Scroll Twenty-Five
A/N: Edited on 12/14/15
Silence had gripped the air like a snake coiling its body around its victim. Kagome felt InuYasha's name at the peak of her throat, but her mouth failed her and no words came spewing out. The group was at the moment frozen as if they were statues. Kagome took a large gulp and swallowed down the nausea that was threatening to rise up, and slowly crept over to InuYasha's fallen body. His breathe was loud and harsh, as if it his lungs were ripped from their tissues as well. Kagome couldn't see how far his skin was burning off, thanks to his clothes and armor, but it didn't matter. He was in a lot of pain.
"Sango, get my first-aid kit!" Kagome cried out to her exterminator friend. Sango didn't think twice and hurried over to the priestess's supplies and pulled out the white box. She rushed back to Kagome's aid and knelt beside the distraught girl. Without hesitation, Kagome immediately ripped out the bandages and started to wrap InuYasha's burning flesh as gently as she could.
"Don't waste your time priestess." Sesshomaru's voice abruptly interrupted the silence.
"What are you talking about Sesshomaru?!" Kagome snapped a bit surprised at the height of anger in her voice.
"He doesn't need human medicine to heal." Sesshomaru answered her in the same cold voice. Kagome turned her back and ignored the Demon Lord. InuYasha was in severe pain, he needed anything that was available to him. Sango decided to help Kagome by taking InuYasha's arm closest to her and begun to wrap it. InuYasha let out a groan and made an attempt to get away from the two women, but Kagome stopped him by putting her hand softy on the top of his head.
"How the hell did this even happen?" Kouga snorted. Miroku glanced at the wolf demon who was scouting the area for the invisible attacker.
"I haven't the slightest idea Kouga." Miroku answered. Kagome ignored the others and continued her nurse work and made sure InuYasha didn't try to squirm away again. She half-heartily wished he would say something sarcastic to get the worried nerve off her back. The only thing he was doing was breathing rather hard, and she could see how tightly his eyes were shut do the thick creases of muscle squashed together. His hands were quivering slightly and his ears were swerving in all directions.
"InuYasha…please hang in there." Kagome whispered. She rubbed one his ear with affection and continued her work. A shadow fell over her and she looked up to Sesshomaru standing over her and InuYasha. She frowned at him. What was he up to? To her horror, Sesshomaru's leg swiftly kicked InuYasha in the side causing him to groan and shift on the ground. Kagome dropped the bandage she had been holding and jumped up and surged at the Demon Lord ready to purify him into a pile of dust.
"You son of a bitch! Why did you do that?!" Kagome snarled. Just about as she was ready to deliver her blow, Sango surged up and restrained her. She dragged Kagome away from the Demon Lord.
"He knows why." Sesshomaru replied, not flinching to the sudden outburst by the priestess. Kagome let her aggressive adrenaline go and jerked out of Sango's arms to get back to helping InuYasha. Getting angry at Sesshomaru wasn't going to help InuYasha in any case. Sango eyes her priestess friend with a concerned look. Kagome was playing with dangerous water when it came between to the two dog demon brothers. Kagome began wrapping InuYasha's exposed muscle and flesh as best she could, knowing infection would settle in before long.
InuYasha groaned, and fought against the pain of all his nerve endings on fire. Kagome felt her stomach drop as she saw InuYasha in such pain. It was eating her up inside since she didn't even know how this injury had even happened. The others around them had encircled her and InuYasha trying to see how serious his injuries were. Sesshomaru was the only one staying further away staring at the sky with his usual cold look.
Sango bent down and started to help Kagome bandage up InuYasha again, hoping her less gentle touch wouldn't agitate the dog demon's wounds. InuYasha let out another groan as he failed to crawl away from the two woman's hands. Kagome stopped and looked down at InuYasha hoping his eyes would open. However all his eyes did was squeeze tighter in ward attempts to fight the pain that must have been excruciating.
"InuYasha?" Kagome called to him. For a moment it had appeared that his breathing had slowed down a bit, but then he groaned and shoved his hand and sent Sango about ten feet away.
"Ugh!" Sango was both surprised and angry at the force of InuYasha's shove, but she quickly regained her composure and stood up and brushed herself off.
"Sorry Sango!." Kagome apologized to her exterminator friend for InuYasha's behavior, even if his actions were justified. She grasped InuYasha's arm and nudged him hoping his eyes would open and give her a sign that he was alright.
Miroku walked over and knelt at InuYasha's head. "InuYasha are you alright?" InuYasha must have heard and snapped his eyes wide open, however they weren't his golden orbs. His eyes were blood red. Miroku instinctively moved back, while Kagome jumped at the sight of his demon eyes.
