Hey all! Here's the next chapter!
Everything's been going good for the most part; just been busy with other things going on in my life, so that's partly why updating has been slow.
Well, that, and I've also recently did a huge grammatical update on all my chapters so far for this, plus my other story (...So many letters...lol).
I noticed that my review count for this story has reached a hundred! Yay!
So, once again, thank you for your patience, and enjoy the latest chapter in this Inuyasha adventure!
Update (June 2020): Chapter edited and lengthened!
Chapter 21: The Enigmatic Thief & The Flourishing Vigilante
(...Shhhcrk, shwunk)
We return to Edo Japan just shortly after Coraline's forced departure through time and space, and Inuyasha wastes no seconds in making sure the Bone Eater's Well can't be used. His choice of method? Yanking out an oak tree and shoving it down the structure, despite Shippō's desperate attempt to stop the other demon from acting so rashly.
"What are you doing that for, Inuyasha?!"
"Lay off!"
"If you seal up the well, Coraline will never be able to return to this era! Don't fool yourself; you need her as much as the rest of us."
The half-demon's expression falters slightly to reveal a more serious undertone to his aggravated state.
"I can't have her hanging around, otherwise I'll never be able to fight the way I want to."
He then turns away from the newly-stuffed well, his shift of body weight causing the fox demon to lose grip on his pant leg...Shippō pouts in a angered manner, tears threatening to fall from his dark pastel green irises and hands clenched under his folded arms.
...Coraline...
Miroku meanwhile had been observing the latest actions of his friend with a calculated expression, but there was no mistaking the troubled gleam in the corners of his own Prussian blue eyes.
A rather foolhardy decision...but then again, I suppose this proves he's vulnerable to emotions like any other man...
Still, is expelling Coraline from our era truly how you wish to disconnect your heart from your mind, Inuyasha?
He snaps out of his thoughts when the subject calls to him.
"Let's go, Miroku."
"Go? Where?"
"How can you ask such a thing? We'll find Naraku and crush him once and for all!"
The monk attempts to catch the fox demon's attention.
"...Let's be going, Shippō."
But the despondent boy chooses to refuse any further traveling with the one responsible for making his fellow ginger disappear.
"Not me. I despise Inuyasha, (sniffle...)."
"Kh, fine with me. Stay here."
Well aware that Shippō wouldn't be of any current help, Miroku proceeds to calmly speak with Inuyasha about what the latter had just done.
"I understand that you forced Coraline to leave for her safety, but do you not think that you could've achieved the same end through less aggressive methods?"
"Leave me alone! I did what I had to!"
"So, how do you recommend we go about searching for Naraku? You've come across some new leads, I suppose?"
One can imagine how unprepared the half-demon was for that question.
"...No, not exactly."
"So we have nothing to go on?"
"Quiet!"
In which case, the young practitioner of Buddhism circles back slightly in a discreet manner on the underlying problem.
"You sent Coraline back of your own volition. I'd appreciate it if you didn't take your frustrations out on me."
"Will you get off my back?!"
Miroku then goes to sit on top of a boulder, stating simply,
"Our best hope now lies in composing ourselves and thinking things through."
"I don't have time for this!"
But before Inuyasha could walk away, the human male calls back with a new bite in his own tone.
"What are you thinking? I want to crush Naraku as desperately as you do, Inuyasha!"
...The half-demon turns back to the monk, who adds with an edge as bitter as sugarless molasses,
"Fifty years ago, he formed a Wind Tunnel in the hand of my grandfather, and now the curse has carried over the generations to me!"
"...Miroku..."
Letting out a deflated sigh, Inuyasha moves to sit beside the other young man on the grass near the protruding rock.
"Taking action is more my style, not strategizing. You think of something."
"Work with me, Inuyasha. Let's go back to when this all started...You mentioned that you fell into Naraku's trap fifty years ago in this very same village, correct?"
"Yeah..."
"So you've met Naraku in person, right?"
"...No, not exactly..."
(Flash)
Going back several hours before 'the beginning of the end', we find Inuyasha and Kikyō standing in front of eachother in a forest clearing surrounded by the changing colours of the season...
"Inuyasha, you can become fully human if you use the Shikon-no-Tama...I shall bring to you at the brink of dawn, to this very place."
...But come that morning...
(Twok, tok)
"Huh?"
The 'priestess' would turn against the half-demon and attempt to shoot him down!
"Die, Inuyasha!"
(Flash)
Returning to the present Sengoku Edo, Inuyasha relays to Miroku,
"I may have met 'im, but if I did, he was disguised as Kikyō, so I have no idea what he looks like."
"Hm...it makes no sense: you don't know Naraku, and yet he despised you enough to disguise himself as Kikyō, and left you for dead. Could you have done something in the past to cause him to be embittered?"
The silverette scoffs,
"How would I know? I don't even know what he looks like!"
Humming in thought, the monk looks back at the Bone Eater's Well, watching poor Shippō try to lift the tree trunk out while shifting thoughts to the other participant in the orchestrated betrayal.
"One thing we do know, is that Kikyō was a priestess...Perhaps it was she and not you that Naraku had a deep grudge against, especially since you don't think you know him."
"You mean it's Kikyō he hates?"
...
...
...
As the mystery behind Naraku's motives is being contemplated, we jump ahead to modern-day Tokyo to find Coraline had given up any efforts to get the time/space vortex to work. Right now, she's down in the family laundry room soaking some of her clothes in a square basin filled with water and a stain removing solution.
"There, tha' should be enough...I just hope the blood'n dirt'll come out..."
The redhead had of course donned a new outfit seeing as the rest of her travel linen was also dirty or in need of some repair. Settling for something simple, she slipped on a robin egg blue v-neck tee, a pair of acid-wash jeans and white socks. She also tied her hair back into a loose ponytail, though with a thick strand of her dark auburn locks escaping to hang on the left side of her face.
"...Coraline! Your friends are here!"
She smiles faintly and calls back to Akari,
"Be right there!"
Wandering out of the laundry room, she tries to still the depressing thoughts still rolling around in her mind.
Inuyasha was still bleedin' out a good deal...I was so worried for 'im...
But perhaps his mind was elsewhere as he held me in 'is arms.
(Flash)
"I'll hang onto the jewel."
(Flash)
...Did 'e really only hold me to get 'is claws on the Shikon-no-Tama?
