Surprise bitch! I bet you thought you'd seen the last of me. ;) (Lol. I love that meme.)
*sigh* I hate how I was so ready to update before Christmas (of 2012, my god…), and then I ran-out of ideas and had to rewrite this chapter too many times, and then there were laptop issues (that I have still yet to resolve). *sigh* The struggle is real. I really hope you guys aren't too angry with me. I was so happy when I saw this story reach 100 reviews, and I wanted to put out chapter nine as a way to celebrate, but kill me if I wasn't running low on inspiration, and school wasn't kicking my ass. (Art History, I curse thee IB in general can kiss my—).
But whatever — nothing I can do about it now besides update this thing, right? I'm really excited about this chapter. After reading all chapters of Inuyasha (my original reason for taking a break), I've finally decided during what arc this story takes place in. It's between chapter 235 and forward, where the Shichinintai or "Band of Seven" makes their first appearance (technically the first one is seen in chapter 234, but he is identified as a "zombie", but that chapter can count, too, if you want). They're the seven resurrected warriors that can do the work of thousands of men; one of them, Jakotsu, has a sword that is able to bend and kinda acts homosexual. Does it ring a bell yet? If not, head on to the aforementioned starting chapter (or episode 102 where they show up for the first time in the anime) and read up! So yeah, now that I've got the setting out of the way, I can write to my fullest imagination. Yay!Any who, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own the original Inuyasha characters. I only have ownership over my own, and the plot.
Enjoy!
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The Demonic Flower
Chapter 9: Kagome's Return
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His back was pressed-up against the makeshift, wooden door as he struggled to contain the demon within. He dug his heels into the dirt; struggling to get a firm grip on the ground so that he could push even harder. But it was a difficult task. The ground was wet and muddy from the downpour that had occurred earlier that day, and his feet slid as he tried to keep them firmly planted on the soil.
He let out a growl as the demon struck the wood, and forced him to move forward for a few moments before he forced his body back to hold the door in place.
"Do something!" He shouted at the others.
Unfortunately, there was really nothing that could be done. The monk had fallen ill from some poisonous plant that the female-disguised demon had given him (damn him and his uncontrollable urge to get intimate with every beautiful woman he saw), the demon slayer had been taken hostage by the feminine demon and was wrapped-up somewhere in the cave that they were in, and the kitsune… well, he wouldn't be able to do anything so long as he continued hiding.
He groaned as a pressure point in his back was hit.
'Damn…' He thought. 'What the hell am I gonna do now? If I leave this door unguarded for even a second, that bitch will break this door down and we'd be in for a hell-of-a fight…' While normally he wouldn't mind fighting, he was already exhausted and had sustained some injuries.
His muscles were being pushed close to their limits with each amount of force that he used to keep the demon at bay. Blood was pouring from the wound on his neck, and his hands had been rendered useless by that demon.
Damn that bitch and her poisonous touch…
It looked as if nothing could be done. All he could truly do was try and keep the demon female at bay; but even that was slowly becoming a lost cause as she pushed against the wooden door even harder, and he could feel her claw dig into the flesh on his back, but not break skin.
'Dammit…' He groaned. 'She'll be in here in no time…'
And as his mind went over possible scenarios of what may occur, he, for once, wished that the hanyou was there to fight this demonic female, as well. But he had been missing since the day they had entered the village that this demon resided in, and it didn't seem as if he'd be coming back anytime soon.
'I fucking hate that half-breed. Of all the times I actually want him to be here, he refuses to show-up. That selfish asshole…'
The female demon broke through the door, and he flew forward a couple feet. His head smashed into the stone of the cave, but he didn't dwell on the pain that emerged. He turned his body and his mind completely focused on the creature that had made her way inside.
Her menacing form flew into the cave, and she perched herself on a jagged stalagmite with her wings spread wide. There were jagged blades on the edges of her wings, and her eyes were a fierce red color. Her body had grown three-times its original size, and the hair on her head had spread throughout her body and become her fur.
He honestly liked it more when she was portraying herself as a harmless Geisha who wanted to sell them her virginity.
But damn him if he she hadn't picked-up on the jewel shards in his legs, and managed to rip one out and use it. He blamed the monk for allowing her to get so close; he had a bad feeling about her from the moment her black eyes landed on him.
Those cold, soulless eyes that easily gave-away the fact that she was a demon — being as how humans always held life in their eyes, however little it may be. It was something no demon could mimic, and he had easily spotted as she danced provocatively in her very-provocative kimono.
But that monk—
He stopped. No good would come from him casting blame on the blind fool. He was human and humans were not able to see this, like demons were. All he could do, now, was fight until… until… until what?
He died?
A miracle happened?
They seemed to be the only options. But he knew that the latter would most likely never happen. The odds of a miracle occurring were very low… but that did not mean that he would stop.
Getting up to his feet, he tried to get into a fighting stance — but with one jewel-shard ripped from his legs and his hands paralyzed due to the toxins in her claws and fangs... that was quite the difficult task to do.
Yet he stood and got ready.
He'd fight until his death.
