CHAPTER TEN
The Youkai That Fell In Love With A Hanyou
Kagome was still squirming and yelling at Kouga when he set her down in front of a cave. Taking no note of the human girl yelling obscenities at him, he walked over to the mouth of the cave and called out to someone, "Oy, Oni-sama.... are you home?!!" He looked a bit puzzled into the cave and then put a smile on his face, "Ah, there you are... Oni-sama, I came to ask of you a favor." Kagome looked up and saw a beautiful woman standing in front of the cave. She had long white hair, silky tanned skin, and deep blue eyes. "Kouga, what kind of trouble are you in this time?" she replied in a sultry voice. Kouga laughed and pointed at Kagome.
"I need you to take care of my woman for a while.... Kagome this is Oni.... she'll take better care of you than that mutt." The frail human got up and brushed the dirt off of her skirt. She was about to open her mouth and protest to Kouga calling her his woman when Oni spoke directly to her.
"Oh, so you're the famous Kagome that I've heard so much about. Kouga holds you in very high regards, seems to think that you're his." She smiled sweetly at Kagome and turned to Kouga. "Now Kouga, I'll keep your dear friend here out of danger, but don't make this a habit. I'm not a den mother you know." Kouga scoffed and took off like the wind. Kagome stared indignantly at the spot where he had been. "Well, you must be tired from your trip, would you like to come inside?" Kagome turned and faced the youkai standing before her, gesturing that they enter the dark cave. "I'd better not, my friends will be looking for me." Oni looked at Kagome in surprise. "Kouga lets you have friends, I wouldn't take him for the type to let his woman have friends." She smiled another radiant smile, "Well I guess this means that he really likes you. Come, you can wait for your friends inside." Kagome reluctantly followed as the female youkai seemed to float over the ground into the cave.
Deep within the forest, a red blur could be seen rushing along the ground, stopping every once in a while to sniff the air. "Damn it!! Where is she?!" Shippou, holding on tightly to his shoulder, voiced his own opinion, "maybe she got mad because you didn't stop Kouga and decided to stay with him." The little kitsune never saw the punch coming. It hit him right square in the face and unseated him from his perch on the hanyou's shoulder. Sango, riding on Kirara with Miroku in the back, easily extended an arm and caught Shippou. "Oy Miroku, what did I say wrong?" Shippou was looking up at the houshi, obviously confused. Miroku simply patted his head and looked on. Shippou couldn't possibly understand how Inuyasha felt right now. His mind was in turmoil. He felt responsible for Kagome's kidnapping and was still plagued by what the wolf demon had said.
'You're putting my Kagome in danger by carrying around bait for Naraku??!!'
The houshi sadly shook his head. He understood that Inuyasha thought it was his fault and that he thought that if Kagome was anywhere around him, something might happen to her.... but he didn't want her in the hands of Kouga. They had only been traveling for a few minutes and already Inuyasha was getting restless. Miroku could tell this because the hanyou's ears were twitching frantically. "Sango, do you think that Kagome meant to go with Kouga?" Shippou looked up at Sango, who had been quiet all of this time. "I don't know Shippou, she didn't seem to resist, but it all happened so fast. I'm not sure about how she reacted." Sango had a worried look on her face.
'Kagome-chan, why didn't you tell Kouga to stop? Why did you go with him? Do you feel that you won't be safe with us anymore?'
Sango's heart was sinking at the thought of never seeing her friend again when Inuyasha suddenly released a newfound burst of energy and increased his speed dramatically. "I think he's found her scent!" Miroku yelled through the whipping wind as they sped up to catch the hanyou.
