Chapter Seven: Showdown! Inuyasha Vs Sesshomaru

There was a long, long silence as Kagome looked just a tiny bit awkward. Jaken stared in open mouthed horror as the fourteen year old girl looked at the sword awkwardly. He looked to the staff, then to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha, before back to Kagome.

'Thats impossible!' he cried 'If the two of them couldn't do it, how could she? How could a mere human possibly hope to draw the sword.'

'Don't look at her!' snapped Inuyasha 'Look at me!' Then he slashed at Sesshomaru, who moved away in a blur.

Suddenly Sesshomaru was in front of Kagome, looking very, very annoyed. Kagome squeaked nervously as the demon loomed over her. 'What are you, and how did you draw the sword?' There was recognition in his eyes, and he peered closer at her. Then his gaze narrowed. 'You!'

'Sesshomaru!' cried Inuyasha 'Leave her alone, she's not involved in this!'

'Inuyasha!' cried Kagome, before raising the sword. 'One step closer and I'll cut you.'

Sesshomaru continued to advance, eyes turning red as his claws were pinched. He glanced back to Inuyasha. 'Neither of us were able to draw the sword, and yet she has done so with ease. She must die.'

'Alright first of all,' said Inuyasha 'I didn't try to draw the sword. And second of all, Kagome give him the sword before he rips you to shreds.'

'No way, I drew it out!' snapped Kagome 'If he couldn't pull it out, it means he's not supposed to have it!'

'For the love of- who cares what my old man wanted?!' snapped Inuyasha 'He put the entrance to the tomb in my eye, then gave Sesshomaru a hint to its true location which would cause him to come after me! I can only assume he wanted us to kill each other and clean up the result of his one night stand.

He's probably sitting in the afterlife laughing at us right now!'

'Lord Inuyasha, you mustn't speak of your father that way!' snapped Myoga 'There was always a purpose behind everything he did!'

'Shut up Myoga,' snapped Inuyasha 'Sesshomaru, can you look me in the eye and tell me that our father wouldn't have made this sword so only a human could draw it out, just to spite you?'

That seemed to get through to Sesshomaru. 'Yes, little brother, I think you are right. Your patience with this creature is astonishing. You protect her, even seem to love her. Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours are not something you inherited from our great and terrible Father.'

'I told you, the only thing I inherited from him is the robe I'm wearing and a psychotic tendency to rend people to shreds.' said Inuyasha. 'Also great? Not in my eyes.'

He might as well have saved his breath. Sesshomaru was making a speech. 'It must have been that mother of yours, that human mother who caused our father to meet his end in this ignoble place.'

'Oh good, she managed to get even before the end.' said Inuyasha.

'Her blood effects you as well.' reflected Sesshomaru 'Is it that which so endears you to them? When it comes to humans, I of course, bear no such weakness. Whatever the case, in another life this girl pinned me to a tree and must therefore die.'

'For the last time, I'm not Kikyo-' began Kagome.

Then Sesshomaru used his acid claws and she was covered in acid, hidden from view as her shape fell to the ground and tetsaiga disappeared beneath the muck.

One more person he hadn't been able to save.

'So fragile, wouldn't you agree little brother?' asked Sesshomaru 'And not just humans, half breeds-'

And then Inuyasha punched him in the face. Sesshomaru reeled beneath the bow, but before he could recover Inuyasha grabbed him by the collar and threw him against the wall, which cracked beneath the impact. In that moment nothing mattered except killing Sesshomaru. He surged forward and Sesshomaru scarcely moved out of the way in time, as Inuyasha's claws tore off a section of his armor and drove deep into the wall.

Sesshomaru tried to get some distance as Inuyasha was after him, but he soon found himself hard pressed. In a flurry of punches, Sesshomaru took multiple blows to the gut, face, and chest.

'Humans are brutal, lying, traitorous, murderous, short lived creatures which laugh at the pain of others, take what is not theirs, concern themselves in things which they have no place in, and who murder each other nearly as much as they do other races! Their weak, arrogant, and totally selfish!' Inuyasha grabbed Sesshomaru by the hair and swung him round to crash into the floor. 'As a species they can be unfavorably compared to insects! And I'd take them over you any day!'

He leaped on Sesshomaru, gripping his throat, and began to choke him. Sesshomaru grabbed his hands, trying to force him off, but to no avail. He could feel the demon suffering from a lack of air, saw his eyes widening, the realization that he was going to die set in.

Then Sesshomaru's cloak wrapped around Inuyasha and dragged him off. Rising up, Sesshomaru swung him round and smashed him against he wall. 'How can you think with your mixed blood that you are my equal?' he asked in a seething tone, drawing his light whip and slashing Inuyasha repeatedly. 'Worthless half breed!'

Inuyasha crashed against the wall hard, and landed on the ground. 'A half breed am I?'

