Sorry for the long wait IY fans!!
But it's finally here
Chapter ten!!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha Rumiko Takahashi does we lover her for her creation! This story contains very few spoilers .. As far as this chapter goes it contains none.. so read on!!
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InuYasha Beyond the Skin Chapter ten "A darker side to life"
Miyu's head whipped around, Tomokazu felt a cold chill of death come over his body as he saw her eye's cold and merciless. "You're dead half-ling!!"
..
She lunged at Tomokazu sword ready. Tomokazu froze in place seeing her cold blue eyes cutting through the barrier that had been around his fear thresh hold. Koyasha watched with little interest. Marina on the other hand watched in dismay fearing for Tomokazu. This woman was cold nothing about her seemed to show any sign of compassion. Although Marina had no great love for Tomokazu she did not wish to see him killed. Marina's hand reached out into the air like she was trying to catch Miyu. Miyu's eyes bugged out as she stopped in place suspended inches from Tomokazu who still remained with his guard down petrified. "How the hell!"
Koyasha smirked he already knew who had done it. Tomokazu shook out of his state of fear and bolted off. Koyasha sprinted after him and drug him back. Marina fell to her knees as Miyu hit the ground. Miyu's gaze darted back to where Marina stood hunched over breathing heavily. "You bitch how dare you interfere!!" Marina looked up and saw Miyu charge at her again. ("I can't fight her I have no strength left to fight. Spencer forgive me for breaking my promise.") She closed her eyes and felt a side wind brush her hair aside. Koyasha stood in front of her he had wrapped his kimono around Miyu's strange sword to catch it. "Koyasha stay out of this the girls mine!" Miyu snarled trying to pull her sword from Koyasha's grasp. "You can lay waist to her later. I had claim on her first." Miyu's sly smirk returned. "Oh it's like that is it?" "Like what?" Koyasha looked at her queerly. "You could have just told me you two where lovers. I mean look at your parents, taking bed with a human doesn't surprise me; with your mongrel breeding." Koyasha ripped the sword from her hand. "Shut your mouth Miyu. I have a use for her that's all nothing more!" He whipped the sword around and held it to Miyu's neck. "Do you understand or are we still going to have problems." Her eyes slanted and she met his stare. "Leave it to a demon like you to have to use a weapon like this to attack a weaker race Miyu." He threw the sword to the ground in disgust. "You'd never have had that damn thing if it wasn't for me." She picked up her sword and sheathed it pulling her hood back over her face. "Go ahead and play with your food a while longer but know this; Trusting humans will only bring you grief. Have you forgotten what happened before?" She darted off and was soon lost amongst the ancient trees.
Koyasha glanced backwards at Marina. "Are you going to live?" Her eyes showed her sorrow. Koyasha pulled his kimono back on and threw a little red velvet book in front of Marina. "He took it." Marina picked it up and held it to her breast. "Thank you for retrieving it for me." "Well are you going to grab on or not?!" She looked up and saw him holding his arms out behind him crouched down. "I have no time to wait for you to make up your mind!" Marina held out her arms to reach for his shoulders but fell to the ground again. Her head was dizzy the world spun around in her vision. Her lids wavered a moment. Koyasha turned around more to look at her. ("Oh great she's so useless she can't even stand again.") He picked her up in his arms. Kirara walked up to him and nudged his leg. He looked over at her eyes slanted and suspicious. "What are you calling a truce for now?" Kirara stared back at him and nuzzled Marina's limp hand. "Fine but don't think that we're friends because of it." He jumped on Kirara's back and set Marina in front of him so he could keep a hold on her. "Take us to the village, I'll need to get her to a fire or she'll take sick whether it's warm or not. She doesn't exactly have a normal humans' strength against illness." Kirara nodded and jumped up into the sky.
They flew high above the tree tops. Koyasha looked around below in the trees. ("She never stays in one place too long. She must have done something worse than before to have a price on her head. She's still beautiful though, I thought there was no one that could possibly resemble her. But the faces are different, and by far the gaze in her eyes is different. It has the softness of a human..No. more than a human.") He glanced down at Marina who hunched down in front of him. Her hair looked almost black from the saturation. In her sleep she could almost pass for Japanese. She didn't seem so strange when she was peacefully at sleep. Or at least it seemed like peaceful sleep until he saw her shoulders tremble in pain. "Koyasha please don't . Please don't kill me." She mumbled in her sleep. His eyes slanted and he looked to the side away from her. "I don't kill just for pleasure all the time." His stern gaze returned. Koyasha felt the tips of his ears and thought a moment. "What do you think Kirara.? They are a little suspicious." Kirara gave a low grumble in reply. "How to hide them, though?" He looked down at Marina's bundle a moment. "No I won't wear women's clothing!" He thought back on Miyu's hood. "But where am I going to get the cloth to do it with? I don't suppose you feel like stealing anything today, do you?" He said sarcastically to Kirara. Kirara seemed to think about it a moment. His eyes popped out surprised. "You're not seriously thinking about it!" Koyasha couldn't believe it; Kirara would do anything if it related to taking care of Marina in some way. "Fine go ahead and do it Kirara just don't expect me to bail you out." Kirara's eyes slanted and she seriously thought of throwing him off.
They landed a mile or so from the village. Kirara did a last check on Marina to make sure she was ok and bolted off into the village. I her smaller form bounced up through the grass and into the village. She snuck along in the village till she found an old Kimono in front of a home; she snatched it up in her mouth and took off. No one seemed to pay much attention to the blob of cloth running off except a small boy who ran after it till he lost sight. Kirara returned with the kimono. Koyasha looked down at her from watching over Marina. He set her down on the grass and took the kimono from Kirara. He looked it over and held it up to his body. "Great you stole the Kimono of a tree." She bit his naked foot. "OWW! You little rat!" She jumped up on Marina's stomach as Koyasha readied to attack her. "Fine!" He took the kimono and draped it over his head after tying the sleeves in knots on the inside so they wouldn't show. Kirara eyes looked puzzled. "Look it covers my hair and ears. And my face is an added bonus. Those stupid humans would see my face and flip out over my fangs and eyes so this is the best way." She still looked at him strangely. "Bite my ass! It's fine!" He picked Marina up and carried her into the village.
Several villagers eyed the trio wearily. Several men came running up to them pointing their bows and spears. "Please, we were attacked in the woods by the samurai. She needs to rest." Koyasha smirked under the cover of the kimono. ("Their buying it, I just have to keep this up long enough till I know she'll be ok.") Koyasha stumbled and tripped to look as though he had been injured so they wouldn't suspect his lies. An older woman helped them to her home. "Is yon child a priestess?" "Yes the men that came were demons of the most horrible sort." "I thought as much." "What can I do elder." The young boy who had chased Kirara stood in the door way. Koyasha listened all around for any signs of trouble expecting them to figure it out at any minute. "Fetch fire wood Yoshihiro." Koyasha kept his attention on the old woman ignoring the boy.
A moment passed with silence then Koyasha felt a sharp blade against the folds of cloth next to his neck. The old woman's eyes lightly slanted. "Now then what do you want with our village stranger?" Koyasha closed his eyes and smirked. "I knew it was only a matter of time." "Yon helm has given ye away. Its points show under yon hood." "I think you're mistaken." He felt the blade press closer to his neck. "Now Samurai what do ye want with us?" "Call the half demon boy off and I'll think about it." He felt the blade pull away and the woman's eyes widened. "How.How did ye know, no one in the village knows?" Koyasha grabbed the knife from his hand and stabbed it into the floor. "I smelled him and his ink covered hair a few miles back." The boy knelt down and pulled on the kimono covering Koyasha's head. Koyasha pulled away from him smacking his hand aside. "Back off." Koyasha said in a menacing way to put fear into the young boy to stay away. "Away with ye Yoshihiro." The old woman waved him away. "Yes Grandmother." He stepped back and continued his curious stare over at Koyasha. Marina stirred a moment in the abrupt silence. Her tired eyes surveyed her surroundings. She looked again to be sure that the figure at her side was indeed Koyasha. She eyed the others in the room curiously. The woman was quite old and the boy wore a thick piece of cloth like a bandana over his head but what startled her was that he had green eyes. (Green eyes are very rare in the orient.) "Koyasha?" she whispered incoherently. "I haven't left yet." He said crossing his arms with his head still veiled. It was comforting hearing his voice and she closed her eyes again.
The woman and young boy just caught the glimpse of blue in the sun light before she closed her eyes both shocked and fascinated by her strange beauty. The woman snapped back to reality and turned back to Koyasha. "How did you know his secret? I've kept it hidden from the village since he was born." "I told you I smelled him. The ink in his hair is nearly unbearable at this distance." His nose snarled as a tickle came and he sneezed the smell out. He reached up and rubbed his nose keeping his sleeve to it trying to filter out the retched odor. "Grandmother how could anyone have such a sense of smell as this?" Her eyes slanted, "No normal man could I'm afraid." She said suspiciously eyeing him. Yoshihiro grabbed the tail of the kimono over Koyasha's head and yanked it off. Koyasha's eyes slanted, he bawled up his fist and cracked Yoshihiro over the head; snatching the bandana on his head with his other hand, while the boy was dazed. "Now we're even." A pair of large fox ears popped up from being plastered to his head. They too were drenched in black ink. Koyasha pointed at Yoshihiro's ears and rolled on the ground laughing hysterically. Yoshihiro lightly pulled on the side of one of his ear hurt by Koyasha's cruel laughter. The old woman smacked Koyasha with a large stick she used to walk with. Koyasha's face turned back into a bitter, angry state as he looked over at the women. "Ye are not in a state to make jest of animal features boy!" His ears twitched down and back up brushing off her statement with bitter irritation. Yoshihiro's eyes watched Koyasha with joy he finally knew he wasn't the only half demon in the world. He admired Koyasha already no matter what kind of person he was, to Yoshihiro that didn't matter for now. The woman sighed. "Ye were smart to hid you're demon heritage few humans would accept ye for it." Koyasha looked at Yoshihiro queerly. "What!?" Yoshihiro's face looked so excited when Koyasha addressed him. "I have so many questions I want to ask you!" Koyasha rolled his eyes in disgust. The old woman lightly smiled and left for the time being. ("Maybe now little Yoshihiro can learn something from that strange demon half. He knows so little about his demon heritage.")
