InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Young at Heart ❯ Revenge ( Chapter 19 )

Chapter Nineteen: Drastic Measures

 

Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. His brother didn't remember him; it had been the same with him. Somehow he knew his brother knew something, but the realization of it hadn't hit the full youkai yet.

Inuyasha remembered waking up with a brain full of cotton that morning. It had been like someone had stuffed his ears full of the fluffy white stuff, preventing him from hearing anything. At first he had been afraid, seeing people surrounding him that he didn't know. Then he had been terrified when he had come face to face with a pair of intense golden eyes.

The snarls and growls that had come from the owner of the eyes had shaken him to the core. Inuyasha had felt small, and cornered. His brother's growls had softened, if only a tiny bit, and that had left him feeling slightly relieved, thus he had broken down into submission. At first he had fully intended to follow his brother closely, due to the fact that he didn't remember anyone.

But then she had said `Sit' and he had been once again terrified. Inuyasha liked his brother. Sesshoumaru was grouchy most of the time, but now it seemed like the youkai didn't even remember him, and now he had confirmed it vocally. This left Inuyasha feeling slightly out of place, and frightened once again. Especially since that spider guy had said their father was dead.

He had glanced at Sesshoumaru for answers, and then knowing he wasn't going to find them in the youkai, he had grown angry and had socked his brother a good one. True it had hurt his hand, but it had felt good.

Inuyasha searched his memory for the truth behind the spider guy's words, but found he was still addle brained when it came to remembering anything prior to that morning he had woken in their company. They were fun to tease, but it still left him feeling empty not remembering them.

He turned his head to stare at the human girl who had removed the beads, which to his great delight had somehow slipped around his brother's neck. Smirking, he knew Kagome was fiery tempered, but he liked her. There was something in her eyes that made him feel at ease.

Her eyes had no contempt for him, like so many other people did at the villages. Kagome seemed to accept him regardless of him being half of two things, rather then a whole of one thing, like his brother. But the girl also seemed to accept Sesshoumaru too. These mere mortals had taken them in, either because their father had requested it, or because they were afraid of the great youkai lord.

Inuyasha couldn't even remember his father's face, for some strange reason. The only thing he remembered were a pair of deep golden eyes that stared at him. Scoffing to himself, he realized that it could have been anyone's eyes. Sighing, Inuyasha felt alone now, and he found that all he wanted to do was to go to his brother and feel safe and comforted. However, Sesshoumaru didn't remember him.

What was the purpose of them forgetting? Frowning, Inuyasha tried to sort through this information, and wondered once again, if they were indeed alone in the world. His mother's face also was foggy. He did remember her dark brown eyes, filled with tears. But why had she been crying? Was she sad? Moaning, he didn't know. Whatever it had been, it had nothing to do with them now, did it?

Turning his head to the youkai exterminator, he recalled her name to be Sango. She was normally bright and happy, but today she seemed dismal. Her eyes were no longer sparkling, nor were they filled with laughter. They seemed sad and frustrated, as did her whole demeanor. Was it something he and his brother had done to cause this change in mood in these nice people?

Rolling his eyes to the monk, even he seemed down, as did the little fox that sat on his shoulder. Both were silent and looking like they had lost their best friend. Tilting his head to the side, he had at first stayed away from the monk, because he remembered stories of them being able to kill a youkai with a simple flick of the wrist, but now he wasn't so bad.

Turning his eyes over to his brother, he stared at the pouting face and smirked. He loved tormenting Sesshoumaru, but something was really different with him. His whole outward appearance was the same, but his stance was one of anger and uncertainty. Before they had played, and it had been in fun, but when Sesshoumaru had snapped at him, it had taken him by surprise.

Not once before that, that he could remember that is, did his brother try to seriously injure him, and he was both frightened and angry at that. Why did his brother want to hurt him? Had it been something he had said or done? What ever it had been, Inuyasha finally got to his feet and stalked over to the youkai.

Sesshoumaru turned his head as he approached and watched Inuyasha warily. Sucking in his breath, Inuyasha realized that indeed his brother had no idea who he was. Plopping down beside him, Inuyasha crossed his arms, and sighed.

“What do you want, hanyou?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Yesterday, you didn't hate me. Today you do. Why?” Inuyasha asked softly. “Have I done something wrong?”

Sesshoumaru blinked at him blankly. “I don't even know who you are half-breed.”

“Yes you do. Or you did, yesterday at least.” Inuyasha pressed.

“Today I don't. I don't remember anything from before waking this morning.” Sesshoumaru grumbled.

