Thank you for the reviews!! I lubs you guys so much!! I was sorta worried about bringing it back, because last year when 2bwu went on hiatus, I lost all of my readers. Some came back, some didn't. I was afraid to put this on hiatus for the same reason, but you guys came back! ::cookies and plushies for everyone!:: And a new chapter, lol
Oh yeah, and too bad he can't use Kaze no Kizu. lol Though, in this chapter, he won't need to. Read on to find out why. ;p
Disclaimer:: I'm Rumiko Takahashi, so I own Inuyasha. No really, I swear! ... Okay, so I'm not. Don't laugh.
Inuki
Chapter Twenty :: Shikon Light
It's... glowing!
Kagome gawped at the faintly glowing sphere, her mouth hanging slightly open. It lay in her hand, the cold blackness of the stone's previous state gone. Gone, and replaced by a gentle warmth and soft pink light. It flickered slightly, as if resonating with its missing piece, and Kagome looked around herself for it.
I feel it, she thought to herself, I can feel the essence. I haven't been able to feel the presence of the Shikon since after Inuyasha died, but.. Discreetly she turned, eyeballing Sakuya and Mitaka, and then back at Kumo. Maybe she has it? She's a youkai.. but I'm not missing any shards; we gathered them all. I don't..
As if it were the Shikon no Tama itself willing her understand, Kagome felt her eyes drawn to her side, where Inuki stood. He was glaring up at Kumo, Tessaiga held in his hands, his posture and expression exuding confidence and trust.
And from within him, a strong, bright light shone.
Kagome closed her hand around the ball, now desperately confused. Inuki had it? How? When? Why? Questions burned through her mind, even as something tugged from the back of her brain, to present the solution. She allowed herself to be drawn back to the worst day of her life for a mere moment.
Long enough to remember what had happened the day Inuyasha died.
Kagome's eyes snapped open. That's right.. I tried to save him with the jewel and its essence went into Inuyasha's body...! And Inuki who is Inuyasha's reincarnation...
She gasped slightly. ...Does Inuki have the light of the Shikon inside of HIM?!
And then, with her impeccable timing, Kumo attacked.
.n.
Almost as if they'd had a silent understanding between them, Inuki and the taijiya moved swiftly as the spiders swarmed them. Sakuya took the left and Mitaka the right while Inuki headed straight underneath Momma Kumo herself.
Mitaka darted into the group, using her own small size and her insane speed to match the level the spiders moved at. Kodachi unsheathed, she concentrated on her mission: I am a taijiya; the demon slayer. How dare you attack the people of this town! I won't let you harm humans! She moved almost like dancing, twisting and slipping in and out of range of the young demons, leaving killing blows as she went.
Sakuya was a tornado, swinging and slamming the zanbatou down unmercifully on the flesh-eating baby Kuromiboujin. As he flew through the crowd, he took all of his emotion, the anger at losing his village to youkai, his feelings for Mitaka, and focused them into his arms, to be his strength. Like she'd taught him. This is what I trained for! For Mitaka, and for these people, I'll kill you all myself!
Inuki felt the adrenaline rush through him like a flash flood, washing away all thoughts except that he had to protect Kagome. Kagome was what was important. He swept the transformed Tessaiga through the cloud of attacking arachnids, flinging them about, slashing through them. When they came too close, he slashed at them with his claws.
Slowly the three of them pulled away from the cliff face, moving closer and closer towards the enemy and away from that which signified their loss, their being back into a corner. It was only until Inuki was surrounded by a field of black that he realized Kagome had not followed them into the fray.
Instead, she was pressed up against the cliff face, clutching something in her hands. And Kumo noticed the moment he did. The enormous mother stomped towards the miko, glaring down at her.
"You," she growled out, "You were the one who scarred my face." Kagome was only a little unnerved as she swallowed, her eyes narrowing in anger. "You tried to kill my best friend! You deserve it, you ugly.. old.. HAG!"
