Kaze no Houyou – The Embrace of the Wind:
Chapter FourInuyasha grumbled as he sat up, gnawing at the ropes around his hands. Those idiots. Damn them all. "They're all gonna get their asses in trouble. Then I'm gonna have to go damn save them. Just like always. Dammit…" The ropes fell from his hands. He untied his feet and stood up, gazing to the spot where the others had disappeared into the forest.
He felt a slight prick on his neck as he stared forward. Inuyasha smacked the spot on his neck that stung, and a small flea fluttered down onto his hand.
"Itai…Inuyasha-dono, you are too violent," Myouga complained.
"What do you want, Myouga-jiji? I'm busy, dammit."
The flea's attitude changed to a more serious air. "Inuyasha-dono, it seems as though your monk friend is in trouble."
"Well, what do you expect after he slept with that damned bitch Kagura?!"
"Kagura? Hm… Regardless of that, he's now being held captive by Naraku."
"Naraku? You saw this?!" Inuyasha exploded.
"Well, hm…I wasn't really at any position to help Miroku," the flea defended himself.
"So you ran away? Again?! Damned coward."
"It was the only thing I could do for him – come to get you and the others. Where are they, by the way?"
"They left to find him already."
"So I see. Oh, and one more thing, Inuyasha-dono. Miroku seemed very reluctant to use his wind tunnel. Even as Kagura was breaking him down, he would not use it. Only his staff and his monk-powers. That was how she was able to take him as a captive to Naraku. What I don't understand, is—"
Inuyasha cut the flea's sentence off as he flicked him away. He had heard all that he needed to. So, Miroku went to Naraku. Did he go to defeat him, or to join forces with him? He narrowed his eyes and started after the others.
"Serin-chan, are you sure you know where we're going?" Kagome wondered aloud.
"Hai," Serin continued running after her cousin's scent.
Yuki had run off ahead of them at her full speed. She was connected deeply with her Uncle Miroku. All those memories of him… He taught me to use my staff…martial arts…things my father never really bothered with showing me. But he died when I was seven. And now…after I've come back here to fix things…he's going to die before I am born?! Then his son…his son won't ever be born either. And Sango… I can't let this happen! Serin…she knows how to sew up his Kazaana. It's how we fixed it before, in my time. It will work. It has to! If we can just find him!
She gasped as she came upon Naraku's fortress. His scent…it's all over here…and his blood. No!! "Uncle Miroku!!" She began running towards the fortress' entrance.
Serin heard her cousin's cry from the slight distance, and figured out at once what was going on. She had found him, and she didn't like the results. Serin dashed quickly ahead, knowing the other three could follow the small distance between them on their own. She knew she had to stop her cousin before she did something foolish.
Yuki was brought to a halt as Serin grabbed her shoulder.
"Let me go! I have to help Uncle Miroku!!" Yuki screamed.
Serin slapped her face. Hard. "Shut up. Listen to me, Yuki. First, if you give away who we are, you will kill us. Do not call him that name. Second. Naraku is much stronger than the two of us combined. He will kill you, and you will not have helped Miroku at all. So stop screaming, stand still, and start thinking."
Yuki's eyes watered. "Go…gomen ne…I just…"
"Don't cry. It shows you are weak. It irritates me…" Serin's eyes narrowed.
"Yuki-chan! Serin-chan!" Kagome called as she, Sango, and Shippo caught up to them. "This…this is…"
"Hai. It's Naraku's fortress." Yuki had regained her composure enough to face the others normally. "His scent is all over here." She bit back the choking in her throat at the smell of his blood. "There must have been a fight."
Sango's eyes widened, as Kagome winced. Houshi-sama…you had better be alright. I'll…never forgive myself…for not listening to you…if…if…
"Sango-chan…I'm sure he's alright. We both know he's strong. He wouldn't have been killed so easy," Kagome said gently, comforting her friend.
"Let's go inside. He has to be in there somewhere." Yuki started ahead.
Serin grabbed her arm. "And do what. What plan do you have, Yuki?"
"Serin-chan is right. We need some sort of plan. Naraku is strong," Kagome agreed. I wish Inuyasha was here.
Shippo crawled up onto Kagome's shoulder. "It would be easier if they were distracted. Then maybe the rest of us could split up and look for him."
Yuki nodded. "That would be best."
Serin began walking towards the fortress.
"Serin-chan?" Kagome looked worried.
The hanyou paused, but she didn't turn around. "I will keep them occupied. You only focus on finding Miroku." She had a feeling that she might not come back from this, but then no one seemed to care much about her to begin with. The others seemed…afraid and untrusting of her.
"Demo…Serin, you have to fix Miroku-kun. You can't be worrying about Naraku," Yuki reminded her.
Everyone was silent for a moment, as no one knew whom it was that should go.
"Feh! Will you all just go look for the damned monk already? Geez." Inuyasha glanced to the side, not wanting to meet anyone's gaze, with the transformed Tetsusaiga propped across the back of his shoulders.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled.
"Now go on, dammit!" he growled at them. He started off towards Naraku's fortress.
Ganbatte…Inuyasha I'll be waiting for you when it's over. Kagome watched him as he disappeared into the mass of Naraku's fortress. "Alright, gang. This is it. Let's go find Miroku-sama," she smiled.
Yuki was also staring off in the space where Inuyasha had been. Careful, Father. Don't go getting yourself killed. Yuki smiled as well. Or you'll be killin' me too.
