Chapter 48: Tessaiga Breaks
The sun shines through an overcast of white-gray clouds over the green hills of Edo, with our view taking us to yet another village nestled discreetly between the forest greenery...
Zooming in on one shrinehouse, we see several men of various warring experience (soldiers to farmers) being care for by Kikyō. Finishing up on one man's arm, she pivots her sitting body to reach for more medicinal herbs...only to feel a presence:
"Hm?"
Excusing herself, Kikyō walks into the forest to investigate, her face set in a suspicious glare...She stops on the path once she's moved in some ways, and calls out,
"Show yourself. I know that you've been following me."
...A dark chuckle resonates, and we see Naraku (dressed in his baboon fur cloak) fade into view within the darkness of the tree canopy:
"Kikyō. Inuyasha feels, bitter towards you. He lies close to death, and it is all thanks to my newly found power from the Shikon-no-Tama fragments you gave me."
He fades out with another laugh, while Kikyō stares with anger and disdain...
Scene Shift: The Abandoned Shack
At the same time the wandering priestess receives the taunting message from Naraku, our group is still recovering from the battle with the latter and his agents...
Inuyasha continues to lay on the straw pile, drifting through an uneasy sleep, remembering Naraku's words:
"Soon...Very soon, the jewel will be whole once again...Kikyō personally handed the Shikon-no-Tama shard over to me of her own free will."
Why, Kikyō? By giving Naraku the Shikon-no-Tama, his evil powers have grown stronger.
What were you thinking? Kikyō, do you really hate me that much?
...Kikyō...Kikyō...
(Jolt)
"Uh! Ggh..."
Inuyasha awakens, grimacing from his injuries, just as Shippo and Besa return from outside:
"Inuyasha! Are you in pain?!"
"Inuyasha..."
Shippo moves by Inuyasha's head, and says,
"I guess that's to be expected: Tessaiga protected you, but you still took the full blunt of the Wind Scar."
"Yeah, and Sango's not really doing much better..."
Shippo and Inuyasha turn to see Besa directing his eyes at Sango's resting form with concern:
"She took a pretty hard hit from Hiraikotsu thanks to Kanna, and even though she's tried to shake it off as just a bad bruise, it's better if she does not move for a while."
Inuyasha finally speaks, his voice coming out a bit strained:
"...And Coraline?" Shippo answers,
"She went with Miroku and Freeman to search for medicinal herbs and food."
Besa then picks up on Sango whimpering in pain:
"...Sango?"
Kilala mews at her partner with concern, and Besa pats her head while chiding,
"Don't worry, girl. She'll be okay...(Turn) Shippo, can you go get some more water, please?"
"Sure."
Shippo heads outside, and grabs a bucket to scoop up some water some a small waterfall flowing by the shack:
"Both Inuyasha and Sango have broken arms, and two terrifying incarnations of Naraku are roaming about. (Sigh) I wonder how we're gonna get ourselves out of this one?"
...Unbeknownst to Shippo, a small group of the Shinidamachū emerge from the treetops...
As Besa leans back against the wall of the shack, he sees small circles of translucent light appear on the walls near the door:
"What, the..."
The Shinidamachū then float in, hovering over Inuyasha, causing Besa to scramble to his feet shouting,
"W-What the hell?! Inuyasha!"
"...Hm? Uh! Soul Collectors."
...Once their presence was made known by their intended target, the demons exit the shack, and begin flying back to where they came...Inuyasha grabs his Tessaiga, muttering,
"Kikyō must be somewhere close by," before pushing himself to stand up.
Kilala growls warily with her fur standing on end, while Besa quickly moves to the half-dog demon to steady him and try to reason with his mindset:
"Inuyasha, hold on: Your injuries are still great. Even if she is near, you shouldn't push yourself just for her sake."
"Rgh, sh-shut it. Just, stay out of my way, Besa..."
...Besa sees the stubborn determination in Inuyasha's amber eyes, and lets out a puff of air before saying,
"Alright, fine. If you're gonna be like this...at least let me be your crutch instead of your sword."
Meanwhile, two of the Shinidamachū ensnared Shippo, and were holding him up in the air:
"Hey, let go of me, you slithering demons!"
He then sees Inuyasha and Besa come out of the hut, the former being held up with an arm around the shoulders of the latter, and vice-versa:
"Inuyasha, Besa, watch out!"
Inuyasha urges forward, muttering,
"...Kikyō..."
Shippo protests with a glare:
"She'll kill you! Don't go, Inuyasha! Besa, stop him, don't help him!"
