Chapter 27: Saving Aoshi, Part I
Misao stared around her with unfeigned curiousity. She, Aoshi, and Gojin had arrived at Kurashiki nearly an hour ago. Aoshi had quietly burned the child's body upon their arrival. Despite the usual impassiveness of his features, the young woman knew that the girl's death was deeply troubling him.
"Where are you taking us?" Aoshi asked with his usual icy calmness. "I was under the impression that your master's home was in Kurashiki."
"It lies just east of the city," Gojin answered. The disguised snake youkai would say no more, so the humans followed warily behind.
Despite the sharp tension, Misao looked around her with wide eyed fascination. Tiny winding streets wove their way through out the ancient walled city, with the occasional willow lined canal dotting the cityscape. Occasionally, the trio would pass an old wooden rice granary as they made their way out of the city.
Every so often Misao would catch Gojin looking back at them. His darting, almost reptilian eyes unnerved her.
"What?" she asked hotly. The man raised an amused eyebrow before staring ahead silently. This only served to further agitate the young woman.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" she yelled.
No response.
"Hey..."
"Misao," Aoshi said finally. "Enough." The young Obiwaban glared at her companion and reluctantly complied. She suddenly decided that she really didn't like Gojin. In fact, something about him made her skin crawl.
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Aoshi narrowed his eyes as they approached an aged stone castle. For the supposed prestige of the lord, the land seemed unusually devoid of people. The castle itself also stood alone atop a rocky, steep hill. A muddy creek crisscrossed its way across the land, underneath the castle hill.
"Where is everyone?" Misao asked impatiently. Aoshi silently agreed with her. It looked like an ordinary castle, but it felt strangely foreboding.
He caught himself reaching for his kodachi and stopped. Aoshi noticed Gojin eyeing him silently. The swordsman straightened and motioned for the other man to continue.
Aoshi carefully noted every detail as they followed the man through the castle. Great European tapestries lined the old stone walls. Old feudal armor lined one wide corridor. Strange tall mirrors down another.
Gojin silently pushed open two great oaken doors. Aoshi briefly eyed two heavy chains, one on each side of the door. A giant empty metal collar lay open on each end. Leashes?
"What are those for?" he heard Misao ask. Gojin paused before answering.
"They are for Lord Naraku's pets."
Pets? Judging by the weight and size of the leashes, even Aoshi wasn't sure if he wanted to meet these 'pets'.
The trio continued on into a great hall. Straight ahead of them, atop of a tall dais, sat a raven haired man dressed in Western clothing. Sharp reddish brown eyes studied them intently from across the room.
So this was Onigumo Naraku. Curious.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"This is weird Sango."
"I agree Kagome. It looks like as though Naraku has hidden all of his youkai."
"Yeah, but why?"
"Aoshi doesn't know who Naraku is yet. Scores of youkai around the castle would only give it away."
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
The two companions had been able to make their way to the creek without being noticed. Kagome had swum up to the base of the castle and was now crouched underneath one of the outer walls.
"How do you think we should do this Sango?"
"How would Inuyasha do it?" the dead slayer asked.
"Inuyasha would have been spotted by now," Kagome said dryly. "He'd have yelled for Naraku to come out and face him like a man."
"Good point."
Kagome peered around the corner before taking a breath and stepping out. They did have one thing in their favor. Since Naraku had pulled all of his youkai back out of sight, there was a less chance of them being spotted.
"I hope where not too late," Kagome whispered.
"As do I."
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"Would you like some tea Mr. Shinomori?"
Aoshi's hand paused as he automatically reached for the offered cup. Naraku's eyes focused intently on him for the briefest second before he chuckled lightly.
"I can assure you, it is not poisoned," Naraku assured him.
"Of course not," Aoshi said quietly, with just a hint of warning. His host's eyes narrowed a fraction before a smirk rose across his lips. He watched as Naraku took a sip of the tea before setting down his cup and clasping his hands business-like in front of him.
"Why would I wish to kill the man that I desire to request aid from?"
"Aid?" Aoshi looked at him suspiciously. He didn't like the sudden dark glint in the other man's eyes.
"I'm sure that Gojin has told you of our...enemies?" Naraku asked smoothly.
"Some, not all."
