...
Please write a comment? If only to tell me this fic sucks? I feel so...so...unread -_-
Disclaimer: Inu-yasha and the affiliated characters are © Rumiko Takahashi and her business associates. The idea for this doujinshi is © me, or maybe © my muse, or maybe the idea is copyrighted to my muse, but the actual writing out of it is copyrighted to me, or maybe we both have a joint copyright, or maybe it's all actually copyrighted to Takahashi since it's her characters, but then what about the ideas I made up out of my own head? Or does this go under the category of "the end justifies the means", so all this is © to Takahashi simply because I never would have been inspired in the first place if it wasn't for her manga series? ...ugh. My head hurts.
In other news, I want to write an A/U for Inu-yasha, set in medieval England/France (Sesshou is French)! Woo! (Going to Seattle tomorrow. This = No updates for more than a week. So sad. ---
In the darkness of the night, a dark figure soundlessly slipped from the campsite and ran quickly, disappearing into the shadows. Moments after, another figure rose, and she, too, followed close behind.
Oblivious to his pursuer, Inu-yasha whisked along, intent on returning to the edge of the forest, where the temple lay. He sensed Tetsusaiga pulsing, throbbing with a strong heartbeat as it awaited its retrieval, calling to him, reprimanding him for leaving it behind. Inu-yasha's thoughts grew dour as he ran, and he recalled all the horrors that could befall him if Tetsusaiga was taken away; in the hands of anyone with the power to use it, it could be a weapon of total destruction. Inu-yasha only hoped Sesshoumaru did not again lust after the blade, or else he doubted he would ever get it back. The thought of losing Tetsusaiga to that bastard made his feet fly that much faster.
The chains about her exterminator's outfit clinked softly as Sango clung to Kirara's long mane and they ran after the dog demon, pursuing him as fast and silent as an owl swooping down upon its prey. Had Inu-yasha been any less distracted, he would have noticed them with his sensitive ears and keen olfactory senses, but they remained hidden from all other creatures of the plain. Kirara slowed as Inu-yasha drew near the forest and began to search about for the temple; once he had found it, Sango slid from Kirara's back and bade her stay with a gentle caress of the feline's face. With that, Sango secured Kiraikotsu about her waist and set after Inu-yasha, distrustful of his motives and responsive to his secretive movements for both Kagome's and her own sake.
"Bastard!" Inu-yasha grunted and rubbed his wrist sorely as the colorless miasma flickered and swirled from the aftershock of Inu-yasha's touch. Any time his living flesh touched the wall, the barrier jolted him with something akin to an electric shock, so powerful that it both burned his flesh and sent him flying backward. Heedless of repeated experience, Inu- yasha again sprang to his feet and launched himself at the wall, scraping down with his claws and biting back a yelp of pain as the miasma scorched his digits. This was futile. How could he get past a barrier that both enveloped weapons and scalded sinew? The only way he could think of was by destroying it, but how did he do that?
Even more disconcerting was the image of his father, which flickered in the reflections of the wall constantly, copying his every move and piercing him with terrible, soulless eyes. Had his father been like this in life, or was the likeness altered, deadened, in this magically conjured state? Inu-yasha shivered as he growled in the direction of the wall and his "father" returned the gesture, not only going through the motions but also producing the sounds, causing the ground to tremble minutely with the dark alto of his voice. Did the creator of this barrier find it amusing to disturb Inu- yasha by replicating the voice and image of his father? Inu-yasha scolded himself for being affected, but he could not deny the fear and sizable level of respect he felt, even viewing this pseudo replica of his father. He was both lucky and cursed to be the offspring of such a once-powerful demon.
Sango watched Inu-yasha from the bushes, keenly aware of his frustration and wondering at his complete brazenness in dealing with the barrier. It was obvious he should stop wasting his energies in fruitless battling and instead search for a knowledgeable priest, as Miroku had said; still, Inu- yasha insisted on trying to deal with the problem in his own fashion. Sango shook her head slightly, caught halfway between a chuckle and scowling. For all his words and impulsive actions, Inu-yasha really was a child. Oh well. All children grow up, eventually.