“So why do you hate me today?” Inuyasha asked.

“Because I don't trust humans.” Sesshoumaru mumbled.

“Why? They are nice.” Inuyasha stated, waving to the others.

“Except her.” Sesshoumaru snorted in Kagome's direction.

“Well, okay, you got me there.”

“What did she mean by brother, and normal?” Sesshoumaru asked, turning his head fully to stare at the hanyou, to make sure he couldn't hide anything important.

Inuyasha shrugged. “I don't know about the normal thing, they won't tell me. But I think it has to do with this rift thing they keep talking about. I over heard Kagome and Sango talking about it the other night.”

“And the brother thing?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Well according to you, or what you told me before, I'm your brother.” Inuyasha looked down at the dirt at his feet.

“I don't have a brother.” Sesshoumaru frowned. “Or at least I don't think I do. I can't remember.”

“See I don't remember either. I woke up in the morning too. I was scared. You calmed me though.” Inuyasha shrugged, and dug his toes into the dirt.

“So you don't remember anything before this either?” Sesshoumaru grunted.

Inuyasha shook his head.

“What did you over hear with those two?” Sesshoumaru asked, inclining his head slightly in Kagome and Sango's direction.

Inuyasha turned his head to stare at his brother. “They were talking about this rift thing. They said that they had to find it and get us to work together so we can change back. I don't know what we are suppose to change back into, but they were really serious about it.”

Sesshoumaru nodded and frowned. “Go on.” He said after a minute after processing the information.

“Well then they said that we always fight too much and that time was running out before we were stuck like this.”

“Do we fight?” Sesshoumaru asked curiously.

Inuyasha nodded for a moment. “Well not really fight, but play fight. Aren't brothers supposed to do stuff like that though?”

Sesshoumaru shrugged. “I have never had a brother, so I wouldn't know.” Leaning forward and peering into Inuyasha's eyes, he held the gaze for a moment. “Are we really brothers? You have father's eyes, but you're a hanyou.”

Inuyasha shrugged. “I only remember my mother, well not really remember her, but she was crying.”

“Why?”

Inuyasha shrugged again.

Sesshoumaru shook his head and sighed. So much for getting any useful information from the witless half-breed. Snorting, he was one to talk, being unable to recall his own past, or situation.

Inuyasha glanced at his brother and blinked. They had the same long silver hair, except Sesshoumaru's was tied up. They had the same golden eyes and facial structure, as well as the same deadly clawed hands. Pursing his lips, Inuyasha noticed this was where the likeness ended and the differences began. Sesshoumaru's ears were tapered, his cheeks held two crimson stripes on each side, and he had a crescent moon, colored blue on his forehead.

Reaching up, Inuyasha touched his own ears, which sat on top of his head, and signaled his half-breed status. He couldn't wear the topknot or his ears would be covered. He was certain that his face was plain, having no marks what so ever signifying his youkai heritage and he looked down sadly.

Sesshoumaru looked so strong and confident sitting beside him, without a care in the world. Inuyasha pushed his foot out and moved the dirt around with his toes. Why was he so different? He didn't want to be different then everyone else. Inuyasha only wanted to belong somewhere, with someone, not be alone stuck as a hanyou.

In truth, he wanted to be more like Sesshoumaru. The hair was neat and tidy, without the split ends his own had. The skin was flawless, more then his, he was certain of it. Maybe if he were a youkai like his brother, he wouldn't have to be teased or ridiculed by the others.

“Why are you sad?” Sesshoumaru's even tone startled him.

“I'm not.” Inuyasha sniffed and stood up. “Never mind, you will only laugh anyway. Just like everyone else does.” Without another word, Inuyasha bolted into the clearing after making sure no one would notice his leaving. He knew he shouldn't leave the protective confines of the clearing, but he didn't want to be around anyone. Besides that, he felt so alone that perhaps it was the best thing for him.

“No one will miss me.” Inuyasha said softly.

Trudging through the bushes, Inuyasha hopped over a log and sighed. `Would they even care if I never came back?' He wondered silently. Looking up into the sky, he really wanted his mother. She was the one who he remembered the most. Not her exactly, but her warm voice, her strong embrace, and her loving words. Nothing seemed to matter when she was around. Even the teasing had been easy to bear with her beside him. Where was she anyways?

Setting a determined look on his face, he nodded to himself. He would find his mother with or without their help.

 

Sesshoumaru heard a gasp, and he looked up curiously. He had been studying his legs for quite sometime, when the humans finally noticed that Inuyasha had ventured off somewhere.

