Chapter Nine: Enter Shippo… Plus the Amazing Thunder Brothers

The clock was ticking. The hands little by little turned as Kagome watched intently. Waiting for the time when her plans would come into fruition. 'Three, two, one,' An alarm sounded 'and there you have it. Your noodles are ready.'

The noodles were delicious. Very delicious and Inuyasha ate them hungrily, having not realized quite how famished he really had been. 'Not bad, not bad… I can see how this would catch on.' He used his chopsticks to pull them up into his throat.

'Next best thing to sliced bread.' said Kagome, voice annoyed.

'Come on Kagome, aren't you going to dig in?' asked Inuyasha, as the crows cawed.

This seemed to anger Kagome. 'Speaking of digging, have you noticed we're surrounded by corpses here?!' And she motioned to the endless ranks of charred and mangled bones strewn over a barren patch of land. 'No! I guess you were too busy rummaging through my backpack to realized that we happen to be sitting in an old battlefield!'

'The Band of Seven used to eat surrounded by our freshly slain enemies all the time.' said Inuyasha 'Whats the big deal?'

'We are not the Band of Seven!' she snapped.

'Actually I kind of am, so uh… yeah.' said Inuyasha.

'I'm hungry, you said, then you had the nerve to expect me to eat here!' She sat down. 'Geez! Even your blood sucking flea buddy has better manners!'

'Finally,' said Myoga 'I've found someone who has good taste and tastes good.'

'I wouldn't really call Myoga and I buddies.' said Inuyasha 'Maybe associates, or someone I work with who I dislike.'

'That's really cold,' said Myoga. 'even so I must say Kagome, how impressed I am by the conveniences of your era. That buying cycle, and your instant foodstuffs, tell me, has our land started trading with other lands?'

'Yeah,' said Kagome 'good observation Myoga. Figures you'd notice. Actually instant noodles were invented right here in Japan during the space age. Everyone eats them, but originally they were meant for astronauts in outer space.'

'Astronots?' asked Inuyasha as he devoured more noodles.

'Astronauts, we've explored outer space.' said Kagome. 'Hey right, I guess you don't even know we've been to the moon!'

'Man has travelled to the moon?' asked Myoga.

'On a buy cycle?' asked Inuyasha.

'No on a rocket of course.' she said.

'And a rocket would be…?' he asked.

Kagome was on a role. 'Their long, and usually white, and flames shoot out at the bottom, countdown to launch boom! Liftoff!' Inuyasha finished his food. This annoyed Kagome, and she looked again in a huff. 'Trust you to be more impressed by noodles than by space travel.'

'So who are our enemies?' asked Inuyasha suddenly.

'What?' said Kagome.

'Who are we fighting?' repeated Inuyasha.

'Well… uh…' she paused 'we don't really have any military enemies. I mean I guess we have economic rivals and stuff but its complicated.'

'No enemies?' asked Inuyasha. 'That sounds really boring. When was the last time you people had a decent war?'

'Well I guess that was world war 2.' said Kagome. 'We fought the Americans.'

'World war 2?' asked Inuyasha.

'The sequel to world war 1.' said Kagome.

'Which was?' asked Inuyasha.

'Alright its really complicated okay,' said Kagome 'and I explained even half of it we'd be here all week. Tell you what, if you want I can bring through a couple of history books later.'

'That sounds fine.' said Inuyasha.

All of a sudden everything went dark, and they looked around as stormclouds gathered overhead. A vast swirling portal appeared overhead as the crows fled in expectation of some terrible evil. 'Whats going on?' asked Kagome 'Why is it so dark?'

'I don't know,' said Inuyasha as he arose, casting down the noodles. 'but something tells me its trouble.'

'Lord Inuyasha,' said Myoga chidingly. 'no littering.'

'Hmph,' said Inuyasha 'this is no time to talk trash.'

The portal grew larger, swirling with bright light as a voice cried out: 'You down there, you possess a piece of the sacred shikon jewel.'

