Chapter 16-New Armor & Plans for Attack
The morning after the big party was all business as Inuyasha and Sango returned later with flustered looks on their faces from their night alone together. However, when it came down to planning an attack such as the one on Tsubaki and her castleInuyasha had to reluctantly leave Sango's side. He had spent most of two days with Shinn, Kohaku, and his other loyal officers as they decided on the best strategy to defeat Tsubaki. "As we all know Tsubaki isn't stupid. She won't go on the offensive against us. Not with the army she's been reduced to now that I possess the other half. However, she has a new General who is probably just strong as I am...maybe even stronger," said Inuyasha in the hut away from possible seeing eyes.
"If Tsubaki's on the defensive and we go on the offensive it will come down to the skill and strategy. Numbers may factor in later in the long run, but not in the very beginning of the fight," said Shinn as they looked at a map of castle and the surrounding land.
"The opposing army and General Gore aren't what concern me Shinn. It's Tsubaki herself and her powers that will be the critical factor in this fight," said Inuyasha with a frown as he played everything out in his head.
"What about Sesshomorru? Couldn't he help us turn the tide of the battle as well as Koga's wolf tribe?" said Kohaku curiously.
"I know what you're getting at Kohaku and I already thought of that. Totosai hasn't returned yet with a response from my older brother about allying with me to stop Tsubaki. Koga...well I doubt I would be the last person he would want to help since he took off back to his blood soakedlands. As far as I'm concerned were on our own on this without support of any kind. Unless...hmmmm," said Inuyasha who stopped speaking to think further on their situation.
"What is it General Inuyasha?" said Shinn curiously.
"Just a thought that occurred to me," said Inuyasha.
"What is the thought sir?" said Kohaku who was as equally as curious as Shinn.
If Sesshomorru or Koga won't assist us in battle then perhaps we should seek the assistance of those...closer to us," said Inuyasha with a smile.
"Sir?" said Shinn confused at Inuyashas statement.
"We will enlist the aid of our friends outside. Kagome, Kilala, Shippo, Miroku, and Kikyo to aid us in this conflict," said Inuyasha with a smile.
What about my sister Sango? Shouldn't she help us General?" said Kohaku curiously.
Inuyasha's smile left him as a serious look on his face replaced it. "I will not enlist Sango's help for this Kohaku. I cannot nor will not let her be endangered. She is my mate and for her to be on the battlefield would force me to cut my senses in half as I would worry about her half the time while focusing on the enemy," said Inuyasha in a serious tone.
"I don't understand sir?" said Kohaku.
"I don't expect you to Kohaku. At least not till your older and more mature on a certain level, but for now just trust me when I say that Sango will not be joining us. As my mate I can't afford her being with me in the battle. Understand?" said Inuyasha.
"Yes sir, I think I...I do," said Kohaku hesitantly.
"Good. The plan as follows...the walls must be the first thing to go before we attack with everything we have. I will take care of that minor annoyance while Kohaku and you...Shinn, along with a small number of troops engage the enemy via the hidden passage we all escaped in from before. You two and the troops I give will slowly drive a large divide between Tsubaki and her troops. With a little bit of luck, strategy, and later on...greater numbers we will defeat her army and come out victorious," said Inuyasha.
"Shall we get started sir?" said Shinn.
"We might as well. It is after all quite a march with an army this large and Tsubaki knows this just as well as I do. Let's mobilize the men and ask my old friends for help," said Inuyasha as he rolled up the map and put itin a barrel near him.
They walked outside Kohaku and Shinn ordered the beginning the immediate mobilization of the army while Inuyasha walked over to his old friends with casual smile on his face. "You're heading out with your army now?" said Miroku calmly.
Inuyasha nodded. Even though Miroku's body was calm like his voice Inuyasha sensed some form of tenseness and uneasiness from the monk. "I was actually hoping you would join and help me in this fight against Tsubaki considering she is your enemy as well as mine," said Inuyasha who saw a vague bit of surprise on their faces.
"Why should we? You seem like your capable of handling things on our own so why should we help you?" said Kagome who was making no effort to hide her anger at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha looked at her for a moment with a serious look on his face and then back to Miroku and the others. "You know as well I do that Tsubaki will not go down without a fight and she alone has the strength of an entire armyin terms of power. In addition with an actual immense army for her to command she is twice as strong as she was before. I'm going to need all the help I can get to battle her army as well as her own dark priestess powers that you yourselves have all first hand experienced as well as I have. If we do not combine our strengths she will continue to be a threat everyone. No one will be spared from Tsubaki power as she kills and imprisons everyone as her strength grows as we stand here doing nothing," said Inuyasha as he stared at Kilala, Shippo, Miroku, Kikyo, and finally Kagome.
"What about your precious Sango is she coming as well?" said Kagome who glared at Inuyasha with all her hatred.
"What about me?" said Sango as she came walking over to Inuyasha giving him a light kiss on the cheek making Kagome flare with even more jealousy and hatred.
"I'm respectfully asking them all to join me in assisting me in the defeat of Tsubaki and her own army. However, to answer Kagome's current question in front of you hurts a great deal when I say that I cannot let you go with me on this one," said Inuyasha to Sango who had alook of hurt in her eyes.
"But...why?" said Sango who like everyone else was surprised.
"I cannot...nor will not allow my mate, future wife, and future mother to our one day daughter or son to be endangered by the threat that Tsubaki presents. If you were to be injured or killed I would never forgive myself if you died. I...I would be thrown into madness if anything happened to you," said Inuyasha as he put a clawed hand to her cheek.
"As would I if you were injured or killed by Tsubaki or her army so why is this any different? Is it because I'm a woman? A human woman?" said Sango as she placed a hand over the Inuyasha's clawed one that was on her cheek.
