Hello everyone! Aries here and with chapter six. *Stretches*, oy, I'm
so tired, I actually got the hideously long review packet for English done
on time. It took me some long hours of staying up at night to do it though.
Even though I'm tired, I just couldn't allow myself to rest unless I got
this chapter done. So, here it is.
Ivan's Kitsune: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry if the chapters are hard to read. I type them out this way cause I dunno, it just feels right to me. I'll try and make it easier to read. Sessy should show up soon so don't worry. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: *Aries is sitting at her computer pondering on what to type up when her stomach growls.* "Sesshoumaru!" *She hears shouting coming from another room* "What is it wench?" "Go get me something to eat!" "No way, you don't own me so therefore you can't order me around." *Mutters to herself about a certain youkai who was gonna regret that later and about how she wishes she owned InuYasha.*
Chapter Six: Fire and Shadow
Ayame raced through the forest at top speed. Her lungs were burning from her rapid intakes of air in her hysteria. She sensed that InuYasha and the others were following her, but that didn't concern her. All that was on her mind at the moment was the smoke and blood that she had smelled, drifting in the air. She willed her legs to go faster and was rewarded with them doing so. Bursting out of the trees, she suddenly came to a halt. Her eyes became wide and anger washed over her. What she had feared had happened, was now happening before her eyes. InuYasha and the rest of the group also came bursting from out of the forest and they too all stood and gaped at the site that lay before them.
Houses were on fire and burning to the ground at a rapid pace. The villagers were all dead. Some laying slaughtered and bleeding in the middle of the road, others being charred in the remains of their homes. No one had been spared, not even the children. Ayame's vision began to turn red. Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her claws digging into her skin and drawing blood.
'How could this happen? Why would someone do this...how could someone do this? The children, they're all dead, murdered, killed. But by who?'
She sniffed the air and a menacing growl left her throat. She recognized that smell, she had encountered it a few years earlier. At that time she had had a few jewel shards in her posession that she had taken from some demons she had exterminated. She had been walking back to her village from visiting another, when she was greeted by the site of a hanyou dressed in a baboon's pelt. He asked for her jewel shards and she had refused. They battled and he eventually over-powered her. He took the jewel shards and left her there to die. However, Ayame was able to gather what strength she had left and made it to her village's healer.
That same smell was now clinging to the village like a disease. The hanyou's filthy stench was everywhere. Ayame sniffed again and recognized another smell. It was faint, but her nose caught it. Underlying that of the hanyou's was Watari's. This confused her. Why would his smell be within the village. InuYasha also took a good wiff of the air and he too growled loudy.
"Naraku!" He growled. "That bastard! I'll kill him!"
'So, Naraku is his name? It seems that InuYasha and I now share a common enemy.' Thought Ayame.
Her thoughts were inturupted, however, by the irritating laughter coming from ahead of them.
"Ku ku ku ku ku. So, it seems we meet again demoness. And you too InuYasha."
"Naraku you bastard! How could you do this? The village did not have any jewel shards and posed no threat to you. So why would you attack them and not just come for us?" Demanded InuYasha.
"Because I was asked to destroy the village. It was a little favor I had to repay. But now that it's done I can start back up with obtaining the jewel shards. Starting with yours!"
Naraku then lunged at the group who all dodged it. Kagome told Shippo to get to a safe spot and he followed her orders. Miroku was about to use his wind tunnel when the buzzing of insects reached his ears. Cursing under his breath, he attacked them with his staff. Sango and InuYasha were constantly attacking Naraku, while Kagome was firing arrows. Ayame, however, kept her eyes on the destruction of her second home. Her eyes scanning every inch, taking in every dead body. Her gaze stopped on the small bleeding forms of Sakura and Takune, only two of the children that were murdered.
'I never even got to tell them my story. And now they will never get to hear it.' Were Ayame's thoughts.
Ayame was once again overcome with anger and red bleed into her eyes. Her demon side was taking over and she made no attempt to restrain it. She rushed at the figure in the baboon pelt, the cause of all this destruction. Naraku wasn't expecting the attack and was unprepared for the hand that was now thrust into his abdomen.
"You will pay for what you have done asshole. Now die!"
With that Ayame ripped her hand upward and cut Naraku in half. The body disintigrated and a wooden doll fell to the ground.
"Dammit! He sent another one of his puppets." Yelled InuYasha. "That coward."
