Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha *Boo hoo* I don't own Sesshoumaru *Falls
into a deep depression* I don't have any money at the moment *Bangs head
against wall* and I have a ton of evil homework *Dies*
AN: Ahhh! Don't hurt me! I didn't mean to leave y'all hanging! Sorry for the long wait too, but I had so much homework and tests and...blah, blah, blah. Also, ff.net for some reason didn't update the story properly, so many of you probably didn't know that chapter 8 has been up almost a whole week, otherwise, I'm sure SOMEBODY would've reviewed it by now. Oh well, you guys can still review it ^_^. I have 31 so far! Come on people!
Inu Yasha Plushy: Keh! You lie like a rug!
Otaku-Chan ^_~: Osuwari!
Inu Yasha Plushy: Kuso!
Kuso- Damn/shit.
Jaki- A corrosive evil aura given off by Youkai.
Bozu- Derogatory way to say monk.
Nogareru~Break Away
By Otaku-Chan ^_~
Chapter Nine~Naraku's Trap
'I just have to get this scroll on him, then it's all over! Let's go!' Sango thought quietly as she prepared to throw her boomerang at Sesshoumaru for the purpose of distracting him. Her hand tightly gripped the strap as all her muscles tensed, ready to do what they had to. Surely her family would move up in society if she succeeded.
"Hiraikotsu!"
The youkai lord quickly leaped out of the hiraikotsu's path, then he released a whip of pure youkai energy, ready to strike the pestiferous girl.
"You taijiya should all perish!" he howled, furious that the pathetic human woman even hoped to defeat him.
Sango's eyes opened wide as she saw the whip heading straight for her. Everyone stared with frightened anticipation, when suddenly Rin jumped out in front of her and took the blow to her right shoulder, feeling a sharp rip of her flesh as the whip burned her right through the bandages of her previous wound, making the pain all the more excruciating. The girl cried in pain as she fell to her knees, blood marring her once clean kimono, as well as ripped bandages falling softly to the ground.
"You stupid woman! Why did you get in the way?!" Sesshoumaru yelled, showing emotion to the likes of which he hadn't shown in years. He quickly made the whip vanish as he ran to the now fallen girl. He gently picked her up into his arms, wondering why the hell he suddenly cared so much. The smell of her blood made him feel uneasy all of a sudden. 'I guess I am a bit like the old bastard, whether I admit it or not...'
"R-Rin!" Kagome stammered, surprised that the youkai lord hadn't killed her. He actually seemed regretful for what he did. What was going on between those two?
"Kuso!" Inu Yasha snorted. Seeing Sesshoumaru concerned for a human really surprised him. Had his half-brother really changed that drastically since the time he was a child? He didn't have a minute more to ponder the subject since his senses were telling him things were about to get worse.
'Now's my only chance! Sesshoumaru is distracted by the other girl...,' Sango mumbled to herself, getting a firm hold of the soul stealing scroll. She swallowed hard and made her next move.
"Die bastard!!!"
"Sango, stop!!! Enough fighting!" Miroku yelled, grabbing the taijiya's shoulder. "Don't you understand why that girl risked her life to protect you, even though she's on the youkai's side? " She jerked his hand away and prepared to slap the scroll onto the youkai lord.
"Don't interfere Houshi-Sama! If the foolish girl wants the fighting to stop, fine, but I have my reasons to fight, and I won't stop! I will make sure Sesshoumaru never hurts anyone else! If you get in my way again, I'll use this soul stealing scroll on you too!!!" Sango shouted as she prepared to release the scroll's true power as she was taught to do by Lord Naraku himself. She extended her arm and held it vertically, directing it towards the youkai lord. Elegantly written kanji began to appear on its papery surface, revealing itself in a smooth, white glow.
Sesshoumaru saw the scroll in her hand then begin to glow a vibrant red, and crimson flames began to jump up from it. His eyes opened a bit wider as he felt the immense power being radiated from it. Obviously it was no ordinary sealing scroll. His senses were going wild, instincts he tried to keep buried deeply within himself began to resurface. He felt apprehensive just to be near it...
He was afraid. An emotion so strange that he couldn't readily recognize it, but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it was true. He, the Lord of Western Lands was actually afraid.
