InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Falling Away ❯ Aftershocks ( Chapter 18 )

Aftershocks

 

 

Chapter Nineteen

 

It wasn't until the last guest had finished showering Inuyasha with praise and left through the palace doors, that Inuyasha turned around and found himself faced with four pairs of questioning eyes.

 

“Don't ask because I have no clue.”

“But Inu-san…” Sango started.

“I told you I have no clue, none, zero, I'm so far in the dark even his eyes couldn't see the answer.” he shouted as his gestured toward Sesshomaru.

“But if you didn't know then why…” Kouga stammered.

“Look if I had something to say about the whole thing I would but I don't so I'm trying to tell you all to save the breath you would ask questions with.”

 

With that Inuyasha turned on his heels and headed out of the main hall, leaving his friends utterly speechless, but a certain Demon Lord was to have none of that.

 

“Inuyasha.” he said barely above a whisper

“I said I don't know as in I have no idea, as in….”

 

Then in a moment that was marked by nothing more than a slight breeze and their disappearance the two demon Lords where gone.

 

“Well I'm guessing Lord Sesshomaru wasn't convinced.” Miroku stated.

“Neither was I.” responded the ookami.

“Nani?” gasped Sango as she spun around to face Kouga and Miroku.

“Are you calling him a lair?” Miroku spat at the wolf prince with enough venom in his voice to kill a grown man.

“No, chill out Miroku that's not what I meant, all I'm saying is he was definitely hiding something. Nervousness and something akin to denial was rolling off of him like steam off of boiling water, I feel, and from the looks of things Sesshomaru did too, that he knows more or at least suspects more than he was willingly going to tell.”

“Humph! Well did it ever occur to any of you he had his own reasons for not wanting to say anything?” the Houshi snapped.

 

 

(Kouga's POV)

 

At first I could see how I had offended him by calling his best a lair, or at least it coming across like I had; now the monk was just pissing me off. Thankfully things didn't get to go much further because the taijiya intervened. She put a calming hand on his shoulder, assured him I was just as concerned as they both were and he quickly put his anger in check. He solemnly apologized to me for his sharp tongue and his outburst. There was a tense look exchanged between him and the slayer before he lowered his head and excused himself saying he needed to go meditate.

 

Now there was something about this entire situation that bugged me but I let it go in favor of discussing my concerns with Sango.

 

“The raw edge was gone.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have only seen Inuyasha transform twice since I've know him, and what I sensed during his battle with Mitsuru was severely lacking that fluctuating raw edge that usually accompanies his transformation.”

“You have any idea what that means.”

“Not a clue.”

“So what do we do now?”

“Wait until him and his brother are done speaking and pry it out of him by ganging up on him until he gets so annoyed with us he spits it out just so we will leave him alone.”

 

At that the slayer bursts into laughter, when she is done she responds with “You know him better than I thought.”

“At least I'm starting to.”

“Well no sense hanging around here, I'm going to go to my room get out of this formal attire and into the bath.”

 

Now it was at this point that I started to ask her opinion on how I should handle that little issue with the monk when I thought better of it, my instincts told me she was just going to say let him be or something to that effect; and that was something this little voice in my head was not going to let me do. So I bid her good night saying I was going to raid the kitchen one last time before I did the same and we parted ways.

 

Now what I said to her was not a total ruse, I did indeed go to the kitchen and snag a couple of fish for myself and a bottle of sake for the monk. I figured at least I could do was make all efforts to ensure that he saw my approach as peaceful. I know he has been a little on edge about this whole wind tunnel being back, at least in a sense. Then there was that whole display of power he didn't know he had when dealing with Kagome. And initially none of us were too sure on how this coming to the Western Lands thing was going to turn out, so all in all it had been a pretty hectic week for all of us. I can see why his nerves are on edge but I want to make sure that's all it is, because for some reason I think there's more to it.

 

I follow what seemed to be endless hallways until I get to the one the monks room is down. I had no sooner turned down the hall when my nose caught a salty smell, a couple more whiffs and my suspicion is confirmed some one is or has been recently crying. The closer I got to his room the stronger the scent became. Shit. I didn't think our misunderstanding upset him that much; maybe he's more on edge than I thought. I was in the middle of debating whether or not I should go on and knock or if I should just turn around and head back to my own room, when it was all decided for me. When the door swung open and I was faced with a stunned puffy eyed Houshi I did the only two things I could do. First I inwardly cursed my senses for not alerting me to movement behind the door, and secondly I extended the fish and sake with a big smile.

 

“What are you doing here Kouga?”

“Well I came to apologize for our misunderstanding earlier.”

“No need, it was all on my end, I've been a little stressed lately. I shouldn't have taken it out on you.”

“Well we all get like that at times, so no harm no foul.”

 

He flashed me a weak smile and just sort of stood there, I didn't really know what to do so I suggested the one thing I thought for sure would bring a smile to his face.

