Disclaimer: "Oswari!" Thud. "Bitch!" See, I do own Inu Yasha! I keep him on a short leash! TeeHee! Anyway, I don't lay any claim to any of the Inu Yasha characters, though I may add some original characters in later for plot development.
Author's notes: Alright, we're finally gonna see a little action! Yes! The story is moving along nicely, so far. I try to keep everyone in character as much as I can, so if you think anyone is a little ooc, rant all you want, I'm doing my best! Spellings for Japanese were taken from the translation of the manga on . As always, suggestions and comments are welcome. Help of any kind is always needed, whether it be mental or otherwise… Now, enter the lair of the beast!
Chapter 2: A Kingdom at Stake
Inu Yasha jumped up suddenly as the pot of hot water that had been boiling dropped practically in his lap. "Bitch, "he growled and glared at Kagome," what did you do that for?"
At his voice, Kagome blinked out of her daze and focused back on the present and her companions who were looking at her with worried expressions. She stood there for a second regaining her thoughts, her hand still held out as if gripping the pot she had dropped moments before. Once she released the breath she had unwittingly been holding, she finally managed to stutter, "Shi… shikon no tama…"
That got the hanyou's attention like nothing else could as his ears perked up and his expression changed from grumpy to anxious all at once. "The shikon? Where Kagome?"
Kagome spun around towards the forest surrounding their clearing. A demon stood in the shadows of the trees, downwind from the group. His silver white clothing and hair stood in stark contrast to the surrounding shadows.
Inu Yasha growled at the sight of the demon and took a defensive stance in front of Kagome, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Sango lifted Hiraikotsu and Miroku clasped his cursed hand as they prepared to face this new threat.
The demon stood there quietly, his eyes cold and calculating, assessing their group. Finally, he lifted his head in superiority, as if assured of his victory over his unworthy prey.
Suddenly the wind shifted and brought the demon's scent to the hanyou's nose. Inu Yasha blinked in surprise for a moment before his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Who are you? And what do you want, demon?"
The humans glanced at Inu Yasha in confusion, until Kagome finally spoke, "Isn't that your brother, Inu Yasha?"
Inu Yasha snorted, but kept his eyes on the demon. This was definitely not his brother, but this demon's youki was actually slightly stronger than Sesshoumaru's. He was a powerful threat and an unknown enemy.
From his perch on Kagome's shoulder, Shippou decided to replace dog-boy's silence, "He doesn't smell like a dog demon, he smells more like a …" he sniffed again as if to assure himself, "…fox?"
Annoyed at the lack of response he received, Inu Yasha growled louder, "Oi, demon, who the heck are you? And what do you want?"
Suddenly the demon vanished from the shadows and was instantly in front of Inu Yasha. This demon was faster than even faster than the Lord of the Western Lands. Grasping the half demon by the throat he lifted him in the air and smiled, "I thought that would be obvious half breed. Give me the shards of the jewel."
Inu Yasha clawed at the hand that was wrapped around his neck and glared down at the new youkai. He struggled futily in his captor's grasp as the demon's hold tightened, but still the hanyou remained as confident, cocky, and defiant as ever, "You'll have to go through me first, bastard!"
The demon raised and elegant eyebrow and looked directly into the hanyou's eyes, "That… can be arranged." With that, the demon flung Inu Yasha head first into the tree that stood in the center of the clearing, the force behind the throw causing it to splinter as the hanyou impacted the tree. The demon jumped backwards, narrowly missing the brunt of Sango's boomerang as it flew past him. His eyes narrowed menacingly as he glared at Inu Yasha traveling companions.
Sango caught Hiraikotsu as she and Miroku stood defiantly in front of Kagome and Shippou. Kagome had neglected to keep her bow and arrows with her, and was cursing herself for her own stupidity. But then again she should have sensed the jewel long before she did and she then would have had time to prepare.
The demon advanced upon the humans. Before they even had a chance to blink, he attacked, effectively knocking both Miroku and Sango out and tossing their unconscious bodies into the surrounding woods. He would take care of them later.
