InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria ( Chapter 28 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

[Inuyoukai]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or others'

 

 

Bis vincit qui se vincit in victoria

By Licentia poetica

 

`Did I actually say that out loud?' Yourei Taisei was astonished at himself. It had been centuries since he had acted without thinking. `This woman…this human woman…has caused me to lose control? Her aura, her scent…they are intoxicating to my youki, but I have taken a delicate situation and made it much worse.' Disgusted at his own lack of discipline, he closed his eyes and recited a phrase of the dojo kun to himself. `Hitotsu. Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto. To think that I need to remind myself to exercise self-control…it will not help that I made this mating male more belligerent.' He opened his eyes, flaring his youki slightly and staring intently into Inuyasha's face, knowing from eons of experience that the youkai within his hanyou pupil would react to this expression of dominance. `At least I have the tools to force him to recognize me as sensei, but the InuYoukai are as difficult as the RyuuYoukai. Perhaps that is why Sesshoumaru has a penchant to act like a viper.'

 

Inuyasha's lip curled up in a snarl and his eyes narrowed as he finished unsheathing the Tessaiga. `Fuckin' asshole's got his `Sesshoumaru' face on. Sensei my ass.' His predatory growl overwhelmed the hiss of the katana's transformation from useless rust to glistening fang as he stepped forward, away from Kagome, and settled into a perfect ready stance. `See asshole? And I bet you thought the hanyou couldn't be trained.'

 

`Excellent, but so predictable. He must learn to be more like his brother and not let his emotions rule his responses.' Tamping down on his youki a bit, Yourei Taisei continued to stare directly into the hanyou's eyes but refused to move his hand toward the tsuka of his own katana in response. With a completely neutral voice, he began his lesson. “Forgive me, Inuyasha, I was taken off guard. You are correct; I am here to instruct you at the request of Lady Midoriko.” He gave an inclination of his head to the miko and refrained from smiling as Inuyasha's stance relaxed slightly. `Ah, you are off-guard because I am unexpectedly civil? Too easy. Now, to irritate you again.' Pitching his voice so that he sounded bored, he added, “I hope you are ready to learn, this time.” Although his words were addressed to Inuyasha, he allowed his gaze to return to Kagome, who had crept forward and was peering around Inuyasha's shoulder. His face softened into a smile as her scent reminded him of his first wildly acrobatic mating flight. `Ah, Nishi Uindo, I shall miss you while I am here.' His mate, almost twice his size, had not come with him. She would have caused panic even in her humanoid form and preferred to remain in their mountain eyrie.

 

Inuyasha growled again as he saw where Yourei Taisei was looking and noticed the spike in his putative sensei's scent.

 

(Not another damn youkai after Kagome!)

 

“Kagome,” he snarled. “Stay with Midoriko.” He pushed her in the direction of the Time Lord with one hand, his eyes never leaving Yourei Taisei's face, and automatically fell back into his practiced ready stance as soon as she moved away. He tried to ignore his seething human half as Yourei Taisei cocked one eyebrow at him in an expression completely reminiscent of Sesshoumaru at his most irritating.

 

(Fucking youkai asshole. Kill him!)

 

`He's fast and I can't afford to let your jealousy get in the way. Shut up.'

 

(My jealousy? MY jealousy?)

 

[It is understandable that the human envies a youkai, but I agree. Kill him.]

 

`Shut the fuck up! If he's supposed to help me be stronger for Kagome I can't kill him, but I'm gonna show him who's alpha here. Let me concentrate!'

 

[Then be alpha!]

 

“Your business is with me, old man!” he growled. “She is our chosen mate. Keep away from her!” he continued as his youki spiked, changing the timbre and pitch of his words to a low, predatory snarl.

 

Inuyasha blinked. `What the fuck? Wait for the full moon, damnit!' Charging forward, he held the Tessaiga at chudan kamae, the middle guard position, and prepared to strike. `The old man is fast. I'll have to do something he didn't teach me.'

