Ch. 101- The Plan
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
Outside the hut...Kohaku stood with a horde of demons behind him, all of them hissing and growling at the thought of a potential meal...not to mention Kagome's jewel fragment. As Kohaku grabbed his kusarigama, a voice suddenly sounded off within his head.
"Remember, Kohaku...leave Sango alive but kill the others...and make sure she has the sword."
"Yes, Lord Naraku," Kohaku droned as he brandished his weapon. "I hear and obey."
At that moment, Shippo gulped as he peeked outside through the reed flap in the doorway, then quickly retreated back inside.
"The boy is here," he said, "and he has a whole army of demons with him!"
"Just what I was hoping on," Inuyasha said before he turned to the others. "Okay...ready, you guys?"
"Ready," Kagome nodded while holding her bow and arrows.
"Absolutely," Miroku affirmed while he held his staff and sutras.
"Whenever you are," Sango added while Kirara growled, eager to get started.
"Okay...on my signal," Inuyasha whispered as he looked out the door and raised his hand. "Not yet..."
Shippo whimpered while Kagome pulled out an arrow from her quiver.
"Almost...!" Inuyasha whispered...and at that moment, one of the demons lunged at the hut! "NOW!"
Kagome soon loosed an arrow at the demon, the projectile piercing right through its skull, which caused out to let out a cry of agony as it was hit by a harsh, purifying light. Not long after, Inuyasha and the others soon came running out of the hut...but instead of charging into the fray, they did something the demons didn't expect.
"SCATTER!" Inuyasha yelled, and soon, they all took off in different directions, but the demons had a particular eye on Kagome, who fled with Inuyasha.
"The girl!" shouted one of the demons. "She has the Sacred Jewel shard!"
"Don't let her get away!" yelled a worm demon, and soon, the pursuit began. In their haste to chase after the fleeing group, the demons ended up trampling all over the hut, completely destroying it and leaving it in a pile of wood and splinters. In the chaos, Sango and Kirara ran in the opposite direction...holding the Tetsusaiga in her hands.
Soon, she stopped and leaned against a tree, panting as she tried to catch her breath...but then she looked down at the demon blade in her grasp.
"I got it," she whispered. "I got the sword...!"
At that moment, she heard footsteps approach...and as she turned around, she saw Kohaku, staring at her with that same blank expression. Sango gasped quietly, but then she took in a deep breath and exhaled, trying to keep her composure as she looked back at him with an almost expressionless face that matched his own.
"...Kohaku...take me to Naraku."
XXX
"IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER~!"
A snake demon shrieked as its neck was torn open by Inuyasha's powerful claws. Kagome panted as she sat behind him, holding the jewel fragment that hung from around her neck while Inuyasha stood in front of her...surrounded by the dead demons.
"That takes care of them," Inuyasha said before he glanced back at Kagome. "You okay, Kagome?"
"Mm-hmm," Kagome nodded. "I wasn't worried. I knew you'd protect me!"
"Inuyasha! Kagome!"
The half-demon and priestess turned to see Miroku approaching them, also a bit out of breath but nonetheless unscathed.
"Thank goodness for sacred sutras," the monk quipped.
"Where's Sango?" Inuyasha asked as he looked around for the demon slayer.
"Gone," Kagome answered. "I think I saw her and Kirara run off to wherever Kohaku was."
"And Shippo?" Inuyasha asked.
"Gone, too," Miroku answered. "Inuyasha...Sango has the Tetsusaiga...I saw her holding it in her hands as she ran away."
"...Perfect," Inuyasha grinned.
XXX
Sango and Kirara followed Kohaku, the former showing no hesitation or fear. She quietly gripped the Tetsusaiga in her hand. She couldn't stop to think about what had just happened...she just had to trust in Inuyasha and her friends, even if the chance was slight.
For now...she just had to bide her time and wait for the perfect moment to strike. That was what she had always been taught as a demon slayer.
As the three journeyed farther and farther into the mist...it was then that Sango saw a familiar shape: a huge castle.
Hitomi Castle...the place where her father and her two comrades died. The place where all her tragedies began. Even now, she could still feel the phantom pains of Kohaku's weapon piercing her back...and the arrows that seemingly killed her not long after.