Besa calls back over his shoulder,
"It's no use, Shippo: He won't be talked out of it! But I have my sickles with me; I won't let him get hurt, I promise!"
Shippo stares at the dark-skinned boy with shock:
"...Besa...(Nod) Okay. But be careful; if she does attacks him, get Inuyasha back here no matter what!"
"Got it!"
The little fox demon watches the pair go, mentally praying,
Please, Besa: Don't let Inuyasha be killed! Both of you, come back safe!
Besa continues to move forward with Inuyasha, following the Shinidamachū away from the shack, and towards a hill with the ground turned up. As they slowly move down, Inuyasha thinks to himself,
...Kikyō. I have, to see you.
Meanwhile, Besa is thinking,
He's got a strong will, I'll give him that. Almost reminds me of Freeman when he's fighting a cold...
But I have to be vigilant: God who knows what Kikyō has planned for Inuyasha.
I can't let him get hurt...or Coraline will never forgive me.
About halfway down, Inuyasha slips on some loose dirt:
"Gah!"
Luckily, Besa grasps him around his middle to steady him:
"I gotcha!"
...They move on again, and Inuyasha asks Besa,
"Why, are you doing this?"
"Because I'm your friend, and I've had my share of stubborn moments with my brother, so I know you're not gonna give up until you see to your goal...Now come on, let's take it a bit slower."
They make it down the rest of the hill without sliding, and when they reach the bottom, the Shinidamachū float up to a tree branch...before:
(Glow...)
Kikyō cancels her illusion spell that cloaked her, and turns to look down at the half-dog demon:
"...Inuyasha."
"...Kikyō."
"You're still alive, I see. I'm glad."
Inuyasha growls a bit, and the priestess turns her eyes to Besa:
"...And who might you be, young man?"
"...Besa. Don't mind me; I'm just acting as his crutch for the moment...(Frown) But I'll easily become a bodyguard if you plan on doing anything to hurt Inuyasha worse than he is."
Kikyō nods firmly, and Inuyasha speaks up again:
"Kikyō, tell me what's going on! Is it true that you gave Naraku all those shards of the Shikon-no-Tama that you stole from Coraline?"
"Yes, I did, to cast Naraku into oblivion."
Inuyasha forms a confused look, as does Besa:
"What's that suppose to mean? Naraku is already alot stronger than he used to be."
"Not to mention he now has the power to create incarnations of himself. Right now, he has Kagura of the Wind, and Kanna of the Void."
...Speaking of said wind sorceress, Kagura was skulking nearby from behind a tree:
"...Hm."
So then Inuyasha and that Kikyō woman know eachother...
(Flash)
"Kagura: Follow Kikyō and find out what she's up to. She cannot be trusted."
(Flash)
Kagura continues to spy, as Besa sets Inuyasha down on the ground per his request, before the latter asks,
"You want me dead...Isn't that the reason you gave Naraku the shards of the Shikon-no-Tama?"
Kikyō narrows her eyes from the accusation, and replies,
"...I would never allow someone such as Naraku to take your life. Take heed, Inuyasha: Naraku is our most bitter enemy."
Besa tilts his head in bewilderment at her words:
...Strange. Does that mean she's playing as a double agent, or, does she maybe not care for either side, if she is to meet her own goals?
On the other hand, Kagura was becoming bored rather than enlightened:
...How dull, merely spying on these three.
Inuyasha is close to death: He hasn't even picked up on my scent, and that boy he brought with him is a weak protection.
She flips out her fan:
I shall kill both Kikyō and Inuyasha!
It was then that the priestess picks up on Kagura's presence, and just as the latter unleashes her demonic wind:
(Swipe)
(Twok, zwing, TOK)
"Uh!"
Kagura was immediately stopped by a Sacred Arrow, that landed in the tree trunk just centimeters beside her head!
Kikyō readies another arrow, and Inuyasha and Besa look over to where she fired:
"Kagura!"
"Damn..."
Kikyō says to Kagura with a cold tone,
"...Your head will be next."
Seeing no alternative, the wind sorceress takes a feather from her hair, and makes her escape:
"Hah!"
(Whoosh)
...Kikyō mutters to herself,
"Hm...she escaped."
As Besa puts his sickles back into his belt holsters, the priestess says,
"Inuyasha, Naraku will only grow stronger and stronger."
"Huh?"
"(Turn) You mustn't allow him to kill you. Until I'm able to cast him and the Shikon-no-Tama from this world...your life belongs to me. No one else will have you."
With that message in the wind, Kikyō calls on her demon agents...before fading away from view.
