INSECT POLITICS
Inuyasha slowly opened his eyes, feeling groggy like he had all his energy sucked out of him. He sat up noticing he was in an unknown bed. He also noticed Kagome lying next to him passed out.
"About time you woke up", Koga said walking into the room.
"Where are we?" Inuyasha asked.
"An abandoned farm house somewhere outside of the town", the wolf commander said leaning against the door frame. "We were at an Inn, but we had to move you in light of recent events".
"How long was I asleep?" he asked dreading the answer.
"Five days", Koga answered. Inuyasha silently cursed that he had been out of commission for that long. He glanced back over at the still sleeping Kagome. "She refused to leave your side".
"I need to get up and talk to you and whoever you brought with us", Inuyasha got out of the bed gently as to not wake Kagome and put the blanket over her before leaving the room to let her sleep. They headed down stairs to the small dining room where Shippou, Rin, and Kagura holding a small white bunny that he recognized as Kanna before he gave her human form.
"Is this it?" Inuyasha asked, he was expecting more people than this.
"No, I ordered the wolves to guard the area, and the rest are trying to gather information in the town", Koga began while Inuyasha sat down at the table.
"We're not sure what happened to the other staff members, we got separated when we were attacked", Shippou said.
"Attacked by what?" Inuyasha asked.
"Things have changed in the kingdom your highness", Koga began. "That bastard Naraku has his own army now".
"It's only been five days", Inuyasha growled clearly aggravated and confused. "And where did he get an army?"
"He's been using your power that he stole to transfigure insects and arachnids into his loyal followers", Koga explained with disgust in his tone.
"That's bad", Inuyasha placed his hand on his forehead and sighed. "Some of the staff are animals I transfigured into humans, just like Koga and his wolves, like Kagura here. However I never considered doing the same for insects mainly because they are such savage and brutal creatures whose loyalties can't be obtained".
"Well Naraku certainly has their loyalty", Shippou said nervously, he was always creeped out by bugs. "These monsters are enforcing his new laws in the most brutal way possible".
"What kind of laws?" the former lord asked.
"Pretty much whatever he say goes, anyone who says otherwise is just killing themselves. He's already had dozens of people imprisoned", Koga said tapping his foot in frustration.
"Your highness, I'm so sorry. Naraku told me what he was planning when he trapped me", Kagura apologized while bowing her head.
"It's fine, you couldn't stop him on your own, I forgive you", Inuyasha said accepting her apology. "My main concern is figuring out how he stole my power and how to get it back".
"I saw use some sort of jewel on Kanna here, maybe that has something to do with it", she said holding up the rabbit. Inuyasha stared forward as he pressed his lips to his interlocked hands in thought.
"You know what that is don't you?" Koga saw the realization dawn on his highness's face.
"Yes, my mother and father created something similar when I was a child still coming into my power, just in case my power went out of control and put myself in danger, but that jewel was rendered useless and destroyed", he wondered if there was perhaps some record of it somewhere. Maybe that's where Naraku got the information on how to make one for himself.
"So if we get the jewel, we can give you your powers back?" Shippou asked.
"Correct", Inuyasha answered.
"Well at least we know how to stop him", Kagura said keeping Kanna close.
"Yeah, we just have to get passed his army of insect men, especially that freak Magatsuhi", Koga growled out.
"Who's that?" Lord Inuyasha asked.
"Naraku's general, upper body looks normal, however his lower body is a giant scorpion", the wolf emphasized how big with his hand. "He patrols the town terrorizing the citizens and enforcing Naraku's laws as the new lord of the kingdom", Koga spat venomously. "By the way, we're all wanted criminals in the kingdom now", he chuckled sarcastically tossing out a few wanted posters with pictures of the former heads of staff and Koga of course. "But you've got the biggest reward your highness", he said showing Inuyasha the wanted poster for himself with a big monetary reward attached. "You're the only one he wants alive and there isn't one of Kagome".