Cringing to herself, Coraline then slams her fist against the wall of the stairwell in a spat of anger.
"Th' bastard's gonna pay for actin' the maggot!"
"...Cora?"
She looks up and sees Freeman and Besa looking at her from the top of the stairs with wary concern. Getting a closer look, we see the twins had coordinated their clothing this round, also choosing the simple tee and jeans combo - the colours being light dirt brown and dark blue - with their monochrome high tops.
"Are, you okay?"
"Did we come at a bad time? I'm only asking 'cause...well, it's been a while since we heard that particular saying from your old home turf..."
...Relaxing her clenched fist, Coraline then sighs before looking up at the twins with a sad smile.
"No...Actually, you guys are wha' I really need right now..."
...
...
The three teens are soon sitting under one of the many sawtooth oaks in the middle of Musashino Central park, the boys listening to Coraline regale what had happened in the time she'd been gone, including what Inuyasha had done recently. Needless to say, both Freeman and Besa would become very pissed by the half-demon's actions.
"What?!"
"Seriously?! He just, hugged you and took the jewel before shoving you home?!"
"Yeah, and now I can't get back into the Sengoku Era."
"...Damn, that blows."
The redhead nods numbly in agreement with the boy with pain cropped black hair, while he and his cornrowed brother form sympathetic expressions.
"We're so sorry this happened to you, sis."
"I never imagined Inuyasha would go so far..."
"It's neither of yo'r faults...I jus' don't understand why he would do this."
"...I'm guessin' that hug got you goin' in a way or two?"
Coraline half-smiles at Freeman and replies,
"Kind-of. I mean...that was th' first time any guy held me like that. I, did get a bit flustered...but c'mon, he is a guy, right?"
"True. I would've gotten flustered myself if it was me."
"Right...but you'd get fired up for any man to hold you in their arms."
The three teens laugh a little, and the girl settles back into a less prominent but depressive frown...Besa then voices his opinion on the subject of conversation.
"Coraline...is it, possible that Inuyasha did what he did, so he could better protect you? I mean, I'm not siding with him or anything; I'm just trying to see things from both sides."
She forms an inquisitive expression as she takes in her brother's reasoning.
"...I see where you're goin' with this...and yeah, maybe he doesn' want me t' get hurt from the oncoming changes of this quest...But that doesn't give him the righ' t' do what he did."
Freeman nods in agreement:
"Yeah! If he's a man, he would've talked it out first and not jump to the first action he thought would get the job done."
Besa doesn't disagree, yet argues,
"You're both right...but isn't Inuyasha one of those types of people who speaks with actions more than with words?"
"...Yeah..."
"True..."
"I don't think Inuyasha faked anything in what he did say and do. The real problem was that he didn't know how to properly assess the situation, and chose to use the quickest method available. He does care, but doesn't know how to fully express it."
Coraline hums, feeling some of her anger against the silverette begin to slowly dissipate.
...Besa is right: Inuyasha has lived life with his feelin's closed off from everyone around him.
...Damn, now I feel guilty for cursin' his name t' Hell...
I hope he and the others are doing okay.
"I think you're right, Besa...Thank you, both of you. I'm feeling a bit better now that I got i' all out on the open."
"No prob."
"And hey, don't give up hope yet, Cor. Maybe Inuyasha will come to his senses and dive into the well to bring you back to Edo. It just might take a while, is all."
Coraline smiles faintly and replies,
"...I sure hope you're right, Freeman."
With that done, the three decide to get up and head for the tall building complexes to check out a few stores...
But as they reach the exit from the park grounds...
"Rrr...gggh..."
"Hm?"
Peering right towards part of the cherry blossom treeline, the redhead spots a figure trudging around with a bad limp...
Wonder what happen'd to him?
...Wait...is that-
"Gh-h!...Shuji?!"
Coraline runs to the apparent blackette with her brothers following close behind, they too shocked to see their friend so disheveled.
"Shuji!"
"Shuji, what happened to you?!"
"You look terrible!"
Whatever happened, the boy was clearly making an effort to stay conscious from his recent shakedown. His beige skin is paler than usual, revealing the multiple cuts and bruises exposed through his torn grey tee and dirtied baggy black jeans, and his right tawny brown iris is camouflaged by a swelling shiner...Shuji looks up at the souls who stopped him, and emits a shaky breath while holding his ribs before responding hoarsely,
"P-Please...Guys, I...I need, help..."
He then proceeds to try and stand up, only to nearly trip on his toes and forcing the twins to catch him before he hit the pavement.
"Take it easy, man; you're seriously hurt."
"Yeah, we need to get you to the hospital ASAP!"
"You...you don't, understand. Ri...Rikona...she-koff-cah!..."
Coraline steps closer to Shuji, and places her hands on his shoulders before gently but sternly inquiring,
"Shuji, wha' happened? What about Rikona?"
"The...the gangsters' brother. He and his boys...th-they took her; took 'er away..."
"What?...!"
"I, I tried to, stop them...but they just pounded me senseless...Please, C-Coraline, guys. Please, s-save Rikona, ah-kkh-koff!..."
The three teens could form horrified expressions at this dire news...But then the redhead forms a more serious frown and asks,
"Shuji...where are d'ese gangsters? Where can I find them?"
"They...have a hideout, by the docks. An abandoned warehouse...T-There's more...They kidnapped a bunch of other kids from my neighbourhood and hers, all around her age. Somethin', about insurance...There's a group of teens for our parts...they're all gonna team up, a-and go attack the warehouse to save the tykes...I-I know it sounds crazy, but the gangsters made it clear that if any cops were involved..."
Shuji couldn't finish the thought, but Coraline nods in understanding over what wasn't said.
"...Okay. An' where'r they meeting?"
"Same place, you found Rikona..."
"Gotcha..."
The girl looks up at Freeman and Besa with fierce determination laced into her two-toned blue irises.
"Guys...can I count on y' to get Shuji to th' hospital, while I go on ahead to the place?"
"...Coraline...are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"
"And you're not thinking the same?"
...The twins couldn't argue against her counter question, and firmly nod,
"We'll meet you there, sis."
Coraline nods back and begins running to the abandoned warehouse district, while the boys wrap their arms around Shuji's shoulders and proceed to walk him to where he could get medical help...
Don' worry, Rikona. Help is on the way! I promise!
...
...