"Which one of you're parents was the demon?" Koyasha tried to ignore Yoshihiro's question but he found it somewhat enticing to indulge the boy. "My father" "You're lucky my mother was the demon. I hear rumor that the male demons are much stronger." "What kind of demon half are you?" "Phantom dog." He answered showing his disinterest. "I'm fox half!" Yoshihiro said smiling; he felt that he didn't have to be ashamed of his demon blood around Koyasha. "Did you know your parents?" Koyasha's eyes flinched thinking of them. Yoshihiro saw his uncomfortable movements. "I never knew my parents. I think I remember my mother a little. I remember her soft fur when I was cold at least I think it was her fur." Koyasha looked up at him. "Are. are people really as cruel to demons as Grandmother says?" Koyasha chuckled. "Depends on if you think killing is cruel?" Yoshihiro's eyes widened horrified by Koyasha's nonchalant reply to something as awful as killing. "You don't mean it. They would really kill me if they knew I was half demon?" "Depends." "On what sir?" Koyasha's eyes showed his delight in tormenting Yoshihiro. "It depends on if you decide to kill them first." Yoshihiro was obviously uncomfortable with the idea of killing. Koyasha grew annoyed with Yoshihiro's silence. "Look not all demons are evil ok! Just get off it we're no different from humans we choose what kind of people we are. It's not just bread into us to be wicked." Yoshihiro didn't seem happy with this explanation. "If you're so damn worried about foxes, I'll tell you right now their naturally mischievous so play some tricks on people just think of it as a way of honoring your mother." Tears filled Yoshihiro's eyes and he nodded smiling through his sorrow. "Shit I'm sick of that damn ink smell!" He pulled his sleeve away and let out another loud sneeze. Koyasha grabbed Yoshihiro by the back of the neck and dragged him out the door, "Sir the villager's will see, don't!", and Koyasha threw him into the stream.
A cloud of black seeped out into the water. Yoshihiro bolted up out of the water. Koyasha caught his face with his foot and kicked him back into the water. "It's not all out yet!" Yoshihiro popped up out of the water growling. "See that's more like it; but you're still not through!" Koyasha grabbed his head and shoved him back under. Koyasha felt the boy grab his arm then he felt a tremendous weight pin his hand to the bottom of the water. Koyasha put his head under the water and looked down puzzled. He saw a large statue with a spell incantation plastered on it. "Damn foxes!!" He peeled the spell off with his free hand. "Alright fox-half it's on!" Koyasha looked up and a hail storm of acorns poured down on top of him. "Afraid of his demon half my ass!" He saw Yoshihiro's ears poke up from the grass. "Got ya!" Koyasha grabbed a rock and threw it at Yoshihiro's head. A couple of leaves flew up from the brush. "Wrong set of ears!" Koyasha turned around as Yoshihiro bounded off his head and bolted back to his Grandmother's house. Koyasha lay on the ground with his face buried in the grass. "I hate foxes" he said with a defeated tone.
Yoshihiro quickly shut the door behind him praying no one saw him. His damp red hair dripped out the last drops of blue black water. His ears twitched listening for Koyasha. It felt so good to let them out for a change. His hearing was muffled and incoherent under the wraps around his ears normally. He only got to let them out at night when no one would see. He rubbed the water from his eyes and looked over on the floor where Marina lay. Her hair began to dry next to the dwindling fire, and started to show the brown. He walked over and crouched next to her. He leaned closer as she began to thrash and mumble random things in English. A fist came down square on Yoshihiro's head. "Back off of her Fox-half." "I wasn't doing anything to her!" He turned around as an evil grin formed on Koyasha's face. Yoshihiro looked up in fear. Koyasha pounded him in the head repeatedly until several lumps formed on the boys head. "I said feel free to play tricks just not on me" He sat back down crossing his arms and legs while Yoshihiro rubbed his sore head.
The old woman returned carrying a large blanket. She looked over at Yoshihiro and shrieked dropping the blanket. "Have ye lost your mind boy!!?" She quickly closed the door behind her. "At least he doesn't stink as bad now." Koyasha's eyes were closed ignoring her fretting. The woman whapped Koyasha with her walking stick again. "Are ye brainless?! If they see him like that they'll kill him!" Yoshihiro hunched over remembering the harsh reality of his fate; while Koyasha snarled at her agitatedly. "I'll go put the ink back in my hair grandmother." He stood to get up and felt a gentle hand grip his own. He looked down at Marina who innocently smiled at him. "You're better without it." He looked at her surprised staring into her warm blue eyes. He wanted to pull away from her grasp but found it impossible while her eyes searched his soul. Koyasha looked at Yoshihiro with a twinge of jealousy over the tenderness she showed to him. He smacked Yoshihiro's hand away from her grasp. "You make me sick just watching you two." He stood up and walked out of the room slamming the door behind him. He plopped down outside the door put his head on his hand and lay down. "What do I care?!"
Marina's hand felt like ice even with being next to the fire. Her teeth chattered and she huddled up into a little ball cringing in pain as her stitches tightened tugging on her wound. "Go to your room Yoshihiro!" He got up and scampered off into his room afraid to emerge and face the old woman's wrath. The woman walked up to Marina and knelt down. "Hold still I have to get these clothes off and get ye dry" Marina tried her best to help but would cringe from the pain and ball up again. "Please elder may I know your name?" The old woman smiled. "Ye have better manners than yon boy." Marina blushed as the woman tried to take her braw off. "Don't worry about this it won't make that big of a difference." She lightly tugged on her strap. "My name is Yuriko." Marina smiled "I'm Marina" "It's a beautiful name" "Thank you Ms. Yuriko you're very kind." The woman helped her lay back down and covered her over with the thick comforter. Marina gritted her teeth feeling the pain come back even more sever than earlier. "Now who are ye and what do ye want with us?" "I know what you're thinking and no I'm not half demon like those two. I don't even have any demon blood in me." Yuriko eyed her suspiciously. "I have no intention of hurting you or your family. I have no desire to increase the hardships of this world or the pains of others. I only wish I could reverse a fraction of what has already happened to this land." "If ye are human as ye say; I find it curious how ye can embrace demons as such." Marina smiled lightheartedly "I don't know if it's so much as I embrace them as they embrace me." She snuggled into the covers and fell back asleep. The woman lifted the covers and looked carefully at her wounded stomach. ("Did the half demon save yon girl?") She covered her back over and put some more wood on the fire. "Sleep well Marina and may no harm come to ye." She closed the door and went outside.
Koyasha watched the old woman leave and closed his eyes again still laying out in front on the wooden porch. Koyasha thought back on Tomokazu's words from earlier. ("You've probably never even kissed a girl by the looks of you.") His face turned bitter again. He sat back up. ("I don't see what the big deal is.") He stood up, slid the door open, and went in closing the door behind him. He knelt down next to Marina studying her face. ("What's so special about a kiss anyway?") He bit his lip lightly looking at her soft pink lips that lightly pouted in her sleep. ("What the hell am I waiting for; she'd never know the difference.") He stood on his hands and knees perpendicular to her body hesitant. ("It doesn't mean anything to me; it's just a dam kiss!") He leaned in keeping his eyes partially open, but they nearly popped out of his head when Marina shot up and met his lips. Her eyes stared into his just as shocked. ("She's going to kill me if I let her up.") Her lips were frozen to his, ("This is no dream I can feel this. He.he's really kissing me!!") Koyasha sat down on her legs and grabbed her arms and pinned them back spread open above her head on the floor. He pulled away from her lips and stared at her face flushed in red; while her body lay; still lightly wet, nearly naked, and exposed trembling in shock. Her expression was so pure and innocent that Koyasha felt a burning within him such as he'd never known. His expression began to twist from it surprised curious state into that of a true demon, with all its evil and unholy desires. Her face turned scared seeing this change; which only seemed to further fuel the fire within him. A wicked grin formed on his lips. "Tell you what I'll let you up and you can run. That will make things a little more amusing for me. Like a game of cat and dog."
He stood up and let go of her wrists. ("I've never seen this look in his eyes before, I don't like this look. Is he going to? No he wouldn't he said he'd never do that to a woman! But this isn't him anymore!") She held her stomach and stood up. Koyasha eyed her hungrily all the while. She ran stumbling for the side door running out slamming the door behind her. "Come on you have to do better than that!" He punched through the door. Chips of wood flew out from it as the door shattered away. Marina stumbled out into the village fighting back the pain and weakness from the battle earlier. Koyasha walked behind her laughing. "I'm not even trying yet!" The men who had been so eager to defend the village earlier now stood aghast unable to move. "Someone help me please!" She screamed stumbling through puddles and tripping as her weakened legs fumbled her getaway. Tears streamed from her eyes realizing they were too afraid to help her. They had seen their share of war and death and didn't want to risk angering a demon on top of it all. She headed back towards the edge of the woods, all the while being followed a ways behind by Koyasha. ("Why are you doing this Koyasha? What did I do to you to make you hate me? Kirara can't you help me where did you go? And why did he kiss me!?") Koyasha's grin widened, "Just what I expected you to do, and of coarse I'm at the advantage again." He jumped up into the trees. Marina turned around to get a glimpse of how far Koyasha was behind and he wasn't in sight. She spun back around as Koyasha grabbed her shoulders and held her from running. "I win"
His pupils were dilated and his expression was cold with the same wicked grin. He looked at her face and saw raw fear in her eyes. It was the only time she had ever looked at him with this look. "Please stop Koyasha! Please I'm afraid of you!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked up at him searching for a scratch of the person she knew. "That's what you want to hear isn't it, that I'm afraid of you!?" She screamed with a touch of anger in her voice. Koyasha stared into her eyes and saw the reflection of himself in her eyes and realized what he was doing. His eyes wandered away from meeting her gaze. The feeling had returned and showed his open remorse. He took a few steps forward and embraced her. "What have I done? Please . please forgive me Marina." She shook and sobbed. She had never been so afraid of someone she cared for as she had been of him for that short time. While she lightly pushed away from him from his touch he removed his kimono and placed it around her shoulders. He couldn't begin to think of a way to explain his actions or apologize for them. He tried to touch her but she ripped away from him. "Don't you dare touch me!!" she flung her arms out making his kimono fall from her shoulders. He looked down and saw the stitches had torn in some places and her arm was spotted in blood where she had been holding her stomach. Marina wrenched forward hacking and coughing up pools of blood, the coughing made her stomach hurt even worse. Koyasha sat down behind her and leaned her up against himself holding the upper part of her chest and her stomach. He could feel her muscles tighten with each cough and every wheezing breath afterwards. He sat there with her; to him it felt like he was holding together a cracking porcelain doll. "I told you not to touch me." She said out of breath and obviously week. He reached over and picked up the kimono and draped it over her again. "Why did you .. kiss me?" Koyasha let his breath escape and drew in another slow breath. "I was curious and you just happened to be the only girl around at the time." "You had no right." "I'm sorry I stole your first kiss." Her face flushed red remembering that gentle moment before he had turned on her. "I guess we're even though." "What do you mean?" He said surprised. "It was your first kiss too, wasn't it?" He let air escape quickly from his lungs making the sound of a single moment of amusement "We're even then."
