InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride (In the Name of Love) ❯ Chapter 51

Pride (In the Name of Love) 51 / ??
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.

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// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - This chapter is a bit on the short side, and I apologize. I'm a lil stressed, waiting to hear the results of my father's surgery and whatnot, and figured a short chapter was better than none at all. ^^
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Two smoky, vicious crimson flames sprang to life in empty black sockets. Tsetsukosei slowly turned his head and peered at the raven demoness standing before him, baring his thousands of teeth in a hideous snarl. When she spoke, it was in the native tongue of her clan, one the dracolich had learned countless years ago.

"Ah, good, you live again."

Tsetsukosei let out a rumbling growl before his grating, raspy voice clawed its way from his dead throat. "You smell of Sairexannaras. Did you dare touch my mate, little bird?""I did far more than touch him, Tsetsukosei."

The dracolich laughed, a terrible noise. "I hope it was worth the price, to slake your lusts upon death incarnate. There are things the Kinslayer is known for, and one of them is not mercy. Not to your kind."

"Kaa...he will have to find me first."

Tsetsukosei laughed harder, although he was inwardly growing angry. He could not move from the neck down. "Foolish little bird. You should have taken your chances with another raven demon. There are other clans. If your offspring was not bred true, you could have tried again. But like all your kind, your greed will be your undoing."

"Hn. I am no weak fledgling, dracolich. My power is enough to hold you bound. Let us speak of you for now. Your soul is bound to a phylactery in the possession of Jormandar, ranking Highlord of the Black Circle."Tsetsukosei released a horrible growl. To think he would have to bow to the command of that simpering, twisted trickster! "Ah. And for your assistance in recalling me to my body...which I will admit you did a wonderful job of restoring...Jormandar gave you some way to get to my mate.""Sairexannaras is your mate no longer, Tsetsukosei, if he ever was. He is...was...mated to a human."

"He is mine!" the beast roared in anger.

"He does not bear your mark."

Tsetsukosei growled viciously. "It is impossible to mark that slithery wretch...what do you mean WAS mated to a human?"

"I killed him."

The dracolich smirked. "So as to REALLY sign your death warrant...?"
"Hn. We shall see. I am not weak. I have absorbed the power of countless youkai."

"Sairexannaras absorbed the power of your entire damn clan."

Karalichala narrowed her eyes. "I tire of you, dragon. Your Master Jormandar will see you soon." The raven demoness vanished as abruptly as if she had never been present.

"Foolish little bird. I will revel in your death," Tsetsukosei hissed. // And the death of that wretched Jormandar...he dares think to command me? I shall deal with him in due time. For now I must be patient... //

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

Toga smiled and leaned casually against the wall, hefting the wooden practice sword. He had no doubt Sesshoumaru would have happily dueled him with real blades, but his pup was still at least acting under the pretense of this being a training session of sorts for Rin's benefit.

"Almost ready, Fluffy?" he asked casually.

Sesshoumaru whirled with a growl, his eyes sparking in incandescent ire at the unwelcome nickname. With a silent leap, he attacked.

Toga grinned and met his pup halfway. He knew there was absolutely no chance of Rin gaining any practical knowledge from their display - indeed, the girl was barely able to follow their movements which she was staring at wide-eyed - but that didn't mean he wasn't going to give at least as good as he got.

"Fluffy, am I? I will show you exactly how FLUFFY this Sesshoumaru is!" he growled. The practice swords beat a rapid-fire, staccato beat against each other, connecting so quickly as to almost sound like one long note. Sesshoumaru's mokomoko abruptly lashed forward, joining the fight.

Toga's grin had turned a bit more feral with the delight of the battle, the rush of adrenaline. He noticed with some curiosity that his pup did not often use his free arm as an additional weapon - an advantage he would exploit, even if he did not understand. It left him an opening.

Sesshoumaru fought a bit more defensively than he recalled teaching him long ago, now that he thought about it.

// Compensating for something... this will bear investigation. For now, however... // Toga carefully measured Sesshoumaru's attacks. His pup was good, so very good. His style constantly shifted so his patterns were not too repetitive, too predictable. He compensated for every tiny twitch of difference his father made in his strikes, and was terribly accurate at predicting and even jumping a step ahead of the next incoming blow.