Kumo's eyes blazed and she lifted one claw, swiping at Kagome. The young miko let out a short cry, dodging it nimbly, but not nimbly enough: Kumo smacked her with a second strike. Inuki's heart leapt to his throat. "Kagome!"
Kagome hit the ground hard, her hand opening when she fell. A soft tink-tink-tink alerted her to a new problem, and her eyes widened in horror as she watched the Shikon no Tama roll out of reach. The little pink ball disappeared into the throng of baby spiders, and Kagome gasped. "No!! The Jewel!!"
'The Jewel' was all Kumo heard. Bored with Kagome now, the youkai spider began to search frantically for the jewel, the simple knowing that a greater power was within her reach fueling her greed. Inuki called over to Kagome, avoiding Kumo as she stomped around searching for the Jewel. "Kagome!! Are you hurt?!" Kagome shook her head, pushed herself up on the heels of her hands. "Inuki, I dropped the Shikon no Tama, if Kumo gets it...!!"
He nodded once, and turned in the direction he last saw the jewel. Shoving aside spiders and stabbing through even more, Inuki searched the ground for the little round rock, dodging more of Kumo's angry stomps as he went. The gigantic arachnid was unable to turn properly to search him out with her eyes, and so she merely stomped around, hoping to hit him. Because of that, it was easy to avoid.
Finally a glint of pink caught his eye and Inuki dove for it, snagging the ball right out the claw of a baby Kuromiboujin. The moment his fingers touched the glass surface though, Inuki felt a hot wave of pain wash over him, as if something from the depths of his soul were being uprooted and drawn to the surface.
"Hot!" He yelped softly, eyes closing of their own volition as the jewel also took on an unnatural heat. He forced them to open a half-second later, to look upon the ball. It was glowing brighter in the palm of his hand than he'd ever seen it before. What seemed even stranger was that he seemed to be glowing as well.
The dull ache in his body began to subside, but after a few moments Inuki realized it was not the pain that was going away, but him. The world was going dark around him, and Inuki let the Tessaiga drop to the ground.
What is this feeling? My blood is hot! Like it's boiling in my veins...
The claws on his hands began to lengthen, and Inuki grit his teeth. They too ached uncomfortably, and he ran his tongue over them; they were fangs, longer even than on his youkai night. And a new feeling surged up underneath the bewilderment.
I need.. to kill...
.n.
From underneath Kumo, a howl of raw fury erupted through the battle, and a streak of red and black shot up. In an instant, Kumo screamed out in pain, and her two back legs collapsed to the ground. Her rear end crashed to the ground unsupported, flattening several of her youngsters.
Mitaka gave a yelp as the spider's flailing arms knocked her into the hard wooden wall of a nearby home, and Sakuya looked up at her cry. "Mi-chan!" He rushed over to her, slipping an arm around her. "Mi-chan?" She put up a hand, waving it at him dismissively. "I'm okay, Sakuya, I really am.."
Watching from across the street, Kagome let out a sigh of relief now that she was reassured that Mitaka was alright. But it was short-lived as she resumed the bewildered expression on her face and followed the trail the attacker had taken... landing on Inuki. The teenager stood near a house, doubled over slightly. A belligerent growl was coming from deep in his throat, warning those near to stay away. Violet stripes painted his cheekbones and sharp fangs jut out against his lip.
Kagome felt a mixture of shock and fear strike her, almost like lightning, when Inuki opened his deep red eyes.
Oh my God, he transformed!
"BRAT!" Kumo roared, drawing the new youkai's attention to her. She lifted one hand, bringing it down as if to strike him, but Inuki's new instincts and new strength far outweighed that of a spider's. He darted underneath her, using only his right hand to tear through her legs. The other stayed tightly clenched, Kagome wasn't sure why.
But as Inuki ripped through Kumo, destroying the spider in seconds, Kagome couldn't help but be afraid. She had, at once time, never been afraid of Inuyasha. Even in his youkai form, she'd been sure he would never hurt her. And then he had. She'd shot him for it; she'd tried to kill him that day.
