Disclaimer: My first attempt at a fanfic, I hope this one is well-received by all Inuyasha fans. All characters belong to the much-loved Rumiko Takahashi. I never thought I'd come up with a good idea, but as it turns out, I had several that fit together. This is, therefore, the first of several parts to this story.
- JediHanyou
"A Fateful Night", Part 1: An Ordinary Day
The sun rose slowly in the east, and the light came like a cat lazily stretching across the sky. In a small hut in the foothills of a mountain somewhere in Japan, a small two-tailed cat followed the sun's example. Kilala sat up on her haunches and whisked her tails from side to side, limbering up for the day's activities. She liked mornings.
One tail strayed just a bit too far away… or maybe not? She wiggled her tail back and forth, teasing a crinkling nose. Shippo came awake with a sneeze. "Kilala!"
"Mew!" She beamed, silently laughing at him.
"Come here, you!" The young kitsune launched himself at the cat, but missed as she gracefully hopped toward the hut's entrance. Shippo followed her out the door into the snow, unaware he was being led into a vicious ambush.
Miroku awoke with a start at the sound of a child's shriek, then sighed as he recognized Shippo's cries of delight as Kilala buried her icicle-laden whiskers into his tawny fur. His left arm felt numb. Must've slept on it again, baka. Turning, he saw that his arm had indeed been slept on again, but not by him. Sango's neck lay atop it; she herself lay facing him.
Glancing about, he saw a white-haired figure in red still crouching in his spot by the door, his ears twitching occasionally but giving no other signs of wakefulness. A young woman with jet-black hair was still curled up in her sleeping bag. The others were outside. His gaze traveled down the demon-slayer's sleeping form. Come on, why not? Because she trusts you, idiot … and because she deserves better than you… Shaking his head to clear out the nagging voices, he decided to rely on instinct, rather than logic, as he always had in times past.
He reached out with his right hand and did as he'd done many times before, expecting at any moment a slap to his cheek. Instead, her right hand swatted his away from her rear like swatting at a fly, and she mumbled, "Not now, mommy, let me sleep a little more." The invading hand withdrew as quickly as it had arrived, but the rush of air passing her partially exposed side woke her.
"DAMMIT, MIROKU!!" Her giant bone boomerang, the Hiraikotsu, lay too far away to reach (normally she slept with it by her side, but she'd unconsciously relocated to a warmer spot after relieving herself around midnight), so she settled for pummeling his bemused face with her small but strong fists. His howls of laughter and her shouts of anger quickly roused Kagome and Inuyasha from their slumber.
"At it again already, you old lecher? Can't you control yourself for a few hours?" groaned the grumpy hanyou.
"Apparently not," remarked Kagome, checking to make sure her jewel shards were still present in their glass bottle, as she did every morning since Shippo had once tried to sneak off with them to help a young human girl he had fallen for.
Miroku's laughter ceased abruptly as Sango stormed outside to find Kilala, who had gone missing. She found her perched atop a struggling fox-tyke, giggling wildly as she licked his furry face. All anger vanished as the tiny feline jumped into her arms to lick her face instead. She grinned despite herself, but found her face suddenly both wet and cold as a snowball hit her square in the mouth. Ducking, she grabbed Shippo by the tail before he could launch another volley of snowballs.
"Next time, young one, aim more carefully!" He hurriedly nodded his agreement.
Releasing her prisoner to Kilala (now in demon form), she shivered and gazed up at the gathering clouds. I sure hope it doesn't snow any more… it'll make getting up the rest of the mountain that much more difficult. Turning, she went back inside to help fix their morning repast.
Inside, Kagome had already begun to cook their breakfast over her portable stove which (like almost anything else imaginable) had proceeded from the depths of her ever-present yellow backpack. The smells of fresh pancakes and bacon were enough to wake Miroku in seconds; he had passed out from too much laughter... Or maybe her blows… Serves him right, the dirty… Grr! Sango kicked him twice for good measure, and to vent just a bit more.
