MasterFranny: I was in a good mood for updates lately; I updated a lot of my fics, so I decided since this was the older one, to have a new chapter of this as well. I am glad all of you liked last chapter, I feared it would be flamed… oh, and you can't expect Inu, Kou and Sessh to fall in love like this –snaps fingers– so bear with me please.
This chapter is a little bit more on Kouga, enjoy!
TO ALL OF YOU THE DOUJINSHI WEB–SITE IS (just take away the spaces in–between the address):
http// www . starless-dreamer . net / shinjitsunoshi . html
Just go to the doujinshi page.
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Must thank all the reviewers, and I thank the people who read this but didn't review, it's still nice to know!
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Rating T.
Summary Naraku isn't the only problem InuYasha is going to have. A stronger youkai, coming from an old rivalry between clans, is now up to have his revenge on them… Sesshomaru/InuYasha/Kouga threesome YAOI Probably Kagome bashing
Disclaimer I will never own InuYasha. But I like it a lot, and I like to think stories for the charas -plus, I like bashing the ones I hate and hurt the ones I love.
Warning this is going to be YAOI, that means boy x boy relationship so don't like don't read. This will be INCEST too, between half brothers. This will be threesome, which means ménage a trois. Flames about that will be used to power up my fireplace. This will contain severe BASHING against The Toad better known as Jaken. And The Bitch, better known as Kikyou. And The Other Bitch, better known as Kagome.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
-Flashbacks, memories, dreams-
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Circling Paths
Chapter 03: Revenge
His speed continued rising as he kept his pace, his feet merely brushing against the ground as he ran, the world around him nothing more than a blur, a wild cloud of dust around him the only visible trace of him using the shards.
Kouga continued running, not caring of the lesser demons that stared at him -they obviously saw just a blur and dust, but still- just to head towards his pack, towards the place he called home. There was anger boiling deep within him, anger against ningens, anger against what he witnessed.
Thinking over it, he couldn't still believe in what had happened. Kagome, the one that could easily accept each and every thing in this world that was not hers, the one that could accept youkai and spells, couldn't accept the core of being demon.
He had known many humans who couldn't accept how relationships between youkai worked, but he had thought it wasn't the case of the girl he thought he had fallen for. He had thought her to be better than this, but he had been wrong.
She told that clearly, to her it was a sin. Obviously human taboos worked differently than youkai's owns, but still, what was the problem into loving someone, being it someone of the same sex or a part of your own family? It was just some stupid human taboo, but the only thing that taboo would admit was a restraint.
How could one put restraints in love? Wasn't love superior to anything? Humans always told things like these, and still they were bigoted and close-minded.
It was a nonsense.
But he also knew something else, something he was sure InuYasha knew too -but they both tried to ignore it- was that even if Kagome accepted how youkai relationships worked, their couldn't. Humans aged quickly compared to a demon's perceptive, and even if the youkai's love was great, it could do nothing against death.
There were demons who liked to bed with anyone without mating until they found the one they truly loved -what humans could call soul mate- just like kitsune -kitsune were also known to be promiscuous, by the way, and seductive- and others who cared nothing and craved just for physical pleasure, while others mated for life -like ookami.
Once the human loved died of age, leaving behind a broken youkai -hanyou's life span was just as long as pure blood's one- it took no time for the one left to follow the lover in death. The anguish and despair was too great.
Kouga knew that if he truly wanted to mate with Kagome he would have to live many centuries after her death. But suddenly, as he reflected over the relationship with Kagome, he realized he really didn't love her, not enough to mate with her.
She would grow older while he lived –and hanyou cubs would still live as much as full demon ones. He needed her as help to find more shards of the Shikon jewel -even if really he didn't need any more shards– and not to rule with him.
Kouga stopped in his tracks as he sensed a foreign scent coming from his den, something that was not ookami, but a sweeter scent, one that reminded the wolf leader of mountains and rivers, the pure scent of wildness.
He recognized it in no time, it was the scent of a Neko youkai, but it wasn't threateningly or dangerous –it was just there, waiting for him.
Obviously the demon wanted to speak with the pack's leader. It wasn't uncommon that other demon came to the ookami's council, but neko youkai were rare in this part of the country.
Shaking his head from his previous thoughts, Kouga headed again towards his own part of the principal den, knowing the Council of elders was already there waiting for him. He berated the time he lost trying to woo Kagome, he now loathed the time he didn't spend with his own pack, knowing he would made such a mistake never ever again.
He would not follow the ningen group again, knowing how she had acted towards the two lovers, and he would start searching for a proper mate.
