Chapter Forty-Four
Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
I am so terribly sorry for the long wait for an update. Things at work got pretty hectic, and then I just hit a funk where I didn't even want to read fanfiction let alone write! This chapter took me three times as long to write lol.
HUGE shout-out to: mercedes6788, AeAe, wolviegurl, MarshWolffe, Kagz419, Eris Neve, redangel2463, LunaNinja, ukitakeitalialover041757, sendou3aichi, mstars9, silverhawk88, for your awesome reviews last chapter! I really appreciate them!
This chapter has a mature scene in it by the way...part of what was taking me so long to feel like I got it right lol.
ONWARD!
"Inuyasha?" I frown as I walk up to the half-demon, Inuyasha having wandered away from the camp at some point during the night. It had been two days since our escape from Sesshomaru, two days since he had transformed into his demon form again. Inuyasha had barely spoken, even when directly addressed by any one of us. He was often so deep in thought I believed he honestly didn't even hear us speaking to him half the time.
He's just been so distant.
When I had woken in the middle of night without his warmth pressed up behind me, I had admittedly panicked. The worst thoughts had come to mind in an overwhelming flood of emotion. Had he left? Had he run from us? From me? I had quickly squashed down those irrational fears, and instead reached out to feel for his energy. I can remember the way my whole body nearly melted with relief the minute I felt it, only yards away from where our friends were all still fast asleep. Worming my way from under my blanket, wrapping it around myself to keep out the cool night air, I moved from the warmth of the fire. I finally found him sitting on a hill side, staring up into the clear night sky above, once again deeply in thought.
"Yua? What are you doing up?" Inuyasha's gaze doesn't leave the sky even as he acknowledges my presence. Almost as if he were afraid to look at me. I frown deeper at that, moving in to kneel down beside where he sat in the cool grass, wet from the early morning dew.
"I woke up and you were gone." I reply, just barely holding back 'and I was worried about you'. I was afraid if I said that, he would get defensive. By the way he stiffens, however, it appears I didn't have to say it for him to know what was being left unsaid.
"I wish that you and the others would stop treating me like I'm some sort of unpredictable, wild animal." Inuyasha bites out, even leaning a little away from me at this point. I feel stung, but I know I have no right to be, because he's right. We had all been treating him like some sort of ticking time-bomb the past couple of days, even if we weren't doing so consciously.
"I'm sorry." I murmur gently, reaching out and placing my hand on his shoulder. "We didn't mean to make you feel that way. We're just worried about you, but not for the reasons you might be thinking." I chew on my lower lip, Inuyasha turning to look at me with guarded amber eyes. It nearly broke my heart to see that wall up once more. "We're not worried because we think you'll hurt us, we're worried that you're going to hurt yourself." I explain, Inuyasha's gaze going from guarded to confused. "We're all scared to lose you to that demon that you transform into." I elaborate, his eyes widening slightly.
"I hadn't thought…" He trails off, frowning and looking forward and away from me. I feel my heart racing in my chest, not wanting to press on the topic of him still wanting to become a demon, despite what he's seen he's become as one.
"You're not you when you transform, Inuyasha, and that scares me." I can't help adding, needing to get it off of my chest. "Wouldn't it scare you if I were suddenly someone completely different? Someone you didn't recognize?"
"But I'm still me." Inuyasha cuts in firmly, obviously still in denial about how drastically he changes in that form.
"No, you're not." I argue firmly, causing Inuyasha to look at me once more, the ear closest to me twitching slightly. "You are cold, and ruthless when in that form." His face shows his shock at my hard and resolute statement. I didn't want him to be disillusioned, even if that meant hurting him in the process. "I'm not saying this to cause a fight, or to upset you. I think you need to know these facts if you still intend to go through with being a demon."
"It will be different when it's my wish, not when I'm just randomly triggered." Inuyasha uses his same old argument. I refrain from rolling my eyes, irritation flaring up even more.
"Are you so sure about that?"
I'm met with silence as he looks away from me once more.
"Like I said, we're just worried." I murmur softly, doing my best not to feel guilty about being honest with him. I sigh softly, standing and fully intending on heading back to the campsite alone, when his hand snaps out and grabs mine before I can move away. With a sharp tug he's able to pull me back towards him, falling into his lap as I lose my balance when my shins bang against his knee. The landing is guided and soft, however, leaving me to look up to him with wide eyed surprise as his left arm braces my back, his right freeing my hand and now wrapping slowly over my middle and around my waist. My own hands are frozen against his chest, grabbing onto the edges of his red top that folded over one and other there.
"Can you just sit here with me? I don't want to talk anymore, but I don't want you to go." Inuyasha admits, looking heartbreakingly vulnerable in that moment. I swallow thickly, nodding, before shifting so I'm sitting more comfortably in his lap with my back braced against his chest instead of his left arm, and my feet sticking out in front of me, knees bent over his still crossed legs. He rearranges his hold on me, arms coming around to wrap around my middle just under my breasts, and between the blanket and the sleeves of his fire rat robe as it rests over me from chest to knees, I'm feeling warm and secure in his hold.
I didn't want to lose this feeling to his ambitions of becoming a demon, as selfish as that may seem.
Mayumi's POV
Staring up at the star filled skies, I can't help the amazement I feel. I knew I no doubt had witnessed such sights many times in my life, but I couldn't remember ever seeing the stars so bright, nor the moon so large. I hold my blanket tighter to me, heart aching oddly as I stand in the center of the lavish courtyard.
