The Sacred Wishing Jewel Ch. 17

[mrs-koki.livejournal.com]

Title: The Sacred Wishing Jewel
Author: Mrs_Koki ( me)
Pairing: KoKi Tanaka/ Inu-Kame
Disclaimer: Owning people is illegal...common though, historically
Genre: AU, fantasy, demons, fantasy violence, human and half demon sex
Rating: PG ( NC-17 for later chapters as Koki and Inu-Kame get closer)
Length: Multi-chapter.
Summary:
Koki is a 22 year old human guy, living a normal but unsatisfied and
restless life, gets pulled into Japan's feudal past by an otherworldly
creature, where he crosses paths with a dog like half-demon named
Inu-Kame. There he discovers his past and future and that not all
legends are the work of the imagination. Can ancient history give Koki
the answers he's looking for and settle his restless heart? Will price
be too high to pay for such answers and will he be able to bare the
cost?
A/N: Later chapters Koki and only Koki, will start
calling "Inu-Kame" just Kame, everyone else will still refer to him as
'Inu-Kame'




Sango’s walking through the mist wondering where everyone went. As she’s walking she comes across InuKame’s dead body, sitting against a tree with a large slash mark running through the its trunk. Miroku lay next to him with deep gashes through his body, making the pool of blood larger. Shippo and Koki lay a few feet away...dead as well. All of them...were dead and by the looks of it InuKame died trying to protect Koki but it was no use.

‘They’re all...who could’ve done this?!’ she asks herself. All of a sudden she’s cut down by the very person who killed her friends, she looks back and sees Kohaku.

“ Thanks, big sister..you’ve always protected me, haven’t you? And thanks to you I can continue as my Lord Naraku commands. Hurry big sister...come join me in the next world..” Kohaku says as he takes Sango’s life as well.

“ Heh heh heh..All easy marks for my ‘Death By Illusion’. My, my, how frail human hearts are, indeed. Sadness, fear, confusion..if even one of these dark roots reaches down to the reservoirs of horror I’ve sunk in this land, then it’s over. Yes, Ren...even your beloved InuKame is quickly ensnared by my illusions. Only...that guy Koki, as I suspected is impervious to my spell.” Naraku says to a passed out Ren, who’s laying in the folds of a large tree.

“ Guys? Now where in the name of Great Cesare’s ghost did they get off too?! Man, this is messed up and slightly creepy. I keep thinking these vine things keep moving.” Koki says to himself while seeking out InuKame and his friends.

‘ He walks through my mystic web...but the strands are unable to snare him at all...’ Naraku thinks, watching Koki.

Koki sees Naraku and Ren sitting in the large root like tree fifty meters away, he hides behind the nearest tree and loads his bow, ‘ I knew it...Naraku! Wait...Ren’s here too? Now’s my chance..’ he steps from the tree and sends an arrow flying right at Naraku, it hits him in the chest.

“ Gotcha!” Koki says.

“ Heh, heh, heh...Good work. I already knew that you would make it this far by yourself..” Naraku says and then disappears. ‘ If I can’t destroy his soul...then I’ll destroy the flesh that harbors it!’

All of a sudden there’s a loud and ominous noise below Koki’s feet. He looks down and sees a large crack under his feet, he doesn’t have to time to react before he’s falling through the large hole it creates. Koki grabs a hold of the roots on the ground just in time to keep himself from falling into the acidic liquid below. Koki may have his pride but he’s not above calling for help.

“ InuKame...someone..a little help here!” Koki shouts, every time he tries to pull himself up...his feet slip on the wall of the hole.

Ren’s soul skimmers come to deliver his much needed harvest to animate his body. Naraku was nothing more than a mere golem.

“ Heh heh heh...call all you wish, no one is going to save you. InuKame and the other’s souls have been ensnared by my ’Death By Illusion’ spell...and are soon to die..there’s no one left to save you!” Naraku laughs.

“ If he doesn’t hurry...I’m going to be eaten away!” Koki says and then calls for InuKame again. He senses someone above and is surprised to see...“ Ren?!” kneeling above him holding a golem in his hands.

“ Heh, if he’s using this..then Naraku must truly fear you.” He says, breaking the golem in pieces.

“ I thought you were paralyzed?” Koki asks, he’s no fool...he knows Ren’s not going to help him up. In fact Ren would love nothing more for Koki to be away from InuKame.

“ I could have moved whenever I wanted to. But first I had to know what Naraku intended. It seems that Naraku also sees you as the greatest nuisance.” he tells Koki, which Koki could’ve guessed as much.

“ Oh look...you two have something in common then. So...you hate me and my closeness to InuKame that much, huh?!” Koki counters.

