Threads of Destiny by Channy

Chapter One

A/N:  So it has been some time since I've been able to post anything to this story due to health issues. However, I am now back! And now, I'm rewriting what I've got so far. I still have so many ideas for this fic and I still love where I'm taking it but I need to do some revision. So far Only Chapter 1 has been re-done. Please keep in mind this is my first fic for Inuyasha and please bear with me as my life and health is still a bit troublesome right now. Any comments, friendly critique, and suggestions are more than welcome. In fact, I encourage them! I would love to have someone to review my work prior to me posting so if anyone is interested, let me know.

I would also like to give big thanks to Chris Hansen for being Beta for this. Honestly, I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!

Without further ado, here is the revised Chapter 1.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. The characters and some memories are the work of Rumiko Takahashi.

XX

Naraku towered high above Inuyasha, and although the form was a mere demon puppet, it was just about a perfect replica of its master. The demonic aura was lesser in strength than if it had indeed truly been Naraku in front of them but, nevertheless, it was still incredibly potent.

Up until Naraku appeared, the day was going pretty smoothly.

Inuyasha was in one of his more placid and approachable moods and thus, he and Kagome had gone for a walk together alone. It was nice to take a break from the usual hunting of shards and travelling aimlessly to try and find the increasingly ever elusive Naraku. Inuyasha had practically been in a permanent state of aggravation since he had last failed to take him out, making travelling rather taxing on the lot of them. So naturally, Kagome jumped at the opportunity to spend a quiet couple hours with the hanyou.

They had wandered quite a distance from Edo when Naraku had decided to reveal himself for the first time in weeks. This left Kagome rather miffed that he chose today to finally appear, just when she felt she was a little bit closer to bringing down Inuyasha’s walls.

Thick tendrils of stolen demon flesh sporadically attacked from multiple angles, causing Inuyasha to be doing more dodging rather than actually attacking. He would hack bits of flesh off as he bounded along, however, for almost every fleshy limb severed, at least two would replace it in the perfect imitation of a Hydra.

Kagome stood on the edge of the clearing, out of reach, with her bow held firmly in her hand at the ready in case a moment presented itself that required her to use it. She was now wishing that Sango and Miroku were here to help, but she knew they were far enough away that they wouldn’t sense Naraku. How quickly the day had turned around!

Naraku laughed menacingly, the length of his onyx locks whipping wildly in the wind around him, and his crimson gaze glared down at them with cold amusement.

Something stirred in Kagome’s gut as her instincts whispered warnings. Not that anything about this situation was right, but it felt horribly wrong.

They hadn’t had so much as a rumour of Naraku’s whereabouts for weeks and, suddenly he was here – well a puppet but nevertheless, something.

His attacks felt pointless rather than specific, or possibly, specifically pointless. There was no demand for anything, no challenge, just simple taunting attacks that could probably see them doing this dance for hours. Yet, it felt calculated.

Naraku’s tactics were typically strategized expertly, but this time it gave the appearance of an owner simply playing with their dog – pun not entirely intended. From the moment he appeared before them in the clearing, he made no mention of intentions. A game of tendril fetch ensued almost immediately and Inuyasha seemed to blindly be acquiescing to Naraku’s game.

Inuyasha dodged and jumped, either dragging his claws through the squirming limbs or allowing Tetsaiga to casually tear through them whilst he chuckled with his usual air and confidence. For a dog demon, sometimes he seriously seemed to lack the deeper instincts that should have clearly told him there was a more sinister intent to this tango. Either that or perhaps he just chose to ignore said instincts. Kagome sighed inwardly.

“Inuyasha! Be careful!” she warned him edgily.

His long silver tresses flicked unceremoniously around him as he continued to strike Tetsaiga offensively, littering the ground generously with the severed limbs. Kagome heard him scoff dismissively as he landed roughly on the ground.

“Just a pathetic puppet.” He smiled confidently as he rested Tetsaiga on his shoulder while he caught his breath. Kagome could tell he was starting to wear down. His shoulders were slightly hunched and his breathing becoming more laboured. “Too afraid to face me in person, Naraku?” he baited, baring his teeth.

The corner of Naraku’s lips creased upwards in a smirk, releasing a short snicker.