Returning to Sengoku Edo, while Shippō chose to stay at the Bone Eater's Well out of stubbornness, Miroku and Inuyasha head for Kaede's place to really begin their conversation about Naraku. The monk is seen sipping some tea while the half-demon is being treated for his slowly-healing injuries by the priestess, including the area where Sesshōmaru drove his hand through.
"These injuries are serious. Ye won't be seeing any battles for some time yet."
"They won't hold me back any longer than two or three days."
"Not surprising ye would put on a brave face. There."
Kaede lightly slaps Inuyasha's back where the bulk of his injuries were, causing him to yelp.
"Aaaawh! What'd you do that for?!"
"If ye can muster that much vigor, then perhaps ye won't take long to recover."
The aging miko then shifts gears to the more prominent issue.
"I need to speak to ye. I have given this much thought, ever since my sister Kikyō was revived by the demon witch, Urasue."
Miroku tilts his head up to indicate his attention...
"Kikyō had told me that it was ye, Inuyasha, who had stolen her sacred Shikon-no-Tama. Do ye not think it strange?...The one who disguised himself as ye could have made off with the jewel, yet, he did not. He tricked ye into terrorizing the village, and pursuing the Shikon-no-Tama. Then Kikyō bound ye to a tree with her sacred arrow...Was the trickster trying to pit ye against eachother, or was it Kikyō that was the true object of his malice? Was he trying to fill her heart with hatred and bitterness?"
As Inuyasha puts his nagajuban and haori back on, he looks at the woman with confusion at her last question.
"What?"
She explains,
"In Kikyō's possession, the Sacred Jewel of the Four Souls remained pure...But, when her heart became tainted and hateful, the jewel also became submitted, and it filled with a malevolent power. At the time, there was but one person who so wished for such a terrible outcome..."
Kaede looks up to meet the eyes of both young men before her.
"Would you like me to take ye to the place where he once resided?"
...
...
They're soon walking through a field of tall grass to an area a fair distance away from the village as Kaede speaks about the person in question.
"Kikyō had come to her own decision..."
"She was harboring a thief."
"Because she pitied him. He was unable to move on his own."
After a few more minutes, the trio stops in front of the mouth of a cave with mossy overgrowth all around the outside, and a tree standing proud on top...
"This is the cave. The man went by the name of Onigumo..."
(Flash)
Going back about fifty years, the former occupant of this place will have been a man with gauze wrapping every inch of his burned body, save one bloodshot eye...Kikyō is seen tending to him...
"He suffered from terrible burns and was especially scarred. I know not if he fell from a cliff, or how he sustained his injuries. Both legs were broken...yet despite his severe wounds, Onigumo continued to endure. He did not move again, but he recovered his strength, enough to converse...That, is when his true nature, gradually emerged..."
The living priestess remembers the moment when her young self and the thief spoke to one another.
"You there...young lass."
"It's Kaede."
"Yes...Your sister possesses what is known, as the Shikon-no-Tama, does she not?"
Young Kaede eyes Onigumo suspiciously:
"What would ye know about the jewel?"
"All who are wicked know it, and pursue it..."
"Ye included?"
"I understand that the more evil the jewel absorbs, the more evil it becomes...Outstanding."
"My sister has it under her control. It won't be corrupted."
"...Kikyō's manner is self-righteous. For once, I should like to see her apprehensive and frightened. That would bring me true pleasure, heheheh..."
Worried about the man's intentions, Kaede quickly brings his words to Kikyō's attention the first chance she has...
"I see. Onigumo said that, did he?"
"...Big sister, I don't care for that man."
"Bare him no grudge. Give him pity; his injuries are great. He shall never move from there again."
"...It was not long after that, when Kikyō bound ye to the tree with her arrow..."
The future priestess - bearing a gauze over her right eye - is then seen looking into the cave with bewilderment in her features...
"Several days later, when I went to visit Onigumo at the cave, I had found it to have been burned out. Judging from what I saw, the flames must've been intense, for Onigumo was unable to move and surely would've perished in the cave...but his bones were never found. They too must've gone up in flames."
(Flash)
Though partially intrigued by her tale, Inuyasha would ask Kaede,
"What does this have to do with me? I'm looking for Naraku, and Naraku is a demon, not a human such as this Onigumo person."
"No mistaking that. Onigumo may have been evil, but he was human. A scourge to humanity."
Miroku felt that the mystery would better come in full circle if the three examine the cave after all this time.
"Let's go inside and take a look, shall we?"
...
Returning briefly to the Bone Eater's Well, Shippō is once again trying to lift the tree trunk away, but with no success.
"Rrr...rrgh...W-Whah!"
He falls backwards onto the grass, and as he lifts himself up into a sitting position, he mutters sadly,
"Auh, I can't pull it out of the well. And unless I do, Coraline will never return to us."
He looks up to the sky with watery eyes.
"I'm starting to miss her already..."
...The fox demon remembers what Inuyasha said before walking away, and begins to get frustrated again.
"Rrrrrgh, he's more stubborn than a muuule! That does it! I'm never speaking to Inuyasha again!"
"Did you say, Inuyasha?"
(Thump...)
Suddenly, a deep, raspy voice breaks out behind Shippō, and he turns around, only to meet the eyes of a large demon with a pack of black-furred, three-eyed wolves following with him!
"I asked you a question..."
All the child could do was cringe back in fear...
Back at the cave, Inuyasha, Miroku and Kaede have walked a good few feet into the mouth, before the monk notices something odd.
"Lady Kaede."
"Hm?"
"Look there: that one site alone is free of grass and moss of any kind..."
The priestess gets a closer look, and remembers,
"Oh...It's the same place. This is the very site where Onigumo laid injured."
The monk leans down on one knee towards the spot...only to immediately jump backwards with a wave of his staff like he narrowly escaped being bitten by a tiger keelback.
"Ah-h...! I'm sensing the evil spirit of a demon, an entity that which has been left behind here for decades!"
"Impossible...!"
"Could it be a human who left this foul spirit behind, here where even grass refuses to grow?"
Inuyasha notes,
"The spirit in this cave belongs to no human. It's definitely that of a demon."
Miroku puts a hand under his chin in thought.
"Hmm...but if Onigumo was human, how could he have possessed the spirit of a demon?"
"...Heeelp! Somebody, help meee!"
Attention bounces back out into the field, and we spot Shippō on the run from the pack of trio-eyed black wolves from earlier! Everyone rushes outside to see the little kitsune in trouble.
