Good. It's sort of clear that Iga had an impact on the story. Unexpectedly, he did and I was once crazy enough to make him a minor character. Thus, I've undergone a little change of plan on how the story goes. Although, I still having a gridlock on whether to consider him a hero or a villain.
Another note is due to the sudden appearance of the ninja, I am coming down with another case of the dreaded writer's block. I'm trying my best to formulate a place for Iga in this story and I'd be lying to you if I said it's easy. Goodness Gracious!
Shout out goes to Yogi-Bear for appreciating this story. I admire your sincerity, homey. Due to that motivation, this writer's block is not as hard hitting as it was earlier. Thank you very much and I'll visit your side of town pretty soon.
This chapter serves as an interlude on the gang's adventure. Meaning they are taking a well deserved break from advancing to their goal right now. Rest assured, this is a opportunity for them to reflect and strategize on their agenda and it's also intended for a little "unnecessary" humor.
Inuyasha
Fate's Course and Forbidden Love
Chapter Nine
Soothing Relaxation & A Grating Nuisance
The Forlorn Spirits Capers
"I am a miko and I shall oppose all forms of malice!"
Iga frowned behind his mask. Reflecting on the hauntingly familiar words uttered by the woman earlier this evening. If he can recall correctly, her name was Kikyou. Her words ran chills up his spine. Not of fear, but of an obscure recognition. Kikyou was definitely not a threat to him but...
Why was he so concerned about her?
She was a miko.
He sighed to himself in bemusement. Why does she seem so familiar to him? He shrugged the thoughts and put it aside for a later time. He resumed his gaze at the night skies. The abundance of stars and the lone moon held a tranquil air about it that he wished that can last forever. Unlike the life that the world leads. He yawned and leaned his head unto the tree as he prepared himself to rest.
Unfortunately for him he was interrupted--brusquely.
"Hey you up there!?" A familiar white haired mischievous miko called. "Are you listening to me?"
"What is it that you want, Tsubaki?" He droned.
"So? How did the fight with the dog went?" She guffawed to herself as she noticed that the ninja seemed a bit disappointed. "Did you catch a beating?"
Kagura and Yura walked into his view behind the miko shortly. "Hmm? I wonder." Kagura brooded as she drummed her index digit to her jaw line.
Iga glanced down at the women on the ground. "It went well. Inuyasha proved himself to be quite a challenge. However it ended in a draw. I consider it a truce."
"Is that so?" Kagura considered.
"You made peace with him or something?" Yura piped. "Judging from the rips and tears on your garbs, it seems that he really gave you a beating."
"No harm done. These are results from his attempted blows." Iga replied simply.
Tsubaki smirked, then began laughing. "You a lie! That hanyou brought the pain to your ass!" Kagura and Yura glanced at the dark priestess uncertainly. She really shouldn't jibe at the guy. He seems dangerous. "That's a new one on me! A youkai lost a fight to a hanyou! You call yourself a fighter!?"
"No one lost." Iga reprimanded, unnaturally calm. "Second, I am not a yuokai."
Yura and Kagura's eyes widened in shock. "You're not!?"
"Nope..."
Tsubaki ceased her ridicule. "Eh? Is that so?" She smirked, eyeing the ninja with her mischievous emerald eyes. "Hmm. Let's test out that theory to see that you're lying or not shall we?"
"Theory?" Iga inquired uncertain to take this as a challenge or not. But when he realizes the sudden determined glower Tsubaki gave him he immediately made his move.
He disappeared.
"Uh oh!" Kagura sympathized. "You've done it now."
"You're on your own girl." Yura followed.
"Damn. Where did he go?" Tsubaki beckoned apprehensively as she drew out her mystical sutras. "Come on out 'youkai'!"
"As you wish..." Signaled Iga as he suddenly rematerialized behind a surprised miko. At the very moment Tsubaki whipped around to attack Iga, he gave her a sample of his power. He displayed a surge of his ki and to Tsubaki, was like the force of a hurricane. The extortion of his unnatural ki repelled the girl sailing through the air, leaving behind an enraged, high pitched screaming and cursing audible."
"She got what she wanted." Iga smiled as he set his sights onto Yura and Kagura before him. "It's best for you to catch up with her. She may be heading to the next state for all we know." He gesticulated and sauntered off.
The demon women considered the ninja's statement and proceeded to find the miko who had apparently gotten herself wiped off the map. "That girl does not think at all." Kagura groaned.
"Shall we?" Yura asked with a sigh.
"Let's, shall. C'mon..."
* * *
Hours later in the village of demon slayers, or friends has enough time on their hands to sit back and relax, planning, leisure, healing their wounds and what so ever. The introduction of Naraku, the hassles with the Wolf demons and the sudden encounter with Iga had them all beat. In the late of night here at the estranged village... some pretty interesting things can happen.
"This little tour is proving to be much more dangerous than I thought." Kikyou said as she applied curative herbs on her bruised legs. "I am starting to question if this journey is going to be worthwhile." Inuyasha sat besides her in the small room, mulling over her statements.
"If it has something to do with saving the country from danger, then it should be." Inuyasha remarked. "Damn, I feel like a weird superhero... like Beowulf or something."
Kikyou eyed the hanyou who was lost in thought suspiciously. "I see. So you may already know what we're after." Inuyasha whipped his view directly at her. "What are your intentions when we obtain our goal Inuyasha? You must be dragging along with us for a reason."
"You mean the Shikon?" He feigned innocence. "I don't even know what it is. Let alone where it's hidden at."
"Oh?" Kikyou blinked. "Perhaps Kagome or Chizaki told you about the Shikon?"
Inuyasha nodded. "To be honest, I don't even think those two know anything about it." He folded his arms inside his sleeves. "They may be biting off more than that they can chew."
"My friends are far tougher than they look, despite their appearance." Kikyou said solemnly. "However, how do you know about the Shikon, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha drew near her face for an incredulous look but soon realized that the miko was looking serious about this conversation. "Don't get me wrong, Kikyou, but I was informed a little something about the Shikon by a ghost."
"A ghost you say?" Kikyou asked in a tentative tone. Inuyasha thought that she was going to think he was crazy. "What does the spirit that spoke to you know of the Shikon?"
He was still uncertain. Midoriko didn't reveal much about it. "She didn't explain it to me completely." He replied. "She just told me 'about' it."
"She?" Kikyou eyes widened in slight awe. "It was a woman?"
"Yeah, a pretty one at that." Inuyasha answered. "Come to think of it, she was a Shinto priestess... like you."
"The spirit of a priestess?" She find the revelation interesting. "What was her name?"
"Her name was. . . Mizuki, um, no Mi-- Mi. . .Midoriko!" He confirmed in certainty.
Kikyou pondered at the name. "Midoriko... Midoriko... Hmm..." She cupped her chin in her right hand, lost in thought. Then she snapped. "Midoriko!? I've heard a lot about her!" She squealed. "Are you sure that's her name Inuyasha?"
