InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Shinju (Part III): Loss of the Demon Soul ❯ The Passing of the Shinju ( Chapter 7 )

Chapter Seven

The Passing of the Shinju

Sesshoumaru was eating dinner alone. His father had again left to check over the lands and would return at nightfall. Sesshoumaru walked outside and began to look around. He caught a familiar scent and rushed towards it. In the field he saw Sakura. He watched her for a moment, knowing that he couldn't approach her, and then turned away. So many times he had watched her. He so desperately wanted to go to her and again be near his friend. But every time he was around her, he could smell fear. The smell nearly drove him insane.

He would never do anything to harm her. What he had done, he had done to protect her. That day again played through his mind. When he went to her she had trusted him. He had gotten it over quickly and though she had not been willing, he took care to be gentle. After, he cried and he told her what had happened. She sat there with him, telling him that she forgave him for what he had done. But he could see it in her eyes, there was fear. When he left that day, he no longer held her trust.

He slowly walked back home, sadness had washed over him. When he returned his father was waiting for him. "Tonight you will receive the shinju and accept your birthright." His father stated in a cold tone, and left him.

The next morning when Sesshoumaru awoke, he felt different. He sat up and was immediately taken over by rage. He could smell his father and hate boiled in him. He left his home and again took to the fields.

Today Sesshoumaru could smell humans everywhere. The stench made him wince and he became disgusted. His claws began to itch and he desired to kill something. He stopped himself, wondering what caused him to feel this way but ignored it. Today the only thing he could think about was his mother and Sakura. One had been killed by humans; the other had been driven from him by his father. Sesshoumaru would never forgive either.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome woke and looked at Sesshoumaru, who was still asleep. Her mind reeled. The shinju was supposed to cause the demons to want to protect humans. Kagome had watched Sesshoumaru go to sleep the on the eve of his sixteenth birthday and wake a new person. When he received the tarnished shinju, it nearly destroyed the demon that he had been. She could instantly see the cold hard look in his eyes that he held for so long. There was an immense hate there, though she understood what fueled it.

The thought that the shinju could hold such a power in its tarnished state shocked her. Then when giving it more thought, she didn't understand why he had become so nice to her when they had traveled together. He had still held the shinju. She sat contemplating this while the others slept. Maybe he was being controlled the whole time. He had been the one to help her train her powers, which Hitomi desired to have. But how could Hitomi hold such power over him? The thoughts were running through her mind, confusing her. Surely a mere demoness couldn't have more power than the shinju.

She again looked to Sesshoumaru, he looked angry. She wanted to wake him but thought better of it. Though he was human, he was still Sesshoumaru. She looked towards InuYasha. He was awake watching her. She blushed and smiled at him.

"Why are you starin' at him?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"I was just in his dream. Hitomi is sending him images of the time he received the shinju. Before he held it, he was a different person. He changed the moment the tarnished shinju was given to him."

She looked sad, knowing that at one time Sesshoumaru held more than just hate in him. Her thoughts then moved to Rin. What was it about the girl that had gotten to him? How had a human child been able to overpower the shinju and make him care for her?

It was almost as if his true soul had still been trying to break free. Perhaps it was the same with her self. Kagome had honestly cared for him and wanted to help him in a time of need. She comforted him when he relieved horrible memories. Then her thoughts moved to the shinju itself. Perhaps the gem wanted to be purified and was desperately trying to make him love humans so it could again hold its rightful place.

Kagome was growing confused, not knowing what to think anymore. Hopefully, Toshi could help them better understand what had caused the shinju to be tarnished in the first place, and find out how they could again purify it. Of course, they would have to find Naraku first and Kagome would again be forced to face him. Something she was not at all looking forward to at all. She moved to lie down, now needing to get sleep. She again glanced at Sesshoumaru. Hitomi was still here, she could feel her. She then looked to InuYasha who had his eyes closed. She sighed and closed her own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru stood rigid in the doorway of his home. Since the day he received the shinju, his father had changed. He spent time in the village and was even taking to consorting with humans. Sesshoumaru watched with narrow eyes as his father came back home smiling.

`Pathetic' he thought to himself as he watched him. His father met his eyes and a brief and look of worry passed over him before he went on his way. Sesshoumaru watched as his father walked away. Someday he would have revenge on his father, though he would wait until the time was right.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango woke and went to Miroku's side. The children were all fast asleep and she had no one to talk to. She sat beside him and again took his hand. "Miroku, please wake up. I need you here." Sango felt tears come to her eyes as she looked at him. Memories of him began to wash over her. He had protected her many times as she had him. His soft voice played in her mind. Finally she reached over and kissed him softly on the cheek. "Miroku, you have to come back to me." Again she felt her tears and she sat back and continued to hold his hand.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru had now taken to watching over the lands himself. His father spent too much of his time on trivial matters and didn't rule as he should. Sesshoumaru was sitting alone in the house when he heard his father's voice. He also smelled something that perked his interests, a human. He went to the door and found his father standing outside with a human female. They both looked happy and his father held her tightly to him.

Lord Inutaisho turned when he saw his son coming outside and he pulled the woman closer to him. He told his son that the human female was his new mate. Sesshoumaru looked from his father to the human and felt a huge surge of anger rush through him. How dare his father claim a human as a mate? When he had merely caught Sesshoumaru speaking to a human female, his father slaughtered the woman, and had forced him to do unspeakable things to his best friend as punishment.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the woman. She held a soft look and watched him closely. For a brief second, he could see similarities to his own mother. She had the same loving look in her eyes, which said she didn't care about the differences between humans and demons. He quickly hardened himself against her. She would not replace his mother, she was merely a human. He then looked back to his father, again filled with hate. One day he would he would pay dearly.