He picked her up and carried her to the old woman's house. The villagers eyed him wondering if he had followed through with his intentions. One woman saw the blood on Marina's lips and gasped. A man stepped forward to challenge Koyasha's advances into the village again. Koyasha gave him a look telling him of his disinterest in fighting and intolerance for it making the man back down in fear again. Marina looked at Koyasha as he set her down on the blankets. He turned away to keep from staring at her body that teased him to look. The hurt expression never faded from her eyes. ("A victim of circumstance he says. He just wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss someone. Fine let him know.") She crawled over to him; he turned hearing her get closer. His eyes stared at her closed eyes in surprise as she leaned in to kiss him. He froze in place as her lips inched closer. He felt his body begin to lean in to her. His curiosity was still not quite satisfied as to whether or not he liked or disliked kissing. He closed his eyes and felt her lips meet his own. He could feel all her pent up emotions siphoning out into this one kiss. It was different then before this time she meant it, she wanted to kiss him. Marina began to cry as she felt the anger and sorrow that had been hidden within him on his lips. This was why she had wanted to wait to kiss someone it was so revealing. This was why she was afraid to kiss anyone. Koyasha pulled away from her he couldn't stand it anymore. Neither one could bare to make eye contact after their raw exchange of secret emotions. "I forgive you Koya-chan." He looked up at her surprised but his defenses soon returned. "I don't' care either way you're still coming with me. Leave it to a stupid girl like you to think that a kiss would mean anything to me." He strutted off out the door and back outside. She smiled and closed her eyes snuggling the cover back around her as she lay back down. Her cheeks still remained flushed in red. "I understand now I'm sorry I was angry with you Koyasha." He paused outside the door hearing her word then walked on as if they had never been said.
Yoshihiro crept back away from the crack in the door puzzled. ("How could they kiss like that and him be so cold to her afterwards. Is that how demons are supposed to act? I don't care if that is how demons are supposed to act. He had no right to treat someone like her how he did!") Yoshihiro slammed his fist on the ground. "Don't worry Miss. Marina I'll get him for you." He crept out of his room and out the door trying not to disturb her as he left. ("Well I still haven't gotten back at him from earlier that and I have a few tricks I've been meaning to try out. So I'll get him for both of us.") Koyasha walked through the village making faces at the villagers eyeing him. He sat down on a rock overlooking the rice patties. While the sun began to set. ("She'll be getting up to look at the sunset soon.") He lightly touched his lips thinking about the kiss they had shared. He felt an uncontrollable smile crack through his stern expression. "She can be so childish, wait for someone she truly cares for to kiss her." Koyasha found himself humming a very familiar tune of "Chang the World" thinking about her. He picked up a loose piece of the rock and skipped it across the water clear across to the other side where he heard a yelp and familiar red head of hair and ears poke up from the grass. His ears perked up curiously surprised by the strange occurrence. "What the hell do you want fox-half?!"
A small log fell where Yoshihiro once stood. Koyasha reached his hand out and caught Yoshihiro by the ear. "So what do you want fox-half?" Yoshihiro kicked and fought while Koyasha held his head an arms length away from himself. He watched the pathetic sight with a twisted amusement. "What's the matter are ya jealous?" he said tauntingly to the young fox-half. "I don't care if she is your lover! That's no way to treat her you weren't fair with her!" Koyasha whapped him on top of the head and forced Yoshihiro down into a sitting position. "She's not my lover!" Yoshihiro jumped back up angry and flailing his arms all around. Koyasha was not angry with Yoshihiro but knocked him back down. "Calm you're ass down a minute!" Yoshihiro stopped shocked. "Listen, ya interested in why I'm like that to her?" The fox-half sat down with hungry eyes longing for Koyasha's words. Koyasha was the closest thing he had to a father. Koyasha's tone went sober. "Humans always get hurt when demons are involved even if it's unintentional. It's a cruel fact of life. Hell you can just take your parents as an example. They're both dead right?" Yoshihiro nodded. "I only know what my grandmother tells me about them. She loves me because I'm her only son's offspring. I can tell when she speaks of my mother she bitterly hated her because she was a demon."
"Our kind will never be accepted by either blood so it's a worse life we live than most. Demons see us as week, humans see us as evil, to them our bloods tainted by the other when we really are something completely different." Koyasha hunched over his knees looking into the sunset. "My mother sees demons as people too I can't blame my father for falling in love with her. But she'll die long before he does which will leave him bitter and alone for god only knows how long. Knowing him he'll probably go back to his old ways." Yoshihiro's eyes looked sad and understanding. "My father had gone hunting and came across a beautiful wounded girl caught in one of his traps. He cared for her until she was strong enough to leave but she just stayed. He enjoyed the childish pranks she would pull on villagers but she never did them to him. I think she respected him too much to. My father lived with her many years and then I was born. He didn't understand why I looked so unnatural. My mother explained to him what she was that day. He loved her too much to let that fact destroy their happy lives together so they left the village. But soldiers came to their new home and discovered my mother was a demon fox while she tried to protect me from them. My father was badly injured by the men and my tail was cut off but he escaped with me. He died shortly after bringing me her to live with my grandmother. That day is all I can remember of my parents." Yoshihiro shifted over. "You still haven't really told me why you're so mean to her. Koyasha's eyes sunk back to a painful memory. "I'll just end up in the same mess my father's in now. And besides I that 'don't' love her!" He got up and turned away from the sunset and looked behind him. In the distance he could see Marina sitting in the door way of the old woman's home leaning on the door frame staring at the setting sun. Koyasha snarled angrily seeing the same occurrence of her entranced state over the ending day. He picked up the ridiculously large boulder he had been sitting on and threw it into the water. A few children that had been watching him stared eyes wide open and mouths gaping.
One of the young boys that looked relatively the same age as Yoshihiro crept up to the fox-half. He looked hesitant in addressing him. "Yoshihiro is that you?" The fox-half turned around and looked at his best friend. "What's the matter Yuji, of coarse it's me." The boy pointed at the top of his head mirroring what he meant. Yoshihiro rubbed the back of his ear shamefaced. "There so cool! Why didn't you tell me you were half-demon?" The other children made snide comments and gave Yoshihiro evil looks. A very young child caught up in the moment of excited chatter of the older children picked up a rock and threw it at Yoshihiro. The rock hit his leg and left a light red mark, it didn't really hurt him so much as it hurt his feelings. Yoshihiro looked over at the small boy who coward away hiding behind his big sister. "Yuji get away from him his bloods tainted. You don't want to be seen with him." The little boy's older sister scorned to Yuji. Yoshihiro's head sunk down and he looked over to Yuji who seemed in some dismay. "I don't blame you if you go with them. I think I'll be leaving soon anyway. I can't keep it a secret anymore of what I am." Yoshihiro nudged Yuji's arm playfully. "Besides I wouldn't want to put a damper on your chances with Sakura." Yoshihiro winked and pulled one of his disappearing tricks which made all of the children stare in wonderment. Yuji smiled he knew deep down Yoshihiro would be back someday to tell him of his adventures.
Koyasha was too annoyed to pay mind to the childish antics of the group of children. "That's it I have to know what the deal with the dam sunset is!" He stomped off towards Marina who still stared off into the sky unaware of the group that had gathered to see her. She sat with Koyasha's kimono wrapped around her. A tear rolled down her cheek and dripped down onto the kimono. Koyasha shoved through the crowd of people, which parted like the Dead Sea when they realized who was pushing through. Koyasha grabbed her shoulder and looked down on the floor of the house noticing something odd about her shadow. Her shadow stood as tall as him while he stood up and she was sitting down, that and it was distorted and showed no definite figure of her. He looked down at her and her eyes remained unwavering from the last ray of sunlight as it disappeared her thoughts came back to earth. Koyasha looked back down at the shadow and it had returned to that of just her frail figure against the door frame. Her eyes closed and she fell back asleep. Koyasha picked her up slamming the door behind him. "Dam humans have to stare at anything unnatural." He laid her back by the fire where the old woman sat cooking some stew.
"What have ye done with my grandson?" "He can take care of himself well enough he doesn't need my help to get into trouble." He sniffed the air and eyed the food she was cooking. The woman hit him over the head again with her walking stick. "Oww! If you do that again I swear I'll stab that dam stick strait through your heart!" Koyasha felt sharp teeth clamp down on his arm. "You leave my Grandmother alone Mentor." Yoshihiro growled through his teeth keeping his hold solid. KoYasha's eyes slanted "Mentor!! That's rich. Now let go of my arm or I'll eat you." He said in a low menacing tone. Yoshihiro's eyes shifted to his grandmother to receive conformation to back down. She nodded and he unlocked his jaw from Koyasha's arm. Koyasha pulled back his arm and small trickles of blood came from the teeth marks where he had been bitten. "I've killed humans for less fox-half." Koyasha's eyes stared menacingly at Yoshihiro. "Let him be Koyasha. Ye can't blame him for trying to protect an old woman." "I didn't address you hag. So I expect the only conversations we should have are ones I start." "Ye are a half-demon like yon boy correct?" "Why are you people so obsessed over weather or not I have demon blood. Take a good look these aren't exactly human features!" He yanked his ear and pulled down his lower eyelid. Even in the faint light his eyes were obviously yellow with slit pupils.
