A Feudal Fairytale Retold

Chapter 07 : Father's Gift

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Author's Note: I apologize for the lack of updates. I never wanted to leave anyone hanging, it's just so much has happened with Katrina, with school, with the repairs, with my personal life… and not to mention once I lost some chapters and had to rewrite them… :frowns: Anyway, please forgive me and understand, that's all I'm asking. I want to stress the fact that I intend to finish these stories, whether it take me a couple years to do so. If you're around for the ride, then that's great. But I do intend to finish them sooner than that… hehe… but thank you to everyone who has reviewed or just read the story. I really do appreciate it. And a special thanks to Robot Killah, my lil psycho buddy. D

Warnings: Violence!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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Kagome gulped as Sesshomaru's youki climbed higher and higher. The sheer strength of the his demonic presence clouded her senses, and she suddenly felt light headed. She steadied herself by taking a hold of Sango's shoulder. The taijiya glanced at her, but said nothing, focusing her eyes back on Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha 's attention was divided between Sesshomaru's transformation and the hunk-a-junk sword he held in his hands. At the moment, Inuyasha wished more than anything that the saying, looks can be deceiving, were true. At this rate, he was going to lose.

"Attack him with the sword!" Sango called out to Inuyasha after it was clear that the hanyou wasn't going to do anything.

Inuyasha frowned, "Yeah, easier said than done…" He then spoke louder, "Have you taken a look at this sorry excuse for a sword? It's a piece of junk! I'm afraid to hit Sesshomaru, it'll probably shatter to pieces!"

"Well stop standing around and find out already!" Sango snapped, "He's going to end up killing us if you don't fight!"

"There you go again, spouting off annoying shit." Inuyasha growled and Sango rolled her eyes.

Suddenly she and Kagome screamed as Sesshomaru swapped his tail at them. Sango managed to get herself and Kagome out of the way, however. Inuyasha cursed and swung his blade in an attempt to cut Sesshomaru. It connected and Inuyasha felt a pulse from his sword.

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha called to Sango and Kagome.

"Yeah!" Sango replied, holding Kagome's head down as the structure itself shook from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's battle.

Inuyasha focused his eyes back on Sesshomaru. What had created that pulse? He wanted the sword to do it again, so he slammed it against Sesshomaru's arm, only to have the sword bounce back and shake his arm violently. Damn it.

"It's broken!" Inuyasha complained, growling to himself. This was going to be his death if he didn't think of something soon.

Sesshomaru lunged at him and Inuyasha jumped out of the way. This was futile. Eventually he'd run out of strength and- whoa, that was close! Damn!

Sango grabbed hiraikotsu from where she was standing and threw it at Sesshomaru. The dog growled when it connected with his back leg. The boomerang eventually flew off and crashed into the mess of skeletons and rock. Sango cursed. It had only hurt him a little.

Sesshomaru turned his attention to her and Kagome. Inuyasha cursed, "Stop interfering you stupid Taijiya!"

"Idiot! He's too much for you alone!"

"You're the idiot!" Inuyasha barked back, "You're no match for Sesshomaru! You're only getting in the way, so stand back and let me protect you dammit!"

A pulse. Inuyasha blinked, his sword was pulsing once more. But why? Inuyasha swung it at Sesshomaru, hitting the dog demon. A small slice appeared on his skin, but it wasn't much.

"You hit him!" Kagome cried out, happy. Sango was frowning.

"But still, even if he were to hit him a hundred times… that little of damage… I wonder how dull that sword is…" Sango said more to herself than to Kagome. The two ran out of the way as Sesshomaru's paw came pummeling down towards them. Some of his salvia trickled down and splashed onto Kagome's shoulder. The miko cried out in pain, as her skin and clothing began to burn. Sango quickly tore Kagome's kimono, revealing the girl's shoulder. Sango frowned. "These burns… Kagome, I'm going to have to treat you and soon…"

Inuyasha cried out, slamming his sword futilely against Sesshomaru, "What happened?"

"Stop paying attention to us!" Sango yelled back, "We're fine."

Kagome let a cry out as her skin began to sizzle. Sango fumbled for her medicines and began putting cream on Kagome's shoulder. "Shh, it's okay…"

Suddenly Inuyasha came skidding up beside them. His eyes widened when he saw Kagome's shoulder, but he could say nothing as Sesshomaru came following his arrival. Sango shoved Kagome, as she had been watching over her shoulder, just as Sesshomaru's great paw collided with her body. Sango was lifted off of her feet and slung across the grave, slamming into the wall and hitting the ground with a thud. She did not get back up.