"InuYasha it's okay." Kagome up and looked at him, her eyes pleading he wouldn't lose his mind in his current state. InuYasha coughed and closed his eyes tightly again and let out a nasty snarl. Before Kagome could react, a huge gust of wind smacked her and pushed her and Miroku away. A bright light lit up in the sky and then it aimed itself at the ground and exploded to form a shape. A giant white dog. It wasn't the first time Kagome had actually seen the transformation of InuYasha since he had turned into the dog to turn into a demon in front of her, but this was the first time the others had actually seen InuYasha's true form.
The large dog's four legs began to shake and he crashed to the ground making it shake and causing most of the humans to collapse to the ground. Kagome gasped as she saw InuYasha's large eyes shut tight and tail wrap around his large body. He had all his fur and skin on his true form, thank goodness, but you could still tell he was immense pain. Silence once again held the clearing hostage. Kagome saw Kouga's mouth hang open then he shut it trying to hide his surprise. Miroku and Sango sat there stunned at what their half-demon friend had become. Sesshomaru looked on, as to say 'Finally, you've shown yourself' look. Kagome did her best to remain calm as she walked up the towering wall of fur. She put her hand and felt how soft he really was. This time she wasn't afraid of the large dog that now towered over all of them.
"He's a half-demon!" Kagome turned to see Jaken sputtering and walking in circles like the confused toad he was.
"Nope!" Rin laughed at Jaken's outburst. "He's a big fluffy dog like Lord Sesshomaru!" Kagome caught Sesshomaru's eye twitch, oh so slightly, at the comment that came from the little girl's mouth.
"One big fucking dog." Kouga muttered. Kagome narrowed her eyes him, causing Kouga to turn his head. Miroku and Sango finally got over the shock and started to walk over. Miroku had a fainted Shippo on his shoulder. Sango came up and touched InuYasha's fur and giggled as she shot her hand back.
"He's soft." Sango commented.
"Hey…" Kagome said.
"Sorry!" Sango smiled at her priestess friend. "He just reminds of Kirara." Kirara meowed and transformed into her larger form, rubbing up against InuYasha's large, slumbering body. Kagome went from where she was to InuYasha's large face and glanced up at him. He was sleeping soundly, and his soft panting could be heard.
"Understand now priestess?" Kagome turned towards the Demon Lord. "His transformation will heal those wounds much faster than any human treatment." Kagome glared at him, but then turned her back. She didn't want to admit that she had been wrong and Sesshomaru had been right. Gripping the thick white fur, she nestled down close to InuYasha and sighed.
"Humph, damn mutt." Kouga snorted. "How the hell did he turn into this anyway?"
"We don't know." Miroku answered the wolf. "That's what we're heading to find out."
"We'll be getting good sleep tonight!" Shippo, who had recovered from his faint spell, and yelled with excitement. He ran with his little paws and sunk into InuYasha's back. Kagome tried not laugh at Shippo's comment and snuggled closer to InuYasha. She was glad to hear his soft, but heavy breathing indicating he was still in a sound sleep and would remain that way most likely through the rest of the night.
Kouga snorted seeing Kagome snuggle next to InuYasha's large body. He wouldn't make any attempt to move her, since InuYasha's jaws might end up opening and make Kouga his dinner. Miroku and Sango began making the fire pit and lighting it and began to settle down. Kirara snuggled close to both the monk and exterminator while still keeping her back on InuYasha's soft fur. Rin had jumped with excitement and snuggled close behind Kagome into InuYasha's fur. Sesshomaru and Kouga were the only ones not going anywhere near InuYasha's looming form, but both were doing it for different reasons.
Sesshomaru looked at his half-brother's form in some sense he was staring at father. His markings were almost identical, but his form lacked the true power that their father's form did. InuYasha was smaller than father, just as Sesshomaru is. The Demon Lord noticed a few shivers go through InuYasha's large body a couple of times, most likely caused by the pain that was being inflicted do to his demonic healing.
As evening fell on the demon and human group, a loud slap echoed the clearing as well as a "You idiot" comment from Shippo. Sleep began to befall the humans and the night descended on many unanswered questions.
(-)_(-)
InuYasha blinked his eyes open as his body gave one last shudder upon waking up. His body was at an awkward angle and resting in armor that was jabbing into his shoulder wasn't helping in the least. Grunting, InuYasha managed to get up on his knees and surveyed the clearing.
