Chapter Forty-Three

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HEY GUYS!

So yeah, it's been a couple weeks...

So sorry for the inconsistent uploads. I hope this chapter makes up for it :D I know I'm really looking forward to seeing some reactions!

HUGE THANKS TO: Wondla Master, sendou3aichi, mstars9, ukitakeitalialover041757, PouringRain-BlazingStorm, Kagz419, kira shadow wolf, mrs. morgan 35, Symone1234, Eris Neve, CurlyBookWriter94, MillieBelle.

Also, thank you so so much for the overwhelming words of support and love you've sent in my family's direction over this tough period of time with losing my Grandfather. It's truly meant a great deal :). Words can't thank you all enough!

ONWARDS!


"It's a draw?!" Miroku shouts in disbelief as Tessaiga and Tokijin are locked together, an intense light being produced from where the blades were touching. The tension in our group can be easily felt, especially coming from me as my eyes remained locked on Inuyasha. Shippo lets out a sound of disbelief as he sits safely on my shoulder, Totosai standing next to me and watching the battle intently. With a shove Kaijinbo manages to unlock the blades, taking a swipe at Inuyasha as the half-demon dodges out of the way, landing back a few feet. Inuyasha is able to hold Tessaiga up for only a second, before the blade becomes too heavy and it falls with a clunk to the ground. As he grips onto the hilt with both hands, I can see the nervous look that flashes across my lover's face.

'Even if it's a draw in terms of the swords, if Inuyasha cannot hold Tessaiga up for any length of time, he's a sitting duck.' I frown to myself, hands clenching tightly into fists at my sides.

"Pathetic! You don't even have the strength to hold up your own sword!" Kaijinbo taunts, a cocky smirk spread over his face. His cold laughter fills the valley, Inuyasha swearing softly in response to the evil swordsmith's observation. "Prepare yourself! This time, you'll meet your maker!" Kaijinbo proclaims, before launching himself across the distance between the two fighters.

"Not if I can help it!" Inuyasha refutes, and with a grunt of effort he manages to lift Tessaiga up and swing it around to block Tokijin. The power created from the two blades meeting once more causes the air to snap around them with energy, a bright glow emitting from the connection once more. With it still being early morning, the light that the attacks produced rivaled even that of the slowly rising sun.

"Pathetic, Totosai!" Kaijinbo shouts over the rattling of the swords. "I expected much better from you-"

Kaijinbo's insult was cut off, as he was cut in half.

'Did…did Tessaiga overpower him? Just like that?' I think in shock, Inuyasha looking on in surprise as well at the space Kaijinbo had just been, Tessaiga's blade once again braced on the ground. Tokijin suddenly falls from the sky, having been blasted away when Kaijinbo had been killed, landing blade-first in the ground with a soft thud.

The sword-smith's hand still grasping the handle.

Swallowing thickly, I watch as the severed hand disintegrates with a pulse of energy from the sword. "Incredible!" Miroku exclaims, leaning forward with his eyes trained on Tokijin.

"Yes, the sword held up, but Kaijinbo himself was unable to withstand it's power." Totosai informs us.

"You mean, it wasn't Tessaiga that killed him?" I ask, feeling confused. Could a sword really turn against it's own handler? Totosai nods in confirmation.

"The very sword he forged overpowered him." Totosai's face hardens. "The wretched fool deserved it." He added, voice cold and hard. I'm momentarily shocked by the old man's callousness, seeming entirely out of character for Totosai.

'However, I could imagine this had been far more personal for him, having once had Kaijinbo as his apprentice.' I add to myself, before looking towards Inuyasha as he still stands with Tessaiga fully transformed, breathing heavily with exertion from handling the now heavy sword. I walk over to him, Shippo jumping off of my shoulder and instead standing next to Kirara, obviously apprehensive of Inuyasha's new and improved heirloom.

"Inuyasha?" I question softly, his head turning to look over his shoulder towards me, amber eyes still filled with determination from his fight. The sword finally regresses back to it's weaker form, slimming out once more and now easily handled.

"I could barely lift the thing." Inuyasha mutters with a frown as he looks down at the now dulled sword. "What the hell did the old man do to it?"

"There is only one way to find out." I reply, shrugging my shoulders easily. Inuyasha's gaze moves from Tessaiga, to me, before landing over my shoulder on Totosai behind me. He walks over to me, wrapping a strong arm around my waist and leaping into the air with me to cover the distance between us and the group more quickly. Inuyasha ensures that we land softly a few feet before Totosai and the others, approaching the sword-smith with an annoyed scowl.

"I got a bone to pick with you, Totosai!" Inuyasha exclaims with irritation, and I can't help tilting my head at that.

"Don't you mean a fang?" I question, unable to stop the cheesy comment before it passes through my lips. Inuyasha looks over his shoulder at me, ears turned slightly downwards and a truly unimpressed look on his face.

Clearly he wasn't over getting his fang ripped out.

"What? Is something not to your liking?" Totosai asks in a not so genuine tone, causing Inuyasha's attention to be brought back to him. He turns the blunt edge of the sword towards the old man, tapping it lightly against his forehead.

"How in the hell do you figure I can carry around such a heavy sword?" Inuyasha questions with barely controlled patience. "One thrust and I need to stop and rest!" I snort before I can stop myself at that final comment, the words quickly turning sexual in my head. Slapping my hand over my mouth as Inuyasha looks towards me with confusion, I do my best not to blush, or laugh, or try to give where my mind had gone away.

The perverted monk, however, catches on all too quickly.

He coughs to cover a laugh as well behind his fist, blue eyes glancing over towards me with mirth. He drops his hand from his mouth, my stomach sinking as he opens his lips to speak with utter seriousness.

"Poor Yua."

I nearly died.

Sango is beat red and trying not to laugh as well now, having caught on. I have to bite down on my lower lip to stop from laughing despite being embarrassed at the same time. Shippo is looking between Miroku, Sango, and I with clear confusion, thankfully. Inuyasha looks torn between wanting to rip Miroku a new one, or running from the situation all together. Totosai huffs with amusement, smirking.