She sighed for the umpteenth time that morning. A look of displeasure was on her face as she closed the scroll that she had been reading, and placed it in the pile that was the most small. She then grabbed one from the taller pile, and opened it. She smoothed it out with two wooden blocks that she kept at the edges, to keep the paper smooth.
There was a quick description of what she had had to do at the top, and she frowned at it. It was such a boring task. Dipping her brush in ink, she got rid of an excess amount and began to write on the scroll.
It was as she was on her third line that someone entered the room, and spoke to her.
"Onagi-hime, there is a disturbance in the east."
"What about?" Yayuki asked. She didn't bother to stop her writing as a member of the clan approached her. She had around eighty scrolls to read, and twenty assignments to complete, and she couldn't waste a single moment with casualties such as looking at a person when speaking. Heck, she had already wasted a good few hours of work, attending Kagome's celebration party. Even now the party went on (with Haru and Jun keeping a close watch on Kagome as she had asked them to), and here she was in a single room doing lost work.
How tedious.
"A demon is wreaking havoc." The male informed her.
She sighed. "Have one of the warriors take care of it. " She stated; trying her best to hide the annoyance that she felt at this demon. Really? Must she be bothered by such a simple problem? Didn't this male know the standard procedure for when a land of theirs is being attacked by demons?
Or, at the least, he should know the basic rule: One is to not bother the leaders of the clan about such a frivolous ordeal.
'He could at least have the common courtesy to remember that one…' She groaned in her mind, as she began to enter the third line of her haiku. Damn her etiquette teacher wanting her to write haikus for each day that she missed her training. These things were so annoying…
"We did. And they have come back with a report about this demon."
She mentally sighed. "What does it state?"
"It holds a piece of the Shikon no Tama in its body. The demon used its power to grow in strength, and has taken advantage of the inhabitants of the village. Each human is being used as a pawn, and clan law forbids them from fighting and hurting these people — their hearts are all innocent."
At this, she silently groaned.
"I guess I have no choice, now, do I?" She asked.
"I am sorry to bother you."
"No, no, it is alright. I have a duty to my clan, and will jump at any chance to perform it." She placed the brush back in its case, and closed the ink. Since the ink had yet to dry on the paper, she made sure that the holders at its side were in place, before she stood and began to head-out of the room.
"While I prepare, please get Yuksi for me and inform her that I will be taking my leave for a few moments, to deal with this demon, and would like her to watch-over Kagome-san."
"Yes Onagi-hime." He stated.
"You may leave."
He left her side and went in a different direction. Meanwhile, she continued her trek to her room and thought of all that she would have to do, once she returned to the estate and had taken down the annoying demon that was wreaking havoc.
Oh yes, her day would hold no free-time…
However, she would make some. After all, she still had to give Kagome her jewel. Without it, she'd always have to guard the young female and with her busy schedule, she couldn't have that. As soon as Kagome awoke after the days of celebration ended (normally they lasted three days, and it was only the second), she'd give her the jewel.
Then, Kagome can start her training.
"Inuyasha…" He ignored her voice as he continued to stare at the village. He could sense a strong demonic aura coming from there, and the familiar scent of human blood reached his nose. He wanted to go there and see what was going on, but something was keeping him from heading there.
And he knew what it was.
"It would be useless to go help. That village's fate is already written and cannot be erased." The female said to him. At this, he growled lowly.
"I know." He stated. "But the demon… it's female…"
"Your search for her will not end well. The odds of you finding her are diminishing…" The female said as she stirred some herbs in a boiling pot, and continued to make some tea. Its scent reached Inuyasha's nose, and he exhaled it out of his nose. That intoxicating scent that kept him calm…
"I know. That's why I—"
"Stay." At the sound of her command, he felt his body go numb once again as he froze where he sat. He growled deeply at this, but made no move to try and stand, and head to the village. Instead, he placed his hands in his sleeves and continued to look at the village.
Storm clouds were forming overhead, despite the rest of the surrounding area holding the beautiful weather of that very day. Whatever demon was there was massively powerful.
But he wouldn't do anything about it. Briefly he flexed his hand, and held back the flinch that came from moving the muscles that were there. His hand was still recovering from that arrow… that arrow that very well could've ended Kagome's life…
When she made the first move, he had managed to dodge it. Despite the pain in his legs, he pushed through it and jumped high into the air. It wasn't enough to create some perfect distance between them, but it may have just saved his life, then and there. Otherwise, he would've been skewered with one of her giant claws, and that would've been the end of it.
When she came at him with the opposite hand, he was unable to do anything since he was still in mid-air. There was no surface for him to push off of, to dodge the attack. He smashed into the rocky wall, and pieces of broken rock began to fall down onto him. They were small, and carried with a wave of dust, so they didn't harm him.
The female demon swiped her clawed hand at the roof, and forced the sharp earth hanging down from there, to fall. He could only look-up as they rained down in the surrounding area. Luckily, he was safely tucked-away into a corner, and none of the stalactites hit him.
The female demon did not care for this, however, and began to rush towards where he tried to stand. His body ached, and his vision was slowly going black. He knew that he could not last much longer; it would soon be the end for him.
