InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ Supernova ( Chapter 63 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: kanna37 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 01.26.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 641 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 01.26.2011 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.6K | Visits: 641 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter 63: Supernova
Kagome frowned, slowly working her way through the problem that had been set before her.
She had finally figured out that a black hole was a distortion, or imbalance, in the time-space continuum. And she was the goddess of balance.
But... some imbalance in creation is necessary, just like some chaos is needed. I can't just go around deciding to balance everything out all the time. However...
This trap is not a necessary imbalance - it was caused by Sosa for one purpose only, and in that case, I can balance the forces in this whirlpool of energy out with no problems.
With a decisive nod, she opened her eyes for a moment, then closed them again, firming her stance within the eye of the storm around her, and placing her hands together as though in prayer.
When her eyes snapped back open, they burned completely black - and the energies twisting around her began to change from their vivid reds, yellows, and oranges, becoming more blue as the edges faded into black.
Concentrating, rich with power, Kagome slowly began to open her hands, drawing the surging forces into the opening between her hands as they swirled into a lightning flecked ball in the center of the triangle she was creating.
Slowly, oh, so slowly, the power began to overtake itself, the blues changing to gray, then white, and diminishing to a tiny pinpoint twining around itself in the centerpoint she'd formed with her own aura.
Then, in a final move, she raised her aura, expanding it outward around herself to protect the portion of the continuum she was in, and crushed her hands together, the energies coalescing into an almost invisible point - and then exploding outward around her, unimaginable force brought to bear on the indestructible body of the young goddess as she absorbed the titanic collision of force from the trap and her own power.
If anyone had been watching from the outside, it would have resembled the explosion of a star, a supernova - only many times more powerful, as the energy first pulsed outwards towards the shield she'd raised, and then, when it reached the wall of her indomitable will, backlashing towards her, to be absorbed into her brightly glowing form.
Floating in the blackness of the void that was even now dissolving around her, she almost gloried in the energy flooding her body.
As the cacophony ended, Kagome allowed her power to fade back into its place within the depths of her endless soul, her eyes once more fading back to their normal color. A giddy little smile parted her lips.
"Wow! What a rush that was! I bet Sesshoumaru would have loved that... maybe after all this is over, I'll show him what it was like." Pleased, she closed her eyes for a moment, drawing on the connection to her mate, she grinned, and opening her eyes, she flashed out of sight, speeding towards her other half.
I'm coming, Sesshoumaru - just hang on a few more seconds!
A pulse of power ran ahead of the speeding form of the daughter of Amaterasu, washing over the still immobile body of her mate, and the Sun Goddess smiled, pleased with her child.
You did well, Kagome. But that was only the beginning of what you are capable of. And all of what you are will be needed - as well as what your mate is, as well.
-cCc-
Inuyasha blinked, and then the clearing exploded into action as the group of warriors attacked, simply appearing from seemingly nowhere and throwing themselves all over the bewildered samurai and monks.
The hanyou fell like an avalanche on two samurai, clashing blades with one while throwing his youki at the second. He spun and threw off the second one, even as the first slid to the ground in pieces, and slashing sideways at the remaining one in his path, sliced him in two without missing a beat.
As he finished, he glanced around, and wasn't surprised to see all ten spies dead, and not one of his own group even breathing hard. Flashing a tight grin at his friends, he gestured them all over.
“Keh. That's one group down. Now, on to the next!”
The head of the scouts nodded with a matching grin. “Sure enough, Inuyasha-sama. Is anyone finding this as exhilarating as me?” he asked rhetorically, since it was obvious everyone in the clearing had enjoyed what had just taken place.
Battle lust was taking hold.
“Where's the second group at? Are they coming this way, or do we need to move?” Miroku asked, carefully wiping the splatter of blood from his shakujo.
Inuyasha frowned over at him, his attention caught for a moment. “Oi, Miroku. How the hell do you keep that thing so quiet when you want?”
A wicked smile crossed the lecherous monk's face, and he cut his eyes at Sango. “I've learned to move silently when needed, Inuyasha. After all, it wouldn't do to warn my prey of my presence, now would it?”
It took Sango a moment to catch on as the rest of the group snickered, but when she did, she flushed with temper. “Can it, monk! When we get back to camp, your gonna get it.” Turning her back on him with a huff, she asked pointedly, “So... that second group?”
