A/N: okay here's the chap i mentioned i was going to mesh eps 15 and 17 in of InuYasha: Kanketsu-hen (Final Act)! action, love and honor will take part in this chap so i'll shut up now and let you read. enjoy!
also: "imoto-chan" - little sister
disclaimer: i don't own InuYasha; my OCs belong to me.
Chapter 39: Heirs, Heiresses, Heirlooms
Shippo deadpanned. "InuYasha, why do you always have to be such a bully?"
"Hey you're getting taller already, Jaken!" InuYasha beamed as he continued to stretch the imp like a piece of elastic.
THWACK.
"G-geh!"
"What in hell are you doing to him..? If anyone is gonna give that idiot frog a beating, it's gonna be either Sesshomaru, myself or Kori-chan." Getsu sighed as she planted her foot on the hanyou's head, squishing his ear between her left big toe and index toe and tugging on it absently, deadpanning.
"Getsu-onee!" Rin beamed at the sight of the older female wolf, making her ears twitch; she looked over at her and winked.
Korihime sweatdropped and exhaled, hopping to her feet and walking over to her sister. "So how was the honeymoon?" She wondered, smirking a little.
Getsu blinked and then huffed, rolling her eyes. "Don't start. Hey, what happened to you guys? I heard your howl, but we didn't get here fast enough. Sorry." She asked, elbowing her.
"Oh, that. Um, funny thing…" Korihime rubbed her neck.
InuYasha shoved off the daiyokai huffing and glaring up at her. "What the hell was that for!?" He barked.
She poked his forehead with her big toe, earning a growl from him. "Would you rather I make you eat dirt without using your hands or have Kagome use the 'sit' command until you're in a coma?" She deadpanned.
He winced at the reminder and possible threat, scowling at her with his ears flicking. "Neither!"
"So if you're here, then where's your better half?" Her sister asked with a tilt of her head.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" The girl's exclamation gave her the answer; she looked at the trees beyond them to see the aforementioned daiyokai walking forward.
Never mind, she thought with a sweatdrop.
Her mind recalled the 'pit-stop' on their way back to their group, the snide look in that effeminate incarnation's dolled-up face as he explained the reason as to why Sesshomaru now held a piece of Kanna's mirror in his possession; she bristled out of reflex at the memory and inwardly growled.
Korihime perked up when he drew Tensaiga. What's he planning…? She wondered, looking at the clueless expression on his baby brother's face that gave fuel to her confusion and slowly-blossoming concern.
"Draw, InuYasha." Sesshomaru ordered, further deepening the clueless and now annoyed expression he had.
InuYasha blinked. "Sesshomaru, what's going on..? Have you lost your mind?"
"I said 'draw', baka-hanyou." He snapped coldly, baring Tensaiga in silent emphasis that he wasn't present for just a chat with his baby brother.
Her blue eyes sharpened as it clicked. "You're not serious… Getsu," she looked at her sister to see she was sporting a poker-face expression, her silver eyes looking away from her imploring blue orbs and resting on the stern look her mate harbored.
He flicked his wrist and sent a void at the hanyou, forcing him to leap back with a flailing Jaken in his hand before he dropped him at last and drew Tetsusaiga. "Fine, have it your way, you jackass bastard." He growled.
"Nii-san, what the hell are you doing?" She demanded sharply of her brother-in-law, scowling at him.
"This has nothing to do with you, Kori. Stay out of it." He silenced her, perking her ears.
She bristled. "Like hell I'm just gonna stand by and…" She made to stomp over to him to give him a piece of her mind before her sister's right arm extended to block her from moving, surprising her; her blue eyes looked at the stern light that glinted in her silver orbs. "Onee-chan?"
"This isn't something you or I have a say in, Korihime. That goes double for you guys too." Getsu looked at his gold eyes that were for his younger brother's likewise gold scowl after throwing a knowing scowl at his human pack. "Don't overdo it." She added, her voice softened when addressing her male counterpart.
He nodded slightly. "This won't take long." He promised calmly, ignoring the eye-roll and knowing smile he gained from her.
Both sisters watched the Tensaiga take on a bright light that blindsided the hanyou, glowing around the heirloom fang in his clawed hand.
"Take this; Wind Scar!" He swung the mightier of the two fangs down before nothing happened, making him blanch in surprise and slight horror.
Tensaiga's form shifted until it was a mirror image of the Tetsusaiga, surprising everyone else gathered (save Getsu).