Inu Yasha watched with serious eyes the events that were unfolding before him. It almost made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. There he was, his half-brother, who threw his mother and him out so many decades ago, at the mercy of the very species he loathed. A human. It was ironic really, he thought. Sesshoumaru wasn't invincible after all. He always wondered why his half-brother was such a cold hearted bastard. When he was young, he vaguely remembered the day his mother died. It seemed that after that, Sesshoumaru hated him even more.
'Whatever happened to his mother has nothing to do with me, so why? Why does he hate me so much? Because I don't have full youkai blood? Because my mother was a human? Dammit Sesshoumaru! I don't want to end up saving your ass, but...' Inu Yasha thought as he prepared to take the situation into his own hands.
He knew he had to try and destroy the ominous looking scroll. It dawned on him that eventually he'd have to work with his half-brother to save Kagome's people. The taijiya were just too strong to face alone! Even if the other Inu youkai scoffed at him, he had to try to repair the damage between Sesshoumaru and himself. His life depended on that full-blooded youkai power that only Sesshoumaru could provide.
Suddenly, the sky around everyone began to darken and the scroll flew out of Sango's hand, burning her slightly as it flared with dark power.
"Sango, is this supposed to happen?" Miroku asked as he felt unnerved by what was happening. A cold drop of sweat dripped from his forehead.
"A-Actually, I've never seen it do this before...," Sango said in a shaky voice. Inside something was telling her that what she did was wrong. She tried to push the things Miroku told her about Naraku to the back of her mind. 'I completed my mission. That's all,' she thought.
Everyone looked at the menacing object, and before another word could be uttered, dark bolts of lightening began shooting out from it, barely missing Kagome, Sango, and everyone else. The air was growing thick with jaki.
"That's not an ordinary scroll, is it?" Kagome questioned as she moved just in time to avoid being struck. The tree she was standing by had been completely severed in half. 'That was too close!' Her lungs began to burn as she realized that the jaki was spreading. Being a miko, she knew there was something demonic about the scroll the taijiya used, but how? Who would create such a thing?
Inu Yasha was busy dodging as well, until he finally got near enough to Sesshoumaru. "Dammit! Don't just sit there with your tail in between your legs! We have to destroy that thing before it destroys us!"
Sesshoumaru nodded, a bit surprised that he would actually end up fighting along side his half-brother, rather than against him. He then looked into Rin's frightened eyes. "He's right, we have to put aside our differences for now and work together. I sense youkai energy coming from that scroll. I don't know what's about to happen, but we have to take action quickly," he said, revealing a tinge of fear in his voice. Rin even thought she felt him slightly shaking for a moment before he put her down.
"Rin! That's your name, right? Get Kagome and hide! It's too dangerous for you two! We'll handle the scroll as well as the taijiya and the Houshi! GO!"
Inu Yasha's voice was barely carried over the high winds rustling the foliage. Rin nodded, took one last look at Sesshoumaru, then ran full speed to her friend's side, trying her best to ignore the burning pain on her shoulder.
Meanwhile, Miroku was fending for himself. He was glad that he was trained to withstand such potent jaki, but he worried about Sango. She was coughing constantly. He had to get her out of it. 'I'm coming Sango, hold on!'
Sango continued to cough, cursing herself for being so foolish. Naraku must have set her up! Apparently he wanted her to die as well as Sesshoumaru, otherwise, why was the damn thing be doing all this? Her mind grew fuzzy, her limbs grew cold, and she felt nausea sweep over her. She knew it wouldn't be long until she passed out. The jaki had already eaten through her filter mask.
"Sango! Open your eyes!"
She could hear the voice calling to her, but she was so tired. Her eye lids drooped closed, but suddenly opened as she felt strong arms wrap about her lean form and haul her away from the danger.
"M-Miroku-Sama...?" she wheezed as she looked at the man that had saved her. One more minute, and she'd be a goner.
"It is not proper for a gentleman to leave a lady in danger," he replied smoothly. Then he brought her to the clearing where Kagome and Rin were.
The two young women watched as the Houshi placed the other woman down, carefully leaning her up against a tree. "I hope you two will forgive her...she was tricked."
Kagome looked on with curiosity at the taijiya. Tricked? By who? Something wasn't right.
"Ano, Houshi-Sama, what do you mean?"
"Gomen. I don't have time to talk. I must help your friends out there," he said quickly, then ran off in the direction of the chaos.
