By: Lady Tiger LiLy
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha. I own what I own.
Chapter 10: Rescue
"I'll be fine!"
Shippo insisted staying with Junko in her room while she slept like he had the night before, but she didn't find it necessary.
"If it makes you feel any better you can stay outside my room, but I'm going to sleep alone in my room tonight! I'm a big girl, you know!"
"Fine." Shippo reluctantly agreed. He held Tetsusaiga to his side. "I'll be right outside if you need me."
Junko nodded. She turned around to retire to her room. Just before entering, she turned back around to the serious looking kitsune youkai. "Good night, Shippo."
The youkai's face instantly changed from that of a serious nature to that of a happy child. "You too, Jun Bug! Pleasant dreams!" He replied to her with the utmost informality.
Rather than getting angry, Junko blushed. "Pleasant dreams." She responded before retiring to her room for the night.
After she slid the door shut, she stayed where she stood on the other side of the door. She could hear Shippo's soft steps as he took the few steps towards her room and sat down with his back to the door. Junko quietly got down and sat on her heels. She gently placed her hand on her side of the door where she heard Shippo's head gently bang on the other side. She felt a warm feeling in her stomach that seemed to sprout from knowing… just knowing he was there, right there, watching over her.
"Are you ok, Junko?"
Junko nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice.
"Of course I'm ok!" She snapped from her side of the door.
"I was just asking because I didn't hear you get into your bed." He replied.
Junko had forgotten about Shippo's youkai senses. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. "I was just… getting ready to!" She told him.
"Ok, good night then." She heard him say.
"Good night." She automatically responded. She then crawled into her bed, settling in with a sigh. Like her mother, her thoughts began to run away with her.
'He is a strange boy and yet… not so strange.' She thought. 'Kind of like… me. '
A quiet night fell upon the earth as everyone slept soundly. A gentle breeze sifted by and played with the tuffs of orange hair of the kitsune as he slept. Another breeze picked up and sifted by but this time, tickling the kitsune's nose. His nostrils twitched until his eyelids slowly lifted.
"What a sweet scent…" He said still half sleeping. He blinked himself awake as he continued to sniff the air. "Where is that coming from?" He wondered aloud.
He stood up and sniffed the air, curious to find out what it was and from where that scent was coming from. He wondered out to the edge of the forest as he followed the scent. It smelled stronger as he continued. He couldn't help but feel drawn to the smell. Suddenly, Shippo found himself stuck in his steps.
"Wha-?"
Shippo found himself caught in a huge web of some kind. He struggled to pull free but to no avail. Shippo then felt something creep up above him. He looked up into the trees and saw several sets of red glowing eyes.
"You are not the pray I seek." A low voice hissed. "But I may be back for you."
Grossed out, Shippo sweatdropped. He heard rustling in the trees for a moment before it stopped. Whatever was there was gone now. Shippo sighed in relief until he heard a scream. His mind snapped to only one person.
"JUNKO!"
Shippo tired even harder to pull himself free put it still proved useless. The webbing was too strong. He then had an idea.
"FOX FIRE!"
Shippo managed to burn the webs and free himself. He then quickly dashed off to the village. Upon returning, he found before him a blood-boiling site. Sango and Kohana were knocked out cold while Miroku, with his old gold staff, stayed by their side. Mamoru held his boomerang bone, ready to strike, as he stood in front of Rin as if to shield her. Junko, who he had heard scream, was being held captive by what appeared to be a giant spider of some kind. She was bound by the same webbing Shippo had encountered before.
What really angered Shippo was hearing poor Junko's frighten screams of horror. He clenched his fist in rage. He was supposed to be watching her! Thanks to his foolishness, she was now in danger along with everyone else! Shippo ran straight for the creature. He bared his fangs as he got ready to tackle the monster.
"Look out!" Miroku shouted to Shippo.
One of the spider's hairy legs swung out and slapped Shippo across the village to Miroku and the others. Shippo warily shook his head as he regained his balance.
"Shippo!"
He looked up and saw Junko's fearful face as she called down to him. "Junko!" He shouted back.
"Shippo!" She shouted again with her eyes squeezed shut. She had never been so terrified.