 

Yourei Taisei calmly unsheathed the Kiritsu and blocked Inuyasha's first strike easily. He prepared to spin, thinking that Inuyasha's impetus would carry him past, but was mildly surprised when Inuyasha was able to twist under his block and return another blow using the energy of his momentum. `This may be more of a challenge than I thought.' Parrying the strike, he forced a tsubazeriai and spoke in neutral tones again. “Good, Inuyasha. You have learned some control through the katana katas. But do not waste your energy fighting me. I have no interest in the woman as a mate.”

 

Kagome, wide eyed, tried to move forward to stop the fight. “Inuyasha!”

 

“Stay out of this, Kagome!” Inuyasha hissed through clenched fangs, glaring into Yourei Taisei's impassive face.

 

(Move the fight away so she doesn't get anywhere near this asshole.)

 

Midoriko placed her arm in front of Kagome, blocking her way. “He is right, stay away. I trust Yourei Taisei and he will not hurt Inuyasha.” Her mouth quirked a bit as the two males broke the tsubazeriai with a flurry of ringing strikes and parries; Yourei Taisei seemed to be driving Inuyasha back. “At least, he won't hurt him too much. I believe this is a first lesson and we should not interfere.”

 

Inuyasha and Yourei Taisei locked in another tsubazeriai and the hanyou snarled, “So, you're not interested, old man? It sure didn't seem that way!”

 

“You are purposefully allowing me to drive you back, Inuyasha,” Yourei Taisei replied. In a subsonic range that the humans could not hear, he added, “Are you afraid to let me near your mate? Afraid that she might want pure blood?”

 

Inuyasha's eyes went blood red and marks appeared on his cheekbones. He pressed forward, infuriated.

 

`Once again, too easy.' Yourei Taisei let him press, just far enough so that his balance would be slightly off, then did a quick disengage and smacked Inuyasha on the flank with the flat of the Kiritsu as he stumbled past. Speaking again in a range that the humans could hear, he said coolly, “I have my own mate, Inuyasha. Your woman's scent, as you must know, is intoxicating. I was unprepared.”

 

Kagome blushed. `I smell intoxicating? Oohhh. Oh boy.' She shook her head. `That explains a lot of youkai behavior, especially Kouga's persistence.'

 

Inuyasha recovered quickly and turned, lightning fast, surprising Yourei Taisei. The taiyoukai was forced to use an awkward, lower quadrant block against the Tessaiga. `Is it possible that the boy has had another sensei? It has been centuries since I have been caught off guard.'

 

Inuyasha pressed his advantage and struck twice, narrowly missing Yourei Taisei each time. “Leave her scent out of this, bastard! Leave Kagome alone!” he snarled, breathing heavily with anger.

 

Yourei Taisei danced backwards to give himself time to speak. “Control your breathing, Inuyasha. Remember, breath is part of the kata for a reason. Use the dojo kun to discipline your thoughts. It is far too easy for me to read when your attacks are coming, hanyou.” He leaped away from another vicious slice, inches from his breastbone. `He has learned my lessons well in such a short time and he is a naturally gifted warrior. He will be my equal some day, if he can only discipline himself.'

 

“Daaah!” Inuyasha ran forward with the Tessaiga in the jodan kamae, readying for an overhead strike.

 

As Yourei Taisei blocked the downward sweep, the edges of the katanas gave off an explosion of power. `He has engaged our youki, but he is not ready to battle me on that level.' Yourei Taisei frowned and pulled back, his voice losing its neutrality as he deliberately suppressed his youki. “Inuyasha! Control your emotions! Hitotsu. Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto.”

 

Inuyasha ignored the warning and came at him again. “I'll show you self-control, you bastard!” Striking quickly, he pressed forward, each blow of the Tessaiga giving off an explosion of youki as Yourei Taisei blocked with the Kiritsu.

