Chapter 35 …. Little Talks.
It was amazing how sound proof the little room was, inside those four walls all that could be heard was the soft humming and beeping sounds of medical equipment. Sometimes coupled with the rustle of fabric or scuff of a shoe on the floor. However one only needed to look outside the window to see the chaos just outside the room. Where emergency vehicles navigated through treacherous broken streets on their way to the hospital. Each one jockeying for one of the few useable ambulance bays available, only to then be swamped by dozens of people desperate to escape!
The order to evacuate the city was given almost a day ago; but the earthquakes left the hospital dangerously isolated as the roads around it were rendered impassable in some places and sightings of monsters became more common. Which were further cutting off the hospital from what remained of civilization and creating a logistical nightmare. One that authorities were currently trying to tackle to the best of their abilities as police and volunteers worked to clear paths and hold some order over the chaotic evacuation effort. All of them unaware that they were being watched from a window three floors up.
Closing the curtains of the room Ruki gave a soft sigh, briefly entertaining a wish to have been out there keeping the monsters back and fighting with her comrades to ensure the safety of the fleeing hospital patience. But much to her disappointment, the reality was no where near as exciting. The rest of the Taijiya was out there fighting monsters and what did she have? Guard duty.
Though Sentei made if quite clear that the police would be capable enough, he still took nearly all of the Demon Hunters' meager forces here to this hospital, trying to provide aid and assistance to people who'd never seen a supernatural creature in their lives. If only they knew what went on just beyond their sights on a day to day basis. Then again it may be for the better to keep the general populace ignorant. With a bored look over her face, she sat down beside the hospital bed and quietly looked over Sakagami.
Imagine if anyone else knew that this man's fate was forever bound to a vicious monsters? She was sure that he would not manage to continue on with his lively hood as a historic investigator if such information became public. Sakagami had spent most of his life hiding that dark secrete and for the most part he succeeded in that endeavor, however he paid the price. Living a very solitary life with no ties to family and having few friends. Riko herself had been the only person to stay with him as he lay in the hospital bed all this time, ever by his side even if it wasn't for a noble cause.
Propping her chin on a small fist, Riko's eyes wandered over to the heart monitor, watching the little line jut up and down with each steady beat. Her assignment was a simple one: to question Sakagami when he woke. However in all the time she'd stood guard over the historian since he'd first arrived here, he'd only managed to wake up once. Completely without warning he just sat bolt upright one day, his silver eyes scanning the room around him blearily for a moment. He had Babbled nonsense as if he'd been asked a question, till he ran out of breath to speak and slumped back down, once more out like a light.
It was frustrating for the young Demon Hunter, to watch him sleep so peacefully while holding so much desperately needed information! Who was that creature he brought with him? He looked human but possessed a strength and fighting prowess that kept even Sentei back on his heels. He gave no visible signs of demonic power but clearly executed attacks that only a demon could manage. What were they dealing with?! Sakagami knew, but as he was right now in recovery from terrible wounds, so the answers would remain just out of her reach.
Drawing a soft sigh she slumped back against the chair and slid down into a slouch. She Pulled a phone out of her trench coat pocket and was in the middle of poking about for a game to play when a knock came to the door. The door creaking open a moment later, obviously not waiting for a response. Feeling a little unmotivated at the moment Riko simply called out a friendly hello, her eyes only peeling off the phones screen when a nurse stepped in. A nurse who had very pretty, very hard to miss pink hair.
The nurse remembered her manners and gave a little bow as the door closed behind her. "Excuse me," her attention quickly moved to Sakagami. Retrieving a clip board she gazed through a pair of glasses and fell silent as she read. With her pink hair pulled into an elegant updo, she wore a nurses uniform that accented her curvy frame and shapely legs so well that even Riko caught herself staring. But not before the nurse noticed, her dusty pink eyes looking at the room guest over her glasses. A little smile playing on her face. "Mr. Sakagami is next in line for evacuation. Would it be alright if I asked you to step outside while I prepare him for transport?"
Riko pushed herself up off the chair and subconsciously ran her finger through her own red hair, she flashed the nurse a well practiced goofy little school girl smile as her gaze drifted to the door. "Sorry about that! I didn't mean to be in your way! If you don't mind me asking though, are you going to do this by yourself? Is there anything I can help with?"
