Disclaimer: It should be really obvious that nothing belongs to us.
Authors Note: Gomen ne, minna-san! *bow bow* Sorry we haven't updated so long! Tanuki-chan's disk drive broke, her computer crashed, and everything was lost!!!! *wails* Don't kill us!
Warning: We are not responsible for cheesy lines, cheesy fights, and a cheesy story. Flames will be used to burn down the school.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She was running, running. Her lungs burned somewhere near her throat, her breath came in great raggedy gasps. Tears streamed down her face, and she choked down a sob of fear. Oh, gods, someone help me . . . . She didn't know what she was running from, only that it would mean her demise should she be caught.
Her legs, weak and trembling, gave out from underneath her. She ordered them to move, trying to give one last futile chance at escape, but they were frozen to the ground. No, NO! A bright blue light flashed in front of her eyes, and everything disappeared.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Koryu sighed. That dog-demon better find help, and fast! Otherwise . . . he glanced down at his mother, who had mutated into something rather like a bug. More and more villagers were becoming infected, and the backroom was nearly full. A sudden rustle made him jump up from his pondering.
"Ah! Hisui! How do you feel?" Koryu managed to hide his surprise at Hisui being up - she was one of the first victims and was worse off than anyone else. Still, maybe . . . Koryu knew it was too much to hope, but maybe this disease would just die out by itself.
But something was wrong. Hisui didn't look healed, on the contrary, it seemed as though the illness had reached its peak. She no longer bore any resemblance to a human, let alone a live breathing girl - she appeared to be some sort of spider youkai. The eye on her forehead was fully open. "Hisui, what's wrong?"
The last thing Koryu saw was a fuzzy brown leg heading his way.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the darkness, a shadowed figure smiled.
"So . . . it has begun."
~*~*~*~
"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama! What's that?" Rin ran over to Sesshoumaru and clung to his leg, as far away from the gray smog as possible.
Jaken sneered at the girl, "It's fog, foolish human."
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. It's moving too fast to be fog . . . and the way it oozed sent chills of strangeness down his back.
Not that he'd ever admit that.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, let me take care of this." Jaken held up his two-headed staff. "Talking Gibberish!" Fire shot out of the old man's mouth and into the fog. For a moment, the two battled for control and dominance, then the fog vanished. Jaken grinned. Sesshoumaru-sama is going to be so proud of me . . . "Sesshoumaru-sama? AHHHH! SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!!! WAIT!!"
Sesshoumaru ignored the screaming frog youkai, his mind somewhere else. Strange . . . that fog seems . . . familiar somehow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Tsyuaiga? I haven't heard that name in years!"
Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, and Miroku stared at Toutousai expectantly.
"Can't remember a thing about it!"
Everyone fell over. Inuyasha was the first one to recover, his fists clenched and an angry-mark on his head. "WHAT?! WE SPENT A DAY SEARCHING FOR YOU AND YOU CAN'T TELL US A THING?!"
Kagome sighed heavily. "Osuwari," she said calmly, promptly ignoring the now growling hanyou.
"Although, now that you mention it, I think I can recall something . . . ." Toutousai replied, watching the flattened Inuyasha carefully, "That is, if you'll give me protection."
Miroku stepped in before Inuyasha could jump up and explode again. "Protection from what, Toutousai?"
Toutousai sighed. "As you all probably know, Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga are the most powerful swords I've ever made. However, I had a pupil who was so intelligent in his learning that he, too, managed to make a sword worthy of competing with Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga."
"A sword that can match Tensaiga and Tetsusaiga?" Sango mused.
Toutousai nodded. "I meant to destroy it, but I could not touch it. Only one person can and that is its maker."
"Toutousai, just what exactly does the Tsyuaiga do?" Miroku asked, watching Inuyasha pick himself up from the corner of his eye.
"With one blow, Tetsusaiga can kill a hundred youkai. With one blow, Tensaiga can heal a hundred youkai. And with one blow, Tsyuaiga can control a hundred youkai," Toutousai shrugged as he finished, making it quite clear that he thought it should have been quite obvious to them.
"To control a hundred demons. . ." Miroku pondered softly, "It is a dangerous tool for any youkai to have. Especially one that is turning humans into youkai. . . "
"Strange. . . I didn't know that it could do that," Toutousai seemed to think it over for a bit. "But then again, I don't know much about it. Kyoshi left soon after it was created."
Inuyasha crossed his arms in his sleeves, "Keh, all the youkai he created are weak bastards anyway."
Toutousai smirked. Inuyasha glared at him, but then Kagome broke in.
"So, is there anyway to change them back to demons?" She hoped there was some way. The mutations in the villagers terrified her.
