Hi! Here we go again!
Someone pointed out that it one year since I've starte this story so happy birthday Tsukiko!
I've been told that the fight scene are "meh" and to be honest - that's kind of my weak point so I wasn't too surprised. Since the pack are numerous, I try to put in a bit about everyone - because in the original story it was often everyone just standing around and watching InuYasha fight.
XIII. October 1996 Ryukossei
The pack, now on its way toward the cliff where Ryukossei was sealed, had finally had enough time to talk about their latest pack level gain – and more importantly the Tail Perk all had unlocked thanks to that.
InuYasha was wavering between Poison Fang, which he had already admitted to have avoided earlier because he wanted to gain Sesshoumaru's approval on his own power – something he had now achieved - and using the Pack Symbiosis to unlock an elemental manipulation that would hopefully still be available on the new moon.
Finally, after wondering about it quite a bit, the hanyou took the second option, and unlocked air manipulation – something that surprised the pack for all of five seconds before they remembered that thanks to his training with Tessaiga to master the Kaze no Kizu, he already knew quite a bit about that element.
That and the fact, even if he wouldn't admit it, that having been unable to cut the Kaze no Kizu against Kagura had vexed him – even though it was quite normal, as the woman was a wind spirit...
Shippou hadn't needed too long to settle on the Sun Child perk he'd inherited from his father, and was already planning ways to use the new-gained light manipulation with his shape-shifting aptitudes.
Sango, similarly, had made her choice quickly, deciding that since she was the last one without any elemental manipulation. Pack Symbiosis it was – and with it lightning manipulation, something that didn't bode well for poor Miroku's wandering hands...
Kagome realized, to her surprise, that the description of Pack Symbiosis the others seemed to share had changed for her – but was swiftly reassured by Tsukiko, who reminded her that her own perk didn't have anything to do with elemental manipulation either, perhaps because they had both already unlocked one element without the perk's help.
[- Pack Symbiosis: even your soul can learn from your pack mates, and just like your alpha you hold a large soul and reiki, with this perk you will you further follow her example by becoming a Youkai Miko (youkai specy to be chosen)
note that the yearly powers from your inheritances and miko abilities will become decennial as a youkai]
Even Tsukiko had been surprised at the perk – but even more surprising maybe had been her childhood friend's answer when she asked whether she'd take it.
"Not right now."
"So... you mean you'll take it eventually?"
A nod, then Kagome announced "I remember you know. That your first time seeing InuYasha was when he came out of the well." her eyes were calm as she announced "Your place is in the future once my quest is over, but I was taken to this era for a reason."
"You mean to stay." Tsukiko realized, eyes widening - she hadn't expected that
"I will stay." Kagome nodded "And while my reiki would probably give me the life-spawn needed to live through time back to our era... I will need the additional powers that being a youkai will grant me." a smile "You know me, I don't like to fight needlessly. But thanks to you, I've learned to fight to protect what is precious to me."
Tsukiko smiled warmly, proud of the girl she'd seen grow and change so much in the past ten years "Then I'll wait for you in the future." she promised
And so, the Tail perk was put to the side for now – and Kagome unlocked the Shrine Maiden perk which not only doubled the rate at which she learned about about wards and ritual but also, thanks to her Youkai Touch let her interact with their youkai equivalent and eventually learn to adapt them to her own reiki...
Miroku was the next surprise, as the houshi had unlocked new perks when he'd became a part of Shadow's following – and the three perks Soul Whisperer, Blood Singing and Shadow Walking were of course each derived from the alpha's own holy powers.
The soul power attuned his slowly improving Soul Sense, making him able to hear the recently departed, and would, as his grasp on the power improved, eventually let him talk freely to the dead that hadn't been gone for too long or were still lingering.
The blood power wasn't any less powerful, as from a simple power boost to all his written-based abilities when using blood (his or someone else's) it would eventually grant him the ability to use any written-based ability, be they deriving from his own reiki, or needing any other energy like youki, magic and even alchemy...
As for the third power, it gave the abilities of both a shadow blender and a shadow traveler, meaning it gave both a nearly perfect way of hiding and a range-less way of travel. Of course, here too, training was necessary – at first a shadow blender still needed to be discreet, only helped by the shadows, while a fully trained one could simply stand still and disappear, or stay hidden when slipping from one shadow to the other where no normal person could have done the same; on the same account a young shadow traveler couldn't go too far or stay in the shadows too long while an accomplished one could disappear in a shadow in japan and step out the next moment at the other side of the globe...
While as a priest it was the soul power that called to him the most, as he could already see its uses to help lingering souls, grant last wishes and so on – he knew that right now, against Naraku, in was one of the other powers that would be more useful.
As such, the priest unlocked the Shadow Walker perk.
Finally, Tsukiko's choice wasn't any easier.
She was tempted to give in and get Pack Symbiosis to get the same shape-shifting abilities as Shippou – while it would just be for fun right now, it could become useful in a later incarnation as it changed her Past Life Perk itself. The Dying Will Perk was interesting too – not only in that it eventually opened up the option of magic, but that she knew well about the impressive powers Flames could produce.
But unlocking a power she had already learned in a previous life seemed a bit redundant, and so she was still hesitating.
The Youkai Miko perk while not uninteresting in the future had no real interest right now, as she already had all the abilities of a Miko – it would only grant her a CP boost, which while never useless wasn't necessary at the moment.
¤.¤.¤
The ookami didn't have the time to make her choice – as all youkai of the pack suddenly turned toward the East, where a familiar scent was approaching fast.
Within minutes, Kouga appeared, two other tribe youkai and half a dozen of wolves by his side.
"Hime-chan, Kagome-chan!"
"And what are we, chopped liver?" InuYasha grumbled without any real heat
"Kouga-kun." Tsukiko smiled nodding toward the new additions to his face "Congratulation."
"It's thanks to you." he commented, before turning toward the two youkai behind him "Those are Ginta and Hakkaku, from my den." a smile "They took the trial with me."
"And now you are pack." Kagome completed with a smile "But didn't you plan on taking over from your father?" she wondered
"When I came back to the den, with news about Naraku and stating my intention, we talked about it..." a sigh "It's difficult to travel around as a large pack, and between the pups and the elder, not all of us are in any state to fight."
"And the Lord of the East sent word too about Naraku while Kouga wasn't there." Ginta added "So the warriors are upping their training to be ready to protect the dens."
"But I still wanted to go after the bastard." Kouga admitted easily "So I announced that I'd take the trial but stay as a lone wolf until the bastard was dead."
"But we couldn't leave Kouga alone, could we?" Hakkaku was the one to protest "He'd forget to rest and eat!"
Tsukiko laughed at the indignant affirmation "Seems like you know each other well."
"Our mums gave birth around the same time," Kouga admitted, blushing a bit " so we grew up together."
"Just like Tsuki-chan is my childhood friend!" Kagome compared enthusiastically "Even though... With the age difference between youkai and humans, I guess even ojii-chan is your childhood friend?" she added bemusedly
"You could say that." Tsukiko laughed - she had been barely fifty when she met the priest after all, before letting her usual hold on her powers unraveling, youki and reiki swirling gently around her pack – then taking hold of Kouga's pack too
The wolf smiled – and if his display of power was less impressive that hers, all could still feel his own youki mingle in harmony as both alpha marked the other pack as an ally.
[Political system updated!