So that's what he meant when he gave him the mirror piece, she thought.
"Wind Scar!" Sesshomaru slammed the blade down, sending a torrent of demon wind at his half-breed brother.
"What the hell's going on Sesshomaru!? And why can I smell Naraku's stench on your blade?" InuYasha demanded indignantly, baring the original Tetsusaiga defensively.
"Actually, that would be my scent." The effeminate demon Byakuya declared as he hovered overhead, observing the prologue of the battle safely sitting on one of his large origami cranes.
"Byakuya of the Dreams." Korihime growled, flexing her claws and glaring up at the cobalt-haired incarnation. "I thought I smelled your stench." She spat.
"Princess Korihime, it's been a while." Byakuya flashed a smile, the expression being met with a low curse and flashing of sharp fangs in threat. "I passed along a fragment of Kanna's mirror to Lord Sesshomaru; I hope you don't mind." He said lightly.
"So that explains things… You knew about this." She looked at her sister.
She nodded a little, keeping her eyes on the two brothers before them. "If anything happens to him, you realize the deal's off, don't you? I'll rip you to shreds with just my claws, Byakuya of the Dreams. Remember that." She added to the incarnation, throwing him a stony glare.
He lifted his hands in surrender, feigning innocence. "Such scary words to go along with a scary face! But I will keep that in mind, my lovely lady." He winked, seeing her snort and look away annoyedly.
"But Lord Sesshomaru, why!?" Rin cried out, steering her attention away from the two brothers and to her confused and surprised brown eyes. Her inner demon hummed softly at the expression on the girl she had practically helped raise for four years; 'Rin', it grumbled. "While you were gone, Naraku tried to kill Kohaku and take his shard! He's evil; don't listen to anything he says!" She exclaimed desperately.
Getsu's eyes widened slightly and she looked at her sister to see a dark light had entered her blue orbs. "Kori-chan," she murmured softly before looking away and feeling like such a moron. Damn it, now we've done it, she thought with a growl.
"Everyone's got an opinion! Let's go somewhere where there's no interruption, shall we?" Byakuya sighed, pulling out a sake gourd from his collar and spraying a circumference of alcohol around the brothers, baffling the younger of the two, before the alcohol spouted fumes and the circumference formed into a circle before it shifted to look like a moon and lifted higher into the air.
"The moon?" Korihime wondered in surprise before the moon grew smaller and disappeared. "InuYasha!" She barked alertly.
"Sesshomaru!" Getsu exclaimed before she growled again and glared up at Byakuya, watching Sango throw her Hiraikotsu up at him and cause his image to disappear. "Damn it." She muttered, gritting her teeth.
"Why would Lord Sesshomaru work with Naraku?" Kohaku wondered more to himself.
Korihime looked at her sister. "Onee-chan, you knew about this; why did you just stand there and do nothing?" She demanded annoyedly, a scowl forming on her brow.
Getsu glanced at the confused and slightly angered expressions that the trio of humans harbored before looking at her blue stare. "You know as well as I that Sesshomaru is too stubborn for his own good. Besides, Sesshomaru, even though he knew this was another ploy of Naraku's to force him and InuYasha to kill each other, he took the bait based on his own curiosity to see which of them was the true heir of Tetsusaiga, him or InuYasha… He's doing this to get closure, Korihime. Who am I to keep him from finally finding peace with a matter that has haunted him for over a century?" She shrugged a little and smiled weakly.
"Onee-chan…" She looked at the crater the 'moon' had left, her brow furrowing. "What if he gets killed doing this? What if InuYasha gets killed? Did either of you two geniuses think about that?" She asked with a growl, looking at her sister sharply with hard blue eyes that made her look so much like their mother.
She fought a wince at the reminder and looked up at the sky, sighing. "Sesshomaru is too powerful to get killed by something like this. InuYasha may be the hopeless idiot mutt that he is, but he's got his strengths too. Don't worry so much, Kori." She assured quietly, her hands at her sides balling into fists to assure herself as well.
::::::xXx::::::
"InuYasha!" Her sister sprinted past her to the collapsed hanyou's side.
He watched both females rush to his aid and sort of huffed, his ears twitching when he felt his mate's stare on him; he sighed. "If you're going to lecture…"
"You IDIOT!" She threw herself at him and latched her arms around his neck, eliciting a slight yelp and making him teeter backward before his arm wrapped around her waist and he steadied his footing, righting the both of them.