The woman gave him a questioning look. "I already know what you want me to do and I won't do it!" "Would you prefer yon boy stay and take more of the treatment such as ye have received? Several of the men in the village are discussing burning us all alive in the house tonight. They care not about the consequences of their actions. Ye three are dangerous in their eyes. Even yon girl they believe is full demon. She could not even shoo a flea away in her condition. I still wonder how she managed to pull herself to the door." The old woman took out three bowls and began to fill them with stew. Koyasha's interest perked. "Did she say anything when she went to the door?" "I thought ye weren't interested in talking with a 'hag' like me?" "Did she say anything!!?" He smacked his hand down on the ground in front of her. She watched uninterested by his display. "I couldn't understand her words they were in a strange language such as I've never heard before." Koyasha sat back down disappointed. "Although she did mention ye's name Koyasha." He looked away from the old woman and glanced over to Marina who was still sound asleep. The three sat eating in silence the loudest noise was the crackle of logs on the fire. The woman brought in another blanket and laid it next to Marina. "Ye had better stay here tonight Koyasha. Yoshihiro's ears are not as perceptive as yours are and I fear trouble from the villagers tonight." "Relax old woman I'll keep my ears open." "I hope ye are a light sleeper demon half."
The woman left to go to bed. Yoshihiro followed her and helped her comb out her hair before leaving for his own bed. "Rest well grandmother" "We knew this time would come eventually Yoshihiro. I never thought it would be this soon I must admit. I'm not sure if he is a good person or not." Yoshihiro smiled. "He has a good heart despite his coarse appearance and vulgar speech. I'm sure of it." "Ye are wise for one so young. I pray ye keep you're wits about ye child they will serve ye well in life." Yoshihiro smiled "Now pack you're things boy and be ready to leave on a moments notice. The girl's clothes are dried and waiting already take them for her." "Yes, yes I know grandmother everything will be fine. I'm sure I will be able to find more of our kind. If there are two like us then their must be more." The old woman patted his hand and lay down to sleep. He shut the door and went to his room to gather a few things to leave with. ("I'll be eleven soon it's about time I become a man.")
Koyasha lay next to Marina staring at her in the darkness. "Sometimes I wish I knew what made you different from humans and demons. I've never known anyone that was so honest." "I'm not honest I hate getting close to people." His eyes widened but she appeared to still be asleep. "Whenever I get too close to someone either they get hurt or I do. Koyasha doesn't understand that I don't want him to hate me. I can't stay in this time, I don't belong here and if I leave I will have to leave everyone I care about. Then they'll hate me for hurting them." He smiled slyly to himself. ("This is my chance she's talking in her sleep.") "Why do you always stare at the sunset?" She smiled in her sleep. "Don't be silly momma you already know why." She rolled over and fell back into a deep sleep. "Hey you didn't answer my question." He waited a moment then realized his opportunity was gone. He dozed off agitated until he heard a commotion outside, his eyes popped open and he got up. He walked over to the door and slammed it open. A mob of men stood outside holding torches. "It's the demon get him!" Koyasha's eyebrow rose up. "You're not serious are you?" One of the men waved his torch by Koyasha's face. "Please I'm scared stop." Koyasha said in a monotone voice utterly bored mocking the villagers supposed heroic efforts. Koyasha slashed at the man's torch and it fell into several chopped up pieces. "Let it go we'll be leaving in a few days so just relax. If I wanted to kill anyone I'd have done it by now. Now nod so I know you understand me." The men robotically nodded. "Now go back to bed it's late and I don't' feel like staying up any later messing with you." Koyasha turned around and walked back inside yawning. He paused a moment and turned around. "And one more thing." The men eyed him wearily. "The girls not a demon so just leave her alone." The men did the same robotic nod in reply. "I said go already!" The men turned tail and ran. "Jeez they can't even think for themselves. I wonder how many puny brains it took to think up that simple ass plot." He plopped down to go back to sleep and a small voice spoke up again. "Thank you they were too noisy." Marina rolled back over and went silent again. Koyasha looked at her strangely and lay back down and went to sleep.
Kirara came in later that night and lay next to Marina. Koyasha's eyes opened for a moment hearing her faint foot steps. "Darn and here I thought we'd be rid of you for good this time." Kirara swished her tail and brushed off his comment. Marina snuggled her face into the small creature feeling its soft warm fir against her. "Thank you mother" She whispered Kirara's head poked up and looked at her strangely. "Geez talk about abandonment issues." Koyasha said closing his eyes again.
Inuyasha and the others stood outside the village waiting. "Where did she go Inuyasha?" He sniffed the air a moment and pointed out the old woman's home. "I smell another demon though." Shippo looked determinedly at the house. "I'll go." Mushiro grabbed his tail and stopped him as he set foot forward. "Grrrr, Let go!" Kagome covered his mouth as he screamed curses at Mushiro. "Look I wouldn't mind having her by my side myself but we have to be cautious." Shippo's eyes slanted and he began trying to attack Mushiro. "Interloper! Keep your hand's off of her!" Inuyasha turned around and gave them both a good whap on the head. "You can fight later we've got more important things to worry about." Kagome sighed "We can't be sure that she's even good or not yet. I find it hard to believe that she's evil myself but the fact remains that she is helping Koyasha. Inuyasha sniffed the air again. "That smells like a fox." Shippou's eye widened "A fox?" He began looking around. "You three stay here I'm going." Kagome was already way ahead of him as usual jumping into danger without a second thought. "Well are you coming or not?" "Kagome." He caught up to her and the others followed despite Inuyasha's orders.
Yoshihiro pulled his door open as he had been watching out a crack in the window instead of sleeping and saw the group advancing on his home. He ran into the other room which immediately woke up Koyasha. "Mentor, there is a group coming to the house I'm not familiar with them but there is a man with ears like yours amongst them." Koyasha sat up in a hurry. "Did he have silver hair?!" "Yes do you suppose he is half demon as well?" "Shit! Where are her clothes?" "I have them in my room, why are we in trouble." "Who said anything about we. Go get me her clothes!" Koyasha yanked back the covers making him slightly blush seeing her mostly naked body again. Kirara looked from Marina to the door where she expected Kagome and Inuyasha to come through at any moment. "At least now I know why you disappeared for so long Kirara!" His anger showed in is face Kirara backed away growling. "If it wasn't for that dam ink earlier I should have been able to smell my father." Yoshihiro dropped her clothes. "That man with silver hair is your father." Koyasha turned around and snatched up the clothes. "Yes what should it matter if he is or not." "But he looks like us. You're not even half demon are you?" Koyasha looked away bitterly reminded of his breeding. "It doesn't matter to me Mentor you know much more about demons than I." "Help me put her clothes on." Yoshihiro nodded and obediently did as Koyasha said. Marina's eyes opened as Koyasha tied a bow at her waist. "Has something come up?" "We're leaving." "Oh, so soon?" "They've found us." Her eyes widened in fear and she put her sword through her waist band. She stood up and started to fall but Koyasha caught her. "Take it easy you'll hurt yourself again." She looked up at him and smiled. "No more than usual." He looked down at her uneasily. Her face was even more loving than before. She reached down and picked up her bundle.
The door busted through Koyasha picked her up and started to run for the door like a battering ram. Inuyasha's eyes bugged out in surprise. Kagome already had her arrow drawn and let it go. It zipped off just missing Marina's knees and stuck in Koyasha's heart. He fell down to his knees shocked and his pupils dilated. Marina shot daggers at Kagome and grabbed a hold of the arrow and yanked it out of Koyasha. He dropped Marina who immediately took off running for Inuyasha. He pulled the tetsusaiga and she knocked it to the side with her blade and stabbed him in the heart with Kagome's arrow. Inuyasha fell backwards and Marina shoved the arrow through to the floor of the porch. Kagome stepped back in fear as Inuyasha fell under a very familiar entrapment spell. "Let's not play this game Mrs. Kagome." Koyasha stood up shocked. Shippou and Mushiro couldn't believe their eyes how could she entrap the great Inuyasha? Marina fell onto Inuyasha in a sitting position. "I told you I didn't want to fight you. Why didn't you listen!!?" Tears dripped from her eyes onto Inuyasha's face. "What did you do to him!? Kagome fell to her knees and cradled Inuyasha's head in her lap. Miioga the flea jumped onto Kagome's shaking shoulder from Inuyasha. "It would appear the girl has put a seal on him Kagome; although I can't be sure." Kagome put her hand over the arrow and it wouldn't budge. Marina stood up and stepped back away from the group that wept over Inuyasha. Koyasha held his chest and felt time stand still seeing what she had done to his nearly untouchable father. ("How is it that my mother can't even budge the arrow from him, and Marina pulled her arrow out of me as though it was nothing?") Marina fell back onto the ground and huddled into a little ball. "I'm sorry I didn't want to please forgive me." She rocked back and forth repeating "I'm sorry." Over and over again. Kagome became hysterical trying to rouse Inuyasha from his catatonic state.
Yoshihiro watched the scene unable to comprehend what was going on as far as he could tell Marina had killed Inuyasha. "Mentor she killed your father aren't you going to avenge him?" Koyasha turned his head to the side to see Yoshihiro. "He's not dead it's a spell. Besides I think he'd be better off dead anyway." Mushiro stepped forward to attack Koyasha but stopped as Shippou held out his hand. "Look!" A glowing figure hovered over Inuyasha and placed its hands on the arrow. Inuyasha opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman smiling sweetly at him. "Please forgive her she didn't mean to hurt you." The arrow in his heart disappeared and she vanished. He sat up and looked all around but the figure was no where in sight. He grabbed his chest but no wound even shown where he had been stabbed with the arrow. Kagome flung herself on him crying tears of joy. Koyasha like the others was too shocked by the strange occurrence to say or do anything but stare. Inuyasha looked over at Marina full of rage. Koyasha stepped in front of her, eyes slanted staring down his father. "An arrow for an arrow father."
********************************************** Man I think I wrote too much but I had to make up for the two week interlude.
Anyway I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter of fluff and fowl language.
(Bad Koyasha you need to watch your mouth in the next chapter)
Any-who tell me what you think or who or what you'd like to see more of.