'Whose that?!' called Inuyasha.

'A demon?!' cried Kagome.

'I believe its a fox.' said Myoga.

At that moment the portal swirled into a single form. The shape of something could be seen coming towards them. What terrible and horrifying apparition awaited them now? Then it took shape to reveal a giant… pink bubble thing with huge eyes floating slowly towards them.

'Hand over the jewel.' It said 'The jewel or your life.'

Inuyasha remained silent for a moment. Then he hit him. The squeak of pain could be heard as the creature flew away, shrinking before transforming into the form of an orange haired boy clothed in a yellow vest and a light blue shirt, with dark blue pants. His hair was tied up above his head, while from his back there was a bushy fox tail. He rubbed his cheek painfully as Kagome and Inuyasha looked at him.

'Its a kid,' said Kagome.

'Who dares to burst my bubble!' cried the boy. Then he turned to run, before Inuyasha picked him up by the tail and held him before his eyes.

'Hmm, feisty little thing aren't you?' asked Inuyasha. 'Looks like a badger or a squirrel.'

'I'm a fox demon!' snapped Shippo.

'A fox?' asked Kagome 'It talks? Cool. Let me touch him when your done.'

'Do you mind?' asked Inuyasha 'I'm trying to interrogate him.'

Then all of a sudden Shippo moved one arm and a terrible weight fell on Inuyasha's hand, causing him to slam against the ground. Shippo raced away to Kagome's pack, and began rummaging through it.

'Hey!' said Kagome 'Get out of my stuff!'

Shippo found what he was looking for, the jar containing the sacred jewel shards. 'Found it, a sacred jewel shard!' He turned to them and leaped into the air with a triumphant smirk. 'Our time together has been short but sweet. Farewell!'

Then he was gone.

'Huh?' said Kagome 'He disappeared!'

'No, really?!' snapped Inuyasha. Then he glanced back to see a skull with a fox tail making its way across the battlefield. Classic misdirection. Inuyasha clenched his fist.

One whack on the head later Shippo was sitting crosslegged on the ground with a newly made bump on his head, eyes closed with a scowl on his face. 'Always pick on the little guy…' he muttered.

Feeling sympathy Kagome drew out a spray can of antibiotics and began to spray him on the bump. 'This might sting a bit, just think happy thoughts.' She paused as she continued. 'So why were you so determined to get the jewel from us?'

'For my father,' said Shippo 'I need to get the shards of the jewel to avenge him.'

'Murder for vengeance is good.' mused Inuyasha.

'What do you mean avenge?' asked Kagome 'You don't mean… your father was killed do you?'

'Join the club.' muttered Inuyasha, holding the jewel shards in one hand. 'Course I'd probably kill the old bastard myself if I had a chance, so maybe its not the best comparison.'

'Hey!' snapped Kagome as she appeared. 'Give those back!'

'I was protecting it for you, now buzz off will ya?!' snapped Inuyasha.

'I'm strong enough to take on any enemy.' said Shippo as the argument. 'Even- hey are you even listening?!'

'Nope,' admitted Inuyasha without a hint of guilt. 'don't even care-'

'Sit!' snapped Kagome.

Inuyasha hit the ground, and the sacred jewels spun through the air to land in Kagome's hand. 'Now what were you saying Shippo?'

'It all started long ago,' said Shippo 'hundreds of warriors were engaged in a battle near the forest where we lived. The one side wore red, and red banners with many horsemen. The other wore white and had many spearmen with them. Then a dark cloud passed overhead, a cloud so dark and evil that none could imagine what horrors it would bring.'

'And the entire army of samurai got slaughtered.' said Inuyasha. 'By uh… lightning I'd say, yeah lightning seems about right.'

'How did you know?' asked Kagome.

'Well the charred corpses in this area were quite localized.' said Inuyasha 'If it were a fire attack it probably would have spread to the nearby forest.'

