Kimiko holds up the Tetsusaiga in her hand and examines it.
"Im… impossible! Inuyasha, let alone Lord Sesshomaru, could not budge Tetsusaiga… How could a mere mortal…?" Jaken stutters in disbelief.
Inuyasha claws at Sesshomaru while he is staring at Kimiko. "You shouldn't have looked away!"
Sesshomaru dodges and zooms to in front of Kimiko.
"Huh?!" Kimiko said startled.
"Just who are you? Why were you able to draw out the sword?" Sesshomaru demands in his monotone voice.
"I guess he's no longer interested in you and your life's been spared, huh?" Myoga says to Inuyasha as he lets a breath of relief.
"Fool!" Inuyasha tells Myoga then yells to Sesshomaru trying to get Sesshomaru away from Kimiko. "Sesshomaru! Leave her alone! She has nothing to do with you!"
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko said then turned to Sesshomaru. "Don't come near me or I'll kill you!" Kimiko orders, not as confident as she said it.
"Neither you nor I could draw out Tetsusaiga. Yet she had no trouble against the barrier. You expect me to let her go?" Sesshomaru questions Inuyasha.
"I don't know why the barrier had no effect on her! But she's only a human girl! Kimiko! Hand over Tetsusaiga to Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha states to Sesshomaru and somewhat pleads to Kimiko, but knowing she was just as stubborn as Kikyo.
Kimiko points the sword at Sesshomaru. "No! He couldn't pull out the sword! That means he's not the rightful owner! I WILL NOT give it to him." Kimiko tells Inuyasha.
"Fool! A human girl has nothing to do with this! Stop interfering!" Inuyasha demands angrily.
Kimiko swings and points the sword at Inuyasha instead. "Stop interfering, you say?!" Kimiko shouts annoyed.
All of a sudden Kimiko realizes the gravity of the situation and lifts the sword in front of her in self defense.
"Humph. Inuyasha… You seem to be very interested in the actions of a human. Why protect her?" Sesshomaru puts a hand behind his ear casually. "Why let her go? Why love her?" Sesshomaru questions intrigued. Sesshomaru runs his hand over his hair and walks slowly towards Inuyasha. "I certainly did not inherit from our father the feelings of compassion towards humans that you have. It was this feeling for a mortal woman, your mother, this weakness of the heart, that caused father to end up here like this. Tainted blood courses through your body! It is this blood that endears you to humans? Well, I don't pay any heed to such infinitely vulgar beings." Sesshomaru mocked and then he turns around, raises his hand and discharges a torrent of poison fumes at Kimiko.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko cried out panicked.
The ribcage above her starts to melt and cover her.
Kimiko!" Inuyasha yells back worried.
More melted ribcage cover Kimiko and she eventually falls to the ground. The Tetsusaiga falls to the ground too. Gradually both of them are buried under. Sesshomaru stops his poison attack.
"So totally useless, right, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru mocked.
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha calls out furious.
"Humans…" Sesshomaru states as he turns to Inuyasha. "As well as half-demons."
Inuyasha sprints towards Sesshomaru. "Why…!" Inuyasha growls out and leaps and attacks. "Iron Reaver-Soul Stealer!"
Sesshomaru flies upwards swiftly and grabs Inuyasha into the air with his fur sash. "Wake up! With tainted blood like yours, you cannot touch me!" Sesshomaru informed.
Sesshomaru twirls and spins Inuyasha with his fur sash to the ground like a top. He throws him off and he slides across the skull filled ground and crashes onto the ribcage wall.
Inuyasha struggles to get up cursing. "Damn!"
Sesshomaru continues to whip Inuyasha casually from high up.
"What can half-demons do?!" Sesshomaru whips violently this time, furious. "You're just half a demon!" The whip sends Inuyasha upwards and crashes him to the ground.
Inuyasha struggles to get up. "Half-demon, huh?" Inuyasha mutters to himself.
Sesshomaru whips him casually again. Inuyasha shields his face with his hand.
...
Flashback - Inuyasha's Childhood
Several men, forming a circle, are playing ball in a courtyard, while a few group of women look on.
"Go!" One Man yells.
The Second Man kicks the ball saying. "There!"
A young Inuyasha runs towards them and runs after the ball. One of the men catches the ball and Inuyasha waves his hand to get it. The man pauses for a while and tosses the ball over his shoulder, onto a bridge. Young Inuyasha runs across the bridge and chases after the ball. He reaches the other bank and grabs the ball. He turns around to find that the group of people playing ball have disappeared and are walking away in different directions, ignoring him.