Tsume's Pack (wolf-tribe pack, LV1) has been added as Shadow Pack sibling's pack: +100XP
Kouga (alpha, LV121)
Ginta (beta, LV47)
Hakkaku (pack member, LV45)
wolf youkai (pack beast member, LV19, LV21, LV27, LV32, LV33, LV34)
note that sibling packs share their all pack's bonus except the insignia bonus, but each bonus progress isn't transferred over to the other pack]
[Shadow Pack gains:
Alpha Sibling (1/10): +3 Agility
Beta Sibling (1/10): +1 Agility
LV1 pack sibling (1/10): +1 YP/RP/KP regeneration rate per minute]
[Tsume Pack gains:
Alpha Sibling(1/10): +3 Agility
Beta Sibling (1/10): +1 Endurance
LV5 pack sibling(1/10): +1 HP regeneration rate per minute
+5 spiritual resistance
+5 Synergy
+5 physical resistance
+1 Tail Perk]
While Kouga's pack didn't have the help of Chaos Interface to see the changes – they still could all feel the feeling of new power given by the sibling-pack bond.
"I feel like we've got the better end of the deal!" the young alpha couldn't help but point out, expression torn between a wince and a smile
"Then you just have to grow as pack." Tsukiko smiled back "beside, it's not for the power we did this."
"You're right." Kouga agreed, a true smile blossoming on his face this time – but whatever he had been about to add was swiftly forgotten as all the youkai suddenly caught a new scent on the wind
"Naraku." InuYasha was the first to snarl
"Learn this scent." Kouga instructed to his pack, as all rushed in the direction it was coming from "He's the one that killed our brothers."
Soon, they were in front of a grimly familiar figure clad in a white baboon pelt, propped on a skeletal-horse hauling a wagon on which a large metallic cage was hidden by a large piece of fabric.
But the scent, Kouga realized with a bit of confusion, wasn't coming from that silhouette but the cage behind him.
"A kugutsu." Miroku was the first to confirm "A rather elaborate one at that, seems like Naraku hasn't been idle..."
While Ginta and Hakkaku were being explained by Shippou just what were the wooden puppets used by Naraku, the evil hanyou was laughing creepily "Kukuku, both InuYasha's band of misfits and the annoying wolf, my, what a treat for my fourth children!"
A snap of chain, and the cage was opened.
"Come out, Juuromaru!"
The rather effeminate silhouette that stepped out of its prison would have looked like a young noble with his elaborate clothes – but the feral way the youkai held himself, nearly crouched to the ground, and the chains and halter used to keep him in check quickly shattered the illusion.
"Tch. You're growing more creepy each time we see you!" InuYasha was the one to bark "What kind of degenerate uses fucking chains on his own children?"
"How rude, telling me how to raise my own children!" the voice grew colder "But then again I guess I shouldn't have expected any better from kidnappers." despite the pelt on his back, all could tell the icy glare was pointed at a quivering Kanna
Stepping protectively in front of their youngest pack-mate, Shippou was the one to answer "What we did was rescue, not kidnapping, you bastard!"
"Bah, there's no reasoning with riffraff." the puppet sneered dismissively at the kit's answer "I'm breaking the seal Juuromaru. Fight to your hearts' content!"
With a surge of power, chains and halter clattered to the ground, and youki swirled aggressively against the youkai's form.
The attack that followed was so swift most couldn't even see it...
"Trying to kill their own father, my children sure love to misbehave." the puppet chuckled as it fell to the ground, cleanly cut in pieces
Blank face and drool dripping from his mouth, Juuromaru turned toward the two packs.
The next attack was just as swift, and Miroku barely had time to erect a protecting wall of water – and even like that, and despite the holy power burning the youkai's hands as he clawed at the wall, his protection was clearly falling. Sango threw her boomerang – taking the heat off the houshi, but her Hiraikotsu was easily thrown back at her, large claw mark visible on its surface.
The pack shared worried glances.
This new spawn made Goshinki look slow, and while his attack didn't have the weight behind them the third spawn had had, they were dangerously sharp, as the marks on Sango's trusted weapon attested – and none of them had forgotten that it wasn't them, but their alpha that had dealt with the previous enemy.
"He's just as fast as Kouga." Ginta commented in disbelief as the youkai was now rushing toward InuYasha
Tsukiko eyed the situation worriedly.
Just like the rest of her pack, she remembered that she had been the one to finish off Goshinki – and that wasn't something she intended to do too often, as they well-knew – regardless, if it was needed she would act...
Right now, Sango was too slow, and not powerful enough to act – even if she had been able to enhance Hiraikotsu with her new element, it hadn't even made the youkai pause; Miroku was already regrouping with Kagome, both clearly intent on putting up a barrier to protect those who couldn't fight.
Kouga's pack mate, youkai they maybe, were even less powerful than Sango even if they had superior reflexes and regeneration. As such they were soon coaxed within the barrier by Kagome, even if they were eyeing the watery wall brimming with light and reiki dubiously, still wary of the holy energy.
The fight, it seemed, would be left to Kouga and InuYasha.
"I don't like that." Shippou protested "It looks like we're all hiding while the two of them are fighting in our place."
"As loathe as I am to admit it," Miroku sighed "right now we'd only be in the way."
"And Sango may be hidding it rather well, but I'm sure getting hit by Hiraikotsu hurt." Kagome added "It is a weapon made to fight youkai after all."
Seeing she hadn't been able too fool their main healer, Sango winced, admitting " My armor is reinforced too, so I'll be alright, but I'm in for some nasty bruises, and I'd better take it easy for a few days."
Meanwhile, Kouga and InuYasha were fighting side by side, loudly insulting both their enemy and each other – silently thankful for the few days spent hunting together which had helped them learn to fight together.
It was because of those days too, that Kouga soon realized "Tch. What's the deal with you, mutt? Your sword is so slow I'm falling asleep!"
"Bah, what's it too you wimpy wolf!" InuYasha retorted while dodging an attack – barely, once more, claws grazing at the sleeve of his haori
His eyes widened, as he realized that he should have clearly escaped that attack.
It was – as if the arm of the youkai had extended... Was the enemy a shape-shifter?
The next few attack contradicted that, making him wonder.
Then Juuromaru, who'd been quietly drooling up until them spit a large glob of poisonous mist at the two of them, and InuYasha realized a second too late what was going on.
The youkai hadn't been shape-shifting, but another youkai had been – after all Naraku had indeed used plural when the puppet had been killed!
The attack coming would be lethal for Kouga, who was turning his back to the unknown danger – so the hanyou jumped, pushing the young wolf out of the way and taking the attack in his stead, making Kagome yell out in worry.
Even Kouga looked worried, the hanyou noted distantly. But then again, he clearly musn't look too good, the annoying youkai had clearly bitten trough his side...
"Kukuku, that was pretty tasty." the new youkai commented, licking his lips "I'll aim for the heart next!"
"Gross!" Shippou commented from behind the reiki barrier as he took in the next enemy's appearance
The face was nearly the same as Juuromaru – but were the other had a blank look, this youkai looked clearly malicious. That face was also the only human looking part of the youkai, as it was on top of a tentacle like body with two claws instead of arms.
"I'm Kageroumaru," the new youkai introduced himself "and I was sleeping in Juuromaru's stomach."
"Hm. So that halter was to keep you inside then." Miroku speculated calmly
"Indeed." a savage smirk "After all, Juuromaru obeys nobody but me!" now shouting, he jumped into action "Now lets dispatch those two, Juuromaru, then we'll take care of the rest. We'll even do Naraku a favor and take care of that little miko he's so afraid of!"