Stepping in the bigger den he saw the Healer waiting for him. The old demonness had felt his distress and his anger just by sniffing him and decided to wait for him to ask what had happened before he faced the Elders. There was not much time but she was willingly to face their anger by having the leader calm down before entering the council.
Kouga stopped at the sight of the old but still strong female youkai, whose name was Hanako. He respected the youkai greatly, mainly because she was way over two thousand years old, and she had great healing powers. She was also beautiful and her long silvery mane and silver eyes were uncommon for wolf demons.
She had been the healer of the clan for over a century, and she was respected by the elders and by the pack members, and had more than once scolded Kouga for his improperly behaviour.
Hanako never questioned the young leader's decision to woo a human girl, since she was the daughter of the union between a ningen male with one member of the pack. Her human father had been a beautiful man, whilst her youkai mother had been a powerful healer herself, known among all the wolf packs in the country.
She had taken her father's strength and her mother's beauty and skills, and knew how to use both.
Kouga nodded slightly at her as she stepped towards him, sniffing him curiously, before raising one eyebrow questioningly.
"You smell of that human girl, Kagome, but you also smell of cemetery... only humans keep a place in which bury their dead ones, that must mean you went into a village as well, but I can't understand the anger I can also smell on you".
Kouga felt his anger cool down hearing her calm speech –she always had the power to calm him down, and she had the right to know. "Indeed I have been into a ningen village, and I met with Kagome and her group".
He then explained what had happened, and as he ended the speech Hanako's clear eyes darkened considerably by well hidden rage. She couldn't believe a young and inexperienced girl could say such wrong and horrible things, and she was completely agreeing with Kouga about his decision to never meet the girl again.
"I think some of the elders will be glad you decided this way," she said quietly, "they were not happy you chose a mate that went around with such inappropriate clothes and moody as a little pup... plus she wasn't as strong as you pictured her, if she had to be protected by someone else".
She was the first not to be happy about Kouga wanting to mate the girl in particular, even if she allowed the crush on a human, because she dressed like a whore and she used to act as if she knew all about life and all the other people were just her slaves.
She was not the one for him.
Kouga smiled faintly, feeling something akin to regret at the decision to not go meet with the ningen group anymore, but shook it away as soon as it appeared.
There were more urgent matters at the moment, so he addressed the elder youkai questioningly, "who's the neko I am sensing?"
"She's Lord Kuneru's daughter and she's here to ask for help," Hanako replied kindly, watching closely the leader as he frowned.
Kouga did know who Lord Kuneru was, but did not know what his daughter wanted from him.
Help?
Why was that?
The young ookami leader entered the council and as he stepped inside all the elders bowed in respect, but he just looked above their heads to stare at the female youkai that was sat in the middle of the circle, who was staring back up at him expectantly.
"I am there to ask your help, Lord Kouga," she said, her voice calm as she looked at him.
Kouga nodded at her, accepting her presence at the council, but he needed to tell the elders about his wanderings before starting with her request.
He sat down in the hole of the circle, facing directly the neko youkai, who waited patiently her turn.
"Had you convinced the human woman into mating with you?" the older elder of the council asked Kouga, staring at the pack's leader with serious brown eyes. His name was Atoko, and he was on his third thousand.
Kouga's lips were pressed together as his rage returned again, but this time he managed to control it and tune it down completely. He repeated what he'd told Hanako to the elders, who gasped and reacted as expected.
Such acting was not accepted between them. They had always known she was not worthy.
"You won't go to her again, then," Atoko said rudely.
Kouga nodded roughly, before turning to the neko girl, now ready to hear what she was going to say.
In the wolf councils there were rules that had to be followed in order to assure the perfect array, and the first one was about strangers. One that wanted to speak with the pack leader must first ask the council the permission, and if accorded then he would have to meet the leader.
If the leader accepted to speak with him, the stranger then would have to wait until all pack concerning things had been solved, and only then he would be allowed to speak.
Kouga stared at the neko youkai allowing her to start.
"My name is Chiyoo," she stated, her tail swaging behind her. "I am the daughter of Lord Kuneru, who is now dead," her eyes flashed with pain and Kouga nodded in understatement, at the same time having her know he was sad for her. "I came here in order to ask your help, Lord Kouga, since the stronger enemy of the lands is awakening and I need the help of the Lords to finally defeat him once for all!"
A whisper ran through the council members, but Kouga raised his right hand to silence them, "and who this mighty enemy is?"
"His name is Yaryudoku," Chiyoo declared.
