A Dark New Family

Kazuki charged at the defenseless samurai and he was much to quick for the others to stop him. He held up his sword ready to strike when Kagome shouted something that made him cringe.

"Wait! If you kill him you may never be born!" Kagome screamed.

Kazuki stopped and dropped the sword on the ground and it bounced a little. He stared at Kenshin horrified realizing what he almost did. He gulped and stared at Kagome blankly with wide eyes.

Sanosuke helped Kenshin up and let him rest on his side. "Kazuki, just stop and you can go. We can just forget this ever happened."

They'll never let you forget… It's a trap… You can't trust them…

They're lying…

Come back now Kazuki…

You can finish them later…

Kazuki picked up his sword and left without saying a word.

"Kazuki!" Kagome shouted after.

"Kenshin…" Sanosuke said as he looked at the limp body.

"KENSHIN!" Kagome cried.

The group panicked until they heard a light snore.

Inuyasha's eye twitched. "He's—sleeping!" He grabbed the man's shoulders. "HOW DARE YOU SLEEP AT A TIME LIKE…" He let out a large yawn. "Well…we have been up quite some time…" He let Kenshin fall back in Sanosuke's arms.

They heard loud snoring and they looked around confused. The only visible person asleep was Kenshin and he was snoring lightly. Kagome looked at her bag and emptied out its contents on the ground. Out popped Shippo curled up in an empty potato chip bag.

"Okay…?" Miroku blinked.

"Let's just find a place to sleep." Sango sighed. "We can find Kazuki later today or tomorrow. If we find him and pass out who knows what will happen."

Kazuki slept on the floor of a room quietly. If you didn't know any better you would think he was dead. Naraku shut the door and stared at Salali.

"What exactly does the blood do to him?"

She let out a small laugh and flipped some of her hair. "Well, obviously the blood makes him under my control."

Naraku glared and they both started walking to a different room. "Then why didn't he finish off the other man?" He sat down in his room where Kanna sat with her mirror.

"Well…" She let her sentence linger a little while trying to explain it. "He isn't completely controlled…he still has his own thoughts and memories, it's just that now he thinks…differently."

Naraku crossed his arms and had a cold look on his face. "Alright, but can he over power you?"

Salali let out another small laugh and placed her hands on her hips. "By the time he can he'll probably already be dead."

Naraku smiled and shook his head. "I doubt that. From what I saw they won't allow him to die. If they do kill him it'll be completely accidental. How exactly does the blood make him stronger?"

She sighed and crossed her arm. She walked over to the window and stared out as demons flew past. "Kazuki will die. Not because they will kill him."

"What?" Naraku asked angry and confused. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

Salali turned around smiling. "Because, he's plenty powerful to kill them." She turned around and closed her eyes. "The blood causes their power to build up and age. The power he will gain, as he gets older is building up. It'll eventually tear him up and kill him. He won't be able to handle all that power." She smiled at him. "He'll get the job done. He now craves to kill."

"If he doesn't get the job done you will be sorry." Naraku stated sternly. "How much longer does he have left?"

"I don't know…" She murmured. "My pets have only lasted a day or two. I guess that they were absorbing a lot more energy then what they needed." She held a finger to her chin. "Maybe it has some unknown side effects…"

"Just make sure Kazuki gets the job done." Naraku growled. "When he wakes up have him go train."

She bowed and exited the room. "Yes Master."

Kazuki sat up started not remembering where he was. His head throbbed and he had the strongest burning sensation in his stomach. 'That dream…' He thought. He clutched his stomach harder. "What's this pain…?" He let go when the pain suddenly away.

"It's your body feeding off your energy." Salali stated as she walked into the room.

Kazuki stared blankly at the demon. "My energy?"

She ushered him outside where the demons flew overhead. It was now dark and there was a thick purple mist above them hiding some of the demons in their covering. Kagura out of nowhere from the mist and landed in front of the two.

Salali smiled and crossed her arms. "I heard you had a little encounter with the group right before they got to the village."