 

Yourei Taisei blew out a breath in irritation. `He is too easily goaded. I'll have to subdue the hot-head, but if I'm not careful we both might get hurt.' He began to attack, not defend. “You will learn to respect me, Inuyasha.” He made a series of impossibly fast strikes, forcing Inuyasha to parry wildly. “And even if you do not respect me, you will learn from me, if only because you are the defense of the Youkai in the Living Jewel.” As a final parry went wide, he knocked the Tessaiga out of Inuyasha's hands. It flew through the air and stabbed blade first into the ground, transforming back to rust directly in front of Kagome, Midoriko, and Kohaku. Yourei Taisei kicked Inuyasha's legs out from under him and placed the tip of the Kiritsu against his throat, pinning him where he sprawled on the ground.

 

Inuyasha turned full youkai.

 

His youki raised his silver hair in a gust of wind as he snarled silently, the threat in his red eyes clear. Although pinned by the Kiritsu, he pressed one clawed hand to the ground for leverage and curled the other forward, ready to strike. Pressing against the katana's blade, he let it slice into his neck and blood began to well around the point.

 

Yourei Taisei raised his eyebrows in surprise at Inuyasha's change in appearance and scent, but kept the Kiritsu pressed to his jugular. `He will not accept my dominance, yet he engages me as a youkai. I will have to work harder to make him understand that he is stronger as a hanyou.'

 

Kagome gasped, ready to grab the Tessaiga and take it to Inuyasha, but Midoriko held her back as Inuyasha began to speak, his voice a deep baritone.

 

“You have shown lack of self control to this Inuyasha, coveting my mate. You have not kept to the principles of the dojo kun which you required this Inuyasha to learn. Why should I, Inuyasha, consider you fit to teach me?”

 

Yourei Taisei was forced to ease the pressure on Inuyasha's neck as blood began spurting around the tip of the blade and the hanyou continued to press forward. He frowned as Inuyasha's blood red eyes assessed him, calculating and ruthless. `He does have Sesshoumaru's control. Now if he can only meld it with his emotions, he will be truly powerful.' He flicked the tip of the Kiritsu away from Inuyasha's neck but kept the blade in contact with the skin just over the pulsing blood; the cut began to close almost immediately. “The dojo kun provides the principles by which I live, Inuyasha, but I am not perfect. I had no intention of offending you or of insulting Lady Kagome. I have my own mate to whom I am faithful.” He paused, aware that Inuyasha's youki was held in check by the thinnest of margins. Cocking his head to the side, he asked, “Do you require perfection in your teachers? If so, I doubt you will ever find one.”

 

“This Inuyasha seeks control. Your advice was…somewhat helpful.”

 

“Recite with me, Inuyasha.” Leaving the point of the Kiritsu within striking distance, Yourei Taisei moved it to a low guard, away from Inuyasha's throat.

 

“Hitotsu. Kekki no yuu o imashimuru koto.”

 

“One. Develop self-control.”

 

“Hitotsu. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomuro koto.”

 

“One. Strive for completion of character.”

 

“Hitotsu. Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.”

 

“One. Defend the path of truth.” Inuyasha's eyes began to lose their bloody hue.

 

“Hitotsu. Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.” Yourei Taisai performed the chiburi migi, shaking off the drops of Inuyasha's blood remaining on the tip of the Kiritsu.

 

“One. Cultivate courage and tenacity.” The dagger-like lengths of Inuyasha's claws began to retract.

“Hitotsu. Reigi o omonzuru koto.” Yourei Taisei executed a perfect noto, sheathing the Kiritsu.

 

Inuyasha stared at him but did not repeat the final phrase of the dojo kun.

 

“Ah. I suspected as much. Is it so difficult for you to respect others, Inuyasha? It has been my experience that those who do not respect others have…shall I say…difficulty in accepting themselves as they are: flawed. None of us are perfect. Even taiyoukai.”

 

They stared at each other for a long minute, the marks of Inuyasha's youkai heritage still faintly visible on his face.