"I'm absolutely certain." Inuyasha nodded seriously.
Kikyou ignored her bruises and cogitated on the events that the hanyou claimed to have occurred. "Well. If you are not lying to me, it must be something very important for her to come back to this world to speak to you."
"Meaning?"
"Something's critical about the whole thing." She said. "Midoriko is both a miko and a youkai exterminator."
"So I heard." He said nonchalantly.
"Inuyasha!" Kikyou chided. "Midoriko is arguably the most powerful human to have ever lived. You didn't know that!? Beasts cowered at the very thought of her name!"
"I told you I heard of her." Inuyasha reprimanded.
"Legends say that she defeated countless monsters with her strength and she create a mysterious relic called the Shikon from her very soul. She created it on the day of her demise."
Inuyasha was flabbergasted. This woman was frightening. "Is that so?" He gulped.
"That is correct." Kikyou nodded sincerely. "She was born during the Heian Era and she devoted her entire life to vanquishing life threatening demons."
Inuyasha remained quiet.
"But, after her death, there were rumors stating that she was reincarnated a number of times during the consecutive centuries." She elucidated. "She was said to be alive during the middle of the Kamakura Period, in times of Muromachi, the Momoyama Period, to be more specific--the Sengoku Jidai, and said to live during the Tokugawa Period."
Inuyasha moved his mouth but he said nothing.
"In Midoriko's lives of reincarnation, it is said that the reincarnations even resemble her. . . and they too were priestesses. The last reincarnation died at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. . . a few years after I was born." Twenty years ago.
"Damn. That Midoriko was one hell of a woman." Inuyasha considered. "I'm curious though, do you know who this woman was?"
Kikyou nodded. "I was an infant Inuyasha. I know hardly anything of her." She stares towards the ceiling as if she is trying to recollect the name. "I'm sure that her name's Harumi."
Inuyasha gasped. He too, thought the name was familiar. "What a minute!? Didn't Iga uttered that name before he released you?"
Kikyou made a skeptical expression. "It seems. Yet I doubt it if it were the 'Harumi' that we're talking about."
"Are you sure?" He asked.
"No doubt. Iga couldn't of have any affiliation with Harumi. He's a demon, and Harumi didn't take the existence of odious demons lightly."
"I guess."
"Supposedly, she guarded the very relic herself. Unfortunately, a man and his gang of bandits seek her life and killed her."
"Damn. That's harsh--even for a miko." Inuyasha sympathized.
"The leader of the group of bandits was said to be in love with her. A man that went by the name of Onigumo. Details are largely unknown on what happened to him."
"Kikyou, what happened to the Shikon then?" Inuyasha beseeched.
"Harumi must've know that Onigumo and his men seeks the Shikon and her life. So in order for it to never fall into malicious palms she cast it off and concomitantly it is now hidden in Edo. The interesting thing is, they say that I am the current reincarnation of Midoriko." She noticed that he cringed slightly beside her. "To be honest, I do not believe in that speculation at all."
"That's some story." Inuyasha sighed, obviously overwhelmed by Kikyou's lengthy explanation. Midoriko did tell him that Kikyou is a reincarnation of her. "So, any idea on what it looks like?"
"I'm afraid not. Even Yoriko-sama hasn't laid her eyes upon it." She went back to addressing the herbs to her offended legs.
"It's over in Edo. Hmm? So that means Naraku is seeking it as well and maybe Iga." He deducted.
Kikyou was surprised by the hanyou's clairvoyance. "That's what he meant when he said that we are obstructing him! I should of knew better."
"Yeah, and that means we have to take him out." Inuyasha declared. "Iga as well if he decides to act a damn fool."
"Yes. We have quite a lot of obstacles to overcome don't we?" She considered. Then she handed the bowl of herbs to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, hold this for a moment." She rolls up the other pant of her hakama. Inuyasha smelled the evident blood and saw the ugly bruise on her thigh. "It's stinging pretty heatedly."
"Kikyou, that looks pretty painful." He obliged. "Let me take care of that."
Kikyou blushed. "No. It's okay. Hand the bowl over."
"No. I'll get some water." He stood up and went over to the water pot and poured it on the herbs and grabbed a piece of cloth before sitting back down besides her. "Now this should take care of it." He dampened the clothed and applied it to her leg.
Kikyou winced. "It's swollen..."
"Does it hurts?"
"Ohh. Yeah." She flinched as she gritted her teeth. "Can you raise it up a little more?"
"Okay." He agreed. "Damn. It's bigger and smoother than I thought." He released the pressure from the bruise and dampened the cloth again. "Kikyou, brace your self. I'm going to let you have it."
"Okay." She agreed, almost breathlessly. "Ohh!" She murmured.
"I bet that feels good." He snickered at her grimace.
Although around that time...
Kagome wondered throughout the corridors of the demon slayers' home. She too, was ruminating on things that had occurred lately. Naraku, Koga and the wolves, Iga, you know the deal. Finally agreeing to the fact that she could worry herself sick, she decided to look for Inuyasha. She rounded a corner and heard two voices that seems to be enjoying themselves. One voice was female: a cool dulcet voice and from the sound of it, it sounds even more dulcet than before. The other was male: a youthful masculine voice and it was cackling with amusement. She heard the woman utter something like "It's swollen.", which was followed by the male's "Does it hurts?", then the girl moaned "Yeah. Can you raise it a little more?". That cause Kagome to grimace and press her hear to the door, trying to decipher what's going on between the male and female.
She blushed. The next thing she heard was the male saying something about it being bigger and smoother than he thought. After that he declared victory over the moaning girl.
"Brace yourself. I'm going to let you have it."
The female agreed with an almost seductive reply. "Okay." Then a gallant moan was heard.
The male laughed in triumph. "I bet that feels good." Afterwards, after hearing the lovely exchange, realization hit Kagome like a purifying arrow.
The voices were without a doubt, Kikyou and Inuyasha...
Growing livid with rage, Kagome immediately slid open the door. Inside the room, Inuyasha had his hands on Kikyou's bare legs and she was frowning. They shot a uncertain look at the younger girl in the doorway. Kagome's eyes became green. "Um... What are you two doing!?"
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said as he noticed the obvious scowl on the younger girl's features. To her eyes it looks like they were doing the. . . "Oh shit. Um hi, Kagome. Nice night huh?"
"Did you two crooks had a good time?" She grounded angrily.
"Kagome it's not what it looks like!" Inuyasha defended. Kikyou noticed what Kagome was on about and started blushing while fluttering her eyelashes. She quickly undulated her pant leg back to the norm.
"Oh my..." She sighed.
"So how did it go Kikyou?" She folded her arms as she continues to give her a threatening glare. "I'd bet Inuyasha raised it up a lot didn't he!? He turned the pain to pleasure didn't he!!?" She started an indignant 'didn't he' mantra.
