~Ch. 3- The Truth Behind the Legend~

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Okami © Capcom

The following day, after the demons had run off and things started to calm down a bit...

"So, let me get this straight," Kagome began while she poured Kaede a cup of tea. "You're saying you actually knew Inuyasha since you were little?"

"Aye," Kaede nodded. "I knew him long before you were born, Kagome. I met him around the same time he met my elder sister, Kikyo."

"So that's how you and Inuyasha knew each other, huh?" Shippo inquired. "Who'd have thunk it?"

Speaking of Inuyasha, he was currently lounging outside on Kaede's roof, his hands tucked behind his head and one knee propped up.

"Kaede, can I ask you something?" asked Kagome. "Wasn't it said that Inuyasha stole something from Kikyo and went to face Orochi on his own?"

"The Shikon Jewel," Kaede answered. "Aye, Inuyasha did indeed take the jewel from my sister...but it was only after Inuyasha defeated Orochi and was then sealed away himself that we learned of his true intentions: he used the jewel to lure Orochi out of hiding so that he could face him in battle...but there was more to it than just that."

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked.

"Well, Kagome," Kaede began, "the reason why Inuyasha was so desperate to defeat Orochi in battle...was because my sister was going to the serpent's next sacrifice."

Kagome gasped in surprise.

"But...didn't Orochi have sacrifices before then?" asked Shippo. "How come Inuyasha decided then and there to try and fight the monster? Seems pretty cowardly, if you ask me."

"You know I can hear you, right?!" Inuyasha called from the rooftop.

"Aye, Shippo, it did not make sense, at first," said Kaede, "but it is a bit more complicated than you might think."

"Why?" Shippo asked.

"...A long time ago," Kaede began, "back when I was but a young girl...my sister and I met Inuyasha while she was out for a walk in the forest. At first, he didn't approach us. He merely stood in the branches of the trees, watching us from afar. We were cautious. We did not know why he was there or what he wanted. We thought that he was after the Shikon Jewel, which Kikyo guarded and purified. We did not even realize that he was a god. Slowly but surely, Inuyasha began to get closer to us...and eventually, my sister managed to get him to lower his guard and speak with him."

"So they became friends?" Shippo asked.

"Aye," Kaede nodded. "Gradually, Inuyasha started to follow Kikyo wherever she went. It almost felt as if he were drawn to her."

"So...you're saying that Inuyasha was...?" Kagome inquired.

"He fell in love with her," Kaede confirmed. "He wanted to be by her side, always. To protect her."

"So...what happened?" Kagome asked.

"Eventually, on the night of a full moon," Kaede began, "the night when Orochi was to have his sacrificial maiden...Kikyo was the one who was chosen when an arrow struck the roof of our home."

"Oh, no...!" Kagome whispered.

"Kikyo was prepared to accept her fate," Kaede began, "but Inuyasha did not want to let Kikyo die. He tried to reason with her...but she still went, afraid for the safety of the village."

"...So that's when Inuyasha stole the jewel from her," Kagome realized.

"Aye," Kaede replied. "Inuyasha decided to use the jewel to lure Orochi into a battle...but in doing so, he had lost Kikyo's trust."

"...But he was trying to save her," Kagome said. "She can't get mad at him for that!"

"Yeah! I mean...if I were Inuyasha, I'd probably do the same thing!" Shippo agreed.

"Indeed, young Shippo," Kaede answered. "In fact, I told her that very same thing...but alas, my sister was thickheaded and stubborn. She did not listen to reason. When Inuyasha sealed Orochi away...Kikyo soon pinned him to the tree."

Kagome and Shippo both stared at the elder priestess in stunned silence. Outside, on the roof, Inuyasha stared at the clouds with a somewhat bitter expression. He sighed before he sat up and then leaped off to who-knows-where.

"What happened to Kikyo after that?" asked Shippo.

