Us three were casually walking the boarder of the palace walls. We didn't feel like leaving the premises yet we couldn't sit still inside. An odd predicament to be in, I admit, but not an uncommon. Damien had decided for some odd reason to turn into his full dog form, the size of a small bear. This allowed Rin to ride him but forced me to translate for her.
"He says, Do you want to skate board." I asked for Damien as we all tried to figure out somethings to do.
"No...I'm kind of content just riding around on you Damien." Rin said patting my brother between his shoulder blades. His tongue dangled from his mouth happily as he panted despite the nip in the air. I made a gagging face just long enough for him to see but to go over Rin's head.
"Stuff it sis, you're just jealous! I for one think that Rin's idea is perfect!" He yapped at me.
"Sorry all I hear was I'm just then some sort of odd word. Are you speaking Spanish or some shit?" I said dully digging my finger nail into my ear to ride it of the excess wax. "Oh, He says that's a marvelous idea Rin." I said nonchalantly flicking the wax from under my finger nail.
"Hello there! So this is what the palace has been gossiping about! I must say I was fairly skeptical, but now that I see the proof. I must say, I'm surprised if not slightly impressed." General Chiro exclaimed walking up to us.
"Slightly impressed and all you have seen is my brother in one of his forms? Are you always this easy?" I said with a teasing smirk placing my fists onto my hips.
"Not many things take me by surprise, your's is a special case. So, I assume your words are hinting that there is more to this physical form?" He said returning my smirk with a coy grin.
"Wanna find out the boring or the fun way?" I asked him raising a eyebrow.
"Ah, well...asking for the boring way would leave an negative impression. So I guess you have forced my hand into taking the more radical of paths. Come, let's do this formally. It'll make it more interesting that way." He said turning away.
"Fine then, but it's going to be a weapon less fight. Unless you know where I can get a pair of brass knuckles?" I added allowing him to lead me to the dojo.
"Brass knuckles? Isn't that a bit primitive and close circled?" He asked looking at me in shock over his shoulder.
"If I can't swap a bit of sweet and blood with my foe than the fights not fun at all. Besides, I'm resourceful." I huffed.
"I can't wait to see that. It's very unusual to see a woman so willing to fight in the manner of which you are suggesting." He added voice laced with amusement. This bastard was being good natured but he was also already underestimating me. That was going to be his biggest mistake. Poor fool was going to have his ass handed to him on a silver plate! I looked over to Rin and Damien to flash them an excited grin. Rin giggled behind her sleeve and Damien just flashed me a cock grin. At least my cheerleaders had confidence in me. We arrived in the Dojo and of course once the men inside saw me they all sent me glares.
"Look who's back to get her ass handed to her." One jeered.
"First Lord Sesshomaru now General Chiro? Does she have any shred of common sense?" Another laughed.
"You took on Lord Sesshomaru?" Chiro questioned in astonishment.
"Of course she did. She did so twice as a maternity fact! Once in their true forms, once in front of everyone hand to hand." Damien barked proudly.
"You mean she took him on like you, as he towered above her in his true form? A form he reserves for only threats he deems worthy of that form?" He asked skeptically.
"Of course not! I said her true form! Not this pathetic one!" He snorted back.
"Remarkable! I wish I could've seen it for myself." He exclaimed.
"Well, why not fight me and test my might. Then you can not only see, but experience it yourself. Of course, not in the exact same way." I suggested rotating my head around popping my joints as I went.
"Yes, so a hand to hand combat it shall be then." He nodded taking off his armor and sword. I nodded to him with a barely contained smirk of anticipation. I took off my kimono top leaving me in only my sports bra and feudal styled pants. Immediately his eyes roamed down my neck, my chest and over my stomach where my muscles lay visible. "I see you are not like prone to the typical feminine lifestyle either." He said as his eyes flicked up to mine briefly only to go back down to their slight admiration.