This statement was followed by shocked silence, the elders knowing who he was and what he'd done in his life. None of them wanted to hear that name again, not in such contest. Believing he was sealed, they thought they were safe from him massive power.
Kouga knew who Yaryudoku had been, even if he was too young to actually remember who he was, but many were the tales of his brutality and ruthlessly, "but… he was sealed away!"
"The seals are breaking and he's freeing himself, that's why all his followers are assembling together, waiting for the right opportunity to move against the Lands!" Chiyoo stared hard at him, "that's why I ask you, Lord of the Northern Lands, to make an alliance with me and my twin brother, legitimate heirs of Lord Kuneru of the Southern Lands".
Kouga stared hard at her. He knew what would happen if the Dragon broke all the seals and started creating havoc again, he knew no one would stop him, and he also knew there was no other option than accepting.
But…
"What about the other two clans? I mean, surely you would have asked the lord of the Western and Eastern lands to join the alliance too," Kouga blinked.
"The Lord of the Eastern Lands, the Kitsune heir, died with all his family and my father," Chiyoo grimaced, as she remembered what happened when Lord Kuneru decided to go and ask the Kitsune remaining main clan to join him against Yaryudoku. "Lord Hatsuku was glad to join us, but then the ryu youkai attacked, and killed them. Kitsune are usually loners, and prefer freedom and living between the nature than living in a palace, together… we don't know if any of the main clan is still living, but the Lord died trying to protect his mate and son, and my father too, died during the surprise attack".
Chiyoo's hands turned into fists, trying to suppress the sadness and anger that was building up in her heart, and Kouga just looked, knowing too well the pain of losing a parent -he could remember the anguish, the hurt, when the elders told him his father died.
"We will need to discuss together of this," Kouga turned to the council members, who stared back at him seriously. "You will wait outside until we reached an accord".
Chiyoo nodded before standing up, "I must tell you, Kouga, that I asked Lord Sesshomaru of the Inu clan to join me as well, but he didn't accept".
With that she stepped outside the council room and left the wolves to speak. Kouga turned to the council, "this is an unfortunate event we're speaking about, the return of the Dragon Lord would put danger not just in our lands, but in the whole territory as well," the ookami youkai started, "and I think I will go with her with two of my fellows, to get rid of his presence once for all".
The council members stayed silent for a moment, then Atoko spoke up, "indeed, we can stay without our leader if he's going to save our lives against the worst enemy we ever faced," his face was serious and his tone determined, but his lips turned up slightly, "we trust you, Kouga, we know you will be able to defeat Yaryudoku once for all".
Then the second older youkai of the council, a female of two thousand and half years named Neemye, cleared her throat and spoke up, her mane of brownish hair dancing on her shoulders, "for the welfare of the pack, Kouga, you have to tend to the broken friendship between this clan and the Inu one, because we can't have the rivalry forever. Go with Lady Chiyoo and try to call a truce with Lord Sesshomaru, or else you won't be able to defeat the strong enemy you are going to face".
Kouga stared at her, knowing she was saying something right, they needed all the help they could gather, and Sesshomaru was the strongest youkai around, and he must hate Yaryudoku as much as them.
It was time to have the rivalry between the two clans disappear, and restore the friendship -or at least a truce.
"I will do whatever it takes to defeat Yaryudoku forever, even ally back with our rivals," he said in a determined tone.
"They were our allies once, before the mistake happened, of which we take no blame," Neemye whispered sadly, looking at the ground. She could remember very well when the clans were still in peace with each other, and she missed this. But after the killing that the Inu blamed on them, the alliance had been broken. None of the wolves ever accepted to even think that the fault was indeed theirs, even if all the evidence was against them.
But they had wanted to restore the alliance with the inus, and now it could finally happen.
Well, if Lord Sesshomaru accepted.
Kouga stared at all the councillors and nodded before exiting the cave. Chiyoo was there waiting for him, a smile lingering on her lips as her eyes turned to the ookami leader. Her hearing was as strong as Kouga's and she'd already heard his decision to follow her.
"I am glad you decided positively," she said after he told her he would be coming together with two of his most loyal friends. "We'll need all the help we can gather, and maybe with you Lord Sesshomaru will decide to join us as well".
"I doubt it, as you may know or two clans are not that buddies," Kouga replied.
Since they were outside the council, they stopped with the formality and acted as if were acquaintances.
"We will get going after I called the two we will be travelling with, then you will explain what is happening with the seals on Yaryudoku," Kouga said, before taking off in a slow run. He wasn't using his shards so the neko girl would follow him easily.