"No! Far from it my dear sweet Sango that is never the case with you on any level. You are the strongest woman I know who is physically beautiful as well as mentally strong. You fight like a warrior and have the compassion of a saint that has stolen my heart, which is all the more reason for you to stay as far away from the battle. I have demon blood running through my veins and I can take the worse beatings imaginable in a fight. Trust me Sango when I say that...this is for the best and that I...I will return to you no matter what. Even if it kills me," said Inuyasha who wiped away a tear from her face with his clawed finger.
Sango nodded reluctantly and hugged him as more tears fell down her face as she knew what he had told her was true. This fight was not meant for humans who had everything to lose and had no spiritual or demons powers. "I understand Inuyasha," said Sango as Inuyasha placed a clawed hand on top of her pony tailed head.
"General were all ready to move out," said Shinn with Kohaku right next to him.
"What about Kohaku is he staying?" said Sango curiously.
Inuyasha looked over at Kohaku and realize that Kohaku was human like Sango so he couldn't take him along for this one. "Don't worry my sweet Sango. Kohaku will not be joining us in this fight," said Inuyasha who saw Kohaku about to protest, but Inuyasha shook his head that said "not this time" at Kohaku to stop while Sango's head was still pressed against his chest.
"Thank you Inuyasha. I only wish I could have loved you longer before this," said Sango who wished she was half-demon at that moment and fight beside the half-demon man she loved so much.
"Don't worry my ever so lovely Sango. When I return we have all of our lives to love each other...I swear it this to you now," said Inuyasha as he moved her head away from his chest and kissed her with a purpose that was mixed with passion.
"I know. Just come back alive and in one piece...and not in pieces," said Sango as more tears left her eyes.
"It's a deal," said Inuyasha smiling as he kissed her lightly on the lips goodbye before walking away.
As Inuyasha walked towards Shinn he motioned for Kohaku to go to Sango while Miroku and the others approached Inuyasha. "Inuyasha wait! We'll help you fight Tsubaki," said Miroku as he approached Inuyasha whose expression was not readable, but the monk could tell his half-demon friends was pleased.
"What made you all change your minds? I sincerely doubt it was all out goodness of your hearts. Especially...since some the hearts here have been broken by both me and Sango since a little bit of what happenedyesterday," said Inuyasha who felt he needed to ask out of curiosity.
"We just don't want Tsubaki to rule over the lands just as much as you do. Personally though? I want to make sure you keep your promise to Sango that you'll come back to her. The last thing she needs right now is to have HER heart broken by you before she has a chance to fully enjoy her love for you," said Miroku in a serious tone.
"Don't worry Miroku. I have no intention of breaking my promise to Sango in any shape or form. In fact when I get back I'm going to show Sango just how much love her in a very...intimate and loving way," said Inuyasha smiling mischievously seeing Miroku close his eyes as his eyebrows twiched up and down annoyed by that little bit of information.
"Let's go already and get this over with," said Kagome who was red with jealousy after hearing Inuyasha words.
"General Inuyasha sir, before we go some of the men have a surprise prepared just for you," said Shinn who motioned two men over who were caring something that looked extremely heavy, even for them and it was covered by a nice silk sheet.
"Oh really?" said Inuyasha who was surprised that he was even receiving a gift from his men.
"We noticed that you don't have the armor that you used to wear during the campaigns that we went on with you to the different lands," said one of the soldiers to his right holding the surprise.
"So we as a unit came together and created THIS for you because we all know a General of an army doesn't look the part without his...armor," said the other soldier to his left as they revealed behind the sheet.
Inuyasha looked in awe at the armor that was in front of him and was in awe at what he was staring at. "Its not much sir, but...we put a lot of effort into it. What do you think?" said Shinn as he watched Inuyasha approach the armor.
The armor in itself was beyond description as it wasn't gold, silver, red or two out of the three...it was all three colors in an amazing design that could only be summed up in one word. "Incredible," said Inuyasha in a near whisper as he reached out with his clawed hand and touched the armor gently as if it were an infant's face.
"Try it on General Inuyasha. It was made for you and you alone to wear and wield as you see fit. We all figured that you needed some form of armored protection against that new general Tsubaki has. So while the men were getting things ready and setting things up for last nights celebration, I got several of them together that you know are good in making armor. I had them make this new armor for you using some of the metal used in your previous armors that you wore when we went into battle," sad Shinn as he found a smile come to his face as he saw Inuyasha's face and that he was clearly pleased with the armor.
Inuyasha immediately did and since the armor was designed to go over his current clothes he could wear the armor right away. When Inuyasha was about to place the final part of armor that was the helmet Sango came up out of no where to him and put it on his head with his hands being covered by hers. The entire time she stared into his eyes as he stared into hers as if wanting to remember each others faces for perhaps be one last time. "Do what you have to do...my love," said Sango as she kissed him one more time.
Inuyasha kissed her back and gave her with a nod along with look of understanding as if telling her he would return. "Very well. ALL TROOPS MOVE OUT!" said Inuyasha yelled causing his soldiers to rise at attention and proceeding to march for Tsubaki's castle.
As they walked Sango watched as the man she loved walked with his mighty army and his friends as they walked towards bloody battle that would soon come to them shortly. "Sister do you think Inuyasha will return to us as he promised?" said Kohaku who was no longer dressed for battle.
"He will Kohaku. He will because he has to my little brother...after all Inuyasha always keeps his promises. If Inuyasha didn't what would be the point of making such promises to people if he never kept them?" said Sango as she hugged her once lost brother in her arms hoping this time wouldn't be the first time Inuyasha broke a promise.