Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, Rumiko Takahashi does. Loki and her past belong to Yukari Hitomi. I own Yuniko because she's my own character.
I love writing Naraku because even though he is evil, I have to admire his brains and resourcefulness. And he can have a tender side sometimes…I find him hard to actually hate. And I can write his plan really well because I can plan, at least this, like he actually would. And no, I did not make him a pervert! You'll see what I mean…
Chapter Four: Guilt from the Past
Naraku didn't wake up until Kagura came barging in, dragging a protesting Yuniko behind her. She threw her at his feet.
"Naraku-sama, sir, I caught this girl sneaking out of your room. What do you want me to do with her?"
Naraku glared at Yuniko, enjoying the way she cringed beneath his gaze. "Leave me alone with her for a few moments. I shall think of an adequate punishment for her." The second Kagura closed the door behind her, he advanced towards the hanyou girl.
"Wh-what are you doing?" Yuniko was beginning to look frightened. She backed up until she hit the wall.
"I want to pay you back for what you did to me last night."
"Well, whatever it was, I'm sure you deserved—mmmf!" Naraku's mouth closed over hers…then one of his hands plunged into her chest, depositing a jewel shard next to her heart.
Yuniko jerked away, her mouth open in a silent scream of pain, before sliding bonelessly to the floor. Naraku felt her mental defenses fall as she lost consciousness. He felt a dull pain at hurting her, but he muttered, almost to himself, "You'll live. Now let's see them complete the Shikon No Tama without killing you." He smiled grimly as he thought of the pain Inuyasha would soon go through. This little chain of events would most likely end with either hanyou dead, if all went as planned.
It was almost exactly like the time when he had taken Loki, Inuyasha's other younger sister, over fifty years ago. Naraku had controlled her briefly, but the battle had resulted in Loki's death. Inuyasha had been so traumatized that he pushed the entire battle out of his memory…including Naraku. He only remembered that his sister was dead, and in the process, forgot he had another sister: Yuniko.
Naraku was sure that Inuyasha would be defeated this time. Yuniko's physically weak (for a hanyou, she was still stronger than any human) body hid great demonic power, even if she wasn't aware that she had it. It lay dormant until she was in a situation where her life was in danger and she couldn't cope… Then it wouldn't matter if she was hanyou or human. The power would be unleashed. Not only that, but the jewel shard would amplify those powers to terrifying levels. Once Inuyasha knew it was kill or be killed, he would instinctively defend himself, try to kill her…and die. It was the perfect trap.
Even if he did succeed in breaking Naraku's control over Yuniko, they couldn't remove the shard—and so complete the Shikon No Tama—without killing her.
"Either way," Naraku chuckled, "I win." He watched as Yuniko's wound healed, aided by the shard.
His warm feelings for her had been buried now, and looking at the girl he saw only a pawn. She opened her eyes. There was nothing left of Yuniko in them anymore…only blind obedience in their dark amber depths.
"Go," Naraku intoned. "Go and kill Inuyasha!"
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"Yuniko…" A cold wind blew across the clearing. Inuyasha charged at his sister. "I'm going to bring you back, Yuniko, even if I've got to kill you to do it!"
She didn't move until he was only a few feet away. With blinding speed, she swung Kiba. Inuyasha blocked. They charged. Both looked down in shock at the other's sword as they impaled each other. Yuniko fell first, her eyes closing, her skin as pale as marble.
"No! Yuniko, wake up! Wake up!" he wept, even as the blood gushed from his own wound.
"Wake up, Inuyasha!"
Inuyasha woke up gasping. "What happened? Where's Yuniko?"
Kagome stopped shaking him. "You were having a nightmare."
Inuyasha touched his cheek, wet with tears. "I dreamed I was fighting Yuniko. We killed each other." He shuddered as he remembered her cold flesh beneath his fingers. "She…died in my arms, and there was nothing I could do! Nothing…"
Kagome hugged him, making him blush. "It'll be all right," she reassured him. "We'll start searching right now."