"That's good", Inuyasha sighed in relief. At least she could be kept safe, maybe even be sent away from this kingdom as much as that thought saddened him.
"So what's the plan?" Koga asked eager to get out there and start busting heads. Inuyasha did something no one would expect the normally stoic lord to do, he laid his head on the table and let out a frustrated breath of fresh air.
"I have no idea", well that wasn't assuring.
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Shippou whined. If Lord Inuyasha couldn't lead them then they were in deep trouble.
"Well we can't just march up to the castle waving swords and shields", Koga chuckled dryly, just then his words caused Inuyasha to pull his head up suddenly in realization.
"Sword? My sword", Inuyasha smiled remembering his faithful weapon.
"What about your sword?" Shippou asked looking at him skeptically, how could a sword be of any use to them against a magic empowered villain?
"The sword was forged by my father to absorb and channel my power into a weapon that could protect the kingdom. It holds my magic still, if I could get it from the vaults in the castle then I could use it to destroy Naraku", the silver haired prince explained.
"Great we have a goal, but how do we get in the castle?" Koga said throwing the new problem at them. Everyone turned silent in thought, with Naraku's insect minions everywhere it wasn't currently possible to get into the castle.
"We would need someone to go in there by themselves and be able to move quickly and quietly to the vault to retrieve the sword", Inuyasha's brow creased in thought.
"Yes, but who?" Kagura asked aloud, none of them were a real option.
"I'll do it", a voice from the door said. They all turned to see Kagome standing in the doorway having recently woken up and headed downstairs to find Inuyasha. While they were discussing what to do, she waited in the hallway listening to their plans and decided to volunteer for this task.
"No", Inuyasha shot her down immediately.
"I just thought that since there are no wanted posters of me I could…", Kagome was cut off by another harsh no from Inuyasha who wouldn't even to look at her.
"Maybe we should hear her out my lord?" Koga tried to reason with him. "Naraku wouldn't expect someone like Kagome to be a spy, it's perfect".
"I said no!" This time Inuyasha slammed his fist on the table to emphasize his point.
"What's your problem?" Kagome asked stomping over to him in an angry huff.
"My problem is you wanting to put yourself at risk!" he shouted at her turning away. "You should just leave, go home and leave this kingdom's problems to its people", as much as it hurt him to say, he didn't want to risk the life of the woman he had come to treasure and adore.
"I'm not leaving, this is all my fault anyway", Inuyasha dint want to hear any more so he stood up and left the room deciding to take a walk outside.
"I'll talk to him", Koga said looking at her crestfallen face before heading outside. He found Lord Inuyasha standing in the grass with the breeze of the evening staring at the town in the distance. Dark storm clouds hovered over the castle and town creating an ominous portrait.
"You know she just wants to help", the wolf general said. Inuyasha remained silently as he faced away from him. "Is it because you don't feel like you can trust her?"
"What makes you think I don't trust her?" Inuyasha asked without looking back at him.
"Well she was the one to convince you to talk to Naraku, maybe the two are working together?" Koga said trying to get a reaction out of the other. It worked, Inuyasha turned furious eyes on his second in command.
"No she's not a traitor. Kagome is many things and none of them are bad, so if you ever compare her to anything as such, I will tear out your tongue", he said in a dangerously calm voice.
"Then let her help", Koga didn't seemed afraid of his threat, mainly because he agreed with how he thought of her.
"I don't want to do this, but if she wants to help then I guess I have no right to stop her", Inuyasha said turning around to head back into the abandoned farm house.
"I don't like this either, but we can't let Naraku hurt more people", Koga said following after his friend.