'But for all you know these corpses could be completely unrelated to Shippo's story.' said Kagome.

'This is Feudal Japan, Kagome.' said Inuyasha 'Murdering an entire of samurai is a right of passage for mid to high level demons. Its the standard way you show how tough you are. And yet we never seem to run out of them, its kind of weird.'

'I'm telling the story!' cried Shippo.

'Sorry.' said Inuyasha.

'Ahem,' said Shippo 'the warriors were at first puzzled by the strange change in the weather. Those in white saw something approaching above, figures veiled in lightning. Then suddenly two figures came out into view. One would have looked human, were it not for his pointed ears and blood red eyes, and he wielded a pike of terrible power. He was clad in orange armor, with a sash of light blue. The other was clad in blue armor, and he had the head of a crocodile, but his skin was white. He had only a few strands of hair on his head.

'Time to hunt, Manten!' the one in orange declared.

'Aye brother!' cried Manten 'Start the hunt!'

Then turning his pike on the red clad army, the orange armored one unleashed a torrent of lightning which obliterated the entire red clad army. Some among the White Army took this to mean that the beasts were their allies, and taking offense at this, Manten unleashed from his mouth an assault of lightning which annihilated the white army.

Thus the Thunder Brother left both armies as carcasses. Yet they were not content, they boasted of shikon jewel shards in their foreheads which gave them tremendous power, and schemed to take more of them.'

'I knew it!' said Inuyasha 'I'd knew there was something familiar! The Band of Seven ran into those guys fifty years ago!'

'You mean you've met them?' asked Kagome.

'Yeah,' said Inuyasha 'they wanted the sacred jewels, but Bankotsu ran them off.'

'I ran home after that.' said Shippo 'My Father had a shard of the Shikon Jewel. But they were faster. When I got there… I found them waiting. They… they had skinned my father alive and taken his pelt for a belt. I ran away, and barely escaped.

Thats why I need the shikon jewel shards. So I'll be strong enough to-'

Inuyasha set one hand on his shoulder. 'Kid, I know you want to avenge your dad, but the shikon jewel won't help. It only brings evil to those who seek it.'

'He is right,' said Myoga 'if the rumors are true those two are evil incarnate. They are far too much for one of your young age to face.'

'Don't you think we should do something about this, Inuyasha?'

'Well,' said Inuyasha 'we have to reunite the Shikon Jewel eventually. So we should probably get rid of these guys.'

'And one day man will walk on the moon!' snapped Shippo mockingly. 'You're no match for the evil Thunder Brothers. Your only half demon, I can smell the human in you. This is between demons, its got nothing to do with half breeds such as yourself, stay out of it.'

'Thats not way to speak to Inuyasha.' chided Kagome.

'Kid,' said Inuyasha 'I've killed more humans and demons than you will meet in your entire life. If I can't take them out, what hope do you have?' His voice was quiet, and Shippo took a step back. The Fox Demon looked suddenly very afraid.

Kagome didn't blame him. She looked at Inuyasha and suddenly saw within him not a boy, but some terrible predator waiting to be unleashed. His eyes were colder than ever they had been. Then it was gone, and Inuyasha leaned back.

'I've run the numbers.' said Inuyasha 'Bankotsu beat one of them, and I was catching up to him when he did. With the tetsaiga I think I could take at least one of them. Unless they have changed a whole lot, I could challenge one to single combat, and they'd play along. Divide and conquer.'

Suddenly Shippo surged forward, and a statue appeared on Inuyasha's hand. Shippo slapped a seal on it and leaped back.

'Hey, just what the hell do you think you're doing?!' snapped Inuyasha.

'Ha!' said Shippo 'You're trapped until you can get the seal off!'

'Inuyasha,' said Kagome 'life it up, it can't be that heavy.'

Inuyasha hauled on it. 'I'd like to see you try!'

'Shippo,' said Kagome 'take the seal off him.'

