InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Knight Errant ❯ Chapter 22 ( Chapter 22 )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the other inhabitants of the fine story of Rumiko's that we all know and love. Kiyoshi, Tomoe, Aikiko, and Sashiko are mine, and I hope you enjoy them as they are encountered.

 

 

 

 

“I will do as you say, Master.”

 

 

 

It did not turn out to be as simple as all that of course. It had actually taken several weeks before Kagura had been able to catch Sango alone since her acceptance into Kouga's group of trusted people had entailed her being allowed into his territory and more importantly his Den. Before when she had stayed at Kaede's village she was often alone when training or simply to contemplate, most of the humans that lived there were honestly not sure just how to interact with a taijiya and that left the demon slayer to her own devices.

 

 

 

But patience had its rewards and Kagura reaped those when she caught the woman traveling alone towards her old village. She was unsure why the demon slayer was alone and frankly did not care, she was overjoyed to get this onerous task finished at long last. Spending time with Kohaku was far more pleasant than spending it with Naraku of course but the longer she took doing his will the more likely it would be that he would punish her and she had no intention of having that to look forward to upon her return to his lair.

 

 

 

It was near dark when she sent the boy out upon the road to await the appearance of Sango. In his eyes was only blankness, no awareness of his former self glimmered within those depths, only a quiet sense of virtual nothingness. He was dressed in the armor of a taijiya which he had died in though it had been repaired skillfully, and at his side was his weapon, the kusari-gama gleaming in the low light of the sun as it finally slipped beyond the horizon. At first she did not recognize him but as she drew near Sango felt the pace of her heart increase and her sienna eyes opened wide. It was Kohaku! How could this be, that her brother was here before her.

 

 

 

“Kohaku!”

 

 

 

She ran towards him when Kagura swept down out of the sky and took him up with her upon her giant feather. Kohaku's voice was void of feeling, empty of emotion as he spoke and his words chilled Sango to her very heart.

 

 

 

“Naraku has sworn to kill me if you do not deliver the sword that InuYasha carries to the ruins of the palace where the wolves died. Do this soon or Kagura will deliver to you my head.”

 

 

 

Her screams of his name followed them into the sky as hot tears ran down her face, some of the first that she had shed since the demise of her former life. How could she do this thing? How could she betray those that trusted her to save the life of her brother, but then how could she not, how could she let Naraku kill him? But a part of her heart was whispering to her then, how could this be Kohaku truly? He had died covered by her body, and she had known him to be truly dead before she herself had passed out of consciousness. He had really died, yet here he had been before her and her heart told her that it was indeed Kohaku somehow. Sadly enough the only explanation was that he had somehow been resurrected in the same fashion as the priestess Kikyou and that added a deep pain to her heart.

 

 

 

Somehow there had to be a way out of this, if she could just figure out what. She did not dare tell her companions, she was sure they would cast her out and not understand why she even contemplated actually doing as she was bid by Naraku. In that she underestimated them and she would regret that later on. It saddened her not to confide her problem to Kagome whom she had grown closer to, or to her friend Sashiko who seemed to have that patient way of listening that let you speak your mind and heart and not feel foolish in doing so. Even Kaede would have listened to her problem but she knew that if she spoke of this to anyone that more that likely Naraku would make the preemptive strike on this and kill Kohaku.

 

 

 

If he were to send her little brother's head to her she knew that she would not survive the shock long enough to exact revenge. Her body might survive but it would break her heart and mind, making that trained body useless. So she withdrew within herself once more and did not notice that her friends watched her and wondered when she would open up to share her problems with them. Kagome in particular had been making broad hints that she would listen if Sango wished to talk. Yet unfortunately for all involved it had only been after her betrayal that she finally told them all that had happened.

 

 

 

It was supposed to be a simple trip that would take a mere day or two, Kagome along to get supplies from back home that she wanted and so InuYasha went as well, giving Sango the perfect chance. When he and Miroku along with Shippou took advantage of the hot spring to bathe she snuck up and stole her objective, the Tessaiga quiet in her grasp because she was human. She had known they would pursue her so to slow them down she had spread a pungent herbal mixture after her to blur the track. By the time Kagome had the bright idea to follow the most intense trail of the stink rather than trying to find Sango's scent she had nearly arrived at the ruins.

 

 

 

Kilala had stayed with the party, and that should have told Sango that what she was doing was not the right choice if nothing else would have. Kilala had loved Kohaku as much as she had and would have defended him to the death were he truly alive. The nekomata did not lead them directly to her mistress but she did not distract them from pursuing her either so swift on Sango's heels came her erstwhile friends and companions. Yet in her favor was the fact that they heard Naraku's sickening demands with their own ears, they saw the grief and self-hatred on Sango's face for her betrayal of them, and saw the moment that Sango realized that Kohaku was truly dead and only sustained by the shard of the jewel that Naraku had placed into his back.