 

Yourei Taisei suppressed a sigh, offering his hand to Inuyasha to help him rise. `Damn InuYoukai pride.' Inuyasha looked at his hand, then up into his face. He grasped the proffered hand and the implicit message it held and Yourei Taisei pulled him to his feet. `Well, at least my loss of control created an opening. Now to press my advantage.'

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Stop! Ready stance!”

 

Late in the afternoon, Yourei Taisei finally gave Inuyasha a break from training.

 

`Shit! I think he's trying to kill me!' Standing in the ready position, Inuyasha flexed his shoulder muscles and took several deep breaths as his heartbeat pounded from exertion.

 

“You have lost concentration, Inuyasha. You will stand for a moment and regain control. Recite the dojo kun in your mind and clear your thoughts.”

 

`Fuck that! I've done nothing for hours but recite that damn code and dance to your whim, asshole.' He concentrated on his breathing and heartbeat, his mind reviewing the events of the past several hours.

 

Kagome had brought him the Tessaiga, staring up into his face somberly as she handed the katana to him. She had touched his face gently, her fingers tracing over his cheekbones, and he realized that the marks of his youkai must still be visible. Her fingers had moved to his neck and he growled warningly, not willing to submit to her in their current situation. She had ignored the hint, glaring up at him for a moment before tentatively touching the closed wound on his neck. He growled again, more irritably, and a slow smile had blossomed on her face as she looked into his eyes. Grumbling under his breath, he had grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his neck, pulling her with him as he stalked back to the village, ignoring the murmurs from Yourei Taisei, Midoriko, and Kohaku behind them. After a brief meal, they had separated outside of Kaede's hut and the three males had gone into the meadow for “practice.” That had been seven grueling hours ago.

 

After giving Kohaku a set of instructions, Yourei Taisei had made Inuyasha perform the original katana kata, pointing out flaws and demanding both perfection and speed. When Inuyasha had finally done the katana three times to his satisfaction, he gave him another, and another, and yet another. Each time, he demanded perfection. Each time, he demanded Inuyasha's maximum effort.

 

He had kept an eye on both of his students, allowing Kohaku several rest periods and advising the youth to drink water as the heat climbed in the summer afternoon, but he had never offered the same relief to Inuyasha. Kohaku had finally gone to the stream to rest and cool off several hours ago. Out of the corner of his eye, Inuyasha could see him lying down in the grass, his body limp with exhaustion.

 

Inuyasha shifted slightly in the ready stance as his muscles began to cramp. `Shit, I need water.' He glared at Yourei Taisei as the taiyoukai raised one eyebrow. `I'm not going to stop, asshole. I can take anything you throw at me.'

 

“Begin again, Inuyasha. Start with the beginning kata and progress through each one I have taught you today. Let us see what you have mastered.”

 

`Fuck you.' Forcing his screaming muscles to answer to his will, he began to perform the first kata, recognizing now that the movements in it were extremely basic.

 

(Stupid, fucking youkai. They always think I'll break. They think I'm weak.)

 

Allowing his anger free rein, he used the energy of his hatred to enhance his movements and increased the speed of the kata. As he turned, performing the reverse infinity loop for that portion of the kata, he caught sight of Kagome and Midoriko leaving the area, heading toward the well.

 

`Where the hell are they going? It isn't safe for—shit!' He nearly dropped the Tessaiga as he turned again, trying to focus his fragmenting concentration. `Was it only yesterday that Kagome submitted to the Mate Call? So much has happened in the last day…shit!' He almost fumbled again and tried to focus on the kata, but he knew his speed was slower than it should have been. `I finally let her know how I feel and now I can't stop thinking about her. All afternoon, damnit! Her scent, her laugh, her smiles, her courage, her acceptance…gods, she's been the center of my life for three years.'

