AUTHOR'S NOTES:
1) You may notice that both Kagome and Sango note the position of the sun. This is an indication that both timelines are now on the same wavelength.
2) Not sure if my Japanese is correct. If not...blame Grimtash. He was the one who told me!
3) It's not fanservice that Ayame runs around without a stitch in a portion of this chapter. Well, not just fanservice. Bathing together, even in mixed company, was especially normal in feudal Japan (less so now); I also think that the youkai wolves probably aren't as hung up on modesty as, say, Kagome would be. So that's the reason. Besides, it's kind of hard to have fanservice in prose.
4) Sango's comment about the "fighting being in the Owari province" is a side reference to the early campaigns of Oda Nobunaga, in summer 1560, leading to the Battle of Okehazama, the first of Nobunaga's great victories that would see him on the road to becoming shogun, which in turn leads to the Tokugawa shogunate forty years later. Again, I'm assuming that the events of Inu-Yasha take place towards the end of the Sengoku Jidai, because of the presence of Western-style matchlocks in the anime. Most of the battles around this time, until the decisive battle of Sekigahara in 1600, took place between Kyoto, Osaka, and Edo (modern-day Tokyo). Another assumption I make is that the Higurashi Shrine is in Tokyo, and that Kaede's village is north of Edo–therefore, Kouga's den is in the mountains northwest of today's Tokyo. (See what being a history major does to you?!)
5) Damn, I wish I could find more out about Ayame! I'm having to basically guess her personality.
6) I realize that this is taking a long time to develop, but next time there will be a big battle...
REVIEWER'S CORNER:
Darkless Vasion: Let's just say that Arashikaze, when and if he does learn the whole truth, will not be happy.
Grimtash, Ganheim, Jschu, DogEars: Thanks! Stick with it.
MUSIC DEPARTMENT: "Spending Time in Preparation" from the Evangelion soundtrack is perfect for this chapter. So is Enya's "Boadicea" and Hammerfall's "A Legend Reborn" and "The Way of the Warrior."
CHAPTER TEN: THE CLOUDS GATHER
Goodbye my love
Maybe for forever
Goodbye my love
The tide waits for me
Who knows when we shall meet again
If ever
But time keeps flowing like a river
To the sea
To the sea.
–Alan Parsons Project, "Time"
"This is very unusual, Mrs. Higurashi. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from the release forms, hesitated, and then went back to signing them. "Yes. I think Kagome would do better in a home environment."
The doctor's eyebrows beetled together. "Mrs. Higurashi, she's healing uncommonly well, and she's been a model patient–aside from her boyfriend slipping into her room at odd hours. She's healthy enough to go home, but I would prefer it if she stayed here–"
"I'm taking her home," Mrs. Higurashi said with a note of finality, and signed the final line on the release form. The doctor sighed and nodded, and she waited at the desk, her mind in turmoil. In actuality, she wanted Kagome to stay at the hospital, where she was safe–but it had been Kagome that had pleaded to be released. Mrs. Higurashi wondered how much of that had to do with Inuyasha.
After she had confessed the legend to the hanyou, he had gone back to Kagome's room and stayed there for nearly the entire day, coming down only when she had served dinner. Some of the time might have been spent sleeping, but the shadows under Inuyasha's eyes betrayed the fact that he had not slept much. He ate dinner in silence, but then played video games with Souta, laughing and joking around with Kagome's brother as usual. Towards ten in the evening, he accepted the snacks that she packed for him and had taken off, again as usual, to the hospital. This morning, when Mrs. Higurashi had arrived at the hospital, Kagome had informed her she wanted to go home, and why. Obviously, Inuyasha was still committed to trying the well, because both of them believed that Kagome's innate miko powers–along with the three fragments of the Shikon Jewel she still carried–might be enough to get through. Mrs. Higurashi wondered if Inuyasha had even told Kagome about the legend.
