InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kyoudai no Meiyo (The Honor of Brothers) ❯ Dance of the Fire-Rat ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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“Mother?”

“Mother, wake up.”

The hanyou child shook the frame of the small elderly human female.

A man…no…a demon male approached.

“She is dead, Inuyasha.”

The pup turned, startled at the sound, he had not heard the demon behind him.

“Why?”

“Humans are weak, they live short, pointless lives. That is why humans are inferior. That is why demon blood should not be dirtied with a filthy ningen.”

The demon raised his face, the young hanyou noted a striking resemblance to himself.

“Why do you look like me?”

“The resemblance you see, is because of our father.”

“OUR father?”

“My father muddied the pure blood of our family with that human. This Sesshomaru is here to rectify that mistake.”

The demon’s eyes flashed crimson as he raised his hands, the tips of his fingers glowed with a luminous, green light. Drops of liquid sizzled as they hit the tatami mats.

“I could not kill you while she lived, our father made sure of that. She grew old though, as all worthless animals do. You will die tonight, by my hand.”

The glow around his fingers flared and with it the small half demon’s wide golden eyes. The demon struck with a speed Inuyasha had never seen.

Fear put enough speed into his steps that he was able to dodge the attack. The demon’s dripping claws crashed into the corpse on the pallet, the body of Inuyasha’s mother sizzled and melted into a puddle.

Inuyasha was not there to see it, he was running blindly through the woods. Tears streaking down his face blurring his vision and making him deaf to danger.

Sesshomaru did not pursue. Instead, he watched with amusement, as the tiny, crimson clad hanyou retreated into the distance.

Inuyasha continued running as fast as his feet would carry him, until he collapsed at the edge of a river.

His sobbing attracted unwanted attention. Several lower youkai approached, the scent of tears and hanyou made them even bolder.

Inuyasha froze when he heard a noise behind him, a shudder of dread went through his small frame. Any moment he expected the poison dripping talons to tear into his back. When it didn’t come he slowly turned over.

Above him were a few demons, he had never seen anything so terrifying in his young life, his mother had sheltered him from most of the hate and spite from humans, though the brunt of it had worn on her mightily, he hadn’t known of the hatred for hanyou kind that boiled in human and demon alike.

He saw that hatred now in the eyes of the giant youkai towering above him, eyes crimson and jaws slavering.

They dove at him, he threw up his claws in a futile attempt to defend himself from the onslaught. The first strike came, his body crashed sideways into a tree, pain tore through him, he had never experienced it’s like.

The tiny, red-clad, frame slumped to the earth, the agony of the attack causing a whimper to arise.

“Why?! Why do you hate me?!”

He child-like voice harsh with pain and tears.

“You are a half-demon, an abomination, filth, unworthy of life.”

The snarled reply struck him, and with it he felt a pain unlike that brought on by the assault. The knowledge that they despised him for living, was more than he could bear.

I’ve done nothing to them. They hate me. I’ve done…

“…Nothing!”

As the screeched word exited his throat; he saw…felt…nothing.

The dawn brought him awake. Around him…on him…in him…blood…entrails…remnants of the demons who had attacked him.

He stared at his hands as the gore dripped from his claws. Franticly he scrambled to the river’s edge, he scrubbed at his hands until they were raw and his own blood beaded to the surface. The water was thick with the spilled life’s blood of those who had sought his life the previous night.

He stood slowly, slipping on the crimson slicked turf. He trudged slowly back to the only home he had ever known.

At the edge of the village he met a little girl. The sight of the carnage coated claws and fangs of the hanyou caused her eyes to widen with fear, she screamed and ran towards the village.

“Momma! Momma! Don’t let the demon kill me! Momma!”

The villagers ran to the frightened child’s aid.

Inuyasha, looked through the crowd, to the hut that he had shared with his mother.

“Momma?”

The whispered word went unnoticed by the horde of people.
“LEAVE HERE DEMON FILTH!”

A shriek was heard and a woman came running out of the hut that Inuyasha watched.