Why did I feel like something…someone, was missing?
'It's like I'm…I'm longing for something. By what?' I think desperately to myself, clutching at the blanket tighter.
"Mayumi? What are you doing up?" A smooth, deep voice comes from behind me, and I instantly know who it is. My heart begins to race.
Naraku.
The Lord had been nothing but kind to me the past few days, and utterly respectful.
'So why do I feel scared of him?' I question, feeling the chill of fear creeping down my spine. It was unsettling, he was unsettling. "I had a strange dream." I admit, speaking the truth. I'd been having the same dream over and over since I had awoken without my memories. It always involved a woman, one who looked almost identical to me.
The dream always started the same, in this dark, weightless void. The mystery woman would be calling out my name fearfully, reaching for me like I was in some sort of imminent danger. Our fingers would just barely brush before I would suddenly feel myself falling, stomach lurching into my throat. I would wake in a cold sweat, a name on the tip of my tongue, a name I could not remember mere seconds after waking.
"That is to be expected." Naraku replies soothingly, stepping up a respectable distance behind me. "But they are just dreams."
"I know." I murmur, swallowing thickly. "The stars calm me afterwards."
"They always did." Naraku responds almost wistfully, and I can't help turning my head to look at him over my shoulder. His head is tilted back slightly now as well, his own violet eyes taking in the skies above with a barely there crook in his lips. There he goes again, acting as if he really knew me, when I hardly knew myself. It was confusing and frustrating.
"I wish I had my memories back." I whisper softly then, watching as his gaze turns downwards and back to lock eyes with me. He's frowning sympathetically, but even I can tell that it's not genuine.
"I know, Mayumi. In due time, I'm sure they'll return." Naraku replies, before turning from me and heading back inside. "Don't stay out here too long, or else you'll become ill." Is his parting words as he disappears once more. I relax once he's gone, finding my hands trembling from how hard I was gripping the blanket around me.
I needed to find out what was really going on here.
Yua's POV
"Sure is quiet and peaceful out." Shippo comments the next morning as our group continues on their way. Inuyasha had seemed in a slightly better mood after our talk last night, though he was still oddly quiet as he led the group.
An electric pulse races down my spine.
"A jewel shard." I gasp out, eyes wide as Inuyasha looks over his shoulder curiously at me.
"What?"
"And it's closing in fast." I frown, allowing my aura to pool in my right hand. A great gust of wind rushes over us, and before I could can react, there stands Koga, a smug smirk on his face.
"Yo."
I blink in surprise, mouth parting slightly. "Koga?" I gasp, having not seen the raven haired wolf demon since Kagura's attack on his clan. His electric blue eyes lock on my own, and I feel inexplicably nervous as I glance towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha, meanwhile, hardly looks pleased by Koga's presence.
"Well, this should be interesting." Miroku hardly makes an effort to conceal his comment as he leans over to 'whisper' to the Demon Slayer beside him. Sango rolls her eyes at the monk, promptly smacking him over the back of the head for me.
"I picked up on your scent, Yua." Koga explains as he steps up closer towards me, confident smirk spread wide across his lips. "Figured I would come to see you! You've been well I hope?" Inuyasha promptly steps so that he's half in front of me, clearly blocking Koga's path.
"What do you want you mangy wolf?" Inuyasha demands with narrowed eyes, still looking utterly unimpressed with Koga's sudden appearance. Koga's eyes narrow as well as he looks back towards Inuyasha with an identical expression. I groan, ducking my head as I feel a blush warming at the tops of my cheeks.
"Guys…" I groan softly, looking between both of the demons. It still felt surreal to have two men arguing over me. "Please, don't fight?" I almost beg, Inuyasha growing lowly, Koga's own growl echoing his.
"Stay out of it." Inuyasha snaps, and I can't help feeling a little taken aback. "I may have to kill him, or worse." I frown at that, Koga looking hardly deterred.
"You haven't changed one bit, mutt. You think you could lose the arrogance once in a while." Koga looks towards me over Inuyasha's shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "Yua, don't you get tired of being with this guy?" Inuyasha snarls, glaring at the wolf demon and grabbing onto the hilt of Tessaiga in clear threat.
"Why you-"
"Don't be rude to my poor friend, Koga!" Shippo suddenly intervenes, leaping onto Inuyasha's shoulder as he glares at Koga across from them. I look towards the little boy in shock, and apprehension.
Where was Shippo going with this?
"You see, he's not always like this! He only gets uptight when you come around because he thinks that you're going to steal Yua away!" Inuyasha, unsurprisingly, hits Shippo over the head.
"You little twerp! As if I have to be scared of that! I could take Koga any day!" Inuyasha snarls, clearly frustrated that Shippo even dared to think that he would be intimidated, or even feel insecure, about Koga's clear advances on me.
"You really need to grow up, mutt-face." Koga mutters as he crosses his powerful arms across his equally powerful chest. I sigh heavily at that.
Well, he wasn't wrong.
It's not long before Koga's companions catch up, Ginta and Hakkaku being escorted by a small pack of wolves. Needless to say, once we were all sat down together, Koga's request catches us all off-guard.
"You want me to tell you where Naraku's lives?" Inuyasha asks, a tinge of annoyance in his voice. "If I knew that I wouldn't be wasting my time battling his demons!"
"Does that mean that you don't know?" Hakkaku asks, and I can't help frowning as I look from him towards Koga, shaking my head.