While Ren debates what to do about Koki, InuKame’s still pinned to his tree.

‘ Ren..if I’d only...only trusted you..back then. Instead, I hated you. I didn’t know that you followed me into the next world. I was impaled by your arrow and I was alone again.’ InuKame thinks as the spell slowly takes him. All of a sudden he hears a familiar voice in his head..memory of someone important to him...reminding him of something.

“ Kame...you’re not alone any more! I’m here...we’re all here, standing by you.”  Koki reminds the half demon.

It was Koki and what he told InuKame after the half demon had opened up to him about his feelings a few days ago. InuKame’s eyes open, he’s free of Naraku’s spell.

‘ Koki..? Where..where are you now. That’s right! I’m inside Naraku’s trap! Koki!! Where’s Koki?!’ He thinks as his eyes clear.

“ Well, InuKame. So you’ve come to treasure your life, eh?” The fake Ren asks with a glare.

“Ren!” InuKame growls ‘ I met Koki...and regained the heart and soul that I’d lost.’ “ I can’t let him die here!” InuKame says in reference to Koki, then speaks to Ren “ Someday, I’ll go where you are, Ren! But that won’t be TODAY!!” he shouts as the fake Ren pulls away and burns up before his eyes. His heart’s desire to keep Koki alive breaks Naraku’s hold over InuKame.

“ Every thing that just happened..was an illusion?! Damn him!” InuKame shouts and jumps away from the tree as it goes up in flames.

“ Miroku!” He looks over and sees that the idiot monk hasn’t figured out what’s going on. InuKame fights his way over slashing at the vines as he does so.

As his illusional death takes hold, InuKame cuts his way through to Miroku, ‘ He’s...terrified?!’ the half demon thinks before picking up the monk and shaking him, “ Miroku! Snap out of it!” he holds the wrist that has the wind tunnel in Miroku’s hand, showing the monk he’s alive.

“ Eh? My wind tunnel..it was swallowing my whole body..” Miroku says, relieved that his worst fear didn’t actually happen.

‘ These illusions! They choose your biggest fear.’ InuKame thinks before telling the monk, “ Miroku, you go look for Sango. She must be caught by the vines’ illusions too. I’m going to find Koki!” InuKame takes off into the trap, looking for Koki.  Unfortunately Ren and Koki found each other and now Koki’s at the mercy of InuKame’s ex-lover.

Koki sees Ren’s Soul Skimmers surround Ren briefly before swirling around Koki and lifting him up. Ren reaches out and takes the Wishing Shard from around his neck.

“ What do you think...give that back!” Koki shouts.

“ The Wishing Jewel was originally mine to protect and purify. It is not yours to possess. Now..you may release him.” Ren says and his soul skimmers drop Koki back where he was...hanging on to the vines.

“ Well...here’s no great shock...he wants me dead again.” Koki says to himself before Ren gains his attention.

“ You are me. But there needs to be only one of us in this reality..”

“ So...your promise to him was just a lie?!” Koki asked outraged.

“ Koki!!” InuKame shouts as he sees Koki holding on for dear life.

“ InuKame...would you mind?!” Koki shouts.

InuKame jumps over the crevasse and pulls Koki up from his near death experience.

“ Koki?! Are you alright? What in the hell is going on here?” InuKame asks.

“ Ren was trying to...” Koki starts but Ren cuts him off.

“ I took the Wishing Shard from him, that’s all.” Ren says, knowing as long as InuKame keeps believing his words...he’ll never let him go, like Koki wants him to.

“ Ren, you..”

“ Its because he’s carrying this...that Koki’s life is in danger. Naraku, I suspect, was planning to melt his body....and take the remaining shards of the jewel.” Ren says.

“ You’re lying....” Koki growls as Ren disappears with his Soul Skimmers.

“ Ren! Where are you going?!” InuKame shouts but Ren says nothing.

Koki says nothing as Ren vanishes, taking the jewel with him. He’s not sure if he should tell InuKame or not, there’s a good chance the half demon won’t believe him...but its a chance he’s willing to take.

“ Koki...what happened between you and Ren?” InuKame asks.

“ I’m sorry, Kame...Ren lied to you. After he took the shard, he dropped me right back over the pit you pulled me from. He said that since I was him...only one of us needed to exist in this realty, as Naraku fears me....Ren knows that as long as I’m around, there’s a good chance you’ll let him go.” Koki explains, his gaze never meets InuKame’s.

“ Ren said he...”

“ You still love Ren, don’t you Kame?” Koki asks.

“ I...is this any time to bring that up?!” InuKame asks.

“ What are you getting so defensive about? Its a valid question.” Koki asks.

