A/N: Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great year and why not start the year off with some fan fiction, so without further adieu, Chapter 7!
Read & Review please!
Chapter 7 - The Exploration of Darkness
"So what do you think, Taisho?" asked Hyousuke, eager to hear the older mans reply.
While they were all around the same age, the group usually looked to Inutaisho regarding big decisions- after all it was he who suggested they take the journey in the first place. Besides with Ryūkotsusei's quick temper, Hyousuke's usual "hit first, think later" mentality, and the young Daichi's mischievous personality, Inutaisho had to be the level-headed one for all of their sakes.
Inutaisho regarded the 3 sets of eyes that looked on him with impatience, although Ryūkotsusei seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. His mind worked a mile-a-minute as he went through his usual thinking process. He knew his ability to determine all factors quickly to establish the best course of action was what made him a good leader for his group of friends.
Well we do need to explore these abilities…
But what are the consequences?...
Could we hurt each other?...
Would we hurt others?...
We'll have to document everything…
Thoughts swirled through his head until he was brought out of his musings by Ryūkotsusei's cold voice.
"No offense Taisho but this isn't the old us where you governed our movements. You are just as new to this as we are and we have a chance to experience power that others haven't dreamed of! This is not the time to be cautious."
Ryūkotsusei didn't know what caused him to speak out against his oldest friend, but he couldn't help it. He was tired of Inutaisho besting him, and with their new found powers, he realized this could be his chance to show everyone just exactly how commanding he could be, and he wouldn't allow the opportunity to slip by.
Inutaisho squinted his golden irises in Ryūkotsusei's direction. He hadn't asked to be leader, but something about being challenged in such a way made his blood boil. His usual calm demeanor was slowly leaving him and before he could stop himself, he let out a low growl in Ryūkotsusei's direction.
Hyousuke and Daichi watched the exchange with curious eyes. They had no problem letting Inutaisho keep command of the group, and if they did before the menacing growl that escaped Inutaisho's throat coupled with the way his eyes swirled between scarlet red and bright gold quieted any thoughts they had of rebelling for good.
However, as they looked to Ryūkotsusei, they could sense that submitting to the older man was the last thing on his mind as he returned the growl with a sound of his own, just as threatening as Inutaisho's had been.
Noticing Ryūkotsusei advancing slowly upon his person, Inutaisho growled louder in warning, feeling the vibrations of the noise throughout his body. He clenched his hands in tight fists, taking little note of his now clawed fingertips drawing pin-pricks blood from his palms.
His body felt unlike anything he had experienced before, like he was no longer human but not entirely bestial either, somewhere in-between the two extremes, fighting to maintain control. He heard the same voice again in his head, urging him to let go, to let the power consume his, but he would not give in to the impulse this time.
Something about his other form was unsettling, like he was a stranger within his own body, and he would resist resorting to that option for as long as he could manage.
He watched as Ryūkotsusei's blood red reptilian eyes sized him up as would a predator to his prey before attacking.
Baring his pointed canines toward his friend as a last resort, Inutaisho took a defensive stance as he waited to Ryūkotsusei's next move.
Not one to disappoint, Ryūkotsusei smirked inwardly before charging at his friend. He quickly realized he was faster than he had ever been before, bolting through the space between to the two with inhuman agility.
His adrenaline surged sky high as he met Inutaisho head on, grabbing the slightly bigger male with both arms as they wrestled for dominance, their strength almost parallel. Ryūkotsusei knew he couldn't overpower his friend in this manner, so he looked for a new tactic. Breaking free of the grapple, Ryūkotsusei pushed hard against Inutaisho's chest, causing him to stumble backward off balance.
Ryūkotsusei used this moment to his advantage, using his speed to advance on Inutaisho. He swung his right fist swiftly through the air, the appendage making a sickening crack on Inutaisho's jaw, causing him to fall to one knee.
Not giving Inutaisho any time to recover, Ryūkotsusei slashed his sharp claws towards the male on the ground. His arms moved so rapidly that Inutaisho could barely register the hits coming at his body, barely managing to block the deadly swipes being assaulted upon him.
His arms were taking the most damage from Ryūkotsusei's vicious claws, leaving bright red streaks deep within his skin as Ryūkotsusei continuously gouged at the flesh, leaving him still on one knee in pain as he held his arms above his head to stop the onslaught as best he could.
