New chapter alert! This one's my longest ever at just over 11 pages!! Someone complained about my chapters being too short, so I merged this and the next one together. Enjoy!
Oh, and a word of warning. This chapter doesn't end too well, so just keep reading the story and everything will work out.
Chapter 34: Clash Of The Titans
"What a rotten night." Tobias's voice floated from the crack between the door and the wall, only to be caught by Inuyasha's sensitive ears. He smirked. I don't know about you, but I had a terrific night, he thought. He turned to Kagome as they walked into the living room.
"Kagome..." he began. "Mate...I have a question."
"What?" Kagome got out a bag of chips and a big bowl to put them in. "What is it?"
"About our...mating, just now. Why did you..."
"Why was I so quick to?" Inuyasha nodded. She smiled. "I've been thinking about you ever since we left." Inuyasha's smirk grew bigger. She was fantasizing about him? That was a change, to be sure. "I've never felt this way before...and we'd been apart for too long. I...I wanted to feel you again." Inuyasha's smirk grew so wide it was having trouble staying on his face.
Before Inuyasha had a chance to say anything, a series of thumps emanated from the hallway, before ending in a crash at the foot of the stairs. Tobias sat up, looking dazed.
"What idiot put stairs at the end of the hallway?" he croaked. Inuyasha roared with laughter as he pulled himself into a standing position. "Yeah, laugh it up. Next time I'll shoot you ten million times and see how graceful you are."
"SIT!"
Thump.
"OW!"
Grumbling, Inuyasha waited for the spell to release him as Kagome helped Tobias into a chair. Kagome began to move her lips. To Tobias, it looked like she was just mouthing things. But Inuyasha's keen ears caught every word she whispered.
"I know you can hear me, Inuyasha. Just because we're mates doesn't mean I'll let you get away with mean things like that! And it doesn't mean I'll never sit you again!" Tobias stared at her.
"Are you saying something...?"
Kagome blinked. "No, nothing. Just talking to myself." She turned to Tobias. "We've been here for a lot longer than I thought...when will you be ready to go back to the past?"
"Hm?" Tobias stirred. "I think by morning, I should be fine." He stood up, wobbled a little, then steadied himself. "I came down because I'm starving to death."
"Didn't you eat like a hundred pounds of popcorn and junk at the movies a few hours ago?" said Kagome, puzzled.
Tobias gave her an even look. "Don't you think that running around, energy drain, and blood loss would tend to make a person hungry?"
"I guess you're right..." murmured Kagome. She headed for the fridge, but before she could get there Kagome's mother walked in. She was in a robe and had a cup of coffee. She gasped as she looked at Tobias.
"What happened?" she said breathlessly.
"Let's see..." Tobias began tallying off on his fingers. "Thirty-seven machine gun bullets, fifty-two handgun bullets, eight armor-piercing sniper rounds, seventy-six assorted sword and knife wounds, massive energy draining, and the fire and shrapnel of a shoulder-mounted Stinger missile." He turned to her. "I think that does it," he said dryly.
Kagome's mother sat down heavily. She clasped a hand to her forehead. "And you're still alive...?" she whispered. Inuyasha, she knew, could take this kind of punishment, but Tobias was a human! At least, she thought he was...
"I'm a tough old sea dog," Tobias remarked. "Any chance of some grub?"
"It's 2:00 in the morning," said Kagome's mother, stifling a yawn. "You want to eat now?"
"Fair." Tobias stood up and walked slowly up the stairs. "I guess I'm in Sota's room, then," he said as he vanished upstairs. "Try not to kill each other."
Kagome's mother turned to Kagome. She was puzzled. "Doesn't he know-"
"No, Mama, he doesn't know. And we'd like to keep it that way. It's complicated," Kagome offered when her mother looked even more confused. "Some stuff happened, and...well, I'll tell you later."
"Kagome," said Inuyasha. "I think I'd better stick with you tonight. You might still be hurt, and..."
"Inuyasha, I'm fine, and you know that!"
