Author's Corner
My thanks to those who reviewed.
Special thanks to Enigmatic Arsenic, for reminding me about a certain character that I forgot about. I have brought that character and another into the story (after a rare peak of intelligence) at the end of this chapter. You'll have to read to find out what their roles are…
The Chill Fury
Chapter 7
As eyes watched in joyous disbelief, jagged cracks raced through concrete towards a point where they met the singular arm. Inuyasha took a few steps back as the ground vibrated under immense pressure from below. Finally losing strength, the cement let the body that accompanied the arm rip through it and reach the surface.
Accompanied by several burns and a few slight bruises, Sesshoumaru stood up tall, before his nose caught the scent of his prey and the fear that was coming from it. Crimson eyes moved icily to find Inuyasha backing away. Sesshoumaru was now a wounded animal, and his bloodlust had only doubled as a result.
Kagome screamed out as Sesshoumaru pinned Inuyasha to the wall, with a grip on his neck.
"Sesshoumaru don't!" Kagome pleaded from behind Izayoi. "Don't hurt him!"
The smell of burning flesh mixed with that of the rain. The pure demon's hands glowed a bright green, as its poison slowly began to melt away at Inuyasha's throat.
Inutaisho, who was still holding Kikyo, watched with fear and worry – if he tried to interfere physically; Tenseiga may attack him again.
A growl of victory escaped Sesshoumaru's lips, as Inuyasha struggled for breath and tried his best to ignore the poison that was seeping into his system and the pain caused thereby.
Inuyasha struggled for life, but he did not fight for it. The guilt that he felt and his recent understanding about his brother sapped away his will to survive. If death was the sentence that his brother had given him, then he would accept it. But Inuyasha only wished that he could utter a simple word of 'Sorry', to his brother before he passed on into the world of the spirits.
Kikyo watched with helpless eyes, as she was at a loss of what to do. She had stopped the demon, and then realized what a big mistake she had made. But now she finds out that she had failed to stop him, and he is again trying to kill Inuyasha. There really was nothing she could do. With all the power she had, she had no way of bringing the situation under control without hurting someone in the process – physically or mentally. Kikyo wished she was wearing shoes, so that she could throw it at some one to vent out her frustration - too bad Jaken was still stuck down the hole.
Izayoi watched in apprehension, but then her motherly instincts began to kick in. She was a mother, a mother who loved her son very much, a mother who could not bear to see her child get hurt, but she was also a mother to him. Perhaps she wouldn't be able to stop what was happening, but a mother's love knows no bounds and is ever willing to do anything for the sake of her children – when one was hers and the other had become hers. She trusted that the loved she had showered upon him, wouldn't fail her now… or so she hoped…
Inutaisho's eyes grew wide as he watched his immortal human wife, leave Kagome behind and trudge through the rubble towards his two sons – and then he understood – she was going towards their two sons.
Kikyo reached out an arm to caution Izayoi against her actions, but Inutaisho understandingly stopped her from interfereing.
Izayoi fearlessly moved abreast with Sesshoumaru, and grasped his extended left arm that had Inuyasha in its grip and pulled on it. Sesshoumaru snarled at her; the beast recognized her scent and the impression of her as the closest thing it had to a mother flickered powerfully in its mind, but a mother had no authority to stop a battle between two grown sons. Her pleas were recognized but not accepted.
"Sesshoumaru you have to stop this…" Izayoi pleaded, and tried to shake his arm free of its hold on the now almost lifeless Inuyasha. "He's you brother…"
At these words, his eyes, resumed their normal golden color, but it lasted only a moment or so, before the red tide crashed back into his orbs.
Izayoi realized that she shouldn't have perhaps used those particular words, even though they seemed to have a momentary effect on him. The anger and hate, was always more when a family member betrayed his trust and failed to protect something of his.
Izayoi repeatedly stroked his upper chest, just above his armor, but it' usual sublime calming effect seemed to be worth two pennies. Tears streaming down her face, she embraced Sesshoumaru, hoping that it would cause the enraged beast within him to subdue its anger in fear of hurting its mother.
But again, Izayoi only managed to make things worse. Her clothes had the fresh scent of Rin all over them; from the time she had hugged the child that morning before school. The carnivorous beast, recognized the sent immediately, and erupted into further rage. The part of the mind that was in Sesshoumaru's control fought very hard to prevent the beast within from emerging and ripping apart his puny, worthless little brother, before he a chance to do it himself.
But Sesshoumaru was fighting a losing battle. The pure demon within him was growing stronger by the minute; fuelled by rage and hate. He had to end his brother's life now… and as painfully as possible.
Ignoring the woman, that was pulling on him desperately, Sesshoumaru pulled back his right hand and half-flexed his claws and froze them in a half cupped position.
As Kikyo and Inutaisho watched with panic, the killing perfection's palm lighted into a brilliant glow of shimmering green. The rain drops that fell onto the hand, hissed and evaporated instantly under the heat and the toxicity of the poison that was permeating on the outer surface.
Sesshoumaru was about to plunge his poison powered hand through his brother and rip out his insides.
The fear driven Kagome out of desperation, fear, and love for her husband, hurriedly stumbled her way towards the specter and his prey.
The things that happened…
Sesshoumaru plunged his hand forward…
Izayoi tried unsuccessfully to save her son…
Inutaisho's heart almost stopped as he understood the high possibility of unexpected events taking place.
Kikyo understood the same thing only a moment later, and screamed, "Kagome NO!"
Kagome untidily plunged her self in between the predator and his prey…
Powerful glowing claws, plunged down to meet her pregnant belly…
And then…
A powerful bolt of lightning cracked the skies with powerfully blinding illumination.
