A/N: I would just like to apologize to the reviewers who wanted Inuyasha and Hojo to meet. Sadly, they will not. This was only meant to be a short piece, and such a meeting would add another undesired level of complexity. I have a couple of other long pieces in the works, and I really just wanted to get this idea out of the way. However, if I get 10 reviews asking me to include a meeting, I will rewrite the story with a plot twist that will bring them into contact. That's 10 reviews, and I will add a chapter or two.
Chapter 6: Hojo vs. Fate
Kikyo watched as her young charge fell to the ground. She then motioned with her hands, and three men emerged to pick up the boy and move him out of the cave, since he obviously posed a danger to himself and her other charge. She instructed them to bring him to her home. They left, and Kikyo was alone, standing behind Onigumo.
"Hey, bitch! Is coppertop dead yet?"
"Please be quiet, I am growing impatient with you. You should be grateful that I saved you. With his hate and the determination it brought, you would not be alive now. Return to sleep and I will return tomorrow."
"Damn it! I'm hungry! That little bitch ran off with my food!"
"I'll send Kaede here with some more food for you. In the meantime, relax. I will see you tomorrow morning."
………..
I am roused once again from the mist of unconsciousness by a pair of gentle hands. Yet there is something strange about this touch, something otherworldly, something mystical. I can feel currents of energy flowing in me, through my skin and into my bones. I cannot see; only feel.
I feel this power sink into my tired muscles, and they are renewed. I feel it sink into my shattered skeletal structure, and they are made whole. The magical feeling prances around throughout my body, pushing away pain and leaving peace. Then it is over, and I can open my eyes.
Kikyo is standing above me, hands splayed out in front of her, brows knitted in concentration. I realize that we are in a hut, most likely her home. Her eyes open, and she speaks.
"Are you feeling better, Hojo-san?"
"Kikyo-sama! I've never felt better!" I try to get up, but my muscles aren't as strong as originally assessed, and several kinks and cramps render me floor bound once again. Kikyo is not bothered though, and laughs lightly.
"I'm afraid you aren't completely healed yet. Here, let me help you. Now, rise slowly." She takes my hands in hers, and slowly assists me in regaining a standing posture. "There, now I suggest you take a small walk to regain use of your limbs. The soreness and fatigue you feel are simply the result of inactivity. Enough movement and you should be returned to full strength, but I warn you: do not push yourself, since your body is still fragile."
"Kikyo-sama, what did you just do to me?"
"I simply used holy Magik to speed up your body's natural healing process. If I had not done so, then you would not be able to walk for several months."
"If I may ask, why did you not use these magiks to begin with?"
"I was afraid that you were youkai, and did not want to harm you, though it is now obvious that you are not. Therefore I felt it right to heal you. Thankfully your wounds are not terrible, and can be healed by magik."
"You have my sincere gratitude then, Kikyo-sama."
"You are most welcome, Hojo-san. Now, before you go, I would like to request that you stay away from Onigumo-san. I do not know what history you two have, but I humbly request that you spare him. He is crippled. Death would be a mercy for him, but you should not harm him."
"I won't then." I have never told a greater lie.
Kikyo leaves and I am about to leave myself when I catch sight of my heart's desire: my guns! Not only that, but my armor and Time Belt are there. I am so happy; I scoop up the belt and squeeze it like a little girl with her teddy bear. I can now get home! Yet I have one more thing to do before I can leave. I strap on my armor and the gun belts, then attach the laser blade to my wrist. My ultimate task in mind, I set my feet in the direction of the cave.
Night has fallen. I guess the time to be somewhat around eight, and the stars shine beautifully overhead, as I enter the grassy field leading to the cave of Onigumo. I stop suddenly when I see a light ahead: Kaede is in the cave. Despite my obvious desire, I do not wish to kill him in front of an innocent little girl. Especially when she dedicated herself to my care at my most vulnerable time. Against my heart, I deviate from my path and stalk silently into the forest, waiting for the little girl to leave. It is over an hour before she steps out of the entrance and heads back for the village.
I wait a little longer. After all, it is not as if my quarry will escape. I find myself thinking about Kikyo, and her recent change of personality. At first glance she was sad and lonely, but lately she has become extremely cheerful, almost jovial. She radiates passion. She seems like a woman in love.
I received the same impressions of Kagome just before her death. She was in love with Inuyasha, and died for that love. A funny thing it is: she died for the love of one, and she will be brought back by the love of another. My love!
Oh yes, I will succeed! My quarry is within my grasp and I salivate with desire for his blood! I tighten my grip on my weapons, drawing both guns from their holsters. I rise and march, with deadly purpose, toward the cave. It is when I step into the grass that I realize that I am not alone.
A dark, slimy form brushes past my leg. I immediately freeze and look around. Nothing. Another creature scrapes by. Then I see them in the dim light: serpents. Small, but dangerous, they slink toward the cave through the tall grass, cutting small furrows. I see very little of their features, but they are all different. One has one eye, another has two. One has fangs, another doesn't. Then I recognize them, and fear chills my blood and turns my heart to ice. Youkai!
This is it! The rise of Naraku! These are the youkai that are going to eat Onigumo's soul and turn him into the strongest demon to ever live. Kagome's killer is about to be born! No…NO!