Or they die in the process.
Her outlook was only partial; most of it was obscured by the foliage as she attempted to keep from view. She could only see passing glimmers of the shapes on the wall, and could only make out white fur and hair in the style of Inu-yasha's. Irritated by her own curiosity, Sango stepped forward cautiously, staring from Inu-yasha to the wall as her perspective broadened. Suddenly she saw a giant demon dog growling at her and her hand automatically went for the boomerang at her back, pulling loose the ties simultaneously with her other hand as she grabbed at the knots at either end and launched the boomerang forward. It hit the wall with a soft sucking sound before melting into the barricade, and Sango froze, staring in horror as the boomerang lodged itself just a few inches away from the tip of Inu- yasha's blade, Tetsusaiga. Inu-yasha's hair whipped through the air as his gaze snapped towards her, and he growled a low warning moments before rushing forward and grabbing her shoulders roughly.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He demanded, shaking her so hard her neck felt as if it was about to break. Sango caught her breath as her thoughts whirled, then batted Inu-yasha away and fell backward, catching herself then leaning over in shock and exhaustion.
"What...what is that thing?" Sango gasped, glaring sharply towards the barrier. "What happened to our weapons?"
"They're stuck, you idiot. I was trying to get Tetsusaiga back, but now, thanks to your moronic tendencies, we're both weaponless. This is just ideal. What if Naraku comes?! We'll be almost helpless!!"
"It's your damn fault for sneaking away like that!!" She raised a fist and swung at Inu-yasha, thoroughly fed up with his insults and his constant barrage of blame-throwing. That very same reaction of throwing Kiraikotsu had saved her life and the lives of her friends many times before; Inu- yasha had no right to judge her when he was just as, if not far more impulsive than she was. Incensed and still reeling from the shock of losing her best and primary weapon, Sango let out her own warning growl, one so loud and low that it gave even Inu-yasha pause.
"Feh. Stupid bitch." Inu-yasha turned and again looked towards the barrier, disregarding Sango as if she wasn't even worthy of his time.
Sango blanched, and her eyes grew bloodshot with rage. "You child, you stupid child, Inu-yasha!! This is completely your fault for being so stupid and irrational! Is your first reaction always to attack an enemy without even bothering to gauge its weakness? Surely there are traps like this elsewhere in the world; what if you encounter another one? Would you do exactly the same thing, and just get Tetsusaiga stuck again, like you always do? You stupid child! You are mean to everyone, you always get us in trouble, and then you have the incomprehensible *audacity* to blame *me*?! No wonder your father died! You're probably the one that drove him to his grave!!"
"Don't you dare talk about my father." A shiver passed through Sango as Inu- yasha paused and turned, glaring at her from beneath the hood of his white bangs with a look that spelled out her doom. "I didn't know him, but he was my father nonetheless. Don't you *dare* talk about him so casually. He was the king of the western lands, and he was more powerful than you, or Miroku, or any mere mortal or lesser demon could ever hope to be!!"
The woman recoiled, shocked by his vehemence. She opened her mouth in preparation for a nasty comeback, but their attention was drawn towards the field as they heard angry shouting and saw Miroku running towards them, quickly followed by Kagome and Shippou as they pulled most of their supplies behind. Inu-yasha's brows lowered, as he was angry at having their confrontation interrupted, but Sango looked almost relieved. She even went so far as to smile as soon as Miroku was within clear earshot.
"Are you *trying* to attract Naraku, or what?!? Shut up, you imbeciles!" Miroku scolded in a fierce whisper. Inu-yasha's ears flattened slightly and Sango frowned as they both realized Miroku was right, but he was far from ending his reprimand.
"Not only did you disturb my sleep, you also shouted so loud that you woke every demon within ten miles! You idiots! Now is a terrible time to deal with them, yet you are deliberately attracting as many as you can! Have you no sense? If you *must* be suicidal, please do it when not on my watch! Dear gods! You have no brains!"
Inu-yasha's ears turned back and he stared at Miroku impudently, daring him to continue. "I was just trying to get my sword back," he mumbled, a weak defense if ever there was one.
