Author's Note-Here's the next chapter. In this chapter, it says that
Inuyasha can't swim. Don't think that's true, but who cares? Don't tell us
if he can or not in a review; it works this way and besides, we've already
written ahead. Anyways. . .still don't own anything. Had to beat a
substitute teacher over the head with my backpack because he was really a
demon in disguise with a Shikon shard. Had to keep Kouga from eating the
toxic food in the cafeteria and his pencil. It's been a long day. So no
suing. Please. Enjoy the fic.
"-.- . . .I am seriously hoping you had a back up plan for this, Gabri." Kisike said.
"Erm. . ." Gabriel started, thinking.
"You know you do, deep down in your heart!"
"Deep down in baloney?" Shippou asked.
"Yes!"
". . . . . . . . . . . .Well that's just dumb." Akio said.
"Dumb like a moose, Dib! Dumb like a moose!"
"What's a moose?"
". . .It's a horse with horns that's going to eat you if you all don't be quiet." Gabriel replied. He frowned as he went back into deep thought.
"Ooooh. . .fun. . ." Kisike said. There were a few moments of silence. Then, "I told you we should have done this Johnny-style."
"Oh, shut up!"
"Nope. Doom." Kisike said.
"Shippou, you can transform! Try transforming into a light bulb!" Gabriel instructed.
"O. . .kay. . ." Shippou said. He transformed into a light bulb. It was a pink light bulb, but it was a light bulb. The shadow became translucent but stayed solid.
"Shisou's magic is stronger. . ." Akio started.
"Does that mean he has Inuyasha's Shikon shards?" Gabriel muttered, mainly to himself. His eyes widened as a small bit of fire was tossed into the room. "Oh gods. . ."
The fire began to spread, slowly but surely, and surround them. "Won't you melt?" Raylin asked.
"Yes. . ." Gabriel said, looking pale.
"Be stormy!" Kouten said. A small rain cloud appeared over some of the fire. It put out the fire there, but there was still a lot more left.
"-.- Oh yeah, that helped." Raylin said sarcastically.
"If only I had my flute. . ." Kouten pouted.
They heard a cough. They all turned to Miroku as he opened his eyes. Miroku looked up, then blinked and looked around. ". . .Well this is not good. . ." he said.
"Yes it issss! No, wait. . .never mind. My brain hurts again." Kisike whined.
Shippou changed back but was still tied in shadow.
"Shisou obviously anticipated all this. . .of course, why wouldn't he? He was my sensei, he knew how I'd react to all this. . ." Gabriel muttered to himself.
"Can you use Yukitama to cut the shadow?" Kisike asked him.
"No. It's too warm in here, to say the least."
"Well, can you change into snow and get out of here? I'm sure the rest of us could find a way out of here, since we're completely flesh and bone, but you'll melt for sure." Kisike said.
"No. Not in here."
"Well, that's just dumb like a moose."
". . ."
"Foxfire!" Shippou yelled, sending his blue flames to counter the bright orange ones. The fire only worsened. "It's no use. Miroku, maybe you can use your air void and suck up the fire." he suggested.
"I would if I could, but I can't get my hand free." Miroku said.
"And all hope is lost. . ." Raylin sighed.
". . .Thanks a lot." a voice muttered. Raylin looked down to see Amanda waking up.
"Well, well, looks like the beauty sleep didn't help any." Raylin said.
Amanda coughed from smoke inhalation. "There's. . .there's a fire in here. . ." she coughed.
"What's wrong with Gabriel?" Kouten asked.
Akio looked over at Gabriel, who was limp. "Oh no! Gabriel! Gabriel!" he cried.
"He's unconscious." Raylin inspected.
"Gabriiii. . ." Kisike cried.
"I've had enough." Akio said angrily.
"Akio. . .don't. . .don't do it. . .the sunfire technique. . .it'll leave you nearly dead if it doesn't kill you. . ." Gabriel whispered weakly.
"So he's still awake after all." Raylin said.
"I have to." Akio said. Fire began to creep up his body until he was all ablaze. The shadow around him disappeared.
"Fire of this room, come to me. Fire of the north, come to me. Fire of the south, come to me. Fire of the east, come to me. Fire of the west, come to me. Fire of the mighty sun, fire above, fire that comes from the heavens, lend me your strength. . ." he chanted. As he said this chant, the fire in the room wrapped around him, until he was in the center of a pillar of fire.
He raised his hands into the air. "GO BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG!" he yelled. The fire shot through the roof, into the sky, and into the sun.. It fell dark and silent for a few moments. Akio stood like he was for a couple of seconds, burned, then collapsed to the ground.
"Akio!" Kouten cried. Some snow came blowing in through the charred holes in the wall to Gabriel to help heal him.
"A. . .ki. . .o. . ." Gabriel whispered. He frowned in concern and anger as Yukitama materialized in his hand, it now cold enough to form. He slashed through the shadow, fell to the ground, and ran over to Akio, but stopped five feet away when he felt the heat emitting from the boy. "Akio, are you alright?!" he asked.
"I. . .I'll live. . .just hurry up and get the others free." Akio said. Gabriel paused, then nodded. He slashed through the shadows. Kisike stood up.
"Well, now what?" Kisike asked.
"Now we go find Inuyasha and Bridget. No doubt Shisou has caught up to them by now, seeing as how they're not back yet." Gabriel said worriedly, looking outside.
Raylin nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's go find them." She turned to Kouten. "Kouten, watch over Akio for us, okay?"
Kouten nodded. "I will."
