Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Overcoming Adversity	By : choukitsune Category: InuYasha > General Views: 5507 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 19
- 20
- 21
Chapter 20

By Youko Starr

Starr: They seem to believe that we’ve forgotten your promise, Sess.

Sesshoumaru: *Scoffs* Should I care?

Starr: But...someone actually thouyou you would dig through the rubble for Tessaiga...

Sesshoumaru: This Sesshoumaru would not dig through garbage for anything. Why should I care what some frail human thinks?

Starr: Good point...
Just did a big update to the website, media and wallpapers and stuff available now.
***
From the moment Kagome laid her head down for rest that night, she’d been unable to get her mind off of the day’s events. Sleep was the last thing on her mind, and the least important when her concerns were all focused on the near-death of her boyfriend and his mother.
Inuyasha could have died. It had all happened so quickly that there would have been no chance to say goodbye. No chance to say “I love you,” or to hug him tight. It would have been over, and never again would she have seen him.
Kagome sighed, adjusting her position in bed until she was sitting. Two hours in the dark was enough to realize her sleep couldn’t be forced. She would simply find something to do until exhaustion claimed her.
The nearby alarm clock told her it was some time after one, which meant she had at least a while before she would need to worry about getting rest for the next day. After sliding her legs from beneath the sheets and out of bed, she placed her feet to the floor and stood, walking towards her discarded backpack and rummaging about for her English book. On the return walk to her desk, she paused by the bed to turn on the lamp, bathing the previously darkened bedroom with light.
As she turned to take her seat, the nearby window was directly in front of her. Her eyes widened and the book clattered from her fingers before she screamed.
***
Sango tossed and turned in her bed, the pain of her laying on her shoulder jolting her awake from her sleep. Groaning, she turned onto her other side, gently touching the tender, bruised skin, proof of the severe beating she had taken in the name of training.
It was all worth it. Every cut, abrasion, scar, and bruise was worth it, because one day she would be ready to seek and destroy the monster that took her family away from her. For as long as she could remember, members of her family died, mysterious causes of death stealing them away from their loved ones. Sango’s uncle (Kagome’s father) and grandfather had been the first to die. Their bodies had been found mauled by some unknown animal, a mere three miles away from the Higurashi shrine.
Sango knew better now. It hadn’t been an unknown animal. It hadn’t been some wild animal on the prowl searching for meat. The attack had been too vicious, too sudden. No other deaths had been reported, no sign of any wild animal being in the area was found. For weeks, the suspicious deaths by animal attack had been investigated, police believing some form of foul play had benvolnvolved, especially for any animal of that strength to be in the vicinity of Tokyo. When the animal couldn’t be identified, and no clues turned up, police had no choice but to close the case.
Now Sango knew, she knew what happened to Kagome’s father and their grandfather. Some flesh-eating demon had seen fit to claiming their lives. While she doubted she would ever find that particular demon, she thought often of the monster, sometimes imagining that it and the one she trained to kill were one and the same.
Sango sighed and sat up, clutching her shoulder. It often ached, and trouble her more lately than it had before. The last beat she had fought preyed upon her weakness and struck her with enough force to slam her into the nearest tree. She was lucky to not have received a fractured bone, and doubly lucky that the demon had tried to run rather than go in for the kill. She had felt no shame, and no remorse in striking its unprotected back as it fled.
-Brrrriiiiing, Brrrrriiiing.- Sango snapped her head around to gaze at the nearby phone, watching the lights sparkle with every ring. Who could possibly be calling this time of the morning, risking chance of awakening her on a school night?
Sango snatched the phone from the cradle and lifted it to her ear. While she hoped her voice wouldn’t sound as hoarse as she expected it would, it came out thick and raspy as if her esophagus had been grated with sandpaper. “Hello?”
“I was worried about you. You don’t sound very well, Sango.”
“That’s because I don’t feel very well. If you were so worried about me you should have let me sleep,” she replied, ready to place the phone into its receiver again.