"Getsu..." he began quietly at seeing her cheek buried into his chest and feeling her arms tighten around his waist.
"You're such a fool! You scared me half to death when you went on the pathway to the underworld… I...I was afraid I'd lost you! You're the biggest idiot prat I've ever met!" She exclaimed, closing her eyes tightly and pressing her cheek closer to his heart.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened a little before they calmed and he smiled at hearing her familiar scolding, his arm on her waist squeezing affectionately as he nuzzled the side of her head. "I missed you, too." He replied.
Getsu blushed and dug her fingers into his sash, feeling him land a kiss on her head. "I'm glad you're alright." She admitted quietly.
Her inner demon purred at being in his grip once again, a place she had found was one of the safest places to be. His own inner demon was doing the same and for once he didn't mind hearing the content sound coming from said beast.
"Sesshomaru, are you able to accept what has happened?" The old welder Totosai asked, jerking him from his thoughts as both he and his mate looked at him, noting the girl and imp were present as well.
"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm literally sick with grief…!" The imp blubbered before a hand patted his head and his sister-in-law came into view, a hand on her hip and the other cartering her long bow over the shoulder that carried her quiver with a patient expression on her face.
"We don't need the waterworks, Jaken. But honestly, that was just about the most idiotic thing you've done, y'know." Korihime mused, meeting his gold eyes and letting her shoulders slump after holding his stare for a moment, her face softening. "I'm glad that you're okay, though. Both you and InuYasha." She glanced over at the weary half-breed and smirked.
Sesshomaru nodded to her, throwing a look at the imp with fat tears in his eyes. "Regardless, I don't care. We're leaving." He answered Totosai finally, turning to leave.
Jaken and Rin blinked at his sudden exit; Getsu rolled her eyes and waved absently at the humans before following until she was at his side again.
"Wait a moment, Sesshomaru." Both daiyokai paused at the request of the old sod. "Although you may find little consolation in it now, I'd suggest you take it; it fell from the path to the underworld," Getsu looked over at the form of Tensaiga, now a simple katana, sticking up from the ground hilt-up. "You may not be happy with a sword that can't cut, but Tensaiga remains powerful because it can still heal." He stated.
He snorted and turned away. "What's your point: am I supposed to take it and go around healing people now? Don't be ridiculous." He said dismissively, taking her hand and walking away from the welder.
"H-hey!" Totosai stammered before the younger she-wolf lifted it from the ground and smiled lightly.
Korihime looked over at her brother-in-law before nodding. "He'll cool down and I'll give it to him when he does. See ya around." She promised, trotting after the two daiyokai with Rin and Jaken at her heels.
Kohaku bid his sister farewell before hurrying after the group.
"Sesshomaru, are you really gonna be okay? I mean, you did break Tensaiga on purpose, back there…" Getsu looked at him concernedly.
"Don't worry so much. Even before inheriting Tensaiga, I was strong and without Tensaiga it shouldn't make much of a difference." Sesshomaru interjected calmly, perking her ears; she looked away and sighed, rubbing her neck.
I suppose he's right, she thought.
"Besides, I have to be strong, remember? Keeping you two princesses on a leash is hard work." He added with a look at her slightly confused silver orbs before he smirked gently in teasing.
She huffed and punched his arm reproachfully, pouting. "Piss off, baka-inu." She growled, imagining her sister had stuck her tongue out at him from her place riding with the boy on Ah-Un trailing at the hind of their pack as usual.
He chuckled and released her hand to fold his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Your faith in my abilities ceases to amaze me, princess." He purred in her ear.
She snorted and blushed. "Shut up." Well, at least he's still his old self; and that's one thing about him I'm glad for.
Both sisters deadpanned.
The two ogre-looking demons towered over them, particularly over the silver-haired daiyokai in the lead.
"Good grief…" The blue-haired female muttered, shrugging her longbow into her hands as her sister flexed her claws.
'And once you're gone the boy's shard will be ours…'
A wide jet of blue fire sailed at the brown demon, burning his head off effortlessly; he glanced over his shoulder at the source of the fire blast, seeing her silver eyes were stoic as she flicked her wrist.
"Simple-minded beasts, thinking you can just waltz in and try to take the life of my mate… You make me sick." She spirited past him and leaped into the air, twisting on her heel and sending a wide torrent of blue fire from her right foot at the face of the second demon, her left fist flying to send a second jet of fire at the felled beast.
The second demon fell with a loud 'thud', his remains fading into the air just as his companion's had.
