Where the hell have I been?! Well I wasn't getting the rights to Inu Yasha (too much paper work) Where I was goes at the end of the chappy so you can get to the goodness first!
Once In a Blue Moon
By Hika Chan
Chapter 13: The Darker Side of White
The moon shone down, nearly full, on the night time forest. Small mammals and birds who slept in the day were now about in these dark hours hunting for their meals and avoiding their predators. But those along a single path, predator and prey alike would scurry away and hide cautious to come out for some time as they are passed by a giant pale blur that exuded urgency and demanded respect. The great dog flew through the night, the light of the full moon illuminating its fur. If one were to see it one would think it a ghost for the glow that it cast, of course upon closer inspection one would see that it was indeed solid. Unless of course its passengars were spirits as well.
"Why aren't you flying?" growled the red clothed figure to the one beside him, his unruly hair flying out behind him.
"Because your sister is much faster than either of us. It's the fastest way to get there." Said the other figure who own white hair was much shorter.
"Look now that we know where we are going why don't you go back to the castle and with there wit-"
Ice blue eyes narrowed, obviously annoyed, "I am not a crippled youkai nor a human monk, and it is my sister who is also captured, I have some stake in this as well."
"The hell you do."
A slight growl reverberated from the beast beneath them and both hanyou could easily understand the message. The growl translated to "Shut up, you're behaving like children."
"Sorry aneeue."
The winged figure seemed to bow his head, which was obviously unseen by the one he was bowing to. "Forgive me Yuki-sama. I should have known better than to argue infront of a lady." Yuki and her younger brother each snickered somewhat and blue eyes looked between the two confused. "What?"
"Nataku, if there's one thing ya gotta know about aneeue, it's that she loves a good debate." A small sound emmitted from her throat and her translator rolled his eyes, "But that's only because she's almost always right." Another sound and he shook his head, "You are not right all the time!... Why not? Because no one is always right.... Whaddya mean exception to every rule?"
"She does have a point Inu Yasha."
"What the fuck are you talinkg about? You don't even know what she's saying?"
"How do you know that?"
Golden eyes glared into blue and then turned to the blurring forest before them, attempting not to let an expression show on his face.
"Are you pouting?"
"no."
"You are!"
"Shut up!"
"What're you pou-" -WHACK!- "ITE! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?"
The giant white dog rolled her lilac eyes if nothing else this little trip was going to be entertaining.
***
Meanwhile to the south and the west, past a small cave to where the dog was running but not quite to a grand castle that was set in the mountains ran another beast, but this one unladen and a little more gray in color then the other. While this dog also had urgency and demanded respect, this has an additional fury about it's otherwise calm appearance. It's feet pounded hard and fast against the forest floor desperate to reach it's destination. A destination that was less geographical and more organic. Images of black and azure haired girl with amazing blue eyes that changed in their intesity with her mood. One who he cared for. One who was his as much as he was hers. One who they tried to take from him. And no one took what was his.
No one.
***
Miroku paced back and forth beside a very agitated Shippo while Rin sat beside them contentedly petting the wounded sabrecat. "When's Kagome gonna be back? Why couldn't we go? Do you think Inu Yasha and Yuki-sama will save her? What about Sesshoumaru? Is he gonna be mad she got kidnapped?"
"Shippo," the monk cut in on the kit's questioning, "Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?"
"But-"
"Aren't you tired?"
"Yes but I wanna wait for Kagome..."
The little human girl got up and put a hand on her kit friend's shoulder. "Sesshoumaru-sama will bring Kagome-neechan back." Rin's smile and sure tone were enough to convince the young kit that her faith was justified. Of course children were easily convinced. Miroku on the other hand was not so easily swayed. Logically he knew that he had to stay behind to hold the fort as it were. But still the fact that Sango and Kagome were in danger and he was just sitting there made him nervous. Calm down, he told himself, There are two taiyoukai and two hanyou going to save them... they'll be just fine. Of course they would be, because technically that made three youkai versus three youkai.. three-and-a-half if one counted Hikaru, and three-and-a-half humans if you wanted to get technical
The monk smiled, as much for his own benefit as for the childrens', "She's right Shippo, Inu Yasha, Sesshoumaru, Yuki and Nataku all went to save them. I'm sure they will bring them back alive and well."