Miroku and Sango seemed to have decided Kirara had been a good pillow and were lying on her. The large demon cat appeared to have fallen back like she had been in propped up against something. Kagome, Rin, and Shippo appeared the same way. They were all laying on their sides as if their shoulders had been leaning on something keeping them upright, but had fallen do to whatever it was no longer being there. Ah-Un and the toad were settled by the smoking wood that had once been a fire were and snoring slightly. Sesshomaru and Kouga were nowhere in sight.
"Figures." InuYasha muttered to himself. Getting up was a bit harder than InuYasha thought and he became a little dizzy and had to squat back onto the ground. Grunting, InuYasha stood up and walked slowly over to a nearby tree settling his hand against the bark taking short, shallow breathes. Sniffing his nose, InuYasha smelled a body of water nearby and headed to it. For some reason he felt dirty and gritty. Glancing at his arms he noticed a lot of blood residue and felt a lump come up his throat. What had happened? All he remembered was being hit by his own claw attack of his and the demon in front of him turning Kagome's own purification arrow on her. He felt the power to protect her, he just couldn't get to her…he couldn't get to her…
"Damn it!" InuYasha spat. Basically after that his mind was black until now. Sighing, InuYasha approached the small body of water and began to peel off the armor. He was slowly getting the hang of getting the bulky stuff off now, but it was still a pain in the neck. It turned out the armor had been coated in blood as well and was sticking to him and InuYasha had to use his claws to cut it off. Finally stripping down to nothing, he slowly waddled into the water.
Bathing wasn't something InuYasha did very often, but he honestly felt like shit this morning. He didn't want to smell himself like this all day and he defiantly didn't want to be coated in dry, sticky blood. Rinsing his body from head to toe, InuYasha could hear the morning bird's crow and the soft winds rumble through the hills. It was peaceful, yet InuYasha felt every hair stand on its end since nothing in this time was usually this quiet.
Closing his eyes, InuYasha sat back on a large boulder under the water and ripped the band from his hair letting it free to fall on his shoulders. Throwing it in the pile of fire rat and armor, InuYasha leaned back and sighed. His body was relaxed but his nose and ears were on high alert just in case someone wanted to sneak up on him. Well, they weren't sneaking since it was hard not to smell that scent. Sesshomaru's scent came through the trees, and InuYasha let out a low groan. He hated that his older brother had to come and interrupt his peace time. Shifting his weight and opening one eye, InuYasha glared as Sesshomaru made an entrance thru the thick trees.
"What the hell do you want?" InuYasha grumbled.
"Your wounds have healed it seems." Sesshomaru replied.
"And that concerns you?" InuYasha almost laughed. "If you wanted to be an older brother to me your too late now. Get lost asshole."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you think I want you, a half-demon, as my brother?"
"Last I checked I'm not a half-demon anymore." InuYasha spat.
"Your mother was still a human and that will never change."
"Shut the fuck up and get out of here!" InuYasha snapped, his calm demeanor finally slipping to the depths of the pool he sat in. "I'm not in the mood to fight you right now."
Turning his back on his brother, InuYasha dipped his head under the water not caring if Sesshomaru responded or not and started to clean his silver hair. InuYasha could feel the grime come out of the each strand as he combed his hand through each blade of hair. Coming up for a breath, he snarled in Sesshomaru's direction but only to find his brother gone. Sighing in relief, InuYasha started back to the bank to get dressed.
He was just about finished when he smelled the scent of Kagome drifting his way and the soft "pit-pat" of her footsteps on the forest floor. She probably came to check up on him since he didn't really recall what had happened at the end of the battle. Kagome's slim figure emerged from the woods, and a smile lit her face when her eyes met his. Of course InuYasha's hair was still a dripping mess so he flung the heavy bangs over his head and glanced at her.
"You look happy." He muttered.
"And you look healed." She replied. She came up and sat in his lap cupping his cheek with her palm. "You're completely healed. I suppose Sesshomaru knows a thing or two more then I thought."
"Keh, who cares what that bastard knows." InuYasha grumbled. "Kagome, what did exactly happen?"
Kagome sighed and shifted her weight on his body and leaned into his shoulder. "It's kind of hard to explain."
"I'm not going anywhere."
"Your skin was...burning off." Kagome looked at him as some of the color drained from her face.
InuYasha frowned. "What?"
"I think it was my arrow." Kagome wrapped her arms around her shoulders and closed her eyes. "You scared me InuYasha, again. I need to know who this demon is and why you can only see him."
"I don't know who he is." InuYasha said. "And I don't know why I'm the only who can only see him. It must be the 'something' he's after."
"The 'something'?"