 

“Come on monk let's go for a walk around the gardens and have little sake, if you're in luck some of the chamber maids will be out gathering the day's laundry out back.”

“Sake sounds good.”

 

We walked in the gardens for quite a while in silence. When we came across a stone bench I motioned for him to have seat and when he did I took one beside him and popped the cork on the sake and handed it to him. He took it with a simple nod. I offered him some of the fish and when he declined I said suit yourself and began to eat.

 

Even though he was paying little attention to me I was paying a lot to him. I watched as several of the earlier mentioned maids strolled by and not once did the monk so much as bat an eyelash at any of them. He kept his head down only lifting it to take a swig of sake then it was right back to staring at the ground like it was the most interesting thing ever seen. I was about to question his lack of interest in the ladies when the glance between him and the slayer came back to mind. After I thought about it for a while I couldn't recall the last time he had received a good smack from her for his roving hands, he had even stopped asking women to bear his child. So that brought me to one hesitant conclusion.

 

He had woman trouble. Heartache. Love trouble. Whatever you want to call it. Now all I had to do was figure out what he did to make the slayer keep her distance and maybe I could get to the bottom of this.

 

“So how long have you had love troubles?”

 

At that statement he promptly choked on his sake, snorting and spraying it everywhere.

 

“I take it from your reaction I was correct in my assumption.”

“Huh? What …I mean….”

“Take it easy there monk if you don't you might actually choke to death.”

“I …how did you know?”

“All the classic signs were there, I don't know why I didn't spot it sooner. So mind telling me what you did to the taijiya to land you ass in the fryer this time.”

 

His head snapped around so fast it startled me, and with a laugh he just said, “You have no idea.”

And I replied, “I know that, that's why I'm asking!”

 

Then for the first time since we left to walk he laughed.

 

 

(Entropy's POV)

 

I would have never guessed in all my centuries that the one in possession of the Shikon Jewel would be so naïve. Human or no, I would have figured I would at least have to work on getting in their good graces. But alas there was no such hindrance with this strange ningen girl. For whatever reason my new fool hearted puppet welcomed my sudden unexplained appearance into her life with open arms. Later it will be amusing to watch her regret it.

 

She speaks to me somewhat freely of her life and I have learned why she is so driven to become the `warrior' I promised to make her. She claims to have a broken heart, but even one such as me can see from what she has said it has more to do with pride and having her way than anything else. But as far as I am concerned all emotions are trivial and I consider myself blessed not to have much in the way of such things. I can fake them rather well but I feel next to nothing. I suppose that is why I enjoy complicating things for all that live so much. It is there that I find my only sense of feeling and I find that watching the angst ridden is most amusing.

 

I watch as she concentrates on extending energy beneath her so she is in a sense flying or at the least hovering; she looks so proud of herself if only the fool knew. In this short time between Naraku's defeat, purification of the Jewel and now - she has managed to begin tainting it in her own way. It's pristine aura and slight pink hue is now cloudy and will become much more so as long as I can fuel her brimming hate and need to prove herself. The more self centered she becomes the more corrupt the jewel grows to be. The more anger she feeds it the closer it will get to being able to bend to my will, as of now it is still to pure to bend to me, and even when she blackens it I will still refuse to touch the damnable thing. I will not need to risk my sanity to have its power for I really do not desire it. I would just love to witness the carnage that her and her little friends will go through trying to free her from its dark hungry power that will be tied to me through her. They will be injured and possibly killed trying not to hurt her when it will indeed be her, not me, they need to stop and by the time all that is figured out death will be the only way to end the carnage she will start and I will cherish the face of the one that has to deliver that blow. It will be most delicious.

 

She looks over at me beaming with accomplishment and pride and smiles, I smile back, with her never knowing, that sometimes a smile from me is akin to the pleasant smell of a deadly poison.

 

 

 

(Sesshomaru's POV)

 

I watch as my wayward brother paces back and forth mumbling, and doing everything but making eye contact with me - and my patience grows thin. I knew from the moment he started babbling that he was aware of more than he wished to discuss. Unfortunately for him I am not concerned with what he wishes and he will not leave my presence until my questions are answered to my liking.

 

His actions are now grating on my nerves.

 

“Inuyasha you will start making some sense as of this moment.”

“Who are you, the thought patrol?!”

“I would suggest you not test my patience any further this night.”

 

Inuyasha stood there trying his best to glare daggers at me, when all he actually accomplished was irritating me further. I turn to look out at sky as the half moon comes into view and when I direct my gaze back at him I show him how glaring daggers is truly done. He swallows and an obvious gulp is heard. He then lowers his head and walks to the edge of the balcony, takes a deep breath, and begins to speak.

