InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Brotherly Love ❯ Chapter 2

Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. They were all created by Rumiko Takahashi.

 

Author Note: I know it seems like SessKag pairing right now - and well… it is … but only partially. Read the title.

 

Brotherly Love 02:

 

Kagome's scream split the air as a purple light enveloped her. When the light had faded and the dust had cleared, the others saw a vibrant demoness standing in her place. The miko still looked much the same - her hair was dark, raven black, her eyes were a shifting sea of blue, and her figure was still petite. But her nails had grown longer, sharpening into claws, and her face was graced with a greenish-blue stripe on each cheek. Her mouth, currently hanging open in shock, displayed two dainty fangs where dull human teeth had once been. And most striking of all, she now had an aura of youki, merged with that of a priestess. As the opposing elements of her spirit mixed together, the clashing forces created little swirls of color and light, lending her an unearthly glow, much like the Shikon no Tama itself.

 

After a few moments, her aura began to calm, and she came out of her trance to look at Shippo, her foster son, and the one who had made this ridiculous wish on the Shikon no Tama. “Shippo honey,” she began slowly, trying not to yell at the top of her lungs. “What exactly were you thinking when you asked Midoriko-sama for that wish?”

 

“Inuyasha said he didn't really want to be a human, but that he didn't want to watch you grow old an d-die in front of him either…” the fox kit whined pitifully, speaking so rapidly that his words began to blur together. “And if he was human then you would both grow old and I would be alone again, but if you are a inu-youkai too, then you can get married and be happy together with me forever!”

 

The logic made sense. At least to a young child, who did not quite understand racial identity issues yet, due to his unique upbringing. So, Kagome couldn't quite yell at him for what he did. But at the same time, he had to understand that things weren't quite that simple. Losing her internal battle of words as she observed her fox-kit's cute, hopeful, shining face, she sputtered incoherently and glared at Inuyasha as if the entire outcome was his fault somehow.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome pointed at him accusingly. “Use your wish to turn me back!”

 

“Wha?! Hey! Don't blame this all on me, he's your stupid kitsune.”

 

“You have to,” she reasoned, “You're the only one with a wish left!”

 

The hanyou shook his head helplessly. If he made such a wish, it would put them back where they started, no closer to solving their problems than before. Of course, Kagome always said she liked him as a hanyou… But he had been so certain, that this time he could get things right! If he were human, then Kagome could live with him and grow old at the same rate as he! And if he wasted his wish, just to undo what a stupid fox brat had done, what would it accomplish?

 

“Chotto matte! Hold on a minute, I'm not the only one with a wish left.” At the hanyou's sudden insight, they both looked to the taiyoukai, who deadpanned as if he had no clue what they were doing or saying, and didn't care.

 

“Sesshoumaru! Use your wish to turn her back into a human.” In his usual commandeering fashion, Inuyasha attempted to order his brother around, without results. The elder demon raised one silvery eyebrow. “Teme! For god's sake, once in your life, give me a break and do something to help me here!”

 

“For your information, brother,” growled the taiyoukai, “I already have a wish in mind, and I do not plan to waste it.”

 

“Why you selfish bastard! You're so…”

 

“OSUWARI!” shrieked the miko, becoming more and more angry throughout the exchange. It was not Sesshoumaru's responsibility to save her. It was his! Obviously! When she had asked her hanyou-protector to give up his wish to save her life (or at least her dignity) she had not expected him to turn on his brother over it. Honestly, those two could fight over anything. “I wasn't asking him for help! I was asking you, Inuyasha!”

 

From beneath a layer of dirt that muffled his face, they heard the hanyou's grumpy voice intone a reply. “Well, you weren't really asking… more like a command…”

 

“OsuWari!” Kagome yelled again, and stormed away in tears toward the treeline, Sango in tow.

 

Now, while the outside observer might have thought (with good reason) that Sesshoumaru was merely trying to annoy his brother by stating that he had a wish, this was not quite true. The white dog-demon did have an objective in mind; he had intended to see it through from the moment that Midoriko had announced her gift to each of them. In fact, the miko's transformation into a powerful inu-youkai had almost accomplished his desire. But this alone was not good enough, as she belonged to the hanyou, and they would doubtless return to one another before long. No, his heart's desire was…

 

Inuyasha, sitting up from the crater he had created, brushed off his clothing and wearily stood, glaring daggers at his elder brother. “I can't just UN-wish it, don't you see that? Say something damn it!”