Please R&R it only takes a second.. And remember leave your e-mail address if you want chapter post updates.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha Rumiko Takahashi does we lover her for her creation! This story contains very few spoilers .. As far as this chapter goes it contains none.. so read on!!
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InuYasha Beyond the Skin Chapter ten "A darker side to life"
Miyu's head whipped around, Tomokazu felt a cold chill of death come over his body as he saw her eye's cold and merciless. "You're dead half-ling!!"
..
She lunged at Tomokazu sword ready. Tomokazu froze in place seeing her cold blue eyes cutting through the barrier that had been around his fear thresh hold. Koyasha watched with little interest. Marina on the other hand watched in dismay fearing for Tomokazu. This woman was cold nothing about her seemed to show any sign of compassion. Although Marina had no great love for Tomokazu she did not wish to see him killed. Marina's hand reached out into the air like she was trying to catch Miyu. Miyu's eyes bugged out as she stopped in place suspended inches from Tomokazu who still remained with his guard down petrified. "How the hell!"
Koyasha smirked he already knew who had done it. Tomokazu shook out of his state of fear and bolted off. Koyasha sprinted after him and drug him back. Marina fell to her knees as Miyu hit the ground. Miyu's gaze darted back to where Marina stood hunched over breathing heavily. "You bitch how dare you interfere!!" Marina looked up and saw Miyu charge at her again. ("I can't fight her I have no strength left to fight. Spencer forgive me for breaking my promise.") She closed her eyes and felt a side wind brush her hair aside. Koyasha stood in front of her he had wrapped his kimono around Miyu's strange sword to catch it. "Koyasha stay out of this the girls mine!" Miyu snarled trying to pull her sword from Koyasha's grasp. "You can lay waist to her later. I had claim on her first." Miyu's sly smirk returned. "Oh it's like that is it?" "Like what?" Koyasha looked at her queerly. "You could have just told me you two where lovers. I mean look at your parents, taking bed with a human doesn't surprise me; with your mongrel breeding." Koyasha ripped the sword from her hand. "Shut your mouth Miyu. I have a use for her that's all nothing more!" He whipped the sword around and held it to Miyu's neck. "Do you understand or are we still going to have problems." Her eyes slanted and she met his stare. "Leave it to a demon like you to have to use a weapon like this to attack a weaker race Miyu." He threw the sword to the ground in disgust. "You'd never have had that damn thing if it wasn't for me." She picked up her sword and sheathed it pulling her hood back over her face. "Go ahead and play with your food a while longer but know this; Trusting humans will only bring you grief. Have you forgotten what happened before?" She darted off and was soon lost amongst the ancient trees.
Koyasha glanced backwards at Marina. "Are you going to live?" Her eyes showed her sorrow. Koyasha pulled his kimono back on and threw a little red velvet book in front of Marina. "He took it." Marina picked it up and held it to her breast. "Thank you for retrieving it for me." "Well are you going to grab on or not?!" She looked up and saw him holding his arms out behind him crouched down. "I have no time to wait for you to make up your mind!" Marina held out her arms to reach for his shoulders but fell to the ground again. Her head was dizzy the world spun around in her vision. Her lids wavered a moment. Koyasha turned around more to look at her. ("Oh great she's so useless she can't even stand again.") He picked her up in his arms. Kirara walked up to him and nudged his leg. He looked over at her eyes slanted and suspicious. "What are you calling a truce for now?" Kirara stared back at him and nuzzled Marina's limp hand. "Fine but don't think that we're friends because of it." He jumped on Kirara's back and set Marina in front of him so he could keep a hold on her. "Take us to the village, I'll need to get her to a fire or she'll take sick whether it's warm or not. She doesn't exactly have a normal humans' strength against illness." Kirara nodded and jumped up into the sky.
They flew high above the tree tops. Koyasha looked around below in the trees. ("She never stays in one place too long. She must have done something worse than before to have a price on her head. She's still beautiful though, I thought there was no one that could possibly resemble her. But the faces are different, and by far the gaze in her eyes is different. It has the softness of a human..No. more than a human.") He glanced down at Marina who hunched down in front of him. Her hair looked almost black from the saturation. In her sleep she could almost pass for Japanese. She didn't seem so strange when she was peacefully at sleep. Or at least it seemed like peaceful sleep until he saw her shoulders tremble in pain. "Koyasha please don't . Please don't kill me." She mumbled in her sleep. His eyes slanted and he looked to the side away from her. "I don't kill just for pleasure all the time." His stern gaze returned. Koyasha felt the tips of his ears and thought a moment. "What do you think Kirara.? They are a little suspicious." Kirara gave a low grumble in reply. "How to hide them, though?" He looked down at Marina's bundle a moment. "No I won't wear women's clothing!" He thought back on Miyu's hood. "But where am I going to get the cloth to do it with? I don't suppose you feel like stealing anything today, do you?" He said sarcastically to Kirara. Kirara seemed to think about it a moment. His eyes popped out surprised. "You're not seriously thinking about it!" Koyasha couldn't believe it; Kirara would do anything if it related to taking care of Marina in some way. "Fine go ahead and do it Kirara just don't expect me to bail you out." Kirara's eyes slanted and she seriously thought of throwing him off.
They landed a mile or so from the village. Kirara did a last check on Marina to make sure she was ok and bolted off into the village. I her smaller form bounced up through the grass and into the village. She snuck along in the village till she found an old Kimono in front of a home; she snatched it up in her mouth and took off. No one seemed to pay much attention to the blob of cloth running off except a small boy who ran after it till he lost sight. Kirara returned with the kimono. Koyasha looked down at her from watching over Marina. He set her down on the grass and took the kimono from Kirara. He looked it over and held it up to his body. "Great you stole the Kimono of a tree." She bit his naked foot. "OWW! You little rat!" She jumped up on Marina's stomach as Koyasha readied to attack her. "Fine!" He took the kimono and draped it over his head after tying the sleeves in knots on the inside so they wouldn't show. Kirara eyes looked puzzled. "Look it covers my hair and ears. And my face is an added bonus. Those stupid humans would see my face and flip out over my fangs and eyes so this is the best way." She still looked at him strangely. "Bite my ass! It's fine!" He picked Marina up and carried her into the village.
Several villagers eyed the trio wearily. Several men came running up to them pointing their bows and spears. "Please, we were attacked in the woods by the samurai. She needs to rest." Koyasha smirked under the cover of the kimono. ("Their buying it, I just have to keep this up long enough till I know she'll be ok.") Koyasha stumbled and tripped to look as though he had been injured so they wouldn't suspect his lies. An older woman helped them to her home. "Is yon child a priestess?" "Yes the men that came were demons of the most horrible sort." "I thought as much." "What can I do elder." The young boy who had chased Kirara stood in the door way. Koyasha listened all around for any signs of trouble expecting them to figure it out at any minute. "Fetch fire wood Yoshihiro." Koyasha kept his attention on the old woman ignoring the boy.
A moment passed with silence then Koyasha felt a sharp blade against the folds of cloth next to his neck. The old woman's eyes lightly slanted. "Now then what do you want with our village stranger?" Koyasha closed his eyes and smirked. "I knew it was only a matter of time." "Yon helm has given ye away. Its points show under yon hood." "I think you're mistaken." He felt the blade press closer to his neck. "Now Samurai what do ye want with us?" "Call the half demon boy off and I'll think about it." He felt the blade pull away and the woman's eyes widened. "How.How did ye know, no one in the village knows?" Koyasha grabbed the knife from his hand and stabbed it into the floor. "I smelled him and his ink covered hair a few miles back." The boy knelt down and pulled on the kimono covering Koyasha's head. Koyasha pulled away from him smacking his hand aside. "Back off." Koyasha said in a menacing way to put fear into the young boy to stay away. "Away with ye Yoshihiro." The old woman waved him away. "Yes Grandmother." He stepped back and continued his curious stare over at Koyasha. Marina stirred a moment in the abrupt silence. Her tired eyes surveyed her surroundings. She looked again to be sure that the figure at her side was indeed Koyasha. She eyed the others in the room curiously. The woman was quite old and the boy wore a thick piece of cloth like a bandana over his head but what startled her was that he had green eyes. (Green eyes are very rare in the orient.) "Koyasha?" she whispered incoherently. "I haven't left yet." He said crossing his arms with his head still veiled. It was comforting hearing his voice and she closed her eyes again.
The woman and young boy just caught the glimpse of blue in the sun light before she closed her eyes both shocked and fascinated by her strange beauty. The woman snapped back to reality and turned back to Koyasha. "How did you know his secret? I've kept it hidden from the village since he was born." "I told you I smelled him. The ink in his hair is nearly unbearable at this distance." His nose snarled as a tickle came and he sneezed the smell out. He reached up and rubbed his nose keeping his sleeve to it trying to filter out the retched odor. "Grandmother how could anyone have such a sense of smell as this?" Her eyes slanted, "No normal man could I'm afraid." She said suspiciously eyeing him. Yoshihiro grabbed the tail of the kimono over Koyasha's head and yanked it off. Koyasha's eyes slanted, he bawled up his fist and cracked Yoshihiro over the head; snatching the bandana on his head with his other hand, while the boy was dazed. "Now we're even." A pair of large fox ears popped up from being plastered to his head. They too were drenched in black ink. Koyasha pointed at Yoshihiro's ears and rolled on the ground laughing hysterically. Yoshihiro lightly pulled on the side of one of his ear hurt by Koyasha's cruel laughter. The old woman smacked Koyasha with a large stick she used to walk with. Koyasha's face turned back into a bitter, angry state as he looked over at the women. "Ye are not in a state to make jest of animal features boy!" His ears twitched down and back up brushing off her statement with bitter irritation. Yoshihiro's eyes watched Koyasha with joy he finally knew he wasn't the only half demon in the world. He admired Koyasha already no matter what kind of person he was, to Yoshihiro that didn't matter for now. The woman sighed. "Ye were smart to hid you're demon heritage few humans would accept ye for it." Koyasha looked at Yoshihiro queerly. "What!?" Yoshihiro's face looked so excited when Koyasha addressed him. "I have so many questions I want to ask you!" Koyasha rolled his eyes in disgust. The old woman lightly smiled and left for the time being. ("Maybe now little Yoshihiro can learn something from that strange demon half. He knows so little about his demon heritage.")
