Insert Standard Disclaimer here
"Let's Make a Deal"
"Inuyasha! It's appeared again!"
"What? Damn! Move it, Miatsu!"
Inuyasha slid to a halt. Miatsu slid off the hanyou's back, ran to a nearby tree, and couched his right arm in a crook between the trunk and a branch. He had just barely managed to brace himself when the full force hit, stronger than ever before.
First there came a rush of night air and dust; then a smattering of airborne insects unfortunate enough to be nearby in that direction; then a whirlwind of dewy leaves, twigs, and other light debris; and finally a cascade of pebbles. It must be getting bigger, if it's fitting all this stuff in, he thought as a hapless nocturnal mouse was sucked inside, still squeaking. In the moonlight, he could see and hear other trees began to sway and creak in the formidable wind. The wind began to dry out his eyes, so he squeezed them shut. Must not fall asleep…
His mind drifted, as it always did when he had to strictly focus his body. You silly fool… just look at the mess you've gotten yourself into. Didn't the master always say, 'Hanyous are a troublesome lot'? Why in the world did you jump out to protect him like that? It's not like you owed it to him or anything. Heh. I guess it's just in my nature to try to protect everyone I can, even at my own expense. He really is a good person, though he tries to hide it. Besides… if something happened to him, I know at least two good people who would be sad… and I refuse to let that happen to them!
What if it becomes permanent before we get there? Dare I ask him to risk his life for my sake? A flash of inspiration brought to mind the slip of paper tucked into a special pocket in his robe. I don't know what will happen, but I could try that… though the results can be rather… unpredictable.
Inuyasha watched Miatsu from a safe distance. This trip should've been over by now, but we have to keep stopping every time it comes back. He stretched out his legs and arms, and rubbed his sore shoulders and hips. I haven't hurt like this in ages! I suppose I'm not used to carrying someone so heavy that quickly. He glanced over at Miatsu. Man, he looks tired. Well, duh, he's hardly slept at all since this thing started, I bet. That thing's bound to become permanent any time now… what then?
Naraku… he meant that thing for me. If Miatsu hadn't jumped in between and blocked it, I might be the one with a tornado coming out of my hand… or my chest. I might already be dead! Heh. I hate to admit it, but I might very well owe him my life. Plus, the women would hate it if something were to happen to him, so I have to do all I can to keep him alive.
As Miatsu and Inuyasha each mulled over their own private thoughts, the howling wind gradually slowed to a light breeze, and then vanished altogether. His energy reserves utterly drained, Miatsu collapsed against the tree gratefully. I don't think I could have taken much more of that… what will happen next time?
"Hey. You okay, monk?"
"Yes. I'm just tired." Miatsu turned and willed his weary eyes to open. Great. Now I'm starting to see things that aren't there. It's not like him at all to… Skeptical though he was, he reached out towards Inuyasha's outstretched hand, and was startled when he made contact. Okay, maybe I'm not that tired. The firm handclasp sealed their unspoken contract as Inuyasha hauled him to his feet.
I'm not giving up on you, Miatsu. So don't you give up, either.
"Let's go."
xxxxx
Inuyasha rocketed through the forest, his body practically parallel to the ground. Each step created a small crater in the ground; the passing trees were merely a blur in the corner of his eye. Yet even at this break-neck speed, they were falling behind in this desperate race against time. Scarcely five minutes had passed since their last stop when Miatsu announced that it had returned.
"Inuyasha, didn't you hear me? We need to stop!" Miatsu insisted.
"No chance. We'll never make it at this rate. We'll just have to keep going, even while it's active. Just stick your hand out to one side!"
"Are you insane? We'll both get killed!"
"Maybe. Just do it!"
Miatsu quickly thrust his hand out to the right side.
Wooosh!
"Whoa!" Inuyasha staggered and nearly fell as he felt his whole body jerked to the right. "What do you think you're doing?"
"It's not me, it's my hand! I always get pulled towards whichever way it faces!"
"Well, I can't go straight when it's off to one side like that… stick it somewhere else!"
"You got it!"
WOOOSH!
"Now who's lost it?"
"Well, if we get pulled towards wherever it's pointing, and we want to go straight ahead, shouldn't we point it that way?"
I have to admit, we're moving even faster now… I guess I can handle having his hand stuck out in front of my face.
They pressed on, moving ever faster as the wind's power amplified. A rotten tree crashed down across their path; Inuyasha narrowly avoided it. Sizable rocks began to pelt him as they bounced along the ground, drawn towards Miatsu's hand. The dust and debris in the air made it increasingly difficult to see a clear path.
"Hold it for a moment, Inuyasha I think we're close enough now… here, put this in my hand!" Miatsu produced an ancient-looking sutra from somewhere and held it up to Inuyasha's face.
"What's this?"
"It's a sacred seal I picked up along my travels. It's supposed to be able to completely stop time for any single thing – and I mean anything – for the span of exactly one hour. Please, hurry! I can't hold my arm out straight much longer!"
Inuyasha carefully released Miatsu's left leg, snatched the sutra, and carefully edged it toward the swirling, howling vortex. The paper was ripped from his hand and sucked inside… and the wind abruptly ceased.
Both exhausted, Inuyasha and Miatsu collapsed to the ground. "So… why didn't you use it before?" Inuyasha asked irritatedly.
"I… didn't know… exactly what it would do… if I used it. Could have had some nasty side effects… you know? Plus, we needed to be closer to the shrine… the elder monks will need this time to examine my hand."
"So we're almost there?"
"The river should be just over… over there." Miatsu pointed through the settling dust. "Follow it upstream. The shrine…" he yawned sleepily, "is at the base of the… falls…"
Well, he did say there might be side effects…
xxxxx
Inuyasha and the catalectic Miatsu arrived at the shrine just as the morning sun began to creep above the horizon. Inuyasha's eye traversed the tranquil, lush green valley in which it lay. "So, this is where you trained? Not bad. Not bad at all."
The waterfall cascading down the hillside beside the shrine sparkled in the clear light of the new day as Inuyasha trudged up the last few steps to the gate. Remembering the last time he'd tried to enter a shrine when he was unexpected, he stopped just shy of the open doors. Maybe if I go in Miatsu-side first… His legs protested, but he managed to turn around and walk backwards through the arch. No wards hindered his movement.
Phew… now, then… He raised his voice and bellowed. "Yo, anyone here? We need some help! Hey!"
The doors to the main building burst open, and a battalion of monks silently swarmed out and encircled Inuyasha. The holy men pried his comatose passenger off his back and scuttled off with their prize like a swarm of ants; before he could let loose a single word of protest or explanation, the door slammed shut and he was left alone in the courtyard.