"And your excuse for making so much noise about it? Did you simply *forget* that this forest happens to be inhabited by demons?"
"Miroku," Kagome said quietly, starling everyone as they turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, but I don't see any demons. Are you sure they're here?"
He frowned. "Of course they are! I can feel their presence everywhere. I don't know why they haven't come yet. Maybe they decided Inu-yasha was too noisy and they kept away for fear of losing their hearing."
"Shut up." Inu-yasha straightened and began walking back to the field, brushing past Miroku without so much as a glance or muttered apology. Miroku glared after him, hand clenched white-knuckled about his staff as thoughts of braining Inu-yasha swam about his head. Sango glanced at Miroku nervously, and was relieved to find most of his anger was directed towards Inu-yasha; then Miroku's gaze shifted, and he regarded Sango with the same look of distain, only slightly lessened than what he had sent towards Inu- yasha.
"Well, I don't-" Kagome was cut off as a tree suddenly found itself disconnected from its trunk and came crashing downward, landing less than a foot away from Kagome's head. She screamed and jumped away, holding a hand to her chest and feeling her heart pound away a mile a minute.
Miroku raised his staff and scouted the area for signs of the perpetrator, brows low as his fears were confirmed. "Kagome, Sango, get behind me," he demanded, raising his staff in preparation.
Another tree fell and a large, lumbering monster the size and shape of a refuse pit emerged through the gap, letting loose a gurgling roar as it swung a massive hand down towards and onto the monk. The staff hit the arm, diffusing it down to its contents, and both girls sneezed as bits of foliage and feces rained down on them. Miroku was forced to ignore the stench and discomfort as the monster drew away and its hand reformed, once more swinging it down and into the trio. This time Kagome screamed.
"Inu-yasha!!"
The call for help was unnecessary; the monster was already being attacked from above by streaks of white and red that tore and rendered it with claws and well-placed kicks, until the monster was broken down into nothing more than piles of trash. Inu-yasha stood amongst the macabre sediment, panting and holding his arms up in disgust as the monster's stink assailed him full force. Kagome coughed and stumbled forward, grabbing at his robes and almost crying with relief. She was surprised when he threw her back into the ground.
"Stay back!!" Inu-yasha demanded, jumping away as he spoke. "It's not dead yet!" Even as he said it, the piles of trash pulled together, reforming into the monster until it looked only slightly worse for wear than it had before. Miroku shouted at Inu-yasha to get away, but he ignored it, once more tearing the monster to bits. It merely reformed as soon as it splattered to the ground, seemingly totally unaffected no matter how many times it was torn apart. Finally Miroku threw his staff at Inu-yasha, hitting him in the chest and throwing him back, before whipping the prayer beads off his right hand and sucking up the monster and the dead trees immediately surrounding it.
"Wind Tunnel!!" Miroku shouted as the last of the scenery disappeared into his hand. Inu-yasha stood and shook his head in disorientation, glaring at Miroku with a look that clearly stated, "You stole my kill!!" Miroku merely ignored him, intent on capturing every last trace of the monster before it could recoalesce. At last it was gone, but the stench of it remained, coating everyone but Shippou and Kirara, who cowered behind a tree stump. The scent had finally gotten to Inu-yasha, and he kneeled over the ground, gasping, and looking fairly out of it. Kagome rushed over to support him as Sango touched Miroku's shoulder by way of thanks, and the heroic monk leaned on his staff heavily as he recovered from sucking up so much garbage.
"Well," Kagome said in a halfhearted attempt at sounding cheerful. "Now we have one more reason to find a village: We need baths!"
The rest of the party groaned in agreement.
--- This chapter was fun. ^-^ I read it aloud after writing it to help me with the editing, and my mother thought it was great. Anyway. Gonna go eat dinner at Denny's now, and go to Seattle tomorrow. Hopefully when I get back there will be lots of lovely reviews for me to read! *pokehintpoke* What do you think about my portrayal of the characters? They all seem a little too irritable to me...maybe I should change that...hmm...
Thanks for reading!