"I already told you he said I had something that didn't belong to me." InuYasha gave her a stern look. "If only I knew what it was I would be able to tell you."
"Maybe we need to go find out." Kagome stared.
"Lead the way." InuYasha shrugged. "I have no idea where to start."
"Maybe I do." Both InuYasha and Kagome jumped and InuYasha's hand instinctively went to Tessaiga, but upon hearing the voice he recognized it as Myoga.
"Damn it Myoga!" InuYasha snapped, "Don't sneak up on us!"
"Sorry my Lord, but I couldn't help but hop onto Lady Kagome here and see you." The flea bounced onto InuYasha's nose and began to suck. "That and have breakfast."
"Damn flea!" InuYasha slapped his nose and let the flatten servant fall from his palm and onto the ground. "That's the only reason you came here for."
POP! Myoga puffed himself and shook his head. "No Lord InuYasha, I'm here to say I admire your true form! You look so much like your father." Tears flowed the old fleas face. "For a moment I thought the Great Lord Touga had come back from the dead! Oh you cruel world!"
"Get over yourself flea." InuYasha rolled his eyes. "Nothing can bring my old man back from the dead."
"Respect your father!" The flea snapped.
"Alright you two." Kagome sighed. "I think I came here to enjoy the peaceful morning, but with you two arguing you're are sure ruining the mood."
"Sorry Lady Kagome." Myoga bowed. "If only Lord InuYasha would listen…"
"Shut it flea."
"InuYasha…" Kagome gave him a glare. "Now you said you knew where we could start looking for answers. Where would that be Myoga?"
"Well…" Myoga said, "I think some of my memory is coming back ever since yesterday."
"Oh great, now he tells us." InuYasha snorted.
"Lord InuYasha! I'm an old flea, what more can you expect from me?" Myoga cried.
"That you would remember information that would be useful before a battle starts!" InuYasha snapped. "Well, what do you remember now?"
"Your father didn't get possessed during the battle which leads me to believe he had the object that this demon seems to be after." Myoga stated.
"And that object is what? You remember that part?" InuYasha asked.
"I have no idea!" Myoga wailed. "I told you, even I, his most trusted adviser, wasn't told every secret he possessed."
"Was this object passed to InuYasha like the Tessaiga was?" Kagome asked, hoping to keep InuYasha's temper down to a minimum.
"I would assume." Myoga replied. "However I knew about Tessaiga being passed down to Lord InuYasha, but nothing else that I'm aware of."
"But you said your 'memory' was returning." InuYasha said. "What is it flea?"
"I don't know WHAT it is Lord InuYasha I swear on your Lord Father's grave!" Myoga cried. "All I know was that your father must have passed it onto you. Because, even though you were possessed by the spear, it left you quite quickly then planted itself on Lord Sesshomaru."
"I also heard the spear say 'You have them'." Kagome said as she brought her hand to her chin. "Maybe we should go back to Totosai. He might still know something else."
"I'm afraid that this secret was held from him as well." Myoga sighed. "Otherwise Totosai would have brought it up when we met him to fix the Tessaiga."
"He also mentioned that InuYasha's fang was different." Kagome said.
"Indeed he did, but InuYasha's human blood has been subdued somehow." Myoga grumbled. "It must be due to whatever your father gave you Lord InuYasha."
"Keh." InuYasha frowned. "Who would know about it then?"
"I wouldn't know." Myoga sighed. "All the closest allies and friends have perished in that battle or have died off since your birth. I would have thought Lord Sesshomaru would have known something, but apparently Lord Touga didn't trust him either." InuYasha growled angrily and Kagome closed her eyes and sighed.
"I suggest we find that demon." Kagome said and looked up at InuYasha. "He might be the only one with the answers."
"He won't be giving me any answers. He'd be too busy trying to kill me." InuYasha spat. Kagome got out of InuYasha's lap and dusted her uniform off and went down to pick up the tie that had held part of InuYasha's hair up. She walked up to him and grabbed his silver locks and began to tighten them.
"Ouch woman!" InuYasha growled. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I liked your hair up." Kagome said.
"Well I don't! And besides it wasn't ALL up! Some of it was still down!" InuYasha hissed.
"Your Lord Father wore the exact hairstyle." Myoga puffed up with pride. "You should be happy that Lady Kagome loves your hair like that. Your Lady Mother always loved your father's hair in the same fashion." Both Kagome and InuYasha blushed at Myoga's words and glanced at one another for a moment.
"Keh." Was all InuYasha said as Kagome finished tying his hair up in one long ponytail. InuYasha stood up and walked away to the forest line and glanced back and said, "Well you both coming? We got a demon to find!"