Howdy there, folks. That thar's a new chapter over yonder. Reckon it's time to get a'reading.
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I don't even know why I'm doing this. Boredom, insanity, sleep deprivation, I don't know. Actually, that's my formula for a little creative genius. A healthy dose of each gets your mind trucking like nothing I've ever seen! Stay up till 4:30, do absolutely nothing for three hours straight (don't sleep), and start writing. It's crazy! You have to be naturally insane, but I already am, so I'm not worried.
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Rambling on again, I see. One last thing to shiro-okami: I generally don't respond to individual reviews (unless all of you want me to...hint hint...review and tell me if you do), so don't get upset if I don't mention you personally. I did tell Jamie what you said, but his computer is screwed up right now and no email can be sent or received. TO THE STORY!
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Chapter 36: Stuff Happens
The group ate breakfast silently. The sun had risen and a new day had begun since the encounter with the General. Everyone was in a rotten mood.
Tobias was very withdrawn and depressed. Clearly he knew the terrible burden that lay ahead of him, and had let it get to him. The others had never seen him like this. Gone was the cheerful, wisecracking Tobias of the past. Being confronted with the slaughterer of his family, an (to him) invincible foe who took him down with a gesture, had destroyed his hope.
Kagome was still very upset over the loss of her unborn child. All that night, the sound of her sobs floated through the campsite and drove into Inuyasha's ears like white-hot needles. Even worse; the jewel shards, which she had been protecting against everyone for years, were plucked from her grasp like candy taken from a baby. She was convinced that she had failed, miserably, in her duty of protecting the Shikon no Tama. She had managed, however, to restrain her tears that morning; keeping herself to an occasional whimper when she thought about her loss.
Inuyasha was not sad, but mostly furious at the death of his pup. He had sworn that when he saw the General again, he would "rip that fucking bastard to pieces"; whereupon Tobias had immediately pointed out that all of their combined power was unlikely to even faze him. Inuyasha had snorted and stomped into the trees. He was also upset at how sad Kagome was. He had held her all night, reassuring her that everything would be all right, and that he would protect her; but it did not do much good.
Miroku was brooding. His cursed hand had finally healed with the death of Naraku, but with it went his greatest weapon. Now he could father an heir and continue his bloodline, but with whom? He and Sango were very close, but she was not likely to take him up on his suggestions to "bear my child" anytime soon. And he knew that no other woman would do. What was he to do?
Sango was visibly upset at Kagome's sadness. She had come to regard Kagome as a sister. Ever since Kohaku's destruction at the hands of Naraku two years ago, she felt she had no family left and had turned to Kagome for companionship. Now that Kagome was miserable, Sango felt like crying herself. She had nobody to confide in except Miroku. And, while he was nice to hang around with, she needed someone to talk to about 'girl things', and Kagome was not being the best person to talk to lately.
And the shadow of the General hung over all of them like a great suffocating shroud. Clearly this was a foe far beyond that they had ever fought before. How was it even possible to beat him? None of them ventured a guess as they quietly swallowed their ramen.
Tobias spoke, for the first time since last night. "You know, the General isn't our only problem." Everyone looked at him; startled by both his speaking and the words therein. Something other than the General? "I haven't been able to keep this sword a total secret for all my life. There have been...organizations. Groups that have tried to defeat me and take the sword, in hopes of gaining power themselves. The one that has plagued me for the longest time, for the last fifteen hundred years, is called the Brotherhood of the Blade." He spooned more soup into his mouth before continuing. "I didn't say anything before, obviously, but they were the ones who were attacking me all the time in Kagome's time. And I'd bet my bottom dollar that we'll see them around here as well."
Inuyasha tossed his empty bowl aside angrily. "That is just what we need. First, a super-powerful emotionless evil bastard; now, a bunch of jackasses who will kill innocent people for a little power! So, what more good news have you got? Did you piss off a god somewhere, and now he's following you around and making all of our lives go straight to hell?!"