"Kagome, silence." Kikyou reassured. "Inuyasha just decided to help me tend to my bruises from our earlier encounter with Iga."
"Yeah! What she said!" Inuyasha pointed.
Kagome's scowl faltered slightly but she was still angry. "He did? But I'd though I heard you moaning and you said something about 'it's swollen?'"
Inuyasha's face flushed even more. Kikyou was a very attractive girl but he wouldn't do anything like that to her. Would he? For the fact that she's a miko, the only thing he may do to her is arguing. He slowly gazes at the face of the said girl and discover her face had a vibrant blush on it as well.
"Kagome..." She reveals her bruise to her. "This is what I meant. This bruise is swollen and I was wincing in pain as medicine was applied to it." She was even more embarrassed.
Kagome was no longer angry as the answers were finally revealed to her. Now on her face was an apologetic look. "Uh oh. I'm so sorry that I've overreacted guys. I just thought-- I though. . . you know. . ." She made hilarious gesticulations of swiveling her hips in and out. "That?"
"Doing the 'thing'?" Kikyou queried sadly.
"You thought we were fucking?" Inuyasha followed, slightly annoyed. "Your mind is all in the gutter Kagome."
"Yeah. That's what I thought." She put her hands behind her back and look down at her tapping feet in humiliation. "Sorry."
Kikyou and Inuyasha burst out laughing.
"That was not funny you two." She shrink as a reprimand. "It's making me feel slightly guilty to see you guys laughing at me like that from my assumption."
"Kagome you're forgiven." Kikyou managed to say but was still giggling.
"Kikyou. You're impossible." She blushed and immediately left the room to storm down the corridor. Kikyou and the hanyou noticed this in bemusement.
Why should she be so concerned about Kikyou and Inuyasha being all alone in a room? Oh well...
* * *
Journeying all the way from Shizuoka in two words, is hell. She was right all along on what dangers that her and Kagome will immediately get into. An ambush by middle aged pirates; the wild goose chase for Kikyou; hassles with Sangou; Naraku; the wolf demons and the sudden appearance of that menacing cat, Iga. God, how Chizaki wished that she's all safe and comfy back at home. But no! Yoriko insisted that she should travel all the way to Edo. Damn it all! She sat near the hot springs as she can have a clear view of the star lit skies along with the crescent moon. She allowed her long legs to submerge in the pool of warm and relaxing water. She wouldn't mind staying here at the taijiya no saito for a while.
She grimaced and then let out a sneeze.
"Gesundheit."
Chi whipped around hastily and laid her eyes on the one and only Miroku who had just entered the room. "Miroku? What are you doing here?" She queried apprehensively with a blush. She almost forgot the fact that she let her hair to rest on her shoulders and she was wearing only a towel around her torso down to her thighs.
"I was planning on taking a dip in the osen." He clarified with a slight smile. "Unfortunately it is preoccupied with a member of the opposite sex already."
"Oh. I'd just gotten done with the spring." She said. "I'll just be on my way to check on my clothes to see if they're already dry."
Miroku arched a brow. "Did you just washed them a little over thirty minutes ago?"
"Yeah, you're right. I should give it more time to-- Hey! How did you know!?" She snapped him a hot glare. "How come you are so, so. . . filled with bad habits?"
Miroku gesticulate defense. "Chi, I saw nothing." Chizaki eyes widened with another blush and gave a quick glance at her cleavage. Nothing he says. She thought. "Um, I didn't mean that."
Chizaki turned her head away in defiance. "Hmmph. Yeah right."
"Chi, you have a beautiful body but I swear I did not see you naked."
"I get what you're saying, Miroku sirrah." She returned. "But it's heatedly obvious that you have your eyes set on Sangou. You're quite a player aren't you?"
"Chizaki you seem upset." Miroku sensed. "Though I did sort of spoiled our friendship on that day we met and I would like to apologize."
"You did that already, remember." Chizaki snapped. "I'd actually considered the notion."
Miroku eyes widened in shock. "You did?"
"Yes I did. Maybe when we're a few years older, like say twenty five or twenty six, I was sort of delighted to marry you and bear your child." She starts to look saddened.
This revelation hit him like a big fullback, coming from out of nowhere at that. Chi willing confessed her love for him that she once had. "Chizaki? You was!? I didn't know!" Inside his mind, he screamed in regret but it was to late now.
"Right. But how you tried to groped me and hit on other women all the time didn't make any sense to me at all." She stated seriously. If you really love a woman you wouldn't want her for just her appearance. Isn't that right Miroku? You're a monk, I think you should know this way better than I do."
"I'm so sorry."
"Don't be. It's not really your fault in a way. It seems to be hereditary." She stated, but still remained serious despite the pun. "You're moving a little too fast for me Miroku."
"Is that so? Then what's the speed limit?"
"Steady and graceful..."
"You like it like that!?" He eyed her hopefully.
"No you dolt--See! See!?" She snapped. "That's what I'm talking about! You're riding on the fast lane as we speak!"
"I'm just kidding." Miroku chuckled. "So we're just plain friends now?"
"Yeah. You can put it that way." She sighed. "All alone again..."
"What did you just say?"
"Um... What I mean was, I always wanted to fall in love. Preferably with someone who shall love me back including my every being. I am still patient."
"You're untouched, from what I can recall?"
Chi blushed. "You're quite nosey aren't you. Of course I am."
"Hmm. Don't be so down about it. You're willing to lose it?"
Chizaki sweated. "Whoa horse. You're doing it again. I'm not that kind of girl who just wants to jump into the breeches of every attractive man I lay eyes on, you know."
Miroku snapped his fingers. 'Damn! Almost got her!'
"Well at least I have freedom to follow my desires. Unlike myself, Kagome and, especially Kikyou has it pretty bad. They're allowed to have an affair but they must remain chaste."
"I can picture Kagome having an infatuation. It's glaring that she's developing one towards Inuyasha. Yet Kikyou seems to be a stranger to love. She's so callous and sarcastic she can easily repel any possible suitors."
"Nah. Kikyou's a pretty cool girl. Although it comes to me as strange that she's always attracted to men in cloaks. Like say, ninja for instance." Chizaki pointed out. "Boy, did she had an obsession with those people not too long ago."
"You girls are quite an interesting bunch."
"Thank you Miroku. I know it's hard for us, but I'm struggling on the notion of having my first kiss. Only that. . . no intercourse, not yet. I want to find out why they are so precious."
"Chi, you want to know?" Miroku looks into her eyes.
She returned his gaze. "Yes Miroku. I, I really do..."
They soon found themselves drawing closer to one another. It looks like Chizaki is about to find out...
"What are you up to now, Houshi?" Came Sangou as she just entered seemingly out of nowhere. She saw their lips merely centimeters apart. "Oh! I'm sorry I didn't mean to impose on you two like this!"
Miroku snapped out of his trance and notices the beautiful taijiya that was just behind them. And she didn't had any clothes on, only a towel wrapped around her. "Oh this? Chi here just inhaled an abundance of water and I was just giving her CPR."