Tetsusaiga pulsed violently and Inuyasha jumped forward, slicing Sesshomaru's chest. The dog demon howled as his blood sprayed across the gravesite. Sesshomaru fell back, his back paw landing closely to Sango's fallen form. She groaned, trying her best to pull herself away from Sesshomaru. Kagome had made her way around and then reached for Sango's hand, "Here! Let me help you!"

Sango grabbed her hand and the two were able to safely pull her out. Kagome grimaced as her shoulder reminded her of its current condition. Sango frowned, "Here, put the rest of this on." She was still clutching the medicine, even after been knocked senseless by Sesshomaru.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked breathlessly. Sango looked like she might pass out.

"I'm fine… how's Inuyasha?"

"They're still fighting, but Inuyasha managed to wound him…" Kagome said, applying the cream to her shoulder. "We should get out of here…"

Sango nodded, but she didn't make an effort to move, "We can't leave Inuyasha… but we need to do…" Her voice trailed off. Inuyasha was actually fairing against Sesshomaru. The sword seemed to be sending pulses of power each time he striked, and little by little it was causing more damage. But the air… it seemed to be suddenly very oppressive…

Kagome blinked, noticing it as well. Her eyes searched around and she spotted Jaken, scrambling up the wall. Kagome grabbed Sango's hand, pulling her to her feet. "What is he doing!"

As if to answer their question, Inuyasha shouted, "Get out of here! Sesshomaru's poison will kill you if you breathe too much of it in!"

Kagome had begun climbing. Sango was staring at Inuyasha, as he dodged Sesshomaru. "What about you?"

"Go before you die!" Inuyasha shouted, "I'll be fine, I am a hanyou, after all!"

Sango didn't look completely convinced, but she began to climb anyway, "Follow us Inuyasha, please!"

"I intend to, now hurry up and get to higher ground!" He growled, getting seriously impatient with her stubbornness. He dodged Sesshomaru once more. How much longer he'd be able to keep this up, he wasn't sure. But.. if they could just make it to the top, Kagome and Sango could escape… and- Inuyasha ducked Sesshomaru's paw, this time just barely. Enough thinking, he decided and slammed his sword against the dog demon's shoulder. It sliced his skin, but only once had he done any damage. What was wrong with this damn sword?

The poison was slowing his movements, he noted. Inuyasha put all his force in a pounce, as he made it about halfway up the structure. He dug his nails into the bone and began to climb quickly. It looked like Sango and Kagome were almost to the top. Sesshomaru was releasing more poison and perhaps regrouping, but Inuyasha didn't waste the time to find out. The girls had scurried over the edge, and he was almost there…

Sango looked over the edge and reached her hand out, "Here! Take my hand!"

Inuyasha reached forward just as Sesshomaru's paw slammed him against the bone structure, taking him back down to the bottom of the grave. Sango cried out, her hand grasping the air. She then hopped over the edge, her eyes narrowed. She landed painfully on top of Sesshomaru. She laid there a moment. Just a moment. To regain her breath. Then she quickly rolled to her knees and slid off of Sesshomaru. His tail slashed at her. It nicked her and she fell back to her feet. On the ground she quickly placed her mask on her face. She'd already breathed in a good amount of the poison… but… she could still move and see, so she was okay.

Inuyasha was lying on the ground, unconscious it appeared. She was surprisingly not far from him. It seemed that Sesshomaru could not see past his own poison. She crawled towards him, noticing that Tetsusaiga was still clenched tightly in his hand.

"Inuyasha," Sango said softly, resting her hand atop his clenched one. "Wake up, please…" Her body was shaking from the force of the fall and it was she could do to still move. "You've got to get up, Inuyasha…" She urged, shaking his hand. It seemed she could no longer crawl towards him. The poison she had inhaled was slowly starting to affect her weak, human body. "Please… save yourself…"

Inuyasha twitched, his body slightly shaking. His eyes opened, landing on her. "I thought I told you… to get to higher ground."

Sango smiled, though he couldn't tell from behind her mask, "When do I… ever listen to you?"

Inuyasha growled as she moved her hand away from his. He sat up, "Are you okay?"

"Fine.." She said tiredly. Her eyes shut and Inuyasha moved forward.

