Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, that's Rumiko-sensei's story and her's only!
I do however own the original chars here; Akija and Koji... and Hoishi...
(1) In another story about Sessy's past I made it so Koga and him meet while their fathers were quarreling over land. I've only read to 21 of the manga so please bear with me m( )m
(2) I always thought Ginta seemed younger than the others, or at least in the recent mangas.. And i did it because this is a fiction and such changes can be made;.
(3) Koji; Koga's 20 year older brother who runs the Temle city of the wolves. Where they first were from i dunno and i liked the idea of a small commuity. Also, since Koga's pack were massacered, the waterfall cave must be abandoned huh...
Also; There's a lot of implied pairings here, but only some of them will come true. 'laughs evilly So I hope you enjoy this. I haven't read all of the manga and I don't watch anime.. So there is also a lot of wrong'ies here, but I want it to be like that
Happy reading, you don't 'have' to reveiw.
Chapter 1
"K-Koga! Wait up!"
Koga, the proud chieftain of the miserable small pack of wolves stepped to a halt. They had been chasing after Naraku's scent again...Which meant a lot of running around blindly for his friends and pack members.
"Rrr... Yes?" He turned towards Hakkaku and leered at both him and his blonde tomahawk.
Hakkaku smiled in between wheezes and fell to the ground utterly exhausted. "Ginta-chan can't keep up anymore... He's back there."
He jotted a finger behind him and received a swift kick for leaving the cub behind.
"What'ya mean: he's back there?" Koga jumped and backtracked until he found the shivering form of his youngest pack member...
His now matted grey (silverish if only he'd give it a wash) and black hair was wet with sweat and it seemed that the wolf-demon had trouble breathing. Koga slowed down as he approached and knelt down to inspect.
"You ok, eh, Ginta-chan?" He was meet with two glittering green eyes, signalling that the cub still was too tired to talk, but used body language instead.
After a short while, during which Hakkaku also backtracked with the rest of Koga's mortal wolves, Ginta seemed to have caught his breath.
"Koga-kun... I'm so tired... We've been running for days without rest..."
He wheezed and curled up, the cold winds of the night chilling his warm sweat.
Koga growled low at this, but made no move to... err.. move...
"If I find it suitable, we'll run for months at no end!" He leant back finally, giving off the signal that everyone else could get a rest.
Hakkaku was the quickest to follow this up as he had already fallen asleep next to Ginta.
"When will we find him? Can't we just go home to the temple?" Ginta snuggled in between Koga and Hakkaku.
Stifling a yawn, Koga took to the task of explaining.
"You see; when my Father died, he left this land to the two of us, me and, unfortunately, my brother Koji.
Koji was to stay in the temple while I left with my part of the pack, soon picking up some of the former outcasts as I made it here to this territory." (Koga's version of how it happened.)
Ginta sniffled which made Koga smile.
"But isn't this Sesshoumaru-sama's territory? Couldn't we get in trouble for being here claiming it as ours?"
"Myes, we could, but since me and Sessy go way back(1), he tolerates us as long as we don't go around killing everything. Very sensitive about his humans now ain't he?"
The leader grinned and offered the youngster his chest as a pillow.
"Mmm..." Ginta seemed very thoughtful tonight, Koga thought to himself.
"Why am I with you?"
"Oh, your parents were with me as we set out, but don't worry--"
"I'll see them in hell..."
Koga looked down at Ginta.
"What are ya talking about? No, no, no, no! They're watching over you, don't be so glum..."
He sniffed at the grey hair, ugh, this kid could use a bath...
"Why did I hear an argument between you and Koji-sama--"
"Because you were being nosy."
Koga smirked and yawned again. "Anything else?"
Ginta hid his cold hands underneath Koga's vest, earning him a gasp from the elder one.
"Why?"
Sighing, the black-haired man looked at him. "Did you know that you still have relatives?"
Ginta shook his head. "No."
Koga looked away. "You're grandmother, mother to your father... She's of the Myawa-clan... She's the one that brought the ability,"
Koga picked up one of Ginta's small hands and held it in his. "to heal wounds into our pack, although we rarely ask her unless it's most needed. You see, healing drains your energy and your body takes in the other's pain as you remove it from them..."
Ginta looked a little taken aback from all this new information and Koga grabbed the chance to continue. "And we have reason to believe that you have inherited that ability... Koji wanted you home at once, but I saw myself as a fit guardian... heh, some guardian eh? Almost got you killed in that harpy attack."
"What makes you think that I'm so special?" Ginta's head was finally resting heavily against Koga's chest.
"Well, you're all special to me, but you." He petted Ginta's head affectionately. "You're my cub now; I want to take care of you. After all, it was my fault that your parents died, and I raised you from the almost newborn that you were when I got home from the battleground, covered in their blood..."
"Avoiding my question 'otousan', why do you think--"
Giving out a short laugh, Koga pointed at the drooling figure next to Ginta. "When you were young, I and he tried our hand at raising you and two other cubs."
Ginta gave Hakkaku and Koga a weird look which made Koga laugh. "No, they weren't ours, but orphans like you. As it were, we would sometimes bring back live prey so you could learn how to hunt."
Koga smiled and closed his eyes.
"I had broken the bird's wings so it would be an easy catch for the three of you and so it was stumbling about with a tail of cubs after him... Hehe." His smile widened and he looked at Ginta again, the cub seemed wide awake now, intent on listening to the 'story'.
"You caught it."
He poked the cub's nose.
"But as you were holding it in your hands, the bird began to twitter and sing. I was like: What in all the Hells! That bird should be eaten be now." Koga mimicked being angry and Ginta favored him with a half giggle.
"Your hands glowed and I was amazed, as I had only heard about your grandmother's powers. And up flew the birdie, swoosh out of your hands. Hehe, you should have seen the look on your face. But after that, Koji wanted you home, said it was risky to have a demon out there with healing powers. Said you'd be better off with your grandmother... Feh. As if he understood. I very well know what dangers you can get into if others find out about your powers Ginta-chan, but I would rather die for you than to see you exploited by some fiend!"
Koga growled into the forest, not really knowing, that Naraku's wasps had heard the whole thing. It was only his sharp sense of smell that dully told him that something was amiss...
They woke all three the next morning to bright sunlight; well, two of them. Hakkaku had taken the liberty to go hunt something for them all to eat as breakfast.
Getting up, Ginta stretched and yawned loudly, his hands scratching at his mud-covered skin. Again, Koga considered bathing the kid.
A normal father would have done it every once in a while, but Koga had had no time lately to be thinking about personal hygiene.
"Oy! Breakfast!" Hakkaku was pulling a small deer after him into the small clearing.
Koga half hissed at him for being loud.
"You need to tell everyone within two miles?" But he happily ate the feast.
After they had eaten, Koga stood up to have a look at both of his friends.
Bloody from the feast, muddy and sweaty from days of running... but then again. They were men, weren't they? They probably liked it.
"You wanna take a bath?" He asked flat out at them. He could use one too.
Hakkaku looked at him as if he'd just gone mad, but mumbled agreement; Ginta laughed and joked about that he couldn't remember the feel of water on his skin.
"Then it's decided! We go bathe." Koga led the way through the forest. They had passed through here before and Koga had noticed a small lake with a waterfall just below the cliff that they had rested on before.
Entering the shore, he quickly sniffed around to see if it was safe; last night's talk had awoken his "mother instinct" about Ginta. After all, the cub was barely fourteen (2)
At last he concluded that it was safe and called out the others as he rapidly stripped his few clothes off and jumped into the briskly cold water, yelling out in surprise off at the many fishes swimming beneath his feet. Hakkaku was more reluctant about it and just sat by the waterfall, dipping his toes waiting to adjust to the temputare.
Ginta, however, who loved mimicking Koga, or anyone else, in almost everything, jumped in and then found himself struggling for land as he found the water way too cold for his taste.
Koga just laughed and began scrubbing himself with sand from the bottom of the pond.
Huddled on land was little Ginta, who hissed angrily at both Koga and the freezing cold water.
"You want it to be warm? This isn't a hot spring you know!" Koga hollered over at him.
"I know!" He yelled back and grinned shakily.
He was keeping his eyes on Koga, so it was Koga's reaction that told him to turn around.
