InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Dreams ❯ A Hanyou's Thoughts ( Chapter 31 )

Broken Dreams

 

A couple of people have asked why Inuyasha's fingers don't grow back. I respond with this: Why doesn't Sesshomaru's arm grow back? I hereby rest my case. If someone has a good reason why Sesshomaru's arm shouldn't grow back, and Inuyasha's fingers should, I wanna hear it. Seriously, I wondered about the arm myself, so any explanations are welcome!

 

Chapter 31

 

A Hanyou's Thoughts

 

“You will be mine.” Naraku hissed. Youkai cringed and tried without success to break the chains binding him to the floor. Naraku chuckled. “That will do no good, hanyou. Those chains are bound in a shroud of dark magic. No youkai could break them.” Naraku reached a hand out and grabbed Youkai's hand. He smirked and ran his thumb over the place where the middle finger should have been. The wound was still fresh, and crusted over his dry blood. Youkai hissed in pain, and Naraku's smirk grew wider. The dark hanyou purposely dragged his fingernail over the scab, drawing blood.

“I hope you understand what this means.” Naraku chuckled. “It's too bad, the same Shikon-no-Kakera that makes you weak enough to imprison also drains your memories. I really wish you understood why you deserve this, but I'll settle for you understanding what the result is.” Naraku leaned close, right to Youkai's ear, and whispered. “You'll never be free from me. You can kill me, send my soul to the darkest depths of Hell, but I'll always be close by, right here.” Naraku's hand shot out to grab the stump of Youkai's thumb, and he cried out as the pressure forced the wound open. Only a day old, it quickly yielded ruby-red blood.

“This is you now, you pathetic creature.” Naraku sneered. “I was branded for life, and so now shall you. You can defeat me, but you'll defeat what I've done. What I have done to you now will never go away. You'll never be normal, you'll never fit in. Your destiny now is to live as the freak you truly are.” Youkai whimpered, and Naraku laughed. “I've taken your fingers, your memories, and your pride. I think I'm rather proud of myself.” Naraku turned and drew the gleaming, red-hot dagger from the coals in which it lay. Naraku drew the dagger near Youkai's ear, and growled as it flattened away from the heat. Naraku grabbed the tip and held it out.

“And I'm not finished yet.” Naraku gritted. A few moments later, Youkai let out a piercing scream of pain as the dagger punctured the sensitive flesh of his ear.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open from the nightmare of his past. He shook his head to clear out the images. Of course, he hadn't been able to see the process of becoming Youkai. But he had smelt it. He had heard it. He had felt it. His mind filled in the details that he'd rather not know. Those few dark months when he underwent his journey from Inuyasha to Youkai were blurry as best. And those few memories he had, he'd rather he didn't.

Inuyasha's troubled gaze fell on the young woman asleep in his lap. Kagome had leaned her head on his shoulder, and ultimately fallen asleep leaning against him. He had laid her down so that he head was resting comfortably on his lap, her face gazing upwards at him.

“She loves you, you know.” Inuyasha looked up at the hanyou filling the doorway of the cabin. Inuyasha nodded. He had his doubts about Kagome's feelings a few years ago, but now, she was risking death and Kouga's wrath for him. Considering his track record of broken trust over the years, that meant volumes to him.

“Yeah, I know.” He replied, looking back at Kagome.

“We talked while you were unconscious.” Raijin continued. “I understand she is mated to Kouga the Wolf Prince, correct?” Inuyasha nodded again. “Do you love her?” Raijin asked. Inuyasha glared up at him.

“I don't see how that really matters.” He muttered. Raijin cocked an eyebrow.

“There is no greater turmoil in this world then an unrequited love. And from what I have been told, this young miko has been through enough turmoil.” Inuyasha bit his lip and looked down at Kagome again.

“Yeah. You can blame me for that.” He explained. “I figured I could have beaten him easily. I lost.” Raijin sighed.