“ You...idiot!! Its because I thought of you that I’m here right now...not Ren!” InuKame shouts and thinks ‘If I hadn’t thought of Koki at that moment..I’d have been possessed and killed by Naraku’s trap’ as he grabs Koki’s hand, before asking “ So would you..PLEASE try to trust me a little bit more?”

“ Kame...” But before Koki could say more than InuKame’s name, Miroku shows up carrying an unconscious Sango and Shippo on his back. Along with her weapon.

“ Are you two finished fighting?” he asks.

“ Oh!” They both say at the same time.

While InuKame and company are looking for a way out of Naraku’s mist. Ren takes the shard back to Naraku’s castle. Where Naraku’s lost in his thoughts.

“ You’ve become careless, Naraku.” Ren says on the other side of the door to his room.

“ Ren..”

“ Remember this Naraku. Your makeshift spells have no power over me, even the shield you raised around this castle to prevent InuKame and the others from finding it was child’s play for me to sunder.” Ren looks at the jewel shard for a minute before tossing to Naraku, it lands by Naraku’s hand.

“ The Wishing Shard?!”

“ Its what you wanted, isn’t it? I’ll let you be its guardian. For now...I suspect you are the one who most needs it...the demon Naraku. Or rather...the half-breed Naraku.”

“ You call me only a half breed?” Naraku picks up the shard.

“ Ah, yes. You imagine that you’ve suppressed it well. But the mortal at the heart of your existence...the bandit weakling Onigumo has not been erased. That’s why you crave the wishing jewel...that you may complete your demonic transfiguration.”

“ If that is what you think, why hand me this shard? I am he who fifty years ago made you seek your own death. Knowing that, you would still....?”

“ Feh. That day...my body perished. But now, animating this construct of others’ flesh....I feel more alive than ever. I can love and I can hate, my soul is freer than in its mortality. I will return to the temple where I lodged before, I will not bolt or hide. If you wish to meet with me, send a messenger...Onigumo.” Ren says then leaves Naraku be.

Myoga was up to something himself, involving InuKame. He goes to visit an old friend of InuKame’s father.

“ Hey, you better not be tricking me, Myoga. Are you sure this what’s-his-name has mastered the Tetsusaiga?”

“ His name is Lord InuKame.”

“ InuKame, eh? The dog demon who gave me his fang to hone into a sword had a pair of whelps...this must be the younger of the two idiot brothers.”

“ I saw it only once. But with a single swing he slaughtered a hord of demons. He’s done nothing like it in my presence since....luckily. He’s dangerous to be around, all right.” the old flea says.

“ Well, I’ll test him sure enough. See if this InuKame cur is really worthy enough of wielding my fine-edged masterpiece!” the strange man says.

“ I’m sorry.” Koki apologizes, though for what he’s not really sure.

“ Don’t worry about it, Koki. We’re alive and safe and that’s what matters. We can always go looking for the Wishing Shard again.” InuKame says gently.

“ What’s happened to InuKame? I’ve never seen him so....reasonable.”

“ Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that Master Ren took the shard.”

“ Yeah..when you’re in love with the thief....”

Koki’s fist clenches as Shippo’s words and InuKame let’s out an annoyed sigh. InuKame goes to tell the others that he’s not covering for Ren, when he hears a noise above his and Koki’s heads. InuKame and Koki move just in time as a very old man riding a three eyed bull lands in front of them.

“ Who the hell are you?! If you’re after Koki...forget it!” InuKame shouts.

“ My name is Toto-sai, draw your blade InuKame.” he says.

‘ This creature knows me?!’ InuKame thinks.

“ If you won’t draw first...then I’ll have to!” he shouts leaping from the bull.

“ Stay back!” InuKame shouts to Koki, who nods...he wasn’t in the mood to fight anything anyway. InuKame pulls his sword and blocks Toto-sai’s hammer, only to have the Tetsusaiga forced back.

“ Hmph. The sheen is still murky.”

“ What the hell are you?!” InuKame charges again.

Toto-sai pulls a piece of Hide from under is clothes and stops InuKame’s blade. Surprising everyone, including InuKame.

“ WAAUGH! And look at all the nicks on the blade! Don’t know how to take care of a sword?!”

“ There’s something bizarre here...”

“ Toto-sai! That’s enough!”

“ Old man Myoga!” the old flea jumped on InuKame’s shoulder.

“ So this...geezer is the smith who forged the Tetsusaiga?!” InuKame asks.

“ Yes, Lord InuKame.”

“ Indeed. It was I who tempered the legendary weapon from your father’s fang.”

Koki just snorts from the branch he was sitting in, when he doesn’t feel like talking....he took a page from InuKame’s book and took to the trees.

“ So, what business does he have with me? Did you come to sharpen the blade or something?”

