Again, thank you Adam for being my editor. And thanks to those who like
the story so far.
******
The fish demon swam quickly with its load in its mouth. Normally, it would have eaten the human, but it wasn't suppose to. It couldn't remember precisely why, but it knew that it was suppose to deliver this human to a certain village in the north. All it could remember was that if it did anything to mess it up, something very bad was going to happen to it.
At the edge of its memory, a dim figure emerged. It looked a human woman except that she had wings and bird's feet. An aura of fire surrounded the image. The demon did the equivalent of a shiver in the water. It was never good to mix fire with water. So it would do the task that it was asked, even though it seemed ridiculous.
Inside the mouth, Inuyasha lay asleep. The sides of the mouth emitted a noxious gas that knocked out the unfortunate occupants. If Inuyasha had been in his normal form when he was taken, he could have endured long enough to get out. But as a human, he was out like a light in seconds. Unbeknownst to the fish, Inuyasha had returned to his true form, but was still out. He wouldn't wake up until the demon had reached its destination.
******
It was the last day of the month. And that night held a special significance for Hikaru and Juanyu. That night would be the night that she would lose her demon powers and be reduced to a human. No one else in the village knew this secret and they worked hard to make sure it stayed that way. If Sanusha had ever found out about the night of the last moon, Hikaru's life would be in even greater danger. On days like today, they worked quickly to make sure that everything was taken care of before the sun went down. That way, there wouldn't be any nighttime visitors to the hut.
At the lake, some of the village men were trying their luck with the fish. At this time of year, there were some fish available for them to catch if the fishermen were patient and lucky enough. The late afternoon sun shone brightly and hot down on them but that didn't stop them from their mission.
What did was something else. Two of the village men were heading out to the middle of the lake in a boat with nets. The others were helping them prepare the boat when a boy that had come to watch yelled. The men turned and saw the boy pointing out to the middle of the lake. In the water, a bulge was rising and headed to shore. As it neared them, they could see that it was some kind of fish demon. The men yelped in fright and hurried away from the beach.
The demon stopped in the shallows of the lake and simply stared at them. The men stopped and stared back in curiosity and fright. The cheeks of the demon bulged out and its head tilted back. With a loud croak, the demon spat something out of its mouth. Whatever it was, the object went high in the air fell down in the grass away from the men and rolled several yards further. The task done, it went back into the water and they could see it swimming away.
Now that the demon was gone, the men carefully approached whatever it was that was spat out. Some of them whispered that it might be a wise idea if someone go and fetch either Juanyu or Hikaru. The thing might be dangerous. At least one of them might know what to do.
An old man had gone ahead of the other men. He wasn't as afraid as they were and had decided that he had lived long enough. If this thing could kill him, so be it. What he might of thought the object could be, what he saw wasn't it.
It was a young man. He looked to be Hikaru's age, maybe older. It was hard to tell, the man must be at least half-demon. He had the same claws and ears as Hikaru but his hair was completely silver. The stranger wore a red jacket and pants made out of a material that the old man didn't recognize. A katana hung on the left side and a strange beaded necklace was around the neck. The old man placed a hand where the heart should be and lowered his ear to the mouth. He felt the heart beat under his hand and breath tickling his ear. The man was still alive. His clothes gave off a bad smell that made him feel a bit woozy but he quickly recovered.
By this time, the other men had caught up with him and were staring in wonder at what the fish brought them. In less than a moment, the old man reached a decision. Carefully, lest the stranger be wounded in some way, he had the stranger on his back. He staggered under the weight but found his balance again and was walking away from the group.
"Hey! Where are you going?" one cried out.
"I'm taking this one to Hikaru. She'll know what to do with him," was the reply.
"But you don't know if that thing can be trusted or not!"
"Precisely! If anyone in the village can handle him, it is her!"
None of them argued with that. Instead they followed the old man a few steps behind. He had been soldier many years ago before he had taken an injury that forced him into retirement. If he thought that Hikaru would be able to handle this being if he proved dangerous, they would have to trust him. And it made sense. Hikaru had managed to get rid of the wolf-demon two years ago, how much trouble could this stranger be?
******
Hikaru handed the mother a packet with powder inside, "Now, make sure to mix this in a broth and that your son drinks it all. It should help with his stomach. Be sure to tell him not to eat anymore strange berries without asking me first." The two women shared a gentle laugh then the mother left. Hikaru sighed with relief. That would be her last visitor for today. It was close to sunset and the villagers would be heading home right now. No one else would be by the hut until tomorrow.
