CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ying and Yang
A feeling of worry washed over Inuyasha as he looked out at the window. Something was out there. He wasn't sure exactly how he knew, but he did. The hanyou carefully slipped out from under Kagome's grasp and gently laid her out on the bed. He hesitated to sniff her enchanting fragrance before grasping his tessaiga and hopping on to the window ledge.
"I'll be right back Kagome." He whispered as he quietly closed the window and let himself fall to the floor.
Pain ran up through his legs as he landed and rolled sideways. He cursed his frail human body as he made his way towards the well. The cool midnight breeze flowed through his haori and the hanyou used his hands to keep it from fluttering wildly. He didn't know what freaking him out, but what ever it was Inuyasha wanted the element of surprise. He ran silently across the courtyard that separated Kagome's house from the shed which housed the bone eater's well. Inuyasha ran in a crouching position with his left hand holding his swords' sheath and the right one on the hilt. He skidded to a stop at the doors to the shed and peered inside. Other than darkness there was nothing to be seen.
'What the hell? Am I just being paranoid?'
He vigorously shook his head and turned back towards the house, his hands now at his sides. Inuyasha was half way across the courtyard when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. This cause the hanyou to turn about just in time to see the faint light pierce through the shed doors and then die out.
'… Did something just come through the well?'
Inuyasha took a few steps forward then, as if to answer his question, the doors flung open and a person strolled into the courtyard. It was a man wearing a white kimono and a large shield on his left arm. Inuyasha could barely see the tip of a hilt hidden behind the shield. The hanyou quickly placed his right hand on the hilt of his own blade and walked toward the new arrival. From what Inuyasha could tell this man was no taller than him and appeared to have eyes darker than the night surrounding him… A demon.
"Who the hell are you?" The hanyou's threatening tone was reinforced by his defensive stance.
"Hmmm… a human? I care not what you have to say. I am here for a hanyou… One that has harmed my sister's village and is considered to be very dangerous. Step aside human," the demon smiled, "unless you wish for an early death. Its' hand was a blur as the demon reached with his right hand into the shield and produced the blade that had been hidden behind it. Inuyasha drew his own sword, the chipped and rusted version of tessaiga, just fast enough to block this wickedly fast demon's attack. The tessaiga, although not transformed, was strong enough to hold its own against the demon strength. The loud clang reverberated through Inuyasha's body as the two swords met and clashed together. He pulled away and took a few steps back, feeling the strain on his arm to keep the blades even.
'Fuck! Damn human body! Who is this guy?
"Amazing… Nobody has ever withstood my attacks, human or otherwise. Consider yourself lucky."
Inuyasha raised his sword again. "It's more than just luck… Now answer me! Who the hell are you!"
The demon let his sword fall to his side. "My name is Yang… And I am here to dispose of a wretched insect that attacked our village… A hanyou by the name of Inuyasha… Now…" The demon sniffed heavily at the air before him, "I believe the infidel headed that way."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as the demon pointed directly at Kagome's house.
'No! I can't let him near there!'
The hanyou quickly re-adjusted his position and now stood between Yang and Kagome's house. He threateningly brandished his blade at the youkai.
"If you want to go that way you'll have to kill me first!"
Yang let out a harsh laugh. "Do you honestly intend to give your life for a pathetic hanyou, human? I find that ridiculous… He is not like you and he is not like me… Why risk anything for such trash?"
Inuyasha showed his disgust on his face. "You youkai make me sick judging someone just because they're different. Well let's see how fucking great you are!" With that the hanyou charged at Yang with his blade resting over his right shoulder. Inuyasha ran as fast as his human legs could carry him, all the while keeping his eyes trained on the youkai's sword. When he was within range of Yang he brought down his blade in a diagonal slashing motion from his right shoulder down to his left knee cap. The clanging of metal on metal reverberated across the courtyard as Yang's shield met tessaiga head on. Inuyasha pushed with all his strength, struggling to gain a foot hold on the advancing demon. Yang smiled derisively and threw Inuyasha back the same way one would toss a balled up piece of paper away… with a flick of the wrist. A loud crashing was the last thing Inuyasha heard before the pain of being slammed into a tool shed engulfed his body.
"Shit…" The hanyou plunged his sword into the earth and used it to prop himself up. The first thing he noticed was Yang slowly making his way towards the house…. Towards Kagome.
"I'm not done with you!" Fury and agony coursed his veins as Inuyasha made another attempt to attack. The youkai dodged the rusty blade easily and then brought the hilt of his sword softly down on the hanyou's back. Softly of course… for a demon. Bones cracked and dust flew up into the air as Yang's merciful attack sent the human crashing into the floor, making a large indentation on the ground where he fell. The tessaiga clattered uselessly to the ground a few feet away.