“ Exactly...if you are truly worthy to wield such a sword. However...if you are unworthy, I shall break the Tetsusaiga myself!”

“ Are you saying this is some kind of test?” InuKame asks.

“ Quite. I am a hunted man.”

“ Hunted...?”

“ ‘Forge me a blade that will rival Tetsusaiga. Otherwise, I shall kill you.’ There’s an idiot out there that spoke such nonsense. You must protect me from him.”

“ Listen, old man....Don’t you mean, ‘PLEASE protect me from him’...?” InuKame asks grabbing the old man’s head.

“ He’s here!”

Its Lord Sesshomaru, InuKame’s half brother and who desires the power of the Tetsusaiga for himself. He lands in front of InuKame...he’s searching for Toto-sai. Koki never speaks or moves from his tree.

“ Sesshomaru....”

“ I see your human companion has turned into monkey, InuKame.” Sesshomaru refers to Koki, he saw him in the tree when he landed. InuKame looks at Koki.

“ You leave him out of this!” he growls at his brother.

“ Who’s he?” Sango asks.

“ InuKame’s elder brother.” the monk answers.

“ InuKame, why are you consorting with Toto-sai?”

“ He’s going to protect me!” Toto-sai hides behind InuKame.

“ Ho. You must really desire the grave.” Sesshomaru cracks his knuckles, exposing his claws.

“ Wait! If you defeat InuKame, then I will forge you a new blade!”

“ Toto-sai...You will not forget those words.” he says before attacking InuKame.

“ You heard him, InuKame, you must die!”

“ Pah! I’ll throw those words back at you!”

Sesshomaru dodges InuKame’s attack, only to punch him...knocking him to the ground.

“ What’s the trouble, InuKame? I thought you were going to defeat me to save Toto-sai! You’re as slow as ever.” he taunts as he dodges InuKame’s attack.

“ TRY THIS!!” InuKame shouts and Koki comes down from his tree branch.

“ Hmph...not even a scratch.” he misses again.

“ Just my luck...a complete incompetent! Myoga! I thought you said InuKame had mastered that sword!”

“ Well...I said he did once..”

“ He did master his sword! Every time they fight InuKame always beats Sesshomaru in the end! Koki says, just because he doesn’t want to talk....that didn’t mean he wasn’t listening.

“ Dear Toto-sai...don’t you think this is a waste? InuKame’s swinging the blade around with brute force. Your master blade might as well be a log.”

“ Its true!” Toto-sai sighs.

“ You don’t know anything, old coward! This battle’s just begun!”

“ The end will be the same no matter how many times you strike.” he says as InuKame strikes.

“ Brilliant Venom Claws!” he grabs InuKame’s wrist and turns to Toto-sai and says, “Well, Toto-sai?! Will you forge a blade for me now?!”

“ Nope!” Toto-sai blows fire from his mouth, separating InuKame and Sesshomaru.

“ Liar!”

“ What do you think your’re doing?!” InuKame hits him.

“ So you’ll refuse me regardless?”

“ Did you forget? I’ve already given you a splendid blade of your own! The Tenseiga at your hip! I forged it too from your mutual father’s fang! It too is a master blade! Finer perhaps even than Tetsusaiga!! ‘Give Tenseiga to the Elder son, Tetsusaiga to the younger’, that was your father’s last wish!” Toto-sai shouts, making Sesshomaru angry.

“ Sesshomaru’s blade was also forged by the old man?”

“ But we’ve never seen him draw it.”

“ Don’t try to play with me, Toto-sai. You claim this blunt slab of metal is worthy of me?” Sesshomaru questions.

“ He’s getting mad...maybe we should go.” Toto-sai warns before hitting his hammer on the ground and the lot of them disappear.

As they are heading away from Sesshomaru and Jaken, Koki’s mood, for some reason, gets worse. He knows InuKame wants to believe in what Ren says and he has a feeling that InuKame didn’t believe him when Koki said that Ren had lied and tried to kill him. Koki’s hurt and he’s angry, and it doesn’t help that him and the half demon can’t have two minutes alone at this point. What with Shippo always tailing their movements or Naraku and other demons trying to kill them nearly every day...there’s just never time. Koki also understands that the Ren InuKame once knew and loved, is not the same Ren that now walks the earth and keeps trying to kill Koki.

“ You’re pretty strong...” Sango comments.

“ Indeed..you don’t really need InuKame to protect you, do you?” the monk asks.

“ I misplaced my hopes. I didn’t think InuKame was this weak And Sesshomaru calls my master blade a ‘slab’....”