'I don't like playing tricks on women if I can avoid it,' said Shippo. Then he leaped forward and slashed his hand through Kagome's hair. Kagome caught him.

'Knock it off.' said Kagome.

Suddenly there was a flaring of blue magic and Shippo leaped back, landing with the Shikon Jewel shards in hand. 'Thanks, I'll use these to lure out the Thunder Brothers.'

Then he raced off. Kagome stared. 'That little dog! He's got my jewel shards!' she snatched up her bow and rushed after him.

'Wait!' said Inuyasha 'Get the seal off me and I can catch him in seconds! Kagome!'

The chase led through the forests and under many trees, and over stones. Eventually, just as Kagome was beginning to get tired, she burst out after Shippo and came to a lake where the grass was growing tall.


In a glade of long grass, Manten looked down into his reflection in a pool of water and combed his few hairs. He liked what he saw, particularly how his new belt contrasted the rest of his outfit. 'Hmm, what a pleasing visage, but with a few more hairs I could attract the ladies as brother Hiten does.' Glancing up, he saw a little fox demon rushed through the long glass.

'They'll never find me now.' said the fox demon.

Manten stood up and loomed over him. The fox demon cowered. 'Hmm, what a coincidence, if it isn't the son of that flea bitten fox!'

'What do you want?' asked the fox demon, before seeing Manten's belt and letting out a cry.

Manten patted it affectionately. 'Like my fur coat, do you? Just like your fathers.' Then he began to laugh at the memory of how the larger fox demon had cried and squealed in pain as he skinned it alive. It was a good memory.

'Monster,' said the fox demon, trembling. 'you'll pay for what you did!'

He leaped forward, but Manten knocked him aside with one idle blow. Something fell from the fox demons pocket as it landed, a little jar with a shard that landed. 'A shard of the shikon jewel,' said Manten.

The fox demon grabbed it and tried to scramble away, but Manten stepped on his tail. 'Now, hand it over like a good little lad, or else…' He opened his mouth, and began summoning lightning into it. Then pain surged through his face as something hit him. An arrow.

'Wow,' said a voice 'I can't believe I hit him.'

Manten looked up to see a black haired girl dressed in white and green, holding a bow and arrow. 'Who are you?' Then he noticed the fox demon trying to break free. 'And as for you-'

'Stay right where you are!' cried the girl. 'I've got an arrow here and I'm not afraid to use it!'

It set it what had just happened. There was an arrow through his nose. 'My beautiful nose…' said Manten, stepping back a pace.

'Don't move an inch!' said the girl 'Or whatever. Shippo, get over here and bring the jewel shard with you.'

Manten lunged after the fox demon as he fled. There was a twang, and an arrow grazed Manten's head. He clutched his head, frozen in place. Two of his beautiful hairs had fallen out a the girl strung another arrow. A furious rage then overtook Manten, and he cried out to the sky as he summoned within him the power of lightning which was his birthright. The girl and the fox fled from him, rushing away, but they would not escape!

The skies darkened as Manten unleashed his full fury in a beam of lightning which shot after them.

Breathing for air, Manten surveyed his work. 'That should stop them for awhile.'

The attack rent a mighty pit in the ground, and sent both of them falling away to land and lie still. His rage subsiding, Manten began to make his way towards them. He could see the fox demon leaning over the unconscious girl, shaking her and trying to make her awaken. Fool, he should have been using this time to flee.

'Kagome, you've got to get up!' cried the fox demon, before glancing up and seeing Manten coming towards him. Standing, he fled into the reeds and was lost from sight.

'So the little fox managed to escape.' mused Manten as he came over the girl. 'She looks good enough to eat.' Leaning over her, he admired her form. 'She's lovely.' Picking her up, Manten summoned a dark cloud and flew away.