 

He says it started a few months ago when Tetsusaiga was knocked away from him during a battle with mid-level demon that had two jewel shards in its possession. He said he felt his youkai rise and for the first time his mind wasn't consumed by darkness and filled with an all out lust for blood. The lust was still there he said but it didn't completely rob him of his mind. Then there were three instances after that that he began to transform and with each one he was more and more in control. He said he was so in control the last time that Sango and Kagome didn't even notice he had transformed, the darkness they were fighting in hid his stripes and his eyes did not bleed to red. He said it was the incident that occurred after that was what really disturbed him, he began to transform even with Tetsusaiga in his grasp, and he said it was not a total transformation but it was not far from it.

 

“And for whatever reason you did not think this was worth mentioning to anyone?”

“I didn't want them to be afraid of me, to them Tetsusaiga is what keeps them safe from the monster within me. To tell them this would take that safety net away.”

“It is relatively gone whether they know it or not. Would it not be best for them to know?”

“No! If they knew…. then … it could cause…”

 

After all that stuttering he just stops and gazes back out at the moon. At first I was angry at him, and then it hit me. Inuyasha was afraid of his pack leaving him out of fear for their personal safety. As soon as I think I have him all figured out he surprises me yet again. I loath surprises, but I suppose I must endure.

 

“Are you that afraid of being alone?” I ask flippantly.

“Not all of us are lucky enough to be a feared Lord with servants, a grand palace, and enough allies to fill several territories. I have been alone in the world since I was nine there was not a friend or confidant for me until I met Kikyou, and then I was sealed to a tree for fifty years and was alone again until I met them.”

“What demon fears being alone? I personally would love to have most of my time to myself.”

“You say that now, while never having known the true meaning of the word alone. Alone doesn't just mean no one to talk to, it means if you get sick you could die cause you have no idea how to make yourself well and no one to ask, it means you could starve to death because you can't hunt and kill enough food to keep you going. It means even if you had money more than likely no village human or demon would let you in. It means you could freeze to death in the winter because the only home you have is out within nature and even Mother Nature turns her back on you when the snow begins to fall. That's what alone really means.”

 

He never once made eye contact with me and for that I was grateful, because for the first time in decades I can feel the mask I wear slip, fall, and break. I needed no mirror to know my face had a barrage of emotions playing across it. As always I quickly compose myself and respond to him.

 

“You have that fear no longer, Inuyasha.”

“It's not that simple.”

“It can be.”

“Damn it Ru, I can't erase an entire lifetime of learned behavior at the snap of my fingers. And for all your vast powers and abilities neither can you!”

“Well if they want to leave let them.”

“Without them I have nothing and no one.”

“One moment I am an all powerful Lord then the next I am nothing, please do make up your mind.”

“No offense Ru, but until four months ago you were still trying to kill me.”

“If I truly wanted you dead Inuyasha you would be.”

“Yeah, sure - whatever.”

“How many times did I best you in battle only to walk away and leave you breathing?”

“Uh… a few.”

“Truthfully I didn't care much for you upon our first meeting as adults; and our battle within fathers' tomb did not do much to help matters.”

“Hey you started that, how did you think I was going to respond to that un-mother thing and you ripping my eye out!”

“Yes I can accept that as me pushing you too far as well as underestimating you much like Mitsuru did today. Believe me when I say I will not forget. It took more than five seasons for my left arm to grow back.”

“Uh, yeah I guess I kinda need to apologize for that.”

“Not necessary.”

“It may not be but I feel better having said it.”

“This must be something that stems from the ningen in you.”

“What are you going on about now?”

“To put it simply youkai generally don't have such feelings of remorse after a battle.”

“Well from what I gather, us hanyou are a rare breed.”

“Just remember, rare though you may be but worthless you are not.”

 

I am not sure what made me say it but from the look on Inuyashas' face and the fact that he was speechless made it worth the sacrifice. He turned his back to me once again in favor of staring out at the night sky. Shortly thereafter he walked up to me and gave a slight chuckle.

 

“What, may I ask is so amusing?”

“I think that's the nicest thing you've said to me in over seventy years.”

 

Then before I could respond he wrapped his arms around me and without hesitation, for whatever reason, I reciprocated. Twice in as many weeks has found us in this position. What I find disturbing is that, I seem prone to responding to his emotional state with one of my own. I was content to let him be until I found my hand petting his head and gliding through his hair. I was about to pull out of the embrace when he did so himself.

With a bright smile he thanked me and said he was off to find the monk. I nodded and as soon as he was out of sight I turned my attention back to the night sky.

 

I remained like this until his scent peaked catching my attention, I look down to see a flash of moonlit silver and I smile. I am immediately confused as to why his running by gave me any reaction whatsoever. My thoughts immediately jumble and I shake my head in frustration.

 

Since when do I get frustrated? My thoughts do not get in disarray and Lord Sesshomaru does not smile. What in all the hells is he doing to me?