The group of principal caves in which the members of the pack -except the leader and the older council members- were in the lower part of the site, and there lived the female and the male youkai, together with the cubs. In the early morning some male and some female would go hunting –the females were used to participate in the haunting as well– whilst the others would provide to the protection of the caves and the pack, and act as scouts, not to mention the many other things required in living as a pack.
But at the current moment, the hunting was finished and all the wolves were preparing the food to eat later in the evening.
"Kouga!" two of the wolves turned towards the wolf leader as he and the guest approached them. "Who's that cat?"
"Ginta, Hakkaku," Kouga said, looking at both of his friends and fellows, pointing towards the neko youkai, "this is Chiyoo, the heir of Lord Kuneru of the Southern Lands," the two wolves blushed slightly and bowed, showing their respect, "I will join her in a difficult war against one of the strongest youkai ever existed, and I wanted to speak with you first".
Ginta looked at him seriously, sensing the dark tone of his leader and friend, while Hakkaku merely looked confused -but this was usual from him.
"I want to ask you both if you want follow me in this battle –wait," he lifted his hand to stop them from speaking, "the enemy I am going to face is none other than Yaryudoku, the one that was sealed by the four clans many centuries ago, and who's breaking free from his seals," Kouga stared hard at the two of them, seeing a flash of surprise, then fear, then something else flicker in their eyes. "This will be a dangerous and difficult battle and it may happen none of us will remain alive at the end, that's why I want to ask you if you are sure you want to follow me".
Youkai knew what he was speaking about –he was giving them a way out, just saying it was too dangerous and they could stay within the pack, safe.
Hakkaku took no time to think about it, "no matter what, Kouga, I'll stick with you!"
Ginta stared hard at his leader and friend, one he had known since they were pups, then he turned his back on him, and started to walk away. Hakkaku widened his eyes in shock, but then Ginta spoke, not even turning or slowing down, "a mission we could never return –mmmh… I'd better go and start packing, I'll need my things and I don't want anyone to take them while I'm away".
Kouga smiled, feeling proud of having such friends with him. Chiyoo looked in admiration at the two, knowing they were deeply loyal to their leader, and smiled she too, knowing she would appreciate their company as they travelled towards the Southern territory.
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It wasn't just anger.
It was rage.
Poison filled claws reached the wall in a flash, striking with strength, and the entire wall crumpled under the sheer force of the blow, falling down onto a bunch of violet flowers, smashing them.
Cold golden eyes looked down at his doing, his face emotionless but his eyes burning with suppressed emotions -mainly rage.
Fury.
Silvery hair danced softly with the breeze, arm raised, claws still stretched, as if waiting to strike again. He looked deathly, dangerous, lethal and astonishing.
How could it happen? How could he lead the very cause of disgrace of his family into his home? How could it happen?
Sesshomaru lowered his arm, claws tightening into a fist, rage burning into his so heatedly it was hard to breath. His hatred towards the Hanyou he refused to call brother was fierce, almost overwhelming, no matter how strong InuYasha could become, no matter what he would say, no matter what father thought –and he must knew something or he wouldn't have given Tetsusaiga to InuYasha and the useless Tenseiga to Sesshomaru– InuYasha was still a disgrace, and had to die.
Then why was the silver haired Hanyou resting in his old room, in the manor he once lived in –when he had been too young to actually remember– with Rin watching over him?
Why hadn't Sesshomaru killed his brother or let him die alone in the woods when he'd been poisoned by the ryu? Why he'd taken him to his home no less, taking care of him?
Simply because he owned him Rin's life. If he'd not been there, Rin would have died under the claws of the dragon demon, instead InuYasha saved her life.
Why hadn't Sesshomaru let Rin be killed, abandoned her once for all, getting rid of her annoying presence? Why she was still with him, seeking his protection and his approval?
Was that he'd grown accustomed to her? The great Daiyoukai Sesshomaru, son of Inu no Taisho, had grown accustomed to a little, useless, annoying human brat? No, that couldn't be possible, but…
Rin had been the first living being who smiled at him with no fear, no hatred, who had helped him –though he hadn't needed it– and had come to see him every day, not afraid or scared, she was the only one who stood by him and smiled warmly, almost as if she cared, wanted his approval, his protection –Jaken did not count– his care as well. She hadn't known who he was, or what he was, and when she did, still she acted as if nothing was wrong and he wasn't one of the strongest youkai existing.
And he still wondered why he'd revived her after the wolves killed her. It would have been better if she died that day.
But he'd revived her and it was not out of pity –he knew it.
Then why?
He hated not knowing why he did certain actions.