One by one the nurse inspected each of the monitoring devices, writing down their measurements onto the clip board. Looking up for a moment to return the young girl's smile with a sultry sweet one of her own. " Thank you. The hospital staff is spread thin right now, but I am sure Mr. Sakagami wont give me any trouble."
Rocking on her heels a little Riko gave a nervous laugh. "Oh! Right! I'm sorry!" Stiff legged, she slid to the door looking embarrassed and a little flustered, holding that smile as she opened the door and slipped out into the hall. Once the door closed her expression turned grim however, pressing her back to the wall she fished through a pocket and pulled out a decorative string of four beads. Two of which were lit up with an eerie light. Rolling the beads in the palm of her hand she quickly retrieved her phone to dial.
A few tense moments passed as she waited for the line to pick up, her eyes darting through the hall where nothing short of organized chaos was unfolding. Every few moments a room would open and several nurses and hospital staff would file out, bringing with them another patient. So why was there only one person to prep Sakagami? The click of the other line was almost missed due to her preoccupied thoughts. The receiving end remaining silent for a moment as Riko snapped back, struggling a moment to keep her voice calm and nonchalant. " I have two beads."
"I have two glasses and a bottle of wine if you have this Friday night off?" The other voice sounded a little shaky on the line, as if the line was practiced. More than likely in front of a mirror, or a computer monitor considering who it was.
Riko rolled her eyes and gave a little sigh. "Not now Chousa, I have two beads here. She looks human, if humans came with pink eyes, pink hair and a calendar girl figure. I want to know what I am getting into before I pull her off Sakagami."
There was a clatter on the other end of the line followed by what sounded like a frustrated sigh. Though Riko stood firm and waited patiently near the wall, her eyes darting to a room just down the hall where three nurses helped roll a man in his wheel chair out. The man's head was bandaged up almost completely, she was positive the poor fellow could not see through it. To be blind and scared, the thought brought with it a feeling of pity.
Chousa's tone crackled on the other end of the line, bringing her attention back to her issue at hand. "Nothing."
"Nothing? Are you sure? We seem to be getting that a lot lately Chousa!" Breath seeped through her clenched teeth as she bit back her sharp words. It wasn't his fault and she didn't mean to take it out on him, but it was still discouraging none the less.
"Nothing, I'm sorry Riko. Funny thing is I think I remember hearing about a 'person with interest' that has pink hair and pink eyes. I'll go looking through the paper archives later..." Chousa's tone dropped then as if something had caught his attention, but the only answer Riko could hear was the sounds of furious typing on an old keyboard.
For Riko, that flurry of typing caused her to freeze a moment, swallowing back bile as she hung onto the silence.
Chousa's tone turned serious. "Incoming. Picking up a surge through the sewers. Warning sent."
Without a word Riko hung up the phone and slipped it back into her pocket, her fingers searching for the taser she carried instead, her gaze quickly darting up and down the hall to see if anyone was paying her any attention. The hospital was already in a high level of panic and the last thing she wanted to do was raise that level further. Which would be a moot point in a few minutes anyway, it left her with only a small window of opportunity. With a controlled sense of calm Riko turned towards the door, drawing a breath and waiting till the count of three. Whoever or whatever the woman was in that room, her time had just run out.
With the grace of a well trained warrior she opened the door and slipped inside, her gaze instantly drawn towards the bed. Only to find it perfectly made with crisp new sheets and very much empty. The room around it in much the same state, every bit was spotless. As if no one had even been in there.
Movement caught the demon hunter's eye and she looked over to see the window wide open. White lace curtains dancing upon the gentle breeze. Curtains that she swatted aside when she rushed to the window sill, a look of sheer disbelief on her face as she desperately searched for any sign of them. Scanning roof tops, parked vehicles and the streets below, but not finding a single sign of Sakagami nor the pink haired nurse.
A curse rose to her lips as she quickly pulled out the phone once more. Though as she furiously dialed the sounds of screams came through the halls. Followed closely after by the guttural sound of a bestial roar! Now those curses flowed freely as water down hill! Shoving the phone into her pocket her hand slipped under that trench coat instead to draw her glaive. Without a look back she whirled out through the door and into the chaos erupting outside.
