The Jewel glows in his mother’s hand—a dark pearl of abominable power. An amalgam of crystallized souls.
Insidious, yet lovely to behold.
He studies it. Studies her.
Her eyes glimmer with triumph. He can see that she has been studying him, too.
“How like your father you are,” she says with a sneer. “Preoccupied with human flesh—if, indeed, one can still call such a creature ‘human.’”
His eyes narrow.
“Yes, my son, I know about your little pet.”
Her lips twist in revulsion. She lifts the Jewel before her in feigned contemplation.
“This is what you used upon her, is it not?”
Her eyes slant toward him. “Perhaps I should use it on the wretch myself.”’
He rises from the pool. Water flees down the muscle of his chest.
She has hidden away his swords, but this does not deter him. She balks at his measured approach.
“Give me the Jewel,” he says.
She watches him in wary scorn, the Shikon no Tama clutched to her breast.
“I think not.”
Anger spikes through him.
Her derision he can forgive. Spurned by husband and son alike, she is entitled to her resentment. But he cannot tolerate her insolence.
As he reaches for her, red light bursts from the amulet at her throat, driving him back. Magic sears across his skin.
Fangs bared, he glares.
“I was born from the breath of a god,” she seethes, a whip of pure energy materializing in her claws. “I will not be denied!”
He leaps back as a ribbon of blue-white youki slashes through the air. The moonstone floor cracks like splintered wood before him.
Dodging her attacks, he circles closer. She is powerful, but he is more. With a calculated strike, he seizes hold of the whip as it lashes around his arm, and hauls her to him.
Torn from her neck, the amulet clatters to the ground. His hand replaces it, claws piercing through the marble skin at her nape.
Scarlet nails scrabble in vain to break his hold.
“There is only one who could defeat me,” he tells her lowly, “and you are not she.”
Her fair face contorts, in rage and pain and despair.
“She…will destroy you.”
He stares down into his mother’s hungry, red-tinged gaze, so like his own. He knows that she will never relent. And so she leaves him no choice.
Her eyes beseech him as he raises her up. It is a look he has seen only once before.
He pitied her, when his father betrayed her for Izayoi.
As his hand tightens around her throat, he pities her still.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
OMG HE KILLED HIS MOTHER!!!
And by “she” — does this mean Kagome?
But still, omg he killed his own mom!
😉
Am I the only one who thought his mother should have known better? Sesshomaru in this story is ruthless, selfish and very dangerous.
She wants her son as her lover because he’s the strongest. If not for his obsession with Kagome, he might have considered such a coupling. I was kind of grossed out at that revelation. The crazy apple doesn’t fall far from the crazy tree.
But given how fixated he is with Kagome, I thought it was only logical he would slay his mother who took the jewel, hinted at doing something to Kagome and presumed to manipulate him. His pattern is to get rid of anything that would hurt or help the former miko.
But why he used Tenseiga on the thief who may or may not be Inuyasha’s reincarnation is beyond me.
Isn’t there a kami in the heavens who would intervene on Kagome’s behalf? For all the good she did in her original life as Kagome Higurashi, the gods seemed to have abandoned her.
Don’t get me wrong, I like this story a lot. It’s original, well-written and the characters are fleshed out.
I actually cheered when Sesshomaru killed that presumptuous maid.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts! I really appreciate the feedback <3 so glad you’re enjoying the story!!