InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Needing It ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Ownership of any and all things affiliated with Inuyasha and party reside solely with…uh, um… damn it, I forgot her name!  Oh well, its not me so it doesn't matter!

A/N: Welcome to the next chapter, massively overdue.  The story is moving right along steadily and I think its time to inform that the ending is really close, maybe even in the next two chapters!  Anyway, the lights on, popcorn on my left, coke on my right, and Esumym on my shoulder, lets get it on!

Tears

Myouga was in trouble, it was apparent in the eyes of his master.  And his question, so quiet and unexpected that it seemed like the wind had spoken, sounded to him like the resonance of doom.

"Myouga, can you tell me about my mother?"  So innocent and yet the capacity of causing pain was staggering.  So instead of answering, he asked his own question.

"What do you wish to know, Inuyasha-sama?"

"Well, every time I remember her face, it was always filled with tears.  For years after her death I thought it was from sorrow, but now I'm not so sure.  Can you tell me why?"  The nomiyoukai weighed his options.  He could stay quiet and receive his lumps, or he could divulge the past to his master.  A sharp throb on his head, more memory than physical, persuaded him.

"Very well, my lord, I shall tell you.  As you know, your mother, Iyazoi, was a noblewoman of high estate in the village you were born in.  Her father was lord of those lands and answered only to the Great Inutaishou, your father.  During many meetings to discuss the problems of the lands, your parents met.  Shortly after your birth Iyazoi's father died of sickness, to which your father followed afterwards in the fight with Ryuukotsuei.  Left with no protection, she and you were quickly and quietly banished by the new lord to the house on the hill you grew up in.  Your mother was gifted with the Sight, the ability to see into the future.  Born with the capability, it only increased its power after giving birth to you.  She went from seeing seconds into the future to years, even decades.  I would often discuss with her about the visions.  She would see the impending death of the lord of the village or whether the harvest for next year would be good or not, but she never told me of you or herself.  I knew that she Saw horrible things as well, for there had been many a time when she would simply burst into tears after looking on you.  She knew, my lord, of all that you would have to endure.  They were the reason for her tears."

Inuyasha took this revelation silently as he thought back to his fuzzy childhood.  'So that's why you cried Mom… you knew my pain and it broke your heart.  The fire was foreseen, but you stayed anyway because it was destiny, just like my solitude.  All of this pain happened as a result of fate.'  Shrugging his shoulders as he stared into the fire built for the resting place, he spoke.

"Oh, well that explains a lot."  Myouga saw past the gruff indifference and could read the suffering underneath.  A twinge of guilt made him stop and there was silence for a while.  Then Inuyasha astonished the flea demon again.  "Do you think I could learn to See?"  Come on; keep him talking while you try to find some way to sort out this madness.

"I'm not sure, Inuyasha-sama.  To become a Seer one must have complete inner peace and have complete control of your emotions."  The hanyou groaned loudly.

"There's always a catch!"

"I'm afraid so, master.  You have within you two separate personalities that are constantly at war with each other.  Unless your youkai instincts and human emotions find a way to coexist, you will never gain the Sight."

"No problem, I can contain my instincts!  Come on then, let's get started," he said, the old flame of determination slowly returning to life in his eyes.  So with hope renewed the wizened demon taught his young master everything he knew about the Seers.  The next day the journey began anew with Kikyou's arrow leading the way.

Kanna stood at the window of her room, her demonic mirror shining with souls.  Her eyes stared out into the horizon permeated with the miasma of Naraku.  She had not seen the sun since returning from the retrieval of a jewel shard and had already forgot what it looked like.  There was nothing to do.  All she could do now was wait until Naraku summoned her and gaze at nothingness.  So for hours she did not move from her spot, breathing but lifeless doll that barely blinked and never felt.  Yes, she had heard of feelings from her sister Kagura, though she did not understand.  Apparently, anger occurred when the half-demon Inuyasha almost killed her and made her run away in shame, another emotion.  Also, the emotion that made Naraku shut himself up in his cellar was grief.  And annoyance was when Kanna's questions became too bothersome for her older sister to answer.  So many different kinds, the white demon could not comprehend why anyone would want such things.  Still, during those times when she stood at her window, a thought, an image, an idea of what it would be like to feel slithered into her mind.  Would she smile when happy or frown when cross?  Maybe laugh at a joke or sigh with exhaustion?  Yet the one component and end result of emotion that fascinated her the most were tears.  Why should someone have to cry?  When does the sensation become so strong that the only remedy was to release it in liquid form?  To feel…