"Unhand, Junko!" Mamoru shouted. He would have attacked the demon spider but he could not from where he stood now. If he did, he might hurt Junko in the process. He was also plagued by what Rin had said to him as well.
(Flashback)
"I wish you not to talk about exterminating demons in my presents anymore. I do not agree with all of it."
He looked at her with confusion. "What do you mean?"
Rin's dark brown eyes looked into his blue ones. "I hope that in the future we will not need demon exterminators to rid of terrible demons. I pray that in the future, demons and humans alike will live together peacefully."
"Demons and humans living peacefully? That is a nice dream, Lady Rin, but I'm afraid it will stay but a dream. It is impossible. I do not believe all demons are bad; just look at Shippo and Kirara. But truth of the matter is most demons are just monsters that cannot be reasoned with and must be stopped. Look at the past, demons have cause much destruction for humans as well as pain."
"Well, I look to the future." Rin said retorted sternly.
"I am just saying-"
"I know what you are saying is how you feel. And this is how I feel."
(End Flashback)
What was the right thing for him to do?
"I seek the jewel." The spider demon hissed.
Shippo and Miroku were wide eyed.
"What? I don't have any jewel!" Junko shouted her voice tainted with fear.
"Silence, liar!" The creature commanded her.
Junko cringed in fear.
"Who are you?" Miroku shouted.
"I was once a minion of Lord Naraku."
"Naraku?" Mamoru repeated as he then turned to Miroku. "Father, did you not tell Kohana and I about an evil demon named Naraku?"
Miroku nodded in response to Mamoru without turning his head away from the demon.
"Lord Naraku was my master until he disposed of me." The demon hissed angrily. "He greatly appreciated my ability to lure creatures into my strong webs but saw me as a threat to exposing his castle."
"That scent!" Shippo thought aloud. "The demon can lure its prey into its webs by using a trail of alluring scents!"
"As a young demon I was not able to control my scent but now I am stronger, and with the jewel that Naraku has once searched for, I will be even stronger!"
"None of us has the jewel!" Junko tried to tell him again.
"Silence! Since you refuse to hand over the jewel, I shall just eat you, jewel and all!"
"No!" Shippo growled.
Rin looked to Shippo with worry and hoped that he may be able to save Junko. She knew this demon was beyond reasoning with. "Marmoru…" She spoke to him.
He turned back to look at her.
"This demon… this demon must be stopped even if it must be destroyed." She spoke. "For Junko's sake. Her life is the one that matters and is in the most danger now. I understand that what had to be done must be done to save her life."
He stared at her after she said this. Was she giving him permission to do what must be done? To kill this demon? She was. He then nodded to her. He hurried forward away from the group. He took his position, and after making quick calculations, he threw his boomerang bone with all his strength. He was aiming for the head in hopes of slicing the thing clear off.
But he failed.
The demon knocked his boomerang bone off its course with one of its long hairy legs, and sent it landing somewhere in the forest.
The demon then turned on Mamoru. It went to strike when it was distracted by blue fireballs being hurled at its face.
"FOX FIRE!" Shippo shouted as he continued to try and draw the demon's attention away from Mamoru. While he did this, Mamoru hurried back over to the group so to help his father to protect them again from the demon. As Shippo continued to hurl the balls of fire at the spider demon, he noticed his fox fire did nothing to damage the demon, but only annoyed it. 'What am I going to do to stop this thing!'
"Shippo!"
Shippo looked over at his shoulder and found Myoga the flea there. "Myoga?"
"Shippo! Use Tetsusaiga! In wielding it, you can save Junko!"
Why cowardly Myoga was still hanging around puzzled him but that didn't matter now. Shippo had momentarily forgotten about Tetsusaiga. He looked down at the sword and sheath at his side. 'Will I be able to wield it?' He thought. There was no sure way of knowing until it happened. But he knew his will to save Junko may be the key.
He closed his eyes and unsheathed Tetsusaiga.
"Shippo!" Miroku shouted.
Shippo opened his eyes and looked over at his right hand that gripped the handle of Tetsusaiga; a transformed Tetsusaiga. Shippo was snapped out of his gaze to the scream of Junko. "Stay back!" He told everyone as he went to save Junko. Shippo he ran as fast as he could. He swung back the blade and stuck one of the demon's legs that had held the bound up Junko. The spider demon hissed in anger and pain as his severed limb fell with Junko into some bushes.