"That was amazing, Getsu-onee!" The girl chirped as the aforementioned daiyokai landed nimbly on one foot, straightening to her feet and cracking her knuckles as she spat at the place where the two demons had fallen.
She shrugged. "They were easy. I'd have been more impressed if they weren't so damn cocky." She replied calmly, folding her arms in the sleeves of her kimono and moving to her mate's side.
"You made slaying them look like child's play." He mused, smirking a little.
Even though he could take care of any pest demons that crossed their path hell-bent on getting the last shard of the Shikon no Tama, it was at both Getsu and Korihime's insistence that they handle any 'nuisances' that came across their pack instead of him. This bothered him because they were forcing him to stay on the sidelines, but it was either retaliate and get beaten into a coma with just their fists, or listen to their advice and just watch.
Being the more intelligent inu between himself and his brother, he chose the latter.
::::::oOo::::::
Thunder growled loudly overhead as the clouds gathered quickly to block out the bleak sunlight.
"Is something the matter, Lord Sesshomaru?" The imp dared ask as they stopped again.
A soft growl came from the youngest of the yokai trio, her blue eyes on the clouds overhead. Something's coming, and its stink reeks of pure evil, she thought, flexing her claws.
"Stand aside." He answered the imp at last.
She glanced back at her sister. "Kori, stay close to Kohaku and Rin." She instructed.
"Right." She nodded.
A bolt of violet lightning shot down from the dark clouds overhead, surprising the "lesser" members of their pack, before the dust cleared from where the bolt hit and revealed a pale-skinned demon wearing green and lilac garb; his beady red eyes stared at the trio of yokai that stood before him.
Her silver eyes narrowed when seeing three large jagged claws sticking up from his right arm; she bristled and flexed her own claws.
"Another incarnation?" He wondered aloud.
The stranger said nothing in response and instead lifted his right arm, sending the claws at the boy's footing and spooking him, the girl, imp and the younger she-wolf.
"Bastard!" She spat, an ice dagger forming in her hand before she flicked her wrist and threw it at him; he sidestepped it as she helped the boy onto the dragon's back. "Onee-chan, what is he?" She asked, hopping onto the dragon with the boy as the girl steered the dragon up into the sky.
"Got me." Whatever he is, he reeks of both pure evil and Naraku's stink… is he another incarnation like Sesshomaru said? Or is he something else…? She wondered, glaring at the strange demon.
The clawed arm retracted and his red eyes glanced up at the boy before it shot up at the dragon.
"No!" Getsu exclaimed before Sesshomaru leaped at the arm and sliced it in half with his claws.
The demon's arm stump shifted until it had three tentacle-claws replacing the cut off part; his red eyes sneered at the daiyokai. "You're weak, demon." He finally spoke in a snide voice.
Korihime growled and bared her teeth as the imp squawked an outburst.
"I'll say it again: you're. weak." He drawled; his gold eyes narrowed before he cracked his knuckles and lunged, the limb trying to ensnare him in a flurry of twisting claws before he landed a hit and sent his fist into the chest cavity of the demon.
How did he know..? Noone knows about what happened with Tensaiga, outside of InuYasha's pack and Totosai, but is it possible he found out from Byakuya? Getsu wondered, bristling at the strange silence that followed his direct hit; her eyes widened as she noticed the demon's chest cavity was trying to consume him by his arm.
"Now then, do you realize how weak you are?" The demon smirked darkly at his stony gold stare.
"Sesshomaru, get away!" She ordered sharply.
Ten or so limbs shot up from the back of the demon, making to skewer him like a boar, before he yanked his arm out and retreated to her side.
Korihime perked up alertly at seeing smoke wisps rising up from his arm. "His arm, the toxins were too strong!" This isn't good; if his poison is stronger than Sesshomaru's and he's his enemy, we're in trouble, she thought grimly, brow furrowed.
"Sesshomaru," Getsu looked at him concernedly.
"I'm all right." Sesshomaru quieted her, knowing she could smell the lie even from a mile away.
"How quaint, pacifying your beloved's worries… It's sickening!" The demon cackled as his right limb sailed at the couple, taking a chunk out of Sesshomaru's stole.
"Nii-san!" Korihime exclaimed, quickly loading an arrow into her bow and aiming.
"Get down, girls!" Kohaku tossed his sickle down at the demon's head, puncturing his right temple.