 

 

 

She knew that it was certain and true when Naraku made the threat to remove it, so that if she refused him all she was doing was releasing Kohaku from the plight of a soul that needed to move on no matter how much it hurt her to do it. But she would have wanted him to do this for her and so she drew Tessaiga even though she knew it would not transform in her hands and she defied Naraku. Kagome felt tears roll down her cheeks and her muffled sob was what let Sango know she was not alone. Unfortunately Naraku had also become aware of them then, as that pungent herb Sango used had also muffled his perceptions and he had thought the sense of the sacred jewel shards he had was merely due to the large chunk he himself held.

 

 

 

They all fought then and Sango had passed the Tessaiga to InuYasha before turning her Hiraikotsu on the swarm of lesser demons that Naraku summoned up to destroy them. As he quit the field of battle he took Kohaku with him for he knew despite Sango's refusal of him today that Kohaku made a still extremely useful tool and he was loathe to release a tool until he had gotten full use of it.

 

 

 

Sango could not believe it when they forgave her and she swore to somehow repay them all for their faith in her. She also swore in her heart that she would give her life to keep Kagome safe while she carried her baby and that if she were to survive their fight with Naraku that she would train Koji and any other children that they would have in some of the less secret combat methods of the taijiya. While she might be the last of her village she could at least pass on some of their legacy to those that would always remember who taught them and why it was important that the memory not die. What Sango refused to think of was what her life might be like once revenge was gained. She refused to think of it because it would cause her to realize just how little she had to live for compared to what she had just a few months prior.

 

 

 

Yet somehow despite her best efforts to keep herself apart and focused only on that one goal of Naraku's defeat being around Kagome made it very difficult not to open herself up to life. All that lay in revenge for her was the peace of her people and hopefully would lay the ghosts of guilt that she survived and they did not to rest. Somehow she hoped that she could find a way to free Kohaku as well, despite knowing that he was already dead. In a way that made her feel almost closer to InuYasha, in a strange way they had nearly the same problem. Someone that they had deeply loved had been killed by Naraku and now walked the earth when they should have been at peace in the afterlife. But was it peace that was there for either Kikyou or Kohaku? Kikyou had died in the throes of deep betrayal and hurt even though she had understood at the end that it had not been InuYasha that had killed her.

 

 

 

She seemed to have forgotten those last moments of his anguish over her body now that she walked again. Kohaku had been under the control of a demon when he slew Father and the others and she knew that he had died knowing that it had been his hand that killed them even if it was not under his own direction. He had died cold and afraid but not alone, she was glad that she had been there for him at the very end. But had it been enough? Would not those images have haunted him in the afterlife? Somehow there had to be a way for her to get through to Kohaku as he was now to lift that terrible burden from him and let him realize that what had been done was not his fault.

 

 

 

She blamed herself of course but before she could chase those thoughts down into a deeper well of depression she felt a featherlike touch to her cheek and she looked up into the warm compassionate eyes of the monk Miroku. She had never before in her life seen a man as handsome as the monk, never seen anyone with eyes of vivid violet color like his that held both sorrow and wisdom in their depths. He hid the sorrow with his often outrageous behavior and the wisdom often came as a great surprise to those that heard it because of his ways. She had seen him time and again swindle the unsuspecting by proclaiming a dark aura around the richest dwelling of a village they visited so that they would have hot food and a place to sleep out of the weather, yet despite that he also had great and true spiritual powers. He was not what he appeared on the surface at all.

 

 

 

The chime from the rings that topped his Shakujo staff marked the shifting of it from one hand to the other as he lowered the one that had touched her cheek. For a moment she forgot how she normally reacted to his touch and she let the tears of despair that had filled her heart their one expression as they shimmered on her lashes but did not fall. It was only after his warm voice came soft that she let them run and was not ashamed that he saw them.

 

 

 

“Sango, you do not dishonor them because you miss them. You honor them because you remember them and I know that they would all be proud of the woman that you are.”

 

 

 

He gave her comfort without asking for a thing in return and was so sincere in it, she let herself be comforted and looked up at him for those moments in amazement because she had remembered the burden he labored under. If they did not defeat Naraku, he would die. It would not be today or even perhaps this year but he was surely going to die and he carried that burden with more dignity than Sango could imagine many even possessing. So when she cried upon his robes not all those tears were for her lost family, some were for the brave monk that held her in her moment of weakness. When she was done she sighed out her breath in a great gust and stepped back with a gentle bow to him. She did not say thank you, for in that moment they were beyond words.

 

 

 

Mere hours from now she would be smacking him for groping her and things would be back to normal between them. But for now she quietly thought that she had never known anyone as remarkable or brave as the monk that stood before her and selflessly offered her the refuge that she needed. So when he held her hand to keep her from stepping away she gave him a smile despite how tremulous it might be and he gave her a smile in return. He had encouraged her to be open with him yet he knew that he had not been so with her. He had listened to her when she needed him and given her comfort but he could not tell her the truth himself. He had fallen in love with her, this lost taijiya who seemed so strong despite all that had happened to her, but he could not dare tell her what was in his heart.