“It killed her! It killed it’s mother. Izayoi is dead.”

The villagers eyes turned back to the small hanyou before them. A woman picked up a rock and flung it.

The stone collided with his already aching head. His blood rose to join the congealed mess that already covered him.

More villagers began to pick up rocks, and sticks, a few ran to grab weapons.

He was surrounded by angry, snarling humans. His mind interposed them with the demons from the previous night. Crimson eyes flashed where none had been before.

“Half-demon! DIE!”

He turned, he pushed at them, they fell away. He saw an opening and took it, his demonic strength allowed him to push them out of his way as he made his break for freedom from the teeming mass.

He ran…

A still small hanyou dug heedlessly into the earth, clods of soil flew up behind him. He grunted softly as he worked.

His claws scraped something in the earth, and he reached in and grasped it. He set himself back on his haunches and pulled.

The object of his attention jerked free, throwing him backwards, tumbling indecorously. Triumphantly he held up his prize, an edible tuber that he had sniffed out.

As he bit into it and began to sate the roiling in his stomach, a crackling branch to his left caught his attention. Carefully he sniffed the air and froze.

Demons. They’re close.

Quietly, he slipped towards the bushes, clenching his hard won food in his hand. Backing slowly into the shadows, he hoped fervently they wouldn’t find him.

His foot brushed against something unfamiliar, a soft gasp escaped him as he turned.

A lizard demon, green with yellow eyes and fangs that were yellow stained and dripping saliva, stared at him for a moment, blinking stupidly. Before the lizard could strike, Inuyasha attacked, tiny claws and fangs bared. He gripped the demons head with his claws and tore out his throat with his teeth in one swift motion.

The blood spouted, steaming from the neck wound, into the night sky. The scent of it’s death enveloped him, her ran quickly away but soon, he heard a crashing behind him as the lizard demons companions began the hunt after finding it’s corpse.

He ran with the wind at his back, hoping it would carry his scent away and they would give up the chase. He ran almost blindly as he stumbled to find a safe place to hide.

Before him was a cliff.

I must have taken a wrong turn.

He stopped at the edge, there was no time to turn back.

Bracing himself against a rock he scrambled under the lip of the cliff. His heart pounded a staccato beat as he held his breath, praying they wouldn’t see him.

A bulbous fleshy demon head extended over the cliff, it glanced around searching for the scent it had been following.

Finding nothing, it retreated. He could hear them as they crashed through the forest still searching for him.

He realized then that he had dropped his tuber, he would go hungry again tonight.

A soft sob escaped him, just one. He wiped the two tears that he had been unable to hold back.

There’s no use in crying, stop it baka.

He pulled the string of his hakama tighter to quiet the grumbling of his insides. He steeled himself for the night spent under that cliff he threw his hands into the opposite sleeves of the fire-rat hitatare, the only thing he had left of his mother, and the only thing she’d had left of his father, besides himself.

“Momma, tell me about the time Papa saved us again!”

The gentile elderly woman smiled indulgently at her small son.

“Please Momma!”

“Alright, Inuyasha, but you must sit quietly while I do.”

He scooted himself over and sat his chin on her knee, gazing up at her adoringly.

“It was a long time ago, twenty-seven years ago to be exact, the night you were born. He had gone to fight an evil dragon demon, Ryûkotsusei. I had begun the birthing process while he was away. Some how the shiro started on fire, and no one could reach me. Your father arrived just in time to save us, he gave me that fire-rat hitatare to protect us from the flames and led us outside. He went back in to stop the bad people, who had set the shiro alight, from following us. He was a brave and powerful man, he gave his life to save us.”

It was at this point that his mother always began to cry and Inuyasha would climb into her lap to snuggle close to her. He liked that he could always make her tears stop, that he could make her forget. At least that’s what he thought.

“Momma, I love you, I don’t ever want you to worry about anything, I’ll always protect you.”

Inuyasha’s head snapped up. He had drifted to sleep, a dangerous thing to do in the precarious position he was in. He blinked into the morning light, the luminous spears stinging his sensitive eyes.