When she was not a foot away, he braced himself. As her nails dug into his chest — puncturing it easily — he coughed-up blood, but made no sound of pain. She raised him from where he stood, and then smashed him down on the ground. He hissed in his pain; a momentary flash of white appearing in his head before he opened his one good eye, and watched as the Bat Demon approached him, once again.
She continued tossing him like a naughty little girl did to her old rag doll; trying to see how long it would take before its limbs fell-off. He wished, desperately, that he could do something. But his body had reached its limit, and he continued to let himself get tossed from side-to-side as she hit him with one clawed hand, and then the other.
The demoness let out an evil cackle as she let him fall on the ground, and then stomped her foot down on his chest. More blood sputtered from his mouth and rained down both on his torso, and her foot.
"The jewel shard." She hissed in a deeply feminine voice.
He wanted to resist. To protect the remaining jewel shard in his leg. But he was weak. He'd lost so much blood — it was a miracle he'd yet to fully black-out. Forever.
But he wouldn't let it end like this.
"Where is it?"
He remained silent, for that was all he could do. It didn't seem like she was smart-enough to figure-out where his remaining jewel shard was placed in his body. If one of them was in his foot, the other surely had to be in the opposite, as well. Yet she lacked the common sense to learn this, and believed that he had the second on him hidden elsewhere.
That was all he could do: to remain silent and protect the remaining shard. There was no telling what this demoness could do with two shards…
"Tell me!" She demanded in her slithery voice. "Where is the shaaaaarrrd!?" She pressed her foot harder on him, but he refused to speak. He'd take its location with him to the grave, if he could. This did not please her, and she let out a hiss at him. It would've been intimidating, if he didn't already know that he was nearing death.
To try and get him to talk, she dug the points of three of her claws into his left cheek, and forced holes to appear. Blood gushed into his mouth, and pain erupted, but he still refused to speak.
"I'll shred you to pieces — where is the shard?!"
The blood gurgling in his throat was one of the only things keeping him from speaking. He honestly felt like telling her its location. The pain was becoming unbearable to him, and his heart beat was slowing. It sounded so loud in his ear-drums, yet also like a soft lullaby lulling him into sleep.
He wheezed. The blood began to spill from his mouth, and just as his eyes closed, he saw a flash of white.
'About… time…'
"Who are you?" The Bat Demon asked. Her soulless, black beady eyes landed on the new player in her gaming field. It was a white-haired demon with her locks pulled into a ponytail, and eyes of ice-blue that were shining yet dark. The kimono of hers was all-black, and she held a sword in her right hand. Clearly, the female was unhappy with the way that her eyes landed on the monstrous creature.
"The jewel shard — hand it over." The new demon demanded, from her position of clutching onto a stalactite, with her left hand.
"Never!"The Bat Demon screamed.
She easily forgot about the injured Wolf Demon beneath her, and began to attack the white-haired demon. To her anger, this demon seemed to be more skilled in fighting than her last opponent, and her agility became quite useful as she jumped from jagged rock to jagged rock, with ease.
The demon flipped in the air as she tried to hit her with a punch to the side, and avoided the hit. She landed behind her, and when she turned to try and strike her again, the female jumped — as if she were as lightweight as a common feather — and made it high-enough to land on her head. There, the white-haired demon dug her sword into her skull.
She screamed-out in pain and agony. Her head… the pain… something was leaking into her skull and burning her!
She thrashed violently as she tried to get a hold of the demon, and to stop the burning. But it was useless. The demon deflected each one of her attempts at getting her off, with a well-aimed kick that packed a punch. She poured her power into her sword, and only got off of the demon's head when she began to cut down its spine.
The Bat Demon arched its back and yelled in pain as its muscles and spine were easily torn, and injected with the same liquid that had caused so much pain in her skull — and was still active.
Her flesh ate itself from the inside-out, and it wasn't long before its dead body fell forward; a soon-to-be carcass.
Landing on her feet, Yayuki shook her sword and the blood that once covered it, fell onto the ground. It began to eat-away at the earth, but then it simmered down. She brought her free hand to her forehead, and wiped the sweat that was present.
That had been annoying. Not difficult, since the demon's power couldn't hold a candle to her own, even with the power of the Shikon no Tama, but annoying. She just wasted time getting her assignments done on such a low-level demon. However, only she could have defeated it while her clan members began to neutralize the people that the Bat Demon had managed to start controlling.
'Such a worthless demons — using pawns to fight its battle…' One of the things she hated most in the world was demons who used other demons to fight for them. It was one of the reasons why she only asked for help when absolutely necessary.
Sighing and sheathing her sword back in place, she inspected the damage. The Bat Demon had ruined one of her best caves that the villagers used to mine iron and other minerals, to create weapons for themselves — just in case. It really was annoying considering how this was where the village's economic support came from (iron traded quite nicely in the market), and years of work had now been tarnished by a heartless demon.
Honestly, she didn't know how it was that her people didn't inspect this village earlier, to see if there were any lingering female demons in disguise.
'I'll have to have every area checked. Surely other demons noticed the lack-of-protection and have taken advantage of the situation…' Another casualty caused by her absence. She swore that these things would never end.