Uh-oh… "Kohaku, you idiot!" The blue-haired female snapped at him; the arrow glowed a bright pale pink color as she glared at the demon before the boy jumped down from the dragon's back and kept the chain in hand. "Kohaku!" She shouted.
The demon's left limb shot up at the oncoming boy and coiled around his ankle with one appendage before the second appendage made contact with his shard, surprising him as the shard became defiled.
Sesshomaru leaped at the limb and made to set the boy free before three thin stingers shot through his right arm.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin and Jaken exclaimed.
A loud snarl rang out before InuYasha appeared and severed the arm at the shoulder; a torrent of blue fire sailed at the demon and forced him back as the boy fell to the ground and Sesshomaru landed nimbly.
"Kohaku!" Korihime hopped down from the dragon's back to sprint to his side, swallowing a growl at sensing the defiled shard in his neck as she looked at him concernedly. "Kohaku," she declared quietly as Kagome and Sango hurried to his side.
Getsu yanked the stingers out of his arm, holding his arm in hand and starting to heal it. "InuYasha, watch out with this guy; he reeks of evil." She instructed over her shoulder as his skin was mending underneath her lilac touch.
"So you must be Naraku's latest," InuYasha growled as he glared at the stranger. He reeks of Naraku, but then he also reeks of something worse, he mused.
The demon huffed as his arms grew back, making both the hanyou and two daiyokai bristle. "'Naraku'? How dare you group me with that half-breed?"
Sesshomaru looked at his mate as she finished healing his arm, nodding and smiling briefly at her before his gold eyes returned to the demon.
Korihime threw a glance over at the demon and bristled, watching the priestess follow her line of sight and meet his red stare before she froze and limply fell to the side; she grabbed her from falling, looking at her alertly. "Kagome!" Sango declared in surprise as the younger she-wolf jerked her stare up at the demon and growled.
InuYasha growled. "You bastard, what'd you do to Kagome!?" The demon cackled softly in response, further irritating the hanyou.
What the hell did he do to her…? Is he really that evil that he made her faint with just a look? There's no way Naraku could've created an incarnation that's literally evil incarnate unless… She gasped softly before her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth. Of course! So that explains why he kind of smells like the Shikon Jewel…
"Korihime, what is it?" Sango asked, perking her ears.
"That's Magatsuhi, the evil light of the Shikon no Tama." Korihime answered grimly, surprising the two humans plus kitsune.
"This is Magatsuhi?" Getsu wondered, looking at the demon present before them and she bristled on instinct. That explains as to why Kohaku's shard was defiled so easily, and Kagome fainted… He's trying to erase the light that wants to purify the Shikon no Tama! She thought.
"Kori, take Kohaku and leave; he'll only be in the way. You as well, baka-hanyou." Sesshomaru declared as he moved to stand behind the half-breed, sending him a scowl.
Korihime perked her ears and began to spout a remark but decided against it, keeping her mouth closed and nodding. "Be careful, onii-san." She replied quietly.
InuYasha scowled back at his brother, watching his sister-in-law move forward as well to stand at his side, claws drawn and digging crescents into the palms of her balled fists. "Back off, you were already injured once! If he kills you this time, Getsu will burn me alive for lettin' you die…" He growled.
"That won't happen because I intend to rip this bastard to shreds first before he could ever dream of harming your brother." The aforementioned female spat frostily, her cold undertone aimed more towards the christened Magatsuhi than her younger brother-in-law.
Sesshomaru smirked slightly at her words, looking at the witless half-brother of his and huffing. "It seems you underestimate me; I don't need the protection of an idiot half-breed." He growled as his aura spiked and flared wildly, forcing his eyes to bleed red and a bristle to shoot down his spine as his inner demon snarled and roared inside him, begging to be unleashed.
Getsu looked at him in slight surprise before nodding in understanding, her own inner demon humming before the humming was replaced with a ripped snarl that rang out in her ears and threatened to make her cringe visibly, the beast whining and growling as it ached to be free and share in her mate's soon-to-be kill.
InuYasha's eyes sharpened at seeing her silver eyes slightly bleed yellow and her fangs begin to grow. "Getsu." He snapped, stilling her subconscious reaction to his brother's transformation.
Getsu quieted and shook her head, bristling still as Magatsuhi smirked at the Inu-Daiyokai. "Sorry."
"Still want more?" The demon growled, left arm sprouting stinger-limbs before they flew at the male daiyokai; he dodged at the last second with a growl, leaping into the air as his bones creaked and stretched and he transformed, dropping to the ground and snatching the head of the enemy demon in his large canine jaws, ripping it from the body.