THE NEXT DAY
Kagome walked down the dark streets of the town. Things were quiet and depressing, the storm clouds the hovered above the kingdom created a sense of dread. The people acted nervous and scared, most cowering in their homes, even most businesses were closed down. Kagome got a look at the creatures that Naraku had employed to police the streets. Beings dressed in black and dark purple uniforms, some possessed very insect like appendages, either their arms or legs. Some even had insect heads, all of them were malformed and hideous, unlike when Inuyasha used his power and it was like art on a canvas. This was just wrong, horribly wrong.
Making her way to the castle Kagome went over the plan in her head. After Koga dropped her off on the outskirts of the town she would go the castle and ask to speak to the new lord Naraku. Once there she would gain his trust by ratting out the location of Inuyasha, from there she would offer to serve him. From there she would go down to the vaults the first chance she got and retrieve Inuyasha's sword, escape the castle with it and rendezvous with the others in the town. This was how she wanted to make up for her mistake of thinking Naraku truly wanted to repent. Kagome felt horrible for causing all this and was willingly to bravely do what needed to be done in spite of her growing fear.
"Stop right there!" Kagome froze hearing the voice behind her. She turned to see a tall man in a uniform with praying mantis claws for arms approaching her. "What are you doing at the gate to Lord Naraku's castle?" the man creature hissed.
"I…I…I've come to speak with his highness, I have urgent information", Kagome lied quickly.
"You can say whatever you need to say to me girl", he said venomously.
"No, I need to speak to him directly, take me to him", Kagome demanded only to get smacked in the face by the man's mantis claws knocking her to the ground.
"I don't take orders from you bitch!" the creature attempted to attack with his claws, but stopped when the sound of many large feet stomped across the stone streets behind them.
"What's going on here?" this new person spoke sounding more amused than curious.
"Captain Magutsuhi, I was merely getting rid of this nuisance", he explained. Kagome held her bruised cheek and looked up to see a giant black scorpion, complete with pincer claws, and a poison stinger on the end of its long tail. Her eyes travelled upward to see the upper body of a man dressed in a black uniform with long straightened white hair and slanted red eyes. Magatsuhi's blue lips were set in an evil grin as he looked down on her.
"What's this woman doing here?" The scorpion hybrid asked sinisterly.
"She was trying to get passed the gates to the castle, with some nonsense about having urgent information for Lord Naraku", the man creature said with a bow.
"Did you think for a second in that tiny walnut sized brain of yours that her information could be important?" Magatsuhi asked with a dangerous predatory look in his eyes.
"Well no, but-", the guy didn't even get to finish his sentence as one of the large pincers from the scorpion part of Magatsuhi's body snapped forward and severed the guard's head from his neck. Kagome shrieked as the head and decapitated body hit the ground spilling blood everywhere.
"Now you said you have information for Lord Naraku", he grinned. Kagome was too scared to respond and could only nod her head. "Then come with me, let's go see him", the creep forced her to walk ahead of him up the castle so he could keep an eye on her. Kagome grew more nervous with every step she took to the now much more oppressive castle. Upon reaching the main entrance she noticed the giant black banner with a blood red spider on it and figured that must be the symbol for Naraku's new dark empire.
ELSEWHERE
Back at the farmhouse on the outskirts of the kingdom Inuyasha and the other's waited for Koga to return to relay that Kagome made it to the castle safely. They planned on lying in wait for Kagome to tell Naraku their location. He would most likely send his best minions to attack them, but they had a little surprise ready for them when the enemy forces arrived.
"He's back", Inuyasha said while looking at a hand drawn map of the town and castle that Shippou made with his photographic memory. Just then the door slammed upon and the general of the wolf army came barging in, rage pouring off of him.
"What's the matter?" Shippou asked sitting at the table with Lord Inuyasha. Koga just growled and punched a hole through the wall.
"That bastard! They killed my wolves", he said through clenched teeth.
"They did what?" Inuyasha stood up not liking the sound of that.
"Some of my brethren were caught and killed, their bodies strung up in the town square in some sort of spider webs", Koga was pissed that he couldn't do anything to save them or even recover their bodies at the time. Inuyasha led him back outside to the large wooden barn at the other end of the lot.
