Choices and Changes

By Danyealle

(M/F, FanFiction, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru/Kagome)

Chapter 18

While the monk and slayer were being attended to then settled in to their rooms his men and Kouga, with his two underlings, arrived with one very unconscious Inuyasha.

Sesshomaru had to actually fight to not grab the hanyou and kill him on the spot.  Instead he gave orders for him to be taken to the dungeon until he decided what he was going to do with him. Sending Kouga and his men to be attended to he then wanted them, Sango and Miroku in his study to hear from them just what had happened.

When Kouga, Ginta and Hakkaku showed in the study it was obvious they had been in a battle with Inuyasha.  Miroku, clean and bandaged up, arrived shortly afterwards. Sango, he said, was going to see Kagome and give her the pack she always carried before coming.

Knowing how close his mate and the slayer were Sesshomaru expected that and said nothing.  While waiting, Sesshomaru sent word to the kitchen for some dinner for his guests.  Then, while waiting, was given a rundown of what had happened.

After making camp for the night, and while dinner was cooking, they had begun to noticed a foul smell that seemed to permeate the camp.  It was an acrid smell, like some kind of chemical.  It was then that they noticed it seemed to be coming from Inuyasha who was battling his demon side. By that point the hanyou had a death grip on tetsusaiga with both hands and was telling Kagome to subdue him.  Both things were known to work to reverse the change in him.

While they initially worked, Inuyasha would then scream in pain, that smell would grow thicker and once again he would begin to battle his demon blood.

Apparently, he had enough of himself there to tell Kagome to run and get away before he began to lose the battle with his other half.  She was no fool and knew to get away so she grabbed Shippo and was heading for Kirara to make her way to the Western Fortress while everyone else battled Inuyasha.  But the hanyou was too strong and was able to get through everyone else and headed towards Kagome before she could get to the firecat.  Both Shippo and Kirara tried to run interference but he was able to get through them quickly then pounced her.  She tried everything she could to stop him.  Though the demon was in control and could have easily killed her enough of Inuyasha was left that it didn’t.  Before the demon could do any more damage, Inuyasha took off into the woods to try and get away before she could be hurt worse.

Looking at those seated, Sesshomaru kept his placid mask but his mind was working quickly trying to sort through the information he had been given. 

In a few minutes he was jarred back to the present by a soft knock on the door.  After telling whoever it was to enter, Sango, wearing her poison mask, poked her head in and told everyone to cover their noses.  When the bewildered group complied, she stepped into the study carrying something wrapped in a towel.

Immediately, all those in the room were gagging at the thick, acrid, chemical smell.  Sesshomaru opened the windows in hopes the fresh air would dissipate some of the stench.  “What do you have that’s making that retched stench slayer?”  He said trying not to gag or to show how disgusted he was by the smell.

Putting the towel on the desk, she unfolded it and revealed what looked very much like on of Narakus’ sanyousho, only mutated.  “Do you recognize the smell?”  She asked, looking around at everyone.

“It’s stronger, but that’s what Inuyasha smelled like.”  A very green Kouga said quietly.

Looking down at the creature that looked like a mutant bee of some kind, Sesshomaru examined it closely.  It was obviously one of Narakus’ poisonous insects but it had been messed with.  It was much larger, greenish in color and had a stinger as long as his hand with a barbed hook on the end of it.  Picking up a knife off the food try, he pocked it a couple times and a green liquid of some kind oozed out of the stinger.  Looking over at Sango, he asked, “Where was this thing?”

“It was in Kagomes’ pack.  I was pulling out her clothes so they could be washed and I found it.  It must have gotten in there at some point and was caught then died.”  She explained.

Looking down at the bug, Sesshomarus’ mind turned the information over and over.  If Naraku was involved in this then Inuyasha may well have been targeted.  If he could do something to push the boys’ demon blood to the forefront then he could easily turn the hanyou into a killing machine.

Calling the healer in, he had her take the insect to see if she could determine what the poison did then had her agree to meet him down in the dungeon.  After excusing himself, he headed to talk to Inuyasha.

As much as he disliked his half-brother and the way the hanyou did things, he wasn’t about to do something rash if it was set up by Naraku.  He refused to play by Narakus’ rules and let the spider bait him.

~~~@~~~

When he walked into the cell he found the boy seated on the floor, arms folder on his bent knees, head buried in his arms.  Without moving or raising his head, he asked, voice quiet, “Is Kagome OK?”

“She’s fine half-breed.”  Sesshomaru answered coldly.

“I’m sorry.”  Inuyasha said in a small voice, “I didn’t mean it and I couldn’t stop it.”

“Hn…”  Sesshomaru said, trying to keep his own anger under control to find out what happened.  If it was the hanyous’ fault he would make him pay but if it wasn’t then he would find the responsible party and make them pay.  “Tell me what happened Inuyasha.  Everything you remember.”

Without trying to negate any of his responsibility, Inuyasha told what he could remember of the incident.

It mirrored what everyone else had said.  “Tell me what happened right before your demon blood tried to take over.”

Sighing, Inuyasha related about his stinging back then the rage that came over him.

“Hn…  Did you get stung on the back by any insects?”

Giving the taiyoukai a weird look, Inuyasha said, “Yes.  But I get stung all the time.  What does that have to do with anything?”

Without answering, Sesshomaru called in his healer to have at look at him.  Immediately,, the rat youkai started pulling the barbed stingers of the mutant insects out of his back.  Though he tried to stay quiet, Inuyasha couldn’t help grunting and shaking as the long, barbed stingers were pulled from his skin.

The final count was 63 of them.  Sesshomaru just looked down at the hanyou, unable to speak.

After the barbs were removed Inuyasha looked up at his half-brother and said, voice quiet, “Just kill me.  I never want to go through that rage again.”

Without a word, the taiyoukai turned and left.