[Goal complete! +25XP
Goal update: learn more about Naraku's next children]
The fight wasn't going well for InuYasha and Kouga – weakened by his wound, the hanyou was even slower than before. Still, slowly but surely, Kouga was going faster, picking the slack.
Worried for her uncle, Tsukiko put a hand on her blade, ready to step in.
"Don't."
Surprised, she turned – while the injunction had come from the hanyou, the hand on her own was Sango's. With that, the tajiya snatched a small container from her Inventory and turned toward Kagome "Lend me your bow."
The weapon was soon thrown her way, and the tajiya was dabbing a few arrows in the mixture.
"I'm a youkai hunter." she reminded both herself and the rest of her pack "I'm used to fight at a disadvantage." she added, eyes hard and glinting - after all all none of them liked anymore than Shippou that they couldn't help their beta
BUt she could help, after all - even if not by fighting directly. So focusing on the unfamiliar weapon, she drew the string - and while her aim wasn't all that great, it was more than enough.
Where each of the three arrows fired landed, the ground started to darken, and Kageroumaru, who'd been hiding under the ground between each attack, making his attacks even more difficult to predict, was soon rushing out.
"This is a poison used against underground youkai." Sango commented with a satisfied smile "It's rather powerful but doesn't last too long."
InuYasha, weakened as he was, had managed to take advantage of the attack, cutting clean one of Kageroumaru's claw as he had fled the ground – the youkai had replied by digging his remaining claw deep in Kouga's thigh before disappearing once more...
"Where did he disappear?" Shippou wondered, unknowingly echoing his beta's thought
Fortunately – both Kouga and InuYasha came to the answer at the same time.
Both side-stepping Juuromaru's claws, they rushed toward him, Kouga ducking low, claws digging in the youkai's leg and making him falter for a moment, even while his claws dug into the wolf-tribe alpha's shoulder.
But that moment had been all InuYasha needed, and when Tessaiga was swung, gust of winds tore through both Juuromaru and Kageroumaru, that had been hiding back inside the other's body.
¤.¤.¤
Kouga and InuYasha dropped to the ground, and Kagome rushed toward them, the rest of the packs not far behind. The two pack were soon settling not too far away, the miko healing the hanyou as he'd been hurt the worst while Tsukiko was taking care of Kouga, then Sango.
"Well, those two confirmed something I'd been wondering about ever since we saved Kanna..." Tsukiko commented
"Naraku is targeting Kagome-chan." Sango completed
"Kageroumaru went as far as state that he was afraid of her." Miroku remarked "What did happen in the shirou?"
"Nothing that would cause this sort of reaction." Kagome protested "I mean, he did start to act weirdly all of a sudden, but I don't know anymore about it!"
"Feh. It's not Kagome he's afraid of." InuYasha was the one to comment "Its Kikyou."
"Oh. Because I hadn't been the one fighting him one on one before, he hadn't realized I was her reincarnation before you mean!" Kagome exclaimed, eyes widening in understanding
"But why would he be afraid of Kikyou?" Shippou wondered "After all, he won against her didn't he? His machinations caused her death and InuYasha's sealing..."
The pack though about it silently – the kit had a point after all.
"Bah, let's just ask Kaede-obaa-san the next time we're home." InuYasha finally stated with an annoyed huff "It's not as if we can just divine the answer!"
With that, the matter was dropped, and the two packs spent the evening recovering from the fight while chatting – methods to train Ginta and Hakkaku were suggested, making the two wolves whiten and whimper in dread.
No wonder their alpha had grown so much stronger in just a few days if these were the "light" suggestions!
But at the same time – they had been just as frustrated as the humans, stuck behind this barrier while their alpha fought with the hanyou, yet knowing that they were too weak right now, would have been just liability for Kouga if they'd tried to fight with him... So if the hellish training Shadow's pack was so casually suggesting could help – they'd suffer a bit, because as much as an alpha was supposed to care for his pack, it was also the pack's duty to support it's alpha.
"Still," Kouga eventually asked again "What was up with your sword? Usually you're waving it around like a loon!"
"We met two more children of Naraku while you were on your Trial." Kagome answered "The first was stuck in her own mind and could be saved from him."
At that, Kouga glanced toward the white-haired little youkai, who hid a bit behind Shippou - but there wasn't any ill intent in his eyes. Between what he'd heard and seen from the evil hanyou, and the young youkai demeanor, it wasn't hard to guess she'd been mistreated by Naraku – her own father! As a wolf youkai, Kouga was naturally pack and family oriented, so the simple idea of hurting one's own child was nauseating...
"The other on the contrary was purely evil." Miroku took over "He could read mind, and wasn't a bad fighter either. Within minutes, he'd managed to hurt all of us and had nearly bitten through Tessaiga when Tsukiko stepped in."
The affirmation took the young alpha by surprise – biting through Tessaiga? Even today's opponents, as swift and deadly as they had been, hadn't been able to damage the blade!
"We went to Totosai to have it repaired," Sango took over "but since he used InuYasha's fang as a filler, he now has to prove his own strength to the blade."
Kouga nodded – while coming of age weapon were more a daiyoukai thing, as normal youkai didn't have the wealth nor the need for it, he knew the basis of it, and as he'd already learned that Tessaiga had been forged from the hanyou's father fang while they were training together. As such, it was rather easy to put his knowledge together and understand why the link between the weapon and its handler had changed.
What had been the hanyou's inheritance was now becoming his own...
"So what are you going to do about it?" he asked "it's not like you can go after Naraku when you're so slow?" he asked – taunt clear to be heard, but a hint of worry too
"Tch. That's where we were heading when that bastard fucking interfered with his twin annoyances." InuYasha grumbled back
"We're going hunting." Tsukiko explained "According to Totosai, slaying the youkai that managed to defeat oji-san's father would make the blade acknowledge him."
"But if it slained the Inu no Taishou..." Kouga didn't finish his sentence, not seeing the point
"Then right now, oji-san doesn't stand a chance." ignoring the protest that affirmation provoked she went on "Against a Ryukossei at full-power, even I wouldn't stand a chance. I'm not even sure chichi-ue would stand a chance!"
That affirmation put a stop to the hanyou's recrimination – and made the pack realize just what kind of foe they were going after.
"But as long as Tessaiga taste the dragon's blood, I can fight with with oji-san, as his alpha." the wolf hime reminded "Had he been an alpha already, the problem would have been different..." she added, not seeing her beta stumble at the clear profession of her belief he'd wouldn't always be so "And he won't be at full power, after all he's been sealed for more than two centuries, and was injured too in that fight."
"Technically," Myouga stated – making the pack suddenly remember the tick was with them "InuYasha just has to cut Ryukossei, not fight him. Awakening him is not only useless but not recommended."
"While I understand your concern, Myouga-san," Tsukiko gently corrected "that kind of fight wouldn't be one the House of Moon could be proud of."
The tick sighed but didn't protest.
As a small youkai, his mind-set was clearly aimed at survival, and with the decades and centuries spent far from the ruling House of the West after the Inu no Taishou's death, he'd nearly forgotten – that the House of Moon was a House of carnivorous daiyoukai, whose way of thinking was drastically different from his own.
And that InuYasha, all hanyou that he was, was clearly one of them.
The next morning, the two packs went on their way amicably – Kouga's still sniffing after Naraku's lair, while Tsukiko's was heading toward the coast, and the cliff where the ryu daiyoukai was sealed.
¤.¤.¤
Embedded into the cliff, the form of the dragon was unmistakable – Ryukossei had large body covered in steel-hard scales, long antlers each on a side of a noh mask, and a long white mane. In the middle of the dragon's chest, a large claw was embedded and acting like a seal.