"No, we don't." I answer, watching Koga carefully. "Listen, I get that you no doubt want revenge for your men that were killed by Kagura, but Naraku is powerful and dangerous. It wouldn't be wise to go after him on your own." I advise, feeling worried for the wolf demon leader. Koga was nothing if not loyal, but that loyalty could end in him getting himself killed. I didn't want to see that happen.
"It's almost impossible to find. Naraku projects a barrier around his castle." Inuyasha adds, frowning at Koga. "Let us avenge the death of your comrades." I'm momentarily stunned, looking towards Inuyasha in surprise. Would he really do that for Koga? "All that I ask is for the jewel shards in your legs!" He adds then, grabbing at the hilt of Tessaiga as he does. I inwardly groan, shoulders slumping.
I knew it was too good to be true.
He draws Tessaiga before I can stop him, lurching forward and swinging down at Koga. "Go back and hide away in your Den!" Inuyasha shouts, bearing down on the wolf demon. Koga dodges easily with the help of those jewel shards that Inuyasha had just mentioned. He lands a few feet away, lifting an eyebrow as he looked between where Tessaiga was now resting within the rubble of the bolder Koga had been sitting on, and Inuyasha.
"Something the matter, mutt-face?" Koga asks cockily, arrogantly crossing his arms. "You're swinging your sword awfully slowly."
"The Tessaiga is still too heavy for him." Shippo observes from his place seated between Sango and Miroku on another nearby boulder.
"And it won't get any lighter overnight." Miroku agrees with a sigh. I frown, watching as Koga and the rest of his group gather together, turning away from us now.
"Come back and fight!" Inuyasha shouts out after the wolf demon leader, Koga glancing back at us from over his shoulder with a smirk.
"Sorry dog-breath, but I don't have any time to waste sparing with you." Koga replies, before starting into a light run to catch up to his comrades that were now ahead of him.
"Coward, come back here!"
"Now you take good care of my Yua, while I waste Naraku!" Koga shouts arrogantly back towards us. "Don't you dare lay a finger on her!" And just like that, he's gone.
'I wonder what Koga is going to think when he realizes that Inuyasha has actually marked me.' I can't help thinking to myself, feeling the tingle of his mark on my neck as I do. I flush a little at that, watching Inuyasha's back as he stands there still at the ready with Tessaiga for a moment longer.
"He sure is cocky for a guy who just ran away from a battle." Sango comments lightly, and I can't help agreeing with her. Sighing softly, I walk up to Inuyasha, resting my hand on his back.
"Come on, now. You let Koga get under your skin too easily." I comment lightly, Inuyasha looking at me with slight annoyance. It's easy to feel the tenseness of his muscles on his back through his top. "Look at you, you're all riled up."
"Who said I was riled up?!" Inuyasha demands, sheathing Tessaiga as he narrows his eyes down at me. "I've got nothing to worry about." He adds lowly, his now open right hand moving up to brush my ponytail from where it sat on my right shoulder, grabbing at the collar of my top and pulling it to the side. I can tell the moment his eyes land on his mark on me, the amber going nearly molten gold in color as he looks from it, then up towards my eyes. I can feel the heat rushing through me, heart racing at the look of utter possession on his face. "That proves it." He adds lowly, voice taking on a huskiness that has me weak in the knees.
So not the time!
"Perhaps we should be continuing on?" Miroku asks after clearing his throat awkwardly, jolting both Inuyasha and I from our heated staring. I swallow thickly, Inuyasha smirking wider as he clearly notices.
"Right." Voice cracking slightly, I nod, dragging my gaze from Inuyasha's, cheeks feeling like they were on fire. Sango was giving me a sly look, to which I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at her, daring her to say something. She smirks widely, before shrugging her shoulders and grabbing her boomerang, swinging it over her shoulder once more. I can feel the underlying tension in my very bones as Inuyasha continues to watch me as we journey forward, the heat still coursing through my veins and tightening me up at my core.
We don't stop till the following night, and it's utter torture until we do.
'I hope Koga is alright.' I can't help reflecting as I stare at the campfire, everyone else starting to get arranged for the night. 'He's so damn stubborn. He'll get himself killed attempting to avenge the deaths of his friends.' I frown, pulling my knees up towards my chest as I rest my chin on them. Looking over the flames, I can see Inuyasha sitting across from me, and we lock eyes. The heat from earlier today was still there, tinged with concern, no doubt sensing my uneasiness. With a simple jerk of his head to the left, I know what he's asking of me. We sneak off as the others fall asleep, making sure not to go too far when we do.
"What's going on in that head of your's?" Inuyasha asks once we're out of earshot of the others, his arms coming to wrap around my waist from behind as we both just stood with one and other, taking in each other's presence. I frown slightly, leaning my head back against his strong shoulder and resting each of my hands on each of his forearms.
"Don't take this the wrong way." I warned him, turning my head to look up at my half demon. "I'm worried that Koga's going to get himself killed." I answer truthfully, Inuyasha's gaze never wavering, even as I can see the barest amount of annoyance in his gaze. Was it annoyance at me, though, or at Koga for worrying me?
"He's head-strong and cocky-"
"Like someone else that I know." I can't help chiming in, Inuyasha narrowing his eyes playfully at me. He leans down, nipping at my earlobe in playful retaliation, a shiver of pleasure rushing down my spine as he does.
"Easy." He cautions lightly, voice husky as his warm breath washes over my ear and down my neck. "Koga is loyal, to a fault, which means he's going to look out for what's best for his Tribe. As much as I hate the guy's guts, I honestly believe that he won't leave them leaderless for the sake of ambition, or revenge. He may be talking a big game right now, especially to try and impress you, but I think that he's going to test the waters when he finds Naraku. Once he knows what he's up against, though, I'm not sure what's going to stop him from trying."