Shippo watched him leave with horror. 'I've got to go rescue her! But how… I don't stand a chance against the Thunder Brothers, Kagome is in serious trouble…' He paused. 'Unless…'

Myoga was trying, unsuccessfully mind you, to remove the seal on the statue. It was a lengthy process and Inuyasha found he had an itch on his ear which he couldn't reach. Bringing up one leg, he began to scratch it. Myoga halted. 'Its no use, I can't remove the seal.'

'That little brat!' snapped Inuyasha 'He'll regret doing this to me!'

'Inuyasha,' said Shippo, standing on Kagome's bike. 'I'll help you on one condition. Which is, you promise not to hit me anymore.'

'Where is Kagome?' asked Inuyasha. 'Why didn't she come back with you?'

'Will you promise me or won't you?!' asked Shippo.

'I will not punch you.' said Inuyasha.

Shippo removed the seal. At once the statue shrank down and fell into the palm of his hand. He pulled away. 'Alright, I'll tell you where she is-'

Inuyasha kicked Shippo skyward with such force that the fox demon went flying beyond sight. There was a twinkle in the skies above, as Myoga looked upwards. 'Excellent punt if I may say so, Lord Inuyasha.'

'You may.' said Inuyasha, crossing his arms with a smile.

Shippo's cry could be heard and he landed with a crash on the ground, standing up woozily. 'I thought we had a promise…'

'I promised not to punch you.' said Inuyasha as he picked up Shippo by the tail. 'I didn't. Now you have something which belongs to me.' He shook Shippo until the sacred jewel case fell down and landed on the ground. He kneeled down to pick it up. 'Thank goodness, its safe.'

'Would you forget that for awhile!' said Shippo 'Kagome's been abducted by the Thunder Brothers! You have to go help her!'

'Somehow this is your fault, isn't it?' Inquired Inuyasha dryly. 'Let me guess, she came to save you and you ran off to let her get captured in your place.'

'Why are you pinning all the blame on me?!' asked Shippo 'She's your women, you should do at least some of the rescuing!'

'Because its all your fault!' snapped Inuyasha, slamming him into the ground. 'I offered to kill the Thunder Brothers for you, and instead of accepting my help you tried to go it alone, stuck me here and stole the sacred jewel shard! If you'd just let me handle this Kagome never would have gotten captured in the first place! Now shut up, I've got work to do!

I want you to apologize to Kagome when we save her!'

'But-' began Shippo.

'Shippo give the master what he wants.' said Myoga 'Time is wasting and we have little of it.'

'Why am I the one always handing out apologies?!' snapped Shippo.

'Because you are completely useless.' said Inuyasha 'Now lets go.'


The domain of the thunder brothers was a dark place with a violet sky. Black mountains towered here and there, and lonely pine trees swayed in the wind on deserted hilltops. The Castle in which they lived had been constructed upon a plateau overlooked by a great cliff face.

Within his abode, Manten busily stirred the recipe given to him by his mother some years ago. He sighed in satisfaction. 'Ah mother would be proud if she knew the family recipe was being put to use. The only ingredient left is the most important one.' He glanced back to where the girl was lying unconscious. 'The one I like to call, deliciously awful.' He laughed heartily as she opened her eyes. 'Awoken have you, my fair maiden?'

'Where have you taken me?' she asked, voice worried.

Manten turned around. He had been waiting for her to awake before he finished her off, he always loved the look on maidens faces before he hacked them up. And sometimes, when he missed their vitals on his first swing, the pleasant sound of their screams as he hacked off their limbs. 'Thats the least of your worries.'

'Why are you looking at me that way?!' she cried fearfully.

'I'll tell you,' said Manten 'the flesh and blood of young maidens does marvels for hair growth. Some call it the wonder potion of the century.'

Her eyes went wide as her pupils became small in fear. A low shriek of fright came from her mouth. 'I'd rather be eaten alive than boiled down for some hair gel!'

'Shh!' cried Manten, putting a finger to his lips. 'Keep your voice down! If brother Hiten hears you, he might just fulfill your wish!'

