InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Difference a Little Time Can Make ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. I am not making any money from this story.

 

Author's note: As I said previously, the updates will likely begin to slow down a bit. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed. Please continue to review and let me know what you think. The changes from canon will continue to ripple out, though some things will remain the same.

 

This chapter will largely follow canon, aside from some minor changes.

 

I know: Two chapters in one day. But since this largely followed canon it was very easy to write, I just had to consult my books. To anyone who is curious, I am using a mix of both the manga and anime. I rely more heavily on the manga but if something from the anime seems to fit better then that is what I use.

 

 

Previously

 

'Brother? What is going on?' Kagome thought as she looked between the two. She had to admit that she could see something of a resemblance but wondered at the apparent hostility. She had a bad feeling that this family reunion was going to be anything but happy.

 

 

“Inuyasha, what's going on? Why did he call you his brother?” Kagome was feeling overwhelmed.

 

Her questions reminded Inuyasha of her presence and he moved to shield her. “Because he is. He's my half brother by my father. Stay close wench. Sesshomaru is dangerous, he's not like the other youkai you've faced.”

 

His words and actions drew Sesshomaru's attention. “Hmm. A mortal woman, and a miko at that. How interesting.”

 

Inuyasha bristled. “What of it?”

 

“Others would be shamed little brother, but I find that a girl like that suits you. You with your mortal wretch of a mother, you are finally associating on your own level at last. I wonder though if your years spent sealed to a tree have addled your brain that you would willingy associate with a miko. Or are both of you traitors to your own kinds?” He waved his hand dismissively at Inuyasha's growl. “No matter. Tell me how to find our father's grave.”

 

“So you're the one? Why ask me? I haven't got a clue and I couldn't care less!” Inuyasha shot back.

 

“Seeing yet never seen. Protected yet never known to it's protector.” Sesshomaru said. “No other clues are known.”

 

“Keh. I've got no idea what you're talking about.” Inuyasha smirked. “Besides, even if I did know, there's no way I'd tell a bastard like you.”

 

“I see” Sesshomaru said. “Then I shall just have to let your mother's suffering convince you.” He produced a whip and struck the enormous creature, causing it to tighten it's grip on the woman in it's hand.

 

Inuyasha tensed at her pain-filled cries. Behind him Kagome cried “Inuyasha!” and clutched at his arm when he made no other movement.

 

He reached to place one of his hands over her own are his arm before turning to face Sesshomaru. “Keh! Like that trick's gonna work on me. You and I both know that my mother died years ago.”

 

The little toad-imp spoke up suddenly. “Fool. Something like bringing a soul back from the afterlife is a simple task for one such as Sesshomaru-sama! He was even so kind as to provide her with a flesh and blood body. And yet her own son denies her. How sad it must be to be the mother to one such as you.”

 

Inuyasha raised his eyes to look at the woman again. She stretched her arm out toward him and cried “Inuyasha!” as the youkai tightened it's grip once more.

 

“Th-then it's not a trick? Mother!” he cried as he leaped at the youkai. “Sankon Tessou!” He slashed his claws and severed the creature's arm, causing her to fall and land next to Kagome who quickly checked her over.

 

“Kagome, get yourself and her out of here!” he ordered as he turned to face his brother again.

 

Kagome was leaning down to help the woman to her feet when she cried out. “Inuyasha!” Kagome turned and saw the creature moving to crush them with it's remaining arm and gave a cry of her own as she saw Inuyasha leap to take the blow himself.

 

Suddenly Inuyasha's mother moved, producing a flower that she held out towards Inuyasha and the creature. The flower began to glow with an otherworldly light and then Kagome felt herself black out.

 

Sesshomaru watched as his creature was destroyed and the humans disappeared. “Jaken.”

 

“Yes Sesshomaru-sama?” the imp grovelled.

 

“If this plan fails, you will die.” He turned to walk away.

 

Jaken gulped before following. “Yes Sesshomaru-sama.”

 

 

Inuyasha slowly came to. He was laying in a grassy field, Kagome still passed out beside him. He quickly checked her over and sighed in relief upon finding no injuries. He turned at movement behind him and saw the figure of his mother standing before him. “Mother?” he asked. “Where are we?”

 

“At the crossroads of this world and the next” she told him. “I will return to the other side from here.” She smiled at him. “Inuyasha, my son. You have grown splendidly.”

 

Inuyasha looked down at her words. “Well yeah, I was pretty little when you died.”

 

She tilted his head up to look at her. “Forgive me. I left you all alone. And in such a terrible, violent time. You must have suffered so.”

 

“Keh. Not really. It wasn't your fault anyway. I understood that.”

 

Kagome slowly stirred. Her eyes opened and she spotted Inuyasha and his mother nearby. 'They're both alright' she thought with relief. Seeing them standing there made her ache for her own mother. 'Mama, do you miss me? Do you wonder if I'm alright?' She lowered her eyes, not wanting to see the reunion in front of her when she couldn't reach her own mother. Her gaze fell on the pond in front of her and she frowned. There was something about the reflection that wasn't right. She gave a startled gasp as she realized that the reflection of Inuyasha's mother had no face. She opened her mouth to call out to Inuyasha, to warn him but no sound came out, and she found that she was unable to move. 'Inuyasha' she thought, willing him to hear her somehow, 'it's a trick. That's not your mother.'

