InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride (In the Name of Love) ❯ Chapter 19

Pride (In the Name of Love) 19 / ??
Written by Jezz-Ra
Warnings - Not all warnings apply to all chapters. Yaoi, Het, Rape, Lemon, Violence, Language, Torture, Angst, Incest, Dark (at times). It's a massive story, folks, it's got a little bit of everything.
Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, don't make money off it. Wish I did.

Sidestories can be found under my author profile at any of my archive sites.
Archived at - inu.adultfanfiction.net, fanfiction.net, and mediaminer.org ::: Anywhere else, ask!
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// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - Thanks as always for your reviews - they make this worthwhile. I had questions this time. To clarify...

This is NOT (yet?) a Sesshy / Rin fic. Could it end up that way? I suppose it's always a possibility. A few things will be clarified in the coming chapters, ESPECIALLY in the regards to them.

The fact of the matter is, I don't KNOW what sort of fic it is. I don't plan things...I just sit down, the words come out, and then I get to read as eagerly as anyone else to figure out what I just typed. I don't have an outline...I start out with a basic idea and then just go with it. As my characters evolve, and as the plot evolves, so too does my story.

This one I started under the following premise. "I have not yet written an IY fic. I love Sesshoumaru. I love all the things that make him Sesshoumaru...his intelligence and icy pride, the way his self control and his dominance are so important - so lets take this proud, powerful beast and let the entire world he's surrounded himself with shatter...break him and see how he develops, how he recovers, when he has been stripped of that pride." Basically, I wanted to get into Sesshoumaru's head and really crawl around, find all that made him tick...and twist it to see where he'd end up.

Everything that's happened since then has just been whatever my latest idea was. When I would wake up in the morning on my days off or when I get home from work (I work the graveyard shift) I'd settle in and belt out the latest chapter.

So, back to my original point - this is not a Sesshy / Rin fic now, nor will it be soon. In fact, if it ultimately ends up there, I may be surprised. I've never actually written a fic that's featured a main pairing that WASNT yaoi in nature. That may be in part due to the fact that I despise 99.9% of the females in animes I've seen or manga I've read...I like Rin, she's an exception. Kagome, at least, isn't ENTIRELY useless...but I digress.

For any that are wondering, there WILL be some yaoi romance going on at some points. I know of one relationship that will turn up for SURE...eventually. As for Sesshoumaru... the chance of him being involved with someone OTHER than Rin (in a positive fashion) is high. Will that someone be Inuyasha? I do not know. Will it last? Dunno. Only time will tell.

But bear with me, y'all. There will likely eventually be romance of all flavors (this fic is going to go on forever it seems...) and hopefully everyone ends up happy at some point or another. ^^ I'm as eager to find out as you all are.

So without further ado, I shall start my three-day vacation! On to C.19!
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Rin's eyes snapped open in the middle of the night, her blood running cold and fear freezing her heart in her chest as she heard the most terrible, gut-wrenching sound she'd ever heard in all her days. She would remember it for the rest of her life. It was a twisted, wretched, tormented animal howl of unspeakable pain.

And it had come from Sesshoumaru.

Rin let out a startled shriek of horror when she caught sight of him in the moonlight filtering into the room. His back was arched and every muscle in his body strained to its limit. His hair and skin was damp with sweat. He clawed ineffectually at his stomach - if he had still had his claws there was a fair chance he would be ripping himself to bloody ribbons right now. His teeth were clenched and his eyes squeezed shut. His mokomoko writhed around him, seemingly in distress.

Rin never made it to the door. She scrambled to her feet, tears of horror and grief already flowing freely, and had been hurrying to get Inuyasha. The door smashed inward as the hanyou in question kicked it in, splintering the wood around the lock. He snapped on the light and gasped as Sesshoumaru let out another howl, this one more desperate than the last.

"Sesshoumaru! Rin, what happened to him?!" Inuyasha asked in a panic, eyes rapidly scanning his brother and trying to discern the cause of his agony.

