InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Futures' Past ❯ Healing Revelations ( Chapter 20 )

My Futures' Past

Chapter 20

 

Healing Revelations

Disclaimer: I do not own nor make any monies off of Inuyasha or any of the characters. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ Media.

 

Inuyasha didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but he was worried about the strength of his pack. Not in the upcoming confrontation with his half brother, he knew Sesshomaru would have the advantage and he would have to rely on his little used negotiation skills with the others gathered to fight. No, he was worried about them in the sense that they were human. They were tired. They were underfed and out in the elements for the night.

 

Kirara and Sango had brought back what they could; a large amount for a camp meal, but the game was thin. Inuyasha had the sinking feeling this had as much to do with the neglected lands as the army that Sesshomaru had gathered. The rabbits and birds would be stringy, but welcome at this point. And the slayer had brought back root vegetables and herbs as well to supplement their meager supply.

 

The monk was pale and barely twitched when Sango made her pallet next to him. That alone disturbed Inuyasha more than he liked. Kagome was still sprawled against his legs, her thin arms wrapped around his upper thighs and a fine tremor moving through the length of her. She hadn't given any indication that she was trapped in nightmares from her encounter with her mist family, but the shudder hadn't left her either. He couldn't help but think about how much smaller she had become since she first came to him. When she'd first come into his world those moons past, she'd been small but fleshy. And now, as he stroked his hand up and down her back, he knew her ribs were too prominent and her arms and legs were smaller, partly muscle from their travels but also due to the lack of food they'd encountered along their way.

 

Maybe the best course of action would be to leave his meager pack here and continue on alone. In the end it would be him against his father's blood anyway, perhaps he could spare at least a few their lives. The hanyou snorted softly. He hated thinking things through like this. It was a trait more suited to his human nights than his hanyou form and in this half-state, where his emotions ran as highly as his instincts, it was like he had two different voices arguing in his head. And he didn't want to listen to either of them. He wanted to be naked in his cave with his mate. That was where his mind was at the moment.

 

And adding to his irritation was whatever vermin was biting him! The pinching started somewhere on his back and he'd been struggling for the past few minutes to not jump up and rub against the nearest tree. Not only would it make him look more like a common dog, but it would dislodge his tired mate. But the back of his neck was too much. With a snarl, Inuyasha slapped at the irritation and was surprised to hear a muffled “Omph!” in response.

 

Kagome shifted and blinked up at the hanyou.

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?”

 

“Keh. Something bit me. And that something talks.”

 

Shifting so both he and Kagome could look at his palm; Inuyasha uncurled his fingers to reveal a flattened flea demon.

 

“Myoga?”

 

“Such is the life of a flea,” the little bug muttered before inflating himself. “Master Inuyasha, it is good to see you well! You taste much like your father, you know.”

 

“You know this flea?” Kagome asked, not sure she should really be questioning the existence of a flea demon after seeing demonic spiders. Besides, what better to go with demonic cats and dogs, than demonic fleas?

 

“This flea was once my father's retainer. After we left, we never saw him again. He preferred hiding to fighting.”

 

To Kagome's amazement, the flea blushed.

 

“Now, Master Inuyasha, that is not true! I have been in the castle listening and observing! Lord Sesshomaru has tried to build himself quite the army to battle you!”

 

“Heh, tell me something I don't know, flea.”

 

“Over half the summons he sent to leaders into the Western Lands have been ignored. You also appear to have an ally in Makoto. He has not hindered Lord Sesshomaru directly, but he has not fully offered his aide either. Your father's servant has remained loyal to his memory. He wishes you and Lord Sesshomaru to talk.”

 

“The only talking that bastard wants to do involves gloating while he puts his hand through my stomach. Fat chance of that happening.”

 

The flea moved himself to Kagome's knee, no doubt deciding he was safer there than on the flat of an irritated hanyou's palm, and crossed his tiny arms and legs before sighing.