 

“Inuyasha, my son” the fake mother said. “I must return to the other world now.”

 

Inuyasha felt his heart sink at her words. “Do you really have to? Can't you stay, just a little longer?”

 

She knelt down and picked up a flower before turning to the water and dropping it in. “Look upon the water's reflection my son. What do you see?”

 

Inuyasha did as he was told. Slowly an image of him as a child appeared. “What?” he asked.

 

Kagome struggled to move. 'Inuyasha snap out of it. It's a trick.'

 

Inuyasha stared at his younger self. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him from behind and saw his mother's reflection join his. Only, something was wrong. Her reflection had no face.

 

She took no heed of his stiffening form. “Remember when you were little, my darling son, and I would embrace you just like this. Come let Mother hug you.”

 

He stiffened and tried to pull away. “W-who are you? What are you?” He struggled as she pulled him into her embrace. He felt so weak.

 

“Ssh. Let Mother embrace you. I will never let you go again.” She tightened her embrace and began to sink her hands into his back.

 

Kagome watched all of this with horror. 'No, I've got to stop this somehow. Why can't I move?' She focused on her power like Kaede had taught her, and her surroundings melted away to replace the illusion with reality. 'It was all an illusion, this place, his mother, everything.' She was still in the forest, only there were imps crawling along her body, with chains binding her. She felt something land on her neck.

 

“Kagome-sama! You must snap out of it” Myouga the flea cried as he hopped around. “Oh, who would have thought that it was Sesshomaru-sama, Inuyasha-sama's own brother that was after the tomb. And to use such a vile deception to do it. Poor Kagome-sama is all chained up and unable to move. She couldn't even swat a flea.” He broke off as he stared at her neck before giving into temptation.

 

'Slap.' Kagome slowly sat up as she let her hand fall away from her neck. “Thanks, I think I can move now.”

 

“Oh, good” Myouga gasped as he re-inflated with a small pop.

 

Kagome ignored him as she freed herself from the chains that had bound her. Then she peered through the bushes at Inuyasha and the thing pretending to be his mother. It appeared to be holding him against it's chest but she couldn't really see more than it's back from the angle she was at. Suddenly the toad-imp from earlier was there and the creature turned to face him. Kagome gasped. She appeared to be absorbing Inuyasha into her chest. 'I've got to stop this somehow' she thought as she listened to their conversation.

 

“Stop! What are you doing?” the toad-imp screeched. “No soul sucking until I tell you. You can have your way with him after he tells us how to find the tomb of Sesshomaru-sama's father.”

 

The creature looked at him. “Oh, Jaken-sama? Very well.”

 

“She's going to suck out Inuyasha's soul?! We've got to stop them.” Kagome reached for her bow and arrows but felt only air. “What?” She turned and saw that they were no where around. “Oh no. I must have dropped them earlier.”

 

“Kagome-sama, don't be hasty.” Myouga hopped up and down on her shoulder. “That is Jaken, a loyal retainer of Sesshomaru-sama. He may not look like much but that staff of his is dangerous. Be wary of it.”

 

She opened her mouth to tell him she didn't care when the faceless creature's actions caught her attention.

 

It drew Inuyasha further into it's chest as it spoke. “My son, my darling son. Your father's tomb, where is it? Please tell me.”

 

Inuyasha felt so weak. He felt like he was surrounded by water and unable to breathe. His mother's voice called to him, asking him where to find his father's tomb. “I-I don't know.”

 

“You can do better than that. Show mother the inside of your soul” it said as it clutched him tighter.

 

Inuyasha suddenly mumbled “The right. Black pearl.” He fell silent again, unable to move.

 

Jaken squawked. “Black pearl? What is that supposed to mean? Get me more information!”

 

“But Jaken-sama, if I probe any deeper, I will shatter his soul.”

 

Kagome's heart stopped at that. 'Shatter his soul? Inuyasha.'

 

But Jaken was unmoved. “Then shatter his soul. If we don't find out that information I'll be the one facing Sesshomaru-sama's wrath.”

 

Kagome could stand it no longer. She felt anger fill her at what they planned to do to Inuyasha. She got up from where she was crouched and grabbed the staff from the little toad while kicking him into the water. “Why you little worm!” She turned to face the faceless creature and yelled “Let Inuyasha go!”

 

It clutched at him tighter and cried “NOO!”

 

Kagome ran over and wrapped her arms around Inuyasha, trying to tug him free but was unable to move him. The creature just pulled him tighter to it's body and sucked him further in. “No!” Kagome cried. “INUYASHA!”

 

Inuyasha felt himself stir. 'Kagome?' he thought. 'She's calling to me.' He tried to move, to go to her but he was so tired, so weak. 'I'm sorry, Kagome.' He felt his eyes close once more.