“If you hang up, I’ll be over in five minutes,” Miroku rapidly blurted out in a rush, sensing her intentions by the sound of impatience in her voice.
“Fine.” She sighed and rested her back against the headboard of her bed. “I don’t want to argue with you about it, Miroku. I’ve made up my mind about it, and I’m not stopping.”
“I understand.”
“And I’m not going to stop going out...what did you say?” Had she heard him incorrectly? Sango blinked, then listened to the calm male voice on the other end of the phone line. The voice sounded more sad than it did resigned.
“I said that I understand, Sango. You are not a child, and I cannot make your decisions for you. If this is your wish, I can only accept it and offer my assistance.“ He drew in a breath, then gently added, “If you will have me.”
“You want to come with me?” The clear amazement in her voice caused Miroku to chuckle softly.
“I would be useless anywhere else were I to know you are training alone. Is this settled?”
“Yes,” she replied with a smile on her face. Things had worked themselves out after all. Just when she had expected one thing from Miroku, he had surprised her, behaving a completely different way. He didn’t have to offer to come with her, as dangerous as her trips sometimes were, and as boring as others were likely to be when the demons were hiding, disguising themselves from her sight. “Thank you, Miroku.”
“You are welcome, my dear Sango. Now...tell me what you’re wearing.”
The old Miroku returned so quickly that Sango had to laugh as she laid down once more with the phone against her ear. Just this once, she‘d play along with his game and tell him.
***
Kagome’s breath hitched in her throat, and then a dry laugh came from her, hardly enough air in her lungs to push the sound from her mouth. Her own reflection, nothing but her own face, eyes, and tousled dark bangs gazed at her, reflected in the glass of the window. How had something so foolish scared her, when she had been looking out of that window for years...?
Because it didn’t look like me...at least, the way I am now, she thought, nibbling her lower lip and walking closer to the window. Her eyes had looked older, her face slimmer, and hair tied back from her face instead of laying loosely around her shoulders in a silken black water fall...
She was being stupid. Of course, she had seen nothing different than what was normally in the reflection of glass, or seen through a clear glass window. She had seen the tree outside, the darkened night sky, the glare of the bedroom light gleaming against the glass, but not another face.
Feeling foolish, she slid into her desk chair, tempted to gaze into the glass again. Some pages later, when she still hadn’t shaken the urge to do just that, she glanced up and at the nearby window simply to prove she had seen only the image of the trees and night landscape.
Her own face, slightly round cheeks, messy bangs, and young eyes gazed back at her. Interrupting her reflection, she saw the silhouette of trees, a midnight sky, occasionally twinkling stars, and the moon. Nothing at all worth being frightened over.
Kagome smiled. A trick of the light was all that had occurred, probably resulting from her turning on the light and her eyes adjusting from the darkness. She was able to resume her studying with no problem at all. She would ace Tokashi-sensei’s test without a problem.
Outside, the wind howled noisily through the trees. Not once, did it occur to her that she had never been able to hear the wind so clearly before, that it should be considered odd that’s he could hear every instance of it breezing through the branches now as if she were outside amidst the trees rather than in her bedroom studying for a test.. If anything, on a low level of Kagome’s subconscious, she thought it strange, dismissed it as simply being a very windy night.
He needs you.
The young woman jerked in her chair, nearly tumbling out of it in her quick movement to look around the room. It was empty, save her and Buyo who she noticed to be curled up on the foot of her bed. Kagome let out a breath, then giggled nervously at herself. The wind makes funny sounds, and that had been a fine example of it.
With every intention of returning to her studies, she had turned towards the desk again, but the same whistling sound of the wind came to her again. This time, it was clearly defined as a woman’s voice, the kind of voice she imagined any man would want to hear whispering low and seductively in his ear.
If you do not help him, he will die.
Kagome leapt from her chair, and turned to come face to face with the older woman she had only glimpsed before. It was as if she were looking at herself, aged a handful of years, shapely and grown taller with wise eyes and a powerful aura.