Time to go find cover for the day. I don’t want to run into any humans.

He pulled himself up over the edge of the cliff, crawling slowly and staying low, he slunk towards the cover of the forest and began seeking one of the caves he had scouted a few days ago.

A fish broke the waters surface. A set of clawed fingers grasped the slippery catch.

Ha! Finally, I’ll eat good tonight.

He settled himself on the banks of the river and began stuffing the raw fish into his mouth, he pulled some tubers out of his sleeves and began crunching down the bitter sustenance.

Ahh. A birthday feast. It’s not everyday a hanyou lives to see fifty-three.

He didn’t notice, at first, the water rising up behind him. A few drops landed on his sensitive white ears. He rolled to the side just in time to avoid being crushed by the giant frog. He stared helplessly as the frog youkai reached for his meal.

The anger rose inside him, he had worked hard for that fish.

I’m not giving up so easily. That’s my dinner.

He gazed down at his painfully thin fingers and bony wrists, he could feel his skin slide almost painfully over his ribs as he breathed.

I need it, I have to survive.

He looked again at the thin, slimy skin of the demons stomach, the organs just visible burbling blues, red and purple.

I think I could tear that with my claws.

He made his decision and barreled towards his opponent, fury and desperation hastening his strides. He closed his eyes and slipped between the massive front claws of the frog demon. He felt his anger raging through him he willed the anger to his claws asking it to strengthen him.

He opened his eyes and struck at the mottled expanse before him, a ghostly blue aura was surrounding his hand. As it tore into the frogs belly the flesh split and shredded, the glow extended his attack, ripping all the way through. Inuyasha was startled to find himself falling into the river as he exited the demons back.

What the hell was that?

The thought raced through his mind moments before he hit the water. He bobbed to the surface and spluttered as weeds and dirty water filled his mouth, gritting unpleasantly between his teeth.

Slowly, he made his way to the bank. His fish still lay where he had dropped it, beside it was the scattered remains of the giant frog. He bent to retrieve his, nearly lost, meal.

He was struck from behind.

Lightning trails of pain tore through his shoulder as he spun on his attacker. He saw no one.

His fingers clasped the injured right shoulder, blood coated his hand.

A slight whooshing sound to his left alerted him to the next oncoming attack. He dropped to the earth in time to watch a luminous green whip snap in the space above him. His eyes followed it’s trail, to see the pale faced demon whose image had haunted him since the night of his mothers death.

“Sesshomaru.”

The name hissed between his teeth.

“I am surprised to find you still alive, Inuyasha. A weak and unworthy half demon such as yourself, should have been easy pickings for the multitudes of lesser youkai that befoul this area. Perhaps this Sesshomaru was remiss in allowing your escape? I shall rectify that mistake.”

He struck again with the light whip, it seemed to grow from his very fingertips.

Inuyasha dodged the attack adroitly, and charged at him, screaming.

“Damn you Sesshomaru!”

As he ran he gathered his yokai to his claws. When he was within striking range, he struck out, his hands’ glowing aura illuminating Sesshomaru’s face.

Inuyasha brought his claws towards that face, and struck…

…nothing but air?

He heard a startled hiss, and looked ahead. Sesshomaru had moved backwards in an attempt to dodge the attack, but the blood that had coated Inuyasha’s hand, had become infused with his youkai. The scattered drops had acted as tiny blades, slicing his half-brother’s face and shredding his perfectly kempt white kimono.

Temporarily blindsided by the attack, Sesshomaru was distracted. Inuyasha saw his opening and attacked again.

This time his claws met flesh. Sesshomaru stumbled backwards a few steps, the tattered remains of his kimono falling to screen the five slashes across his chest.

He recovered himself and glared icily at his half-brother, fingering the ragged edges of the wounds.

Inuyasha crouched several feet away, huffing and puffing.

Damn it, that was all I had, and it barely scratched him. Who the hell is this guy?

Sesshomaru moved as if to go on the attack again.