"Unfortunately I can't fix that sword." My mouth falls open in shock as even the old man gets in on it, Inuyasha's face going beat red now as he turns from glaring at the three of us snapping at Totosai.

"I don't need to be fixed!"

The fact it was a half dog-demon saying those exact words finally breaks me.

I end up hunched over, crying because I'm laughing so hard. The others are now confused, wondering what I had found so funny about the last comment.

I couldn't find the breath to even begin to explain it to them, to share with them my vision of dragging Inuyasha by collar and leash through the vet clinic to get neutered.

Finally managing to pull myself together, feeling lighter than I had in ages with that good laugh, I straighten back up, wiping at the last of the joyous tears that had ran down my face. Unintentionally I lock eyes with Inuyasha, his amber gaze watching me with a mixture of emotions. There was a softness there below the irritation and embarrassment, no doubt from finally seeing me laugh again after having not seen it in goodness knows how long.

However, it's the heated promise that I know is there for only me to read that causes me to shift from amusement to heat so quickly that I'm sure I suffered bodily whiplash as my stomach clenches painfully with arousal.

'Maybe we shouldn't have poked fun at his manhood. Then again…I might enjoying paying for it later.' I think to myself, a barely there smirk lifting the one corner of my lips, gaze meeting his in challenge now.

"So you wish to know how to handle the heavy Tessaiga?" Totosai asks, bringing us all back to the real topic at hand now we had clearly settled.

"You mean there is a way to do it?" Inuyasha asks, calmed down now and very interested. I, however, feel a blush working it's way up my neck and into my face, mind still in the gutter.

'Calm down, Yua!' My face hurts with the effort of not smirking, or smiling, or laughing again.

Miroku, however, was not done.

"I'm sure with Totosai's age he has vast experience in these matters, and could pass on a number of pointers." Miroku states, and though the hidden sexual meaning behind his words is lost on the others, it's certainly not lost on me.

Discreetly I lower my hand palm up towards the monk, giving him a quiet high-five that was out of sight of the others.

"It's rather simple." Totosai goes on, nodding with a self-important smirk on his face, oblivious to the monk's previous sexual innuendo. A tense stare down takes place between Inuyasha and Totosai, and I have to admit that even I am drawn in to the very real answer Totosai is about to give Inuyasha in regards to his trouble with Tessaiga. Inuyasha suddenly shifts Tessaiga into his left hand, an uncharacteristically pleasant smile spreading over his handsome face as he places his right hand on Totosai's shoulder.

"You aren't going to tell me that the answer is building up my own strength, are you?" Inuyasha questions pleasantly, and I blink in surprise.

'He's up to something. He'd never take criticism of his strength with a smile.' I inwardly sigh, wondering what game my lover was getting at.

Totosai hesitates in answering, all but confirming Inuyasha's suspicions.

Like a viper, Inuyasha strikes, face once again filled with irritation and a lump forming on Totosai's head from the half-demon's fist.

"I should have known!" Inuyasha snaps, glaring at the sword-smith.

"He shouldn't have even brought it up." I mutter to myself dryly, shaking my head, the others in front of me hardly looking surprised as well. To the old man's relief, no doubt, our attentions are quickly diverted to the still glowing Tokijin sticking up from the ground nearby. I stay with Sango, and Kirara, as Shippo jumps up onto Miroku's shoulder and the monk, Totosai, and Inuyasha all move to approach the evil weapon. I shudder as I feel another pulse of it's aura, goosebumps rising along my arms.

I didn't want to go anywhere near that thing.

"Strange that the evil aura surrounding the sword still hasn't dissipated." I can hear Miroku commenting from the short distance away.

"Indeed." Totosai agrees, Sango and I watching together as Totosai approaches Tokijin. He reaches out as if to try and take the hilt in his hand, before quickly snapping his hand away and swinging it in front of himself defensively, backing away.

"The evil won't allow me to extract it!" Totosai exclaims, voice tinged with slight fear. "Who could have commissioned Kaijinbo to forge such a sword?"

"We'll have to construct a barrier around Tokijin to contain the aura, otherwise we won't be able to control it's evil." Miroku states ominously.

"Can't you put some sort of sacred spell on it?" Shippo asks from the monk's shoulder, frowning.

"The aura is too strong." Miroku shakes his head, crossing his arms in clear thought. "I'm not sure that any of my spells would be able to seal it completely. Our other option would be to create a barrier." I frown deeply at that, before reluctantly stepping forward.

"I think I can do it. At least, I can try." I volunteer, Sango and Kirara following me now to join the men. A shudder rushes down my spine once more, this time almost causing me to hunch over, as the sword pulses once again. 'It's like it can sense my own energy, and what I'm about to do.' I frown at it, a strong need to step away overcoming me.

Inuyasha's warm, comforting hand comes to rest on my lower back, bringing with it a sense of security that helps immensely.

"Are you sure you can do this, Yua?" He frowns at me, amber eyes sharp. I swallow thickly, nodding.

"Have to at least try, don't I?" I reply, before frowning and extending my arms outwards, hands facing the sword. Closing my eyes in concentration, I feel out for my energy, allowing it to build up in my core before pushing it outwards towards the sword.

I wince at the sharp sting I feel as my aura touches that of Tokijin's, the sword putting up a resistance to my barrier.

Pushing through I finally manage to set the barrier up, arms shaking slightly as I let them fall down to my sides, opening my eyes. "There." I murmur softly with relief, seeing my purple aura surrounding the red aura of the sword, effectively containing it. "That wasn't so bad." I add, brows furrowed in slight confusion. With the energy that the sword had previously exuded, I was sure it would have been more of a fight to contain it. "I won't be able to keep this up forever though, and the further we journey away the harder it will be to maintain it." I add.

Inuyasha's hand slides around to hook at my hip instead, squeezing it gently.