 

 

 

How could he with any conscience tell her that he loved her when his death was a certain thing? It was true that he desired a child and not only to ensure that his family did not die out but because he truly adored children, but he hoped beyond hope that he could defeat Naraku and actually be there for his child as he or she grew into adulthood the way his own father could not do for him. Despite how he asked strangers to bear his child at any opportunity there was only one face that came to mind when he actually thought about whom he wanted to have a child with. But he felt that he could not tell her this until he was sure that he could be there with her. While it might make her stronger to know that she was loved he also did not want her to grieve over him if the inevitable happened and he fell to his curse.

 

 

 

It was not an enviable position that he found himself in. But he was in good company for that sort of thing after all and he marveled really as he thought about how they had all gained place in his heart. Kagome with her giving nature and her loving heart had drawn them all in and given them acceptance that they had never realized perhaps that they had needed. Her confidence was amazing and he knew that it came from Kouga's unstinting love of her. Kouga himself, the brash Prince of the Wolves who had not only mated a human but given his trust to others, he was a bit of an enigma to a man that had been raised to believe that most demons were unable to feel deep emotion. InuYasha who had almost grudgingly given Miroku his real friendship, a precious gift that the monk was amazed that he had earned after their inauspicious start as he had after all stolen Kagome out from under his nose. It was good, he reflected, that a man could have such friends in his life.

 

 

 

Miles away Sesshoumaru stood in quiet contemplation as he turned over in his mind what he thought of InuYasha. He was displeased in the fact that he had been wrong about how powerful his half-brother actually could be because that meant that he had underestimated either how powerful their Father's blood was or that perhaps hanyou were not as worthless as he had always assumed. He did not know if he was more displeased about his brother being strong or the fact that he had been mistaken. Neither option was palatable to him. So perhaps it should be tested then, to see if he had really been wrong or if it was merely a fluke that somehow InuYasha had gathered up enough demonic power to cause the Tessaiga to awaken just that one time. He ruthlessly quashed the idea that InuYasha's power alone would be enough to trigger the Kaze no Kizu, the Scar of the Wind that could be cut to release the ultimate technique of the sword.

 

 

 

Jaken's voice cut through his thoughts in a fashion that he found displeasing as well despite that he had told him to go find out what he could about where InuYasha might be. So perhaps it was understandable that while Jaken complained he turned and walked past him without really listening to what his servant said other than the five words that told him where InuYasha was. He did not run though it would have gotten him to where he wanted to be faster, nor did he summon the cloud of his youkai power to travel in that fashion. It would be soon enough that he would find his younger brother and either take the Tessaiga from him or destroy it. He would rather the sword be shattered than to remain in his brother's possession. It was not that Sesshoumaru hated InuYasha that much, not at all. He did despise his little brother but he despised all that he thought was weak, and it did not set well with him that he might have to rethink how he felt about him.

 

 

 

Could it be that he had been wrong all this time? It was not something that he was pleased to take under consideration but he was also not a fool. It was possible that he could be mistaken and therefore must be considered, nothing and no one could be absolute perfection though it was within reach to be close to that. At least for him that is, it was an achievable goal. The turmoil of his thoughts did not reach his face even when he paused to move out of his way to slay an otherwise innocuous dragon. It had something that he needed and Sesshoumaru was not in the habit of denying himself something he wanted with little thought to the prior possessor. The arm of that dragon would serve Sesshoumaru now and allow him to do what he needed to do to test his theory about his brother.

 

 

 

--Elsewhere - -

 

 

 

Kagome had decided to take a week to visit her mother in the time she had been born in, she missed her family and she also wanted to take the opportunity to go to a few doctor's appointments to make sure all was progressing as normally as possible for her pregnancy. She had carried with only a gentle rounding for the most part until recently when her belly had become tighter and seemed to push out farther daily, this had worried her a bit though Sashiko assured her that it was normal for hanyou pregnancy to advance quickly at some stages. She had also been the one to encourage Kouga to let Kagome go and visit as a comfort to her and had even gone so far as to accompany her to the Bone Eater's Well herself. The wolf-demoness was curious about it having never been that far into the Forest named for Kouga when he was imprisoned there and was of a mind to see it herself.

 

 

 

Kouga would have been the one to be there but he along with Ginta and Hakkaku were dealing with an incursion from a rather large group of bear demons. They had found this odd that it would happen now, the bears were rather peaceable normally unless provoked and there were of course rumors that there might be a Shard involved with the agitation of the bears. Food was in a large supply this season so they were not starving and they had a goodly sized territory of their own with plenty of room for expansion so there was no other reason that they could think of to explain their sudden aggressiveness towards their neighbors the wolves. InuYasha had come with Sashiko though he would have rather that Kagome simply have stayed home at the Den where she belonged and he had gone with the Yourouzoku to shard-hunt knowing she was safe.

 

 

 

He was glad that he'd come though when she had asked for him to help her enter the well more `gently' than she normally went in, explaining that she had a ladder on the other side to help her up into the shrine grounds. As soon as the blue glow enveloped her and her scent suddenly dampened he let out a sigh and his mobile ears went half back as he muttered to the female next to him.