***
Bridget dropped her sword as Shisou let go of her wrist. She grabbed at the shadow wrapped around her throat with both of her hands. "Inuyasha. . .help. . ." she managed to say with the little air she had left.
"Let her go! Right now!" Inuyasha yelled. He watched Bridget's grip loosen on the shadow and knew that she was suffocating.
"You only have to do one thing. . .hand over the Shikon shards that you possess." Shisou hissed. Bridget's eyelids lowered as the shadow's grip tightened. Inuyasha growled in his throat.
'Kagome, please forgive me. . .' Inuyasha thought as the jewel shards slipped from his fist. Shisou laughed as they hit the ground. He out stretched his hand and a small shadow shot forth and grasped the shards. "Now keep the end of your deal." Inuyasha growled, straining on his bonds. Shisou faked a confused look.
"What deal did I agree to?" Shisou asked, he glanced down at the shards that were now in his hands. "Oh that deal. . .sorry but the contract is now invalid." Inuyasha roared in anger and pulled at his bonds. Bridget's eyes fluttered close, her hands falling limply to her sides.
***
Amanda had her hands around Gabriel's neck. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!" She screamed in his ears. Gabriel was turning blue. "How could you let Inuyasha go off when a mad shadow demon is out trying to take the shards?!"
"Lady Amanda, let go of Gabriel's neck and go find the others. . ." Miroku said putting his hand on her shoulders. Amanda dropped Gabriel to the ground were he laid there with swirly in his eyes.
"Inuyasha! Well what are we waiting for?" Amanda asked running out of the ruined temple. Everyone sweatdropped and followed the neko-jin that was running through the woods. 'Inuyasha don't you dare get killed. . .or I will never forgive you.' Amanda thought.
The others caught up to her. Through the woods, they spied a black shadow dome. Amanda ran full blast at the dome. "Amanda watch out!!!" Raylin cried out as shadow like tentacles flew out from the dome. Amanda did not stop as they flew straight at her.
Her hands started to glow red as her claws slid out of her fingertips. "Blackmoon Blaze!" She shouted and brought her hands out on to the nearest tentacle. It hissed and disappeared. She dodged the rest of the tentacles and brought the attack down directly on to the dome it self. It seemed to shatter and disappear as it fell. Inuyasha dropped to the ground and caught Bridget as she fell. Shisou sneered as he took a few steps back.
"You think you have defeated me but you are wrong. . .very wrong indeed. . ." He took the shards and pushed them in to his skin of his wrists. "You don't stand a shadow of a chance. . ." he thundered.
Amanda and the others stepped in front of Inuyasha and Bridget. Shisou suddenly flung shadows at the group. Amanda narrowly dodged one as it slashed by her face. A few strands of hair fell to the ground.
"Guys, we have a problem. . ." Raylin whimpered as she held the front of her shirt, which had a cut in it. Inuyasha growled in his throat.
"What we need is the Tetsusaiga. . ." Miroku said as he reached and grasped his rosary that sealed away his air void in his right hand.
"Do you think I don't know that?!" Inuyasha growled in frustration. He looked at Shisou. The shadow demon laughed at their attempts to work up a plan that would mean his demise.
"Do you really think that you can defeat me with you pathetic attacks?" He taunted. Raylin moved in front of Inuyasha with an arrow already placed in the taunt bow.
"Eat arrow, jerk!!!!" Raylin shouted as she let go of the arrow. It sped though the air and just as it was about to hit Shisou. It flew off in another direction. "WHA?!"
"Pitiful." Shisou said as he swept his hand toward the group. A big wall of shadow smashed in to the Inuyasha's group. They picked them selves up out of the freezing cold snow. Gabriel disappeared into the white snow. Shisou formed a fist with his right hand, a black blade forming (like Kisike's). It was his shadow sword, Tokoyami (A/N: And no, not the one off of Yu Yu Hakusho. . . -.-;)
Gabriel suddenly appeared behind him and swung at him with Yukitama. Shisou stepped aside. He raised his black blade and brought it down in the middle of Gabriel's back. The snow demon cried out and collapsed in the snow unconscious. His wound closed up with snow as the blood froze.
"Gabri!" Kisike shouted. She growled at Shisou. "You are going to die for that!"
Shisou shrugged. "So what?" Kisike rushed at him with her claws extended and teeth bared. She tried to swipe at him but received at solid blow to the back of the head and collapsed in the snow. "Lots of talk but no do."
"SHUT UP!!!" A voice said from behind him. He turned around to see Inuyasha with his deformed Tetsusaiga.
"Are you serious?" Shisou asked, raising an eyebrow. Amanda stepped in front of Inuyasha.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha demanded angrily. Amanda growled in her throat.
"Do you feel like a double team?" She asked. Inuyasha blinked.
"But the Tetsusaiga. . .?"
"Do you have any other attacks?"
"Yeah. . ."
"Then use them. . ." Amanda said as her claws extended. Inuyasha sheathed the sword and smirked. They rushed at Shisou. Amanda ran to one side of him while Inuyasha ran to the other side. They leapt in to the air and screamed their attacks (A/N: Inuyasha did his Iron Reaper Soul Stealer and Amanda did her Blackmoon Blade). They both struck Shisou head on. A small explosion covered the spot where Shisou stood. "Yes, we did it!" Amanda cheered as they fell through the air back to the ground. Suddenly a black-like spear shot through the smoke. Amanda's eyes went wide as it flew right at her. She screamed as it pierced her side.
"AMANDA!" Everyone screamed (A/N: Strangely enough. . . .in unison..) as she fell through the air and hit the ground. Inuyasha ran over to her and rolled her over on to her side.