The door once again creaked softly before it gently closed in the wake of the departing demon huntress. The room standing quiet and still, until the sound of an exhaled breath broke the serene silence. Several glittery lights winked into existence, dancing upon the air as a shimmer came over the room. Rippling as if someone were pulling a veil out from before their eyes. As the spell finally dropped the rooms appearance altered, looking once more as it had before with it's unmade bed and general mess and clutter from days of occupation. Ryosei gave a soft smile and held out her hand as the shimmer still dancing in the air began to collect in her palm. Gathering in on itself until it at last became little more than a set of jade butterflies bound onto a red silk string.
Tucking the little charms into the top of her nurses outfit she casually turned to face Sakagami who was still very much out of it as he sat slumped forward in a wheel chair. " Alright then my friend, I think tonight is your lucky night hm?" Her finger tips caressed along the unconscious man's cheek as she leaned down to gaze into his peaceful looking face. "I wonder why everyone is so interested in the Ghost Hounds sacrifice all so suddenly?"
Dusty pink eyes lazily looked over the unconscious form before her. The smell of medicine and dried blood still clung to his body and made her nose itch. Though it did nothing to temper her curiosity. Her smile grew wider as her fingers hooked the historians chin, tilting his head up to her.
"Well then, shall we go Mr. Sakagami?"
…
"Odd time to be hungry Old Man, I thought we had a bigger problem?" Inuyasha quipped as he followed after the demon. A furry ear flicked back in his lingering irritation.
"Actually, I could use something. Though my initial thought was not due to my hunger." It was an off-handed reply at best, for his mind was lost in the chase so to speak. All the pieces were beginning to come together yet he was still dealing with some contradictions in his head. Thus, preoccupied, he relied on his nose to help lead him through the halls of the large house and find the kitchen.
Inuyasha stared after the youkai, a mixed expression of curiosity and annoyance on his face, as he waited for an answer but soon he realized that none would come while he was searching about. Taking Kagome's hand, he pushed on past the old dog and growled. "It's over this way, but you better start talking this time old man. What did you figure out?"
Arching his brow a little he moved aside to let his son and daughter in law through, before falling into step behind them. "Have you heard of the tale about Izanami and her husband Izanagi?"
Inuyasha stopped by a set of double doors, pushing them open for his wife and father. His eyes rolling up a moment as he pondered that question a moment. "I don't think I have hear of a tale, though for some reason those names sound familiar. "
"I have." Kagome piped up as she walked into the kitchen, placing a little peck of a kiss to Inuyasha's cheek along the way, wasting no time as she made her way to the cup boards in the search for tea. Welcoming the distraction as she tried to cover over the fact that she was a little suspicious of this sudden shift in the old demon's demeanor. From being stubbornly clammed up a few moments ago, to being ready to tell a story now, it was just a little too unsettling for her. "But I haven't heard that story since I was really young." She commented while opening a can of green tea to sniff at the fragrant dry leaves.
"It's an ancient story known to both the human and the supernatural world." Though before he could even begin the story he paused and stared in awe at the size of the kitchen! A peasant hut could fit in this room! The walls were lined with cooking machines of all kinds, racks of shiny pots and pans hung from the ceiling and everything from the floor to the countertops was covered in marble. At the center of the kitchen was a small island of counter space with chairs surrounding it. A bowl of glass fruit sitting as a center piece. Absolutely amazing, though he wondered why someone would need such a huge kitchen? Unless they planned to feed an army? Shaking his head a little to push that thought aside he spied the fridge and started for it.
"I wonder what would be in the ice box?"
"You mean Refrigerator, Old Man."
"Does that mean it takes less ice?" He asked after opening the door to the first freezer he'd ever seen. Staring blankly at the frozen food stored within for a few long minutes before closing the door. Reality set in, he was so behind on the times that the last kitchen he'd ever stepped into had a wood burning stove and a box where ice was stored to keep food for longer.
"Ice boxes have been gone for years. " Kagome's tone rose just as Inuyasha's mouth opened, stopping the hanyou's intended insult from rolling off his tongue. She gave a soft giggle as her husband's following flustered look before she resumed her preparations for tea.
"I see." Doing his best to bury that moment of embarrassment he ruined his attention back to the fridge. "The short version of the story is; Izanagi was deity married to the beautiful Lady Izanami. The two are credited with the birth of many lesser deities in their time. Until one day Izanami succumbed after child birth and perished." Opening the fridge to search about, he plucked up various items to sniff while he talked. The house had been evacuated for some time now, however thanks to some mysterious source of electrical power the food was preserved well enough.