She turned as a nurse wheeled Kagome out of the elevator, with Inuyasha close behind. He wore his traditional outfit, barefooted and glowering at anyone who looked like they might criticize him for it. Most people did not, having gotten used in the week Kagome had been there to the weirdly dressed, longhaired young man with the Mariners baseball cap, who was so obviously devoted to the young girl but so reluctant to say so. Most of the hospital staff had chuckled behind their hands and proclaimed it "cute puppy love"; luckily, Inuyasha had not heard them, because he might have misinterpreted kawaii no koinu no ai.One of Kagome's nurseshanded her a large wrapped package. Kagome smiled and thanked them all profusely as she was wheeled through the front door. A burly male nurse–the same one who had threatened Inuyasha on the first day–helped her into the Higurashis' car. Inuyasha climbed in the passenger seat in the front, so Kagome could stretch out a little. Her mother pulled out into traffic and turned for home.
They drove in silence for a few minutes, then Mrs. Higurashi spoke. "Kagome, you know the doctor would have preferred you to stay."
"I know, Mom," Kagome replied. "It's okay. Don't worry. As long as I take it easy for another week or so, I'll be healed up." She smiled contentedly as she leaned back in the seat. "Mmm. It's sooo nice to be out of that hospital bed!"
Mrs. Higurashi looked in the mirror. There was the possibility that Kagome had one too many painkillers, or she was being unnaturally cheerful. Yet she did seem genuinely happy. Mrs. Higurashi looked pointedly at Inuyasha, who noticed her gaze and the unspoken question: did you tell her? He gave a small shake of the head; Kagome didn't know.
"Then you're not heading back to...through the well?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.
Kagome turned somber. "I don't think that's a good idea, Mom. I'm still pretty shaky. We're just going to try getting Inuyasha through."
"Yeah," Inuyasha said, "Kagome can catch up when she gets better." He turned to stare out the window at Tokyo as it streamed by.
Kagome noticed the tone of Inuyasha's voice. He was worried about something. He had sounded that way ever since he had come to the hospital the night before, although he had tried covering it up as best he could. Her mother kept glancing at both of them as well. Something had happened, and neither her mother nor Inuyasha were telling her. "Is everything okay, Mom?"
"I'm just worried that you're in a hurry," Mrs. Higurashi said, a shade too quickly.
"Inuyasha?"
"Huh? Me?"
"Yeah, you. Everything okay?"
"Of course!" he snapped irritably in the tone she knew only too well. "Why wouldn't they be? I just want to get back to my own time, with clean air, and kick some ass!" Mrs. Higurashi glared at him out of the corner of one eye; his performance was worse than her own.
Kagome knew it as well. She sighed, deciding that she'd get it out of Inuyasha eventually. The hanyou wasn't known for keeping things to himself for very long, and didn't have much of a poker face. She winced as she leaned forward, a tendril of pain creeping up her right side, and opened the package on her lap. In it was assorted candies, a tiny stuffed akita, and buried at the bottom in separate packaging, a small box labeled "Family Planning Kit." Kagome blushed and quickly rewrapped it, silently cursing nurses that assumed too much. She looked at the window and noticed by the position of the sun that it was nearly noon. She wondered what her other friends were doing 400 years in the past.
Sango awoke when she felt a shadow fall over where she slept. Her eyes snapped open, one hand automatically going to the sword at her side.
"Easy, Sango-san! It's just me!" Ayame stood over her, her fur cloak wrapped around her. "The other females and I were going to go bathe. Would you like to join us?"
"Ermm..." Sango yawned. "No, that's all right, Ayame-san. Maybe later."
"Well, all right. I guess you're still pretty worn out." She smiled to show she took no offense, then walked away. Sango sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she watched the female wolf youkai half-skip towards a nearby hot springs they had camped near. Her cloak didn't hide her lithe body much, but if any of the males around noticed, they didn't seem to care. Sango had already noted that modesty among the wolf tribe was not a practiced virtue. Instantly, her eyes went to Miroku, who was sitting beneath a tree in his customary meditation pose, hands folded loosely in his lap. Quietly, she crept closer to the monk, wondering if he was feigning sleep and wondering why she cared if he was. A soft snore answered her suspicions. Sango smiled and went back to where she had slept. Kilala, in her kitten form, looked up at her inquiringly. "No, he's not spying," Sango whispered, scratching the cat behind her ears. "Looks like he's just as tired as we are–well, as I am anyway. Keep an eye on him." Kilala mewed, which Sango took as a yes.