Kagura stared confused then glared. "Who told you?"

"Oh…a little mouse." She sneered. She clutched Kagura's shoulder and smiled casually. "We wouldn't want Naraku to find out now would we?"

"What do you want…?" Kagura hissed.

Salali grew serious and closed her eyes. "Stay out of my way." She walked away bored. "And you train the boy. I have much more important things to do…" She turned around before leaving and smiled. "Besides, it's not like you're going anywhere." She disappeared into the thick mist.

"That wretch…"

Kazuki crossed his arms and glared. "And you are?" He tapped his foot impatiently.

"Your trainer for now I suppose." She left a moment and came back with a boy. "This is your temporary sparing partner. Kazuki, this is Kohaku. Kohaku, Kazuki."

Kohaku just looked at Kazuki with a vacant stare.

"You guys are in the same boat so I suggest you get used to each other." She said firmly. She pointed to some of the demons in the air. "I want you to practice destroying some of those demons.

As if on command a demon swooped down and charged at Kohaku. Kohaku easily destroy it without any hesitation. When that demon was destroyed more started coming down.

Kazuki smiled and clenched his sword. "This is bound to be fun."

Kohaku stared at him blankly then began hitting demons with his weapon.

Kazuki was enjoying himself while he destroyed the various demons. He was even laughing as their blood spilled. By the time he and Kohaku were finished the ground was drenched in demon blood. Kagura had to relocate herself on the roof just so she wouldn't get splatter…or with how enthused Kazuki was, killed.

"I didn't tell you to kill them all!" Kagura snapped.

Kazuki shrugged and crossed his arms behind his back. "…They had it coming either way." He started to walk back into castle.

"HOLD IT!" Kagura shouted.

Both Kazuki and Kohaku stopped and Kazuki glared.

"You both are covered in blood." She jumped down from the castle and stared disgusted. "There's a hot springs nearby, go wash up. NOW!"

"Whatever." Kazuki growled as Kohaku lead him to the hot springs.

When they were both in there Kazuki starred at Kohaku curiously. He wasn't so used to quiet people. "Hey, kid, where ya from?"

"It doesn't matter." Kohaku whispered. Kazuki still was giving him a curious look so Kohaku answered. "I don't remember."

"You don't remember?" Kazuki said confused. Kazuki still had his complete memory. This made his actions a lot more disturbing. But he couldn't help himself; he enjoyed it way too much. Kazuki chuckled, "That must be nice."

"Why are you here?" Kohaku questioned.

Kazuki stopped for a moment and pondered the question. Salali was his master, what else was there to say? He had to listen to her didn't he? "Because my master is here I guess."

"That new woman? The one with the pet rats."

"I guess."

"Why is she your master?"

'Why is she…?' He pondered. Because she has to be, it was just a fact. "Hey? Why so many questions?"

"You started it."

Kazuki stopped, "I…I guess I did." He thought for a moment. "Hey, since we have to work together let's try and be friends okay? You watch my back and I watch yours."

Kohaku nodded. "Okay."

"Good." Kazuki smiled. "I need an ally." He got out and put his clothes on. "Come on kid, you're getting all wrinkly."

Kohaku stood up and Kazuki tossed him his clothes. "Thanks."

'This kid's just like me. I need someone I can talk to…' Both the boys walked back to the castle only to be greeted by Kagura.

"I wanted you both just to go rinse. Not have a little party."

Kazuki smiled and walked past her. "Hey! You should've been there! There was a wet T-shirt contest!" He laughed and the two boys entered the room that they both now had to share.

"A WHAT!" She shouted. She held her head in frustration. Where did they find these people? "Why do I have to put up with these people?" She groaned.

Kohaku sat in the far corner of the room and staring at the bare walls. His expression was solemn as usual and held no real emotional. His dark eyes followed Kazuki's as the redhead took a seat next to him looking at him curiously. They stared at each other for the longest time, each of them weighing out the other.