Shippo ran quickly to her aid. "Junko!" Shippo found her and tried to free her from her bondage. "Are you ok? Don't look. Keep your eyes closed." He told her so she wouldn't have to see the severed limb of the spider demon, furthering this horrid experience for her.
She nodded. Still shaky from what happened moments ago.
"Here, I'm going to get this off you." He told her. He didn't use foxfire for fear of burning her. Instead, he was able to use Tetsusaiga to cut her free. After freeing her, she unexpectantly threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Shippo was surprised by her sudden action. He could feel her body tremble against his firm one.
"I-I'm not as strong as I always believed I was. I'm scared to open my eyes!" She spoke in a fearful voice.
He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly as if that would help stop her body from trembling. "Being afraid doesn't mean you aren't strong. You are strong, Junko." He assured her. "Just like your mother and father. It's ok to be afraid. It's ok. Don't open your eyes."
She nodded. She felt him grab hold of her waist as he leapt off. She grabbed on tightly to his clothing as he did so.
In a violent rage, the arachnid demon screeched and began to attack anything in its path. It just so happened that Miroku, and the unconscious Sango and Kohana were in that particular path.
Miroku held his staff as he and Mamoru stood in front of their family in a protective manner. Ready to defend their loved ones.
Rin squeezed her eyes shut. "No more!" She said aloud before she suddenly shouted over at the demon. "Take me!" She said with her arms spread wide as a sign of surrender.
The demon took noticed and soon she became the new target.
Mamoru had a look of utter shock. "Lady Rin! NO!" He shouted.
'This way…' She thought. 'Those I care about will be able to get away…'
SLASH!
"Lady Rin!"
Rin gasped. "Mamoru!"
"Mamoru!" Miroku shouted though he could not move. He was paralyzed with shock by the site before him.
Mamoru collapsed into Rin's arms. His body-weight forced Rin to fall to her knees with him in her arms. Rin sat in shock as she stared down at the young man who just sacrificed his life for her.
"Mamoru!" Her voice wavered as tears filled her brown eyes. "Why did you give your life for me?"
"Because, you still need to… fulfill your dream… your destiny…" He coughed as he used his last ounce of strength to squeeze her hand. "Bring harmony to human and youkai alike. Bring peace. I believe in you… Rin…" Just as he had said this, he coughed up some blood and his grip on her hand released.
The tears in Rin's eyes suddenly dripped down her cheeks as she mourned for Mamoru.
Miroku suddenly felt weak and fell to his knees. "No… My boy… My son…"
"Look out!" Shippo shouted to Rin.
Rin looked up, and through her teary eyes, saw the arachnid demon ready to strike another blow. Rin bent down over Mamoru's body as she awaited her inescapable fate. Mamoru's sacrifice would all be for nothing.
SLASH!
Rin opened her eyes and saw the spider demon was sliced to bloody ribbons. She then saw a wave of silver from the corner of her eye. She turned and looked up into what she first thought was a memory but found it to be in fact-
"Sesshomaru-sama?" She spoke softly.
The inu youkai looked down at her with the same, unfazed, golden eyes he always had. He spoke not a word.
Miroku and Shippo were both staring at Sesshomaru along with Rin. Miroku seemed to still be in shock over everything that just happened in the last five minutes. Shippo glared at Sesshomaru, and as he did so, involuntarily tightened his grip on Junko.
Junko, still with her eyes squeezed shut, could feel Shippo's heart beat pick up. "Shippo?" She nearly whispered. "What's going on? Can I open my eyes?"
"No." He told her without breaking his gaze on the powerful inu youkai.
Sesshomaru seemed to smell something. He turned and looked directly at Shippo and Junko. He also saw, in Shippo's claws, the transformed Tetsusaiga.
CLIFFHANGER! Things are really heating up! I hope this chapter was ok. I had a hard time writing it for some reason. So the big question: WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN? The answer is: ONLY I KNOW, DUH! And to find out, you'll just have to check back when chapter 11 is posted! See you lovely readers then!
Lady Tiger LiLy