" Izanagi however would not give up on his wife. In his eyes her beauty alone was worth breaking down the barriers that separated the living world from the underworld. Opening such a door way he crossed that boundary and sought to retrieve his beautiful Izanami."
Lifting the lid of a heavy pot he sniffed at the contents and perked a little. The aroma of beef, carrots and savory broth instantly made his stomach gurgle. How long had it been since he'd enjoyed a beef bowl? Pulling the pot out of the fridge he started for the stove. "When Izanagi had at last found Izanami, she begged him not to lay eyes on her and in turn Izanagi promised to keep his eyes averted. For little did he know that she had eaten some of the food of the underworld, which had permanently linked her to that realm and could never return to the living."
"But Izanami was a very curious fellow and eventually that curiosity got the better of him." Setting the pot on the stove he instinctively began to look around for wood as he opened the 'fire box". Only to notice that the interior looked strange and smelled of gas instead of ashes. Realizing that he'd made a mistake he quickly shut the oven and continued on as if he meant to open it for no reason!
His gaze turned then to the numerous dials and switches lining the stove top, several of them. Exactly what was he supposed to do to turn this contraption on?
For several minutes he stared at them dumbfounded, until he noticed one button labeled Start? Well, what harm could there be in trying? Reluctantly he reached over and hit that button.
"Please SELLECT the desired temperature for PREHEAT!" The voice was sudden, sounded very much like a child's and startled the youkai badly enough to jump back a step from the thing, staring at it wide eyed!
"You turned on the oven Old Man." Inuyasha couldn't hide the snicker that followed. Finding some morbid amusing in watching his father bumble with the stove.
"I turned the- oh no! " Thoroughly alarmed now he pulled open the oven door once again as he searched for the source of the voice, and stared at the emptiness with some small sense of relief. "Nothing is closed in here. Do these contraptions speak to you now?"
While he stood there casting the stove a bewildered look Kagome came up beside him to save the day, closing the oven door and hitting another button that caused the stove to announce that it was turned off in it's child like voice. Setting a kettle of water down on the stove top Kagome took the time to answer while reaching for the dials. " Not all of them do, this is a high end model stove. Here let me show you how to use this. Just turn this knob first to open the gas, then you hit this button until the flame sparks." Pressing a switch, the stove made a soft clicking sound before a blue flame came to life under the tea pot.
She made it look so simple and left him feeling a little foolish for the whole experience. "Thank you, I've not operated one of these ever." Hiding his embarrassment with a well practiced smile he repeated her directions and lit the flame beneath the pot. It truly seemed silly but he felt a sense of accomplishment when he saw that little blue flame! Leaving the beef heating up he turned his attention to the next order of business. "Now, we cannot have a beef bowl without rice."
"We wont learn about Izanagi and Izanami if you keep playing with your inner home maker Old Man!"
Following his nose he moved along the polished cabinets while ignoring his son's impatient rant. He dug out a silver canister a moment later to pop open, his effort rewarded by the sweet smell of jasmine rice. With his treasure in hand he only started to look for a pot when Kagome appeared once again beside him and placed a round looking white machine on the counter beside him.
"This is a rice cooker. " She mentioned off hand and after catching the youkai's second bewildered look, she idly nipped the rice canister right from his hand and scuttled away before he could protest!
As he studied the rice cooker that bewildered look turned to a doubtful one. The thing looked thin and plastic. From his experience, rice was always cooked in a heavy bottomed earthen pot. One of the first things he learned how to cook was rice and using that earthen pot was an integral part of how, back during that time he had one particular pot that never failed him. Fluffy rice every time, even when he accidentally forgot the thing over the fire for too long. Never was a grain ever burned and whatever rice rested on the bottom always browned and toasted into a crisp treat that was delicious with a drizzle of honey.
He was rather proud of how well he could cook rice. Thus he was a little skeptical about this plastic box with a thin metal bowl that Kagome was currently measuring water into. " You need a contraption to cook rice as well? Does it also talk?"
Setting the tea cups on the little kitchen island, Inuyasha shot a look over his shoulder at his father. A dark brow twitched a little. " Hey old man, how about you continue the story and leave the rice to that machine?" As odd and amusing as it was watching his father making a fool of himself in the kitchen, they needed to know what in the world he'd found out!