"Half-demon…?" Young Inuyasha questions sad.
The ball bouncing away, and young Inuyasha runs into his mother's receiving arms.
"Mother! What is a half-demon?" Young Inuyasha inquiries.
"That's right… I… remember." Inuyasha of the present day voice is heard saying.
Inuyasha's mother's eyes start to water. A tear rolls down her cheek and she closes her eyes sadly.
"At that time, my mother cried… for my sake. She thought of my future and cried for me." The present Inuyasha voice is heard remembering.
...
Present
Inuyasha gets up and looks at the disintegrated pile on Kimiko.
"It doesn't matter whether one is human or demon! I can't forgive you for playing with my mother's memory… But for her sake, I will not lose to you!" Inuyasha determinedly states.
Inuyasha sprints towards Sesshomaru and manages to punch his armor on his chest. Sesshomaru looks shocked momentarily but then flies upwards.
"This one's for my mother! And this one is for…" Inuyasha declares as he leaps and claws at Sesshomaru chest. "Kimiko!" Sesshomaru falls backwards, looking stunned that Inuyasha actually managed to touch him.
Static emits from Sesshomaru's chest.
"Wh-why?! It was useless a minute ago…" Jaken says stunned.
Sesshomaru regains his composure and flies upwards. Inuyasha lands with his fist on the ground. Sesshomaru lands behind him. The armor on his chest cracks, shatters into pieces and falls to the ground.
"Anger over a mere mortal woman? You act in the heat of passion and rush to your death… You are a truly pitiful fellow." Sesshomaru says calmly, with a slight smirk.
"Why you…! I'll slit you open and cut out your guts! For Kimiko, who died a senseless death!" Inuyasha says.
Suddenly, Kimiko emerges from the gooey pile and gasps for air, while holding onto the sword.
"Phew! I thought I was a goner!" Kimiko says relived.
"Wh-hat!?" Inuyasha says in confused disbelief, but with a hint of relief.
Kimiko stands up angrily. "Huh?!" Kimiko said and points Tetsusaiga at Sesshomaru threateningly. "Hey, you! You actually tried to kill me!" She walks sideways toward Inuyasha. "Well. You're going to regret it now! Get ready!" Kimiko hands Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha. "Here!"
"Huh?" Inuyasha said still shocked.
"I think this sword has special powers. Go for it!" Kimiko tells Inuyasha in an optimistic voice.
"How… how come you're still alive?" Inuyasha questions.
"Huh? Hmm?" Kimiko mumbles as she holds up and examines her hand curiously.
"I see… The sword's barrier protected you." Sesshomaru realizes what happened.
The skulls on the ground where Sesshomaru is standing on starts to vibrate.
Myoga hopping on Inuyasha's shoulder saying in a awed voice. "Amazing… This Tetsusaiga… to thwart the deadly poisons in Master Sesshomaru's claws! Master Inuyasha, do not fear! Try out the Tetsusaiga on Master Sesshomaru himself!"
Sesshomaru scoffs lightly. "Listen to you, prattling on!" Sesshomaru eyes enlarge slightly and glare at Inuyasha.
A pink glow emits around Sesshomaru. A vortex of wind starts to surround him, picking up some skulls with it. He sends a skull towards Inuyasha, which crashes on his forehead. Inuyasha doesn't flinch. Sesshomaru sends more skulls toward Inuyasha, which hit him at various places. Inuyasha still doesn't move an inch.
"We'll see if a half-demon can wield the Tetsusaiga! I will bear witness!" Sesshomaru says.
The vortex of wind grows stronger. Sesshomaru's eyes suddenly enlarge and turn blood red. Sesshomaru's face morphs into that of a ferocious dog. His body turns into a pink substance, which shoots up into the air. It twirls and flies in the air for a while and charges towards the ground. The pink substance dissipates, revealing a ferocious, huge white dog demon. He lifts his head and growls. He stamps his paws violently on the ground as he advances toward Inuyasha and Kimiko.
"He changed!" Kimiko says in disbelief.
"Hah! Now he's shown his true colors!" Inuyasha informs.
Sesshomaru barks at Inuyasha making him laugh.
"And just because he coveted this Tetsusaiga… Does this sword really have such awesome powers?" Inuyasha inquiries.
Inuyasha swings the sword at Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru backs off a little, barking menacingly.
"Kimiko! Hide nearby." Inuyasha demands.
"Nearby? Where?" Kimiko asks.