"You'll get your chance to avenge them, you all will get the chance", he pushed the barn door open revealing the rest of the wolf soldiers. The hybrid men and women filled the building sitting around talking and eating. Kagura and Rin were helping by handing out food and bandaging wounds. As soon as Lord Inuyasha and General Koga walked into the barn everyone quieted and turned their attention to their leaders.
"The enemy will be arriving soon everyone. When they attack don't hesitate to kill. They are not human, they are less than human, even lower than animals", Inuyasha said with authority.
"You all heard his highness, let's crush these assholes like the bugs they are!" Koga shouted to his men, everyone stood up and cheered, their spirits raised and ready to take back their homeland.
"Hope this works", Koga said to his friend.
"It will work", Inuyasha said confidently.
BACK AT THE CASTLE
Kagome was led down the main corridor that led to the throne room. This reminded her of the first time she met Inuyasha, except now the walls seemed much darker. The ceiling was now covered in giant spider webs, even the very air felt cold and evil, with a wretched smell that nearly made her gag when she first walked inside. The more she looked around the more distorted and twisted the architecture was warped into Naraku's hideous aesthetic. These two spider headed men led her to the large double doors of the throne room.
"Inside…girl", the one on the left said rudely shoving her through the open doors. Kagome walked up a few steps into the throne room to see that it was still a wreck from when he stole Inuyasha's power, except now there were two banners on the left and right walls with the same spider symbols she saw on the front of the castle.
"Kagome", she looked up to see Naraku himself sitting on Inuyasha's throne, but he looked very different now. Instead of squirming mass of tentacles in the shape of a human body he now had pale white skin, long black curled hair and blood red eyes. He now wore royal purple and dark blue robes that he must have taken from Inuyasha's bedroom. As she walked closer Kagome noticed his lips were pulled in a thin smile that only came from a villainous man who finally got everything he wanted.
"Lord Naraku", Kagome bowed feeling sick to her stomach.
"I must say I'm quite surprised to see you come here of your own free will", he smirked.
"Well I just figured it was best to be on the winning side in this whole mess", she lied just like she practiced. "I know where Inuyasha and the others are hiding, I can tell you if you can guarantee my protection your highness".
"Interesting, perhaps we should discuss this over dinner", Naraku stood up from the throne and walked over to her. Kagome had to suppress a flinch when he reached out to touch her cheek. "I'm sure the new servants can find something better for you to wear than that outfit", he said smoothly before gliding past her.
"As you wish your highness", Kagome said with a monotone voice following him out the doors, hoping and praying he bought her story. She was eventually brought to a room where a spider legged woman dressed her up in a black sleeveless and frilly dress. Kagome was uncomfortable in this somewhat provocative outfit, mainly because it felt tight in some areas like her hips and breasts. After they dressed her up like a doll another guard was sent to escort her to the royal dining hall. She did her best to ignore the stares she got from the insect like creatures that roamed the corridors and ceilings. Walking into the dining hall she noticed it was kept relatively the same as it was before.
"Please have a seat Kagome", Naraku sat at the head of the table as if he was the rightful lord of the castle, pointing at the seat to his left. Kagome sat down seeing food and a glass of wine already prepared, all she could think about was the first time Inuyasha invited to dinner in this room, the other dinners with him, their conversations and feelings they shared. After a long terrifying silence he finally spoke once more. "So tell me why you've come back here again", he grinned.
"I know where Inuyasha and Koga are hiding out, I thought that if I came here with that I could be given protection in exchange", Kagome explained taking a small miniscule bite from the overcooked steak in front of her.
"Is that so, then consider it granted", Naraku smiled taking a gulp of his wine with a lack of the finesse that Inuyasha always had when he drank his wine or tea. "Now tell me, where are they hiding?"