Kagome raced over and looked around frantically. “Where is he?” She demanded.

“Who?” Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. “Inuyasha!”

“He went that way.” Sesshoumaru waved absently to the trees behind him, and once again lowered his gaze to his legs.

“How long ago?” Kagome demanded. “Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha has run off.”

Sesshoumaru shrugged when they all looked at him for answers.

“What did you say to him this time?” Kagome heaved.

Sesshoumaru frowned. “I didn't say anything to him. He was sad and went that way.” He once again waved towards where the hanyou had disappeared.

“You must have said something.” Kagome shook her head, and quickly ran to grab her bow and arrows.

“I just asked him why his mother had been crying.” Sesshoumaru whispered as the girl and monk ran off into the bushes searching for the hanyou. Sango seemed to have heard him and sat down.

“When was his mother crying?” Sango asked softly.

“I don't know. I wasn't even aware that my father had another pup. If he is truly my brother that is.”

“He is.” Sango nodded.

“So can you tell me what's going on?” Sesshoumaru asked, peering at her intently.

“I think all that matters right now, is finding Inuyasha, and then this rift, before time runs out.” Sango sighed, lifting her head to stare at the sky.

“You know, Kagome got mad, saying if we had cooperated then none of this would have happened, and we would have returned to normal. If we knew exactly what had happened, perhaps then we can work together.” Sesshoumaru tried to reason.

Sango blinked and then turned to stare at the young youkai beside her. “What did you say?” Shaking her head, she sighed again. “Never mind. It's just that for someone as young as you are, you are very intelligent.”

Sesshoumaru scoffed. “I'm not a witless half-breed.”

“For your information, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha is not witless. He is a hanyou, yes. But he is brave, and honorable, and incredibly devoted to those he cares about.”

“From what I have seen, he is nothing more then a weak hanyou.”

Sango rolled her eyes. “Seeing something does not mean it is what is inside. Let's take you for example. In your normal form, you are ruthless, cold hearted, and collected. Not to mention determined. As you are now, you are thoughtful, temperamental, playful and accepting. You show emotions as clearly as the rest of us, but in your normal form you are stoic. Do you get what I'm saying?”

Sesshoumaru listened to her words carefully, wondering exactly what she was referring to. She had said he was cold hearted, but he had a heart, didn't he? Frowning, he shook his head.

“Inuyasha, in his normal form, is short tempered, untrusting, and lost. Right now, he is emotional and also perhaps a bit lost. He wants to be accepted, he wants to be loved. He is afraid of all this, even as he is now. Between the two of you, he has changed the least, where you have changed the most.” Sango rolled her eyes.

“So how does this answer my question as to what happened to us?” Sesshoumaru smirked.

“It doesn't. Maybe it will help you understand a bit more about your brother. Inuyasha's trust was shattered severely. Perhaps it is mend able, but maybe not. In your other forms, you two despise one another. You try to kill him whenever you get an opportunity, and he tries to kill you. The hate that is between you two is somewhat unbelievable. To me, it's hard to even think of hating my own sibling, let alone try to kill him. Seeing the two of you share a conversation while you are this way, is a nice change from all the consistent ridicule and derisive.”

“I try to kill him? Why?” Sesshoumaru asked, lifting his flimsy claws to his face.

Sango shrugged. “I don't really know. From what I heard, you at first were after the Tessaiga. I don't really think you are anymore though. Something changed you, and you now don't go around killing pointlessly anymore. I don't know if it is because we are all searching for Naraku, or if it has to do with that little girl, Rin. Maybe it's something more; you don't really let anyone know what your intentions are though. You basically hate everything.”

Sesshoumaru dropped his hands and stared at her long and hard, then his eyes trailed to the little girl who was curled up on a bedroll. “Is that Rin? The little girl you were talking about?”

Sango smiled and nodded. “She is such a happy child.”

“She travels with me?” Sesshoumaru frowned.

Sango nodded again. “Yes. The first time we saw her with you was when Naraku tried to trick you. He had abducted Rin and then tried to have my brother Kohaku kill her.”

“So I hate this Naraku?” Sesshoumaru asked, remembering the spider hanyou.

“Everyone hates Naraku. He is malevolent. Naraku is trying to gain more power by collecting the jewel shards.”

“So he tricked me, took the little girl, and tried to kill her using your brother to do his dirty work?”

“That's not all, we all have been pawns used for Naraku's will. The first time I was aware of what he was, he tricked me. He told me Inuyasha was responsible for killing my village people, so I tried to kill him. He cursed Miroku's family, so they all carry the Kazanaa, one day it will absorb him and kill him. If Miroku has any children before this time, they will also carry the Kazanaa.” Sango sighed and leaned back on her hands.