"I see. Has he told you that these youkai are able to pose as humans?" Naraku didn't even wait for the curt nod as he continued. "I believe that your experience with my...'daughter' should be proof enough for you. These creatures had no morals, they seek only destruction and massacre."
Aoshi's jaw tightened at the mention of Kaia. Had she really been a fake the entire time? It would be easier to believe, but...
He still had his doubts. Those tears had been real.
"Gojin said that they report to a youkai name Inuyasha," he said instead. Naraku calmly took another sip of tea before he chose to answer.
"Indeed. Inuyasha has been quite the thorn in my side. He and his brother Sesshoumaru are powerful youkai lords from the west. They both despise us humans. Nothing would delight them more than the death of every mortal." Misao gave a slight gasp at that, but Aoshi said nothing.
"What exactly do you want from me?" he finally asked. Naraku chuckled at that before suddenly standing up.
"Come, Mr. Shinomori," he said. "There is something I wish to show to you."
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"How are we going to get in?" Kagome wondered quietly aloud. Sentries had immediately appeared around in various defensive after Aoshi and his companion disappeared inside. The dead priestess was very much regretting the fact that she didn't have a good bow and a set of arrows. Sango, on the other hand, was regretting the fact that she no longer had a body.
"Most fortified places have a secret entrance or escape. Seeing as Naraku controls this, he must have more than one way in."
"How do we find it?"
"Search hard, fast, and pray for luck."
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"I don't know if I trust him Aoshi," Misao whispered. Aoshi gave a very slight nod in agreement. Never the less, what Naraku claimed needed to be looked in to. If there was any truth to it, then he might be forced to swallow his pride and contact Himura Kenshin. This could very well turn out to be a much bigger problem than he thought.
He had no idea.
"May I be so bold as to pose a personal question Mr. Shinomori?" Naraku asked. The man had paused in front of what appeared to be a blank wall. Aoshi was on the verge of saying no, but he gave his head a slight nod. Naraku smirked slightly at that.
"I hear that you have fought in the past with Himura Kenshin. If I may ask, what were the outcomes of those battles?"
"If you know about them, I should think you already know the answers to that," Aoshi replied curtly.
"True. But what if I told you that Mr. Himura is not all that he appears?" Aoshi cocked an eyebrow at that as Naraku pressed a hidden lever in the wall, causing part of it to slide open.
"What do you mean by that?" Misao asked suspiciously. "What's Kenshin got to do with this?" Naraku gave a cryptic smile as he stepped through the revealed doorway.
"You'll see," he said.
"I'll see what?" Misao demanded. Naraku only smiled again in reply.
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Kagome was about to give up hope on the search when she felt a trace of youkai aura near a cluster of rocks.
"Sango?" she questioned.
"I think this is it," Sango said. "The rocks must be covering up the entrance." Kagome gritted her teeth in determination and began to clear away the rubble.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Aoshi's first indication that something was amiss was the nauseous smell that suddenly permeated the dim corridor. The second indication was when a hoarde of strange wasp-like insects came pouring out of hidden holes in the walls.
"Aoshi!" Misao yelled. Aoshi swore under his breath. What the hell were these things?
"I wouldn't trouble yourself with them," Naraku said serenly. "They are quite poisonous to humans." Aoshi stared at him as realization suddenly sank in. This was a trap, one that he'd walked right into.
As had Misao.
"You bastard!" Misao yelled. A pair of shuriken appeared in her hands as Aoshi whipped out his kodachi. He swung his blade at the now laughing Naraku as several shuriken also hit him. Sliced pieces of western clothing hit the floor, but that was all. Naraku had vanished.
Aoshi swore again as they became surrounded by the strange poisonous insects.
"Naraku!" he yelled. They heard Naraku's chuckling voice echoing sharply on down the corridor. The mass of insects parted on their right to create a pathway.
"We can't go there," Misao objected. "It's obviously a trap."
"We don't have a choice Misao. At least we now know it's one."
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"Hurry Kagome!" Sango urged. "I don't think we have time for secrecy anymore. I can feel it."
Kagome wiped a smudge of dirt from her face as she quickly agreed. The dead priestess placed her hands on the remaining stones and focused her spiritual energy into them.
The ground caved in from the force of the explosion.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Aoshi faintly felt the ground shudder as he and Misao emerged into an open room. The smell was much stronger here. The swordsman was looking around for Naraku when he heard Misao give a piercing shriek. He looked quickly at her, but the pale faced young woman wordlessly pointed a shaking finger in front of them. Aoshi warily turned around.