A long time ago, Inuyasha had been playing with a ball, alone as always. A number of adults had chosen to amuse themselves by stealing it from him, and keeping it away from him. Eventually he simply stood before his uncle, waiting for them to give it back.

Instead they tossed it to one side, and had him fetch it as though he were a dog.

When he turned around, they had left, having had their fun. They called him a half breed, he could hear it under their breath though there was an entire river between them.

He'd seen his mother in the gardens then, and run into her arms and asked her what a half breed was. She cried, cried for him. She'd known what it meant, what his life would be like.

Years later, when he was alone, Inuyasha had seen a ball game played between boys his age. He was eighteen years old at the time, yet still had the body and mind of a child. It had been salt on already bitter wounds. He'd had to grow up so quickly, since he'd lost his mother, and yet his body did not reflect as much.

It took nearly thirty more years for him to look like he was now.

His gaze turned to the blade of the tetsaiga, sticking out of the acid which had hardened. Arising, he surged forward and attacked Sesshomaru. Their battle waged up down and around without relent, as the rest of Sesshomaru's armor was shattered. Finally they parted, claws bared.

'All that for a memory and a dead mortal girl?' asked Sesshomaru in amusement, though blood was dripping from his lip. 'If I'd known what that was what it took to make you fight, I'd have killed her sooner.'

'I'm going to slit your stomach, tear out your guts, and put them in a bowl!' roared Inuyasha 'By the time I'm done, your gonna wish it was you who was dead!'

At that moment the muck remaining from the acid shifted and Kagome emerged unharmed. 'I thought I was a goner…' Inuyasha stared incredulously as she stood up, and pointed the sword at Sesshomaru. 'Hey you, you tried to kill me didn't you! Don't go thinking your going to get away with it, Mr!' Then she passed the sword into Inuyasha's hands. 'Here, I think we underestimated it. Don't let me down.'

'Hey, how come your still alive?' asked Inuyasha, perplexed.

Kagome stared at her hands in bemusement with wide eyes, moving them back and forth. 'I dunno.'

'The sword,' said Sesshomaru 'thats what protected you!' The skulls beneath his feet began to tremble. The room seemed to shift as well.

'Its true!' cried Myoga 'Those claws of his drip deadly poison, it had to be the sword! Or she really would have died! Why not put it to a real test and try it on Sesshomaru.'

'Big words,' said Sesshomaru 'for such small vermin.' A violet glow surrounded him, his pupils shrank, as his eyes widened. Winds kicked up around him as skulls levitated and flew about his body. 'Lets see if a half breed can even wield the tetsaiga. I myself shall be the witness!' His eyes turned red. His face widened to a smile, and he transformed into the shape of a giant white dog with a flowing mane of hair, and red eyes. His feet were twice Inuyasha's size, and he towered over them. On his forehead was a crescent moon of violet color.

'He changed…' said Kagome fearfully.

'Good,' said Inuyasha 'cause now we know his real form. Go hide somewhere.'

'Where?' asked Kagome.

Sesshomaru advanced on them, and Inuyasha charged to meet him. Leaping high into the air, he brought down the tetsaiga, only for it to bounce off Sesshomaru's hide. Inuyasha landed as Sesshomaru lunged at Kagome, who jumped away just in time to avoid being crushed.

'It didn't even make a scratch…' said Inuyasha, looking at the blade. Then he leaped away in time to avoid Sesshomaru's assault. As the beast snapped and bit at him, poison began to seep out from Sesshomaru's mouth.

'Myoga, whats the deal?!' asked Inuyasha 'This sword can't even bruise, let alone cut!'

'Well Lord Inuyasha,' said Myoga, packing his bags. 'I suppose it'll make a lovely heirloom if nothing else. Besides, its the thought that counts! Now if you'll excuse me!' He leaped off Inuyasha's back.

'Whoa, wait!' said Inuyasha.

'Don't let that Sesshomaru push you around!' called Myoga, before rushing away.

The poison had risen to Inuyasha's waist now, and was rising higher. 'Kagome, get off the ground!' cried Inuyasha.

'How?' she asked.

'Just climb up!' he cried 'Up! Up!'

As Kagome and Jaken began to scale up the wall, Inuyasha dodged Sesshomaru's assaults with increasing difficulty. He could see Kagome and Myoga arguing as they scaled higher, and Kagome looking down at him. Jaken too was scaling, and he realized he couldn't stay down here much longer.

Leaping high into the air, he reached a high point on the wall, and caught himself, coughing as he did so. His arms and legs were going numb. Then he was grabbed from behind by a pair of jaws, and Sesshomaru gripped him between his teeth, shaking him. In pain, and desperation, Inuyasha drove the Tetsaiga into Sesshomaru's jaw. The beast growled and leaped out of the poison, smashing through the ceiling and into the sky above.