"Huh?" "She's gone..."
...Kikyō.
Coraline's POV
When Miroku, Freeman and I returned to the shack with the herbs and three rabbits we caught for food, we found out that Inuyasha and Besa had left following the Soul Collecting demons that Kikyō travels with!
I called on Lumos to help us track down their Auras, and we're all now running behind him, as I ask,
"(Pant, pant) Shippo, are you one-hundred percent certain?"
Miroku asks further,
"Was it Kikyō's Soul Collectors that you saw?"
"I'm positive! And they lured Inuyasha away from the hut! Besa did go with him, but I'm worried..."
Freeman replies,
"Yeah, so am I: At least he was smart to remember his weapons and not let Inuyasha go alone..."
Inuyasha...please be alright. I don't care if you did meet with her, as long as you're still moving...
As we come to the next hill...I see Inuyasha and Besa coming out of the foggy mist, the latter holding up the former!
Oh thank goodness, they're both okay!
"Inuyasha!"
They both stop, and Besa eases Inuyasha to kneel on the ground, while Lumos circles them both, before I drop down in front of my injured friend:
"...Are you alright? (Glances up) Thank you for getting him back safe, bro."
"No prob."
I turn back to Inuyasha, who was looking away with a distant look in his amber eyes...I place a gentle hand on his shoulder, and ask softly,
"Inuyasha...did you see Kikyō?"
...He doesn't answer, and only grunts reluctantly while casting his eyes down from mine, just as Miroku, Shippo and Freeman come up:
"Besa, you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I only went with him just to be sure he didn't strain himself, as well as protect him."
Freeman nods, clapping a hand on his shoulder:
"Good call...but next time, maybe leave a note or somethin'? I was worried."
I roll my eyes a bit at Freeman's halfhearted but relieved smile, before focusing back on Inuyasha:
"...Please, Inuyasha, I must know: Did, she say anything, that we don't already know had happened?"
He looks at me with surprise, before muttering,
"...No. She, did elaborate a bit on her reasoning."
"Oh?"
"...But I don't wanna talk about it."
"I...I understand." I look down sadly:
This must mean she really did hand over the shards willingly to Naraku...
Oh, Kikyō...why go so far down the dark road if it will only end more bitterly than it did years ago?
Miroku then says seriously,
"So it's true then: She made a pact with Naraku."
Inuyasha immediately snapped on the defense:
"Never!"
We flinch back a bit, and Inuyasha adds more calmly,
"I can't say what Kikyō intends to do, but, I think that..."
"She might be acting as a double agent."
"Hm?"
We all turn to Besa in surprise, he folding his arms with a closed-eyed frown:
"I could see it in her eyes as she spoke: She doesn't want anything to do with Naraku anymore than her motives will allow. I believe she intends to use his new-found strength against him somehow, and Inuyasha is viewed as her main ally in this whole endeavor...She, said that until the jewel and Naraku are gone from the world...his life belongs to him. So it's fair to say that she wants Inuyasha to continue living, but only until her obstacles are destroyed."
...That, actually makes sense.
The others hm in thought, and Inuyasha looks at my brother in astonishment:
"...So, you don't think she's a traitor?"
"Not in the traditional sense, at least...But, Inuyasha: I would be careful if you decide to meet with her again in the future. While I did see her burning with hatred against Naraku...she's obviously holding onto her old anger towards you. I dunno what your, feelings are at this point, but all I ask is that you don't let them blind you from reality."
"Uuh...mm, right."
I smile at my wise brother:
...Besa...
Miroku and Shippo then say respectively,
"It was still rather dangerous for you both to go out."
"Yeah, Inuyasha: You're still badly wounded, and Besa's not as skilled in combat as you!"
Inuyasha shakes his head and replies,
"Alright, I got it! (Turn) Besa...I'm, sorry I dragged you along for the walk."
"Don't be. I made the choice to be your crutch, and if I could do it over again...(Smile) I would."
Inuyasha looks at him in surprise, while Freeman wraps an arm around Besa with a sweatdrop:
"(Sigh) I think you might be too protective for your own good, bro..."
"Tch, you say that like you're not."
They both chuckle a bit, while I focus back on Inuyasha with a worried frown:
"...Inuyasha?"
"Hm? Yeah?"
...I lean forward and hug him, careful not to aggravate his injuries:
"Uh! C-Coraline?!"
My voice catches a touch as I say to him softly,
"Please, don't scare me like that again, okay? I...If you do wish to see Kikyō again in the future, just be in better physical shape first...I don't want you to hurt yourself, just to see her..."