“ What?! Who are you calling weak?!” the half demon shrieks. Normally Koki’s the first one to defend InuKame but he says nothing. His face passive but his eyes show the turmoil that lies beneath the surface.

“ Ouch!” InuKame had gave Toto-sai a few lumps on his head for calling him weak.

They land and Koki immediately separates himself from the others or rather he goes to sit in the nearest tree, going back to ignore everyone, especially InuKame.

“ What’s Koki worked up about?” Shippo asks.

“ Just leave him be, Shippo. He’ll be alright.” Miroku says.

‘It’s Ren...again, isn’t Koki?’ InuKame thinks watching Koki before Toto-sai gains their attention.

“ Tenseiga is not a blade to fight with. It is a blade of healing.” The old man says.

“ So because Sesshomaru deems his blade useless, he came to you for a new one. You refused and now we’re caught in the middle...thanks a lot.” Koki snarls from his tree branch.

“ Koki...stop it.” InuKame says.

“ Healing?” Shippo asks.   

“ Unlike Tetsusaiga, forged to destroy the strong...Tenseiga binds together the unraveling souls of those who are weak.”

“ Binds souls? Then it can bring souls back from death?” Sango asks.

“ If you master it. If you have a soul that treasures life, then you’d be able to save even a hundred souls with a single swing of Tenseiga.” Toto-sai answers.

“ I see now. No wonder that bastard Sesshomaru wants a new blade. He’d never be able to use a blade like that, not even if he stood on his head.” InuKame remarks.

“ I suppose not.” Toto-sai agrees.

“ Not with his attitude, no. Besides, even if he could use it, he wouldn’t be happy about it.” Miroku sighs.

While InuKame and the others are talking, Sesshomaru starts searching for Toto-sai...again.

“ I never realized that the sword at your side is an heirloom from your Lord Father. Just what kind of demon blade is it?” Jaken asks.

“ Do you really want to know, Jaken?” Sesshomaru asks, before pulling Tenseiga and slashin Jaken with it.

“ L-Lord Sesshomaru?!” Jaken says in shock as he falls on his back, as if he’s dead.

“ Are you a fool? Get up.”

“ But...I’m...I’m not injured? Why? I could’ve sworn I was split in half.”

“ Do you understand now? This Tenseiga is a blade that does not kill. Let’s go, Jaken, we have to find that old goat and kill him.” Sesshomaru says and continues his search, killing a large group of bandits that decided to foolishly challenge him as he looks.

Back at the campsite, InuKame decides to find out what, exactly, is wrong with Koki. He walks over and jumps up on the same branch.

“ Let’s talk.” He says and jumps down, leaving Koki up in the tree.

Koki sighs and after climbing down, he follows InuKame away from the others prying eyes and ears.

“ Now what’s the matter with you?” the half demon asks.

“ Who do you believe? Me or Ren. When I told you that Ren tried to kill me for a reason other than the jewel, you didn’t get upset like you did in the beginning. You seemed to just take him at his word that he’d quit trying to kill me, but you looked at me like I was the one lying.” Koki says.

“ I never said I believed him, Koki. I....”

“ But you haven’t given me in the slightest hint that you believe me either. When are you going to realize that, even though you still love him, that the Ren you once knew....is not the same Ren that now walks this world again. You told me to let you know if he tried to hurt me and when I did...that was the reaction or lack there of, that I got!” Koki shouts, he knows he sounds like a girl but he doesn’t care.

“ Koki...”

“ You asked me to start trusting you more...trust is a two way street. If you doubt me with Ren, what’s going to happen if Naraku tries to trick you again the same way he did 50 yrs. ago...only he’ll use me instead?”

“ Koki...I never said I believed Ren, nor do I believe you were lying to me. I’m sorry for making you feel and think the opposite. Maybe he’s not the same person he was before he died...but its still hard to just let him go. I know he wants you out of his way as does Naraku...but I was able to trust you more than I ever did Ren, so as far as Naraku’s trickery goes...he won’t ever turn me against you.” He grabs Koki’s hand the same way he did the very first time...when he told Koki that he, Koki, wasn’t a murder.

“ Then why didn’t you say anything to him?” Koki asks as InuKame stands closer to him.

“ Because was I shocked that he had lied to me. You are the one that convinced me I wasn’t alone any more. You don’t hide or run away. Our friends know how you feel about me cause you don’t keep it a secret....he did all those things, more so after he took over for his father. If I wanted to be around Ren, I wouldn’t be here now nor would I go and get you from your time if I feel like you’ve been gone too long.” InuKame answers and pulls Koki flush against his body.

“ Kame....” Was all Koki said before locking lips with the half demon. They stand there for an hour...just enjoying their tongues dancing together. It wasn’t an erotic kiss by any means, they both know there’s no time for intimacy now. They separate and Koki finishes his sentence, “ I’m sorry for doubting you, I won’t do it anymore.”