Beginning to walk around, she started to head for the body of the male demon that she had seen, before. She couldn't tell much about it from when she last glanced at it, but she knew that he was badly-beaten, and close to death — if he hadn't died, already. Yet a part of her hoped that the male was still living. He didn't seem like a bad demon…
When she reached his body, his grotesque state didn't faze her. Her eyes momentarily shifted from their regular color, to white, and her pupils shrunk as she looked deep into his soul to see his intentions, and judge him.
To her shock, this male knew Kagome.
'Perhaps… he is one of her friends…?' She thought. 'I have to get him help.' She thought.
She called-upon two members of her clan using the orb around her neck, and they came to her almost immediately. When they arrived, she placed her hand against the male demon's chest and poured some of her healing energy into him. It wouldn't fully stabilize him, but it'd stop the bleeding and sustain whatever grip on life he still had.
"Get him to the Medical Hut, and have the women and men there, tend to all of his wounds." She stated. "Be careful, though, his body has suffered the brute force of this demon, and is fragile."
"Yes Onagi-hime." One of the males said. "But what of the others?"
"Others? Are you speaking of the villagers?" She asked.
"No. They are unharmed. However, there are other non-villagers that seem to have also been victims." He said to her. Yayuki didn't even have to think.
"Them as well. All who have been injured should be healed. I want statuses on this male's progress." She stated. The two male warriors agreed to her request, and she stood from her position and began to head out of the cave.
For a moment, she paused at the Bat Demon's dead body, and looked throughout it. The jewel around her neck began to pulse, and it grew as she moved closer and closer to the body. Eventually, a heat emerged from the jewel and Yayuki dug her clawed hand into the dead demon's body. She then pulled it out — and in-between her claws, but not touching her flesh, was a shard of the Shikon no Tama.
It was slightly tainted, but given what she had heard from the Kagome at the young miko's first meeting with her parents, she can purify it by touch.
'I'll save it for her. I'm sure she'll be glad to have it.' She honestly didn't mind handing the jewel over to Kagome, for her to purify. Keeping it, however, will lead to a discussion between the two that may involve the Elders.
Sooner rather than later, Kagome learned the perks of being a member of the clan — a noble member of the clan.
On the second day of the celebration, she awoke to a headache induced by her taking drinks from pretty flame-haired boys with charming smiles and seductive voices. It was something that she had regretted as she experienced the worse headache that she'd ever gone through, in her lifetime, and she swore to herself that she'd never succumb to indulgence like that, ever again.
Thankfully, the headache had been easily numbed as she sipped that grotesque tea that she's been forced to drink every day that she's been there (who knew it had other uses besides leaving a bad taste in her mouth), and now she sat in the noble section of the hot springs.
It was clearly better than the other guest section that she had used, with water that shifted from cool to warm in a euphoric second. Her body shivered delightfully when it did this, and her sore muscles enjoyed the gentle sway of the water.
It was as if she was receiving a massage.
"Wow…" She muttered softly as a knot in her back disappeared, and she sunk in deeper into the water. "This is… amazing."
The little girl from the night before, Chie, smiled down at her as she continued to wash Kagome's hair with rose-scented water. Her little fingers worked meticulously in the silky white strands, and she grabbed a large comb to detangle the hair that she could comb through.
"I-I am g-glad that you are e-en-j-joying it, M-miss Kagome." She stated softly. She paused in her combing to relax Kagome's hair back, before adding a gel-like liquid into her hands, and beginning to massage it into Kagome's scalp. The demonic female sighed in ecstasy. It was such a relaxing bath. She was the calmest she'd ever been.
Not to mention, two other demons worked on her claws and feet. It was odd; to be receiving a manicure and pedicure as she bathed, and she had shied away at the thought of allowing her parts to be so exposed.
But as she thought of it more rationally, she realized that these women had probably seen more than their fair-share of naked female bodies, and she agreed in allowing her limbs to be spread-out so much; and leaving parts of her open and vulnerable. Thankfully, the foggy water of the spring hid these parts, as well, and she was certain that the women could not see her intimate areas.
One woman, with dark black hair that was tied-up in a looped ponytail that barely kept the curly tresses from getting wet, was polishing her claws. Every now and then she'd shiver as the tool that the woman was using to sharpen her claws, nipped at her skin. But overall, she liked the fact that her hands were getting cleaned of whatever dirt may have gotten stuck.
Her feet, however, were a much larger problem. She was somewhat ticklish and would flinch every now and then when the woman's scratchy tool or hand went over an area that was particularly sensitive. So far, she'd only flinched and blushed out an apology, but she feared that she might lose control of her foot as a wave of laughter hit her, and she accidentally struck the young-looking demon. Thankfully, that had yet to happen, and the blonde-haired female continued her work.
'This is so amazing…' She thought as she raised her finished foot and wiggled her toes. Her nails looked much better than they would in her human form. 'I feel like a princess.'
It really was the royal treatment; something that every little girl would dream of. To have people wait on her hand-and-foot, and fulfill nothing but what she desired… Yet the more self-reliant part of her hated that she couldn't do anything by herself.
'Don't say that, Kagome.' She told herself. 'The most they've done is bathe you and dress you. Besides, a little pampering is good every now and then…' She mentally sighed. 'If only Sango were here, too — I bet she'd love this.'