**********
"Strange man..." she whispered, "Ano, Rin-Chan, let me see your wound. I have some herbs with me that'll help numb the pain."
"Kagome, do you think they'll be all right? I'm worried about Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru...and that Houshi, too."
Kagome began crushing up the herbs before she replied, "Let's hope for the best. Inu Yasha should be able to destroy that scroll with his Tetsusaiga."
"Nhhhnnn..." Sango moaned from the immense headache she felt coming on. It just wasn't her day. 'Well', she thought, 'at least I'm alive.'
"Since you're in no position to fight us, let's call a truce," Kagome stated, turning her attention to the taijiya. "I have some herbs that are good for headaches too," she smiled. There was something about this girl...
"Are you a miko?" Sango asked.
"Hai, demo, I'm not the best, I'll admit. All I'm really good at is identifying herbs and putting them to practical use. I'm kinda good with archery too, but that's all really."
"Aww, Kagome-Chan, you berate yourself too much! I heard that you took out a powerful Saizen miko with one shot from your arrow. That takes talent! You had to have tapped into your true miko powers to do that." Rin remarked.
"That's funny...but I don't remember," Kagome said, shaking her head slightly. It was a very unpleasant memory, to say the least. She did kill that woman. That's when her powers grew incredibly large. It was strange, but she didn't know how she was able to shoot such a fearsome arrow, so full of power. She felt funny just thinking about it.
"You killed a Saizen miko? You must be her!" Sango exclaimed, sitting up and staring at Kagome with a look of surprise. "When the taijiya and mikos returned to Saizen with the villagers as hostages, I heard that the top ranking miko Kikyou was killed. You did that, didn't you?"
"I-I told you, I don't remember..." Kagome lied. She didn't want to remember, but she did.
She suddenly felt guilty. She was responsible for killing someone, and the thought in and of itself made her stomach sink. It was for self-defense, but still...
"Lord Naraku ordered a group of taijiya to find you. The mikos in the guild are in an uproar over this!"
Kagome looked worried, then asked, "You won't turn me in to them, will you? We have a truce, right?"
"Hai, hai! You seem like a good person. I won't turn you in, but you better be extra careful...,' then she turned to Rin "you too, and Inu Yasha should be careful. Naraku will stop at nothing to get what he wants." She let out a small laugh, "Funny, I come to kill Sesshoumaru and I find all three people that are 'wanted' by my lord."
Rin tried to smile, but she couldn't help feeling a bit distrustful towards the taijiya. "Why are you trying to kill Sesshoumaru?"
"Naraku assigned the mission to me, since I'm one of the best taijiya in the village...or so he said. If I do this, my family will live good from the payment I receive. They need it!"
"It seems like your intentions are good, but unfortunately you were deceived as well. That scroll would've killed you too, right? It seems like something's not quite right about your lord," Rin stated.
"That Houshi, Miroku-Sama...he told me that Lord Naraku is a youkai in human form. I still don't know whether I should believe that, but..."
"That must be it!" Kagome interrupted. "That scroll was giving off some powerful jaki. Only a youkai could've created something like that, so if Naraku gave it to you, he must've made it, right? Why would he send you on a suicide mission if not to hatch some wicked scheme?"
"That's ridiculous! I've known my lord from the time I was very small. I never sensed a youkai aura from him. He's as human as you or I. I know it!" Sango argued, trying to deny all accusations towards the man, however, she knew they were probably right. The events that just occurred with the scroll proved it. Yet she didn't want to believe it.
"Yeah, but if he's a really powerful youkai, don't you think it would be an easy task to cast a concealing spell upon himself? You shouldn't overlook something like that," Kagome added. Rin listened to the two halfheartedly. Her mind was elsewhere. She was worried...
'Please be okay, Sesshoumaru...'
**********
"Sesshoumaru, look out! The scroll is coming your way!" Inu Yasha shouted as he deflected another lightning bolt with his Tetsusaiga.
"I will try to expel the evil energy from that scroll, so both of you should get back!"
"What do you think you're doing here Bozu?! You want to get killed?"
Miroku simply smiled at the hanyou. "I'm only doing my duty as a servant of Buddha. And by the way, I'm a Houshi, not a bozu. Now, stand back!"