'Inuyasha!' cried Kagome.

Falling from Sesshomaru's mouth, Inuyasha landed upon the surface of his Fathers left pauldron. Sesshomaru landed some distance away, and Inuyasha faced down the creature sword in hand. There was a long silence as they waited for each other to move.

'Now do you see the power of Tetsaiga?' asked Myoga. 'I see you've been giving Sesshomaru what for!'

'Where have you been?!' snapped Inuyasha 'This things about as useful as a walking stick!'

'Oh,' said Myoga 'well so maybe it isn't from your father.' Then he ran away.

'Hey!' cried Kagome 'He left!'

'Why am I not surprised?' asked Inuyasha 'In the meantime what am I going to do with-' He leaped out of the way as Sesshomaru lunged. Then leaped again as the demon chased him. He struck at one paw, only for the weapon to bounce off with a clang.

'Thats right! Sock it to him Inuyasha, I think the first one hit!'

'What are you nuts?!' asked Inuyasha 'That wasn't even close!'

'But the swords yours now!' cried Kagome happily. 'All you gotta do is believe in it! Like I believe in you!'

Sesshomaru was bringing up one paw to lick it, seemingly having lost interest.

'…Are you braindead?' asked Inuyasha after a moment. 'This sword is about as good for much as my Father was. I'll probably live, since I'm half demon, but I wouldn't place any bets on you.'

'So I should just… give up hope?' asked Kagome, sniffling.

'Pretty much.' agreed Inuyasha.

'Would it kill you to try and be a little nicer?!' snapped Kagome.

'Yes!' said Inuyasha. 'Now shut up and let me protect you!'

Sesshomaru loomed again, and Inuyasha wondered if he was thinking at all within that body. Nothing he'd seen of him so far indicated that Sesshomaru was conscious. 'You stay here and watch.' he said, before walking forward.

'Wait a second,' said Kagome as she watched Inuyasha walk away. 'did he just say he'd protect me? In some ways he is like his brother, but in others he's totally different.'

Sesshomaru roared, and Inuyasha was not impressed. 'Yeah, yeah, roar, roar to you too buddy. Lets get it over with.' He put forth his sword, and it pulsed with power in his hands. He brought it closer, perplexed. 'Tetsaiga is pulsing! I can hear it!'

'Get him Lord Sesshomaru!' cried Jaken 'Bit his little head off, thats right! Nibble on his little feet-' At this moment he took a skull to the head.

'We'll see who eats who!' cried Kagome. 'You can do it! I just know it!'

Sesshomaru lunged at him, but Inuyasha stepped aside and brought round the sword. The blade suddenly grew far longer and sharper, and cut into Sesshomaru's leg, tearing deeply through it. The beast fell to the ground, its left foreleg cut off.

Inuyasha looked at the blade, whose hilt was writhed in white fur. It looked like a fang. He tested its weight as Sesshomaru arose, dripping blood. It was a fang! 'The old man really did leave something worthwhile!' he laughed. 'So here we are, two brothers pitted at each others throats by their own father! You talk a big game, but to him, you and me both meant nothing to him!

Don't you get it?! This whole thing was just a game to him, an idle amusement he came up with to torment the children he never bother to know! What it all boils down to is that you are no more significant than a tiny flea sucking his blood!'

Sesshomaru roared and surged forward. Yet Inuyasha slashed with the tetsaiga, cutting him across the chest and sending him tumbling down into the landscape of mist far below. Suddenly he faded, and disappeared entirely.

'Lord Sesshomaru, don't leave me!' cried Jaken, before racing after him.

'Inuyasha,' said Kagome, approaching from behind.

Inuyasha stabbed the blade into the ground and fell to a crouch. He said nothing, feeling very bitter all of a sudden. It was at this moment that Myoga showed up again. 'You see, I was right. Of course if you'd listened earlier you would have-' Inuyasha brought up one finger to squash him, and Myoga froze. 'Wait! I wasn't running away! Look, see over there! I was getting us a ride home!'

Sure enough there were a group of skeleton demons, waiting for them to fly back the way they came. 'Oh so you didn't run away.' said Myoga.

Inuyasha smiled. With sparkles.

'Okay, I admit it, I ran away.' said Myoga 'But you have to believe me, if I'd known you'd make a comeback, I'd never have left you. I'm ashamed of myself. I oughta have more faith. Please forgive me.'

'Myoga,' said Inuyasha 'shut up.'

'Yes Lord Inuyasha.'

The portal closed behind them as Inuyasha and Kagome fell through the air to land on the grass. The jewel descended, and returned to Inuyasha's eye, as he turned to face Kagome. 'So how are you doing?' she asked.

'Fine,' said Inuyasha 'I got a new sword out of it, so this whole thing wasn't a complete waste of time. I'd love to show Bankotsu this thing one day.'