***
Some semi-concious part of Kagome's brain was annoyed. When Sesshoumaru left she had planned on waking up. Unfortunately she wasn't quite as good at it as she thought. So now that little fuzzy part of one's brain that let's them know they are dreaming was annoyed as she watched herself play Telephone with most of the people she knew from Sengoku Jidai.. though why they were all dressed up as various anime characters she would never know. On either side of her were Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru, the brothers dressed as Dark Schneider and Vicious respectively. Next to Inu Yasha she couldn't figure out if the girl was Kikyou or Hikaru, who subsequently switched between Rei and Sailor Mars. Shippo was.. P-chan and Rin was Chihiro. Kagome sighed inwardly as she knew it made some twisted sort of sense that Miroku was Onizuka who sat beside a peeved looking Sango/Makoto. Kirara sat in sango's lap with two bushy tails and a carrot... Ryo-ohki. Then sat Yuki who for some reason unknown to Kagome was dressed as Alucard (and pulling it off quite well), red shades and all. And there was Jaken -heh- dressed as Pug holding a little knife and a lantern.
Kagome watched as the words were whispered and Pug told Vicious what he heard, then Vicious waved that damn bird off his shoulder for the fifth time and said, "It's 'Why are you all dressed like that?'"
Kagome blinked, "How did you know?"
He turned to her, "I heard you tell the fire wizard."
"What!? That just ruins the whole thing! You can't do that!"
"Yes I can."
"No you can't," She looked up at the ceiling, "That's against the rules isn't operator!?"
"She's right," a voice began. "You ca-" then Alucard picked up her Jackal and fired up at the ceiling.
"I love these things," she grinned madly, bringing the two guns she held to her chest in a loving manner that just screamed Yuki.
"Umm.. operator... are you ok?" For a moment there was no answer and then Kagome heard a phone ring. Reaching over she pulled out a cell phone, "Hello?"
The monotonous and somewhat amused voice of Kouga came over the line, "We're sorry your conversation cannot go through as requested. Please wake up and try again."
Kagome looked at her phone as though it had just popped wings and danced the merengue, "Nani?"
"It said-"
"I know what it said Darshu!"
"This is NOT the Matrix," Alucard offered with a grin.
"It said~"
***
"Kagome, wake up."
Kagome blinked her eyes sapphire depths waking to ruby ones. "'bout time..."
The winged hanyou gave her a queer look. "Pardon?"
"I've been trying to wake up but I got stuck in some dumb dream." Hikaru looked at her blankly before opening her mouth, but before the air could leave her lungs Kagome spoke. "I know," she said before mouthing, "they're comming."
Hikaru's expression turned to one of controlled surprise. Looking as though she were about to say something she stopped. "They're here.. how did you-?"
The miko simply grinned before growling and barking sounds caught their attention.
***
The great white dog touched down and no sooner did he see his siblings and the other than he walked right into the cave, form slowly dissapating into that of a man's size. "Now," he said calmly, "Who is first?"
The three guarding youkai growled dangerously. They knew who stood before them, they were not complete idiots, and they could count, three against one. Or at least those were the odds.
"Really Sesshoumaru you have such a flare for the dramatic," The white youkai sighed as she walked in slowly behind him taking up residence behind his right shoulder. Soon followed by Inu Yasha and Nataku on his other side.
"-heh-" one of the black dogs grinned, "The mighty lord has fallen so far? As to ask help of hanyous and a mere diviner."
Sesshoumaru almost grinned as he heard his his brother cracking his knuckles. "You should not address my siblings as such."
Inu Yasha's eyes flashed over to Sesshoumaru. Damn... he acknowledge the fact that we're related?
"And though normally I would let that slide you have also taken something of mine, and that deserves much retribution."
"And what are you planning to do little prince? I imagine dealing so closely with humans has lightened your touch."