"Oh god. . ." Inuyasha whispered hoarsely as he looked at her side. Blood spilled onto the snow as Amanda gripped her side and looked up at him. She smiled weakly before collapsing.
Inuyasha stood up and gripped the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. He turned to face Shisou. "Oh, what's the matter? Did I hurt your friend?" Shisou taunted as Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga. Fire was evident in his eyes.
"You will pay dearly. . ." Inuyasha growled. The hilt of Tetsusaiga flickered gold, transforming. He rushed at Shisou. "Take this! My love. . .my anger.and all of my sorrow!!" He struck Shisou in the arm with the Tetsusaiga. The shadow demon hissed and shrunk back a few steps.
The two rushed at each other and their swords met. There was a bright flash of light that blinded everyone. When everyone could see Inuyasha and Shisou, they were standing with their backs to each other and down on one knee. Inuyasha grunted and a thin line of blood streamed down his face from a small knick in his cheek. Shisou fell over and before he touched the ground, he disappeared in a wisp of black smoke and was gone. . .and the Shikon jewel shards fell to the ground.
Inuyasha sighed and stood up, slowly sheathing the Tetsusaiga. "That should have gotten you. . .shadow demon or not, there's no way you could have withstood an attack like that."
"Don't. . .don't be stupid. . ." Kisike said weakly as she awoke. She sat up. "That's what always happens. . .don't you know. . .? It's the laws of anime. . .and since I've never been in a situation like this in the real world, I'm guessing it's the laws of anime apply to the real world too. . ."
Inuyasha looked down at her. "What lunacy are you babbling on about?"
Kisike sighed. "The good guy or the bad guy always reserves their strongest attack for the last moment. They use it, their opponent disappears, and the attacker is like 'Ahaha. . .I killed him. . .yay. . .' and everyone starts celebrating, then the good guy or bad guy comes back to life and throws this attack that either destroys the earth or the hero or villain, then the hero or villain uses an even STRONGER attack that just gets thrown back at them and kills them. Usually the villain. If you haven't prepared for this, then doom on you!" Kisike explained.
Her eyes narrowed. "Doom on you. . .doom on you. . ." she said ominously, edging towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha sweatdropped and took a couple steps back. ". . .Get away from me. . ." He shook his head. "Besides. I really doubt that's going to happen." He said as he bent down to pick up the jewel shards.
Suddenly, shadow sprung from the ground and wrapped around him, then sent him flying into a tree and bound him to it. "You should have listened to the girl. Do you really think you could have taken care of me so easily?" Shisou's voice said as the Shikon shards covered with shadow.
". . .You know how easy this would be if only we had a couple of machine guns?" Raylin said. Everyone sweatdropped.
"What's a machine gun?" Miroku asked.
". . .I'll explain later."
"Okay."
The shadows covering the shards suddenly shot up in a column, then went to humanoid form. The details appeared and the shadow turned to flesh, revealing Shisou.
"Don't you ever die?!" Inuyasha half growled, half yelled.
"You should know that you can never destroy shadow. Not with light, not with darkness. Shadow can live physically in darkness and mentally in the evil of a person's heart. It is immortal, and so am I, unlike any dog." Shisou said.
"Blah, blah, blah. You're all talk unless you can back up your words." Inuyasha shot back.
"Oh, I believe I already have." Shisou said, grinning maliciously, looking over at Amanda, then Gabriel, then Kisike, then Bridget, then back to Inuyasha. The bonds around Inuyasha suddenly tightened, almost to the point of cracking a few of his ribs. Inuyasha cried out.
Gabriel looked weakly up at Shisou. 'How did he become so evil. . .? When? And how do we stop him. . .what's his weakness. . .?' he wondered. His eyes suddenly widened as a flashback came to him.
*flashback*
"Boy. You can do much better than that. Try it again." Shisou scolded.
Six year-old Gabriel looked up at him as he stood on the ice of the frozen lake. "I'm sorry, sensei, but I just can't fight on the ice. It's just too slippery." he said in defeat.
"Don't be stupid, this is your element." Shisou snapped. "Become one with the ice. You don't have time to think in a battle, only to react. I'm not trying to teach you how to figure skate, I'm trying to teach you how to fight."
"But why are we fighting on the ice?"
"It is best to be able to fight on any kind of terrain, including ice. You are the demon of the snow. If anything, it gives your OPPONENT a disadvantage when fighting on the ice, and you want them to have that."
"But why be used to any terrain if I can just fly?"
"There may come a day when you may just need this advantage. Now enough with the chatter! We will return to lessons now."
They sparred for awhile, until Shisou said that it was about time to go back to the temple. "Come on, boy. Let's go." Shisou said, walking ahead. Gabriel stood rooted to his spot.
"What are you just standing there for? Come on." Shisou said, continuing and not turning around. His foot suddenly set down on a patch of thin ice and he fell through.
"Shisou-san! Shisou-san!" Gabriel yelled, running over to the hole where his drowning teacher was gripping the edge of the hole. He grabbed Shisou's wrist and pulled him out of the water.
"Do not touch me." Shisou ordered as he saw Gabriel approach him. Gabriel stopped.
"But-"
"Do not. If you do, you may freeze the water on me. I can defeat anything but ice. If trapped in ice, shadow will be unable to penetrate it and I would not be able to escape." Shisou said.
Gabriel nodded, understanding.