There was no way she was going to die here...not again. This time, she would escape with her brother and Kirara...all three of them alive.
Soon, Sango, Kohaku, and Kirara approached the castle grounds...and the latter soon dropped down on his knees, bowing his head.
"Lord Naraku," he said. "I brought the girl, just as you asked."
"Excellent, Kohaku..." a sinister voice said...and soon enough, there he was: Naraku, standing on the castle porch, wearing a purple yukata with a green, yellow, and orange circle pattern on it. Sango's eyes went wide, recognizing the face as the one belonging to Lord Kagewaki...but then, her eyes quickly narrowed back into a glare.
So he was the true mastermind behind all this. She should have known.
"...Naraku..." Sango whispered bitterly while Kirara growled with her fur bristling.
"Ah, Sango," Naraku acknowledged. "Welcome to my humble abode...or should I say...welcome back?" He then chuckled darkly while Sango narrowed her eyes. "So...do you have it?"
"Yes," Sango answered as she soon held out the Tetsusaiga. "Here it is: Inuyasha's sword, the Tetsusaiga."
"Excellent," Naraku grinned as he soon took the sword in his hand. "I must admit...I was a bit worried, Sango, my dear. I actually thought that you wouldn't come through for your brother...but then again...people like you are so predictable. Willing to backstab others for the sake of the ones you love...it's almost poetic."
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Naraku," Sango said...a smug grin appearing on her face.
"Hmm?" Naraku hummed, inquisitively. "What's with that look on your face?"
Suddenly, two comically bulging eyes popped out of the Tetsusaiga's hilt, then a tongue stuck out and blew a raspberry at Naraku!
"What?!" Naraku questioned.
"Surprise!" the sword shouted before it burst into a cloud of smoke...revealing Shippo! "Fooled ya!"
"A...a fox demon?!" Naraku questioned. "But...what about-"
"HEY, NARAKU!"
Naraku gasped as he turned around...only to see three figures standing on the roof.
"Looking for something?" Inuyasha asked as he held up the real Tetsusaiga in his hand while Kagome and Miroku stood at both sides. Naraku gaped in disbelief...but then he growled as he glared at Sango, who smirked while Shippo hid behind her.
"You really thought I'd betray my friends, just like that?" asked Sango. "And here I was, thinking you were clever, Naraku..."
Naraku seethed, his red eyes darkening fiercely. "But how...?!"
Sango smiled as she looked up at Inuyasha, who smiled and nodded back at her.
Flashback
The group was sitting around the firepit, listening intently as Inuyasha discussed the plan with them.
"Okay, here's what we'll do," he said. "Naraku wants my sword tonight, right? Odds are he's gonna send someone to pick up Sango so she can take it to him. I have a hunch that it's gonna be Kohaku...and odds are he might not be alone. If by any chance he happens to bring a horde of demons with him, that works out in our favor."
"How so?" Miroku asked.
"Kagome will come out and shoot one of them with an arrow, and then we scatter into the forest," Inuyasha said. "During that time, I'll pretend that I lost the Tetsusaiga in all the confusion." He then looked to Shippo. "Shippo, this is where you come in?"
Shippo gulped. "Me?!"
"Yes, you!" Inuyasha countered. "You'll transform into a decoy of the Tetsusaiga and have Sango take you to Naraku, and we'll follow her there." He then gave a toothy smirk. "Naraku won't know what hit him."
"I get it, now," Kagome said. "Naraku will think that he either killed the rest of us or separated us from Sango long enough for him to spring his trap. When she approaches him, he'll have his guard down, and that's when we'll get the drop on him!"
"Exactly!" Inuyasha exclaimed.
"It's a risky move," Miroku surmised, "but it's probably the only chance we've got."
"I dunno," Shippo began, "I'm a little worried, but..." He then put on a determined face. "If it's for Sango, I'll be brave! Or...I'll try, anyway!"
"What do you think about this, Sango?" Inuyasha inquired. "Like I said, it only has a slight chance of working, but it's the best we've got...so are you in or out?"
Sango paused...but then she took a deep breath and exhaled.