Breaking open the ice which had formed on the surface of their water bucket in the corner, she was glad she didn't have to trudge all the way back to the cistern they had found a ways back on the trail. When the morning meal was ready, she again ventured outside (much more warmly clothed now) to call Shippo and Kilala in to eat.
The tawny two-tailed demon cat sauntered inside with the kitsune's tail in her jaws. Dropping Shippo, she shrunk back to kitty-size and rubbed her body against Sango's robe to remove the last bits of snow from her back.
After the blessing, the group ate in silence, considering the task ahead. The demons beforehand have always been fairly easy to get to once they're located, but this time… Miroku's decided to speak up first. "Inuyasha, I think we had best take the western path." He pointed to a crude map drawn by a local villager. "It seems to be closer to the crow's nest than the eastern route."
"Of course it looks that way, you idgit… these stupid people always think demon birds live higher up than they actually do!" Inuyasha spoke with his mouth full, as was his custom when they discussed things during meals. Kilala was more than happy to lick the crumbs off the floor.
"Good girl, no littering!" praised Kagome. "Inuyasha, you could learn a few things from her."
"Feh."
"What then shall we do, Inuyasha?" asked Miroku, trying to bring the conversation back around.
"I don't know, and I don't care!" he snapped. "Whatever you want to do is fine with me, I'm still taking the eastern road. It'll be easy enough to take a stupid bird by surprise from below, even if it does have jewel shards!"
"I believe the western road and an assault from above would be a wiser course of action in this case. Unlike most demons that possess shards, Inuyasha, this one can fly."
"I know that birds can fly!!" His eyes flashed as he bared his teeth in a snarl.
"Cool it, Inuyasha," said Sango, "He's just saying that the bird will be able to fly higher than even your powerful legs can carry you. The air is very thin here, so even your abilities will be limited."
"Feh." Inuyasha folded his arms as he turned his back on the group and snarled, "Do what you like, I'm still going east."
"Can I say something, please?" Kagome hated to see her friends argue, and she hated even more the frequent arguments she had with Inuyasha. Everyone stopped eating and looked at her with mild amusement. "Why don't we split up? Inuyasha, Shippo and I will go east, and you and Sango can ride Kilala westward up the mountain," nodding at the full-mouthed monk. "That way we'll take it by surprise from both directions."
"Excellent strategy, Kagome," Miroku replied after several hasty chews and a large gulp. "Worthy of a military genius." He took her hands in his own, either unaware of or purposefully ignoring Sango's jealous glare.
Kagome blushed, "Well, I…"
Inuyasha rose and walked between Miroku and Kagome, separating them. "Yeah, yeah, shut yer yap and let's get going… I don't like the smell of this weather." He stood at the doorway, tapping his foot impatiently as he glanced at them over his shoulder. Everyone stared back for a split second; then he tossed his mane of long white hair and announced that he would be waiting outside. The others packed up Kagome's bag and rolled up their sleeping gear before joining him.
xxxxx
Kilala bounded up the western trail, with Sango and Miroku astride her. "It's getting colder," the monk remarked to Sango, who sat in front of him.
"I know," she replied, turning to face him. "You'll just have to transcend it like always." A playfully vicious grin spread across her face, and then disappeared as she noticed his arms (which were wrapped about her waist) were slowly moving… one was going up, and the other going down.
"Stop it right now, or I'll push you off Kilala, you pervert!" The roaming arms resumed their original, only slightly less threatening position. Why can't he just be less like his father and grandfather and more like my father? He teased and played with mom all the time, but I doubt he ever did anything like this before they were married… "Sigh." If only he…
"Sango, did you say something?" A bead of sweat appeared on her forehead and her cheeks flushed briefly before she silently shook her head. I know she said something, I just don't know what, thought Miroku.They continued on in the relative silence of steadily increasing wind and the padding of cat-feet.