She could very easily imagine herself talking to Sango as both of them got manicures and pedicures. A healthy and vibrant string of conversation would flow endlessly between the two, and every now and then a guard would stop by to escort Miroku (that lecher) out of the area. To which, Sango would comment on his inappropriate behavior and she'd laugh.
Thoughts of bonding with the demon slayer made her heart ache as she was once again reminded of the fact that she hadn't come in contact with her in weeks!
The last time she saw Sango, was when she assured her that she wouldn't need any protection as she headed into the forest to have a look around. Oh how she regretted that choice. Not fully, however, given how it led to some very amazing things, but the regret was still there.
Maybe, if she'd been with Sango, this would've never happened and she could be with the group? Or, perhaps… it would've ended-up like this, anyway, as Yayuki captured her after seeing her display her miko power?
Whichever way she thought of it, the conclusion was that she wanted to be with her friends. To yell at Inuyasha, hold Shippou in her arms, and watch the bickering of the slayer and monk while Kirara brushed up against her legs in a movement of affection.
She missed her friends… she missed her family…
"Miss Kagome." The black-haired demon said to her as she sensed a shift in Kagome's mood. Kagome had to blink for a moment to recollect herself, before she raised her head to the upper right, and looked at the beautiful, golden-eyed female.
"Yes?" She asked.
"Is something bothering you? I can sense your aura grow sad." She stated. Kagome sighed before nodding her head.
"I miss my friends." She stated openly. She didn't mind telling these females of her troubles. From the moment Haru and Jun had introduced her to these two other attendants — Kuro and Kiiro, she believed their names were — she could tell that they were just as equally-nice as Haru and Jun, and that she would be able to get along with them, very easily.
"Do not worry. I am sure that you will be reunited with them, soon. After all, we are allowed to take leave from the estate to pursue our own personal… duties, I believe." The black-haired demon, Kuro, said.
To this, Kiiro gave her a smile — although Kagome wondered why she also didn't give words of encouragement. Not that she expected them to be given to her just because she was now special, but because it seemed like something the nice demon girl would do. Yet, her smile caused Kagome's saddened mood to vaporize with the steam surrounding her.
"I hope so. I really miss them — I haven't seen them in weeks." She stated.
"I am certain that you will see them soon." Kuro said to her.
Kagome couldn't help but believe the beautiful demon, as she said those words. There was just a certain confidence behind them that made it seem as if she were stating a fact and not an inference. Kagome liked that.
She was quite the vision as she walked down the estate halls, dressed in one of her short battle yukata (her parents forbade her form wearing kimonos to battles), and covered in the dried blood of the Bat Demon. The jewel shard that she had recovered was still in her claws, and her eyes were made of steel as she made her way to Kagome's room.
The sandals that she wore beneath her feet kept her from trekking blood into the place, yet it didn't make it any more… sanitary. However, she didn't really care.
Finally, she reached Kagome's room and knocked on the parts that were wooden, to let Kagome know of her arrival. A few moments later, the door slid open and she came face-to-face with Jun. The burnt-orange-haired demon had an incredulous look on her face as her eyes landed on the heiress, before she wiped it into something more respectful.
"Yayuki-hime." She said with a bow.
"Hello Jun." Yayuki said. "May I please see Kagome-san?"
"Of course." She said as she further opened the fusuma, and allowed Yayuki entrance into the room. There, a refreshed Kagome was reading over a scroll that Haru had handed to her earlier; left in her care by Yuksi who had been told to deliver it to her, by Yayuki herself. It was a set of precautions and guidelines that the female had to learn of, now that she was a member of the clan.
Her ears twitching at the new sound of footsteps, Kagome raised her head and her eyes immediately widened as she spotted the blood-covered heiress.
"Yayuki!" Kagome exclaimed. "What happened?!"
"Nothing to be worried about, Kagome-san; it was just a morning situation that I had to take care of." She stated with a smile. However, it didn't seem to satisfy the demon. Yet Yayuki immediately redirected her attention. "I came to ask a favor of you, Kagome-san. You mentioned that you can purify fragments of the Shikon no Tama…"
It was then that Kagome noticed the jewel pinched in-between the heiress' sharp, long claws. She gasped and immediately placed the scroll down as she made her way over to it.
"Where did you find it?" She asked.
"A Bat Demon had it." Yayuki stated. "Can you purify it?" She asked. Kagome hesitated for a moment. She remembered saying that she could purify a jewel, but that was when she was a human. Could she still use her miko powers as a demon? Or were they… too pure? "Kagome-san?" Yayuki questioned as she looked at the nervous expression on Kagome's face. "What is wrong?" She asked her.
"It's just… I'm a demon now. Can I still use my miko power?" She asked. "I mean: wouldn't it be countered by my new demonic self?"
"No." Yayuki said, much to her surprise. "Your demon body will not get in the way of what your human body used to be able to do. Remember, it was created to fully accustom you, Kagome-san. I am very certain that your holy essence was also taken into consideration." She stated.
Surprised, Kagome couldn't help but smile at this. That's right; Yayuki had mentioned that before, hadn't she? How could she have forgotten? Then again, a lot of things had just occurred to her. It wasn't impossible to lose track of that information.
