Chapter Six: Regrets and Battles
By Ddoskocil
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Flashback
"Inu-Yasha!" Kan-Tama yelled. "You mock everything our family is by running. You coward. Come back and fight me!" Fifteen year-old Inu-Yasha stopped mid-stride. He slowly turned to face his sister, a deep scowl on his face.
"Who are you calling a coward?' he yelled back. He rushed her, his claws extended for the kill. Kan-Tama nimbly dodged to the side and swatted Inu-Yasha's head.
"You'll have to do better than that, Pup," she spat. Inu-Yasha clenched his teeth and went after her again, only to miss again and again.
They fought for several minutes when Inu-Yasha stopped, panting for breathe. His every attempt to hit Kan-Tama had failed. He balled his fists, his claws digging into his palms. He ignored the pain. He growled low in his throat as Kan-Tama approached him.
"Get away from me!" he growled.
"Inu-Yasha, stop pouting. You're just not strong enough yet. We'll have to practice more often. Can't have a weakling for a brother, can I?" She turned her back and strolled to the temple. Inu-Yasha balled his fists tighter, clenched his teeth harder, and growled louder. In a leap he was in front of her, his claws slashing at her. But Kan-Tama neatly dodged each attack. She tired of the game after a few moments and punched her brother. He fell to the ground holding his check. He looked up at her, shocked by her actions.
"Calm yourself, Inu-Yasha. Anger isn't the way to win. Control yourself, you Pup."
Inu-Yasha's anger flared. "I'll become so strong I'll beat you Kan-Tama. I'll become a full demon and kill you!" With that he leapt to his feet and raced off into the forest leaving his stunned sister behind.
Kan-Tama put a hand to her mouth. "Inu-Yasha...oh Father, what have I done? I've made a monster out of him." She dropped to her knees. "Father, I'm sorry. I tried to teach him but I failed. Inu-Yasha, I'm sorry I failed you."
End Flashback
Kan-Tama sighed. "I am still failing him, Father. I did not know what to do then and I do not know what to do now. I just wanted him to feel strong, to feel like your son. I never wanted him to feel less than any other demon or human just because he was of mixed blood. Father, Izayoi, I am sorry about the way I raised him. I have failed all of you" She stood and wiped a single tear from her eyes. She took a deep breath and walked to the temple, although her steps were heavy with the lingering memory.
She entered the main room with the wood. She set it down with care in the bin and excused herself for the night.
"I wonder what happened?" Kagome asked as her eyes followed the demon. Sango and Miroku shook their heads as each picked at the rice with their chopsticks.
"And where's Inu-Yasha?" Kagome stood. "I'm going to go find him." Sango and Miroku exchanged knowing glances, but made no move to follow.
Kagome stepped out into the chilly night air. She hugged her arms to her chest and peered around. "Where are you, Inu-Yasha?" she whispered. She searched the area and quickly found him resting in a tree branch. She leaned against the base of the tree and looked up at him. But he looked deep in thought so she said nothing. She just sat, pulled her knees to her chest and looked up at him.
"Stupid Kan-Tama," Inu-Yasha whispered. "Feh, like I care about her mother." He sighed and laid his head back on the tree trunk as he closed his eyes. His nose caught a scent and he cracked open one eye to survey the area. "A demon," he whispered.
"There's a jewel shard coming this way, Inu-Yasha," Kagome yelled as she slowly rose to her feet. "And it's coming fast." Inu-Yasha pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath and leapt to the ground besides Kagome.
"Get your bow ready, Kagome," Inu-Yasha stated.
"Um..."
"What? Don't tell me-"
"I forgot it back at the shrine," replied Kagome sheepishly. Inu-Yasha was going to say something else, but his words were lost as the demon crashed into view. It was large and ugly with four arms and an overwhelming stink. It had three eyes; the third one in the center of its forehead was closed.
"Give me the Scared Jewel," it roared as it stared down at Kagome and Inu-Yasha. One massive claw came hurtling to the ground. Inu-Yasha grabbed Kagome and jumped to safety with only seconds to spare. Placing Kagome down, Inu-Yasha launched an attack of his own. His raised Tetsusaiga high above his head and brought it down in a powerful stroke on the demon's two left arms, cleaving through them. He settled to the ground with Tetsusaiga over his shoulder, a grin on his face.