As they neared the position of the nest marked on the map, Miroku spoke. "It's a shame that we have no way to coordinate our attack… well then, we shall wait five minutes upon reaching the nest before attacking. Hopefully, Inuyasha will arrive by then." Sango nodded in response, and Kilala growled her assent.
They reached the spot designated on the map, and looked over the cliff. A puzzled expression came over their faces as they beheld an empty rock ledge. "Curious," Miroku muttered.
"Huh?"
"There's no nest here… no evidence of our quarry whatsoever."
"Maybe the old man was wrong when he said he saw it fly to this spot after each attack on the village."
"Perhaps…" Miroku knit his brow, then made his decision. "Sango, stay here. Kilala, you'll have to fly for a little while, is that alright?" The great cat nodded, indicating she did have enough energy to fly for a little while; they had learned that her demon powers, based on fire, did not work as well at great heights. Kagome kept insisting it was because the air was too thin for her fire to burn strong enough, but the others weren't convinced.
"Miroku, be…" Sango paused for a brief instant before changing her sentence. "Be sure to take care of Kilala."
"Of course." The cat took a running start and leapt over the edge of the cliff. Fire sprouted from her paws as she strode across the sky in a lazy spiral towards the empty ledge below.
As Miroku dismounted his carrier, a great gust of wind issued from the mountain, knocking him flat on his back. From a cave in the mountain sprang a sharp beak and fiery eyes, followed by the rest of the demon bird!!Narrowly avoiding his heart, the bird's beak pierced Miroku in his left shoulder.
"Miroku!!" Why am I so worried about him? He can take care of himself! Sango slid down the slope of the mountain, every nerve tingling as she tensed her upper body to hurl her loyal boomerang.
As she drew her arm back to throw, Kilala pounced on the bird, biting at its left wing and scratching at its face with her claws. The bird screeched in pain, then shook off its assailant. With a flurry of wings, Kilala was blown off the mountainside. Too stunned to fly, she tumbled onto the rocks below and lay still.
Sango maintained her concentration… Kilala had suffered far worse before. She let her boomerang fly, but the demon sensed the changes in the wind that preceded it. With another eruption of flapping, her boomerang sailed off course, plunging into the mountainside nearly a hundred feet below her. She rolled onto the ledge and drew her sword. Attracted by the shiny metal blade, the demon turned to face its newest threat. Miroku, who was down but not out, took advantage of the distraction; he jumped up and smashed his staff on the bird's already bleeding left wing. His efforts were rewarded by a wing-slap in the face and a slam into the mountainside near the mouth of the bird's cave. Heh, that's all you got? Sango could out-slap… you… He slowly lapsed into unconsciousness.
Sango crouched and jumped forward, attempting to sever the demon's head. In a panic, the bird took flight… or at least tried to. It was at best a controlled fall. Miroku and Kilala had done their job, as its left wing hung limp at its side. Unfortunately, Inuyasha just happened to be bounding up the other trail at the same time. He was arguing with Shippo (as usual), and noticed the falling demon a bit too late to dodge. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!!" the noise of his attack echoed. The bird's right wing splintered and rebounded off the mountain, but the hanyou's attack was not quite enough to stop the oncoming menace.
The bird's body came crashing down on the trio, knocking Kagome and Shippo off Inuyasha's back. Sensing the jewel shards hidden away inside Kagome's pocket, the bird clutched at it with its clawed feet, shredding Kagome's outer garments before obtaining its prize. Swallowing the shards, it sprouted not one but three brand new wings and turned to its next course: the girl who had borne the shards but recently.
"Inuyasha!! Help!!" screamed Kagome.
The hanyou knew she was in trouble already; he could smell her blood, for the demon had scratched her shoulders several times. He ran down the mountain, drawing his sword, which transformed at his command. Unfortunately, though his blade had become much lighter since his fight with Ryukotsusei, it was sufficiently long and heavy enough to throw off his balance, and he slipped and took a tumble. Thankfully, Sango's boomerang - still wedged in the mountainside - broke his fall. And maybe a few ribs, he thought as he winced. He dashed back up the mountain, taking care to balance the Tetsusaiga more carefully this time.