"Tea parties, make up and other frilly things bore me. I rather rough house, get dirty and stretch myself over the limit. Now are we going to sit here while you gawk or are we going to have some fun?" I said lightly hopping from foot to foot.
"Testy much? You've got spirit, I like that." He said stepping into place just six paces from me. He bowed and I paused in my hopping to do the same onto him. The area was cleared for us and everyone watched. "Begin." Chiro said and without a breathing second he had closed the distance between me and him. I bounced back dodging his fist straight for my lower gut.
He took a step for me and I retreated just barely out of his grasp. His speed was impressive but not nearly as impressive as Sesshomaru's. It almost felt like he was going in slow motion despite me only being slightly faster than he. I guess I was subconscious thinking his speed would match Sesshomaru's. I continued to dodge all his blows trying to feel him out for any style or rhythms.
It took a bit for me to decipher but soon I feel into his pattern. He was a cleaver one, he cycled through his styles judging which to us by my position of body and distance from him. Now that I had figured him out, I could manipulate him. Which would only last so long since he was bond not to be stupid. He was a general for a reason
His leg kicked out at in a side swooping manner. It was in this strike that I decided to finally show off just how strong I was. As easily as catching a baseball I grabbed his ankle. In my grip his bones cracked threatening to combust should I feel the need to ably anymore pressure. Heck I could rip out his achilles tendon should I wish it. His eye widened a margin at the unexpected strength and sudden move. I took the less damaging but the more flashy of roads by twirling around sending him flying through the walls of the dojo. This forced several bystanders to have to duck or jump out if the way.
In a flash I jumped through the hole he made and was upon him. The others did the same as me or left through the doors. He was already getting to his feet. I allowed it knowing that a low position could be a huge advantage for him. After all, many times I have been floored and besieged upon, only to kick my assailant or use my rising momentum and theirs to slam a fist into them. He got up and dusted himself off briefly before coming at me again. This time he was hell bent on getting into my personal space. He was trying to limit my moves but this was a tactic that I had used frequently.
I jumped forward and two the left of him allowing him to use a thigh to trip me. With my sudden downward decent I twisted in its favor and grabbed hold of the same appendage he used to send me falling.
In disbelief at the opening for my finishing move I landed on my shoulders. In a split second I twisted my lower body grabbing his waist with my legs. As I dragged me down and backwards I grabbed his other thigh and locked them on either side of my head. I let go of his waist and hopped up to my feet suspending him in mid air. He tried to lock his legs around my neck and hoist himself up but I quickly slammed us both down as hard as I could. The force of it was enough to dig half his head into the earth along with my knees.
The wind was the only movement for but a moment. I yanked myself from my pitiful earthen restraints and let go of the generals body. He fell backwards as his head pushed through the dirt by the motion. His eyes were closed and his head bruised. His silver hair now had grass and dirt strewn about it.
"Holy shit...did you just K.O. him?" Damien exclaimed.
"Did you kill him?" Rin asked her voice riddled with worry.
"No, he's just knocked out. He's a demon, he'll come too fairly quickly." I said dully as I crouched over his chest. I looked down at his face before lightly slapping his cheeks. "Come on sleeping beauty. I didn't put enough force to throw you into a coma or anything." I said. His face twitched and his eyes moved rapidly behind his eyelids. "That's it, come join the living Gerald Chiro." I coaxed him a bit more. His eyes opened and for a moment it looked like he was confused.
"I lost..." He said plainly looking up at my face seriously.
"I can't believe what I am seeing!" A man exclaimed from the crowd.
"If I didn't know any better I would've said you threw that match." I pouted.
"Hardly, don't insult my pride. Who are you, what are you and who taught you to fight like that?" He grumbled sitting up. I got up and stepped to the side giving him the room he needed.
"I am Kia Bell Hughes, former future Alpha of a pack of weredogs well know throughout the world. My father, beta. My uncle, alpha and many others have all had a hand in my fighting. Does that answer all your questions to your liking?" I said offering him my hand and a lop sided grin.