"How would we go about building a barrier then?" Shippo asks, keen to be of help somehow.

"It won't be simple, or easy." Miroku speaks up solemnly. "We would need the supplies and men to build it, and both take money, which we are sadly lacking."

"Then make some money with your fake fortune-telling." Shippo insists with child-like innocence. I can't help a tender smile at that.

"Easier said than done, little one." I reply for Miroku, sighing heavily. "Even with Miroku doing his best, it would take time, too much time, to get enough money to accomplish building the barrier right."

"That's not even the point!" Miroku exclaims, indignant. "I'll have you know that I make an honest living!"

"You're job as a monk is to help people, so how about helping us?!" Shippo snaps back, quick as a whip. Miroku sighs then, deflating and bringing his hand thoughtfully to his chin.

"Point taken. If I do agree to this, however, I get to keep some of the money to myself to use for entertainment with the ladies." Sango nearly vibrates with anger beside me, and I can't help rolling my eyes at the insensitive monk. "In doing so I may not make as much as we need." He hums, as if this was all a true problem for him.

"Couldn't you forget the ladies just this once?" Shippo asks with an irritated frown.

"Yes, couldn't you?" Sango agrees lowly, not masking her irritation. Miroku stiffens at that, looking nervously over his shoulder towards the demon slayer, but not commenting.

"I've heard more than I need to." Inuyasha speaks up then, rolling his own eyes, before he draws Tessaiga. "We're wasting time here!" He insists as the blade transforms once more, gripping the heavy sword in both hands. "I'll use Tessaiga to smash it to bits!" Inuyasha proclaims. "Lower the barrier, Yua!"

I do so, but reluctantly.

Inuyasha leaps into the air with Tessaiga braced on his shoulder, before coming down at the sword and swinging his own into it. A blinding light appears, much like it had when the swords had collided during Kaijinbo and Inuyasha's fight, before Tokijin pulses and sends Inuyasha flying backwards with an exclamation of surprise. Tessaiga lands on the ground with a dull thud, Inuyasha still gripping the handle in both hands as he crouches behind it, dog ears flicking curiously on top of his head.

"Is Tokijin unbreakable?" He asks in disbelief, gazing at the sword with wide, amber eyes. I frown, raising my arms up and creating the barrier once more, meeting the same stinging resistance as before when I do.

"It's evil power is awesome." Sango states in awe from beside me.

"Almost as if it's alive." Shippo adds, jumping from Miroku's shoulder and coming to stand at my feet just in front of me.

"The big question is, who asked Kaijinbo to craft it in the first place?" I ask outloud, mind spinning over the possibilities. Two came to the forefront of my mind.

Naraku or Sesshomaru.

"We can talk about that later, but for now we should distance ourselves from it." Miroku advises, eyes narrowed at the blade with suspicion.

"You mean you want us to run?!" Inuyasha clarifies, looking at the monk with disbelief.

"Anyone capable of drawing such a sword would have enormous power." Totosai speaks up then, turning to look towards Inuyasha in particular. "You are no match at present."

Inuyasha huffs, turning away and crossing his arms childishly, before sitting down right there on the ground.

"I'm waiting here." He insists, his back to the rest of us. I frown at that.

"But if you stay by the sword, you might be in danger." Shippo frowns with worry at his Alpha.

"He's right. With Yua's barrier we don't have to worry about anyone taking it for now. It would be best to distance ourselves as Miroku said." Sango agrees, holding Kirara to her chest as the tiny cat demon jumps into her arms.

"No. Do what you want, but I'm not going to move a single muscle." Inuyasha insisted, moving his arm to rest his elbow against his knee so he could prop up his chin on the heel of his hand. A very childish part of me wanted to point out he had just, in fact, 'moved a muscle.'

I just barely stop myself.

"Yua, come here a moment." Miroku summons me, grabbing my arm and pulling me away from my mate. The monk leans in to whisper in my hear, the air of conspiracy heavy as he does. "Knowing Inuyasha's personality, he really isn't very likely to move away from the sword. I suggest we stay near and keep watch over him." I blink at that, completely caught off guard by how utterly serious the monk was.

And how right.

'If this sword is spouting evil like a fountain, who's to stay it wouldn't start to affect Inuyasha at a deeper level.' I frown to myself, looking over at my mate. 'What if his demon side comes forth? Would I be able to stop it again?'

"We'll wait one entire day, when he's calmed down.' Miroku continues on, obviously building a plan. "Tomorrow morning, if he still insists on staying by the sword, you can step in and use your command on him to incapacitate him. I'll then sneak up behind him and strike him hard with my staff, knocking him unconscious, and that's when we will gather him up an flee from this place." I blink, tilting my head.

"That seems a bit…complex." I trail off, voice unsure. 'I mean, I bet it would be just as effective to tell him I won't mess around with him till we're long gone from the sword.' I hardly wanted to voice that thought, however, not wanting to add more fuel to the proverbial fire.

"Perhaps." Miroku hums in agreement, cupping his chin thoughtfully, his blue eyes surveying me with concentration. "Maybe there is a much simpler solution." I groan, hanging my head in defeat at the implication of his suggestive tone.

Clearly the monk could read minds.

"I wonder if I said something that I shouldn't have said?" Totosai speaks up from beside us, scratching his head in thought. I inwardly snort.

'You think? The only reason Inuyasha wants to stay with the sword is to be able to challenge whoever is strong enough to weld it. To repair his pride.' I give a heavy, inward sigh at that, looking at my stubborn lover as he sits under the early morning sun.

I suppose there were always worse ways to pass a morning by.


Day soon turned into night once more, and Inuyasha continued to sit by that sword. We had built camp a further distance away, Miroku actually starting to feel ill by the sword's evil presence.

I wasn't feeling too hot either, with my aura consistently in contact with it's own.

