Update Dates: Sundays and Thursdays

Undeniable Love
Chapter 11 - New Alliances

By: Scaevola
Published 8/25/05
Updated 9/29/05

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As Sesshomaru left the small village, followed by a skipping Rin and a struggling Jaken as he tried to drag Ah-Un along, he thought carefully about what he had just done. The monk's words came back to him.

"Why?" asked the monk. "Why are you giving the sword back? Is it not what you have been fighting with InuYasha for?"

True, he had dedicated himself to taking the Tetsusaiga from his brother. His father's fang, it gave the sword amazing destructive power. Sesshomaru had always been bitter about the fact that he had been left Tensaiga and not Tetsusaiga.

Sesshomaru paused to draw the Tensaiga, ignoring the squawking Jaken behind him.

Sometimes the toad was too annoying and curious for his own good. He had planned ridding himself of Jaken, but instead Sesshomaru had found that Jaken was good for watching Rin while he was away.

Sesshomaru looked down at the sword as it gleamed in the moonlight, the Tensaiga, made from another one of father's fangs, was Tetsusaiga's brother, but it's abilities were completely different. Where Tetsusaiga could destroy, Tensaiga could heal. Sesshomaru had no use for such a sword. 'Why, father? Why did you leave me the Tensaiga? What did you want me to learn?'

Yet no answer came, no sound but the wind rustling the leaves of the forest around him and Jaken's annoying voice reached his ears. Sesshomaru sighed, putting the sword away. No matter how much he thought about it, he could never find a reason as to why father had not given him the Tetsusaiga. He had always coveted the sword, and yet, when he finally had it in his grasp, he did not keep it, instead giving it back to his brother.

He supposed it was honor. He would not sink so low as to resort to taking advantage of his brother's carelessness. He would make sure he fought and killed his brother for the Tetsusaiga, proving that he was the better demon and that he did, after all, deserve the Tetsusaiga.

"I will take the sword from my brother after I kill him. I will not take it like a thief."

Sesshomaru's last words to the monk came back to him, nearly making him smile. No, he was definitely not a thief, but there could be no doubt that InuYasha would soon be dead, and Tetsusaiga in his grasp.

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Sango and Miroku were too shocked to move for quite awhile after Sesshomaru had left. Shippo merely sighed and fell asleep next to Kirara, not putting much thought into Sesshomaru's motives.

Sango's thoughts were racing. 'Did Sesshomaru really just do that? Did he really just give the Tetsusaiga back to us for InuYasha to use again? All because he is honorable? Surely he has ulterior motives.'

Sango told monk her suspicions. "Don't you think Sesshomaru was being a little too generous?"

Miroku looked lost in thought. Sango had to call him a few times before he finally looked up at her. "Huh?"

"I was wondering if you thought Sesshomaru was being too generous just then." said Sango.

"You think he might have some other purpose?" he asked. "hmm...Yes, I suppose that's possible, but I don't see what he gains from InuYasha having the Tetsusaiga again."

They both fell silent again, lost in there thoughts. Sango looked down at the Tetsusaiga in her lap. She drew the blade carefully, inspecting it for any changes or tampering. It still looked like the same, beat up old sword. Of course, she could never be sure. Only InuYasha would be able to tell if anything had truly been done to the sword.

Finally, Miroku spoke again. "I don't think we'll be able to find out anything on our own. We'll just have to wait for InuYasha to return and see what happens. Maybe Sesshomaru was telling the truth."

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Shortly after Kagome had fallen asleep, Mrs. Higurashi came into the room quietly with two bowls of Ramen.

"I thought she might want something to eat too when she woke up." she told InuYasha, who nodded, not taking his eyes off of Kagome.

Kagome's mother stood there for awhile, watching the hanyou stare at her daughter. She knew he cared deeply for her daughter, and that one day, despite all their fights, Kagome and InuYasha would eventually be happy together.

"InuYasha." he pried his eyes away from her daughter as he looked up at her.

"Thank you, InuYasha." she whispered. "If it weren't for you..." she didn't finish, for some reason she was just at a loss for words.