As if he was impelled in doing them, by something buried deep within himself.
He hated the too many questions he couldn't answer –not unless looking deep down himself, and he wasn't going to do this.
A scent trailed to his senses suddenly, shaking him from his thoughts, and it took him a moment to actually recognize it. There were two beings coming towards his castle, one was the neko female he'd accepted to speak with the day before, but the other he didn't recognize it right now.
After some deep thinking, he suddenly remembered who was the one smelling like this, it was the wolf leader, the Prince Kouga from the Northern Lands.
The stupid ookami clan. On his own Sesshomaru cared nothing of what had happened many centuries before, the killing and the blaming and the breaking up of the alliance between ookami and Inu, even if somewhere inside him his family pride burnt every time he met with a wolf demon -except Ryookan the Guardian of the Forest, who was one of his… allies– but he knew too well that the gap between them was serious and could not be ignored.
If a wolf was coming into his lands, even if the new Lord of the clan, he had to prepare to chase him away with not second thought.
Maybe that way he could ease the tension his brother created with his mere presence. Who knew.
Or maybe he would grow annoyed and simply kill him… he would soon know, they were approaching fast.
Minutes later Kouga and Chiyoo stood proud and serious in front of Sesshomaru –the neko peering at the destroyed wall over the flowers with a light frown– who glared at them showing no emotions whatsoever.
"What takes you there again, Chiyoo from the Southern Lands?" the Daiyoukai asked mildly, his voice as cold and sharp as ice. "And you, Kouga from the ookami clan, knowing you're not welcomed here".
It was Chiyoo who spoke first, since Kouga would probably just rush something and have Sesshomaru enraged more than he already was, "I am here again to ask for the second time for you to join me against the demons that gather up for Yaryudoku," she was determined to win this time. "Lord Kouga from the Northern Lands already accepted, but we need all the help we can gather in order to hope to defeat the threat of the Lord Dragon".
Kouga sniffed while Chiyoo spoke, and was surprised –more like shocked– to sense InuYasha's scent around the place. It was not like Sesshomaru just had the Hanyou's scent over him, more like he was somewhere in there.
But InuYasha said Sesshomaru hated him. What was going on?
"I won't be joining you, especially when the ookami already accepted," Sesshomaru pointed out, glaring at Kouga knowing he'd already sensed InuYasha's presence.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Kouga finally spoke, for the moment ignoring InuYasha and concentrating on the present task, "I know the problems that forced our clans to separate and break the alliance between us, but the threat coming from the awakening of Yaryudoku is too great to be ignored or refused".
Sesshomaru glared at him, preventing himself from slashing poison claws at him. He cared nothing, the family pride, the powerful enemy –what was for him?
"I ask you not to reform the alliance between us, just to call a truce, to defeat our old enemy once for all, and then we can go back to our rivalry," Kouga reasoned. "We need your strength, Lord Sesshomaru, and you know how powerful the ryu are… I can smell the scent of one dragon on you, and its blood".
Sesshomaru didn't falter, "it is indeed the scent of blood you're smelling, but it was not me who defeated the ryu –I was merely there," he could nothing but admit the ryu was really strong, even he would have had problems killing him, but he cared nothing.
"Then you must know how dangerous is to let Yaryudoku awaken and free himself, if one of his weakest soldiers can product such damage," Chiyoo said darkly.
For once Sesshomaru was surprised.
Weakest?
Something inside him growled –maybe one of them would be strong enough to fight equally with him. He'd found no proper challenges during the last centuries, he was too strong and no one dared to fight him.
InuYasha really was the only one –Naraku was just a waste of time, appearing only by false creations of himself, not worthy of his time– worthy opponent he had, and still, it wasn't enough to satisfy the Daiyoukai.
Maybe he would find a suitable challenge in the dragons, after all.
Plus, his pride asked him, more like demanded to destroy the dragons. InuYasha had taken down one; he wouldn't be shadowed by his unworthy brother. Not like this.
"You are respected and feared, Lord Sesshomaru, but if Yaryudoku breaks his seals completely all your lands will be destroyed, all youkai and humans living on them under your acceptance will be slaughtered, and even if you survive, you will have nothing to rule onto," Chiyoo continued.
Sesshomaru pondered over this a few moments. To him it was nothing, losing the lives of the beings living in his territory, but it would be inappropriate for him, not protecting the lands he was ruling. It would break his pride and ruin his image, not to mention the memory of his father, who had protected the lands with all his strength.
He had to defeat the threat, and then he could return to his matters without having to worry about his pride or honour.
