Chapter 13-Looking
When they got to Kaede's village Kagome and the others with Inuyasha's very loyal Lieutenant Shinn took Inuyasha to a small house where he could rest. After they took care of Inuyasha Kagome along with the others decided to have a group discussion on what to do with Inuyasha and Shinn. "We can't trust him no matter what he's done to redeem himself," said Koga as he glanced at the house where Inuyasha was sleeping.
Sango looked over in its direction as well remembering how Kohaku and Shinn were both in the room with Kaede taking care of Inuyasha as if he were a god. "I don't know what to think of Inuyasha after seeing what he's done. Something about what he told me when we talked in that arena of his we were standing in just makes me question what I think of him," said Sango felt the remembrance of the kiss they shared and what Kohaku said to her about what Inuyasha thought about her.
"I myself am still unable to understand or even able to comprehend what Inuyasha was thinking when he was in the service of Tsubaki. Even now his actions towards releasing us are baffling in its entirety," said Miroku who cupped his chin in thought.
"Maybe one of us should talk to Inuyasha when he is better and able to talk?" said Shippo placing out the suggestion.
Everyone nodded their head in agreement. "Who would go?" said Kagome as Kohaku and Shinn came out of the hut with bits of blood on them with medicine and herbs in their hands.
The two warriors walked over to Kagome and the others as they walked up to them so they could hear what they had to say about Inuyasha's condition. "How is he?" said Sango.
Kohaku and Shinn both gave weak, but sincere smiles. "General Inuyasha is out of harms way, but still in pain as the last of the poison is out of his body. There are some old battle wounds he sustained in his battles that me and Kohaku witnessed that have reopened, but they should heal shortlyin duetime," said Shinn and Kohaku nodded in agreement.
That's good I guess. Will we be able to talk to Inuyasha when he is better?" said Miroku curiously.
"You can speak to him right now if you want if only for a short time, but make it quick since Inuyasha really needs his rest," said Kohaku.
"Wait! Who is going to speak to Inuyasha?" said Kagome as they realized they were still undecided on that.
Sango was going to speak up, but found that Kikyo had stepped forward. "I'll talk to Inuyasha. After all...he always did open his heart out to me before," said Kikyo who turned to show them her innocent looking smile.
Kagome scowled a little with her cheeks burning red and to Miroku's and Shippo's surprise so was Sango though she herself didn't know why. "Is it me or have things gotten weirder now that Naraku's gone?" said Shippo to Miroku.
"I think they've gotten weirder, but...it could be just you," said Miroku smiling at Shippo who scowled at the monk for the insult.
Kikyo walked into the room and saw Kaede wiping and dabbing Inuyasha's forehead with a wet cloth. "Sister could you leave us alone for a moment while Inuyasha and I talk for a little while?" said Kikyo who saw Kaede's suspicious looking face staring at her for Inuyasha's well being.
"Don't worry Kaede I trust Kikyo. She just wants to talk to me. If she wanted to kill me she would have done it without hesitation," said Inuyasha who could speak normally, but still had to take in deep breaths to sustain his composure.
Kaede looked over at Inuyasha who continued to stare at the ceiling without even looking at her and realized that Inuyasha was correct. "I will be here if ye needs me Inuyasha," said Kaede who walked passed Kikyo with a small nod to her older sister and left the room.
Kikyo turned her head a little to see Kaede continue to walk away and then stare back at Inuyasha who continued to stare at the ceiling without even turning his head to see her. "I remember one of my soul collectors reported to me you were like that after Kanna sent your swords own Wind Scar attack back at you. However, then you were unsure of me while here even now you do not care whether or not I kill you where you rest in front of me, "said Kikyo who neither had sorrow nor anger in her voice when she said that.
Inuyasha cracked a smile as he continued to take deep breaths and stare at the ceiling as if in deep thought about that day. "My wounds it seems are always able to bring out my most interesting memories of you. Regardless it seems on whether I'm wounded or not. Did you ever feel like that when you saw me and wanted me dead when you thought I had betrayed you?" said Inuyasha curiously at the end.
"Yes. Even after I learned the truth I hated you. I don't know why, but I did and I couldn't let my hatred go no matter how hollow it was. The price an undead priestess must pay I suppose for dying with anger in her heart for someone she loved," said Kikyo as she walked a little closer to him.