Toutousai shrugged. "Frankly, I don't know why Kyoshi's bothering with humans. If he's trying to take over the world, he'd get a much stronger army using the Tsyuaiga on youkai, not to mention that he wouldn't have to go through the task of training them." He sighed. "Ah, well. I guess Kyoshi wasn't as smart as I thought."
"Don't you think it odd. . . ." Miroku seemed to be thinking off in his own world, pondering the situation at hand.
"What do you mean, Houshi-sama?" Sango questioned him curiously.
"If this 'Kyoshi' is as strong and clever as Toutousai claims, then why has he waited this long to use his power? And why has he targeted Kaede-sama's village specifically?" Miroku shifted, making the rings on his staff chime softly.
"Perhaps. . ." Toutousai trailed off.
"Yes?" Kagome ventured, slightly worried at the far off look on Toutousai's face.
"Hmm? Was I saying something? It seems to have slipped my mind. Oh well. It probably wasn't important."
"Keh, where can we find the bastard?" Inuyasha looked off into the distance, his ears twitching.
"Kyoshi? I don't have a clue."
Everyone sweatdropped. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, prepared to 'sit' him if she had to.
"I told you," Toutousai continued, ignoring the stares of disbelief that everyone was giving him, "Kyoshi left after the Tsyuaiga was created. Never bothered to have checked up my students. Once they leave, they're on their own." He shrugged indifferently.
~*~*~*~
Kouga sprawled in his den, contemplating on Kagome. Stupid dog-turd, he growled mentally. If only he wasn't so stubborn! Can't he see Kagome WANTS to be with me? He broke out of his musings when he heard approaching footsteps and looked up lazily. Standing in front of him were two wolf youkai, each panting heavily and carrying an unconscious person.
"Kouga! Get the healers!"
Kouga jumped up. "Another one?" he barked. He swore violently when he saw the victims and took in the symptoms.
Blank eyes. Jagan forming slowly on the forehead. Youki at least ten times more powerful than normal. Masaka!
"Take him to the infirmary now! Hurry up!" The two youkai bowed and ran out of the den, each carrying a fallen tribe-mate.
Kouga sighed wearily and collapsed on the floor. Two weeks . . . . Two weeks ago a fog had appeared in the tribe. It seemed ordinary at first, but evidently carried some sort of plague. At least twenty pack members were sick in the infirmary. Twenty more disappeared mysteriously after their disease reached its peak. The healers couldn't do anything - the victims seemed fine except for unawareness of their surroundings and a sudden increase in youki. One thing was clear - that fog came from a very powerful youkai.
But what did that youkai want? Kouga's tribe wasn't weak, but it wasn't powerful enough to pose as a potential threat either. They kept to themselves mostly, and never made any significantly formidable enemies. None of them kept money, jewelry, or anything particularly valuable, so that couldn't be it. Why would a power-hungry youkai bother with a mere wolf tribe?
Kouga groaned and rubbed his temples. "Kuso," he whispered. "What's happening?"
~*~*~*~
Kikyo treaded softly through the forest, her Shindinamachu trailing behind. There was a feeling of apprehension in the air - something wasn't right. The nagging in the back of her mind grew stronger, until suddenly, she whipped around and cocked her arrow.
There was nothing. Kikyo kept her entire body tense, her fingers ready to release the arrow at the slightest movement. She stood like this for a while, her senses alert for any indication of youki. Nothing. She shrugged, slung her bow across her shoulders and was about to continue walking, when she froze, her eyes widening as her mind realized the implications of what she had seen - or rather, what she hadn't seen.
The Shindinamachu were gone.
~*~*~*
Miroku yawned hugely and stretched his arms. "Inuyasha, why don't we get some sleep?" he suggested. "I doubt we're going to find any leads on Kyoshi at this time of night."
Sango nodded, petting Kiara. "Houshi-sama's right, you know. We've been traveling the entire day and no one seems to know Kyoshi exists, let alone have facts on him!"
"Keh!" sniffed Inuyasha. "Cowards!" Nevertheless, he jumped out of the tree and joined the others on the ground.
"Ramen?" offered Kagome, fishing out a box from her backpack. Inuyasha snatched it from her hands, and began devouring it mercilessly. Kagome rolled her eyes. They sat like this for a while, Inuyasha gobbling down his ramen, Sango inspecting and cleaning the Hiraikotsu, and Miroku's hand slowly inching its way down to Sango's butt. None of them suspected they were being marked, followed, watched. The dark figure slid away from the bushes and into the night.
"Well, Itsui?" came the smooth, silken voice. "Have you found which one it is?'
"No, my lord," murmured Itsui. "Are you sure they carry a Madougu with them?"
