Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or anything thereby affiliated.
Spoiler for the third movie If you haven't seen it, you might not get this fic…
In response to the third Inuyasha movie:
The Creatures were the Most Feared.
The few that had not fled the village quickly learned to avoid the Horrid Beasts, running in sheer terror every time one was sighted. If even a shadow showed the Feared Ones' form it was fled from, a prayer winging its way from the observer's lips.
Kaede had gathered the few left in her small village into her hut. There was safety in numbers and it was far easier to maintain a barrier over the limited space of her home than over the separate huts of the village's members. They were cramped and uncomfortable but safe for now. Tomorrow….tomorrow she would face the Creatures again.
She sat through the night preparing herself for the hard day of fighting ahead, meditating and contemplating ways to defeat these Feared Creatures.
Light crept into her hut, lining the bodies soundly sleeping within its confines. She fought for these people, her people and for her home. She fought for those weaker than her and for herself. She fought so that others would not have to and so that others would not suffer.
Taking up her bow and arrows she proceeded to the path between the village and the forest, where the Creatures would be roosting in an old, gnarled tree. Perhaps today she would be able to endow her arrows with enough power to dispatch the Hellish Creatures.
They awoke to a pebble she accidentally kicked. She was not stealthy, but she did not need to be. The Beasts were feared yes, but they were also lacking in intelligence.
'One might even call them bird-brained,' she chuckled to herself grimly. Humor was needed, or her spirit would be worn down before the day was over.
"Come at me then foe!" she cried, and it began.
Feathers flew as they left their night time roost. Sharp talons flashed and merciless beaks clacked at the disturbance of their morning.
They were few in number, but that was not the elder miko's dilemma.
'I use all of my arrows in a fool's war,' she thought wearily to herself, letting loose another even as she thought this, 'I tear apart their bodies, only for them to regenerate.'
Such was the power of the fearful sword that had possessed Inuyasha that fateful day. Was it only two days ago, or perhaps three, that this had happened? In all Kaede could not be sure, she was far too weary to be bothered with keeping time. It could even have been more, but she cared not at this moment.
The day wore on. Kaede took a break time and time again to restock her quiver and rest her weary body and soul. It was a harsh job, but she had to succeed! Her village depended on her for their protection when the shard hunters were gone.
The day had progressed and was growing older. Soon, if things had been normal, she would retire for a warm meal and then bed. Alas, she had to keep on.
She faced off with her opponents one last time. She would succeed this time. The terror would end! Their reign would fall and their insidious plots would fail!
And suddenly, the Most Feared Creatures, the Hell-born Beasts themselves, were swept away. The feeling of their dead spirits and bodies disappearing from the earth pulled at her powers as she tried to track their whereabouts.
It was over.
Inuyasha had prevailed and the small group of companions would be returning soon.
Kaede's heart was overflowing.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
"Their back!"
The cry rang through the village as sight had been caught of their protectors, their saviors. Approaching them was one of the strangest groups most ever happened upon, but it was the most welcome sight to this village.
"Kaede-sama! We have returned!"
"Houshi-sama! Don't touch me!"
A resounding smack of bone on flesh greeted her ears announcing Sango and Miroku's presence to the village.
"I'll race you to the hut Kirara!"
"Mrew! Prew!"
Ah yes, there was young Shippou and Kirara, coming to greet her now. The entire village began to gather around her home, hoping to thank and bestow gifts of gratitude upon their protectors.
Over the hill the figures came, each as welcome as the next.
"Oi! Baaba! I'm hungry and Kagome ran out of ramen!"
'And where one is,' Kaede chuckled to herself, 'you are sure to find the other.'
"Don't call Kaede-obaasan, that! And besides, its not like I ran out of ramen on purpose or anything!"
The battle worn group greeted the villagers happily, thankful to be home when Inuyasha and Kagome stepped forwards. A hush descended over the crowd.
"We got these from some thankful villagers at the last village we stopped at, and were wondering if we could have them for dinner, Kaede-obaasan?"
'Oh my….' was the only rational thought Kaede could form, as the village burst into a frenzied panic around them.
People were screaming and running as if their very souls were in danger of being ripped from them, as if their hearts were in danger of being torn, still beating, from their living flesh.
The village was cleared of all living beings besides Kaede and the small group in under ten seconds, and Kaede was extraordinarily proud of herself for being able to repress her shaking and nervous twitching so well.
"I wonder what's wrong with them…." Sango trailed off looking around the abandoned area. Shippou, Kirara, and Miroku joined her in her puzzled observation of their surroundings.
"Keh, its like they've never seen a chicken before…."
Sudden understanding lit their eyes as they watched Kaede wearily observing the chickens Inuyasha held. They watched the old miko scoot away as quickly and quietly as her body would let her. And they watched as a barrier was erected around her home after she had entered.
"Ano, Inuyasha?"
"Huh?"
"Didn't you kill some chickens in the village before you left?"
"Yep."
"So that would mean that the chickens…."
"Yep."
"And so the village was attacked by…"
"Yep."
"Oh dear…"
"Yep."
The group quickly succumbed to the worst bout of hysterical laughter the world had ever known. Those in their huts quivered in fear at the Feared Ones in the hanyou's grasp. Never again would life be the same in the village….but then again, when was it ever normal anymore?
Author's Note:
So……did anyone else think it a little strange that, although anything killed by Souunga would return to life as the 'undead' and regenerate unless they were burned, the poor chickens that got it at the beginning of the movie didn't get any screen time….even as some form of comedic relief?
I bet the animators and writers forgot all about the zombie-fied chickens and the poor village left to deal with them…
I think that Kaede's village would most likely develop some sort of group chicken phobia….I mean, come on chickens are bad enough as it is (if you live in the country like me then you know, chickens can be EVIL!), but make them undead, non-killable chickens and shudder I cant stomach the thought!
Anywho, if I didn't spell something right, or misused any Japanese terms let me know. I really hope I didn't. Hope you all enjoyed this!