Kaori Kusari, Kokoro Kusari

By Namiyo11

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 1: The Forging

Two hundred years earlier...

A pair of silver haired youkai knelt before their Father in the audience hall of the keep. Sesshomaru, full youkai, eldest son, his heir, furred rank marker draped across his shoulder...and Inuyasha, hanyou, in his firerat, a kimono of armor...his youngest, grown into a fine young warrior. Lord Inutaisho looked at his sons, concealing his pride behind the impassive mask of a Clan Lord. Both were capable, strong, but-needed balance. Needed...guidance.

His youngest, now twenty, would soon be allowed out into the world in his service. His youkai side...it was a problem.

"My sons. You have proven yourselves worthy. This day, it is time to bestow upon each of you one of my greatest treasures, to become your own, and to wield with honor." At his words, both straightened slightly, eyeing not their Father...but the three sheathed swords, now on a stand set on one side of him.

Tenseiga. Tetsusaiga. Souunga. The Swords of the Honorable Ruler. The Three Fangs. Heaven. Earth. Hell. The swords both of them lusted after...not that they'd admit it. Their Father's Swords...

"Sesshomaru. To you, I entrust..." his son's eyes locked on his Lord as he gestured to Totosai, his master smith...who lifted-"Tenseiga. The Fang of Heaven." Behind the impassive mask-Sesshomaru's heart fell to his feet as the blade was offered to him, and he took it automatically.

Sesshomaru desired power. He wanted to be the equal of, if not the better of his Father. Prove himself. He cared little if creatures lived or died as long as his interests were unthreatened. He had little compassion.

Sesshomaru desired the Souunga. Or failing that...the Tetsusaiga.

"Inuyasha. To you, I entrust..." Sesshomaru was almost on the point of prayer-not-please not-"Tetsusaiga. The Fang of the Earth, and of Man." There was a moment of pure annoyance. It was not the Souunga, at least...his younger brother was speechless as the sword was laid in his hands.

The truth was, he'd expected Tenseiga to be bestowed to him, if any of them. The weakest of the three in terms of battle, yes. Powerful though-he admired it's abilities, respected them. It had nearly been enough to save his Mother. Nearly. Tenseiga had brought her back once that night-he knew that-but the collapse of the roof had slain her, damned mortals had set fire to the building. A damned mortal midwife had erred with his birthing, requiring his Lord Father's intervention...but even the sword could not reach her when the flames and falling wood engulfed her. The robe of firerat he wore had protected him then, as it did now...but it hadn't been draped around his mother. Only him. He was raised by youkai...

Inuyasha despised most mortals. Weak. Powerless. Greedy. Corrupt. He took pride in his youkai blood, not his mortal taint. He lacked the balanced view needed to appreciate the benefits of his humanity.

Blind ambition without the compassion and wisdom needed in a future Clan Lord. Lack of self knowledge and the self acceptance needed in a true warrior. His cunning, clever heir, and his finest warrior, one with few equals. His sons. Lord Inutaisho had decided to address these problems. He knew both of them would never refuse the weapons. Oh, no...not his pups.

Sure enough, both lifted the swords in both hands, looking bland but far less than pleased beneath the impassive expressions. They bowed from the waist almost as one. They offered the swords to their Lord, and then slipped the sheaths on, accepting the blades.

Later, it really was irritating when the damned Tetsusaiga-didn't transform as it had for his Father so many times. Ever. If his Father hadn't given it to him...Inuyasha would've tossed the useless hunk of metal into the nearest pond. He wore it into battle at his Father's order, getting used to it after awhile. Inuyasha didn't know it prevented his youkai blood from controlling him completely, driving him into an insane animal when his life was in danger. Inutaisho knew his son's deep seated desire to lose his mortal blood, his mother's blood...and knew that he might be tempted to try a dangerous path if he had that knowledge.

Sesshomaru...for many years, felt much the same. Tenseiga refused to be drawn. A useless gift, typical of their Lord Father. Until he came upon a dying child, and saved a little girl...the Tenseiga finally bidding him to draw it...and later took her as his beloved mate.

A common peasant orphan child named Rin. Quiet, gentle Rin, who loved music. A girl who grew into a young woman in their care, in the keep...who joyously consented to be a youkai's mate when she matured, to be marked and her life extended beyond a mortal's span...who smelled like perfection to a grave Inu youkai...who made him feel compassion and caring for another. A child it was very difficult for his half brother to accept into the House. Mortals. In time, he accepted her and cared for her as kin...she was his sister in law, after all, and she was a kind, mild soul, but Inuyasha's disgust at mortals in general never faded as the decades passed...especially after the-incident.

Kikyou.

"The Shikon no Tama," Inutaisho noted, frowning at the bauble in his claws.

He glanced at the priestess Kikyou, who was holding a bow in her hands, injured. He glanced at his son, caught attempting to-steal it, use it. Inuyasha hadn't given her those wounds. He knew it. Another had...and if he'd been slower, she would have fired, and likely died with the amount of power she'd been prepared to charge her arrow with, slaying his son or worse, with all the bitterness of a woman scorned. Inuyasha, his son, now a thief, to his Father's shame, but not one who struck from behind. His youngest, in a terrible circumstance. Inuyasha's face was hers...his own mark was there, but he looked so like his lost mate. He would have lost him to a mistake...and with him, the last of his beloved Izayoi.

Unthinkable. Unacceptable.

Something would have to be done, but he took no pleasure in it. Inuyasha had toyed with her, as youkai saw it, and she with him...he knew it. Self-delusion was no replacement for self-knowledge. It grieved the Lord to know how desperate his son was...he would have to attend to that as well. Somehow. Hanyou never had an easy time. Inutaisho had ignored that fact for love's sake, for a kind, gentle and quietly brave mortal Princess. For a scent like meadows after the rains...perfection. Captivating perfection. Not the mating of politics that had produced his eldest...but a true mate. His so briefly and then gone forever.

