Title: The Unwanted Gift that Gave Back
Word Count: 560
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Spoilers: Manga chapter “The Girl's Life”

His brother had received the gift of Tetsusaiga, while he had been slighted with the useless sword Tenseiga. It had no use. It could not cut. It was ineffective in battle. Sesshomaru wasn't certain why he even wore it on his hip. Perhaps he had more sentimentality than he was wiling to admit. It had been his father's blade, bequeathed to him, after all. Sesshomaru still hadn't discovered why it had been Tenseiga---and not Tetsusaiga---that had been pinned to the tree for him to find.

Instead, Tetsusaiga had found its way into the hands of his half-breed brother. The sword that he felt should have been his---had been his birth right---had been taken from him. The barrier prevented him from reclaiming it. He had spent years trying to understand why he didn't have Tetsusaiga. It eluded Sesshomaru as to why it rejected him. He had cursed his brother more than once for possessing it. The Demon Lord still wasn't certain if Inuyasha was worthy to wear it on his hip.

Tetsusaiga took away life. It was commonly known as the fang of destruction. Its power could slay over one hundred demons with one swing. From afar, Sesshomaru had seen his half-brother add to its capabilities to kill. It could break barriers. It could create diamond spears that penetrated and decimated enemies. Tetsusaiga evolved into a more magnificent sword while Tenseiga remained useless on his hip. Sesshomaru often felt envy in his heart when he saw his half-breed brother wield it.

In all that time, he hadn't paid any attention to the fang in his own possession. Until he had met Rin, that is.

She had changed his views. It had been a small human girl that had made him curious about the inheritance his father had left him. The moment the sword had pulsated, demanding to be drawn, Sesshomaru had realized it had an actual use. It still couldn't cut and it still couldn't kill his enemies, but it did something that Tetsusaiga never could. It could give life.

Now the Demon Lord had a reason to celebrate his gift from their long deceased father. He had discovered the secret that had lain hidden away. His Tenseiga gave life! He had seen it do so right before his own eyes. A dead little human girl that had shown him compassion before her demise came back to life because of this blade. Her heart had begun to beat again, and her lungs had drawn in new breath. He had never understood why it had been called the heavenly life fang. It had been dormant the entire time he had had it. Now he knew.

Sesshomaru watched the little girl run around his servant, giggling happily. She stopped, giving him a small wave and a wide grin. This little girl had shown him what his father alone could not. He hadn't been punished with a sword that could not cut or kill. He had been blessed. It had given back to him a hundred fold with its first use. Although Sesshomaru did not express it often, he was thankful for its gift every day.

He withdrew the fang of his father, looking at his reflection in its blade. He whispered, “Father, this Sesshomaru understands now why you have given him this unwanted gift of Tenseiga.”