I've been having some technical difficulties so the last couple of chapters were kind of messed up. But here it is finally, chapter four. I do not own Inuyasha
Soshaku had finally awoken. He'd been asleep for the longest time, but now he was ready to play. His nose twitched excitedly. "Someone's coming. I smell blood. So much blood. It's time to play."
Kari gasped for air. She was running at full speed and still the monster was gaining on her.
"Give me the jewel!" the beast screamed.
This doesn't make any sense, Kari said to herself, I don't have any jewels, yet it's screaming for me to give it one." Suddenly, Kari tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground. She tried to get up, but she was too tired and the monster was getting closer. Then Kari heard a voice. She looked up. She was near the tree with the sleeping boy, but now he was awake.
"Hey there cutie. What's wrong? You look scared." He grinned. "I'll play with you and you won't be scared anymore. All you have to do is get me down."
"Would you shut up?" Kari snapped.
The boy looked shocked. "Well, well, aren't we grumpy," he huffed, "I was just trying to be nice you know."
Kari wasn't listening. The monster had found her and she was too busy dodging its long grabbing arms.
"Give me the jewel!" it screeched and it barely missed smashing Kari beneath its fist.
The boy gave a long whistle from his tree. "Boy," he said, "Is she mad at you. What did you do?"
Kari didn't answer and dodged a stomping foot. The monster picked up a fallen tree and swung it at her. Kari sailed through the air and slammed into a tree trunk.
"Hey!" the boy shouted, "Beast, that's my new toy you're beating up." He looked over at Kari. "I think you better give back whatever you took before she kills you."
"But I…don't have anything," Kari panted as she struggled to stand. She had been scraped up pretty bad. Then she felt a rush of pain as the monster shoved one of its arms into her side. It jerked its arm out, holding a bright, glowing pink ball. Blood spurted from her wound.
Another arm picked Kari up and the beast laughed in her face, while the boy yelled, "You stupid, ugly bastard! Put her down! I told you, she's mine! Put her down!"
The monster looked down at him in disgust, with Kari and the glowing pink objects clenched in her fist.
"Put her down!" the boy screamed again.
The beast hesitated, then dropped the girl in front of him. The boy saw the glowing orb the monster held and his mouth opened in surprise. "Is that the sacred jewel?"
An arrow flew through the air and lodged itself in the beast's hand, causing it to drop the jewel. "Get back ye horrible beast," cried Kaede. Behind her stood at least twenty warriors, bows and arrows at the ready. Kaede looked towards Kari and saw the boy. "Soshaku, ye have awakened?" she gasped.
"That's right lady," Soshaku said, an impish grin crossing his face, "I'm back and ready to play. "Although…" he looked down at the unconscious girl at his feet, "I think my new toy is dead."
Kaede gasped again. "Kari? Dead? No. No, it cannot be. Then the jewel—"
"Is…unnn…right here," Kari groaned, holding it up. The monster shrieked when it saw her. Kari backed up to the tree and grabbed Soshaku's robes to pull herself up. She rested her head against his chest, breathing heavily.
"Hey you, girl. Kari."
She looked up.
"I can help you," Soshaku told her, "Just get me down."
"How?" Kari asked tiredly.
"Just pull this big arrow out of my chest and I'll take care of everything. And when I'm done…" He grinned slyly. "You and me will play."
Kari stared at him uncertainly. Could she trust him? Suddenly, a giant hand pushed her from behind, crushing her and Soshaku against the tree.
"Come on," Soshaku urged, "Do you want to live or die?"
Kari looked up and placed her hand on the arrow. "I choose to live!" she cried and pulled. The arrow snapped in two and vanished, as well as the ones in his arms and legs.
Soshaku smiled. "Its playtime!" he shouted. A yellow light surrounded him, shattering the monster's hand. The beast screamed in pain and Soshaku took opportunity to slice off one of its many arms.
Kari lay watching the battle in a pool of blood. Her blood. Her hands were clasped in front of her, still holding the jewel. Her vision was starting to fade.
"Kari!" Kaede came running and knelt next to her. "Hold on child," she said as she ripped some of her robes into bandages.
Soshaku jumped into the air and shouted, "Iron Claw!" before cutting off three more arms. Now, with only one arm left, the monster began to retreat. "Where do you think you're going?" Soshaku snickered. He laughed and cut off one of its legs. "Stay and play with me!" he cried as it fell. He skipped around the body that was writhing in pain.
"Soshaku," Kaede called.
He froze mid-skip.
"Kill the beast so we may go to the village and treat Kari's wounds."
Soshaku made a face and looked down at Kari. The expression on his face changed from annoyance to guilt when he saw her soaking in her own blood. His attention back on the bloody form before him, Soshaku clapped his hands together and said, "Your playtime ends here." He jumped into the air. "Iron Claw!" The beast's head disintegrated.
Kaede gently lifted Kari up and she and her warriors headed for the village.
Soshaku ran to catch up. "Hey grandma, slow your corps. This girl hasn't played with me yet."
Night had come and Kari lay on a bed of old robes and blankets. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. Soshaku sat across the fire from her in a stunned silence.
Kaede was out getting water. Before she left she'd told him, "Kari is in a critical state. She will be lucky if she makes it through the night."
Soshaku stared glumly into the fire. Stupid! He called himself, Stupid! Stupid! It's your fault she's dying. She lost too much blood. Now you'll never get to play with her. Soshaku crawled over to Kari and took her hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered, "So sorry. Please don't die. I want to play with you."
Soshaku's kinda kooky aint he? His attack is kind of pathetic, I know, but it was all I could come up with. For the moment.