Inuyasha heard a snapping twig in the foliage.

“My lord?”

A small, impish demon carrying and oddly decorated staff, emerged from the undergrowth and prostrated himself on the earth before the icy demon.

“My lord! Why did you run away? If your faithful servant has displeased you, I endeavor to make amends, my lord.”

Sesshomaru glared down at the kappa and appeared to contemplate killing him as well.

Damn it, I’m not strong enough to beat this guy yet. I have to get stronger.
Inuyasha melted into the forest, fleeing when the opportunity arose, due to the fortuitous entrance of the demon lord’s servant.

He hid in the shadows, eyes gleaming from amongst the branches of the tree he occupied. Below him was his prey, he shifted himself to pounce but, held himself when a second demon moved into view. They spoke.

“She’ll have it right?”

“Yeah, it will be there tomorrow.”

“That miko ain’t gonna know what hit her, the Shikon no Tama will be ours.”

“You got that right, then no one can stop us, brother. We will be all powerful.”

“The village near the bone eater’s well, right?”

“Yeah. Tomorrow then?”

“Tomorrow.”

The demon siblings moved away, laughing to themselves.

Inuyasha moved silently back into the shadows.

So they will attack some miko tomorrow, I may have to pay them a visit.

He slipped off to find a place to sleep. He would need the rest for the day to come.

In the morning he began tracking the demons’ scent. He caught up to the one he had been tracking the night before, outside of the village.

He struck swiftly but missed his target, the demon had caught his scent and dodged at the last second. He hid himself again and waited for another chance to strike.

“Where did you go? Where are you half demon?”

The enraged demon whirled at a noise behind him, and Inuyasha took that chance to skirt around him.

“I’m right here!”

As he jumped at him target again he focused his yokai into his claws, hardening them.

“Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!”

He slashed downwards at the hapless demon, splitting him in half. The demon’s corpse fell.

“That’ll teach him a lesson, no one dares to call me a half demon and lives to tell the world about it.”

He heard a noise behind him.

“Damn, you half demon! You killed our brother.”

As he turned claws tore into his arm. He dashed back to the cover of the forest and watched from the relative safety of a cave as two more demons tried to follow him.
“You won’t get away half demon!”

“We will avenge our older brothers death!”

Damn it! I wish I’d known he had two brothers.

“So that’s where you’re hiding!”

He rolled away as one of the demon brothers smashed the mouth of the cave he had been in moments before.

“You won’t escape!”

“Heh, we’ll see about that!”

Inuyasha leapt and wet his claws in his own blood, he infused the fluid with yokai and slung it at the demon.

“BLADES OF BLOOD!”

It was a direct hit to the demons eyes, as he howled in agony, his brother leapt in front of his wounded sibling.

“Curse you half demon!”

The uninjured brother attacked, attempting to squash him.

Inuyasha leapt away at the last second.

“You got something against half demons?”

Rebounding off a rock he again infused his claws with yokai.

“Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!”

A double downward thrust caught both brothers off guard. His claws ripped them to pieces as they screamed in defeat.

As he landed the pain in his arm resurfaced and he grunted.

“Damn it all, how could I have let these two weaklings get to me?! I have to become stronger, I need to become WAY stronger!”

I have to hurry, tonight’s the night!

Inuyasha ran trying to find a place to hide. in front of him a ghostly violet glow rose above the trees, he heard a thunderous crash.

What is that? It reeks of blood.

He approached cautiously to find a woman in priestess garb standing amongst the remains of a youkai.

Unseen in the trees he felt mostly safe.

A human? Is that really a woman?

Suddenly he felt a pulse of energy course through him.

Oh no! It’s starting!

His claws began to draw into his fingers, becoming blunt and rounded. His hair transformed from silver to grey, to black. His ears slid down the sides of his head and rounded. He was human.

“How long do you intend to hide from me up there?”

The woman’s voice was soft but radiated strength. She turned to face his hiding place. As rain began to fall.

“Are you after the Sacred Jewel too?”