"Miroku! Sango!" Kagome watched in horror as her friends were effortlessly defeated as tossed aside like lifeless dolls. Shippou clung even tighter to Kagome and buried his face into her chest in fear. Kagome looked up at the demon's face as she felt his eyes upon her. He looked strikingly similar Sesshoumaru, it was no wonder they had mistaken him at first glance. The demon was tall, he had long hair, a chiseled face with a stoic expression and pointed ears accented by a striking white kimono, and he possessed the demon lord's superiority complex, but that was where the similarities ended. He had a tuft of white fur draped over each of his shoulders, a strange marking that looked like two diamonds and a circle on his forehead, and a long sleek silver-white fox tail.
The demon watched her with slitted purple eyes as his silver hair danced in the slight breeze. Kagome's gaze wavered from his face down to his wrist. Understanding shone into the demon's eyes as he flicked his tail. "Human, you can sense the shards of the jewel and you possess many of these fragments already." He held out his hand, expecting immediate compliance. "You will give me your fragments and find the rest."
Kagome blinked. She realized that was a statement, not a request. Something snapped inside of her. Gritting her teeth, her aura flared as she took a threatening step towards the demon. "The shards! Is that all your kind can think about? Well, I have news for you! I'm not just a shikon detector!" She took another step, fire gleaming in her eyes, "and I have a name, Kagome. Ka-go-me!" With that she poked the silver haired demon in the chest as Shippou scrambled out of her arms and hid behind a nearby rock.
Shippou squeaked as he closed his eyes in fear, both of the demon and of what Kagome might do to the demon, "Kagome's gone mad!"
Glaring at the human that had dared to touch him, the fox demon flexed his claws threateningly. Whether or not this human could sense the shards, she would die for her audacity.
As realization dawned on Kagome, her eyes widened and she stepped back away from the demon.
"Human," he raised a clawed hand, "for that, you die."
"Kyaa!" Kagome screamed and closed her eyes, anticipating the pain and hopefully swift death to follow.
"Bastard!" a familiar voice growled, "your fight's with me!"
Kagome looked up; she would recognize that growl anywhere, "Inu Yasha!"
Inu Yasha stood defensively in front of her, struggling to hold the demon's wrist. The demon glanced down at the golden eyed hanyou, thoughtfully. "Inu Yasha?" He smiled, chilling the air. "So, your Sesshoumaru's little brother."
The hanyou only grunted in response. "Kagome, get out of here!"
She hesitated at first and then scrambled over to Shippou as he cowered behind a rock.
With a flick of his wrist, the demon tossed Inu Yasha into the ground a few feet away, creating a small crater. The hanyou winced in pain as he stood, pushing away debris. He unsheathed Tetsusaiga and glared at the demon, prepared to fight to his last breath.
The demon simply continued to coldly smile, "First, I'll kill you, half breed prince. With the help of your shikon no kakera, I shall utterly destroy your brother, Sesshoumaru, and then I shall be Lord of the Western Lands." The demon flexed his claws and attacked Inu Yasha. The hanyou swung the fang, meeting the call of the demon's challenge.
In a blinding flash of power from the shikon in the demon's wrist, the battle was over. The demon blade flew the air and embedded itself into the hard earth, returning once again to a rusty old katana.
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome trembled and cried as she ran towards the bloody hanyou.
The demon looked down, a cynical smile gracing his otherwise flawless face, "I would have thought the brother of the Great Lord Sesshoumaru would be more of a challenge. But it matters not, this kingdom will be mine." His arm descended as Kagome flung herself over Inu Yasha in a vain attempt to shield him from the blow.
It wasn't supposed to end like this, but at least Kagome was going to die with the one she loved – even if she never did tell him – they would be together in death if not in life. She clung to the hanyou's body as she took her last breath… and then another. Her eyes flew open when she realized the final blow was never struck and she was still alive.
The silver kitsune youkai lay lifeless in the grass, literally cut in two. Blood was pooling under the demon's now cooling body, a steady drip of crimson off of the tip a sword only adding to the slowly gathering mass.
Kagome looked up and couldn't believe her eyes. Their savior – the last human or demon she ever thought would lift a finger in their behalf – stood there, bloody sword in hand, as imposing as ever.
"Sesshoumaru…?"