Leaving the rest of their pack on another nearby cliff, Padfoot turned into his larger form and signaled the hanyou to hop on.
"I thought only Tsuki-chan could fight with him?" Shippou pointed out as the three closed on the dragon
"Padfoot's life is so powerfully entwined with Tsukiko's that they cannot be considered as two different people." Miroku explained "Just like if I was to fight in a similar battle, Shingetsu would come with me."
The trio was soon stepping on the large claw, Tsukiko getting on her knees – and at the power radiating around her, InuYasha knew that if the ookami was to open her eyes, they would be green and echoing with unearthly powers.
As if answering her untold prayers, a few chips of bone flew out of the large claw and were swiftly pocketed by the hime, who then left her holy powers simmer down and flared her youki, poison dripping from her claws and soon starting to eat away at the seal.
[Challenge LV150! Surpassing your Ancestors...
Goal: defeat Ryukossei
Bonus goal: unlock Tessaiga's ougi
Reward: +50XP, Tessaiga is upgraded upon completion
Bonus Reward:+100XP, The Great Dog's Approval (+10 to an Awareness skill to be chosen) Perk unlocked upon completion]
Uncle and niece shared a glance, and jumped backward as with a great rumble, the claw crumbled into pieces, and great red eyes opened.
"So who are the fools who dared awaken me?" the daiyoukai wondered, soon finding the trio and staring at them "Ah. I recognize this youki and the moon on your brow child. I must have slept quite a while if the brat has reproduced..." his eyes turned to InuYasha "And the hanyou too bears the same scent. I was told Toga had taken with a human, but to see it was true... how surprising..."
Ruffling scales and mane, he broke free of the cliff, getting rid in the same move of the vegetation and other rocks stuck to him.
"So, are you here to avenge Toga?" he wondered
"Bah, who'd have any time to waste with vengeance!" InuYasha contradicted, drawing Tessaiga "No, I'm here to surpass oyaji!"
The daiyoukai laugh rumbled through his body, making even the sea above which they were standing foam "You've got guts for a hanyou!" turning toward Tsukiko "And you? Will you fight me too, even thought you're not even in your true form?"
"I wasn't about to let my beta get all the fun." Tsukiko bantered, before adding with a careless shrug "Beside I'm not stupid enough to try and take you on in my true form."
The dragon laughed once more – given how old she felt, the pup was right after all, even if she was powerful on her own merit, mastering ones abilities in your true form was something that took decades, or even centuries to master...
With that, InuYasha and Tsukiko were jumping toward Ryukossei, just as the dragon was sending a blast of power toward them. The daiyoukai didn't even bother avoiding their attack – the reason why soon becoming apparent as Tessaiga simply bounced on the scales.
"Bah! I can't believe you came claiming to want to beat me when your sword is so dull it can't even cut me!" the dragon taunted
While he sent another attack at InuYasha, this one barely avoided, the face on the Noh Mask embedded between the ryu's two antler eyed the young alpha who had landed near him yet wasn't attacking.
"Why aren't you helping your beta, young ookami?"
"If he's in danger, I'll help." the hime assured him "But this fight is for him to improve, not simply for my fun."
"You seem very sure you'd win."
"You want to die." Tsukiko stated simply "This is why oji-san stands a chance even alone, and why I would win. You won't let yourself die to the claws of an unworthy adversary, but you do want to die..."
The Noh Mask, that had been surprisingly expressive up until now, froze.
And finally, Ryukossei did what he should have from the start, but had forgone once he'd realize the two in front of him were related to the Inu no Taishou – to Toga, the daiyoukai that had come the closest to a friend in the last few millennia, the man who'd come the closest to breaking his curse by putting another one on him - and once analyzing the hime's aura, soon came to the rather evident realization...
"Do you want me to unseal your other form?"
"Don't, little goddess, or you'll really loose your beta."
"I wouldn't let you do that." she reminded him – tone light, eyes deadly serious
"Still. Let him fight me as I am right now, as Toga did before him, and countless others..." the ryu persisted in his contradiction
"Alright then." Tsukiko nodded, before jumping down, landing beside a battered hanyou "Feh. Had a good chat?" InuYasha teased, not unkindly – he knew the young wolf well enough to understand what her staying back meant
"As he is right now, you can beat him." Tsukiko stated "You just have to remember why you took up Tessaiga."
Tsukiko wasn't someone who talked needlessly – so even as he stood up once more to face the dragon, InuYasha wondered.
Right now, he was fighting to win back the ability to wield his blade – but at first, he hadn't even really wanted to have Tessaiga, he'd taken it only because it was a memento from the father he hadn't know.
Yet, that hadn't been good enough for the blade at that time, he remembered – Tessaiga had been unsealed only when he'd decided to protect Kagome with it.
The hanyou's eyes lit up in understanding, and this time he avoided fully the attack coming at him.
"Feh. I'm sorry." he said at the ryu daiyoukai, not noticing the glimmer of interest in the large red eyes "I haven't been fighting you as I should have."
"Finally understood what made that blade so dull, pup?"
"It wasn't the blade that was dull, wasn't it?" he countered rhetorically "It was me. My resolve was dulled, and I took her for granted, so Tessaiga taught me a lesson."
"Well tell me then!" the dragon all but demanded – and so caught up in his realization he was, the hanyou didn't stop to wonder about why an enemy, one supposedly interested only in blood and carnage, seemed so interested in his opinion
"I already have claws to fight. Tessaiga may be a cutting sword, she isn't a blade to be wielded mindlessly. She accepted me as a wielder because I'm a protector..." a smile "Back then it was only Kagome, because the bastard's daughter sure as hell didn't need me." the smile softened yet became more determined "But I'm the beta of our pack now, and have so much more people to protect that I became stuck on the idea of growing stronger once more."
He pointed Tessaiga toward Ryukossei once more, not immediately realizing the blade had lightened "I'm not fighting you to surpass oyaji in order to become stronger. I'm fighting you to surpass oyaji because I want to be better than him. I'm greedy, I don't only want to protect people, I also want to survive and be happy with them after!"
"Then prove your resolve!" the dragon roared
InuYasha jumped – right into the largest attack send his way by the daiyoukai – an attack way too large to be avoided, not that it mattered as he had no intention to. The Kaze no Kizu winds were humming around his blade, and the youki around him was so potent, there was but one way to go on.
The attack that was unleashed made the Kaze no Kizu look like child play, Tsukiko mused with a proud smile – still, as the dragon's body was torn to pieces, she darted among the raging youki, grabbing the Noh Mask before it could be broken.
[Challenge LV150 Complete!
Reward: +50XP, Tessaiga is upgraded upon completion
Bonus Reward:(100+50)XP, The Great Dog's Approval(+10 to an Awareness skill to be chosen) Perk unlocked]
[Tessaiga (inheritance blade, LV131) evolved into Tessaiga (coming of age weapon, LV1)]
[Level up! Tessaiga is now level 131!