'A puppet?' This enraged Ayame even more. 'He isn't dead. He must die, he must pay for this.'
Her demon side was still in control and Ayame needed to get away before she accidentally hurt one of the people standing near her. She ran off into the forest, blinded by her anger.
"Ayame wait!" Called out Kagome, who started to run after her.
She was stopped by InuYasha grabbing onto her arm.
"And just what did you think you were doing?"
"I was going to go help her! Now let me go."
Sighing, InuYasha spoke to Kagome and tried to get his point across. "Kagome, if I let you go after her, there is a chance she might attack you. If you didn't notice her demon side was in control. You stay here with the others, I'll go after her."
Realizing what could have happened to her, Kagome nodded her head. InuYasha took off after Ayame. However, she was far ahead of him. Ayame came to a clearing in the forest and stopped. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She heard some movement to her side and was about to attack at whatever was over there, when her limbs were suddenly paralyzed. The only movement she was allowed, was that of her head. She looked to her side and watched as Watari emerged, a huge smile plastered on his face. He approached Ayame and she in return growled.
"Come now Ayame, is that any way to thank your savior?"
"What are you talking about Watari? What did you do to me, why can't I move?"
"Just a little trick I picked up. You know, I was planning on asking Naraku to get rid of that mutt Sesshoumaru for me, but you did just fine getting rid of him yourself. So instead I asked him to destroy your village and save you from a life of servitude. You no longer have to spend your life bowing to the wishes of those humans. You can come with me now and live happily as my mate."
Repulsed at Watari's actions. Ayame spit out, "I will never be your mate Watari! You can die for all I care. You bastard how could you do that? You are no better than that damn hanyou Naraku! You are just a coward!"
Her words angered Watari and he backhanded Ayame. A trickle of blood ran down her cheek.
"Bitch! Don't you ever talk to me that way! You should be thanking me for what I have done! I have freed you and what do you do? You spit in my face and call me a coward!"
Ayame was shocked. Never had she seen Watari act this way. He had always been so kind, he would never have raised his hand at her in violence. She then realized that this wasn't Watari at all. This was a demon who had been corrupted by madness.
"You have gone mad Watari." Whispered Ayame.
"Maybe I have, but it has gotten me what I want."
He took his thumb and wiped the blood off of Ayame's cheek. Then raising it to his mouth, he licked it off of with his tongue. Ayame flinched at his touch, then felt disgusted when he licked her blood off of his thumb.
"You taste so sweet Ayame. I have wanted to do this for some time now..."
He lowerd his mouth down to meet hers and kissed her. As much as Ayame was disgusted before, she felt ten times that now. She felt one of his fangs graze across her lower lip, then sink down and nip it. He drew blood and that's what he wanted. He sucked on her lip, drinking in the blood, then when he had enough, he pulled his head back and looked into her eyes.
He slid his tongue along his lips, lapping up the remainder of her blood that still lingered upon them, then softly spoke, "Heavenly, truly heavenly."
He was cut short of his enjoyment when InuYasha finally arrived upon the scene. He took in the site before him and growled. He saw Ayame, paralyzed and eyes wide in fear. Then he saw the male youkai and could only assume that he had harmed her, judging from the smell of blood in the air and the frightened look Ayame would give him. Without further analization required, InuYasha attacked the male youkai. His first attack was unsuccessful, but after quickly striking again, his sword connected and tore through Watari. InuYasha withdrew Tetseiga and watched as the youkai hit the ground, lifeless. Free from the spell, Ayame slumped to the ground as well. The red bleed out of her vision and her eyes returned to their normal crystal blue.
"Thank you InuYasha." She spoke.
He drew his attention off of the dead corpse lying on the ground and placed it upon the living form that was on the ground.
"Your welcome." There was a short stretch of silence, then InuYasha spoke again. "I'm sorry about what happened Ayame. I'm sure that the villagers would not blame you and are in a better place now."
Ayame looked up at InuYasha and oddly her face was calm. She stood and briefly looked at Watari's lifeless body. She sneered in disgust at it, then turned and regarded InuYasha.
"I would like to go bury the villagers now. That is the least I can do for failing them. This filth, however," she gestured to Watari, "deserves to rot in the sun and have no one weep over his death."
She began to walk back to the village, followed by InuYasha. Upon arriving she found that the blazing buildings were now reduced to smoldering ashes and that Kagome, Sango, and Miroku were all busy digging graves. She felt her heart clench and silently thanked them for their kindness. Noticing the arrival of the two, Kagome stopped what she was doing and ran up and embraced Ayame.