I hear Inuyasha breathe in with surprise..before wrapping an arm around me:
"Keh, fine...If it'll keep you from getting sick with worry..."
I smile gently and whisper,
"Thank you...and, don't be afraid to talk to me about what you and she may or may not exchange. I can handle it...That's all I ask."
I feel him nod, and we part, before I stand up and extend a hand to him:
"Come on. Let's head back to the shack and see if Sango's awake so we can all eat. We managed to snare some rabbit to cook up."
...He reaches to take my hand, and replies as I lift him up,
"Rabbit, eh? How'd you catch 'em?"
"Heh, Freeman and I tag-teamed: He used his hammer to create some vibrations on the ground and spook 'em towards me, before I shot them with my arrow."
We all begin walking back, Inuyasha commenting,
"Huh...Almost wish I could've seen that."
"Well, you never know. The opportunity could come again."
Freeman adds with a goofy grin,
"Yeah! Maybe we might get lucky with something bigger next time, like a boar or a deer."
Besa lightly slaps Freeman's arm and scoffs jokingly,
"Ha, keep dreaming, brother! You're more likely to get hunted by a deer or a boar before you hunt them!"
"Oi! Who's side are you on?"
We all laugh at Freeman and Besa's banter, and as we kept on our trek, I think to myself while side-glancing Inuyasha,
I want to help you both...
You...and Kikyō. I don't care if she hates me...I'll put any bitterness I have aside, if it means I can help her reach peace.
Doing that...I hope it will bring you some peace too, Inuyasha.
Time Skip, No POV
As the afternoon rolls in, the sky clouding over, we turn our attention to the next village away from where Inuyasha and the others are, the mist rolling around the area...All seems normal...until:
(Stomp...Crash)
Something smashes a horse's stable, and the sound of the crumbling building and distressed whinnying from the steeds catch the attention of the villagers:
"Huh? What was that?"
"Something is in the horse chorale!"
"Uh, let's go!"
Two men rush to investigate, and we see that one horse was trapped under the splintered wood, while another was currently being eaten by what can only be assumed as a demon...
"Guh!" "Uh!"
The two men come across the scene, and we see a large figure with purple skin on all fours (the front appendages each carrying a jagged bone sticking outward), with white-gray hair flowing in a skinny mane from it's lizard-like horned head, and a long tail.
...It senses the men, and looks up with an animalistic growl while flashing its red eyes:
(Gleam)
"It's a demon!"
"Devouring the horses!"
The men retreat to warn everyone else, but then the demon bares its sharp teeth, before dashing after them, ripping them apart!
...It was then that Kagura appears by a tree, looking at the demon with disgust:
That demon is pathetic. Nothing more than brainless glutton!
The demon turns to her with a chuckle...and replies,
"Sister...You were just thinking that I'm a brainless glutton, weren't you?"
...He's toying with me. This demon is able to read my mind!
Back at the Shack
(Sizzle...)
"(Humming...)" "(Humming...)"
Freeman and Besa were finishing up with cooking up the rabbit meat for everyone over a fire just outside the structure...Shippo comes out to check out their progress:
"Wow, looks good, guys!"
Freeman ruffles the fox demon's hair and replies,
"Thanks, kiddo. How's everyone inside?"
"Alright, I guess. Sango just woke up, and Miroku's beginning the next round of treatment on Inuyasha's wounds, as per Coraline's order."
Besa chuckles and says,
"You sure it was Cora's order and not Sango ordering through Cora?"
The three laugh, before the twins cut and divide the meat into portions for everyone, giving the first bit to Shippo:
"Here, you eat first. That way you're not fighting tooth and nail with Inuyasha."
"Thank you!"
Shippo gobbles down his share, while Freeman and Besa take the rest and move back inside, their earlier humming shifting into soft singing...As they move to sit down, Coraline looks up from her medical kit and quirks,
"That's, Renegades by X Ambassadors, isn't it?"
(Note: I do not own that music reference.)
Freeman hands a portion of the rabbit meat to Inuyasha and replies,
"You got it. We couldn't help but relate the lyrics to our current situation...I mean, that's what we've all become at this point, right? Renegades waiting for their chance to make their move again."
Coraline hms in thought, nodding solemnly:
"I guess so..."
She then turns to the demon slayer and asks,
"Anyway, Sango, you sure you're able to move?" She helps her sit up:
"I'll, try...rgh!"
Sango grimaces from her injuries and Shippo chides,
"Don't push yourself too hard..." Coraline asks,
"...Do you need more painkillers? I can grab out the Motrin if you need something stronger than the herbs."
