InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tears of the Blade ❯ Arimasen Fuyu ( Chapter 1 )

 

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters of InuYasha because frankly if I did Kouga would get more time center stage. InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and I promise not to scuff him up *too* badly.

 

 

Author's Opening Note: This is a fiction in five chapters, a personal challenge to myself to see if I could complete a full well rounded fic in that small number. I will be doing more than one like that if it works out.

 

 

 

Chapter One: Arimasen Fuyu, or There is Not Winter

 

 

 

The sound was eerie and beautiful as well as haunting, echoing before each wave of it as the brothers fought. This fight was not like the others that had come before in that Sesshoumaru's focus seemed to have shifted from simply taking the sword made from their father's fang from his half-brother towards the purpose of destroying it instead. If it were any other than Sesshoumaru they might have thought he was doing it as a simple matter of a fit of pique, a way of expressing the childish sentiment of `If I can't have it, neither can you.' But this was Sesshoumaru and it was in doubt if he had ever had a moment of childish behavior allowed in his life.

 

 

 

The musical ring came forth again as the borrowed dragon's arm struck the blade again and it was Sango's voice that came soft, almost awed afterwards.

 

 

 

“It's Tessaiga. Can't you hear it, its crying.”

 

 

 

What was most unusual was that none of them saw fit to question this because her words rang true as that mournful tone came again, the resonance seeming to dance through InuYasha's chest as he fought his much more powerful older brother and the next strike he blocked with his own flesh. Kagome forgot how to breathe when that happened until a great whoop brought air into her starving lungs and she swayed dizzily. She was so scared and she saw that the next strike had near blinded him, the drizzle of Sesshoumaru's poison harming him despite what small amount had actually touched his flesh.

 

 

 

She bit her lip so hard that it bled and her fear nearly colored the air around her surely as it did her very scent. Yet it was not fear for herself but for him as she knew as well as the rest of them what would happen if InuYasha did not have Tessaiga. There simply had to be a way for him to once more overcome Sesshoumaru, Kagome's faith in InuYasha would not allow her to consciously think otherwise though the scent of her fear told the truth that she was afraid that way to win would have far too dear a cost. She bit her lower lip so hard that she could taste blood and she wiped it away on the back of her hand as the wind picked up in the clearing, blowing her hair forward over her face before continuing on to wash over the demon-blooded as they fought.

 

 

 

There was a moment then when the cry of the sword changed, no longer haunting, hurt, saddened by the strikes of the claw of the dragon. There was that moment when the cry became a pulse of rage and while InuYasha tried to clear his blurred vision that pulse seemed to light up his other senses in an inferno of power. He could smell it then, he could smell the Scar of the Wind where Sesshoumaru's aura flowed. He then cut that scar and unleashed what he had been told was the ultimate technique of power for his heirloom sword upon his only living relative. He felt a moment's pain at this which surprised him but not as much as the relief that came into his heart when he realized that Sesshoumaru had not been vaporized by the attack.

 

 

 

He had felt that outrush of demonic power and later he knew that Kagome had seen the glow that happened at the same time. Tenseiga had saved its master despite Sesshoumaru's low opinion of it, but that did not bother InuYasha as it should have. All he felt inside was relief that he had not been the one to slay his brother and he felt a strange sense that Tessaiga approved of this. He became aware of something else as Kagome knelt before him to carefully tend the acid burns on his face despite his protests that he was fine and would heal. There was a contented hum coming from his sword at a level too low or too high for humans to hear but with his demon blood he heard it just fine.

 

 

 

It had done this before but he had truly never paid it much attention though now he began to wonder about it. As his vision cleared he also surreptitiously let those golden eyes of his roam over Kagome. He had smelled blood on her as she drew near though he could not see any wounds on her until she spoke and drew his gaze to her mouth. He knew what she'd done then and felt a momentary spike of sorrow about it which was odd. He should feel angry that she'd injure herself worrying about him like he wouldn't win against his stupid older brother, he should feel angry but he didn't. He felt sorrow that she would worry and warmth as well because he knew she cared. A chill came over him then as he wondered something else.

 

 

 

That pulse that had fired his demon blood had come after a faint tendril of Kagome's scent laced with fear and blood moved over him with the advancing breeze. It had caused a fear to spike in his heart because he'd known that he could not look away from Sesshoumaru to take care of her and he had to trust that Miroku and Sango could keep her safe until he could get there. But Miroku and Sango were not the ones that had said they would protect her. By now as well he had noticed a few other things about Kagome's nearness and his own abilities in a fight, he wasn't nearly as stupid as many people thought he was. InuYasha might be rough but he was not stupid, even when he acted dense to get them to leave him alone with his thoughts.

 

 

 

His clawed hand tightened around the sheath of his sword now as Kagome moved back and they spoke about what had happened. There was a bit of pride in her voice because she realized that he had indeed figured out how to use the Wind Scar despite it being in unorthodox fashion and he liked that pride being there when it was about him. Later, much later, he would believe that was the night it started though even looking back he doubted that he could have changed what would happen. After all he'd gotten used to not being alone and he knew that he needed Kagome at his side and without Tessaiga there was no reigning in his demon blood.