"Insolent human. If you wish to die you only need to ask." With that Yang tossed his blade up in the air and caught it backwards… the way one would regularly hold a sword to spear something. Inuyasha felt what was about to happen and tensed his body, but didn't move. He gave a yell as Yang's sword plunged into his back and exited through the exact center of his chest.
The yell that Inuyasha had let escape was not one of fear or pain or even anger, but of frustration. He was frustrated because his human form was so weak. 'Damn it! If I had me demon blood this bastard would have been begging for his life by now instead of… this…' At that moment the world began to move away from him.
"Shit…….. not….. again….."
The hanyou let his head rest on the floor as the unconsciousness rolled into his body. Blood wept from the gash on his back where the youkai's sword was still embedded.
Yang was looking down obviously admiring his enemy's pain when the distinct sound of a bow twang made him look up. Yang's eyes leveled on the house just in time to see the arrow race for his heart. The youkai knew that he wouldn't have time to block with his shield so instead he dove sideways, away from the dying human. He rolled and stood back up in time to leap backwards as another arrow struck the ground under him, then another, and another. One of the two arrows luckily zipped past between his legs, but he caught the second one squarely on his shield.
"Heh… what a pitiful atta….." His gloating was interrupted by the explosion that ripped his shield to pieces and threw him back into the well house. A rain of arrows fell around him and he struggled to block them with the tiny shred of protection he had left.
Kagome ran towards Inuyasha, all the while shooting arrows at the bastard. She had opened the back door just in time to see Inuyasha get skewered. Her eyes had widened and she had felt the first tear of rage and fear combined slip down from her eye into the corner of her mouth.
"NO! INUYASHA!"
'No. Not again. Please not again. Please be ok Inuyasha. I'm so stupid! Why didn't I wake up earlier! I should have stayed awake to watch over him!' A horrid sense of déjà vu swept over Kagome as she ran to the fallen hanyou.
She fell to her knees next to Inuyasha. He was alive, but his breathing was ragged. "Baka…… Run….. Away…."
The hanyou's warning urged Kagome to try and do something. The fact that he was human right now and the sun had just set a few hours ago ate away at her as Kagome tried feverishly to pull the sword that had pinned Inuyasha's body to the ground like and insect on display at an exhibit. Kagome's tears filled her eyes and sorrow filled her mind, which was partially why she was totally caught by surprise when the remnants of a shield made contact with her face and sent her flying and tumbling through the courtyard.
An evil chuckle escaped Yang's throat. "Hmm… so this is the fearsome hanyou? Ah, of course… this must be his night of transformation, interesting. Well it was a pleasure putting an end to your life, Inuyasha was it? I take it that human over there is your mate… well worry not Inuyasha; you won't go to the depths of hell alone. I'll be sure to send her right behind you."
Yang reached down and pulled his blade out of the hanyou's body slowly. As he was pulling it out the sword suddenly became snagged on something and refused to pull out all the way. He pulled harder and was picking Inuyasha up about three meters when he realized the little human bastard was grasping onto the blade.
"Annoying little runt… but you are only delaying the inevitable." Using his demon strength Yang lifted his sword and the hanyou over his head and then let it fall suddenly. Blood splattered from Inuyasha's back, chest, and hands as his body slid through the sword and fell to the ground. The pain was too much for the hanyou to bear.
Yang picked up his sword to eye level. "Stupid human got my sacred blade dirty." He flicked the sword trying to get the blood off of it when an arrow struck him on the left shoulder. The impact was painful enough and the explosion that followed nearly ripped Yang in half. He fell sideways and dropped his sword.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
Kagome crawled on her hands and knees trying to get as close to Inuyasha as possible. Her vision was still blurred and the taste of copper in her mouth was overwhelming but she trudged on trying to get at the black haired boy that lay still in the center of the courtyard. She crawled weakly as a shadow leapt out from behind Inuyasha and landed directly in front of her. A foot smashed into her clavicle, the section between your shoulder and neck, and pushed her back so she was facing up at the youkai towering over her.
Yang's left arm was completely missing and his face and side were scorched beyond belief by the sacred arrow. His left eye, though dark as night, showed a hint of purple around it as the symptoms of a bruise began to show on his face. Kagome tried to crawl backwards but found that was impossible with his foot crushing one of her legs. He smiled sinisterly as he looked her over.