Kagome wanted to shoot that grin off his face. His velvet hues narrowed inward. There was no distinctive pupil in there, but there was still a certain knowledge and certainty behind the stare that made an icy chill crawl vigorously up Kagome’s spine. It was as if he had already won, his gaze telling of a deeper agenda that Inuyasha was readily and foolishly purchasing. She felt a coldness that had nothing to do with the weather.

Something glided with a spiritual elegance in the corner of Kagome’s eyes. She flicked her eyes to the interruption and gasped quietly as she felt her heart sink. The all too familiar soul collectors weaved through the air and the eel-like insects glowed incorporeally.

Kikyo.

Kagome’s heart suddenly doubled in weight.

“So kind of you to join us, Kikyo.” Naraku sneered like he was a schoolyard bully baiting his victim.

Kikyo’s expression was typically solemn and she was wearing the traditional Miko attire; blazing red hakama and white haori with the red stitching on the sleeves.  

There was silence for a moment, and suddenly Kagome felt like she wasn’t there, like she was merely watching through a very large TV screen.

Inuyasha, who had just finished catching his breath, momentarily lost it again as his golden eyes met Kikyo’s, who did not return the gaze. Everything seemed so still and quiet now, like an unspoken secret lingering in the air. Inuyasha’s face couldn’t hide the emotion he was going through. The despair of a broken heart was written in all his features. His eyelids lowering ever so slightly, and his eyebrows sank down to encase them. His mouth gaped open as his eyes settled longingly on his first love, whispering her name to the wind. It was his eyes that held the most though; those beautiful, golden irises that Kagome loved so dearly. The depths of them suddenly stretched on forever with a solemn yearning.

Kikyo, however, still held her gaze locked onto Naraku’s. She paid no attention to her former love, or her successor as she stared intently into the eyes of her enemy, as though they were communicating silently with just their eyes alone.

Kagome wondered idly if she began to dance the Macarena on the spot if any of them would even notice. Quickly, she shoved aside her selfish feelings as she helplessly watched the scene play out before her.

She glumly looked to Inuyasha, her heart fell as she could see his eyes beckoning for Kikyo to acknowledge him, silently begging for her to meet his gaze.

She didn’t.

Kagome’s heart tripped in her chest with a pang as the familiar ache surfaced at seeing the way he looked at her. It pained her, but the ache was not entirely for herself, but for him as well. It pained her to see the confliction and agony in his own heart. The despair of a tragic love story reflected in his auric irises.

It was like time slowed down. Like the universe felt the need to emphasize Kikyo’s presence. A breeze scurried through the field and her habitual loosely tied low ponytail was whisked out in front of her gently, carrying fallen leaves around her figure.

Kagome scrunched her nose up petulantly. She couldn’t help it. She couldn’t help but feel resentful. The whole universe seemed to thrust Kikyo in her face. She could almost hear the wind chanting Kikyo! Kikyo! Kikyo! She knew it was childish to feel this way, however that gave her no respite.

After a few moments of deafening silence that stretched out into the depths of space, Kikyo drew her bow and expertly notched an arrow in place, her expression never changing. Kagome could hear the stretch of the string as Kikyo pulled back and held the arrow in place, not a single waver in her stance.

The rest happened all so quickly that Kagome almost wondered if it happened at all. Naraku laughed triumphantly, breaking the silence of the field. Several tendrils were discharged with such an impressive force, that Kagome didn’t register their destination until they arrived. The squirming limbs collected Kikyo in a vice-like grip, pinning her arms to her sides, her bow dropping to the ground at her feet. Her face contorted with strain as she fought hopelessly against her prison.

“KIKYO!” Inuyasha's screams drowned out any remaining silence as he launched towards the first woman he ever loved. No one could doubt Inuyasha’s strength and power, especially when tested against his emotions; however, even for him, there was no time to get to Kikyo.

In one swift movement, the prison of limbs that bound Kikyo pulled back and launched the resurrected priestess towards the outlying forest with brutal velocity. Her figure in the distance cleared the treetops before lowering and disappearing in the density of the woods out of sight.

Inuyasha’s face was feral.

His fangs bared and his eyes were concealed by his silver bangs while clawed digits folded in on themselves and scrunched into a fist. Animalistic instincts finally kicked in with a ferocious determination.