I frown as I roll over under my blanket away from the fire, the others having fallen asleep long ago. I could see Inuyasha's outline just beyond the ring of light that the fire gave off. He was facing away from us, is eyes still trained on the red glow of Tokijin that stood out starkly in the dark. I give a soft sigh, shifting my blanket off of me and shivering slightly as the cool night air washed over my now exposed skin. Standing, I make my way over to the half-demon, kneeling down behind him once I reached my destination. I rest my hands on each of his shoulder, sighing softly and leaning forward to press the side of my face against his back, burying my nose into his hair and taking a soothing, deep breath of his scent.

"You should be sleeping." Inuyasha's low voice rumbles against my cheek pressed to his back. I move my hands from his shoulders, sliding down down his powerful back before shifting them around to his front, lacing my fingers together against his muscular chest. Relaxing fully against him now, I hum softly in acknowledgement.

"So should you." I murmur in response. "We can figure out what to do with the sword in the morning."

"What do you mean by that?" Inuyasha asks sharply, and I frown, leaning my head back off of him.

"We can't take it with us. None of us could wield it." I point out, moving instead to rest my chin on his shoulder, looking at the sword as well. "We also can't leave it here for someone who can to find." I add lowly.

"Why not use this sword as bait to draw out whoever had it commissioned? No doubt they'd be looking for it." Inuyasha replies, and I frown a bit more, resting my forehead against his back this time.

"Why do you have to be the one to fight them?" I question in return, voice small. Inuyasha stiffens at that, and a tense moment of silence hangs over the both of us.

His hand moves over both of mine, clasping them lightly over his chest.

"You're worried." He astutely observes, voice low now. "Worried about if I transform again?" I chew on my lower lip, nodding against his back.

"Worried I might not be able to bring you back the next time." I elaborate, arms tightening around his chest as I hold him closer to me. Inuyasha doesn't speak again for the longest moment, before he shifts, breaking my grip against his chest and tugging at my right arm.

"Get over here." He murmurs softly, voice warm. I easily crawl around him, his arms both wrapping around my waist once able and dragging me easily into his lap. I look up at him then, his face somewhat illuminated by both the moon and the fire now behind us. "You, we, can't be worried about that whenever we have to fight." He states knowingly as he gazes down softly at me, and I can readily admit that he's right.

It still didn't quell my fears, however.

"But we don't have to knowingly, voluntarily, walk into situations that could lead to that either." I point out, sighing softly when his hand cups up to cup my cheek, rubbing his thumb against the bone there soothingly.

"We can't run in fear." He adds evenly, leaning forward so his forehead could rest against my own, the contact bringing me a sense of comfort.

"We can." I argue childishly, uselessly, and Inuyasha chuckles softly in amusement, before shifting his head once more so he could tilt it, leaning down and gently taking my lips in his own. I instantly melt against him as his full lips softly part mine, kissing me so tenderly that my heart ached. His left hand brushed my hair from my right shoulder, his claws ever so lightly scratching across the mating mark he had left there.

My entire body shudders as heat and pleasure ricochet through me.

"How long has it been?" Inuyasha growls lowly against my lips, his whole body stiffening in response to my shudder. My mind is muddled and confused as I lean away from him reluctantly, looking up at his face with confusion.

"Uh, since we got here? I don't know really. I mean, we spent the two days you were away with Totosai in this area, and then the night you were human, then all of today…so three, four days?" I respond breathlessly, wondering why on earth he was thinking about that right now.

"No." Inuyasha growls low in his chest, the sound sending heat coursing through me to straight between my legs. "Since I touched you. Since I've been able to watch you cum for me." My eyes widen as his words cause me to groan with arousal, mouth parting slightly in shock, still panting.

Truth be told, I couldn't remember when the last time had been. Weeks? Months?

"Too long, obviously." He murmurs lowly to me after I can't answer, the claws of his right hand gently brushing my bangs back from my face. Even in the low light I can see the heat and intention in his eyes as his left hand slowly moves towards the tie in the belt that kept my pants snug to my body. I close my eyes, pussy throbbing almost painfully with each tug of the knot as he tries to loosen it.

Then I feel the pulse of the evil sword to our right, and the flames he had started through his actions and words are effectively doused.

"What? What is it?" Inuyasha frowns at me, having stopped as I had stiffened. I groan softly, rubbing my right hand roughly over my face.

"I can't do this with that thing right there." I answer honestly, frowning as I slide off of his lap.

"Woah, woah, wait a minute." Inuyasha insists, voice slightly raised but hushed at the same time. "Can't you just…ignore it?" He questions, sounding unsure. I lift an eyebrow at him, before standing.

"Seriously?" I question him in a dry voice, his own amber eyes looking up at me widely with expectation.
And frankly, he was still obviously horny.

"Listen, Inuyasha. When you're ready to let this sword thing go and put it way, way behind us, let me know." I sigh heavily then, Inuyasha groaning loudly as his head tilts back with exasperation when I leave him sitting there. "Try to get some rest." I quip over my shoulder, his low, indistinct muttering the only response I get as I crawl back into my makeshift bed.

I squeeze my thighs together, the throbbing gone but the wetness still there.

That had been a lot more difficult than I thought to walk away from.

'Maybe it'll work though.' I console myself, before closing my eyes and trying to get some much needed rest.


"Would you get off of my back?! Stop saying the same thing over and over!" Inuyasha can be heard griping to Myoga, the flea demon having joined us shortly after sun rise that morning.

Clearly Inuyasha was grumpy from being left hanging last night.

I hide a smirk at that thought, instead gazing down at the campfire in front of us, the entire group including Totosai and his bull gathered around it and watching the scene before us.

"I will not stop until I have your promise!" Myoga insists angrily as he jumps up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder. "You must vow never to abandon Tessaiga again!"

"So, what do you think we should do, Yua?" Miroku asks as he stands, moving to stand behind both Sango and I. I look up towards the monk in question, his own gaze settled on Inuyasha in the distance. "I've been thinking. Perhaps I should just come right out and tell Inuyasha the truth?" I frown in confusion hearing the monk, before my eyes widen with realization.