Please write a comment? If only to tell me this fic sucks? I feel so...so...unread -_-
Disclaimer: Inu-yasha and the affiliated characters are © Rumiko Takahashi and her business associates. The idea for this doujinshi is © me, or maybe © my muse, or maybe the idea is copyrighted to my muse, but the actual writing out of it is copyrighted to me, or maybe we both have a joint copyright, or maybe it's all actually copyrighted to Takahashi since it's her characters, but then what about the ideas I made up out of my own head? Or does this go under the category of "the end justifies the means", so all this is © to Takahashi simply because I never would have been inspired in the first place if it wasn't for her manga series? ...ugh. My head hurts.
In other news, I want to write an A/U for Inu-yasha, set in medieval England/France (Sesshou is French)! Woo! (Going to Seattle tomorrow. This = No updates for more than a week. So sad. ---
In the darkness of the night, a dark figure soundlessly slipped from the campsite and ran quickly, disappearing into the shadows. Moments after, another figure rose, and she, too, followed close behind.
Oblivious to his pursuer, Inu-yasha whisked along, intent on returning to the edge of the forest, where the temple lay. He sensed Tetsusaiga pulsing, throbbing with a strong heartbeat as it awaited its retrieval, calling to him, reprimanding him for leaving it behind. Inu-yasha's thoughts grew dour as he ran, and he recalled all the horrors that could befall him if Tetsusaiga was taken away; in the hands of anyone with the power to use it, it could be a weapon of total destruction. Inu-yasha only hoped Sesshoumaru did not again lust after the blade, or else he doubted he would ever get it back. The thought of losing Tetsusaiga to that bastard made his feet fly that much faster.
The chains about her exterminator's outfit clinked softly as Sango clung to Kirara's long mane and they ran after the dog demon, pursuing him as fast and silent as an owl swooping down upon its prey. Had Inu-yasha been any less distracted, he would have noticed them with his sensitive ears and keen olfactory senses, but they remained hidden from all other creatures of the plain. Kirara slowed as Inu-yasha drew near the forest and began to search about for the temple; once he had found it, Sango slid from Kirara's back and bade her stay with a gentle caress of the feline's face. With that, Sango secured Kiraikotsu about her waist and set after Inu-yasha, distrustful of his motives and responsive to his secretive movements for both Kagome's and her own sake.
"Bastard!" Inu-yasha grunted and rubbed his wrist sorely as the colorless miasma flickered and swirled from the aftershock of Inu-yasha's touch. Any time his living flesh touched the wall, the barrier jolted him with something akin to an electric shock, so powerful that it both burned his flesh and sent him flying backward. Heedless of repeated experience, Inu- yasha again sprang to his feet and launched himself at the wall, scraping down with his claws and biting back a yelp of pain as the miasma scorched his digits. This was futile. How could he get past a barrier that both enveloped weapons and scalded sinew? The only way he could think of was by destroying it, but how did he do that?
Even more disconcerting was the image of his father, which flickered in the reflections of the wall constantly, copying his every move and piercing him with terrible, soulless eyes. Had his father been like this in life, or was the likeness altered, deadened, in this magically conjured state? Inu-yasha shivered as he growled in the direction of the wall and his "father" returned the gesture, not only going through the motions but also producing the sounds, causing the ground to tremble minutely with the dark alto of his voice. Did the creator of this barrier find it amusing to disturb Inu- yasha by replicating the voice and image of his father? Inu-yasha scolded himself for being affected, but he could not deny the fear and sizable level of respect he felt, even viewing this pseudo replica of his father. He was both lucky and cursed to be the offspring of such a once-powerful demon.
Sango watched Inu-yasha from the bushes, keenly aware of his frustration and wondering at his complete brazenness in dealing with the barrier. It was obvious he should stop wasting his energies in fruitless battling and instead search for a knowledgeable priest, as Miroku had said; still, Inu- yasha insisted on trying to deal with the problem in his own fashion. Sango shook her head slightly, caught halfway between a chuckle and scowling. For all his words and impulsive actions, Inu-yasha really was a child. Oh well. All children grow up, eventually.