His grip visibly tightened on Tetsaiga as he turned dangerously towards the puppet that was his enemy. With one savage swing of the blade, he expelled a powerful wind scar that obliterated Naraku into nothing but pieces of demon flesh that rained down on the clearing, leaving behind the familiar split, wooden peg that signalled his defeat and ending the connection with the real Naraku who remained safely in hiding.

Inuyasha turned on his heel in the direction that Kikyo was thrown and ran after her, leaping from the clearing. He didn’t even look back at Kagome.

She stood watching from her spot at the edge of the clearing as he hastily retreated. Silently, she reached her arm toward him, as though that would stop him.

“Inu…yasha…” she whispered, her voice swallowed by the air.

She was struggling to breathe. Her body began to heave, trying to expel her stomach contents. An agony in her abdomen flared up like a fire swelled inside. She wanted to cry out in pain, but nothing escaped. She tried to gasp for breath and when none came, she began to panic which only proved to encourage her stomach to heave again. She felt herself choking, her cerulean eyes wide as she tried to understand why she couldn’t breathe.

Inuyasha trailed off after Kikyo frequently. Yes, it had always hurt, but not quite like this. She had never been rendered breathless.

She could feel the blood rush out of her face. Blood… She recognized the metallic taste in her mouth, but where was it coming from?

Heave. Agony. Heave.

She tried to call out, but her body betrayed her. Something was blocking her airways.

Heave.

What was hurting so much in her stomach? Why did she feel so cold suddenly? She felt so drained of blood and breath. So…wet?

Kagome directed her attention to her abdomen. If she could locate the air, she would have gasped in shock.

There, protruding from her stomach, was one of Naraku’s tendrils. Blood was trickling out from the edges of the limb like a slow running waterfall encasing a rock. So that’s where all the blood was going. It was abandoning her.

Just like Inuyasha.

She glanced towards where he’d run off, hoping to see him coming to her aid.

He wasn’t there.

She tried to find breath from somewhere to try and call out for him but none came. Her arms had dropped down and encased themselves over the wound as if to hold herself together. As if holding her body would cease the pain and the bleeding.

The blood soaked into the white sleeves of her uniform, and the smell of rusty metal assaulted her nose. There was so much that even her insensitive human nose fell ill to the intense smell. It pooled in her mouth, and she realized she was going to choke on her own blood. Her knees quivered weakly beneath her tiny frame, and she was unable to hold herself up any longer, allowing herself to collapse to the dirt beneath her. Salty tears leaked from her eyes as she still watched the direction Inuyasha had gone in and her vision began to blur.

She struggled to hold on. If only for a few more moments, then Inuyasha would return and help her.

Darkness.

Blur.

Darkness.

Blur.

She fell sideways, her head connecting heavily with the ground and unconsciousness grasped her tightly. It swirled around her like a vortex and engulfed her, swallowing her whole.  

Darkness won.

…

There was blood thick in the air. Not only blood, but Naraku’s scent. In the blink of an eye, the tall demon Lord entered the clearing. Long, silver hair stretched down his back over his white kimono and black armour, the pelt that adorned his shoulder trailing gently behind him.

Golden eyes analyzed the display before him. He could smell his half brother’s scent. If he was the type, but of course he wasn’t, he would roll his eyes. A quick surveillance of the scene quickly unearthed the little wooden peg that revealed it was merely a puppet. Nevertheless, this was the first time in weeks since he had caught the scent of Naraku.  

“Lord Sesshomaru,” squawked Jaken as the little green imp came scampering into the field. “Wait for me!”

Sesshomaru paid him no heed. The little green kappa came to a halt at his feet and followed his Lord’s gaze, pointed mouth dropping open so wide he risked exposing his breakfast, yellow eyes widening as he took in the gory mess. “What happened?”

"It would seem Inuyasha was here.” He drawled more to himself than as a response to Jaken. “Always leaves such chaos in his wake.”

Stoically, he turned to leave when his nose caught the scent of something familiar. It was mere curiosity that caused him to stop in his tracks and locate the source. There was no doubting who it was when his eyes landed on the crumpled form of Inuyasha’s strange travelling companion. He soon closed the distance between them to analyze the situation.

Her knees were tucked together, and her upper form was twisted half sideways onto her back, the strange green garment she wore from her hips barely containing her modesty.