Inuyasha still didn't know that his sword was the key to keeping his demon side locked up.

'If we tell him about that, maybe he'll be more careful with Tessaiga. Then again, if he knows that's the key to unlocking his near full blooded demon abilities, he might decide to abandon Tessaiga in favor of that.' I think to myself, chewing on my lower lip.

No…I had to trust him. Trust that he would make the right choice, for the both of us.

"Maybe we should tell him…" I murmur softly, doubt still lingering despite my resolve to trust in my mate.

"No!" Myoga cuts in suddenly, bouncing back over to us and landing on Miroku's shoulder. "You must not tell him!" He implores us, his voice strained.

"Myoga?" Miroku questions with a raised eyebrow, and I move to stand to be closer to the flea demon on his shoulder as well.

"You know what Master Inuyasha is like! If he learns about that secret, he'll surely abandon the sword and come to rely on his transformed claws and fangs." Myoga insists, voice urgent but hushed. I frown at that, looking from the flea demon towards Inuyasha, heart sinking slightly as the doubt reared back full force.

Would he really give up everything, give up me, for power?

"Yes…I suppose he'll find those claws and fangs addictive." Miroku agrees, hand gripping his chin thoughtfully.

"Of course!" Myoga insists. "After all, Inuyasha is a simpleton at heart, remember?" I frown at that, irritation flaring up at me. When I had first met the half dog-demon I might have agreed with Myoga's observation.

Now I knew that Inuyasha was anything but a simpleton.

"Without a doubt." Miroku easily agrees, incensing me further. Before I can argue in Inuyasha's defense, however, Totosai leaves our group and heads for the half-demon as he now stands, still looking at Tokijin.

"You certainly keep yourself busy." Totosai announced his presence as he came to stand beside Inuyasha. Inuyasha didn't even acknowledge him. "Changing into a human one minute, and a goblin the next." The old man adds, sitting down on the grass with a soft grunt of effort. This seems to catch Inuyasha's attention.

"I'm a demon, not a goblin." Inuyasha argues as he looks down towards the old swordsmith with annoyance. He grabs Tessaiga from his belt, surprising us all as he sits down next to Totosai. "It's not like I have any idea of what's going on here." He adds lowly, irritation clear in his voice. I frown at that.

'I could only imagine how frustrating it would be to not understand what your own body is capable of.' I think to myself, chewing on my lower lip. 'To not know the triggers.' My gaze moves from Inuyasha's back to Tessaiga as he held the sword upright in front of him. 'I don't feel right about keeping this from him…but I'm scared of what might happen if he knows.'

"Don't you know what's happening? You really are dimwitted." Totosai states, Miroku stiffening as he comes to stand directly behind me.

"Not the secret." Myoga begs under his breath, sitting on the monk's shoulder.

"Myoga told me that you transform into a full demon when you are on the verge of dying." Totosai goes on, all of us tense and waiting now. "Well, that's not too surprising really, since you are a half-demon. If you as me, however, your strength doesn't lay within your demon nature." My mouth parts slightly in surprise hearing Totosai, heart warming knowing that someone else felt that way too. Inuyasha throws him a confused look at that, Totosai turning to look at him. "As I explained to you, the weight of your repaired Tessaiga comes from the fang I used to forge it. Originally, Tessaiga was forged from your Father's fangs alone, in other words, you're relying on your Father to protect you." Totosai goes on, Inuyasha looking towards Tessaiga then with a thoughtful expression.

'I never realized that Totosai could be so intuitive.' I think to myself, impressed. I had never really thought of that myself, the fact that the sword represented his Father, and his Father was thus continuing to protect him even after he was long gone.

A chill rushes down my spine as a memory comes to me from what felt like an eternity ago, a time when Inuyasha had been reluctant to claim the sword as his.

"It must have been that Mother of your's. That human Mother," Sesshomaru goes on, his voice filled with disgust, "who cause our Father to come to his end in this ignoble place." His eyes sharpen. "Her blood affects you as well. Is it that which so endears you the them? When it comes to humans I, of course, bear no such weakness." That was all the warning I got before Sesshomaru turns sharply, raising his right hand up and allowing his poisoned energy to rush towards me.

'BRACE YOURSELF!' Mayumi exclaims. I grit my teeth, concentrating as my energy creates a barrier for me using the sword. His attack streams to either side of me as I hold the sword up with my shaking arms.

'He's too powerful. I can't hold on much longer!' I gasp inwardly to Mayumi, the power of the attack pushing me back against a rib. I could feel my aura flickering, just barely holding on.

"YUA!" Inuyasha calling out my name in distress is the last thing I hear before he's drowned out as the bone of Inu no Taisho's rib starts to liquefy and melt around me.

'You need to dig deep, Yua! Concentrate!' Mayumi pushes. I close my eyes, forcing more energy outwards to circle around me like a protective bubble as the melted bone solidifies on contact. I was getting trapped in!

The last of the melting bone adheres to my barrier before it flickers and fades away. I try to push up against the dome that had formed above me. 'I can't breathe!' I panic when it doesn't budge. I search for my aura, but try as I might I couldn't find the strength to tap into any more of my energy.

Suddenly the sword glows yellow in my hands.

"Make sure my son, Inuyasha, takes the sword…" A deep male voice echoes from the battered metal, my eyes widening in shock.

Inuyasha's Father?!

'That day in his Father's remains, when his Father had spoken to me though the sword, it was clear he wanted Inuyasha to have it. Now we know why.' I frown at that, hand raising up to press over my racing heart, pounding form the feelings that memory still evoked.

"But now Tessaiga is different." Totosai states firmly. "Now you must master your own fang, and you must protect yourself and those that you love." The old man adds, casting a not so discreet look in my direction. My heart flutters, cheeks burning with a barely-there flush. "Once you manage to freely wield this new Tessaiga, you will have truly discovered your own strength." Totosai adds as he turns back to the half-demon beside him.