His lord paused, then shrugged ruefully. "To tell you the truth, no. There's a faint sense of a talisman around them, but it's not strong. It's more like they possess only half of one . . . ." he trailed off, watching as the miko - Kagome, wasn't it? - shot up and began screaming at Inuyasha for who-knows-what. The deafening noise wasn't what caught his attention, however; nor was the flattened hanyou in the ground. Rather, his eyes focused on the necklace the girl was wearing. His breath caught in his throat. The Shikon no Tama!
Or rather, half of the Shikon no Tama.
"What the hell?! They shattered the jewel?!" he hissed, turning to Itsui, who backed away nervously.
"Well, there have been rumors that the Shikon was broken by a girl a year ago . . . ." he started timidly.
"NANI?! A year ago?! Why wasn't I informed?"
Itsui sweatdropped.
~ Flashback ~
"My lord! The Shikon no Tama was just shattered!" Itsui cried, running through the door.
His lord waved his hand lazily. "Not now, Itsui, can't you see I'm busy?" He turned towards the mirror and fastened a headband over his Jagan. "Which looks better, the blue ward, or the red one?"
"Er . . . the blue one, my lord," Itsui said, sweatdropping.
"Good! Now, go prepare a banquet - I'm expecting guests tonight."
"But my lord - " exclaimed Itsui, perturbed by his lord's carelessness.
"NOW, ITSUI!"
~End Flashback~
"Must of slipped my mind," commented Itsui lamely. His lord scowled.
"Hmmm . . . I really don't want to devote any energy in searching for the shards . . . but the more shards the hanyou gets, the stronger he'll become." He pondered this thoughtfully. "Of course, if he doesn't have the miko, then he won't be able to do anything . . . ." A feral grin suddenly appeared. "Get me Koganei."
~*~*~*~*~
"Inuyasha, we might as well give up," stated Miroku flatly. "Obviously, no one in this village knows who Kyoshi is."
Sango frowned slightly. "They don't know, or they won't tell us?"
Miroku shrugged. "Either way, we're not going to get anything from them." He pulled out a few coins and handed them to the innkeeper. "Thank you for your hospitality."
The old innkeeper bowed. "It was my pleasure, Houshi-sama." He looked up. "Pardon me, but I couldn't help overhearing parts of your conversation. You said you're looking for someone named Kyoshi?"
Inuyasha's head snapped up. Miroku looked vaguely interested, but forced down the bubble of hope that welled up inside him. "Have you ever heard of him, jiji?"
The innkeeper nodded. "He used to come in here every half-moon – and he left a very generous tip as well."
Inuyasha jolted from his seat. "Do you know where he is, then?"
The innkeeper blinked. "He's dead. He's been dead for the last fifty years."
"NANI?!"
One hour later . . . .
"Kuso! I can't believe we went through all that work to find him, and he turns out to be dead!"
Sango grimaced. "So, if Kyoshi's dead, who's controlling the fog?"
Kagome suddenly stiffened. "I sense a Shikon shard."
These words had an instant impact on the group. Inuyasha drew out Tetsusaiga warily. Sango gripped her boomerang and Miroku placed a hand over his rosary, ready to rip it off at the slightest sign of danger. "Where's the shard coming from?" asked Miroku.
Kagome shook her head. "It's not a shard. It feels kind of like the entire Shikon no Tama!"
They waited edgily. Just when Inuyasha was about to shake it off as a mistake, a blade whizzed through the air, nearly impaling Kagome. "Kagome!" Inuyasha looked up. "Show yourself!"
"I'm right here," commented a voice right next to him. Inuyasha jumped and glared around. "Where?"
"Up here, baka!" A boy, no older than twelve, perched on top of the ten-foot tall blade. He flashed the peace sign.
"Hi there! I'm Koganei! I'm supposed to kidnap you!"
Everyone fell over. Inuyasha was the first one up, his fist sailing towards the boy's head. The boy dodged just as it was about to make contact. "Sorry, but I'm going to need you out on this one!" He held up his blade and whacked it across Inuyasha's head. Inuyasha fell, stunned, but managed to pick himself back up.
"Bastard! Take this! Tetsusaiga!"
The boy giggled. "You're funny! Do you really think your clumsy sword can stand up to a Madougu?"
An angry-mark popped up on Inuyasha's head. "CLUMSY SWORD?!"
Koganei whirled his blade. "Kougon Anki second form, Ryu!" Chains appeared where a huge blade once was. They whirled around the Tetsusaiga. Sparks flew from where the two touched, each fighting for dominance. It was clear that the Tetsusaiga had lost when its form reverted and Inuyasha was thrown backwards.
Sango's eyes widened. Those chains . . . they're exactly like Kohaku's!
Inuyasha snarled. "Brat! My Tetsusaiga can still beat the shit out of your toy!"