 

“It is as I thought. The two of you are determined that bloodshed is the only answer. If only your illustrious father were still alive…”

 

Kagome raised a hand as if to flatten Myoga herself.

 

“That's not true! Inuyasha doesn't want to kill Sesshomaru, but he's not being given much of a choice! Why would he want to kill the only family he has left?”

 

Inuyasha draped his arm around her shoulders and shrugged, trying to keep his blush at bay, especially since his mate's outburst had roused the monk and slayer.

 

“Lady Kagome, Inuyasha are you speaking with a…flea? Or have I tired myself more than I anticipated?” Miroku asked rubbing his head. His free hand wandered almost reflexively across the pallets towards Sango's bottom but the slayer brushed him off and settled a bit father away to listen to their surprise guest.

 

“Keh. This is Myoga. He's been with my Father for as long as I can remember. He disappeared when Sesshomaru stared to run things though. Sometimes he visited with my mother and me, but not often. I haven't seen him in years.”

 

Pinning the little demon with a glare, Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. “So why show up now? Are you afraid of what will happen if Sesshomaru wins? It shouldn't be any different than before.”

 

Myoga moved to a safer position on top of the packs. “Ah, but Master Inuyasha it would. Lord Sesshomaru is determined that you are somehow responsible for Tessaiga rejecting him. By defeating you he will gain the sword's approval and be able to rule unchallenged.”

 

The hanyou snorted and leaned back on his elbows. He tried and failed to keep Kagome beside him as she moved over to check on the fowl and roots roasting away. Their water supply was running low but the only water in the area was the demonic waters of the river and no one was brave enough to try and see if small amounts could be drank. Their luck it would try and strangle them from the inside out.

 

“Is it my fault the bastard has self-esteem issues? His mother is a cold-hearted bitch that would send her own child to the seventh level of hell if it would prove amusing. He probably got it from her. He's had the same issues all my life. Ending it won't change anything for him.”

 

“Yes, Master, but he believes it will. Lord Sesshomaru is unhappy and he does not know the reason why. He blames your Honored Father, he blames your mother, he blames you, but he cannot look within himself for fault. There is talk, Lord Sesshomaru will not hear of it but it is there, that if he defeats you the other reining Lords will attempt to overthrow him.”

 

The hanyou's ears pricked up. “Over throw the bastard? Why wait until he kills me though? What do I have to do with anything? I'm not even in line for the kingdom.”

 

Shaking his head, the flea pulled out a tiny pipe and began to puff on something sweet smelling. Kagome resumed her seat holding two plates heaped with their dinner. The monk and slayer seemed fascinated by the storytelling insect and gathered closer to form a circle around the bags.

 

“Because Master Inuyasha, regardless of how Lord Sesshomaru sees you, regardless of how the other Lords feel about a hanyou, you are your father's son. You have the blood of the greatest Inutashio of all time running in your veins. The fact that you are not running wild and destroying everything in your path is testament to that strength. As long as your Father's blood still flows in his offspring, that offspring is the rightful ruler of the West.”

 

To the group's surprise, Inuyasha flushed. “Keh. It was Baba's spell that did that. I didn't even know what I was before Kagome put this rosary on me.”

 

“Ah, but you didn't harm your mate did you, Master? Driven though you were by bloodlust and revenge, you chose the miko and protected her. Lord Sesshomaru had your body watched during the time you were enchanted by Priestess Kikyou, did you know that? He had skilled priests trying to break the seal on the arrow before he would challenge you.”

 

“Okay, so the bastard has some honor not to kill me while I'm under a fucking spell. That doesn't explain his obsession with me. I never did anything to him. My mother treated him the same as me and he hated her. Hated her enough to go off and visit his mother for a few years. When he came back my father was ready to hand over the reins to the kingdom to him. I can bet most of those lords didn't have to fight for their titles, they just waited around for it.”