Everyone sobered at that, and the head scout quickly had the group up to speed on the location and movements of their next targets. With one last glance around the clearing, the group melted into the forest, heading for their next little skirmish.
No one noticed as a small cloud of blackness descended from the skies as a single quiet caw floated on the air.
Within moments, the clearing was covered in a blanket of carrion eaters...
The feast was about to begin.
-cCc-
Sesshoumaru shuddered – he could feel his mate surrounding him in her energy, and the feel was so much more than erotic. It was healing, subduing the fading damage to his mind that had been caused by the abrupt sublimation of their bond, and calming, smoothing out the anger and rage that his demon blood still felt at the blow to his link with his mate.
Pleasure burst outward from his wounded spirit as her power twined itself indelibly into him, and he began to wake from the sleep Amaterasu had placed him in, slowly coming back to himself more and more as Kagome's presence became stronger in the realm he was in. It was clear she had made her way out of the trap, and was closing on his position.
Opening his eyes, he blinked at the blinding light around him, then began to focus his vision, attempting to see past it to his surroundings.
It only took a few moments, and his eyes adapted again, coming into focus just as his mate flashed into being next to him. With a wide, happy smile, she threw herself atop him, snuggling into him and completely ignoring the presence of her erstwhile 'mother'.
“Sesshoumaru! Oh, I'm so glad that you're okay. I was worried,” she mumbled, face buried in his throat – despite his armor in her way.
He cleared his throat, slowly bringing his arms up to hold Kagome, before sitting up and drawing her closer into a more comfortable position – in spite of the proximity of Amaterasu.
In fact...
“What damage did I cause?” he asked her, his voice throaty and rough from the rage he'd been in when Kagome had disappeared.
The goddess smiled, and shook her head. “Fortunately, I stopped you soon enough to avoid a mess. This is something you and Kagome must consider – if something like this were to happen again, you must have something in place to calm you. There would be no way for the world to deal with the fallout of the power between you and your mate, Sesshoumaru.”
He considered her words for a moment, then nodded, just as Kagome did.
Reluctantly, she pulled back a bit, and looked over at Amaterasu. “I'll take care of that as soon as I have a chance. But first... what's going on back with the others? And just how long has it been anyway?” She flushed at the amusement on Amaterasu's face, lowering her eyes when she realized just how stupid a question that was – after all, she was as much a goddess now as the other woman, and could figure that out on her own. She sighed. “Never mind.”
“You have time to take care of this little problem before returning to the others, Kagome.” She glanced at Sesshoumaru, who appeared lost in his own thoughts, and called his attention to her. “You're father is standing in your stead, Sesshoumaru. He can take care of matters there – there is no need for concern.”
Sesshoumaru was taken aback. “My father? You have released him from these realms, to return to life?”
The goddess shook her head. “No. I have merely set aside his state, temporarily. He agreed.” She shot him a knowing look, and asked, “After all, would you choose to leave your mate on this plane of existence to permanently return to life?”
He took her meaning immediately. “No.”
“We understand each other, then, Sesshoumaru.”
Kagome narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as she took in that little exchange, but set it aside after a moment to ponder later, and brow furrowed, she said, “So, Sugimi-sama has been returned only for the battle. Is everything still going smoothly on that end?”
Amaterasu smiled approvingly at Kagome. “Actually, no. Something has changed. Sosa is cheating again. He has released a bit of his own power, and given it to Sou'unga. This will make defeating him more difficult, but still well within your power, Sesshoumaru. He is, after all, going to be your opponent. Once Ungai has been swallowed, and only Sou'unga is left, you will fight him. Then you and Kagome will seal him.”
“But what about Sosa? He's not just gonna let us do what we want.”
“No, but he is your opponent, Kagome. After all, only you can deal with him. Though you are technically only a demi-goddess, and my brother is a higher god, because of your sphere of influence, he cannot defeat you. He will be bound by your will, once you have decided what to do about him,” Amaterasu answered.
Kagome nodded slowly, her mind already beginning to turn over the possibilities. She was pulled back by the goddess' voice once more.
“However, you have time to decide how to deal with him – for now, take care of securing your bond. I never want what happened here to happen again – I cannot interfere so directly very often, so it is up to both of you to monitor your bond. You, together, are the most powerful mate-bonded pair that has ever existed. With that power comes great responsibility,” she finished sternly, watching with weighing eyes as the two before her took in her words.