"What the?" He spun around and bumped into the red haori of Inuyasha.
This caused Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, faintly looking a little like his older brother.
Behind him was the houshi Miroku. Ginta knew this because he had used some time to memorize their names.
A splash behind him told that either Hakkaku had finally jumped in or Koga was coming up. Looking under Inuyasha's shoulder he found that it was most possible to be the first one.
"Kagome-nee-san?" He stuttered out, more aware that he was nude now.
(just reaching puberty and oh, the water was cold.)
Desperation gripping him to hide, he almost dived into the red clothes in front of him. After a second of surprise, Inuyasha ordered Kagome and Sango away from the pond.
"Th-thanks.." Ginta shivered, looking up at his savior and giving him a gingerly smile. As long as he was there, he also took the time to sniff Inuyasha's scent, finding a half-breed's scent; intriguing and strange.
"Err-hem..."
He looked up again, but the sound had come from behind him.
Koga glared, Inuyasha glared, Koga glared some more; Shippo sneezed and broke the contest.
"Ginta... Come here..."
"But I'm cold and Inuyasha's warm and did I mention that I feel nude and wanna hide myself and he's so warm and he smells good and warm--"
All the guys gave him a weird look, except Hakkaku who was giggling in the safety of the pond.
"What?" Ginta looked around and found himself being dragged away by Koga.
"First of all, we're all guys, so we don't care about your nudity; Second, Kagome-chan is a part of our pack so she can see you nude if she wants to (insert a freaked-out expression from Inuyasha here) and thirdly, we're wild savages and big strong men and not wimpy little boys who need (insert a growl in Inuyasha direction here..) warmth from the enemy..."
Ginta swallowed hard and pouted for a short while.
"But he was-."
"Ginta!" Koga hissed at him and turned back to Inuyasha to glare a little more at Inuyasha.
"What are you doing here; couldn't your doggy-nose have told you we were here first?"
Inuyasha just gave off his trademark "Feh" and crossed his arms. Miroku was taking off his outer robes, leaving his white "Underwear" robes on as he ignored the quarrel and walked over to Hakkaku to ask if the water was any good.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you take a bath, you stinky wolf..." He growled low in his throat
Koga followed the example, with Ginta--mildly amused--stared at both of them. Why they couldn't get along was beyond him.
However, the glaring, snarling, growling etc was interrupted by Miroku's (almost girly) shriek and Hakkaku's loud laughter as the former one tried to bash the latter for lying about the water's temputare.
"Eh?" Inuyasha looked over Koga's shoulder and spotted Miroku now laughing merrily with the blonde demon. They were currently trying to give each other a back rub at the same time, or so it looked... Which naturally freaked Inuyasha out even more than the "Kagome can see you nude"-remark.
"Err, Koga? Look behind you..."
Koga straightened and turned, only to see the same as Inuyasha.
Feeling very much like shouting his lungs raw at Hakkaku for being friendly with the 'enemy', he was cut short as Ginta got into the water and started giggling at the monk's story about when he exorcised a teacup for a boar-demon! Waving his arms in the air, the houshi imitated a fearsome boar jumping out of an itty-bitty tea cup.
Koga looked at Inuyasha, dog-demon looked at wolf-demon, wolf-demon looked back at dog-demon...
"What do we do now?"
Inuyasha stifled a smile. It was nice to hear those words from Koga's mouth.
"Join them."
He grinned, both at the prospect to getting a bath and the look on Koga's face.
"Nice to refresh, eh, Koga-kun?" Ginta smiled in the warmth from the sun, enjoying that Koga was giving him a well-deserved scrub. He wasn't actually supposed to act 'childish' around others, but it was nice to have someone acting 'motherly' around him once in a while.
He rubbed his face into Koga's chest, while Koga tried to wash his hair with some of the oils that the monk had brought with him. No wonder that human always smelled so good Ginta thought.
"Houshi-sama, will I smell just as good as you now?" He smiled at the relaxed creature who was snoozing in the warm sun, free of all his clothes now.
"Hmm?" Miroku opened his eyes and gave Ginta a wink. "Maybe." He smiled secretly at the cub.
'Honestly, I never would have known, but I should have, after all, Ginta was always the more child-like and defenseless one of the lot...' He fell back asleep.
Inuyasha, however, didn't find it amusing at all. So what if the cur had a "cub" with him. It only proved that Koga didn't really care for the safety of his 'mini-pack'... He "feh'ed" and settled better on the rock-shore letting the sun tan his already tanned skin.
"Oy... 'Koga-kun'..." He snarled in sarcasm and glared at the two wolf-demons.
Koga stiffened a little at the use of his name but seemed careless as he gave Inuyasha a short time of his attention. Washing out all that mud out of Ginta's hair wasn't that easy.
"Yes, inu-koro?" He spat, releasing Ginta and telling him to go play with Hakkaku or something.
The inu-hanyou crept closer and settled on a closer rock.
"How come Ginta's with you... No one else to dump him on?"
"Rrr, watch your mouth Turdface." Koga growled at him at first but as Ginta drifted over to play with Shippo, he relaxed more. "You know, dog turd, we're not that unlike each other..." He smirked.
"Oh shut up!" Inuyasha growled at the wolf and got back into the water.
"He's just fourteen years old, you know and no, he doesn't have anyone else... He's an orphan." Koga continued on.
Inuyasha tilted his head to the left and put a finger to his bottom lip, obviously thinking.
"Ah, well, that's strange. Cause I heard that the Wolf-demons have a rather large territory shared with my father's or at least something like that... And a temple where I hear most wolf-demons live these days." Inuyasha scoffed and grumbled something along: 'stupid brother of mine'.
"Can't you dump him with them? Surely even you think it's unreasonable to have a cub tagging along?"
"No, I don't. Ginta's like my own and I took parenthood and responsibility over him after his parents died. I raised him and I think he deserves to run with the pack..."
Koga looked at his rival in both love and war and lowered his guard just a little more.
Heaving a sigh he squinted towards the carefree playmates.
"And just what am I to do?" He looked at Inuyasha with a grim smile.
"Go home? Say: Hey bro, my pack got massacred and I don't have time to take care of Ginta, can you take care of him? No."
He shook his head. "Inuyasha, My brother and I aren't speaking with each other anymore... I ran of with my half of the pack and he stayed safe in the mountain temple with his half along with some of the elder wolf-demons..."
He gave Inuyasha a sore look. "I don't wanna see Ginta hurt, that's why I want him with me..."
Inuyasha almost rubbed his eyes when he thought he saw tears begin to form in Koga's light blue eyes.
"I just..." Koga threw up his hands and swallowed. "I wanna see him safe, but I have to much pride to ask Koji (3) for help. And after that scandal with Naraku, I can't, not now, not ever..." He looked at the white haired demon. "Not after all that's happened with father's pack..."
XxXxXxXx
After they had all finished their baths, and waited for the girls to finish theirs, Kagome asked Koga and the rest to eat with them after finding a good spot for the night.
Miroku held up his hand. "It's going to rain..." He said cryptically, Ginta mimicked the movement and looked up into the sky.
Shippo giggled and gave his new buddy a nudge. The two had bonded quite fast in the pond and were close friends already.
"Well, let's find a cave or something!" Koga grinned heroically at Kagome, but was interrupted by Inuyasha.
"I don't think so." He pointed towards a village. "We have enough to get a room at an inn; I'm not letting my 'pack' sleep outdoors with a storm coming up." He finished and pointed at some dark clouds over their heads.
Koga hissed at him. "Well, excuse me for not having any money to rent a stupid room, but my pack has been out in worse weather!"
He growled and turned to head into the forest. "Come on, we'll find a cave." He looked over his shoulder at the human group and Inu-Koro.
"For ourselves" He grumbled and set of to search for said cave.
Left behind was Ginta, Hakkaku and a dozen wolves.
Ginta sighed and handed his new playmate over to Kagome, he'd never really had anyone else to play with than Hakkaku and he was just four years younger that Koga...
"Bye Shippo-chan..." He turned and ran off along with a just as sober-looking Hakkaku.
Kagome looked after them. "Will they be ok?" She wondered out loud.
"Feh, like Koga can't take care of them..."
She looked back at Inuyasha.
"You're probably right." She sighed and mounted her bike.