"Which one of you're parents was the demon?" Koyasha tried to ignore Yoshihiro's question but he found it somewhat enticing to indulge the boy. "My father" "You're lucky my mother was the demon. I hear rumor that the male demons are much stronger." "What kind of demon half are you?" "Phantom dog." He answered showing his disinterest. "I'm fox half!" Yoshihiro said smiling; he felt that he didn't have to be ashamed of his demon blood around Koyasha. "Did you know your parents?" Koyasha's eyes flinched thinking of them. Yoshihiro saw his uncomfortable movements. "I never knew my parents. I think I remember my mother a little. I remember her soft fur when I was cold at least I think it was her fur." Koyasha looked up at him. "Are. are people really as cruel to demons as Grandmother says?" Koyasha chuckled. "Depends on if you think killing is cruel?" Yoshihiro's eyes widened horrified by Koyasha's nonchalant reply to something as awful as killing. "You don't mean it. They would really kill me if they knew I was half demon?" "Depends." "On what sir?" Koyasha's eyes showed his delight in tormenting Yoshihiro. "It depends on if you decide to kill them first." Yoshihiro was obviously uncomfortable with the idea of killing. Koyasha grew annoyed with Yoshihiro's silence. "Look not all demons are evil ok! Just get off it we're no different from humans we choose what kind of people we are. It's not just bread into us to be wicked." Yoshihiro didn't seem happy with this explanation. "If you're so damn worried about foxes, I'll tell you right now their naturally mischievous so play some tricks on people just think of it as a way of honoring your mother." Tears filled Yoshihiro's eyes and he nodded smiling through his sorrow. "Shit I'm sick of that damn ink smell!" He pulled his sleeve away and let out another loud sneeze. Koyasha grabbed Yoshihiro by the back of the neck and dragged him out the door, "Sir the villager's will see, don't!", and Koyasha threw him into the stream.
A cloud of black seeped out into the water. Yoshihiro bolted up out of the water. Koyasha caught his face with his foot and kicked him back into the water. "It's not all out yet!" Yoshihiro popped up out of the water growling. "See that's more like it; but you're still not through!" Koyasha grabbed his head and shoved him back under. Koyasha felt the boy grab his arm then he felt a tremendous weight pin his hand to the bottom of the water. Koyasha put his head under the water and looked down puzzled. He saw a large statue with a spell incantation plastered on it. "Damn foxes!!" He peeled the spell off with his free hand. "Alright fox-half it's on!" Koyasha looked up and a hail storm of acorns poured down on top of him. "Afraid of his demon half my ass!" He saw Yoshihiro's ears poke up from the grass. "Got ya!" Koyasha grabbed a rock and threw it at Yoshihiro's head. A couple of leaves flew up from the brush. "Wrong set of ears!" Koyasha turned around as Yoshihiro bounded off his head and bolted back to his Grandmother's house. Koyasha lay on the ground with his face buried in the grass. "I hate foxes" he said with a defeated tone.
Yoshihiro quickly shut the door behind him praying no one saw him. His damp red hair dripped out the last drops of blue black water. His ears twitched listening for Koyasha. It felt so good to let them out for a change. His hearing was muffled and incoherent under the wraps around his ears normally. He only got to let them out at night when no one would see. He rubbed the water from his eyes and looked over on the floor where Marina lay. Her hair began to dry next to the dwindling fire, and started to show the brown. He walked over and crouched next to her. He leaned closer as she began to thrash and mumble random things in English. A fist came down square on Yoshihiro's head. "Back off of her Fox-half." "I wasn't doing anything to her!" He turned around as an evil grin formed on Koyasha's face. Yoshihiro looked up in fear. Koyasha pounded him in the head repeatedly until several lumps formed on the boys head. "I said feel free to play tricks just not on me" He sat back down crossing his arms and legs while Yoshihiro rubbed his sore head.
The old woman returned carrying a large blanket. She looked over at Yoshihiro and shrieked dropping the blanket. "Have ye lost your mind boy!!?" She quickly closed the door behind her. "At least he doesn't stink as bad now." Koyasha's eyes were closed ignoring her fretting. The woman whapped Koyasha with her walking stick again. "Are ye brainless?! If they see him like that they'll kill him!" Yoshihiro hunched over remembering the harsh reality of his fate; while Koyasha snarled at her agitatedly. "I'll go put the ink back in my hair grandmother." He stood to get up and felt a gentle hand grip his own. He looked down at Marina who innocently smiled at him. "You're better without it." He looked at her surprised staring into her warm blue eyes. He wanted to pull away from her grasp but found it impossible while her eyes searched his soul. Koyasha looked at Yoshihiro with a twinge of jealousy over the tenderness she showed to him. He smacked Yoshihiro's hand away from her grasp. "You make me sick just watching you two." He stood up and walked out of the room slamming the door behind him. He plopped down outside the door put his head on his hand and lay down. "What do I care?!"
Marina's hand felt like ice even with being next to the fire. Her teeth chattered and she huddled up into a little ball cringing in pain as her stitches tightened tugging on her wound. "Go to your room Yoshihiro!" He got up and scampered off into his room afraid to emerge and face the old woman's wrath. The woman walked up to Marina and knelt down. "Hold still I have to get these clothes off and get ye dry" Marina tried her best to help but would cringe from the pain and ball up again. "Please elder may I know your name?" The old woman smiled. "Ye have better manners than yon boy." Marina blushed as the woman tried to take her braw off. "Don't worry about this it won't make that big of a difference." She lightly tugged on her strap. "My name is Yuriko." Marina smiled "I'm Marina" "It's a beautiful name" "Thank you Ms. Yuriko you're very kind." The woman helped her lay back down and covered her over with the thick comforter. Marina gritted her teeth feeling the pain come back even more sever than earlier. "Now who are ye and what do ye want with us?" "I know what you're thinking and no I'm not half demon like those two. I don't even have any demon blood in me." Yuriko eyed her suspiciously. "I have no intention of hurting you or your family. I have no desire to increase the hardships of this world or the pains of others. I only wish I could reverse a fraction of what has already happened to this land." "If ye are human as ye say; I find it curious how ye can embrace demons as such." Marina smiled lightheartedly "I don't know if it's so much as I embrace them as they embrace me." She snuggled into the covers and fell back asleep. The woman lifted the covers and looked carefully at her wounded stomach. ("Did the half demon save yon girl?") She covered her back over and put some more wood on the fire. "Sleep well Marina and may no harm come to ye." She closed the door and went outside.
Koyasha watched the old woman leave and closed his eyes again still laying out in front on the wooden porch. Koyasha thought back on Tomokazu's words from earlier. ("You've probably never even kissed a girl by the looks of you.") His face turned bitter again. He sat back up. ("I don't see what the big deal is.") He stood up, slid the door open, and went in closing the door behind him. He knelt down next to Marina studying her face. ("What's so special about a kiss anyway?") He bit his lip lightly looking at her soft pink lips that lightly pouted in her sleep. ("What the hell am I waiting for; she'd never know the difference.") He stood on his hands and knees perpendicular to her body hesitant. ("It doesn't mean anything to me; it's just a dam kiss!") He leaned in keeping his eyes partially open, but they nearly popped out of his head when Marina shot up and met his lips. Her eyes stared into his just as shocked. ("She's going to kill me if I let her up.") Her lips were frozen to his, ("This is no dream I can feel this. He.he's really kissing me!!") Koyasha sat down on her legs and grabbed her arms and pinned them back spread open above her head on the floor. He pulled away from her lips and stared at her face flushed in red; while her body lay; still lightly wet, nearly naked, and exposed trembling in shock. Her expression was so pure and innocent that Koyasha felt a burning within him such as he'd never known. His expression began to twist from it surprised curious state into that of a true demon, with all its evil and unholy desires. Her face turned scared seeing this change; which only seemed to further fuel the fire within him. A wicked grin formed on his lips. "Tell you what I'll let you up and you can run. That will make things a little more amusing for me. Like a game of cat and dog."
He stood up and let go of her wrists. ("I've never seen this look in his eyes before, I don't like this look. Is he going to? No he wouldn't he said he'd never do that to a woman! But this isn't him anymore!") She held her stomach and stood up. Koyasha eyed her hungrily all the while. She ran stumbling for the side door running out slamming the door behind her. "Come on you have to do better than that!" He punched through the door. Chips of wood flew out from it as the door shattered away. Marina stumbled out into the village fighting back the pain and weakness from the battle earlier. Koyasha walked behind her laughing. "I'm not even trying yet!" The men who had been so eager to defend the village earlier now stood aghast unable to move. "Someone help me please!" She screamed stumbling through puddles and tripping as her weakened legs fumbled her getaway. Tears streamed from her eyes realizing they were too afraid to help her. They had seen their share of war and death and didn't want to risk angering a demon on top of it all. She headed back towards the edge of the woods, all the while being followed a ways behind by Koyasha. ("Why are you doing this Koyasha? What did I do to you to make you hate me? Kirara can't you help me where did you go? And why did he kiss me!?") Koyasha's grin widened, "Just what I expected you to do, and of coarse I'm at the advantage again." He jumped up into the trees. Marina turned around to get a glimpse of how far Koyasha was behind and he wasn't in sight. She spun back around as Koyasha grabbed her shoulders and held her from running. "I win"
His pupils were dilated and his expression was cold with the same wicked grin. He looked at her face and saw raw fear in her eyes. It was the only time she had ever looked at him with this look. "Please stop Koyasha! Please I'm afraid of you!" Tears streamed from her eyes as she looked up at him searching for a scratch of the person she knew. "That's what you want to hear isn't it, that I'm afraid of you!?" She screamed with a touch of anger in her voice. Koyasha stared into her eyes and saw the reflection of himself in her eyes and realized what he was doing. His eyes wandered away from meeting her gaze. The feeling had returned and showed his open remorse. He took a few steps forward and embraced her. "What have I done? Please . please forgive me Marina." She shook and sobbed. She had never been so afraid of someone she cared for as she had been of him for that short time. While she lightly pushed away from him from his touch he removed his kimono and placed it around her shoulders. He couldn't begin to think of a way to explain his actions or apologize for them. He tried to touch her but she ripped away from him. "Don't you dare touch me!!" she flung her arms out making his kimono fall from her shoulders. He looked down and saw the stitches had torn in some places and her arm was spotted in blood where she had been holding her stomach. Marina wrenched forward hacking and coughing up pools of blood, the coughing made her stomach hurt even worse. Koyasha sat down behind her and leaned her up against himself holding the upper part of her chest and her stomach. He could feel her muscles tighten with each cough and every wheezing breath afterwards. He sat there with her; to him it felt like he was holding together a cracking porcelain doll. "I told you not to touch me." She said out of breath and obviously week. He reached over and picked up the kimono and draped it over her again. "Why did you .. kiss me?" Koyasha let his breath escape and drew in another slow breath. "I was curious and you just happened to be the only girl around at the time." "You had no right." "I'm sorry I stole your first kiss." Her face flushed red remembering that gentle moment before he had turned on her. "I guess we're even though." "What do you mean?" He said surprised. "It was your first kiss too, wasn't it?" He let air escape quickly from his lungs making the sound of a single moment of amusement "We're even then."