"That doesn't make me worry less." I admit, frowning. Inuyasha leans back from my ear to press a kiss to my forehead instead. It's only then that I notice the hand that had dropped from his other where they had been locked at my waist, slowly sliding down my front and along my pelvis.
"Maybe I can help ease some of that stress and worry for a little while?" Inuyasha asks, tone husky and hopeful. I close my eyes, melting under his touch. As I shift when his hand moves to my belt, I can feel him hard against my ass. The thought occurs to me, not for the first time, that I had never been allowed to touch that part of him.
Tonight I was going to change that.
"You can." I agree, pushing his arms away from me firmly, but gently. I turn in his arms, facing him and his questioning look, before slowly sinking to my knees in front of him, not once breaking eye contact. His amber eyes widen in realization when moment later my hands are on the fabric belt to his own pants.
This time, surprisingly, he doesn't stop me.
I undo the knot, tugging it loose, before grabbing onto his pants as he shifts his tops so both layers open up along his chest and taut stomach. I tug his pants down, finding myself eager to uncover what I knew was underneath.
The moment I free his cock from his pants, it bounces ever so slightly in front of me. My eyes go wide despite knowing, remembering in detail, exactly how he had looked all those weeks ago on the bank of that hot spring. My heart races even faster, hands trembling as they slide he fabric of his pants down past his knees, allowing gravity to do the rest.
Inuyasha soothingly runs his clawed fingers through my hair against my scalp, and suddenly the inexplicable anxiety I was feeling melts away.
This was Inuyasha. He wasn't here to judge me, or how well I did this.
I mean, I knew what to do. I had never performed this act before, but once you knew the mechanics of sex it wasn't hard to figure out. So, I just went with my instincts, reaching forward and grabbing him gently by the base of his cock. I nearly gasp as he seems to lurch into my hand, a low growl building deep in his chest. Looking up towards him, I feel my entire being clench in arousal seeing the dark gold of his eyes staring back down intently at me.
I had his undivided attention. Good.
Suddenly feeling very powerful, even as I knelt in such a submissive position, I can't help the coy smirk that stretching across my lips. The one corner of his own lips curve upwards ever so slightly, and as if he can sense how I'm feeling, what I'm thinking, and he huffs in amusement as well. I never once break eye-contact as I slowly lean forward, not because I wanted to look sexy, but because I couldn't. I was so enraptured in that moment with him, and I needed to see his reaction the moment my tongue slid along his hot, firm flesh.
And I'm not disappointed.
As my tongue starts to trace along the underside of his length from base to tip, his lips part every so slightly, jaw going slack. By the time I reach just under his head, teasing the skin there, a rushed breath leaves from between those parted lips, his body curving ever so slightly inwards and over me. It was like that one action had made his knees weak, and he was doing everything in his power to remain standing.
"Was that good?" The words slip out before I can stop them, voice meek, yet eager to know. Inuyasha takes a breath through his nose, nodding stiffly.
"So good." His voice is incredibly sexy right now, the husky timber of it sending a delightful shiver down my spine. "Keep going." He all but orders, his fingers that had been running soothingly through my hair now taking purchase, gripping it gently. I look up at him from under my lashes once more shyly, before instead turning my full attention now to his rock hard cock in front of me. Without preamble I dive in, wrapping my lips around just the head and sucking lightly.
"Fuck." Inuyasha hisses from above me, but I'm so caught up in the new, salty taste that hits the tip of my tongue to really notice. It was musky and bitter, but not unbearable. It definitely didn't deter me from wanting to make him feel as good as he has made me feel on a number of occasions. I can feel his hand hesitantly pressing my head forward, almost like he was doing his best not to, but that subconsciously he couldn't help himself. I take that as my cue, and slowly slide my lips down his shaft further. I keep going until I feel the tip of him near the back of my mouth, afraid to go much further and risk gagging. He then tugs at my hair lightly, as if to pull me backwards along him, and so I follow his guidance, sucking firmly as I do. A long, low moan is dragged for between his lips as I reach the tip once more.
Now it was time for me to take over.
I start a slow, strong build-up as my mouth moves up and down along him, my hand at his base now shifting in time with the movement to cover ground my mouth could not. I can feel him trembling in front of me, the way he'd hold his breath before letting it out in a loud 'whoosh' when I would twist my tongue along the base of his shaft. The power I felt in that moment was exhilarating, womanly pride filling me knowing that I could please him too.
"Yua…" Inuyasha moans out my name, and I can't help the moan that works it's way up from my chest hearing him. He hisses in pleasure, the vibrations of it no doubt washing over his cock that was currently seated deep in my mouth. "Shit, I'm close. Yua, you've gotta stop." He gasps out then, his hand tugging a little more firmly at my hair to try and pull me away. I bat him away, looking up at him as I do with a determined look.
He looks absolutely desperate, and torn.
I start sucking on him more firmly as I move faster, never breaking eye-contact with him. It almost seems like this was the combination that finally had him releasing his control, and I can feel his hips shifting to finally meet my every stroke. Though he's still very careful, his hand is now back on the back of my head, urging me to meet his pace as his hips jerk forward, entire body tensing and coiling. I'm sure I can hear him chanting 'fuck' under his breath over and over again, but my own ears are starting to buzz with the tension and excitement of the moment.
