I Do Not Own InuYasha


Unmei no Akai Ito

運命の赤い糸

The red string or red string of fate.

...

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance


I: 7


Year 1573...

Somewhere in Kyoto, Japan...

Sesshōmaru was a bit annoyed that Takemaru and Sō'unga had knocked Tokijin out of his hand, but he was relieved Rin was safe. He had seen the way Takemaru had looked upon his young mate, no doubt thinking her to be like the woman he had tried to kill! Slowly backing away from Sō'unga, rather than Takemaru he thought of all the ways to end the spectre who had his left arm and killed his mate.

"How does it feel to be killed by your own hand," Takemaru chuckled.

Sesshōmaru gave the spectre a bored look as he noted where Tenseiga was; finally the useless fang would do something other than save his mate. It would destroy her killer too!

"Takemaru, you disappoint me," he stated. He remembered when this human had commanded armies, and been a true threat, now he looked in disgust at the rotting corpse that was nothing more than a mere puppet for the sword he now had to destroy.

"What!?" Takemaru glared dangerously at him, and he could see the human trying to think, but also knew that Sō'unga wouldn't allow that to happen.

"You haven't even noticed that you are merely Sō'unga's puppet," he sneered in disgust. He hated this human above all others, it would be a pleasure to destroy him finally! "You actually believe that it's your own power. What a miserable spectre." He mocked.

"Silence!" Takemaru ordered, he frowned at the order, now seeing the hold on the sword waver. "You'll suffer the same humiliation your father inflicted upon me!"

Sesshōmaru watched the human draw back the blade and thrust it for his head, which had him ducking. Takemaru didn't realize that Tōga had spent a lifetime humiliating Sesshōmaru at every turn! His father mocked him even in death! And in life, he had been no different! Sesshōmaru wanted his father's respect above all else, but that would never happen, and he doubted this human would ever be able to inflict that humiliation upon him! Evading Sō'unga's strike for his head he sensed the sword's trepidation, the sword knew it would be bound in his grasp, truly dominated and it didn't seem to want that, Sesshōmaru didn't want the sword anymore, it had gone for Rin, of it's own will, so now it was time to obliterate the pesky threat!

Feigning an attempt to grab Tokijin he ran, Takemaru was so easily baited that Sesshōmaru rolled across the back of the human and sprung for where Rin had left Tenseiga. Catching the sheath and sliding it in his sash as he landed he drew the fang to glare at the spectre.

"You should be grateful," he informed Takemaru as the rage of the last two, near three centuries filled his blood, his inner yōkai was snarling for Takemaru's head now. "You will be destroyed by my father's fang!" he snarled lowly.

Takemaru flinched at that.

Everyone lately made the mistake of thinking him inferior or weak with only one hand to be a swordsman but Sesshōmaru used that to startle the spectre and Sō'unga taking the offensive as he slashed at them. Takemaru was struggling; even with Sō'unga's aid to keep up a strong defense.

"Tell me, what good is a sword that cannot kill?" Takemaru taunted as the battle wore on.

"Not humans," Sesshōmaru agreed. "But it can kill the living dead!" he stated as he twisted around using a move his mate had favored a lot because her opponents were usually larger and slower. He saw Takemaru's stunned reaction at the old move as he twisted around to slash through him, cleaving the body in half.

That move was always tricky, it had to be done on the inside of the opponent's range, and under their weapon hand, Sesshōmaru had only seen Rin successfully use it a handful of times. She never had the strength to cleave a body in half but she had had the weapon to tear an opponent apart so their entrails stained the floor. Sesshōmaru was pleased seeing Takemaru fall to the blow; finally, after centuries of not having been able to act on this, he had avenged her. May her spirit find true peace and may the pup she was now stay forever safe.

Suddenly Sō'unga glowed, and the animated body started being pulled together again, he tensed when he heard that taunting laugh and wanted to tear this animation apart again.

"What's the matter?" Takemaru taunted. "Can't you even kill a corpse?"

Sesshōmaru snarled lowly.

"I will dispatch you, just as I did that pesky woman of yours!" Takemaru declared.

The fight resumed and he found it irksome to see his mate's killer alive and fighting again, he was now beyond livid and furious, he didn't care that Takemaru had killed his father but he had cared that Takemaru had killed Rin!

"What's wrong Sesshōmaru!?" Takemaru taunted. "You're disappointing your father's fang!"

He knew this was Sō'unga now, and whatever remained of the human was slowly being consumed by the demon blade. Still, he was livid that the fucker wouldn't die yet!

"Have you someone to protect?" his father's voice taunted in his ear, and the fury at that inquiry after losing everything had him wanting to kill his father even more so.

Sesshōmaru's attention snapped back to the present though just as he scented the Wind Scar tearing through the palace, he barely blocked the Sō'unga from make a critical hit but hissed as the blade tore through the sensitive appendage of his mokomoko. He glared at Takemaru's milky eyes then as he shoved the other out of the way to evade his brother's attack.

"That's typical," InuYasha gasped for air. "Your nose is as sharp as ever," he commented.