“Sacred Jewel? Never heard of it.”

He pulled himself further behind the tree trunk to shield himself from her piercing gaze.

“If you don’t know about it, then never mind. If you value your life at all, I warn you to stay away from me.”

The miko turned and began to walk back towards the village. He watched her leave.

A few steps later she groaned and clutched her chest, suddenly collapsing, unconscious.

Inuyasha jumped down from his perch and moved to her side.

She’s beautiful.

“She’s some priestess.”

“Lady Kikyo!”

A small voice called into the darkness, followed by a chorus of voices calling for Lady Kikyo.

“Huh?!”

Inuyasha hurriedly rose and ran to the forest again. He didn’t want to be found by more humans, especially not when it was his night to be human. He was weak then, he couldn’t defend himself.

He found another tree and settled in again.

“It’s around here, I know it! The Sacred jewel is nearby. I must find it, and increase my demonic powers, before my body fails me!”

Inuyasha heard the voice above him and looked up to see a centipede demon who had somehow been cut in half flying in circles, searching.

“I get it now, so that’s what it’s about. The sacred jewel huh? That’s worth looking into.”

He thought of the priestess he had left on the forest floor.

“That priestesses name was Kikyo…”

A few days later when he was back in hanyou form, he paid Kikyo a visit.

“Hey Kikyo!”

Kikyo turned at the voice behind her.

“I hear this so called, Sacred Jewel, is a mysterious crystal that increases the power of a demon.”

A look of recognition passed over her face.

“I remember you. You’re the one who was hiding in the shadows the other night.”

Inuyasha’s features hardened at being reminded of his weakness.

“SHUT UP! Just hand over that Sacred Jewel.”

He sprang to attack.

Before he could reach her, she fired two arrows. They pinned him to a tree, he was held up by his fire-rat hitatare. The pure energy infused in the arrows held him captive. She spoke as he struggled to escape.

“I understand! I thought I sensed a different aura from you. So, you are a mere hanyou.”

Inuyasha struggled more violently, he hated being reminded of what he was.

“With the Sacred Jewel, you could become a full blooded demon. Would you go that far to find your place in the world, hanyou? Do you believe that is true power?”

“I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP! I’ll become the strongest demon around, I’ve already made up my mind.”

He glared at her with a savage grin.

“And when I do become a full-fledged demon, I’m going to put you out of your misery!”

Kikyo turned away with a smirk.

“Take my word for it, that’s never going to happen. Not as long as I purify and protect it.”

He snarled in response.

“Don’t make me laugh, you totally reek with the stench of demon blood.”

She stopped in her tracks and began to turn back to him.

“What’s the matter? Did I touch a nerve? Huh, Kikyo?”

She looked back over her shoulder.

“You’d better stay away from me if you want to live, there will be no third chances.”

He laughed at her retreating back.

“I’m not giving up that easily! You won’t get away from me, with that bloody demon smell on you, you’ll be easy enough to find.”

“The smell on me, huh?”

She walked away leaving him pinned.

She became harder to find then. He finally caught up with her as she destroyed a carp demon who had come after the Jewel.

She turned to him after checking over her little sister, Kaede, who had come with her when the demon had attacked.

“It’s you again.”

“Hey Kiyo, hand over the Sacred Jewel.”

He flexed his claws in threat, making them crack audibly.

Kikyo’s sister trembled at her side. Reaching a hand down to sooth her, Kikyo fired back.

“I warned you to stay away from me!”

“And I told you that I wasn’t going to give up so easily! We are going to settle this today.”

He pointed at Kaede, who cowered more.

“Now get that kid out of the way!”

She turned to her sister, removing the death grip from her leg.

“Kaede, take cover in the trees.”

The girl trembled but was obedient.

“Alright Kikyo.”

Her child voice was soft, but she turned and took cover in the forest.

A priestess that walks a path tainted with blood.

The look on her face was gentle, almost sad.

He shook off the thoughts and readied himself for an attack.

She drew her bow and pointed the arrow at him.