I can see her aura Kagome thought, staring at the light hints of pink film surrounding the female who had become her own reflection. “Who!?” she asked. “Tell me who, where can I find him?” Maybe she should have distrusted the woman, but something, something in herrt trt told her she would be a fool to ignore thrninrning.
Find him. The ghostly reflection slowly faded, and for a split second, as lightning flashed in the distance beyond the pane of glass, she saw Inuyasha’s face, contorted in pain, surrounded by grass and freshly fallen leaves. The light faded, rain began tor har harshly outside, and Kagome knew that if she didn’t rush to her boyfriend’s aid, her nightmares and worries of that evening would come true, and never again would she see his smiling face.
Kagome turned and rushed from her room, the cries for her mother undoubtedly awakening the entire household. Souta stumbled from his room, sleepily rubbing his eyes with one fist. Before the young girl could even reach her mother’s bedroom, her mother’s robe clad form was framed in the door, looking confused and just as sleepy.
“Kagome, what’s the matter?”
“Mom, it’s Inuyasha. He’s hurt and I need to find him!”
“Honey...Are you sure it wasn’t a bad dream?” her mother asked, gently touching her daughter’s shoulders. “You two had a very tough experience today.”
Kagome shook her head rapidly. “I was awake, Mom. Please, you have to believe me. I know he’s outside somewhere and he’s hurt!” Kagome insisted. Even if her mother didn’t believe her, she would simply tear outside in the dark alone if necessary.
Mrs. Higurashi surprised her. She nodded, and disappeared into the bedroom, returning with a large flashlight a moment later. “Let’s get our rain coats and umbrellas, we’ll find him easier if the rain isn’t beating us in the face.” Souta insisted on coming along, worried about his Inu-ani, but his mother told him to stay behind.
“Wake up Jii-chan and tell him where we’ve gone and why. If Inuyasha is hurt, we won’t be able to take him to a hospital to be treated,” Kagome told him before she and her mother rushed outside, fighting against the pouring rain.
Figures that it would rain now, she thought, angling the umbrella to fight off the onslaught.
“Are you sure that he’s out here, Kagome!?” her mother called from her side.
“Positive!” the girl cried. “I know he’s out here! We have to keep looking, Mom!”
A harsh wind blew Kagome’s umbrella from her grip, and she watched it fly away, carried by the wind up into the trees and away. It was as if nature itself were fighting her, preventing her from finding the target of their search. Somewhere, Inuyasha lay badly wounded, and she knew that if she didn’t continue she would never forgive herself.
“Kagome! Over here!” her mother then cried. “I’ve found him!”
Using her hands to shield water from her eyes, she ran over the muddying ground, noisily treading over leaves. Her mother shined the heavy light on a prone form in pants and a t-shirt. The body wasn’t moving, and tightly clutched a sheathed sword in one hand. The t-shirt was pink, no doubt much of the blood having been washed away into the grass by now. Still, she could see the extent of thends nds and injuries already. Deep claw gashes covered him, and many of them appearing to be washed clean by the rain.
“We need to get him to the house,” her mother said, discarding the flashlight.
She never imagined Inuyasha was so heavy. Kagome took his feet, while her mother grabbed him beneath the arms. Together, both woman managed to lift him enourom rom the ground to carry the dead weight of Inuyasha’s unconscious body to the shrine. The rain-battered women were met at the door by Kagome’s Jii-chan, who helped them get the hanyou inside and onto the ground.
“I’ve called Kaede, she’ll be here as soon as possible,” he assured Kagome.
“We don’t know how long it will take for her to get here. We need to clean and bandage him now. He’s still bleeding,” Mrs. Higurashi pointed out.
While Jii-chan and her mother took the soaking young man up the stairs, Kagome retrieved fresh towels and and a yukata from her grandfather’s bedroom.