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo all move in sync with one and other, sliding up behind Inuyasha and clapping softly in support of Totosai.

"Yes, exactly as you have said, Totosai." Miroku compliments, Shippo quickly agreeing. I can't help a small smile at their antics, walking up to join the group now and kneeling down by Inuyasha on the opposite side to Totosai. His confused amber gaze turns towards me then, eyebrow lifted in question.

"I couldn't have said it better than Totosai just did." I reply with a soft smile, shrugging my shoulders lightly. "I guess in light of you giving your fang, Tessaiga is your's now more than ever. You mastered it before, you'll do so again." And I genuinely believed it to be so, hoped for it.

Because the alternative would break us both.

Suddenly dark clouds began to roll in overhead, thunder booming as lightening lit up the skies. Inuyasha stands smoothly, his hand reaching down instinctively to help me up as well, his sharp amber eyes never once leaving the skies above. Once I'm standing he takes Tessaiga, smoothly slipping it through his belt once more. A bright explosion of lighting flashes above us, nearly blinding out group before it dims to reveal someone Inuyasha had no doubt been expecting.

Sesshomaru.

He was riding on a two headed dragon looking creature, the one head tilting back before lurching forward as lightening spills from it's mouth. The strike spikes downwards, straight for the ground, Tokijin acting light a lightening rod as the lightening strike connects with the sword, illuminating it on contact. As the light fades, Sesshomaru jumps smoothly from his two headed dragon, dropping the fifty or sixty feet he was flying above us to the ground. He lands smoothly, his sharpy, cold amber eyes locked on Tokijin, the sword now smoking from inside the small pit the lightening strike had created around it.

"Sesshomaru." Inuyasha murmurs his name lowly, his right arm extending out instinctively to push me back further behind him.

Totosai promptly shoves me from my hiding place as he freaks out, diving behind Inuyasha as well.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha asks sharply, hands clenching tightly into fists at his side. I could feel my own aura sparking at the end of my finger tips, heart beating with anxiety. Encounters with Sesshomaru hardly ever went well for us, even though we've at least survived them so far.

Barely in some cases.

"Just what I would ask you." Sesshomaru answers smoothly, Tokijin still parting us from him. The sword itself was sparking with it's own energy now, no doubt charged from the lightening. "I only come for this sword. It seems that the demon you killed was so bitter, it desired revenge even after its remains were forged into a sword." I blink in shock, mouth falling open slightly.

'So he was the one that commissioned Tokijin to be crafted' I think to myself, adding it all up together.

"What?" Miroku asks sharply, echoing my own shock.

"How does he know that Tokijin was created from Goshinki's fangs?" Sango asks in disbelief, her brown eyes narrowed at the demon in front of us.

"It must mean that…" Miroku trails off, not answering Sango's question. However, Sesshomaru is only too happy to explain.

"I am the one who commissioned Kaijinbo to make this sword." Sesshomaru admits coldly, staring us all down.

"Sesshomaru, you must not touch Tokijin! Even you will be possessed by the sword's evil aura. Heed my warning, I implore you!" Totosai calls out from behind the safety Inuyasha provided. I look to the old man in disbelief, eyebrow raised. Did he really think that Sesshomaru was going to listen?

Sesshomaru just narrowed his eyes and met the challenge.

We all tensed as he walked forward the short distance to Tokijin and took the sword in hand, the sword's energy pulsing the minute his claws wrapped around the hilt. Pulling it smoothly from the ground, Sesshomaru's face was still the image of cold collectiveness.

"Pathetic fool…just who do you take me for?" Sesshomaru gloats in a way that only he can, the aura of the sword changing, evolving, in his grasp. Miroku leans forward, eyes wide with disbelief.

"The evil aura…it's dissipating!" Miroku observes, shock clear in his voice. I swallow thickly, noticing that as well as I step in closer to Inuyasha's side.

"The evil aura was taken away by Sesshomaru." Totosai states behind us both, his tone filled with awe and tinged with fear. "I don't care much for him." He adds, almost making me snort with humour.

Join the club.

"I see that the sword has chosen me as it's Master." Sesshomaru comments smoothly, his gaze running along the blade till he rose his eyes up to stare directly at Inuyasha. "Draw your sword, Inuyasha, there is something that I wish to verify." He commands, and I frown as Inuyasha growls low in his chest.

"Something about me?" He bites out in return, entire body stiff. I frown at that, shaking my head when I realized that Inuyasha was going to play right into Sesshomaru's taunts, his game.

"Don't." I whisper softly to my half-demon lover, reaching out and grabbing onto the sleeve of his top firmly. "Inuyasha, you have nothing to prove here."

"It doesn't matter. Even if I did choose to walk away from his challenge, he would never let us simply leave." Inuyasha replies sharply, and I swallowing thickly, looking towards Sesshomaru.

The barely there smirk now tilting at his lips tells me that Inuyasha is right.

"Do you honestly think that you can defeat him?" Totosai asks, his head coming forward to stick out between myself and Inuyasha, blocking my view of him.

"I can't exactly tell him to come back after I've finished training." Inuyasha bites out sarcastically.

"Precisely." Sesshomaru smoothly agrees, his handsome face twisting slightly more with the first signs of an arrogant smirk. "Come at me, little brother." He goads, feeling into Inuyasha's knee-jerk reaction that he knew so well by now. When Inuyasha doesn't react right away, Sesshomaru leans forward. "Fine, I'll make it easy and come for you." Inuyasha barely flinches, and is gone from my side in a split-second.

"You're going to regret this Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha proclaims as he draws Tessaiga, charging towards his older half-brother. My stomach clenches, watching as the sword arcs downwards with it's weight, clearly still too much for Inuyasha to handle. He lets the tip stab into the ground and braces that half with his open hand as Sesshomaru strikes with Tokijin. With Tessaiga arched in front of him, it effectively blocks the attack, but the surge in energy of the two swords meeting once more was overwhelming.

