"Achoo!"

"Bless you."

There was a sorry-sounding sniff. "Shaddup."

Inuyasha glared at his older brother, who was relaxing (or as relaxed as Sesshoumaru ever got) in a chair before the roaring fire. Inuyasha himself was in his bed, with several chambermaids fussing over him.

"Just because you're sick and I'm not..." Sesshoumaru began, lazily flicking his hair over his shoulder.

"You got me sick, stupid!"

"I did no such thing."

The maids shushed them.

"Young Master Inuyasha needs rest, Master Sesshoumaru," one of the maids explained. "Perhaps it would be better if you left."

Inuyasha winced at the thinly veiled dismissal. As he had predicted, Sesshoumaru stood, quite calmly.

"I think you should be the one to leave, my dear human," the young demon said icily. "And take your compatriots with you."

Whispering fearfully, the maids left. Sesshoumaru settled back into his chair.

"There," he said coolly. "You just have to show these... humans who their master is."

"Why do you hate humans, Maru?"

"I can't believe you're still calling me that."

"But I've always called you that, and nice try at changing the subject, by the way, but I swear I'm not going to get better until you answer."

Sesshoumaru was silent. He glanced quickly at Inuyasha, then looked away again.

"I've always hated humans, just like you've always called me that ridiculous name," he said at last.

"If I stop calling you Maru, will you stop hating humans?" Inuyasha asked. The withering glare his brother gave him made him serious once more. "But..." he said slowly, trying to work something out, "...if you hate humans... Does that mean you hate me, too, because I'm part human?"

"Of course not!"

"Then why do you really hate humans?"

"Do you want that alphabetically or chronologically?"

"Maru! Stop kidding around!"

"I, Sesshoumaru, never kid around."

Inuyasha sighed and said, "I know. That's why you're so serious all the time. You never do anything just for fun anymore."

Sesshoumaru was silent again, so Inuyasha decided to push his luck.

"So why do you hate humans so much?"

"I just hate them, all right?" Sesshoumaru snapped. Inuyasha figured he had pushed his luck a bit too far, but then his brother sighed and brushed his hair back again. "Humans are irrational and stubborn."

"So are demons."

"They're pests!"

"Demons are too, sometimes."

"Demons would never betray you."

Inuyasha stopped, shocked. "And humans would?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "They're disloyal and unfaithful. They're born traitors and spies."

"Not all humans are like that," Inuyasha said quietly. "I've heard Father talking about my mother and she..."

"There's the odd one here and there who understands us, perhaps, but almost all of them are wicked and decietful! I can't stand them!" Sesshoumaru cried, standing again, his normally golden eyes beginning to darken.

"Please calm down, Maru," Inuyasha said, a bit frightened. "I know what you're saying, it's just..."

"There's no 'it's just' involved, little brother," Sesshoumaru said. "I'm trying to give you some useful advice. Stay away from humans... they'll only bring you pain."

He swept to the door and opened it.

"I'll send in those chambermaids."

The door slammed behind him. Inuyasha heard his quick footsteps receding.

"What's his problem?" he asked, almost to himself, as the maids returned.

"Shhh, young Master," one said calmingly. "He's just had a bad experience with humans, that's all."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Well, your brother... he... he... just doesn't trust us humans anymore."

"Why not?"

The maids looked at one another. Then one spoke up.

"There was a girl, once. She was out in the meadow one day as your brother passed by."

"She was very beautiful," another piped up. "Although she didn't realize it."

The other glared at her. "Am I telling this story or are you?" Receiving no reply, she went on.

"Your brother saw her picking flowers and fell in love instantly." The maid smiled wistfully. "They had many happy times together... but one day, some soldiers came to stay at the village nearby. As the girl went on an errand, she met a young warrior. He was handsome..."

"More handsome than Maru?" Inuyasha asked in awe.

"Maybe," the maid admitted. "He had dark hair and these amazing eyes... Naturally the girl was struck by his looks and charm. They ran away together, and for many years they lived happily, hidden away, until the girl decided to come back, and her husband came with her."

"What happened to them?"

"Master Sesshoumaru was waiting for them. In his anger, he killed the girl's husband."

"Maru did?" gasped Inuyasha.

"Yes," the maid said, nodding sagely. "But your father forced him to spare the girl... and she's lived here ever since. But your brother never forgave her for what he saw as her betrayal... and indeed it was betrayal, if you look at it the demon way."

"So that's why he hates humans so much?"

"Yes. Now you have to get some rest, young Master, or you'll never get better."

The maids began to bustle out. The one who had told the story was the last to leave. She put out the torches, leaving the fire alight. As she reached the doorway, she stopped and sighed.

"That girl has never forgotten the hours she spent with Sesshoumaru," she whispered, but Inuyasha's sharp dog ears caught every word. Then the maid shut the door, leaving Inuyasha to rest.

IMPORTANT NOTE!

I saw the third Inuyasha movie and I now have a spot-on idea of how to finish up this story. So if you have any ideas that you just HAVE to see in the story, send them on in and I'll hold off on the ending for a few more chapters. Of course I am going to do all the other ideas I've received but haven't put up yet, so if you've given me an idea and it's not here yet, don't worry.

Just in case anyone's annoyed with this Oni-Gil for not giving them credit, never fear, at the end there will be a list of all the contributors and their contributions, so you can take your vows then!

Short gap until next update!