Elsewhere in the castle Naraku sat in the shadows of his room, mind swimming with turmoil.  The news of Kikyou's death brought him pleasure, no doubt about that, but then that wearisome Onigumo just had to get his word in and now he was torn between pure joy and crushing sorrow.  'Something has to be done about this damn human feeling.  I have no use for it.'  The pulse of the large black Shikon jewel shard enticed his focus away from the re-dead miko to his original plan.  'Just a handful of shards left, the latest which Kagura has graciously gone to retrieve from the faithful monks of the monastery on Mt. Hiei.  Then I can focus on that fool Kouga.  I'll leave Inuyasha for last.'  The snicker that rang in the darkness of the room made the skeletons in the hallway tremble with fear.  The time for the final course drew near.

"Concentrate, Inuyasha-sama, concentrate," Myouga repeated for the fifteenth time.  His master stood in hakama and white gi.  Cloth plugged his nose and ears and a strip sealed his eyes, leaving him feeling hatefully vulnerable.

"Damn it all, I'm trying!  You screaming it every ten seconds isn't helping at all," he said irritably as a blow landed on his shoulder.  The hanyou tried to swing but only caught air.  Another blow, this time on his back, made him spin around but still he missed.  Gods, it was like he was in the middle of a new moon night.  He hated mortality so much for this very reason.  As he continued to internally curse, he no longer felt the slaps of the yamazaru demon, focusing instead on how many complex and colorful curse combinations he could think of.  Myouga decided that was it for today, and asked the monkey to leave.  Facing his fuming master, he gave his next set of instructions.

"Very good Inuyasha-sama, that ends our training for now.  Now it's time for you to practice meditation.  Remember that without inner peace you will not receive any visions."  The hanyou grumbled as he sat cross-legged and placed his hands on his knees.  Some deep breaths later he entered his trance world where Youkai Inuyasha stood, the purple stripes and red eyes shining in the hazy mist.  He laughed.

'Wow, it really sucks to be you right now.  You must look like a total idiot.'

'Oh no, don't think you're not in this too,' Human Inuyasha retaliated, determined to win the battle this time.  'That's your body getting pushed around too.  I don't see you doing anything about it.'

'Keh, I don't need to concern myself over that crap that old bloodsucker calls training.  I don't want the Sight, you do.'

'You idiot!  Think about it baka, if you could see what your opponent was about to do before he does it, then wouldn't you be able to kill him quicker?  I don't know about you, but that might just come in handy against Naraku.'

'You mean we're still going to fight that coward?'

"Of course baka!  Have you forgotten that he carries most of the shards with him?'

'What about the monk and slayer?'

'You mean Sango and Miroku?  They're only hunting for Naraku, and they can have him for all I care, but if they reach him before we do, we might have to deal with them again.'  The idea of having to see their faces after having left them high and dry was not something Human Inuyasha felt ready to deal with.  However, Youkai Inuyasha could not deny that the mortal had a point, both with this tedious training and the unpleasant meeting.

'Very well, weakling, I'll cooperate, but only as long as I want to.  Not a moment sooner!'

'Good enough, maybe now we can finally get past this stupid exercise.'  Silence deepened in the void as the two stared at each other.  Both knew what the other wanted to say, but neither knew how to approach it.  A churning wind manifested itself, whipping their silver manes into frenzies.  Then the word left both their lips as one.