Upstairs, her mother had already peeled away the ruined clothing, his shirt having been ripped to shreds and hardly resembling a t-shirt anymore. The blood was not drying, and the wounds were not healing. As she wiped away blood, more welled to the surface, oozing pus and an unrecognizable green substance bubbling from the most serious cuts.
Together, the small family watched over the suffering hanyou, waiting fearfully for Kaede to arrive, praying that she made it in time to be of use.
***
Sesshoumaru flexed out his claws, agitated by the night’s events. He had gone there, expecting much less from the hanyou that he had the misfortune of being older brother to. Instead of it being a complete, unreasonable slaying, the young half demon had put up a fight, valiantly opposing Sesshoumaru every bit as willfully as one of their lineage should.
Surprising indeed. How shocked he had been when Inuyasha actually responded to his goading, and did summon Tessaiga’s power. Had he not seen it wits ows own eyes, he would not have believed the halfbreed had it in him.
But he did see it with his own eyes. He did know that the halfbreed had it in him now. Inuyasha carried their father’s blood in his veins, as surely as Sesshoumaru himself did. That made him worthy of carrying Tessaiga. That was why Sesshoumaru spared his life and allowed the test to end as it had.
When the news came to him of the attack that day, the onat lat leveled the house, he was certain Tessaiga was there. Had he meant to dig through the rubble, like a commoner searching for food in a dumpster? No. But he knew his brother would not be able to sleep while knowing their honorable father’s sword lay beneath that heap of brick and wood. Calmly, he had waited, sitting on the roof of a nearby building and watching for the shape of his Inuyasha to approach.
Their father never lived long enough to breathe a word of Tessaiga’s transformation and abilities to his youngest son. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, knew plenty, if not every secret. Why had he taken it upon himself to teach Inuyasha the secret of its transformation?
That was the Million Yen Question that even Sesshoumaru didn’t know the answer to. He supposed he could have taught Inuyasha the secret in a kinder, gentler way. He could have calmly told him, then walked him through it.
He would not coddle the halfbreed. The facts would always remain the same. Inuyasha was and would always be a halfbreed. That couldn’t change, and that put him on a level different from most demons. He was not as strong as his brother because of his tainted blood.
Or was it because of his age? If Inuyasha had his age, his training, and his experience in battle, would he be just as powerful? That thought had troubled Sesshoumaru. But it was because Inuyasha was the weaker of them that he taught him the hard way. It was for his benefit that he not be babied. Inuyasha would survive, and he would be better for it.
But something about that sword troubled Sesshoumaru. The sword could only be held by those who loved humans, or those who were humane swe sword could only transform when the wielder wished to protect one he loved, especially...a human. Did that mean that Sesshoumaru would be able to effectively wield it now? It was a curious thought, but it wasn’t what truly troubled him.
What lay at the source of Sesshoumaru’s thoughts was this: If Tenseiga and Tessaiga were meant to be twin swords, why had he sensed, and felt such powerful pulses of magic in Tessaiga, that were never present when even their father had held it? What had changed to make the sword react that way to Inuyasha’s rage?
***
Rin had lain awake in bed that night, pondering the many changes that occurred ever since her stay began in Sesshoumaru’s home. Soon, his six months would be over, and he would be returning to his true home, the one he had inherited from his father. From the stories that she was able to squeeze out of Jaken, she knew that the late Inutaisho had been a wonderful man, brilliant with finances and money, and that over the years he had been able to create a large amount of wealth to his name.
Why, she could just imagine the ancient Japanese artifacts that the family possessed, artifacts that would go for millions of yenthe the market.
So, why would he be interested in her, a simple human girl with no talent, no wealth, no power? It confused her, and she worried that if she had the gall to ask him, he would laugh at her foolish thoughts.
But they would tear her apart if she didn’t ask just why he gave her the beautiful things he did. Just that day, he’d given her a lovely set of earrings that glittered with pink jewels. Rin had never considered pink to be her color, but she found those suited her perfectly.