"I'll be fine. It's too dangerous to stay here."
Besa moves over to them to give her and Coraline their shares of the rabbits:
"At least have something to eat."
Sango nods, and both girls take the meat as Miroku turns from dressing Inuyasha's wounds to say,
"Kagura is close, so we had better move on..."
Besa gives some rabbit to Kilala while replying,
"I agree. I also wrapped the rest of the cooked meat to take with us. We should have enough for today and tomorrow."
"Good."
Sango then asks after swallowing the rest of her share,
"Why don't you forget about me for a while and tend to Inuyasha's wounds, Coraline?"
"(...Nod) Alright. Besa, I leave Sango to you."
Besa salutes:
"Roger that."
Coraline then switches places with Miroku so that he could get some of the meat from Freeman:
"Here, Miroku. You haven't eaten yet."
"Thank you, Freeman. You and Besa roasted the meat rather well."
"Heh, thanks."
Coraline plasters a gauze patch onto Inuyasha's arm:
"Here. This'll help speed up the healing process on that cut...It looks like your wounds are finally starting to scab over."
"Keh, you expect anything less with my blood?"
Coraline smiles a bit from Inuyasha's boastful question:
"Of course not...but be careful you don't overdo it. There's a chance they could reopen."
"Right...Hey, how are you feeling?"
"Uh, me?"
"Yeah...You're, not feeling winded anymore, right?"
Coraline was taken aback by the question, but then replies with a faint smile,
"I appreciate the concern, but I'm good. It was mostly spiritual exhaustion..."
Inuyasha nods...Meanwhile, Miroku tries to persuade Sango into letting him check up on her:
"If you'd like, Sango, I could look at your injuries..."
Sango stares at him with a serious deadpan:
"...Keep your distance, monk. That smile on your face says you'll be doing more than needed."
Miroku makes a dejected noise, and Freeman claps his back while saying,
"Swing and a miss, my friend. Better luck next time..."
Coraline rolls her eyes as she finishes re-wrapping the bandages around Inuyasha's torso:
"There, that'll do it."
...Suddenly, Inuyasha's head snaps up:
"What, what is it?"
"...The scent of a dead man."
Everyone tenses up, and Sango asks,
"A dead man?"
Miroku is the first to move outside, with Freeman right behind him, and Inuyasha standing in the doorway with Coraline, peering at a man with no shirt who slowly approaches the vicinity, his breath wheezy and spacious:
"A demon has come. (Wheeze) It devoured the entire village!"
Besa holds up Sango as they exit the shack next, with Shippo and Kilala not far behind. Coraline asks,
"What sort of demon?"
"On its back, was the mark of the spider..."
Everyone instantly knew where the demon's origins laid, with Inuyasha and Miroku mentally quirking,
A spider?
Another incarnation of Naraku.
"Please...h-help...uh!"
Once the message was sent, the man burned to ash!
(Collective gasp)
Freeman asks aloud,
"S-So, that guy's been dead this whole time?!" Miroku replies,
"Kagura must have been controlling his body with her Dance of the Dead. It has to be a trap."
Inuyasha agrees:
"Yeah. A trap set up to force me to face the third demon."
Coraline turns to him and asks,
"Please tell me you're not considering to go anyway! Your wounds are still too severe for any real combat!"
"...I don't have a choice."
Sango then says,
"She sent the dead man to us...which means that Kagura knows where were hiding."
Besa replies,
"In which case, trap or no trap, it isn't safe for us to stick around...but if she found us this quickly, I doubt we'll be able to get far."
Miroku nods:
"Yes. There will be no chance of fleeing."
Inuyasha states,
"I'll go after him. Huh, the demon was bound to attack us here sooner than later."
"...No. We'll go after him."
"Huh?"
Coraline looks at Inuyasha with a serious expression:
"I'm not going to stand by and watch when I know I can lend a hand."
"...Coraline..."
"She's got the right idea."
Inuyasha turns to Freeman, who says just as seriously,
"Strictly speaking, with the condition we're all in collectively, it's better we stick together."
Besa nods in agreement, as does Shippo, Sango, then Miroku...Inuyasha was taken aback, but then sighs and says,
"Alright. Let's do this."
Scene Shift: The Village near the Shack
As everyone decides to take on the demon, we find it still causing havoc in the village, his latest target being a chicken coop:
(Crash)
Kagura says to him with annoyance,
"It's just a few children. Let them go."
