XXXXXXX
Small But Fierce
XXXXXXX
Sighing happily, Kikyo rested her head against the aged bark of the Sacred Tree. It was so strange how at peace she felt. Such a trivial thing as Inuyasha being turned into a small child had somehow broken through the cloud of depression and bitterness that had so long hung over her head. Within the course of a few days, she breathed easier and her outlook on whatever type of life she lived seemed so much more positive. Lazily watching the fireflies as they danced across the meadow, the corners of her lips twitched upward before a haunting melody wafted into her ears and a strong demonic aura suddenly hovered above the village. Throwing up a barrier, she quickly got to her feet and looked down in mild horror at the children following the strange creatures floating above them – the adults seemingly unaware or incapacitated. Slowly making her way down, as stealthily as she could manage, the first thing and the most telling was the sight of Sesshomaru seemingly dead to the world collapsed in an uncomfortable looking position on the ground.
Taking a shaky breath, Kikyo followed them. Knowing it was up to her to save those poor children from whatever fate those fairies had in store.
XXXXXXX
As the children – one by one- entered the dank, damp cave their bodies began to glow unnaturally, their eyes drifting closed as they obediently sat down without a word being uttered in a single file line. The eerire melody continued to drift though the air, amongst the sudden beating of hundreds of tiny wings and the evil cackles echoing all around them until an angry sounding voice cut through the noise.
"Take those urchins but, I get these three," the demoness barked as the fairies hissed angrily, their beautiful forms morphing into angry, grotesque beings with vicious teeth and crimson eyes.
"THAT WASN'T THE ARRANGEMENT," the largest fairy bellowed angrily, "You only get the demons!"
"This human belongs to a demon. That's basically the same thing," the demoness retorted angrily, "You can smell it all over her!"
"Go ahead and take her. We've got plenty here," another fairy snapped, "But remember who gets their bodies when you're through with them."
"I'm glad you agree," the demoness smirked, "It would've been a pity to kill your mind when you've been so helpful."
Quickly escorting the three children out into the forest, she was so ecstatic that she failed to notice the scent of graveyard soil growing closer and closer.
XXXXXXX
The dead miko was shocked that they hadn't sensed her aura as she slowly slunk along the rocky face of the cliff, inching closer and closer to the cave entrance still the overall demonic aura may have overpowered her own. Drawing her bow at the ready and nocking an arrow, she crept towards the entrance until she was faced with a sight that was tore at her very soul. Inuyasha wasn't there but what was there were a hoarde of angry looking beasts already feasting on one poor soul whose blank lifeless eyes merely stared ahead at the other children who emotionlessly watched as though it were the most normal thing in the world.
Releasing a shaky breath, Kikyo scanned the area for any sign of the fox kit before smirking darkly and letting her arrow fly decimating every last one of those beasts in a single shot. For a moment she hesitated as the children one by one woke from their trance – ear splitting wails and screams filling the air once they realized one of their own had fallen.
"Children, quickly, leave this cave at once and come with me," Kikyo whispered anxiously as she ushered the children into a clearing and quickly set up sutras around them – forming a protective bubble, "This should hold until I return. It will protect. Wait here and I'll…"
A ear-splitting scream of pain that told of terror and disbelief stole the breath from her body as she stood bolt upright and tried to trace Inuyasha's demonic aura. Once she honed in on his location, she took off – running faster than she ever believed possible to do – as his rescue party of one. She'd save him if it was the last thing she ever did.
XXXXXXX
In the crimson eyes woman's palm lay a small rusted blade set in aged wood. Cold and ruthless, a weapon without kindness. It instilled terror in all the souls trapped within their own bodies everytime a thin beam of moonlight furitively ran over in the velvet darkness, bringing the knife into the light.
With a flick of her wrist a small shimmering pool appeared and without question her three victims slowly moved wordlessly towards the inviting water. Before the silver haired bastard was able to make it inside, she yanked him back and gazed upon his face, his amber eyes unnaturally glazed over seeing and yet not.
"Oh no, not you. I have something more satisfying planned for you," she crooned as she drug her claws down his face, leaving angry red lines behind them. Lifting her knife, she inhaled as a wicked grin grew over her face.
The knife met flesh, soft and pudgy, and made a satisfying squish as the tip of the blade sank deep enough to make her victim scream. Closing her eyes, the woman relished in the sound of the half-demon's suffering. For all the trouble he'd caused, he deserved a drawn out demise. Twisting the blade in her hands, all the while sinking it deeper and deeper. His skin was tearing to shreds as the knife rotated, the sound of his muscles and nerves being gouged growing louder. Then, without warning, the demoness plunged it all the way into his back, until the shiny metal had disappeared inside him and the black handle was pushing against his broken skin. His small terrified cry was a a brilliant sound, guttural chokes mixed with an agonized roar. Smirking, the demoness pulled the blade out of her now deathly white victim who sank to his knees, continuing to scream, convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal and thick blood flowing freely from the gaping hole in his stomach until suddenly there was silence as his aura began to crackle ominously.
At first the demoness assumed it was a sure sign of her victory until she noticed the jagged purple marks on his face and the crimson eyes throwing daggers when his face jerked upwards and he lunged. The two other children - looking increasingly emaciated as they watched on in their trance - made no effort to interfere although their eyes were beginning to clear with each passing second.
"INUYASHA!" Kikyo's voice suddenly rang out as she made it to the clearly, slightly out of breath from running towards the source of the scream. As she took in the extent of his injuries, the dead miko snarled as she pulled out her bow nocking it expertly and yelled viciously, "Oh, you're going to pay for that you bitch!"
And so the demoness did as the dead priestess let her arrow fly, the wind of spiritual energy whipping her hair up in a flurry of righteous rage as the arrow hit the mark and the demoness disintegrated into dust with a ear piercing scream.
The small hanyou - growing slightly as he turned his crimson eyes on the woman who stole his prey - snarled as he charged. Releasing a shuddering breath, Kikyo knelt down and held her arms out, her eyes never leaving his tiny form even as he thrust his small claws through her chest. Grunting in pain, she clutched the small thing to her chest and tried to summon spiritual energy - not to purify him but to bring him back to his senses before he lost himself. Her skin soon became lacerated and cracked as he struggled but she refused to give in.
"I love you," she whispered hoarsely, trying desperately not to scream in pain, "Come back to me. You need to come back for others who love you just as much for who you are. You need to be strong for her. She needs you. She needs you."
As amber began leaking into his eyes and his body rapidly began changing into his originally form, Kikyo smiled genuinely at him in relief as she collapsed and a tear broke free before she crumbled into ash.
"No..."