At that moment the wall was broken open, and they looked up to see Hiten entering the chamber, having broken the door again. With him was a tasty looking young maiden, whose expression was vapi and Manten wondered how her screams would sound. They were always different, some of them even enjoyed what happened to them. For a while.

'Thought I heard voices!' said Hiten 'Back so soon Manten!'

'Heh…' said the maiden, eyes filled with some drug. 'that thing is your brother?'

'Hiten?!' cried Manten 'Good to see you!'

'Whose she?' asked Hiten 'Whats she doing here?'

Manten got between the girl and Hiten, feeling a bit of anger. 'She's mine! I found her first!'

'No need to worry,' said Hiten 'I have no use for her!' He drew close to the women he had brought. 'Not when I have this little vixen…'

'Oh and while I'm thinking about it,' said Hiten 'how did you fair on your search for more jewel fragments?'

Manten had completely forgot about the jewel. It hadn't seemed important compared to having a full head of hair. 'How could I have forgotten…'

Hiten walked forward in frustration.

'My apologies dear brother!' said Manten 'I found one, but I lost it!'

'Found one and lost it?!' asked Hiten in growing anger. 'Don't tell me you were so obsessed with this women that you forgot about the search for the precious jewel shard!' He pointed one palm at the women behind him and roared.

There was a surge of light and the women fell back to land in shadow, charred to a crisp. She wouldn't even make good eating now, such a waste. Ever since Hiten had found fragments of the jewels, he hadn't been the same. Manten was beginning to become concerned.

'Please Hiten!' cried Manten 'Forgive me!'

'How many times have I told you, Manten!' snapped Hiten 'The search for the jewel shards comes first! If someone else gets all the other ones first, they will come after us next!'

'Please Hiten, it wasn't my fault!' said Manten 'I'll get the jewel back!'

Then he explained the situation. Hiten listened and finally spoke. 'So, this little fox demon has our jewel shard?' He turned round.

'Are you going after him?' asked Manten.

'Of course I am!' said Hiten 'And you're coming with me!'

Manten glanced back to the girl regretfully, then saw her crawling away. He grabbed a giant cleaver and rushed at her. 'Where do you think you're going?!' The cleaver made a very satisfying thud when it hit where she had been moments before, and he enjoyed her look of terror. She had dodged, but not for long.

'A thousand pardons.' said Manten 'I meant to make it quick so that you didn't have to suffer, and there is no sense delaying since I wouldn't want the main ingredient of my hair potion escaping!'

'Wait,' she said, raising a hand. 'you don't want to kill me?!'

'And why not?' asked Manten, moving forward to loom over her. She was shaking.

'Because you won't be able to find Shippo and his shard of the jewel!' she said. What was she talking about? She was looking to Hiten. 'Are you two familiar with Inuyasha? The last of the Band of Seven?!'

That got to Hiten. 'The Band of Seven,' he said 'what does he have to do with this?! Speak or I'll tear out your skull!'

'He is strong!' said the girl 'He's gotten even stronger than when you fought his group before! And right now he has most of the fragments of the Shikon Jewel.'

Hiten moved forward to sit next to her. 'You… are you lying?'

'I wouldn't lie about him.' said the girl 'The guys madly in love with me.' Things were beginning to make sense. The girl turned her back on them and clasped her hands together as though in prayer. 'If you tell him you're holding me captive, I know my one and only love will gladly hand over the jewels!'

'Something tells me she is lying.' said Manten 'The Band of Seven never cared about any outside their number.'

'Maybe,' said Hiten 'but if it means finishing the group off once and for all, I'll use her as bait.' He approached the girl and gripped her by the collar, dragging her up. 'Wench! Take us to the last of the Band of Seven at once! But be warned…;' He gripped her head and forced her to look at the charred corpse of the other women. 'If you're lying, you'll suffer the same fate as she! And I doubt you'll enjoy being fried to a crisp!'