She stretched and wrinkled her nose at the smell of herself and her clothes. Maybe I should take a bath, she thought. I still have some of Kagome's soap. Ayame might appreciate that...assuming she doesn't eat it. Sango rifled through her pack, taking out a towel and what remained of the scented soap that Kagome had given her. She felt and heard her joints creak, and decided to go the long way around to the spring to work out the kinks.
Kilala watched her go, then padded over to Miroku, seeking the shade of the monk and his tree. She climbed into his lap. Miroku opened one eye. "She must be tired if she fell for my fake snoring," he winked at the youkai cat. Kilala gave him a meow in response, curled up, and went to sleep. "Of course," Miroku sighed, "now I can't go peek, can I?"
Sango walked to the top of the craggy hill they were camped on. It was still sparsely wooded, though being near human settlements had taken its toll. The hot springs were on the reverse slope, to the north; Kaede's village was still about a day and a half to the south. When Kouga had said "two days at a lope," he meant for himself. He had forgotten that the wolf tribe could only travel as fast as its slowest member, if they were to arrive at the village intact. Kouga understood that, but Sango could see he was frustrated. They had run hard throughout most of the evening and all of the night. Though they had rode on Kilala most of the time, it was a pace that neither she nor Miroku were used to. The wolf youkai typically rested by day and hunted by night, and in any case it was cooler after dark. The sun beat down mercilessly and it was steamingly humid; Sango increased her pace, feeling the sweat soaking into the catsuit she wore beneath her yukata and wanting to get them off, so she could soak awhile.
She stopped at the top of the hill, looking down on the hot springs, which was filled with the few female members of the wolf tribe, splashing each other and tossing around a giggling Shippo, in his pink balloon form, like he was a ball. Ayame spotted her and waved; Sango waved back. Sango had half expected the wolf tribe to be standoffish, but they didn't forget debts, and remembered how much she and her friends had helped destroy the Birds of Paradise. They were Kagome's packmates, and by extension at least honorary members of the wolves. Even Kouga had been gruffly friendly, as friendly as he got. Sango had noticed that Inuyasha's name was never mentioned; it was obviously a prickly subject.
She noticed a pale moon against the blue sky, and noticed it was full. It's a good thing Inuyasha's not with us tonight. I hope he's all right, he and Kagome-chan. Sango closed her eyes and said a brief prayer for her friends, missing Kagome's infectious optimism and even Inuyasha's griping. He and Kouga-san are so much alike, no wonder they don't like each other. She opened her eyes and looked south, half expecting to see the red hakama that marked Inuyasha, bounding over the fields towards them.
There was no flash of red on the fields, but there was something moving, raising a small dust cloud. Sango squinted, shielding her eyes from the noonday sun. The dust cloud was large, but it wasn't rising very high in the still heat. There were odd flashes off of the sunlight, and Sango's heart sank. She had a feeling she knew what that was. "Ayame-san!" she called out, motioning the wolf girl towards her. Ayame pulled herself from the hot springs and dashed naked to Sango's side, puzzled. "What is it, Sango-san?" she asked.
Sango pointed to the dust cloud. "You can see further and better than I can, I'm sure. What is that?"
Ayame pulled wet hair out of her eyes, and squinted as well. "A human army," she said simply.
Minutes later, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kouga, and a now-dressed Ayame stood atop the hill. Kouga peered to the south. "Yes, it's an army," he said, annoyed. "What's the problem? There's always human armies marching around."
"He has a point," Miroku added, wiping sweat from his brow.
"But most of the fighting is to the southwest, in Owari province," Sango persisted. "Most of the clans up here have been relatively quiet." She shrugged, feeling somewhat foolish and wondering if she was getting paranoid. Certainly Naraku was enough to make one so. She looked to Miroku for support. "If Kikyo told Naraku..."
"There's no reason for her to do so," Miroku replied, guardedly. "She hates him as much as we do." But she still gave him the Shikon shards, Miroku mused to himself, knowing Sango was thinking the same thing.