"Naraku commanded me to devour the entire village, so I will kill every last human, and every single cow, chicken, and horse."
"Hmph. Do as you wish. I can't bear your company any longer."
With that, Kagura walks away, leaving the demon to continue his search for the last survivors of the villagers...Zooming inside a barn, we see two young children (a boy and girl) huddling tightly together under some straw...
The boy looks down at his whimpering younger sister:
Don't cry, Yuki. The demon will never find us if we stay hidden under the hay.
(...Stomp, stomp)
(CRASH)
"Aaaah!"
Unfortunately, luck wasn't in the boy's favour, and the demon slams his fist onto the barn, before upturning the straw, revealing the hidden children!
Yuki utters,
"He found us..." The demon says to them,
"You thought you could escape me by hiding among some straw, didn't you?"
Yuki and her brother cry out in fear, as the demon mocks them further:
"And you cried out for your mama and papa to save you. They can't help you now, because I devoured them both. I speak the truth: Look inside my belly and see!"
The demon opens his jaw and charges at the frightened children...But before he could devour them both:
(SLASH)
Inuyasha comes to the rescue with his Tessaiga!
"Iron Reaver...!"
He sends the demon back with his claws, before turning to the boy and Yuki:
"Get outta here!"
They heed his urging, and Yuki's older brother carries her off as fast as he can...Inuyasha then focuses back on the demon, just as everyone else comes on scene (Sango and Shippo were riding Kilala). Miroku would be the first to comment on the demon's appearance:
"Look at that!" Coraline mutters,
"The demon..."
"With a spider mark on it's back!" Freeman comments,
"Yeesh. He's definitely more monstrous-looking if anything else," with Besa replying,
"All the more reason to be on our guard," as they both ready their respected weapons...
Inuyasha approaches the demon and says,
"You must be Naraku's third incarnation."
"(Chuckle) You're thinking, 'I dodged the Tessaiga'. You were surprised at my speed despite my enormous size."
"Huh?"
He knows what I'm thinking!
The demon chuckles again and says,
"Just as you suspect: I am able to read the minds of others, Inuyasha. My sisters Kagura and Kanna were merely the opening act...Now, Goshinki makes his debut!"
"Kuh, your big speech is over, demon! (Leap) Time to take you off the stage!"
(Boom)
...However, Goshinki proved to be too fast for Inuyasha, and the latter would only strike the dirt with his Tessaiga!
"Huh?"
"Hrrrrrah!"
Inuyasha rolled out of the way just in time to dodge Goshinki, who slammed his fists to the ground...As he pauses, Inuyasha grasps his chest and breathes a bit heavy, his injuries beginning to act up...
"I told you: I know every thought that crosses your mind...You seem to be suffering greatly: Tell me, could this be the end of you?"
Inuyasha stands up and replies with a grunt,
"Not very likely. I'm gettin' tired of you..."
(Leap)
"Hrrrrrraaaaaaaahhh!"
(Swing, miss)
"What?"
(Crash)
Once again, Inuyasha does not meet his mark...
(Dash)
Goshinki then sneaks up behind him:
"I can predict every move before you make it."
(Swing, slam)
"Gah!"
Inuyasha is knocked off his feet by Goshinki's clawed hand, and falls to the ground hard...Coraline calls out,
"Inuyasha!"
Miroku decides to step in and help:
"I'll go. He's still too weak to fight. (Rattle) Wind Tun-"
"Stop!"
Miroku pauses at Sango's urging, and Besa points out,
"The Insects of Hell are here!"
Seeing the dreaded wasps buzzing around Goshinki, Miroku re-wraps his prayer beads, and the former chuckles before saying,
"You were thinking you would suck me into your Wind Tunnel, monk. You can't, 'cause you see, I know all of your weaknesses."
He then focuses on each other person here:
"Coraline...don't even consider shooting me with your arrow or even using one of your blades. I'll kill you before you draw either weapon. Sango, you are unable to battle. You still can't move since you were struck with your own weapon...As for you two, Freeman and Besa: You seem to be smart enough to know that neither of you will be fast enough to hit me with your hammer or sickles. You are not skilled enough for such a battle."
The twins cringe with glares, Freeman muttering,
"I'm startin' to get real tired of being pointed out for experience..."
Goshinki then looks at Shippo briefly, the latter sweating up intensely:
M-M-Me next...
...He then turns his back to move on with his battle against Inuyasha, and Shippo becomes bristled with being brushed off, hopping onto Miroku's shoulder and shouting,
"Hey, you! How dare you try to ignore me like that!"