Her right arm had fallen awkwardly to the side of her body whilst her left arm was draped loosely over her abdomen, semi-codling a grotesque limb protruding invasively from her core. Blood pooled around her, soaking her upper garment that was once white, into a dark red, verging on black.

Her skin, drained of blood, was already getting a tinge of grey, and her eyes - her eyes lay open, shock still clearly displayed despite them being utterly void of life. There was no shine to them. The once cerulean orbs had morphed into but a shadow of their former appearance and darkened immensely.

“It would seem Inuyasha’s human did not survive.” He announced disinterestedly to no one in particular. He wondered idly where his fool brother was now. It seemed uncharacteristic of Inuyasha, who had protected this girl on several occasions - and even appear to hold affections for – to just leave her here; dead in a field, alone to rot, and become dinner for rodents and birds. He could tell she had not been dead long. It can’t have been more than mere minutes. Inuyasha must have been nearby.

Sesshomaru raised his eyes and dragged them over the field around him, taking in the scents. He could tell by scent alone roughly what had transpired. Naraku – well his puppet – had sought to fight – no – taunt Inuyasha and a battle ensued; if that was even what you could call it. Then – oh.

Sesshomaru understood. He could smell the lingering scent of graveyard soil, clay, and bones; the resurrected priestess who had sealed the half-breed to a tree fifty years ago. It all made sense now.

Fool.

By now Ah-Un had caught up, carrying the small Rin on his back. She nestled in the saddle adorning her usual yellow-orange checkered yukata, black locks slunk over her shoulders except for the small ponytail she had sprouting from the side. Her chocolate eyes beamed affectionately towards Sesshomaru until they nestled lightly on the form of Kagome at his feet, widening in surprise and recognition. A tiny gasp escaped her open mouth.

Sesshomaru turned on his heel and began to walk away when –

Pulse.

A nudging probed from his hip. His gaze shot questioningly to Tenseiga, nestled comfortably within his obi. The pulse was desperate; willing him to use it.

“I do not understand.” he expressed out loud toward the sword.

Pulse.

Sesshomaru arched a brow, watching the blade curiously. Perhaps if he gazed long enough, the heirloom would reveal its volitions. Tenseiga wanted to be used, but why would it wish to save the half-breeds wench? What was so important about her? What purpose would there be in saving her? Why should he have to be burdened with the responsibility of remedying the consequences of the half-breed’s negligence?

Pulse.

“What is it, Milord?” Jaken questioned curiously as he witnessed his Master's internal debate.

“Tenseiga wishes me to revive this human.”

“What?” Jaken squawked, pointed mouth agape.

Tenseiga pulsed harder and more persistently at his waist. Urging him, beckoning its wielder to unsheathe the blade and cut down the adversaries of the netherworld.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the sword as if he could intimidate the weapon into providing an explanation for its ridiculous request and demanding its silence. He could ignore the blade at his waist. He could keep walking and let the Miko rot away in the soil. He could proceed in his own endeavours and never think of the girl again.

Pulse.

Sesshomaru placed his clawed hand to the handle, his blue markings glinting in the slowly fading sunlight.

“You’re going to save her?” Jaken screeched in complete shock, jaw agape and his scrawny green arms swatting expressively at his sides as if the demonstration would snap his Lord back to reason.

Sesshomaru ignored the Kappa as he unsheathed Tenseiga. Before him, the impish messengers of death appeared and were vigorously chaining the girl’s soul, preparing her to be dragged into the depths of the netherworld. With a quick flick of the blade, he sliced through the minions that had surrounded her, the chains shimmering into non-existence.

The tendril that had impaled her abdomen was expelled from her gut and the wound healed over. There was a deep gasping for air, and life returned to her cerulean eyes that moments ago held nothing within them. Her pale skin was regaining colour as her now beating heart pumped blood throughout her.

Sesshomaru sheathed Tenseiga.

Kagome sat up and squinted. Her vision was returning, and the darkness that so strongly held her began to dissipate. Her arms automatically went straight to her stomach, and her eyes began to focus. She looked up, and blue eyes met fierce gold. However, not the gold eyes that she had expected. No, the gold eyes in front of her did not hold fear or concern. They did not show relief for her well-being, and they certainly didn't show love or friendship. Instead, they were cold and careless and something else that Kagome couldn’t discern. They were not Inuyasha’s. They were Sesshomaru’s.

Her breath hitched, and her heart skipped a beat before it accelerated.