"I'll enjoy killing you human, I always take great pleasure in taking women's lives… and my sacred sword loves the blood of pure vixens. Are you such?" He chuckled softly, then raised an eyebrow as his right hand passed over his body and attempted to pull an invisible sword from its sheath. Yang laughed softly. "Ah yes… I had forgotten… the hanyou was holding onto it for me…" Yang turned around and felt the searing pain run across his body as his own sword was thrust into his mid section. He looked down and saw a bloody hanyou on one knee using all his might to press the blade further in. He raised a hand to swat the annoying little half human away when a sacred arrow struck him in the back… followed by another… and another.
Miroku had only one chance to try this. He had the three scrolls spaced out between his fingers and his staff at the ready. He ran towards the youkai and pretended to throw the scrolls at her feet, causing her to jump backwards. He then threw them at the point where she was going to land and quickly ducked as he heard the alarming sound of hiraikotsu taking flight behind him.
Ying had just dodged what she thought was an attack when a triple threat of scrolls bound themselves to her feet. She grimaced in pain as the scrolls purified her demon aura and looked down at what had just happened when she took a giant boomerang to the chest. Ying doubled over and coughed heavily from the pain, but she would not go down.
'Not until I find that damn hanyou…. Inuyasha, I curse that name!'
"Inuyasha" she whispered.
The sound of that name opened a gate of memories for Ying-sama. One in particular made her shudder.
"What's that over there?" Ying could smell the fire and see the smoke rising above the tree line. Her brother looked up and then at her.
"You want to go see, aneue?" Ying nodded and leapt off into the forest, her shield in her right hand and sacred sword in the other. These weapons had been passed down to them and carried with them the blood of hundred of youkai their ancestors had fought to protect the villagers. Ying always felt hollow inside when she was without them. It was quite strange that a youkai would be born left handed, but her family had always said it strengthened the bond between her and her twin brother. One was the right and the other the left. Hence their names… Ying and Yang.
"Looks like a fire. Or maybe…" Yang, her brother, was cut short by the sounds of screaming. They came down on a small hut that was ablaze.
"Hello? Is anyone in there?" Ying ran around the hut looking for anyone that might still be inside. It was then that she spotted the remains of a family decimated across the grass. She groaned and sniffed the air.
"Youkai."
Yang was next to her in a matter of minutes, looking uninterested at the massacre before him. "You can smell it? Is it strong?" He gave a toothy grin and raised his sword onto his shoulder. Like his sister, Yang carried his weapons only his shield was wrapped around his left hand, and his sacred sword was gripped tightly with his right. Yang had never really cared for humans like his sister, but he loved a good fight.
"Let's split up sis, but remember," Yang smiled slyly as he commented, "The one that finds the youkai gets to kill it." Yang disappeared into the forest. Ying looked down sadly at the family. It was a man, his wife, and two small children. She knew this family well. They always offered her food even though they knew she didn't eat, took care of her wounds even though they knew she could heal just fine all by herself, and would often give her wreaths of flowers for her head. Ying's head unconsciously went to her head and stroked the wreath she wore today. She took it off and laid it next to their limp mangled bodies.
"I'll find this youkai…" she whispered into her hands, "And I'll be the one to kill it. I swear." Ying pulled a small dagger from her waist and pierced it through her hand. The blood scattered across the remains. This was a ritual her family would conduct to seal a promise. She let the blood pool on the floor and a single tear fell from her eye.
"I vow to return and bury you properly when I have slain this demon so you may rest in peace."
Ying raised her sword and ran into the forest.
Miroku widened his eyes in surprise. The demon didn't fall but instead whispered something and then raised her sword again. She let out a war cry and lunged at the houshi. Winds picked up and swirled around her as if to reflect the power she was drawing upon. Miroku didn't have a chance to move. He could only lift his staff and brace himself for the impact, hoping against hope that his weapon would hold against the youkai's blade. His strength and his weapon's craftsmanship, however, were no match for a youkai and a sacred sword. His staff snapped in two and a breeze ran through his chest as Miroku's robes were sliced in half. He fell backwards just as the youkai turned away. As he fell his hands went instinctively to his chest, searching blindly for the deep wound that would be the end of his short lived life….. But there was none. Miroku's back popped as he hit the ground and he groaned weakly. He then picked up his head and examined his ripped robes. There was no trace of blood or a gash on him. Miroku sighed in relief and then propped himself back up. He saw Ying and a very angry Sango charge at each other. Thinking fast Miroku picked up the head of what was left of his staff and threw it at Ying's feet.