“Yes, Amaterasu-sama,” Kagome responded. Demi-goddess or not, she was well aware of when respect was needed to the Goddess above all in the pantheon.
Sesshoumaru merely nodded curtly.
With a wink at Kagome, the goddess faded out, and Kagome slumped a bit, still held in her mate's arms. “Well, guess we've been given our orders. Now, how do we go about doing what she wanted?”
“She gave us a hint, I believe,” Sesshoumaru answered.
Kagome frowned up at him. “What do you mean?”
“She said that we needed to secure our bond. I believe that she meant that there is something that you can do to make certain this does not happen again - that no one will be able to weaken our mate bond.”
Frown deepening thoughtfully, Kagome wrinkled her nose and bit her lip as she considered things.
“Yeah... well that sounds all well and good, but how am I going to do that?”
Sesshoumaru shrugged as he looked at her.
“This one does not know. I believe that this is your job, miko,” he said smugly, “as I am the one that created the bond in the first place – strengthening it is for you to do.”
She scowled at him. “Funny, Sesshoumaru.”
“I am not laughing, mate.”
Grrr... aggravating male.
-cCc-
Meanwhile, on the plains of Musashi, Sugimi waited impatiently for his younger son to return from his little skirmishes, not liking having him out of sight. He knew he was worrying for naught, yet was unable to stop.
Drumming his fingers on the table before him, he wrenched his mind back from that matter forcefully, wanting to find something else to occupy himself. The dulcet tones reaching his ears from the front of the command tent gave him just that.
“Satori,” he snapped out. “Can you not go antagonize Ungai's army, and leave mine alone?”
The female inu sauntered towards him, Kagura following along behind, completely subdued.
“And why would I limit myself to one army to annoy, when there are two at my disposal, Sugimi?” she asked facetiously.
He snarled at her as he stood, letting his aura out to scrape warningly against her own, and her eyes flashed red as the burn of his youki set her hackles against him.
“Do you wish to fight, bitch?” he growled, his inu rousing as the threat from the female before him agitated his dominant nature.
Satori grinned ferally, welcoming a fight, even from the father of her son. While he had always been more powerful than her in life... now, in death, she was wondering if she could defeat him.
“I always want to fight, Sugimi,” she snarled back. “Perhaps I wish to see if you can still enforce your dominance, dog. After all, you have been dead for over two hundred years...” with those words, she darted from the tent, growling out a formal challenge to him as she led him away from the army, looking for an empty area that was open for a fight.
Sugimi flashed after her, his instincts in an uproar. That the bitch would dare question his right to lead! He was alpha, he would always be her superior!
Eyes flaring crimson as he gathered his youki and set loose his true form, he landed before the impertinent bitch who was standing before him, snarling defiantly.
This would feel too good...
With a trumpeting roar, he attacked.
Satori knew she couldn't beat him in a flat contest of strength – Sugimi was still much more massive than she was, but she was hoping that she had, over time, become faster. If she could get him into a bad position, she might be able to pin him. She would not, of course, be able to kill him and take away his alpha status, as he was already dead, but even this much would be a heavy blow to his pride – and worth it, in her opinion.
With that in mind, she leapt upward when he attempted to pounce on her, just barely avoiding his heavy swipe at her, and landed behind him, flashing out with her maw to hamstring him. Instead, she ended flying backwards as he put his weight on his forepaws and kicked backwards with both back paws, knocking the wind from her as she landed hard.
He whirled immediately, and Satori had no time to waste, scrambling back to her feet even as he dashed after her, putting her on the defensive.
Damn! she thought bitterly, he's still too fast! My only chance is to stay out of his reach and hope for a lucky opening!
Her chance came sooner than she thought, when the fight between them drew an audience – including the whelp he'd created with that human bitch. The moment she caught his scent, she snarled threateningly in his direction, and Sugimi took his attention off her for one moment.
She lunged, trying to get his throat in her mouth.
Enraged that she'd even dared to threaten his son, Sugimi flung his head away from her, slamming one heavy paw into her as she overbalanced, knocking her back to the ground with a thunderous force. This time, as she landed on her back before him, he went for her throat in retaliation, clamping his razor-sharp teeth down – just a tiny bit more pressure, and she'd be dead.