"CPR? You two sitting straight up like that?" Sangou retorted, uncertain. She cocked her head to one side in bemusement to emphasis that aspect.
Chi anger rose to the surface once more. "CPR? Just CPR!? Why you!?"
"Chi! I was--" Chizaki grabbed him by the shirt and tossed him in the pool. He swam back unto the surface. "Why'd you do that?"
"You took advantage of me and led me on to kiss you! Plus you had the nerve to tell Sangou that tale!!? You pig!! I hope Sangou will beat your ass!" She spun on her bare feet and headed for the door. "Don't trust him! He's a dog!!" She exited the room.
Sangou sighed. "You two timing houshi. How are you going to get a girlfriend when you're always begging for some sex. It's sickening."
"I wasn't asking her for anything Sangou!" Miroku exclaimed. "I was telling her that I have a fancy for you!"
"No you just didn't!" Sangou shouted indignantly as she went over to lift a large boulder, that was three times bigger than she is, over her head. "You're going to get it now!!!"
"SANGOU!!!"
* * *
"Alright Kirara." Inuyasha called out to the small kitten. "Right now I need you to transform." He pulls his Tetsusaiga out of it's sheath. The sword quickly transformed into the gigantic fang. Inuyasha bought the sword before him and went into a front stance.
Kirara transformed into the fearsome tiger, appearing several times more menacing than her original form. Inuyasha smiled as he sensed the focused ki of the beast. "Okay, you're doing good Kirara. Now I need you to just remain still and focus your fighting spirit unto me."
Kirara agreed and began to center her energy towards him further. Inuyasha concentrated on his as well. He soon allowed his ki to meet with Kirara's. "I'm beginning to sense it again." He recalled the incident with Iga. The ninja was a powerful creature, his very presence seems to flood the forest when he was battling him. He can only sense ki when he's concentrating on a person before him. Kikyou on the other hand, can sense energy from great distances. He wouldn't be surprised if Kagome displayed this talent when she develops in her miko training.
"It's there..." He snapped open his eyes and say an strange phenomenon before his very eyes. Invisible winds taking on a spectrum of colors as they swirled eerily together. The opposing ki of his and Kirara were now streaks of lightning. That's what he experienced earlier. The scar of the wind.
'So, when I thrust the sword at the void it becomes a powerful attack.' He thought. 'So this is what Totossai meant. I guess this blade isn't a piece of shit after all.'
He ceased his concentration and allowed his sword to regress to it's previous form. Satisfied. "Good. Thanks for the help Kirara. That's enough."
"So this is what you do in your spare time?"
Inuyasha turned to gaze at the porch. There stood Kagome, dressed in the midnight blue kimono on the day he first met her. She had her hair tied in a low ponytail which was seized in a long black ribbon. Instead of the adventurous appearance he was familiar with seeing, Kagome now looks like a cute and innocent villager girl. "Yeah. I was just checking on my progress with this sword."
"That's so sweet." She cooed. "The mighty swordsman engaged in rigorous training to better himself." At this he blushed. This intensifies as Kagome proceeded to dismount the porch and walked on the hill to approach him. The night breeze gracefully caught the hem of her kimono near the slits and it flares out at an angle, revealing long graceful legs as she came closer. She made no attempt to fold it back and she didn't seem to mind the gale at all. Inuyasha felt his heart skipped a beat as he realized this. "Can I hold this for a sec?"
"Oh this?" He stammered. "Yeah. You can." He handed her the sword.
Thought the Tetsusaiga didn't evolved it felt unnaturally weighty. "It's heavier than I though. Are you sure swords are suppose to be this heavy? How do you men managed to swings these things so gracefully?"
"It takes strength, Kagome." He replied. She struggled to keep her balance as she swung the blade. He find this amusing. "You're struggling, you know that?"
Kagome abruptly stopped swinging the Tetsusaiga and allowed it to droop to the ground. "So? You think just because I'm a female that means I'm not physically strong?"
"Exactly."
Kagome arched a brow at the hanyou's assumption. "Okay. Maybe you're right about that. So swordsmanship isn't my forte." She agreed before holding the sword up. "Here."
"That was weird. Here I thought that you were going to put up a protest." He smiled as he reaches out to retrieve his sword from Kagome. All of a sudden, Kagome grabbed his outstretched arms and pulled him in to throw him over her shoulders and the hanyou landed on his back with a thud with a astonished look on his face. "What the hell was that?"
"It's called judo." Kagome replied haughtily as she stood over him. "Courtesy of the teachings back at home."
"I know that." Inuyasha retorted. "I just didn't know you were going to pull that off."
"That goes to show you to expect the unexpected." Kagome chuckled. "I'm far stronger than I look you know."
"That's what Kikyou said." Inuyasha replied with a smile. "That's what I like about you."
Kagome eyes widened and she quickly kneeled on her calves to make sure that she heard him right. "You really like me? More than just a friend?"
Inuyasha nodded. "Yes. You proved yourself to be quite strong on many occasions."
Kagome blushed. "I did?"
"Yeah. Hell I can recalled the night you clocked me out." He explained. Kagome gasped at the memory. She remember that moment well.
"I so sorry about that Inuyasha." Kagome giggled and suddenly sat on his stomach. "Is there, by any chance, a way that I can make it up to you?"
Inuyasha grew tense in shock at her sudden advances. "Kagome..."
"Inuyasha..."
"It's a nice night isn't it?"
Kagome quickly hopped up from the hanyou's abdomen and he pried himself from the ground quickly afterwards. "Miroku?"
The monk seemed downcast and he walked with a slouch as he continue his path to the center of the village. "Don't mind me. I didn't see a thing."
Something's was definitely wrong with him.
"Miroku? Are you alright?" Kagome queried in concern.
"Yeah. What's with the long face?" Inuyasha followed.
"Oh it's nothing." He managed a smile despite his despondence. "It's just a minor case of girl trouble. I'd just decided to go out and cheer myself up. By morning, I should be back to my old self again."
"I guess." Inuyasha muttered. "Well, good luck to you."
"Thanks." Miroku obliged. "Maybe I need it." He turned and walked off towards the urban part of the village.
"Poor guy." Kagome sympathized. "Could it be because of Chi or Sangou that caused him to behave so sadly."
"I wouldn't bet on it. Soon that guy is going to be back on women like a swarm of bees on honey. Don't worry I known him all my life."
"If you say so." Kagome agreed.
"Kagome! Inuyasha! Step aside, it's an emergency!" Exclaimed Kikyou's voice.
"Huh?"
The miko came into their viewpoint. She wore a determined look on her face and in her arms was an unconscious sailor. "Out of the way. I must attend to this man."
Inuyasha laughed. "What's this? You finally managed to catch a man you big Amazon?" Kikyou glared at him. "What you do? You clubbed him on his head?"