+42 St, +270 damage, +27 Air damage, +2 Enhancement Space]
[Tessaiga Enhancement update:
Inu no Taishou's Protection (empowered, LV100):+1000HP
Tessaiga's Chosen Wielder (empowered, LV100):+1000YP
(empty space)
(empty space)
You currently have 4 unused Stones:
Gokurachu-chou Crystallized Feather (attuned, LV100):+20 Air damage
Black Pearl Sliver (empowered, LV100): +100 Blood Drain
Peach's Core(normal, LV100): +5 Health Regeneration per minute
Solidified Poison (normal, LV100): +10 Poison damage per second, lasts 5 seconds]
¤.¤.¤
Youki and reiki worked together to unweave the curse set on the mask – and as gigantic slabs of rock continued to rain around her, Tsukiko barely felt her uncle and Padfoot finding her in the middle of the storm, the Grimm lugubrious howl helping her own gifts, and finally light took the mask, nearly blinding them, and a human silhouette appeared in front of them.
"I told you not to bother." the man wearing an outdated but clearly Chinese nobility outfit pointed out, yet not sounding regretful
"You told me to let oji-san fight you just like ojii-sama fought you before." Tsukiko corrected the man "I did."
Taking in the wild white mane, ruby red eyes, but more importantly the antlers crowning his face and the familiar green sheen of his outfit it wasn't hard to guess at the youkai identity.
"Why save me?" Ryukossei wondered – and InuYasha too, even if knowing Tsukiko she must have had her reason
"You were ready to die before." Tsukiko reiterated "But not when the fight ended." she added softly
"It may have been my last chance at dying."
"You know better." she laughed "Find me as long as I'm alive, and if you want to die, I'll oblige. But now that the curse is lifted, you may be the most powerful daiyoukai alive, you won't be unable to die should you chose to."
"Curse?" InuYasha asked
"It the first time I've been able to take this form in nearly six thousand years." Ryukossei stated "And the first time I can feel things again in just as long." he added – and InuYasha suddenly understood better just why the old daiyoukai was walking bare-feet in the sand, letting the water play with his feet like a child would
The trio and the dragon walked slowly toward the cliff where the rest of Shadow's pack was waiting for them – the elder daiyoukai sharing part of his story as they strolled.
(flashback start)
Dragon youkai weren't usual by any mean, and even all those millennia ago there hadn't been a lot of them, and most of them lived hidden in high mountains, secluded from the rest of the word, deep in the continent.
The humans revered them, contrarily to a lot of other youkai they feared, and as such they had been neither surprised nor particularly suspicious when a man arrived at the gates of their retreat.
The rather young human was polite, and after several discussions that lasted as long as a few months, was given the right to live among them. For years and decades, he lived among them, and even fell in love with a young dragoness that had been until then promised to Ryukossei – who of course went by another name at the time.
And while he didn't mind breaking their engagement, as he had felt little but brotherly love for the young daiyoukai he'd know since her birth, Ryukossei had been one of the last among them to remain suspicious of the human in their midst.
Not because of what he was, but because, even thought the others didn't seem to realize it, the human felt – dirty and had stopped aging a few years after his arrival in their sanctuary, nearly two centuries earlier. And as a powerful magic user, Ryukossei knew that the man would have a long life – but he still should have aged a bit physically...
Another century went by, the kind NüWa happily mated to the man their people had all but forgotten was human.
And finally, he decided he had learned all he could while holding his peaceful front – and so KangHui revealed his true nature, using his own tainted powers and what knowledge and powers he'd learned while among them to lay waste to the dragons and their lair.
The dragons fought back, of course, but KangHui was a cunning man who'd had centuries posing as a friend, ally – family - to learn all their weaknesses.
Coincidentally, another human arrived during the battle, descending from a human that had fallen too to the dark mage's plots. That human, Ryukossei felt immediately, brimmed with reiki where KangHui own powers had felt so malicious – so they fought side by side, aided by a distraught NüWa...
When the dust fell, KangHui had been vanquished after they'd managed to destroy the phylactery around his neck keeping him alive, but there were only two daiyoukai still alive among the ruins of their haven, one of them cursed, the second carrying the child of the man who'd destroyed their whole clan.
NüWa had left with the human that had proved himself in battle – and from what Ryukossei knew, her descendants, while mostly humans by now, were all wizards with a particular affinity for dragons and other scaled beasts, and more notably, held the magical and non-magical throne of the empire that had bloomed since then...
As for Ryukossei, after searching for a cure to his curse in vain, traveling the world as he did, he'd eventually grown tired of living – and that was when he realized that the curse wasn't only confining him in a parody of his old true form, it also prevented him from being freed from the curse.
Even by dying.
That was when the dragon grew indifferent to the world around him, paying little to no mind to the life and death of people around him, and gaining a reputation as a monster even among daiyoukai.
Then – he'd met a young shiro inu daiyoukai.
"The brat was brash and loudmouthed, yet so very powerful for one so young..." Ryukossei remembered with a fond smile "And he had such a good heart for a daiyoukai warrior that even NüWa fell short of him. Even if he didn't like to be called such feminine term."
Tsukiko had laughed at that – and its only when she commented "Wow oji-san, InuKimi-san was right, you're really just like ojii-sama!" that InuYasha realized just whom exactly the dragon was talking about
Even thought it had been rather obvious in retrospect.
"Toga had been one of the few daiyoukai able to make me stay my hand and refrain from killing him. He was the first to ask, and hear my story... And of course, he immediately offered to help."
"Seems like I'm not the only one like oyaji, eh alpha!" the hanyou teased at the rather familiar affirmation
"Toga grew from a brat to one of the more powerful daiyoukai of these islands, wrestling the title of Lord of the West from the old annoyance that held it back then..." a sigh "By this time, we'd both realized that my curse forbid me not to defend myself from those who would help me."
"If he wanted to help you, he had to fight you." InuYasha realized – from the story, he'd been wondering how two friend could have sealed and killed each other
The dragon nodded solemnly at that.
"He traveled, and fought, and grew stronger, ensured his lands would have an heir... even fell in love with a human. But eventually he came to me."
"And so you fought, and he sealed you."
"And I caused his death."
(flashback end)
"You didn't cause his death anymore than InuYasha did!" Tsukiko corrected "Ojii-sama came back from his fight with you, but if he'd taken the time to heal, chichi-ue told me he would have been better eventually... Even if it may have taken decades. But went he went back to the shiro where the House of the Moon was based back then, news came from Izayoi-sama." a sigh "The hime, ready to give birth to oji-san by this time, was being held hostage by the human lord she had been promised to."
"The bastard who offered to take her back if she abandoned me later on..." InuYasha realized
Tsukiko nodded "Most certainly."
"So Toga went and saved them." the dragon completed, knowing his friend enough to guess at his actions "And died from the wounds."
"But doing what he felt right." Tsukiko smiled, adding "Besides, he didn't die before using his healing blade one last time… Before ensuring that the woman he loved and their child would live."
The affirmation stunned InuYasha – who then realized that of course – he had to have died once before, he even had a Perk related to it in Chaos Interface!
As for the ryu daiyoukai, his eyes were lighter than they had been since he'd started recounting his life, and he bowed toward the two of them "I'm sure Toga would have been proud of his family." a smile "As for me, you've freed me from my curse, and reminded me that when the world seems to grow dull, there is always something new to find."
Seeing as the dragon seemed to be ready to leave, InuYasha ask "What are you going to do then?"
"I'll start by getting closure." the ryu daiyoukai announced solemnly "I'm going back to the haven, then I'll look up if little Nü is still alive, with or without her husband. If they aren't to be found, I'll still check on their descendant..." a smile "Then I'll explore the world once more. Now that I can look human, it's bound to be more interesting!"
"Come see us again if you want." Tsukiko invited with a smile
"We'll see each other again." the other confirmed – the words echoing like a promise
With that, the tall, beautiful man was replace by his no less majestic True Form and took flight, soon disappearing on the horizon.