With a wooden spoon in hand he turned back to his son, eyeing him a moment before suddenly remembering where he'd left off. "Ah! My apologies, distracted by food how embarrassing! " Giving a soft chuckle as a sweat drop rolled down he lifted the beef pots lid and gave the contents a stir. "Well, as I was explaining, Izanagi was a curious man, he snuck a look at his wife when he felt he had the opportunity. However he was not prepared for what he saw, his beautiful Izanami was reduced to a gruesome corpse that oozed black blood. Seeing his wife's body in a state of decay and rot was unfortunately a bit too much for Izanagi to bare and he could not help but cry out in fright; Revealing his treachery."
Tapping the spoon on the edge of the pot, he looked over to the pair with a little smile. "Izanami was absolutely enraged when she laid eyes on her husband. Her fury only intensified when he turned and fled from her as fast as he could." The whistling tea kettle interrupted him for a moment.
Inuyasha though gave him a look while he collected the screeching thing off the stove and filled a tea pot with the boiling water. " Alright, so the moral of this story is: Hell hath no fury like a pissed off wife. What does that have to do with the Dark queen and the Necromantic monsters?" He grumbled sourly, not seeing the point of this tale yet. He turned towards his father, only to find a wooden spoon pointed right at his face!
The youkai flashed an all-knowing smirk. "Everything actually. When I first slew one of those monsters I could smell a strange kind of Necromancy unraveling from them. Then earlier today I had witnessed their odd reaction to music, their behavior completely changing before my eyes. " Holding that wooden spoon up as if he were making a point he looked between the hanyou and the miko. He Quickly noted their curious looks.
Drawing a little sigh he folded his arms over his chest, still waving that spoon somewhat as he continued. "When Izanami discovered her husband had broken his promise she was livid, she summoned eight underworld hags to chase him down and capture him. Fortunately Izanagi was quite the trickster and he managed to escape these hags. Then he sealed the door way to the underworld behind him. Thereby cutting off Izanami and her hags from the living world. However, that seal was far from permanent and as the centuries rolled on Izanami and her monsters learned how to weaken the boundary between the living world and the dead. Creating other door ways."
Leaving that bit of the tale sink in for the pair, he turned his attention back to the beef pot. Savoring the wonderful smell that filled the room the moment he lifted the lid. "I believe those 'Necromantic' Monsters are in actuality, a version of a creature known as the Nukibotoke. An undead that can only be raised by ancient magic. Magic that in this day in age could only come from one of the more powerful denizens of the underworld."
Inuyasha leaned back a little on the kitchen island and stared at his father in thought. Casting a quick look to Kagome to see if she had a better response. But her shrug told him everything, with small degree of shyness he called out to the youkai. "So the dark queen is this Izanami person? "
With the beef almost at a simmer, he lowered the heat and set the wooden spoon aside. " If this 'Dark Queen' truly is Izanami then I am afraid there is nothing we can do to save this city, she is a deity after all. Even the oldest and most powerful of youkai would be humbled by her presence." Turning his attention to the cupboards once more he searched for glassware, unaware of the shocked look on the pairs' faces behind him.
Kagome then realized that if they wanted to get anywhere in a timely manner today, then he needed to stop being distracted every five minutes! Puffing out her cheeks she came over to the old demon's side to do something about it and deftly elbowed the bigger man out of her way! She Pointed at the chairs around the kitchen island, giving the old demon an icy glare as she uttered one command, "Sit."
Inuyasha instinctively froze, though the old demon didn't see the odd reaction. He only tilted his head a little at the young woman in front of him. Opening his mouth to politely protest she just pointed again. "Let me handle the food, you need to sit and finish telling us the story. "
There was something off about this exchange, though the demon couldn't put his finger on it. When he spied his son looking like he'd just had the biggest fright of his life while bracing himself against the table, a sweat drop rolled down and he began to feel sorry for his boy. "Ah! My apologies, I did not think the tale would affect you that much." Giving up his kitchen duty the youkai made his way to the chair in defeat, keeping a concerned eye on his recovering son at the same time. "Before anything more happens, no, I do not believe Izanami is the one we are facing here. Rather I believe it is one of her hand maidens, a Shikome. Another name for the hags that chased Izanagi."