Go get 'im, Inuyasha! Shippo giggled a bit in the
excitement.
Arigatou…Inuyasha. Sango smiled along with the others, and they set
off towards Naraku's fortress.
"Oi! Naraku! Kisama…where are you?!" Inuyasha walked the halls of the fortress. He was suspicious, finding no barrier to have to break through this time. But then again…these bastards have Miroku here. So they're expecting us. "Come on out and fight me, you damned coward!" That bastard…he's just waiting for me to find him… "I'll find you! Just wait…"
Yuki led the others down the twisted halls of the fortress, following Miroku's scent. Please be okay. Please be okay. "It's not too much farther, guys. His smell is getting stronger, and fresher."
Serin nodded slightly in agreement. Kagome and Sango only smiled with relief.
Shippo leapt onto Kagome's shoulder, panting. Too…much…running… "Gah…"
Serin stopped suddenly, and the rest of the group stopped after a few seconds, realizing that Serin had paused. "Here," was all she said, in her low silent voice.
Yuki took on a puzzled face. "But…his smell keeps going…"
Serin lowered her head a bit. "He's here." I know how Naraku's mind works…much like my father's, towards his brother. Anything to kill the enemy… Naraku would lead us to where a trap is, and he would hide Miroku elsewhere. Most likely in an obvious spot, that we would not think to check otherwise.
"How can you be so sure, Serin?" Yuki had an edge to her voice. "His smell isn't coming from there at all!"
"Shut up, unless you want us discovered," Serin growled.
"Ano…if what Yuki-chan says is true, then…" Kagome began.
Serin narrowed her eyes. "Do you want to find him, or not?"
Sango stepped forward. "Come on. If Serin-chan says he's in here, then he's in here."
Serin glanced over at Sango with strange eyes, confused eyes, unsure of what to say next. Being trusted wasn't something she was entirely used to at all… She simply nodded.
"Alright. Let's go then," Kagome cheered, stepping towards the door.
She opened it and peered inside. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands and jumped back.
"Is he in there?" Yuki pleaded.
Kagome only nodded, with a terrified look about her face.
Yuki's eyes went wide as she took a look inside the room. "Mi…Miroku-kun!" She dashed inside.
With the door wide open now, Sango found herself frozen. She was petrified with the vision that befell her. There, hanging shackled from the distant wall facing them, was Miroku, battered and bloody. He appeared unconscious, as he wasn't moving.
"Hou…Houshi-sama…" She took a fragile step forward, terrified that walking any closer would somehow worsen the picture in front of her.
"Poor Miroku!" Shippo's voice was shaky, his own fear peeking out.
Seeing the rest of them paralyzed with fear, Serin walked forward across the room, to Miroku's unmoving body. She gazed up at him. I could fix that. I could heal him. His Kazaana and all of his wounds. But then they would know. They aren't allowed to know. So it must be done the hard way. He must heal naturally, and his hand sewn up. She nodded, making her decision. She glanced down at her sword for a moment, and then shook her head. I'm sorry, but I can't use you now, my friend. I know you long to be unsheathed. But now is not the time. You would reveal too much.
[Warning: Matrix moment approaching…] She glanced up again, at Miroku. Reaching her hand up, she leapt up in front of him. When she was at the point in her jump where she was almost hovering, steady, she slashed the chains that bound Miroku's hands to the wall with her claws. As she fell from her jump, before Miroku's body had a chance to fall forward, she slashed the shackles binding his legs with her other hand. She landed, catching him gently, avoiding causing other injuries. [Gotta love it. Every story must have a Matrix moment. It's a rule.]
As she turned around to head back to the group, a wicked laughter rung in the air. "You didn't think we'd leave him unguarded now, did you?" Kagura laughed as she entered from Serin's side of the room.
The others started running across the room to help Serin.
Serin narrowed her eyes and only glared at Kagura.
"What's wrong? Too terrified to speak?" The wind demoness laughed some more, enjoying every bit of their torture.
"You! You're the one…that did this to him!" Sango shouted through tears as she ran up to them. She didn't stop running. "You caused his pain to begin with! You made him leave!! And now…now look what you've done to him! I'll never forgive you! Hiraikotsu!!" Sango threw her giant boomerang at Kagura as she continued running at the beast. "Kirara!"
The small cat snarled as it became a large tiger-sized cat, flames riding at its feet. It resembled greatly a saber-toothed tiger, matching size and anger at the moment. Anyone that hurt Sango so badly, angered Kirara as well. It jumped forward at Kagura with Sango.
Kagura had dodged the boomerang flying at her, and smirked behind her fan at the girl and cat trying so hard to get to her. "Pitiful. Your aim is as bad as your tactics. Fujin no mai!" she shouted, throwing her wind spiral at Sango.
"I'm still smarter than you are!" Sango shouted, bracing for the wind's blast, as Hiraikotsu ran through its back-route. It smashed into Kagura's head as it returned to Sango, and she caught it in time to jump at Kagura with her blade.
All at the same moment, Kirara and Yuki leapt at Kagura from the side, pinning her with the unnatural strengths of a lion and a hanyou. Kagura's shouts and screams could be heard far down the tunnels of the fortress, as she felt flesh and tendons ripped from bone.
Kagome and Shippo winced at her cries as they knelt by the still-unmoving Miroku. Serin stood beside them, on guard.
"Miroku-sama…Miroku-sama, please wake up," Kagome pleaded. She was becoming frightened by his short breaths.