Then finally, he lets go.
Pushing himself into my mouth one last time, he stills, hunching over me as I feel warm ribbons of liquid shooting against the back of my mouth, and down my throat. The bitter, musky taste from before intensifies ten-fold, but in that moment I can't seem to care. I swallow periodically as he trembles and releases, taking every drop he had to give me. When he begins to pull away, I allow my tongue to drag along the underside of his softening cock, the move causing him to shudder almost violently as he pulls completely from me and drops to his knees.
'Ha, look at that, I brought him to his knees.' I can't help thinking smugly, a small smirk stretching across my lips. Inuyasha rests his forehead against my own, breathing heavily still and looking completely and utterly satisfied, his own smirk stretching across his lips.
"Don't look so pleased with yourself." He grumbles lowly, his hand that had been on the back of my head now coming froward to tuck some of my fly-aways behind my ear.
"And why shouldn't I be?" I reply easily, smiling now instead. Inuyasha gives a husky chuckle, leaning back to press a kiss to my forehead, before leaning his forehead against mine once more.
"I suppose you have a point." He agrees, looking mildly amused. Swiftly he wraps his arms around me, dragging me forward so my thighs opened and fell to either side of his own, straddling his lap. "Now, it's your turn." He growls lowly, eyes taking on heat once more. I chew on my lower lip, core throbbing at the thought, but I knew I had a point to prove here as well.
"No." I tell him, running the fingers of my one hand through his silver hair. He looks taken aback at that, his gaze questioning. "Tonight was about you for once." I tell him firmly, doing my best to ignore the warmth of his solid form pressing into my softer one. "I'm good for tonight. Truly" I add, kissing his cheek.
I mean, I didn't want to even think about how bad my breath might smell to him right now.
"So why don't you get dressed and take me back to camp and hold me tonight?" I compromise then, wrapping my arms around him in a hug now as well and resting my head on his shoulder, burying my face against his neck.
"Is that what you really want?" Inuyasha asks softly, his one hand coming up to comb through my hair once more soothingly. I hum in response, nodding against his shoulder. Reluctantly we pull away from one and other moments later so Inuyasha could get situated and, almost like kids trying to sneak back in after being out past curfew, we sneak back unnoticed into the camp.
And Inuyasha held me until I fell asleep.
"I can smell Naraku!" Inuyasha shouts as he races along the path in the woods, the rest of us trailing slightly behind. It had been a flurry of movement only moments after I had fallen asleep. Inuyasha had shaken me away, his gaze hard and tone urgent as he woke the others as well, telling us that Naraku was near.
Now, only moments later, I sat behind Sango on Kirara, Shippo sitting safely between Sango and I. Miroku was running next to us, his own blue eyes glinting like steel in the moonlight as we charged forward. I could feel my heart nearly leaping up into my throat, mind reeling.
Were we ready for this? Ready to face Naraku again?
"Inuyasha! Slow down! We need to think of a plan!" Sango shouts suddenly from in front of me. I blink, brought back to the present and notice that Inuyasha had gotten substantially further away from us.
"You can't take Naraku on your own! You can't even use Tessaiga properly yet!" Miroku shouts after him as well, but my stubborn half demon seems to only speed up.
"Spare me!" Inuyasha throws over his shoulder, before disappearing from sight altogether. I feel my heart squeeze painfully at that, worry washing over me like a tidal wave. Inuyasha was no doubt going in angry, and I knew why.
Mayumi.
'He's hell-bent on finding her, on avenging her.' I think to myself, hands clenching a little tighter around Sango's middle as Kirara picks up her pace to try and catch up. 'I know Tessaiga's been fixed, but what if he transforms again? What will we do then?'
Our group finally catches up with Inuyasha in a clearing, facing off against the familiar figure of Naraku, covered in his baboon pelt. There was a figure crouched before him, and for a split second my heart froze in my chest.
Was that her?
Upon closer look, however, the being crouched in front of Naraku had long hot pink hair and ice blue eyes. Their face was obscured by a large metal mask, covering most of it from view.
"Koga must have fled when he saw he had no chance of victory." Naraku speaks up, giving a low laugh. I look from him towards the crouched figure once more, taking in their human-like appearance. They even wore a kimono of blue and dark green, the colours clashing with their bright hair. "He's more intelligent than I took him for." I frown more at that, grabbing my bow from over my shoulder and stepping up beside Miroku, Sango moving to stand on the monk's other side.
"Who cares about him?" Inuyasha scoffs, habitually cracking his knuckles. "I'm in a whole different class altogether."
"Wait a minute." Miroku murmurs lowly next to me, his voice filled with suspicion. "Is that another one of Naraku's incarnations?"
"Juromaru," Naraku begins, introducing us to his new creation's name, "I shall remove your shackles. Go forth and fight to your heart's content." Suddenly, like magic, Juromaru's mask and shackles on his wrists all break apart into tiny pieces. What happens next, however, is the most shocking.
Juromaru turns on Naraku himself.
With a swift swipe upwards, his nails decapitate Naraku's head clear from his shoulders.
We're all staring in shock as the monster before us doesn't even bother to set his cold eyes on his former master.
'That couldn't have been Naraku then, no way.' I think to myself, eyes wide still with shock. 'It must be another one of his illusions, one of his puppets.' Naraku's chilling, disembodied chuckle only confirms it.
"Juromaru is unstoppable now that his mask has been removed. He will slaughter everything in his wake."
And just like that, Naraku's severed body disappears in a blinding flash of purple light.
