InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter Thirty: Confrontations ( Chapter 30 )

Chapter Thirty

A/N: It's funny, I never dreamed this story would go on this long and still have so much left to write. I have to resolve the Yukiho issue, explore Naraku's involvement in this little plot, and see where Takara and Sesshoumaru are going. (Will he try to establish a relationship or will he let her remain just his niece?) Actually, I have the answers in mind already. I just need to write them out and add the details. As I have said before, sometimes I wonder if I am writing this story or if it is writing itself. Anyway, enough of my meandering, it is time to get down to business. Thank you for the reviews. They aren't necessary for me to write but they do feed my ego. And, I have a greeting to make. Hello, Jasmine. I really do work with your aunt and I am pleased that you are enjoying my stories. One of my daughters went to NEMS last year and is at NSHS this year. Makes me feel old. Anyway, I don't own Inuyasha or his friends. Yukiho, Daremo, Takara, Inutaro, Lord Genki, and Lady Mariko are all mine, but I give you permission to use them, if you like them. And now, "Lay on, McDuff! And cursed be he who first cries, 'Hold! Enough!'"

When Sesshoumaru stepped from the shadows, Kagome came from behind him. She had heard Inuyasha's reply to Inutaro and her heart bled for him. "Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stiffened at her voice. "Kagome." He bowd his head, as if he had a great burden on it. "Look, with what we've found out, maybe it would be best if you...."

"Don't!" Kagome interrupted. "If you tell me that you think I should find someone else, I swear I'll say 'it' until you're three feet deep! I have waited and wanted you for too long to let what someone did to you keep us apart."

"Kagome." Inuyasha looked down at his body in revulsion. "She did ... things ... to me, with me. How can you want to touch me after that?"

Kagome crossed the distance between them and threw herself into his arms. "Like this!" She kissed his cheek, very softly. "I have held you when I didn't know about this. You are no different now that I do. Inuyasha." She gently took his chin in her hand and turned his face to hers so that she could look him in the eyes. "You didn't do this. Yukiho did. I will help you through this. And, believe me, I don't think that you are soiled. You are still my beautiful hanyou and nothing can ever change that!" She leaned in and sealed her words with a gentle kiss.

When the kiss broke, Inuyasha started to speak but he was interrupted by the clash of swords. He thrust Kagome behind him and reached for Tessaiga as he spun to see Sesshoumaru and Inutaro glaring at each other over drawn blades.

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Inutaro had acted instinctively to the threat against his mother that had been made by this strange demon. "I don't know who you are." he grated, "But you will not harm my mother!" He laid a hand on his sword hilt.

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow to the hanyou. "You can not stop me from doing what needs to be done."

"Wanna bet." Inutaro drew his sword and slashed at Seshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru easily leapt away from the attack and looked at the hanyou, impassively. Apparently, this was Inuyasha's newly discovered son. Sesshoumaru had no qualms about killing the hanyou, however, since he and Inuyasha had worked out a truce, he did not think that killing Inutaro would be the best way to maintain it. Still, this impudent young fool needed to be put in his place. One did not attack the demon lord of the western lands with impunity! As Inuyaro sprang at him with another slashing attack, Sesshoumaru drew Tokijin with blinding speed to parry the blow. He expected to end the fight with that move since Tokijin would cleave Inutaro's blade into, and that would force the hanyou to withdraw. Instead, there was a loud clash as the blades met and Inutaro's proved to be strong enough to take Tokijin's blow. Immediately, the two separated and measured each other over their swords.

Inuyasha leaped between them. "Are you two out of your minds? What is going on here?"

"Stay out of this, brother." Sesshoumaru stated, coldly. "He attacked me and I will not tolerate such insolence."

At the same time, Inutaro was saying, "Stay out of this, father! He threatened to kill my mother!"

Inuyasha growled and drew Tessaiga. "That's enough out of both of you!" Before he could order them to return their swords to their sheaths, he was taken by surprise by Tessaiga. It pulsed. Hard.

Sesshoumaru looked to his hip where the Tensaiga was. It had pulsed.

"What the?" Inutaro nearly dropped his sword in shock when his pulsed. "My sword has never done that before!"

Sesshoumaru eyed him, narrowly and sheathed Tokijin. Slowly he drew Tensaiga. The three swords began pulsing in unison.

"Okay." Inutaro was getting a wild eyed look. "I am getting a little spooked here. What is going on?"

"Our swords...." began Inuyasha.

"Yes." answered Sesshoumaru. "They are reacting to each others presence."

"Then that means Inutaro's sword...."

"Must have been forged by Totosai from one of father's fangs." Sesshoumaru glared at his nephew. "Where did you get that sword?" he demanded.

"It was given to me by Lord Genki. He said that it had belonged to his grandfather."

"That explains it, then." came a voice from Inuyasha's neck.

"Myouga!" exclaimed Inuyasha. "What do you know about this?"

"It is quite simple, really." answered the flea demon. "Your father had a special sword forged for your grandfather. He presented it to him as a wedding present from the groom to the father of the bride. It was made by Totosai from one of his claws, instead of his fangs. It is exceptionally powerful against demons but has no other hidden powers. It is called Jajjimentotsume, 'The claw of judgement'."

"Lord Genki told me that the sword was special. He said that his grandfather had been given it so that he could protect the family from demons."

