Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all of it's characters are property of the brilliant Takahashi-sama and I claim no ownership of them. Only the story belongs to me.
Pairings: Inuyasha/OC, Sango/Miroku, Sesshoumaru/Kagome.
Follows: The Anime and movies.
"spoken" 'thought'
Special thanks to my betas PockyThief , Kiyota and Ethereal Siren.
Chapter 15: Discovering a killer
“That's not Sesshoumaru,” I insisted, shaking my head as I glanced over at the others. “He has no crescent moon." I explained when they glanced back at me in question. They turned back to look at the demon, apparently checking to make sure what I had said was correct. All the while, it continued to glare at me while growling.
“She's right, the scent is wrong. That's definitely not my half-brother. Now the question is, just who the hell is he and what does he want?” Inuyasha wondered out loud, verbalizing the thoughts of the rest of us. Already I could see Inuyasha reaching for his fang as Jaken pulled out his staff in front of him. The others, since they had no weapons with them, just moved in closer to box me in.
“The pup,” Jaken practically shouted after a moment as he glanced back at me over his shoulder. “He's after the pup! Protect Lady Kagome at all costs!” Jaken shouted to the others and he turned back around and glared at the demon. Around me, I can see the others move to follow his orders, making sure to place themselves between him and me.
“No, Sango. Not you. You need to go get Sesshoumaru. Take Kirara and get out of here quickly. He's not after you so he shouldn't try to stop you," Miroku insisted as he pulled her back, seeing she was about ready to join the battle. I was thankful he was keeping her out of this fight and hoping Sesshoumaru hadn't gotten too far.
“Kirara!” Sango called out, mounting the neko-demon once she had transformed into her battle form and landed in front of her. “Be careful," Sango insisted as she began moving away from us. “Hurry, find him, Kirara,” Sango instructed as Kirara took off in the direction he had headed, pushing herself to move at the fastest pace she could manage.
“Shippo, go inside, at least it will be a little safer in there for you," I instructed as I glanced down at the kit that was still held within the safety of my arms. Though by what was happening around us, I doubt it would remain that way for very much longer, and I did not wish to have him front and center for anymore battles if I could help it.
“I'm not going anywhere, momma Kag. My place is to help guard you. I may still be a kit, but I can help as I have done before. I am a full-blooded demon and can protect myself better than Miroku. I am not about to turn tail and leave you without my protection, so don't bother trying," Shippo insisted as he jumped from my arms and moved to stand next to Jaken.
“Sesshoumaru! Sesshoumaru wait!” I heard shouted behind me not long after I felt the presence of someone coming up fast behind me. I had decided to wait so they would have no change of getting the jump on me if they were stupid enough to attack. But as they come into my line of sight, I can see it is the female slayer again.
Perhaps she wished to speak to me move about this 'baby shower', but some how I doubted it. She seemed far to distressed for it to have been about something as trivial as that. “What is it? Why do you stop this Sesshoumaru?” I questioned as I watched as she landed, the neko she rode upon, mere feet from my person.
“There's been an attack. The other's are holding it off, but I don't know how long they can keep it up. We need your help. Jaken believes it's after Kagome-chan and the pup," she explained as the neko panted for breath. I needed no further explanation as I felt the transformation begin to take effect. In mere moments I towered over her in my true form.
With a howl toward the moon, I was on the move back toward the hut and the priestess. I had been right in my assumption that who ever was behind this would be moving against me soon. I could feel the blood pumping through my veins. It was time. I would soon be getting revenge for the death of my heir and the betrayal against me.
Behind me I can hear the slayer begin to follow behind me, the neko doing extremely well at trying to keep up with the speed I go in this form. I have no doubt I will lose them at some point, but the fact they are keeping up with me for this long, raises my respect for them. Only slightly of course, after all - one of them is a human.
“Inuyasha!” I screamed as I watched the demon fling him to the side of the clearing as though he was a rag doll. To the right of me, Miroku is trying to stand after suffering a large gash across his chest. Jaken's trying to walk on shaky legs after being thrown into a tree a few moments ago. Shippo is trying his best to distract the demon with his fox fire, but he is being ignored.