Sesshoumaru felt the urge to snarl at this youkai's audacity and lack of respect. But there was another youkai there who he swore would get his full attention. "Yuki, you may take the braggart who has insulted your skills." He turned his golden gaze fully to the one that he saw in the vision Kagome had shown him, "This one is mine." He sensed a breif rush of fear come off his intended target and before it was gone the battle had begun.
Yuki fought with dizzingly graceful movements that reflected the joy she felt in fighting. A joy that most youkai found in the act of slaughter, she found in the act preceeding it. Her claws reached out as she spun, shadowed by a length of hair, her movements were that of a practiced dance. Each little thing that was not an attack was a distraction, a decoy. Something that her opponent would look out for just incase. She spun again letting her hair flow without the preceding claw, then before she stopped, she quickly turned back thrusting her claw through the blinding mask of hair. With a satisfied smirk she brought a now crimson claw back. The eldest of the moon blooded siblings had drawn first blood.
***
Despite the opposite methods of fighting the two hanyou held, Inu Yasha's survival taught form, and Nataku's practiced one they charged their opponent in near unison. Nataku's mind worked quickly attempting to predict both his opponent's and his "partner's" movements. Slipping in when Inu Yasha was thrown off or dodged, dancing back when the foolish inu hanyou practically jumped infront of his attacks. While both were likely not as strong as their opponent both hanyou knew they had an advantage of numbers. And Nataku knew they had an advantage of strategy... sort of.
***
Sesshoumaru's movements showed his training and skill, clean, swift, methodical. The one who ended the circle of life did so with amazing accuracy and no wasted movement. Each movement was so swift that even a youkai could barely see the move, only the result, where there was a pause or change in direction of his limb or body. The speed and accuracy of Inutaisho's heir was not a laughing matter. His opponent was forced to go almost purely on defensive, not knowing the plans that Sesshoumaru was still evolving in his mind for him. All he saw was the sharp movements and claws to avoid. In battle Sesshoumaru was a true killing machine.
It did not occur to his opponent that the Western Lord was playing with him.
***
Yuki's opponent however was quite aware that she was playing however, the grin she displayed and the laughter that occasionally escaped her lips were obvious clues to that. "Come now, I expected a guard to have more skill than this." She dodged another of the male's claws, "Especially against a 'mere diviner'."
"Oh but I do," he said his hands making a breif symbol in the air. Yuki's eyes widened a bit in surprise as the force hit her, she hadn't expected him to be a caster. "You must not be a very good seer," he mocked as he readied another spell, "You didn't see that one coming."
She grinned and she readied herself for another attack. "I don't like to see the future all the time," The white youkai replied, "It ruins lovely surprises such as these."
"You won't find it so fun once I'm done with you!" He said sending another bolt of force towards her.
"Oh I bet I will," she dodged luring the caster outside after her.
***
Nataku ducked another blow, "Inu Yasha, go free the women."
"Don't tell me what to do Wings! YOU go free them."
The winged hanyou cast a glance at his irate partner, "You'd be better for it, I can keep him busy while you do it."
"What? no! I'LL keep him busy?"
Blue eyes rolled, maybe he could appeal to the hanyou's pride, "You can probably get it done faster than I can."
"Heh, at least one of you two ca-"
"INU YASHA!" Sesshoumaru's voice cut through the hanyou's boast.
"WHAT?!"
"Shut up and do it!"
"Alright, alright," he muttered.. then grinned, "Sesshou-ni."
Inu Yasha could almost feel his half-brother's eyes narrowing, and both were too busy fighting to look in the other's direction! "Call me that again and you're next hanyou."
The dog eared boy grinned and began to push his way past his opponent and partner to reach their captured friends.
***
Sesshoumaru nearly rolled his eyes at his brother's stubborness at a time like this. He had allowed the brown dog to gain the upper hand during the "distraction" his brother had caused. "You are too easily distracted my lord," the youkai mocked, "First by humans and now by hanyou."