"Inuyasha!" Kikyou scolded. "Now's not the time for your pesky jibes. This man needs help."
"What happened?" Kagome asked. "He looks likes he's dead already."
"No he's not dead." Came Rani's voice as she rounded a corner. The older taijiya had a villager girl on her back. "They've somehow fell victim to an odd spell."
"A spell?"
"Yes. It's obvious." Kikyou clarified. "While they may appear to be dead, they are pretty much still alive. You see, a fraction of the victims souls had disappeared. Apparently it was drained out from their very bodies."
"This is serious too." Said Rani. "We already discover four more people have fallen under this curse." She signaled a group girls to carry the remaining bodies inside for inspection. "For all we know it could be getting worse."
Inuyasha took a sniff at their bodies. "It smells like they've been burned. What gives?"
"Burned you say?" Kagome queried. "Shouldn't their bodies be in even worse shape if they were burned."
"I thought so since you said that Inuyasha." Said Kikyou. "But there seems to be no traces of burn marks nor blisters for that matter."
"C'mon let's take them inside." Rani instructed. "It's late. We should get some rest and then try to decipher this mystery tomorrow."
* * *
"Would you like more sake Houshi-sama?" A beautiful geisha regarded a certain wandering monk, whom was now under the influence. Miroku grabbed the hem of the woman's skirt and pulled her closer to him. "Oh my!? Houshi, you're so strong!" She blushed.
"I want sum of you." He slurred as he tried to pull her skirt up but the girl resisted with a giddy chuckle. "Aw. You're no fawn."
"Whoa! Now that is one smash brother." Another geisha wondered in awe. "Jun. Be careful. He's going to make a move on you."
"Don't worry I will." Jun acknowledged. "Maybe I shouldn't offer him any more sake."
A foreigner in the room piped up. He demanded more sake as well. Though Jun didn't quite understood his native language but she can tell that he was just as intoxicated and he too was anticipating on her to "serve" him. Jun nodded. "That guy had a little too much as well."
"Hell we all did." The second geisha exclaimed.
"Rika don't be preposterous! You know good and well that I drink but I never intend on getting drunk." Jun rebuked.
A third girl jibed in. "Jun, Jun! If you are so morally opposed to getting drunk then why have you decided to become a geisha in the first place?"
"Yumi don't be so rash." Jun sighed. "I became a geisha because I heard it was a pretty decent job."
"You heard right." Rika deprecated. "C'mon Jun, you're young. Lighten up and have some fun."
"I guess." Jun considered. She eyes the bottle of sake in her hands longingly. "Oh well down the hatch."
"Atta girl!"
Moments later, a estranged young woman enter the fray. She had a box in her hands and scrutinized the vicinity of the whorehouse--I mean, lounge. She can see several young women whom were geishas, a man in dark robes, apparently a monk, and a few sailors in the room. With a smile she held up the box.
"Would anyone like any cigars?" She offered. The girls and the foreigners looks up at her with anticipating smiles on their faces. Except Jun, the morally chaste geisha who cringed behind Miroku.
Miroku observed the girl's features. She looks familiar, despite his intoxication. She had long brown hair with squared bangs that reaches to the center of her back which was tied in a large braid. Her tanned face was round and was complimented by wide brown eyes. She was definitely attractive. She wore a black blouse that were tucked into a pair of black hakama and even that failed to conceal her figure.
The funny thing was that this woman had a sheath on her waist...
And she looks an awful a lot like Chizaki...
"Yes." Miroku confirmed. "I would like a cigar."
That was followed by the rest of the people in the lounge. Minus Jun.
* * *
The next day...
"What is the meaning of this!?" Kikyou demanded to herself. "None of my curative healing powers seems to work on any of them!" She sat in the infirmary as she tried to assist the comatose people. "I can't even follow the trail of where their souls went."
She tried again and prepared herself to meditate. This time with more determination. She searched the spiritual plane to search for the lost pieces of the unfortunate souls. However, to no avail. This task soon proved to be quite difficult as she grew more and more frustrated.
'Where could they have went?' She mulled, exasperated. 'They're not dead. What gives?' Her face went into a frown. 'They're not in the next world, nor here in the world of the living.'
She suddenly gave a strident yell and shot up to her feet in rage. "It doesn't make any sense at all! How can this be so difficult!? I been trained all my life for doing things like this!!"
Kagome slid open the door and entered the room. "Kikyou? I heard you screamed. Are things going well?"
Kikyou narrowed her eyes and glanced over at Kagome. "Kagome. I need you to put this on. NOW." She handed her the spare miko robes and handed it to her. "You're going to give me a hand."
Kagome chuckled sheepishly. "Okay... Whatever you say Kiky--"
"Silence." Kikyou commanded. "Let just consider this as a part of your training."
Kagome zipped her lips and proceeded to change and assist the older miko.
Outside, a shrill scream of Chizaki can be heard.
"Damn it." Kikyou snapped. "What now?"
Sangou entered the room with the familiar monk on her back. Kikyou sighed in frustration. "Well here goes another one."
Chizaki rushed in shortly after her. She was crying hysterically. "He's dead!! Oh my god! Miroku's dead!!" She whimpered as she fell onto her knees. "WHY!!!!??"
Kikyou sighed as a bead of sweat appeared on her forehead. Kagome and Sangou looked like they wanted to burst out into laughter.
"Miroku, why!? Why did you have to go!!?" She shrieked. "Was it because of what me and Sangou did to you!?
"Chi..."
Sangou and Kagome went into a fit of snickering.
Chizaki continued to wail. "Miroku. My friend, until that day, I can only say this..."
Kikyou wondered in an annoyed manner. "Charming . And that would be..."
"~IT'S SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE, TO YESTERDAAAAAAYYYYEEEEE!!!~"
"Chizaki would you cool it!?" Kikyou snapped. "Miroku is not dead! He's just another victim to the occurrences that been happening around town."
"Oh. I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention." She apologized in a far less hysterical voice.
Kagome and Sangou fell on the floor in laughter, and in the process, dropped Miroku. "Oops! My bad." Sangou chirped.
"Just our luck." Kikyou said as she gave another look at the comatose bodies laying peacefully around the infirmary. "More fuel to the fire."
"So any progress?" Sangou inquired.
"No..."
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Kagome trailed.
"Yes..."
"So you're saying that Miroku and the others are still alive?" Chi prodded.
"Yes. Barely..."
"The souls? Any idea on the whereabouts of the lost souls?" Kagome pressed.
Kikyou drummed her fingers on her forearms, becoming annoyed. "No..."
"Are you sure that they didn't leave into the next world already?" Sangou tried again.
Kikyou gritted her teeth as a vein appeared on her forehead. "Yes..."
"I'll say, if Yoriko was here she'll know what to do." Chizaki muttered.
"Well Yoriko is not here so that means they all are depending on Kagome and I." Kikyou growled. "Don't compare me to her. I'm doing the best that I can." She suddenly lost it and sprang forth to grab Chi by her collar. "Don't you realized how frustrating this is!!? Chi, this is definitely not easy!!!"