But it was too late. A temporary flash of red caught their eyes, making them hesitant to see what would happen next. Miroku and Inu Yasha were suddenly blown back by a tremendous force, and as they tried to pick themselves back up, they heard screams of pain and agony.
"AAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Inu Yasha wiped the dust from his golden eyes and saw Sesshoumaru...the scroll was attached to his back, causing the youkai lord to writhe in pain. His armor had completely been shattered, leaving him helpless as the scroll pulsed dark magical energy into his body.
"What the hell...?" Miroku questioned as he watched the magic begin to change the youkai...
Sesshoumaru had never felt such excruciating pain in all his life. He burned all over, and he could feel the scroll stealing his youkai energy. His fingers curled up under the palms of his hands to try to lessen the ripping pain. His jaw also hurt immensely, as well as his head. Falling to his knees, cursing his misfortune, he grabbed his head, groning from the throbbing pain. He felt like he would die if it didn't all end soon.
Silver locks of hair began to change to gray, then jet black. The long pelt- like tail slowly grew shorter until it completely vanished from his body. Golden eyes turned a deep cobalt blue. Claws that could once tear into the flesh of any enemy turned into dull, thin, and utterly weak human nails. His pointy, mountain-like fangs shortened until they were as flat as worn down hills. His ears became rounded rather than pointed, and his senses dulled considerably. He could hardly see, hear, or smell the way he used to. But above all of the physical changes, he felt so many emotions wash over him like a tsunami. He then realized what he had just become.
Sesshoumaru, the Lord of Western Lands, and the most feared youkai in all of Japan, now a mere mortal man. He was completely human.
Inu Yasha and Miroku stared in shock. The scroll had disintegrated into nothing more than dust after the transformation was complete.
"S-Sesshoumaru? Y-You're..." Inu Yasha stuttered, utterly perplexed by this development.
"Kuso! That damned scroll!!!" Sesshoumaru cursed as he made a tight fist. Little did he realize, tears were streaming down his cheeks. The sight almost made Inu Yasha feel sorry for him. Almost.
"Keh! Now you know what it's like to be like the species you so loved to kill all the time! Serves you right!"
"Inu Yasha...I may be a weak mortal, but I will NOT allow you to speak to me like that!" he yelled as he lunged at his younger sibling, fists bared. Inu Yasha simply dodged each blow, laughing at Sesshoumaru's clumsiness.
Miroku sighed. 'Well, at least we're all still alive...'
The sky had once again brightened as the last of the jaki dissipated. All three young men turned to see three worried young women come running towards them.
"Sess..." Rin stopped in mid-run, as well as mid-sentence. Was that incredibly good looking guy Sesshoumaru?
Kagome also stopped to gawk at the man. "Whoa..."
Sango looked the most surprised, but for different reasons. "The scroll...turned him into a human? Why would Naraku create such a powerful weapon only to turn his enemy into a human?"
Inu Yasha decided to answer the woman's question, since he had been pondering the answer for a few minutes already. "Well, think about it. If Sesshoumaru is a weak human, then he obviously isn't a threat to Naraku, right? Therefore, Naraku has just become the most powerful youkai in the land...that is, if he even is a youkai. Who knows what he'll do next now that that obstacle is out of the way."
Sesshoumaru grimaced at being called 'weak' so many times. It made him feel a strange knot in his throat. Why did this have to happen to him? Now there was no hope of defeating that bastard Naraku if he couldn't even beat his pathetic half-brother. He couldn't even use the Tetsusaiga...
"We must kill Naraku as soon as possible. I have a feeling that he wants to claim my lands, thus gaining immense power. Even though I can't do much with this useless body, I must try to get back to normal, and if I have to rip his bloody heart out to do it, I will!"
Kagome ran up to Inu Yasha and hugged him tightly. He tensed up, surprised by her sudden action.
"N-Nani?"
"Thank Kami-Sama you're okay! I was so worried!"
He blushed slightly, noticing all the looks he was getting from everyone. He firmly grabbed hold of her arms and gently detached the girl from himself, not wanting to be embarrassed any further.
"Aww, you like him, don't you Kagome?" Rin asked in a teasing voice.
"I wouldn't be talking, you fluffy-lover!" Kagome retorted.
"Hey! He's not fluffy anymore!"
"Um...girls...?" Miroku interrupted.
"WHAT?!"
"N-Nevermind..."
All six of them had large sweat drops on their foreheads.