He picked her up and carried her to the old woman's house. The villagers eyed him wondering if he had followed through with his intentions. One woman saw the blood on Marina's lips and gasped. A man stepped forward to challenge Koyasha's advances into the village again. Koyasha gave him a look telling him of his disinterest in fighting and intolerance for it making the man back down in fear again. Marina looked at Koyasha as he set her down on the blankets. He turned away to keep from staring at her body that teased him to look. The hurt expression never faded from her eyes. ("A victim of circumstance he says. He just wanted to know what it would feel like to kiss someone. Fine let him know.") She crawled over to him; he turned hearing her get closer. His eyes stared at her closed eyes in surprise as she leaned in to kiss him. He froze in place as her lips inched closer. He felt his body begin to lean in to her. His curiosity was still not quite satisfied as to whether or not he liked or disliked kissing. He closed his eyes and felt her lips meet his own. He could feel all her pent up emotions siphoning out into this one kiss. It was different then before this time she meant it, she wanted to kiss him. Marina began to cry as she felt the anger and sorrow that had been hidden within him on his lips. This was why she had wanted to wait to kiss someone it was so revealing. This was why she was afraid to kiss anyone. Koyasha pulled away from her he couldn't stand it anymore. Neither one could bare to make eye contact after their raw exchange of secret emotions. "I forgive you Koya-chan." He looked up at her surprised but his defenses soon returned. "I don't' care either way you're still coming with me. Leave it to a stupid girl like you to think that a kiss would mean anything to me." He strutted off out the door and back outside. She smiled and closed her eyes snuggling the cover back around her as she lay back down. Her cheeks still remained flushed in red. "I understand now I'm sorry I was angry with you Koyasha." He paused outside the door hearing her word then walked on as if they had never been said.
Yoshihiro crept back away from the crack in the door puzzled. ("How could they kiss like that and him be so cold to her afterwards. Is that how demons are supposed to act? I don't care if that is how demons are supposed to act. He had no right to treat someone like her how he did!") Yoshihiro slammed his fist on the ground. "Don't worry Miss. Marina I'll get him for you." He crept out of his room and out the door trying not to disturb her as he left. ("Well I still haven't gotten back at him from earlier that and I have a few tricks I've been meaning to try out. So I'll get him for both of us.") Koyasha walked through the village making faces at the villagers eyeing him. He sat down on a rock overlooking the rice patties. While the sun began to set. ("She'll be getting up to look at the sunset soon.") He lightly touched his lips thinking about the kiss they had shared. He felt an uncontrollable smile crack through his stern expression. "She can be so childish, wait for someone she truly cares for to kiss her." Koyasha found himself humming a very familiar tune of "Chang the World" thinking about her. He picked up a loose piece of the rock and skipped it across the water clear across to the other side where he heard a yelp and familiar red head of hair and ears poke up from the grass. His ears perked up curiously surprised by the strange occurrence. "What the hell do you want fox-half?!"
A small log fell where Yoshihiro once stood. Koyasha reached his hand out and caught Yoshihiro by the ear. "So what do you want fox-half?" Yoshihiro kicked and fought while Koyasha held his head an arms length away from himself. He watched the pathetic sight with a twisted amusement. "What's the matter are ya jealous?" he said tauntingly to the young fox-half. "I don't care if she is your lover! That's no way to treat her you weren't fair with her!" Koyasha whapped him on top of the head and forced Yoshihiro down into a sitting position. "She's not my lover!" Yoshihiro jumped back up angry and flailing his arms all around. Koyasha was not angry with Yoshihiro but knocked him back down. "Calm you're ass down a minute!" Yoshihiro stopped shocked. "Listen, ya interested in why I'm like that to her?" The fox-half sat down with hungry eyes longing for Koyasha's words. Koyasha was the closest thing he had to a father. Koyasha's tone went sober. "Humans always get hurt when demons are involved even if it's unintentional. It's a cruel fact of life. Hell you can just take your parents as an example. They're both dead right?" Yoshihiro nodded. "I only know what my grandmother tells me about them. She loves me because I'm her only son's offspring. I can tell when she speaks of my mother she bitterly hated her because she was a demon."
"Our kind will never be accepted by either blood so it's a worse life we live than most. Demons see us as week, humans see us as evil, to them our bloods tainted by the other when we really are something completely different." Koyasha hunched over his knees looking into the sunset. "My mother sees demons as people too I can't blame my father for falling in love with her. But she'll die long before he does which will leave him bitter and alone for god only knows how long. Knowing him he'll probably go back to his old ways." Yoshihiro's eyes looked sad and understanding. "My father had gone hunting and came across a beautiful wounded girl caught in one of his traps. He cared for her until she was strong enough to leave but she just stayed. He enjoyed the childish pranks she would pull on villagers but she never did them to him. I think she respected him too much to. My father lived with her many years and then I was born. He didn't understand why I looked so unnatural. My mother explained to him what she was that day. He loved her too much to let that fact destroy their happy lives together so they left the village. But soldiers came to their new home and discovered my mother was a demon fox while she tried to protect me from them. My father was badly injured by the men and my tail was cut off but he escaped with me. He died shortly after bringing me her to live with my grandmother. That day is all I can remember of my parents." Yoshihiro shifted over. "You still haven't really told me why you're so mean to her. Koyasha's eyes sunk back to a painful memory. "I'll just end up in the same mess my father's in now. And besides I that 'don't' love her!" He got up and turned away from the sunset and looked behind him. In the distance he could see Marina sitting in the door way of the old woman's home leaning on the door frame staring at the setting sun. Koyasha snarled angrily seeing the same occurrence of her entranced state over the ending day. He picked up the ridiculously large boulder he had been sitting on and threw it into the water. A few children that had been watching him stared eyes wide open and mouths gaping.
One of the young boys that looked relatively the same age as Yoshihiro crept up to the fox-half. He looked hesitant in addressing him. "Yoshihiro is that you?" The fox-half turned around and looked at his best friend. "What's the matter Yuji, of coarse it's me." The boy pointed at the top of his head mirroring what he meant. Yoshihiro rubbed the back of his ear shamefaced. "There so cool! Why didn't you tell me you were half-demon?" The other children made snide comments and gave Yoshihiro evil looks. A very young child caught up in the moment of excited chatter of the older children picked up a rock and threw it at Yoshihiro. The rock hit his leg and left a light red mark, it didn't really hurt him so much as it hurt his feelings. Yoshihiro looked over at the small boy who coward away hiding behind his big sister. "Yuji get away from him his bloods tainted. You don't want to be seen with him." The little boy's older sister scorned to Yuji. Yoshihiro's head sunk down and he looked over to Yuji who seemed in some dismay. "I don't blame you if you go with them. I think I'll be leaving soon anyway. I can't keep it a secret anymore of what I am." Yoshihiro nudged Yuji's arm playfully. "Besides I wouldn't want to put a damper on your chances with Sakura." Yoshihiro winked and pulled one of his disappearing tricks which made all of the children stare in wonderment. Yuji smiled he knew deep down Yoshihiro would be back someday to tell him of his adventures.
Koyasha was too annoyed to pay mind to the childish antics of the group of children. "That's it I have to know what the deal with the dam sunset is!" He stomped off towards Marina who still stared off into the sky unaware of the group that had gathered to see her. She sat with Koyasha's kimono wrapped around her. A tear rolled down her cheek and dripped down onto the kimono. Koyasha shoved through the crowd of people, which parted like the Dead Sea when they realized who was pushing through. Koyasha grabbed her shoulder and looked down on the floor of the house noticing something odd about her shadow. Her shadow stood as tall as him while he stood up and she was sitting down, that and it was distorted and showed no definite figure of her. He looked down at her and her eyes remained unwavering from the last ray of sunlight as it disappeared her thoughts came back to earth. Koyasha looked back down at the shadow and it had returned to that of just her frail figure against the door frame. Her eyes closed and she fell back asleep. Koyasha picked her up slamming the door behind him. "Dam humans have to stare at anything unnatural." He laid her back by the fire where the old woman sat cooking some stew.
"What have ye done with my grandson?" "He can take care of himself well enough he doesn't need my help to get into trouble." He sniffed the air and eyed the food she was cooking. The woman hit him over the head again with her walking stick. "Oww! If you do that again I swear I'll stab that dam stick strait through your heart!" Koyasha felt sharp teeth clamp down on his arm. "You leave my Grandmother alone Mentor." Yoshihiro growled through his teeth keeping his hold solid. KoYasha's eyes slanted "Mentor!! That's rich. Now let go of my arm or I'll eat you." He said in a low menacing tone. Yoshihiro's eyes shifted to his grandmother to receive conformation to back down. She nodded and he unlocked his jaw from Koyasha's arm. Koyasha pulled back his arm and small trickles of blood came from the teeth marks where he had been bitten. "I've killed humans for less fox-half." Koyasha's eyes stared menacingly at Yoshihiro. "Let him be Koyasha. Ye can't blame him for trying to protect an old woman." "I didn't address you hag. So I expect the only conversations we should have are ones I start." "Ye are a half-demon like yon boy correct?" "Why are you people so obsessed over weather or not I have demon blood. Take a good look these aren't exactly human features!" He yanked his ear and pulled down his lower eyelid. Even in the faint light his eyes were obviously yellow with slit pupils.