¤.¤.¤
"What happened?" Miroku's voice broke the niece and uncle's pensive silence – and only then did they realize that they had reached the cliff where their pack waited form them while talking
"We saw the quest update, so we know InuYasha won," Shippou told "But then we saw that you were taking your sweet time coming back, and there was someone else with you..."
"And guessing at the form that man took when he left, I think we can all make a guess about just who was with you." Sango added mischievously
"There was more to the story than what we knew." InuYasha said shortly "But it isn't our tale to share."
"Suffice to say, Ryukossei and the Inu no Taishou were far from the enemies they were depicted as." Tsukiko completed
Before their pack-mates could ask the multitude of questions they still had, Chaos Game saved them by finally processing what had happened...
[Hidden Event LV300 complete!
Searching beneath the bloodthirsty monster's front, you were able to help an old soul
Reward: +4000XP, +1 Enhancement Stone
More than breaking a curse, you've given a new interest in life to an old soul
Bonus Reward (Tsukiko and InuYasha only): +10 000XP, "Elder Long's Treasure" title unlocked]
[Political System updated!
Ryukossei (ryu daiyoukai, LVmax) has been added as a House of Moon ally: +50XP]
["Elder Long's Treasure" soul-bond title activated
+1 Luck, +1Charisma, +2Wisdom]
[InuYasha activated "Elder Long's Treasure" soul-bond title
+1 Luck, +1 Charisma, +2 Wisdom]
[Level up! You are now level 182!
+19SP, +8CP, +2SP]
[Level up! Kagome is now level 145!
+11SP, +4CP, +1SP]
[Level up! InuYasha is now level 169!
+25SP, +10CP, +2SP]
[Level up! Shippou is now level 144!
+13SP, +4CP, +1PP]
[Level up! Miroku is now level 143!
+13SP, +4CP, +1SP]
[Level up! Sango is now level 135!
+16SP, +8CP, +2SP ]
[Level up! Kanna is now level 138!
+15SP, +6CP, +1SP]
[InuYasha is now Four-Tailed!
Four-Tail Perks
- Poison Fang: all your attack can be enhanced by your own poison, unlocks Poison Resistance as a fast learning Fighting Skill (inherited from father)
- Moon Child: when in dire situation, the Moon will protect you, unlocks a powerful shield boosted by your Light Affinity that activated when your HP goes under 25% (unlocked by being accepted as a full-fledged member of the House of Moon family)
-Might of the Dragon: when needed ryu can be powerful warriors able to use the force of nature against their opponents, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2 Strength and +1 Agility every half decade) and unlock the mastery of one nature element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks Mind of the Dragon)
-Mind of the Dragon: ryu are reputed for their peaceful ways, trying to reason before resort to fight, you will gain the characteristic of one of their hanyou (+2Wisdom and +1Luck every half decade) and unlock the mastery of your inner element (unlocked by becoming a dragon's treasure, locks Might of the Dragon)
available: 1]
"I think there's a problem with my eyes." Sango was the first to break the silence "Or Chaos Interface is broken..." she added thoughtfully
Tsukiko laughed at the disbelief clear in her pack's eyes – while she hadn't interfered with the dragon's death for the XP gain, she wasn't as surprised as the others as while it was quite impressive, it was only logical given that the daiyoukai in questions had had more than enough time to hit the maximum level Chaos Game managed in his more than six millennia of existence.
"Still," Shippou protested "it feels a bit unfair that InuYasha and Tsuki-chan did all the work yet we all gain the XP..."
"Don't be stupid," the hanyou protested automatically "That's because we're pack of course."
"Oji-san is right. Beside, you've never complained before that I get the XP when stand back and let you fight." Tsukiko compared easily "And really, oji-san and I did gain far more than the rest of you from this quest..."
The kit looked about to protest, then, glancing between the alpha and beta that seemed in complete agreement, closed his mouth and instead took on a contemplating face – while indeed the ookami and the hanyou had, simply with the bonus reward only them had unlocked, gained much more from the quest, it still felt quite unequal he thought.
But then again, maybe what they were trying to say was that XP and reward weren't the only things to take into account, and that each member of the pack gave something to it in exchange.
Kagome never asked for anything while healing people, after all, just like Sango freely shared knowledge exclusive to her home and trade with them and Miroku had spent many hours helping Kagome mastering her reiki.
It left the kit in a bit of a conundrum – what did he give back to the pack?
"You're thinking too loud." InuYasha affirmed, dropping to the ground by his side – making Shippou wonder when the hanyou had gone from idiot to big brother in his mind
Said hanyou pointed at Kanna "Would you want to force her to fight to earn her keep?"
"What! Of course not!"
"So what do the pack gain by keeping her?"
"It's not a question of gaining anything its..." the kit protested heatedly, before stopping in his tracks
"There you have it." InuYasha nodded "It's not a question of gaining. Beside, it's not as if as soon as you go through your own Coming of Age Trial and earn your stripes you'll just up and forget about us is it?"
"Of course not! We're pack!"
"Ah, but would we still be pack if you went ahead and become an alpha yourself?"
"Of course! Pack will be pack! Even if by the time I grow up and meet Tsuki-chan in the future, she'll still be my alpha! Even if I'm an alpha myself and older than her!"
The hanyou nodded, point made, and Shippou smiled, suddenly feeling silly at having such baseless fear as being judged by his pack.
Around them, said pack shared approving glances at the way their beta had handled the situation – understanding easily how Shippou could have been unsettled, the massive XP gain highlighting a matters he hadn't really thought about before.
All of the pack-mates had gone through the same contemplation each on their own – but being older, coming to the right conclusion by themselves had been easier.
"Speaking of that bonus reward, what about the title you've unlocked?" Miroku asked as he was taking in the slew of notification bit by bit "Come to think of it, it reminds me of something..."
"Elder Long is the title given to the leader of all dragon youkai." Tsukiko explained "He is both the oldest, and wisest of them... I hadn't realized that Ryukossei was the one..." she mumbled, realizing as she said it that of course he was the one – there weren't a lot of dragon daiyoukai to start with, and the dragon beasts and regular youkai rarely had the need or want to become daiyoukai
"And the treasure part?" Shippou asked
"Dragons are hoarder." Sango was the one to point out "I mean even the beasts and youkai ones are known for that."
"But shouldn't a hoard be like... I don't know, a big pile of gold or something like that?" Kagome wondered
"It can be. But each dragon has something different he likes to collect." Tsukiko contradicted "For some its jewels, but others can gather knowledge, or even plants... In our time, I've even heard about a dragon who collects souvenir from different countries he went to." a shrug "And with how ever-changing the world is, he is always picking up new things for his hoard!"
"So what does it mean," InuYasha wondered worriedly "he won't suddenly think we're some kind of property, right?"
Tsukiko laughed.
"No it doesn't." she quickly reassured her uncle "But it does explain why he promised we'd see each other again. Dragons who collects people don't jail them in some kind of golden prison, but we're marked. Just as youkai or even some humans knows we're pack, they'll know we're Ryukossei treasure."
"And what does it means? Is it like pack then?"
"Yes and no. Pack tend to stay together as us canine aren't particularly individualistic by nature. Ryu are quite solitary by nature. Having people as treasure, it gives them someone to go back to, an anchor to the world around them." a smile "And of course, living dragon treasures tend to be seen as lucky people, who are rather revered even by holy beings."
That affirmation made InuYasha splutter, the hanyou having difficulties imagining people worshiping him like his alpha was hinting at.