 

But the taiyoukai stood as still and silent as death, and was naturally just as unreadable. Racking his brain to come up with something that would encourage his brother to help, he suddenly remembered that he had the ultimate bargaining tool, right beneath his fist. It was not that he wanted to give it up, but he wouldn't need it anymore after he was human, in any case.

 

“All right, you win. If you help me,” he snarled unpleasantly, voice trembling, “I'll give you the Tessaiga.”

 

The answer that came back was as unexpected as it was unsettling. “This Sesshoumaru,” droned the taiyoukai, “Has no need of such things to assist his power.”

 

Glancing back and forth between the brothers, Miroku scratched his head. He had suspected for some time now that Sesshoumaru-sama had abandoned pursuit of the famous sword. But hearing it confirmed was still shocking. Maybe the Tenseiga was rightfully powerful on its own now, and the taiyoukai didn't want anything else. Yet subtle changes in the demon lord's behavior had been occurring for a while. Indeed, ever since that day a few years ago, when Sesshoumaru stopped Inuyasha's rampaging blood lust in a small human village and instructed them to return the sealing blade to his brother, the monk had guessed the taiyoukai had a new agenda. Miroku had asked the demon lord why, but at the time his reply had been unenlightening. Now, it seemed clearer. The demon lord did not want a crutch, when he could stand on his own two feet, and when his brother needed the blade.

 

“Give me a break,” Inuyasha yelled, interrupting the monk's internal monologue. “You've always wanted it. Take it, here! Just wish her back, so I don't use mine up.”

 

“I am reserving my wish,” continued the taiyoukai darkly, “Until yours has been spoken.”

 

“Nani!” the hanyou howled indignantly. “You're plotting something! I know it! Whatever I say, you're going to undo it just to make me miserable! Well, no way.” Quickly forgetting his attempted bargain, Inuyasha turned to Midoriko, who remained hovering in the center of the field.

 

“Midoriko-sama,” cried Inuyasha, “Make him say his wish first!”

 

“It is imperative to the nature of my wish that it be spoken last,” countered the youkai.

 

“Ya, well I'm not wishing until you do, `cause I'm not letting you undo my wish!”

 

The ancient miko of the Shikon looked on in mild exasperation. Strange, after half a milennia fighting an endless battle against the most powerful demons around, these two were getting on her nerves. She thought she had more patience than that.

 

Miroku started forward, ready to calm the situation, but just then Inuyasha found inspiration. “That's it! I know a wish, that lets Kagome and I live together, AND prevents marble-face over here from messing things up! I wish to be a full-youkai and live alongside Kagome.”

 

Anxious to see if Midoriko accepted his wish, Inuyasha whirled about to face the floating miko. The ghost of the Shikon no miko pondered this request for a moment, and then approved it. < As this wish is based on your love of Kagome, and not a desire for power, it is not a selfish or base request. I may safely grant it. >

 

As the smoke cleared, Inuyasha chuckled snidely, and Miroku worried for a single terrifying moment if his friend had made a huge mistake. But soon they could see that his demon blood did not mar the intelligence in his gaze, and that as a full-youkai, at last his blood did not overwhelm his fragile human consciousness. His eyes remained clear and golden. Square blue stripes, a single one on each cheek, added a regal look to his face, and his human, elf-like ears lay at the side of his head, ensconced in silver hair. “Ha!” shouted the hanyou jubilantly, “Take that! Now, no matter what you have planned, I'll be strong enough to fight you off!”

 

As if it could hear Inuyasha's egotistical statements, the Tessaiga choose this moment to backfire. Without the desire to protect humans in his heart at that instant, only the urge to defeat his brother, the sword's barrier leapt up, forcing Inuyasha to drop the blade. His palm sizzled and burned, and he squirmed in pain and glowered at his sword. “Hey! You're not oyaji's fang anymore, you're MINE! That was rude and uncalled for!”

 

“Do not speak so informally of our esteemed Father,” the taiyoukai reminded him.

 

< And your wish? > inquired the Shikon no Miko calmly of the white demon.

 

“I wish,” Sesshoumaru uttered triumphantly, granting himself the liberty of the smallest hint of a smile now that he was so close to his goal. “That Inuyasha were female.”