scrambles to safety as Nobara dodges Sesshoumaru's poison claws and draws the tai-youkai away from the young hanyou. Her extended claws draw shouki marks into Sesshoumaru's shoulder as she slashes past him stopping his attack. She then punches him in the face quickly before he can respond. He flies back and flips landing on his feet away from her. She holds her shoulder tightly, she did not emerge unscathed and the wound smoldered with poison.
"How could I have been so careless!" she realizes, pressing against the burning shoulder with her free hand.
"Nobara, that was a careless move," He almost teases knowing his claws dug into the flesh of her shoulder.
Nobara realized she didn't have all her focus on Sesshoumaru like she normally would. The wound burning on her shoulder would not have happened if she felt freer to move around. The thought to protect the child behind her remained fresh in her mind, distracting her; to keep herself between Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. She looks over her shoulder and sees Inuyasha still there.
"Inuyasha, run!!" she yells at him. "I can't fight with you here!"
"No! I won't leave my oba!" he retorts stepping back from her but remaining immovable. His bravery touched her somehow, no matter how foolish it seemed to her. He wouldn't leave her.
"My chiichai youkai."
"Sesshoumaru!" she calls, turning back to the proud tai-youkai. "Why won't you honor Inutaisho's wish!? Leave him alone, he is too young to know what this is about!"
Sesshoumaru touches the slight cut on his cheek from her punching him. He smiles slightly.
"My Outosan," Sesshoumaru begins, standing calmly all though the shouki cuts stung his skin like frostbite. "You dare to bring up him up? You above of all others are the last worthy to speak of my Outosan and his wishes."
Nobara sneers angrily and unsheathes Hisuibara.
"You should not comment on things you do not understand!!" she yells, holding the blade before her. The youkai blade glows red.
"Oba!" Inuyasha cries after her as she runs towards Sesshoumaru.
"Inuyasha! Run!" she shouts again. The tai-youkai frowns. Nobara then leaps into attack and Sesshoumaru dodges her several attempts with the blade. They continue their dance as Nobara tries again and again. She strikes his arm and shoulder. Her claws dig marks into his breast plate. Sesshoumaru swings his right hand and blows her across the face. She flies back then twists her body to land on all fours. Blood oozed out of the corner of her lip and she smirked at the taste of it. That was the first time anyone had ever done that. Sesshoumaru stands on the other side of the small clearing from her looking at her strangely.
"You have been away too long, Nobara," He says, placing his hand on the hilt of Tenseiga. "You have become rusty."
"Keh," she spouts, spitting the blood out of her mouth and standing. She wipes the red liquid away from her face, a wild look in her pale eyes.
She holds Hisuibara before her again preparing for another attack. She had regained her full focus and only saw Sesshoumaru in her mind.
"Honouikari!" she cries leaping towards him. Sesshoumaru unsheathes the Tenseiga and uses it to block Nobara's attack, the blades clash several times, and the two dancing warriors could only dodge or block the other. Sesshoumaru glances away from her for just a second and he suddenly leaps back. She leaps towards him, both in mid air as he throws Tenseiga at her. The youkai katana flies past her head causing her to freeze for just a moment. Her feet touch the earth as he lands across from her again.
"Keh, you missed!" she scoffs.
Sesshoumaru stands there almost pleased before her. She realizes something is terribly wrong and turns just as the blade stabs through the back of the turned hanyou, throwing him back several feet.
"INUYASHA!!!!!" she screams as his small body is thrown back.
"Oba…," he whispers and closes his small gold eyes. His form lies still when he hits the ground.
She just stands there, time had frozen. Her grief stricken face felt gaunt. She feels her soul shatter, as if Tenseiga had hit a mirror and now the shards went flying every which way cutting into her flesh. She stands there unable to gasp or breathe, tears frozen in her eyes.
"Feh, worthless hanyou," Sesshoumaru sneers. Nobara turns, the emptiness in her filling rapidly as she glares at Sesshoumaru. She suddenly screams and runs forward blindly attacking him. The calm tai-youkai blocks her attempts again and again. She suddenly smashes the glowing blade against his armor shattering the breast plate. He then cuts at her repeatedly, her blood splattering on the grass as she relentlessly continues. He knocks her back several feet and she tries to get up. Suddenly Sesshoumaru grabs her by the throat and begins to squeeze causing her to drop Hisuibara, instinctively, so she could desperately use both hands to claw at his arm. Sesshoumaru smirks ever so slightly, as her shouki claws dig into his flesh. He digs his claws into her neck; she feels the poison seeping in as she struggles. She feels everything go dark and numb.