 

 

 

“She's gonna have that pup soon, ain't she.”

 

 

 

He hadn't really expected a reply from Sashiko nor had he expected what came next.

 

 

 

“She will, and I think she will be just fine after. Kagome is strong, strong as one of us.”

 

 

 

She murmured something as if she wasn't aware that his hearing was even sharper than a full blood demon's and she didn't look quite right at him when she spoke. Both his ears were suddenly standing straight up and his jaw had dropped just a little bit. Had Sashiko really just said that about him? Had she just said that maybe someday he would have a pup or cub of his own to be a good father to? You would be a good father. She had said that! One of his ears flicked as she chanced to look at him out of the corner of her eye and the normally straightforward no-nonsense demoness seemed suddenly almost shy and hesitant and it made InuYasha remember that despite that she had a cub of her own she wasn't that much older than Kagome in demon years.

 

 

 

She suddenly reached up with her slim hand and touched one of his ears and for a moment let her sky-blue gaze meet his amber one. Sashiko knew that she shouldn't have said anything, at least objectively. InuYasha loved Kagome and she knew that he would need to work through that before he might ever look at her as more than just Kagome's friend. But his sadness and loyalty towards someone she loved had touched the Yourouzoku healer's heart and she was ever someone to meet a challenge head on, it was one of her most endearing and frustrating personality traits. But even she blushed when she leaned in and whispered to him.

 

 

 

“Someday, I … would not mind a child with ears like yours.”

 

 

 

She fled him then, going back to where they had set up a place for her near Kaede's village since Sashiko was not as comfortable around large numbers of humans as he was but she wanted to wait near the Well until Kagome returned. InuYasha was right in that Kagome would birth her child soon and Sashiko swore she would be there for her best friend when the time came. No one was more surprised than she when InuYasha brought her some food and sat down with her to talk, his gruff voice almost soft and she braced herself to be rejected. Instead InuYasha told her about his life, his years of knowing humans and his acceptance by Kagome and the Yourouzoku giving him a bit of pride as he spoke and she tentatively lifted her gaze from her hands to his face. He reached out then and almost awkwardly patted her hand much the same way she had touched his ear.

 

 

 

Sashiko knew that she had made a correct choice in him because he was strong and despite his stubborn impulsive Inu-blood nature he really would be what she told him that he would be if he would allow himself. That he shared his pain and his past with her and listened as she spoke of the loss of Aikiko's father to the attacks of the Birds of Paradise was a good thing in her mind as well, though not as good as the words he ended the little visit with.

 

 

 

“After … after I take care of that damn Naraku and things'r settled. I … wouldn't mind it either.”

 

 

 

He stood quickly then and fled before the Yourouzoku demoness could see that his cheeks had flamed nearly as red as his robes of fire-rat fur. She let herself worry a little then, unsure what either Kouga or Kagome might say about her sudden declared affection for the hanyou that had become part of their pack as easily as Kagome did, but she had already in her mind thought of what she would say when it came time to actually perhaps do something about it. His past defense of the Den and his continued friendship, loyalty and bravery in his friendship with Kagome would help her case as well, and while she waited for Kagome's return she let herself dream of a future that didn't leave her alone and where Aikiko would not have to be a solitary child.

 

 

 

The Future -

 

 

 

It had taken her much longer than she would have liked to climb the ladder out of the Well. On her way up she had had to rest several times and it led her to prepare a mental list of things she would either look up herself about pregnancy or ask the doctor she would have her Mother make her an appointment with. She wasn't really alarmed as yet by the more recent changes and she objectively knew that her pregnancy would be anything but normal because she carried a half-demon child. But that thought did not make her worry, it made her smile as she patted her belly and she spoke to her cub as she often did.

 

 

 

“Well Koji here we are again. Maybe your grandmother will have something good for us to eat this time, hmm?”

 

 

 

It wasn't until she had gone inside that she began to worry. Her mother had been washing up the dishes from lunch and had turned with a plate in her hand and a smile on her face at her daughter's cheerful cry of greeting, a smile that faltered and the plate had slipped from suddenly numb fingers to shatter on the floor. Her eyes widened and she quickly sent Souta after a broom to clean up the broken porcelain before anyone stepped on it. Kagome's alarmed expression made her own maternal instincts kick in and she attempted to soothe her daughter, but quickly got to the point in that the last time she had seen Kagome a few weeks prior she had seemed to be but a few months along at best and now she looked fit to deliver in days, which was not what she had expected at all.

 

 

 

Blinking in a bit of disbelief Kagome went upstairs to finally get a good look at herself in the mirror in her bedroom. She still looked like herself, the weight gain she had been told to not worry about had been mild at best though there was a certain softness to her now despite how toned she was from her travels. But her mother was entirely right, by touch it hadn't seemed so bad to her but to actually see herself as her hands ran over her tight rounded belly she realized that she did indeed look as if she were ready to deliver and she fought to keep the alarm from growing. She knew that her pregnancy would advance differently but so soon? A sigh heaved from her and she knew that she would have to skip the sonogram she'd thought about having. What if Koji had his father's tail?