The sound of a closing door in the hallway drew her attention. The acoustics in the house were strange, and often, she could hear footsteps or closing doors down the hall, even if they were around the corner. That noise sounded as if it came from Sesshoumaru’s study.
Is he awake right now? she wondered, slipping out of bed and reaching for her robe. She slipped into it, securing the sash around her waist, then exited the bedroom to walk down the hall in the study’s direction. She found the door closed, confirming that the noise she heard had been indeed the sound of the study door shutting. But had it been because Sesshoumaru had entered, or because he exited?
“Sesshoumaru?” she called gently, lifting the volume of her voice just enough to carry through the wooden door. She then felt foolish, realizing she could have probably whispered it and he would have heard her. That his keen senses probably picked up on her approach, or heard her own door opening.
She waited for him to either send her away, or announce that she may enter, and was pleasantly surprised when the door opened in front of her, the gap it left behind soon filled by his body. She flushed, her cheeks reddening at the sight of him. There was nothing embarrassing about his dress, in fact, it was simply how handsome he looked, how ancient she knew he must have been to possess such old garments.
Everything about him, from the long flowing silk of his hakama sleeves, delicate red flower pattern, and the arch of one single dark brow told her that he was too good for her. He was like one of those expensive pendants a woman could only wish her husband would buy her for her birthday. She longed to have it, but doubted she could ever possess it.
“What is it, Rin?”
“I...I just wanted to know if y...you were alright. You’re normally in your bedchamber by now,” she stammered out, finding difficulty in meeting his eyes, knowing that if she did, she would simply melt right then and there, and do something she’d later regret.
“This Sesshoumaru is fine, but you are not. If there is something wrong, tell me.”
Rin swallowed, her eyes large, fingers toying with the long sleeve of her yukata. It would be good to get all of it out, nice to finally be able to just say what was on her mind, what was bothering her. She would love to be honest and get it off of her shoulders, no longer having to worry about what his reaction would be to know about her little crush.
Sesshoumaru was watching her, quite patiently waiting for her to reveal what was the matter.
“I wanted to know why you are so friendly with me. I know...I know how you feel about humans, but I don’t know why you’ve changed your mind about me when I‘mt a t a human,” she blurted out, wishing she could sock herself in the jaw for sounding so foolish.
Sesshoumaru said nothing at first, nor did any emotion flicker within his eyes. Nothing about his expression changed, but when he spoke, his tone was different...it was softer, and Rin detected a gentle patience in it that differed from his usual speaking voice. “You are different because you are the female that I have chosen to court as a potential mate. Dthisthis answer your questions, Rin?”
Rin blinked, her mouth went dry, and she felt her throat constrict. Had she wanted to speak, she would never been able to, because it was suddenly difficult to breathe, and there seemed to be no air in her lungs for her to form the words.
Mate. Courting me a a mate!? Rin stared at him, her expression disbelieving. “But...but why?“ she asked, cursing herself silently for the stupid tone to her voice.
“Your loyalty and beauty. Your intelligence and bravery. You have kept this Sesshoumaru’s secrets and you...” he paused in his speech, as if the word were foreign and difficult for him to say, “happy.”
When she did not speak, Sesshoumaru continued. “This Sesshoumaru will understand if you do not desire to be mated.” He wasn’t looking at her, he was gazing through her, avoiding actually focusing on her features but staring at the wall behind her.
For a moment, she thought that if she said no, she might see a glimpse of the person that really laid beneath the cold, emotionless wall that Sesshoumaru had erected around himself. The thought was easily and quickly dismissed. She could never deny him, not when she had secretly wanted him for so long, wishing she could be the one to bring him happiness. Hearing the words confirming that she did was such a shock that Rin feared she wouldn‘t be able to speak. “I would be honored,” she finally whispered. Sesshoumaru didn’t so much as crack a smile, but Rin listened to her heart, stepped forward, and embraced the tall youkai that was now hers. When she felt his arms raise from his sides and slide around her slender waist to return the gentle hug, she smiled against his chest, and knew that everything would be alright.