Tobias looked at Inuyasha wearily. "I'm not in the mood, Inuyasha," he said shortly. He set down his bowl and stood up. He began to walk away. "Goodbye," he said.
"Wait!" said Kagome. Tobias stopped. "Where are you going?"
"Isn't it obvious?" said Tobias sadly. Nobody spoke. "The General is after me, not you. If I stick around with you guys, you'll all be in danger. I can't put this burden on you. I have to face him alone." He turned away again.
"No!" shouted Kagome. She leaped from her seat and planted herself firmly in front of Tobias. A moment later, Inuyasha joined her. Tobias looked imploringly at the both of them.
"Listen, if the General decides to fight me, and you're here, he'll kill all of you as well as me. Enough people have died because of him, I don't want you to die as well." His voice wavered, but he held firm.
"You think you're leaving? You're crazy," snorted Inuyasha. Both Kagome and Tobias looked at him. "There is no goddamn way I'm letting that bastard off the hook. We've been searching for the shards of the jewel for almost four years now. And this guy has them. So you think I'm about to give up now?" Inuyasha's voice softened. "Besides, he hurt Kagome and killed our pup. I'm not gonna rest until that guy is in pieces." Kagome's eyes watered, but she bravely held in her tears.
Tobias's voice hovered just above a whisper. "I can't let you-"
"Let me?! You're not letting me do anything. You're sticking with us, whether you like it or not." And with that, Inuyasha grabbed Tobias and dragged him back to the camp, plunking him in his bed.
Tobias sat with his eyes closed. It was a long time before he spoke.
"You know, that reaction did not even enter my mind as a possibility. I thought maybe you would be angry, or upset, or even glad to be rid of me, but this...I honestly did not see this coming." He stood up. "Are you sure about this? You've seen the might of the General. Are you sure you want to endanger yourselves this way?"
Inuyasha gave a snort of assent. Miroku said yes. Sango nodded. Kagome, however, stood up and walked over to Tobias.
"Tobias...what Inuyasha said is true. We can't let him get away with the things he's done. All I ask..." She swallowed a whimper. "I'm pretty sure that you and Inuyasha are the only ones who can fight the General. All I ask is that you two keep us safe." She glanced back at the others. "I know what Inuyasha will say...what about you?"
Tobias surprised her by taking her hands into his own. "Kagome..." he said softly. "No normal human can face the General and hope for anything more than a quick death. Even super-humans and hanyous such as myself and Inuyasha buckle before his might. But I promise you this." His voice dropped even lower. "I will always join swords with Inuyasha to defend you, he, and us, until the last breath of life ebbs from my body. I will never cease protecting us. This I swear." He let go of her hands.
Inuyasha had heard the whole thing. When he saw Tobias hold Kagome's hands, a burst of anger rose up in him. So, he wants to touch MY mate, huh? He'd better watch his ass... But as he heard the words, anger made way for respect. He knows he's too weak and he still promises this? This guy is dedicated...I'm impressed. And he was right. I will protect them.
Kagome turned away from Tobias, only to run right into Inuyasha. Startled, she tried to back up, but he caught her in a gentle embrace and held her close to him.
"Kagome..." he whispered. "What Tobias says goes for me too. I will always protect you, and I won't let the General touch one hair on your head. I love you more than anything I have ever known and I won't let you get hurt."
Kagome hugged him back, squeezing him tightly as if trying to crush all the hurt and pain she had experienced over the last night. "I love you," she sobbed quietly.
Tobias approached. "If I'm going to be staying with you, we're going to need to change a lot of things around here." Inuyasha looked at him sharply. Just what did he mean by that?