"I..I don't know...I was sleeping and then...then I...I heard him...oh, Lord Sesshoumaru...!" Rin collapsed at the side of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Kagome had finally made the scene, and she pulled Rin into her arms, not knowing what to do about Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha frowned and tugged Sesshoumaru's shirt out of the way, struggling to keep the taiyoukai's rigid limbs out of his way. Something bulged under the skin of his stomach, near his ribcage...and then it MOVED. Inuyasha let out a horrified yelp. "Sorry about this, Sessh..." The hanyou darted his hands forward, claws digging into Sesshoumaru's flesh around the bulge. He hit something hard before his claws punctured. Something small writhed in his grasp as he withdrew his bloody hand.

It was some sort of ugly, round black bug. It looked vaguely like a scarab beetle, but with several sets of sharp mandibles. Claw-tipped legs scrabbled madly in the air and it oozed a thick purple ichor from its injuries over Inuyasha's claws as it stilled. "Wh...what the fuck..." he finally managed, looking at it in sick dread. He slowly lifted his eyes back to Sesshoumaru - the taiyoukai's pain was still clearly evident and did not appear to have diminished at all - this bug was probably not alone.

"I...what do I do?!" Inuyasha blurted in panic. He did the only thing he could think of at the moment - he knocked Sesshoumaru hard over the head and rendered his brother unconscious. The taiyoukai slumped into a heap. Kagome shook her head, looking decidedly ill at the mere thought of the insects. Rin quivered in her arms. She had never seen Sesshoumaru in agony like this - never in her recollection had the taiyoukai shown more than the smallest grimace of pain at the gravest of his infrequent injuries.

Inuyasha managed to dig another squirming bug out of his brother's side. "I...I need to take him home, see if...if the healers can do anything...or if that raven knows something. Thanks for your help, Kagome. I'll come back when I can." The hanyou didn't wait for a response, snatching Sesshoumaru up and leaping out the window, making for the well at top speed.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The journey was a stressful one for Inuyasha. He didn't pause to rest, merely kept going. A couple of times, Sesshoumaru started to claw his way back into consciousness - Inuyasha made sure he didn't succeed. He knew Sesshoumaru would have a whopping headache later - but he couldn't bear the sight of his brother in so much anguish.

Inuyasha was about ready to drop from exhaustion by the time he reached the castle. True, he had far more endurance than any human, but hauling his brother and traveling so far, so fast had taken its toll on him. He grit his teeth together as he plunked his brother down in his bed, fumbling in his haori for Sairex's feather.

"How do you use this damn thing..." With a frustrated growl, he shook the feather. "Hey, bird!"

Nothing happened.

Inuyasha had neither the time nor the patience to figure it out and stalked out to find Miroku.

Miroku noticed his friend's agitation and bone-deep weariness almost immediately, and hurried over, concerned. "Inuyasha, you're exhausted! Whats wrong? Sit down...""Don't have time, monk." He attempted to throw the feather at Miroku, but the wind resistance caused it to fall pathetically short and flutter its way to the ground. "Hn...use your damn feather and get that bird's attention. Somethin's wrong with Sesshoumaru.""What?""Dunno, he's full of bugs. I'm going to go get the healer."

Before Miroku could question Inuyasha any further, the hanyou had staggered his way out of the room and down the hall.

Miroku sighed and picked up his own feather, idly trailing a finger along its delicate spine. He closed his eyes and concentrated on it, attempting to contact Sairex while a tiny part of him wondered if it would actually work.

Miroku was rather surprised when he heard the raven youkai's oddly lilting voice in his mind. // Miroku? Vhy are you calling me? Is everyting alright?...//

"Er..." Miroku coughed, then attempted to project his response through the feather. // No...something's wrong with Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha said to contact you. //

// Did he say vhat it vas? //

// Something about bugs. //

// Vell...may I zhare your body den? I can't very vell examine anyone from here...though I dunno vhy a bug problem vould merit calling me. //

// Er...yes, I suppose. // Miroku concentrated on relaxing and opening himself, taking down his natural defenses to let the raven youkai in. The possession was much easier and less stressful this time. Miroku felt none of what he had felt previously, none of the sensation of being shoved to the side and trapped in his own mind. The thought occurred to him briefly that he was probably the first monk to willingly allow himself to be possessed by a demon. Sairex chuckled, having assumed control of Miroku's mouth and movements.

"Someting like dat, yes...if Lord Zezzhoumaru is villing, vhen all dis is over I may ztay on as his advisor. I vould enjoy putting my talents to good use. In da meanwhile, I vould train you. You have much potential, but you are unzkilled."