***
Kagome refused to budge from the desk chair positioned near her bed. She feared that the moment she left, Inuyasha would begin to awaken, uncomfore ane and in pain. When Kaede arrived, the bleeding had just stopped, and the last of the greenish fluid was beginning to seep out of his injuries.
Frightened of getting in the way while Kaede thoroughly cleansed his wounds and washed away the seeping fluids and pus, Kagome had felt helpless. All she had been able to do was find him, while someone else gave him the attention that would save his life.
“Will he be alright, Kaede-baachan?”
“He shall be fine, child. He is a hanyou, after all. I’ve given him several herbs and medicines to help his body continue fighting off the poison. At least, I believe it was poison. A rather unusual and potent form of toxin that is believed to be very rare. I have no doubt that another youkai did this to him.” Kaede glanced at the sword laying at Inuyasha’s side, one that had taken a great deal of effort from her and Kagome both to get the hanyou to release his grip. Even in his unconscious state, he would not allow anyone to have his father’s sword.
“I really don’t want to leave him,” Kagome murmured gently, firm in her decision to remain by the hanyou’s side.
Kaede opened her mouth to reassure Kagome that it was fine to leave, but as she did, a low groan escaped Inuyasha’s barely parted lips, and his eyes shifted beneath his lowered lids. He breathed at an irregular and erratic pace, seeming to be in great pain that Kagome could only imagine. Now even the frightening silver scorpion demon Kageroumaru had done so much damage to Inuyasha.
“I’m right here,” Kagome told him, leaning closer until she could take his hand, entwining her fingers between his.
“Kagome...” He drew in another breath, slivers of gold revealed as his eyes slowly opened. “You’re...you’re alright?”
“I’m fine,” she told him gently. She scooted her chair closer to him, then gently brushed his bangs out of his eyes with her other hand. “What happened? Who hurt you so badly, Inuyasha?”
“Ses..Sesshoumaru.” He tried to sit up, but Kagome gently touched his uninjured shoulder, and pressed him firmly back into the bed. Inuyasha closed his eyes, knowing she would pressure him to say the rest if he didn‘t on his own. “He wanted me to fight him...said he’d hurt you if I didn’t.”
Kagome’s sharp gasp caught him off guard, and he opened his eyes to glance at her again. “Your own brother, Inuyasha? I...I don’t understand,” she whispered. The tears welling in her eyes was a clear and solid indication of her shock, as she could hardly believe that anyone could kill their own brother. Even though Inuyasha shared only half of their demon blood, it was a surprising thing for the miko to hear of it.
“He&r;s a;s a demon, Kagome. You gotta let me up. I need to make sure...that he isn’t here,” Inuyasha groaned in pain again, confirming that he was indeed in no shape to leave the bed.
“You’re still injured, Inuyasha! You aren’t going anywhere!” she stubbornly, and worriedly responded, glancing at Kaede for assistance. Fully understanding the younger miko’s look, Kaede removed a strip of parchment from her bag, then gently pressed it against Inuyasha’s chest.
“Hey! You old hag, what the hell are you doing to me!” The sound of discomfort and pain being in his voice quickly faded, replaced by anger. “I can’t move anymore!”
“That is correct, Inuyasha. This is a containment scroll created just for you. I thought that one day one would be needed, but I was uncertain why. Now it fits perfectly into this situation.”
Kagome leaforwforward to examine the talisman, then looked at the old woman. “It won’t hurt him...will it?”
“Oh no! It’s only purpose is to keep him immobile. He’ll heal better and faster this way if he isn’t charging about. When he begins to heal and regain his strength, I doubt it will even hold him then.”
“Oh.” Kagome slid from her chair and drew the blanket of Inuyasha’s body. “Well, sleep tight, Inuyasha!”