'Damn he's too fast…I have to think of something before I lose this battle.'
Gritting his teeth, Inutaisho realized defensive techniques would be all but useless against Ryūkotsusei's speed. Using all of his strength, Inutaisho pushed his arms above his head, causing Ryūkotsusei's attack to falter. Standing up, Inutaisho quickly grabbed hold of Ryūkotsusei's arms, digging his claws deep within the skin.
Ryūkotsusei howled out in pain and Inutaisho's claws sunk deep and deeper into his flesh. Although his own arms were still in pain from Ryūkotsusei's assault, he held fast against the thrashing male, before quickly releasing his claws and kicking his right leg upward into Ryūkotsusei's chest, causing him to stumble backward, out of breath.
Inutaisho took this moment to step backward and regain his bearings. His platinum bangs where matted to his forehead with sweat and he felt his jaw throbbing in pain from Ryūkotsusei's earlier punch.
Grabbing the mandible, Inutaisho closed his eyes before quickly twisting the bone, hearing a satisfying pop as it slipped back into place, the severe pain now only a dull ache. He noticed his arms were also healing as well, the deep scratches shrinking considerably.
Although his pain threshold was off the charts and he seemed to be healing rapidly, Inutaisho felt himself growing weary, knowing that he could only hold on for so much more. He had beaten Ryūkotsusei several times in the past, but his fuzzy mind couldn't formulate a solid strategy.
'Think Taisho think. You've sparred with him hundreds of times, what is his weakness...'
Looking toward the form of Ryūkotsusei, Inutaisho could see he was in no better shape; the kick to his sternum had him wheezing considerably and his arms were bleeding profusely from where he had been punctured, but like himself, his wounds were healing as well.
Noticing the wild look in Ryūkotsusei's eyes, a light went off in Inutaisho's head, finally realizing how he would best his friend.
His temper.
Ryūkotsusei's was known for his quick temper which often caused him to lose concentration through his unbridled anger.
Spitting out blood, Inutaisho goaded his partner into attacking—
"Come on Ryuu, don't tell me that's the best you can do, but then again you've always been second best, huh bro?"
Hook.
His ruby eyes slanted even further, gleaming in fury at the insult.
Seeing Ryūkotsusei bristle, Inutaisho continued his taunting, hoping to bait the other male in attacking.
"Guess I shouldn't have expected more though; you've never been much of a challenge."
Line.
Unable to take anymore, Ryūkotsusei snarled loudly into the air before charging full speed at Inutaisho, intent on silencing his opponent once and for all.
Sinker.
Lips turning upward in a devious curl, Inutaisho waited to the perfect moment to subdue the now irate male speeding toward him.
Ryūkotsusei extended his claws to deal the battle-ending blow, sure his speed would leave Inutaisho unable to react in time to defend. However, just as he was mere inches from him, Inutaisho feinted to the right at the last second, grabbing his arm and using his momentum to flip him over onto his back.
Ryūkotsusei grimaced in pain as he collided with the hard ground, the soft blades of grass providing him no form of comfort. Opening his eyes, he bit back his anger as he noticed Inutaisho hovering over him, his once golden eyes now a blazing red, claws poised at his neck leaving small droplets of blood.
Growling low Inutaisho knew he had won this round.
"Submit!"
Growling in response, Ryūkotsusei tried to move his body upward, only to have Inutaisho's claws press more insistently upon his neck. He cursed quietly, knowing he had yet again lost. He felt the fire within him begin to dissipate as he began to feel like his old self, or as much of his old self he still obtained.
Unconsciously, Ryūkotsusei felt himself slightly bow his head low, being careful not to impale himself further on Inutaisho's claws.
Staring down at the gesture, Inutaisho felt himself start to relax, his eyes turning back to their now normal golden hue.
For a few moments the men didn't move an inch, confused as to what had just taken place. It wasn't until Hyousuke and Daichi came bounding over that they were finally released from their stupor.
"What the hell was that?!" came Daichi's high pitch shriek as he skidded to a stop in front of the duo, cautiously moving Inutaisho off of Ryūkotsusei, hoping that neither would turn their rage onto him.
"Right!" Hyousuke said, eying the pair warily, "I don't think a death match qualifies as 'training'"
Inutaisho stared blankly in front of him, barely registering the words of his friends.
What had just happened?