"That sounds like father." stated Sesshoumaru. "Always thinking of humans." His distaste registered in his voice.

"You don't like humans very much, do you?" asked Inutaro.

Inuyasha snorted. "That's an understatement. The only one he has ever tolerated for very long has been that little girl that tags along with him."

"Rin is my concern, brother, not yours." Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to Inutaro, who was regarding him thoughtfully. He returned the Tensaiga to its sheath and drew Tokijin once again. "We have unfinished business."

"I'm not going to let you kill him, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha stepped in front of Inutaro. "Like it or not, he is my son."

"Do not concern yourself, Inuyasha. It is not my intent to kill him, at this time. However, he did attack me and none may do that with impunity. He must be shown his place and you have no business interfering."

Inuyasha looked back over his shoulder at Inutaro. "Is that true? Did you attack him?"

"He threatened to kill mother!" Inutaro replied. "I cannot allow him to do so."

Inuyasha stepped from between them with a sigh. "Remember, Sesshoumaru. You said you wouldn't kill him."

"Inuyasha! What are you doing?"

"Look, Kagome, I don't expect you to understand this but it is Sesshoumaru's right to defend himself. And as demon lord, he cannot allow an attack to go unanswered. It might show weakness to his enemies."

"But, he is fighting your son!"

"He said he wouldn't kill him!"

"You have got to stop this!"

"No he does not, little miko." Sesshoumaru never took his eyes off of Inutaro as he searched for a weakness in his nephew's defense. "My authority as lord and as pack leader have been challenged. This is between this hanyou and myself." Sesshoumaru suddenly lunged at Inutaro in a sweeping slash that the hanyou was barely able to block. Inutaro backflipped away from the blow and then launched a counter attack. Sesshoumaru parried the blow with ease and returned to an on guard position. Inutaro did the same.

"You are Inuyasha's brother, the inu-youkai Lord, Sesshoumaru?" asked Inutaro.

Sesshoumaru merely nodded in return.

"Then, you are my uncle."

"That fact is an accident of fate. Had your mother not done what she did, you would not exist." Sesshoumaru suddenly leaped into the air and brought Tokijin down in a hard, overhand swing. Inutaro blocked the blow, but the force behind it knocked him to one knee. This scene held for a moment until Inutaro was able to push Sesshoumaru away with his sword. Panting with exertion, Inutaro managed to surprise Sesshoumaru with burst of energy, coming at the demon lord with a flurry of sword strokes. Sesshoumaru deflected them all, but not without some difficulty. Again, they disengaged and regarded each other over their swords.

"You have an interesting technique. You are a better swordsman than your father." Sesshoumaru's face hardened. "You will lose, though."

"Thank you for the compliment, Lord Sesshoumaru. But, the fight isn't over yet."

"Yes, it is." With that statement, Sesshoumaru attacked with greater speed than any of his earlier attacks. Inutaro could barely make out his form as he came in as a blur. Only his training and his instincts allowed him to block the attacks that seemed to come at him from all sides. Pain shot through his sword arm as Sesshoumaru finally penetrated his defenses and cut his forearm. He dropped his sword and found himelf on his back with the point of Tokijin under his chin. "You fight well, for a hanyou." Sesshoumaru brought the tip of Tokijin up under the point of Inutaro's chin. He applied just enough pressure to break the skin and bring blood. "I am letting you live because I have no wish to fight Inuyasha at this time. Do not mistake this as weakness. If you attack me again, I will kill you." This said, he returned Tokijin to its sheath and stepped back. Kagome rushed forward and put a hand on Inutaro's chest.

"You will lie still while I look at that cut." She gently took hold of his arm and looked over the cut that Sesshoumaru had made. "I need my first aid kit." she fussed. She reached down to her torn kimono and tore off a strip from the hem. She then bound Inutaro's wound. "This will have to do until I get to my supplies." She stood and offered Inutaro her hand to help him up. He waved her off and stood on his own.

"Thank you for the offer, but I am fine."

groan "Like father, like son." She turned to glare at Inuyasha. "He is as bad as you are."

Inuyasha grinned at her. "That just means he is a good fighter."

"Ooohhhh! Men!"

That statement actually brought a hint of a smile to Sesshoumaru's lips that the others couldn't see since he had his back to them. He stiffened as the breeze brought a scent to his nose. Takara appeared in the shadows and stepped into the clearing. The first thing she saw was Sesshoumaru. Her breath quickened as she looked at the tall demon lord. Then she saw Kagome fussing over Inutaro's arm as she adjusted the makeshift bandage that she had put on it. "Inutaro!" she cried out and ran to her brother's side. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'll live." He actually chuckled. "It could have gone a lot worse." He indicated Sesshoumaru with his wounded arm. "He could have killed me, but my uncle decided to teach me a lesson in attacking before knowing all that I should."

Sesshoumaru wheeled on Inutaro. "Do not be so quick to lay claims of kinship to me, hanyou. My brother may well be your father, but that does not excuse that you are a product of a revolting act perpetrated by your mother. Your existence is an affront to my families honor. Be grateful that I don't execute you with that vile woman."

Inutaro paled at these words and actually began to reach for Jajjimentotsume. Takara put a restraining hand on him. "Let me talk to him." Takara turned to face Sesshoumaru. "My lord, I wish to speak to you, in private."

A/N: Okay. This looks like a good place to end this for now. See ya as soon as I can get time to write more.