"Damn it!" Inuyasha swore. Sesshomaru had been gone all day—for food, he had said, even though they had a full supply—and the search for Yuniko had so far proved in vain. There was no trace of her anywhere.
"Oh, stop complaining," Kagome groaned. "She's out there. We'll find her."
As it turned out, she found them.
"Die!" A blurred form flashed before them. Inuyasha staggered backwards as a foot connected with his stomach. When he could breathe again, he looked up…and saw Yuniko, her sword Kiba at his throat.
"Yuniko, what—" Then he saw her eyes. A sardonic smile twisted his face. "I see. I suppose this'll be to the death, then?" Yuniko nodded. Inuyasha snorted, "Fine." She withdrew Kiba to allow him to stand. They prepared to do battle.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called, having not heard the 'to the death' part. "She has a jewel shard next to her heart."
Inuyasha didn't hear her. He was too busy concentrating on staying alive. He drew Tetsusaiga and stood to face—and perhaps kill—his sister.
Killing…my sister? Why does this feel so familiar?
"Yame no Kizu!" Inuyasha barely managed to dodge it, wondering when and how Yuniko had mastered the Dream Scar. He lashed out with Tetsusaiga, ripping the sleeve of her blue hoari. Her claws tore at his chest. Then, unexpectedly, he remembered something…
Kill or be killed…my sister, I couldn't protect her from Naraku. And it's happening again. It was as if an invisible wall was slowly crumbling in his mind. Loki! Naraku controlled her. It was kill or be killed… I killed her.
Then Inuyasha saw, not Yuniko, but Loki, come back from the dead to avenge her death. I deserve to die for doing what I did. He was prepared to resign himself to the next world, but a deeper instinct forced Inuyasha to fight, to live.
Now they both went on the offensive, neither willing to give in. They were hilt to hilt…and Inuyasha was being pushed back. Normally, he would have had the advantage in strength and speed, but she had the height advantage, as well as the Shikon shard that made her more than his equal. She forced her older brother to his knees.
"Any last words?" she sneered.
"Yeah," Inuyasha said. "I'm really sorry it had to end…like…this!" With an enormous effort, he threw Yuniko off of him. She fell and flipped back onto her feet just as he recovered his own footing. They charged at each other again, neither wavering. There was a sickening double squelch of blades piercing flesh.
At least, that was what Inuyasha was expecting.
Mere moments before, Sesshomaru had come out of the forest, looking for his little sister. Quickly assessing the situation, he drew Tokijin.
"Dragon Strike!" The attack tore the ground between the battling hanyous, throwing them into the air. Inuyasha barely managed to land on his feet.
"Where's Yuniko?" She was somewhere in the dust cloud, possibly hurt… He didn't worry for very long.
"Sesshomaru, how dare you interfere!" Yuniko cried furiously. "Dog Strike!"
"Look out!" Inuyasha yelled, racing towards his brother. But the attack had not been aimed at Sesshomaru. Not entirely. When the dust had cleared, Inuyasha saw Sesshomaru's face mere inches from his own. In trying to save each other, they had escaped the devastating double attack.
Kagome wasn't so lucky. She lay unconscious a few yards away. Inuyasha hadn't seen, however: He was still trying to figure out an excuse for saving Sesshomaru.
"It would appear we must ally with each other in order to defeat this foe," said Sesshomaru.
"Foe? She's our sister!" Inuyasha thought for a moment. "Maybe if we knocked her out, Naraku would lose control."
"And how do you propose to do that, little brother?"
"You use Dragon Strike, and I use my Wind Scar—Where's Tetsusaiga!"
"Backlash Wave!" Yuniko shouted.
"It would appear she retrieved it while my attack distracted you—entirely unintentional on my part, I assure you—" Then the Backlash Wave found them. Sesshomaru sighed as the attack missed them entirely, going behind the two brothers. "She has not yet mastered your sword. You should be grateful for that, Inuyasha. Dragon Strike!"
This time, the Dragon Strike hit Yuniko. Miles away, Naraku felt her fall. "Damn."
