InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Duty Of Blood ❯ You have GOT to be kidding! ( Chapter 2 )

The Duty of Blood
~By Caliko

Chapter Two

Sesshoumaru approached the small house with distaste. It was the epitome of serfdom - a small, crudely built shanty of wood and stick with a miniscule porch that served as a foyer. Instead of a wooden door, a heavy leather panel led inside and blocked the wind. He grimaced, not wanting to imagine what the inside looked like.

He pushed the 'door' aside and entered, waiting for his demon eyes to adjust to the darkness. Scanning the interior, he stoically blocked the surprise from his expression. Inside, there where three rooms, furnished some-what comfortably with thick cushions and sturdy tables. Heavy drapes hung on the wall, blocking what little wind came through the mud chinked boards. The cook fire was enclosed in bricks, with a hollow passageway over it leading the smoke outside. His brother had finally managed to accomplish surprising him. This was nothing like the normal serf's house.

Against the wall lay a small body, sleeping the uneasy sleep of the sick. His demon senses picked up the haze of a fever, and his ears heard the moans of pain that wracked the child each time she coughed. Her silver hair was matted to her head, pushed back behind her human-like ears.

Next to her stood another girl, one that was his copy except where he was light, she was darker than night. That one might have been mistaken for full Inu-youkai, save for those black tresses. Her tail draped over her shoulder, twitching slightly at what she perceived as danger. Strange silver eyes, framed by lilac stripes met his, watching carefully for him to make a move.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Why is my mother crying?" No fear came to his ears, not even a slight shake in her voice. This one might have been him, a few hundred years ago.

"I brought her bad news." He said, wondering how much disrespect he should allow her. "Your father is gone."

Her eyes stayed steady, causing him to wonder how much of the conversation she had heard. "You lie." Tai replied, causing his chest to swell in anger.

"I don't lie, Pup." The Western Lord growled, his claws itching to teach the little pipsqueak some manners. "I have no reason to."

Kagome came inside, brushing against his back as she moved to check on the sick child. "Tai, mind your manners." She said, her hand against Aika's sweaty face. "Your Uncle didn't have to come here himself. He could have sent a messenger."

:::So, she heard them.::: He nodded, thankful that he wouldn't have to defend himself against the disrespectful pup. Out loud, he asked, "What is wrong with the child?"

"Fever, congestion, cough. In other words, a very bad cold. She's getting better, though. She was much worse yesterday."

"When she is well, we'll be leaving." He made up his mind instantly, knowing that the best way to keep his vow was to move them where he could keep better tabs.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked, startled. "I'm not going anywhere!"

"You will be going to my castle, to take up your position as Lord Inu Yasha's Mate. His children are his heirs, therefore they have inherited his estates in the west. As the clan leader, it is my duty to find them spouses that can protect their lands. Therefore, they must be taught how to behave as befitting their station. Somehow, I doubt you are capable of teaching them. Therefore, I will be taking my wards and you, their mother, home with me until they are grown."

"You have got to be joking!" Kagome spat, looking at him as if he had lost his mind.

"I never joke, Sister." He slurred the title, his mouth still disliking the taste. "One needs a sense of humor for that."

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Inu Yasha didn't know how long his 'father' dragged him over the eerily smooth terrain. It could have been minutes, or hours - but he couldn't tell. Somehow, time didn't seem to be moving right. All he knew was that if he saw anymore fog, he was going to scream.

He refused to ask where they were going. If he asked, then he would be admitting to needing this weird youkai and he refused to do that. Of course, he couldn't just himself be pulled around.

With a snort, he flexed his claws and dug into the ground. Or, at least he attempted to. A sharp, irritating screech came from his hands as the sound of claws on metal shattered out into the echoing void.

Within minutes, he felt the Old Man's grip loosen on the back of his haori as Inutaisho threw his hands over his ears. Inu Yasha scrambled to his feet and readied himself to attack.

He didn't have long to wait, and no chance at all to defend himself as the youkai knocked him down. Seconds later, he found himself flung over the old geezer's lap with his pants pulled down to his knees.

"YOU WOULDN'T!" He shouted, squirming, as he tried to break loose.

"Damn right I would! Do you have any idea how much that hurt?" Inutaisho yelled back, punctuated each word with a hard smack on his son's ass. "I'll be damned before I put up with your shit, boy!"

Yasha just howled as the hand came down over and over on his naked buttocks. He could take a lot of pain in a fight, but no one had ever dared to spank him since he was a child still living in his brothers castle! In other words, his unprotected ass had no calluses to deaden the sting. "Let me go, Old Man!"

"Who am I, Boy?" Inutaisho halted his swing, waiting for the answer.

"An old fuck who likes to molest guys!"

"Wrong answer!" ***Smack!** "Who am I?"

"Naruke's slave!" ***Smack!**

"Naruke's dead, idiot. You killed him. Now, ONE MORE TIME - Who am I?"

"I don't fucking know! You smell like an Inu-youkai, you LOOK like an Inu-youkai - hell, you look like my pansy brother! But you can't be my father!"

The demon snorted, then dumped his son back onto the ground. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Then he sighed, seeing no other course. "Alright, boy. I'm going to explain some things to you." He then waited, watching as the pup rolled to his knees with a suspicious glare in his gaze. "When you destroyed Naruke, you destroyed your mortal body as well. To all intents and purposes, you ARE dead. BUT, as I said before… dead doesn't mean much to a youkai. I pulled your soul into the sword with me, and the sword reconstructed a new body for you. Demon sword, full demon body. Get it?"

Inu Yasha blinked, afraid as the words made a little sense. He was still lost, but he had to admit that the explanation seemed reasonable. "Where are we?"

"I told you. We're inside the sword. Well, of a sort. This is another world, like my burial grounds. You get to it through a doorway that the sword opens. I was able to bring your soul into it, but I can't let you out without you losing your new body."

:::This doesn't sound good…:::: Yasha thought, starting to panic. "So how do I leave WITH my body?"

"Sesshoumaru will have to donate some of his blood when your Miko opens the doorway."

:::Oh shit!::: The Hanyou threw himself back onto the hard ground, near tears as he realized that he was stuck forever with his annoying father.

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TBC