*end of flashback*
Shisou's words echoed through Gabriel's head. 'That's it. . .I need to freeze him in ice. . .' Gabriel thought. Yukitama appeared in his hand and he used that to help him stand. Shisou heard him stand and turned around.
"It would be best if you got back on the ground, boy." he said.
"I won't let you win with these unfair odds! I challenge you to a duel!" Gabriel said, already feeling drained of energy.
"A duel?" Shisou mused in a quiet voice. "You speak as if you believe that you could defeat me."
"Maybe I can." Gabriel said, hoping that he sounded confident.
Shisou raised an eyebrow. "What insolence. . . Alright. Right here and now?"
"Yeah, now. But not here. Follow me." Gabriel said.
Inuyasha felt the bonds slacken, then disappear. He watched Shisou follow Gabriel through the woods. "Where are those to going off to. . .?" he asked. He walked over to Amanda, picked her up, and followed.
Bridget began to wake up. "What happened. . .?" she asked weakly.
"Stuff." Kisike said, standing up and following Gabriel. "Lets go."
Bridget blinked, stood up, and followed them and Miroku, Shippou, and Raylin.
Gabriel motioned her over. Bridget blinked again and ran over. "What?" she asked.
"I know you can see the Shikon shards, so where are they now?" Gabriel asked.
Bridget looked over at Shisou. Five points glowed on Shisou's right hand and through his sleeve. "They're on his right arm. The biggest is on his hand." she replied. Gabriel nodded.
"Alright. Thanks."
They all walked and eventually got to a frozen lake. Shisou snickered. "You want to fight here? On the ice, the place you have never succeeded on fighting on before?"
"Yeah. I do." Gabriel said.
"Well, then, come on. Let's hurry this up so that your demise will be met along with your friends quickly." Shisou sighed.
Gabriel nodded and walked slowly onto the ice, Shisou following. They stopped about six feet away from each other. "Whenever you're ready." Gabriel said. Shisou hesitated, then nodded. He charged at Gabriel with a punch.
Gabriel barely dodged. He threw a kick, but that was dodged more easily.
"Gabri's gonna get killed out there! What's he doing?!" Kisike demanded as she stood on the shore.
Everybody was silent, until Inuyasha finally said, "I get it. It's the terrain. Gabriel's the demon of snow and ice. It's his element. Shisou probably can't fight on ice."
At that moment, Gabriel dodged a punch and slipped. Kisike looked over at Inuyasha. ". . .You were saying?" she said sarcastically.
Gabriel stood up. "Well, I suppose that you haven't gotten any better at fighting on the ice, have you?" Shisou said.
Gabriel frowned. 'I hope I can get this to work. . .' he thought worriedly. "I have! I've been training." he shot back.
"Well you don't show it. Oh well. The easier this fight is for me." Shisou said, charging at Gabriel. He punched Gabriel in the face. Gabriel flew back across the ice and separated into snow. He reformed behind Shisou and kicked him in the back of the neck.
Shisou flew forward and skidded to a stop a few feet away. "Good. You're beginning to focus a bit." he said. There was a sudden crack. Shisou's eyes widened as the ice cracked and he slowly fell through.
Gabriel, able to walk on thin ice, ran forward and cut off Shisou's right arm before it sank. The rest of Shisou fell through. Sure that that wasn't enough to kill him, Gabriel grabbed his flailing left hand that was sticking out of the water to pull him out and freeze him.
"Not this time, boy." Shisou sputtered, pulling. Gabriel slid closer to hole, knowing that he could drown since he couldn't swim. A small hand from above grabbed his left sleeve. Gabriel almost didn't notice until he felt the tug. He looked up to see-"Kouten! You're supposed to stay with Akio!" Gabriel scolded.
"Well, I'm not. I'm helping you." Kouten said, sitting on her cloud.
"Kouten, if I get pulled in, you'll get pulled in as well! Let go of my sleeve!"
"No! And if you force me to, I'll hate you! Forever, so there." Kouten said stubbornly.
Gabriel sweatdropped. "Like I could." he said. He was pulled closer to the hole a few more inches. "Kouten, just let go! Please!" Gabriel yelled.
"No, no, no, no, no." Kouten said. Gabriel slid a few more inches. At that point, Gabriel's arm was in the hole. The ice cracked and Gabriel fell through, Gabriel's sleeve slipping out of Kouten's hand. "Gabriel!" Kouten cried.
"Gabri!" Kisike cried. She ran to the hole and dove in after him.
"Kisike, you idiot!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Does she know how to swim?" Miroku asked doubtfully.
Bridget nodded. "Yes, she does. But that's not going to help at all if she freezes first." she said.
Raylin glared at Inuyasha. "You go after them." she said.
"What?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"You're a dog demon, right? So do the dog paddle!"
"One: I'm half dog demon. Two: Dog paddle? What is that, some kind of pun or joke? And three: Despite the fact that I'm half dog demon, doesn't mean I swim like a dog. I don't know how to swim, period."
Author's Note-*answering machine comes on* *Jessica's voice* We aren't able to come to the phone at the moment because we're at school, but heck, try to contact us anyway. Leave us a review. As for letting Kouga stay in our group. . .I dunno yet. We'll have to discuss it. ^ ^; Wait. . . *sighs* . . .Hold on a minute. . . *calls over to Kisike* Kisike, what are you do- Hey! Don't toss the phone out the window! *a crash is heard* *Kisike's voice in the background* Hey, I was seeing if the theory of gravity was really true. *Bridget's voice* With my phone?! Throw yourself out the window. It'll make a lot of people really happy. Hey! Get away from that answering machine! *sounds of the answering machine being picked up* *Kisike's voice* Alright people. Shut up. I'll be making the decisions. ^ ^; Just kidding! Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but I gotta run. . .literally. . .so just leave a review at the sound of the beep. *beep sounds*
"-.- . . .I am seriously hoping you had a back up plan for this, Gabri." Kisike said.