'Kagome.'  A bright light burst in the center, shining in the shape of a young woman.  It faded to reveal white and green garments, the 'uniform' she always wore.  Her black hair blended into the dark of the void and that same soft smile he remembered so clearly graced her face.  He could almost reach out and touch her, her cheeks, her hair, her lips.  He could smell her for the Gods' sake!  So real to him… but she wasn't.  It was just an illusion born of memory, a lie meant only to soothe and keep company.  No matter how passionate the kiss he gave, it meant nothing.  It hurt all over again, but it was a dull throb now.  After all, it had been nine months already since it had all happened.  What could he do now but keep going with his promise?  He would complete the Shikon No Tama.

Four more shards were found thanks to Kikyou's arrow and he now sported an impressive twelve shards.  The arrow served to purify the shards as well, making it easier to handle such power.  Still, it completely invalidated the need for a miko, so memories were becoming scarce.  He was not forgetting her, just that the memories he had no longer comforted him.  Hours later, with the full moon as testament of his dedication, Inuyasha moved from his position on the grass and searched for something to eat.

From the sky Kagura watched.  Bored with the monotony of spending four months straight in the castle, not to mention Naraku's recent change in behavior and routine, she decided to fly around a bit.  Who could've guessed she would find Inuyasha out in the open minus his ragtag band of twits.  She did not know what he was doing all alone, but it was the perfect chance to take his shards, which she could clearly see from her high altitude.  Surely Naraku did not want him to gather too many.  Still, the mutt possessed many shards, so what harm would it bring if one or two went missing?  A smile twisted her otherwise beautiful face.  'At least he'll provide some entertainment,' she thought, extending her fans and attacking.

Inuyasha was about to enter the forest when she felt a spark of… something thrill him.  He turned around and saw the crescent blades dangerously close to him and leapt out of the way.  Bringing Tetsusaiga to bear he faced the sky.

"Is that you Kagura?  Oh, this is going to feel so good,' he taunted to the night.  The silhouette of his target shone against the hoary hue of the moon.  Six more crescents shot at him.  'Maybe now would be a good time to try out the exercise,' he thought as he closed his eyes and focused.  All that moved were his ears as the blades came ever closer.  Suddenly he raised his sword and slashed.  "Kaze no Kizu!"  The blasts from his Wind Scar dissipated the other energy and continued toward Kagura.  The sorceress, caught off guard, scrambled off her feather and plummeted to the ground.  The hanyou wasted no time, dashing forward to finish the job as the wind spun around Tetsusaiga.

"Nice try mutt!  Dance of Blades," she said as she twisted in mid-air and fired crescents point-blank range.  Inuyasha was knocked back, his haori tearing but not flesh.  Now a good distance away the fighters stared each other down.

"So what brings you around here, eh Kagura?  Running errands for Naraku like a good little slave?"

"No need for such friendly banter, Inubaka, just hand over the shards and I might let you live.  After all, lots of demons live long healthy lives with just one arm and leg, right?"  Inuyasha growled and tightened his grip.

"Just try and take them from me," he said in a low guttural tone.  Kagura smiled at his seriousness.  The poor fool truly believed he stood a chance against her.

"Very well, if you wish for death, then I'll give it to you!  Dance of Blades!"  The two clashed whilst Myouga watched from a safe distance.  Someone had to survive to tell the tale, right?  As for Kagura, she had to admit she was impressed with the fool's prowess.  He was much faster now than before, but evading that fang of his still proved too easy.  As for the hanyou, he merely swung, sometimes with two hands and other times with one.  Any passerby brave enough to watch would think they were training together.  But all things came to an end, and it was Inuyasha who got the first slash in, slicing a gash into Kagura's dress.  That was all he needed as he hopped in and attacked with all the speed he could muster.  Now Kagura felt a little concerned.  More tears on her yukata forced her into defense lest she show more than she wanted.  "Well, well, well, it looks like the dog has learned a few new tricks.  It matters not, your turn will come, and you'll see how pointless it is to fight."  Following her cryptic warning she plucked a feather from her hair and flew away.