Or they die in the process.
Her outlook was only partial; most of it was obscured by the foliage as she attempted to keep from view. She could only see passing glimmers of the shapes on the wall, and could only make out white fur and hair in the style of Inu-yasha's. Irritated by her own curiosity, Sango stepped forward cautiously, staring from Inu-yasha to the wall as her perspective broadened. Suddenly she saw a giant demon dog growling at her and her hand automatically went for the boomerang at her back, pulling loose the ties simultaneously with her other hand as she grabbed at the knots at either end and launched the boomerang forward. It hit the wall with a soft sucking sound before melting into the barricade, and Sango froze, staring in horror as the boomerang lodged itself just a few inches away from the tip of Inu- yasha's blade, Tetsusaiga. Inu-yasha's hair whipped through the air as his gaze snapped towards her, and he growled a low warning moments before rushing forward and grabbing her shoulders roughly.
"What the hell are you doing?!" He demanded, shaking her so hard her neck felt as if it was about to break. Sango caught her breath as her thoughts whirled, then batted Inu-yasha away and fell backward, catching herself then leaning over in shock and exhaustion.
"What...what is that thing?" Sango gasped, glaring sharply towards the barrier. "What happened to our weapons?"
"They're stuck, you idiot. I was trying to get Tetsusaiga back, but now, thanks to your moronic tendencies, we're both weaponless. This is just ideal. What if Naraku comes?! We'll be almost helpless!!"
"It's your damn fault for sneaking away like that!!" She raised a fist and swung at Inu-yasha, thoroughly fed up with his insults and his constant barrage of blame-throwing. That very same reaction of throwing Kiraikotsu had saved her life and the lives of her friends many times before; Inu- yasha had no right to judge her when he was just as, if not far more impulsive than she was. Incensed and still reeling from the shock of losing her best and primary weapon, Sango let out her own warning growl, one so loud and low that it gave even Inu-yasha pause.
"Feh. Stupid bitch." Inu-yasha turned and again looked towards the barrier, disregarding Sango as if she wasn't even worthy of his time.
Sango blanched, and her eyes grew bloodshot with rage. "You child, you stupid child, Inu-yasha!! This is completely your fault for being so stupid and irrational! Is your first reaction always to attack an enemy without even bothering to gauge its weakness? Surely there are traps like this elsewhere in the world; what if you encounter another one? Would you do exactly the same thing, and just get Tetsusaiga stuck again, like you always do? You stupid child! You are mean to everyone, you always get us in trouble, and then you have the incomprehensible *audacity* to blame *me*?! No wonder your father died! You're probably the one that drove him to his grave!!"
"Don't you dare talk about my father." A shiver passed through Sango as Inu- yasha paused and turned, glaring at her from beneath the hood of his white bangs with a look that spelled out her doom. "I didn't know him, but he was my father nonetheless. Don't you *dare* talk about him so casually. He was the king of the western lands, and he was more powerful than you, or Miroku, or any mere mortal or lesser demon could ever hope to be!!"
The woman recoiled, shocked by his vehemence. She opened her mouth in preparation for a nasty comeback, but their attention was drawn towards the field as they heard angry shouting and saw Miroku running towards them, quickly followed by Kagome and Shippou as they pulled most of their supplies behind. Inu-yasha's brows lowered, as he was angry at having their confrontation interrupted, but Sango looked almost relieved. She even went so far as to smile as soon as Miroku was within clear earshot.
"Are you *trying* to attract Naraku, or what?!? Shut up, you imbeciles!" Miroku scolded in a fierce whisper. Inu-yasha's ears flattened slightly and Sango frowned as they both realized Miroku was right, but he was far from ending his reprimand.
"Not only did you disturb my sleep, you also shouted so loud that you woke every demon within ten miles! You idiots! Now is a terrible time to deal with them, yet you are deliberately attracting as many as you can! Have you no sense? If you *must* be suicidal, please do it when not on my watch! Dear gods! You have no brains!"
Inu-yasha's ears turned back and he stared at Miroku impudently, daring him to continue. "I was just trying to get my sword back," he mumbled, a weak defense if ever there was one.