Then Sesshoumaru walked up to Inu Yasha. "We should go back to my estate quickly and make arrangements to dispose of Naraku," then he turned to glare at Sango, "as for you, I ought to kill you for what you did. You have no idea of the mistake you have made. Foolish wench!"
"Hey! She's sorry for what she did, okay? Leave her alone!" Kagome said, sticking up for the taijiya. "She's going to stay with us from now on, and so is the Houshi."
"Keh! Who says? YOU?"
"Yes ME! Osuwari!"
*Uragh!*
"What'd you do that for?"
"Because you're being a mean jerk! Sango-San was tricked too!"
Then before another argument could start, A'un arrived, ready to transport them all to Sesshoumaru's estate.
"Fine. We all go. But if the taijiya makes one wrong move..."
"I'll protect her from you," Miroku stated. Sango blushed at that. He really was a gentleman when he wanted to be.
Rin sighed. 'I hope things get resolved soon, because I'm afraid of what that Naraku guy has planned for all of us...'
To Be Continued...
AN: Well, I'm almost up to chapter 10! This is the longest fic I've ever written so far, except for my Sorcerer Hunters fic, "Clear Destiny" (which isn't online). I hope no one is upset by my lack of romance writing skills. I'll try harder, I swear! Anyway, it's your que to R+R!
AN: Ahhh! Don't hurt me! I didn't mean to leave y'all hanging! Sorry for the long wait too, but I had so much homework and tests and...blah, blah, blah. Also, ff.net for some reason didn't update the story properly, so many of you probably didn't know that chapter 8 has been up almost a whole week, otherwise, I'm sure SOMEBODY would've reviewed it by now. Oh well, you guys can still review it ^_^. I have 31 so far! Come on people!
Inu Yasha Plushy: Keh! You lie like a rug!
Otaku-Chan ^_~: Osuwari!
Inu Yasha Plushy: Kuso!
Kuso- Damn/shit.
Jaki- A corrosive evil aura given off by Youkai.
Bozu- Derogatory way to say monk.
Nogareru~Break Away
By Otaku-Chan ^_~
Chapter Nine~Naraku's Trap
'I just have to get this scroll on him, then it's all over! Let's go!' Sango thought quietly as she prepared to throw her boomerang at Sesshoumaru for the purpose of distracting him. Her hand tightly gripped the strap as all her muscles tensed, ready to do what they had to. Surely her family would move up in society if she succeeded.
"Hiraikotsu!"
The youkai lord quickly leaped out of the hiraikotsu's path, then he released a whip of pure youkai energy, ready to strike the pestiferous girl.
"You taijiya should all perish!" he howled, furious that the pathetic human woman even hoped to defeat him.
Sango's eyes opened wide as she saw the whip heading straight for her. Everyone stared with frightened anticipation, when suddenly Rin jumped out in front of her and took the blow to her right shoulder, feeling a sharp rip of her flesh as the whip burned her right through the bandages of her previous wound, making the pain all the more excruciating. The girl cried in pain as she fell to her knees, blood marring her once clean kimono, as well as ripped bandages falling softly to the ground.
"You stupid woman! Why did you get in the way?!" Sesshoumaru yelled, showing emotion to the likes of which he hadn't shown in years. He quickly made the whip vanish as he ran to the now fallen girl. He gently picked her up into his arms, wondering why the hell he suddenly cared so much. The smell of her blood made him feel uneasy all of a sudden. 'I guess I am a bit like the old bastard, whether I admit it or not...'
"R-Rin!" Kagome stammered, surprised that the youkai lord hadn't killed her. He actually seemed regretful for what he did. What was going on between those two?
"Kuso!" Inu Yasha snorted. Seeing Sesshoumaru concerned for a human really surprised him. Had his half-brother really changed that drastically since the time he was a child? He didn't have a minute more to ponder the subject since his senses were telling him things were about to get worse.
'Now's my only chance! Sesshoumaru is distracted by the other girl...,' Sango mumbled to herself, getting a firm hold of the soul stealing scroll. She swallowed hard and made her next move.
"Die bastard!!!"
"Sango, stop!!! Enough fighting!" Miroku yelled, grabbing the taijiya's shoulder. "Don't you understand why that girl risked her life to protect you, even though she's on the youkai's side? " She jerked his hand away and prepared to slap the scroll onto the youkai lord.