 

Taking a breath and starting another kata, he turned again and saw Midoriko look back at him just before moving out of sight. Her stance and expression forcefully reminded him of Kikyou and it nearly broke his concentration again. `Kikyou! Damn, now I know she tried to kill Kagome that time.' A whiff of Kagome's scent wafted to him on the breeze, mixed with the smell of decayed earth that he always associated with Kikyou's body, and reminding him of Kikyou's vicious words that morning.

 

“You little fool. You think to remain with him as he is? You are human and you will age. You have beauty now, but what will happen to you in ten, twenty, or thirty years? Your beauty will fade, you will die, and he will still be the same. This body's beauty will not fade and I am undead. Who is the better companion for a hanyou?”

 

Faltering, he made a mistake in the kata, but continued on. `Damn. Kagome's mortal. Somehow I…I'd forgotten. The gods must hate me! I can remember what it was like without her…even if she agrees to be my mate I'll have to live without her again.' He made several mistakes in the kata.

 

“Stop, Inuyasha.” Yourei Taisei commanded. “Sheathe the Tessaiga.”

 

Breathing heavily, but not from exertion this time, Inuyasha performed the noto.

 

“Sit, in the manner of the dojo, Inuyasha.”

 

Inuyasha went to his knees, legs together, and placed his hands on his thighs. `Fuck. I'm going to get stiff.' He ignored the cramps in his muscles as he sat seiza.

“Observe, Inuyasha.”

 

Yourei Taisei grew his talons and began the katana katas using both of his weapons. He became an unbelievably fast whirlwind of two swords and rapier talons with a tall taiyoukai as the center of the vortex.

 

`Show off! But damn, he's good.' Inuyasha could see the control, the placement, the timing of the strikes of the blades. After hours of learning to control the Tessaiga, he fully understood how Yourei Taisei was using the weapons. `Wait…what is he…wait!' A strange, burning excitement flowed through him and he leaned forward, eyes narrowing as he watched the movements in front of him. `There are three weapons in use.' He focused as Yourei Taisei conjoined the katana, the wakizashi, and his talons in lethal, controlled movements.

 

`Three, acting as one.'

 

For the first time, he felt the dojo kun in his very bones. `Hitotsu. One. Even though it is meant to show that each of the principles is equally important, it means something else to me.'

 

Yourei Taisei finished the katas, sheathed his katana and wakizashi, and stalked up to Inuyasha. Lifting one eyebrow, he stared at the dumbstruck hanyou for a moment. “What have you learned, Inuyasha?”

 

“I have learned…unity.”

 

Yourei Taisei suppressed a smile at the wonder in Inuyasha's voice. `The Inu no Taisho was no fool, and his sons are equally intelligent. If he truly recognizes the lesson—` his thoughts were interrupted by Inuyasha.

 

His voice reverting to its usual gruff, sarcastic tone, he growled, “Did you mean to teach me that, or was it just luck?”

 

`Ah, I knew it was too good to be true.' Yourei Taisei finally allowed himself a small smile. “You are not the first hanyou that I have taught…most hanyou have trouble reconciling their separate selves.” He stared intently at Inuyasha for a moment. “I confess, you are the most talented hanyou that I have taught...you learn quickly, Inuyasha. You have mastered more in one day than any student I have ever taught. You will be a formidable warrior, but you must recognize the strengths of both sides of your heritage. Use them, unite them.” He stared unblinkingly for a long minute, then abruptly turned and began walking away. “Now, do not stay still, or your muscles will stiffen. Walk, recite the dojo kun, and reflect on what you have learned today.” He turned around and admonished, “Do not think that you have mastered anything. You still have much to learn.”

 

Inuyasha stood and flexed his shoulders, easing the cramped muscles. Cocking his head, he gave an irritated sigh and stared straight into Yourei Taisei's yellow eyes. “Well…I guess…I owe you…damn! I guess I should fucking thank you…Sensei.”

 

Yourei Taisei scowled briefly but gave him a nod. Then he waved his hand at him in dismissal. “Go.”