"Sadly, many years later, Kikyo succumbed to illness and died," Kaede replied. "She would never know the truth as to why Inuyasha did what he did." She then heaved a soft sigh of her own. "I was greatly saddened by her demise...but I continued to live on for her sake."

"...But what about Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"...I'm afraid it might take some time for his heart to heal," Kaede replied. "In the meantime, Kagome, ye must return to your studies."

"Of course, Kaede," Kagome said as she got up and walked out with Shippo following behind her. As they walked, the young fox demon noticed that his priestess friend was looking out into the distance...toward a certain Inugami that was standing on the hill with his back turned to her. Shippo blinked up at Kagome before he jumped up and perched himself on her shoulder.

"Whatcha thinking about, Kagome?" asked Shippo.

"...I can't help but feel bad for Inuyasha," Kagome answered as she watched the Inugami. "It's just not fair that Kikyo pinned him to a tree for trying to save her life."

"Well, that's gratitude for you," Shippo shrugged.

"...I'm gonna go talk to him," Kagome said.

"Huh?" Shippo asked. "But Kagome, what about what Kaede said?"

"She'll understand," said Kagome as she glanced over at a nearby temple. "And...I think I know what might help me get on his good side."

XXX

Inuyasha stood on top of the hill while he looked over the village. He could see that the villagers were still going about, making any repairs to their homes. Some were still bandaged up after the invasion last night...but it seemed that things returned to normal...at least reasonably so.

"Hmph," the Inugami scoffed. "Looks like this place did just fine without me in the last 50 years."

Suddenly, his ear twitched as he heard footsteps behind him, causing him to glance back and see that it was Kagome and Shippo, the former giving a broad smile as she held something behind her back.

"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked.

"I just thought I'd give you a little something," Kagome replied before she pulled out a giant paintbrush, about as big as her. "This is yours, right?"

Inuyasha's widened at the sight of the brush.

"My Celestial Brush!" he exclaimed as he grabbed it, then kissed the handle.

"I meant to give this to you, last night," Kagome replied. "Sorry I took so long."

"Well, it's about damn time you brought it to me, wench," Inuyasha said.

"Hey, be nice!" Shippo retorted. "She went out of her way to get that for you! And she has a name! It's Kagome!"

"Yeah, whatever," Inuyasha muttered as he held the brush against his shoulder.

'Not one for manners, is he?' thought Kagome.

"So...Inuyasha?" she asked.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"My Mom once told me that you could control nature with that brush of yours," said Kagome. "So...what kind of powers do you have, anyway?"

Inuyasha blinked at the young priestess, who blinked at him with eagerness, which caused him to give her a toothy grin.

"So, you wanna see what the Great Inugami, Inuyasha can do, huh?" he asked before he brandished his brush. "Well, just watch and see." Then, he pointed his brush up to the blue sky...and that's when something unexpected happened: what looked like black ink began to form on the tip of the brush. Slowly and carefully, Inuyasha drew a circle in the sky, and soon after it did so, the ink turned a light red color, forming a shining sun!

"You can draw the sun?!" Kagome asked.

"Pretty impressive, don't you think?" Inuyasha asked. "My very first power as an Inugami is to be able to make it daylight whenever I see fit."

"It's not that impressive..." Shippo muttered, only for the Inugami to suddenly bop him on the head. "OW! What was that for?!"

"Next time, watch your mouth before you say something, you twerp!" Inuyasha barked.

"I'm just saying!" Shippo spat as he rubbed the bump on his head. "So you can make it daylight whenever you want! It's not that great!"

"I have more than one power, you know!" Inuyasha argued. "It's not just about the sun!"

"Well, what else can you do?" Kagome asked.

"Heh!" Inuyasha smirked. "I'm about to knock your socks off, wench."

"Kagome," Kagome corrected.

"Whatever," Inuyasha shrugged before he held his brush to the sky, again. "Watch this...with a single stroke of my brush, I can summon forth a mighty wind!"

With that, he swung the brush in a circular stroke...and yet, nothing happened.