"Even if the chance is slight," she said, "for Kohaku, there's no risk that I won't take." She looked Inuyasha right in the eye. "So...let's do it!"
"Just what I wanted to hear," Inuyasha grinned.
At that moment, Kagome gasped as she turned to the doorway.
"Guys...I sense a shard of the Sacred Jewel," she said. "It's coming this way!"
"It must be Kohaku!" Sango exclaimed.
"And I also sense several demonic auras," Miroku added.
"Just what I was hoping for," Inuyasha said. "Kagome, get your bow and arrows! Miroku, your staff and sutras!"
"Right!" Kagome and Miroku nodded as they went to grab their respective weapons.
"Sango and Shippo," Inuyasha began, "you know what to do."
Sango and Shippo both nodded their heads.
"Umm...don't I get a say in this?" asked Myoga, hiding in Inuyasha's hair.
"No," Inuyasha glared.
"...Fair enough..." Myoga muttered in dread.
Soon after, the plan was set in motion. As the demons went chasing after Inuyasha, Kagome, and Miroku, Sango, hiding in the dust, went over to Shippo.
"Shippo, it's now or never...!" she whispered.
"Got it!" Shippo nodded before he placed a leaf on his head. "Transform!"
In a puff of smoke, he soon transformed into an exact copy of the Tetsusaiga, which Sango picked up.
"Kirara, let's go!" Sango called, and soon, the nekomata was at her side as they ran off to find Kohaku.
Flashback end
"Not a bad plan, I'd wager," Inuyasha said. "After we got rid of the demons, I went back for the real Tetsusaiga and we all raced here. We even got rid of your little pet bugs along the way. Couldn't let them give us away, could we?"
Naraku seethed even more at this.
"Now then...get ready, Naraku," Inuyasha said while he drew his sword. "You're going down, here and now!"
A pause...but then, Naraku began to chuckle. It started out low, at first...but then, slowly it started to rise in volume before he threw his head back, howling with laughter.
"...Uh...why is he laughing?" Shippo asked, worriedly.
"What's so funny, Naraku?" asked Sango.
"...I'm sorry," Naraku apologized, "it's just...for a moment, I actually underestimated you all. I'll admit...I was a bit surprised. You actually managed to outwit me!" He then clapped his hands in a slow manner. "Very clever of you all..." He then glared at Sango, his eyes flashing red. "However...I'm afraid it's time to end this little charade."
"Not likely!" Sango shouted as she charged at Naraku. "I'll cut your head off, Naraku! FOR MY FATHER AND ALL MY FRIENDS!"
Soon, her hidden dagger came jutting out of her wrist armor as she attempted to slash at Naraku...who grabbed at her hand, stopping her before it could connect.
"Nice try," Naraku hissed. "You won't kill me that easily, Sango."
RAAAAAAAWWRR! Kirara roared as she stood up on her hind legs and bit Naraku in the shoulder...but instead of blood, all that came out was a blast of poison vapors, and it hit the demon cat right in her face!
"Oh, no! Kirara!" Sango cried while Kirara roared in pain. She stumbled back before she collapsed on the ground, shrinking back to her normal form.
"Kirara!" Shippo cried as he and Sango ran over to her, the latter gently picking the shivering feline up from.
"Is she okay?!" Kagome asked, worriedly.
"What the cat just breathed in was my miasma," Naraku answered. "If she's lucky, she might survive the night...but as for the days after...well...you might want to consider getting yourself a new pet."
Sango growled as she glared at Naraku, who grinned at her. How much further must he make her suffer? Did he plan on killing whatever family she had left?!
"Naraku...you monster!" Sango shouted.
"Oh, don't worry," Naraku said as he raised his hand...which soon turned into a giant claw. "I'll make sure you, the cat, and Kohaku are peacefully reunited...in HELL!"
"NO YOU DON'T!" Inuyasha roared as he drew the Tetsusaiga and lunged for Naraku, who turned and blocked his sword with the claw while Kagome and Miroku also jumped down and ran to help Sango. "I won't let you hurt another soul, Naraku!"
"I'd like to see you try," Naraku said, sinisterly.
Well, Inuyasha did say it only had a slight chance of working.
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