// Well, I left the monastery to roam and help others. //

"Zo you zay. And I'm zure you have. However...dere are many, many tings dis bird can teach you, if you are villing. Not all of dem are typical monkly knowledge, true...but it is all zpiritual power all da zame. Not dark tings, not demon tings...s'like any other knowledge. It can be used for good or evil. Now...help me find Zezzhoumaru."

Miroku still thought it was horribly weird to hear himself talking in his voice, but with such a strange accent - where the hells did an accent like that even COME from? - and further, carrying on a two-sided conversation with himself. People would think he was crazy if they overheard him.

Sairex smirked. "Dey already tink you crazy, monk. You're human. A human holy man, living and vorking in da castle of a notorious demon lord." As he spoke, he moved down the halls at Miroku's guidance until he stood in Sesshoumaru's chambers. "Ah, very good."

Inuyasha squinted at him. "What's up, monk? You reach the bird?""You could say dat, yes...now tell 'da bird', vhat is vrong vith your brother."

Inuyasha scratched his ear - it was difficult listening to the monk's familiar voice coming out with such a twist on his words. "Guess so. I don't know. He's full of bugs.""Bugs?"Inuyasha held up one of the squirming insects that he had not skewered. Sairex groaned deeply. Before he could speak, however, the healer spoke up.

"I do not know what to do with Lord Sesshoumaru..."

"Get out of my vay!" Sairex grumbled, making his way over next to the taiyoukai. He ignored the youkai healer's offended look. He pushed down on Sesshoumaru's stomach, hard. Immediately, he felt something slither away beneath his hand.

"Do you know how to fix him?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Mrr. Yes."

"What the hell happened to him?"

Sairex sighed. "Vell...Zetsukosei...vhen he vas...er..." Sairex paused, trying to find a delicate way to phrase it. "Vhen he violated your brother, he released zpores. Nasty little parasites. Proximity to his unique energy keeps da eggs dormant. But vhen you left...da zeal zlowly began to break down. Da eggs matured and hatched. Now dey are big enough to move around and...eat. But your brother is ztrong...Zetsukosei knew dis. Da bugs von't kill him, he'll heal too fast...but they'll continue eating him alive. Zetsukosei vanted to make sure dat if he escaped, Zezzhoumaru vould have to come back to him."

Inuyasha stared in horror. "Wh...what the fuck do we do then? I won't give him back to that bastard!""Vell...dere are only two options. Da first, you bring him back to Zetsukosei. Obviously not much of an option. Da other...vell, ve cut him open and try and take all da bugs out ourselves. Ve will likely be able to get all da mature ones."Inuyasha frowned. "I don't like the way you said that..."Sairex sighed. "Vell, ve probably couldn't get all da eggs. Zo he'd be fine until da next round hatches...and den ve have to do it all over again."

Inuyasha growled angrily. "That fucking bastard...well, we don't have much choice. Lets start bug hunting."Sairex nodded quietly. "I vill...vhen I get back, I'll get you zometing to kill dem. I have...lots of tings Zetsukosei vill trade heavily for."

Inuyasha paused, squinting at him, although it was very hard to read him since he wore Miroku's expressions. "You aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?"Sairex shook his head and gave Inuyasha a lopsided grin. "Kaaa, no. Don't vorry.""Why are you helping us? I ran into you pretty much at random and you've been around saving our asses ever since."Sairex was quiet for a long moment. "Da rules of my bondage make it zo I cannot harm Zetsukosei on my own. If I try to hurt him, I hurt myzelf vorse. I learned dat da hard vay. As long as he lives in any vay, I am bound to him. I have to ztay in the zame vorld as him...I can't even ztray dat far avay on my own, to be honest. Dere's a limit. And all he does, I...feel, in zome vays. Zo it vasn't...all by chance dat I found you. I...vas dere in some vays for all he did to your brother." Sairex closed his eyes, obviously pained. "I am not a bad person, Inuyazha. I don't claim to be good, but I'm not evil. I do not delight in cruelty and torture and misery, it zickens me. Zo I vas looking for you."Inuyasha frowned. "I'm sorry...""You're da first one to ever rescue zomeone from him. And dere have been many, many... zo I took da chance of contacting you, hoping you'll be da one to defeat him. If I can help in any vay, it benefits me too."

"Got it. Alright, how are we...um...going to do this?"