“The miko? What about her?” Sesshoumaru asked, placing all this information in the back of his head.

“Kagome? She travels with us. Basically she can see the shards, and she can purify them.” Sango smiled at the small youkai's attempts to understand everything. “There is also Kouga. Naraku tricked him as well. He had one of his subordinates kill all the members of Kouga's pack, and then shifted the blame on Inuyasha. Kouga tried to kill Inuyasha, thinking it had been his fault for the deaths of his comrades.”

“Which one is Kouga?” Sesshoumaru asked, frowning.

“You haven't met him yet.” Sango smiled gently, looking at the youkai.

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly, and then pursed his lips slightly. “So above all, Naraku hates Inuyasha. Why?”

Sango shook her head sadly. “I think partially because Inuyasha fell in love with a miko named Kikyo, who Naraku also loved. It's a long story.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “So by normal, I'm trusting this means that we are not supposed to be as pups. I really can't see a five year old hanyou pup falling in love with anyone.”

“Were you this brilliant when you were growing up?” Sango asked surprised.

“Hnn.” Sesshoumaru sniffed.

“I'll tell you this much. Truthfully, you are full-grown. Well you appear full grown. Both of you are, you and Inuyasha. You two were engaged in battle when the swords Tenseiga and Tessaiga intervened and switched you both to pups.”

“So why would the swords care if we fought?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“They were forged from your father's fangs.”

“Oh!” Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. “How foolish. We fought with swords forged from my father's fangs, having two pieces of a whole fight. What stupidity.”

“You said it, I didn't.” Sango chuckled.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. “So basically the purpose of being turned into pups is to have Inuyasha and I work together so we can be switched back to our original forms, and hopefully teach us a lesson. Am I right?”

Sango nodded, still amazed at how brilliant the youkai was.

“Inuyasha and Kagome both mentioned something about time running out.”

“We have a month to change you back, or you both are stuck like this. Which means you would have to grow up all over again.”

“My father is dead then?” Sesshoumaru whispered.

“Yes, I believe it was the night Inuyasha was born.”

Sesshoumaru felt his heart twitch slightly and his frown increased. “I see. Perhaps that is the real reason why I hate Inuyasha.”

Sango looked at him curiously. “What? It wasn't Inuyasha's fault that your father died. He was a newborn. If anything, your father choose to die that night, protecting the ones he loved.”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “I always look up to my father. He is who I want to be, well wanted to be.” Sesshoumaru closed his eyes. His eyes stung slightly, and he shook his head. “The girl Rin. She travels with my adult self, correct?”

“Yes.” Sango whispered, knowing Sesshoumaru wanted a change in subject from his father. “She loves you very much and right now, she feels alone. Just like Inuyasha does.”

“Where is that half-breed anyways?” Sesshoumaru asked, looking over his shoulder.

“He ran off, remember?”

“Right.” Sesshoumaru sighed and nodded. All this thinking hurt his head. “Does Inuyasha know about any of this stuff?”

Sango shook her head.

“He knows some, I know that much. He over heard you and Kagome one night talking about the rift. He doesn't know about our adult selves though. I think he needs to know. If I am full-grown, I do not wish to remain a pup. Perhaps Inuyasha and I can work together to regain our formal selves. I don't know if I won't try and kill him when we turn back though.”

“Would you try and kill him now?”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “No.”

“Well maybe we can hope that these memories will remain with you when you change back.” Sango hoped.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the woman beside him. “You hold my scent, yours is the only one I remember out of everyone's.”

Sango sighed. “I held you last night. You were dreaming of your mother. You then began whimpering, like you were having a bad dream, and then you woke up not remembering anything.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “So that explains why my scent is on you. The others have small traces of it, but nothing like you do. I guess that means I trust you?”

“Maybe. You sniffed me quite a bit last night.” Sango laughed.

Sesshoumaru snorted. “Explains why I remember your scent.” He looked over his shoulder once again, wondering where Inuyasha was. “What's taking them so long?”

Sango shook her head. “Inuyasha is a hanyou. He is faster then both Miroku and Kagome, so maybe he just wandered too far.”

“Are you not worried?” Sesshoumaru asked, leaning forward and fingering the gauze on his legs. Slowly, he pulled back a piece of the bandage and glanced at the blue bruise that was uncovered. “Hey, can you check and see if my legs are healed yet?”