In mere moments the demon will be upon me and there is nothing I can do. Any spike in my power may very well harm the unborn child within my body and I cannot allow that to happen. I can do nothing to protect myself as I watch the demon charging toward me. 'Kami above, if there was any time for a miracle, it would be now.'
Just as the demon was about to strike, another large, white dog came charging into the clearing. The crescent moon was quick to identify the second as Sesshoumaru and I watched as he head butted the other demon to the other side of the clearing. A deafening growl rumbled through Sesshoumaru's massive body as he turned toward the demon.
Inuyasha and the others begin to rise and make their way over to me as Sango landed back in the clearing. They pushed her behind the barricade their bodies were making in front of me and it is not long before I feel her hand in mine. I quickly give her a reassuring smile before putting my attention back on the two gigantic canines in front of me.
I am almost certain the growls echoing the clearing from both of them are part of some inuyoukai language and I wished more than anything to understand what they were saying. I glanced over at Inuyasha in case he had any idea and he had the most disgusted look I have ever seen on his face. 'Whoever this other demon is, I think Inuyasha's knows him.'
As I allow my second transformation to take over, I cannot believe what is right in front of me. Never in my life have I ever felt so sick and betrayed. Had I been anyone else, I am sure the evidence would be on the ground at my feet. Steeling myself to stop from transforming back into my true form once again, I clench my teeth to prevent myself from screaming in rage.
“What do you think you are doing?!” I bellowed out a moment later as my breathing began coming in pants and I fought to keep myself in check. Never before had it been this hard, have I wanted to rip someone to shreds so much. This went beyond betraying me and killing my heir, this betrayed my father and mother as well.
I watch as the demon in front of me began to transform back into his second form as well. Part of me still hoping that I had made a mistake on his scent, but the moment the transformation was complete, I knew without a doubt, just how deep this betrayal went. I, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western lands, son of the great InuTashio, wanted to cry.
“What does it look like Sesshoumaru. I am getting rid of the competition," Youhei (mercenary) replied with a mocking tone as his golden eyes locked onto my own. I knew what had to be done. Before dawn my cousin will be laying dead at my feet. But before that happened, before I ripped his traitorous body to shreds, I would know why.
“You killed Rin. You killed my heir! My daughter! How is it possible?! I questioned you, I detected no lies. You are not powerful enough to mask it from me. Tell me now Youhei, how is it possible?!” I screamed at him, still struggling to keep myself under control at least until I had learned all I needed to know from him.
“No, dear cousin, I did not kill Rin. I had her killed. There's a difference, one big enough for you not to be able to detect the lie. And you didn't question me. I volunteered that information, you did not question me further," he mocked ignoring the gasp I was sure he could hear coming from behind me. Apparently the priestess understands it now as well.
“Why?! To what end did you have an innocent little girl killed?! Why did you betray me?! The West?! My mother!? Why?! What do you get out of this?!” I demanded, each question more emotion filled than the last. Re-clenching my teeth and fisting my hand at my side, I try once again to get myself under control.
“Why else 'Lord' Sesshoumaru? Without an heir, I am next in line. Now all I have to do is get rid of you and the Western lands will be mine," Youhei explained with a dark chuckle. Before I could stop myself, I blinked at him in confusion. There was just no way I heard him right. The idea was ludicrous, no one could be that idiotic.
Without a moment pause, I laugh at him. It is humorless, but as his face becomes distorted in confusion and anger, I can see it has worked. “You really think you are next in line for the West?” I question, still not believing it, but apparently he did since he nodded in affirmative. “As Inutashio's only other living son, Inuyasha is next in line if I do not have an heir at the time of my death.”
“There is no way the West will ever be ruled by some pathetic half-breed! No one will accept his claim. With you dead, the West will be mine. But I will kill the half-breed just to make sure. Just as soon as I dispose of the current disgrace growing in that wench's belly. I guess what they say is right: ‘like father, like son.’”
“The West has no say in who is next in line. It was Inutashio's wish and there is no one who would dare go against his orders, whether he's alive or not. And it matters not, either way Youhei. You would never be Lord; you are of my mother's blood. Not my sire's. Jaken has more of a chance of being Lord than you ever will.”
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