Frowning, the craftsman led them out of the gallery to a large workroom below, filled with tools, wheels and blazing red kilns. Unlocking a wooden door at the back, he revealed a small, cold chamber which at first glance resembled a storeroom. Rows of sculpted limbs and other body parts lined the walls in various shapes and sizes. But it was the table in the center that drew Sesshoumaru’s attention most. The top was beset with metal shackles at telling intervals, and though the surface was clean, the smell of blood rose up from the depths of the wood.
Scenting this as well, Inuyasha glared over at Butamaru, his hackles rising. “It smells like a slaughterhouse—what the hell do you do in here exactly?”
“Collect the offering and affix a functional substitute,” the craftsman explained, his tone cool and succinct.
“In other words,” the hanyou said darkly, his hand going to Tessaiga, “you lock people down and hack off their limbs.”
“Flesh taken unwillingly would sully the art,” Butamaru replied with some heat. “It is the mortals’ gift of vitality which brings such vibrant life to my creations.”
“Your creations,” Inuyasha spat, ripping down one of the sculpted hands and smashing it to shards against the stony floor. “Willing or not, you’re taking people’s flesh and blood to make your stupid pottery and giving them clay parts in exchange. You’re just as bad as that old hag Urasue.”
“…Urasue?” the craftsman murmured, his thick brows furrowing.
Fuming, Inuyasha rounded on Sesshoumaru. “Fuck this, let’s go. This mustache guy is useless.”
The heavy door shook on its rattling hinges as the hanyou slammed it open and stormed from the room. While the precise reason for his brother’s vitriol eluded him, Sesshoumaru himself had likewise seen enough. As Jakken peeled himself down from the wall Inuyasha had crushed him to, the demon lord followed briskly after, the befuddled craftsman close on his heels.
“Forgive me if I have caused offense, my lord—as a courtesy, please allow me to an extend a discount on your first commission.”
“That will not be necessary,” Sesshoumaru replied stonily, the craftsman deflating at the prospect of a sale irredeemably lost.
As they re-emerged into the dirt yard, Butamaru hollered after them still, “Come back anytime, my lord!”
“Feh,” Inuyasha scoffed, kicking out at a clump of red earth in aggravation. “Bastard.”
Jakken quailed as the hanyou’s baleful stare shifted to him, the imp’s bulbous yellow eyes swiveling up to Sesshoumaru in plea.
“Truly, milord, his work is so lifelike I could not tell the difference!”
“It doesn’t matter how ‘lifelike’ it is, you dumbass toad,” Inuyasha seethed, grinding his knuckles into Jakken’s skull through his flattened cap. “We’re not patching up Kagome with some fucking clay!”
His brother’s tirades aside, Sesshoumaru was of the same mind. He would settle for nothing less than the full restoration of Kagome’s true human flesh.
Crossing into the dense grey woods, he made for the clearing where they had left Ah-Un not long before. As the trees thinned, it became apparent, however, that the two-headed dragon had wandered off. Having slipped free of his saddle, Ah-Un was now sleeping comfortably on the banks of a stream nearby, a few of Butamaru’s giant boars rifling through the abandoned saddlebags in his absence.
Jakken paled to a light, queasy green as Sesshoumaru leveled the full force of his gaze upon him. “…I-it would seem I forgot a buckle or two, milord.”
“Gods, can’t you do anything right?” Inuyasha grumbled as he stomped over, the largest boar lowering its sledge-shaped head at him in challenge. A slow smile curved the hanyou’s lips as he raised and flexed his claws threateningly in turn, sunlight glinting off their wicked ivory points. “Heh, might as well have something to show for our trouble…”
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Sigh I’m feeling so sad and tired. Thank you all for the lovely comments since yesterday 😊 I’ll be replying later once this stupid depression lifts, just wanted to tell you all how much I appreciate it in the meantime.
💕
Now that’s something entirely unique. I am always amazed at your imagination and talent!
And its good seeing the two brothers looking for a way to help Kagome but inuyasha is right for once lol. This is not the way. And good news that inuyasha doesn’t want to use the jewel.