 

 

 

The thought was not repulsive to her in the slightest and she was afraid if she looked up at herself in the mirror that she might well indeed be smiling in a goofy fashion, her face felt like she was at least. Another sigh then as she turned and looked at herself in the mirror from different angles before blowing out a breath and leaving to make her way slowly back down the stairs to the kitchen. Unexpected as this was it was the way things were and she had decided to cut her visit here short by a few days. This had been her home growing up and while the family she loved still lived here this was their house now and her home lay in the past with her wolves and her mate. There was no bittersweet tang in that thought like she had half expected there to be, she knew that she would always have acceptance and love here but this was no longer home to her.

 

 

 

Home was wherever Kouga was, whenever Kouga was. That thought resonated in her as she went about doing what she planned to do, and made the time seem to crawl forward slowly as if she needed to be somewhere else and all she had planned to do here was merely delay. She had been very touched when as she was going in to see the doctor that her Mother had touched her arm to hold her there a moment and then put something warmed from her skin into her palm and closed her fingers over it. When she opened her hand there lay her mother's wedding band and she felt her eyes tear up when her mother hugged her gently.

 

 

 

“I know that you and Kouga don't need something like that to prove you are together Kagome. But I will not have some stranger judge you because you are pregnant and not wearing a ring.”

 

 

 

That had been the best part of her time in the future, the moment in which she had felt loved and fully accepted. The doctor had not been able to tell her much more than Sashiko or her own instincts were telling her and he had in fact recommended that she go ahead and make arrangements with a local hospital as he was sure she would be going into labor soon. Part of her wanted to do just that but part of her knew that if she did go into labor here that no one could get to Kouga to tell him and she desperately wanted Sashiko to be at her side, her faith in the Yourouzoku female healer and friend unshakable. While it would be nice to have her mother there as well she could find no way to mesh all those wants and so she settled with a promise that should something go wrong she would have Kouga bring her back through. A smile followed that as she felt that things would be fine on that front.

 

 

 

After that things went downhill for her a bit. She had run into her former schoolmates and friends at the mall while looking for something nice to bring back for Sashiko and Sango and despite that they knew she had married Kouga it was clear that they had mentally counted back on how far they assumed she had been pregnant for and that there was no way she could have been that far along if she had waited until after she had been married. She was angrier at herself than them for her initial hurt reaction to their faltered words, only Ayumi had had the decency and open heart to actually be happy for Kagome and congratulate her with sincerity. So she had taken Ayumi's hands in friendship and leaned to whisper to her.

 

 

 

“Never settle for less than what you deserve, Ayumi. Make that promise to yourself.”

 

 

 

It was hard for her not to say something cutting to the other two, but she let her turned up nose speak for her and she brushed by them with a sort of noble detachment that would have made Kouga very proud of her. Let them act the fool, she would not. It did not mean that she would spare a rant about it later to Sashiko or Sango by any means, but she would not make herself look like a child in front of those she no longer considered her friends. Maybe she was viewing them harshly as they were for the most part simply the products of the culture that they had all grown up in, but she had gotten so used to the affection and acceptance of her wolves and her friends that she could no longer understand that way of thinking.

 

 

 

That way of thinking was what led InuYasha to have such a hard childhood and Kagome found that sort of thing very hard to forgive. How many things might have been different for her best friend if he had the sort of love and support that he deserved? So despite the hint of sadness in her Mother's eyes she was glad to be done in the future for now and eager to return home to the past. So eager was she to go back that she had forgotten that she had told both Sashiko and InuYasha that she would be gone longer and so it was an almost sheepish Kagome who stood now in the past at the bottom of the old dry well looking up at the clear blue sky. There was no way that she was going to climb out on her own and she didn't want to go back now that she was here.

 

 

 

It was near mid afternoon; the air was clear and the weather lovely which was not improving a cranky, heavily pregnant Kagome's mood. Hands on her hips she paced and let her hormones run rampant over her, in her frustration she was growling under her breath. In her annoyance she succumbed to the whim of instincts that she was not born with but seemed second nature, instincts that she knew came from the cub inside her. Kagome howled, the sound echoing loudly amplified by the well itself, and it was a very cranky annoyed howl at that. The under-tone made even her wince, and feel a bit abashed at that. Thank goodness Kouga wasn't around to hear that little fit, she thought. At least it produced results, though she was surprised that it was InuYasha that had come first, she had been thinking that Sashiko would have been closer.

 

 

 

As Kagome gratefully accepted his help out of the well she couldn't help but look around for her closest female friend. Surely if InuYasha had heard her howl the Yourouzoku female would have as well and she couldn't help a sudden feeling of disquiet. She turned towards InuYasha with a pained expression and spoke softly to him.

 

 

 

“Something is wrong, something is happening right now. Can you find Sashiko?”