 

“Kagome-sama, you must awaken Inuyasha-sama's soul.” Myouga said from his position on her shoulder. “That is the Un-mother. She is made up of the vengeful spirits of women who have lost their children to famine or war. She seeks to fill the void within her by taking the spirits of others, in this case Inuyasha-sama's! If you awaken the soul of one that is caught by it's spell, then the body should come free.”

 

“But how do I wake up his soul?” Kagome asked. She was horrified to realize that Inuyasha was almost completely absorbed, only one arm remained free. “INUYASHA!” Her gaze fell on the water. The creature's reflection was holding a younger Inuyasha. “Wait, that reflection. Is that child Inuyasha? It must be part of her spell. I have to break up that image.” She grabbed Jaken's staff from where she had dropped it and began beating at the water with it, erasing the image. “Inuyasha, wake up!”

 

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. 'Kagome! She's in trouble.' He pulled himself free and found himself crouching in front of her facing the faceless woman.

 

Kagome dropped the staff and knelt beside him. “Inuyasha! Are you alright?” She grasped at his arm.

 

He looked her over. 'Good, she's unharmed' he thought before facing the faceless one once more. “It was all a lie, a trick! How dare you!” he growled. “I can't believe I fell for it.”

 

“All for the best, little brother.” A hand grabbed Inuyasha by the throat, lifting him. “Now I know where Father's tomb is. Who would have thought it would be in such a place.” Sesshomaru said as he peered into Inuyasha's face.

 

“Sesshomaru!” Inuyasha gasped out. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Father was determined to hide it from everyone. “The Black Pearl on the right. Seeing yet never seen. Protected yet unknown to it's protector.” He hid it right beneath our noses. Or more accurately, right above yours.” With that Sesshomaru lifted his other hand and plunged his fingers into Inuyasha's right eye. Ignoring Inuyasha's pained scream and Kagome's horrified one, he reached in and pulled something small and round out before tossing Inuyasha aside. He stared at the small black pearl. “No wonder searching underground was useless. Father hid it deep within your right eye.”

 

Inuyasha growled from his position on the ground, one hand clutching his wounded eye. “Bastard! All of this for that little thing? Including giving that witch the form of my mother?!” He snarled, shaking off Kagome's grip and lunged forward. “I'll make you pay for that!”

 

“Hmm.” Sesshomaru glanced at him as he avoided his strike. “I have no time to fool around with you. If you persist in delaying me I will be forced to end your life.” When Inuyasha made to attack him again, Sesshomaru simply knocked him to the ground before preparing to swipe at him with his poisonous claws. However, he struck the Un-mother instead as she threw herself protectively in front of Inuyasha.

 

“She protected him?!” Kagome asked as she looked at the remains of the creature.

 

“Of course” Myouga spoke up from Kagome's shoulder. “Demonic spirit or not, she still had a mother's heart. And isn't protecting her child something that a mother can't help but do?”

 

Sesshomaru looked down on the remains before crushing the head beneath his foot. “Pathetic creature” he sneered as he turned to walk away.

 

Anger coursed through Kagome at his actions and she moved toward him shouting “You rotten, murdering scum-!” She was cut off by Inuyasha placing a clawed hand on her shoulder and drawing her behind him.

 

“Kagome, don't. He'll kill you.” He told her as he placed himself protectively in front of her.

 

She took the opportunity to glance at his face and winced at what she saw. “Inuyasha, your eye-”

 

“Keh. I'll be fine in a few hours wench. Fast healer, remember?” he reminded her as he wiped some blood from his face.

 

She could only nod as she wondered how he could be so casual about having his eye gouged out. 'And by his own brother, no less!'

 

Sesshomaru simply ignored them. Jaken came running up at that point, singing his lord's praises. “Oh Sesshomaru-sama you've found it! Of course you have! No one could ever hope to keep something from one as wise and powerful as you Sesshomaru-sama!” He quieted at the look directed at him. “The Staff of Two Heads, my Lord. I have retrieved it.” And he held up the staff in question.

 

Sesshomaru took it as he said “Next time you'll lose your head with it.” He examined the black pearl once more. “How long I have awaited this moment.” He dropped the black pearl to the ground and slammed the point of the staff down on top of it. A black light appeared and a portal grew in the air. Sesshomaru swiftly entered followed by Jaken.

 

“Inuyasha-sama! You must go after them before they steal your father's treasure.” Myouga said as he jumped up and down on Inuyasha's shoulder.

 

“Let 'em. I could care less about any treasure.” Inuyasha scoffed.

 

“But Inuyasha-sama!”

“Keh! I didn't say I wasn't going after them. I'm going to make that bastard pay for what he's done.” He turned to face Kagome. “You stay here. It'll be too dangerous for you-” he trailed off as he realized that she wasn't behind him like he thought she was. Turning back around, he saw her in front of the portal.

 

“Well, what are you waiting for?” she asked and stepped into the portal before he could stop her. Swearing, he leaped after her, wrapping his arms around her waist as the sensation of falling enveloped them.

 

 

Again that was the best place to leave it at. The next chapter should be up sometime tomorrow and will finish this encounter with Sesshomaru and the Tessaiga. Please let me know what you think.