I feel that this fic needs a long road to come to a positive conclusion, cause yes I know what happy endings happen mostly in fairy tales but I sincerely hope that Kagome will receive not a rainbow with flying unicorns but peace and quiet with some happiness mixed in it.
I have to agree with some people here, poor Kagome often gets used as instrument of gods but doesn’t get the needed reward and is abandoned in the end. I don’t think I have met so self sacrificying people often in real life.
Hopefully she will get her soul peace.
And she will change for sure, but every road has its thorns and this is her road.
Hm I am just not sure if Sesshomaru will try to rewrite the time so that it never happened. Thus would lose all the experience and growth he will do. Anyway I am very curious what plot twists you will pull out dear magician author! I am sure it will be unique.
Hope you are doing well and your loved ones are good as well.
Get some rest and have a good weekend.
Thx for sharing your work!
Thanks, Natalia! Honestly I’ve been feeling down recently, but being used to dealing with depression, I feel like I’m back on more of an upswing now. Hope all’s well with you and yours 😊
So happy you’re enjoying this story and the relationship between the two brothers! Love hearing your thoughts on where the story might go and what would be a happy ending for poor Kagome.
Thank you for the lovely words of encouragement and hope you have a wonderful weekend as well 😊❤️
Char — I am new to your page and am completely addicted to your fanfics. Thank you so much for breathing new life and interesting plot twists to the SessKag fandom.
I hope that your malaise lifts soon. I am very much looking forward to the next installment!
Welcome! 😊 and thank you so much! So happy you’re enjoying my stories – can’t tell you how much I appreciate the support. ❤️
Depression is tricky, but I’m feeling better now, at the moment, and grateful for that. Thanks again for your kind words and have a great weekend!! ❤️
I like the small amount of respect that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru seem to be developing between each other. At least they acknowledge each other as brothers and they seem to have each other’s back…so that’s a good start. 🙂
I’m glad they rejected what Butamaru had to offer. If they had accepted Kagome would not be a happy camper about having replacement body parts that were gotten unnaturally. Inuyasha did the right thing about refusing right away while Sesshomaru seemed to be giving it some thought but at least he went along with Yasha’s decision.
Jaken is such an idiot sometimes and it always gets him close to knocking on death’s door, so to speak. I sometimes think he means well in some cases but he doesn’t seem to think things through. He is always the comedic stress reliever in most fanfic stories like this one where Inuyasha smashes his head in for being stupid. lol 🙂
I enjoyed reading this chapter…can’t wait for the next one. You’re an amazing writer char. 🙂
Thank you, Cheryl! 🙂 I just can’t resist some good ol’ fashioned Jakken abuse LOL Seriously though, glad you enjoyed the comedic moments and the interactions between Inuyasha and Sess! Given the bad state Kagome’s in, any possible solution would be tempting. Happy to hear that you like how the scene here played out <3
Jaken is true to form. He means well but he does deserve to get kicked across a field often.
Good for the brothers in turning down the offer. Maybe they will end up with some sort of grudging respect for each other after this quest.
I hope you are feeling a little better. You are one of the best writers in this fandom and many of us look forward to your stories. I swear everytime I go to Dokuga, I get so disappointed at the quality of the stories there now. If not for you and a handful of other writers, I would have abandoned that site a long time ago. So many OOC Kagomes and Sesshoumarus there. So many fanfics written without a care given to spelling, plot, characterization and logic. I feel insulted as a reader. Yeah I said it.
And I got hooked on the fandom via A Single Spark eons ago.
So I seek refuge in your site where I know the stories are exceptional.
LOL poor Jakken. He really is rather clueless. A lovable (?) idiot haha
Thank you for your kind words 🙂 I am feeling somewhat better.
Really appreciate the support, Doug! It means so much to know how much you enjoy my stories!! Overwhelmed by the praise <3
Hope to continue to deliver content you'll enjoy!
Hopefully they’ll leave Jakken where he’s squashed, take their boar meat, and get back to the library to look up more possibilities.
I want to approve of Sesshomaru and Inuyasha getting along-ish, but it’s at the expense of another person, so I’ll hold off.
*plaintive calls for jewel usage are heard in the distance*
Lol oh, Jakken. He’s such a mess
Hope you like where things go from here!! ❤️