She opens her eyes to the sound of Sesshoumaru's footsteps as he leaves her crumpled form in the grass and walks towards the fallen hanyou.
"Inuyasha!" Her mind screams as the hanyou's smiling face drowns her thoughts. "No! Not you too! I can't lose you too!"
She tries to open her eyes but the poison blinds them and all she sees is blackness. She feels around the grass and her fingers graze the hilt of Hisuibara. The youkai blade throbs as it calls out to its master. She grips the hilt in her hand and uses it to help her up. Everything was foggy, all of her senses out of place, and she tries to stand and loses her balance. She uses the katana to prop herself up. She opens her eyes and all she can see are indiscernible shadows.
"Inuyasha!"
Sesshoumaru kneels down next to the unconscious child and retrieves Tenseiga. The youkai blade closes the wound as it is removed, continuing its promise to only harm those not of this world. Sesshoumaru then watches the child breath. His eyes narrow and raises a clawed hand ready to cut the boy's throat. Suddenly the wind picks up and Sesshoumaru turns alarmed as he senses something. He sees Nobara standing, Hisuibara held above her, incredible power surging from the blade.
"Nani!"
Nobara's eyes were closed and she seemed to be chanting something inaudible to Sesshoumaru's youkai ears. Suddenly the katana erupts in a ghostly red flame as a spirit figure in the shape of a dragon rises from the blade. Its eyes flash a bright red at Sesshoumaru as it begins to coil its long body around Nobara. She opens her eyes, the pale blue lost to a brilliant shining red that consumed both eyes. Sesshoumaru stands stunned, remembering the dragon spirit from somewhere before. He then senses something from her he never had before.
"She is - !"
His thought breaks off as Tenseiga suddenly throbs in his hand warning its master. Red lightning falls from the heavens and strikes the Hisuibara causing the dragon to dissipate into a ghostly flame around Nobara. Wide eyed, Sesshoumaru is suddenly whisked away by Tenseiga. As he disappears the attack diminishes, the flames suddenly return to Hisuibara and Nobara's eyes return to normal. The wind dies down and she suddenly falls to her knees gasping for breath. Her body strained to recover as the throbbing blade quieted. She looks down at her hand and barely makes out the massive claws extending from her fingertips before they shrink back to their normal size. She then turns her blurry vision to the blade in her right hand, staring at it as if it had spoken to her.
"Nani? Where? I had never…"
Inuyasha opens his eyes, he blinks them as if he had been asleep and rises unhurt. He does not remember Tenseiga striking him and he turns around searching for Nobara. He sees her kneeling in the middle of the small forest clearing, looking down.
"Oba!" he cries running towards her. She looks up as her eyes focus and she sees him.
"Inuyasha?"
He leaps at her and she envelopes him in her arms. She embraces him and squeezes him tight, despite the soreness of her limbs.
"Inuyasha."
She closes her eyes and breathes him in.
"You are all right…"
Inuyasha looks up at her, seeing her cut face slowly heal before his eyes. She smiles weakly, exhausted from the attack. With his help they move out of the sun under a tree. There they sit side by side quietly. Nobara sits wearily, her head lowered and Hisuibara back in it's saya on her shoulder. Her eyes are closed for a long time. The poison still affecting her vision; her whole body was sore. She looks up at the high sun.
"Inuyasha," she finally speaks looking over at him wearily. "Why did you follow me?"
Inuyasha looks up at her then away.
"I saw Kaa-san and you talk then the guards attack you. I know that Kaa-san does not like you, but I don't care!"
Nobara stares down at him shocked.
"Inuyasha…"
"You are the only one I've met who hasn't been mean to me," Inuyasha continues sadly. "Everyone else teases me whenever kaa-san is not there. I hear them call me 'oni' and 'youkai' as I walk past." Inuyasha pauses for a moment and sniffles slightly. "I couldn't let you leave."
Nobara just stares at the young hanyou, she feels her eyes brimming with tears. She had never in her life felt more wanted than in that moment.
"Inuyasha," she remembers him holding his ground and not leaving despite Sesshoumaru's attacks. She looks away from him and hides her eyes.
"Inuyasha."
"Oba, who was that youkai?"