Still, the way Tsukiko had explained it – and from what he'd seen from the daiyoukai, he had trouble seeing this new status as a bad thing. And maybe when they saw him again, Ryukossei would be more ready to share stories about Touga...
Uncle and niece didn't even need the look of understanding they shared – InuYasha unlocked Might of the Dragon, and a water affinity to go with it just as Tsukiko took on Mind of the Dragon, and saw the Dying Will Tail Perk disappear from her list of available perk, the inner elements being, just as she had thought, the very same flames she had used in her life as Sawada Kazami.
With the perk activation, it felt like a seal was broken – as suddenly the knowledge she knew she had about the flames unlocked.
Of course, knowledge didn't grant instant mastery, and she would have to meditate and find the colors of her soul all over again, but she saw that more as a benefit than a needless repetition – she wasn't Sawada Kazami anymore after all, and if her aim was to help other heroes, her multiple reincarnations also had an effect on her, something she realized clearly.
The black haired Japanese girl who made her life in the underworld and thrived in the mafia barely hid an Harriet Potter still raw from the wizarding war and barely understanding and accepting her new role as a goddess – decades had gone by since then, and she knew that turning her meditation not toward her powers as a youkai or a goddess, but the very nature of her being was bound to be interesting...
¤.¤.¤
"So... I have to ask," Miroku wondered at InuYasha "Why water?"
"Because I'll eventually be able to combine it with my air affinity."
"Thus unlocking an ice affinity." Tsukiko completed, impressed at the quick thinking her uncle had done – and not even in a fighting situation this time!
"Does that mean that Sango can use both fire and wind then?" Shippou wondered "I mean, her lightning is listed as a combination of the two..."
"With sufficient mastery she could probably learn to separate the two elements from her own, yes." the alpha confirmed
"And that inner element you've discovered, what is it?"
"I don't know yet," Tsukiko explained "But I do have knowledge about it."
"What do you mean?"
Seeing that everyone seemed interested, the alpha engaged in an impromptu lesson on the old harmony between Air, Water and Earth, explaining about how all people's soul was attuned to one or several of the seven flames each of the three element was divided into – or rather how that had been the case ages ago, until the balance was undone by the careless actions of the people of Water, the Atlantes of old, taking most of the people of Mu, those of the Earth with them.
And leaving behind only what had been at the time deemed the lesser beings of Air – humans, spirits and other youkai who now ruled the world.
"This fire you're talking about..." Shippou, who had the greatest mastery over fire among the pack was the first to realize "It's that strange aura you had when you healed Kanna, isn't it?"
"It was." Tsukiko confirmed "But all my powers but one, generally down-graded, are sealed when I'm reborn."
"A mortal body couldn't hold all of your powers at the same time." Miroku understood so much more easily that he was now attuned to her powers
"And so its like my knowledge is present but distant regarding those things... Until I unlock them again apparently."
"So you could do that aura again?"
"In time maybe. Right now, the knowledge is back in its right place, but this body haven't had any practice."
"So... Since its a power everyone has, and that you used as a human..." Sango wondered "Does it mean you could teach it to us?"
[Hidden Quest! Finding Harmony...
Goal: have every pack member find his Passive Flames
Bonus Goal: have every pack member find his Passive Flames before completing the Shikon no Tama
Reward: +50XP per goal, Enhancement System update upon completion
Bonus Reward: +100XP per goal, +1 power appropriate Ring and Box upon completion]
"I guess that's a yes then..." Tsukiko mused, both amused at Chaos prompt reaction and wondering if teaching flames to civilians could be seen as breaching Omerta – then deciding that it didn't, since they were her pack, and that anyway the jailers of the underworld didn't really like her powers since they were still undead clinging to the Earth at the current time
And so Flame lessons were added to the training schedule, and the pack was ready to move – all recalling back to Edo as had been decided earlier...
They were welcomed to their home-base by Kaede, flanked with both a smiling Kohaku and an already changing Jinenji, the old miko having gone from simply giving out herbal knowledge to the gentle hanyou to even teaching him about healing, while Rouyakan was not too far away, helping a few villagers making a new hut.
The word was spreading, Kaede explained, about Havens protected by the gods themselves where humans and youkai could leave together in peace – and while they didn't have any home deity available to bless their village, nothing forbid them from welcoming people, and the villagers had already been becoming more tolerant after the coming and going of the Shikon hunting pack, the constant presence and protection of Rouyakan helping even more, not to talk about Jinenji, who once you looked past the fading ugly appearance, had a heart of gold that made it hard not to like him...
As such, a few of the less hostile youkai, wandering merchant among them, had made Edo a new stop on their route, trading wares with the humans and bringing with them rumors from all over the country.
Hearing the youkai merchant talk about their family, or the political intrigue of the daiyoukai had made much for the humans to gain more understanding and tolerance toward the youkai – suddenly realizing that leaping the murderous ones with those ones was just like taking a look at the worst of the bandits around and deciding all humans were just like them...
The mention of the lack of divine protection did make Tsukiko wonder about whether she could help or not – but this was something she'd have to sleep on for a while, as it wasn't as easy for her as for the lower deities to bless a place, and her powers weren't particularly protective in nature.
The pack had taken advantage of the end of the lesson Kaede was giving to ask the old miko about Naraku's sudden grudge against Kagome – or rather, against Kikyou.
"It's rather evident." the miko had stated calmly "My sister was the reason why Onigumo gave his body to the youkai, his longing for her was so strong that he abandoned any humanity to have her..."
"Except he didn't." Miroku realized "Naraku is a hanyou, and it means that Onigumo's heart is still somewhere within. The heart of the man that wanted Kikyou-sama so much..."
"Kagome is a danger for Naraku, because he can't kill her, Onigumo won't let him harm Kikyou..."
"But Naraku is the one who killed Kikyou isn't he?" Shippou pointed out
"He wounded her, hoping to make her wish on the jewel." InuYasha corrected "He never intended for her to die, he wanted to corrupt her."
"So now that he's realize that Kagome is a threat he is trying to make someone else take her out for him." Sango concluded "Going as far as making detachment as monstrous as Juuro and Kageromaru..."
"Which means that for now he can't act out directly against Kagome-chan, but I doubt he is simply trying to make other kill her, he's probably trying to get rid of this weakness too."
"So... how do we use this to our advantage?" Shippou wondered
"Offensively speaking, I can't help you..." Kaede announced "But as long as Onigumo's heart long for Kikyou-one-sama, there is one thing that can be used as an invincible shield, be it against Naraku or any of his children sent to kill you."
While talking, the miko had led them once more to the cave where the barren earth where Onigumo had died was still visible.
Scooping a handful of dirt, Kaede put it in a simple bag, making the thing look like an omamori before handing it to Kagome.
"Onigumo never wished for my sister's death." she explained "And he spent so much time lying here before letting himself be devoured by the youkai, that his feeling are still present in the ground... As long as Onigumo's heart is present in Naraku's body, then this will protect you from any attack coming from him."
Kagome looked at the amulet dubiously – while she understood the advantage of having it, the idea of carrying around the echo of that despicable bandit's feeling around with her still made her skin crawl...
After that, the pack had broken for the day, Kagome and Tsukiko heading out to their era, Miroku walking Sango through some simple meditation exercise to help her with both her lightning manipulation and search for her inner flame, while Shippou practiced his true form in a nearby field.
Most surprising, maybe, had been Kanna's request to InuYasha.