'Tokijin feels even more powerful than before in Sesshomaru's hand.' I think to myself with a frown. 'It's all Inuyasha can do right now to block him.'

"This isn't looking good." Totosai states unhelpfully from slightly behind me, and I can't help throwing the old man a look of distaste.

He shrinks back slightly in response.

"Is there no chance that Inuyasha can defeat him?" Miroku asks urgently, Totosai looking towards the monk thoughtfully and now avoiding eye contact with me.

"Well, he still doesn't know how to handle Tessaiga." Totosai states honestly, his voice troubled. "Besides, he's up against Tokijin, a dangerous sword in anyone's hands, and now that it's being welded by Sesshomaru…" Totosai trails off, my worried gaze returning to Inuyasha as he kneels behind the protection his sword currently gave, his head slowly looking up after Sesshomaru's first assaults finally stopped.

"Dammit to hell." I can hear the half-demon muttering lowly in frustration as he moves to stand. For a tense, long moment both the brothers stared each other down, identical coloured eyes not giving away their inner thoughts as they do. Behind me, Sango moves Totosai out of the way, and I feel her place her hand on my shoulder, surprised to find myself nearly shaking with the nervous energy coursing through my veins.

"What? Have you altered your combat strategy?" Sesshomaru taunts, breaking the silence as he brandishes Tokijin towards Inuyasha with clear threat. "Usually you charge at me blindly with great haste." Inuyasha scoffs, and with a small grunt of ever he levers Tessaiga back and over his left shoulder once more.

"Whatever you say." He mutters in return, eyes narrowed at Sesshomaru with clear challenge. With a shout he charges once more, the blades connecting with a blinding light that illuminates the entire clearing around us. I have to bring my hand up to try and shield my eyes, narrowing them so that I could see Inuyasha's shadow against the background of bright energy. The very air around the brothers was charged with static, bolts of it flashing around their locked blades. When nether hardly moved, I dared myself to believe that they were evenly matched, which would give Inuyasha at least a chance to make it out of this fight alive.

'I'll step in if I have to.' I think to myself, feeling my own energy roaring just below the surface of my skin, repeatedly crashing against my restraint like tidal waves. 'To hell with Inuyasha's pride. I would rather him be pissed at me and alive, than dead.' I frown to myself, watching intently for an opening I might have to take to shove them too apart. It would no doubt drain me of all my energy to push Sesshomaru away from him, but it would give Inuyasha enough time to get away.

"Ah, Tessaiga has become heavier, I see." Sesshomaru calmly observes as the energy passes and the light dims.

"It's a lot heavier, you stupid jackass." Inuyasha bites out, clearly bragging. I groan inwardly at that.

'Is that their version of whipping it out? Talking about the weight of their swords and the strength of their fangs?' I think to myself with exasperation.

Now really wasn't the time for a pissing contest.

Sesshomaru makes a noise of amusement deep in his throat. "The sword is too heavy for you." He states, seeing right through Inuyasha's confidence. He pushes Inuyasha back, before the moment I had been dreading comes. "You'd be better off without it!" Sesshomaru exclaims, before giving one final push and disarming Inuyasha completely. My stomach sinks as I watch Tessaiga flip high into the air. Without hesitation I throw my hands up, creating a barrier in front of Inuyasha as Sesshomaru follows through with Tokijin, wincing as the overpowering energy of the evil sword hits my barrier. Inuyasha leaps back with time the barrier provides for him to react, glancing over his shoulder at me with a frown, eyes narrowed.

'He can bitch at me later.' I think to myself, frowning as well as I keep the barrier up directly in front of Sesshomaru. Distantly I could hear the dull thud of Tessaiga landing in the ground near us, no doubt transforming back to it's blunt form.

Sesshomaru, meanwhile, looks hardly fazed, or even surprised, at my interference.

"I would say that your powers, woman, are wasted on a half-breed like him, but that would be giving you too much credit." Sesshomaru's cold amber eyes survey me without a hint of emotion.

Which, in reality, was far more chilling and intimidating than if he had directed a glare my way.

With a simple slash of the Tokijin against my barrier, it dissolves, and I'm left feeling a little weak in the knees. Not from loss of power, but from the cold, dark feeling that washed over me when Tokijin's energy had collided and cut through my own. I can feel Sango's other hand come up to press against the middle of my upper back, as if to help steady me, and it's only then that I realize I had been swaying ever so slightly. Steeling myself, I look over my shoulder towards the demon slayer with a thankful smile, before looking back towards the brothers once more.

"He doesn't stand a chance against his brother!" Shippo worries, his blue eyes still trained on the fight. He wasn't wrong, but I also knew that Sango, Miroku and I weren't about to let him die trying to defeat Sesshomaru on his own.
"Shippo, if things go south, I need you to run as far and as fast as you can away." I state softly to the boy as I turn to face him from where he now stands by Miroku. "You know your way back to Kaede's village. If it comes down to it I need you to head there, and we'll catch up to you when this is over." Shippo looked ready to protest, but I shook my head sharply. "No. No arguments. I need you to do as I say. I need you to be somewhere safe if I'm going to be of any help to Inuyasha. So if I say to run, you run. No hesitation. No looking back." I tell him firmly, Shippo blinking up at me in shock, before slowly nodding his head. I take a deep breath, before turning back towards the brothers and forming a bow with my energy, loading it with an arrow made of the same. I keep the arrow pointed to the ground, relaxed, but ready to be drawn back and released at any moment.

"Master Inuyasha!" Myoga can be heard suddenly, and I find the small flea demon bouncing on Inuyasha's shoulder. Mildly surprised at the sudden bout of bravery from the cowardly flea, I look towards the others who look equally as shocked. "You must hurry and take hold of Tessaiga!" Myoga continues urgently, and all of us except for Inuyasha knew why.