Sango snatched her hiraikotsu and cast her eyes upon the youkai just in time to see it slash Miroku across the chest. In that instant all time stopped in Sango's reality. Everything was frozen as she assessed the situation playing out before her very eyes. Miroku was falling backwards and the youkai had turned around to face her. Rage and sorrow blazed across Sango's eyes. She wished nothing more than to rid the world of this vile demon. Unsheathing her kodachi with her left hand and summoning all the strength she could from her right Sango charged at the demon. She drew back her right hand and crossed her kodachi across her chest to defend from the youkai's sword. Then, stopping short Sango was about to let her weapon fly when the demon stumbled and fell face first into the dirt.
Ying felt the metal strike on her ankles as she lost her footing and fell to the floor with a loud THUD. She quickly rolled sideways and ended up on her back looking up at the houshi. Ying did the first thing she could think of… She raised her shield to block anything coming her way and thrust her sword forward into the houshi's chest. He raised his hands in protest but then dropped to his sides. His face was not one of pain though, but one of exasperation.
Sango looked on as the sword once more stabbed through Miroku. The houshi simply shrugged and then extended a hand to help the youkai up. The shield that the demon used to defend her self suddenly went into motion and swept Miroku's feet out from under him. Sango, enraged now, ran across the clearing and dropped her hiraikotsu on the demon's head. Even the strongest of youkai would fall unconscious after a whack like that. Confident that she would not be getting up any time soon, Sango helped Miroku to his feet.
"What do we do Houshi-sama? This demon is obviously being tricked by Naraku….. but…." Sango was staring at his chest where the sword had entered.
"Ah yes… the sword. I remember Ying-sama saying how Inuyasha had attacked the village she protected. It is possible that Ying-sama cannot harm humans."
Sango's eyes widened. "You mean you weren't sure!" She slapped Miroku across the face and looked away. "Baka." She whispered as her tear streaked face was hidden behind her bangs.
"Eh…" Miroku took a moment to realize why Sango was so upset. He smiled and rubbed his cheek. "Well, let's get Ying-sama back to Kaede's. I'm sure she'll be more reasonable when she's woken up."
Sango gave Miroku a stone glare. Why should they help this youkai……? She suddenly remembered her own fight with Inuyasha years ago. Naraku had told her the Youkai Exterminator's village had been attacked and destroyed by a hanyou by the name of Inuyasha. Her eyes widened. She reached around the youkai and patted her clothing.
"What are you doing?" Miroku looked quizzically at Sango.
"It should… no… maybe… hah!" She pulled at a necklace around the youkai's neck. Hanging onto the necklace was a shikon shard. Miroku looked on in surprise as Sango raised the necklace to his face.
"It's Naraku's style to give these out to build confidence, remember?" She smiled slyly and continued. "It just wouldn't be one of Naraku's deceptions without a shard." She looked at the black shard. "Let's take this too and have Kagome-chan purify it. They'll be back tomorrow anyway.
Yang was paralyzed for a moment at the two attacks from both sides. On one side the hanyou had stabbed him with his own blade and on the other three purifying arrows broke through his armor with ease. Pain fluttered over his body as his youki drained. He laughed to himself. 'Yes! This is the kind of battle that I wanted! That Naraku did not disappoint!' He put his hands on Inuyasha's shoulders and pushed the human back. He then pulled his sword out and aimed it at the girl with a bow and arrow pointing at him.
'This is not good. My youki is leaving my body faster than I had thought it would. This human must be a miko of some sort. I have to get back to that well.'
Yang jumped up and landed right next to the well house. Kagome's arrow flew over his head as he ducked and smashed the side wall to pieces. The next arrow hit what was left of the shack that housed the well as Yang stepped inside. He jumped in and was immediately surrounded by a blue light. Moments later his feet hit the ground and he looked around.
"What is this magic?" He looked down at the glowing black shard around his neck. "Heh… this thing is more useful that I thought." With that he jumped out to find his sister and the two humans were gone.
"Were you defeated aneue? I'm not surprised… You always were the weaker one." With a smile the youkai walked away from the well and searched for a place to heal. He would be back soon to finish of the hanyou and his annoying human mate.
Sirens blared as Inuyasha was rushed to the nearest hospital. Kagome sat nervously in the back with him, her mind racing at a mile a minute. He had lost too much blood to last through the night. When she had gotten to him his skin was pale and his eyes were dull. Her mother had called the police when she heard the well house being shattered to bits. The paramedic had arrived first and taken Inuyasha straight away. Kagome was going to stay behind to try and cover up the mess, but her mother urged her to go with the hanyou.
'Mama… I hope you can handle this.'
(A/N: Ok everyone… sorry about the stupid names, but I was watching some cartoon with a yin yang sign and came up with these youkai. Wait for the next exciting chapter: Only Human)