Smiling, Kagome reached-out and grabbed onto the tainted jewel. For a moment, she could feel the dark aura surrounding it, and was shocked at how evil the jewel had become. She could see what it had gone through; the things that the demon had done with the jewel to taint it. She even saw where it had originally been placed, before the human-disguised demon had managed to get a hold on it.
That was what shocked her. This jewel… it belonged to Kouga.
"Oh my god…" She said softly.
"What is it, Kagome-san?" Yayuki asked. She disliked the expression on the young demon's face. It was a mixture between shock and… oncoming confusion.
"This jewel shard belongs to Kouga."
"Kouga...?" Yayuki repeated. "The male you spoke about, last night."
"Yes. Him." Kagome said, still staring at the jewel shard as though it were the first time she had ever seen such a thing. "Where did you get this? Was he around?"
"I would assume that he was the male Wolf Demon I found in the cave. He had fought the Bat Demon and was badly injured." Kagome's eyes widened to look up at Yayuki. "He is currently being taken care of in the Medical Hut — a section outside of each village that my clan has influence over, where my clansmen go for healing."
"That's him." Kagome said. "A male Wolf Demon with long black hair and brown fur clothing..." Yayuki nodded; that was the exact general description of the male she had found, who knew Kagome. "Can you… can you take me to him?" Kagome asked her. "I… I want to make sure that he's okay."
"I can, but perhaps I should wait until you are properly dressed?" Yayuki asked. Kagome only wore robes at the moment; not clothing fit to wear to the outside world. Never mind her attire which was currently blood-coated. Hers were meant for the public eye, Kagome's were not.
"Never mind that — getting to Kouga is more important." She stated. Seeing the determination in Kagome's gray eyes, Yayuki nodded; acknowledging her resolve.
"I will take you there immediately." Yayuki said. "Jun, assure that Kagome-san's room is properly guarded until her return, and that she has proper clothing set out for her to wear. Until our return, go about your usual business until you or Haru are called upon once again."
"Yes, Yayuki-hime." Jun said.
"Come, Kagome-san. The Medical Hut of the village where the attack took place is not too far from here. If we run at half-speed, we will be there in no time."
Kagome nodded. She was ready to leave the room when she remembered that she still held the shard in her hand. If she were to drop it on the way there, she was certain that Kouga would never forgive her. Looking for a place to put it, she remembered her bottle of jewel shards that had been safely tucked away in the room. She went over there and got out the battle and the few shards inside. She placed Kouga's in; something told her that, even mixed with the others, she would be able to tell which was his and which were hers.
She placed the bottle back around her neck and tucked it away in her robes. She then looked towards Yayuki and nodded her head; signaling that she was ready to go.
Yayuki guided her out.
Medical Hut
The Medical Hut was ten miles from the estate.
To get to the wooden building that was small in wideness but with an impressive length, Kagome was able to unlock a new range of movement with her body as they ran from Point A to Point B. It was quite exhilarating; feeling the wind in her hair and having the sound of it in her ears. With each step that her legs took, she travelled yards, something that she was not yet used to. It all felt like a blur to her once they finally reached the hut after jumping over rivers and small patches of forests, and landing in wet and soft grass that cushioned and supported her as she moved forward.
She briefly remembered twisting and gripping onto branches as she went through the woods, and oddly feeling like she was in a free-fall as she jumped from a higher point.
Now that she was on solid ground and fully able to collect her senses, Kagome found herself exhaling. Not out of fatigue, but simply because her body was still not used to be pushed like that and doing those thing. Her mind had warned her of danger as she made leaps that humans should not be able to do, and that had triggered the adrenaline in her.
She hoped that she would get used to it soon.
"I suppose I should warn you of what you are about to see." Yayuki said. They were heading down the side of the hill that led to the hut, and knowing that they were approaching what would surely be an unpleasant surprise for Kagome, Yayuki felt that she should prep the young miko for what she was about to see. "I do not know the full details of his condition, but, when I first saw him, he was beneath the foot of the Bat Demon. There was a heavy scent of blood and decaying skin that was coming off of him, and I assume that he has many punctures to his body that pose a threat to his life. Do not be surprised if the healer taking care of him tells us of worse conditions."
Kagome nodded. "I know… and I'm worried, but not that much. Kouga's a strong demon… I'm sure he's still holding on." She said. It was not that she thought that he was on the verge of death, but that she assumed he would not give-up without a fight. There was a hard-headed determination that Kouga had when it came to living and the celebration of life (not just his own, but also of his comrades) that she admired. She was certain that a demon with his skill and determination would not die so easily.
"I was told that there were others with him, as well. I am not sure whether they are companions of yours or not, but surely you would like to see them, too?" Yayuki said as they finally entered the outer-door of the hut.
Seeing as how it did sometimes hold wounded soldiers (both human and demonic) that needed great protection and medical attention, any person entering or exiting would have to go through a check at the main entrance of the hut. It was there that Yayuki deposited her sword (it was a place of healing and weapons that did the opposite were not allowed) and she and Kagome gained clearance to enter into the hut.