 

Inuyasha took a long drink of water from the stream and then walked toward the well, easing the kinks in his muscles as he unconsciously followed Kagome's scent. He stopped abruptly when he became aware of the auras emanating from the two Time Lords; he could see them but he was far enough away that they could not sense his presence. He smiled as he watched the late afternoon sun highlight Kagome's vibrant face as she laughed at something Midoriko said. Then it hit him again. `I'm going to lose her. I'm going to lose almost all of my pack. Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kaede. They're mortal. They're all going to die and leave me.' The ache in his heart forced him to turn from the women and try to walk off the hurt. `How did my father cope with this? He had to know he would lose my mother. Did he just not care? Is it just my human heart that aches?'

 

[Love is not just a human emotion.] The youkai's voice was pained.

 

He walked to his favorite tree and leaped up into the branches. Standing there, he was reminded of his call from the tree in Kagome's time, earlier that day. On an impulse, he gave a cry of longing, a cry to belong.

 

[The Pack Cry.]

 

“OOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEAAAH!”

 

He waited to see what would happen and heard some faint replies along with the barking of a few dogs in the village. He sounded the pack cry again.

 

“AAII, AAII, OOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEAAAH!”

 

This time, he put the whole force of his youki behind the call along with the longing for Kagome residing in his human heart.

 

He was answered, from more than one place.

 

Close by, several dogs cried “Pack Leader! We come!”

 

A bit farther away, some feral voices answered. “Pack Leader? We come. We will see if you merit.”

 

Farthest away, a strong voice backed by powerful youki answered. “Non-pack! This is my territory! You will answer to me!”

 

`Oh shit. What did I just do?'

 

Several dogs came bounding up to the tree. As he leaped down to greet them, a tiny form jumped from one onto his nose and immediately began to suck blood from him.

 

“Oi! Myouga-jijii!” Inuyasha grabbed the flea youkai off his nose.

 

“Greetings, Master Inuyasha! Your blood is very tasty today! Such strength! And I am so pleased that you have called out a challenge for the position of Inu no Taisho. I knew you had it in you!”

 

“What? How did I call out a challenge?”

 

“Your Pack Cry. I haven't heard one in years. Your father used to have the most powerful Pack Cry…ah, it gave me chills. Yours is quite well done, also.”

 

“I just…challenged for the position of Inu no Taisho?”

 

“Why yes, Lord Inuyasha. Did you not realize? You just challenged your brother, Lord Sesshoumaru.”

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translation:

Bis vincit qui se vincit in Victoria. Latin; He conquers twice who in the hour of conquest conquers himself. (Syrus)

Nishi Uindo: Japanese; West Wind

 

Hitotsu. Reigi o omonzuru koto. One. Respect others. An alternative translation is “display courtesy” but I prefer the first. From the Japan Karate Association version of the dojo kun, the code of ethics in karate. Hitotsu means one. Koto means thing or matter. All other translations are in the text.

 

RyuuYoukai: Dragon Youkai. In the Oriental Zodiac, the dragon represents the compass direction southeast 1, the element earth, the color yellow, daily hours 8:00 to 10:00 a.m., and the end of spring. Interestingly, the opposite pole of this compass direction is northwest 1: the Dog (the element earth, the color yellow, daily hours 8:00 to 10:00 p.m., and the end of autumn). I find the traits ascribed to the Dog to be fascinating: honest, courageous and loyal but also pessimistic, anxious and overly critical. Does that sound like two characters in the manga?

 

Chudan kamae: katana drawn, held straight in front of the body at midline.

Jodan kamae: katana gripped in both hands above the head.

Chiburi migi: literally, shake off the blood. Swing the blade sharply to the side and then pull it back toward the front of the body.

Noto: the action of placing the katana back into the saya.

 

Seiza: “correct sitting”. The most formal and classic sitting style in Japan. The person sits on the heels of the feet with the dorsum of the feet flat on the ground, knees straight in front and back completely straight. Sitting this way takes practice, but provides both a stable base and greater ease of movement than sitting cross-legged.