"How come I have yet to hear of such a pack of beings if they are so well known?" He asked me accepting my hand.
"Because we don't exist yet. I could spend all day telling you how that is possible but I'm going to take the cheap way out and say it was magic. Because at its core, that's the true reason behind all of this. Hope you don't bare any harsh feelings General Chiro. You certainly did keep me on my toes." I said patting him on the back as he got to his feet.
"Of course not, I was foolish and underestimated you. This is my punishment for offending in such a way." He said offering me a half ass grin. I could tell he was trying to to be a poor sport.
"Hey, maybe I'll some how get a hold of some brass knuckles. Then you can use your sword against me. You could very likely win that match. Usually I don't use anything other than my fist." I offered him.
"Or a crowbar, or baseball bat. Hell even a skate board." Damien added making Chiro huff in humor.
"I don't know what those weapons are but wouldn't brass knuckles be the same as using your fists?" The General asked looking to the man he handed his gear over. He nodded to him and the guy stepped forward and helped him put it back on.
"True...but swords give you a slight advantage and as I have heard many demons carry demonic swords. Demonic swords versus metal knuckles? Does that seem like a match that would swing in my favor?" I pointed out.
"She's a damn brute!" A man in the crowd gawked.
"She's a underworld she beast!" Another added.
"Hey, what are you lazy fools doing still standing around? Get back to what you were doing." General Chiro barked at them firmly. Reluctantly they all went back into the dojo. Some murmured insults hurled at the both of us before they did so. "Have that hole fixed before night fall as well." He called after them.
"Shit...I didn't mean to stir up drama for you. We should have done this more privately." I mused.
"Once again, I miss judged you and let my pride get in the way of better judgment. This is my cross to bear now. Don't feel guilty for you did nothing wrong. Now tell me, is your brother on the same level as you?" He said looking to Damien.
"No, he's just a pup really." I shrugged.
"Am not!" He protested.
"You have yet to make it to your first year of moon cycles. You are a baby." I droned.
"Yeah! Well you have only had four years of moon cycles! That makes you barely a toddler yourself!" He spat.
"He is not a baby! Damien may not be as good as you but in my opinion he is still very strong." Rin defended. "Besides! If he's a puppy then that's alright! Cause he's a very handsome puppy!" She said then immediately blushed and looked horrified at the realization of what she said.
"Well then...I assume you guys are talking about some sort of standard or tradition in your pack?" Chiro said awkwardly trying to ignore what jut happened. He walked forward and we followed him since it was clear he still wanted to talk.
"Yes, I would tell you but I can't. Against our laws to do such. I will say that my brother is right. As loath as I am to admit. I am barely a toddler in the eyes of my pack. I have a lot to grow. Not literally of course, I mean of strength. Of course, I am far ahead of those in my pack of the same age. Our lives sometimes gets in the way of us being able to dedicate the appropriate amount of time into training. Our existence has be rather peaceful for the last three hundred years."
"I see, thank you for explaining what you are allowed to explain." He said.
"The only reason why we have had so much peace is because of the guardianship of the western moon pack!" Damien enthused happily.
"That's just a damn bed time story that moms tell their pups! Like a fairy tale of a superman story." I rolled my eyes.
"Is not! It's a legend of our people! The first story ever told!" He exclaimed.
"Every legend has a shred of truth to it." Chiro agreed.
"Well ba humbug!" I grumbled crossing my arms.
"What legend is he talking about?" Rin pouted frustrated at having been forgotten and eft out of the conversation for a moment.
"The legend of the western moon pack. It's the first story passed down by our ancestors. According to the legend this pack was constructed of the most elite weredogs. Some say they still live roaming the earth protecting our kind from hunters. Before you even ask. Hunters are humans who learned to kill us and, as their title may suggest, hunt us. Their are also other werebeasts, vampires and witches to worry about too. Shit, zombies were once an issue as well." I said with a tired sigh.