It took all of his self control not to drop his weapon.
Quivering in the middle of the room, hanging from the ceiling, was a carriage sized mass of...something. It was a sickly pale yellow, almost white. Feathery spiderwebs crisscrossed the whole room, starting with the strange ball. Yellow mucus dripped from the strange cacoon and the surrounding ceiling.
There were spiders everywhere. Large ones, small ones, all of them a strange purplish-brown color. They were centered around what now Aoshi had come to realize was a giant egg sac.
For the first time in his life, Aoshi felt the faintest touch of panic.
"How do you like my pets Mr. Shinomori?"
Aoshi and Misao whipped around to see a smirking Naraku and a strange, withered old woman. The swordsman glared dangerously at the raven haired man.
"Why?" he finally asked.
"You're going to help me kill Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru," Naraku answered. "Although you probably know Inuyasha's brother better as Himura Kenshin." Kenshin?
"If you wish to live Naraku, I suggest you let us go free," Aoshi threatened. Naraku merely smiled as he pointed up. Aoshi slowly turned his face upward to an even more horrifying sight.
Hundreds of glowing red eyes stared down at him. A single, gigantic spider was perched on the ceiling.
He distantly heard a thud as Misao's knees gave out from under her. Aoshi himself resisted the intense urge to vomit.
"You see," he heard Naraku whisper. "You have no choice but to submit."
Aoshi gathered up the remains of his inner strength as drew forth his other kodachi. He stood protectively in front of the dazed Misao, conscious of the buzzing insects behind him. What ever it took, he'd make sure that at least she made it out alive.
Several whip-like objects emerged from Naraku's flesh and flew towards them. Aoshi managed to sever them before they made contact. However, he wasn't prepared for the swarm of spiders that came crawling his way.
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Kagome flung herself through an open doorway as a giant ax came hurdling at her. A split second later, the wall came crashing down at the youkai came after her. Damn it. She didn't have time for this.
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
"Aoshi," A horrified Misao whispered. The man that she loved and admired was now completely covered head to toe with a quivering mass of spiders. Naraku laughed as he saw the great Aoshi's eyes dilate in sudden fear. Humans.
Naraku, followed closely by Binh, walked up to the frozen Aoshi. He found himself surprised as a challenging look now replaced the fear in Aoshi's eyes. Perhaps there was more to this human than he had thought.
He reached forward and ripped open the front of Aoshi's shirt, revealing the naked skin of his chest. Smiling triumphantly, Naraku placed a single spider on his chest. A horrified Aoshi grunted in pain as the creature dug itself down deep into his flesh.
Naraku let go of the human and called the remaining demonseeds off him. He watched as Aoshi's hands immediately flew to his chest. The youkai watched in amusement as the swordsman vainly tried to claw out the spider.
It was too late.
Aoshi gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. He wouldn't give Naraku that pleasure. However, the pain was like nothing he'd ever felt before. Even so, his vision blurred from the pain.
"I'm told that it's far more painful for humans than youkai," Naraku said. Aoshi lifted his head inch by inch until he was staring the other man boldly in the face.
"I will kill you," he warned. Naraku smiled as a spider mark blossomed across Aoshi's exposed chest.
"I doubt that. Now stand up. You belong to me now," Naraku ordered. A numb Aoshi found himself automatically obeying him. He seemed to have lost all freedom of movement.
Naraku studied him briefly before looking at the terrified young woman in the back. He briefly considered infecting her as well, but a better idea presented itself.
"Let the girl go," he ordered. Binh gave him a shocked look.
"My lord?" she questioned. Naraku's eyes narrowed as he backhanded the ancient hag.
"Don't ever question me wench," he growled. "Let the girl go free. In fact, make sure she escapes."
A stunned Misao could only stare at Aoshi. Aoshi, unable to even speak without permission, could only look at Naraku.
"I won't leave you!" she finally yelled. Misao, Aoshi wanted to yell. Run! He watched as Naraku snapped a finger, causing another youkai to appear. The youkai bowed as it picked up the young woman and disappeared.
Naraku smirked darkly as he turned back to his new servant.
"Aoshi, you're first task will be to hunt down your friend and kill her."
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Stay tuned for the next chapter, Saving Aoshi, Part II.