Toga lashed in abruptly, slipping into the minute crack in Sesshoumaru's defenses and smacking the practice blade hard into his pup's ribs. Sesshoumaru leapt backwards as the breath flew out of him, an irate growl rattling in his throat.

"You unconsciously handicap yourself, my Sesshoumaru. Why?" Toga asked, casually twirling his sword in his fingers.

"I do not know...of what you speak," Sesshoumaru wheezed. That had hurt.

"You are compensating for an injury I cannot detect. Are you wounded, my Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru scowled as realization hit him. "I...only recently regained my arm."

Toga blinked, surprised, and slowly lowered his blade. "You lost your arm? How?"

"Inuyasha...cut it off when we were battling." Sesshoumaru admitted with a deep frown. He could read the unspoken 'continue' command in his father's gaze but was reluctant to speak.

"I would know why my sons were battling so viciously." Toga's tone was tight and clipped, angry and absolutely something Sesshoumaru would not ignore nor argue with.

"I was...a fool." Sesshoumaru sighed and bowed his head, closing his eyes. "Your death affected me greatly. In my anguish, I irrationally blamed it on my brother, that I might put a face to my rage...have something tangible to fight instead of accepting it. I was prideful and arrogant. I learned of the Tetsusaiga and I...coveted it. I was jealous. I attacked my brother with intent to destroy him. He surprised me and took my arm off, and very nearly killed me with your own fang. Tenseiga protected me and I escaped. I very nearly died and was incapacitated for a long while. Soon after I met Rin."

Rin gasped in surprise as she listened to this story - it was one she had not heard. Toga was looking at Sesshoumaru, his face devoid of expression. Sesshoumaru cringed inwardly and tried very hard not to do so outwardly as well. It was a long while before Toga spoke. He walked over to stand in front of Sesshoumaru and gently placed his fingers under the younger inu's chin, lifting his gaze to meet his own.

"My Sesshoumaru...know you that I love both you and your brother deeply. I did not bequeath the Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha because I favored him, but because he needed it. Just as you needed the Tenseiga."Sesshoumaru frowned deeply. "I know this...my Lord Father, please forgive your son. I have been a fool and disgraced you."

"You made some mistakes and were distraught. You are young. But never, my Sesshoumaru, have you or will you disgrace me in any way. You have learned from your mistakes and will not repeat them. You grieve that you made them in the first place. But never, ever are you a disgrace, my precious Sesshoumaru. I could not be more proud of you."

Sesshoumaru flushed slightly, his eyes slipping over to eye Rin after a moment. She had her hands clasped together and was staring at the two of them with a definite AWWWW expression. Sesshoumaru could have sworn he saw little hearts popping up around her. Toga's own eyes followed the direction of his pup's and he smirked.

"Have you learned any valuable lessons yet today, Lady Rin?"Rin blinked. "I...Rin tried to learn but you were moving really fast. Are you going to kiss Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Should I?" Toga smiled innocently. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened and he attempted to move, finding himself abruptly caught around the waist.

"Y...you can't, not in front of her..."

However, Rin was nodding enthusiastically and absolutely beaming. Before Sesshoumaru could protest he abruptly found himself swept backwards off his feet dramatically. Toga flashed him a grin and then leaned in to give him a rather chaste but lingering kiss. Sesshoumaru was trying to find the willpower to glare to show his displeasure at his father ignoring his wishes in regard to his ward and public displays...but as usual, he could not.

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

Shippo crept cautiously through the rafters in the kitchen. He had decided that Inuyasha would be his first victim. He just had to figure out what the cooks were preparing for dinner and which was Inuyasha's meal. The hanyou had a different diet than either Miroku or the demons he tended to dine with.

The servants bustled about underneath him, hurrying to make sure everything was prepared properly. Shippo eyed the food carefully, finally determining which meal was Inuyasha's. He slid stealthily along a wide beam, wondering how he would deliver his devious little potion.

He was completely unprepared for his tail to snag on a loose nail. Shippo barely bit back a yelp as his body jerked to a halt and he crashed onto his side. One of his three vials went skittering along the length of a beam to smash on the floor below. Another broke underneath him from the force of his unexpected landing. The third remained tightly in his grasp. However, the servants were aware of his presence now and began shouting angrily.

The kitsune decided it was time to cut his losses and took off at a dead run, neatly evading the irritated servants.

Behind him, a small pool of purply-blue liquid dribbled off the rafter from where he had landed, vanishing as it landed in the bubbling pot below.