'Bankotsu?' said Kagome 'That friend of yours, right.'

'Yeah, I'd rather not talk about it.' said Inuyasha, expression darkening.

Later as Kagome relayed the events which had transpired to Kaede, the keen eyed old women peered at her. 'Yet how was it that ye were able to draw the tetsaiga?' asked Kaede.

'My theory,' said Myoga 'is that it was because Kagome was mortal. Don't forget that the tetsaiga was forged by Inuyasha's father as a way to protect his mortal mother. It was his feelings towards mortals which allowed Inuyasha to wield it effectively.'

'Your right,' said Kagome 'thats when the sword reacted.'

'For someone like Sesshomaru, who could only hate humans,' said Myoga 'wielding tetsaiga was impossible.'

'Tis a strange story, aye.' said Kaede. 'To Inuyasha, his half human heritage has been a curse, his feelings for his mother have been tinged with shame. And yet… those same feelings are what make him different. That is why his Father chose him for his resting place. Perhaps the one who most resembles the Father is not Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha.'

'Inuyasha thinks he was chosen for the resting place because his Father wanted him and Sesshomaru to kill each other.' said Kagome.

'I knew Inuyasha's father personally,' said Myoga 'and I assure you that would be entirely out of character for him.'

'I guess.' said Kagome.

Later she found Inuyasha testing the blade in the trees above. After another swing, he hit the tree, and flinched at the resounding clang. Looking at it, he sighed. 'I spoke too soon. Now its back to being a piece of junk.'

'Inuyasha,' said Kagome 'would you like me to tell you how to use tetsaiga?'

Inuyasha leaped down. 'And since when are you an expert?'

'Well, do you promise you'll protect me with it forever and ever?'

'No.' said Inuyasha flat out.

'But you said I should let you protect me!' cried Kagome.

'Protecting you in one circumstance is one thing,' said Inuyasha 'agreeing to protect you long term, thats a responsibility I'm not sure I want.' He paused. 'Now how do I access the swords power?'

Kagome sighed. 'The sword was made to protect humans.'

'No it wasn't.' said Inuyasha 'Do you have any idea how many people my father killed? That limitless pile of skulls were his victims.'

'Look I'm just telling you what Myoga told me!' snapped Kagome. 'The sword was made to protect your mother!' There was silence. 'He loved her, okay! It was unforgivable what he did to her, but he loved her!'

Inuyasha turned away. 'Whatever, it doesn't matter to me anyway.'

There was a long silence between them. After a moment, something occurred to Kagome, an unanswered question which nagged at her thoughts. 'Inuyasha…'

'What is it now?' asked Inuyasha, glancing back.

'When the unmother had you in that dream world… you knew right away it wasn't her, didn't you? How… how did you know.'

'When I saw her,' said Inuyasha 'she accepted who I was without hesitation. The things I'd done, the people I'd killed, none of it mattered to her. Thats how I knew it could never be her.'

'I don't understand.' said Kagome.

'I've done a lot of terrible things, Kagome.' said Inuyasha 'And if there is one thing I'm absolutely certain, its that if mother were alive today she'd be ashamed of me.' He sheathed the sword. 'I need to be alone for a while.'

'Right,' said Kagome 'I'll just uh…' She couldn't leave things like this. She just couldn't. 'My father left when I was ten.' She blurted out suddenly.

'What?' said Inuyasha.

'He… he was almost never around before that.' said Kagome 'I don't think he ever really cared about me or Sota all that much. One day he just disappeared, and never came back. My mom never told me why he just… I… I'm sorry, I just…'

'No, its fine.' said Inuyasha 'Would you sit with me for awhile, Kagome?'

'…Yes,' said Kagome 'I'd like that,'

They didn't say anything. They didn't need to. They rested their backs against the tree and stared up at the clouds passing by above them. And for a time, they felt at peace.

Authors Note:

Well this was a heavy chapter to write really. Its funny how what began as a throwaway line in one chapter of Inuyasha of the Band of Seven became a massive change in the tone of this episode, and more to come. Rather than having an uplifting ending, with Inuyasha proving that he is just as worthy an heir to their father, we have Inuyasha tearing down Sesshomaru's delusions of grandeur by pointing out that he mattered to Inutaisho about as much as Inuyasha did. Inutaisho, rather than being an icon to aspire to, is instead a cosmic horror, toying with his children from beyond the grave.

What he really felt, and meant to accomplish was irrelevant. His actions have tarnished his legacy, perhaps beyond repair, in the eyes of Inuyasha. As for the revelation regarding Kagome's Father, I figured I'd have an explanation for why we never see her dad at all. Her interest in Inuyasha's parentage is in particular a result of her Father leaving.

Overall, one hell of a downer ending.

See you soon!