The woman gave him a questioning look. "I already know what you want me to do and I won't do it!" "Would you prefer yon boy stay and take more of the treatment such as ye have received? Several of the men in the village are discussing burning us all alive in the house tonight. They care not about the consequences of their actions. Ye three are dangerous in their eyes. Even yon girl they believe is full demon. She could not even shoo a flea away in her condition. I still wonder how she managed to pull herself to the door." The old woman took out three bowls and began to fill them with stew. Koyasha's interest perked. "Did she say anything when she went to the door?" "I thought ye weren't interested in talking with a 'hag' like me?" "Did she say anything!!?" He smacked his hand down on the ground in front of her. She watched uninterested by his display. "I couldn't understand her words they were in a strange language such as I've never heard before." Koyasha sat back down disappointed. "Although she did mention ye's name Koyasha." He looked away from the old woman and glanced over to Marina who was still sound asleep. The three sat eating in silence the loudest noise was the crackle of logs on the fire. The woman brought in another blanket and laid it next to Marina. "Ye had better stay here tonight Koyasha. Yoshihiro's ears are not as perceptive as yours are and I fear trouble from the villagers tonight." "Relax old woman I'll keep my ears open." "I hope ye are a light sleeper demon half."
The woman left to go to bed. Yoshihiro followed her and helped her comb out her hair before leaving for his own bed. "Rest well grandmother" "We knew this time would come eventually Yoshihiro. I never thought it would be this soon I must admit. I'm not sure if he is a good person or not." Yoshihiro smiled. "He has a good heart despite his coarse appearance and vulgar speech. I'm sure of it." "Ye are wise for one so young. I pray ye keep you're wits about ye child they will serve ye well in life." Yoshihiro smiled "Now pack you're things boy and be ready to leave on a moments notice. The girl's clothes are dried and waiting already take them for her." "Yes, yes I know grandmother everything will be fine. I'm sure I will be able to find more of our kind. If there are two like us then their must be more." The old woman patted his hand and lay down to sleep. He shut the door and went to his room to gather a few things to leave with. ("I'll be eleven soon it's about time I become a man.")
Koyasha lay next to Marina staring at her in the darkness. "Sometimes I wish I knew what made you different from humans and demons. I've never known anyone that was so honest." "I'm not honest I hate getting close to people." His eyes widened but she appeared to still be asleep. "Whenever I get too close to someone either they get hurt or I do. Koyasha doesn't understand that I don't want him to hate me. I can't stay in this time, I don't belong here and if I leave I will have to leave everyone I care about. Then they'll hate me for hurting them." He smiled slyly to himself. ("This is my chance she's talking in her sleep.") "Why do you always stare at the sunset?" She smiled in her sleep. "Don't be silly momma you already know why." She rolled over and fell back into a deep sleep. "Hey you didn't answer my question." He waited a moment then realized his opportunity was gone. He dozed off agitated until he heard a commotion outside, his eyes popped open and he got up. He walked over to the door and slammed it open. A mob of men stood outside holding torches. "It's the demon get him!" Koyasha's eyebrow rose up. "You're not serious are you?" One of the men waved his torch by Koyasha's face. "Please I'm scared stop." Koyasha said in a monotone voice utterly bored mocking the villagers supposed heroic efforts. Koyasha slashed at the man's torch and it fell into several chopped up pieces. "Let it go we'll be leaving in a few days so just relax. If I wanted to kill anyone I'd have done it by now. Now nod so I know you understand me." The men robotically nodded. "Now go back to bed it's late and I don't' feel like staying up any later messing with you." Koyasha turned around and walked back inside yawning. He paused a moment and turned around. "And one more thing." The men eyed him wearily. "The girls not a demon so just leave her alone." The men did the same robotic nod in reply. "I said go already!" The men turned tail and ran. "Jeez they can't even think for themselves. I wonder how many puny brains it took to think up that simple ass plot." He plopped down to go back to sleep and a small voice spoke up again. "Thank you they were too noisy." Marina rolled back over and went silent again. Koyasha looked at her strangely and lay back down and went to sleep.
Kirara came in later that night and lay next to Marina. Koyasha's eyes opened for a moment hearing her faint foot steps. "Darn and here I thought we'd be rid of you for good this time." Kirara swished her tail and brushed off his comment. Marina snuggled her face into the small creature feeling its soft warm fir against her. "Thank you mother" She whispered Kirara's head poked up and looked at her strangely. "Geez talk about abandonment issues." Koyasha said closing his eyes again.
Inuyasha and the others stood outside the village waiting. "Where did she go Inuyasha?" He sniffed the air a moment and pointed out the old woman's home. "I smell another demon though." Shippo looked determinedly at the house. "I'll go." Mushiro grabbed his tail and stopped him as he set foot forward. "Grrrr, Let go!" Kagome covered his mouth as he screamed curses at Mushiro. "Look I wouldn't mind having her by my side myself but we have to be cautious." Shippo's eyes slanted and he began trying to attack Mushiro. "Interloper! Keep your hand's off of her!" Inuyasha turned around and gave them both a good whap on the head. "You can fight later we've got more important things to worry about." Kagome sighed "We can't be sure that she's even good or not yet. I find it hard to believe that she's evil myself but the fact remains that she is helping Koyasha. Inuyasha sniffed the air again. "That smells like a fox." Shippou's eye widened "A fox?" He began looking around. "You three stay here I'm going." Kagome was already way ahead of him as usual jumping into danger without a second thought. "Well are you coming or not?" "Kagome." He caught up to her and the others followed despite Inuyasha's orders.
Yoshihiro pulled his door open as he had been watching out a crack in the window instead of sleeping and saw the group advancing on his home. He ran into the other room which immediately woke up Koyasha. "Mentor, there is a group coming to the house I'm not familiar with them but there is a man with ears like yours amongst them." Koyasha sat up in a hurry. "Did he have silver hair?!" "Yes do you suppose he is half demon as well?" "Shit! Where are her clothes?" "I have them in my room, why are we in trouble." "Who said anything about we. Go get me her clothes!" Koyasha yanked back the covers making him slightly blush seeing her mostly naked body again. Kirara looked from Marina to the door where she expected Kagome and Inuyasha to come through at any moment. "At least now I know why you disappeared for so long Kirara!" His anger showed in is face Kirara backed away growling. "If it wasn't for that dam ink earlier I should have been able to smell my father." Yoshihiro dropped her clothes. "That man with silver hair is your father." Koyasha turned around and snatched up the clothes. "Yes what should it matter if he is or not." "But he looks like us. You're not even half demon are you?" Koyasha looked away bitterly reminded of his breeding. "It doesn't matter to me Mentor you know much more about demons than I." "Help me put her clothes on." Yoshihiro nodded and obediently did as Koyasha said. Marina's eyes opened as Koyasha tied a bow at her waist. "Has something come up?" "We're leaving." "Oh, so soon?" "They've found us." Her eyes widened in fear and she put her sword through her waist band. She stood up and started to fall but Koyasha caught her. "Take it easy you'll hurt yourself again." She looked up at him and smiled. "No more than usual." He looked down at her uneasily. Her face was even more loving than before. She reached down and picked up her bundle.
The door busted through Koyasha picked her up and started to run for the door like a battering ram. Inuyasha's eyes bugged out in surprise. Kagome already had her arrow drawn and let it go. It zipped off just missing Marina's knees and stuck in Koyasha's heart. He fell down to his knees shocked and his pupils dilated. Marina shot daggers at Kagome and grabbed a hold of the arrow and yanked it out of Koyasha. He dropped Marina who immediately took off running for Inuyasha. He pulled the tetsusaiga and she knocked it to the side with her blade and stabbed him in the heart with Kagome's arrow. Inuyasha fell backwards and Marina shoved the arrow through to the floor of the porch. Kagome stepped back in fear as Inuyasha fell under a very familiar entrapment spell. "Let's not play this game Mrs. Kagome." Koyasha stood up shocked. Shippou and Mushiro couldn't believe their eyes how could she entrap the great Inuyasha? Marina fell onto Inuyasha in a sitting position. "I told you I didn't want to fight you. Why didn't you listen!!?" Tears dripped from her eyes onto Inuyasha's face. "What did you do to him!? Kagome fell to her knees and cradled Inuyasha's head in her lap. Miioga the flea jumped onto Kagome's shaking shoulder from Inuyasha. "It would appear the girl has put a seal on him Kagome; although I can't be sure." Kagome put her hand over the arrow and it wouldn't budge. Marina stood up and stepped back away from the group that wept over Inuyasha. Koyasha held his chest and felt time stand still seeing what she had done to his nearly untouchable father. ("How is it that my mother can't even budge the arrow from him, and Marina pulled her arrow out of me as though it was nothing?") Marina fell back onto the ground and huddled into a little ball. "I'm sorry I didn't want to please forgive me." She rocked back and forth repeating "I'm sorry." Over and over again. Kagome became hysterical trying to rouse Inuyasha from his catatonic state.
Yoshihiro watched the scene unable to comprehend what was going on as far as he could tell Marina had killed Inuyasha. "Mentor she killed your father aren't you going to avenge him?" Koyasha turned his head to the side to see Yoshihiro. "He's not dead it's a spell. Besides I think he'd be better off dead anyway." Mushiro stepped forward to attack Koyasha but stopped as Shippou held out his hand. "Look!" A glowing figure hovered over Inuyasha and placed its hands on the arrow. Inuyasha opened his eyes and saw a beautiful woman smiling sweetly at him. "Please forgive her she didn't mean to hurt you." The arrow in his heart disappeared and she vanished. He sat up and looked all around but the figure was no where in sight. He grabbed his chest but no wound even shown where he had been stabbed with the arrow. Kagome flung herself on him crying tears of joy. Koyasha like the others was too shocked by the strange occurrence to say or do anything but stare. Inuyasha looked over at Marina full of rage. Koyasha stepped in front of her, eyes slanted staring down his father. "An arrow for an arrow father."
********************************************** Man I think I wrote too much but I had to make up for the two week interlude.
Anyway I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter of fluff and fowl language.
(Bad Koyasha you need to watch your mouth in the next chapter)
Any-who tell me what you think or who or what you'd like to see more of.
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