Looking back towards Naraku's newest incarnation, I can see a chilling glow about his mouth. The very air seems to frost over in front of Juromaru as he exhales heavily. What was that all about?
"Even if Naraku was just a puppet, it's hard to believe that he beheaded his own ally." Miroku observes, frowning. I frown at that as well.
"Perhaps no-one is his ally." Sango replies ominously, her body tense as she holds on at the ready with her boomerang.
"It makes sense that Naraku kept him bound like that then." Shippo speaks up from beside me, his little hands gripping onto my pant leg. I tense as Jaromaru moves, Inuyasha dodging out of the way just in time, the incarnation tearing apart the ground beneath where his feet had been. The half demon delivers a solid punch to Jaromaru's head, sending him flying down into the dirt.
"He didn't even try to block himself." I observe with confusion, watching as Inuyasha stood over the incarnation now with a glare, raising his right hand in threat.
"Alright. I'm going to have to finish you off here and now." Inuyasha proclaims, before launching himself with confidence at Jaromaru before the incarnation could fully sit up. "IRON REAVER SOUL-!"
"Inuyasha!" I shout in fear, watching as if in slow motion as Jaromaru moves swiftly to block Inuyahsa's attack and counter it. Inuyasha takes the hits full force, stumbling away and clearly injured. I frown, notching an arrow in my bow and taking aim as Inuyasha recovers. Letting it fly, I block Jaromaru as he moves to attack Inuyasha' once more, the flare from my aura causing the incarnation to jolt back at the shock of it.
"Yua, back off! Don't get involved!" Inuyasha snaps, before diving towards Jaromaru and effectively diverting his attention from me. He blocks Jaromaru's next attack using the sleeve of his fire-rat kimono, and takes the opportunity to draw Tessaiga, swiping at his arm. Jaromaru disappears into the bushes.
"That looks like it hit his arm! Took it clean off!" Shippo exclaims as he jumps up onto my shoulder, a wide grin on his face. Inuyasha, however, looks hardly relieved as he remains slightly hunched over, narrowed eyes gazing around his surroundings. I remain tense, notching another arrow as a precaution. Jaromaru launches towards Inuyasha from the trees, the silver haired half demon just barely missing being hit as he jump out of the way just in time. Shippo cries out in surprise as we all see the same thing, looking on in shock.
Jaromaru's arm was still very much intact.
Suddenly I felt another aura, similar to Jaromaru's, coming from directly behind Inuyasha.
Quickly throwing my bow down, I act on gut instinct as the ground behind Inuyasha seems to break apart. Shippo jumps off of my shoulder as I lurch forward, rushing the half a dozen feet to Inuyasha and throwing my weight into his unsuspecting form.
I can feel the heat of energy as whatever it was just barely misses the both of us.
Inuyasha twists himself in mid-fall to take the brunt of it as we hit the ground, his arms encircling around me protectively as he does. I pull my face from where it's buried against his chest, his arms tightening around me as we both look towards Jaromaru. I unconsciously flinch away at the sight that greets us both.
A creature now stood at Jaromaru's feet, with a body almost like a scorpion, but a head that matched Jaromaru's in likeness. It had large blades as pinchers that it used to prop itself up off of the ground with, it's body like one long grey tail that tappers off towards the end. The creature was small, maybe the size of a cat, but it was clear how deadly this thing could be.
"What the hell is that?!" Miroku asks, disgust clear in his voice. As if the appearance of this creature wasn't bad enough, we soon learned something else about it.
It could talk.
"You, girl, made me miss my meal." It stated with an air of cool indifference.
"So there were two of you all along." Inuyasha growls, shifting to sit us both up. I move off of him quickly and stand, Inuyasha moving as well and ensuring that he stood just slightly in front of me. I allow my aura to slip down into my hands, feeling even more on edge with this new creature that I had with Jaromaru. "Who the hell are you?" The creature chuckles in amusement as he moves himself so he's proper up on his tail instead, giving him some height.
"I am Kageromaru." He answers with a cocky smirk. "And I have been lying dormant inside of Jaromaru's belly." Miroku and Sango come up to join us, standing on either side of me at the ready now as well.
'How the hell did he get out of Jaromaru's belly? Did Inuyasha cut open his stomach during that last attack?' I think to myself in confusion, glancing at the front of Jaromaru's blood. 'No…there isn't any blood, no sign of that happening.' I slowly raise my eyes to his face, my gaze widening with realization.
"It was that mask!" Miroku claims before I can voice it myself. "The mask was keeping Kageromaru locked inside!" Kageromaru's dark chuckle on confirms it.
"Jaromaru only obeys me. Not even Naraku!"
"What?" Sango gasps out in clear shock next to me.
"That was why Jaromaru tried to behead Naraku. You ordered him to." I conclude, frowning. "Then why do his dirty work for him? Why not just run? Escape?"
"It's not that simple, little girl." Kageromaru responds lowly, looking angered. "Now, let us feast on the others, shall we Jaromaru? Let's gorge ourselves!" With that the little parasite rushes towards us.
"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku shouts out, getting himself ready, but Kageromaru slides by and slices his arm while he's at it.
"Miroku, you can't! He'll slice your Wind Tunnel open!" I caution the monk, Sango looking worried as well for the same reason. Sango turns her attention back towards Jaromaru as he begins his attack now as well, grabbing her boomerang and sending it flying towards him.
"Hiraikotsu!"