"I vill try to force dem all to one place vith zome zpiritual magic...it might hurt your brother zome, but less dan da bugs are."

Inuyasha nodded. "Ok, do it."After making sure the room was sealed, Sairex laid his hands on Sesshoumaru's chest and concentrated. There was a bright, sizzling spark a moment later and he winced but didn't pull back. Nothing appeared to happen for a long moment. Then several ripples began wiggling under Sesshoumaru's skin and Inuyasha had to look away or be sick, knowing that every one of them was a flesh-eating bug inside his brother.

"Alright...quickly, quickly. Cut here and get da damn tings out." Inuyasha saw a definite lump and quickly sliced it open with his claw. He did retch then as a swarm of the small pseudo-scarabs scrambled to get away from the searing energy flooding their previous host.

Once they were sure Sesshoumaru was bug-free - or at least as much as they could make him - Sairex slapped a bandage over the wound and sighed, heading around the room and crushing bugs. "Vell, he zhould be fine until da next group hatch. I'll..give your monk back his body and zee about dealing vith Zetsukosei about dis."

"Thanks, Sairex. You're a good friend, y'know that?"The raven flashed him his lopsided grin again. "Kaa, I just be a zelfish old bird. Entirely in dis for me."

"Suuure. Don't...do anything stupid, alright? Don't give that bastard anything important."Sairex nodded. "You vorry too much. I know vhat Zetsukosei vants and vhat I'll need to give him. Relax.""Promise me you don't do something stupid.""I'd say I vasn't prone to doing ztupid tings, but I landed myself in dis situation in da first place." Sairex winked, and Inuyasha knew the bird was gone by the way Miroku's expression shifted and he rubbed his eyes. He immediately looked green.

"Bugs...ugh..."

"Mrr...tricky bird never promised me. ""He's survived this long, I'm sure he'll be fine, Inuyasha."

"Yeah...now we just have to wait for Sesshoumaru to wake up...and I have to explain why he's full of holes and has a headache."
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sairex sighed softly as he strode into the front gate of Tsetsukosei's castle. // Don't do something stupid, indeed. Ah, you old fool, you're getting soft. The poor inu, though... his only crime was being born the son of his father and too beautiful for his own good. The fact that he was so strong and powerful was just icing on the cake. I simply hope I'm not gambling for nothing. //

He made his way to the throne room, ignoring the hisses and growls of dark things in darker corners. His tattered black clothes fluttered around him and the worn soles of his boots made soft noises on the floor. He tossed back some of his numerous braids and braced himself before striding into the throne room.

Tsetsukosei was in his throne and fuming. He didn't look at all pleased, and his growl was low and dangerous when he took note of his former advisor. "Sairex...you DARE come here after all the trouble you've caused me?""Hn..." the raven responded, shutting the doors behind him and sighing. "You know as vell as I do dat I'm stuck by you.""You've been helping the inu...in fact, I'm sure that you helped them escape!" "Yes."

Tsetsukosei growled. "And you so boldly admit it?""Vhy bother to lie? You know better anyvays. I told you I vould do all I could to thwart you, and zo I am."

"So what brings you here now then?""Your zpores hatched."Tsetsukosei smirked darkly. "Ah. I take it you told them their options."Sairex shrugged. "Dey vould rather cut him open every few days to remove dem dan ever give him back to you, Zetsukosei. I'm glad."

Tsetsukosei growled. "Hn. The inu will be in near constant anguish, then."Sairex turned his back to the draconic beast. He couldn't look at him. "Give me da cure, Zetsukosei."

"And what, pray, do you have to offer me that might POSSIBLY persuade me to do such a thing? There is still the chance that this may force them to return."Sairex closed his eyes and slowly began disrobing. Tsetsukosei watched as the raven dropped his shirt to the floor, his eyes feasting on the slender form. Several dark, swirling tattoos covered his pale skin - most of them mystical or tribal in nature. The raven's voice was quiet when he finally made his offer.

"I vill take Zezzhoumaru's place."

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A/N - >> Does that count as something stupid? >> LOL.... And just to clarify, because someone asked me on one of my lists... Sairex's accent is not like anything on earth, but if you had to piece it together....think the bastard child of a Jamaican and Transylvanian accent. Like....Bella Lugosi vampire. I vant to zuck your blood, ya mon!" XD