"The General, as far as I know, does not sleep. Ever. I usually don't either, unless I'm really hurt or knocked unconscious. So either me or Inuyasha are going to have to be on guard 24 hours a day." Inuyasha nodded his assent. "Staying in one place for any length of time is suicide. We'll have to constantly be moving, even at night. Kirara can carry Miroku and Sango, and you can carry Kagome." Tobias hesitated. "Also, we have a bit of a dilemma. The General took the shards, and without them, the well is inoperable. So we're going to have a problem getting back to Kagome's time."
Kagome jerked her head up. He was right! "I can't go back...until we've beaten him?" Tobias closed his eyes.
"Yes," he said quietly. "I think so." Inuyasha reached into a pocket of his kimono and pulled out one tiny shard. Kagome looked, wide-eyed, at it; but quickly remembered.
"Oh yeah! I gave one shard to Inuyasha so he could go back and forth through the well. The General doesn't have all of them yet. Besides, what about Koga's shards? Does he even know about those?"
Sesshomaru stood in the forest. The memories were flooding back to him like a dam had broken in his mind. Here was the exact spot where he had first seen Rin's dead body. She was young, maybe eight or nine. Reviving her with Tenseiga was an easy task. But over the years, he had grown quite fond of her. He was jolted from his thoughts by a dry leaf rustling on the ground near him. He turned in that direction. A man stood there, human by the looks of him; with blue hair, gray armor, and a large sword at his side. Very muscular for a human. Of course, he can't compete with my strength.
"Ah, the aristocratic assassin. Hail to you, Sesshomaru," said the man. He spoke without tone or inflection, totally emotionless. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you?" he returned, just as calmly. "How do you know my name? State your name and business with this Sesshomaru."
"My name is my own, and not yours," said the General. "It is irrelevant. Simply refer to me as the General."
"It is hard to trust a man who does not even trust others with his name," said Sesshomaru coldly.
"It is harder still to trust others with that which you do not trust yourself," countered the General.
(A/N: Geez, clash of the emotionless here. For any normal people, this is the equivalent of shouting at the top of their lungs.)
Sesshomaru's eye twitched. "Very well. What is it you want?"
"Information. I have recently come into some jewel shards, and am searching for the rest. I appear to be four short. Any knowledge of where these are would be extremely helpful."
"And why should I share such knowledge?" said Sesshomaru. "What gain would it bring to me?"
"Would you not like to be finally rid of your troublesome brother?" said the General. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. This was an interesting proposal.
"My heart sings at the thought of it. However, it seems unlikely that a human man such as yourself could do such a thing."
"But I am no mere man, oh Lord of the Western Lands," said the General coolly. "I am much, much more than a man...and have proved my mettle against all manner of demons and beasts."
"Words prove nothing," Sesshomaru said icily. "Actions speak for themselves."
"Then let this action speak for me." In a flash, the General was upon Sesshomaru. He gripped him tightly by the throat, with his other hand firmly holding both of Sesshomaru's wrists. The proud demon was, in short, completely helpless. "So I ask again. Where are the shards?"
Sesshomaru tried to speak, but only choked. The General relaxed his grip enough for him to talk. "Three are in the possession of a wolf demon named Koga," gasped Sesshomaru. "That way." He pointed with one claw. Sated, the General dropped Sesshomaru and walked away in that direction.
Roiling with rage, Sesshomaru stood up. His hand glowed and extended into his energy whip. With impossible speed and impeccable aim, he lashed out at the General.
In a single movement, the General had his sword out. The whip coiled around the sword. The General pulled; Sesshomaru was yanked from his spot and went flying. The General twirled him like a lasso before hurling him into the trees with a snap of his wrist. He sheathed his sword as Sesshomaru landed.
"I would thank you not to attack me while my back is turned," said the General. "There is no honor in such a thing." He left.
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SORRY SORRY SORRY for such a long wait and such a short chapter! I have the worst case of writer's block in the history of mankind. Also, that line of asterisks is how I'm going to begin and end chapters from now on. I would go back and change them all, but I really don't care and I'm betting you don't either. If you really do, you know how to tell me...REVIEW!!!