InuYasha seemed to understand what she meant though, nodding his head and giving a small "Feh." before turning back to gaze at Kagome's sleeping form; a small smile forming.

"What happened, InuYasha?" InuYasha sighed at the question. he was expecting her to ask eventually, but he was hoping it wasn't soon. He just wanted to be with Kagome, to make sure she was okay. He almost snapped at her, but he was too respectful of Kagome's mom to do that. She was a kind woman, and had accepted him as much as Kagome.

He took a deep breath and told her all he could, he left out the more disturbing parts of course, like why Koga had taken Kagome. He made it seem more like Koga took Kagome to get the jewel shards, but he didn't outright lie. He wouldn't let Kagome's mother know what Koga tried to do unless Kagome was okay with it. He'd wait. As he began to explain about how he turned full demon and managed to save Kagome, he stiffened. His hand automatically sought the Tetsusaiga.

Mrs. Higurashi couldn't help but notice InuYasha's sudden unease. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Tetsusaiga." he whispered, his eyes glazed over, as though he were staring at some far off place that she couldn't see.

Her eyes fell to his hips, which the sword was normally strapped to. She briefly wondered why he had suddenly become so concerned about it, thinking about what InuYasha was just saying. She was about to ask him what happened after he got to Kagome, but that's when it hit her. He was in his full demon form...Kagome told her that the Tetsusaiga kept his demon side in check, and so now he must be worried, without the sword.

She told him to go get it, before someone else did, but when he stood up to leave, his eyes fell on Kagome.

"No." he said curtly, swiftly sitting back to at Kagome's side.

"Why not? Go get it InuYasha." she persisted.

"No." he repeated. "I'm staying with Kagome."

She caught herself staring at the hanyou. Kagome had told her how important the Tetsusaiga was to InuYasha, and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. InuYasha was willingly risking his sword, just to make sure Kagome was okay?"

"Really InuYasha, Kagome will be-"

InuYasha cut in swiftly. "No. I'm staying here."

Kagome's mom sighed in defeat. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to convince InuYasha to leave Kagome's side. She left the room silently, forgetting about the rest of InuYasha's tale.

InuYasha sighed as she shut the door. He hadn't meant to be rude with Kagome's mom, it had just come out and he interrupted her. He hoped she wasn't angry with him. If Kagome's mom was anything like Kagome when she was angry, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be near here. The sudden fear of being sat by Kagome's mom crossed his mind, but he dismissed it quickly. Thank god that could never happen!

He glanced back at the angel sleeping in the room near him. Kagome was beautiful beyond belief. He couldn't find the words to describe her. He'd never tell her that though. She'd laugh at him for being so foolish and weak. He smiled and smoothed her bangs as she sighed and tried to bury herself deeper in the blankets. Maybe, just maybe, he'd have the strength to tell her one day.

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Koga was running, he'd just left his little meeting with Naraku and that miko, Kikyo. Although he'd sworn to fight Naraku, he'd never said when. He'd work with Naraku, for now. Once he got Kagome, the alliance would be over.

The plan that they made together should work out nicely, but they all agreed that Kikyo would not be able to handle InuYasha, especially if he thought she was dead. She'd have a different use of course.

So if not Kikyo, then who? Naraku seemed strangely unwilling, but he'd given them all a different idea. There were plenty of demons who would gladly take InuYasha's life, but there was one specific demon that would do it with ease.

Koga picked up the demon's scent, and quickened his pace. He needed to make sure the plan worked.

Finally, he came to a small campsite. His eyes searched for the demon, but he was out of site. He took a small sniff of the air, trying to pick up the scent of the demon, when clawed hands shot out and grabbed his throat from behind.

Koga gasped and nearly fought back, but calmed himself instead, making sure the demon knew he was not here for a fight.

"If you'd get your dirty hands off me, I have come here to make a deal with you."

The hands around his throat didn't lesson there grip, instead they tightened slightly, making Koga cough lightly.

The demon behind him finally spoke. "Then you'd better tell me quickly." He tightened his hand around Koga once more, quickly, as if to emphasis his point.

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Blah! Shorter than normal I suppose, but whatever. I promise I'll make it up to you next chapter! I