The moment he had her, he growled warningly, demanding her immediate submission, and with no recourse, pinned as she was beneath his heavier form, Satori snarled, then whimpered her submission.
He flexed his jaws just slightly, hearing her pained exhale, then released her, still growling, and stepped back, waiting for her to return to her humanoid form.
Once she did so, he followed.
“You had the nerve to challenge this one, bitch – and you didn't even last five minutes. I've had better fights with neko,” he drawled sarcastically, and she flushed angrily. “You will behave, Satori – or you will leave, and be prohibited from battle. And if you ever,” he snarled suddenly, “point that muzzle in my son's direction again threateningly, I will finish what I let go this time and rip out your throat – even if I have to find another way back from the dead to do it.”
With one last glare in her direction, he turned on his heel and headed towards his rather awed son, leaving a thoroughly humiliated bitch behind him.
Sesshoumaru would be sorry he had missed that little fight.
-cCc-
Totosai sighed, eyes skimming lovingly over the blade he'd just finished. He loved all his swords – every single one had a part of him in it. They were his children.
This one that he had just finished whispered softly to him, and with a pained grimace, he closed his eyes as its comforting aura flowed over him.
This was probably the hardest thing he'd ever been asked to do by anyone... but one did not say no to a goddess.
Sighing sadly once again, the swordsmith patted the sword gently. “I really wish I didn't have to consign you to this fate, my blade, but there is no help for it.” With the sword still whispering comfortingly to him, he stood, and holding the blade before him horizontally, he watched as the light from the forge flared redly across it's deadly edge.
Straightening up, he said formally, “Your name is Shinzui-tsurugi, the Spirit sword, for you will linger here on this plane for only a short time, and then be taken into the spirit realms.”
When he finished, the light surged in a bright flash, and then the sword sang, accepting its name, and its destiny.
With a last glance at it, Totosai slid Shinzui into its sheath, and then called for Momo.
It was time to deliver the sword to its new owner.
-cCc-
A/N: I hope this chapter pleases – it actually flowed pretty well, and easily, I finished it all in a couple of hours, while watching fight scenes in between to gain a little better idea of how to choreograph such things. Battle scenes are so hard! But I'm beginning to enjoy attempting to write them... which is good, cause I have a huge one coming up!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Amber
Converting /tmp/phpaisUtQ to /dev/stdout
Kagome frowned, slowly working her way through the problem that had been set before her.
She had finally figured out that a black hole was a distortion, or imbalance, in the time-space continuum. And she was the goddess of balance.
But... some imbalance in creation is necessary, just like some chaos is needed. I can't just go around deciding to balance everything out all the time. However...
This trap is not a necessary imbalance - it was caused by Sosa for one purpose only, and in that case, I can balance the forces in this whirlpool of energy out with no problems.
With a decisive nod, she opened her eyes for a moment, then closed them again, firming her stance within the eye of the storm around her, and placing her hands together as though in prayer.
When her eyes snapped back open, they burned completely black - and the energies twisting around her began to change from their vivid reds, yellows, and oranges, becoming more blue as the edges faded into black.
Concentrating, rich with power, Kagome slowly began to open her hands, drawing the surging forces into the opening between her hands as they swirled into a lightning flecked ball in the center of the triangle she was creating.
Slowly, oh, so slowly, the power began to overtake itself, the blues changing to gray, then white, and diminishing to a tiny pinpoint twining around itself in the centerpoint she'd formed with her own aura.
Then, in a final move, she raised her aura, expanding it outward around herself to protect the portion of the continuum she was in, and crushed her hands together, the energies coalescing into an almost invisible point - and then exploding outward around her, unimaginable force brought to bear on the indestructible body of the young goddess as she absorbed the titanic collision of force from the trap and her own power.
If anyone had been watching from the outside, it would have resembled the explosion of a star, a supernova - only many times more powerful, as the energy first pulsed outwards towards the shield she'd raised, and then, when it reached the wall of her indomitable will, backlashing towards her, to be absorbed into her brightly glowing form.
Floating in the blackness of the void that was even now dissolving around her, she almost gloried in the energy flooding her body.
As the cacophony ended, Kagome allowed her power to fade back into its place within the depths of her endless soul, her eyes once more fading back to their normal color. A giddy little smile parted her lips.