Inuyasha leaps above Sesshomaru and charges down declaring. "Okay! Now show me, Tetsusaiga, your power!"
Sesshomaru barks and tries to bite Inuyasha. Inuyasha dodges and hit Sesshomaru's back with Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru slams his paw at Kimiko, but she dodges to the side. Inuyasha lands and the sword vibrates, making a ringing sound.
"It didn't even make a scratch." Inuyasha said astonished.
Sesshomaru slams a paw on Inuyasha, but he escapes onto a ribcage bone. Sesshomaru slams Inuyasha again, but he leaps away. Sesshomaru's attack crushes the bone and a pile of skulls violently. Drool starts to appear around Sesshomaru's mouth, which drip onto the ground, forming poisonous green fumes and melting the skulls on the ground.
"Hey, Myoga! What's going on?! This sword can't cut! It didn't even leave a lump!" Inuyasha complained, looking at Myoga on his shoulder.
Myoga packing his belongings into a bundle. "Err… well, Master Inuyasha… That sword is your father's heirloom. You must believe in its power." He slings the bundle over his back. "And by no means must you release it! Now then, excuse me!" Myoga said as he hops onto the ground.
"Wh-why you!" Inuyasha starts angry and annoyed.
"Turn Master Sesshomaru into fodder!" Myoga calls before he sprints away.
Sesshomaru's drool continues to drip onto the ground and a pool of green fumes engulfs the area, up to waist height.
"Why…! Kimiko! A miasma! Don't breathe it in! Escape." Inuyasha orders.
"Don't breathe it in?! And escape where." Kimiko questions panicked.
"Up! Escape upwards!" Inuyasha answers pointing his sword upwards.
Sesshomaru growls and dives at Inuyasha several times, who manage to dodge.
KImiko climbing up the vines on the ribcage wall shouting out worried. "Inuyasha!"
"Never mind, just escape! Those toxic fumes can kill any demon in an instant!" Myoga informed quickly as he climbs swiftly up a vine next to Kimiko.
Jaken who is also climbing a vine. "Lord Sesshomaru!" The fumes grow higher. "There!" He climbs upwards frantically.
"What about Inuyasha?!" Kimiko demands worried. Myoga climbs up frantically. "Wait! Will Inuyasha be okay?"
Myoga pauses to think. "Huh? I wonder?" Myoga shrugs with his hands in an 'I-don't-know' posture.
This makes him fall off and into the miasma.
Myoga starts waving his hands frantically. "Huh?!" He climbs up the vine swiftly again. "Just leave things to Master Inuyasha for now! We must concentrate on escaping!"
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko calls out.
The miasma grows higher and Kimiko gasps as she climbs upwards.
Inuyasha slides backwards onto the ribcage wall, coughing saying. "Strong poison… I can't linger here much longer." Inuyasha jumps upwards and falters a little as the fumes get to him. He reaches a vine and coughs.
"Damn! My arms and legs are becoming numb!" Inuyasha curses wincing trying to move.
A pair of red eyes appear behind him. It's Sesshomaru. He growls and bites Inuyasha violently, clenching him between his teeth. Inuyasha yells. Sesshomaru glares downwards at Inuyasha and swings his mouth around, making Inuyasha yell in pain.
"Even a useless sword like this has to be more irritating than a mosquito bite!" Inuyasha said, struggling and pokes Sesshomaru in the eye with his sword. Sesshomaru growls in pain and rolls around. He charges upwards with Inuyasha still in his mouth. Sesshomaru bursts out of the ribcage.
Outside, on the shoulder armor of the skeleton of Inuyasha's father, Kimiko is standing.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko calls out.
Sesshomaru is swinging his head in pain while Inuyasha grabs onto the fur of Sesshomaru's chin. Inuyasha releases his grip and lands on the armor. Sesshomaru swings his head and twitches his eyes. Kimiko is hiding behind a bush on the armor, looking on.
"Master Inuyasha, now do you see the power of Tetsusaiga? Now for the finishing blow!" Myoga shouts out popping out of the bush.
"Fool! This sword is as useless as a walking stick!" Inuyasha retorts fed up.
"Are you saying this isn't the treasured sword of your father? Myoga asks as he folds his arms and ponder for a while, and pops back into the bush.
He dashes across the ground, away from the fight.
"Damn! Does this junk do anything?!" Inuyasha curses.