"I'm so sorry Ayame. It's all our fault this happened. If we hadn't asked you to tell us about your past, then you could have noticed Naraku's presense and saved the village."
Ayame patted Kagome's back, then withdrew from the hug. "Please do not blame yourselves for this. It is my fault, I should have patrolled the area this morning and put a warning barrier up around the village. To make up for my mistake, I will avenge their deaths. Which leads me to a favor I would like to ask of all of you. Seeing as how we all now have a common enemy, I would like to join you on your journey and hunt down and kill this...Naraku. Will you allow me?"
Not being the ones to make the decision, the group turned toward InuYasha and awaited an answer. InuYasha was busy thinking the matter over. Ayame was skilled in fighting and strong, so having her join them would be useful. She also had nowhere to go now, seeing as how there was no way to rebuild the village and there was nothing holding her here. He came to a final decision.
He nodded his head, "Ayame, you are welcome to join us."
Ayame slightly bowed her upper half in greatfulness, "Thank you InuYasha."
For the remainder of the day they dug graves and burried the bodies of the villagers within them. Ayame placed flowers upon the graves, then knelt and prayed. She promised them that she would avenge them and she would not fail in that task. That night, no one slept and when the sun rose, it shone upon the tired faces of the group. They ate breakfast, then prepared themselves to leave. InuYasha was at the front leading the group, Kagome following with Shippo on her shoulder. Next came Sango, with Kirara at her side and Miroku right behind her. Last was Ayame. As they were leaving the village, she turned around and said her silent goodbye to the villagers and to what was left of her second home.
Now that this sad part is over with, the story should start to get happier now. Phew, finally...I don't think I could have put in any more sad parts. Sessy will show up in the next chapter, yay! Even though the way he and Ayame meet again won't be to....hmmm how to put it....heart warming. Well, you'll just have to wait and see. *Mwuhahaha* (evil laugh). *Coughs* ^_^U. You know what you have to do now...review! I hope this chapter was easier to read, even though it felt kinda weird typin it out. If you think it was better this way lemme know and I'll continue to type em out this way, despite the weirdness. If not, then I'll go back to how I was originally doing it. Until chapter seven, see ya!
~Aries
Ivan's Kitsune: Thanks for reviewing! Sorry if the chapters are hard to read. I type them out this way cause I dunno, it just feels right to me. I'll try and make it easier to read. Sessy should show up soon so don't worry. Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: *Aries is sitting at her computer pondering on what to type up when her stomach growls.* "Sesshoumaru!" *She hears shouting coming from another room* "What is it wench?" "Go get me something to eat!" "No way, you don't own me so therefore you can't order me around." *Mutters to herself about a certain youkai who was gonna regret that later and about how she wishes she owned InuYasha.*
Chapter Six: Fire and Shadow
Ayame raced through the forest at top speed. Her lungs were burning from her rapid intakes of air in her hysteria. She sensed that InuYasha and the others were following her, but that didn't concern her. All that was on her mind at the moment was the smoke and blood that she had smelled, drifting in the air. She willed her legs to go faster and was rewarded with them doing so. Bursting out of the trees, she suddenly came to a halt. Her eyes became wide and anger washed over her. What she had feared had happened, was now happening before her eyes. InuYasha and the rest of the group also came bursting from out of the forest and they too all stood and gaped at the site that lay before them.
Houses were on fire and burning to the ground at a rapid pace. The villagers were all dead. Some laying slaughtered and bleeding in the middle of the road, others being charred in the remains of their homes. No one had been spared, not even the children. Ayame's vision began to turn red. Her hands clenched tightly into fists, her claws digging into her skin and drawing blood.
'How could this happen? Why would someone do this...how could someone do this? The children, they're all dead, murdered, killed. But by who?'
She sniffed the air and a menacing growl left her throat. She recognized that smell, she had encountered it a few years earlier. At that time she had had a few jewel shards in her posession that she had taken from some demons she had exterminated. She had been walking back to her village from visiting another, when she was greeted by the site of a hanyou dressed in a baboon's pelt. He asked for her jewel shards and she had refused. They battled and he eventually over-powered her. He took the jewel shards and left her there to die. However, Ayame was able to gather what strength she had left and made it to her village's healer.