"Uh...where's the wind?" Kagome asked.

"Huh?" Inuyasha muttered.

"Yeah, now it just feels hot because you drew the sun," Shippo added.

"Uh...that was just a warmup!" Inuyasha rebuked. "Okay, this time...I summon forth a mighty wind!" He then swung the brush again...but again, nothing happened. "...I said 'mighty wind'!" He groaned as he shook his brush. "What the hell is wrong with this thing?! Why isn't it working?!"

"Kagome, are you sure this guy's as powerful as your mom said he was?" Shippo asked. "Seems to me that she might have exaggerated a thing or two."

"Shut up, you little runt!" Inuyasha barked. "Dammit, what the hell is going on?! What happened to all my powers?! I could use all 13 powers of the Celestial Brush, but now, I can't so much as drew even a tiny breeze!" A frustrated growl released from his throat before he glared at Kagome. "What the hell did you to my brush?!"

"What?!" Kagome questioned. "What makes you think I did something?! It was in perfect condition when I brought it to you!"

"You must have done something to it!" Inuyasha shouted. "None of my other powers are working!"

"I didn't do anything to it, Inuyasha!" Kagome spat. "You have to believe me!"

"Pardon me."

Kagome, Inuyasha, and Shippo turned to see Kaede approach them.

"Kaede," Kagome said.

"I can't help but notice that Inuyasha seems to be having a bit of a predicament with his Celestial Brush," said Kaede.

"I'm not having trouble," Inuyasha said as he looked at his Celestial Brush. "My Celestial Brush is broken or something."

"The Celestial Brush is not broken, Inuyasha," Kaede replied. "50 years have passed since ye have been sealed to the tree. Since then, your powers have waned."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.

"I am saying that ye need to restore all your powers," Kaede replied, and almost instantly, the Inugami's ears and shoulders slumped.

"Some god," Shippo quipped. "You've been asleep for 50 years and now you have to regain all your powers from scratch?"

"SHUT IT!" Inuyasha barked. "I don't believe this shit..."

"I could help you," Kagome spoke up, causing Inuyasha to blink at her...but then he buzzed his lips and burst out in a guffaw.

"You? Help me?!" he asked before he laughed some more. "Oh, that is hilarious!"

"Hey, that's not funny!" Kagome argued. "I'm serious, here!"

"Look, wench-" Inuyasha started.

"Kagome!" Kagome and Shippo corrected.

"Whatever!" Inuyasha replied. "Look...I'm a god. I don't need help from no mortal like you."

"May I remind you that if it weren't for me, you'd still be stuck to that tree?" Kagome asked. "You owe me, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha's eyes widened...but then, they suddenly went dark as he approached Kagome, towering over her while he put a hand against the trunk of a tree, his golden eyes smoldering as he glowered down at her.

"...I hope you're not making threats, wench," he said, but Kagome glared back at him, her chocolate brown orbs burning with defiance. Inuyasha's eyes softened and he hunched an eyebrow, but Kagome's face remained the same.

'This wench is actually challenging me...' he thought before he smirked. 'Well...this is a first.'

"...Fine," Inuyasha said as he turned away from her.

"What do you mean, 'fine'?" Kagome inquired.

"I'll let you help me, wench," Inuyasha began, "for now."

"For now?" Kagome asked.

"Once I regain most of my powers, you and I are done, you got that?" Inuyasha asked. "There's not gonna be a reason for me to stick around here, anyway."

"But that's not fair!" Shippo argued. "Kagome did wake you back up, after all!"

"It's a deal," Kagome spoke up, causing Shippo and Kaede to glance at her.

"Are ye certain, Kagome?" Kaede asked. "It could be quite dangerous."

"I'm certain," Kagome answered as she glanced at Inuyasha, who glanced back at her.

'I felt bad for him, at first,' she thought, 'but now...I actually can't wait for him to leave.'

Trouble in paradise~!

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