 

Miroku cleared his throat and shot the hanyou a speaking glance. “So it's not necessarily a greater showing of strength if the son kills the father and usurps the throne?”

 

“Keh. It can be, if the old man is sick or crazy it's considered honorable for the oldest son to kill him and take over, but most of the time you just sort of inherit when the old man is ready. The problem is youkai are damn near immortal. If the son doesn't want to go out and conquer his own lands, then he has to kill his father or be willing to wait. Sesshomaru thought my father was weak because he fell in love with a human wench.

 

And he's probably laughing it up thinking that I made the same mistake. He just doesn't trust. And I don't mean in others, in himself, too”

 

“A wise observation, Master. You are indeed more your Great Father's son than Lord Sesshomaru and that is made even more evident in your choice of a mate. The story of your release from the sacred arrow and your taking of a mate has traveled well beyond the boarder of the Western lands. Why, I wouldn't be surprised if lords from the North and East showed up!”

 

“Yeah,” the hanyou snorted, “to watch me get my ass handed to me.”

 

“Inuyasha, I couldn't help be notice that the Southern lands were left out of the discussion. Why is that?” Miroku asked.

 

“Damn cats. They want the West for themselves. They've tried before to overthrow my father, before I was born. I wouldn't be surprised if they were the ones that started the talk of overthrowing the bastard once this whole thing is over with.”

 

“Well, Master, what is your plan? Will you move in to confront Lord Sesshomaru at dawn? Will you enter though the front gate of the Great wall and march directly to him with your pack? Will you send them in at the corners to show you have nothing to fear from his greater army?”

 

Inuyasha was quiet while the flea babbled on. He could feel Kagome's eyes on him, but he didn't want to say that he had intended to go on alone. But he knew she knew.

 

“You weren't going to take us with you, were you?” Kagome whispered.

 

Chaos broke out as everyone began taking at once, flattening his ears, Inuyasha jumped to his feet and yelled.

 

“Damn it, it wasn't all because I think you're weak! You're human! You're tired. The monk and Kagome have damn neared worn themselves out with the last two traps, Sango might be a warrior but she don't heal like a demon, and the bastard's army is fresh. I don't want anyone else to die, okay?”

 

Inuyasha sat with a huff, keeping his back to the others. Myoga, now certain the tirade was over, hopped over.

 

“I can help with their human weakness, as can you Master Inuyasha. If you are willing to rest for another day, I can make a potion that will replenish your pack. It will be even more effective if you are willing to donate a few drops of your blood to it.”

 

Sango made a choking noise. “His blood? We would have to drink it?”

 

“Well, yes. But you are already pack. The only effect it would have is the heal you and to give you a boost in strength and speed, a benefit to be sure in the battle against Lord Sesshomaru. And the amount would be very small, much smaller than what he has shared with Lady Kagome.”

 

“How do you know Inuyasha shared his blood with me?”

 

“My Lady, while your blood is still sweet smelling, I can detect the scent of Master Inuyasha's beneath it. The together the two of you would be a formidable foe. Now, if the fire neko is willing, and you have a small pack, we will gather the materials necessary for the healing potion. I will need more water, Master Inuyasha.”

 

“And just how do you expect me to get water, flea? The river would sooner eat me than let me drink it.”

 

The little flea demon sighed and shook his head as he hopped over to Kirara.

 

“Master, the river has pure water coming into it. All you would have to do is dig down a safe distance from the back and you should reach the source of the river. That water will be clear of the water demon.” With that advice, Myoga and Kirara bounced off in to the woods.

 

“Stupid flea. Why am I the one that has to dig for the water?”

 

Miroku smirked as he leaned back on his pallet. “It is as you said, my friend. We are merely weak humans and must regain our strength. You would hate to have us tire ourselves more by assisting you and your greater strength in digging a well.”

 

Kagome and Sango laughed as the hanyou chased the wayward monk around the campsite. Kagome had the feeling this would be the last time for a while that the group would be able to laugh freely, if at all.