"That sounds amazing! I see why Damien would believe in such a pack!" She exclaimed.
"I do too. Most likely they were just a pack that was very strong for their Era." Chiro stated.
"If they existed at all. Like I said. It's a story told to pups before bed. It was probably made up so that frightened pups could sleep easy during the time of our kinds most darkest hour." I added in.
"Grinch." Damien woofed lowly at me.
"Whatever Cindy Loo Who." I shot back with a teasing smirk.
"So I heard more than just your forms when over hearing the ladies gossip. Would you care for me to tell you what I heard?" Chiro asked.
"Fire away General." I said giving him a half hearted salute.
"They say you brutally murdered one of the ladies here, the wife of the head of guard."
"Yup. She tried to kill me so I killed her."
"She would've died either way. So did you fight the guards when they took you? The ladies said you were dragged away frothing at the mouth like a mad animal." He asked.
"No, she went very willingly. Even allowed them to drag her about as they pleased." Damien frowned.
"Really? Then I guess the talk of you in the dungeon fighting against your restraints making unlady like noises are false." He said.
"Yes. When Lord Sesshomaru said I was free of any charge of crime I simple took off my restraints. The entire time I could have simply walked off or escaped but I played by the rules." I said.
"Mostly cause she loves to see the look on people's faces when they realized she was just toying with them." Damien muttered.
"Yes, I could see that trait in her by the way she fought." He said looking down at me with a grin.
"Hey, I didn't hit below the belt. It was a fair fight." I said shooting him a cocky grin.
"I dare say you knew you would win that match but my pride demand I go on with my life never truly knowing." He said slightly sulking.
"Hey! What I said about the sword match was true if it makes you feel better." I exclaimed.
"It does, slightly." He admitted with a pout before breaking off in laughter that came from the pits of his belly. "So? Would you like me to offer you some security? Since Lord Sesshomaru is gone I can only imagine how on guard you all must be. Since you two weredogs are disliked and Lady Rin is a human." He offered seriously.
"I accept. Not that I need your protection, but I want it. Simply because I refuse to leave because of Rin. Yet I loath having to put this much energy into something if I can't simply fix the issue my way. Can't have Lord Sesshomaru coming back to a large portion of his court killed now can we?" I said.
"Of course not, though you would probably become one of his most favorite creatures should you do so." He joked with me. Yet as quietly as it was. I began to actually contemplate killing off his court in hopes of such favor from him. I quickly caught and scolded myself for such puppy like fantasies. I was no suck up, nor was I desperate for approval from anyone.
"Keh, I wouldn't care either way. I just don't wish to create trouble. I would rather live in moderate peace while I continue to train myself to be stronger." I said folding my arms up under my boobs.
"I see, so what are your plans for today? I personally have, none thanks to Lord Sesshomaru being absent." He inquired.
"We actually don't know what the heck we are going to do either. I think my brother and Rin are content what they are doing now though." I said sparing my brother a teasing side glance.
"It seems we are in the same boat then...Heh." He said with a few awkward chuckles.
"We could always mess with the court in some way or another." I offered.
"Unfortunately, it's best if we not upset the harpies of the court. How about we go to the weapons barrack and see if we can't find something to your liking?" He offered.
"You mean I get to be in a room filled with pointy objects?" I asked looking at him excitedly.
"Don't do it, you'll destroy us all." Damien exclaimed looking up to Chiro imploringly.
"It'll be fine, I'll make sure she doesn't get too excited with a weapon in her hand." Chiro promised. Rin frowned at what she gathered from the conversation and hunkered down into Damien more. Despite their uncomfortable feelings towards me being shown a shit ton of weapons, they followed us.
...
Five adults ranging from the age of 18 to 24 walked down the streets of Tokyo Japan. The tallest of the five, a colored male at the age of 19. Stood 6'4 wearing black raybands, a white muscled shirt, blue jeans, a leather jacket and a pair of steel toed boots. Despite his age this man had facial hair but was bald.