"Tell me, what are your friends like?" Oni asked Kagome as they sat in what appeared to be a piece of paradise. Deep within the cave there was a part where the top of the mountain was missing and the sun was shining in on what appeared to be a tiny forest within a cave. The air was clean, there was green grass, and there were even a few trees alongside the edge of it. The two girls sat in the middle of this foliage and talked just like normal girls did. This was the first time that Kagome had talked to a youkai without it trying to kill her, aside from Shippou of course. "Well, there's Sango, she's like a sister to me. She's a demon exterminator..." realizing what she had just said, Kagome put her hand over her mouth and looked embarassed. Oni simply laughed. " I'ts ok. I know that there are bad deamons out there as well as good ones. As long as she doesn't slaughter them needlessly, I have no objections." Kagome continued, still feeling rather embarassed. "there's also a monk by the name of Miorku. He has great power, but he's a bit of a lech." Oni smiled as if telling her to continue, "also Shippou, a little kitsune, has joined us." Oni squeeled with glee, "Oh how cute, is he old enough to shapeshift?" Kagome smiled and was happy to know that this demon wasn't so cold hearted. "Actually he does, and it's saved our lives more than once. Oh, and there's also Kirara. She's a mononoke and she can turn into a cute little kitty." Oni looked on, interested in hearing more about Kagome's fascinating friends. Kagome continued, "and then there's Inuyasha. He's a hanyou." Oni looked at Kagome with eyes of interest. "Really, a hanyou? Doesn't it bother you to be in the company of such a filthy creature...." Oni then stopped at this after noticing a tiny spark of anger in Kagome's eyes, "...what's he like?" Kagome blushed instantly at being asked to describe Inuyasha. She would have given a very good description, but it was no longer needed. No sooner had she opened her mouth had the hanyou dropped in from the hole in the mountain. Fangs bared and claws outstretched.
Inuyasha had caught Kagome's scent and he was catching up to it. From what it seemed she wasn't moving at all. Inuyasha ran through the forest and soon came up to a mountain side. This didn't make sense. How could it be coming from.... Then, without a second thought, he lept over the rocks and started scaling the mountain as easily as if he had been running on a flat surface. After moving over a few boulders, he noticed a large gap between the sides. The scent was strongest here. He jumped into the gap and took not of two things instantly. Kagome and a DEMON. He landed between the two and faced the demon with bared fangs.
Oni gasped when she saw the silver haired creature land between her and her guest. He remained in a kneeling position, his hair flowing backwards in the wind, his golden eyes staring her down, his hands outstretched to reveal sharp claws on the end of each finger. It was a breathtaking sight. And when he spoke it was masculine and demanding.
"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha hissed at the youkai that had moments before been standing next to Kagome. his right hand reached across his body and grasped the hilt of tessaiga. But before he could draw the demon blade, a much too familiar word followed by a much too familiar feeling got to him.
Kagome watched as Inuyasha landed in front of her, poised for an attack. He reached for his tessaiga.
'Oh no. He doesn't know that Oni isn't a bad demon.'
"SIT!" she called out and then heard the familiar sound of Inuyasha's face taking a plunge into the dirt. She knew that she would suffer for that later on, but it was the only thing that she could think of.
Inuyasha got up, anger boiling up inside of him. He was about to give Kagome the yelling of her life when he heard the demon behind him speak so suddenly.
"You must be Inuyasha. Isn't he Kagome?" Kagome nodded, not quite sure about what else to do. "Well, I'm sorry that Kouga never mentioned you. I'm Oni." The demon stepped closer to him, but he recoiled. "You'll have to forgive Inuyasha, he has no manners." came a voice from behind Oni. She turned around and saw Miroku, Sango, Shippou , and Kirara standing at the entrance of the cave. "My name is Miroku, I am a humble monk. It is an honor to meet you. Miroku bowed politely. "Well, now that that's out of the way, "Miroku grasped her hands in his, "Would you bear a child for me?" Sango was quick to hit Miroku with the edge of hiraikotsu. Oni laughed at the pair. "Kagome has told me all about you. You must be Sango." She motioned at the red faced demon slayer standing behind the now unconsious monk. "And you must be Shippou and Kirara." she said, picking them up and hugging them both. "You are just too cute!" the newcomers looked at this in surprise. Kagome simply laughed to herself. Then she stopped when Inuyasha approached the demon. "Oy, you mentioned Kouga. Where is that wimpy wolf?" Oni turned around, astonished to find the hanyou standing so close to her. Oni's cheeks blushed and she backed away slowly, almost reluctantly. "He left. He told me to take care of Kagome and then he took off." She couldn't help but stare at his ears on the top of his head. She wanted to reach up and touch them, but she kept her urges to herself. "Are you looking for him?" Oni asked, trying not to look at his golden eyes. "Not really... I could care less what that filthy cub is doing. As long as he keeps Kagome out of it." Kagome blushed in the background, thanking god that nobody noticed.