"Ah yes without the room I made for you when I brought you to the castle you are of the undead now and require souls. Tell me Kikyo...how did it feel to be human...even if only for a little while?" said Inuyasha as some blood feel down the side of his mouth.
"I had...forgotten what it was like to be among the living and not have to rely on the souls of the dead to sustain me. I must admit I do miss that feeling even now to live as a living person," said Kikyo who would have cried if her body was made of flesh.
"I'm sorry for doing that to you Kikyo. Being something for so long and then being what you once were...only to have it taken away was not something I wanted to have happen to you," said Inuyasha who heard Kikyo gasp at the fact he was apologizing to her.
"Would you do all over again? Become what you were and serve Tsubaki for the power and glory you were seeking to prove you weren't weak like Sesshomorru said you were?" said Kikyo getting to the heart of her question.
"I have thought about that question knowing you would be the one to confront me as well as ask me about such a question. While your question is in fact valid Kikyo you assume why I became General of Tsubaki's armies is for personal power and glory when you couldn't be further from the truth," said Inuyasha hearing another surprising gasp from Kikyo who thought she understood Inuyasha's reason's for being what he had become.
"What was your reason Inuyasha? If not for personal glory and power then what was it that made you join that witch of a dark priestess?" said Kikyo who had some anger in her voice.
"Have you ever had a dream that wasso out of reach that isburied so deep in your heart you couldn't even see it at the bottom where you left it?" said Inuyasha.
"What are you talking about? What dream?" said Kikyo who found Inuyasha's behavior to be quite...annoying.
"You never answered my question Kikyo. And until you do...I can't nor will I answer your question," said Inuyasha who out of the corner of his eyes saw her frustrated look of anger.
"You are just as stubborn as you were before you served Tsubaki Inuyasha. When I see you now Inuyasha I see a stubborn, bleeding, and broken half-demon who hides behinds answering questions with questions. If I didn't pity you right now I would kill you to put you out of your misery," said Kikyo who turned to leave, but was stopped when she heard Inuyasha's next comment.
"You must enjoy seeing me like this then Kikyo. Weak, defenseless, and vulnerable in order for you to find an excuse to kill if not pity me. Do everyone a favor Kikyo and take your own advice that you PREACH so much about, before giving it to others," said an angry Inuyasha who turned his head to Kikyo who didn't turn hers, but instead just left without a word with a scowl on her face.
When Kikyo walked out they knew that Inuyasha had set her in a bad mood, but decided not to pursue what the two former lovers talked about. "Well...who wants to go next?" said Miroku.
Sango was about to speak up yet again, but she found herself being prevented from doing so by Shinn who was felt he could create some sort of bridge between everyone given the chance. Sango once more fumed and it was only quelled when Kilala rubbed her little furry body against Sango's leg. "Sister...do you have a reason to talk to Inuyasha?" said Kohaku curiously.
Sango turned to Kohaku then looked around to see that Kagome and the others were no where near in hearing Kohaku much less see the blush that had appeared on her face. "Me? Why...why would I want to talk to Inuyasha?" said Sango nervously hoping that Kohaku was still too young to misunderstand her blushing if he noticed it.
She was wrong. "Because of the kiss you two had when you talked in private. Inuyasha told me you two talked and then out of nowhere you two kissed each other," said Kohaku seeing Sango's blush deepen even further.
"Inuyasha...told...you?" said Sango who was scared that Kagome or Kikyo might have been told that very same thing as the blush continued to stay on her face for some time.
"After our talk I...continuously asked him why you were blushing after we were all there for a while he told me of the kiss and how you reacted to him in your previous meeting with him. To be honest Sango I...I think he likes you back the same way," said Kohaku who was scratching the back of his head.
"Re...Really?" said Sango curiously.
"Yes he does," said a sudden voice behind her that turned out to be Shinn.
"Shinn! Wha...what did Inuyasha say to you?" said Sango who to her embarrassment had nearly jumped out of her armor in fright of Shinn's sudden voice in her and Inuyasha.
"I haven't gone in to see him yet. I was about to till I overheard your conversation about General Inuyasha and the kiss you two both shared," said Shinn who saw Sango's face go red from blushing once more.
"Shinn perhaps you should see Inuyasha now and see if he will talk to you," said Kohaku breaking an awkward silence between the three of them.
Shinn nodded as he turned around and walked into the room with Inuyasha without another word to them. 'Does Inuyasha like more then just a friend?' thought Sango as this only gave more then enough of a reason to speak to the former half-demon General.