XxXxXxXx
A cave can seem like a nice place to spend the night when you look at it in bright sunshine, but it can get really icky after loads of rainwater leak in through cracks. (I should know... -.-;)
"Koga..."
"Stop your whining Hakkaku, it won't work!"
Koga settled against the wet slippery and cold walls of the cave. It had proved to be a lot shallower than they thought and didn't do much to keep the rain out.
"Mmm... Ah, ah. Atchoo!" Ginta sniffled after the sneeze and bundled up closer to some of the wolves. They whined as well, but were more used to it.
"Don't worry, just sleep, all right. Tomorrow's another day with sunshine and more trrrracking!" Koga forced a smile towards them. 'No wonder they wanna leave me, look at the hostels I get them... We're all gonna catch our death of colds...' He grumbled and closed his eyes, soon after they were all sound asleep..
Outside however, a dark shadow was lurking.
It slinked its way up to the cave's mouth and peered in, looking right past Koga, who was busy chasing rabbits in his dreamland.
Noticing that Koga was sleeping, it crept inside and stretched its arm out. Gently, gently, it lifted Ginta out from behind Hakkaku and out of the safety of the cave...
It grinned at the two remaining wolves, wondering if it should make a feast from them.
But an inner voice warned it and told it to return home with it's prey.
XxXxXx
Scratching his nose, Koga awoke to silence, almost deafening silence. 'Ginta should be up by now..'
He looked over and spotted Hakkaku sleeping alone. No Ginta-chan...
He got up and looked outside, squinting in the midday sun. No Ginta...
"Ginta?"
He looked around bushes, by the small lake, up on the cliff and even deeper into the slimy cave. But no Ginta..
'Ok, don't panic. He probably just walked away from camp.. Yeah, maybe he went to see Kagome and Shippo.
Koga woke Hakkaku and told him to stay put incase Ginta came back during the day.
He found the group a little bit away from town; they must have had a slow start as well.
Rounding up, randomly stepping up Inuyasha's head on the way, he confronted Kagome.
"Have you seen Ginta?"
Kagome shook her head. "No, is he missing?"
A snort was heard behind them as Inuyasha stood up.
"So he ran away from you, eh, daddy?"
Miroku, Sango and Shippo froze. What had transpired without their knowledge?
"He hasn't run away!" Koga snarled, and then turned back to Kagome.
"I thought that he might have come here to play with the kitsune-cub.."
He was starting to get nervous, where was Ginta?
Turning his face back towards the woods, he howled for his pack to come to where he was.
Hakkaku arrived as called for..
"Yeah? Found him yet?" He looked around.
Koga shook his head and pondered for a slight second, then Hakkaku came with a statement. "I was sniffing around for a good place to.."
He blushed and looked Kagome. "Err, never mind why I was sniffing but I found this odd smell leading away from the cave. I figured it was maybe just a small animal or something, but when I checked again... Koga. Ginta never set foot outside that cave, there's no sign that he did."
The whole group froze as they started to put two and two together in those measly little brains of theirs.
"You mean he was kidnapped?" Miroku walked up next to Hakkaku who nodded.
"I think so! Koga, we should waste no time! We have to follow this fiend!"
'I'd rather die for you than to see you exploited by some fiend...'
The memory stood clear in his mind and terrified him. Some had been there, someone had found out! And it was his fault! He didn't even give a wave or cheerful farewell as he sprinted up back to the cave.
"Koga!" Hakkaku called after him, and then turned towards Inuyasha. "He won't like that I ask this of you, but will you please help us?"
Inuyasha glared after the pesky critter that he called his rival and nodded. He quickly picked up the pace and followed Hakkaku.
Kagome looked at the others and motioned for them to follow as well.
"Koga!" Inuyasha stopped outside the cave and sniffed in the air.
"Over here! Here's the smell, I'm going on ahead." Hakkaku pointed at a small path leading up to the cave entrance then ran off.
"Feh, I don't need to follow that..." Inuyasha growled and grabbed Miroku by the trim of his robes. "Monk! Do you sense anything?"
Miroku seemed generally insulted by the rough treatment but pointed in the opposite direction of were Koga and the pack had gone.
"I might be wrong, but I sense more evil aura coming from there than there. It's possible that the demon has concealed its smell, and then used another demon to lure Ginta's pack away from him."
He pulled away from the dog-demon and huffed.
"Then we head east!" Inuyasha started off, but "SIT!" made it a little more difficult. "What now wench? Don'cha wanna help that cub?"
Kagome sat down next to him. "But of course, but shouldn't you tell Koga that he's running in the wrong direction?"
Inuyasha snorted and got back up. "Why should I care?"
Shippo solved it all. "Don'cha wanna rub it in that you have a better 'nose' than Koga?"
He grinned at Inuyasha, who thought of this, then sighed. "All right, but I don't know how to contact him and he might be far away by now..."
"Howl."
He looked over his shoulder at Sango. "Excuse me?"
She smiled at him. "Wolves have howled as a communication for centuries now and dogs are not that different in their howling.." She shrugged.
"Rrrr-rrr...Feh!" He stomped off to the top of the cliff.
A moment later a deep howl surrounded the area and Kagome had to cover her ears.
"IF KOGA CAN'T HEAR THIS THEN HE MUST BE DEAF!" She yelled at Shippo who nodded.
The howling continued for a half a minute, and then started up again. This went on for two whole minutes, before Inuyasha paused to listen for any answers.
And indeed there was one. A milder howling reached them, looking up, they saw Inuyasha in deep concentration, obviously deciphering the language of the wolves.
Tilting his head up, Miroku asked what the message was about.
Inuyasha, grumbling, yelled back: "They say I have sucky grammar!"
But after a quarter of an hour, Koga returned, shameful that he had taken the fake bait...And Inuyasha loved every second of it!
"Enough of your glory! Where is the trail?" He shouted into Inuyasha's face. He grabbed Koga's arm and pulled him in the right direction.
After two hours of tracking, they ended up with an even longer path... seemingly the demon had wings and so they had to try and smell for it in the air. Not that hard really, considering that Ginta smelled almost like Miroku now thanks to the oils that Koga had washed him with.
XxXxXxXx
"Where, where am I?" Ginta looked around himself. The place he was in looked rich yet humble. A single oil lamp was burning in the corner of the room, whereas a table was in the middle of it and bars were on the windows. Walking over to them he tried to break them, but to no avail.
"Hello?" He shivered, the last thing he remembered before falling asleep was Hakkaku's body heat finally starting to warm him up.
"So, you're awake?" A feminine voice rang throughout the room, he spun around and found himself face to face with the killer of his clan.
"Ka-Kagura?" He stumbled backwards over his feet and fell on the floor. She smiled behind her fan, smiling, yet her smile never reached her eyes, so Ginta never saw that she was smiling...
"Good, you're already on the ground where you belong. My Master will be with you shortly.." She bowed and stepped out of the room through the door.
Ginta had never been inside a house, neither had he seen a door that slid to the side.
Crawling over to the door, he tried pushing on it, but it only creaked, so he tried mimicking the woman, by sliding the damn thing. And what do you know, it worked and he was out in the hallway.
XxXxXxXxXxXx
He was bored, no wait, he was more than bored, he was unamused and unattended... And alone. Sesshoumaru was sitting in a most unusual way. He had placed his chin directly upon the table and were looking up at a bowl of rice...
Rin was at one of his summer castles and so he was all alone.. Except for Jaken. But he didn't count in Sesshoumaru's world of existing things.
Getting up, he slouched over to the window and peeked out. Outside there were birds and undiscovered paths. Places he yearned to visit. But no. He was stuck inside because of a nasty cold and a mountain of paper to sign and review...
"Did they cut all the trees in Japan just to make paperwork for me?"
He sighed and rubbed his temples. "Jaken, I'm getting a headache.."
He looked around, Jaken was gone... Was he really? Oh joy! He allowed himself to smile and stepped out of his late father's office.
There were noises outside, commotion even... He frowned, was that why Jaken left his side? Oh man. He wasn't gone forever then... He gritted his teeth and headed outside to see what was going on.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken was quick to cling to his robes as he came into view. He rolled his eyes inwardly and looked around.
"What is going on?" He asked deadpanned, as if not caring that a part of his home was caught on fire.
"It's- it's a demon!" Jaken cried.