Sesshomaru slams a paw at Inuyasha suddenly, but Inuyasha dodges. Sesshomaru slams Inuyasha again, but Inuyasha dodges again. Inuyasha swings his sword on his paw, but nothing happens. Inuyasha leaps away and lands near Kimiko.
"Damn!" Inuyasha curses again.
"Hang in there, Inuyasha! The first blow worked!" Kimiko encourages.
"Hah! It didn't do a thing!" Inuyasha retorts back.
"But that's YOUR sword! I have faith in your power!" Kimiko countered.
Sesshomaru licks his paw where Inuyasha hit.
"How can you keep talking such rubbish?! I'm hardy, so I'll survive." Inuyasha inquires curiously before he squints his eyes and mocks childishly. "But you may end up dead!"
Kimiko lowers her head. "Is it really… hopeless?." Kimiko questions sadly.
"Well…" Inuyasha starts and looks at Kimiko, shocked. "Hey… Did I…" Inuyasha voice becomes helpless. "Did I make you sad?" Now Inuyasha yells. "Don't be sad!" Inuyasha stumbled out his words.
"You expect me to be happy?!" Kimiko yells back.
"Shut up! I'm saying I'll protect you!" Inuyasha states sincerely.
Kimiko is stunned, but feels surprisingly happy.
"Just stay there and watch." Inuyasha demanded and slings Tetsusaiga over his shoulder and walks towards Sesshomaru.
"I didn't hear wrong, did I? He said he'd protect me… Inuyasha is crude but he's different from Sesshomaru. There's something different and I can't wait to find out " Kimiko thinks excited.
Inuyasha reaches the front of Sesshomaru. "Damn! What the heck anyway?" He swings his sword. "Come, beast dog!" The sword starts pulsating and Inuyasha examines it. "Tetsusaiga is pulsing! I can hear it… Is this the life beat of Tetsusaiga? It's different… something's changed!"
"Lord Sesshomaru! Get that half-demon Inuyasha and devour him, head first!" Jaken cheers.
A skull suddenly hits Jaken on the head.
Kimiko throws more skulls at Jaken from behind. "He hasn't lost yet!" Kimiko retorts angry and starts thinking. "Do your best, Inuyasha!"
Sesshomaru charges up into the air and dives at Inuyasha. Inuyasha doesn't move and stares with a determined look.
"I can do it!" Inuyasha says confidently.
Inuyasha jumps up and cuts into Sesshomaru's front leg. The Tetsusaiga looks different, with a thicker and non-chipped blade. A ring of fur surrounds the handle. Inuyasha drags the sword upwards, along Sesshomaru's front leg and finally slices it off. Sesshomaru collapses onto the ground, a torrent of blood gushes out where his left leg used to be. Inuyasha lands and holds up the sword, examining it.
"This… fang!" Inuyasha swings Tetsusaiga around and laughs. "A fang…! What an heirloom the old man left me! Hey, Sesshomaru, listen up! Here we are, two brothers, fighting for our father's treasure, compared to his magnificence, we're nothing! Do you understand? We're battling it out now, on top of our father's body!" Inuyasha laughs. "We're nowhere near his equal."
Sesshomaru growls at Inuyasha viciously.
"I don't have any memories of being loved by my father! But he chose to hide his fang inside my eye! And I ain't giving up this sword! Not to anyone! Not even to my "fine" older brother!" Inuyasha taunts.
Sesshomaru growls and charges at Inuyasha. Inuyasha swings his sword at Sesshomaru's chest, cutting him deeper. He swings again and Sesshomaru falls backwards, with light sparks emitting from his chest. Sesshomaru falls downwards, far away from the armor of their father.
Jaken with many bumps on his head says. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Sesshomaru starts to glow and curl up, transforming into a white glowing orb and flies into the distance. "Lord Sesshomaru! Please wait!" Jaken cried out and runs from Inuyaha frantically, with mock tears trailing.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko calls out excited he won.
Inuyasha, breathing heavily, sticks the sword onto the ground and kneels down.
Kimiko kneels next to Inuyasha worried and panicked. "Inuyasha, are you all right?!"
Inuyasha chuckles.
"Thanks, old man… You left me a pretty handy heirloom." Inuyasha thanked.
Myoga appears suddenly and hops onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Master Inuyasha, well done! I, Myoga, had faith in you!" Inuyasha raises a finger to squeeze him but Myoga blocks it with his hands. "Please wait!" He points to something. "Look there! I was arranging for transportation to go home. I certainly did not intend to run away! You understand?" Where Myoga was pointing, two skeletal birds stands and caws.