Bright flashes light the field as I open fire on the monsters. Deadly force jumps from twin muzzles and sizzles youkai dead in their tracks. Not one of the dozen or so monsters reaches the cave mouth. It's not over.
Looking up, the night comes alive, but not with starlight. I see the dark aura of a youkai horde! Their hungry eyes, as one, are fixed on the cave mouth, and they do not see me. Yet I see them through my gun sights. I unsling the shark rifle from my back and take a knee. Not one of these beasts will reach Onigumo. If they do, it will be over my corpse. I fire, and the lead youkai explodes in a gruesome rain. Claws, flesh and ichors coat the ground around me. The youkai surge onward. I fire two more shots, and two more youkai are taken down. My accuracy is not superb; the youkai horde is so dense that anything will hit. I switch to full auto, and begin spraying the horde with rending energy. The group splits, and an insane amount of monsters descend on my position. Though not attacking, they sweep on by. Monsters are all around me, and I am bounced from hide to hide, scraping my armor against scales, carapace, and hard shells. I am thrown to the ground, but quickly regain my feet, firing wildly at the retreating forms until I am knocked down again. I rise and fire on the advancing attackers. I am picked up and carried along in the thick, steady stream of beasts, but I stand and fire downward, destroying my transportation and falling roughly back to the ground.
The field is alive with youkai of every size and type. And not a single one stops to attack me. They all surge on, desperate for this prized meal, and my failure grows more apparent as each youkai slips through my defense. Oh, cruel Irony! I am defending the man I wish to kill! How life so quickly comes to this… For every demon I fell, many more enter the cave, and a furious river gushes inside. I am firing wildly in all directions, demons pounding into me, my skin covered in cuts and bruises, but all in vain!
I drop the rifle and draw my pistols. I kill two at a time now, but their rate of entry does not slow! Many have entered the cave, and many more remain outside. It is possible that Naraku may already be spawned!
Then, the dark light shines. Outward from the cave and onto all the demons in the clearing. The speed of entry increases wildly, as if a ravenous vacuum is drawing them all in. The clearing is quickly drained of every living thing except me. I dive to the ground to escape the furious storm.
As quickly as it began, it is over.
Darkness rules the clearing. I open my eyes and raise myself from the ground. I can't see a thing, my pupils still small from the lights and thus my night vision poor. Nothing moves, not even the wind, and all is silent. The woods are devoid of sound, and it seems that all life has moved from this place. I'm still slightly disoriented from the minutes-long battle, yet I wonder where all the youkai have gone? They were sucked into the cave, so that must mean Naraku is down there!
Grandpa, you said I shouldn't face him, but I have no choice. I have failed in my original goal, so I must make another: kill Naraku!
"Naraku! Show yourself bastard! I want to fight!"
Only silence answers my call to battle. "Are you a coward, hanyou? I have challenged you! Answer!"
"Kukuku…" The sound comes from all directions at once, flowing thickly like poison. Yet I cannot see him. "You are unwise to challenge me, but I will reward your folly. I will let you be the first to die by the power of this Naraku."
A foul odor suddenly hangs in the air, and a terrible taste greets my tongue. This must be miasma! I will not meet Kagome's fate! I reach down and strike the button on my chest plate. The white sphere of the armor shield instantly surrounds me, and the miasma is blocked. "Ha ha ha…You think simple tricks will end this fight? You are wrong!" I quickly reach into the time belt and grab a small cylinder. Gripping it, I throw it into the center of the clearing. The white flash of the flare illuminates the shadows, and twenty feet away I see him.
Inuyasha…no, Naraku in the guise of the inuhanyou. "I see you…this battle is over!" My guns are out and flashing in seconds, but the false Inuyasha darts to the side in a crimson flash. I track him but he continues to leap and doge in all directions. I lose sight of him…until a claw grasps the back of my neck. Another reaches around to the front of my armor.
"You will not need this anymore…after I send you to hell…" The claw presses the button, and the shield disappears. I move to reactivate it, but a claw rakes down my back, and the severed pieces fall from me, along with the shredded time belt. I turn, stumble back, and fall to the ground at his feet. I can only stare at the hanyou…helpless. I start to raise my arm for a last ditch attack with the blade, but he tears the device from me. Blood begins to flow from the minor wounds. He simply stands over me, golden hate filled eyes locked with mine.
Then a claw comes down, gripping my throat. I am raised high above him with little effort. The other claw raises level with my chest…my eyes close, and only Kagome fills my mind.
….
Naraku marveled at the weakness of humans as he plunged one nimble claw through the boy's chest. There was blood spray, and collapsing organs, then a sickening lurch and the boy was gone. He dropped the pile of rent, lifeless flesh to the grass. He walked onward, from the cave, through the woods, and out into another larger field. He crouched low and waited until morning.
….
The sacred Shikon Jewel clutched in one slender hand, Kikyo walked out of the village and into the wilderness. Now where was that hanyou…
She never saw the form speeding toward her. Suddenly all was pain, and the lives of two young miko were forever shattered.
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Wait! Don't go! There's more…( points furiously at NEXT button). Things are over, but they're not. Read on to the epilogue! If I just uploaded this chapter, then the epilogue will probably be posted in another couple of days. Don't worry… this will be a happy ending!