The front guard, who kept information on all the patients being housed in, kindly and easily told them where the demon was that they were looking for — at the farthest right room, and currently undergoing some healing rituals.
"The system here is so efficient." Kagome noticed.
"It has to be. The clan takes great care in ensuring that no harm comes to any — especially those already harmed. Here we house not only our own clansmen, but also wounded humans; whether they hold ill intent or not. So it's imperative that nothing comes in that could further hurt them." Yayuki said.
Kagome nodded. The clan's connection with humans continued to astound her — it was truly a gem.
They continued walking through the hallway; it was filtered by the natural light of day, and there was a heavy scent of herbs in the air that Kagome strangely found comforting. When they finally reached the cloth-covered room that Kouga was being housed in, Kagome took a moment to exhale.
She and Kouga were not very close, but she would still consider him a friend. And to see one of her friends hurt…
The cloth was pushed aside and she got her first glance at him.
He was in a similar state to Hitomi, she couldn't help but think, back when she first laid her eyes on the injured demon. Only… it was more of an emotional connection, and her mind seemed to maximize his injuries. There were herbal leaves coated in medicine everywhere. There were bandages on every visible part of his body, and she could see it on his face—
No.
Her eyes widened. She felt her vision begin to shift and an odd sense traveled throughout her body. When the maximum ended, she soon found herself being able to pick up on something strange. It was hard to describe, but there were creatures on Kouga — disgusting little, naked imps that were poking and prodding on his body, and what looked to be a mist was surrounded Kouga.
"What… is this?" She asked aloud.
"Your body was centered on keen characteristics of yours, one, we determined, being healing. I would think it is an ability brought on by that. Why? What is happening?"
"I can see… things. They're small and green, and poking Kouga. And there's this mist surrounding him."
"Aa. You can see Death itself beginning to creep on him. Those creatures are what will bring down the judgment of whether he is dead and can be dragged into Hell or not. The mist is his life-force. Turn around and look at me for a moment." Kagome did just that, and was surprised to see the same mist around Yayuki — only, there was more of it and seemed to have a life of its own, as it coiled around her. It was similar to Kouga, except those creatures were not around her at all. "I am perfectly healthy and not on the verge of death, so my life force is stronger."
"I… see…" Was all Kagome could say. "Then… is Kouga going to die?" She asked.
"Had we left him there longer? Yes. But I would assume that, now, he has a higher life expectancy." Yayuki stated. "If you wish to take a closer look, go ahead."
Kagome tentatively stepped forward towards Kouga and made her way to where he lay. As she sat beside him and watched the creatures continue to poke and prod, she took notice of where it was that they were aiming their little spears. Curious as to why, she moved her hands forward to push the blanket aside and look at those areas more closely; what she found could easily be identified as Kouga's worst wounds.
'They're aiming for the spots with the greatest chance of killing him…' She thought; trying hard to examine the wounds in the real world and keep her eyes on the little creatures at the same time. 'Is their poking… making it worse?' She could not help it as she swiped at the imps, only to have her hands go through. They seemed to not have any effect on the physical world…
"Yayuki…hime…" She said. Ever since her inauguration into the clan, it was now expected of her that she referred to Yayuki using an honorable title. Yayuki herself had suggested adding the suffix –hime to the end of her name, as it was what most of those in the clan called her. She had slipped-up a few times, but has slowly gotten used to calling her that. "Can I make a suggestion as to where the healing should be concentrated?" She asked.
"Where?"
Kagome pointed to the side of Kouga's neck, his face, and areas around his abdomen and legs, and both of his arms. "The creatures are poking here, and I feel as though these are where the worst of his wounds are. So the healing should be concentrated here, first, and then be spread out from there." She stated. "If these areas become top priority, then I think that he'll heal much faster and the creatures will go away and his life force will replenish."
Yayuki nodded. "I will tell his healer just that. Excuse me while I go find them."
Kagome watched Yayuki leave the room, before turning her eyes back on Kouga. She spotted the little imp that was poking at his right leg; surely that was where the jewel shard that he had, was ripped from. She stared at the entrance for a few moments, trying to feel for Yayuki and see if she was anywhere nearby, before she pulled out the bottle from within her robes and moved aside the cloth that covered Kouga.
She blushed at the fact that his lower body was barely covered (really, only his penis was covered using a thin arrangement of cloth), but quickly tried her best to move past it and focus on the leg. She touched the injured leg, trying to feel for the jewel shard and coming up short. She hesitated on whether she should place it back inside or not, but knew that as much as she wanted to keep the shard, it was Kouga's — she and the group were allowing him to keep the shard until he was forced to give it up and have it become one with the other shards.
She was just about to begin moving aside the bindings when she felt Yayuki's presence come closer to her. Quickly she hid the bottle back in her robes and covered the area up. She was just getting back in her original position when Yayuki entered the room.
"I know you did something. I have a sixth sense about it." Yayuki said, causing Kagome's heart to thrum. "But I am not going to go into details about it, as I do not feel as though it is something dangerous… there are no changes in the room's atmosphere." She stated. Kagome remained silent, hoping that her heart would slow its beat as time passed by. "I told the male healer what you said; he said that it was very helpful information, and that he will start work on that immediately."