Inuyasha slung his unconscious sister over his shoulder.
"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru asked, "why are you going through such an effort to keep your sister alive?"
The hanyou stopped dead in his tracks. "What're you insinuating, Sesshomaru?"
"Big word for such a little mutt. Don't you remember Loki? How you allowed Naraku to kidnap and control her? Why did you simply decide to kill her? Why are you only saving this one? Why, Inuyasha?"
"Shut up!" Inuyasha snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Sesshomaru's eyebrow lifted in amusement. "Really?" he said in mocking disbelief. "Then why don't you give your reasoning? Do you wish to save her purely because she is our youngest sister?" His eyes narrowed. "Or are you doing this out of guilt?"
"N-no, I'm not. I just…I just wanted to make good of this chance. I wanted to save her this time around, not let the opportunity slip by again, that's all."
"Guilt."
Inuyasha's temper exploded. "You have no idea how much pain I went through last time, Sesshomaru, so just shut your mouth, you hear me! You never cried as I did that day!"
"Didn't I?" Sesshomaru replied coldly. "I see. Is that what you think of me, then? A cold, heartless thing that couldn't even cry when the girl he raised died? Who couldn't mourn for his own sister? My heart died that day."
Inuyasha couldn't look Sesshomaru in the eye. No wonder Sesshomaru hated him so much. No wonder he never showed emotion anymore…or before Loki had been born. He didn't want to have his all-to-fragile heart broken again.
"That's what I used to think," he muttered, turning away. "Let's…get Yuniko somewhere safe. Naraku might still come back for her, so it'll be better if she's with us, at least."
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It was three days before Yuniko finally regained consciousness. The first thing she heard was soft voices from the next room.
"Kagome says she's got a Shikon shard embedded next to her heart."
"That will pose some difficulty. Perhaps if I used Tenseiga to remove it…"
Yuniko shot up, her amber eyes widening. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are actually talking to each other without fighting? Impossible! This I gotta see. She peered through a crack in the door, not believing what she saw.
Not only were her brothers actually calmly discussing something together, they were actually sitting next to each other. Yuniko was surprised that they couldn't hear the thud of her jaw hitting the floor.
"Kill them. Kill them all." A soft, menacing voice intruded her mind. A red haze covered her vision. Her body was no longer obeying her.
No! I can't let him do this! "Inuyasha nii-chan! Sesshy! Run…" Her control faded as Naraku invaded her mind, taking over. Strangely, she remained fully aware of her surroundings. Does that usually happen? But there was nothing she could do to stop her body from crashing through the wall and attacking her surprised older siblings.
"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" Sesshomaru had had his back to her, a fact he regretted as Yuniko ripped it open, leaving marks similar to those of the Four War Gods (A/N: The Four War Gods are demons from the fourth movie, which HOPEFULLY will come out in English soon). Inuyasha winced semi-sympathetically as he launched a counterattack.
"Blades of Blood!"
Sesshomaru didn't waste any time, either, despite his pain. "Poison Claw!"
Yuniko dodged as best she could, but still got scratched. She grimaced in pain, then stood tall, facing her brothers.
"Hey, Inuyasha, I learned a new trick. Wanna see!" Fire shot from her sword, enveloping him.
Inuyasha smirked as the flames licked at his clothes. "Sorry, Naraku. That won't work. My hoari's made out of fire rat cloth, remember?" Before he could retaliate, Sesshomaru leaped between them and grabbed Yuniko by the throat.
"Get…out…of…my…sister," he growled, digging his claws into her neck. "I know she's still in there. I can see her deep inside. Now get out!"
Naraku laughed, an ugly sound coming from a young girl's mouth. "Make me."
Something inside Sesshomaru snapped. "Forgive me, little sister." His claws began to glow green with poison.
"No! Don't kill her!" Inuyasha shouted, tackling his brother to the ground. Yuniko rolled away.