Again he rolled his eyes, but this time for real. "And just what are we if that's a demon?" He pointed at the foul thing, currently devouring one of his sentries.
"Um... Angels?" Sesshoumaru dropkicked him across the yard before turning his attention towards the demon.
'Angels... Humph!'
He started towards the creature, when a feminine voice cut the air and almost curling its way into his ear.
"Ah. My lord, my lord, my 'lord'..." Naraku stepped out from beneath the demon, making a dramatic entrance. The demon's scaly and narrow features made it almost female. Just like its father..
"Naraku... It's you..." He announced deadpanned causing Naraku to almost fall on his face.
"Ehehehe... Is that all you have to say?" He grumbled, regaining his balance and smiling coyly at our all time favorite bishie Sesshoumaru.
"Hmmm..." Sesshoumaru placed a finger to his lips and looked at the enigmatic villain.
"What about: Eek... It's the super-ultra-sexy-and-devious villain Naraku..." He said all this with a deadpan voice and kept his eyes on a nodding Naraku.
"Yes, something like that, but," He held up a finger. "I would never ever hire you as a voice actor; your acting sucks." He stuck out his tongue.
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, then waved his hand at Naraku. "Whatever just threaten me like you always do and be on your way, I'm too busy to play with runts like you..."
"Erk...Do you wish to die or something?" Naraku raised his hand as a command to the serpent like demon. "Kill him!"
And so, Sesshoumaru raised his other eyebrow...
"Rawr!" The demon charged at him, full speed, yet he dodged it easily, and tore it up with Tokijin.
"Pathetic..." He looked over at Naraku who stood there dumbfounded. "I already told you... I won't come inside you and I'm sick of you coming here to--"
He halted the scolding and began to cough. And the coughing didn't end there, it was growing from his throat and went all the way down into his lungs and soon it felt like he was coughing up his insides!
Losing strength, he knelt down, never taking his eyes off of Naraku, who seemed keenly interested in his illness.
"Are you ill?" He frowned at his own words. He couldn't have a sick body part; it might contaminate the rest of him... He turned to exit.
"I'll come back when you're feeling better... Ta ta." He waved over his shoulder and swirled up into the air.
Still coughing and now receiving help from servants, Sesshoumaru managed to get through that he needed his doctor and that he needed him now!
XxXxXxXx
Naraku almost ran through the narrow hallways of his home. This hadn't been in his plans. Sesshoumaru was supposed to be a strong demon that feared nothing, not even diseases... No, this was wrong! He looked up. A flaw in his plans. Nothing more... Wait! Hadn't his wasps picked up something lately? Something about a Healing demon among wolves the other day...
"Kagura!"
She rose bored from her seat as he entered the room.
"Get out!"
He ushered her out and ordered forth his flesh basins... He needed help from a child... And so he would send a new demon that was perfect for the job to go get him!
"Soon, Sesshoumaru, soon..." He cackled and bent over his basins.
"My new child, rise. Show me your powers!"
XxXxXxXx
Sesshoumaru hated being in bed, it only served to remind him of his weakness...
The doctor that he had called out for had been both his father's, mother's and he's own medicine man and had even helped deliver Inuyasha
He was a kitsune of high status and he lived in the mountains somewhere...
Yet he had been trusted to more than just checking up on pups who ran wild or who were bedridden with high fever in the middle of the night. Now, he was standing in front Sesshoumaru with a grave expression on his otherwise kind features.
"My Lord, I think it's worse than what we first assumed..."
He looked away as he approached Sesshoumaru's side, there he knelt next to him. Sesshoumaru breathing was shallow and some of his coughing fits made him cough up blood.
"What is it then?" He didn't really care, had forgotten how to long ago.
"I have reason to believe that you... That you might be dying.."
He stiffened for a brief second, yet he smiled weakly. 'So father was right, a weak child such as I cannot live his full life just because of a measly cold...' He coughed into a waiting handkerchief.
"And what am I supposed to do? Wait it out? Knowing my brother is out there possibly getting himself killed..."
He coughed again, and then made movements to get up.
"Do you remember, that I once swore to kill Inuyasha for what father did to me?"
"Your mother knew that what she was drinking was poison."
The good doctor answered calmly and adjusted his spectacles.
"My mother obviously didn't care what was to become of me." His patient spat back at him.
"But I know that she would have wished you to befriend your father's new mate."
"Hah! My father was a fool to breed with humans and to bring this upon me. I wouldn't be ill to begin with if it hadn't been for him."
Sesshoumaru threw his bed sheet off and got his kimono back on. He didn't have time for lying around in bed. Naraku was intruding daily into his various castles and forts... Something had to be done and he couldn't count that stinky half-breed brother of his for help!
"My Lord.. You saved his life once and now.."
He glared at Hioshi (the doc). "And now what?" He hissed, feeling his already aggravated mood get out of hand. Breathing in he returned to his senses.
"You wish to-."
"Hioshi-sensei, you're speaking out of line."
He made way to his desk. (Yes, he has a bed in his office)
"But this is absurd!" The doctor spluttered out.
Sesshoumaru looked coldly at him. "Leave me to my work will you?" He looked back down.
Giving a slight bow, Hioshi left, but stayed on Sesshoumaru's grounds in case he was further needed. To think, that even after declared dying, the Great Lord of the Western lands would not lie down and admit defeat.
XxXxXx
She was a marvelous child. Obedient, well, more than Kagura anyhow, with chilled beauty and elegance far beyond her other sisters.
Naraku grinned at his newest self. "I shall call you!" He stopped and fidgeted for a second then struck a pose.
"The terminator!"
He heard a sound behind him and turned to Kanna. "Yes?"
"That's taken... What about Akija...?"
Naraku nodded and agreed to this. "Rmm-hmm, fine!"
And so Akija was born!
"Go; go get the demon with the powers to heal!" He ordered and threw her out the window. This might have been bad, but she was fortunately designed with wings.
XxXxXx
(Present)
"Ok, now I'm really scared!" Ginta shrieked and fell on his butt again.
Naraku smirked at him and offered a hand. "Oh, why should you be?"
Ignoring the hand, Ginta kept his eyes on the villain in front of him.
"Be-because you're pure evil!" He got up, shakingly, on his own and tried to glare.
This earned him a laugh from the black-haired man's direction. "Silly little wolf. I do not wish to harm you. In fact. I need your help." He held up a hand, Ginta could see the shards glow within it.
"You help me cure someone, I care for of their illness and I'll let you have some of my Shikon shards, sound fair?" He smiled.
"Um..."
Koga had taught him to very important things; never talk to strange and possible dangerous demons and take the opportunities that fall before you. And that's what he did.
"How many of the shards are we talking about?" He crossed his arms over his chest.
'Oh goodie, he swallowed the bait.'
"Erm, yes, let me have a count..." He lowered his hand and opened it. Other than shards there were lots of other shiny things in his hand.
Ginta had never seen so many shiny things in his life and had bitten his lip in order to keep himself from trying on some of the rings that were in Naraku's hand.
"One, two, three--" Naraku pretended to discover the cub's interest in the other shiny stuff. "Oh, you like this?"
He held up a necklace made out of gold and rubies and smiled with glee.
Ginta bit his lip again, damn, he didn't want to seem greedy and on the other hand, he didn't really now how to control his powers! He smiled weakly and shook his head.
"I-I can't accept this... I'm sorry, but I'm no good." He looked away and tried not to sound rude.
Naraku laughed softly. "It's all right young cub, if you don't want them, it's all right... However, I could train your powers so that you can earn your keep."
He turned and gestured for Ginta to follow him.
They walked until they reached a small indoor garden. Naraku stopped here and fished up a beetle of the ground. "We start now." Obviously the 'I can teach you' had not been a question but rather a command. He turned and ripped one of beetle's wings off. Ginta watched carefully. He backed off a little when Naraku made a move towards him.
Laughing at this, Naraku took the cub's hand and placed the wounded insect in it. "Focus on the creatures pain and wound; imagine that you're healing it. It's really quite simple once you've done it once." He nodded. (How Naraku knows about healing, I have NO idea!)