 

 

 

A sudden flush came over his face which perked Kagome's curiosity but she was quiet as he tipped his head back and scented the breeze. That flush vanished as he suddenly paled, his skin going nearly as white as his hair. He didn't dare leave Kagome unprotected despite what he had just discovered and he turned a torn expression to her as he answered the question in her eyes.

 

 

 

“I can smell that bastard Sesshoumaru.”

 

 

 

He was suddenly very worried that the reason Sashiko had not answered Kagome's non-verbal summons was that she had run into his elder and more powerful half-brother, and he felt his stomach drop. She had offered him something that he had resigned himself to never having and with a flick of poisoned claws or a lash of his energy whip Sesshoumaru could rob him of that. So while he was surprised to see Miroku and Sango come into the clearing he had also never felt more relief in his life. He had sprang towards the monk and taijiya and gruffly asked them to guard Kagome because his brother was near, and he left her to explain her feeling of disquiet and that Sashiko was missing.

 

 

 

He would realize later that had this never happened he might never have taken the steps to actually accept the offer she had made, that there might have always been one more problem to solve or one more enemy to fight until both of them were either dead or no longer interested. But the idea that she might be hurt had torn away some of the veils that he might have clung to or hidden behind and he had found himself running as fast as he could towards where he had sensed Sesshoumaru. Maybe Sashiko wasn't there and he would be risking a confrontation for nothing, but he could not leave it to chance. So it was with a strange mix of rage and relief that he cleared the trees and out into the field where Sashiko had been trying to get past his elder brother.

 

 

 

“Cease this foolishness wolf, I can smell him on you.”

 

 

 

So cold and cutting but she had refused to answer him and InuYasha could see that she was panting with her efforts to try and escape but Sesshoumaru was simply too fast but she was risking herself to keep him safe and InuYasha would not allow that. His snarl was loud in the clearing causing her to freeze and step back and Sesshoumaru turned his face to look over his shoulder at him. Sashiko moved to attack him, going to the balls of her feet in a quick movement but InuYasha's sharp bark made her freeze again. Sesshoumaru allowed his gaze to travel between the two, it was not lost on him that unlike the other females that he had seen around his brother that this one actually listened to his orders and it was a good thing at that. He had no real intention of slaying the Yourouzoku but had she been fool enough to attack him he would not have hesitated either.

 

 

 

Confident that she would remain where she was he turned his back fully to her and began to advance on his younger half-brother. He held up his hand palm up and spoke again in those cold tones.

 

 

 

“Give me the Tessaiga and I will leave you both alive.”

 

 

 

He was being incredibly generous with that offer as it would be most likely easier all around if he just slew the pair of them right then and there, but if he did that it would leave him with the questions he came with unanswered. He hated the idea of his curiosity unsatisfied and surely that would be enough of an excuse to leave InuYasha alive after his defeat. For he had also begun to wonder just how strong could his younger brother become if given the proper motivation and opportunity? It was not as if he cared at all really it was just that he was once again not in the habit of denying himself anything he wanted. Why should he after all? He narrowed his eyes at the vicious nature of InuYasha's response which included both a disparaging remark on his own parentage and the location that he wished his brother would suddenly disappear to as well as a few anatomical impossibilities which upon another occasion might have actually made him pause to wonder just where his brother had even heard of such things.

 

 

 

He was not going to wait for Sesshoumaru's attack and he gave a low growl as his own warning before leaping past him to keep him as far away from Sashiko as he could. He was fast but Sesshoumaru was faster and soon they were engaged in uneven combat. But this was not like the other times when his brother had sought to take the sword or his life, something was off and it wasn't just that his brother had somehow gotten another arm to use for this fight. He wasn't sure just what had given up its limb to serve his brother and he wasn't too sure that he wanted to know but Sesshoumaru with one arm was deadly enough and it was little comfort to know that it had been his sword-cut that had taken his arm in the first place. He had gotten very lucky and Sesshoumaru had been over-confident and that was all. A glance at Sashiko made him pray that he could get lucky one more time and he also became aware that rather than do the smart thing and go to Kaede's village with Kagome his other friends had come upon the fight.

 

 

 

He could not believe how pissed off that made him feel. To be fair though more than likely Kagome had dragged them after him and he growled again, wondering if Kouga would even accept his being with Sashiko or staying as Kagome's protector when he had no better luck than this in getting her to stay safe and listen to reason. That extra boost of anger actually served in his favor though and enabled him to keep his brother's attention on the fight rather than those that might be watching it. At least his Sashiko had had the sense to run to Kagome giving him less of an area to worry about and before he could complete the thought Sesshoumaru had struck at him again. A high pitched ringing sound flowed out into the clearing and InuYasha's eyes shot wide with surprise even as his ears pinned back from the surprise of the sound. He leapt back a moment to give himself more room to move, but his brother was having none of that.