Oni was overwhelmed by this hanyou's appearance. She had never seen anything like him. It was a beautiful sight. He was simply half - demon and there he stood with all the confidence in the world. He seemed to defy anything that stood in his way. Even his hair seemed defiant and swayed about as he moved and talked.
'But hanyous are supposed to be dirty half breeds. How can he stand so strongly?'
Oni was deep in thought when Inuyasha stood almost nose to nose with her. "Oy! Are you ok? You look out of it." She quickly put a hand on his chest and pushed him back. Her face was crimson and her eyes were glassy. She played back the scenario in her mind. The closeness, his scent, his eyes. Why was she feeling this way?
"We're terribly sorry to just barge in like that, but we came for Kagome. You see...." Miroku explained the whole story about how Kouga had taken Kagome without warning. Oni listened silently, every now and then stealing a glance at the hanyou who was now guarding the cave entrance. She had hardly noticed a thing that the houshi was explaining. The silver haired creature drew her eyes away from reality.
"Oni-chan, are you ok?" Kagome's voice broke through the youkai's thoughts. "Yes?" She said automatically. " We were wondering if you could tell us if you knew anything about what Kouga was doing." There was a rustle from the opening of the cave. "Keh, what's this "we" crap. I couldn't care less what that wimpy wold is up to." Kagome gave Inuyasha a stern look and turned back to Oni. Her eyes widened in realization.
' She's done nothing but stare at Inuyasha since he got here.... no, youkai hate hanyous, they think they're lower life forms. But....'
Now it was Kagome's turn to get snapped out of a trance. Sango went and nudged her in the back lightly. "huh?" Sango leaned in a bit and whispered, "Snap out of it! What's wrong?" Kagome shook her head vigorously and stepped away from Sango. She didn't want anyone to know that she was jealous. Jealous? Of what? Inuyasha hated demons. Of course he'd never like Oni...... woudn't he......
"Something's coming."
The hanyou turned and sprinted out of the cave, drawing his demon sword as he lept over a boulder and into the sunshine just outside. At the very center of the entrance he stood. Holding tessaiga with both hands and bearing his fangs in a low growl. Whatever this was, it was huge.
Inside of the cave everyone rushed to join their comrade outside, but were suddenly stopped by a powerful rumbling. As if the mountain that they were in had suddenly sprung to life, the ground shook with an imense power that knocked everyone but Oni off their feet. "Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled as she stumbled to get up and run outside. Once outside everyone stood in amazement to find the source of the tremendous earthquake. In front of the mountain, no more than twenty steps away from the hanyou, a large black bear youkai stood towering over the dog demon. Inuyasha bent his knees, preparing to attack, "Who the hell are you?", he asked through clenched teeth. Without warning, a large clawed hand came down on the hanyou. Clouds of smoke rose into the air. A dark figure broke through the top of the dust clouds and came down strongly on the youkai's head. "DAMN YOU!!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT?!", the hanyou had struck the bear demon on the head with the hilt of tessaiga, causing it to sway dangerously, "I WON'T ASK YOU AGAIN!!" With that Inuyasha lept off the youkai's head and landed gracefully on the ground in front of it.
It was amazing. Something about watching this hanyou fight captivated Oni. His strength was obvious and his mercy was honorable. He didn't think like a demon. He didn't want to kill the youkai that had just gotten in his way. He was confident standing in front of this monster with his giant sword resting on his right shoulder. Oni stood in awe watching as the battle proceeded to take a turn for the worse. The youkai had again attempted to swipe at Inuyasha. The hanyou was now floating in mid air, raising his tessaiga over his head, preparing for the final blow. Then everything seemed to happen at the speed of light.