"Don't interfere Houshi-Sama! If the foolish girl wants the fighting to stop, fine, but I have my reasons to fight, and I won't stop! I will make sure Sesshoumaru never hurts anyone else! If you get in my way again, I'll use this soul stealing scroll on you too!!!" Sango shouted as she prepared to release the scroll's true power as she was taught to do by Lord Naraku himself. She extended her arm and held it vertically, directing it towards the youkai lord. Elegantly written kanji began to appear on its papery surface, revealing itself in a smooth, white glow.
Sesshoumaru saw the scroll in her hand then begin to glow a vibrant red, and crimson flames began to jump up from it. His eyes opened a bit wider as he felt the immense power being radiated from it. Obviously it was no ordinary sealing scroll. His senses were going wild, instincts he tried to keep buried deeply within himself began to resurface. He felt apprehensive just to be near it...
He was afraid. An emotion so strange that he couldn't readily recognize it, but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew it was true. He, the Lord of Western Lands was actually afraid.
Inu Yasha watched with serious eyes the events that were unfolding before him. It almost made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. There he was, his half-brother, who threw his mother and him out so many decades ago, at the mercy of the very species he loathed. A human. It was ironic really, he thought. Sesshoumaru wasn't invincible after all. He always wondered why his half-brother was such a cold hearted bastard. When he was young, he vaguely remembered the day his mother died. It seemed that after that, Sesshoumaru hated him even more.
'Whatever happened to his mother has nothing to do with me, so why? Why does he hate me so much? Because I don't have full youkai blood? Because my mother was a human? Dammit Sesshoumaru! I don't want to end up saving your ass, but...' Inu Yasha thought as he prepared to take the situation into his own hands.
He knew he had to try and destroy the ominous looking scroll. It dawned on him that eventually he'd have to work with his half-brother to save Kagome's people. The taijiya were just too strong to face alone! Even if the other Inu youkai scoffed at him, he had to try to repair the damage between Sesshoumaru and himself. His life depended on that full-blooded youkai power that only Sesshoumaru could provide.
Suddenly, the sky around everyone began to darken and the scroll flew out of Sango's hand, burning her slightly as it flared with dark power.
"Sango, is this supposed to happen?" Miroku asked as he felt unnerved by what was happening. A cold drop of sweat dripped from his forehead.
"A-Actually, I've never seen it do this before...," Sango said in a shaky voice. Inside something was telling her that what she did was wrong. She tried to push the things Miroku told her about Naraku to the back of her mind. 'I completed my mission. That's all,' she thought.
Everyone looked at the menacing object, and before another word could be uttered, dark bolts of lightening began shooting out from it, barely missing Kagome, Sango, and everyone else. The air was growing thick with jaki.
"That's not an ordinary scroll, is it?" Kagome questioned as she moved just in time to avoid being struck. The tree she was standing by had been completely severed in half. 'That was too close!' Her lungs began to burn as she realized that the jaki was spreading. Being a miko, she knew there was something demonic about the scroll the taijiya used, but how? Who would create such a thing?
Inu Yasha was busy dodging as well, until he finally got near enough to Sesshoumaru. "Dammit! Don't just sit there with your tail in between your legs! We have to destroy that thing before it destroys us!"
Sesshoumaru nodded, a bit surprised that he would actually end up fighting along side his half-brother, rather than against him. He then looked into Rin's frightened eyes. "He's right, we have to put aside our differences for now and work together. I sense youkai energy coming from that scroll. I don't know what's about to happen, but we have to take action quickly," he said, revealing a tinge of fear in his voice. Rin even thought she felt him slightly shaking for a moment before he put her down.
"Rin! That's your name, right? Get Kagome and hide! It's too dangerous for you two! We'll handle the scroll as well as the taijiya and the Houshi! GO!"
Inu Yasha's voice was barely carried over the high winds rustling the foliage. Rin nodded, took one last look at Sesshoumaru, then ran full speed to her friend's side, trying her best to ignore the burning pain on her shoulder.
Meanwhile, Miroku was fending for himself. He was glad that he was trained to withstand such potent jaki, but he worried about Sango. She was coughing constantly. He had to get her out of it. 'I'm coming Sango, hold on!'
