Chapter Five
night of the plot

"Your-you're Inuyasha's daughter?" Miroku gasped in disbelief. Akima nodded slowly, as if talking to a four-year-old.

"Yeah, genius. He's my no-show, dead weight bastard of a father!" she spat. Every word stung Inuyasha like a deep battle scar; a scar that no matter the medicine or rest or care would never heal.

"But I--" "What exactly have you done for us? For me and Mama? HUH?" Akima was on the verge of tears now. "For twelve stupid years, we lived in that hell called a home, with the drug-eating bastard Hojo trying to get some from Mama! Ever since you dumped her like a sack of garbage those years ago, she always looked so spacey and dazed. Like she's trying not to break down all the time-for my sake! If you were expecting a happy family reunion from us, you have another thing coming!"

Nobody said anything. There was truth to Akima's words, everyone could see that. She stood tall and true, balled fists shaking at her sides and she bit her lip in attempt to keep back her tears. For that would show weakness to the man she hated the most.

"It wasn't like that," Inuyasha said slowly. He couldn't imagine Kagome as dead and hopeless as she described. "I didn't abandon her like you said. I had my reasons, Akima. Believe me!"

Akima held up a hand in silence.

"For as long as I could remember, my only wish was to meet the man called my father. I pictured him a handsome, honorable man that would come and take me and Mama far, far away from that hell of a home. But I got you." She couldn't stop her tears now. They fell freely down her cheeks, her voice beginning to crack. "I hate you," she said evenly and calmly. "I don't care what your reasons were for abandoning Mama, I hate you! Why don't you just go and disappear for the rest of my life? That's obviously something you can do excellently!"

And with that, she turned and ran. Ran as far as her feet could carry her. As far away as she could get from that horrible man of her nightmares.

"Is that true, Inuyasha? Did you really--" Sango began. She stopped when she saw Inuyasha's sad face, as if he'd seen the person that mattered the most to him die in his arms.

"She hates me. My own flesh and blood, my daughter, hates me," he said softly. "She's only a child, Inuyasha. She doesn't mean what she said….." Miroku put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Inuyasha roughly shrugged it off in an attept to watch what was left of his pride.

"But, Inuyasha! Kami knows what kind of demons might come after her. We should go look now!" Kazuya said fiercely. "She's a strong girl. She can take care of herself"

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Akima ran into a dark forest. Trees surrounded her and she felt so low. Like the lowest person on the face of the planet. Lucky her. She didn't even give Inuyasha a chance to speak. He didn't look like a back-stabbing evil villain as she thought, but a tough brotherly-type father. The kind of guy that if she got to know, would turn out to be a very caring and protective guy. If only she had enough courage to apologize. "Maybe I should head back," she said to the imaginary person next to her. "Inuyasha does deserve a chance. Every decent person does."

"Young dog-demon," oozed a voice. Akima jumped around to see a beautiful pale-skinned woman wearing a lovely violet kimono. Her long black hair swung around her heart-shaped face.

"Who-who the hell are you?" Akima asked. The woman chuckled.

"I am the answer to all of your problems. You want to be rid of that pesky dog-demon that wields the Tetsuseiga so arrogantly as if he rules the land. Well, together we can win. Just agree to do one thing for me, young demon."

"Huh. And why should I trust you?" Akima raised an eyebrow.

"Because I am only here to help. You will agree to take the Tetsuseiga from the demon called Inuyasha, and in return I will transform you into a god."

Gods were powerful. That much Akima knew, but take this Tetsuseiga thing from her father? That would be greatly dishonorable. "Sorry lady. But I don't like working with theives. Go ask someone else." She began to walk away.

"Pity. I feared it would come to this, but you leave me now choice." She chanted some ancient words and the forest grew with pink mist.

Akima tried as hard as she could, but she suddenly felt so sleepy. Running was so much work, now was rest. She began to slow down to a slight walk, stopping at a nearby tree. She laid down, dropping her eyes to a peaceful sleep.

The woman grabbed the sleeping body and carried her into the sky. Now she only had one more thing to do before the day was done.

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The night was quiet and dark. The half-moon shone dimly in the midnight colored sky. Inuyasha sat on a tree branch of a tree near Miroku and Sango's hut. The words Akima had recited that afternoon echoed in his running mind. He would find her the next morning, and explain everything to her. Then he would ask for her forgiveness.

But with pride.

The night was interrupted by the arrival of a night guest. A pale-faced beautiful woman appeared in a kimono, holding a box in one hand and a slim childlike body in the other.

Akima.

"You wench! What have you done to Akima?" Inuyasha growled loudly. That woke up the nearby huts, as nosy neighbors came out to examine the source of the noise interrupting their sleep.

"Calm down, Inuyasha the dog demon. Or half-breed I should say?" She let out a prissy laugh, hand behind her mouth and all.

"Who the hell are you? Let that girl go!" Inuyasha whipped out Tetsuseiga faster than the speed of light.

"My name is Kaguya. Now, I will not fight you half-breed. I only came to give you a message from my Master." Kaguya smiled evilly under the dim moonlight. "This girl will become our Apprentice. If you want to save her, you must fight her at our Castle."

"And where is this so-called castle?" he growled.

"You will find it soon enough."

And with that, Kaguya disappeared as quickly as she came.