Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. However the OC's are mine and mine ONLY! If you want them you can pry them from my cold, dead hands! Ahem… moving on…
Chapter 9
Mikomi followed the trail of mushrooms. Then all of a sudden they just popped back into the ground. She thought she could here a loud crack like when Shippo had transformed into a fish. Well, that was one problem off her hands. The kitsune was obviously back to his old self and likely to beat the crap out of whoever had abducted him. She continues towards the area in which she had heard the sound. She heard voices in the clearing ahead. She saw the light of a fire. If she strained her ears then she could just make out what they were saying from her position. Shippo sounded surprised. She crouched down and listened.
Ayame! Koga! Ginta! Hakkaku! What are you doing around here? I thought your territory was farther north. Shippo's voice was full of surprise. It had been more than twenty years since he had seen the oukami youkai and he was glad to see them. Koga hadn't changed much in twenty years, but Ayame was now quite pretty. Her red hair flowed past her shoulders and her fur was an even softer white than he had ever seen. Koga smiled. "Hey kid, I see you've grown up in the last while huh?" Shippo nodded. Ginta moved over to Koga and muttered something in his ear. "Huh? What? You're right Ginta, that is the same thing." Koga turned back to Shippo. "Isn't that mutt-faces sword? Speaking of which where is everyone? Mutt-face gone senile? And where's Kagome? I finally got something that proves how good I am!" Koga reached into a small box on the ground and took out a long object wrapped in cloth. The cloth dropped away. Shippo gasped. It was a beautifully carved bow. The thread looked so fine and the wood was so smooth. Koga grinned. "The bowstring is made from my own hair and the main shaft is from my own fang! I got it purified by some priestess on the way here. So where is she?" Shippo was silent. It would be better not to answer and have Koga's own delusions take him to the assumption she had left to go elsewhere. Unfortunately twenty years had done Koga some good. He was less hasty to jump to assumptions now. "Seriously kid where is she? Don't tell me she ran off with that mutt-face!" Shippo cast his eyes downwards. Koga sensed something was wrong. He grabbed Shippo's shoulders very firmly. "What happened to Kagome?" His eyes burned with determination and worry. "Where is she?" Shippo took a deep breath. He'd have to learn eventually. "Inuyasha used the Shikon no Tama to become a full yokai. He lost control and he-" Koga's look of worry turned to near terror. "Inuyasha killed them all…" Koga lost it. "WHAT!" There was no more worry or determination in his eyes now. There was only fury and… sadness. "THAT BASTARD! HOW COULD HE DO THAT TO KAGOME! I GAVE MY LIFE TO HER! I'LL KILL THAT WORTHLESS EXUSE FOR A HANYO! YOKAI OR NOT!" Koga looked at Shippo the same fury burning in his eyes. "Where is he? Do you know where that mutt is?" Shippo shook his head. "I've been following him for four days now. I don't see much. A destroyed village here, a slaughtered yokai there… There isn't much for him to destroy. We almost had him four days ago… But he got away." Koga wasn't even listening. He was looking down at the bow in his hands. His face was turned away now. Hakkaku moved closer. "Koga?" He jumped back his face full of shock. "Koga!" Shippo looked closely and saw Koga shaking. As he looked on the ground he saw (to his utter shock) that there were darker spots on the dry ground. There were more by the second. Koga whirled to his companions some tears still running down his face. "Stay with Shippo. You guys will only slow me down." He clenched his fist tightly. "This is between that mutt and me! You three stay out of it!" He turned back to Shippo. "I want a piece of him first! I'm still the fastest there is! Even without my shards!" He began running full tilt in the direction Shippo had been going. Shippo nodded. He was still fast. He was rather surprised that the ground itself didn't split behind him. He was faster than when he had had jewel shards. Shippo could see the trees themselves bending against the wind he created as he rushed by. He was out of sight in seconds. Shippo was still watching where he had been. He's become really fast. Inuyasha had better be careful. Koga is madder than I've ever seen him! And he's gotten really strong! I can tell. He's become as powerful as Sesshomaru used to be at LEAST! Shippo sighed. "Watch out Inuyasha. Now Koga is on your trail too. He remembered his first experience with Koga and his tribe.
Flashback (and one you might actually remember )
Rushing wind, rocks falling everywhere as Koga raced up the mountain paths. A loud screech. Koga looked up. Hundreds of torii youki were hovering high overhead. They could at any time. "Do any of them have a jewel shard?" Koga was still studying them. Kagome mustered up the courage to speak. "No." Koga grinned. "Guess I have no time for these guys." He leapt through the air taking one down as he went. Now Shippo could smell something else. The smell of wolf.
Bones were scattered around. Wolves slobbered hungrily at the sides. "Hey Koga! I see you brought a nice girl!" Koga smiled back at the yokai. "Sorry! This ones not up for grabs!" The yokai stepped back a mischievous smile playing on his lips. Koga set Kagome down and had found Shippo. He tossed him over into a ring of hungry wolves. "Kagome help me!" Kagome looked at Shippo with concern. "Hey let him go!" Koga turned back around. "Huh?" Kagome looked somewhat angry. "I won't help you if anything happens to him! I don't care what you do to me!" Koga sighed. "Whatever." He walked over and lifted up a wolf. "Whoa, you're getting pretty heavy. No more meals for a while." The wolf whined slightly as it was set aside. Koga picked up Shippo and tossed him to Kagome. "Consider yourself lucky.