She was outside feeding the birds early when she heard voices coming up the trail. Hikaru turned and saw a group of village men hurrying up to her. The leader was carrying something large on his back. Hikaru could sense youki coming from the burden and she was worried. What was going on? She finished feeding the birds then rushed to the old man who was panting by this time.
"What's going on, jii san?" she asked.
The old man waited to catch his breath before he could reply. "I'm not sure. We were at the lake fishing when a fish-demon emerged from the waters. It came close to the shore and spat this young one out of its mouth and onto the shore. Then it left. I thought it would be wise to bring him to you. He's still alive."
He certainly was. She could hear his breathing; the boy was asleep. Hikaru had no choice but to take him. With a sigh, she ordered the body be brought inside. She couldn't tell them that she could not have him without giving some kind of believable explanation.
Juanyu had returned from the woods by now and she quickly filled him in. He swore to himself then stripped the body of the stinking clothes. After wiping the body down with a damp cloth, the stranger was dressed in a spare outfit from Juanyu. Hikaru took the clothes and soaked them in a large tub of water with herbs that should get rid of the smell. Now they had to wait.
Night had fallen and Hikaru was human. She stayed by the stranger, watching over him. Juanyu was by the fire stirring dinner. He had told her that he would stay in the hut tonight. Hikaru had told him that he didn't need to; but he said that he did. If the stranger woke up and proved to be an enemy, Hikaru would need him to protect her. The woman saw that nothing she could say would change his mind and let the argument drop. Hikaru took a brush and painted some wards on the floor. Juanyu and she should be able to walk in and out without trouble. But if the stranger did prove to be an enemy, he shouldn't be able to cross.
******
Inuyasha felt like he was drowning. He was in with something deep down somewhere and it wanted him to stay. And he was fighting for all his worth. He didn't want to die now. There were still too many things he wanted to get done first. But then, the pressure lifted and he could feel himself floating up. He wasn't drowning anymore. He was going to live.
He woke with fog in his mind. He could hear a fire crackling and smelled two people nearby. It took an eternity to open his eyes. He was laying down under a blanket in a hut somewhere. He turned his head and what he saw frightened and shocked him.
A human woman sat close by. She was stunning; long black hair and gentle eyes. Her expression was a mixture of sadness and worry. His mind screamed that it couldn't be but his senses weren't lying to him.
"Mother?"
******
The fish demon swam quickly with its load in its mouth. Normally, it would have eaten the human, but it wasn't suppose to. It couldn't remember precisely why, but it knew that it was suppose to deliver this human to a certain village in the north. All it could remember was that if it did anything to mess it up, something very bad was going to happen to it.
At the edge of its memory, a dim figure emerged. It looked a human woman except that she had wings and bird's feet. An aura of fire surrounded the image. The demon did the equivalent of a shiver in the water. It was never good to mix fire with water. So it would do the task that it was asked, even though it seemed ridiculous.
Inside the mouth, Inuyasha lay asleep. The sides of the mouth emitted a noxious gas that knocked out the unfortunate occupants. If Inuyasha had been in his normal form when he was taken, he could have endured long enough to get out. But as a human, he was out like a light in seconds. Unbeknownst to the fish, Inuyasha had returned to his true form, but was still out. He wouldn't wake up until the demon had reached its destination.
******
It was the last day of the month. And that night held a special significance for Hikaru and Juanyu. That night would be the night that she would lose her demon powers and be reduced to a human. No one else in the village knew this secret and they worked hard to make sure it stayed that way. If Sanusha had ever found out about the night of the last moon, Hikaru's life would be in even greater danger. On days like today, they worked quickly to make sure that everything was taken care of before the sun went down. That way, there wouldn't be any nighttime visitors to the hut.
At the lake, some of the village men were trying their luck with the fish. At this time of year, there were some fish available for them to catch if the fishermen were patient and lucky enough. The late afternoon sun shone brightly and hot down on them but that didn't stop them from their mission.
What did was something else. Two of the village men were heading out to the middle of the lake in a boat with nets. The others were helping them prepare the boat when a boy that had come to watch yelled. The men turned and saw the boy pointing out to the middle of the lake. In the water, a bulge was rising and headed to shore. As it neared them, they could see that it was some kind of fish demon. The men yelped in fright and hurried away from the beach.
The demon stopped in the shallows of the lake and simply stared at them. The men stopped and stared back in curiosity and fright. The cheeks of the demon bulged out and its head tilted back. With a loud croak, the demon spat something out of its mouth. Whatever it was, the object went high in the air fell down in the grass away from the men and rolled several yards further. The task done, it went back into the water and they could see it swimming away.