Korihime's eyes widened in awe at the form of a large white dog with red eyes and floppy ears; so that's Sesshomaru's true form, she thought, stealing a look at her sister. Onee-chan, will you transform too?
Miasma spewed out from the beheaded body that fell back, clouding the air.
"Guys, take Kagome and get out of here." InuYasha ordered quickly.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin began at seeing the mighty form of the Inu-Daiyokai.
Korihime scooped her up and brought Ah-Un to her side, placing the girl on his saddle, as Miroku helped her get Kohaku onto the dragon before he and Korihime hopped onto the steed and lifted into the air as Sango and Shippo loaded Kagome onto Kirara's back and followed suit. "Getsu," she began.
"Keep Rin safe, and yourself as well, Kori." Getsu answered calmly, not sparing her sister a glance as her silver eyes were on the large form of her mate; her eyes sharpened as the body lifted itself off the ground by the numerous limbs that shot up after the two fleeing parties.
InuYasha sliced at the limbs, both he and Getsu perking up as the head cackled in the maw of the oversized dog, looking at the source of the cackle.
"Go ahead, tear my body to pieces; I'm just borrowing it, anyway." Magatsuhi declared.
"Who are you anyway?" InuYasha spat.
Getsu deadpanned. "Boy you really are dense; that's Magatsuhi. Kori mentioned it earlier." She answered patiently, sweatdropping. Sheesh, now I see who got the brains in the family, she thought.
"That's Magatsuhi?" He balked.
I told you, she mused; she perked up alertly as more limbs shot out from the body, coiling around the dog demon. "Sesshomaru!" She barked.
"I don't care even if you ARE Magatsuhi; I'll cut you down!" The hanyou barked, bearing Tetsusaiga defensively.
Magatsuhi seemed to huff. "Fine, but I'm taking the dog with me."
The female daiyokai snarled loudly and her fangs grew in response. "Don't even think about it." She spat.
He hesitated, sparing a look at the infuriated she-wolf and gritting his teeth.
'Help him!' Her inner demon snarled at her, threatening to burst her eardrums from the thunderous snarls that hummed loudly in her head.
She looked at the limbs that coiled around his body, threatening to choke the air out of his lungs as most of them were accumulated around his neck; she felt warm blood leak from the crescents carved into the palms of her shaking fists.
Damn it!
A rush of wind made the hanyou's ears twitch; he perked up as Getsu sprinted forward at top speed, almost flying forward. "Getsu!" He shouted.
"Onee-chan?" Her sister began softly in surprise as her sister leaped at the limbs, maintaining her yokai form, as flames engulfed her hands in a blue light. "Getsu!" She barked, watching her right hand sever the limbs sharply down the front of his throat.
Both the imp and hanyou perked up as she ripped the limbs from his neck with vigor, blood staining her claws from the limbs she ripped off, her fangs grown as a faint yellow light tinted her silver orbs.
"I'm not going to let you die, you idiot prat; I love you too much to let that happen!" Getsu promised between her fangs, grabbing the last of the limbs in both hands and setting them aflame, tearing them off before reaching with an extinguished hand to pry his jaw open and take the head, tossing it away onto the ground.
The mighty Inu-Daiyokai growled loudly at her, his red eyes gleaming, before she ran her claws through the white fur on his long muzzle; his red eyes widened in surprise at her gentle touch.
She smiled up at him, shushing the growls coming from deep inside his chest that reverberated through his throat and threatened to spew from between his large teeth as she continued to run her hands down his muzzle gently. "It's okay, it's me. I'm not going to hurt you, Sesshomaru... Please believe that." She crooned softly, pressing her forehead to the upper bridge of his snout.
'Getsu…?' His conscious that stood aside while his canine instincts took over hummed inside his ears, resonating in his mind like an echo; his red eyes stared down at her, at the petite female he had promised to protect and avenge her clan, the female he loved more than anything… the female that was his mate.
'Getsu.' His conscious spoke clearly in his ears.
His red eyes closed and he growled softly, sounding almost like a purr, in recognition, the relief that she was trying to ease him back to his right frame of mind and that she was still standing washing over him.
Getsu…
A blinding red light consumed the oversized dog and the female daiyokai that had her arms around his snout, the light dispersing as the dog shrank down until his daiyokai form stood there in its place with his arm wrapped around her waist.
She smiled up at him, relieved that he was okay. "Are you alright now?" She asked quietly.