“HEY! Where are you going!?” he called as both women departed, clicking the lights off and leaving him in pitch black darkness.
***
Kagome sprinted up the shrine steps when she heard the sound of yelling inside.
“Now, now, Inuyasha. Do not force me to use a stronger restraining spell against you!” Kaede warned the irate hanyou. Kaede was normally a very quiet woman, and as kind and polite as they came, bven ven downstairs Kagome could hear the shouting match between her and Inuyasha. “You will not leave this bed!”
“I have to go see my mom and get her out the hospital, ya old wench! Let me out now dammit!”
Kagome burst into the room, placing her hands on her hips when she saw that Inuyasha was straining against two of the wards that had been used the previous night.
“He had begun to tear out of it, but he was not yet healed enough to be walking,” Kaede explained to her. “Perhaps you can convince him to lay down and make himself comfortable. Mrs. Higurashi and I will be leaving soon to go to the hospital for Izayoi-san’s release.”
Kagome nodded in agreement, and reclaimed the chair she had vacated during the night to let Inuyasha sleep. “Did you rest well last night?” she spoke softly to the hanyou. Her presence seemed to have calmed him, because slowly he ceased his resistance of the scrolls, and laid still, watching her with a stare so intense that gooseflesh spread along Kagome’s arms and bare legs.
“No,” he replied honestly. “I couldn’t stop worrying that Sesshoumaru would show up and kill you while I slept if I did.”
Kagome tensed, then averted her gaze, suddenly frightened that every bit of the secret she now carried could be seen in her eyes. She had promised that she would not tell the unsuspecting half demon, but was it a pledge that she could keep?
“What?” Inuyasha quirked one dark brow. “What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Nothing, Inuyasha,” she spoke quietly, forcing a smile. “I’m just worried about you, that’s all.”
“Well don’t!” he growled at her. “I’ll be healed before the day is out, or did you forget what I am?”
Her faint smile was enough to drain the anger out of him. A smile was the last thing he expected for his angry outburst. Kagome leaned forward over him, then gently peeled away both scrolls, laying them aside. “Now will you rest, Inuyasha? Please...if not for you, then for me?” she whispered gently.
The young man stared up at her, golden eyes wide. There was no magic in her touch, but it alone was enough to make him remain still. “Fine,” he grumbled. “Well? Can I get some food?” he demanded.

“That is not what I’ve come for. There is something different about Tessaiga when Inuyasha holds it, and I desire to know what.”
Bokuseno stared at the son of his old acquaintance, then sighed, the leaves of his branches all shaking briefly when he did. “I expected that you would one day come to ask me of this.”
“Then your response is ready. Tell me.”
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AN: No. Sesshoumaru had no intention of digging in the trash. I thought I made it clear when he said to Inu in the last chapter “So you’ve finally come,” indicating he had been waiting just for him to arrive. He was testing Inu, and in the end, training him TO use Tessaiga, hence his suggestion that Inu learn to unleash its ultimate attack. In a way, he has accepted Inu finally realizing that any cren ren he -may- have with his intended, if Rin accepts him, will be hanyou. The first step to overcoming his disgust with half demons, would be to accept one already related to him, right? As for the secret Kagome knows, until next chapter, its between her and Sess.
I’m going to be moving soon. I don’t know how long the comp will be offline cause of dsl being switched over to our new home. I will probably write with it offline, so...make sure I come back to plenty of reviews!
And yes...when angry, the ignorance in Inu really comes out.
Mariko Izayoi is the name I’ve chosen for Inu’s mother. When I started chapter one I could -not- find any reference to the woman’s real name, so I left her without a last night and avoided mentioning it until I was positive.
Kagome’s reflection is open to interpretation. Believe what you will, there’s different possibilities behind it that I won’t get into.
And no, I wont be rushed into putting out chapters as quickly as possible. It takes time to write each one, and the less tiem I take, the worse it is, the more spelling errors and grammatical mistakes I end up correcting later.
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Overcoming Adversity