Now that the demon was gone, the men carefully approached whatever it was that was spat out. Some of them whispered that it might be a wise idea if someone go and fetch either Juanyu or Hikaru. The thing might be dangerous. At least one of them might know what to do.
An old man had gone ahead of the other men. He wasn't as afraid as they were and had decided that he had lived long enough. If this thing could kill him, so be it. What he might of thought the object could be, what he saw wasn't it.
It was a young man. He looked to be Hikaru's age, maybe older. It was hard to tell, the man must be at least half-demon. He had the same claws and ears as Hikaru but his hair was completely silver. The stranger wore a red jacket and pants made out of a material that the old man didn't recognize. A katana hung on the left side and a strange beaded necklace was around the neck. The old man placed a hand where the heart should be and lowered his ear to the mouth. He felt the heart beat under his hand and breath tickling his ear. The man was still alive. His clothes gave off a bad smell that made him feel a bit woozy but he quickly recovered.
By this time, the other men had caught up with him and were staring in wonder at what the fish brought them. In less than a moment, the old man reached a decision. Carefully, lest the stranger be wounded in some way, he had the stranger on his back. He staggered under the weight but found his balance again and was walking away from the group.
"Hey! Where are you going?" one cried out.
"I'm taking this one to Hikaru. She'll know what to do with him," was the reply.
"But you don't know if that thing can be trusted or not!"
"Precisely! If anyone in the village can handle him, it is her!"
None of them argued with that. Instead they followed the old man a few steps behind. He had been soldier many years ago before he had taken an injury that forced him into retirement. If he thought that Hikaru would be able to handle this being if he proved dangerous, they would have to trust him. And it made sense. Hikaru had managed to get rid of the wolf-demon two years ago, how much trouble could this stranger be?
******
Hikaru handed the mother a packet with powder inside, "Now, make sure to mix this in a broth and that your son drinks it all. It should help with his stomach. Be sure to tell him not to eat anymore strange berries without asking me first." The two women shared a gentle laugh then the mother left. Hikaru sighed with relief. That would be her last visitor for today. It was close to sunset and the villagers would be heading home right now. No one else would be by the hut until tomorrow.
She was outside feeding the birds early when she heard voices coming up the trail. Hikaru turned and saw a group of village men hurrying up to her. The leader was carrying something large on his back. Hikaru could sense youki coming from the burden and she was worried. What was going on? She finished feeding the birds then rushed to the old man who was panting by this time.
"What's going on, jii san?" she asked.
The old man waited to catch his breath before he could reply. "I'm not sure. We were at the lake fishing when a fish-demon emerged from the waters. It came close to the shore and spat this young one out of its mouth and onto the shore. Then it left. I thought it would be wise to bring him to you. He's still alive."
He certainly was. She could hear his breathing; the boy was asleep. Hikaru had no choice but to take him. With a sigh, she ordered the body be brought inside. She couldn't tell them that she could not have him without giving some kind of believable explanation.
Juanyu had returned from the woods by now and she quickly filled him in. He swore to himself then stripped the body of the stinking clothes. After wiping the body down with a damp cloth, the stranger was dressed in a spare outfit from Juanyu. Hikaru took the clothes and soaked them in a large tub of water with herbs that should get rid of the smell. Now they had to wait.
Night had fallen and Hikaru was human. She stayed by the stranger, watching over him. Juanyu was by the fire stirring dinner. He had told her that he would stay in the hut tonight. Hikaru had told him that he didn't need to; but he said that he did. If the stranger woke up and proved to be an enemy, Hikaru would need him to protect her. The woman saw that nothing she could say would change his mind and let the argument drop. Hikaru took a brush and painted some wards on the floor. Juanyu and she should be able to walk in and out without trouble. But if the stranger did prove to be an enemy, he shouldn't be able to cross.
******
Inuyasha felt like he was drowning. He was in with something deep down somewhere and it wanted him to stay. And he was fighting for all his worth. He didn't want to die now. There were still too many things he wanted to get done first. But then, the pressure lifted and he could feel himself floating up. He wasn't drowning anymore. He was going to live.
He woke with fog in his mind. He could hear a fire crackling and smelled two people nearby. It took an eternity to open his eyes. He was laying down under a blanket in a hut somewhere. He turned his head and what he saw frightened and shocked him.
A human woman sat close by. She was stunning; long black hair and gentle eyes. Her expression was a mixture of sadness and worry. His mind screamed that it couldn't be but his senses weren't lying to him.
"Mother?"