"Erm. . ." Gabriel started, thinking.
"You know you do, deep down in your heart!"
"Deep down in baloney?" Shippou asked.
"Yes!"
". . . . . . . . . . . .Well that's just dumb." Akio said.
"Dumb like a moose, Dib! Dumb like a moose!"
"What's a moose?"
". . .It's a horse with horns that's going to eat you if you all don't be quiet." Gabriel replied. He frowned as he went back into deep thought.
"Ooooh. . .fun. . ." Kisike said. There were a few moments of silence. Then, "I told you we should have done this Johnny-style."
"Oh, shut up!"
"Nope. Doom." Kisike said.
"Shippou, you can transform! Try transforming into a light bulb!" Gabriel instructed.
"O. . .kay. . ." Shippou said. He transformed into a light bulb. It was a pink light bulb, but it was a light bulb. The shadow became translucent but stayed solid.
"Shisou's magic is stronger. . ." Akio started.
"Does that mean he has Inuyasha's Shikon shards?" Gabriel muttered, mainly to himself. His eyes widened as a small bit of fire was tossed into the room. "Oh gods. . ."
The fire began to spread, slowly but surely, and surround them. "Won't you melt?" Raylin asked.
"Yes. . ." Gabriel said, looking pale.
"Be stormy!" Kouten said. A small rain cloud appeared over some of the fire. It put out the fire there, but there was still a lot more left.
"-.- Oh yeah, that helped." Raylin said sarcastically.
"If only I had my flute. . ." Kouten pouted.
They heard a cough. They all turned to Miroku as he opened his eyes. Miroku looked up, then blinked and looked around. ". . .Well this is not good. . ." he said.
"Yes it issss! No, wait. . .never mind. My brain hurts again." Kisike whined.
Shippou changed back but was still tied in shadow.
"Shisou obviously anticipated all this. . .of course, why wouldn't he? He was my sensei, he knew how I'd react to all this. . ." Gabriel muttered to himself.
"Can you use Yukitama to cut the shadow?" Kisike asked him.
"No. It's too warm in here, to say the least."
"Well, can you change into snow and get out of here? I'm sure the rest of us could find a way out of here, since we're completely flesh and bone, but you'll melt for sure." Kisike said.
"No. Not in here."
"Well, that's just dumb like a moose."
". . ."
"Foxfire!" Shippou yelled, sending his blue flames to counter the bright orange ones. The fire only worsened. "It's no use. Miroku, maybe you can use your air void and suck up the fire." he suggested.
"I would if I could, but I can't get my hand free." Miroku said.
"And all hope is lost. . ." Raylin sighed.
". . .Thanks a lot." a voice muttered. Raylin looked down to see Amanda waking up.
"Well, well, looks like the beauty sleep didn't help any." Raylin said.
Amanda coughed from smoke inhalation. "There's. . .there's a fire in here. . ." she coughed.
"What's wrong with Gabriel?" Kouten asked.
Akio looked over at Gabriel, who was limp. "Oh no! Gabriel! Gabriel!" he cried.
"He's unconscious." Raylin inspected.
"Gabriiii. . ." Kisike cried.
"I've had enough." Akio said angrily.
"Akio. . .don't. . .don't do it. . .the sunfire technique. . .it'll leave you nearly dead if it doesn't kill you. . ." Gabriel whispered weakly.
"So he's still awake after all." Raylin said.
"I have to." Akio said. Fire began to creep up his body until he was all ablaze. The shadow around him disappeared.
"Fire of this room, come to me. Fire of the north, come to me. Fire of the south, come to me. Fire of the east, come to me. Fire of the west, come to me. Fire of the mighty sun, fire above, fire that comes from the heavens, lend me your strength. . ." he chanted. As he said this chant, the fire in the room wrapped around him, until he was in the center of a pillar of fire.
He raised his hands into the air. "GO BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG!" he yelled. The fire shot through the roof, into the sky, and into the sun.. It fell dark and silent for a few moments. Akio stood like he was for a couple of seconds, burned, then collapsed to the ground.
"Akio!" Kouten cried. Some snow came blowing in through the charred holes in the wall to Gabriel to help heal him.
"A. . .ki. . .o. . ." Gabriel whispered. He frowned in concern and anger as Yukitama materialized in his hand, it now cold enough to form. He slashed through the shadow, fell to the ground, and ran over to Akio, but stopped five feet away when he felt the heat emitting from the boy. "Akio, are you alright?!" he asked.
"I. . .I'll live. . .just hurry up and get the others free." Akio said. Gabriel paused, then nodded. He slashed through the shadows. Kisike stood up.
"Well, now what?" Kisike asked.
"Now we go find Inuyasha and Bridget. No doubt Shisou has caught up to them by now, seeing as how they're not back yet." Gabriel said worriedly, looking outside.
Raylin nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Let's go find them." She turned to Kouten. "Kouten, watch over Akio for us, okay?"
Kouten nodded. "I will."
***
Bridget dropped her sword as Shisou let go of her wrist. She grabbed at the shadow wrapped around her throat with both of her hands. "Inuyasha. . .help. . ." she managed to say with the little air she had left.
"Let her go! Right now!" Inuyasha yelled. He watched Bridget's grip loosen on the shadow and knew that she was suffocating.