 

 

 

He leapt after InuYasha again with a relentless smoothness and grace that was almost signature for him, and once more came that ringing sound and he felt that shock of the strike right up his arm. Sesshoumaru was using that scaly green arm to strike Tessaiga instead of him! Why would he do that? The third strike came and a grating sound after the cry of the sword told InuYasha his brother's goal and golden amber eyes opened wide in surprise for a moment. His brother didn't want to take Tessaiga this time, this time he intended to break the sword. Those that were watching realized what was going on around the same time as well, worried glances exchanged between them all as they were unsure of what to do other than if InuYasha were to fall they would do everything in their power to make sure that Sesshoumaru did not kill him.

 

 

 

Kagome did not miss the almost frightened glances that Sashiko sent her way and she had never seen her Yourouzoku friend so nervous. Something had apparently happened while she was visiting her family but what? To add to her worry was the sudden low ache that had begun in her back and was enough to make her grit her teeth, but she didn't want to sit down in case they had to run or hide if the battle came their way. She heard Sashiko's sharp gasp and her gaze went back to the battle and she drew in a breath herself. When Sesshoumaru had drawn back to strike the blade once more InuYasha leapt up and took the blow himself. He was protecting the blade with his own body and they heard him defiantly tell his brother that he would be damned before he let him destroy what their father had left for him.

 

 

 

They could almost hear the disdain dripping from Sesshoumaru's words as he insulted not only InuYasha but the Tessaiga for choosing him as its master.

 

 

 

“I can hear your sword whine, InuYasha. But where is its roar? Can you admit that you are weak and will never master what you were given? Prove me wrong half-breed. Let me hear Tessaiga roar.”

 

 

 

Kagome was astonished to hear Sashiko's growl when Sesshoumaru called his brother a half-breed and it was only the sudden discomfort of her lower belly that took her attention away from her and the fight in front of them. Had she eaten something that she shouldn't have while back home? Her eyes were back on the fight though both hands were now unconsciously resting on her belly and the thought that came to her then was that Kouga was going to be so angry at her for being this close to danger yet again. But she was unable to turn away and hide, it was too important to know what would happen here in this clearing.

 

 

 

InuYasha took hit after hit meant for his sword and finally caught an unlucky break in that a bit of the fumes from Sesshoumaru's poison dripping claws as he set to use his Dokkassou attack on his brother got into his eyes, blurring his vision and effectively blinding him in the middle of combat. Sango wanted to enter the battle then but only Miroku's restraint of her made her realize that she might only make things worse. Sesshoumaru seemed to have determined then that it was time to finish the battle and his brother's life. He swept back from him and gathered his power to him, a step taken forward to begin the rush of his sure to be fatal attack. He paused for a half a second when a shrill scream rang out from where the fight was being watched, his gaze looking that way and it was not much of a surprise that it was the dark haired ningen that was often in his brother's company that had done so, though it was more a scream of pain than warning, how odd.

 

 

 

That pause nearly cost Sesshoumaru his life as he would have much leisure to reflect on this later. In nearly delicious irony the loss of his sight had allowed InuYasha to actually scent the Scar of the Wind, the place where his own might as a demon swirled together and it let him know that was where he needed to cut with the Tessaiga. His half-breed half-brother had discovered in just the nick of time that he could indeed master his father's legacy and to Sesshoumaru's astonishment the sword did indeed roar as it released the Kaze no Kizu. The pain was incredible and if he had bothered to try and describe it he was not sure that he would have the words to do so. It was as if the power of the sword was eating away at his very being and there was nothing he could do about it and to add insult to the whole affair the attack would not have been as powerful as it was if he himself had not been so very potent a youkai.

 

 

 

Amazingly then the sword that he had been left pulsed, the sword that he had derided as a useless blade that could not kill came to life and light surrounded him, protected him, and allowed him to escape. Tenseiga had woken and would not allow him to perish despite the raw energy of the Tessaiga's attack. He was gone in a flash of light as the Wind Scar finally died down, the long jagged furrows that had passed in its wake evidence of the power of the attack as they smoked in the very earth that they had torn through. Of Sesshoumaru there was no sign, but InuYasha had known that he had not died, his vision clearing enough finally to know that somehow he had escaped.

 

 

 

A small part of InuYasha's mind and heart were nearly prostrate with relief that it had not been his own hand that had slain his older brother. No matter how much they hated each other they were still blood and that mattered to the hanyou even if it did not to his full youkai brother. Exhausted from the battle he dropped to a knee for a moment and sheathed his sword only to almost be bowled over onto his back by the impact of a slight female form. She was shaking and her arms went around him as he almost awkwardly brought up a hand to pat and stroke her back. He would not reject her now, not after she had obeyed him in front of his brother and giving him unspoken claim of her. She gave herself those few moments before she pulled away and tugged his wrist.

 

 

 

“Come help us with Kagome, she's starting labor now.”