Shinn entered the room and saw Inuyasha lay there resting in his bed of hay as blood from worn out bandages leaked from unclosed wounds into it. "Welcome Shinn. I figured you would be here next since Kikyo in her stubbornness couldn't understand what it is I wanted from her to understand," said Inuyasha as he stared up at his ceiling.
"She is not the only stubborn person in this village General Inuyasha. Some of that very same stubbornness she gives off is also in you. Whether in a conversation or on the battlefield you always had to have things go your way. Right General?" said Shinn as he sat down beside Inuyasha who smiled at first and then frowned as if he realized a great truth that had been hidden from him.
"Don't call me General again Shinn. Don't call me General anymore for I am not worthy of being called by such a title. I was never a General...only a monster in General's armor who took humans, and demons both full and half on distant battlefields only to have them fight or die for my selfish desires," said Inuyasha who closed his eyes as he saw nothing, but darkness when he did.
"Why sir? Why don't you want to be called a General by name? To me you are a General sir. Would a General...fight for what he believed in as you did? Would a General open himself up to a fellow warrior about why he served and fought for such an evil queen that was Tsubaki? They may not be what you consider the qualities of a General sir, but they are to me. And Kohaku in case you have forgotten still thinks of you like that as well as a surrogate father. He and I would be honored to call you General because we believe as well as all those who are loyal to you deserve that title. It's a part of you sir and I refuse to see you throw what you are away," said Shinn in a very commanding voice.
Inuyasha chuckled as he turned his head and looked at Shinn who had a strict military look on his face. It was if they were back in the castle and he the great General Inuyasha was still in the service of Tsubaki. "I taught you well Shinn, almost as I did Kohaku. You make this old half-demon...General happy," said Inuyasha as he saw Shinn release a tiny smile on his face.
"Thank you sir I am honored. But I must unfortunately question your strategic wisdom in taking the others here. Clearly we are all in a place where Tsubaki knows where we are and will surely send an army to strike us down with when she realizes your gone," said Shinn worriedly.
"Your concern in point in dually noted Shinn as I trained you well on military tactic such as these. However, you forget that in order to deceive someone you must think as they do and turn it against them. I know how Tsubaki thinks and I know that she will think that this place is too obvious and that I won't have you take me here. She'll think its way too obvious and go around it till the very end when she has no other place to look. Remember Shinn the most obvious place to hide is sometimes the best and least suspecting. Making this village the perfect spot to rest and hide for the time being," said Inuyasha who saw Shinn nod in realization of what Inuyasha just said.
"The other's are unsure whether to trust you or not with all that has happened to you as of late with the black pit, becoming a General, and serving a dark mistress that was Tsubaki. You will need to prove you can be trusted again my General and such a task will not be easy...even one such as you sir," said Shinn trying to get to the heart of the matter.
Inuyasha's small smile was gone and he frowned at this and he nodded in agreement with Shinn on what his loyal Lieutenant told him. "In this village there are three and only three people at the moment I trust Shinn. You and Kohaku I trust without question with Kaede being the third and through her wisdom that she gives some weight on the others. (Sighs) I unfortunately doubt that even Kaede's advice can hold them off long enough in order for me to get my feet on strong solid ground. In order for them to trust me we must...do something that will show I amworthy of still being their friends and allies. I think I have an idea what we can do my Lieutenant that will get them on our side again," said Inuyasha who released a small smile from his face.
"What is the plan sir?" said Shinn curiously.
"It's quite simple my dear friend and loyal soldier. We are going to wage war against Tsubaki and crush the darkness that I...that WE help create," said Inuyasha whose smile left him and a serious one replaced it.
Shinn was completely surprised by this announcement by Inuyasha and was unsure if such a plan or war was winnable. "Is such a thing even possible as we stand now sir?" said Shinn who felt he needed to hear his General's opinion on the matter.
"Yes Shinn. Anything is possible if you have the desire and belief that victory no matter how far away it is...is still reachable," said Inuyasha who felt as if a fire had been lit in him and felt his strength return to him for a small instant.
Shinn however, was not so sure. "General there...there is something you should know before we decide to pursue this campaign. Tsubaki was...planning to replace you with another General shortly after we left to liberate that city of full and half-demon slaves. The one your friends outside were at when you first met them after becoming a General," said Shinn seeing Inuyasha's face becoming deathly serious when he heard that.