Sesshōmaru ignored the quip as he got to his feet and glared at the younger.

"You picked up the scent of my Wind Scar!"

"Your wind, is more of a gentle breeze," he retorted.

"Too bad, I was hoping to take you both out at the same time!" InuYasha gasped. He could feel the younger's exhaustion, but they both turned to glare at Takemaru as he got to his feet.

"Two brothers, working together to avenge the death of their father! Tell me even yōkai have feelings," Takemaru mocked.

As if they were doing this for that selfish old man! Sesshōmaru was here because Takemaru and Sō'unga were a threat to his mate, InuYasha was probably here for the same reason.

Sesshōmaru saw InuYasha move to strike Takemaru down before InuYasha knew anything, and they clashed violently. It was only on the mentions of how InuYasha looked like Izayoi that Sesshōmaru remembered the one mercy; InuYasha didn't know, and he had had no intentions of informing his little brother about.

"I dispatched your wretched mother to Hell!" Takemaru gleefully informed InuYasha. Sesshomar held the Tenseiga with his fangs as he grabbed the Tokijin from the ground, throwing it between the pair before Takemaru provoked InuYasha into death and feed Sō'unga greater power than the sword already had.

"Stay out of my way!" he hissed to the younger.

"Not a chance! You're not stealing my victory this time!" InuYasha declared childishly.

"This is the perfect opportunity to kill both you accursed brothers at the same time!" Takemaru shouted happily. Couldn't stop that as it provoked InuYasha, instead he was forced to watch as his accursed little brother delivered the killing blow to Takemaru. Sesshōmaru hated listening to the human prattle on about how he loved Izayoi when he had stolen Sesshōmaru's own love from him.

For the second time in Sesshōmaru's life he felt Tenseiga pulse and his father's presence, which was when he saw Izanami's servants here for Takemaru's soul, he wouldn't allow that, no. He couldn't forgive that wretch to have a good life. Slicing through the servants Sesshōmaru watched as his left arm fell from the skeleton.


The battle was grueling, and honestly it was becoming a hassle as he rushed Sō'unga's animated body, he had already disposed of Takemaru and now he had to deal with this zombie. But the sword's animated body nimbly avoided all attacks. It was a coming attack though, it was too much power and it was heading for InuYasha! As Inu no Taishō he could take the hit, InuYasha wouldn't survive this one, and he knew he couldn't live with that on his conscious as he shoved his idiot brother out of the way with all his strength..

"You're in the way!" he shouted. Knocking Inuyasha out of the path of Sō'unga's attack he knew he would not escape the hit. There was too much energy to evade. Sesshōmaru heard Rin's scream as the Dragon Twister hit him, her scream, her emotions; it was deafening, it was crippling and it was something he used to focus as his fingers closed around the hilt of his sword. Quick as the attack was upon, he slammed the fang into the earth, the winds, the rocks, the pain all hit him but Rin's plea for him to be alright rang through his mind and their bond, so he focused on his bond with her. Her emotions were an anchor point.

He could take it.

He could take all the pain in this world for her. So he focused on her until the attack was over. Rin's many emotions were invigorating and empowering, her faith in him was overwhelming and the love he felt from her was intoxicating, he wouldn't die without fight for a chance to be with her. Not this time, he wasn't losing her this time!

He glared up at Sō'unga then.

InuYasha came flying in on an attack while he caught his breath and he just watched as he thought of how to destroy Sō'unga. He'd destroy that accursed blade for having threatened Rin if nothing else. But then InuYasha started spouting off this nonsense of having someone to protect and it sounded just like their father to his irritating.

'Have you someone to protect?' his father's voice asked him, again.

NO! His mind screamed. He was the Inu no Taishō, he did not protect, he guarded, he slayed, he destroyed all which threatened what was his. Those who were weaker and under his rule would trust him to be their strength, those who were exposed would trust him to cover them, those who needed aid knew he'd be there; he was a leader. He was not a protector, he was a warrior, protecting… Rin's smile flashed through his mind.

"Someone to protect." He whispered softly to himself, the last time he had to protect someone…Rin died and it was his father's fault! His own fault! He had failed the one person who always needed him to protect her, to have her back. It was more devastating because she had always had his back, and he had failed her. He'd never protect anyone! EVER! Never again would he protect someone because then they could lost, and he was not losing this Rin!

"I, Sesshomaru, have no one to protect!"

His fury, his pain came flying out of Tenseiga then as he struck at Sō'unga. He would not lose her ever again! He wouldn't protect her! He wasn't her protection! She was just as strong as he was, and no one would steal her from him again. She was his! He watched Sō'unga's animated body be ripped to shreds by his brother's and his attack. He leapt over to where Rin was, she smiled at him as she held A-Un's reins.

Rin was weak now, and relied on him to be her guard, but in time he knew she'd be his equal, until then though, he was her lord and guardian, it was his duty to see to her safety and well being. That was not protecting her.

Sō'unga and his left arm fell into the pit when this was all done and then there was this heavenly glow which had his eyes widening slightly.

Father.

There as plain as the day was his father's image staring right at them with a slight smile on his lips. Sesshōmaru could do nothing more than stared at the image, he was stupefied for the first time in his life.