“There is something I wish to ask you. Why didn’t you kill me that night? It would have been easy enough, given my condition.”

She thinks I would attack someone who is helpless? Does she really think that low of me? Is it because I’m a half demon that she thinks I would have no honor?

“I don’t play dirty, that’s why!”

She laughed.

“I see.”

Why is she laughing, is it so hard to believe a hanyou can have honor?

“What’s so funny!?”

She ignored his question.

“Let me ask you one more thing hanyou, what name do you go by? You must have a name, even though you are just a half-demon.”

Stupid bitch, why does she have to keep reminding me I’m a half demon.

“Hey listen, quit calling me hanyou, you bitch.”

“Then tell me your name, and I’ll never call you hanyou again.”

Why does she want to know my name, why would she care? Anything to stop her calling me hanyou, like it’s some kind of disease.

“It’s Inuyasha.”

“Inuyasha, you say? I’ll remember that.”

What is wrong with her? Why does she care so much what my name is? Does she think it means she will have power over me? Not in this life time, stupid bitch!

“Prepare to die, Kikyo!”

He attacked. Again, before he could reach her, she pinned him to a tree. He growled in frustration.

She took aim again, as if to deal the final blow. They held each others gaze a moment, and she lowered her arrow.

Why doesn’t she just kill me? Does she think I’m less of a threat because I’m only a half demon?

“Will you stop it!? Why do you never finish me off?”

The words left his mouth before he thought about his predicament.

She turned.

Here it comes, I’m dead now. Baka!

But she didn’t raise her weapon again.

“Stop coming after the jewel. I have no wish to waste more arrows.”

He stared at her retreating back again.

It is because I’m a hanyou, she thinks I am a waste of her time.

He slumped back against the tree.

I’m only a worthless hanyou to her too.

He followed her for awhile then, she began bathing everyday at a certain place where a waterfall fell into a clear deep pool.

He would watch her from the shadows, trying to understand her. He never saw her with friends, only her sister.

On one of the days he came across her sister picking herbs. The centipede demon he had seen searching for the jewel that first night attacked her, planning to carry her off to hold as hostage for the jewel.

He intervened without thinking, not wanting to see an innocent hurt.

He slashed the demoness with his claws, shredding her remaining body, after yelling at the girl to get down.

He turned and surveyed the remains.

“No way would I let a weakling demon like you, steal the Sacred jewel from under my nose.”

The young girl, Kaede, he recalled, approached him somewhat fearfully.

“Uhm, thank you…for saving…me.”

Her tiny voice trembled as if she wasn’t quite sure she was safe yet.

So she’s scared of me huh?

“You got it all wrong kid, I just don’t want anyone else to have the Sacred Jewel. That‘s all.”

The girl looked confused, as if she expected that he would try to take her hostage as well.

As if I am so weak as to need a hostage to get something I want.

He turned and walked away.

~*~

He watched as Kikyo had the villagers dump the centipede’s body down the dry well, Called the Bone Eater’s Well.

He followed her to a meadow and watched her as she sat silently.

“Inuyasha? You’re there aren’t you? Why don’t you come down”

Huh, she knew I was here?

He moved to the center of the field and squatted on his haunches, the better to deal with whatever trickery she had up her sleeve.

She gazed into the distance.

“This is the first time we’ve spoken up close.”

He was taken aback.

What’s she up to?

“So what’s your point?”

“I understand you saved my sister, Kaede.”

That’s what this is about?

“Oh, that.”

He shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter.

“I want to thank you too.”

She’s thanking me? What is going on, she feels indebted to a hanyou?

“Trust me. The gratitude thing, doesn’t look good on you.”

He glanced sidelong at her and turned away again. Judging her reaction.

They gazed at the distance side by side again. Then she spoke.

“Inuyasha? How do I look to you? Do I seem… human?”

What’s this wench’s problem? Why is she talking to me like this?

“Huh? Now what are you goin’ on about?”

Is this some kind of trick? Is she trying to lull me into a false sense of security?