"This is a mere prop. A priestess trapped herself within it, and fights a powerful youkai...it is no answer. It holds nothing that will give true power or peace," he said grimly.

"You will return it and step aside! I am it's guardian! It lies to me to oversee it, protect it! He stole it, betrayed me!!" Kikyou ordered, face cold as she lifted her bow again.

"Guardian? Or slave, proud priestess? My son did not do this to you. He is a fool...but not a murderer," Inutaisho asked, shaking his head in disgust as she looked like she was slapped.

"You lie!" she hissed.

"No. You are a fool as well," Inutaisho said flatly. "The curse of this...is nothing for us. If you were a true guardian...a true priestess, you would destroy this, cleanse it, free the mortal soul inside. Why do you not?" he asked, ignoring the bow as he gazed at her, his sons on each side as they stood under the sacred tree near the village. Kikyou's mouth worked...she had no answers for him, and they both knew it.

The truth was...it had never occurred to her to do other than guard it. Until Inuyasha. Then she'd had her plans, her way to freedom...now in ruins. She hadn't known it's origins. Hadn't sensed the priestess within the jewel...and she trembled with more than pain. Kikyou lowered the bow slightly, the string relaxing in her fingers as shame filled her, and anger. How dare a mere youkai lecture her! She was the most powerful Priestess in the region! But, how did he know it's nature? Her spiritual senses said he told the truth. All of it. She'd nearly done something terrible to an innocent. Of this crime, at least. Would have bound him...but it wasn't as if he was anything other than what he was-even if it was possible for him to become mortal...to be purified of his evil...perhaps become more one day than a mere hanyou. Perhaps even become more...to her, personally.

"Instead, you tempt my son with false promises. If he became mortal, do you truly believe you would be able to accept him? I see your heart, mortal. You would always see him as hanyou, you deceive yourself and him. You have no honor!" he thundered. Kikyou looked away...and his son's eyes hardened as shame and fury filled him. He had wanted to become a full youkai...had slipped away from his family to gain the jewel when he heard of it...until she had given him promises, made him trust a mortal for the first time...and now he knew...she'd...

Intended to betray him. Make him weak...and abandon him. Lied like every other mortal to get what she wanted. Out from under the responsibility. His claws flexed and he growled. A barely raised hand, and he was still. His Father was right-this was a mistake. Damned mortals!! He hated them all the more as he gazed at her...heart breaking. She didn't even smell right, he'd known that, but had wanted to be one or the other at last...youkai-or even human. He had been deceiving himself. It was close. But not right. He'd thought he could learn to love her...that maybe he had in a way. That she loved him.

Inutaisho flicked the jewel to her in contempt, noting the way she caught it. Like a talisman, a sop.

"You toy with something too powerful for mortals. One day, it will destroy you, priestess. Heed my warning. Purify it and free the trapped one. Resolve its conflict before it is too late. Or more than you-will pay for it," Inutaisho informed her. He gathered his sons with his eyes.

Kikyou slid to her knees, holding the jewel, aching with her hurts and with fury swirling in her eyes. Her sister came to her side, as she stared after the departing Inu...none of whom looked back. In her way...she had cared for him, for what he could be.

"Inuyasha..." she whispered. Kikyou would never speak that name again.

The bearer of that name never discussed her.

Two months later-Naraku stole it as he had attempted to before, the jewel, and Midoriko lost forever as it was used to create a full youkai...and finished her. Young Kaede grieved, and carried on...

Six years after...the Inu finished him in return. His power had left them no choice, his ambitions. With the help of the scattered remnants of the youkai slayers Naraku had tricked and destroyed...and a cursed monk who was nearly killed protecting Inuyasha during the battle, another hunter of the beast who's path had crossed theirs. It was unfortunate the curse hadn't lifted when Naraku was slain...but Inutaisho wasn't one to ignore a debt of honor...or forget one. He used his many youkai contacts and allies to assist the monk, did all that could be done. The slayers owed him now for aiding in obtaining their vengeance...one day he would collect. They went their separate ways, the slayers and the Inu, with a promise. They would lend their aid on one occasion if asked.

As for Inuyasha, he went cold...determined. He devoted himself to his Clan to expiate his shame...and turned even farther away from humanity, with almost no exceptions. Rin, the monk, his kindred...they were about it. He owed the strange family his life, they were honest in their perversity as well, their weaknesses, one that seemed bred into them all as the years passed. Lord Inutaisho saw, and it grieved him. Izayoi would have been much pained to see it. If she had lived, perhaps...as it was-the Tetsusaiga would never transform for him, and he would never reach his potential. Be the person he could be. The best of both bloods. He could not wave a hand and order his son's heart to be healed, much as he might wish it.

If anyone had been able to tell Lord Inutaisho then why he would call that favor in from the slayers of his kind, the circumstances...he would have called them mad.

Author's notes-

Well! Here we are! Anyways, this is a older story as you can tell from little details that don't match current cannon. A two parter originally, it's complete and will be posted as one story this time around. This is a tale inspired by Inuyasha fan fiction staples. The ideas of scentbonding and mating marking I've seen around and about. Heck, used even in 'When a door closes...' with mating marks.

While my other stories fall pretty cannon in setting, heh, this one's much lighter, and more OOC in some ways, and was my first try at a modern set story. We get there! Really! It's fun and I hope an interesting twist on the standards. In any case, the title means 'Scent Chain, Heart Chain'. You'll see why I chose it next time. As always, comments, reviews, and constructive criticism is cheerfully accepted and welcomed. Flames can be left at the dumpster. Thanks for reading! -Namiyo