Inuyasha cast his father an annoyed look as he sat down and heaved a huge breath. The rosary around his neck had been stripped of its power for years now, but he still could not stop that conditioned reflex to the 's-word'. Though he knew his father's look was for the wrong reasons, he didn't bother to correct him. Slowly sinking back into his chair the hanyou sighed. "So we're dealing with one of the hags that chased after a god. You know, that doesn't make this situation feel any better. How the hell as we supposed to fight her?"
With a wave of a hand he motioned for his son to settle down. "Calm down Inuyasha, the answer is very simple..." Then the answer was quite forgotten as Kagome returned with two large bowls of beef and rice, and set one before each dog. With discipline he stopped himself from digging in right away. He was hungrier than he first thought. As if the smell of food reminded his stomach of the purpose behind it's existence. But, manners! Stubbornly he waited until Kagome had returned with her bowl and settled in a chair with them. With an inner sigh of relief he gathered up the bowl and chop sticks to eat.
"How simple?" Inuyasha mumbled from around a large mouth full of food. Not really bothered too much by the looks he was getting from both Kagome and his father. Though he did flash them both an annoyed look in return. "What!?"
"That is rude Inuyasha." He sighed softly and shook his head, turning his attention back to his food as he mixed the rice with the savory broth.
"Please keep going?" Kagome's gentle plea caused him to stop mid bite. A defeated expression on his face as he set down the chopsticks and continued. " As I was saying the answer is simple, you can stop the Nukibotoke by distracting them with music. If there are any bards among the wolves this should be an easy task."
"You're about 300 years too late to be asking for a bard old man." Inuyasha grumbled as he watched his father stuff a large bite of food in his mouth. Shaking his head a little as he turned to his own food.
Kagome picked at her meal as she added. " We could bring along battery powered radios. But there are too many Nukibotokes out there." Giving the demon the chance to eat she turned then to Inuyasha. "You know, we never questioned why she was attacking the city?"
That was the big question wasn't it? With his interest in the meal lost the hanyou fiddled with the chopsticks in his hand. " All we know is that she appeared after the earthquake. We don't know if she woke from it or was the one behind it. But now that we know who she is, I think now we can guess that she's still looking for that peeping creep Izanagi."
"Before Izanagi sealed the door way to the underworld, Izanami promised to kill a thousand people a day" The couple fell into silence at the old demon's words, their eyes fixed on him as he chewed thoughtfully at a bite of food. " It is safe to assume this Shikome is only doing the bidding of her Goddess. However I am still curious as to why myself. In my time alive I have never seen nor experienced any signs from the Goddess of the Underworld. "
It was a sobering thought now that he considered it, how many times he'd unknowingly flirted with disaster in his effort to hone the Meidou Zangestsuha? Pushing the thought out of his head his attention returned to his bowl, only to find it empty, and realizing that he'd finished his meal far faster than intended, despite making a conscious effort to take it slow and enjoy it. Rising from his chair he made his way to the counter for seconds. "With the aid of music the monsters will be destracted from the fight. Giving us an advantage when we finally corner the Shikome."
"Sounds great Old Man, but we still have to find this hag! Any ideas on that?" Inuyasha grumbled while the old demon sat himself back down and dug into his second helping. Though it was Kagome that answered that question.
"I think I know a way, if these 'power lines' of dark magic are feeding the Shikome's power then we just have to follow one." Setting down her chop sticks Kagome pulled a purse off her shoulder and began to route around in it. "My aura sense can't feel the power line unless I cross it directly, so that wont help us. But I have this!" Out of a velvet satchel a triangular crystal tethered to a slender silver chain tumbled out onto her palm.
Inuyasha lost interest in his dinner and leaned over to look at his wife's find. "Is that a pendulum?" Although Kagome was priestess, she was never exactly formally trained at a shrine under the guidance of a head spiritualist. Instead the old village miko Kaede taught her everything she knew, but much of what Kagome was capable of was beyond even her expertise. However Inuyasha remembered the lesson involving the pendulum. If he remembered right, the crystal was tuned to the earth. Thus when it crossed any kind of disturbance in the earth's flow of ambient aura it would move on it's own.
"Be sure that you are well away from myself when you use that Kagome. My demonic aura can stretch quite far and distort it's readings." The youkai warned, the pendulum was a wonderful tool for detecting power but it was very sensitive. Especially to turbulent energies like a demons aura. With a smile and nod to the miko's quick thinking he returned his attention to his dinner, and finished off the last few bites.