 

 

 

He knew then that scream that had given him the moment he needed to live and win had come from his best friend and he was quick to his feet despite his pain and near exhaustion. He hurried with her and he would really have rather not picked up Kagome as filthy as he was and reeking of Sesshoumaru's poison from the fight but this was more important, they would have to get her to Kaede's village at the very least although she was vehement in that she wanted to go home to the Den and Kouga. Listening to her heartfelt pleas they set out despite knowing that they should most likely not, but Kagome would not be swayed. Even knowing that Kouga was still most likely out on patrol had not daunted her in the slightest.

 

 

 

“My water hasn't broken yet. Kouga will be there when we get to the Den.”

 

 

 

She would repeat that like a mantra under her breath as InuYasha and Miroku took turns carrying her, Sashiko and Sango acting as scouts to make sure that the way stayed clear for the group. Their luck held though in that they made it back into the territory of the Yourouzoku without major incident but they were still a few miles away when Kagome's water finally broke and they knew then that they would never make it back to the Den in time. Kagome was panicked then despite what her friends and even the doctor back in her own original time had said. Surely it was too soon! Surely Koji wasn't ready to be born yet he'd be too small or something would be wrong and where was Kouga! InuYasha set up a steady stream of low-level cursing until Sashiko had banished him from where they had set up their camp to go and find Kouga because she knew that he needed to act to feel that he was helping Kagome.

 

 

 

It was a very good thing that he had gone to find Kouga as well for the Prince of the Yourouzoku was out seeking them. They had turned back the bears with no finding of a Shard or the reason that the bears had even made their incursion on the wolves' territory and on the way back Kouga had become very restless. That restlessness caused him to leave his followers behind, trusting in Ginta and Hakkaku to get the others back safely as he went seeking. His heart told him Kagome needed him but the question was where she was and why wasn't she in the future where she should have still been for at least two more days? Unease gripped him and he ran near blindly until he ran into InuYasha, almost literally. It put him in mind of the first time that he had actually collided with the hanyou on the day he had been Sealed in his place, and he shook himself to rid his mind of that image. His voice was rougher than he'd have liked but he found himself worried when he didn't see Kagome but could smell her on InuYasha along with the remnants of Sesshoumaru's poison.

 

 

 

“Oi, InuYasha… where is Kagome?”

 

 

 

Relief flooded InuYasha when the wolf he'd been seeking had run up and stopped just short of running him right over and he surprised the both of them by grabbing Kouga's wrist and yanking as if they were toddlers and he wanted to show him a particularly interesting rock or animal. For a second they stared at each other and then InuYasha burst out with it.

 

 

 

“Come on dammit she's having your brat right now.”

 

 

 

Any attempt to answer him back failed at that and he took off at his full shard enhanced speed, his keen nose following the scent trail that InuYasha had left on his way here. He had never been more grateful that he had that speed than in those moments that he ran towards his mate and knew in his heart that he would be in time. The relief that shone in her tear-streaked expression as he appeared in the clearing would live in his heart for a long time to come, knowing just by the look in her warm eyes how much she loved him even without her saying those words. The tender moment had broken on her next contraction of course but now he was there to kneel behind her and support her with his body, his strong arms there to hold her and give her what she needed. He was there and it made all the difference to Kagome.

 

 

 

The pain had been great but Sashiko was skilled and the actual birth had gone surprisingly well for a first time mother and all were grateful that there had been no real complications. Later they would discover a few unusual changes in Kagome, most importantly being that after having carried Koji for so long it seemed that part of her aura had permanently changed to mimic that of a youkai. They were all unsure what this meant in the long run but it did mean that it would be much harder for someone like Naraku that might seek for a human among the wolves to find her and Kouga could find nothing wrong with that. Now he held Kagome while she rested after her ordeal and he listened silently as they told him of the events of the day.

 

 

 

He began to conceive of a great disliking for this Sesshoumaru who had put his mate in danger once more and he also felt that since he had accepted InuYasha into his pack that it put InuYasha under his protection. Perhaps he should go seeking out this Sesshoumaru and explain to him that he would not tolerate further actions against him? He would discuss it with InuYasha later out of respect, if the hanyou did not want him to step in on a matter of blood he would not, InuYasha had earned that from him by protecting his mate. They might truly never be close friends but Kouga would never stint in what he had given to the half-demon, it was not in his nature to act in half measures.

 

 

 

His fingers lightly touched the cheek of his first born son and his features softened as he pressed a kiss to his sleeping mate's face. He could not believe that this had really happened, his dreams of long ago finally true and here and he was so afraid that he was merely dreaming that he stayed awake for another hour while the others began to settle down to rest. Finally his own eyes closed and he trusted the others to watch over their rest until they could move in the morning's light. He had to figure out a way to keep his woman out of danger, it surely did seek her out whether she wished it or no. His deep voice whispered out into the peace of the night then, words enough to stir those that heard them.

 

 

 

“Koji … such a good name for a strong son.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Definitions:

Dokkassou: Sesshoumaru's Toxic Flower Claw attack.

AN: Well that went better than I expected it to! I am dedicating this chapter to all of my readers and I hope you enjoyed it! Next chapter: We'll be finally getting to meet Rin!