"Okay! Okay! Damn! Lay off will you?" Chizaki retorted as Kikyou released her.
"Well, we got to hurry and find a remedy soon or these people will soon rot away from malnutrition." Sangou stated. "We must find an answer and fast."
"Apparently we have some valid speculations." Came Rani's voice as she entered the infirmary with a miko close behind. "Hi there. How are you doing?"
"Hello there mother..." Sangou muttered.
"We're fine ma'am." Kagome greeted.
"Perplexed." Kikyou sighed and then gazed at the two women hopefully. "So any of you have an idea that may regenerate them?"
"Ito has a theory." Rani pointed to the miko to introduce her theory.
"Hi." The older brunette greeted.
"Hi." The girls replied.
'Just a theory?' Kikyou mused, uncertain. 'Okay. I shall hear her out.'
"Since dawn I've been working on a remedy that may rejuvenate them." Ito began. "The tonic already has all of the required ingredients but I just need one more thing."
Kikyou piped up. "What? What is it? Where is it found?" She squealed. "Even if I have to climb Mount Everest or search the Sahara Desert I swear I shall get that cure."
"Damn!" An awe struck Sangou exclaimed.
"That's quite a will Kikyou." Kagome followed.
"You're really taking this to the extreme, aren't you?" Chizaki tamped.
"You'd never lied about that." Rani muttered.
Dr. Ito smiled. "I'll see that you're eager to help out, young miko." She admired. "I was like that when I was your age."
"Okay. I understand. Just tell me where I can get it."
"Right. I just need the leather hide of a gavial. That's all." Ito elucidated.
Chizaki and Kagome immediately cringed. "G-g-g-gavial!!?"
"Precisely. So once I have the hide, I can grind it into the concoction I was working on and finally summon their souls back into their bodies."
"Where?" Kikyou demanded.
"There are plenty of those creatures at the quagmire three miles south of this town." Ito rejoined.
"Oh joy." Sangou muttered.
The women in the room cringed at what Kikyou done next. Her eyes seems to glow an emerald color and her long hair began to stand on end--NOT!! Though her aura did began to glow an eerie shade of determination. It was so vibrant that her aura was almost tangible. If they were to look Mephistopheles in the face right about now, they wouldn't of been as horrified.
"Alright. To the everglades." She pried herself off her knees and immediately left the room.
Sangou, Kagome and Chizaki reluctantly follows.
"Have fun crocodile hunting kids." Rani waved. "Don't linger on the bottom of the food chain to long, ya hear?"
* * *
The swamp on the outskirts of town was a big one. The insects were bigger than average too and they annoyed the hell out of them. Their visions were slightly hindered due to the hot fog of the area. Shortly they lead themselves to a murky bayou.
"This is the place." Kikyou confirmed. "Be on your guards."
Inuyasha sniffed the surroundings. "Yep. The doc was right. They're all over the place."
"There!" Sangou exclaimed as she noticed a few were on the surface of the water. "There's four of them!"
Kagome and Chizaki yelped and quickly climbed the nearest tree.
"Alright!" Inuyasha declared as he draws out his Tetsusaiga. "Let me at em. They arses are mine!" Right before he charged he soon discovered that Kikyou was way ahead of him. "Kikyou! You're going to get yourself killed!!"
Too late. Kikyou had already stabbed a arrow in two of the gavials' back. "I'm fine! Just take care of the others." She returned her attention just in time to evade an attempted bite from one of the reptiles. "You're making it harder on yourself you know!" She clutches her arms around the beast's snout and lifted it over her head and slammed it with a backdrop. She got back onto her feet and growled. "Who's next?"
In that peculiar tree, Kagome and Chizaki remained silent, flabbergasted.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sangou yelled as she employed her boomerang. The weapon toppled a croc right on it's back as it was now squirming like a turtle on it's shell.
Inuyasha was occupying himself with the two that Kikyou stabbed earlier. He attacked with his sword and managed to do away one of the reptiles but the other was obviously smarter. As the hanyou made an attempt to swing at him, the croc caught the sword between it's teeth. "You're a crafty one aren't cha?"
"Yes that he is." Explained a voice.
"I knew it!" Kikyou confirmed. "It's an gavial demon."
The voice chuckled. "Ah. For a dumb miko, you're a lot smarter than I expected."
Inuyasha finally freed his sword from the offending croc and slashed it with his claws. "Show yourself!"
"Very well. That means I have to punish you all for attacking my pets." It declared. A huge monster, roughly eight feet tall rose to the surface of the water. It may be bipedal, it lacked all humanity. The gavial youkai had broad shoulders and hulking muscles, giving him an menacing appearance. It smiled at it's would be victims. Bearing it's sword sized teeth. "I'll be sure to enjoy tonight's meal."
Sangou eyed the green monster in the distance. "He's advancing. Alright, it looks like we have to retrieve the hide from him."
"He's mine!" Inuyasha charged at the demon while outstretching his claws. "Sankon Tessou!!"
"Child's play." He blocked the incoming blow from the hanyou and sent him flying into Kikyou with a punch to the hanyou's face.
Kikyou threw Inuyasha that slammed into her off her body. "You're going to take that? Alright it's looks like it's up to me." She drew an arrow on her bow to nock and released it streaking it's way towards the gavial demon.
The arrow hit it's target but the monster remained unscathed. "Your mystic arrows are useless little girl!!"
"What can we do now!?" Chi cowered from her spot on the tree. "We can't fight him toe to toe due to his size. Anyone have an idea."
Sangou retrieved her boomerang and threw it at the demon. Unfortunately, the boomerang has no effect on him either. "Nice try! But no cigar!"
"Damn! His hide is so tough there's hardly any thing we can do to phase him." Sangou dreaded. "It looks like it's up to you two."
"Kikyou, I need you to stall him." Inuyasha explained to the priestess. "I'm going to employ the Wind Scar to this creep and finally get that cure."
"Are you sure?" Kikyou queried in a nervous tone. "How long will it take to summon the energy?"
"It'll take a moment." He replied. "Those magical arrows of yours are slowing him down a bit and it should be just enough time that I need. Now go!!"
"Okay." Kikyou nodded. "I have faith in you." She grabs another arrow and set it to fire again. "Alright, I'm on to him."
Sangou saw what they were up to and decided to help out. She took out her katana and charged at the giant croc. "I'll help out as well!"
Kagome and Chi began to throw things that seems harmful to the demon. Well, they had to put in their two cents too, you know.
Inuyasha begins to center his ki. "Alright. Don't you fail me now, Tetsusaiga."
Kikyou barraged the monster with arrow after arrow and she was running scarce. Sangou had mounted the distracted youkai's shoulders and impaled her sword into his head. Which really didn't harmed the beast, it just annoyed him. Kagome and Chi continued to chunk twigs and rocks at him.