Looking down Ginta did his best for the insect. Closing his fingers around it, as well as his eyes, he focused. And to his surprise, he saw the beetle as if his eyes and hands had been wide open! It was hovering in front of him, one wing missing. He stretched out his imaginary arm towards it and touched the wound on it's back. Suddenly his arm jerked and burning warmth flooded from his fingers. The beetle's wing was slowly regenerating itself with the help of his energy!
Right after the image faded, he opened his eyes with a snap and looked into his hands and true enough, the beetle flew off into the garden. Swelling with pride, he looked at the taller demon, but looked hastily away from the evil gleam in Naraku's eyes.
"Very good... Come, you must regain your energy!"
He snickered and slammed a hand onto Ginta's slender shoulder and guided him away. "Tomorrow, we will try bigger creatures and more serious wounds!" He flung his hair over his shoulder and laughed higher.
Up in a tree not far away, Kagura wondered what on earth had gone into her brain-damaged 'Father' this time...
XxXxXx
"Ginta-!"
Koga leapt from a cliff to further his path downwards. Inuyasha was hot on his trail as were Kirara with Sango and Kagome with Shippo on her back.
"Anything new houshi-sama?" Sango wondered.
Miroku huffed; after all, he was mortal and had to ride a bike on top of that.
"Yes, the evil aura is closing in!" He yelled and dodged a rock.
Inuyasha growled and announced that they were close to Sesshoumaru's castle grounds, so they had to be careful.
A blast shot him into some bushes and caused them all to halt.
"Careful? You have never been careful in your entire life..."
Inuyasha hissed and pulled out his sword. "Leave us alone! We're busy!"
His older brother smirked and rested his own sword on his shoulder. "Oh, why so busy that you take the chance to barge right into my garden?"
They looked around, and true enough. Kirara was standing in a field of flowers; Koga was resting his feet in a sakura tree while Hakkaku and Miroku were standing in an ocean of sand...
They all hurried to move away from the flowers, sand etc.
Miroku dismounted the bike and bowed before the mighty lord. "My humblest apologies but we were in such a rush that we were not seeing the path, but blindly following the winds..."
(Higher being-talk here...)
Inuyasha stared at him, and then turned to his brother. "Listen, the lecher is right; we don't have time to see the road even. Just let us pass; we can fight some other time!"
Sesshoumaru's face fell into shadows, it looked for a while as if he was transforming, but to no one's eye, he was still suffering from the chest pains. Looking back up, a trickle of sweat running down the side of his cheek, he lowered his sword. "Tell me what requires your attention so much, and I might let you go with nothing but a warning for trampling my flowers..."
Koga sighed and jumped down from the tree. "Listen, my 'cub' has been stolen by Naraku and I want him back alive!"
He didn't expect the lord to understand, he was, as always, cold and uncaring. The lord shifted, wishing for nothing else than a warm cup of tea in front of the fireplace and nodded towards the wolf.
"Very well, since I'm in no mood for arguments... Go away and try to keep away from my gardens." He turned and jumped in the direction of his castle.
"Weird that he gave in just like that..." Kagome wondered out loud and hugged Shippo closer. Then a thought crossed her mind. "Hey, Inuyasha, do you think he actually has a softer side?"
Her demonic friend scoffed and looked back at her. "If he has a softer side, then why does he wish to kill someone that has never harmed him?"
Peering down at him, Shippo shook his head. "Oh, so you weren't the one to tear his arm off and who almost killed him using the 'Scar of the wind'?"
He snuggled closer to Kagome as the dog-demon glared back at him. "What? You did!" He retorted to the glare.
Turning away, Inuyasha ignored him to look at Koga. "We have to get going, houshi! Anything new?"
XxXxXx
"Ah Kagura, my dear older sister."
Akija smiled seductively at the wind-demon and adjusted her shimmering wings so that she could have a seat next at the table. "Any news from the world beyond the living?"
Kagura pouted and got up, she still wasn't sure how long this one was going to survive, but she didn't feel like staying in her company too long at a time. "No, so if you'll excuse me, I have business."
Stomping out into the hallway, she tilted her head to listen if Naraku were nearby and he was. In a room down the hall, she could hear the cub's strangled voice and her father's deep laughter. Not that she cared what that weirdo did to the kid.
"Naraku! I feel that something is approaching the castle!" She barged in with the fake message and gasped as she saw the cub utterly drained and collapsed on the floor.
Naraku looked coldly at her. "I'll attend to it with my golems and wasps... Anything else?"
He saw her staring at Ginta and smiled evilly. "We're training and it seems that he was drained of power much more than I thought... Prepare a meal for him will you Kagura?"
He swooped out the door and giggled his way down the hall.
XxXxXx
He was starting to believe that he would never have another nice awakening ever again as he opened his eyes to the wind witch.
"AH! Get away from me!" He trashed about to try and get her away from him.
"Easy, or you'll be meeting your friends sooner than you want to cub!" She hissed back at him and withdrew her hand from his forehead.
He growled back and pulled the covers closer to him. "Um.. What do you want?" He muttered as she didn't make any motion to move away from him.
"I-." She looked away. "I wish... To apologize, for what I did to your-." She looked back up at him.
"You're apologizing? To me?"
She nodded and handed him a teacup. "Drink, if you are to keep up with that bastard, then you need to be rested. Mark my words; he will push you even harder, so hard that you would wish that you died with your comrades."
He accepted the cup and slurped a little. After half a minute of this, Kagura snapped and took the cup away from him. "Don't slurp!" She handed him a bowl of miso-flavoured ramen.
This was new to him as well and he dipped his fingers into the bowl in order to fish out the weird contents. A yelp and the bowl went on the floor.
Kagura sighed and picked it up. "What ever is wrong with you? Don't you have any manners?"
She scowled at him and used some fresh breeze to dry the rest of the miso up.
Ginta shook his head. "I was raised in the woods, traveled the land and slept with wolves!" He yelled proudly and earned himself a smack.
"Quiet! Naraku hates noise, so if you have any wish to run with your pack again, you better shut up and learn some manners."
He pouted and hid himself underneath the bed sheets. "I wanna go home!" He cried out, the cry muffled by the bed sheets.
Kagura sighed again and sat herself down next to him. "You'll never be free cub, never. Not as long as he sees a use for you..." He threw the sheets off of him and stared at her.
"And once he looses interest, he'll most likely kill you..." She met his frightened gaze with a blank one. "I'm sorry."
He bit his lip and stretched out a hand. She seemed hurt, lost and scared. Letting a finger trace down her cheek, he closed his eyes.
'Why did you kill them?'
'He told me to.'
'Like that's a good reason.'
'Hey, I was a newborn, and didn't have any will yet!'
'I'm not mad at you anymore, just scared...'
'You will be more than that once he's finished with you. He'll never reward you, but as long as you work with him, he might let you live.'
'I'll fight him!'
'And die trying... Honestly cub, he won't let any of us live...'
"What are you doing Ginta-san?"
Ginta tore himself from the telepathic contact and stared at Kagura.
"Um... She had a wound, and I was just training you know..." He looked up at Naraku and half-smiled at him.
Naraku smiled back and stepped back. "Come along, we have work to do!"
He let Ginta pass him, then turned back to his daughter. "You try and warn him or help him escape, I'll tear your head from your shoulders and let Akija feast on your body while you watch! Oh and stop lying about there being someone approaching my castle!" He hissed and hurried after the wolf cub.
"I know you will.." She smiled sadly and got up to review the mess, indeed, the child needed to learn to act a little more appropriately.
XxXxXx
"Closer! Inuyasha! I can feel it! Wait for us!"
Miroku, now assisted by Hakkaku on Lady Kagome's bike, were stepping harder on the pedals to try and catch up.
"Let me try it houshi-sama." The wolf grinned and swiftly swatted the monk away and tried his hand at riding a bike. Not that hard, since all you need is motion and it was still moving.
"You're too slow!" The dog-demon yelled back at them and dodged a tree branch. Koga, however, slowed down and leveled with the two.
"Where is it coming from?" He asked keenly.
An outburst from Kagome alarmed them. " I sense Shikon shards, heading this way!"
She and Sango steered Kirara to the ground and scouted around themselves.
Koga sniffed in the air and dread filled him as he recognized the scent. "Kagome, come here!" He ran over to her and hugged her close to his chest.
"Koga!" She exclaimed but he raised a finger to his lips, telling her to be silent.