'If his demon form gets unlocked once more…there is a chance he won't come back from it this time.' I think to myself, swallowing thickly. 'But if it means he'll survive this fight with Sesshomaru…would his demon form truly be better than death?' I wonder inwardly, gut twisting painfully. I knew what the selfish answer to that was.

"Don't need it!" Inuyasha states stubbornly, and I can feel my heart jump into my throat as he leaps up and charges Sesshomaru without his sword.

"Inuyasha! No! Stop!" Miroku calls out helplessly from beside me, but instead of shouting as well, I act. Drawing back my arrow I take aim for the area between the brothers, but even as I do it's too late. Seeing Sesshomaru lifting Tokijin, pointing it directly at Inuyasha, I make a split second decision. Aiming towards the tip of Tokijin, I let my arrow fly, my energy colliding with that of the swords. A great explosion takes places, sending both of the demons flying backwards from where they had been standing. Sesshomaru skids back a few yards, whilst Inuyasha, thrown off balance, tumbles over the grass and lands on his knees and hands closer to us. Without hesitation Miroku, Sango and I go running for him, hoping to detain him and get away while we could.

Suddenly the wind shifts.

My eyes widen as I throw my arms out to either side of me, effectively stopping both the monk and demon slayer at my sides. Goosebumps rose over my arms, but heartbeat slowing to an unnatural speed.

I knew this feeling.

I trembled at the memory of this energy.

Inuyasha had done just as we feared he might. He had transformed.

Sesshomaru seems to be frozen in place where he still stood, leaning forward from bracing against the force of our energies colliding. Totosai takes advantage of this moment, his cheeks bloating unnaturally before fire spills forth and creates a barrier between the half-brothers.

Inuyasha's blood red eyes turn towards us with a snarl, his body tense and ready to charge.

'He doesn't recognize us. Me.' I think, chest constricting painfully, his lips tightening to show off his larger fangs in a clear show of dominance and power.

"I don't think he's going to let you close enough this time to use your purification." Sango murmurs beside me, her voice filled with worry. My mind races at a solution, only one coming to mind.

Maybe I could knock the sense back into him.

"Down boy!" I shout the hardly used command, his necklace glowing purple before he's throw head first into the ground. I can feel the shift in energy the moment it happens, heart speeding back up once more as I let out a shaky breath of relief. Miroku looks to me curiously, and all I have to do is nod, before all three of us are closing the distance once more and picking the half-demon up unceremoniously by his arms and legs, dragging his unconscious form away from the wall of fire as quickly as we can. Shippo thankfully took the initiative to grab Tessaiga for us, as with help from Miroku and Sango, we throw Inuyasha's body over Kirara's back, transformed into her larger form now. Sango jumps on behind him along with Shippo and myself, whilst Miroku climbs with Totosai and Myoga onto Totosai's bull. Together we lift off, and it's only once we're in the air, silence hanging over us heavily, that I finally have a chance to let everything catch up.

'Inuyasha…what are we going to do? I can't lose you, not to yourself, not to anyone.' I think desperately to myself, gazing at his handsome face as he slept.


Unknown POV

Darkness was the most prevalent thing that I can remember seeing, and being cold was all I could ever remember feeling.

That was, until I woke.

Gasping softly I sit up, nearly having to lay back down and cover my eyes against the dim light that surrounded me. Though it was only candles that illuminated the room, my eyes ached all the same. Blinking blearily, I can finally focus, eyes slowly widening to take in everything around me. I was in a room, though I had no idea how I had gotten there. The room itself was very elegant, with both hardwood and bamboo accents, and beautifully designed paper walls that acted as dividers from the rooms beyond. Was this my room? Where am I? My chest constricts painfully with anxiety at the next question to flood through my head.

Who am I?

"You're awake." A smooth male voice spoke from behind, and I jump with fright. Turning the upper half of my body on the futon, I'm met with the sight of a handsome man, his dark gaze looking at me with open curiosity. He's dressed as if noble in a richly decorated silk kimono, which would make sense given the obvious grandeur of this room alone. My hand reaches up instinctively to my chest, expecting to feel my heart racing with the fight.

Only to find there wasn't a heartbeat at all.

My mouth falls open in shock, and I begin to feel lightheaded as I all but ignore the presence of the man in my room. Instead I frantically begin shifting my hand over all spots of my chest, even sliding it under my robe to rest directly on my skin, trying to find the heartbeat that I knew should be there. When I still could not find one, I look back towards the young man fearfully.

"What's happened to me?" I gasp out, voice trembling. "Am I…am I dead?" The man gives me what I could only describe as a patient look, though the corner of his lips quirk upwards slightly.

Did…did he look pleased?

"I shall tell you everything." The young man murmurs, standing at the doorway still. "Once you are dressed, follow this hallway to the end, and you shall find me. I'll have some tea made to help ease your nerves." He adds, his head tilting slightly, long, black hair glistening in the candlelight. "Are you sure you remember nothing?" He asks. I think hard, wanting, praying to remember something. I can feel my hands trembling as the reality sets in.

I had lost my memories. I had lost everything.

Just barely holding emotional tears at bay, tears of fear, I shake my head, unable to voice my answer. The man makes a noise that seems contemplative…but once again I could swear there is a pleased glimmer in his dark eyes. Without a word he turns away, but before he disappears entirely, I finally find my voice.

"Wait! What is your name, please?" I ask, the man turning to look at me, his eyes narrowing as if considering something.

"Naraku." The man answers finally, his lips tightening into a thin line then. "Does that bring forth any memories for you?" He asks then, tone hard. I blink in surprise, a little taken aback, and I do my best to think hard on that name.

Once again, nothing comes to mind.

"I-I am sorry if that offends you." I murmur softly in return, the man's hard stare soon turning much milder.

"Quite the contrary, actually." He answer cryptically, before parting. I look at the doorway where he has gone, swallowing thickly and instead looking down at my chest where my hand was still pressed to the skin under my robe.

Where in the world was I?

And what had happened to my memories?


*mic drop*

Until next time!

T.O.T.