It had transpired so quickly he had barely registered the whole ordeal; Ryūkotsusei had challenged him and then everything went red. Although his mind was hazy, he remembered the fight vividly— the way his claws sunk into Ryūkotsusei's smooth flesh, the sight of blood oozing from the puncture wounds he had delivered. The howls of pain from the younger male still floated within his mind, causing an elfin ear to twitch.
But where was the remorse?
Although they were both healing at an accelerated rate, he had basically wounded his closest friend to near death. But he didn't feel despondent about it all; he didn't feel regret or remorse, other than not leaving Ryūkotsusei more battered than he already had. If anything he felt…
Satisfied.
The feeling of subduing an opponent sent his blood blazing; the sensation of shearing skin with his bare hands sated the beast within him. He felt no ill feelings toward Ryūkotsusei, just an instinctual call to prove his strength to the challenger at hand. He wondered if the primitiveness of battle called to the newly found blood lust within in soul.
Looking at the injured form of Ryūkotsusei, he assumed his friend's thoughts were most likely mirroring his own.
Standing up, Inutaisho extended a bloody arm towards Ryūkotsusei who grabbed it tentatively.
Inutaisho sensed the unease within the clearing. "Look," he started, "obviously there are things at play we haven't yet begun to understand. This power we've tapped into must not be taken lightly. We obviously aren't human anymore, rather something darker."
Inutaisho tried to voice his thoughts as reasonably as possible, but this was unchartered territory. He was just as confused as the other three, but taking in the eyes staring upon him intently, he realized something—
He was alpha.
Daichi and Hyousuke seemed to fall into line rather easily, but he knew Ryūkotsusei would prove to be a far more difficult challenge.
"Darker, huh?" questioned Hyousuke, rubbing his chin in thought. "If the legend is true, the stone contains the powers of the Gods, the power that the Cursed Ones wished to instill upon the humans to create the new species."
"But it's not just the Gods power Suke," chimed Daichi, his usual mirth replaced by a serious façade, "this is cursed magic; magic tainted by touch of Hell. We aren't human anymore; we're something more—"
"Demonic." added Ryūkotsusei who had been unusually quiet the whole time.
"What do you mean by demonic Ryuu? You mean like a demon or something?"
Inutaisho thought on all the folklore and tales he had heard growing up, bedtimes stories that seemed all too real at the moment.
Demon.
The word seemed foreign in his mind. He was certain if he were to speak it aloud it was feel just as alien on his tongue. The more he tried to deny the notion, the more it started to sound completely sane— the emotions he felt while battling Ryūkotsusei, his heightened senses, the blood lust…these traits definitely seemed fitting of demonic beings.
"Demonic huh?" Inutaisho started, narrowing his eyes. "We will document everything. This must be done correctly and if we want to understand what we've become there must be order in the process."
Ryūkotsusei's head snapped toward Inutaisho almost instantly.
Inutaisho felt Ryūkotsusei's cold eyes upon his person almost immediately. He returned the gesture with a hard glare of his own, daring him to speak out against his word. Inutaisho knew the way of politics; he knew everything had to be recorded in order to succeed, and he did plan on succeeding.
But he also felt the primitive urges that had become a part of him, and he couldn't ignore those either.
Grinningly devilishly at Ryūkotsusei, he repeated, "We will record everything. But documentation is only half the battle. We have untapped power my friends, and this must be explored if we wish to share this gift with others."
Oh yes, Inutaisho was logical, but now that he had experienced the beginnings of what he could achieve, he was addicted. A switched had turned on within him, and like Ryūkotsusei, he wished to explore the depths of their new found abilities.
Ryūkotsusei smirked back at him before turning to Hyousuke and Daichi who too had grins on their faces.
"Finally coming to your senses, huh Taisho."
"Well I figure you'll need a lot more training before you can beat me. If I want to get stronger, I'm going to need some type of a challenge."
"Less talking, more fighting!" came Hyousuke's sharp voice, laced with an edge of hardness as he impatiently waited for the battle, the swirling aura's of Inutaisho and Ryūkotsusei calling forth his own to the surface in anticipation.
"After you Ryuu."
Flexing his claws a few times before he once again felt the tell-tale sign of his beast stirring to life in response to the impending battle, Ryūkotsusei chuckled darkly, letting the sunlight reflect off the whites of his razor sharp teeth.
"My pleasure."