Kazuki sat up and stretched. Every nerve in his body was on end. His mind was so clear and he had energy to burn. How could some kid just want to sit around all day? His hands shook slightly. He was in a state of mind where his body was telling him to kill anything to move. He needed the sensation of blood around him.

He laughed nervously to himself, "What I need is to stop thinking so much…"

Kohaku looked at him dully then proceeded to sit there in silence. "Do you normally talk to yourself?"

Kazuki paced back and forth around the room. 'I need to do something…did he just say something? A fu…heck who cares…did I just stop myself from swearing in my own head?' He stopped and started tapping his foot rapidly. "At least Kazuki isn't talking to himself in third person…DAMMIT!"

"You're…strange…" Kohaku muttered.

"Ya…Mom said that I just like to draw attention to myself…" He spat out rapidly. 'Maybe I just have to take a whiz…usually I start talking faster when I hafta whiz…have I taken a whiz since I've been here? There was when we were in the hot tub…great…now I'm lying to myself…'

"What are you doing?" Salali asked raising an eyebrow and giving him a glare. "I thought I told you to go train!" She growled.

Kazuki sat down Indian style and grunted. "We finished about half an hour ago." He uncrossed his legs and laid down. He supported his head with one arm and waved her off with the other. "You really think some measly demons are going to keep me preoccupied for hours on end?"

She was astonished for a second. The two boys had cleared out dozens of demons in a short period of time. A devious grin spread on her face and she closed her eyes satisfied. 'Naraku will be pleased with this.' She then frowned and bit her lip. 'But he may be getting to powerful to quickly, at this rate he could die any day.'

"What is with women and staring?" He stood up and was only millimeters away from her face. "Hello—earth to Master!"

She snapped out of her trance and immediately slapped him sending him flying into Kokako who managed to catch his body. "Don't come near me. As your master I demand that you stop with your childish antics!"

Kazuki held the slap mark on his face and nodded. "I'm sorry Master, please forgive me."

Salali smiled and walked over to him. Kohaku let Kazuki go and took a step back. The rat lady scared him. Salali smiled and placed a hand gently on Kazuki's shoulder. "Make sure it never happens again." She brought her attention to Kohaku and he tensed up. "Tomorrow I want you both to train, you need to teach him a little respect."

Kohaku nodded, even if he didn't like her, he still had to obey her. "Yes Salali."

Salali left and Kohaku glared at her. He walked over to Kazuki and knelt down. Kazuki just sat there head down and staring at the floor tiles. "Are you okay?" Kohaku asked.

Kazuki looked up and gave him a funny look. "Ya? Why wouldn't I be?" He leaned back against the wall again and closed his eyes. "We should get some sleep."

Kohaku eyes went soft and he nodded. "If you say so. Goodnight Kazuki." He waited for a response but Kazuki only sat there, possibly sleeping. Kohaku laid down near him and began falling to sleep. "Kazuki…you don't deserve this…"

Salali walked into Naraku's room and sat on her legs. She was smiling from ear to ear, happy with Kazuki's progress. "He was able to destroy all the demons quickly Master."

Naraku mouth opened slightly to say something but he stopped. He shook his head and spoke, "There's no way that he could have destroyed them all yet, he's just a mere mortal."

"I told you Master, the blood makes him much more powerful." She stood up and walked over to him and bowed. "I hope that this pleases you."

Naraku sighed and turned his head looking at the wall. "Yes, I suppose, good work Salali." He gave a manipulative smile. "That'll do for now."

Salali blushed and quickly left the room. "Yes, of course!" She slid the door shut behind her and slid down against it. She held her hand against chest and let out a loud sigh. "Naraku…I'll do anything for you…" She whispered.

Next time on Inuyasha: Now that Kazuki is on Naraku's side he has to train with Kohaku. While out Kazuki decides that he doesn't want to go back to the castle just yet; on his little break he runs into someone he's met before…Next time on Inuyasha, Gratuitous Fight for your Life, see you soon!