"That's good…" Kagome said. Briefly she took notice of the fact that she could no longer see the creatures on Kouga's body; perhaps the ability wore off? Then, wanting to change the subject to something that she could more easily handle, she remembered something Yayuki had briefly mentioned. "You said that there were others… what do they look like?" She was unsure whether these people would be significant to her or not, but lately she's had a feeling that, perhaps, they were significant to her?
"A female demon slayer was recovered from a cell that the female Bat Demon had created. A male Buddhist priest was recovered as well; he was very close to dying, and his body had been badly poisoned."
Kagome's heart sunk to her stomach.
"Sango… Miroku…" She mumbled under her breath. Yayuki's ears twitched, but she was unable to fully comprehend what it was that Kagome had said.
"Excuse me?" She asked.
"C-can I… go to see them? Please?"
"Of course — follow me."
The vision reactivated.
And unlike Kouga who's body had sustained serious injuries that his natural demonic healing had slowly begun to heal, Sango and Miroku did not have that luck.
She was horrified at the amount of creatures that were there. They centered around Miroku — his pelvis, his legs, his chest and head, and five were poking at his hand with the wind scar. Sango had less, but still more than Kouga; they were placed at her neck, her upper body, and one of her legs. Seeing them in that condition, in one worse than she had ever seen before, Kagome could not help but drop to her knees.
Her friends… how long had she been wanting to see her friends once again and just have a good cry and hug as a part of their reunion. She'd yearned for seeing their faces once again, and returning to their adventure.
This… this was not it — this wasn't how their reunion were supposed to be.
She held back the tears that threatened to spill, her mind replaying the information that Yayuki had told her before. 'Those creatures only appear when someone's life force is running out, and their soul is about to be dragged to Hell… Their life force, it's—' She glanced through the fingers that now covered her face as she peaked at their bodies once again. She had thought that she just couldn't see their life force (she had done it with Kouga, who was demon, and Yayuki as well, but who said that it worked on humans?), but turns out that it was so weak, there was barely any mist rising from their bodies.
The sight caused her to exhale shakily as she brought her body closer in together. Her friends were dying… her friends were on the verge of death.
"These people… are important to you." Yayuki said. She could feel Kagome's overwhelming emotions of shock, sadness and worry in the back of her mind. It was a similar feeling to her — the one she had felt when she dealt with the issue regarding Hitomi's body.
"They're… my friends… Sango and M-miroku… are my best friends…" She openly admitted. She'd grown to love them both to death, and it seemed as though that very love was killing them. It was such a terrible thing…
"Then, allow me to be the one to heal them." Yayuki said as she got down to Kagome's level and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "My healing abilities work a bit faster than those of the healers here, when I use the orb of my clan to amplify my powers. Normally I should not use it, as it would cause me to have some negative side-effects later, but when it's just a brief healing session, I can recover quickly."
She knew she had work to do. Back at the estate, there were still scrolls-upon-scrolls of work that she had to get through before her next session with her teachers. She should really go back to the estate quickly and get that work done, but… Kagome helped her save someone that she cared about very much, and now it was her turn.
"Ya… yuki-hime…" Kagome said. She raised her hands from her face and Yayuki could clearly see her watery eyes, and that droplets had already flowed from her cheeks. Ah. It reminded her of herself when Yuksi delivered one of Kagome's findings as to why Hitomi's healing abilities had been blocked.
"If you wish, you can assist me — consider it the first part of your training." Yayuki said, moving her hand to rub Kagome's back and push her spine forward. Kagome followed the motions and began to sit-up on her knees; wiping at the tears in her eyes, she nodded her head at Yayuki's request.
"Yes… I'd v-very much like that…"
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So I know it wasn't exactly the "reunion" that you all wanted but… hey! I think that given my writing aesthetic, this was the perfect way for Kagome to reunite with the group — or rather, Sango and Miroku. Any who, lots happened in this chapter, and believe it or not, it was actually one of my "rejected" pieces of work that I had been trying to use when I was first trying to write chapter nine. I finished it, touched it up and bam! Ninth chapter. The only sad thing is that the other ninth chapter I was working on will now join the rejected pile. Ah well, maybe I'll recycle it? I hope this made up for the over-a-year wait that you had to go through, and I will try my best to not make it that long, ever again. But no promises or guarantees, as I have side things and school to focus on. So tell me your thoughts in the reviews!
Oh! And I made a Tumblr account. The username is superduperhighschoollevelblogger (I know, long), and I'll be using it to give previews, news, and other stuff that I'll be working on. I wanna start turning these stories into doujins in the future, so use that to keep yourself updated, kay? Great! Please review! (And thanks for all the reviews prompting me to update the story faster — you guys rock.)
And in case you need some review materials, here are some key points I'd actually like to get feedback on:
Was this chapter worth the wait?
What do you think of Kagome's progress in becoming a demon and living in her new body?
What of Inuyasha? Who do you think the chick that he's with, is?
And you guys can take it from there.
Next chapter: A Demon's Secret. 'Should I... tell them who I am or not?' '
Please review!
~Chibi