"Inuyasha!!" Sangou exclaimed as she avoided the demon's prying hands in attempts to get her off his shoulders. "Any day now!!!"
"Sangou's right!!" Kikyou agreed, elegantly evading the croc's tail. "Hurry!!"
'C'mon! Just a little more...'
Kikyou shot her last arrow. The monster was still not in the least bit harmed. "Inuyasha!!!" She shrieked. "It's now or never! I ran out of arrows and Sangou's trying her best to hinder him!"
'It's forming. It's becoming visible!'
"Enough of this!" Croc roared. "You two have been a nuisance long enough!" He grabbed Kikyou and Sangou in each of his huge hands. "You two shall make a fine entree before the main course!"
"INUYASHA!!" Kikyou cried in the monster's hand.
"JUST DO THE DAMN ATTACK NOW!!!" Sangou yelled.
"Success! It's complete!" He beamed. "Alright you two I need you to move away from him as far as you can!"
"We can't!" Sangou scolded. "He's got one hell of a gridlock on us!!"
"We'll see about that!" Kikyou declared as she plucked an arrow from Croc's arm. "Take this!" She stabbed the arrow in his eyes and put it out in the process. He released the girls and faltered in pain from his offended eye.
"You stupid coward!!" He bellowed. "I see to it that you two pay for this!!" Kikyou and Sangou quickly scampered away.
"Now it's time to do you in!" Inuyasha shouted. "Kaze No Kizu!!!"
The beam of energy trailed and smite it's intended target. Destroying the demon in the process. The creature diminished into thousands of pieces with a horrified roar. The deed was done.
After the aftermath, Kikyou walked over to the remains and observes it. "Alright. This is what we need." She looks up into the trees where Kagome and Cjizaki were cowering on. "It's safe for you to come down now."
* * *
"This is it." Said Ito. "Here goes nothing."
"Please let it do it's magic." Chi cringed in hopefulness.
Kagome held Miroku's head up in order for him to swallow the potion. Ito tilted the bowl to his lips and awaited for the results. Everyone in the room fell into anxious silence.
'C'mon Miroku. Allow your soul to come back to us.' Kikyou ruminated hopefully.
"Look, he's stirring!" Kagome pointed.
"Shh. We need silence." Ito advised. Miroku stirred into rigor mortis. Kikyou gasped, she really did hope that this cure will work. Otherwise she'll be very pissed.
'C'mon. Pull through.'
Miroku's body suddenly went into convulsion and he began foaming at the mouth. The girl's yelped in horror at this moment. "What the hell's going on!!?" Sangou demanded.
"Don't panic." Ito cautioned. "His body is trying to summon forth his soul."
"He had to break into a seizure like that!!?"
"Yes." Ito replied calmly.
'This better not be in vain.' Kikyou though gravely.
The girls gasped again as Miroku's body suddenly shot up from the sickbed and went into a dancing fit. He twirled, spun, jumped, flipped, and somersaulted with the grace of an acrobat. It looks as though he was going insane as he began to wall on the walls to the ceiling and dropped back unto the bed. His seizures suddenly withered down.
Kikyou jumped from her corner. "Well? Did it work Miss Ito?" She queried in mild anticipation. "Has his soul returned into his body."
"It better after all that crazy stuff that he just done." Said Sangou.
Ito focused on the spirit plane, checking to see if Miroku's soul really has returned. She pondered for a moment, trying to sense any trace of his soul.
Then her nose scrunched.
"No..." Ito sighed sadly. "I'm afraid not."
The girls glared daggers at the older miko/doctor. "What did you just say!!!?"
"I said no. His soul is nowhere to be found." Ito said calmly despite the tensing heat of anger from the younger women. "I was so sure that it was going to work on them."
Kikyou snapped her fingers. "Could this day get any better?"
Sangou trembled. "You mean. . .you mean we went through all of that trouble with the gavials for nothing?"
Chizaki had a go. "We risked our lives and we still couldn't cure them? Damn!"
Kagome winced. "So there's absolutely nothing we can do to save them?"
"I'm sorry children. I've tried." Ito stated apologetically. "That spell was a guarantee to recover a soul that is still wondering the face of the earth."
"Where? It didn't went to Heaven or Hell, so where did it go?" Kikyou pleaded. Ito and Kagome sighed sadly and Sangou and Chizaki looked like they were beginning to cry.
"Hey guys did it work?" Came Inuyasha as he entered the room. He noticed the long faces on the women. "I see that I didn't work."
"No. It didn't" Kikyou sighed. "That potion was our only hope."
Inuyasha beamed. "Well not to worry because Jun here has a lead." He introduced a geisha as she stepped timidly inside the infirmary. Kagome glowered at him.
"Inuyasha..."Kagome grounded out lividly as her eyes took on a green color.
"Don't have a baby on me Kagome." Inuyasha reassured. "Nothing went on between us. Jun told me what happen on the night before Miroku lost his soul."
"You did!?" Kikyou asked the geisha hopefully. "Can you recall the events."
Jun complied. "Yes, miko-sama, while I was serving the man named Miroku," Chizaki and Sangou glowered at her. ", a strange looking woman appeared and offer us some cigars."
"Cigars?" Inuyasha realized. "I knew it. That's what I smelled on the victims last night."
"Yes." Jun confirmed. "My friends, the sailors and your friend purchased the cigars from here. They smoked them and some times after they were done smoking, they fell comatose."
"That explains it!" Ito exclaimed. "That's the culprit behind the phenomenon around here!"
"This woman? What else did she had?" Kikyou pressed.
"She had a box. She carried the drugs in it." Jun clarified. "Although I'm certain that it wasn't no ordinary box. As a matter of fact I kept feeling bad vibes from it."
"That's it." Kikyou announced. "The souls are trapped inside that box."
"Do you know where she went then?" Sangou demanded.
"She went into a derelict temple on the other side of the village." Jun said and pivoted her visage at Chizaki...
And cringed.
"It's her!" Jun shouted in fear. "That's the woman with the box!!"
"Me!!?" Chi retorted in shock. "Hey you need to lay off the sake, toots!"
Jun made a way for the exit but Inuyasha held on to her waist. "Hold it! That's not her! It must've been a woman that looks a lot like her."
"That must explains it." Ito summarized.
Jun took a second glance at the brunette. The fear in her heart immediately diminishing. "You're right. I'm sorry. Though the woman looks exactly like her. Only she had her hair in a long ponytail." She pondered a bit more. "She also had a bandana on her head and a sword at her waist."
"A samurai-ko? What would a samurai-ko want with human souls?" Ito pondered.
"We've no time to waste." Said Kikyou. "Jun, lead us to the old temple."
* * *
They arrived at the said abandoned edifice. The old building gave out bad vibes and the nightfall wasn't helping it look welcoming either. Jun nodded as she was sure that "what's her face" was currently vacating inside the temple. It's clearly evident that no one has inhabited it in years."