Spending her days with the pack was making just as much wonders for the void youkai than spending time with Jinenji had done for Kohaku. And while she wasn't ready to stand up and fight against Naraku himself – she wanted to be able to one day.
And while the young girl wasn't by any mean weak, her powers had been so completely cut from her when stuck in that mirror, that she had but a very basic grasp on them right now.
¤.¤.¤
"I get that you want to get better with your powers..." the hanyou had answered the request a bit bewildered "And I'm not saying I won't help you!" he immediately reassured the young youkai "It's just... Why me? I don't think our powers are alike at all, and I'm far from being the more patient, or the best teacher..." he pointed out
"Because you're Naraku's first enemy. He was jealous of your relation with Kikyou, and for that he wanted you dead." her eyes were clear as she stated "But you're not dead. You're his first enemy and his first failure too."
She was staring at her hand as she went on "But most importantly you're not afraid. Whereas even hearing, or pronouncing his name... I'm terrified, and I don't want to be anymore."
InuYasha nodded at the little youkai – how could he refuse her really? Because even though he wasn't the most patient, or the better teacher, not even the most intelligent among the pack – he was still the best survivor, he knew how it felt to be afraid, and tired to be afraid...
He'd used anger for a long time to forget about his fear, but things had changed, first with Kikyou then with his pack.
Kanna, he vowed, wouldn't have to hide her fear beneath anger – he'd make sure of it.
"So, tell me about your powers."
And she did.
"The way I see it," InuYasha stated after a while "we've got several options in front of us. Clearly, your way of using your abilities is going to change, since you can't rely on your mirror anymore... But its not really a bad thing, since that mirror can't hurt you anymore either."
With a stick, he drew a number on the dirt at their feet "The evident way to use your power of taking on your opponent's power for yourself would be at close range." he explained "Train you in hand to hand, or with one short weapon and a free hand ,and you could learn to get close to the enemy, steal his power while fighting, and turn them around him in the same step."
Kanna nodded – but it was clear she wasn't too keen on the idea.
"That's what I thought. I think you're like Kagome-chan in that you don't like to fight, don't you?"
The girl nodded hesitantly, reluctant to admit as much to a man who so clearly loved fighting.
"That's alright, everyone is different."he reassured her while drawing a two on the ground "Still in that aspect, the knight you could create to fight and steal powers for you was ideal in that you could stay far from the fight... But the fact that his wounds got transferred to you is not good."
With that, the one and two were erased swiftly, and a three replaced them.
"Then there's the hard and convoluted way, very fitting of a member of our improbable pack!" he laughed "You've worked a bit with Miroku and learned about his sutra right?" a nod "Well miko uses something called shikigami, have you heard about them?" another nod
InuYasha smiled as he easily admitted "I'm not too good at all those controlled ways of using power, but in your case, I think it'll fit you." he explained "We'll train you a bit on close-ranged fighting so you can get out of any sticky situation, but most importantly, we'll get you to be so good from afar that people won't be able to get close to you."
Seeing at her inquisitive look she didn't see the link with the previous talk he explained "We'll train you like a miko, with a bow and small shikigami able too slip toward the enemy to steal their powers for you to use, may be imbue your arrow with their powers like a miko does with reiki." a shrug "I don't think this will be easy to learn, but within our pack we've got the more versatile range of fighters I've ever seen together so between all of our skills and knowledge, we should be able to find out how to do this."
Kanna's eyes widened at the description – yes, it wouldn't be easy to pull of, but she could see herself fighting like that.
"Your reflecting ability we'll train to become nearly reflexive when you feel or seen attacks or projectiles coming toward you. The shield will be weaker, but come up faster, and you'll need a lot less focus and youki to use it. So that's it for your two main abilities." the hanyou concluded
Then his own statement made him stop in his tracks.
"Wait, you're Three-tailed right?" at her agreeing nod he wondered "So what about you third ability? I mean I remember you could steal souls, but that was more of the mirror's ability from what I'd gathered? Not to mention the bonus Tail perk we gained when the pack leveled up..."
"I only have those two perks." Kanna admitted "I think the abilities with souls of the mirror prevented my own from surfacing..."
"So you've got two Tail perks to use?" the hanyou realized, eyes widening – a nod "And do you have an idea of what you want to do with them?"
Staring intently at her feet to hide her blush, the young youkai mumbled "I think... because alpha-chan saved me..." it took quite a bit of self-control for the hanyou not to laugh at his niece's new nickname "I have access to the Youkai Miko perk and I want to use it!" the girl rushed to the last part of her sentence
InuYasha's eyes widened at that – but he had to ask "Do you want this perk for yourself or because you think it'll spite Naraku that his own child became what he feared?"
"Both." she honestly answered "I don't want to be afraid of him, and being able to hurt him... I think it'll help... but I also like the lessons Kagome-san, and even Miroku-san gives. I'd like to learn to heal with plants, but also myself like Kaede-sama and Kagome-san and alpha-chan can... and to do wards to protect like Miroku-san can do..."
"You do know it'll be a difficult path?" InuYasha reminded "The only other in existence right now is our alpha after all."
"Well," Kanna smiled, reassured by the warning rather than discouraged "it's like you said right, beta-nii? We're part of Shadow's pack and don't do things the easy way!"
The hanyou nodded in approval, putting his surprise about his own new nickname to the side in an effort to focus of the girl in front of him "Well, what are you waiting for then?"
Opening Chaos Interface, the void spirit quickly chose the Tail Perk – and even if her face remained stoic, InuYasha guessed that the change wasn't painless, as he felt the moment reiki was born, and mingled with the already existing youki in the strange blending of opposite powers he'd only ever felt in Tsukiko before.
While she looked tired by the change – Kanna's smile was one of the brightest the hanyou had seen on her face.
"I've got the same Tail perk related to Shadow's power as Miroku-san." she announced, not really surprised as she knew she had become part of the goddess' Holy Servants, even without reiki – it was only logical that now that her powers were compatible, the abilities appeared
But clearly, that wasn't the perk that was calling to her, InuYasha mused as the little girl eyes lightened as she read another description.
"There's a perk to fix me." she finally whispered
"Fix you?" the hanyou tilted his head, wondering what she meant – after all Tsukiko had already saved her from Naraku hadn't she?
Probably guessing at his thoughts, Kanna explained softly "I think the ability with souls that Naraku forced on me stole my own ability. Alpha-chan couldn't fix something that wasn't there, could she? So she couldn't give me back the basic ability of a spirit..."
"Elemental manipulation." the hanyou realized "Naraku called you a void spirit, but there's no void element, you don't have any element to use..."
"He stole it." she nodded, eyes darkening "He stole the most important part of any nature spirit..."
"Then take it back." InuYasha stated rather than suggested – but of course Kanna wasn't even put out by the near order, as she was of the same mind as him
Swiftly, Turning Back the Wheel was chosen, Kanna's youki gaining a darker, albeit not evil feel to it, the black eyes gaining a silver glint to them, the pure white hair seemingly dyed black mid-length.
InuYasha smiled softly "A Shadow Spirit, eh?" he commented, mirth in his eyes
"I found it fitting."
The hanyou laughed out loud – shy she may still be, Shippou's influence on the young youkai was already visible, as she too seemed to be gaining a mischievous streak...
"It suits you." he reassured her "So, since the basis are the same for any element manipulation, we can do that, or I can start you on some hand-to-hand basis?"
The little spirit took a look of intense concentration before opting for the second option, and so the hanyou was soon walking her through some basics, explaining her how to throw a punch, or use her small size to her advantage, and so on...