"Mate," said Inuyasha with an edge to his voice. Kagome glared at him, but looking revealed a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "I'm not taking any chances. I can't have you hurt while we're supposed to be looking for the shards." Play along, he silently implored her.
"All right, Inuyasha. Geez, you're so overprotective sometimes," said Kagome, flouncing out of her chair and stomping towards the stairs. She gasped in surprise when Inuyasha's clawed hands caught her from behind and gently lifted her up.
"I said I'm not taking any chances. You got hit with a...gun...I think...and it did a lot of damage. Rest tonight. Tomorrow we'll leave." Inuyasha held her bridal-style as he went up the stairs.
Kagome's mother shook her head. "Those two," she said quietly. "Just how gullible do they think I am?"
Inuyasha heard this but chose not to tell Kagome. As soon as they were out of her mother's sight, Inuyasha leaned down and kissed Kagome hungrily. Her arms flew around his neck, and he lifted her closer to him. He almost tripped on the final stair, his concentration being elsewhere. He pushed open the door and laid Kagome on the bed.
"I want you again, mate," he whispered in her ear, sending electric thrills down her spine. He started to climb on top of her, but Kagome gently stopped him.
"Inuyasha, Mama was right. We really do need to rest." Inuyasha looked disappointed. "Later, mate. I promise." Her own eyes twinkled. Inuyasha grinned.
"All right, mate. But I will hold you to that," said Inuyasha, holding her to him just to prove his point. They held each other in their arms and in their hearts as they drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, as predicted, Tobias was healed perfectly. They all sat down to breakfast, having agreed to leave right afterward.
"I swear, I don't know why I hang around you two," said Tobias. "I've had more near-death experiences in the last few months with you and him than in the last thousand-" He abruptly stopped and looked down.
"Last thousand what?" Kagome asked.
"Nothing. I must have misspoken. Say, this is really good." Tobias shoveled another forkful of eggs into his mouth. "I'm hungry, but...I'm not THAT hungry," he said, indicating Inuyasha. As much as Tobias was eating, Inuyasha beat him by twelve platefuls.
Breakfast was over, goodbyes were made, stuff packed up, and eventually the three of them were gathered near the well.
"Ladies first," said Tobias, sinking into a ridiculously exaggerated bow. Kagome giggled a little as she hopped into the well. Inuyasha grinned evilly. Kagome was gone, so...the time was ripe. While Tobias was still bowing, Inuyasha reached behind him and gave him a hard shove. Cursing, Tobias tumbled into the well. Inuyasha smirked as he jumped into the well.
They all arrived at the bottom of the well together. Tobias surreptitiously elbowed Inuyasha in the stomach as he climbed out. His head poked above.
Whereupon a large, heavy object nearly knocked it right off. Tobias cursed again as he plummeted, very nearly flattening Inuyasha. Growling, Inuyasha threw off Tobias and leaped to the brim of the well to see what had happened.
At the base of the Goshinboku, dazed but whole, lay Miroku. He blinked and tried to collect his thoughts as he staggered to a standing position. In a flash, all three were at the top of the well. Inuyasha ran over.
"What the hell happened?" he demanded. Miroku only had one word.
"Naraku."
Tobias's eyebrows raised and he immediately pulled out his sword. Inuyasha similarly unsheathed Tetsusaiga with a flourish.
"Where?" growled Inuyasha. Miroku wordlessly pointed. Not too far away, in the distance, was the familiar baboon-skin hanyou dodging Sango's Hiraikotsu. Inuyasha let out a feral roar as he charged Naraku. Naraku turned, obviously surprised, but unafraid. His magical barrier reverberated with a deep ring, as if Inuyasha had struck a gong, but it made no impact on Naraku himself. Naraku flung off his baboon-skin. Now, instead of two weak humans, he faced two supremely powerful opponents and three others to boot. And he was alone.
This is not good, Naraku thought. My general has deserted me and now all my foes attack at once. No matter! He straightened up. I do not need help. I will destroy all of these humans, kill Inuyasha, and finally become a full demon. I am Naraku! I am invincible! And I will not lose! His confidence thus bolstered, he turned to the others.