Hiten certainly had a way with the ladies.

Shippo desperately strove to hold on to Kagome's bike as Inuyasha raced through the broken and wasted landscape surrounding the Thunder Brothers castle. He leaped up a high cliff, kicking his way up the wall before reaching the very heights. From there he leaped from tower of rock to tower of rock, heedless of Shippo's cry. It was all the fox demon could do to keep from screaming.

'Whats the matter, Shippo?' asked Inuyasha, 'Not afraid of heights, are ya?! I could always take ya back if yer frightened.' His tone was mocking.

Mustering his courage, Shippo steadied himself. 'I'm not afraid! I'm going to save Kagome and avenge Father! With a little help from you, that is. You'd better be as strong as you say you are, those brothers have jewels on their foreheads to make them powerful!'

Suddenly Inuyasha halted on a spire of rock, teetering on the edge with a cry. Regaining his balance, he breathed out. 'That'll only make defeating them more enjoyable.'

Lightning flashed across the sky in the distance as clouds gathered dark overhead.

'Master,' said Myoga 'we must hurry before they do something to Kagome!'

'I'm sure she'll be fine.' said Inuyasha 'She's probably got them cleaning their cave.'

'We can only hope.' said Myoga. 'But if the rumors are to be believed, the Thunder Brothers do not keep pretty young ladies for long before devouring them.'

'Devouring them?' asked Shippo in horror. Just what had he gotten Kagome into? This was his fault. 'Inuyasha… do you suppose Kagome is…'

'Get real,' said Inuyasha casually. 'didn't ya hear him? He said pretty young ladies.'

'Yeah!' said Shippo 'She is pretty and brave and smart!'

'Yeah on the second two I'll agree.' mused Inuyasha. 'Least when compared to you, but that ain't saying much.'

'Isn't anyone going to ask my opinion?' asked Myoga.

'Nope.' said Inuyasha.

'Oh this is all my fault!' cried Shippo 'She's probably being eaten alive as we speak!'

'Yep.' said Inuyasha.

'Methinks it is not yet too late.' said Myoga.

'If its not too much trouble could we continue the search?' asked Shippo 'We might be able to get to Kagome before the Thunder Brothers get hungry!'

'Whats the rush?' asked Inuyasha 'She ain't pretty so their definitely not going to go for her.'

'We could always take a vote.' said Myoga 'And seeing as I have four hands instead of two I should be allowed to vote twice.'

'Ah!' cried Shippo 'She'll come back and haunt me for this! I've heard the legends and I know how it works!' A low growl began to come from Inuyasha.

'I did say pretty young ladies its true,' said Myoga 'and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may find her good looking, I myself am fond of more fleshy women.'

'Alright! I'm going alright!' snapped Inuyasha 'Stop yapping at me and just point the way to the evil brothers!'

Lightning slashed across the sky as it began to rain above. The tower of stone they were standing on was struck, and exploded as they were thrown from on high. Shippo landed hard and in a daze, and saw lightning gathering above. Inuyasha rushed past and pulled him out of the way as the lightning struck the ground where they had been.

'Very impressive moves,' said a mocking voice. 'quick reflexes. Especially in light of your dull and uninspired conversation just now.'

Inuyasha looked up, facing down the one who was speaking, writhed in lightning.

'You must be the reputed Inuyasha,' said Hiten 'last of the Band of Seven.'

'Hiten,' said Inuyasha in a tired tone. 'what are you doing here? Did you feel you had not failed enough? Or do you still maintain delusion that a mere demon could ever be the Band of Seven's equal?'

'Big talk from Kikyo's pet lapdog.' said Hiten, a vicious smile on his face.

'Last I looked Bankotsu made you his bitch,' said Inuyasha 'so I'd say we're about even.'

Hiten laughed at that. 'Oh, well put.' His eyes narrow. 'Tell me, does your new girlfriend give you treats when you sit and roll over? Or just pin you to trees like the last one?'