Within a minute they were surrounded by something that felt like thirty wolves and demons! Growling and hissing, they glared at them, demons with their spears and wolfs with their fangs.
Inuyasha pulled his sword out but Koga hissed at him.
"Put it down!"
"Well, well, well... What do we have here?" A strong looking black-haired demon sneered at them and shouldered his spear.
Giving a look in Koga's direction, he laughed mockingly. "Ka-chan? What brings you home?"
He looked around and snickered. "And what a pack you now have, let me see. Three humans, a kitsune cub, a cat demon and, oho--"
He reviewed Inuyasha with something that the other could see as respect. "My Lord Inuyasha, true heir to the western lands."
He kneeled and looked up at a startled half demon. "What owes this grand company?"
Inuyasha blinked and straightened himself in a weak attempt to look lordly. "Just passing through.." He muttered and looked up into the skies.
Koji smiled and got back up. "And so you are in the company of my lowly brother? Wait..."
He looked at Koga again and then looked at the space around his younger brother. "Koga, where's the pack?" He asked with a deadly voice.
Koga shrunk and drew his breath. "Something happened to them... You remember the other packs, you know, from the other caves?"
"Stop talking bullshit, cut to the point before I cut down your last member." He scowled at Hakkaku.
"They went to a fortress to get some Shikon shards, I let them go thinking that they could make it fine on their own, but Naraku was there with one of his spawns and killed them... All.."
He looked up as Koji walked closer to him and Kagome. A hard slap sent him into a tree and sent Kagome to the ground.
"All of them! What do you mean; all of them? What about GINTA?" He yelled furiously at the younger demon.
"We're looking for-- wait, no. He didn't die back then, he got kidnapped lately and we were led here and-"
"Shut UP! I thought you said that he would be safe! I thought I could trust you! Instead I find that you've lost him! Do you know who he is!"
He thundered and threw himself at Koga, grabbing his hair and pulling him to his feet. "You imbecile! I should kill you!"
"Enough Koji-sama." An old female wolf demon erupted from the bushes and viewed them all with interest. Giving Hakkaku a weak nod, she said. "Your fathers will be pleased to see you Ha-chan."
He brightened and grinned at her. "Good to see you too Elder Hakura-sama." He kneeled shortly for her then looked with worry over at Koga and Koji.
Noticing his worry, the woman barked at the couple. "Don't you two have better things to do? Ginta is alive; I can feel it in my bones. But the demon Naraku is using his powers and if they are over-used at this stage of his life, he might not be able to gather strength to keep himself going."
She walked over to them and loosened Koji's grip. "You're brothers; act like it and not like sworn enemies!" Her scolding seemed to have the best affect and Koji raised himself and walked away from them.
"Come to the temple, we'll work out our plans there." And with that, he disappeared.
"Intriguing the young lord of the wolves is."
Inuyasha smacked his throat. "Hello Myoga..." He flicked him away and looked over at his rival. Oh how it had to hurt to be humiliated like this in front of Kagome and him... He thought.
"Oy, Koga, are we going to the temple or should we urge on?"
Koga shifted and snarled. "Yeah, we go to the temple... Hakkaku, you wanna see your folk's right?"
"Yeah, it's been a while now." The blond sighed and walked up next to the old woman. "Shall I escort you milady?" He smiled at her.
"Why, always the gentleman, eh, Ha-chan? One day you'll make someone very happy."
He blushed. "Nah, who'd want me? I barely have hair on my head."
She bonked him on the head. "That's because you never let it grow..."
"Really? Oh yeah!"
XxXxXx
The temple city wasn't grand or anything. It did have a temple; half buried or carved out of the mountain wall. Other than that, cave walls and some huts seemed to serve as houses. Green and vibrant, with cubs and adults living fairly well under the stars. Koga smiled at some but avoided most gazes. Kagome wondered if maybe he had had any arguments with anyone before he left.
Hakkaku seemed to blend in at once with his light spirit and cheerful smile.
"Aya! Ha-chan! Oy, Misabi, you lazy bitch, our boy's come home!" A tall blond demon yelled while flying through the air down towards them.
"Momma!" Hakkaku exclaimed and jumped to meet him.
Kagome froze. 'Momma'? Then who is the-?"
"I'm not lazy Nimoa-kun..." another demon had come up behind her and grinned at the couple in front of him. She turned and grinned up at him.
"Why hello there?" She stuttered and hugged Shippo closer.
He looked down at them. "Hehe, so you are Kagome-nee-san? Ha-chan told me about you. You are more beautiful than he described you as." He bowed and kissed her hand.
At once Koga was there and shoved the much bigger man away.
"Get! She's my mate!" He puffed up his chest but was meet with roaring laughter from Misabi.
"Sorry, wasn't trying anything there now Koga-sama, just saying hello."
He ruffled Koga's hair and pulled him to his chest. "Although, how come she's not with cubs yet? Are you really that shy Koga?"
He grinned mischievously as Koga blushed and pulled himself away.
"And what about you and Nimoa? Any new cubs?"
The tall man shrugged at this. "Nope, he doesn't seem to want anymore of them... Pity." He laughed and went over to take his turn in squishing the air out of Hakkaku, who seemed to enjoy the treatment.
"Close family huh?" Kagome looked at Koga. "Huh?" She asked. "Um.. Koga, how can two men-?"
He grinned at her. "Some male wolf demons can do it, it's rare but it happens. I bet you anything that Hakkaku will lead the tradition on."
He gestured towards a brown-haired demon who was watching Hakkaku from the sidelines. Kagome tried to smile. "We-well isn't that nice."
'Although a little strange..'
She shrugged and went to find Inuyasha but Koga stopped her. "They'll eat you and your friends alive, only thing stopping them from you is that they think your my mate. Sango will have some problems, the monk as well... As for dogturd..."
He looked around and huffed as he came to the conclusion that the dog-demon was gone. "Where the hell is he!"
He jumped up and pulled Kagome with him. a couple off hundred meters away, Inuyasha was sitting upon a rock, contemplating Myoga's words.
"So, both of the brothers are using shards eh?" He gazed away into the distance.
XxXxXx
A month had passed and Koga was still lost about finding Ginta, all they had to rely on was that Naraku's shield would soon fade a little and give them a clue to where Ginta was.
At the same time, Naraku was preparing to go to Sesshoumaru once more. He hadn't been there in quite a while and recently he had heard that Sesshoumaru had fallen more seriously ill than before. He had been training Ginta to the verge of tears many a time and yet the cub hadn't given in, in fact, he seemed to become stronger. Somehow, that made Naraku feel proud...
Ginta on the other hand needed this loop-hole to try and escape to the temple city. He and Kagura had had many talks over the last month and come to be friends. She had also taught him some etiquette and some wind controlling spells. Kagura was now setting all her bets on this cub who was supposed to hate her, but it seemed that he was more forgiving than his leader Koga. If any of them were to survive, they needed to either kill Naraku or get someone else to do it.
XxXxXx
"I hate this place.." Inuyasha yawned and got up from his resting place that he shared with Miroku and Shippo.
"Oy, get up, I think I smell breakfast."
Miroku opened his eyes to glare at his friend. "My mornings would be so much more pleasant if I wasn't to wake to your face, besides, your starting to act like these wolves that surround us."
He nibbled his finger and stared into the ceiling of the cave. He was unfortunately depending on Inuyasha to get him up and down from the cave wall and so he got up, scooping the kitsune along with him. "Come along Shippo-chan, milord is hungry..." He cracked out the chink in his spine and faced the eager demon.
"Hey, if you want, I could just leave you all alone..." He pouted.
Grinning, Miroku snaked his arms around the white-haired hanyou. "Aww, did you want a morning kiss?"
He jumped up and pressed his lips against Inuyasha's before realizing what he had done. "Woops... Inu-!"
"Look momma! Flying monks! That means it'll be sunny."
The cub's mother smiled at this. "No honey, that's 'Jumping Monkeys', not monks.."
Kagome sweat dropped and didn't even bother herself with wondering what the monk could have done. After all, he had been sleeping with poor Inuyasha for a month now and none of the females here seemed to even want to touch him, he had to be rather lonely by now.
"Ho! Kagome, what's for breakfast?" Said demon landed next to her.
"Um.. Roasted... Something?"