"Don't worry, Shippo, he's just toying with you."
"Huh?"
Freeman then comes over and adds,
"Miroku's right: He's just doing to you what he did to me and Besa just a few seconds ago. Best to let it slide off your shoulders and move on."
"Mmm...okay."
...Deep in the rolling mist, Inuyasha rises to his knees, before looking over to see,
"Huh? The children from the stables...I told you to escape: What are you doin' sti-"
He stops himself, when he sees what they each had in their hands...
"Oh...Those clothes...(Rise) Do they belong to your parents?"
"Uh-huh..."
Inuyasha hms with a grim glare, and turns his eyes to the approaching Goshinki...He moves protectively in front of the children, as Goshinki stops a couple feet away, reading Inuaysha's mind again:
"'Despicable. I'll kill this demon once and for all.' That's what you were thinking, correct, Inuyasha? Don't, make me, laugh...you are half-demon, are you not? You have demon blood coursing through your veins, yet you take pity on humans."
"Get off my back!"
A newly-formed anger gleams in Inuyasha's eyes, and he raises Tessaiga into the air:
"I'll slice you in half!"
...He then searches for the fissure in the demonic winds:
The technique that will bring the Tessaiga's ultimate power...The Wind Scar!
"Inuyasha...you're trying to slice through the Wind Scar and blast me away, are you not?"
"If you can figure that out,"
(Leap)
"You know you're gonna die!"
...Suddenly, Goshinki charges his head through the fissure, cancelling the Wind Scar!
"The demon has destroyed the Wind Scar!"
But Sango's observation does not faze Inuyasha:
"Okay...then I'll just slice your head in half!"
...But that proved to be a great mistake:
(Swing, CHOMP)
Goshinki clamps his jaw right on the Tessaiga's blade!
"Your precious Tessaiga is nothing more than a dog fang now!"
(Crick...CRACK)
...THE TESSIAGA IS THEN BROKEN IN HALF BY GOSHINKI'S TEETH!
Everyone, from Inuyasha to our bystanders froze in shock, before Coraline and Freeman shout respectively,
"No! The Tessaiga's been shattered!"
"Aw man, not good!"
Goshinki then spits out the piece of Tessaiga from his mouth, and comments,
"I suppose this proves a demon's fangs are stronger than the Tessaiga."
...But Inuyasha wasn't listening, his gaze fixed on the other end of his sword that was left in his hand:
He...he bit it in half! He destroyed my Tessaiga!
And before he could focus back fast enough:
"Hrrrrraaaah!"
(SLICE)
"Aaaaaaaargh!"
"Inuyashaaaa!"
Coraline screams as Goshinki claws at Inuyasha, reopening the latter's wounds and creating new ones, blood spilling, before he lands face-down on the ground, his half of blade returning to its dormant form...
"Hehahaha, Inuyasha, it appears that your mind has now gone blank. Your sword is broken and so is your spirit...or are you dead perhaps?"
Lumos pops out of Coraline's quiver, and zooms over to Inuyasha, hovering frantically over the half-dog demon...Coraline uses her Aura Sight, and saw into Inuyasha's Aura:
...No...his Aura is fading..I've got to get over there!
"Inuyasha!"
Miroku stops her from getting far:
"No, stay back, Coraline!"
(Dash, slam)
"Gaaaah!"
Miroku is then backhanded away by Goshinki!
"No, Miroku!"
"And you, monk, you were prepared to draw me into your Wind Tunnel, even if it meant sacrificing your own pathetic life."
Sango and Shippo rush to help him:
"Miroku!"
"Please, say something..."
The twins turn to eachother, and nod, before running over to Coraline's sides:
"Sis!" "Cor!"
"Guys!"
"Don't rush to your death. Be assured I plan to devour each and every last one of you humans. (Chuckle) And you, Coraline, shall be my first, along with your foolishly selfless brothers."
The twins hold their sister close, as Coraline prays while inching her hand to her combat knife, preparing herself to fight to her last breath with her brothers if she has to:
Inuyasha...Please, Inuyasha, wake up...
"Foolish girl. Inuyasha is already-Uh!" Goshinki freezes...when he senses,
What's this? Inuyasha's heart: It's-
Just as he turns around:
(Leap, SLASH)
"Yaaaaagh!"
His arm is cut off...by Inuyasha!
...
...
However, there was something seriously off about the half-dog demon:
"(Knuckle crack) Is there something wrong, Goshinki? I thought that you were able to read my mind..."
Miroku arouses awake, and sees his companion was alive:
"I-Inuyasha..."