"These reinforcements mean nothing," he said tonelessly. "I can defeat you all with hardly any effort...at least now I will have some fun in the doing." Inuyasha growled. Tobias glared. Both of them readied their swords. Naraku smiled evilly.
He reached behind his back; and from a shoulder harness, pulled out a sword of his own. It was jet black; curved, misshapen, and yet glittered with power.
"I shall enjoy finally killing you," he spat. Both Inuyasha and Tobias lunged at him, only to bounce off the barrier and be flung, dazed, to the ground. They leaped up, and Tobias leaned closer to Inuyasha.
"On two. Remember?" Inuyasha barely nodded. "One..." Inuyasha tensed. "TWO!" Tobias roared. They both charged Naraku, Tobias's sword blazing like a fiery brand in his fists, and both struck.
The barrier wobbled and wavered on impact. The two warriors took one step, then another, pushing against the invisible shield. They were almost there...almost there...
*SCHING!!!*
A flash of blue – moving so quickly that nobody even noticed it – sped through the battlefield. With a sound like a thousand mirrors shattering, Naraku's barrier collapsed. Naraku himself was thrown back. He stood up and leaped at them instantly, fury blazing in his eyes. His sword crashed into the two others with a...well, with a crash, I guess.
Naraku jumped over their heads and slashed Inuyasha's head with his sword. Inuyasha staggered back, but Tobias leaped into the air to meet Naraku. Tobias brought his sword down with all his might, knocking Naraku into a tree. As soon as he landed, Inuyasha was there. Inuyasha cut Naraku once across the chest, but Naraku returned with three sharp slashes to the back. Tobias came in, but was stunned by a crippling punch to the forehead. He dropped to one knee. Naraku brought his sword back, ready to decapitate him.
The flash of blue appeared again, very very briefly. Naraku staggered with a long slice ripped down his back. Thank you, Inuyasha, thought Tobias grimly as he pressed the attack.
Sango launched her Hiraikotsu at Naraku. Twisting, the demon grabbed the boomerang; and, combining its speed with his demonic strength, whipped it around and smashed it into Tobias's head. Tobias flew back and landed, stunned.
Inuyasha launched in and scratched Naraku's hand with his own sharp claws, forcing him to drop Hiraikotsu. Naraku howled and cut Inuyasha open with his sword. Tobias, now recovered, leaped to where Inuyasha was and began a furious battle. Parry, parry, thrust, the immortal passado and the punto reverso! Naraku knew something about swordplay, and he showed this by cutting a long path down Tobias's body.
As Tobias cried out in pain, Miroku sailed in and planted his staff squarely in Naraku's forehead. Naraku growled, turned, and threw Miroku off him. Miroku landed near Sango, who had recovered Hiraikotsu and was preparing to throw again.
"Why don't you use your Air Rip?" she yelled. She threw the giant boomerang into the fray.
"I can't," he said quickly. "They're too close! I might get one of them!"
Tobias's sword glowed with a fire. Flames curled at the hilt of it and flowed up the tip, into a glowing ball of flame. Tobias swung his sword and launched the fireball at Naraku; who, battling Inuyasha, didn't see it coming. He was struck head-on and tossed into the foliage. Inuyasha ran in to finish him, but he never got the chance. Naraku came roaring out and hit Inuyasha with his sword so hard that it staggered him. Naraku whirled and prepared for the finishing stroke.
A blue blur zoomed through the battlefield. Naraku fell, a deep cut in his stomach. But he almost immediately sprang back up to counter a powerful strike from Tobias. He then stumble-tripped sideways to avoid a purity arrow launched by Kagome. This gave him an idea.
Throwing aside both Tobias and Inuyasha, he made a beeline for Kagome. She shrieked and threw up her hands in an attempt to ward him off. Much to her dismay, her miko powers failed to activate, and Naraku captured her with one clawed hand.
"Give up, you two," he growled, "or she dies." He saw Tobias quail, Sango drop Hiraikotsu, Miroku gulp heavily, and Inuyasha...where was Inuyasha?