End Flashback (Hopefully it was relatively accurate)
Shippo leaned up against a tree. Koga had looked no better than Naraku in his eyes back then. He'd learned differently. Koga had a code of honor. He had protected Kagome with his life several times. He looked over at Ayame. "So?" Ayame apparently had been thinking about Koga too. "Hmm?" Shippo nodded. "Why are you in this area. I understand why Koga came. But how about you? You're not still trying to make him your mate are you?" Ayame shook her head. "Nah. I accepted the fact he loved that mortal." Shippo nodded. "That's good." Ayame frowned. "I said accepted, not liked. I still don't think a yokai and a mortal make a good mix." Shippo shrugged. "Everyone to their own I guess. I just want to know a good way to track Inuyasha." Ayame considered it. "I know! There was one guy I heard about. He was an expert tracker. He took part in a lot of wars in the past. I just can't place his name." Ginta looked at her rather shocked. "You're not thinking about the hyakuken of the great yokai war seventy years ago are you?" Ayame nodded. "That's the one! He's a ryu yokai. His title means "hundred swords" I heard he has learned one hundred different sword styles. More than that he hasn't failed in any mission he's been assigned." Shippo looked at her quizzically. "Assigned?" Ayame nodded. "He didn't want to stop after the war so he became a traveling yokai mercenary. He's very good. I heard he was in the western lands last time I checked." Shippo nodded. "Maybe…" Ayame leaned back. Hakkaku hopped up. "It's all good to plan but I've heard he'll only take a mission if it's given by someone with a pure heart." Ginta nodded. "Yeah. Only priestess's and monk's can fit that description." Shippo chuckled. "Not one I used to know." He smiled. "But it just so happens I've found a priestess who might help us…" "AHA!" Shippo jumped and looked at the nearby bushes. The priestess was standing straight up and pointing an accusing finger at Shippo. Heh, heh. Whoops.
Inuyasha stepped foot on the rubble. It sent a painful shock through his foot. "Can't believe this! Twenty years and Mt. Hakurei's barrier still isn't gone!" Ignoring the painful shocks that went through his body frequently Inuyasha moved towards the center. That damn kitsune nearly beat me! I can't believe it! But… being around here reminded me of something. I bet I can find an easy way to more power. If only I can find it…His foot nudged something. He looked down. A skeleton lay at his foot. In its' hand was gripped a strange sword. It seemed to have several attaching blades. He smirked. A name rose hazily through his mind. Jakotsu… He shook his head. Whatever the name meant to him in the past he didn't care. However… if he had found this skeleton then what he sought would be nearby. He came to a large crater. He felt a malice pulse from the craters very core. He leapt down to the bottom. He saw something glint off to his left. He walked over. He tossed aside the rocks that covered it. He smiled. Ahh. There it is. A skeleton lay at his feet. Some white armor still clung to its bones. Inuyasha smirked and kicked the bones apart. Then from its' skeletal hand he lifted the real treasure. It was in three fragments now but with a good swordsmith… He grinned maliciously. Two names floated back to his memories. Banryu. Bankotsu. He staggered as memories came back. A pristine mountain. A smile on a girls' face. Kagome… He growl escaped him. What did the blasted name mean to him? He had known it as long as he could remember. He shook it off. There was one more memory.
Flashback
"These shards belonged to our brothers Mukotsu and Kyokotsu. We will avenge them." Inuyasha smiled. "I'm gonna tear you apart!" The warrior twirled his blade. "You think so? Just try it!" The blades clashed. It was a stalemate. Cannon fire. Was someone hit? No. That mangy wolf had protected the girl, moving her out of harms way. "A word of advice Inuyasha. You should really be more concerned about yourself!" Inuyasha dodged a swing. "I suppose being a hanyo, you should be stronger than a human. But I don't understand why Naraku couldn't beat you!" "Oh yeah? Why's that?" The warrior smirked. You don't seem all that tough to me! Inuyasha growled. "Dammit! If you know where Naraku is then tell me now!" The warrior smiled. "I really don't like to be QUESTIONED!" He slashed and Inuyasha backed away. "If you really want to know Naraku's whereabouts… Ask my Banryu."
End Flashback
Inuyasha scowled. What did that memory mean to him. The sword the warrior had used was undoubtedly the one he now held. However it was shattered. He would find a swordsmith first. Then he would repair the blade and become the ultimate yokai. He lifted the blade parts from the ground and walked away from the mountain center. He didn't like Mt. Hakurei, its serenity irritated him. It wasn't long until he was gone. Now, with the seal Banryu had set gone, the evil taint behind the blade began to rise. A fleshlike lump began to form at the skeleton. It had no face yet it managed to make a sound. It rang out through Mt. Hakurei and against the silence it was impossibly loud. "Kukukukukukuku."
End of chappy. However I thought I'd put in a quick comedy concerning what just happened. Here it is:
In hell…
Jakotsu was still staring at the picture on the wall. It was a picture of the new Inuyasha. Jakotsu sighed. Those murderous eyes and purple stripes made him look so sexy! Ginkotsu, Renkotsu and Suikotsu were all playing the Inuyasha trading card game and Ginkotsu was still trying to pick up the cards. Bankotsu sat back in a chair of skulls and watched. Kyokotsu was eating. Bankotsu and Jakotsu both started getting restless. Bankotsu looked around. "Anyone else feeling like their grave has just been defiled?" Jakotsu jumped. "Big brother you're Banryu!" Bankotsu looked at his side and moaned. His companion had vanished. "Why do I get the feeling a certain hanyo just stole my Banryu?
End comedy
I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well as the others. It took me almost 2 ½ hours to write this. But I finished so I hope you enjoyed it.