"Shippō!"
Inuyasha quickly leaps to the younger demon's aid as they suddenly trip to fall face-down on the ground...He turns around just as the rabid canines charge his way...
"Iron Reaver, Soul Stealer!"
(Slash, slash, SLASH)
The silverette kills them all in a few well-placed strokes, landing on the ground with the fox demon tucked into his arm...Shippō looks up at him and asks,
"A-Are you still in pain?"
...He then looks down at his hand, and sees blood.
"Ah! Your chest! You're bleeding!"
Inuyasha cringes as he curses mentally,
N-No...It must've, re-opened...
He then feels a secondary presence, and looks up to meet the eyes of Shippō's attacker. This demon is at least a couple feet larger than the taller males in the area, with the appearance of a monstrous wolf with brown fur and wearing armor, and red pupil eyes within light blue sclera.
"Might you be Inuyasha?"
"That depends on who's askin'!"
"I am Rōyakan, Guardian of Hell."
Kaede and Miroku arrive near their demon allies, the former recognizing the demon.
"Rōyakan! Are ye not the gentle giant that guards the forest?"
"That was before I reborn! Inuyasha, I have come to slay you!...Bwaaaah!"
The giant wolf then expels numerous three-eyed wolves from his mouth!
As they charge forward, Inuyasha rises from the ground and retorts,
"Good luck is all I can say!"
Meanwhile, Miroku contemplates the newly brewing situation.
Rōyakan seems to know that Inuyasha is in no condition to fight...
The wolves leap forward at their target with fangs bared, but are easily swiped dead by the half-demon's claws! Meanwhile, the monk defends the priestess with his shakujō, knocking away any canines coming in their direction...
"Fight as you may, you can never defeat me! Bwaaah!"
Rōyakan then expels even more wolves from his jaws, adding further pressure to the battle...
Miroku then decides to take drastic measures.
"That leaves me with no choice..."
(Rattle...Whooooooooossssshhhhh...)
He then unleashes the Wind Tunnel in his right hand, sucking in the surrounding three-eyed wolves!
...Once the bulk of the army is diminished, Miroku seals his hand before calling,
"Inuyasha, quickly, this way!"
But Rōyakan was far from done:
"Bwaaahh!"
A new set of wolves is unleashed, only this time, they circle to attack Miroku...As the battle rages on, we briefly zoom into the treeline, and find Naraku sitting on a tree branch, observing the action while chuckling over his latest scheme.
"I must congratulate myself. It was a brilliant idea indeed to embed a jewel shard in Royakan's body..."
We see in his fiddling hands that he already has a decent-sized number of gem pieces in his possession...
"Iron Reaver!"
Returning to the fight, Inuyasha takes down a couple more wolves...
But as he lands on the ground, Shippō notices his endurance wilting.
"You okay?"
"...My vision is starting to become blurry..."
Miroku was doing his best to suck in as many of the wolves as he could into his black hole, but was having a bit of trouble maintaining his speed while also being careful not to push beyond his own limits...
"Monk, Inuyasha is in danger!"
"I'm moving as fast as I'm able! But first..."
He then seals his cursed hand before diving across the dirt to retrieve his staff.
"I must stop Rōyakan!"
He then throws his weapon at Rōyakan, hitting him square on the forehead!
With the wolf demon distracted, Miroku reopens his Wind Tunnel.
"It can be done!"
(Whooooooosssssshhhh...)
Rōyakan cringes back from the pressure of the vacuum...but just when it looked like gravity would no longer be in his favour, the large demon then slams his fists onto the ground to uplift a layer of dirt and rock! Miroku sees through the tactic, and immediately closes the Wind Tunnel...But when the dust settles, only a gaping crater remained...
"He escaped..."
Over yonder, Naraku comments on the turn in events.
"How unfortunate. Perhaps I should have made Rōyakan more powerful..."
The mysterious evil entity then shifts out of sight...By this time, Kaede had reached the kneeling half-demon.
"Inuyasha, show me your wounds!"
"...Where is Rōyakan?"
"He has fled."
Miroku then says,
"Inuyasha, I sense that Naraku is near."
"What?!"
"Most likely, Rōyakan has a jewel fragment and through it, is being manipulated by Naraku."
Kaede hums,
"That would explain such a gentle creature being evil...Inuyasha!"
The silverette ignores the priestess, his mind and last bit of stamina directed elsewhere.
"Naraku. Where are you? Come out and face me, one-on-one! Gg-guh..."
With that, Inuyasha collapses...Shippō cries out the half-demon's name with worry as he and Kaede come to his side, and the woman says to the monk,
"Rōyakan may come for another attack. We should flee to the village at once and contemplate our next move."
Miroku nods in agreement, while the fox demon looks at the currently vulnerable member of the quartet with increasing distress.
"...Inuyasha..."
Time Skip
(...Drop)
"Hup!"
Jumping ahead a couple hours in daylight but about five centuries in time, we zoom in on the Higurashi house as Coraline vaults over the lip of the Bone Eater's Well, landing at the bottom as she checked to see if the vortex was still closed.
"...Still nothin', huh? Hm...well, consider'an t'night's task, I guess it's better off this way for now..."
I think I've lost mos' of my anger with you, Inuyasha...I just hope you're gettin' a decent rest...
Sighing, the girl climbs out of the deep structure, and peeks out the door to the well house...before jogging silently past the house for the tall staircase connecting these grounds with the urban streets below.
I can't believe I'm actually doin' this...I bett'r pray Akari-sama and Grandfath'r don' find out...
At the same time Inuyasha and company had investigated the cave before getting attacked, Coraline and her brothers - once they dropped off Shuji at the hospital - have since met with the other teens from the neighbourhoods at the abandoned factory building to join in the rescue mission to save Rikona and the other children from their captors...Of course, this was more a guerilla attack plan if anything, but based on the profile information that was gathered about these gangsters (including secret connections they have with local police departments), it looked like vigilante efforts were the only way to go...
After meeting and allying with the teens, the spiritual sibling trio all agreed to meet at the bottom of the shrine steps around ten in the evening before rushing out to meet with the main force at the docks...We notice that the redhead is now wearing a form-fit black tank-top, gray-blue jeans and her black combat boots, and had her hair tied back in a ponytail. Basically, she wore nothing that would constrict her movements and provided some darkness camouflage...She also had her combat knife strapped to her thigh, just incase things turned for the worst, but she silently prayed it wouldn't come to that...