Summing up all those aspects of the matter, there could be only one answer. Though it wasn't something he liked. It made him cringe slightly in disgust, as he opened his lips to state emotionlessly and coldly, "I accept the truce –for now," but then he added, seeing the eyes of the two lit up, "we won't be allies but neither rivals or enemies, we just have the same goal".
Kouga nodded, accepting his decision –it was enough.
Chiyoo breathed in relief, he had the help of the two stronger lords and maybe, now they had a chance.
"Is… Is InuYasha coming as well?" Kouga dared to ask, now asking what had bugged him since the start.
Sesshomaru glared at him, as if saying 'don't you dare test my patience' before scowling almost imperceptibly, "he won't, that's none of his matter".
Chiyoo raised one eyebrow, wondering what all the fuss was about. She had heard the Lord of the Western Lands had a brother –half brother, a Hanyou– but she'd heard they were not in good terms with each other.
Was the Hanyou's scent she smelled?
"Why is he there then? I can smell his blood, and something more," Kouga continued, suddenly feeling like he shouldn't have asked, seeing the murderous look in the Inu youkai's eyes.
"He was the one who killed the dragon youkai," was Sesshomaru's cold reply. "He was injured by the ryu's poison".
"And you are taking care of him?" Kouga asked in disbelief.
Sesshomaru's eyes flashed with rage, "don't you dare," he hissed, venom clear in his voice as his eyes flickered crimson, "he's nothing but a filthy and unworthy half blood, and has no rights to even be called heir of Inu no Taisho, he's here because I owned him the life of one of my servants," for some reason he couldn't say who the 'servant' was, especially not that it was a human little girl.
Damn pride.
"I think he's involved too, because he's an inu youkai as well," Chiyoo replied frowning. "It doesn't matter he's just half demon, he still is involved because it's his fight too, as a dog demon".
Sesshomaru wasn't going to let this happen. His brother, his half brother, wasn't going to join them. It was just as bad he was going to join those two, he wouldn't let this worsen even more.
"InuYasha is not part of my family, and thus he's not involved," he stated firmly.
"Involved in what?" an annoyed voice asked from behind them.
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Rin looked down at the sleeping hanyou with wonder filled eyes. It was not usual she could have a close look at a youkai.
Sesshomaru wasn't keen with her going too near him, and he never slept around her –if he ever slept at all. Jaken was an ugly toad and she disliked him immensely, his high pitched voice making her shudder each time he opened his wide mouth.
But this one… InuYasha-san was beautiful, just like Sesshomaru-sama was, with shiny silver hair. They looked like silk, bright and smooth. She had tried touching them seeing InuYasha was not waking up, and after some waiting she had decided to play with it a little, having it slid through her fingers. Even though she bet no one ever brushed this hair, it had no knots, it was perfect.
And… Rin let a giggle escape her lips as she brushed one dog ear on InuYasha's head, those ears were just adorable.
Fluffy and smooth and so cute she could not stop herself from touching them… she wondered if the girl who followed InuYasha–san, the girl who dressed so strangely –she didn't like her at all– could touch them every time she wanted to.
"Are you enjoying yourself, little brat?"
Rin's hand snapped away from InuYasha's ears and she yelped in surprise as the hanyou's eyes opened and fixed on her.
"Oh! I'm sorry InuYasha-san!" she cried, shaking her arms around, "it's just that…"
"They were cute and fluffy –I know, Kagome likes to touch them too," he gruffly replied, sitting up.
InuYasha had awoken feeling a soft touch on one of his most sensitive parts, his ears, and had sensed Rin's scent, so he hadn't panicked. He had let Rin brush his ears because –but he would never admit that aloud, not even with himself– he almost liked the soft touch. But as he recalled back what had happened, he had remembered Sesshomaru striking him and then nothing.
Strange, almost familiar scents filled his senses but he couldn't recall where he had felt them before, but it was surely long ago. He was lying on a soft mattress, cool against his heated skin, and his haori was not on him –maybe somewhere near.
He'd been taken care of and his chest was covered with white bandages, his wound already healing and the poison was gone completely from his system. In a split second he remembered his sword –Sesshomaru wanted Tetsusaiga!- but then he felt her warming presence at his side, still in its sheath, and he calmed down. Whatever possessed Sesshomaru to actually 'help' him, didn't let him take away his sword.
Maybe because he saved Rin, and the great Daiyoukai felt in debt with him.
Then he could smell a different scent, one he could recognize –flowers? Many, many flowers, as if around somewhere there was a garden. And the smell of some lesser demons working.
Then it dawned on him.