And it gave Inuki the scar over his heart.
She knew she couldn't do it again. The thought of even aiming one of her purifying arrows at Inuki made her knees buckle. But she didn't think she could stop him unless she did, because she was too scared to even move towards him while he was like this...
The baby spiders, not really old enough to make coherent "human" thought, were not nearly rational enough to understand what had happened to their mother. But they did understand the immense jyaki Inuki was emitting, and they didn't like it. The few dozen that were left turned and fled, making terrified screeching noises as they knocked over villagers to escape into the safety of the woods.
Mitaka watched the babies flee with a certain amount of pity for them, even as relieved as she was. Their poison isn't strong enough now to even kill a small rabbit... Without their mother to help them hunt, they'll be dead before the end of the week.
The danger gone, everyone returned their gazes to Inuki, who stood in the middle of Kumo's remains, still. He was panting, his left hand still tightly clenched around something. Kagome peered at him, trying to see if she could see what he held, but she saw nothing except a malevolent black light.
A cold shiver of realization swept her. The Shikon no Tama. I asked him to grab it before Kumo did. And when he did, his youkai powers awakened the jewel..
I can purify it.
Kagome leapt to her feet, pushing aside a shank of Kumo's hide to make her way to the confused youkai boy. "Inuki!!" At the sound of her voice, his head snapped up to glare at her, and he let out a snarl that would have stopped even Inuyasha. "No!"
Kagome stopped, standing completely still. Inuki stared meaningfully at her. "Leave me.. alone.." He staggered back a step or two, his free hand going up to clutch at his head. Kagome put her hands out, trying to show she was safe. "Inuki-kun, I can help you. If you let me come near..."
"NO!" he roared again, "Just stay the hell away from me.. My body..." He closed his eyes. "This stupid thing is talking to me... I can't..." Kagome winced, not really understanding him. His broken sentences and hoarse voice didn't help the situation. She took a step forward, but then Inuki spoke again. "Just.. stop. I'm not.."
He stood up suddenly and with all of his might flung the Shikon no Tama into the woods. "LET GO OF ME!"
Kagome gasped out loud, instantly wishing he hadn't done that. Inuki reverted to his normal self and slid to his knees, clutching his hand. She raced to his side. "Inuki-kun!"
She looked at him seriously, taking in his haggard appearance with a mixture of relief and concern. "Are you okay?" His face was pale, eyes weak as he looked up at her. She noticed then that his left palm was bright red, as if burned. In the middle was a small, round depression where the flesh was blistered. Kagome narrowed her eyes. The Shikon no Tama was merging with him...?
Inuki looked helplessly at her. "What happened to me..?"
Kagome opened her mouth to reply, but then shut it. It would be better to share everything at once with Kaede, to make sure Kagome had the right idea before she started spouting everything to the confused and horrified hanyou. "Let's go home," she suggested, "You need to rest."
In the nearby woods, a dark figure watched from the trees with a smirk. He turned, taking each step slowly and deliberately so as not to accidentally smash what it was he searched for. A glint of pink caught his eye and he snickered as he bent down to retrieve the ball.
"Well well well.." Katsuseki mused, "The Shikon no Tama. Not exactly what I want, but then.. I'm willing to make a bargain."
.n.
"Ow."
Kagome winced as she rebandaged Inuki's hand. "Sorry," she told him and he shook his head. Behind them, Kaede stirred the embers while Sango prepared tea for everyone. "Does it still hurt very much?" the miko asked and Inuki shrugged. "I said before I don't think I need a bandage, it just stings. Like something tried to drill a hole through my hand--"
"As odd as it sounds, I know how you feel," Miroku piped, and they all just sort of glanced at him. Kagome looked back at Inuki. "It's an open wound. It'll get dirty and take longer to heal if you don't keep it covered." Inuki rolled his eyes. "Whatever."