Quickly I manipulate my energy around her weapon as she does, watching with satisfaction as it hits Jaromaru head on, knocking him yards back. My energy disperses once more as Sango catches her boomerang.
I feel Kageromaru before I see him, the hair on my arms standing on end.
"Sango! Yua!" Miroku rushes him, shoving us both out of the way, but taking a brunt of Kageromaru's blade as he does.
"Miroku!" Sango gasps as we all stumble together. I look around over the monk's shoulder, and can see Inuyasha standing off against Jaromaru once more. My attention is quickly diverted by Kageromaru once more as he dives down at us once more from behind Miroku. Throwing up a shield, I effectively divert him, frowning then as I look towards the monk.
"Are you okay?" I ask in concern, Sango already taking the opportunity my shield provided to shove his long sleeve up his arm enough to see the cut. It's small, something I could heal easily once this ordeal was over with.
"It's just a scratch." Miroku replies, his blue eyed gaze not once leaving the Demon Slayer as she focuses on the wound on his arm. I chew on my lower lip then, feeling small jolts against my aura. Looking up I can see Kageromaru tapping away at the shield with one of his blades, and my annoyance flares.
'I have to keep this one preoccupied while Inuyasha deals with Jaromaru.' I think to myself, glancing back towards my friends. I knew that Kirara would keep Shippo safe, wherever she had taken him. "Stay in this barrier." I tell my friends, before frowning and rushing out of it myself, despite their protests as I do. I can feel the moment Kageromaru takes the bait, coming after me, his aura cold as it closes in. Once I knew that he was close enough, that he'd have no where to turn fast enough to get away, I turn on my heel. Quickly I form a ball of energy in my hand, getting ready to hit the thing with everything I had as the parasite closes in.
Until a foot gets in my way.
Blinking in shock, my mouth parts in surprise as I suddenly have Koga standing in front of me, having kicked Kageromaru away.
Well, shit.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Koga shouts at me angrily then, his blue eyes filled with worry.
"I had it handled!" I insist, glaring right back at wolf-boy. He snarls, turning towards Inuyasha now as my mate looks towards us both, glaring at Koga.
"Where the fuck were you?! She could have gotten her head cut clean off!" Koga shouts at him angrily now, Inuyasha glaring right back at him.
"Says that guy that ran off with his tail between his legs!" Inuyasha snaps back, and I can't help inwardly groaning, turning my attention then back towards Kageromaru.
This really wasn't the time.
"I will thank you, though, for saving my mate."
All heads snap towards Inuyasha in disbelief.
Had he really just thanked Koga?
I suddenly feel my hair being lifted, the cool air rushing against my neck as Koga tugged down the collar of my shirt just slightly. My stomach churns as I look towards him, chewing on my lower lip nervously.
"So you've finally manned up, dog face?" Koga asks, his gaze now no doubt locked on the bite mark on my neck. "Took you long enough." Inuyasha scoffs slightly, but I'm now more focused on Koga and his expressions. His gaze slowly moves up to my own, and I can see the slight disappointment there, but I'm thankful that he doesn't look angry, or heartbroken. "You agreed to this willingly, right?" I'm a little taken aback, even as I nod.
He was concerned that Inuyasha had forced this on me?
'He's a true friend.' I think to myself warmly, Koga letting my collar go then and my hair to fall back down, nodding himself. 'He's pushing aside his own disappointment to make sure I'm okay.'
"We're still friends right?" I can't help asking, knowing this was hardly the conversation to be having right in that moment. Koga looks slightly surprised, but a small smirk works it's way onto his lips as he nods.
"Definitely." He replies with genuine honestly. I feel my stomach relax and my heart lighten at that.
Seriously, how lucky was I? It was kind of too good to be true.
But after all the shit life had thrown at me before coming to feudal Japan, maybe this was karma's way of paying forward?
"So, what's the story behind this strange looking demon?" Koga asks, his attention now diverted back towards the more important task at hand. Inuyasha had come to stand next to Koga now, staring both the demons in front of us down.
"He came out of Jaromaru's gut, or so he claims." Inuyasha answers, his grip tightening on Tessaiga.
"I can see that Kageromaru is too fast for the likes of us to keep up with him." Miroku comments from where he and Sango still sat in the protection of my barrier. Kirara and Shippo had now come to join them as well. Koga laughs at that.
"Speak for yourself, monk! No-one is capable of escaping from me." The wolf demon proudly proclaims, and I can't help rolling my eyes slightly.
Seriously, though, Koga and Inuyasha were so similar it sometimes hurts.
"Words are your only true weapon." Kageromaru laughs at Koga, the wolf demon snarling as he glares down at the smaller demon.
"I'll call you on that one!" Koga snarls, meeting the challenge. "After I twist your head off!" He lunges forward then, his first plowing into the ground where Kageromaru had been moments before he had moved. When the dust clears the little parasite is sitting a few yards away, facing Koga.
"You're not half the warrior that you claim to be! Is that truly the best you can offer?!" Kageromaru goads. I frown deeply before gasping when Jaromaru appears directly behind Koga.
Inuyasha is on him in a second.
"Jaromaru! I'm your only real opponent here!" Inuyasha shouts at the demon as he launches himself forward with Tessaiga, missing him. My eyes widen in shock as I see Jaromaru land on the end of Tessaiga's blade, crawling up it and grabbing him by the face, taking him down to the ground.
"Shame on you! That demon should be easy prey!" Koga snaps at Inuyasha from over his shoulder, glaring at him. Inuyasha glares back, hitting Jaromaru off of him before glancing at me quickly.