Next to him only measuring up to 5'5 was a woman of the age of 25. She wore a jacket with a hello kitty hood, tight booty shorts, black tights and furry boots. Her frosted streaked blonde hair down to her chest.
Then off to her side was two males ages 20 and 21 both obviously related. Both had shaggy red hair and pasty white skin. The eldest of the two wore a V neck black top, baggy blue pants and white sneakers. The younger of the two wore a blue tank top, gray shorts, and flip flops.
Beside the younger of the two brothers was a colored woman at the age of 21. She wore a red long sleeved shirt, form fitting black jeans and black slip on shoes. Her ebony hair was down to her hips in beach waves.
"Its getting really freaking cold." The hello kitty hooded female complained wrapping her arms around herself.
"That's what you two get for spending the entire summer in Georgia." The eldest of the brothers said tiredly.
"Guys, it's been nearly two months since they disappeared. Do you think we'll seriously find them?" The ebony female asked looking down to the concrete as they walked.
"We'll find them, they couldn't have just disappeared Jasmine." The younger brother soothed placing a hand on her shoulder.
"It's strange how they did seem to just vanish. Gregory? Are you sure this doesn't have anything to do with the cult?" The female shivering beside him asked.
"Naw, Nanna would've called by now yelling for us to run away. How about hunters or other were beasts? Jeremy?" Gregory said.
"Can't be another were beast. They would've left a trace behind. Besides, Kira is way too tough to be taken down like that!" Jeremy dismissed.
"I just think this is hopeless! If she and sugar cube were alive then they would've came back already." Jasmine huffed.
"Stop being negative. She's alive and if she heard you doubting her she would slap you upside the head." The eldest brother said sharply.
"Hey, she was closest with Kira. Take it easy on her. Even her parents are morning already." Jeremy defended.
"Guys...it's the shrine that the trackers lost their scent at." Gregory said pointing up a set of long stone steps. "You guys want to check it out?"
"What could we find that the trackers couldn't?" Huffed the shivering female beside him.
"I don't know but it's better than nothing. We can't give up when we are the only one's looking now." Jeremy said taking the first step towards the stairs. Everyone else wordlessly followed him up. Once at the top the group saw an elderly man tending to the grounds. Immediately the man's eyes light up in excitement at seeing them there.
"Hello! Welcome to the Higrashi shrine!" The man exclaimed.
"Hello, we're looking to learn more about Japans culture and figured shrines were the best place to go. We hope we are not intruding." The elder of the brothers said.
"Not at all! Not at all! Come on in! I will be more than happy to show you all around and tell you of our shrines history!" The elderly man insisted. Everyone in the ground shared a look before slapping on a wide happy grin. They all followed the old man and began their tour of the shrine and shop. All kept an eye on the well house where the trackers reported the scent of their friend disappearing.
...
"What's wrong?" Damien barked at me snapping me from my sudden fit of zoning out. I blinked and lightly shook my head before setting down the wooden staff I had been holding. With a small smile and turned towards my brother and Rin.
"Nothing, just got in a mood is all." I dismissed.
"Are you sure? It happened so suddenly." Rin asked frowning in concern for me.
"Yeah, yeah." I quickly nodded my head. Truth was I felt, for lack of a better term, a disturbance in the force. It was just this odd gut feeling paired with my instincts chewing at me. Before I could slip into another zone out Chiro approached with a pair of heavily armored gloves.
"Would these be considered brass knuckles to you?" He asked frowning down at the gloves as he handed them to me. At the knuckles their was metal spikes along with a band of metal that they rested on.
"Pretty damn close." I mused nodding my head in approval. I put them on and instantly flexed my fingers. They moved a little awkwardly but that was find, I could get used to it. I turned towards a straw dummy and sent a powerful punch at it's core. The result was it practically exploding into a pile of loose straw.
"Not bad, but I don't think you'll be truly happy with just pretty damn close. Perhaps if you do Lord Sesshomaru a great service he will put out an order for the construction of what you want." Chiro offered.