"Wow! What a rush that was! I bet Sesshoumaru would have loved that... maybe after all this is over, I'll show him what it was like." Pleased, she closed her eyes for a moment, drawing on the connection to her mate, she grinned, and opening her eyes, she flashed out of sight, speeding towards her other half.
I'm coming, Sesshoumaru - just hang on a few more seconds!
A pulse of power ran ahead of the speeding form of the daughter of Amaterasu, washing over the still immobile body of her mate, and the Sun Goddess smiled, pleased with her child.
You did well, Kagome. But that was only the beginning of what you are capable of. And all of what you are will be needed - as well as what your mate is, as well.
-cCc-
Inuyasha blinked, and then the clearing exploded into action as the group of warriors attacked, simply appearing from seemingly nowhere and throwing themselves all over the bewildered samurai and monks.
The hanyou fell like an avalanche on two samurai, clashing blades with one while throwing his youki at the second. He spun and threw off the second one, even as the first slid to the ground in pieces, and slashing sideways at the remaining one in his path, sliced him in two without missing a beat.
As he finished, he glanced around, and wasn't surprised to see all ten spies dead, and not one of his own group even breathing hard. Flashing a tight grin at his friends, he gestured them all over.
“Keh. That's one group down. Now, on to the next!”
The head of the scouts nodded with a matching grin. “Sure enough, Inuyasha-sama. Is anyone finding this as exhilarating as me?” he asked rhetorically, since it was obvious everyone in the clearing had enjoyed what had just taken place.
Battle lust was taking hold.
“Where's the second group at? Are they coming this way, or do we need to move?” Miroku asked, carefully wiping the splatter of blood from his shakujo.
Inuyasha frowned over at him, his attention caught for a moment. “Oi, Miroku. How the hell do you keep that thing so quiet when you want?”
A wicked smile crossed the lecherous monk's face, and he cut his eyes at Sango. “I've learned to move silently when needed, Inuyasha. After all, it wouldn't do to warn my prey of my presence, now would it?”
It took Sango a moment to catch on as the rest of the group snickered, but when she did, she flushed with temper. “Can it, monk! When we get back to camp, your gonna get it.” Turning her back on him with a huff, she asked pointedly, “So... that second group?”
Everyone sobered at that, and the head scout quickly had the group up to speed on the location and movements of their next targets. With one last glance around the clearing, the group melted into the forest, heading for their next little skirmish.
No one noticed as a small cloud of blackness descended from the skies as a single quiet caw floated on the air.
Within moments, the clearing was covered in a blanket of carrion eaters...
The feast was about to begin.
-cCc-
Sesshoumaru shuddered – he could feel his mate surrounding him in her energy, and the feel was so much more than erotic. It was healing, subduing the fading damage to his mind that had been caused by the abrupt sublimation of their bond, and calming, smoothing out the anger and rage that his demon blood still felt at the blow to his link with his mate.
Pleasure burst outward from his wounded spirit as her power twined itself indelibly into him, and he began to wake from the sleep Amaterasu had placed him in, slowly coming back to himself more and more as Kagome's presence became stronger in the realm he was in. It was clear she had made her way out of the trap, and was closing on his position.
Opening his eyes, he blinked at the blinding light around him, then began to focus his vision, attempting to see past it to his surroundings.
It only took a few moments, and his eyes adapted again, coming into focus just as his mate flashed into being next to him. With a wide, happy smile, she threw herself atop him, snuggling into him and completely ignoring the presence of her erstwhile 'mother'.
“Sesshoumaru! Oh, I'm so glad that you're okay. I was worried,” she mumbled, face buried in his throat – despite his armor in her way.
He cleared his throat, slowly bringing his arms up to hold Kagome, before sitting up and drawing her closer into a more comfortable position – in spite of the proximity of Amaterasu.
In fact...
“What damage did I cause?” he asked her, his voice throaty and rough from the rage he'd been in when Kagome had disappeared.
The goddess smiled, and shook her head. “Fortunately, I stopped you soon enough to avoid a mess. This is something you and Kagome must consider – if something like this were to happen again, you must have something in place to calm you. There would be no way for the world to deal with the fallout of the power between you and your mate, Sesshoumaru.”
He considered her words for a moment, then nodded, just as Kagome did.
Reluctantly, she pulled back a bit, and looked over at Amaterasu. “I'll take care of that as soon as I have a chance. But first... what's going on back with the others? And just how long has it been anyway?” She flushed at the amusement on Amaterasu's face, lowering her eyes when she realized just how stupid a question that was – after all, she was as much a goddess now as the other woman, and could figure that out on her own. She sighed. “Never mind.”