Coraline's eyes wouldn't be disappointed once she reached the bottom of the steps, meeting the irises of Freeman and Besa right on schedule. We notice they too dressed special for the upcoming mission, the first-mentioned twin wearing a dark gray tank-top, black cargo pants and black/white converse. Meanwhile, the second twin dawned a black tank-top, black cargo pants and gray converse.
...The three share a silent bop of the head, before jogging as one for their next destination...Eventually, they reach the docks, specifically, around the abandoned parking lot where several other teens were waiting.
"...Hey."
The leader of the group, a teen by name of Mokoto, turns to greet them.
"Hey, you guys made it. I sure hope you three are ready, 'cause time ain't on our side."
"Whaddo you mean?"
One of the other teens - dressed in a sleeveless hoodie with a neck gaiter - of this ragtag group points Coraline to a laptop sitting on a low crate, and she wanders over to have a gander at what's playing on the monitor.
"...Whoa. Is this the inside of th' warehouse?"
"Yeah. We had one of our guys sneak some hidden cameras into the warehouse a couple hours ago. It wasn't easy, but well worth it...You see that big goon there near the cage?"
She nods, and the boy explains,
"He's been gettin' really antsy and pissed the longer they're waitin' for their payout, mostly 'cause of how scared the kids are acting. We're worried he might be tempted to take his anger out on the kids...And who knows? Some of the others may join him."
"Shit..."
"Exactly. That's why we gotta act fast."
All of the souls in the area - the number being roughly between fifteen to twenty - then focus on Mokoto as he stands to address, putting on the face and tone of a leader.
"Alright, listen up: we all know what the key objective is, and it's to get all of those kids outta there. It won't be easy, considering these bastards are armed, but luckily, we're attacking while they don't have heavy weapons like guns. Worst they'll have is lead pipes and chains...I'm not asking for any sacrifices. All I want is for us get in, free the kids, and get out. Everyone watches themselves in there, use defensive strategy, and look out for one another...Understood?"
Everyone nods firmly, giving the young man some confidence.
"Good. Okay, first team's with me, second team follows Ricky...Let's do this!"
With that, the duel groups begin their jog to the metal fence standing in front of their destination, and stop as two boys step forward to cut open a path with a pair of tinner snips...Once that's accomplished, they split off for their positions, Makoto's team prepping themselves at the front doors, while Ricky's team - which includes Coraline, Freeman and Besa - head for the back and climb atop some old dumpsters to crawl inside the warehouse windows...
The second team waits in the shadows for the signal...
(Clang, clang...CRASH)
"Surprise, you bastards!"
Mokoto and his comrades belt out a war cry, and begin their assault against the gangsters...With the main mass distracted, some from Ricky's section engage in some stealth attacks for any stragglers, leaving the redhead and her brothers the task of breaking into the rusty cage the children - about eleven in total - were trapped in, Freeman carrying a crowbar at the ready to bend the bars.
...Inside the little prison, Rikona tilts her head up upon sensing a stir in attention from her fellows, and softly gasps out,
"You're Shuji's friends! You came to help!...But, where is he?"
Coraline softly shushes her and replies quietly,
"Yes, it's us, and don' worry: Shuji's safe a' the hospital an' getting help for his injuries...Now hang tigh'. We'll have you all outta here before y' can say jailbreak."
Rikona nods, and Freeman positions the crowbar at ready.
"Alright. Here we go...Hhhhhrrrh!"
A trembling creak begins to resonate as both Brownlees put as much pressure on the one bar as possible...
"C-C'mon, bend, dammit...!"
"Keep, trying, brother!"
...Panning away from their progress, the leader of the gangsters - a fellow nearly six feet tall with a robust build, ice green eyes matching the colour of the multiple tattoos decorating his beige skin (mainly his neck, arms and a part of his upper right head), shaved dark brown hair, and wore an outfit consisting of dark moss green cargo pants ripped at the knees, midnight blue high-top sneakers and a plain off-white wife beater - watches the mass fight go on in disbelief.
Wha' the he-Where'd these little bastards come from?!
...How'd they even know we were here?
His ears then pick up on the struggle at the cage behind him, and it didn't take long for the punk to put two and two together.
"Uh! Grh, god dammit, of course..."
These 'r the brats from the neighbourhood, comin' to take back their little sibs...bu' I don't see that older cousin of our main quarry.
...Still...
He picks up a lead pipe, and begins charging at the three!
No loose ends.
Thankfully, Rikona sees the gangster barreling their way.
"Aah! Look Out!"
Coraline peers over that direction, before rushing to meet in a counter.
"You guys keep goin'! I got this creep!"
(...CLANG)
She blocks the pipe by using a second crowbar lent to the three for the mission, gritting her teeth as she fought to oppose the other soul's brute strength...
"Who th' hell are you, bitch?! A friend of that Shuji loser?"
"Ggh, someone you'll regre' crossing, and Shuji is not, (shove) a loser!"
Throwing the older teen/early adult off-balance, the young Croft then slugs him in the rib cage, knocking him flat to the ground! As he went down, Freeman and Besa finally succeed in prying one of the bars on the cage back far enough to create a small opening for the liberated prisoners.
"Go' it!"
"Quick, everybody out and we'll get you to safety!"
The frightened but relieved children do as the twins say, and the redhead informs the rest of the ragtag army,
"Hey! We got 'em ou'!"
"Okay! Time to switch to the human wall!"
"Righ'! C'mon bros, time t' clean the house!"
Our three familiar teens switch tactics to act as a barrier with some others as they all convoy out of the warehouse...Ten minutes later, the little prisoners were a safe distance away and being escorted home by four of their rescue crew, while everyone else stayed behind to keep the gangsters at bay...
Another twenty minutes pass before the battle truly reaches its end, and everyone would be walking away with mild to moderate forms of injury...We zoom in on Coraline as she limps back to her home, her body now littered with numerous bruises on her arms and legs, and sporting a cut of two on her face. Still, despite the pain, she was feeling quite triumphant.
"Hh, hah, hh...Well, that w's one hell of a rumble..."
After a long and somewhat difficult trek up the stairs, the redhead made it back onto the property of her home. However, because of how tired and sore she was, Coraline decided to sleep out in the well house tonight and sneak back into her room during the early hours...As she slumps against the walls of the surrounding structure, the girl found her mind drifting over recent events.