Satisfied with Kagome's idea the hanyou sat back to ponder over the pieces of their plan coming together here. His eyes rolled to his father who still looked ravenous and with a snort he shoved his own barely touched food to the youkai.
"Here, you look like you've not eaten in days. "
Feeling a bit like a glutton at this point, the youkai looked at the food and politely refused, only to have Inuyasha forcefully shove the bowl back in front of him again. Accepting defeat he took the bowl with a word of thanks. Thinking back to his last decent meal, which was in China, he'd not eaten much of anything the sailors offered on the boat trip due to the fact that the food almost always smelled spoiled. There was the small lunch in Sakagami's van, but it was not enough to sate him then. "In truth I've not had a hot meal in a couple of weeks now."
"Then you need that more than me. Now whenever you're done Old Man, maybe you can give us an idea on how to fight the Shikome?" Inuyasha watched as the youkai dug into his third beef bowl. He briefly wondered were he'd been all this time if he couldn't get a meal? It was a question that remained unasked however, since he did not really want to reignite the spat from the library.
No matter how ravenous he was on the other hand, he still considered the options available to them. A Shikome was still practically a deity itself and possessed considerable power. She could raise more of her warriors from that black substance, that was more than likely the blood of the underworld. Those monsters would be able to whittle down the demonic forces easily enough, and take every loss on their side as a new fighter of her own. The prospects seemed dismal, until something came to mind. Perking up abruptly he regarded the two with a smirk. "Actually I know what we can use to aid us in this battle." Setting down his chop sticks, he made his way back towards the fridge and began to rummage around.
Both the hanyou and miko looked at one another for the third time that night. Inuyasha giving a little growl as he leaned on the table. " Hey! I just gave you food! How can you still be hungry?"
"This is not for me, this is for you." Came his muffled voice while he pried drawers open in his search.
"I'm not hungry anymore Old Man. "
"I did not mean this was for you to eat Inuyasha."
Kagome gave a little sigh, if no one interfered then they would go all night like this. Reaching out she stuffed a big bite of her own beef bowl into Inuyasha's opened mouth to block the next string of sour words from coming out of it. "Can you elaborate then? What can we use to defeat her?"
"Ah-ha!" With a grin the youkai found what he was looking for! Closing the fridge behind him, he casually made his way back to the table and set down two items before both kids. Standing back and giving them a triumphant look, while completely ignoring their confused expressions as they stared at what he'd given them.
Peaches.
Inuyasha carefully picked up a peach and aimed for the demon's head. Kagome knew she should stop him, but somehow found herself tempted to do the same. The youkai narrowed his eyes as he regarded them both, silently daring them to try it while offering a little explanation. " As the story goes, when Izanagi was being chased through the underworld he tried to discourage the hags by throwing obstacles in their way. However he only succeeded in slowing them down as they relentlessly chased him through the under world like hounds in pursuit of a rabbit. Then he began throwing food at them. He threw bamboo shoots, rice and peaches at the hags. He watched in relief as the women stopped their chase long enough to eat."
With that Inuyasha gave up the idea of throwing the fruit and took a moment to give it a better look. "So then the Shikome will get distracted if she see's these?"
"Well I could not find Bamboo shoots and I am sure you two do not want to carry that rice cooking contraption with you." The youkai stated simply as he sat down to finish his dinner.
Inuyasha flashed a skeptical look at his father then, unsure if he wanted to believe this. A wicked hag from the underworld powerful enough to turn the city into a surface land of the dead and she was easily distracted by fruit? It almost seemed like a bad joke. Though he couldn't think of a better idea. "I guess this is out best bet then, long as you're sure it's going to work."
Looking up from his next bite of food the old demon cheerily replied. "To be honest, I'm not sure if it will work. It is a fairy tale after all. Thus there is only one way to be sure." The youkai smiled at the pair of them.
Only to duck as a peach came flying at his head!
Chapter 35.….End.
Authors Note: Izanagi and Izanami
There is quite a bit of lore out there on Izanagi. I barely scratched the surface here on this god. In a nut shell Izanagi and Izanami roughly performed the same role in Japanese mythology as Zeus and Hera did for the Greeks. Giving rise to many other deities that to this day still have active shrines and temples in their honor. This particular story mentioned in the chapter is also just one version of many available.