"Sesshōmaru, InuYasha, you finally found the answer. You have ensured Sō'unga will be sealed forever in the netherworld. I have nothing more to teach you."

This Had ALL Been A FUCKING Test!? The fury boiling in him knew no bounds then, he had almost lost Rin for a fucking test! He wanted to fly up to his father's apparition and strangle the careless lout! His idiotic father always thought tests that endangered mates were amusing, but this was too far!

He turned to leave before he acted on that fury, he would be a better Inu no Tashio than his father had been, none of his pack would ever have to worry if he'd endanger their mates.

He just glanced at Rin as she raced after him, he was relieved that she was alright and still willing to follow him despite everything that had happened in the past few days.

"Sesshōmaru-sama," she smiled at him, he said nothing as they walked on.

He was so very relieved Takemaru hadn't killed her this time. This time he had saved her, and he had also avenged her previous life.


InuYasha had watched Rin trot after Sesshōmaru and wondered why his brother had thrown him out of the way. He couldn't quite figure that out, as that blow should've killed Sesshōmaru at the very least, that amount of yōkai and hellish energy was too much for any one daiyōkai to take. InuYasha had seen that at the last moment, he had been aware that he was going to die if he stayed there but he had been so tired, and the battle had already raged on so long, he couldn't find it in him to move. Not fast enough.

Then Sesshōmaru had been there, elbowing him out of the way and taking a hit that should've killed him.

InuYasha just didn't understand it. While Kagome tended to Sango and Miroku; Shippō slept soundly on her bed roll, and Kirara was sleeping with Shippō. He noticed Tōtōsai and Myōga talking while that sheath, Saya, was sleeping.

"It is so good to see him back to his old self, a proper Inu no Taishō!" Tōtōsai commented.

"Yes, indeed, the old Master would be pleased, but I had not expected Rin to be so young…" Myōga commented.

"She did have to be a pup at one point," Tōtōsai said softly.

"Inu no Taishō?" InuYasha asked, reluctantly getting up and limping over to the trio.

"Oh… oh yes," Tōtōsai said nervously.

"I thought that was the old man?"

"Inu no Taishō is a title for the leader of the Shikoku InuYōkai Pack, and the leader of the Clan, the title was your father's; Tōga's, but at the time of his passing the title formally fell to his eldest son, Sesshōmaru-sama," Myōga explained.

"I thought Sesshōmaru didn't want to lead!" InuYasha snapped.

"The young lord had lost his way for many centuries, it is pleasing though to see him taking his mantle again," Myōga explain.

"How so?" InuYasha snorted.

"He took a blow would have killed you and should have killed him," Tōtōsai said. "In many battles Sesshōmaru would do acts like that, to use his power to move the weaker out of paths of death, his mate usually was at his side."

"His mate?" InuYasha asked. He couldn't imagine anyone wanting to be that frigid bastard's lover let alone put herself in a position as his mate. She was probably some useless lady, someone who Sesshōmaru could control and discard.

"Yes," Tōtōsai said. "A young human woman."

"Sesshōmaru? A human mate?" InuYasha snorted. "Get real."

"He was the first," Myōga said sagely. "Before Tōga mated Izayoi, Sesshōmaru has always had a single human mate."

"But he hates them!"

"Sesshōmaru has hated everyone these past few centuries since Setsuna no Takemaru killed his mate," Tōtōsai said softly.

"What?"

"Setsuna no Takemaru not only killed your mother, and your father, but he took Sesshōmaru's mate from him, it is that action which had put Sesshōmaru on his path of supreme conquest. Before his mate's death he was a very respected and revered Inu no Taishō successor, perhaps set to be the greatest, his own power quickly outclassing your father's."

"But he hates humans…?" InuYasha sputtered.

"Sesshōmaru hates Tōga," Myōga stated. "And rightfully so. The only mistake the old Master made was never speaking to his eldest son."

"But I thought he was a good guy," InuYasha said.

"Like all beings he was complex, and for a very long time Tōga held a deep-rooted hatred of humans, he only died their advocate because of your brother's mate. She earned Tōga's respect, she commanded it, and she was the first human to do this. Tōga became tolerant of humans at the end of his life, particularly when he met your mother, Izayoi-sama had a great affect on your father's views on humans. Seeing them as creatures to protect rather than rule over," Tōtōsai said.

"Huh," InuYasha pondered that for a moment. He had always thought his father always had a fondness of humans, the way his mother had talked about his father he'd have thought that. But it appeared that it wasn't the case, and Sesshōmaru's hatred of everyone was because of a devastating loss. InuYasha didn't know what to make of this information.

He wondered now if his mother had really known his father, or if everyone only told him the good his old man was so he would try to be like that good. He didn't know.

He also didn't get his brother at all, throwing him out of the way of heavy attacks! The idiot! Still, he wanted to actually talk to Sesshōmaru and ask him some questions about the old man. InuYasha also dreaded having to ask brother for anything, still he couldn't shake the sense that if he wanted it straight he'd have to ask Sesshōmaru.