With a bellow, Inuyasha descended on Naraku and cut him wide open. Naraku lost his grip on Kagome, who fell and rapidly crawled to a more safe location. Tobias ran at Naraku, and all three swords clashed with a clang.
Naraku roared. A black light emanated from his sword, and it blossomed with power. Tobias and Inuyasha staggered under the assault, and this gave Naraku an advantage. He ducked down low and gripped Tobias's ankle. With all his strength, he swung Tobias into Inuyasha. Inuyasha hissed with pain as Tobias's armored form smashed into him. The two sailed into the trees. Tobias smacked his head on a rock and lay unconscious.
Naraku leaped at the both of them, ready to end this fight with one swift stroke. But a flicker of blue appeared, and Naraku was slammed violently off course. This was no mistake, thought Naraku, there is somebody else! But who? He did not have much time to ponder his question, as Inuyasha chose this moment to charge and hit Naraku with everything he had. The sheer power and ferocity behind this attack caused Naraku's sword to fall from his hands, and for Naraku to go flying back into the clearing with the rest. It was clear that Naraku was on his last legs, that one more good hit would finish him off for good.
With a bound, Inuyasha was back and ready. His sword gleamed in the sunlight.
Kagome strung an arrow.
Sango readied Hiraikotsu.
Miroku grasped his sacred rosary tightly.
************************************************************************
Who would be the one to strike the final blow? Inuyasha, to defeat evil? Kagome, to reunite the shards of the Shikon no Tama? Miroku, to end his curse? Sango, to avenge her town? Tune in next week, for – oh, I get ahead of myself.
************************************************************************
But nobody got the chance to strike.
The blade of a sword protruded suddenly from Naraku's chest. He gasped, choked, and slowly turned his head behind him.
"You..." he croaked.
"Indeed," said the General. "You don't know how long I've wanted to do this...my liege." He yanked out the sword. Naraku collapsed. "And for good measure..." With several more swings of the General's sword, Naraku lay in pieces. From the ruined carcass the General extracted the jewel shards. He wiped the blood off them and looked at them, a small handful.
"Fascinating..." he murmured. He then pocketed them and turned his attention to the group.
Miroku and Sango looked at him with wide eyes. "Him..." Miroku whispered.
"I regret that there is no time for introduction, as I have pressing business elsewhere. So if you please...the remaining shards of the jewel." He held out a hand.
Inuyasha snarled and raised Tetsusaiga. "Feh. You want them? Come and get them."
"I rather think I shall, then," said the General. "But it would be much easier on all of us if you would simply hand them over...I do not have the time for a protracted battle. I am needed elsewhere. Besides, it would be a terribly uneven battle and it would be no fun at all."
"You think so? Come get some!" roared Inuyasha. He leaped at the General, bringing his sword to strike. With a whirl of the General's sword, he blocked Tetsusaiga and leaped to one side. Inuyasha followed him, bringing his sword crashing down yet never seeming to connect. Inuyasha was gearing up for the Iron Reaver Soul Stealer when the General vanished.
"Huh?" Inuyasha looked around. "Where did he go?"
"While it is extremely amusing to engage in childish play such as this, Inuyasha, I have a busier schedule to attend to." The General stood on top of a tall tree, balancing perfectly on the tip. "Indeed, I was wondering when you were planning on finishing that battle with that fool Naraku. You two were so inept about it that I was forced to step in several times to assist you. Likely the only time we will ever fight side by side..."
"How did he get up there?" growled Inuyasha. "Can he teleport?" he said, glancing at Kagome.
"Teleport?" The General raised an eyebrow. "Teleportation is only used for extreme distances. Such short leaps such as these require only my own speed." He glanced around. "Where is the boy?"
"You mean...Tobias?" said Kagome.
"Yes, the irritating child who thinks he can stand up to me. Well, wherever he has gone off to, I am sure we shall have a nice welcome waiting for him when he returns." He looked at them. "Enlighten me...which of you possesses the shards of the jewel?"
Nobody spoke, but Kagome clasped a hand to the necklace of shards hanging around her neck. The General's eyes flicked to her.