"Wuss," Sakuya said from across the room, and Inuki glared at him. "What'd you say?!"
"Kagome, go through it again, would you?" Kaede quickly turned the subject to their new, more pressing matters and Kagome nodded as she tied off the dressing on Inuki's wound. "When Inuyasha was... I tried to use the jewel to save him. But instead, this little pink light went into him and ever since, the Shikon no Tama was black and cold."
She shifted to face the old woman, putting away her medical supplies. "But yesterday, when I pulled out the jewel while I was near Inuki-kun.. it started to glow. And when he touched it, it activated. And then he transformed into a full youkai and massacred pretty much everything."
Inuki cleared his throat, waving a hand. "Hey, I'm right here. I can hear you, you know."
Ignoring him, Kaede nodded gravely and then folded her hands in her lap. "Hearing it again doesn't change my views. I believe your first assumption is correct: when Inuyasha passed away he took the very spirit of the jewel with him. And Inuki was reborn with it."
Sango sipped her tea, fingers pensively tracing circles on the cup. "So the Shikon no Tama is now in two parts." Kaede nodded. "Yes."
"What caused Inuki-sama to transform?" Mitaka wondered, "Sensei told us that the Shikon no Tama gives power to youkai, even hanyou, but if it's separated from itself..." Miroku shook his head then. "No. I think, the two parts -- the core of the Shikon that is inside of Inuki, and the body of the Jewel that Kagome-sama had-- were resonating and became one for that moment. Therefore whenever Inuki touches the Jewel, it's the same as it being whole."
"And just as Inuyasha was, Inuki is a hanyou," Kaede said. Sakuya nodded, finally understanding the situation. "Then the power of the jewel forced his youkai blood to the surface and he tore out the youkai's guts."
"Still loving the being talked about," Inuki groaned, leaning against his good hand.
"We will worry about rejoining the Shikon some other time. For the time being, all we really must do about this matter is keep the two halves away from each other," Kaede concluded. "Inuki must not hold or even touch it."
"Weeelll..." Kagome began, biting her lip slightly. Everyone looked at her and she fidgeted on her knees, rubbing her two forefingers together nervously. Inuki, also looking rather apprehensive, finished, "That kinda won't be a problem..."
"What is the matter, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked and Kagome exchanged a glance with Inuki. He shrugged at her and she looked back at her friends. "I lost the Shikon no Tama."
Five mouths dropped open.
"What are you, a curse?" Kaede finally demanded, "First you break it, then you lose the whole thing?" Kagome's mouth dropped open. "No! I.. It was HIS fault!" Inuki gawped at her, indignant that their camaraderie in taking the blame was so short-lived. "My fault?!"
Kagome turned to glare at him. "You're the idiot who THREW it to God-knows-where!"
"I wanted to get the damn thing away from me!"
"I was coming to get it!!"
"Stupid!" Inuki snatched her hand, holding it gently despite the suddenness of the action. Kagome blushed, but her embarrassment didn't faze Inuki in the least. "I didn't want you near me while I was like that! I wasn't sure what I might do, and.." A pale pink color overtook his cheeks. "If something ever happened to you, I would never be able to forgive myself."
Kagome smiled empathetically. "Thank you." Then her face turned dark. "But you're gonna need to grovel a lot more to get me to forgive you for losing the Jewel."
Inuki sighed.
...To be continued
a/n :: I'm about to kill the mood. ;p Have any of you ever seen the third Inuyasha movie, Tenka Hadou no Ken? When you get the chance-- GO. AND. SEE. IT. It freaking ROCKS. I got to see it this past weekend, and I SO do not regret it. It was an awesome movie. As all 3 of the movies are, it wasn't especially anime or manga canon-ish, but good nonetheless. (Honestly, I consider the movies about an hour and a half of fan service, lmao. But fan service isnt bad. Oh no, no no.) Anyway-- order of the week: GO SEE IT!
But review first. lol Chapter 21 will be up soon.
;p
.Tessen.