...I can' believe I actually came ou' from that figh' withou' any really bad inj'ries. I actually expect'd t' come back with a broken rib or two...
I'm glad my bros weren't hurt too badly eith'a...I just hope Besa only go'a sprain and tha' his wrist isn' broken...
The important thing is that Rikona and those other tykes are safe and sound.
"Hauh, I'm bea'n and bruised...and yet, I feel accomplished...Heh, I wonder if this is how Inuyasha feels after his battles...?"
Soon enough, Coraline begins to fall asleep, her last thought being,
If only Inuyasha could see me now...
Her luck would hold out come the next morning, and she would sneak back into her room, slip on her pajamas and feign sleep as Akari-sama came knocking on her bedroom door...And for the next two days afterward, the girl remained careful that no one in the Higurashi household found out about what she had participated in that night, using her long-sleeved shirts to hide the bruises on her arms...
We zoom in on the girl now as does some homework for one of her online classes, her outfit of the day being a blue light-material shirt, black yoga pants and light blue socks.
"Hm, so if you divide this by twenty...Yeah, there's the answer, six!"
Heh, math isn't too hard t' figure out...I dunno why Freeman's so gun-ho about i' all the time. It's all in breakin' it down step-by-step...
"Coraline! The boys are here to walk with you to Martial Arts class!"
"Coming, Grandfath'r!"
She puts her pencil down and grabs her satchel, before pushing herself up from her desk to hurry out of her room to meet her brothers at the front door...
You see, during these forty-eight hours of quiet healing, the three teens will have discovered a small dojo situated between a few beech trees in the city of Nishitōkyō, belonging to an instructor by name of Master Yoshi. Apparently, he runs a free mixed martial arts club open to teens around their age, and after talking with him, they decide to sign up for his classes...
"I'll be back in'a few hours!"
"Good luck, my dear, and tell Yoshi that Higurashi said hello!"
"I shall! See y' soon!"
...
As the three teens make their way down the tall staircase, Freeman asks Coraline,
"So how exactly does your grandfather know Master Yoshi again?"
"Um, if I rememb'a ca'rectly, Master Yoshi came here to th' shrine when he was a young teen, and he and grandfather really hi' it off. They're both very knowledgeable in all things historic and legendary. They used t' get together frequently to chat over tea, but haven't done much these days..."
"Huh, small world."
She nods...then asks Besa when she notices him wince,
"You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm good. My wrist is just actin' up a bit...It's not broken, thank god, but, I think I may have sprained it good."
"You should let Master Yoshi know when we ge' there. Tha' way, you can avoid any actual fist-sparring today."
"Mhm. I'm okay, but you're probably right..."
The other twin forms a nervous smile as he comments,
"This is probably a bit early for all of us, considerin' we're still recovering from our battle a few nights ago..."
"Yeah..."
Coraline forms a more or less stubborn frown, wanting to push through any lingering pain.
"...Still, I'm not backin' outta this. I think this martial arts club's exactly what I need...I can, ge' stronger this way..."
The twins look at her a bit warily, knowing the real reason why the girl's so determined.
"You sure you're doin' this for yourself,"
"And, not for Inuyasha?"
"...No. I've made up my mind. Inuyasha isn't gonna come for me, no' right away at leas'...so I may as well take advantage of this time t' perfect my own offense and defense...I obviously can't rely on him when the goin' gets tough. I gotta be ready for the battles comin' soon, ready to hold out my own."
"...Alright. If that's where your mind's at right now, Cora, we won't stop you."
"Yeah. We'll help you any way we can to get stronger. Show Inuyasha that you're a force to be reckoned with."
Coraline smiles slightly and thanks the boys for their support, who reply in kind,
"Of course."
"No prob, sis."
With that, the trio fall into a comfortable silence...but as they walk onward down a side street on a path to the nearest subway, the girl's thoughts fixate on the following.
I do hope you're healin' okay, Inuyasha...but if you're not gonna cart me back to Edo righ' away, so be it.
...I'll become stronger; a fighter you can look to for support in the coming battles with Naraku.
(Narrows eyes) And at the same time...I'll become stronger...incase the other enemy in m' life decides to resurface sooner than later...
Time Skip, Sengoku Edo
(Slam, slam)
"Open, up!"
(Slam, slam)
"Lemme outta here!"
Unfortunately, contrary to what Coraline was thinking, Inuyasha was feeling anything but restful. As night fell over the land none too far from Goshinboku Village, we find the half-demon locked within a small wood hut with paper sutras plastered all over the outside surface, and having his wrists tied behind his back. To some, this may be viewed as overkill...but considering the young man's personality and ignorance to personal injury until it completely hinders him, these precautions feel rather valid...
Anyway, as he continues to try and break down the door, Shippō calmly retorts,
"You're wasting your time, Inuyasha. This hut is covered in sacred seals to keep the demons out, and you in."
"Yeah, but who says I need to be sealed inside?! Open uuuup!"
"Please stop, Inuyasha. Be still and rest."
The half-demon freezes...and turns to see an unexpected occupant of this little structure.
"Your injuries still haven't had enough time to heal."
"C...Coraline...!"
Of course, it's revealed to actually be the fox demon disguised as the other redhead, his tail being the only feature he couldn't cloak.
"Hehee, I could lie with you if you'd like~..."
"Shippō, you creep...!"
Inuyasha then proceeds to beat the smaller demon with his only working appendages, aka, his feet.
"Laugh it up, ya fuzzball!"
"I was only trying to cheer you up!"
...Suddenly, the door to the hut opens, revealing Miroku and Kaede.
"You've been knocking around inside this place for hours already."
"Yeah, so then hurry up and untie me!"
"Then the demons would get you, thus the sealed hut would be meaningless."
Inuyasha pushes himself forward towards the door with his knees, ignoring the monk's reasoning.
"Rrgh, lemme out of here!"
(Whak)
"Argh!"
But Miroku easily stops him with his staff, and pins him to the ground.
"Kaede, seal the door with the sacred enchantment."
"Consider it done."
With that task accomplished, the half-demon is then begrudgingly guided to lay on his stomach so the priestess could apply more slave to his torso/back wound. Miroku sits himself on the left side of the silverette and says to him,
"You mustn't rush things, Inuyasha. I am inclined to want to rush after Naraku as well, but first you must recover from your injuries."