"Excellent," he said in a monotone. He leaped down from the tree and landed gracefully. "I did not expect an answer, but that small gesture told me all I needed to know...Kagome." He advanced on her, but Inuyasha ran in front and blocked his progress.
"Don't you go near her," he growled.
"Temper, temper, Inuyasha," the General said. "I can understand why you would not want to lose the shards, but...you seem very protective of her. Is there a particular reason?" He looked over Inuyasha's shoulder at a very scared-looking Kagome. "There are relationships, and then there are true relationships..."
Kagome was white with fear. A new foe arrived, who shrugged off all of Inuyasha's attacks and killed Naraku easily, and he was going straight for her. "Don't let him hurt the baby..." she whispered to herself. Most unfortunately, the General heard her.
"A baby?" said the General in a very quiet voice, so only Inuyasha could hear. "You two will have a baby? And you have been keeping this secret, I can tell." His eyes flicked around. "They would react more if they knew." He looked back at Inuyasha. "This changes things. I would not kill a woman carrying a child. Honor forbids it. But I-" His head turned in the direction of the forest. "I think the boy has finally decided to join the party." The General walked away and stood, facing away from the group.
Tobias got up from the rock, bleeding but conscious. Agh, my head...where's Naraku? Did they kill him?! He walked out of the forest and stopped. The General stood, his back to him, his blue cape fluttering in the slight breeze.
"It's been a long time, boy."
Tobias was frozen to the ground. His face held such an expression of shock and disbelief that Kagome would have laughed at a less serious time. To everyone's shock and disbelief, a single tear rolled down Tobias's cheek.
"You..." he whispered. His voice held nothing but pain, and sadness, and sorrow. The General said nothing.
"You..." Tobias said again. But this time, it was much different. The sheer rage, and anger, and hatred that bubbled beneath the surface of that one word sent Inuyasha gaping. Kagome's eyes widened. They knew each other? Miroku and Sango didn't know what to think.
Tobias began to shake. His sword, which had been inert, started glowing. Very faintly at first, but it gained strength at a rapidly increasing rate.
"As soon as he overcomes his shock, he is going to attack. If I know him, he will open up with something spectacular, and I would not suggest standing near him when he does," said the General. Inuyasha had to agree with this, as the grass near Tobias's feet was now spontaneously catching on fire. The air around him had begun to crackle and fizz with heat. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and pulled her away.
They thought they had seen Tobias angry before.
They thought they had seen the depths of his rage.
They thought they had seen the extent of his power.
They were wrong.
All of a sudden, Tobias's sword glowed so brightly that Inuyasha had to shield his eyes from its glare. Tobias's face snappily changed from shock to absolute hatred. He pointed his sword straight at the General and spoke.
"Blazer Beam!!!" A solid beam of fire erupted from the tip of Tobias's sword and went spiraling towards the General at impossible speeds. It burned with such intensity that the forest around it went up in flames as it traveled.
The General dodged it easily, moving with the grace of a dancer. Tobias, not seeming to care that his attack missed, rushed in with a howl that none present (excluding the General) had ever heard him use before. He brought his sword down on the General with astonishing speed and force.
Only, it never connected. Tobias began a frenzy of sword swinging, shouting hoarse battle cries, swinging his sword so fast Inuyasha was having trouble following his movements. Yet the General didn't seem to care. His movements were graceful, and easy, and floating, as if he were dancing through the air rather than dodging attacks. Tobias leaped back and held his sword high.
"Blade, of, DEATH!!!" The General extended his sword, pointing it straight at Tobias. The massive red blade leaped from Tobias's sword and speeded towards the General. It hit the tip of the General's sword spot-on and burst into a thousand sparkling fragments, which faded away into the light. Tobias rushed up while still shouting.
"Big...Bang...Blade..." His sword blazed with power as he ran up. The General sighed.
"I have no further time for these games," he said. "So let us end this...now." He pointed his sword at Tobias. Something silvery-white rushed from the tip – an icicle, perhaps? – and went right for Tobias.
It went straight through his head and stopped him cold. His sword lost its luster. He fell to the ground. The General looked at him as he lay there.