That same smell was now clinging to the village like a disease. The hanyou's filthy stench was everywhere. Ayame sniffed again and recognized another smell. It was faint, but her nose caught it. Underlying that of the hanyou's was Watari's. This confused her. Why would his smell be within the village. InuYasha also took a good wiff of the air and he too growled loudy.
"Naraku!" He growled. "That bastard! I'll kill him!"
'So, Naraku is his name? It seems that InuYasha and I now share a common enemy.' Thought Ayame.
Her thoughts were inturupted, however, by the irritating laughter coming from ahead of them.
"Ku ku ku ku ku. So, it seems we meet again demoness. And you too InuYasha."
"Naraku you bastard! How could you do this? The village did not have any jewel shards and posed no threat to you. So why would you attack them and not just come for us?" Demanded InuYasha.
"Because I was asked to destroy the village. It was a little favor I had to repay. But now that it's done I can start back up with obtaining the jewel shards. Starting with yours!"
Naraku then lunged at the group who all dodged it. Kagome told Shippo to get to a safe spot and he followed her orders. Miroku was about to use his wind tunnel when the buzzing of insects reached his ears. Cursing under his breath, he attacked them with his staff. Sango and InuYasha were constantly attacking Naraku, while Kagome was firing arrows. Ayame, however, kept her eyes on the destruction of her second home. Her eyes scanning every inch, taking in every dead body. Her gaze stopped on the small bleeding forms of Sakura and Takune, only two of the children that were murdered.
'I never even got to tell them my story. And now they will never get to hear it.' Were Ayame's thoughts.
Ayame was once again overcome with anger and red bleed into her eyes. Her demon side was taking over and she made no attempt to restrain it. She rushed at the figure in the baboon pelt, the cause of all this destruction. Naraku wasn't expecting the attack and was unprepared for the hand that was now thrust into his abdomen.
"You will pay for what you have done asshole. Now die!"
With that Ayame ripped her hand upward and cut Naraku in half. The body disintigrated and a wooden doll fell to the ground.
"Dammit! He sent another one of his puppets." Yelled InuYasha. "That coward."
'A puppet?' This enraged Ayame even more. 'He isn't dead. He must die, he must pay for this.'
Her demon side was still in control and Ayame needed to get away before she accidentally hurt one of the people standing near her. She ran off into the forest, blinded by her anger.
"Ayame wait!" Called out Kagome, who started to run after her.
She was stopped by InuYasha grabbing onto her arm.
"And just what did you think you were doing?"
"I was going to go help her! Now let me go."
Sighing, InuYasha spoke to Kagome and tried to get his point across. "Kagome, if I let you go after her, there is a chance she might attack you. If you didn't notice her demon side was in control. You stay here with the others, I'll go after her."
Realizing what could have happened to her, Kagome nodded her head. InuYasha took off after Ayame. However, she was far ahead of him. Ayame came to a clearing in the forest and stopped. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She heard some movement to her side and was about to attack at whatever was over there, when her limbs were suddenly paralyzed. The only movement she was allowed, was that of her head. She looked to her side and watched as Watari emerged, a huge smile plastered on his face. He approached Ayame and she in return growled.
"Come now Ayame, is that any way to thank your savior?"
"What are you talking about Watari? What did you do to me, why can't I move?"
"Just a little trick I picked up. You know, I was planning on asking Naraku to get rid of that mutt Sesshoumaru for me, but you did just fine getting rid of him yourself. So instead I asked him to destroy your village and save you from a life of servitude. You no longer have to spend your life bowing to the wishes of those humans. You can come with me now and live happily as my mate."
Repulsed at Watari's actions. Ayame spit out, "I will never be your mate Watari! You can die for all I care. You bastard how could you do that? You are no better than that damn hanyou Naraku! You are just a coward!"
Her words angered Watari and he backhanded Ayame. A trickle of blood ran down her cheek.
"Bitch! Don't you ever talk to me that way! You should be thanking me for what I have done! I have freed you and what do you do? You spit in my face and call me a coward!"
Ayame was shocked. Never had she seen Watari act this way. He had always been so kind, he would never have raised his hand at her in violence. She then realized that this wasn't Watari at all. This was a demon who had been corrupted by madness.
"You have gone mad Watari." Whispered Ayame.
"Maybe I have, but it has gotten me what I want."
He took his thumb and wiped the blood off of Ayame's cheek. Then raising it to his mouth, he licked it off of with his tongue. Ayame flinched at his touch, then felt disgusted when he licked her blood off of his thumb.