Kaede agrees with him, adding,
"He speaks the truth. Naraku's strength is almost beyond comprehension. Isn't that precisely why ye banished Coraline to her own world?"
Inuyasha's ears twitch, yet he says nothing...Shippō meanwhile, feels an enlightened expression form.
It is? He sent her away out of concern?
"We need you to recover quickly, so that we may face Naraku at our strongest, otherwise I fear that our fates may be short-lived."
The half-demon rises to a sitting position and asks the monk,
"Are you a man or a mouse? I for one, am prepared to fight Naraku here and now!"
Miroku merely gives Inuyasha a 'calm smile'.
"Put your head down and get some much needed sleep, my good man..."
Then just like that, the human male loses his own patience and proceeds to kick the dog demon down to the ground, despite Kaede's light protest.
"Lie down, be silent! Sleep, rest! How many times do I have to tell you?!"
"Miroku, add not to the old injuries..."
...
...
It wouldn't be until moon is shining high in the sky when the injured member of this quartet finally settles down, residing with the advice to actually let his healing abilities take proper effect alongside the priestess's medicinal herbs...The quiet within the hut is then disturbed by Shippō's timid voice.
"Inuyasha? You awake?"
"Huh? Yeah, why?"
"I was thinking about Coraline, and wondering if she misses us..."
"...Hauh, you woke me up for that? Forget about Coraline, she's a thing of the past, I mean, the future..."
As long as she's alive and well, that's all I hope for...
I can't bear to see another woman die.
The fox demon glances at Inuyasha's form, feeling a look of personal conflict form on his face.
...He misses Coraline, but doesn't want to admit it...
I wonder...should I tell him about what Miroku and I talked to Coraline about a few days ago?
...Hm, but Coraline asked us not to say anything. She was worried about what Inuyasha's reaction would be...
Still, I think he has a right to know...Hah, I hope you can forgive me, Coraline.
Taking a deep breath, Shippō takes the plunge in revealing a piece of somewhat compromising information.
"...Inuyasha...there's, something I need to tell you. It's about, after the battle with Sesshōmaru...or rather, about that weird thing that happened with Coraline's arrows."
...The half-demon's ears twitch, indicating he's listening and prompting the younger soul to continue.
"When we were riding Hachi back to the village, Miroku asked Coraline about what was going on with her arrows..."
(Flash)
Shortly after the two gingers decide on not saying anything about Naraku to Inuyasha for the time being (unaware that he was fully aware of what was going on), Miroku suddenly calls to the girl from another era.
"Coraline..."
"Hm? What is it, Miroku?"
"...There was something else I've been meaning to ask you about, regarding your power as an Aura Reader."
She walks back over to the monk as he sits up, Shippō trailing behind her.
"...I think I know wha' this is about. This is, abou' the arrows I shot, righ'?"
"Yes."
Coraline sighs, before beginning an explanation that hopefully would clear the air of uncertainty hovering around her own psyche as well.
"I wasn' entirely sure what was goin' on myself at the time. All I knew was that I could feel my soul energy bein' concentrated into the arrow as I got i' ready to fire...But now that I can give i' some thought...I also remember feeling, a strong surge of anger as I was aimin'..."
"Hm...Is it possible then that your power was being concentrated based on your emotions?"
"...It is likely...My, father once told me Aura Readers can sometimes expel their power if they feel a partic'larly strong emotion at the time. Whether defensively or offensively depends on th' situation or emotion...I think the first time I really did something like tha', was back when the witch Urasue transferred m' soul into Kikyō's newly revived body, and she fired that arrow that would'a destroyed Inuyasha...Hearing his, cry of pain...it triggered a feelin' of concern I've never felt before. Suddenly, I was prepared t' do anything to protect him, which in turn activated the power to take back my, or, rather our soul..."
"Our?"
This was the part of the conversation Coraline was slightly hesitant to speak about again.
"...Yes. In actuality, Miroku, I'm no' the original reincarnation of Kikyō. That girl, once known as Kagome, passed away years ago in a tragic accident...and her spirit, for reasons I still don' understand, came to me in my sleep to pass on the Shikon-no-Tama to me, which likely contained Kikyō's spirit...With tha' done, I became a carrier of a Merged Soul, which is now a soul and'a half. My soul is fine, but, I also have half of Kikyō's soul."
"Incredible..."
The girl nods, but her expression suggests she was anything but amazed...Shippō then asks,
"So why were you so angry, Coraline? I mean, I get why anyone would be mad at a demon like Sesshōmaru...but the way you were glaring at him, it looked like you were wanting to destroy him."
"Yes, I was having similar thoughts...What was going through your mind, Coraline? What caused such a great deal of rage in your spirit?"
...The redhead feels her face shift to a dark look, before she answers,
"Just to be clear, I wasn', directly angry at Sesshōmaru...It was his cold demean'r, his ruthlessness...It reminded me of someone from my past who had a similar personality. Someone, who inflicted a personal wound upon me years ago..."
"Oh?"
"Yes...Sesshōmaru...He reminds me of the man responsible for my father's murd'r...I guess seein' the mission-oriented way he was fightin' triggered an old rage I still have against th' man...Him, and to a lesser extent, the organization he belongs to."
Miroku's Prussian blue irises narrow slightly in an analytical matter.
"I can see the hate and anger in your eyes. You hold more than just a personal grudge, do you not?"
"...Yes. But I don' wan'to talk about it...I'm not even sure if I should be mentionin' this to the both of y'."
"Why's that, Coraline?"
She looks to the little fox demon and replies,
"Because Shippō, these people, including that man, are very dangerous. You remember when I told you and Inuyasha abou' there bein' a dangerous part of my past? Well, this is what I mean'."
"Oh...Um, Coraline?"
"Yes?"
"...I understand if you don't wanna answer these two questions, but, is this man still alive, and...does he, know you are?"
...Coraline turns to stare out into the distance, and reluctantly mutters,
"Yes, the bastard responsible for my father's death is still alive...As for your second question...hah, I honestly dunno if they know that I'm no' six feet under, and where I am...I'm just crossin' my fingers it stays that way..."
(Flash)
"...She went really quiet after that, so Miroku and I decided to not ask anything else about her past."
By this time, Inuyasha was sitting up and listening intently to the little fox demon's recollection.