'I dunno,' said Inuyasha 'I'd ask how long it took you to replace your long spear, but I think we both know there is a reason you eat pretty women instead of fucking them.'

Hiten's eyes narrowed and he spun his halberd as his smile widened into one of sheer. 'Oh you are dead, half demon!'

This was just getting stupid. Kagame's life was on the line, and Inuyasha was just trading insults.

'What have you done with Kagome?!' cried Shippo, jumping up on Inuyasha's shoulder.

'Shippo, shut up kid!' said Inuyasha 'We're in the middle of a verbal sparring match!'

'Its true,' said Myoga 'its an ancient tradition among warrior demons, with a long and glorious history.'

'Don't despair,' said Hiten 'we have done nothing to her as of yet.'

'And Hiten concedes defeat.' mused Myoga in the manner of a wise old sage. 'Well done Lord Inuyasha.'

'Manten!' called Hiten 'Bring her out!'

A black raincloud appeared. 'Coming brother,' said Manten, drawing up Kagome.

'Inuyasha!' she cried in joy.

'Kagome!' said Inuyasha.

'Judging by your expression,' said Hiten 'I judge that the girl spoke the truth. Now hand over the fragments of the Shikon Jewel to me! Or you'll never see your lover alive again!' Lightning flashed behind him dramatically, illuminating the land with its luminous presence.

'Okay lets get something straight,' said Inuyasha 'I literally just lost my real lover. This girl is my lovers sub par degenerated reincarnation.'

'What?' said Hiten 'But… she's right here. Reincarnations happen in the future.'

'Yes,' said Inuyasha 'she's from the future. See she comes into this place from a well-'

'This is no time to get all shy!' cried Kagome quickly.

'You little vixen,' said Manten affectionately as he rubbed her head. 'I knew you were fibbing.'

'You actually think I'd hand over the jewel shards as a ransom to get you back?!' snapped Inuyasha.

'Of course you would!' snapped Kagome 'Because thats what a lover would do!'

'One,' said Inuyasha 'we're not lovers. Two, you are strictly replaceable. Three, the jewel fragments in the hands of these psychos could cause untold devastation.'

'So now some stupid jewels are more important than me?!' snapped Kagome. 'How dare you say that after all we've been through together! In the meantime, you'd better admit to yourself how much you really love me!'

'I believe I've heard my fill.' said Hiten.

'Thank you!' snapped Inuyasha.

'Its clear that you do have some jewels for us Inuyasha.' said Hiten.

'I bet you dream about a girl saying that to you.' said Inuyasha.

'Shots fired.' said Shippo.

'DIE!' roared Hiten, before surging towards him.

Inuyasha drew the tetsaiga, and met Hiten's spear as it aimed for his heart. Lightning crackled around them as their powers were set against one another in terrible contrast. The ground shoot, lightning poured from the sky to support Hiten as their clash continued.

'No one can withstand my attacks for very long!' cried Hiten.

Inuyasha was pushed back a face, then mustered his strength and shoved Hiten back. The demon flew backwards into the air, readying his pike for another pass. 'I'm going to tear you into tiny pieces, then burn those to crisp, then bring you back with the sacred jewel just so I can do it again, you filthy halfbreed!'

Shippo had to admit, Inuyasha sure knew how to get under peoples skin.


Authors Note:

You know, Inuyasha has turned into one hell of deadpan snarker in this fic. To the point where I'm actually very impressed with Hiten successfully keeping up with him. Certainly Hiten did better than Sesshomaru, at least in terms of verbal sparring. How he fairs in a physical confrontation has yet to be seen.

Sorry it took so long to get this up. I'll do my best to make sure the next ones comes up earlier.

Not much really changed in this chapter overall, though some of the dialogue has been changed. In particular I subtly altered Kagome's presence in the scene with Manten so that she is reacting as any sane person would when faced with a giant monster planning to eat them.