Inuyasha stands up and says in a hopeful tone. "Then you didn't run away?"
"Huh?" Myoga asks.
Myoga bows his head, sweat drops forming. "Well, when you ask me so nicely… I'm sorry! I thought you had no chance in a hundred against Lord Sesshomaru…and I ran away. I underestimated you, Master Inuyasha. I am so terribly ashamed of myself."
Inuyasha still smiling. "Myoga…" A shadow forms over Inuyasha's eyes, making him look sinister. Inuyasha clenches his teeth picks up Myoga between his fingers.
"Huh?!" Myoga exclaims. Inuyasha closes his eyes and squeezes Myoga vindictively. A flattened Myoga drifts downwards from Inuyasha's fingers.
"Oh dear… What a happy day!" Myoga says.
...
A portal opens in the sky. Inuyasha and Kimiko emerge from it and lands on the grass below. The portal closes and transforms into a black orb, which returns to Inuyasha's right eye. Inuyasha blinks a few times.
"Are you all right, Inuyasha?" Kimiko asks concerned.
"I just returned to normal." Inuyasha rubs his right eye. "There's no tomb or treasure here anymore. My old man can finally rest in peace." Inuyasha explained.
...
At Kaede's Village - Kaede's Hut
Kimiko, Kaede and Myoga sit around a fire.
"But why were you able to draw out this Tetsusaiga? I must say, you have some strange powers." Kaede asks Kimiko intrigued.
"Umm…" Kimiko starts but doesn't know how to answer.
"I believe that it was because Kimiko is a mortal. In the first place, Tetsusaiga was forged by Inuyasha's father in order to protect Inuyasha's human mother. It is a supernatural sword that can only be wielded by one who feels love for and protective towards a human being." Myoga explains his theory. "There was just no way someone like Sesshomaru, who despises humans could control Tetsusaiga."
"Such a strange story. Inuyasha thinks that being a half-demon is a weakness. That's why he didn't want to feel anything for his mother. But it is necessary for Inuyasha to have feelings for humans. That is what his father wanted to teach him. Perhaps it is Inuyasha rather than Sesshomaru, who inherited the true traits of their father." Kaede muses.
...
Inuyasha sits on his tree, swinging Tetsusaiga in the air. He stops and examines the sword closely.
"Huh?!" Inuyasha states confused.
Inuyasha swings again and accidentally hits the tree trunk. The force makes him almost fall off the branch. He struggles for a while and regains his balance. Inuyasha heaves a sigh of relief.
"What's this?! It turned back into a useless, old sword." Inuyasha states annoyed.
"Inuyasha!" Kimiko calls out walking towards the tree.
"Huh?" Inuyasha questions.
"Shall I tell you the secret to controlling Tetsusaiga?" Kimiko questions with a smile.
Inuyasha jumps off the tree to the front of Kimiko. "What? Do you know?" Inuyasha demands excited.
"Can you really protect me with that sword?" Kimiko asks sweetly.
Inuyasha squints at Kimiko. "Huh?! What're you saying? Are you sane?" Inuyasha inquiries as he holds up his finger and points to his head.
Kimiko clenches her fist and yells. "You're the one who told me, "I'll protect you always!"
"I did not!" Inuyasha denied embarrassed and says firmly. "Now listen here, Kimiko. One day, I'm going to become a full-fledged demon, a magnificent one at that!" Inuyasha turns around, looking at Tetsusaiga and says smugly. "And with this sword, I'll be able to gather all the fragments of the Sacred Jewel" He staggers off and mock childishly. "And that means, I have no time to waste on a girl like you!"
Kimiko pushes Inuyasha onto a bridge angry and a little hurt.
Inuyasha looks back at Kimiko. "Hey! What?!" Inuyasha demands.
Kimiko stops when they are in the middle of the bridge. She walks back to the ground, leaving Inuyasha standing alone.
Kimiko put her hands on her hip and says calmly. "Sit." Inuyasha crashes the bridge violently and into the river below. "I was such a fool for believing for an instant, that he could be kinda nice!"
Inuyasha climbs up onto the ground. "Damn Kimiko! What'd you do that for?! Wait! Show me how to control this sword!" Inuyasha curses before demanding an explanation while waving Tetsusaiga wildly in the air.
"Nah! I think it's going to be more interesting if you figure that secret by yourself. I have faith that you can." Kimiko replied, looking at Inuyasha, but quickly turning around to hide her blushing cheeks, but also surprising Inuyasha that she had that much faith in him.