Koga appeared at her side and handed her a dish. "Here, don't eat that."
He looked at how Inuyasha was digging in.
"It's human meat..." Koga commented coldly.
Inuyasha ran the fastest he could away and threw up in a holt far away.
"Thanks for the warning Koga, you would have thought that he'd learn by now.." She smiled at him and took the dish from him. He nodded and handed a similar one to Sango and a staggering Miroku. "Well, it's almost been a month and Naraku needs to give in and change to human soon, hell, even dogface has turned once now..."
Yes, Kagome had noticed Inuyasha's absence a while back. She looked at him and started munching at her food. 'Wonder if mom and the others are worried..'
"Hey hun, hav' ya heard?" A female wolf transformed to her human form. Kagome continued her munching.
"Hm? What love?" The other demon greeted her with a nuzzle.
The female purred a little before going on. "I heard that the great Lord has fallen ill and cannot attend to his duties."
The male scoffed. "Hah, maybe we should ask Koji-sama to go up there and see if we can kill the bastard..."
At this Kagome stiffened. Were they planning to assassinate Sesshoumaru? Sure, she hated his guts, but he did have better sides to him. Wait a minute, on a second thought; the only demons that she had ever encountered in her own time were the Noh mask and the ghost of that little girl. This made her wonder. Where on earth were all the present-day demons? They didn't just all die, did they? She eyed Inuyasha as he came grumbling towards her. Would he disappear along with everyone else? And after they had found and reunited the Shikon no Tama, would she just go back, never to see Sango, Shippo, Miroku or everyone else ever again!
Inuyasha tapped her gently on the head. "Hey, why so pale? You're shaking even... Are you ok?" He sat down and took some of the ordinary food, fruits and stuff.
Looking at him, Kagome swallowed, now or never! "Inuyasha!"
He looked puzzled at her. "Hm?"
"I-I never see any demons in the future, where do you thi-"
Another tap on her head. "Baka, they're probably all in hiding or something. Heh, Kagome, demons are everywhere and it hadn't surprised me in the slightest is my brother showed up at your doorstep one day asking for me."
He shook his head and continued to eat.
'And what if he does? Inuyasha, will you be there when he asks for you?'
XxXxXx
"Ginta-san! Rise and shine, we're leaving on a hike!"
Naraku pulled at the covers to Ginta's bed. He had begun to be much lazier than he was when he arrived... Maybe he was spoiling the cub... Nah!
Rising from his rest, Ginta dressed in the silk kimono that had been given to him once as a reward for healing the mirror of Kanna. It hadn't been that hard, but he was happy to have something to cover himself with. Sea-blue with red ornamentations on and a green belt around his waist, it looked more comfortable than Kagura's...
"Ready!" He sang and ran to the dining room. 'Oh goodie, Kohaku is up too.'
He grinned at his new friend who most of the time was away from the castle on missions.. Whenever he was here, he usually sat in his room, or in the garden brooding over something. But Ginta liked him none-the-less. They were both kids and he had even gotten Kanna to warm up a little. Throwing some food in his mouth, he sprinted out the door after them. The whole 'family' was gathered.
Naraku turned to face them all and raised his hand to gain attention.
"I'm bringing all of you with me today in case of battle. Remember, we have to keep Ginta-san safe! Kohaku, you will be following him, Kagura, you will walk on his left side, Kanna, you will walk on his right side and Akija you walk in front of him and ensure that he doesn't get hit." He nodded to himself and walked on in front of them.
After walking for hours, they arrived at Sesshoumaru's castle. Jaken was the one who spotted them first and ran to his master's room to bring the news.
"Master! Naraku has spawned two new demons and he has gathered his entire assemble to fight us! Your orders?"
He kneeled, but as he didn't get any answer, he looked back up at the good doctor and Sesshoumaru.
"Why won't you answer milord?" He pried and stumbled back onto his feet.
Hioshi sighed and shook his head. "I'm very sorry lord Jaken, but he is now beyond rescue.."
"Nonsense! He recovered from the flu once, he can do this too!" Jaken wailed and sprinted out of the room and down the hallway in tears.
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes again. "Did he fall for it?"
He coughed and wiped some sweat from his brow. Hioshi chuckled and handed him some liquids. "I think so, such a nasty joke to play on your vassal milord. Here, something for your cough."
"Ah, thank you Hioshi-sensei. If only he would disappear for good, at least one of my plagues would go away."
The great lord muttered and drank the liquid. Frowning at the taste, he looked up. "This isn't my usual medicine, what is it?"
His chuckles turning into a darker laughter, Hioshi rose and walked away from him. "It is the same poison that I was ordered to give your dear departed mother.."
He poured Sesshoumaru some more, overlooking the look on his patient's face. "Do you not believe me?" He handed the younger man the goblet.
Sneering, Sesshoumaru slammed the goblet aside and got to his feet. "You traitor! I can't believe I fell for-!"
He fell back and felt blood trickle from in between his slender fingers. "You- You will burn for this!" He hissed and grabbed blindly after his blade.
At the same time, Jaken was trying to fend of Naraku all on his own. Some of the guards had heard the news of their lord's death and had fled the scene in hopes of surviving this day.
"Back to your abyss Naraku! You have come too late to claim milord's remains! He is dead!"
This left Naraku a little shocked; surely, no one would die from a simple cold... Unless someone had been poisoning him! He hissed and parried the flames from the two-headed staff and ran past the sniffling bundle.
"Make haste, my children!"
'No, this is all wrong! I'm the one to take his head, his body as well!' He felt his heart beat quicken.
Running down the corridor, trying his best to navigate, he had to admit that he was lost in the chaos that had been caused by his presence.
Grabbing a servant he tried to ask where the lord's room was, but the servant just fainted and Naraku growled at him. "Gah! I have no time for this! Kanna! Your mirror! Show me the way to his rooms!"
Kanna stepped up beside him and showed him the surface of the mirror. After some ripples in it passed, a long way was shown and he hurried to follow its guidance.
Upon entering the room, he was faced with two things. A dead dog-demon and a wicked kitsune.
"What have you done!" He roared and sliced the kitsune before he could even answer. Turning to the dead, he bowed his head in respect.
"I am truly sorry for my tardiness..." He knelt down and cupped Sesshoumaru's cheek with his hand. "I'm so sorry.."
Behind him in the doorway, the others had arrived. Ginta squinted at the scene. "Was he the one that I was supposed to heal?"
"Yes, but he has been poisoned." Naraku shook his head. "He has gone to the next world, and from there, there is no return.."
"Ay, there is!" Jaken struggled his way between Kagura's long legs and pointed at the Tenseiga. "That blade was what my master used to revive the girl Rin with."
He stared at Naraku. "Normally, I would never let anyone come close to my deceased master's blade, but in light of what has happened." He fell silent.
Naraku nodded and gently pulled the blade from Sesshoumaru's hand, in the commotion; he had chosen that instead of Tokijin.
Raising it over the white-haired man's head, he tried to see what Sesshoumaru saw.
"Well? Do you see what my lord sees?"
He felt stupid, holding onto a sword that was no use. He had never seen the lord use it and had no idea what he was supposed to do.
"...No." He lowered it and raised a hand to his face. "I cannot see whatever he sees. But tell me, what is this blade?"
Jaken buffed himself. "A blade made from his father's fang, the healing blade; Tenseiga!"
Naraku stared at the toad demon. "Healing blade?"
He snickered and threw the blade at the ground. "Useless trash then... Do you think that I can ever use such a blade?"
He scoffed and seated himself by Sesshoumaru's cold body again.
Ginta looked down at it, something about this blade was fascinating him beyond belief. "May I?" He asked Jaken with a bowed head. The toad snorted and muttered something about what the world was coming to, but nodded at the young man.
Kagura watched him as Ginta lifted the blade to his chest. He possessed the healing powers, was it not right if he could use it?
"Do you feel any different?" She whispered into his ear.
Jaken broke her off. "Of course not! He simply isn't the same as milord!"
He hissed and wobbled over to Naraku to tell him to lay off his dead master.
Frowning, Ginta closed his eyes. He saw Sesshoumaru, but nothing else. Disappointed he reopened his eyes. But as he did, he saw odd demons circling the dead man on the bed.
'What are those?' He wondered and stepped forward.