 

 

 

However as with many things that were of demonic origin while Tessaiga was not hostile to him and kept his companions safe after countless trials and attacks he was beginning to understand that it had a will of its own. In a way this exhilarated him as it was a sword made from the very fang of his Father and for awhile he thought of it as having his Father with him. But there were moments in which he wondered if some of the things he was able to do in battle were his will or Tessaiga's especially when it came to protecting Kagome. The line became even more blurred as time went on and a lesser demon or man might have been content to let it go or ignore it but InuYasha could not.

 

 

 

There were times in which he could not tell where he ended and Tessaiga began and he knew one thing. While he cared for Kagome deeply, more than he might ever admit to her in words over actions, Tessaiga loved the priestess from the future and the thought unsettled InuYasha greatly. How could he be jealous over an inanimate object or what feelings it might or might not have? Many were the times where he would be up ahead of the rest of the group to scout for upcoming trouble and part of his mind would be turning over the information his senses gathered, part would be going over what he could have done better in the last encounter with an enemy, and the rest was thinking over his problem with Kagome.

 

 

 

But was it really a problem with her or within himself in that he was so wrapped up in his guilt of the past that he could not find his way clear to setting his future straight? For if InuYasha had a future it lay with Kagome at his side, one way or another. His Inu-demon side would allow for nothing less as long ago at least that portion of his being had claimed her as his and would do anything to protect her. Including continuing to seek out the source of his continued guilt in the resurrected Kikyou because she always seemed to have some tidbit about Naraku to hold over his head and if he knew where she was moving it was easier to keep her away from Kagome. The demon part of him hated the dead priestess because it knew without a doubt that if there was a way for Kikyou to kill Kagome and lay claim to her entire soul that she would do it.

 

 

 

That she had not killed Kagome yet spoke more to the fact that she was unsure if she would be able to have one of her Shinidimachu take the released soul than any sort of positive change in her attitude towards himself or Kagome. As much as his demon hated her he had some strange pity as well because she was sad and cold and seeing her hurt his human heart. She had not deserved to die as she had though he could not change that now, and he would do what he could to gain her revenge on Naraku. He still held love for her and most likely always would as she was his first love and that love always remains no matter how horrible the outcome.

 

 

 

But she as she was made him an oath breaker and laid a mark on his honor for he had made another promise to her that he had absolutely no intention of keeping. Even Kagome knew the truth of it, that first time when he held her in his arms and felt such sorrow and love for what had been she had bespelled him without remorse and tricked him into promising her that he would go to the underworld with her. The guilt might have been enough to let his human bow to her wishes but his demon would fight to survive with all he had. Such disparity in his mind had caused him untold problems save for one overriding instinct and truth.

 

 

 

His guilt was not strong enough to overcome his love. It was his love and not to be confused for what he knew was coming from his link with Tessaiga. He had someone now that he would die to protect and not find his life wasted in the doing of it, someone who trusted him no matter what happened. Even when he wasn't sure he could trust himself she was there at his side to save him with her unswerving faith. He would not fail her as he felt that he had Kikyou with his uncertainty and lack of trust, that lack being their ultimate downfall as much as Naraku himself had been.

 

 

 

If he could just figure out what was going on with Tessaiga and Kagome he could be content with things as they were. She had no idea what was going on and he had no answers to give if she suddenly were to somehow realize what was bothering him. He wondered if he should ask Sango about this, after all the taijiya wielded a weapon made of demon-bone as well, her Hiraikotsu was definitely something extraordinary though he didn't know if it spoke to her the way that Tessaiga did him. Well, spoke wasn't the right way to think of it, more like intuition of thoughts and desires but either way he wasn't sure if she would even know about what he could do.

 

 

 

But as the season unfolded he wondered if even Sango would understand it as he grew certain that she had no idea of the full potential of devotion her own weapon held for her. It occupied his thoughts through the first two weeks that he kept them near Kaede's village as he felt it was too cold for Kagome to be following after him exposed to the elements as she was in her school uniform. In his heart he also felt that she and his other friends needed the break from the relentless pursuit of the Jewel Shards they had joined him on, and since Naraku was being almost cooperatively quiet he saw no need to deny them the rest though he griped aloud at the `delay' often enough to keep his hard-headed and thoughtless cover intact.

 

 

 

But even he could not help but be touched watching Kagome play with Shippou in the snow, teaching him the games of her time and he'd had to hide his laughter when they had made a snowman that strongly resembled him. He had pretended to be offended at the rather disproportionate creation but in his heart he'd been touched that either of them cared about him enough to do it even in jest. It was a much larger gift than even what Kagome would bring him for the celebration of Christmas because he knew without a doubt even if she never spoke the words aloud that she loved him. He could be content with that, for the rest of the winter and it seemed that this year was the mildest he could remember in his long life, but perhaps that was because this year he was warm inside where there had only been coldness and loneliness before.

 

 

 

InuYasha knew then that with Kagome at his side, there would be no Winter anymore for his heart, and he only wished he could express that to her with the sort of words she deserved, but all he could give her was the sincerity of his actions, the might of his arm to protect her body and the ardent desire of his heart to see her safe. If he could only find a way to cease her tears while he figured out the mess he had to untangle with Kikyou he would, but until that was settled things would simply have to be what they were.

 

 

 

 

Word Notes:

Shinidimachu = Soul Collectors