"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome screamed. Inu-Yasha turned around, his grin fading into a frown as the severed arms reattached themselves to the demon. The demon grinned a toothy grin, his yellow pointed teeth dripping with some foul green liquid. Inu-Yasha sworn and gritted his own teeth as he jumped into the air and swung Tetsusaiga through the demon's neck. He landed and looked at the demon in shock. Its head was reattaching to the body, the same evil grin on its face.
"Inu-Yasha, the jewel shard is in the third eye," Kagome called. Inu-Yasha nodded as the demon turned to glare at Kagome. The third eye slowly began to open. It was brilliantly colored with reds, blues, greens, and purples swirling without pattern in the orb. Kagome stood motionless as she stared at it, completely under it's spell.
"Kagome," Inu-Yasha shouted. "Snap out of it." But Kagome just stared at the swirling eye.
"Kagome, Inu-Yasha," Miroku shouted as he ran into view, Sango and Kirara hot on his heels.
"Miroku, get Kagome out of here," Inu-Yasha replied. Miroku stopped by Kagome and snapped at her while Sango and Inu-Yasha went to work on the demon. Sango hurled her bone bommerang at it while Inu-Yasha attacked from the other side. The demon was sliced in two. Inu-Yasha stood, watching it closely as the two pieces began to mend themselves back together.
"How the hell do we kill this thing?" he yelled as he jumped to attack once more. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Miroku take Kagome on Kirara's back. He breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she was in good hands and turned all his attention back to the demon. Sango was already attacking again when the demon turned his third eye on her and she froze.
"Sango!" Inu-Yasha and Miroku yelled. Kirara ran back to her and stood by her protectively. The demon brought one of its massive arms down to smash Sango and Kirara, but the cat-demon moved Sango over her back and jumped back. Once again, Inu-Yasha was left alone to face the demon.
"Inu-Yasha!" Kan-Tama called as she joined the fray, "the third eye, stab the third eye." She slashed at the demon's chest, her claws ripping into the flesh. It turned its eye to Kan-Tama, but she leapt behind the demon's head.
"Now, Inu-Yasha." Inu-Yasha hoisted Tetsusaiga above his head and jabbed it down into the third eye. The demon grabbed it, screaming as it fell to the ground.
"Wind Scar!" Inu-Yasha roared, releasing the Wind Scar at the demon. It shrieked as it was vaporized. Inu-Yasha watched, satisfied that it was dead, but his relief was short lived.
"Inu-Yasha," Miroku called, "Kagome and Sango are paralyzed. Kagome might know what herbs to use, but unfortunately, I do not."
"I do," Kan-Tama replied. "Pick them up and follow me back to the shrine." She did not wait for an answer as she turned on her heels and followed the trail to the shrine. Inu-Yasha picked up Kagome and Miroku picked up Sango and followed her.
"Lay them here and here." Kan-Tama pointed to two pallets she set on the floor and went to a cub boarded to pull a few clay jugs and pots out.
"Inu-Yasha, start a fire. Miroku, mash these herbs in that bowl," she calmly instructed. Silently, the two went to work on their tasks. When all was set, Kan-Tama mixed the mashed herbs with a few others and seeped it in water over the fire. When the tea was done, she dripped it into the two girls' mouths and sat back.
"That's it?" Inu-Yasha asked in disbelief.
"That's it. They should be fine by dawn. I'll watch over them to-"
"No way," Inu-Yasha interrupted.
"Inu-Yasha, you do not know what to look for or how to help them if they need help. Take Miroku to your old room and go to sleep. Kagome and Sango will be fine. You have my word. Go." Inu-Yasha frowned, but he took Miroku and went to the back room he used to sleep in. He opened the door. It was like stepping back in time. Everything was as if he never left. The red ball his mother gave him was still sitting in a corner. He walked toward it slowly, remembering the day his mother gave it to him.