Nobara glances back over to him. He is still staring down at the ground. She sighs and wonders if she should tell him or not about Sesshoumaru.
"Inuyasha," she pauses for a moment finalizing her decision. "That was Sesshoumaru. He is your older half brother and he is a tai-youkai."
Inuyasha continues to stare at the ground, unsure on how to comprehend this information. He never knew he had a brother.
"Sesshoumaru," the young hanyou starts. "My brother wants to kill me."
Nobara looks at him shocked. Not at his realization of what Sesshoumaru was trying to do but at the acceptance in the young boy's voice.
"Inuyasha," she begins glancing into the overhead branches of the tree. "You were born between two worlds and one you know little of. It is a world far apart from the one of your okaasan's manor and tea gardens," she looks down at him and smiles. "But I know you will be a strong and great warrior. I know that you will be alright, no matter what takes place. I have hope for you, my chiichai youkai," she wraps her arm around him and draws him close resting her head on his. Both stare into the sky at a passing cloud. Few hours pass and Nobara's body heals from the poisons. They had been sleeping together, both dozing the afternoon away. Nobara opens her eyes and her heart jumps at the view of the almost disappearing sun.
"Inuyasha," she coaxes softly as the young hanyou stirs and opens his small eyes.
"Come, my chiichai youkai," she says softly. "We must return to your Okaasan." She tries to hide the urgency in her voice, but she knew it was too late anyway. She gently lifts him into her arms and quickly whisks Inuyasha back into the village. She feels her strength weaken as she runs through the trees. She stealthily enters the manor and slips into his room, passed the unnoticing guards and attendants. As she stands in his room, she suddenly flinches.
"Oba?"
Inuyasha senses her apprehension. She looks down at him with a soft expression.
"It's too late. But for him to know..."
Both look at each other as their light colored tresses darken with their eyes. Inuyasha watches her transform with wide wondering eyes.
"Nobara-oba?" He says unsure then his face brightens. "Oba! You are…?"
She smiles in response to his reaction. Feeling more relaxed she sets him down before her.
"Hai, Inuyasha. I am just like you."
The small hanyou's eyes brighten as he gets excited. Seeing his reaction she becomes afraid of being exposed.
"Inuyasha," she says sternly. "You must not tell anyone you have seen me this way. Not even your Okaa-san."
"Why?"
"Because, my chiichai youkai," she begins kneeling down to him and pulling him close to her. "Because for the same reason you hide on the nights of no moon, it is to help keep us safe. Do you understand?"
Inuyasha looks up at her and nods slowly. She suddenly smiles with a thought.
"Inuyasha? How about, this will be our secret?"
"Secret?"
"Hai. That you and I share the first night of the new moon. This will be our secret that we change like this on our night," she says taking the small hanyou in her arms and holding him close. "You are the only one I have shown this to, Inuyasha. You are the only one I trust. And even if we are not together on this night, we will always know our secret and will never be apart."
"Oba?" he asks sensing something wrong. He heard her sob with that last sentence and looks up at her. Tears fall freely down her face and land on his cheek. "Oba? What's wrong?"
"Inuyasha," she says setting him down on the futon and turning away. "I have to go."
"Go? Go where?" he asks troubled.
"I am leaving. Inuyasha," Nobara holds back her sobs so that he cannot hear.
"Why?" his small voice almost whines, tearing at her heart.
"I don't want to leave, my chiichai youkai," she says turning back to him. She had the urge to grab him and run while looking at him, to take him with her wherever she went. Reality returned to her. "It is best that I leave. Izayoi does not want me here and I have things I have to do before I can stay with you."
"Why?!" he almost cries, his eyes filling with tears.
"Inuyasha, I'll be back," she suddenly says not being able to watch him cry. She takes him back in her arms. "I promise I'll be back." She looks out his window into the moonless sky and smiles slightly. She pulls him away from her and faces him, looking into his small brown eyes. "I will come back with the new moon, I promise."
Inuyasha looks at her and nods.
"And I do not want you following me. Promise me you won't run away again," she states and he nods slowly looking down. She gently places a human finger to his chin and lifts him to her dark eyes. "You need to make a place for yourself here. I know it is hard, but you must try."
"Why can't I go with you? I want to be with Oba!"
"Inuyasha," she states, the urge to grab him and run even stronger. "No, you need to stay with Izayoi. You need her."
She pushed the last words out, words she didn't really believe.
She lays him in the bed. He was tired and she knew that.