"So, Sesshomaru, you would kill your own sister just to be rid of me? And Inuyasha, are you prepared to defend her to the death, despite the fact she may kill you? How touching." Naraku snickered, watching pain flicker across Inuyasha's face. Sesshomaru remained as impassive as ever, but his hand tightened on Tokijin's hilt until his knuckles whitened.
"Of course I'll defend her!" Inuyasha shouted. "Even if she—what am I saying?—even if you make her kill me, I'll still defend her. No matter what, Naraku. I'll do everything in my power to free her, but killing Yuniko is not an option, and it never will be!"
"Hmph. Then perhaps you should write the arrangements for your funeral. Oh, that's right, you probably can't write, can you? My mistake, I thought you were intelligent for a moment."
Sesshomaru snarled, "I told you before to release Yuniko. Now die!" His poison claws tore the air.
Inside, Yuniko screamed. But on the outside, there was only a blank look before Naraku fled. Yuniko fell limply to the ground, gasping.
"Now then…it appears the Shikon shard is the cause of all this," Sesshomaru said, not missing a beat. "If we remove it, there should be no more trouble from Naraku."
Yuniko rolled away from him into a wary crouch. "Oh no you don't! I've had enough with guys sticking their hands where they don't belong! Just stay away!"
"I must remove the shard," Sesshomaru told her not very patiently. "Naraku will continue to return for you unless the shard is gone."
"I'll get rid of it myself." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steeling herself. Then she plunged Kiba into her chest, twisting it.
Kiiiiiiin. The jewel shard flew out, thudding lightly on the ground at Sesshomaru's feet.
Yuniko smiled shakily as she dropped her sword. Inuyasha ran and caught her as she fell.
"Yuniko! What'd you go and do that for, stupid!" Tears ran down his face as he tried desperately to stop the bleeding. There was so much blood… He knew she was beyond mortal help. "You baka! Getting rid of Naraku isn't worth this. Not at this price." He sank to his knees, holding her close. "Not at this price."
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes as the last breath slipped from their sister's body. "It is you who are the fool, little brother. Have you forgotten that I possess the Tenseiga?"
"Oh yeah!" Inuyasha said excitedly, dropping Yuniko's head on the floor with a clunk as he stood. "I forgot all about it in the heat of the moment." (A/N: Yeah, that's me—ruining a perfectly good dramatic scene with something silly. But it works here)
Sesshomaru sighed and drew Tenseiga. "I'm only doing this so I can have a sane family member—" The sword stopped. "But is it right? She killed Father, and Inuyasha, she caused your mother's death as well. Why should you wish to save her?"
Inuyasha glared at his half-brother. "We've been through this already—" But he couldn't think of anything to say in his sister's defense. He had loved his mother very much, but…he loved Yuniko, too. He already had the death of one sister on his conscience, and to have caused both of their deaths…
"Sesshomaru, I swear, if you don't use that damn fang right now, I will ram it down your throat and personally deliver you to Naraku. And I will enjoy every moment of your pain."
Sesshomaru returned the glare before turning to Yuniko's lifeless form. He could see the messengers from the other world removing her soul. I must avenge you another time, Father. He lashed out with Tenseiga, obliterating the little demons.
"She is sleeping normally now," he said unsmilingly as Yuniko began breathing again.
Inuyasha sighed with relief as he brushed Yuniko's bangs out of her eyes. "Good. She's been through a lot…" He suddenly felt very tired.
There was a soft thud as Sesshomaru murmured, "You have not exactly lived in a bed of roses either, Inuyasha."
But Inuyasha did not hear. He was curled up quietly near Yuniko, fast asleep.
Sesshomaru chuckled softly as he drew a blanket over his younger siblings. "Good night, you two. Rest well, and may you have sweet dreams."
Sweet, huh? I love making Sesshomaru a loving big brother. I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter of Family Ties! I swear these chapters are getting longer and longer... The next one isverylong, over twelve pages, so just wait a little longer. I have to write it, type it, and then edit it. That's quite a bit of work, you know! But the next chapter, Memories of the Past, will be here soon…I hope. I'm kind of grounded. But I will work on it!