"You only have to do one thing. . .hand over the Shikon shards that you possess." Shisou hissed. Bridget's eyelids lowered as the shadow's grip tightened. Inuyasha growled in his throat.
'Kagome, please forgive me. . .' Inuyasha thought as the jewel shards slipped from his fist. Shisou laughed as they hit the ground. He out stretched his hand and a small shadow shot forth and grasped the shards. "Now keep the end of your deal." Inuyasha growled, straining on his bonds. Shisou faked a confused look.
"What deal did I agree to?" Shisou asked, he glanced down at the shards that were now in his hands. "Oh that deal. . .sorry but the contract is now invalid." Inuyasha roared in anger and pulled at his bonds. Bridget's eyes fluttered close, her hands falling limply to her sides.
***
Amanda had her hands around Gabriel's neck. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!" She screamed in his ears. Gabriel was turning blue. "How could you let Inuyasha go off when a mad shadow demon is out trying to take the shards?!"
"Lady Amanda, let go of Gabriel's neck and go find the others. . ." Miroku said putting his hand on her shoulders. Amanda dropped Gabriel to the ground were he laid there with swirly in his eyes.
"Inuyasha! Well what are we waiting for?" Amanda asked running out of the ruined temple. Everyone sweatdropped and followed the neko-jin that was running through the woods. 'Inuyasha don't you dare get killed. . .or I will never forgive you.' Amanda thought.
The others caught up to her. Through the woods, they spied a black shadow dome. Amanda ran full blast at the dome. "Amanda watch out!!!" Raylin cried out as shadow like tentacles flew out from the dome. Amanda did not stop as they flew straight at her.
Her hands started to glow red as her claws slid out of her fingertips. "Blackmoon Blaze!" She shouted and brought her hands out on to the nearest tentacle. It hissed and disappeared. She dodged the rest of the tentacles and brought the attack down directly on to the dome it self. It seemed to shatter and disappear as it fell. Inuyasha dropped to the ground and caught Bridget as she fell. Shisou sneered as he took a few steps back.
"You think you have defeated me but you are wrong. . .very wrong indeed. . ." He took the shards and pushed them in to his skin of his wrists. "You don't stand a shadow of a chance. . ." he thundered.
Amanda and the others stepped in front of Inuyasha and Bridget. Shisou suddenly flung shadows at the group. Amanda narrowly dodged one as it slashed by her face. A few strands of hair fell to the ground.
"Guys, we have a problem. . ." Raylin whimpered as she held the front of her shirt, which had a cut in it. Inuyasha growled in his throat.
"What we need is the Tetsusaiga. . ." Miroku said as he reached and grasped his rosary that sealed away his air void in his right hand.
"Do you think I don't know that?!" Inuyasha growled in frustration. He looked at Shisou. The shadow demon laughed at their attempts to work up a plan that would mean his demise.
"Do you really think that you can defeat me with you pathetic attacks?" He taunted. Raylin moved in front of Inuyasha with an arrow already placed in the taunt bow.
"Eat arrow, jerk!!!!" Raylin shouted as she let go of the arrow. It sped though the air and just as it was about to hit Shisou. It flew off in another direction. "WHA?!"
"Pitiful." Shisou said as he swept his hand toward the group. A big wall of shadow smashed in to the Inuyasha's group. They picked them selves up out of the freezing cold snow. Gabriel disappeared into the white snow. Shisou formed a fist with his right hand, a black blade forming (like Kisike's). It was his shadow sword, Tokoyami (A/N: And no, not the one off of Yu Yu Hakusho. . . -.-;)
Gabriel suddenly appeared behind him and swung at him with Yukitama. Shisou stepped aside. He raised his black blade and brought it down in the middle of Gabriel's back. The snow demon cried out and collapsed in the snow unconscious. His wound closed up with snow as the blood froze.
"Gabri!" Kisike shouted. She growled at Shisou. "You are going to die for that!"
Shisou shrugged. "So what?" Kisike rushed at him with her claws extended and teeth bared. She tried to swipe at him but received at solid blow to the back of the head and collapsed in the snow. "Lots of talk but no do."
"SHUT UP!!!" A voice said from behind him. He turned around to see Inuyasha with his deformed Tetsusaiga.
"Are you serious?" Shisou asked, raising an eyebrow. Amanda stepped in front of Inuyasha.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha demanded angrily. Amanda growled in her throat.
"Do you feel like a double team?" She asked. Inuyasha blinked.
"But the Tetsusaiga. . .?"
"Do you have any other attacks?"
"Yeah. . ."
"Then use them. . ." Amanda said as her claws extended. Inuyasha sheathed the sword and smirked. They rushed at Shisou. Amanda ran to one side of him while Inuyasha ran to the other side. They leapt in to the air and screamed their attacks (A/N: Inuyasha did his Iron Reaper Soul Stealer and Amanda did her Blackmoon Blade). They both struck Shisou head on. A small explosion covered the spot where Shisou stood. "Yes, we did it!" Amanda cheered as they fell through the air back to the ground. Suddenly a black-like spear shot through the smoke. Amanda's eyes went wide as it flew right at her. She screamed as it pierced her side.
"AMANDA!" Everyone screamed (A/N: Strangely enough. . . .in unison..) as she fell through the air and hit the ground. Inuyasha ran over to her and rolled her over on to her side.
"Oh god. . ." Inuyasha whispered hoarsely as he looked at her side. Blood spilled onto the snow as Amanda gripped her side and looked up at him. She smiled weakly before collapsing.