None were able to see, as the white that erupted from the skies, flooded their field of vision and rendered them unable to see.
But two crimson eyes remained open through it all…
As sight was gifted to each individual again, Izayoi was the first to use hers to see Sesshoumaru's claws, frozen in place… only a few centimeters away from Kagome's belly.
Suddenly loosing all her strength, Izayoi held onto Sesshoumaru for support.
Kagome was the next to open her eyes and see his claws hovering motionlessly in front of her stomach.
Inutaisho and Kikyo hurried over to where the other four stood almost crushed together. Both watched nervously; even though Sesshoumaru had stopped in time, he wasn't retracting his claws.
To everyone's fear, especially Kikyo's, Kagome placed the palm of her hand against his face.
A slight snarl escaped his mouth…
The demon within Sesshoumaru had allowed Sesshoumaru his kill, but its powerful senses picked up Kagome's intentions just moments before she put her self in the line of attack. The beast had immediately recognized her, but it had also sensed the baby within her. That had been the only thing strong enough to halt Sesshoumaru's action.
Unseen to all eyes, the tiny life that was growing inside Kagome, reached out to Sesshoumaru and lulled his anger. Sesshoumaru's blood reacted instinctively; he could never harm a pup, and certainly not one that had his family blood. His eyes flickered between red and gold, unable to fully let go of his anger.
But Tenseiga saw an opportunity to act on its own and help Sesshoumaru regain his calm. It pulsed powerfully once; and tapping into his irregularly flickering aura, it gave him sight beyond sight. As Sesshoumaru, like his father, had the power to see the Pole Bearers, Tenseiga powered his aura… and gave him the ability to see the essence of the tiny form that lay within Kagome. Sesshoumaru saw a bright little sphere... that glowed with pure light and radiated with the power of his family's blood. Instinctively the beast within him, recognized the need to protect it… and its rage turned into pride; it would be a strong pup when it grew up.
The tiny form pleaded for the life of its father… and Sesshoumaru could not deny.
Cool molten gold hardened and Sesshoumaru released the grip he had on his brother's neck.
Inuyasha had escaped death because of his unborn child.
Sesshoumaru regarded Kagome expressionlessly; and Kagome immediately knew that it was finally over.
Taking the liberty to squeeze his hand, Kagome thanked him mentally and immediately turned to care for her injured husband, who lay gasping for breath, but was otherwise not too badly hurt; the burnt skin in his neck would take some time to heal though.
Sesshoumaru silently stepped back and gave them some room. Sesshoumaru was again mistreated, when Izayoi wrapped her arms around him and sobbed. He thought it rather careless of her to do so when he had his spiky armor on, but he knew better than to tell her – his step mother was very used to taking her liberties with him, no matter what he thought.
oooOOOooo
"I am proud of you son." Inutaisho said standing beside his son as he watched the women of the house tend to Inuyasha. "Your will to see your brother alive, was what saved him."
"You are mistaken father." Sesshoumaru informed as the rain came to a stop. "It was your grandchild that saved him."
oooOOOooo
At a branch of the Tenseiga Corp. in America…
A weary science student entered the Robotics building and climbed two flights of stairs to his professor's lab.
"I have the stats from the latest test we conducted sir." the student informed upon entering the dark laboratory.
"Very good Kohaku," a voice permeated from somewhere in the shadows. "Leave them on the desk there."
Kohaku did as he was told and awaited any further instructions.
"That will be all," the deep voice glided through like coarse silk, emulating the darkness that stormed outside the pyramidal building. "You may leave."
Kohaku was about to exit the lab, when he remembered a message he was supposed to pass onto his professor.
"Professor, the office told me to inform you that the chairman of the company has arrived in America and may pay a visit at any time."
oooOOOooo
"This works out very well," the professor with his long wavy raven hair voiced out in eerie calm after his student had left. "I couldn't have planned this any better."
A chilling laugh echoed through the darkened laboratory as his footsteps lead to the back of the giant room. He punched in a few keys on a hand held device, and a secret panel opened; revealing a small lift.
Taking the lift, the tall man traveled down several floors; well below ground.
He then entered a giant complex filled with different types of machines and several large computers that filled the space in complex sequences; each having a specific intricate purpose. Upon entering a smaller room, he went to stand in front of a large metal cylindrical structure, labeled; PROTOTYPE – Experimental Robot.
"My pet, you have exceeded all my expectations."
Moving forward he removed the cloth that concealed the view through the glass front. Inside; immersed in a clear liquid, was a little girl with her eyes closed.
"I think you deserve a name," he spoke to the lifeless figure. "Hmm… I think I will call you Kanna…"
Insidious laughter echoed through the underground structure…
(ha ha ha ha hhaha ha ha ah ah ha ha (cough) (cough) (choke…)
The professor choked on his laugh and desperately searched for a glass of water.
"Well… that ruined the moment." he said to his reflection in the mirror after emptying a glass of water. "I suppose I need more practice with my evil laughter. "
He sighed with a shake of his head, "Who said it was easy being the bad guy…"
Okay, in case anyone hasn't figured out who the professor is (what are you? – stupid!), it's Naraku. But I guess all of you figured that one out. (sigh) – I can never keep up mystery. But Enigmatic Arsenic's little reminder not only gave me a cool new character but also gave me an idea for a plot – (kind of Heh heh).
But apparently, it seems that most of you don't like this story (I think coz, I got only two reviews or something for the last chap). If that is the case then there is no point in me spending time on it, so, I'll discontinue this for some time. I will probably spend time on the one-shots I have gotten a sudden interest for. (they are exciting to write – wooh!). Anyway, I'll wait to hear from you'll and what you guys say, and then I'll make a sure decision about whether to update or not. Thanks and peace…
Be on the look out for one-shots.