"Say what you like, but you will pay for what you have done to Blue." He ducked a slash from his opponent and swiftly delivered an palm thrust to the lesser youkai's chest, breaking his armour and digging his claws in just enough to break the skin. As he shed the remains of his armour the brown youkai suddenly realized that Sesshoumaru could have killed him with that blow.
And probably many times before...
***
"Yo Kagome, Feathers, Sango."
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome and Sango greeted.
"'yo' yourself mutt, would you get us out now?"
"Nah I think I'll just stand here and watch," he said sarcastically raising the Tetsusaiga. "Step back." He raised the massive fang and brought it across and around slicing through the iron bars of their prison. "Honestly feathers how can you call yourself a hanyou when you can't even break out of here on your o-" The hanyou's comment was cut off as his fighting partner was thrown into him.
"Nataku!" his sister cried.
"Greetings sister, though I believe the conditions could have been better." The youkai walked up to them and the winged siblings acted in harmony each bringing up a blast of air to hold the youkai back long enough for Inu Yasha to get his bearings and charge in again. "A gift for you sister," Nataku said throwing her twin blades at her. Within seconds the youkai was now fighting three hanyou.
***
The caster grinned at the woman floating before him, trapped in paralyzing rings of his summoning, "Now didn't I tell you," he asked making the rings squeeze her further, "you wouldn't be enjoying this? Admit it I was right."
"Nuh-uh," she said, smiling despite her grimace, "You are wrong little caster."
"Oh? and how is that?"
"You presume too much.. you assume that I am only a diviner."
"-Heh- You are a diviner and a fighter, but your skills have done you little good thus far." Yuki then began to laugh, a deeper, crueler, compared to her earlier playful giggles. "You find defeat and death so amusing?"
"No, it is your naivete' I find humorous pup. Your assumtions could not be more wrong. Divination is my natural talent and practice, fighting my joy..."
"And they have failed you, as you will fail you're pathetic brother."
Her eyes darkened but her expression remained much the same, "You should not speak of Sesshoumaru so, and you should never interrupt your superiors."
"Ha! and what did you have left to say before I kill you?"
"Fighting is my joy.. but magic, especially battle magic is my passion!" Yuki's eyes suddenly lit with lavendar fire as forgien words streamed from her mouth and her magical bonds snapped like a twigs under her foot. "I spent four decades off this little island of ours to learn of distant magics... would you like to see what I've learned?"
***
Kagome and Sango had few options, both unarmed and powerless in comparison to their comrades the two young women could only try to stay out of the way and watch. The first thing Kagome had done once the way was clear was close the eyes of the the poor man who still sat across from their cell. But now she watched Sesshoumaru, eyes locked on the beautifully dangerous display he was putting on. His sharpened claws raked down a length of the brown youkai's leg in his attempt to dodge the taiyoukai. A horridly smooth arch of crimson trailed behind the now injured monster. The young miko could already see faint traces of green in the wound. A poison that once long ago was aimed directly at her just after she had been worthy of it's weilder's notice. It seemed like ages ago now.
But she did not see why he used so little of his poison. How long did it take to build up? What she did not realized was that he released only enough poison to make the wound extremely painful, but not enough to dissolve. Even now sharp pains like lightning were shooting up into his torso and as he fought for control past the pain the Western Lord sliced across his arm and chest. Turning around by the force of the blow he recieved another raking across his back.
Kagome watched with morbid fascination as bright red liquid almost floated in the air almost seeming to move through Sesshoumaru before touching the ground with almost audible effects.
It was beautiful.
It was horrible.
It was the true nature of the beast.
Of the man she loved.
She stood stunned by the sight before her and watched as Sesshoumaru simply looked at his crippled prey as though deciding what to do next.
***
Inu Yasha had pulled back a moment, watching with near amazment and some admiration at the harmony in which the other two hanyou fought their opponent. They must have trained together nearly all their lives, he found himself thinking as the siblings crossed over the gray youkai. "You think this is a show mutt!? Get over here?"