He was in his old home. The one he once lived in with his mother, Sesshomaru and Inu no Taisho.
All the scents were now recognizable, the one of the wooden walls, the one of the tatami, the one of the furs adorning the walls around.
And the one coming from the room he was in. It caused a twinge of pain in his heart to recognize he was in his old room, the one he lived in the first years -before his mother died, before the humans of her family rejected him, before Inu no Taisho died for the injury Ryukotsusei inflicted him. Before Sesshomaru had him chased away.
He remembered few of that period, apart from the pain of his mother's death and the villains molesting him, and he wanted not to remember too much, but the scents were still familiar.
They filled him with sadness and longing, but he denied the feeling and hardened his resolve not to show anything.
He opened his eyes and addressed Rin, who squealed away. He missed a little the soft comforting touch, but he was not going to admit it. Seeing the little girl so distressed made him want to apologize, so he settled with saying Kagome touched the ears she too.
Thinking about Kagome made him even sadder, knowing he had to confront with reality before he had wanted to. If he stayed this way, Kagome would grow old whilst he remained the same. He knew there wasn't a chance he could mate with her unless he used the Shikon jewel to turn human –just like he wanted to do for Kikyou– but there were three things against it.
First, Kagome's reaction to the whole love affair in the demon world; she rejected the idea of same sex couples and relative joining, which made InuYasha think seriously about her. She was not going to accept it, but he still liked her. He would even go as much as ignore this detail, if only he could stay with her.
Reject his true being for the sake of staying with her, the first who accepted him for what he truly was.
This was the second thing. When he had decided to use the Shikon jewel to turn human for Kikyou he knew no one who would accept him as hanyou, rejected by both humans and demons alike because he was stuck in the middle. Kikyou loved him, but refused to accept his desire to be full demon. She had asked him to turn human for her, so they could stay forever together, aging together.
He had accepted because he loved her. But Kagome asked nothing to him. She accepted what he was without restraints, being hanyou meant nothing to her… that's what made InuYasha stop wanting to become full demon. After believing Kikyou betrayed him, he tried to feed the hatred for humans so to turn youkai and finally be accepted, but right now he was contented with what he was.
Kouga said he had to gain respect and he could do that without turning something he was not.
He would never be a full youkai or a full demon, because he was a mix of both races and he was proud of it. After many years, he was finally proud.
Third thing was, he could not use the Shikon Jewel to ask selfish question. No matter what, the Shikon would turn every wish into a tainted one, distorting its real meaning. Become full demon would take away his sanity and rational mind, making him become a blood hungry being no more able to recognize friends and allies from enemies. Become human would mean lose all his natural weapons, the only things that maintained him alive all these years. He would be defenceless, and he knew he would hate that –he felt it every new moon period. Useless, harmless.
Besides, Kagome did not belong there. She came from the future, and she could not stay in the past, nor could he go in the future. They belong to their own times, for how painful that could be. And for how much he tried, he could not feel any kind of love for her. Care, yes, worry, that too, but not love, not love in the real meaning of the term.
Kikyou… she was dead. InuYasha felt no love for her either. Once he did, and he still cared for her soul, trapped within the desire of revenge and hatred, he wanted to give her peace, but he would never leave the world for her. She died, but he was alive.
Kagome never understood what Kikyou meant to him, she just acted selfishly and childishly as if it was him who betrayed her. She couldn't understand what Kikyou meant to him –the first to actually care for him, the first who treated him as if he was something more than scum. He owned her his life, he owned her so much and now she was dead and he was not.
But Kagome could not understand and accept this, and maybe this was one more thing against her. She thought about herself and never about him and his feelings.
Maybe it was because she lived in a world so far away, a world in which people of her age were not adults, but still children; maybe it was because whilst Miroku and Sango, who were of the same age as her, were considered as much as older people because of their own talents, she was considered holy and sacred because she had powers coming from Kikyou as her previous life.
She fed on it like a moth with a flame. She was a child who'd become a worshipped being.
But as InuYasha realized he loved no more Kikyou and he never loved Kagome as much as he had once thought, he felt strangely empty. As if the only thing that kept him grounded was gone.
What restrained him from going away from Kagome, Sango and Miroku before he grew attached to them too much? Maybe it already happened, he could not think his life without them –but one day it would happen.
The Shikon no Tama would be completed and Naraku would be defeated, and then Kagome would return to her time, Miroku would return to his monk duties and Sango would be back as slayer –or the two of them would marry just like Miroku promised her oh so many times– and he would be alone once again.