“You have time to take care of this little problem before returning to the others, Kagome.” She glanced at Sesshoumaru, who appeared lost in his own thoughts, and called his attention to her. “You're father is standing in your stead, Sesshoumaru. He can take care of matters there – there is no need for concern.”
Sesshoumaru was taken aback. “My father? You have released him from these realms, to return to life?”
The goddess shook her head. “No. I have merely set aside his state, temporarily. He agreed.” She shot him a knowing look, and asked, “After all, would you choose to leave your mate on this plane of existence to permanently return to life?”
He took her meaning immediately. “No.”
“We understand each other, then, Sesshoumaru.”
Kagome narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as she took in that little exchange, but set it aside after a moment to ponder later, and brow furrowed, she said, “So, Sugimi-sama has been returned only for the battle. Is everything still going smoothly on that end?”
Amaterasu smiled approvingly at Kagome. “Actually, no. Something has changed. Sosa is cheating again. He has released a bit of his own power, and given it to Sou'unga. This will make defeating him more difficult, but still well within your power, Sesshoumaru. He is, after all, going to be your opponent. Once Ungai has been swallowed, and only Sou'unga is left, you will fight him. Then you and Kagome will seal him.”
“But what about Sosa? He's not just gonna let us do what we want.”
“No, but he is your opponent, Kagome. After all, only you can deal with him. Though you are technically only a demi-goddess, and my brother is a higher god, because of your sphere of influence, he cannot defeat you. He will be bound by your will, once you have decided what to do about him,” Amaterasu answered.
Kagome nodded slowly, her mind already beginning to turn over the possibilities. She was pulled back by the goddess' voice once more.
“However, you have time to decide how to deal with him – for now, take care of securing your bond. I never want what happened here to happen again – I cannot interfere so directly very often, so it is up to both of you to monitor your bond. You, together, are the most powerful mate-bonded pair that has ever existed. With that power comes great responsibility,” she finished sternly, watching with weighing eyes as the two before her took in her words.
“Yes, Amaterasu-sama,” Kagome responded. Demi-goddess or not, she was well aware of when respect was needed to the Goddess above all in the pantheon.
Sesshoumaru merely nodded curtly.
With a wink at Kagome, the goddess faded out, and Kagome slumped a bit, still held in her mate's arms. “Well, guess we've been given our orders. Now, how do we go about doing what she wanted?”
“She gave us a hint, I believe,” Sesshoumaru answered.
Kagome frowned up at him. “What do you mean?”
“She said that we needed to secure our bond. I believe that she meant that there is something that you can do to make certain this does not happen again - that no one will be able to weaken our mate bond.”
Frown deepening thoughtfully, Kagome wrinkled her nose and bit her lip as she considered things.
“Yeah... well that sounds all well and good, but how am I going to do that?”
Sesshoumaru shrugged as he looked at her.
“This one does not know. I believe that this is your job, miko,” he said smugly, “as I am the one that created the bond in the first place – strengthening it is for you to do.”
She scowled at him. “Funny, Sesshoumaru.”
“I am not laughing, mate.”
Grrr... aggravating male.
-cCc-
Meanwhile, on the plains of Musashi, Sugimi waited impatiently for his younger son to return from his little skirmishes, not liking having him out of sight. He knew he was worrying for naught, yet was unable to stop.
Drumming his fingers on the table before him, he wrenched his mind back from that matter forcefully, wanting to find something else to occupy himself. The dulcet tones reaching his ears from the front of the command tent gave him just that.
“Satori,” he snapped out. “Can you not go antagonize Ungai's army, and leave mine alone?”
The female inu sauntered towards him, Kagura following along behind, completely subdued.
“And why would I limit myself to one army to annoy, when there are two at my disposal, Sugimi?” she asked facetiously.
He snarled at her as he stood, letting his aura out to scrape warningly against her own, and her eyes flashed red as the burn of his youki set her hackles against him.
“Do you wish to fight, bitch?” he growled, his inu rousing as the threat from the female before him agitated his dominant nature.
Satori grinned ferally, welcoming a fight, even from the father of her son. While he had always been more powerful than her in life... now, in death, she was wondering if she could defeat him.