She peered down at her abdomen to assess the damage. There was a gaping hole in her shirt, and the revealed flesh beneath was unblemished and unharmed. There was no scar and no evidence that she had previously been impaled, mind the drying blood that remained behind.

Kagome’s eyes had found their way back to the cold yellow ones that still loomed over her, eyeing her as if she were alien; as though his gaze intended to pierce her flesh to reveal something that he could not see.

Something clicked in Kagome’s head. Like a puzzle that she hadn’t realized she was piecing together until they connected dramatically into place.

She had died.

She could remember the darkness and then an icy chill. She remembered the spiral as the crashing waves of death rolled over her and pulled her under.

That meant...if she was here now...and he standing in front of her...that he…

Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped. She stared up at the fearsome Daiyoukai in bewilderment and uncertainty.

“Close your mouth, Miko, lest you catch a fly,” Sesshomaru ordered casually, his voice his customary dissolution. She did as she was told, but then opened it again to speak.

“Thank you.” she trailed off awkwardly, but not wanting to show a lack of appreciation.

Sesshomaru’s gaze still hadn’t left her crumpled form. His features blank like a fresh canvas.

Kagome waited quietly for him to speak. She didn’t mind uncomfortable silence. It gave her a few private moments to organize her thoughts. She needed the time to collect herself. She needed a moment to process the realization that she had died. Inuyasha had left her…and she died.

She felt her heart break and her throat tighten. She swallowed hard in the hopes it would drown the pain crawling up in her chest. She fought back tears as her eyes began to ache.

How could this have happened? She felt like her world was crumbling. Her mind was scattered, and she was unable to settle her mind on a single thought out of the many that currently plagued her.

She could not concentrate on one particular thing, and suddenly, her head felt like it was splitting into copious pieces, threatening to implode. She cringed as a headache threatened to break her; promised to constrict her. Was she having a breakdown? In front of Inuyasha’s brother no less?

Crap! Why is he still standing there?

Sesshomaru still stood, statuesque, in front of her. Like some godly creature descended from the heavens to inspect the inhabitants of the earth to study them. Kagome, however, knew he was no creature of the heavens. Kagome knew he was a force to be reckoned with.

Sesshomaru was lost in his own intense cognition. Despite the fact that his honey eyes were locked onto the human girl at his feet, his gaze was staring straight through her.

Why did Tenseiga want her restored?

He attempted to percolate his thoughts to find meaning to the swords desires and his hasty whims to accede to them. He desired answers. He craved knowledge and understanding. Not because he cared, but because this was now the second time the sword had urged him to restore a human life and now it bid his insatiable curiosity to surface and bubble beneath his ironclad skin.

“You may follow if it is your wish to do so.” He told her flatly with surprisingly little deliberation. He heard Jaken’s usual gasp and garble and wanted to kick the little green Kappa. He refrained and instead chose to walk forth in his original direction silently, choosing instead to step on Jaken on his way past.

If she followed, then she followed. If she didn’t, then so be it. He didn’t care either way, but there would be a higher probability of deciphering the mystery that was Tenseiga if she were around. Well, she could at least care for Rin better than Jaken could in the meantime. Jaken, despite being as old as he was, was still childish himself and lacked the appropriate insight in caring for a human child; as did Sesshomaru. Perhaps she could prove to be pragmatic yet. Besides, if the predicament grew tedious beyond his tolerance, he could simply dispose of her.

Jaken was scrambling after his Lord with a squawk whilst Rin had remained behind, sitting atop Ah-Un, and gazing down at Kagome with a warm and bright smile. Her smile was like sunshine showering over a stretching field of green for as far you could see with wildflowers blanketing the surface; so warm and so comforting. Kagome couldn’t help but melt like butter before her.

Kagome looked in the direction that the daiyoukai had walked, then looked to the direction Inuyasha had run off. Her heart punched her ribs, warning her that it could not yet endure the inevitable turmoil that seeing him would surely bring. Her eyes drifted back to the still beaming Rin and she smiled back. She didn’t know what compelled her, and she didn’t know where the path ahead would carry her, but she found herself trailing in Sesshomaru’s direction; picking up her previously discarded bag and walking blindly toward the most powerful demon she had come across since falling into this era.

Toward the demon that had tried to kill her and now; the demon that had restored her life.