"Yeah, and maybe even a metal baseball bat for Damien over here. I'm not the only Homer until hitter in this room." I said patting my brother's head.
"It would be nice to be able to swing around a bat again." He agreed happily pressing his head into my hand. For the moment my gut feeling had been ignored. Yet as we left the barracks both me and my brother seemed to be inflicted with the same gut feeling only this time it came back with a vengeance. Both of us looked at each other not know what to make of it.
...
"Okay, so their scent disappeared in there?" Jeremy questioned as the five young adults peered down the well.
"Yeah, that's what the reports showed." Jasmine confirmed holding her phones light over the opening of the well.
"So...maybe we need to jump down there and see if there's a trap door or something?" Jeremy suggested.
"Like, no way. Doing that is like condemning ourselves to the same fate as them." The shivering girl huffed.
"So you rather just give up?"
"No, you guys can go down but I'm staying right here." She exclaimed.
"So we're going to split up then?" Jeremy clarified.
"Yep. Looks like we are doing a real life parody of Scooby-Doo. Eric, Me and you will go down the well. Gregory and Hailey can stay up here." Jasmine said jumping up onto the lip of the well.
"Sounds good to me." Eric smiled jumping up along with his brother. The three young adults jumped down the well while the other two watched their descent. When they were about to reach the bottom of the well all three of them vanished.
"Holy shit where did they go?" Hailey yelled hunch in over the edge of the well frantically. In that moment Gregory's phone started to ring scaring Hailey. "What the heck?" She hissed.
"It's Nanna...come on. We've got to jump down." Gregory said scooping up Hailey into his arms.
"Wait you said Nanna would only call if you were close to something that had to do with the cult or black magic! So why are we going to leap into the thing that made our friends disappear?" She yelled latching onto him as he jumped onto the lip of the well.
"Cause they don't know magic like I do. They could be in need of our assistance. Can you really just walk away like nothing happened? Especially now that they not only have Kira and Damien, but Jeremy, Eric and Jasmine?" He questioned.
"N...no. Alright, but you owe me one." She pouted.
"Don't I always." He smirked before planting a kiss on her forehead. Hailey blushed and smiled despite their descent into the well. When the two finally landed they found themselves in the well. Hailey looked up and caught Jeremy crawling out of the well.
"Hey! We followed you guys after you disappeared! Did you see the weird floating purple and pink dimensions of sorts?" Hailey yelled up at them. The second see did three heads peered down at them.
"Yes we did but that can kiss my ass for now! We have bigger problems!" Eric yelled down at the two.
"I have a weird feeling about this place." Gregory said before jumped from the bottom of the well to the surface.
"Oohhh! Don't say that! Why did you have to say that? I hate your weird feelings!" Hailey whined. The five of them looked around at the trees and plant life around them. All took their time sniffing the air and using their senses to feel out this strange place.
"Do you think we somehow traveled to a new world?" Jeremy asked.
"No...I think we traveled back in time..." Jasmine said absently as she walked towards the trees. She looked all around her before setting her eyes in the direction she felt a energy spike. From the feel it was dog but it was different from themselves.
"What do you think that is?" Eric asked.
"There's only one way to find out." Jeremy smirked.
"Hey! Why can't we just jump back down the well and get the pack? Wouldn't that make more sense?" Hailey protested.
"Can't, I already tried jumping back down it. It's a one way street." Jeremy said as the group began walking.
"WHAT?! How will we get home?" Hailey exclaimed.
"I don't know but I got this feeling we'll find Kira and Damien here." Jasmine said in finality.
"Maybe they are close to figuring out how to get back home." Gregory offered trying to soothe his future mate.
"I hope so..." Hailey groaned. The group walked unknowingly towards Inuyasha's village. Along the way they would point out things they noticed. Like the lack of pollution or sound around them. Soon the sun began to set and the group made came for the night.