Sango looked at him and then nodded. “Sure. I am not as good a healer as Kagome is, but I will do my best. Do they still pain you?”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “Not really. They did earlier today, but now they seem fine.”

Sango shifted her position and carefully unwrapped the gauze from around his leg and smiled as she discovered that the gashes were gone. “They seem to have healed over. Just the bruises remain.” She said, pulling the gauze off the other leg.

Sesshoumaru nodded and bent his knees to apply a small bit of pressure on them. Flexing both his legs, he grinned. “They feel fine now.” Pushing himself to his feet, he glanced down at his toes and rolled his eyes. “For some reason, I have this feeling that the ground should be a lot further down then it is.”

“You were quite tall in your adult form. Taller then me, or Miroku.” Sango said giggling.

Sesshoumaru looked up and rolled his eyes. “That's good. I don't like being so little.” He lifted his nose to the air, recalling the small hanyou's scent, and he tested the wind. “I smell him.”

Sango looked up at him and tilted her head to the side, before she stood up. “Inuyasha's?”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “He is not alone.” He whispered, detecting a malevolent scent near his brother. Without another thought, Sesshoumaru bolted into the trees, relishing in the feeling of running. His legs still pained him slightly, but not enough to stop him from running.

Sniffing the air, he changed directions and leapt over a log that lay in the underbrush. Skidding on the damp leaves, Sesshoumaru realized that both Miroku and Kagome were nowhere near where his brother was, and so sped up his pace quickly. The scent of fear reached his nose and he gasped softly.

Bolting to his left, he broke through the trees desperately, trying to reach Inuyasha's terrified form. His brother was running from something, and Sesshoumaru knew from the scent that the youkai chasing his brother wanted one thing, and one thing alone. Dinner.

Narrowing his eyes, and setting his face in a determined mask, Sesshoumaru tried running harder, only his feet weren't moving fast enough. Breaking through the trees, he turned to his right and raced down the path, and caught sight of Inuyasha crying and looking behind him frantically.

Inuyasha turned his eyes forward and his mouth fell open.

Sesshoumaru barreled into his brother, and both flew to the ground, just as the youkai descended to where Inuyasha had been only a moment before. Rolling to his feet, Sesshoumaru dragged a stunned and startled Inuyasha up with him, and pulled him into the bushes to their right.

“Run!” Sesshoumaru cried out, shoving Inuyasha in front of him.

Inuyasha looked back at his brother and whimpered as his eyes caught sight of the youkai crashing through the bushes behind them. Sesshoumaru turned to glance over his shoulder and gaped. It was fast. To his horror, it descended on him, just as his foot caught a root, and he tumbled to the ground in a heap.

Lifting his head, he saw Inuyasha skid to a halt and turn around flying towards him desperately.

“No, you fool, run!” Sesshoumaru hollered.

A whizzing sound reached his ears, and he turned his head to the left. Sango sat astride Kirara with Rin clutched behind her. They landed beside the two pups and Rin raced over quickly.

“Lord Sesshoumaru!” She cried, falling to her knees beside him.

He pushed himself up to his knees and glanced at her curiously. “Lord Sesshoumaru?”

She helped him up to his feet and pulled him over to Kirara, and waved Inuyasha to follow. The hanyou raced over without argument and they climbed up onto the two-tail cat youkai's back.

Sango turned her head slightly. “Kirara, get them to safety.”

The cat roared and jumped into the air quickly. Sesshoumaru peered down at Sango and felt Rin and Inuyasha both lean over to see what was happening. The two-tailed cat lifted higher and did a twist, moving back towards the campsite. Inuyasha rested his head on Sesshoumaru's shoulder and sighed.

“That was careless, Inuyasha.” Rin said softly.

Sesshoumaru nodded his head in agreement. “Yes. I agree. You could have gotten killed.”

“You saved me.” Inuyasha mumbled. A pair of arms wrapped around Sesshoumaru's neck and gave a tight squeeze. “You saved me!”

“Don't go getting all mushy on me.” Sesshoumaru snarled softly. “I was just thinking about how the others would feel, if you got killed.”

Rin giggled and hide her large smile behind her hand.

Inuyasha looked up and grinned at his brother. “Thank you.”

“Keh! Whatever.” Sesshoumaru waved his hand, just as the cat landed in the clearing. The sounds of crashing in the trees brought their attention there. Even though Sango had remained behind to fight the youkai, something else was hunting them out. Inuyasha blinked and locked his eyes on the trees where the sound was emanating from and gulped as the sounds of crashing and breaking branches grew louder.

Whatever it was that was heading towards them, it was big.