Kage Houseki no Himitsu

-Chapter 13-

Shipon Manor, Inuyasha

I bolted to my foot as soon as I blue girl's scream pierced the quiet outside. Damn it! I knew something was going to happen!

"That blue girl's in danger! Miroku!" I shouted over my shoulder as I ripped open the sliding door. I heard Miroku's shout as he also leapt to his feet. I skidded to a halt as soon as I'd left the room; that human vassal who'd taken the blue girl was standing in the middle of the deck, smiling.

"Outta the way!" I snarled as I drew Tetsusaiga. The man's expression didn't change in the slightest as the sword changed shape.

"I'm sorry," the vassal called to Miroku and I; he bowed low. "Lord Hogohushi seeks an audience only with the blue-haired maiden."

"I'm warning you," I snarled, bracing Tetsusaiga. "Get out of the-"

"I'm sorry," the man repeated, bowing again in exactly the same manner. "Lord Hogohushi seeks an audience only with the blue-haired maiden."

"He's possessed," Miroku growled. He stepped forward slightly. "This Lord Hogohushi, or whoever is behind this, must be controlling him."

"Che!" I huffed. "I guess that means I can't kill him, huh?"

"That would be correct."

"Bah!" I sheathed Tetsusaiga, and cracked my knuckles.

"Outta my way, chump!" I ran at him, ignoring Miroku's shout, and shoved the man hard in the shoulder; without the slightest change of expression, the man fell sideways off the deck into the garden below.

"Inuyasha! We must find Aoi-san quickly!" Miroku shouted as he ran past me. "Let's split up!"

"Sure," I replied sarcastically. "Then you'll be hoping she'll give you a big ol' kiss for saving her, right?"

Miroku coughed, and didn't reply.

I huffed again, and leapt toward one of the only buildings that still had lights on; that might be it.

Abruptly, a burst of light I recognised to be the blue-girl's Kuro-Tsume attack burst from a building near the back of the estate, completely obliterating one wall. I landed on the roof of the building I'd been aiming for, but immediately jumped again toward the half-destroyed building that blue girl must have been in. I drew Tetsusaiga again as I went.

"Give me the Kokuei no Tama, girl!"

The hoarse scream was followed by a cry of pain; Blue-girl?! I landed the still-standing section of roof, and quickly surveyed the scene below.

Blue girl was standing in a corner of the room, her right arm hanging limp and useless, dripping with blood. She clutched something in her left hand close to her chest. She was cowering before an enormous spider demon.

"Give it to me! Give it to me!" The demon shrieked; one of its sharp, hairy legs slashed Blue Girl's face; she shrieked as she was thrown to the opposite side of the room, crashing through the thin paper wall. Blood splattered the floor as she landed heavily in the next room. A young woman I recognised to be the Lord's daughter ran, shrieking, away from her; at least the daughter was still human, I thought.

I readied Tetsusaiga, then leapt at the spider, yelling as I fell.

Shipon Manor, Aoi

I rolled onto my back, groaning. Trembling, I forced my injured right arm to move, and touched my hand to my face where Hogohushi has slashed at it; it came away wet with blood. I slowly sat up, looking around warily for Hogohushi; I could still hear crashes and a kind of metallic clinking, but from what I could tell, he hadn't found me yet.

Why was he after Kokuei? And what was this… Kokuei no Tama?

I opened my left fist; the dark jewel sat inside, still and silent. Why would a demon want my jewel?

It was then that it finally occurred to me that the fight wasn't over yet.

Gasping, I looked up; Hogohushi was still there, warding off fierce blows from Inuyasha. Inuyasha?! When had he gotten here?

"Aoi-san!"

I jumped, and looked behind me. Miroku ran from the sliding door he'd opened, looking intensely worried. "What happened?!"

"Hogohushi was a demon," I explained, slowly getting to my feet; Miroku helped me up. "Inuyasha-san's dealing with him."

"Aoi-san," Miroku said again. I looked up at him.

He suddenly had my hands in both of his again.

"You needn't fear any longer," he said sincerely, looking me straight in the eye. I couldn't help but blush. "You're safe here with me."

The edge of Sango's boomerang connected, hard, with the back of Miroku's head.

"Do you never stop?" Sango asked coldly; she was almost giving off an evil aura.

"Ah! Sango-chan!" Miroku turned, smiling nervously as he massaged the back of his head. "I was just making sure Aoi-san was alright!"

"Of course you were," Shippou muttered to Kirara, who mewed.

"Aoi!" Kagome gasped; she ran from behind Sango. "You're bleeding!"

"I'm okay," I reassured her. I tightened my grip on Kokuei.

"HEY!" Inuyasha roared; he landed heavily in front of me, his eyes still fixed on Hogohushi, who was screeching in agony with three of his legs lopped off. "Would you guys mind quitting ya prattling and giving me a hand here?!"

"Ah, sorry Inuyasha!" Kagome said insincerely, waving a hand dismissively.

"I'll help," I said; now that I had the chance… "Give me a second."

"Aoi-san, you're in no condition to-" Sango cut off with a gasp as I plunged my left hand into my right palm. I slowly drew out Ryuutsurugi, my enormous sword. It was enveloped in the blackish-purple light that formed my Kuro-Tsume; I'd never really known why it did that.

I shoved Kokuei back into the pocket of my shorts once Ryuutsurugi was completely out of my hand.

"You sure you're not gonna die, Blue-girl?" Inuyasha asked, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. I nodded.

"I'll be fine," I replied curtly. I stepped beside Inuyasha, bracing Ryuutsurugi. My fringe ruffled across my forehead as black-purple, flame-like lights erupted from Ryuutsurugi. I heard Inuyasha chuckle shortly – "Heh!" – before we faced Hogohushi, ready for the assault.