"On an abandoned farm, outside the town, just west of here", Kagome felt disgusted with the way he grinned at her as she said this.
"Funny I never pegged you as a treacherous woman", Kagome swallowed afraid that he might have seen through her lies. "But I guess we all have hidden sides to ourselves, don't we?" Naraku smiled sadistically as he said this.
"Your highness, I think it would be best to deal with soon", she said wondering how long it would take to get Inuyasha's sword out of the vault and flee from here.
"Well then I should dispatch my forces post haste", he said with a sinister chuckle. "But oh dear, it appears I've already sent them to deal with those dogs a few hours ago".
"What?" Kagome didn't understand what he meant by that.
"Yes, before you arrived actually. I already knew where they were, my spies told me. They'll all be dead before the sunrises", he said with an amused tone as if he was talking about crushing an ant. "Though I was honestly surprised to see you here, I was worried my men would have killed you in the raid. It greatly pleases me to know that you're safe now", Naraku said with fake concern.
"Y-yeah", Kagome looked down at her plate trying to hide how worried she actually was.
"Did you take me for a fool Kagome?" he said darkly.
"Excuse me your highness?" Kagome grew anxious suddenly.
"Let me guess, Inuyasha sent you here to spy on me, didn't he?" her stomach dropped when he said this.
"I don't know what you're talking about", Kagome tried to lie again, but Naraku wasn't so easily fooled.
"Don't try to deny it, I found your little love note you left with his tea, you love him don't you", he stated without question. Kagome stood up and backed away from him while he stood and followed her. "Since you walked so willingly into my castle I should at least treat you like a proper guest", Kagome tried to run, but Naraku waved his purple glowing hand causing several large spikes to form out of the wall blocking her path. He then called for a guard to come take her away. "Don't worry Inuyasha will soon be here and I'll make sure you get a front row seat to his execution", he laughed as she was dragged out.
"You monster!" Kagome yelled at him as her wrists were chained together, she was then taken the dungeon below the castle where she was locked into a dimly lit cell. She sat there on the cold stone floor praying that Inuyasha and her friends would get out of there alive.
Back upstairs Naraku stood in the throne facing the shattered window that overlooked the town, the storm clouds that he created began pelting the buildings with a heavy dark rain as purple lighting flashed in the sky. He smiled to himself, right about now his soldiers should be tearing those dogs apart piece by bloody piece. His grew wider when he thought about the woman he caged. Even if by some miracle Inuyasha managed to escape capture he now had something most precious to the former magic prince that he could use against him.
AT THE FARM
A legion of insect hybrid men surrounded the entire lot, each of them eager to kill and feast as was their nature being the savage creatures they were. Magatsuhi stepped forward and grinned imagining the look on their enemies' faces when they saw they sprung their little surprise attack.
"Your orders sir?" a man with a centipede body asked.
"Lord Naraku's orders were quite clear, kill every last one of them, but leave the one called Inuyasha alive to be publically executed", he said with a sickening glee. "ATTACK!" and with that the army of arachnids and insects all charged the unsuspecting farmhouse and barn to rip them all to shreds.
Ah cliffhangers, how could I resist once again. Naraku's abusing the power he stole and making an army of insect men. Bear with me on this if it seems silly to you. I was going to do these tentacle monsters, but realized that would kind of be ripping off the Lovecraft mythos.
Has anybody ever seen the sequel to The Mummy, you know the crappy CG scorpion king, Magatsuhi kind of looks like that. I don't know why I choose scorpion for him, it just seemed to fit and plus it seems more deadly looking than a spider. I was going to do Hakudoshi, but I needed someone more wicked than him.
I'm happy one of you was right in that Inuyasha may not have his power, but his sword can still work for him. Will Kagome be successful in retrieving it now that she's been caught? Find out soon enough.
Also after this arc is all done I might do a second story arc called Rise of the Doll Maker. Still playing around with it.
Thank you for reading.