"Spineless bitch!  Stay and fight," he shouted to her, but she disappeared into the night sky.  Huffing, partly from exhaustion and frustration, he sheathed and returned to his hunt.  Lucky for him, a boar decided then to step into his path.  Ten minutes later the hanyou sat in front of a fire roasting dinner.

"Very nicely done, Inuyasha-sama," a voice said out of nowhere.

"Nice of you to come out of hiding now, flea.  Don't expect any food from me tonight."

"Bu-bu-but Master!  I was by your side the entire time, cheering you on!"

"Spare me."  And so Myouga the flea, faithful servant of his master, retainer of memory and last defense against insanity, went hungry that night.  That is, until his master fell to sleep and he sneaked himself a bite or two.  The next day the hunt for shards continued.

The sun rose, greeting the day with eternal optimism.  Its ray shone on a valley where four beings, three demons and one human, rested.  The valley floor consisted of flowers on every patch of green.  The blooming buds engulfed her, spanning as far as the eye could see.  Delight possessed her body as Rin ran in circles with hands out, catching any flowers that she could.  Using them to form a crown she put on her head and hummed happily.  Sesshoumaru watched from a close distance, silent white sentinel, whilst Ah and Un and Jaken napped on a bed of blooms.  Mentally he remembered the times spent with his hahaue doing just that, running among the buds without a care in the world.  In that time so many centuries ago he knew neither worry nor responsibility.  All that existed in the world was Father and Mother.  Such a simple, idealistic time it had been.  Then that world came to an earth-shattering end with the appearance of a human wench.  Gods, why hadn't he seen it coming?  Of course she was his concubine.  That goddamn Iyazoi, she was just a rich whore with a leaning for demon.  That's all it should have been, but then Father announced the birth of his brother and he knew, knew that it was an abomination, even before Mother told him so.  When he first met the sniveling weakling, with its furless ears and brittle claws, the urge to kill it was overwhelming.  He instantly swore undying hatred towards it and the bitch that held it.  She had ruined everything!  Not long after that Father went off to fight Ryuukotsueii and died.  The grief was almost unbearable, but then his mother, in her final moments, for Inuyoukai cannot live with their mates dead, she revealed that the dragon had been seen not far from that whore's village.  His father, the great Inutaishou, had died protecting his whore and half-breed son.  On her dying gasp he swore to kill the disgrace without fail.  Eighty-six years passed.  Now the great Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, revered and feared by all who resided in his lands, kept watch of a young human girl.  Strangest of all, he found himself at ease with the situation.  That Rin had managed somehow to pierce something within, but what it was he did not know.

She turned to look over at him.  Not a day went by that she did not smile at him.  He was her savior, her deliverer from the evils of her past life.  Yes, that time in the village had been another life, dead and gone.  Now she traveled with her Sesshoumaru.  The look on his face, that mask of regal indifference, never fooled her once.  Every mask needs holes for the eyes, and eyes were windows to the soul.  For all his mean words, never once did he try to hurt her.  She in turn gave every ounce of affection within her being to him.  Standing there among the flora of multicolored glory, he looked like a pure white angel, her guardian.  He signaled softly at her that it was time to go and she hurriedly made another crown and gave it to him gingerly.  He stared coldly for a moment before grabbing it and slowly placing it on his head.  The joy in her smile dazzled even him.  Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the size of his head and made the crown too big.  So when it slipped down until it hung on her nose she couldn't help but laugh at his annoyance.  The great lord whipped around and started walking, his foot landing on Jaken, effectively waking the toad.  Rin just giggled, knowing she had seen the flicker of a smile on his face. 

"Zutto ishoni ittai," she said silently, feeling the age-old emotion in her heart created by him, for him.  Sesshoumaru played the fool this time, but he knew that deep down, way down, he felt the same.

All right, time to go.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Ja ne!