Inuyasha stood up and gripped the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. He turned to face Shisou. "Oh, what's the matter? Did I hurt your friend?" Shisou taunted as Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga. Fire was evident in his eyes.
"You will pay dearly. . ." Inuyasha growled. The hilt of Tetsusaiga flickered gold, transforming. He rushed at Shisou. "Take this! My love. . .my anger.and all of my sorrow!!" He struck Shisou in the arm with the Tetsusaiga. The shadow demon hissed and shrunk back a few steps.
The two rushed at each other and their swords met. There was a bright flash of light that blinded everyone. When everyone could see Inuyasha and Shisou, they were standing with their backs to each other and down on one knee. Inuyasha grunted and a thin line of blood streamed down his face from a small knick in his cheek. Shisou fell over and before he touched the ground, he disappeared in a wisp of black smoke and was gone. . .and the Shikon jewel shards fell to the ground.
Inuyasha sighed and stood up, slowly sheathing the Tetsusaiga. "That should have gotten you. . .shadow demon or not, there's no way you could have withstood an attack like that."
"Don't. . .don't be stupid. . ." Kisike said weakly as she awoke. She sat up. "That's what always happens. . .don't you know. . .? It's the laws of anime. . .and since I've never been in a situation like this in the real world, I'm guessing it's the laws of anime apply to the real world too. . ."
Inuyasha looked down at her. "What lunacy are you babbling on about?"
Kisike sighed. "The good guy or the bad guy always reserves their strongest attack for the last moment. They use it, their opponent disappears, and the attacker is like 'Ahaha. . .I killed him. . .yay. . .' and everyone starts celebrating, then the good guy or bad guy comes back to life and throws this attack that either destroys the earth or the hero or villain, then the hero or villain uses an even STRONGER attack that just gets thrown back at them and kills them. Usually the villain. If you haven't prepared for this, then doom on you!" Kisike explained.
Her eyes narrowed. "Doom on you. . .doom on you. . ." she said ominously, edging towards Inuyasha.
Inuyasha sweatdropped and took a couple steps back. ". . .Get away from me. . ." He shook his head. "Besides. I really doubt that's going to happen." He said as he bent down to pick up the jewel shards.
Suddenly, shadow sprung from the ground and wrapped around him, then sent him flying into a tree and bound him to it. "You should have listened to the girl. Do you really think you could have taken care of me so easily?" Shisou's voice said as the Shikon shards covered with shadow.
". . .You know how easy this would be if only we had a couple of machine guns?" Raylin said. Everyone sweatdropped.
"What's a machine gun?" Miroku asked.
". . .I'll explain later."
"Okay."
The shadows covering the shards suddenly shot up in a column, then went to humanoid form. The details appeared and the shadow turned to flesh, revealing Shisou.
"Don't you ever die?!" Inuyasha half growled, half yelled.
"You should know that you can never destroy shadow. Not with light, not with darkness. Shadow can live physically in darkness and mentally in the evil of a person's heart. It is immortal, and so am I, unlike any dog." Shisou said.
"Blah, blah, blah. You're all talk unless you can back up your words." Inuyasha shot back.
"Oh, I believe I already have." Shisou said, grinning maliciously, looking over at Amanda, then Gabriel, then Kisike, then Bridget, then back to Inuyasha. The bonds around Inuyasha suddenly tightened, almost to the point of cracking a few of his ribs. Inuyasha cried out.
Gabriel looked weakly up at Shisou. 'How did he become so evil. . .? When? And how do we stop him. . .what's his weakness. . .?' he wondered. His eyes suddenly widened as a flashback came to him.
*flashback*
"Boy. You can do much better than that. Try it again." Shisou scolded.
Six year-old Gabriel looked up at him as he stood on the ice of the frozen lake. "I'm sorry, sensei, but I just can't fight on the ice. It's just too slippery." he said in defeat.
"Don't be stupid, this is your element." Shisou snapped. "Become one with the ice. You don't have time to think in a battle, only to react. I'm not trying to teach you how to figure skate, I'm trying to teach you how to fight."
"But why are we fighting on the ice?"
"It is best to be able to fight on any kind of terrain, including ice. You are the demon of the snow. If anything, it gives your OPPONENT a disadvantage when fighting on the ice, and you want them to have that."
"But why be used to any terrain if I can just fly?"
"There may come a day when you may just need this advantage. Now enough with the chatter! We will return to lessons now."
They sparred for awhile, until Shisou said that it was about time to go back to the temple. "Come on, boy. Let's go." Shisou said, walking ahead. Gabriel stood rooted to his spot.
"What are you just standing there for? Come on." Shisou said, continuing and not turning around. His foot suddenly set down on a patch of thin ice and he fell through.
"Shisou-san! Shisou-san!" Gabriel yelled, running over to the hole where his drowning teacher was gripping the edge of the hole. He grabbed Shisou's wrist and pulled him out of the water.
"Do not touch me." Shisou ordered as he saw Gabriel approach him. Gabriel stopped.
"But-"
"Do not. If you do, you may freeze the water on me. I can defeat anything but ice. If trapped in ice, shadow will be unable to penetrate it and I would not be able to escape." Shisou said.
Gabriel nodded, understanding.
*end of flashback*
Shisou's words echoed through Gabriel's head. 'That's it. . .I need to freeze him in ice. . .' Gabriel thought. Yukitama appeared in his hand and he used that to help him stand. Shisou heard him stand and turned around.
"It would be best if you got back on the ground, boy." he said.
"I won't let you win with these unfair odds! I challenge you to a duel!" Gabriel said, already feeling drained of energy.