"I need you…" he mumbles ever so softly as she tucks him in and watches him sleep. She moves some black strands of hair away from his face and kisses him on his forehead.
"Inuyasha."
Nobara hears a noise and quickly leaps out through the window and disappears. Voices enter the hallway outside Inuyasha's room.
"I swear I heard voices, Izayoi-sama," one of the attendants spoke, lantern in hand, as they push aside the rice paper door. The lantern fills the dark room and shines on Inuyasha there sleeping.
"Nani?" the attendant starts holding the lantern and wandering who the dark haired child was. Izayoi sees him and grabs the lantern from the woman and closes the paper door behind her.
"Inuyasha!" Izayoi runs into the room. She sits next to him, brushing his dark hair gently with her fingers.
"He is safe…"
She looks around then at the window when she hears a sound; she stares at the window as she sits next to the sleeping Inuyasha.
"Nobara?" she calls softly. She walks over to the window and searches the darkness. Something tells her who was there. "Arigatou, Nobara."
Izayoi walks back over and kisses Inuyasha gently and carries the lantern out with her as he stirs.
"The new moon. Our secret…"
The memory of that distant night when he last saw Nobara filled Inuyasha's thoughts as he sat outside Kaede's hut. He was in the nook of his tree, remembering.
"It had been so long ago..."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's familiar voice calls over to him. He turns and looks down to her, his black hair barely shown in the starlight. "Inuyasha, er, how'd you get up there?" she asks remembering he was in human form.
"I climbed."
"Oh. Do you want to come down?"
"Will she be all right?" he asks still looking straight ahead.
"Nobara? Hai. Kaede was able to stop the bleeding and gave her something for the pain. She is resting now."
Inuyasha carefully scales down the tree to Kagome. He stands there before her for a moment, not looking at her.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome speaks breaking him from his thoughts.
"I…remember her, Kagome."
Kagome nods. After he called her 'oba' he ran out of Kaede's hut. Sango and Miroku were about to run after him when Kagome stopped them. She knew he wanted to be alone.
"Inuyasha."
He looks at her with his human brown eyes, and then looks away again.
"I had only met her once, when I was very young. I don't know why I forgot her. The last time I saw her was…on a night like this."
Kagome stood there, looking down, unsure of what to say. Inuyasha had always been secretive of his past. She wanted to pry further and ask him questions, but she knew it would be better if she didn't.
"She saved my life. She was the only person who seemed to accept me and to understand me."
Both stand there silently for a moment.
"Kagome," he suddenly speaks, turning towards her.
"Huh?" she answers, looking back at him. Surprised he was breaking the silence. A slight smile on his lips, a smile that she knew if he were in hanyou form would be showing his fangs ever so slightly.
"Arigatou, Kagome," he said, then starts walking back to Kaede's hut.
"Nani?" Kagome spins around to watch him walk away. "'Arigatou, Kagome'? What was that?"
Kagome stood there quickly analyzing what he said when it hits her.
"'She was the only person who accepted me…'"
"Inuyasha, am I that person now?"
His human face with that small smile, made Kagome's heart skip a beat. She watches him walk away and a smile crosses her lips.
"Inuyasha."
Inuyasha stops and glances back to see where she was. He sees her smiling.
"Keh. What are you smiling about? Come on, let's go eat."
Kagome snaps away from her thoughts and without answering quickly catches up to him. They start to walk back silently when Kagome suddenly remembers.
"Oh! Inuyasha?"
"Huh?"
"I brought some food from home for you."
Inuyasha stops and looks at her.
"Huh? Ramen?"
"Hai," she nods smiling.
"Come on, Kagome!" he calls as he starts running for the hut.
"What! Inuyasha, wait up!" She yells as she runs after him. "Inuyasha! I brought food for the others too! It's not all yours!"
Inuyasha disappears into Kaede's hut as Kagome reaches the door.
"Inuyasha! Osuwari!" she yells angrily. A great crash is heard inside of Kaede's hut with the hanyou screaming. Kagome sighs and pulls back the grass flap for the door and enters.
High above in the moonless night Kagura floats silently over the village on her feather. She sees Kagome enter the hut by the torii.
"What? So those brats are here, huh?" she says to herself. A saimyoushou flies up, reminding her of her task.
"Yeah, yeah," she answers annoyed and darts the feather quickly away. "Damn that Hakudoushi. But it might be worth it to come back this way later to see what those brats are up to."
End Chapter