Kagome, meanwhile, was fighting for her life as the demon tried to catch her in its venomous beaks; a second head had grown alongside the first, and she had lost her bow on the way down. Shippo clambered out of her backpack and joined the fray, but his Foxfire was not yet potent enough to cause any damage and the bird paid him no heed. Indignant, he jumped onto a wing that dipped too low to the ground and dug his teeth in. I saved Kagome when I bit Montan the Thunder Brother like this… I can do it again! he thought.
However, he had forgotten in the heat of battle that birds have feathers, and that feathers come out when pulled too hard. Instead of chomping down on an underdone "Kay-Eff-See" wing like the ones Kagome brought from home, he found himself with a mouthful of what tasted like moldy pillow. Then the bird whapped him off the cliff with its wings.
Fortunately, he maintained his cool, and calmly plucked a leaf from inside his vest. Pressing it to his forehead, he closed his eyes and transformed into a giant pink blob. He flailed madly with his… arm… things… but the wind had started to pick up, and was blowing him steadily away from the mountain.
He had no way to get back to help the others, and he started shivering; his sweat had cooled. He saw Kilala waking up far below him, battered but still alive. Kilala took notice of him, and followed on foot as best she could.
xxxxx
All those years of gymnastics training finally paid off! thought Kagome as she twirled, rolled, and cartwheeled past the snapping beaks. As her shoulders twinged again, she thought back to the last time she was out in the exercise yard with her friends…
xxxxx
"Gee, Kagome, it stinks that you have to take that remedial math class. Do you think Hojo will keep coming around if he finds out your grades are slipping?"
Clad in a white sweatshirt and (very, very short) red shorts, she thought carefully before answering; she always had to speak carefully around her school friends so she wouldn't reveal what really went on while she was "sick at home." If only grandpa would come up with more common diseases for her to catch…
"I don't know, and I don't care," she pronounced decisively. "I never asked for his attention, and frankly, it's starting to annoy me!"
Refocusing her attention on the impending long jump test, she couldn't help but think, I wish Inuyasha would pay attention to me like Hojo does…
xxxxx
"Kagome, look out!" She was snapped out of her reverie as Sango dove into her, forcing her to the ground as Inuyasha's sword whistled, cutting off one of the demon's heads. It started to grow back, but the bird decided to find easier prey and began to fly away.
"Oh, no you don't!!" Inuyasha drew back his sword.
"The Wind Scar!" breathed Kagome and Sango together.
"HRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!" With a tremendous shout, Inuyasha swung the Tetsusaiga, slicing through the Wind Scar and sending five jagged bolts of energy howling towards the retreating demon. It's body dissolved almost instantly, and the jewel shards sparkled down to the mountainside, where they lodged among the rocks.
Sheathing his sword, Inuyasha grunted once, then turned. "Are you all right, Kagome?"
"Yes, I'm fine. Just a bit banged up. Shippo's gone, though."
Inuyasha looked to the horizon. "I can't see him… but this wind might've driven him a long way off." It's so cold all of a sudden… I hope the little guy will be ok.
"Kilala? Kilala? Kagome, I can't find her!" Sango sounded almost frantic.
"Don't worry, she's a big girl. She can take care of herself." Miroku staggered out of the cave, supporting himself with his staff. He stumbled, and collapsed onto Sango's shoulder. She quickly knelt with him to keep the both of them from falling down.
"Are you ok, Miroku?" Kagome inquired. There was no answer for a moment.
"I think he's just fine…" growled Sango through clenched teeth. The others looked closer and saw that he had simply fallen asleep… with his hand on Sango's backside.
Outside the cave, the wind from the north steadily increased, and flecks of white began to appear in the sky.