"This is the place." Kikyou verified. "The ki of the victims are flooding all over the place."
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah. She's inside. I can smell her scent... and there's someone else."
"There's another?" Kagome asked in surprise. " Could it be another human?"
"I don't know yet." Inu replied. "The smell of the cigars are concealing it's identity."
"Alright. We're going in." Kikyou signaled.
Inside the main room of the temple it was very dark, the moonlight supporting the source of light. Spider webs littered in clumps in every corner and the skittering of insect, rats, and even more critters can be heard. Kagome, Chizaki, and Jun recoiled in fear and hugged on to one another.
"Rats!!" They exclaimed.
"C'mon girls." Kohaku reassured. "They're the least or your worries."
"Well it's easier said than done." Kagome confuted.
"She's coming." Inuyasha advised. "And she's not alone."
"He's right." Kikyou agreed. "The presence is overwhelming."
"How clairvoyant of you to figure it out." The woman spoke as it made her presence know. This time she spoke in a deep male's voice. "That's very ironic. A miko and a youkai working together."
"That's her!" Jun shrieked shrilly.
"I'll say. What's up with her voice?" Sangou wondered.
"She's possessed." Kikyou clarified. "There's a demon among us and it's controlling her every whim." She pointed to an area of absolute darkness in the room. "Come on out."
"Very clever." The said spot suddenly lit up like a flame and the gang can now see who's the culprit behind the entire conspiracy. There sat, with a box in his hands, was a old man with gradual white hair. He had beady eyes and bushy eyebrows and a long pure white beard. His face held no emotion but he forebodes the feeling of evil. "Welcome all." He said, the woman spoke at the same exact lip sync. "I am Shou and this abandoned temple shall be your grave."
"You're human." Kikyou realized. "However, it's obvious that you longed for power and somehow you learned how to steal souls of mortals from their very bodies. A skill that'll take decades to learn."
"You are as erudite as you are beautiful, young miko." Shou considered. "Though you are wrong about the part that I'm a human. That, I am no longer am."
Kikyou arched a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Thanks to my malicious soul, I obtains hundreds and hundreds of human spirits and therefore, like the ones of legends worldwide, I have become a devil." Shou revealed.
"You're a devil?" Kikyou gasped. "You abandoned humanity to become an abomination?"
"Yes. We are of an inferior and dying species." Shou stated. "For centuries we have fought over and over for petty reasons. Despite our limited lifespan, we charged into the channels of war for seeming ly for no apparent reasons."
"Yea but to become a monster?" Kikyou said in sympathy. "Is the greatest nonsense. It's true that many lives has been lost due to misunderstandings but. . .but, to become a demon?"
"Do not pity me young one. I've gained an abundance of powers that can easily cease wars or reshape the course of fate for that matter."
"You old bastard. You got some nerves." Growled Inuyasha. "Don't you know what you did is far worse than any possible war fought? At least the lives lost goes on to the next worlds, but to be trapped forever inside a little box? That's fucking ridiculous!"
"Shou, why are you doing this?" Sangou queried. "Are you afraid to die? That's why you steal the souls of humans to gain immortality?"
"You're sick." Kohaku scolded.
"Precisely."
Everyone gasped.
"Isn't it obvious. I've been a killer all my life. I soon found pleasure in doing so as I grew older. So, when it is time for me to die, I already know where I am going."
"So you cower in fear because you know that you're going to hell." Kikyou stated. "It's your fault. You lead such a life and you had plenty of time to repent your sins."
"Such wisdom at your age, little girl. Even woman like you feared me and if they didn't, they soon found out why. However, I still refuse to go to hell."
"You insolent prune!" Kikyou snapped. "Mother once told me the saying 'If you have to go through Hell to get to Heaven, then the trip is worthwhile.'"
"Silence! You impudent baby!! You will respect your elders!" He glances over to the brunette. "Hikari..."
"Yes my lord?" She spoke, this time in her original dulcet voice.
"Make them die with regret!"
"Yes, my lord..." Hikari bowed and charged at Kikyou in unnatural speed.
"Kikyou!" Inuyasha stepped forward and blocked Hikari's katana with his Tetsusaiga. "Kikyou! Lead the others and destroy that shield that the old man has around him. Then we can free those souls."
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Sangou commanded.
Kagome, Kohaku, and Chi proceeded to follow, but the old man cast a spell to hold Jun in place. "Oh no, Jun!" Kagome exclaimed.
"Make one move children, and this child shall meet her demise." Shou warned. As to emphasis that threat he cast the shadows that binds Jun to constrict tightly on her neck. The sickening sound of squeezing flesh can be heard. The girls stood staring at Jun's form in horror. The poor girl was still hanging on to dear life.
"Don't... worry about... me..." She gasped. "You must... see... to it... that the souls of our fri... friends be free from their prison." Her eyes began to loll to the back of her head.
"Jun!" Kagome yelled.
"Hang in there Jun!!" Sangou reassured. "We'll defeat the old bastard."
"How can we? I don't think any of our weapons can penetrate through his barrier." Chizaki reasoned.
Inuyasha continues to struggled with the unnaturally strong Hikari. "Forget about the girl!!" He managed to say between attacks. "What's a life compared to hundreds of missing souls!!? Damn it!! Think about it!! It's all for a good cause!"
"Fight me... hanyou." Hikari droned. She managed to knock away the Tetsusaiga due to the hanyou's divided attention. She held the sword to his jugular.
"Damn. This isn't good." Inuyasha growled.
Kikyou eyed the situation every one was in. Inuyasha is subdued by Hikari. Kagome, Sangou, Chizaki, and Kohaku are looking on in horror at Jun's dying form. And...
She didn't buy more arrows from the bazaar. "Damn!!"
But she had a dagger. Hidden deep within her long flowing sleeves. The one that Iga dropped on the previous night from fighting Inuyasha. It comes to her as strange though because she undoubtedly sensed the ki of a priestess on the blade just now. What does this means? How can he contain the powers of a miko? She had to put her thoughts aside...
Because this blade was their only chance for victory.
'Okay. This is it.' She mused hopefully. 'It's now or never!'
END OF CHAPTER NINE
A/N: Damn! I didn't realized until just now that I've typed over ten thousands words!! Minus the author's notes! That is dangerous... I am straight out dangerous. I need to stop.
NEXT CHAPTER
~KAEDE~
Hi there? How's everyone doing? It looks like my sister and the others had gotten themselves into a real fix. I hope they come out of it unharmed. Please see to it that they succeed. Meanwhile back here in Shizuoka, a group of marauders decided to intrude our village. We put up a strong defense but Yoriko-san steps into the fray. How can a gang of marauders cause her to get so riled up? Well unfortunately for them they now face the wrath of her. Finally it is revealed why she is so revered as she demonstrate her 'powers!' Until then.
On the next...
Inuyasha
Fate's Course and Forbidden Love
Chapter Ten: Domestic Adventure