"...Are you saying Coraline has an enemy in her era?"
"I think so, and based on what her face looked like every time she mentioned the man, (shudder) I don't think she would hesitate to kill 'im if his face showed."
The half-demon's expression shifts to one of astonishment.
...Coraline, kill?
...No way. There's, no way she could actually be prepared to do something like that...could she?
"I'm scared for her, Inuyasha."
"Huh?"
"I'm scared that, if this guy knows Coraline's alive, and knows where to find her...What if...what if he comes after her?"
Such a postulation made Inuyasha's blood run cold.
...My god...So, does this mean sending her back to her era...did nothing?
Coraline...why didn't you tell me this?
Then again, this is more of a 'What if?' scenario. From the sounds of it, this man - whoever he is - doesn't know about her current whereabouts...
...Still...does Coraline not trust me? Does she think I can't be trusted with this information?
Coraline...what are you hiding? And why do you think I can't be trusted to help you?
...
...
Meanwhile, in another part of the nearly iconic forests of our characters, we hear someone crying fearfully, and it's revealed to be the retreated Rōyakan crouching at a tree, his hands over his head as he tries to get a grip over whatever sanity he still has...
"I have been searching for you, Rōyakan."
He turns to look behind him, and cringes when he sees,
"Naraku...!"
The baboon-fur cloaked demon steps forward, and the monstrous wolf demon cries out,
"Go away! I refuse to battle with Inuyasha again!"
"Why do you tremble so?"
"I have no desire to be drawn into a Wind Tunnel!"
Naraku chuckles darkly, before holding up another shard of the Shikon-no-Tama.
"I shall take away your fear, and stop your trembling."
"No, please, stop...!"
But the entity of evil does not heed their victim.
Instead, he takes the jewel shard, and shoots it like a blow dart into Rōyakan's forehead!
"Aaaargh! Aaaaaaaagh!"
With that done, Naraku vanishes as the other demon feverishly charges through the trees, the power of the second shard in his body further scrambling his better judgement...Eventually, he comes to stop at a cliff-side, before belting out a howl as his body begins to shift into an even more vicious version of his former self, right down to a new set of glowing yellow eyes...
Naraku observes this transformation with a dark laugh...
...
...
Back at the hut as dawn begins to lighten the grounds, Miroku senses an unsettling shift in the atmosphere.
"A sinister wind blows our way..."
He and Kaede were sitting a couple feet in front of the protected structure, both in a focused prayer position as they channel their energy to amplify the sacred sutras.
"Lady Kaede, stay on guard, for a malevolent spirit approaches."
"Aye."
...Suddenly, a pack of the three-eyed wolves came barreling towards the monk and priestess across the air...
"We shall stop them here."
"Hm, (nod)."
(...Bzzt)
As soon as the creatures were close enough, they were blocked away by a spiritual barrier...
Then came Rōyakan as he thrashed his way out of the treelines.
"Inuyasha! Where are you hiding?"
Shippō observes the scene from the hut's window.
"He's back, and he's even larger than last time...!"
"Reveal yourself, Inuyasha!"
Yet no matter which direction Rōyakan looked or called to, he could not see the hut nor sense its residents...Kaede mentally muses over why.
As long as our spell is unbroken, Inuyasha's hut shall be invisible to the demon.
Yet, Miroku wonders in his thoughts,
What has caused this transformation? The beast is even more frightful than before...
I'll wager that another shard of the Shikon-no-Tama has been embedded in his body.
As the monstrous canine tries to break into the barrier, Naraku observes the scene from afar with a glare.
"Huh, what a pitiful defense..."
...Suddenly, Miroku's eyes snap open, and he sees a spear heading straight for Kaede!
"No!"
"Don't, move!"
"I have no choice!"
(WHAK)
He knocks the spear away using his staff...but his move came with an unfortunate price. Because he moved and lost focus, the illusionary spell that he and the priestess created to camouflage the hut had broke, and now Rōyakan could see them!
"There you are...Rrrraaaahh!"
He jumps forward and uses his fists to crush the hut, splinters of wood and straw flying everywhere!
"Inuyasha!"
(...SLASH)
"Uuurh!"
But in return, the monstrous wolf recieves a decent cut by Tessaiga, their wielder alive if still in rough shape...
"I owe ya one, Rōyakan, for getting me out of that hut, where my so-called 'friends' the monk and the hag sealed me inside!"
Kaede and Miroku reply in a deadpan,
"For your protection, I might add..."
"Gratitude doesn't come naturally to him..."
"I, have heard, enough!"
Inuyasha is forced to leap away in a dodge from Rōyakan, reaffirming his grip on the hilt of his katana.
"Let's get at it!"
(...TANG)
But when he tries to bring Tessaiga down against his enemy, the beast manages to catch the blade between his palms! The half-demon is then tossed back hard, sliding across the dirt and shooting pain into his barely healing wounds...
"Inuyasha has been thrown to the ground!"
Miroku notes to the priestess,
"He may have the will to fight, but his strength hasn't had time to fully recover yet!"
Even the silverette realizes his efforts were in vain.
"Rgh, I'm no match for his might...Huh?"
(Ping...)
If things weren't already bad enough, Inuyasha then sees the necklace of the large Shikon-no-Tama shard fall to the dirt a few feet in front of him!
"A giant fragment of the Shikon-no-Tama!"
"Grh! I have, to get it before he does...!"
(...Zip)
Luckily, the half-dog demon isn't the only one who knew the dangers the gemstone carried from simply sitting out in the open. Having secretly pulled himself out of the rubble of the demolished hut a moment ago, Shippō then dashes at full-speed to swipe up the fragment first!
"Hands off, demon!"
"Shippō!"
"You won't escape! Bwaaaah!"
The poor fox demon cries out fearfully as he's chased by a pack of the three-eyed wolves...
"Shippo, move! I'll open my Wind Tunnel!"
But before Miroku could, Kaede spots more trouble approaching.
"Look!"
A rumbling drone resonates through the air, echoing from the beating wings of those accursed demon wasps released by Sesshōmaru through Naraku's manipulation.
"Naraku's venomous insects!"
Knowing what would happen if he were to unleash his black hole, the monk had no choice but to re-wrap his prayer beads...Spotting the wasps as well, Inuyasha comments irritably as Shippō continues to fearfully sprint away from the wolves,
"Feh, figures...Now how'do we get ourselves out of this one?"