He nodded, squeezing her waist. "Thank you for helping."
She shrugged and perked up as a large violet stinger limb sailed at them; he tightened his grip on her waist and moved them out of the way, a feral growl rumbling in his chest at the rude interruption.
"Alright Sesshomaru, leave him to me!" The hanyou lunged forward with Tetsusaiga bared.
Sesshomaru lunged first at the limbs; the limbs sailed at him, coiling around his body like a snake.
Blue fire sailed at the demon and sent him flying as the hanyou severed the limbs.
InuYasha looked over at his brother as she yanked the limbs off his body, helping him pull them off. "I know you don't want my help, but I can't let you die. I'll use Meido Zangetsuha." He declared, the Tetsusaiga's blade glowing yellow before it turned black.
Magatsuhi cackled before the large lump of limbs that supported his head dispersed around the group, earning a brief glance from the two daiyokai. "Go ahead and give that Meido Zangetsuha a whirl; but were I you, I'd watch where I aim, or you just as might easily kill your friends." He sneered.
Sesshomaru glanced at the humans behind them. "Follow me," he declared, slightly baffling them, before charging forward at the limbs and slicing them with his Poison Claws; Getsu flanked him, ripping the rest of the limbs with her own claws coated in blue fire.
Nii-san, just what are you planning to do? Korihime wondered, gripping the reins of Ah-Un out of reflex as they finally halted in one spot and let the limbs swirl around their clustered group threatening to strike; she bristled and growled under her breath, dropping the reins of one hand to hold the girl closer to her chest.
"Stay here." He looked at her and kissed her hard, surprising her, before looking at the group. "Okay, the rest of you will have to handle them on your own." He announced, surprising his sister-in-law as well as the humans gathered.
"Sesshomaru," she began softly in slight confusion, looking at their pack and perking her ears at his words; he spared her a brief soft smile before leaping forward at the floating head of Magatsuhi.
"Nii-san!" Her sister declared in like, a soft breeze tugging at her cobalt blue hair. Sesshomaru, please be careful, she thought with worried blue eyes.
He bristled as he could see the true villain beneath the "borrowed" body Magatsuhi occupied, drawing Tensaiga; the head's red eyes bulged almost out of his sockets in horror and realization.
"Sesshomaru, you idiot!" InuYasha barked.
"No he's actually right on the mark." Getsu declared as she dropped to stand next to him, surprising the half-breed; she kept her silver eyes on his brother. "Tensaiga can not only heal but can also cut the dead or a force not of this world. So in a way, he's actually very clever." Which of course doesn't surprise me, at this point, she thought with a private smirk.
He sliced at the air behind the head until a large pale face with red eyes formed and snarled a curse at him.
"So that's Magatsuhi's real face." Korihime muttered.
He started slicing at the limbs even though Tensaiga's blade didn't leave so much as a dent on the limbs that surmounted and sailed at him.
"He can't cut through them with Tensaiga because they aren't from the netherworld." Getsu muttered, perking her ears as a long lilac limb sailed at him from behind. "Look out!" She shouted.
Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the limb rammed through the left side of his chest, skewering him like a pig.
"BROTHER!" Korihime screamed.
"LORD SESSHOMARU!" Rin and Jaken cried.
InuYasha blanched in shock.
A feral thundering snarl ripped from her throat before she flew up at the head at top speed, surprising the hanyou. "SESSHOMARU!" Getsu screamed, angered tears stinging her eyes as they fell down her cheeks as she felt her wolf fire flare wildly until it consumed her petite form in a bright blue light.
A large blast of blue fire sailed at the head, burning it as she grabbed hold of the limb that impaled him.
"G-Getsu!" He growled, turning a gold eye at her to see her petite body was coated in blue fire, her own wolf fire passed down from at least three generations of wolf demons; she severed the link with a hand, yanking the stinger part out of his chest and setting him free.
She grabbed his shoulders, looking at him worriedly. "Sesshomaru," she croaked.
His gold eyes looked at her silver orbs and he growled as he saw there were tearstains on her cheeks; she smiled in relief at his silent response that clarified he was alright, hugging his neck and burying her face into his shoulder.
The blue fire had lessened its intensity so it now coated the both of them in the blue light.
It's not burning her or myself… It's actually warm, and it feels almost like her healing power, he thought, burying his nose into her hair and groaning quietly.
'Fools!' The voice of Magatsuhi ripped into the air before the limbs encased the two daiyokai in a large cocoon.