“I always want to fight, Sugimi,” she snarled back. “Perhaps I wish to see if you can still enforce your dominance, dog. After all, you have been dead for over two hundred years...” with those words, she darted from the tent, growling out a formal challenge to him as she led him away from the army, looking for an empty area that was open for a fight.
Sugimi flashed after her, his instincts in an uproar. That the bitch would dare question his right to lead! He was alpha, he would always be her superior!
Eyes flaring crimson as he gathered his youki and set loose his true form, he landed before the impertinent bitch who was standing before him, snarling defiantly.
This would feel too good...
With a trumpeting roar, he attacked.
Satori knew she couldn't beat him in a flat contest of strength – Sugimi was still much more massive than she was, but she was hoping that she had, over time, become faster. If she could get him into a bad position, she might be able to pin him. She would not, of course, be able to kill him and take away his alpha status, as he was already dead, but even this much would be a heavy blow to his pride – and worth it, in her opinion.
With that in mind, she leapt upward when he attempted to pounce on her, just barely avoiding his heavy swipe at her, and landed behind him, flashing out with her maw to hamstring him. Instead, she ended flying backwards as he put his weight on his forepaws and kicked backwards with both back paws, knocking the wind from her as she landed hard.
He whirled immediately, and Satori had no time to waste, scrambling back to her feet even as he dashed after her, putting her on the defensive.
Damn! she thought bitterly, he's still too fast! My only chance is to stay out of his reach and hope for a lucky opening!
Her chance came sooner than she thought, when the fight between them drew an audience – including the whelp he'd created with that human bitch. The moment she caught his scent, she snarled threateningly in his direction, and Sugimi took his attention off her for one moment.
She lunged, trying to get his throat in her mouth.
Enraged that she'd even dared to threaten his son, Sugimi flung his head away from her, slamming one heavy paw into her as she overbalanced, knocking her back to the ground with a thunderous force. This time, as she landed on her back before him, he went for her throat in retaliation, clamping his razor-sharp teeth down – just a tiny bit more pressure, and she'd be dead.
The moment he had her, he growled warningly, demanding her immediate submission, and with no recourse, pinned as she was beneath his heavier form, Satori snarled, then whimpered her submission.
He flexed his jaws just slightly, hearing her pained exhale, then released her, still growling, and stepped back, waiting for her to return to her humanoid form.
Once she did so, he followed.
“You had the nerve to challenge this one, bitch – and you didn't even last five minutes. I've had better fights with neko,” he drawled sarcastically, and she flushed angrily. “You will behave, Satori – or you will leave, and be prohibited from battle. And if you ever,” he snarled suddenly, “point that muzzle in my son's direction again threateningly, I will finish what I let go this time and rip out your throat – even if I have to find another way back from the dead to do it.”
With one last glare in her direction, he turned on his heel and headed towards his rather awed son, leaving a thoroughly humiliated bitch behind him.
Sesshoumaru would be sorry he had missed that little fight.
-cCc-
Totosai sighed, eyes skimming lovingly over the blade he'd just finished. He loved all his swords – every single one had a part of him in it. They were his children.
This one that he had just finished whispered softly to him, and with a pained grimace, he closed his eyes as its comforting aura flowed over him.
This was probably the hardest thing he'd ever been asked to do by anyone... but one did not say no to a goddess.
Sighing sadly once again, the swordsmith patted the sword gently. “I really wish I didn't have to consign you to this fate, my blade, but there is no help for it.” With the sword still whispering comfortingly to him, he stood, and holding the blade before him horizontally, he watched as the light from the forge flared redly across it's deadly edge.
Straightening up, he said formally, “Your name is Shinzui-tsurugi, the Spirit sword, for you will linger here on this plane for only a short time, and then be taken into the spirit realms.”
When he finished, the light surged in a bright flash, and then the sword sang, accepting its name, and its destiny.
With a last glance at it, Totosai slid Shinzui into its sheath, and then called for Momo.
It was time to deliver the sword to its new owner.
-cCc-
A/N: I hope this chapter pleases – it actually flowed pretty well, and easily, I finished it all in a couple of hours, while watching fight scenes in between to gain a little better idea of how to choreograph such things. Battle scenes are so hard! But I'm beginning to enjoy attempting to write them... which is good, cause I have a huge one coming up!
Happy New Year, everyone!
Amber
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