Koganei wasn't listening, however. "Hmmm . . . long black-haired neesan - aha!" He pointed his chains at Sango. "You're coming with me! Kougon Anki first form, Kiba!" The chains changed once more into a blade and zoomed towards her head.
She pulled out her boomerang and managed to block it in time. "Hiraikotsu! Arrgh!" This is no mere youkai - he's really strong! she thought, wincing as she slid backwards.
Miroku rushed up. "Kazaana!" he shouted, releasing his wards.
Kagome pulled back his arm. "Miroku, you idiot! You'll suck in Sango too!"
"Kuso!" he swore, but he replaced the rosary and whipped out a ward instead. "Take this!" The paper stuck to the boy's forehead. "Yes!" Miroku grinned and murmured and incantation.
Nothing happened. "Eh? What's this?" Koganei pulled off the paper and stared cross-eyed at it. He shrugged and threw it behind him, before vanishing from their sight.
"Where'd he go?" snapped Inuyasha.
The boy suddenly materialized behind Sango, slamming the heel of his hand into the back of her neck, catching her as she fell. "Gomen ne, neesan!" He slung the unconscious girl over his shoulder. "Ja, everyone!"
"Sango!" cried Miroku, running towards the boy. "Bastard! Let her go!" He reached out and was about grab her when fog appeared, obscuring Koganei from view. "Damn! Damn, damn, DAMN!" Inuyasha grasped Miroku's arms. "Let me go! I've got to find Sango! Inuyasha, I order you to release me at once!" He struggled to break free.
Kagome rushed up. "Miroku-sama, calm down. Right now, we have more important things to take care of."
"Like?" snapped Miroku.
"Like what we're going to do now that we're trapped in the fog," Inuyasha stated grimly.
And the fog engulfed them all . . . .
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vocabulary
Houshi-sama – Monk. People refer to Miroku as this.
Youkai – demon
Youki – demonic energy
Kuso! – Shit!, Dammit
Masaka – Shit, Dammit
Gomen ne-Sorry
Neesan-sister
Baka-idiot
Nani-what
Ja-bye
Author's Note: This next part is not part of the actual story but just something funny that two sugar-high writers thought up with.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And the fog engulfed them all . . .
(scene freezes and hysterical Keichan and Tanuki-chan run into fog.)
Keichan (tugging at sleeve of motionless Inuyasha) : GAH!!! BAKA!!! YOU'RE THE MAIN CHARACTER!!! MOVE!!!
Tanuki-chan (Pulling at sleeve of Sesshoumaru) : YOU'RE ONE OF THE BAD GUYS!!! MOVE!!!
Keichan: What are we going to do??!?! (running around in circles)
Tanuki-chan: (also running around in circles) How am I supposed to know!?!?!?
Keichan: We can't have them change!!! That would ruin our story!!!
Tanuki-chan: (suddenly smirking) Unless . . . .
Keichan: (also smirking) Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Tanuki-chan: Let's turn them all . . . .
(author's begin to type furously)
Keichan: Into Chibis!!!!!!
Tanuki-chan: And now . . . .
Keichan: The Adventures in Chibi Land!!!
(big poof on stage)
All characters (except Sesshoumaru) run onto scene in Chibi form, starting to sing: Magic Chibis Magic Chibis!!
Sesshoumaru (in high chibi voice) :Inuy- *clears throat* Inuy- *coughs* Inuy- What the hell is wrong with my voice?!?!
Rin (who isn't a chibi): Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are you? *steps on Jaken*
Jaken: x_x
Sesshoumaru (looks up): Eh? Rin? (looks down) WHAT THE *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED* *CENSORED*?!?!
Tanuki-chan (sweatdrop): Okay, the rating has risen to PG-13 . . . .
Kagome (sees cockroach): AAAAAHHHH! It's a youkai!
Inuyasha: TETSUSAIGA!! *reaches towards Tetsusaiga* Eh? *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O *blinks* O_O WHO THE FUCK TOOK MY SWORD?!?!?!?!
Miroku (points up): Inuyasha . . . isn't that the Tetsusaiga?
All characters stare at the shiny thing a hundred times bigger than them.
Inuyasha: That's a tree!
Sesshoumaru: Baka. Trees aren't shiny.
Kagome (runs towards Inuyasha): Use this, Inuyasha! (holds up toothpick)
Inuyasha: Thanks, bitch!
Kagome (fire rises around her): DON'T CALL ME BITCH! OSUWARI!
Camera pans in on a hand-sized hole in the ground.
Sango (sweatdrops): Does anyone remember about the youkai?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Actual Authors' Note: Sorry that this chappie took so long. Tan-chan broke my disk so we had to retype everything. Next chapter won't take nearly as long cause I'm taking the disk this time. Ten reviews for the next chapter! See ya then. Ja.
Keichan