"NO!" Korihime shrieked, loading an arrow into her bow quickly as it glowed pink before she fired.
InuYasha leaped onto Kirara and sailed at the cocoon, leaping onto it and starting to hack at the various limbs angrily.
Sesshomaru perked up as the blue light was starting to fade, looking at his mate. "Getsu," he began worriedly.
Getsu dug her nails into his shoulders and shut her eyes tight as the immense usage of her power was depleting her demonic energy as much as it would if she'd used her Nagareboshi-Kaen Taiho. "D-don't worry, I know you'll be able to win this… You have to, Sesshomaru…!" She slumped against him as unconsciousness took her, surprising him.
"Getsu! Getsu, wake up!" He shouted, glaring around them at the limbs that threatened to consume their bodies: his own demonic aura flared wildly around him as a thundering snarl erupted from his throat. "GETSU!" He shouted as his aura turned a vibrant green and consumed them both in a mixed light of green and bright yellow.
::::::xXx::::::
The cocoon burst open from the inside, surprising the caught hanyou, before it imploded and showed Sesshomaru standing there with Getsu cradled to his chest by his right arm; a mixed combination of green and yellow light spewed out from his left arm socket.
"Nii-san!" Korihime cried in relief, looking at the unconscious form of her older sister and her eyes widened slightly before saddening in acknowledgement of her powers having taken most of her energy. "Onee-chan," she murmured.
"Sesshomaru," InuYasha began in awe, his eyes catching the light from his left arm; that light! It's from where his arm… His thoughts trailed off in confusion.
A thin cloud moving fast stirred the daiyokai's attention away; he glanced at the owner of the cloud and saw Totosai the welder there as more limbs shot up from the ground to take both he and his mate once more.
If Totosai's here, then this is it… I won't let you become consumed, Getsu. I won't let you die! Sesshomaru swung his left arm at the rest of the demon limbs, making them implode around him and the group.
"Kori-onee, do you see that?" Rin asked, perking her ears.
Her blue eyes widened in shock: Sesshomaru's left arm, the arm his brother had severed all those months ago, was replaced with a new pale-skinned arm similar to his original one, gripping the white hilt of a katana with puzzle-piece-looking markings on the bottom half of the blade and also on the hilt's fabric.
"His arm!" Korihime and InuYasha declared in likewise shock.
"So it's finally appeared, Sesshomaru; finally a blade that didn't come from your father! This is your sword, Bakusaiga!" Totosai exclaimed overhead.
"'Bakusaiga' is it?" Sesshomaru marveled at the new blade that was his… and it was his alone.
The limbs he'd severed earlier squirmed and twitched when they fell onto each other before imploding, bursting from the inside out.
Any demons Naraku absorbs that were damaged by Bakusaiga will destroy him too! This might be our trump card to finally destroy him, Korihime noted with a glance at the head Magatsuhi was occupying; she loaded another arrow into her bow, hurrying to Kirara. "Sango, I'm gonna borrow Kirara for a minute!" She declared, hopping onto the neko's back and urging her upward to where her brother-in-law was.
"What's she planning?" InuYasha wondered in slight confusion as the neko was steadied and the she-wolf aimed her arrow at the head.
"Korihime," he looked at her.
She kept her blue eyes on the head. "Don't worry about me and just hit him; I can always find more arrows." She assured calmly.
"I see; this diversion proved to be interesting. However, as I'm only borrowing this body, you've done me no harm." Magatsuhi sneered.
"Kill this fucker," Korihime growled as the arrow and bow glowed a brilliant hot pink color.
Sesshomaru huffed and smirked. "You don't have to tell me twice, imoto-chan." He swung Bakusaiga sharply, sending a wide torrent of green and yellow energy screaming at the head as she fired.
The arrow was coated in black-with-pink-tinged ice as it pierced the head directly between the eyes; the blast from Bakusaiga instantly destroyed the head and arrow.
He huffed again as the demonic aura that had clouded the sky a near-black color dissipated and showed a clear blue sky. "So it escaped."
A/N: well that was action-packed wasn't it? sorry for not updating sooner D; it just took me longer to write this chap out than the previous one. things will start to wind down soon and also i think this fanfic will have more chaps than my first success, 'We Are'. anywho, not much else to put except that to throw some feedback if y'like.
thanks and see ya!
edit: i fixed a small 'inner-thought' moment on this chapter, the original version was fucked and it was driving me nuts. :'D