"Keh," Inu Yasha scoffed, "What, and mess up you're rhythm?" As The hanyou moved up to the youkai a mighty wind burst up around the gray dog. Inu Yasha's ears flattened against his head at the roar of the contained gust was causing, though it did seem far more crippling to his opponent. The Testsusaiga came up and was dodged by the youkai, but the movement only ran him into the katana Nataku. Before the blade was completely removed from his body two more smaller blades found their way into the youkai. And as he began fell the Testsusaiga finished the job.
***
The caster she had been fighting now stood before her arms, legs, and body entrapped within large ropes of roots that had spurt up from the gound. "Now, don't be so stubborn, just tell me who your stupid boss is that he would go up against my dear brother."
"Betraying him will only cause me to wish for death witch. I will not speak his name."
"You know, in one place I visited they thought that eating the eyes of their enemies gave them their sight. Now I'm not one for cannabalism but let's see what refinements I can make.. let's take a peek shall we?" she said bringing one slender hand back, a chant leaving her lips.
"What are you-" his voice was cut off by a scream as Yuki thrust her middle finger and thumb into his eyes.
***
"Se...Sesshou? Is he?" Kagome asked tentatively, observing the twitching red and brown mass that lay before Sesshoumaru.
"Not yet," he answered plainly. "That will take some time." The youkai knew his own poison, even experienced one like it before. Even without it's paralyzing properties would not move given his oppnents current condition. Sharp flashes of pain went though the body, as though the blood were of acid at every movement, every breath. The pain made you twitch which only forced about another series of painful jolts. He could see the veins on his face beginning to show, pale green lines snaking through his features that would only darken in time. In hours in fact, the time it would take this pathetic creature to die. He may have been paralyzed and mind fogged with pain but Sesshoumaru knew he could hear and understand. He knelt down and stared into red-green glazed eyes. "This," he said in the youkai language, "Is what happens to those who dare to try and harm what is mine."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
*deep breath* well first I hit a dead end creatively (no writing or drawing just NOTHING, total aggrivating blank :), this does overlap a bit into some of the following events), and then I got a full time job at an understaffed restaraunt (basically lots of time not thinking about fics there were two weeks where I worked 3 double shifts each)
THEN my computer broke, then after about 2 months I got a new harddrive that took a week for me to get my lazy bro to get it set up, but my dads harddrive was slaved to it. SO after about two weeks I got my old harddrive slaved so I got access to all my notes etc... for about two hours (when I updated Twist of Fate). Apparently when I plugged the new HD back in the plug thing wasn't in all the way and it short circuited it! :O(I blame my brother for being to busy playing comp games and letting me mess with the hardware *DOH!*) before I copied the old stuff to disk. NOW my old hardrive isn't working either and I can't get to my notes! All of my notes are gone! I had whole chapters up for stuff that I haven't even posted OL yet the poor things won't even get to see all my wonderful readers!(for a while anyway) OH THE HUMANITY!! And during all this my step-mom was pregnant with a little half-sister for me. So we had to get the house ready for her, shes SO CUTE and TINY!!!
so basically I've been really busy and computers hate me... I don't know WHY they hate me.. I like them.. most of the time, they do get moody sometimes don't they? *looks around* I better not say that... they're always watching you know and some are more sensitive than others...
The dream: Why did I? Hell even I dunno.. maybe it's b/c I was sleepy and I watched an Animatrix Vid (better than Reloaded)
*IY Char* = *Character* = *Anime*
Sesshoumaru = Vicious =Cowboy Bebop
Inu Yasha = Dark Schneider = Bastard!!
Kikyou/Hikaru = Rei/Sailor Mars= Sailor Moon
Miroku = Onizuka = Great Teacher Onizuka
Sango = Makoto = Love Hina
Shippo = P-chan = Ranma 1/2
Kirara = Ryo ohki = Tenchi Muyo!
Rin = Chihiro =Spirited Away
Jaken = Pug = Final Fantasy
Yuki = Alucard = Hellsing :)
Next Chapter: Yuki displays a less than giddy state of mind, and Kagome gets a little scared of Sesshoumaru's vengeful nature.