“ Its alright....I don’t blame you for doubting me, Koki. As things are right now....you had every right to.” InuKame smiles and pulls Koki in for more and whispers, “ I need you...Koki.” against Koki’s lips before slipping his tongue Koki’s mouth.

Koki pulls back after twenty minutes and says, “ I know,Kame. It has been a while since last time...but either Naraku or Sesshomaru could show up at any time.”

InuKame lets go of Koki’s hand and as they are walking back to the campsite, Koki tells the half demon that he needs to get rid of the fleas he has first. Once that’s done and they can get the time needed....then he’ll give InuKame what they both want. They get back in time to see Toto-sai getting ready to leave.

“ So you plan on escaping on your own?” Koki asks.

“ Mm, I can’t rely on InuKame. Well then...”

“ But...”

“ Let him go, Koki. We don’t have any use for the old geezer, anyway.” InuKame says.

“ Give it back.” Toto-sai grabs Tetsusaiga.

“ Eh?” InuKame’s surprised.

“ You can’t use Tetsusaiga properly. So I’m going to destroy it.”

InuKame gives the old man quite a few lumps on his head and says, “ No more jokes old fool.”

“ You’ll regret this!” Toto-sai shouts and makes a speedy retreat.

“ He’s a straight forward fighter..”

“ But is that a strength or a weakness?”

‘ Poor InuKame, I do feel sorry for him. He’ll die at Sesshomaru’s hands. It seems that he hasn‘t even sensed the “Scar of the Wind”...that draws out the true power of Tetsusaiga.’ Toto-sai thinks. Then he runs right into Lord Sesshomaru and makes an even speedier trip back to InuKame and company.

“ You’re not going after him, Kame? I mean you finally got to meet your sword’s creator.” Koki asks.

“ That senile old fool!” The half demon snorts.

Soon the sound of hoofs reach their ears. They stop walking and turn to see Toto-sai.

“ He’s coming back..?” Koki was confused.

As they’re watching Toto-sai lands face down on the ground as Sesshomaru connects with his claws.

“ Toto-sai...did you really think you could escape me?” Sesshomaru asks.

“ Sesshomaru!!” InuKame shouts angrily as Toto-sai appears behind InuKame.

“ Just wait there. I’ll tear you to shreds...together with InuKame.”

“ So he says. What are you going to do?” The sword smith asks.

“ Old man, do you have any intention of forging Sesshomaru a new blade?” InuKame asks.

“ Nope.”

“ See? And I’m getting pretty tired of being lectured about this sword so....let’s decide this once and for all--RIGHT NOW!” InuKame shouts at his elder brother.

“ As you wish. We’ll finish is today.” Sesshomaru agrees attacking InuKame.

“ WHOA!” InuKame dodges.

“ Take this!” he swings his sword as Sesshomaru blocks with his...left arm.

“ The left arm that InuKame severed...he’s attached a replacement arm!” Koki shouts as the arm takes the brunt of InuKame’s attack.

“ Have you forgotten brother?! The Tetsusaiga’s shield repels you!”

“ Feh. I’ve forgotten nothing.” Sesshomaru and swipes at InuKame with two fingers, knocking him backwards. “ This new arm will serve as a shield against the blade’s aura.”

“ That’s...a dragon’s limb. Far tougher than any demon’s arm.” Sango interjects.

“ What? Where did he get that?” Koki asks in surprise.

“ Hmph! It took quite a gash from just one blow of my blade.”

“ Yes. As it should have...OR do you not know of the ‘Scar of the Wind’?!” He asks attacking InuKame again.

“ WHAT?! Toto-sai shouts as InuKame blocks his brother’s attacks.

“ I have no need to fear the Tetsusaiga wielded by one so unaware!” He shouts.

“ He’s parrying the Tetsusaiga with just one arm?!” Sango asks.

“ His is a powerful evil.” the monk answers.

Sesshomaru’s poison claws make contact with InuKame, knocking him to the ground...his chest was dripping with blood. Koki was worried about him and wanted to help, but he knew this was a fight that InuKame had to win on his own.

“ INUKAME!!” Koki shouts.

“ Sesshomaru! You can sense the ‘Scar Of The Wind?!” the old man asks.

He looks at InuKame and then back at Toto-sai, then says, “ Of course. So could anyone with his eyes open.”

“ Toto-sai, what’s this ‘Scar Of The Wind’?” Koki asks the old man next to him.

“ Is the proper path that draws out a blade’s true power. It is the secret to mastering the Tetsusaiga.” The old man says looking at InuKame. ‘ But that path is not something that can be taught. Nor is it something that one can see with the eyes..’ he thinks.

