The Blood I Shed for You

Disclaimer: Considering I am posting this story on a site called fanfiction.net, one would assume that it is exactly that, a fanfic. One would also assume any writers on this site would be immune to lawsuits in any way, shape, or form. Though, this may not be the case, and I do not wish to trustingly leave myself in the hand of another. I hereby announce I have no ownership of the Inuyasha series, manga, and movie. Ownership and all rights go to Rumiko Takahashi. I write any and all stories merely for entertainment of others, and myself. I receive no money for my efforts. Any original characters I may or may not use in any of my stories are of my own making, and though none of them may be protected as mine by law and I will have no power should someone decide to use one, I do appreciate permission, first.

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Inuyasha relaxed into his sister as she spoke. Family. Family was something he hadn't had for so long. It felt good to love and be loved by someone again. He hadn't felt the warm reassurance of that kind of love since his mother. As she finished speaking, he felt a strong bond for his sister growing.

"Don't fight Kikyo." Inuyasha spoke after a while.

Inuyamainu looked at him questioningly. She was about to speak when he spoke again.

"She a powerful miko, even if she is dead."

Inuyamainu smiled. "I'm more dangerous than just a pair of claws."

Inuyasha didn't exactly know what she meant, but he wasn't sure if he should feel worried or reassured.

Inuyasha and Inuyamainu remained sitting together for quite a while. They had stopped hugging after a while, but they each had an arm wrapped around the other's waist as Inuyamainu pointed out some of her favorite constellations. She pointed northward.

"Look there. That's probably the easiest constellation to find. It's called 'The Big Dipper'. It looks like a big ladle."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I just don't see it."

Inuyamainu pointed with a clawed finger to each star. "Alkaid, Alcor Mizar, Alioth, Megrez, Dubhe, Merak, and Phecda. They're the seven stars of the Big Dipper."

Inuyasha looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Inuyamainu held out the palm of her hand, and using her clawed index finger, cut the design of the Big Dipper into her flesh. Then she held out her hand against the sky and pointed with her other hand again.

"Right there. Do you see it?"

Inuyasha squinted a moment until his face lit up with recognition.

"I see it!" He said excitedly.

"The brightest star in the Big Dipper," she said, pointing to the North Star, "is the North Star. If you are ever lost at night, the North Star will guide you. Some legends say that the North Star always shines above your home, and if you follow it, it will guide you there."

Inuyasha smiled as his little sister showed him one constellation after another, telling stories, legends, and myths about each one. She was so smart. It was hard for him to believe she was his little sister. In fact, as she showed him things he never knew, and told him stories, he felt strangely like the younger sibling. In a way, it was true he was. He had been asleep for 50 years, while Inuyamainu had not. Technically, that made her 50 years older, but he'd never say anything about that. He kind of liked the idea of being a big brother.

"Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha jumped. Inuyamainu smiled and shook her head.

"I've been calling you for a while. Am I putting you to sleep?" She asked.

"No. I was just thinking."

"Oh? Of what?" Inuyamainu asked.

"What's your favorite constellation?" Inuyasha lied.

Inuyamainu smiled. "That would be the Cat's Eye Nebula." She pointed into the center of the northern hemisphere. "It's not exactly a constellation. In reality it's a dying star."

Inuyasha squinted hard to see what she was pointing at. "I can't see it."

"I'm not sure you can. It's very far away. Someday I'll take you north to my home. The sky is clearer up there. If you look really hard, you may see it."

"Why would you like a dying star?" Inuyasha gave her an odd look.

"It humbles me." She said, smiling. "It reminds me that no matter how bright we shine, we all find our end one day. Everything only lives for so long, even the stars, mutt, even the stars..." She said, trailing off meaningfully. "My star has been dying for over 500 years. Her death will probably outlive my life. A single star's life will have lived to see the first and last days of demons. When all our children are dead and gone, it will continue to shine. We will all return to our mother earth in time, and that single star will live to see her death, as well."

Looking up at the stars, Inuyasha didn't feel humbled, he felt insignificant. A shiver of uncertainty made its way up his spine. He felt Inuyamainu's hand squeeze him comfortingly.

"Death is not the end, dear brother." She smiled cheerfully at him. "When the forests burn, new plants grow from the ashes of the dead. When the stars die, they explode, sending particles of life far and wide. The particles wander out in space until they meet with others. When there are enough, they ignite and create a new star. Death creates life. Life creates life. Everything works for a reason. Everything has its purpose. Even if the purpose isn't always clear, it's still there."

Inuyasha felt himself feeling better. He looked at Inuyamainu and found himself wondering how long she had felt the way he just had. He had felt worthless, insignificant, and lost knowing just how small he was in the grand scheme of things. Then she had given him the answers, and everything made sense again. He couldn't help but wonder exactly what went on in her head. Part of him found himself not wanting to know. He wasn't sure he could handle what he'd find there.

"Sometimes it's better not knowing." Inuyamainu said, as if reading his thoughts. "It took me 6 years to find the meaning of life. Those 6 years were the hardest years of my life. I was my own worst enemy. Everyday I tried to find the answers to questions of my own making. Everyday I tried to stop asking questions. Everyday I sank further into my personal black hole. Every new day brought more questions than answers. No one could help me, no matter how I wished they could. It was my living hell." She said, looking into his eyes. "Then one day, all the answers came. Everything made sense, and like the star particles, I was shot from the mouth of the black hole so I could make life again. The meaning of life is to live. It took me 6 years to find such a simple answer, but I was looking in all the wrong places. You can't find the meaning of life in books. You find it in life. By living, you find the meaning of life, whether you realize it or not." She smiled at him, her eyes glowing with a distant gaze. "Sometimes the easiest answers are the hardest to find."

Both were silent for a long while. Inuyasha had never really thought about things like this before. He had just lived each day as it came. He never really thought much about the yesterday that was gone or the tomorrow that might be. Somehow, it didn't matter. If what Inuyamainu said was true, then he was doing everything just right. He smiled and looked at Inuyamainu, who was looking straight back at him.

"Perhaps you should go back through the well, now. I'm sure lady Kagome is wondering what has become of you." Inuyamainu said warmly.

Inuyasha's eye bulged slightly. He had forgotten completely about Kagome!

"Shit!"

Inuyamainu laughed as she watched Inuyasha race back towards the well. He could be so thoughtless sometimes...