But...Coraline could see the change:
...Something's wrong.
Inuyasha...his face has altered. I can, see facial markings where they weren't before...
And, his eyes...they're red. Where are the amber irises I know?
The twins felt their sister beginning to tremble:
"...Cora?" "What's wrong?"
"...Inuyasha...He's not himself. Look."
They peer over more closely, and quietly gasp, seeing the physical change on Inuyasha:
"Whoa..."
"What's, happened to him?"
It would be Goshinki who was the most confused:
"I don't understand. Why have you transformed?"
Getting a closer look, we see a purple stripe mark on each of Inuyasha's cheek bones, his injuries healed and non-existing, and his eyes were red with cat-like black irises...He replies with a darker tone than usual,
"Keh, how would I know that? You should be less concerned about me, and more concerned about Judgment Day."
Goshinki bares his teeth and says to himself,
What is this? His heart is completely different now.
He has none of the indecision or sadness or fear of before: I sense only anger, and a delight in the thought of killing me!
(Dash)
"I will rip you apart with my fangs, you half-breed!"
(Leap)
"The demon blood that flows through my veins..."
"Silence!"
"Is unlike yours!"
"You half-demoooon!"
"I am in a class of my own!"
(SLASH)
...With just one swipe of his claws, Inuyasha completely tears Goshinki to pieces! As the head falls beside Inuyasha, he says with a dark grin,
"Goshinki...I enjoyed that."
Coraline stares at him with wide eyes, her heart beating with worry:
...Inuyasha...what's happened to you?
Inuyasha looks down at his bloodied claws:
...I can feel the blood rushing through my body. Why do I feel this way?
I feel the need to kill more...
(...Step, step)
Coraline begins to slowly approach the confused dog demon:
"Inuyasha?"
He darts his head at her and growls, causing her to flinch a bit, as he says roughly,
"Rgh, stay away from me! I can't say what I'm going to do next..."
As Coraline tries to contemplate what to do, Shippo grasps Miroku's side and asks,
"What's going on? What's wrong with him?!"
"The demon in him...It's gotten stronger!" Sango adds after,
"Yes. He's almost like a full-blooded demon now."
...Despite the tenseness, Coraline chooses to not give up, and smiles sadly, while slowly walking towards her troubled friend:
"Inuyasha...it's okay. You've destroyed Goshinki. It's over now..."
"I said stay away!"
"No."
Shippo and Miroku try to call her back:
"Coraline!"
"Don't go near him! Coraline!"
Her brothers watch, knowing their sister would not be persuaded, and that she could help Inuyasha:
"...Be careful, sis."
"We know you can bring him back..."
Coraline was now within hugging distance of Inuyasha:
"...Inuyasha..."
He snarls, but only flinches from her...
"Coraline!"
"Be careful!"
The redhead stares at her friend, sadly saying to herself,
I can sense it: The inside of his soul is fighting light to dark...He's struggling...
In one swift movement, she hugs him tight, before whispering,
"...Inuyasha, Sit."
(Gleam...Wham)
Both he and she go down, Coraline landing back-first from the impact!
"Grh!"
The others gape in shock from her action:
"Coraline!" "Wha-?!"
"She allowed herself to be taken down with Inuyasha!"
"Dang, that's a gutsy move!"
"Talk about a true blue friend..."
Coraline grimaces from the pain in her back and the weight on top:
Now I know, how he feels when the beads effect him...All the more reason I can't abuse them...
I'll share the pain, if it means he'll be okay for another day.
Inuyasha's body shudders, before he snaps up (his facial features back to normal) and shouts,
"Will you stop doin' tha-Huh?"
He doesn't see Coraline staring downward from a few feet away as he expected...He then feels something shift under him, looks down, and his eyes go wide when he sees,
"C-Coraline...!"
"Hey. Glad, you're back..."
Shippo is in awe, and Sango mutters,
"He's back to normal..." Miroku comments,
"Incredible..."
Inuyasha lifts himself off of Coraline, still gaping at her, as she sits up and rubs her back while muttering,
"That's definitely gonna bruise..."
"...Coraline, why did you-what's going on?!"
She focuses on him, confused by his question:
"What do you mean? Inuyasha...do you not remember?"
"I...I dunno..."
She shakes her head, and hugs him anyway:
"I guess the important thing is that you're okay...That was scary..."
Inuyasha looks down at her, noticing she was shaking a little:
She's trembling...Coraline...
...He puts an arm around her, and watches as Lumos hovers in a slow circle around them, his mind muddled and uncertain of what just occurred.