‘Sense the Scar of the wind...? What the hell does that mean? I don’t even know what this “Scar of the Wind is...and Sesshomaru can see it?!’ InuKame thinks as he stands and faces his elder brother.

“ If this ‘Scar of the Wind’ is the secret to mastering the Tetsusaiga, then tech it to InuKame!” Koki pleads.

“ That is not possible. InuKame must master it on his own. If he cannot..then it means that InuKame was never meant to wield the Tetsusaiga after all.” Toto-sai explains.

“ Hmph. I’ve never understood...what would possess such fine blade to chose YOU as its owner?!” Sesshomaru attacks with his dragon arm, all InuKame can do is block at this point.

‘ The Scar of the wind..how is it that my half brother can see it, but I can’t?! W..wait...last time...when Sesshomaru showed up with a human arm attached...he single handedly slaughtered a hundred demons at once. With just one swing...slicing the very air before them..that slice..that space..it that the “scar”?!’ InuKame thinks as he’s pushed back on to the ground, he has a hard time standing...he’s feeling so weak all of a sudden.

“ InuKame!” Koki shouts.

“ Is it your injury?!” Shippo asks from Koki’s shoulder.

“ Heh. Earlier, I gave you a good taste of the venom in which my talons are steeped...” He holds up the dragon’s arm, “ The more you move, the more the venom circulates!” he attacks InuKame again.

“ I can’t stand by and watch this anymore!”

“ SANGO!”

“ Boomerang Bone!”

Sesshomaru just watches as it comes closer, only to have InuKame deflect it back right back to her.

“ Don’t you interfere! Sesshomaru is mine to defeat with the Tetsusaiga!” InuKame shouts back at Sango.

“ But..InuKame...”

“ Just stand back and watch, Sango. Remember, InuKame did master the sword...even if only once.” the monk tells her.

“ That was an accident and you know it.!” She counters.

“ Perhaps it was...But if he lacked the skill he would not have been able to accomplish it.”

Koki just watches InuKame and Sesshomaru, ‘ But...if he can’t master it right here, right now...he’ll be killed and I’ll lose him forever!’ he thinks as fear grips his heart and winds around every nerve and cell in his body.

“ You’ll regret turning down my offer of assistance, InuKame!” Sesshomaru says.

“ SHUT UP! I’ll find that ‘Scar of the wind’!”

“ Surrender!”  Sesshomaru advises as him and InuKame connect.

“ I will not...lose to YOU!” InuKame screams as he grabs Sesshomaru’s at the shoulder and severing the dragon’s arm with his sword in the process. The arm falls to the ground.

“ Such a waste..such a futile struggle..” he swipes InuKame across his eyes.

‘ The venom...! I...I can’t see!!’ InuKame thinks in horror as Sesshomaru punches him in the chest...he hits the ground..hard.

“ InuKame...his eyes..!” Koki says in horror.

“ Was he blinded...?!”

“ You and I...are simply NOT in the same class. YOU DIRTY HALF BREED!”  He shouts as his facial features morph as he changes into his true form, and he charges InuKame again.

“ H-his face..!” Shippo was really afraid now.

“ He’s showing his real features!” Koki says as InuKame finally stands up after a great effort in doing so.

Now blind InuKame’s other senses take over and he thinks, ‘ He’s approaching. I can feel it..the swirling miasma. His demonic power..the heat of wind, striking wind.  The smell of the air..its different! Where the powers swirl and collide there’s a space between. An opening..I can smell it! This is it! THE SCARE OF THE WIND!!’ he raises Tetsusiaga as Sesshomaru gets closer.

Sensing the “Scare of the wind”, InuKame charges his brother, ‘I can sense it!! The “Scar of the Wind!” If I slice along the path of this scent...Sesshomaru WILL DIE!!’ he thinks as he swings his sword, engulfing Sesshomaru in a white light. The force of the attack has everyone hiding behind Toto-sai’s three eyed ox. A stunned Sesshomaru disappears, wounded badly..hopefully. Leaving InuKame panting and still blinded by the venom Sesshomaru hit him with.

“ The battle is over.” Toto-sai says, while thinking ‘InuKame has sniffed out Tetsusaiga’s secret, “The Scar of the Wind”.’

“ Was it my imagination? For a second it seemed like Sesshomaru’s body was enveloped in light..” Koki thinks running over to InuKame, concerned about his eyes.

The Tetsusaiga changes back and as InuKame is putting it away, he wonders ‘Is it over?’

“ Do you think Sesshomaru’s dead?” Shippo asks from Miroku’s shoulder.

“ Well...He did take Tetsusaiga’s true force head on..” the monk answers.