"What was the new General's name?" said Inuyasha in a commanding voice.
"His name is Gore...sir. General Gore would be the appropriate name to give him now that he is most likely the new leader of Tsubaki's armies," said Shinn.
"I heard that name throughout some of the ranks of the troops when we made our march to that city, but I didn't pay it any mind. Gore is a half-demon like me and according to what I heard among the troops he has the blood of the legendary Bone Blade demons," said Inuyasha.
"Bone Blade demons? I never heard of such demons before," said Shinn with surprise.
"Not surprising really Lieutenant Shinn since the Bone Blade demons were considered wiped out, extinct, annihilated if you will. These demons were bred to do nothing else, but fight and kill until...the day they...died. They fought by turning the bones in their body into blades along the elbow, shoulder, fingers, knees, and other regions of their body. Physically they looked like average humans so it was almost impossible to tell if their sons or daughters were full or half-demons," said Inuyasha
"Almost! How could they tell General?" said Shinn finding this story most intriguing.
"The only way to tell the difference was to look for thebirthmark tattoo that are on the back of their necks. Two swords in a cross-X formation for a full blooded demon while one sword pointing up indicated a half-demon. However, since full and half-demons look so much alike that they seemed to be the only type of demons that didn't care what two types you were as long as you could fight with what you were given when born. Almost sounds like my type of demon family I wouldn't mind being a part of. Had I been a child of that particular demon tribe I wouldn't have had such a bad childhood," said Inuyasha with a smile on his face.
"General how was Tsubaki able to retrieve such a demon if they were wiped out?" said Shinn curiously.
"That I do not know Shinn and that is probably something only the dark queen herself knows. It's obvious however, that she found one and recruited him knowing full well my time was running short due to the poison like effect from the black pits dark liquid. When I am healed I will need your help as well as Kohaku's and the others here to fight the evil dark queen Tsubaki. Can I count on you when the time comes?" said Inuyasha looking at Shinn with serious resolve in his eyes.
"Yes General. My life as well as Kohaku...are yours to command," said Shinn rising and standing at attention.
"I knew I could count on you Shinn as well as Kohaku. You are dismissed for now Shinn. Go get some sleep my loyal Lieutenant...you have more then earned it," said Inuyasha who slowly rose from his bed of hay surprising Shinn greatly.
"General should you really be standing after what has happened to you?" said Shinn worriedly.
"You need not worry Shinn I am fine now. I just need to stand to get the feeling back in my tired old leg muscles. Could yousend in Sango please after you leave the house I know for a fact that she has been itching to talk to me...face to face," said Inuyasha as he stood up on two feet.
Shinn saw Inuyasha wobble a little, but nothing that suggested the half-demon General would fall over. "Yes sir I will do that right now," said Shinn walking outside.
"Shinn! Thank you. You are the reason General's have Lieutenants. They are bound to each other to make sure neither fell from the grace of the position they had earned from the countless battles and the fierce combat they endure in the wars they fight. Remember that Shinn it could help you one day when YOU are General," said Inuyasha emphasizing on the word YOU as if Shinn would advance from his current rank soon.
"I will General Inuyasha. As always I take to heart all that you have to teach me," said Shinn who left the room with Inuyasha staring at him only to finally smile as he stared at the sunlight outside as footsteps could be heard coming towards the house.
Sango entered the room and was quite surprised to se Inuyasha standing and what she discovered that surprised her more was she was blushing at his shirtless body, which still solid muscle despite the poison of the black pit being removed from his body. "You had requested to see me Inuyasha?" said Sango after she snapped back to reality when he put on shirt Kaede left in the room for him.
Inuyasha smiled. "Yes Sango. I have much to talk to you about as do you to me. Shall we begin?" said Inuyasha turning and smiling at her as if all was normal.
Sango gasped when she saw Inuyasha, but once more she gasped even more when she saw his eyes. "Inuyasha! Your...your eyes they are...are..." said Sango pointing at Inuyasha whose eye were no longer blood red and without pupils.
They were..."White with amber in the center. You were going to say that...right?" said Inuyasha calmly while Sango could only nod speechless as he finished her sentence for her.
(A/N: What would Sango and Inuyasha be talking about? Hmmmmm interesting to say the least wouldn't you agree? Need to hear your feed back. Only 7 more chapters left.)