"Sango!" He then saw Sesshomaru's paw coming down towards them and he quickly picked Sango up and jumped out of the way. "You better not be dead!" He growled as he landed to another spot. Sesshomaru couldn't see him. That he knew. But he could hear him… the poison should probably hide his scent. So he'd just have to be quiet.

He looked at Sango. He had to get her away from the poison. That mask would slow it down but not stop her from inhaling completely. And if she inhaled too much more, she'd be beyond saving… and… Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. Had she followed him when he fell? Stupid woman. He would NOT let her die. He crouched down, he didn't have much strength left… but if he were going to do anything, this would be it. He'd make it to the top. In one jump. He shut his eyes and concentrated his power at his feet. Then he released and was sailing through the sky. Sesshomaru's head shot up as Inuyasha zipped by.

Inuyasha made it just barely, having shifted Sango onto his shoulder. He caught the edge with one hand and dangled for a moment before he felt both of Kagome's hands grip his. "Inuyasha! Sango! Oh God! I was so scared!" Kagome was crying and struggling to pull Inuyasha up. The moment she did, Sesshomaru's howl could be heard and everything seemed to shake violently. Then it stopped.

"Oh god." Kagome whispered as Sesshomaru's glowing red eyes faced them. Inuyasha was to his feet, holding Sango over his shoulder still. Kagome quickly scrambled to hers. They turned and ran towards the opening.

"You've got to take Sango, I can't fight Sesshomaru with only one arm…" Inuyasha growled, not to mention with another person on his back. Kagome nodded and he quickly handed Sango to Kagome. "Get her away from here. Don't worry, I'll protect you both!" Inuyasha shouted, taking Tetsusaiga from where he had 'sheathed' it (Actually just stabbed it straight through his shirt and pants, figured it would hold:laughs:)

He charged at Sesshomaru and the sword transformed. Inuyasha didn't seem to notice as he sliced Sesshomaru's shoulder blade, not quite taking the arm itself. Sesshomaru howled in pain and suddenly Inuyasha's vision was filled with light. He heard Jaken squawking but when his sight returned, no one was there, only a fading light in the distance.

Kagome had fallen to her knees, holding Sango still. The sword once again looked dull. Inuyasha was staring at it. Such power… how could it possess such power? And it had been in his eye… all this time… actually, the whole gravesite had been hidden in his left eye… why? Why had his father bequeathed him with such a thing? And duty. Duty of protecting his remains.

Inuyasha then turned his eyes to Kagome as she spoke, "Sango's hurt pretty badly, Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha looked pained slightly, "It's all her fault! That idiot should never have came after me!"

Kagome didn't reply. She was placing medicine where she could on Sango. "We'll have to return to the village so that she can rest… and I'm hurt pretty badly too.. What about you?"

Inuyasha stared at her, his body bleeding and battered, "I'm fine."

Kagome smiled slightly, "We should all rest.. such a battle…" She shook her head. She was surprised she was even alive. That in itself, was a miracle. She then looked down at Sango. The taijiya's face was bruised and swollen. Kagome tried stop herself from crying. Sango had saved her life so many times… yet the taijiya seemed very careless with her own life… why?

"Inuyasha-sama!" called Myouga's voice from above them. He took in the situation, noticing two things were missing.

Inuyasha looked up. The flea had brought the skeleton escorts. Myouga flew inside of the remains suddenly, instead of landing.

He reappeared five minutes later, the sheath of Tetsusaiga straddled across the bird and Hiraikotsu on it's back. The creature came to a stop before Inuyasha. He slowly removed the sheath and then sheathed Tetsusaiga. Myouga bowed.

"The sword was a gift left to you by your father. Use it well and you will have great power." The flea spoke. Then he said, "We should get Lady Sango out of here."

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah.

Inuyasha lifted Sango up in his arms. Kagome and Myouga got on the other winged creature as Inuyasha situated himself on his own. They lifted into the air and headed toward the distance.

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End of chapter!

About the part where Inuyasha sheathed his sword through his clothing. To explain more fully, I figure since his rat's coat or whatever can withstand fire, it can withstand an intended sword cut… without ripping more and dropping the sword… so it can then be a substitute sheath. D Wow I suck at explaining things…

And this Sango puts little worth on her on life. And Sesshy still has his arm. Why? Because I was really upset when he lost his arm That's the only reason.

My other stories will be updated soon. 3 you guys a lot.

Thank you once again!

- Taijiya