“ I show my weakness to no one. I must never have doubts, or demos would over come me. I am human, yet I cannot be…human.”

Who is this woman?

“We’re quite alike, you and I. You a half demon. That’s why, I could not kill you.”

She feels sorry for me?

His anger rose. He stood up to leave.

I don’t need a humans pity.

“Is that supposed to be an excuse? That doesn’t really seem like you.”

He turned to walk away. He turned back and saw his loneliness reflected in her eyes.

“You’re right, I suppose it’s not like me.”

She rose and faced him.

Is she going to attack me now?

He wasn’t so sure of himself anymore.

“Inuyasha?”

“Huh?”
< br> She didn’t speak for a moment, the despair leaching from her dark eyes.

She’s so beautiful, and sad.

“What is it?”

Her spine stiffened imperceptibly. She turned away.

“Never mind…it’s nothing.”

She turned and began walking away. He watched her leave.

Kikyo…

“Kikyo! Come back here tomorrow.”

She turned back to him.

“What…I mean is…I want to give you something.”

He felt his face begin to burn.

She smiled serenely.

“You want to give me something? That’s good because I have something I’ve been thinking about giving you.”

She can’t mean? Does she mean to give me…

“The Sacred Jewel?”

She giggled pleasantly. He decided he liked when she smiled, it suited her face better than her usual sober expression.

“No such thing.”

Damn It!

“I shoulda known.”

She walked away back to the village.

That night he stood guard over the hut she shared with her sister.

He guarded her steps, so that no harm would come to her.

He watched from afar as she tended her people and played with the village children.

She would make a good mother.

He shook the thoughts from his head.

He continued to follow her, a kindred spirit.

She understood him and he thought she accepted him.

He helped her while she protected the Jewel from evil demons and equally evil humans.

Her kindness and gentle spirit was infectious.

He was, for awhile, as close to happy as he could ever remember.

A day came when a huge mass of demons attacked the village, attempting to steal the Shikon no Tama.

He killed as many as he could, there were so many.

Kikyo returned to the village with Kaede who had been practicing her bow work, in training to become a priestess like her sister. They joined the fray, soon it was apparent that Kaede was out classed. In protecting her, Kikyo fired at a demon that was in front of her sister, and a demons claw sliced Kaede’s eye.

Eventually they cleared out the horde of demons, but Inuyasha could see the pain her sisters injury was causing Kikyo.

He met her in their meadow.

“How’s your…uh…sister’s eye?”

A look of intense sorrow shrouded her face.

“I’ve done a terrible thing to her. I’m entirely the one to blame.”

What’s she talking about it’s not her fault. It was an accident.

“If only I hadn’t been so careless.”

“Come on don’t blame yourself too much, things like this a bound to happen when you’re fighting all the time.”

She gazed at him mournfully.

“Inuyasha. Are you unable to bee yourself unless you are fighting?”

He glanced at her.

Where is this going?

“You asked me something like that before.”

He didn’t answer her question.

“Wouldn’t you like to stop fighting?”

I can’t stop fighting, she knows that. No one will ever accept a hanyou. There will always be people and monsters trying to kill me just for being what I am.

“What do you mean?”

“Stop fighting all the time? Stop and become human.”

She want’s me to become human?

“Me? Become a human?”

Why? Aren’t I good enough as I am?

“It’s possible. It’s true that you are half demon, but you are also half human.”

She doesn’t want my demon side.

“If the Sacred Jewel of Four Souls, fell into the hands of a demon it’s powers would undoubtedly increase. However, if it were used to turn you into a human, it would be purified. The Jewel of the Four Souls would probably cease to exist.”

I thought she accepted me for who I am. What’s in this for her?

“And then what? What would happen to you?”

“My duty is to protect the jewel, without it, I could live the life of an ordinary woman.”

She wants me to set her free.

He thought about it that day, later he held her and told her his decision.

“Kikyo, I will become a human.”

I don’t want to but you deserve to be happy. I will try to make you happy.

“I’m not just saying this, I Will become a human.”