"You say Naraku was the one pulling the ronin's strings?" Kouga asked.
"Yes," Sango replied.
"Then you were right after all, taijya." He pointed above the dust cloud. Sango and Miroku followed his outstretched finger to where a white feather floated lazily in the blue sky.
"Kagura!" Shippo exclaimed, rather unnecessarily, because they all recognized the feather, even at this distance. "Does she see us?"
They watched as the feather slowly began to spiral towards the ground, away from the army, into a copse of trees. "I would say that is a safe bet," Miroku said with a wry smile.
"Those ronin could be here in a few hours," Ayame said. She had seen enough war in her time to accurately gauge an army's progress. "And there's much more of them than we are."
Kouga snorted. "They're only humans."
"And we have lost many a wolf youkai to human hunters." Ayame refused to give ground.
Kouga bit back a retort. "That may be true," he growled, "but that's in the past. This is Naraku's army, neh? We have to fight him sooner or later. Why not now?"
"Why not?" Sango shot back. "Because we have to get to the well and save Kaede's village, that's why not! We don't have a chance against Naraku without–" Sango almost said Inuyasha, but reconsidered at the last minute, "–without Kagome," she finished. That much was true as well. It had been Kagome's arrows that had driven off Naraku the last few times; not even Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga had always been successful. "We can go around the ronin."
"There's not much chance of that now," Miroku said. "Kagura's surely sighted us, and if that is Arashikaze's ronin, they are here because you were right, Sango. Kikyo told someone." His fists clenched. "We never should have trusted her."
"Maybe...maybe she didn't have a choice," Shippo put in quietly. He wasn't fond of Kikyo either, but it didn't seem right after she had helped them escape certain death in the village.
"It doesn't matter!" Kouga snarled. "They're here, on ground we know well." He motioned at the fields in front of them. "Human armies are like herds of deer. They won't go to the left and the right, because the rice paddies will bog them down..." His voice trailed off, abruptly realizing something. He sat on his haunches and spit a curse.
Miroku realized it as well. "We can't move across those paddies, either. If we follow the raised paths, the ronin archers can kill us with arrows. And it would be child's play to simply cut us off once we do reach dry ground."
Kouga shrugged. "Fine, then. We fight here. Those damn ronin have to come at this rock from that field between the two paddies. That'll narrow 'em down."
Miroku had to agree. Kouga was right. The paddies were too mushy and wet to move troops quickly, and the ronin cavalry would be useless. That restricted the ronin to advancing head-on against Kouga's tribe. "We don't have archers," he stated. "They'll outrange your spears."
"We can take cover in these rocks. The bastards will have to get in close to finish us off, and that's when we'll kill them all." Kouga grinned over his shoulder with a predatory smile. "Besides, you can always use that wind tunnel of yours."
"Assuming Naraku has forgotten to send his insects with Kagura, which I doubt." Miroku looked at the hill. There were plenty of hiding places there. The broken ground would defeat cavalry and make keeping the samurai footmen together, allowing the smaller wolf tribe, armed with their own youkai magic, to isolate groups of men and slaughter them. Behind them was the forest, which the wolves knew well. Since they could see in the dark, that would give them all the more of an advantage. "It doesn't appear we have much choice, Kouga-san. You are right; we will have to fight here–at least until sundown. Then we can retreat back through the woods and move around the ronin. But this is good ground for a stand."
"I don't run from fights," Kouga said angrily.
"We must preserve the tribe," Ayame replied.
Kouga fixed her with an icy stare and she quickly looked away, but he nodded. She was right; the tribe had to come first. "All right–until sundown."
"That's not enough." They all looked back to Sango. "Houshi-sama, Naraku is no fool. Arashikaze certainly isn't. He wouldn't just go off and leave the well unguarded. Yes, the ronin can't stay there forever, but we both know Naraku wouldn't give up so easily. He knows now that we plan to return. There has to be ronin still at Kaede's village."
"That's true," Miroku agreed. "And even if it's only a small number of ronin, there's still that giant youkai Shippo described, the one called Totoroki. There's no guarantee of victory here, and we probably cannot defeat the ronin army alone. We certainly need Kagome and Inuyasha to defeat Naraku, as you say, Sango. Therefore, if we are to win, we must unblock the well."