"You taste so sweet Ayame. I have wanted to do this for some time now..."
He lowerd his mouth down to meet hers and kissed her. As much as Ayame was disgusted before, she felt ten times that now. She felt one of his fangs graze across her lower lip, then sink down and nip it. He drew blood and that's what he wanted. He sucked on her lip, drinking in the blood, then when he had enough, he pulled his head back and looked into her eyes.
He slid his tongue along his lips, lapping up the remainder of her blood that still lingered upon them, then softly spoke, "Heavenly, truly heavenly."
He was cut short of his enjoyment when InuYasha finally arrived upon the scene. He took in the site before him and growled. He saw Ayame, paralyzed and eyes wide in fear. Then he saw the male youkai and could only assume that he had harmed her, judging from the smell of blood in the air and the frightened look Ayame would give him. Without further analization required, InuYasha attacked the male youkai. His first attack was unsuccessful, but after quickly striking again, his sword connected and tore through Watari. InuYasha withdrew Tetseiga and watched as the youkai hit the ground, lifeless. Free from the spell, Ayame slumped to the ground as well. The red bleed out of her vision and her eyes returned to their normal crystal blue.
"Thank you InuYasha." She spoke.
He drew his attention off of the dead corpse lying on the ground and placed it upon the living form that was on the ground.
"Your welcome." There was a short stretch of silence, then InuYasha spoke again. "I'm sorry about what happened Ayame. I'm sure that the villagers would not blame you and are in a better place now."
Ayame looked up at InuYasha and oddly her face was calm. She stood and briefly looked at Watari's lifeless body. She sneered in disgust at it, then turned and regarded InuYasha.
"I would like to go bury the villagers now. That is the least I can do for failing them. This filth, however," she gestured to Watari, "deserves to rot in the sun and have no one weep over his death."
She began to walk back to the village, followed by InuYasha. Upon arriving she found that the blazing buildings were now reduced to smoldering ashes and that Kagome, Sango, and Miroku were all busy digging graves. She felt her heart clench and silently thanked them for their kindness. Noticing the arrival of the two, Kagome stopped what she was doing and ran up and embraced Ayame.
"I'm so sorry Ayame. It's all our fault this happened. If we hadn't asked you to tell us about your past, then you could have noticed Naraku's presense and saved the village."
Ayame patted Kagome's back, then withdrew from the hug. "Please do not blame yourselves for this. It is my fault, I should have patrolled the area this morning and put a warning barrier up around the village. To make up for my mistake, I will avenge their deaths. Which leads me to a favor I would like to ask of all of you. Seeing as how we all now have a common enemy, I would like to join you on your journey and hunt down and kill this...Naraku. Will you allow me?"
Not being the ones to make the decision, the group turned toward InuYasha and awaited an answer. InuYasha was busy thinking the matter over. Ayame was skilled in fighting and strong, so having her join them would be useful. She also had nowhere to go now, seeing as how there was no way to rebuild the village and there was nothing holding her here. He came to a final decision.
He nodded his head, "Ayame, you are welcome to join us."
Ayame slightly bowed her upper half in greatfulness, "Thank you InuYasha."
For the remainder of the day they dug graves and burried the bodies of the villagers within them. Ayame placed flowers upon the graves, then knelt and prayed. She promised them that she would avenge them and she would not fail in that task. That night, no one slept and when the sun rose, it shone upon the tired faces of the group. They ate breakfast, then prepared themselves to leave. InuYasha was at the front leading the group, Kagome following with Shippo on her shoulder. Next came Sango, with Kirara at her side and Miroku right behind her. Last was Ayame. As they were leaving the village, she turned around and said her silent goodbye to the villagers and to what was left of her second home.
Now that this sad part is over with, the story should start to get happier now. Phew, finally...I don't think I could have put in any more sad parts. Sessy will show up in the next chapter, yay! Even though the way he and Ayame meet again won't be to....hmmm how to put it....heart warming. Well, you'll just have to wait and see. *Mwuhahaha* (evil laugh). *Coughs* ^_^U. You know what you have to do now...review! I hope this chapter was easier to read, even though it felt kinda weird typin it out. If you think it was better this way lemme know and I'll continue to type em out this way, despite the weirdness. If not, then I'll go back to how I was originally doing it. Until chapter seven, see ya!
~Aries