He lived much more than the humans, and he would have had to live with their memories.
A foreign smell hit his senses and he snapped back from his thoughts to sniff harder, not even paying attention to Rin who was once more touching his hair.
It was the smell of a neko youkai inside the manor, as well as… Kouga's scent!
He jumped up and pulled back on his haori, taking his sword and tucking it to his belt as he run towards the scent of the other two demons, feeling Sesshomaru was with them as well. What was happening?
As he reached the garden he saw Sesshomaru and Kouga talking, and there was someone else with them –a female cat demon, her tail swaging behind her with grace. He could hear them talk as he approached them, and what he heard was, "I think he's involved too, because he's a inu youkai as well, it doesn't matter he's just half demon, he still is involved because it's his fight too, as a dog demon".
The female youkai was speaking about him?
"InuYasha is not part of my family, and thus he's not involved," Sesshomaru stated firmly, his eyes burning with hatred, fury and disgust. InuYasha felt a twinge of pain deep inside him at his brother's words but he ignored it and jumped behind them –none of them sensing him because they were deep in their speech.
"Involved in what?" he questioned, annoyed. He didn't like other people speaking at his back about him and what he had to do.
They all turned, surprise in the female's eyes, shock in Kouga's, irritation in Sesshomaru's.
"None of your business, as I was saying, you will go away, because now I repaid my debt with you since you saved Rin," Sesshomaru's voice was cold and sharp.
Kouga knew this name, though Chiyoo did not, it was the little girl Sesshomaru kept with him. He wanted to question InuYasha about this, but Chiyoo stepped forwards, "there is a great menace coming against the four clans, –you have to know about the four clans, do you?"
Chiyoo eyes InuYasha with interest. She had seen many other hanyou in her life, but this one was quite appealing. His silvery hair resembled Sesshomaru's own, even if this one had no marks on his cheeks, but still, those fluffy dog ears on his head were way too cute. He was astonishing, and he was beautiful. In a few years he would become just as gorgeous as his brother was.
Just a little bit unruly and rough, the little bid of wild she liked.
InuYasha frowned, eyeing the female neko with wary eyes, "and who are you?".
"My name is Chiyoo, and I am the heir of the Lord of the Southern Lands, I came here to ask for alliance to Lord Kouga and Lord Sesshomaru against the enemy that was once sealed by the four clans" she said mildly, bowing.
InuYasha remembering how to behave –for how much he despised it– bowed back. Plus he remembered the four clans. But the only enemy the clans sealed away was some sort of dragon he couldn't remember the name… then it dawned on him, it was the one the dragon he killed named while fighting against him!
What was his name again?
"Yaryudoku," Chiyoo said, as if reading in his mind. "He's freeing himself from his seals and once free he'll come back against the clans, no matter where they are, he'll come and kill all of the remaining members".
"What does this have to do with me, then? I am not concerned, since I am no family," InuYasha said dryly. "I'm not interested into fighting an old enemy of the clans, I have my own enemy right now, besides, me and Sesshomaru are not in good terms, neither are me and Kouga there," he snickered.
"You have to, it's your duty as inu demon son of Inu no Taisho!" Chiyoo couldn't understand his stubbornness, but he could see it reflected in Sesshomaru's cold eyes as well. "Family pride asks you to join!"
"But maybe what you said days ago wasn't true," Kouga spoke, glaring at him with a mocking smirk. "Maybe what you told me were just words, after all," both InuYasha and Sesshomaru stiffened, though for different causes.
"What does that mean?" Chiyoo asked with a frown, lost to their speech.
"Maybe you wouldn't really help your brother in need, would you?" Kouga pressed on. "Maybe your pride does not matter that much to you, mh, InuYasha?"
InuYasha was astonished Kouga would say such thing now, with Sesshomaru right in front of him, thus he snapped, "don't you dare! Besides, he won't have need of me, he's too stubborn and spoiled to actually need the help of his disgraced half brother, produced by a demon and a filthy human!" he sneered, showing his fangs at the ookami demon. "There is no need of me and I have no desire to follow any of you, it's not my business and I have no interest in going with you, so don't worry, brother," he turned to Sesshomaru, who was staring at him almost in disbelief.
Almost.
"Thank you for 'helping' me," he sneered, facing his older relative with no fear. "I take that we won't see each other for a long time, I hope you won't die –it's my privilege to see you die under my sword blade".
With that he shook his head and jumped high, disappearing in the forest surrounding the manor in a flash, leaving behind the three demons.
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MasterFranny: wow, slightly longer than usual! Hope you liked!
Review if you care!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF YOU!