She hugged him tighter.

“Inuyasha…”

“So you can become a normal human too, and be my…”

“Enough.”

She cut him off.

“Stop that’s all I need to hear.”

“Kikyo, I truly am in l…”

She kissed him then silencing him.

I’m her only chance to be free.

As he walked her to the village her doubts surfaced.

“Inuyasha are you sure about this? About me?”

No… but I promised.

“Do you even have to ask?”

“Then tomorrow, at midday, in front of the sacred tree in the western forest. I’ll bring the Sacred Jewel.”

She deserves to be happy, she cares for me, at least a little.

“I’ll be there.”

~*~

He arrived at the sacred tree as the sun rose to the apex of it’s dance across the sky.

“Kikyo?”

He glanced furtively around, ears twitching to catch the sound of her foot falls.

“Hmmm, she’s not here yet…”

It’s not like her to be late.

He caught the slight crunch of leaves, his ears swiveled towards the sound.

“Ah ha ha, so you’ve come half demon.”

Inuyasha whirled to see Kikyo, her bow drawn taut, an arrow pointed at his heart.

Her voice, it doesn’t sound right.

“Wha..What did you say, K..Kikyo?”

What is wrong with her?

“I said, half-demon. Can’t those ugly dog ears of yours hear what I say?”

His eyes widened in shock.

“Wha..ugly dog…?”

She pulled her bow string tighter.

“I can’t let a half-demon like you, have the sacred jewel. I will destroy you here and now.”

She released the arrow. He failed to notice, as he dodged it, the lack of a purifying glow.

I knew I shouldn’t have trusted a human. They’re all alike.

“Die, Inuyasha!”

She watched as he bounded away through the trees.

“Be gone, half-demon!”

The echoes of her strangely rough voice followed his wake.

“Damn it!”

Damn, you mean all this time you were just using me? Tell me your name, and I shall never call you half-demon again. That’s what you said, then why now?!

As he swept through the treetops he noticed the village below.

Damn bitch, I’ll take that blasted jewel and become the strongest demon who ever lived, then no one will call me hanyou again!

The villagers ran and screamed as he approached. They fired their weapons in an attempt to stop him. It was to no avail. He forced his way through the roof of the shrine. The jewel hung in it’s usual place on the alter, he swiped it and turned to leave.

Got it!

The door crashed open, two men barreled through tossing spears at him, narrowly missing. He laughed coldly and exited through the roof again. The force of his exit causing the fires beside the alter to erupt violently.

As he escaped the village, he clutched the jewel tightly, it’s pearlescent surface calling him.

“Finally, a way for me to become all demon at last. I won‘t let ANYONE call me a half-demon again.”

Beside the village gate, out of the corner of his eye he saw a flash of red. The scent of blood wafted gently passed his delicate nostrils.

“Die! Inuyasha!”

He turned to see, again, Kikyo, her bow drawn, arrow pointed at his heart. This time a pale glow surrounded the shaft.

I never doubted you, not for a minute. Yet, you deceived me.

He banished the miko from his thoughts and moved inexorably towards the forest.

“INUYASHA!”

As he passed the sacred tree, he heard the bowstring snap. A glance told him he couldn’t avoid the projectile aimed at his heart.

The arrow struck him, pinning his body to the goshinboku, he felt the rough bark on his back.

The jewel slipped from his fingers and he watched as all his dreams fell to the earth.

He stared at the woman who had betrayed him.

“K…Kikyo…how coul…I thought…”

She stumbled almost drunkenly to the fallen jewel and retrieved it from the cold, damp soil. The villagers gathered around her.

“Sister Kikyo, who did this to you?”

He watched as she left a trail of blood, her scent mingled with the life fluid washed over him. His vision faded, he could no longer see the scene before him.

Am I gonna die like this? I guess that’s okay. Kikyo, even though it ended like this, I still l…

As his thoughts went blank, her scent mingled with her blood was all that was left to him, all that reminded him he was alive as darkness swallowed him and he was alone.