"I know you are not dead, boy," he said. "I have seen you take ten times that much damage and come back for more. One might think that several thousand years would improve your skills. What, have you been letting them atrophy all this time?" Then he turned to the others and disappeared.
"My patience has been worn to the bone, serving under Naraku for all those months; so I will say this only one last time. Give up the shards." The General had reappeared behind Kagome, his sword held to her throat. She panicked and struggled, but his grip was unbreakable. Inuyasha, furious, raised Tetsusaiga just a little.
"Do you imagine that you could get over here and attack me before I managed to cut her throat? You have seen my speed..." He pressed the blade just hard enough to make his point. "The shards."
"You bastard!" roared Inuyasha. He then lowered his voice to a whisper and said, "I thought you wouldn't hurt a woman carrying a pup!"
"Oh, yes, now I remember. So let us remedy that." A sudden, sharp blow from the General's fist to Kagome's stomach left her doubled over, wracked with fits of pain. "That should do the trick." While she fell, curled into a fetal position, he calmly removed the necklace and slipped it into his pocket.
"And now that I have the shards, I must bid you farewell." The General's sword glowed blue, and the glow quickly spread to his whole body. His entire form seemed to turn translucent blue for an instant, then it was gone.
Kagome, weakly crying, lay on the floor. She had never been hit that hard in her life. How could he do such a thing? Suddenly, a new, and even more terrible pain sprang to life. Fearing the worst, she slowly looked inside her underwear. Blood. This could only mean one thing.
Inuyasha dropped Tetsusaiga and ran as fast as he could to Kagome. He tenderly uncurled her and looked into her tear-stained face. "Kagome..." he whispered. "Are you all right?"
"No," she whimpered. "I...I lost the baby." She dissolved into tears as Inuyasha held her to him. "It hurts," she whispered.
"I know," he said. "It hurts me too." He glanced over at Tobias. "How's he doing?"
Sango bent over him and put a hand to his throat. She gasped. His pulse was weak, weaker than it ever had been. He seemed even worse than when he had fought the three demons during Kagome's heat. She stood up and turned to the others.
"He's not getting better," she said quietly. "His pulse is very weak. I don't know if..." She broke off and looked at him again. "We'll have to see."
Later that night, Tobias's condition had improved, but not by much. He was no longer on the cusp of death, but still in very bad shape. Sango stood watch over him, putting poultices of herbs on the wound and trying to keep his temperature down. Kagome sobbed brokenly into Inuyasha's arms over the loss of her unborn child. Inuyasha comforted Kagome, staring into the distance. I don't believe it. I do not fucking believe it. This bastard comes out of nowhere, kills Naraku, almost kills Tobias, takes the shards, and hurts Kagome! When we meet again, I am SO going to kill him it isn't even funny.
Suddenly, a murmur arose from Tobias's bed. He stirred and opened his eyes. Sitting up weakly, he was immediately supported by Sango and Miroku and propped against a tree. He looked at them. Inuyasha came over, supporting Kagome, and stood in front of him, staring him down.
"Who the fuck was that? Where did he come from? How did he get so strong? What's with that sword? How-" Tobias cut him off with a baleful look.
"Yes, I think you've been keeping a secret from us," added Miroku. "So out with it. What is it?"
Tobias shifted uncomfortably. He stared into their eyes. "I need to tell you a story." he said wearily. "It begins..."
Sorry, I just can't write any more for one chapter. I'll tell you the story next time. So now we have a zillion more unanswered questions, but I can promise you that we'll finally learn about the enigmatic Tobias's past when he's through. REVIEW!
And I know, it's so sad, but this is kind of a turning point for the plot. Don't worry though, I will NOT and I repeat NOT turn this story into a very depressing one. I hate stories like that and refuse to read them. However, I may put in a few unsettling storylines, so just read the story and hope for the best. REVIEW AGAIN!
EDIT: In response to Kai's review: Yeah. Whoops. She wouldn't take it that well, would she. Little flaw there...time to change. Thanks for the hint! /EDIT