InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price of A Life ❯ For Who I Am... ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3:

For Who I Am…

"Sesshoumaru! Brother! Wait!" A little Inu Yasha ran after his full demon brother, only a few years older. The full youkai spun, an irritated look on his face.

"Don't call me that!" He hissed once his half-brother caught up. He refused to think of his younger brother as family. He only used the term to mock him or to please their father.

Inu Yasha hung his head, wishing that for once someone would treat him better, because of who he was, not because of his blood.

His memory jumped ten years later, to when his father died. His mother had been dead for almost eleven years, when he was only four. An adolescent half youkai stood next to his brother, almost twenty, in front of their father's deathbed. He had called his only offspring to him, in order to tell them who would receive his legendary sword.

Inu Yasha didn't care, to busy biting back tears that he wouldn't shed in front of his dying father.

"My… sons… I'm sorry… my time… remaining is… short. Much too… short. But… to my youngest… son… I leave the Tetsusaiga… to you…" He said, his voice failing him as her drew his final breath. Both his sons stood dumb folded before him. Sesshoumaru's expression slowly grew to anger.

"You leave the sword to him!" He railed. "But he is just a half-youkai, youngest at that!" His protests did no good, for their father was already dead. Realizing that, Sesshoumaru turned towards his younger brother, the dazed expression still on his face. "Get out."

Inu Yasha turned to him in shock, a feeling of fear beginning to for on his face. His brother did not need to repeat his words, as it was, Inu Yasha would not win if Sesshoumaru wanted to fight him. And it was evident in his fierce expression that he would.

Running through the den, he refused to let the tears flow in sorrow. Not even when he was in the open, flying through the air, fleeing his home of the past fifteen years, did he weep. Suddenly an idea insinuated itself in his grief-stricken mind. The Shikon no Tama had the power to make demons stronger… so therefore it could make a half-demon whole. With the Jewel, he would never be threatened by his brother again.

Obtaining the Jewel was not all that is seemed. He wanted it more than life itself and wondered why, if he kept attacking, the priestess that guarded it would never finish him off. When he asked, she answered that they were the same, he and she. He hadn't believed it, but the look she had given him, of being utterly alone… the feeling of companionship he felt at that moment… he had mistaken it for love.

So when she had asked him to become human, he had agreed out of compassion. But then Naraku had ruined her dream of being a real woman. Mainly out of confusion, he had stolen the Jewel and sacked her village.

Only when he meat Kagome, say all the qualities that she had that Kikyou didn't, did he realize what love was. Kagome… would give her life, and many times almost did, for him. All she asked of him was that he protect her and never lie. She confused him even more than Kikyou had. Mainly for the fact that she inadvertently asked him to remain as he was. She didn't ask him to be human. She didn't need him to be stronger by becoming a full demon.

Which was why he, despite denying it out loud, he felt he had betrayed Kikyou. He had promised her love, yet she had died for something unrequited…

"You realize how much she means to you?" Asked a voice, similar to Kagome's, yet softer. The scent of roses filled the air, a sent akin to Kagome's, yet purer.

"How much… who?" He asked.

A girl, devoid of color except for her bright blue eyes, appeared in front of him. She looked like both Kagome and Kikyou, except… the same differences that separated Kikyou and Kagome separated Kagome and this girl. "You know well who I mean."

Inu Yasha hung his head in defeat, arguing with this spirit-girl would do him no good. "Who are you?" He asked instead.

"My name is Kei. I am much like Kagome, in the sense she is Kikyou's reincarnate. Her consciousness would have rested and I would have been born if it wasn't for you."

"I'm sorry."

"It can't be changed. However, your own origin must." Her voice was sorrowful, as if there was any other way, she would offer it. "Do you realize how much she means to you?" She repeated.

Inu Yasha nodded.

"More than life itself?"

After a pause, Inu Yasha nodded again.

The girl sighed, knowing, but hoping it was not true. "Then it cannot be helped. I know that fighting to bring her back was large enough a price itself, yet I must ask you to do something else… " She paused and Inu Yasha waited for her to finish. "Alone, you must fight Naraku and take back the Jewel. Only then will you be able to protect Kagome from herself."

"You mean… become full demon?"

"You must do it. Since she is now half demon, her powers as the guarding priestess of the Shikon no Tama will intensify to a level that only a full demon can protect against. Alone, you must collect the shards of the Jewel."

"Why alone?"

"She does not have control of her powers, with her help, the entire Jewel itself would be lost."

Inu Yasha was silent, letting this new information sink in. Finally he answered,

"I'll do it."