They noticed him and hissed darkly as he approached them. Obviously they didn't like the blade.
'What if I try and cut them down..' Ginta tried to aim, sure, he only had practice with spears, but a sword couldn't be that hard to handle.
He slashed at them! But missed and hit Naraku in his forehead. The elder demon snorted at him, but paid him more attention.
"Whatever are you aiming for?" He snorted.
Ginta tried to slash them again, but this time they dodged the blade and laughed wickedly at him. He growled and ran the blade into one of them in a spear-like thrust!
And what do you know, one down, two to go.
After getting the other two, he sighed in relief and slumped down on the floor.
Sesshoumaru fluttered his eyelids open and tried to focus his eyes on the young man who was holding his blade and who was most likely to have saved his life. "Urgh.. What happened?"
He tried to sit up but the chest pain came back to him and he groaned and leant on Naraku.
Ginta looked from the lord to the dark lord. Naraku nodded at him and removed himself from the bed.
Settling himself there instead, Ginta placed a hand on Sesshoumaru's chest and closed his eyes. Sesshoumaru was rather confused to find all these people in his room plus this young wolf demon...
A bright flash illuminated his eyesight for a second before the pain started to ease, but not only that. His arm was- It was growing back? Much to his dismay, the pain now settled in his arm.
It was slow, but you could see it regrowing the bones and flesh.
Amazed, he looked at his savior, only to see the young man pale and that he had grown weak.
'Healing demon! My Gods, he's draining himself to heal me?'
He stared at Naraku for a second, then back at the cub. 'No. He's not doing this out of charity; I bet that bastard is forcing him to do this!'
He snorted and pushed Ginta away from him. The cub came to with shivering gasps and tremors'; being shaken out of a healing proccess wasn't all that fun he discovered.
"Naraku! What do you want now?" His voice was cold and far more harsh than usual.
The enigmatic demon smiled at him and grabbed Ginta and pulled him close to him. "Only wishing you the best of health."
"And to do that, you want to drain him of all life force?" Sesshoumaru sneered and got to his feet. He had never felt better, that and his arm was regrown almost to his elbow.
"I will not have it that he suffers instead of me. You will all leave my territory and never return."
Naraku faked a whimper. "But after all the trouble of getting him trained and coming to revive you, is this the thanks? If so, good bye!" And so he walked briskly to the window, Ginta still in his arms, and opened it.
"Not him."
He turned back the dog demon. "Pardon?"
Sesshoumaru showed no emotions as he pointed at Ginta. "You are to leave him behind. He will no longer be under your command."
'I know where he belongs, I'll get him home.' The white-haired thought as he looked over at the cub.
Emitting poisonous vapors, Naraku glared at the man before him. "You think I will just hand him to you, just like that?"
Sesshoumaru drew Tokijin and got into a battle stance. "Yes, if you do not wish to die by your own offspring's fangs.."
Stiffening at the threat, Naraku considered this. He had his children with him, but he'd rather not that they where killed yet...
Making up his mind, he tossed the cub to Sesshoumaru's feet. "Fine, have him. He really wasn't all that fun..."
Sulking, he ordered Kagura to pull forth one of her feathers to transport them away from the grounds.
She hesitated, looking at the unconscious cub, then pulling free one of her feathers. 'Good luck Ginta-san. I hope you fare better than I do..'
XxXxXx
"My brother's dead?" Inuyasha could hardly believe his ears. They had stopped a few soldiers on the way towards Naraku's lair and had received the news.
Kagome could hardly believe her ears either. Could Sesshoumaru really be dead?
"Inuyasha-" She turned to console him, but he was already gone, so she turned to Koga. "Um, do you mind if we check this out first? Old enemy of Inuyasha.."
Sticking his nose in the air, Koga agreed and pulled her onto his back.
"Hey! Baby-fleabag! What about Ginta-chan!" Koji yelled after him.
"Ah drats.." He murmured as he saw that he was given no attention and ordered his troops to follow him to the castle grounds.
XxXxXx
Upon appearing on the scene, it seemed that all was quiet, almost too quiet... Inuyasha tilted his head as Jaken came out of the shadows of a pillar; he seemed to be carrying a bowl of some content. Deciding on following him, Inuyasha moved in on his prey.
Koga arrived shortly after him and followed up on his plan.
After careful stalking, Kagome, Inuyasha and Koga came at long last to Sesshoumaru's bedrooms.
XxXxXx
It wasn't like he had a heart for the weak or frail, but none the less. There he sat and tried to nurse the young man. He had ordered Jaken to get some soup and some other servants to remove the carcass of his doctor.
'I still find it hard to believe that he wanted to kill me. Probably hoping to be named lord after he had faked a will about me giving him the entire title..'
He tried to make himself more comfortable next to the bed. Contemplating how he would give the cub back to the wolves without starting a war, he rested a damped cloth against Ginta's neck.
"I think that someone has taken the liberty off letting themselves into your castle milord." Jaken huffed as he carried in the soup-bowl.
Placing it on a table next his master, he surveyed the silver haired cub.
'How could he have this power? And he even used Master's blade..'
He shook his head and started cleaning up the dead remains along with the other servants.
Sesshoumaru noted this and got up to investigate. Upon opening the doors, he almost gasped in shock as his younger brother along with Koga and that human-girl stumbled in on him. Obviously they had been leaning on it in order to listen in on his conversation.
"Well well. You're making house calls now brother dear?" He smirked down at the perplexed trio.
Gathering themselves, they got up and glared at him.
Koga was the first to regain his sense of speech. "Ginta-chan!"
He sprinted over and knelt down beside the bed. Discovering that the cub was unconscious, he turned and scowled at Sesshoumaru. "What have you done to him?" He hollered.
The demon lord just stood there, mysteriously staring at them.
Coming over to Ginta as well, Kagome checked if he was all right. His pulse and breathing was normal, he just seemed 'drained'...
"Koga, he's fine. Just asleep."
She smiled reassuring and took over where Sesshoumaru had left off. "Was it you who had him here all this time?"
She wondered as she soaked the cloth anew.
Sesshoumaru smiled bitterly at this and walked away from his brother. "No. It was Naraku. I have no idea what he was doing with the cub in his possession, but I made it clear to him that I did not tolerate this."
Inuyasha snorted at him. "Tolerate what? That Naraku was mistreating him?"
He smiled sarcastically. "I didn't know that you had grown a heart 'brother dear'."
Not answering, the elder of the two walked over to Ginta's bedside. "You can think whatever you wish... Koga-sama, will you be taking him home with you now?"
Koga shifted his weight and considered it.
"No, I think he should rest up before coming back to the village." He muttered and began stroking the fine hair of Ginta's neck.
"In fact," He sighed and got up to walk away. "I don't think that Ginta should be with me anymore."
The others could only watch as he disappeared out the door.
Kagome was the first to react and start to go after him, but Inuyasha stopped her with a wave. "Don't. I know what he means. From now on he won't be having any companions with him, he'll go after Naraku all by himself."
He shook his head at his own words and leant up against a wall. It had been ages since he had been inside one of his father's castles. It felt strange and awkward. He peeked over at his older sibling.
"So what do you do now then little brother?" Sesshoumaru's voice was suddenly so close to his ear that it had him startled for a second.
"I dunno.." He muttered and averted his older brother's gaze.
"I think we need to talk..."
He cringed. What, now the bastard wanted to talk!
"I think we already have talked enough." He tried to edge away but Sesshoumaru grabbed onto him. "What we have done has not been talking and you know it."
He walked past Inuyasha and out into the abandoned hallway. "Come this way. If you do not wish to talk, let at least me lift some weight off of my chest."
Kagome stared after them. Were they really going to talk things out? She turned back to Ginta as she heared the younger man move.
"Ginta-chan?" He looked back up at her, his face suddenly brightening. "Nee-san!"
He threw his arms around her and cried. "I was so scared and I've been with Naraku for all this time and he tricked me into helping him, but it was good even though because milord was sick and needed help from me and-and!" He fell silent and whispered something into her ear.
She smiled at him and offered him some soup before glancing at the empty doorway. 'I wonder how Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru will talk things out...'
A/N: I know,I know. There's a dozen loose ends here in this chapter... It'll all come together in the next; The shards of Koji, Sess and Inu's talk. Koga's decision...