“And yet you act as though there is no hope. Kouga still lives, as do you. You can still kill him and avenge the pain he has done to Kagome.”

“I can't. If Kouga dies, Kagome dies too. He mated with her.” Inuyasha replied.

“I know. I also fail to see how this is a problem.” Inuyasha's gaze shot up at Raijin's words.

“You don't think that indirectly killing Kagome is a problem?” He growled.

“Surely you realize you can kill Kouga without doing Kagome harm.” Raijin scoffed.

“There's no way, the mating mark can never be broken, except by a higher ranking youkai.” Inuyasha muttered. “It's a problem with no solution. It's impossible.” Raijin shook his head sadly. He had asked Kagura about Inuyasha before he had left Naraku's castle. And with what he had learned, even he had figured out by now what had to be done. Inuyasha had not.

“Impossible is a word that exists only for those who doubt, Inuyasha. I assure you, you can save Kagome. If you love her enough, you can save her.” Raijin turned and left, dismissing the hanyou. Inuyasha frowned at his words. Raijin obviously knew something. He wanted to follow him and ask what, but he didn't want to wake Kagome. And that word Raijin had used….love…

Inuyasha ran a hand over Kagome's cheek. He had lied once before. He said when he was Youkai, that he remembered nothing. That was a lie; there was one thing he remembered. A young girl, long black hair, laughing at something he couldn't see. And with that image came the thought that she had to be safe. For three years, Inuyasha hadn't known who that girl was, or why he wanted her to be safe. Now…

“Inuyasha…” Kagome murmured, turning slightly. He eyes remained closed. Inuyasha reached down and brushed her hand against hers.

“Kagome.” He acknowledged. Kagome's hand tightened around his.

“Don't leave me, please don't leave me.” Kagome begged. Inuyasha nodded and squeezed her hand back.

“I won't Kagome. I promise.” He whispered. Kagome fell back into whatever dream of loss she was having, and Inuyasha's gaze darkened once more. He had no doubts in his mind of what was happening in her dream. Inuyasha took the hand not clutched by the woman before him, and picked up Tetsusaiga lying beside them. He drew the sword from its sheath and stared at the blade.

Enemy male hurt alpha female. Alpha male hurt enemy male. Inuyasha felt his youkai blood pulsing in his veins. Even Tetsusaiga couldn't hold back its desires. After 3 years of being dormant thanks to the purity of the Shikon-no-Kakera in his shoulder. And now it was awake, and wanted blood. And more specifically, it wanted Kouga's blood.

Enemy male hurt alpha female. Alpha male hurt enemy male. His youkai blood urged. Inuyasha wanted to leave peacefully. But looking down at Kagome, he came to a decision: peace could wait. Right now, Kagome was what mattered most. Raijin would have to be interrogated later about how to break the mating mark. Right now, there was one thing on Inuyasha's mind.

Enemy male hurt alpha female. Alpha male hurt enemy male. Inuyasha closed his eyes and searched his returning memories for the one he needed. Finding it, he opened his eyes, satisfied to see swirls of yellow energy coursing over the blade in his hands.

Enemy male hurt alpha female. Alpha male hurt enemy male, kill enemy male! His youkai blood roared. Inuyasha knew Kouga had hurt Kagome, and had done nothing. His youkai was furious that its intended had not only been hurt by an enemy of the pack, but claimed by the enemy as well. An enemy male claiming the alpha male's intended mate was unforgivable, and carried the ultimate price. His youkai wanted Kouga to pay. And for once, Inuyasha and his youkai were in complete agreement.

Enemy male hurt alpha female. Alpha male hurt enemy male.

“Yeah.” Inuyasha growled. He ran his eyes up along the Kaze-no-Kizu forming around Tetsusaiga. “Alpha male hurt enemy male.”

 

Kaze-no-Kizu: Wound of the Wind. But again, the lousy English dubbers call this the `Wind Scar'.

 

Shikon-no-Kakera: Shard of the Shikon Jewel.