"Go, get in your barrier with Miroku and Sango. We've got this." He states, and I feel that familiar warmth filling me tenfold to obey what was clearly an order. Swallowing thickly, I nod, casting one last glance towards Koga as well, before rushing back to the others as Inuyasha stands and moves back to back with Koga. Once I'm back inside of the barrier I kneel down next to Miroku, pressing my hands to his cut on his arm.
"Yua, are you sure you have the energy?" Miroku asks quickly, looking a little surprised. I'm even surprised myself as I can nod my head with honesty in answer.
I did have enough energy.
'My own energy is continuing to grow, even without Mayumi there.' I think to myself with amazement, though it was tinged with remorse and loneliness as well when thinking of her. In the background I can hear the noises of the battle, Shippo commenting that Koga appeared to be learning Kageromaru's moves enough to start to predict them. I barely manage to keep my attention focused on my friend and his arm as I continue to heal him.
"Got him!" Sango exclaims with excitement, and at that point I was just finishing with Miroku's arm. I look around, having felt the ground shake only a moment before the Demon Slayer had said anything, to find Koga crouching beside a crater of his own making.
Kageromaru was nowhere in sight.
My stomach sinks at that, glancing then towards Inuyasha as he continues to fight off Jaromaru as well.
Suddenly I feel the spike of Kageromaru's energy near Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha, look out!" I shout, but it's too late. Kageromaru bursts from the ground at his feet between him and Jaromaru, slicing along Inuyasha's forearm as he does. Inuyasha is so distracted that Jaromaru lands in a hit that has him flying backwards through a tree, the second one not breaking under impact as he falls unconscious to the ground against it. Koga moves, trying to pin Kageromaru down again unsuccessfully.
And then falls victim to the same stealth attack that had gotten Inuyasha.
"No, there is no way he'll ever win with an injured leg." Miroku comments, Kageromaru's attack having unfortunately landed a hit on Koga's right leg. Koga was incapacitated and vulnerable on the ground, clutching at the gaping wound in his thigh, while Inuyasha was dazed and confused, only just regaining consciousness as he slowly awakens against the tree.
Kageromaru turns his sights on me.
"Well, little girl? Aren't you going to come out and play? Or are you going to let me eat your friends in peace?" He goads. My heart races along with my mind, wondering what I can do now that I clearly didn't have the element of surprise any more. After Koga interrupted my earlier attack, Kageromaru would be more aware of my movements, and my power.
But I couldn't let him hurt Koga or Inuyasha, or any of my friends either.
Something washes over me like a tidal wave, bringing with it a sense of eerie calm. Almost unconsciously I stand, the concerned words and warnings of my friends sounding so distant in my ears, almost as if I were underwater. My once racing heart slows exponentially, a steady rhythm without falter as I step through my protective barrier.
"I know why you have not killed me, yet." I speak, though it feels like I'm not the one speaking at all. The wind starts to pick up mysteriously, whipping my hair lightly behind me. "Naraku no doubt told you to bring me back to him alive?" Kageromaru's answering smirk was all I needed. "I thought you didn't follow his orders?"
"He promised us more power, derived from the Sacred Jewel that you possess within you." Kageromaru answered, his mute brother now watching the interaction intently as well.
"You mean…this, jewel?" I ask, and with an instinct that I hadn't know I possessed, I bring my hands towards my chest. I can feel all my energy pulling to that one point, every fiber of my being aching with that surge of power. Behind me the barrier flickered and died out as I touched the tips of my index fingers and thumbs together to create a triangle centered between my breasts. A bright glow burst forth from me, the wind suddenly dying right down as I slowly push my hands outwards.
A bright jewel, so unlike that of the Sacred Jewel, was drawn from me.
It was a pure, opaque white with flecks of color covering it, closely resembling an opal in design. Streaks of light the colors of red, orange, yellow, green, every color you could imagine, would pass over it periodically as it hovered before me. My green eyes snapped wide, and my vision went red as rage quickly burst forth as if it had been held back by some sort of dam.
"You think you could handle this sort of power?!" A voice, still not my own, snarls at the two demons as they had the good sense to look nervous, backing away. "Let's test that theory, shall we?!" I raise the jewel up over my head, hands shifting so that the heels were pressed together, fingers stretched outwards. The jewel glows brightly, like a prism with all the colors bursting forth. With a shout I throw my arms down in front of me once more, outstretched with the jewel still hovering over where the heels of my hands are pressed together. Energy bursts forth in a rainbow of colors, dust kicking up on either side of it's path as it overcomes the two demons.
Kageromaru's screams echoing through the clearing.
My vision blurs as the energy fades and dust settles, nothing left in the path of my strike. I blink blearily at the jewel that hovers in front of me, hands dropping down to my sides.
Was that my Scared Jewel?
Why did it look so different than the others?
And why had I been able to create one now?
I drop to my knees, my shaking legs unable to hold me up any longer. Behind me I can hear Inuyasha shouting my name as the jewel is slowly drawn back towards me. Looking down as it reaches my chest, I watch with interest as it disappears back into my body, the warmth and energy of my aura bursting forth through my very veins as it does.
But I'm still so incredibly weak.
I don't even realize I'm falling forward until I'm being held against cool armor, the familiar brown fur of Koga's shoulder pad filling my vision.
Until it goes completely dark.
Ta DA!
Well, there ya have it folks lol.
Thanks again for tuning in! I really do hope to hear back from you soon!
Until next time!
T.O.T.