“ Huh. ‘True force?!’ Don’t make me laugh.” Toto-sai says.

“ What is this, geezer? Are you still spouting that nonsense?!” InuKame asks annoyed, Koki’s standing at his shoulder.

“ I will give you credit for sniffing out the ‘Scar of the Wind’, and despite being blinded by venom and in great pain. But,InuKame..you didn’t swing Tetsusaiga all the way through,did?” The old man asks.

InuKame says nothing.

“ No matter how much you hate him, Sesshomaru is still your elder brother. You couldn’t make yourself cold hearted enough to kill your own brother,could you?!” Toto-sai asks.

“ InuKame...” Koki thinks with a gentle look in his eyes, Koki knows Tot-sai’s right.

InuKame’s quiet for a minute before....“ Feh! You don’t know me,do you,old fool?! I couldn’t give it a full swing because my body was paralyzed by venom!” he tries to get to Toto-sai, but Koki holds him back.

“ He doesn’t seem very paralyzed now,does he?” Shippo comments

“ Indeed.” Miroku agrees.

“ Now, InuKame, hand Tetsusaiga over.” The old man requests.

“ What?!” InuKame replies.

“ I will hone it.” He answers.

While Koki and InuKame are using the river to wash the venom from his eyes....Toto-sai starts honing Tetsusaiga.

“ Lord Toto-sai, does this mean that you acknowledge Inu-Kame as Tetsusaiga’s true master?” Miroku asks, Sango and Shippo sit on a nearby rock...watching.

“ Maybe. Well, you know Tetsusiaga is a dangerous blade that can sunder a hundred demons with but one swing. I can only trust it with someone with a soft spot in his heart.” Toto-sai explains, while thinking ‘ If, at that moment, Inu-Kame had swung with intent to kill Sesshomaru...I would have broken the blade.’

“ Sesshomaru is truly cold hearted and can easily sense the ‘Scar Of The Wind’...This what I do not understand. Why was Sesshomaru able to sense that mystical path so easily?” Mirko asks.

“ That’s easy. Remember what he said.” InuKame starts as he dries his face with the towel Koki gave him, “ He’s got a better nose.”

“ Does that mean Sesshomaru’s more like a dog?!” Shippo whispers.

“ Well...he is a full demon..” Sango replies quietly.

“ Hmm...you’d never know it from their looks alone..” Miroku says glancing at InuKame.

“ What the hell do you mean by that?!” InuKame asks coolly.

Koki rolls his eyes at the lot of them, turning his attention back to Toto-sai.

“ You said that Sesshomaru’s blade that healed and saved people,right? But you would have to have a kind heart to wield such a blade,right?” Koki asks confused.

“ Yes, and that I don’t understand at all either.” Toto-sai replies.

“ You don’t...why?” Koki answers.

“ You’d think it would reject Sesshomaru...but instead it protected him from Tetsusaiga’s force. That, more than anything else is a sign that Tenseiga has chosen Sesshomaru as it’s wielder. Whether Tenseiga is to flourish or wane,is up to Sesshomaru’s heart.” Toto-sai says.

After Toto-sai gives InuKame back his blade, he leaves and the group continue their search for the jewel shards.

“ Does he call this ‘honed’?” InuKame asks.

“ It doesn’t look very different from before,does it?” Shippo asks from the half demon’s shoulder, as they inspect Tetsusaiga.

Koki’s been quiet the whole time they’ve been walking, when Sango gains his attention.

“ Are you okay, Koki? You’ve been awfully quiet lately.” Sango asks.

“ Its faint, but..I think I feel the presence of a wishing shard” He answers.

Then they come across the dead bodies of some local villagers, their blood seeped into the ground beneath their bodies.

Sango sees tracks on the ground and says, “ These tracks...A pack of beasts of some sort.”

“ The scent of wolves.” InuKame clarifies.

“ Wolves? That’s strange...wolves are generally afraid of people.” Koki says, smiling a little when InuKame pulls him closer to himself.

“ But don’t you think that’s odd? The villagers alone were killed...while the birds and horses that would be their usual prey are practically untouched. I’d say this is not the work of ordinary wolves.” The monk offers.

“ Koki, what about the Wishing Jewel? This is near where you sensed its presence,yes?!” Sango asks.

“ Yeah. But its not here anymore. It’s as if it it just...ran away.” Koki answers.

While InuKame and company are walking out of the village, Sesshomaru and Jaken come across the body of the maiden child that tried to take care of him. He decided to test Tensaiga. After bringing the child back from the dead, he realizes that his sword, if used well, can come in handy after all. He allows the little girl to come with him, stopping at some point to get her a clean Kimono.