Kouga noticed that the monk was looking directly at him. He shot to his feet, fangs bared. "Have you lost your mind, monk?" he shouted. "You expect me to leave my tribe in the middle of a battle?"
"No," Miroku countered without flinching. "I expect you to leave us now. You can make the village by nightfall. All you have to do is destroy the tree. And I'm sure you can kill Totoroki."
"No doubt," Kouga replied, gritting his teeth.
"And you're the only one of us that could possibly outdistance Kagura."
Kouga was having trouble with the monk's logic. "I won't leave my tribe leaderless!"
"You won't." Ayame stepped forward. "I can lead them."
"You?!" Kouga's eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Why not I? If I am to marry you someday, I will be expected to lead this pack alongside you." Miroku and Sango's eyes widened. This was something completely new.
"Marry you? But you...Kagome...I..." He felt her green eyes boring holes in his soul. Finally, he pulled at his hair, then savagely kicked a rock. Propelled by the magic of the Shikon shards in his legs, the rock disappeared a good mile into the forest. "Dammit!"
Miroku came to his rescue. "Kouga, I and Sango can stay here. As you say, my wind tunnel will do more good here, and not even Kilala can keep up with you. We would be at a distinct disadvantage in the air against Kagura, and we'd only slow you down."
Sango took a step forward as well. "And if Kagura sees us, she will have to stay. If the insects are here, they will not follow the ronin–they have to be controlled by Naraku, and Kagura's part of him. Even with the insects, the ronin will need something to counter the wolves, Houshi-sama, and myself. That will give you a better chance to get to the well before Naraku can stop you."
"And Shippo can go with you," Miroku added.
"What?!" both Kouga and Shippo expostulated at the same time. "I won't go with that furball!" Kouga yelled, pointing at Shippo as if he was some unbelieveable freak of nature.
"Yeah, well, you're flea bait as much as me!" Shippo snapped back, and wolf youkai and kitsune were soon nose to nose, growling at each other. Kouga's arm whipped around and snatched Shippo off the ground, holding him at arm's length while Shippo howled curses and punched at the air. The resemblance to Inuyasha was enough that Sango couldn't suppress a giggle.
"Kouga," Miroku sighed.
"What, monk?" Kouga was rather enjoying humiliating the annoying cub.
"Do you know how to get to Kaede's village?"
Kouga scratched the back of his head for a moment, then dropped Shippo. "Shit."
"Take Shippo with you. He can ride on your back."
"Fine! Let's just get this over with." He whirled on the other three. "I'm trusting you with my tribe, and I hate that. But for Kagome, and to get vengeance on that son of a bitch Naraku, I'm doing this. If my packmates are killed, monk, your body better be with them."
"Rest assured that it will be. I will sacrifice myself if necessary."
Kouga stared at him for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Very well. I believe you. Let's go, you little turd." Shippo stomped forward and made sure he landed as roughly as possible on Kouga's back, digging in his claws into Kouga's fur tunic.
"Go to the north," Sango advised him. "That way, Kagura might not notice you. Then cut east, then south. Shippo knows the way."
"Yes, yes, I will. Ayame, tell Ginta and Hakkaku what we're doing. Tell them not to follow–they're in charge...alongside you," he amended. "They know this tribe better than you."
Ayame stepped forward, and before Kouga could stop her, she grabbed his topknot and planted a kiss on very surprised lips. "Come back to me, Kouga-chan," she whispered when she drew back, so softly even Miroku and Sango couldn't hear her. "I know you love Kagome and must avenge your tribe...but I...I am still here for you."
Kouga's lips moved, but no sound came out. He finally found his voice. "Uh...erhm...well...then...t-take care of my tribe...Ayame...c-chan..." And before he could make a bigger fool of himself, he turned and shot down the path to the north, leaving a swirl of dust and leaves in his wake.
"That was interesting," Miroku said.
"It's none of your business, houshi," Ayame said with a Kouga-like growl. "Come. We have preparations to make."
"Yes, Ayame-sama."