"A duel?" Shisou mused in a quiet voice. "You speak as if you believe that you could defeat me."
"Maybe I can." Gabriel said, hoping that he sounded confident.
Shisou raised an eyebrow. "What insolence. . . Alright. Right here and now?"
"Yeah, now. But not here. Follow me." Gabriel said.
Inuyasha felt the bonds slacken, then disappear. He watched Shisou follow Gabriel through the woods. "Where are those to going off to. . .?" he asked. He walked over to Amanda, picked her up, and followed.
Bridget began to wake up. "What happened. . .?" she asked weakly.
"Stuff." Kisike said, standing up and following Gabriel. "Lets go."
Bridget blinked, stood up, and followed them and Miroku, Shippou, and Raylin.
Gabriel motioned her over. Bridget blinked again and ran over. "What?" she asked.
"I know you can see the Shikon shards, so where are they now?" Gabriel asked.
Bridget looked over at Shisou. Five points glowed on Shisou's right hand and through his sleeve. "They're on his right arm. The biggest is on his hand." she replied. Gabriel nodded.
"Alright. Thanks."
They all walked and eventually got to a frozen lake. Shisou snickered. "You want to fight here? On the ice, the place you have never succeeded on fighting on before?"
"Yeah. I do." Gabriel said.
"Well, then, come on. Let's hurry this up so that your demise will be met along with your friends quickly." Shisou sighed.
Gabriel nodded and walked slowly onto the ice, Shisou following. They stopped about six feet away from each other. "Whenever you're ready." Gabriel said. Shisou hesitated, then nodded. He charged at Gabriel with a punch.
Gabriel barely dodged. He threw a kick, but that was dodged more easily.
"Gabri's gonna get killed out there! What's he doing?!" Kisike demanded as she stood on the shore.
Everybody was silent, until Inuyasha finally said, "I get it. It's the terrain. Gabriel's the demon of snow and ice. It's his element. Shisou probably can't fight on ice."
At that moment, Gabriel dodged a punch and slipped. Kisike looked over at Inuyasha. ". . .You were saying?" she said sarcastically.
Gabriel stood up. "Well, I suppose that you haven't gotten any better at fighting on the ice, have you?" Shisou said.
Gabriel frowned. 'I hope I can get this to work. . .' he thought worriedly. "I have! I've been training." he shot back.
"Well you don't show it. Oh well. The easier this fight is for me." Shisou said, charging at Gabriel. He punched Gabriel in the face. Gabriel flew back across the ice and separated into snow. He reformed behind Shisou and kicked him in the back of the neck.
Shisou flew forward and skidded to a stop a few feet away. "Good. You're beginning to focus a bit." he said. There was a sudden crack. Shisou's eyes widened as the ice cracked and he slowly fell through.
Gabriel, able to walk on thin ice, ran forward and cut off Shisou's right arm before it sank. The rest of Shisou fell through. Sure that that wasn't enough to kill him, Gabriel grabbed his flailing left hand that was sticking out of the water to pull him out and freeze him.
"Not this time, boy." Shisou sputtered, pulling. Gabriel slid closer to hole, knowing that he could drown since he couldn't swim. A small hand from above grabbed his left sleeve. Gabriel almost didn't notice until he felt the tug. He looked up to see-"Kouten! You're supposed to stay with Akio!" Gabriel scolded.
"Well, I'm not. I'm helping you." Kouten said, sitting on her cloud.
"Kouten, if I get pulled in, you'll get pulled in as well! Let go of my sleeve!"
"No! And if you force me to, I'll hate you! Forever, so there." Kouten said stubbornly.
Gabriel sweatdropped. "Like I could." he said. He was pulled closer to the hole a few more inches. "Kouten, just let go! Please!" Gabriel yelled.
"No, no, no, no, no." Kouten said. Gabriel slid a few more inches. At that point, Gabriel's arm was in the hole. The ice cracked and Gabriel fell through, Gabriel's sleeve slipping out of Kouten's hand. "Gabriel!" Kouten cried.
"Gabri!" Kisike cried. She ran to the hole and dove in after him.
"Kisike, you idiot!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Does she know how to swim?" Miroku asked doubtfully.
Bridget nodded. "Yes, she does. But that's not going to help at all if she freezes first." she said.
Raylin glared at Inuyasha. "You go after them." she said.
"What?!" Inuyasha demanded.
"You're a dog demon, right? So do the dog paddle!"
"One: I'm half dog demon. Two: Dog paddle? What is that, some kind of pun or joke? And three: Despite the fact that I'm half dog demon, doesn't mean I swim like a dog. I don't know how to swim, period."
Author's Note-*answering machine comes on* *Jessica's voice* We aren't able to come to the phone at the moment because we're at school, but heck, try to contact us anyway. Leave us a review. As for letting Kouga stay in our group. . .I dunno yet. We'll have to discuss it. ^ ^; Wait. . . *sighs* . . .Hold on a minute. . . *calls over to Kisike* Kisike, what are you do- Hey! Don't toss the phone out the window! *a crash is heard* *Kisike's voice in the background* Hey, I was seeing if the theory of gravity was really true. *Bridget's voice* With my phone?! Throw yourself out the window. It'll make a lot of people really happy. Hey! Get away from that answering machine! *sounds of the answering machine being picked up* *Kisike's voice* Alright people. Shut up. I'll be making the decisions. ^ ^; Just kidding! Well, I wish I could stay and chat, but I gotta run. . .literally. . .so just leave a review at the sound of the beep. *beep sounds*