"And your excuse for making so much noise about it? Did you simply *forget* that this forest happens to be inhabited by demons?"
"Miroku," Kagome said quietly, starling everyone as they turned to look at her. "I'm sorry, but I don't see any demons. Are you sure they're here?"
He frowned. "Of course they are! I can feel their presence everywhere. I don't know why they haven't come yet. Maybe they decided Inu-yasha was too noisy and they kept away for fear of losing their hearing."
"Shut up." Inu-yasha straightened and began walking back to the field, brushing past Miroku without so much as a glance or muttered apology. Miroku glared after him, hand clenched white-knuckled about his staff as thoughts of braining Inu-yasha swam about his head. Sango glanced at Miroku nervously, and was relieved to find most of his anger was directed towards Inu-yasha; then Miroku's gaze shifted, and he regarded Sango with the same look of distain, only slightly lessened than what he had sent towards Inu- yasha.
"Well, I don't-" Kagome was cut off as a tree suddenly found itself disconnected from its trunk and came crashing downward, landing less than a foot away from Kagome's head. She screamed and jumped away, holding a hand to her chest and feeling her heart pound away a mile a minute.
Miroku raised his staff and scouted the area for signs of the perpetrator, brows low as his fears were confirmed. "Kagome, Sango, get behind me," he demanded, raising his staff in preparation.
Another tree fell and a large, lumbering monster the size and shape of a refuse pit emerged through the gap, letting loose a gurgling roar as it swung a massive hand down towards and onto the monk. The staff hit the arm, diffusing it down to its contents, and both girls sneezed as bits of foliage and feces rained down on them. Miroku was forced to ignore the stench and discomfort as the monster drew away and its hand reformed, once more swinging it down and into the trio. This time Kagome screamed.
"Inu-yasha!!"
The call for help was unnecessary; the monster was already being attacked from above by streaks of white and red that tore and rendered it with claws and well-placed kicks, until the monster was broken down into nothing more than piles of trash. Inu-yasha stood amongst the macabre sediment, panting and holding his arms up in disgust as the monster's stink assailed him full force. Kagome coughed and stumbled forward, grabbing at his robes and almost crying with relief. She was surprised when he threw her back into the ground.
"Stay back!!" Inu-yasha demanded, jumping away as he spoke. "It's not dead yet!" Even as he said it, the piles of trash pulled together, reforming into the monster until it looked only slightly worse for wear than it had before. Miroku shouted at Inu-yasha to get away, but he ignored it, once more tearing the monster to bits. It merely reformed as soon as it splattered to the ground, seemingly totally unaffected no matter how many times it was torn apart. Finally Miroku threw his staff at Inu-yasha, hitting him in the chest and throwing him back, before whipping the prayer beads off his right hand and sucking up the monster and the dead trees immediately surrounding it.
"Wind Tunnel!!" Miroku shouted as the last of the scenery disappeared into his hand. Inu-yasha stood and shook his head in disorientation, glaring at Miroku with a look that clearly stated, "You stole my kill!!" Miroku merely ignored him, intent on capturing every last trace of the monster before it could recoalesce. At last it was gone, but the stench of it remained, coating everyone but Shippou and Kirara, who cowered behind a tree stump. The scent had finally gotten to Inu-yasha, and he kneeled over the ground, gasping, and looking fairly out of it. Kagome rushed over to support him as Sango touched Miroku's shoulder by way of thanks, and the heroic monk leaned on his staff heavily as he recovered from sucking up so much garbage.
"Well," Kagome said in a halfhearted attempt at sounding cheerful. "Now we have one more reason to find a village: We need baths!"
The rest of the party groaned in agreement.
--- This chapter was fun. ^-^ I read it aloud after writing it to help me with the editing, and my mother thought it was great. Anyway. Gonna go eat dinner at Denny's now, and go to Seattle tomorrow. Hopefully when I get back there will be lots of lovely reviews for me to read! *pokehintpoke* What do you think about my portrayal of the characters? They all seem a little too irritable to me...maybe I should change that...hmm...
Thanks for reading!