Sango continued to cough, cursing herself for being so foolish. Naraku must have set her up! Apparently he wanted her to die as well as Sesshoumaru, otherwise, why was the damn thing be doing all this? Her mind grew fuzzy, her limbs grew cold, and she felt nausea sweep over her. She knew it wouldn't be long until she passed out. The jaki had already eaten through her filter mask.
"Sango! Open your eyes!"
She could hear the voice calling to her, but she was so tired. Her eye lids drooped closed, but suddenly opened as she felt strong arms wrap about her lean form and haul her away from the danger.
"M-Miroku-Sama...?" she wheezed as she looked at the man that had saved her. One more minute, and she'd be a goner.
"It is not proper for a gentleman to leave a lady in danger," he replied smoothly. Then he brought her to the clearing where Kagome and Rin were.
The two young women watched as the Houshi placed the other woman down, carefully leaning her up against a tree. "I hope you two will forgive her...she was tricked."
Kagome looked on with curiosity at the taijiya. Tricked? By who? Something wasn't right.
"Ano, Houshi-Sama, what do you mean?"
"Gomen. I don't have time to talk. I must help your friends out there," he said quickly, then ran off in the direction of the chaos.
**********
"Strange man..." she whispered, "Ano, Rin-Chan, let me see your wound. I have some herbs with me that'll help numb the pain."
"Kagome, do you think they'll be all right? I'm worried about Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru...and that Houshi, too."
Kagome began crushing up the herbs before she replied, "Let's hope for the best. Inu Yasha should be able to destroy that scroll with his Tetsusaiga."
"Nhhhnnn..." Sango moaned from the immense headache she felt coming on. It just wasn't her day. 'Well', she thought, 'at least I'm alive.'
"Since you're in no position to fight us, let's call a truce," Kagome stated, turning her attention to the taijiya. "I have some herbs that are good for headaches too," she smiled. There was something about this girl...
"Are you a miko?" Sango asked.
"Hai, demo, I'm not the best, I'll admit. All I'm really good at is identifying herbs and putting them to practical use. I'm kinda good with archery too, but that's all really."
"Aww, Kagome-Chan, you berate yourself too much! I heard that you took out a powerful Saizen miko with one shot from your arrow. That takes talent! You had to have tapped into your true miko powers to do that." Rin remarked.
"That's funny...but I don't remember," Kagome said, shaking her head slightly. It was a very unpleasant memory, to say the least. She did kill that woman. That's when her powers grew incredibly large. It was strange, but she didn't know how she was able to shoot such a fearsome arrow, so full of power. She felt funny just thinking about it.
"You killed a Saizen miko? You must be her!" Sango exclaimed, sitting up and staring at Kagome with a look of surprise. "When the taijiya and mikos returned to Saizen with the villagers as hostages, I heard that the top ranking miko Kikyou was killed. You did that, didn't you?"
"I-I told you, I don't remember..." Kagome lied. She didn't want to remember, but she did.
She suddenly felt guilty. She was responsible for killing someone, and the thought in and of itself made her stomach sink. It was for self-defense, but still...
"Lord Naraku ordered a group of taijiya to find you. The mikos in the guild are in an uproar over this!"
Kagome looked worried, then asked, "You won't turn me in to them, will you? We have a truce, right?"
"Hai, hai! You seem like a good person. I won't turn you in, but you better be extra careful...,' then she turned to Rin "you too, and Inu Yasha should be careful. Naraku will stop at nothing to get what he wants." She let out a small laugh, "Funny, I come to kill Sesshoumaru and I find all three people that are 'wanted' by my lord."
Rin tried to smile, but she couldn't help feeling a bit distrustful towards the taijiya. "Why are you trying to kill Sesshoumaru?"
"Naraku assigned the mission to me, since I'm one of the best taijiya in the village...or so he said. If I do this, my family will live good from the payment I receive. They need it!"
"It seems like your intentions are good, but unfortunately you were deceived as well. That scroll would've killed you too, right? It seems like something's not quite right about your lord," Rin stated.
"That Houshi, Miroku-Sama...he told me that Lord Naraku is a youkai in human form. I still don't know whether I should believe that, but..."
"That must be it!" Kagome interrupted. "That scroll was giving off some powerful jaki. Only a youkai could've created something like that, so if Naraku gave it to you, he must've made it, right? Why would he send you on a suicide mission if not to hatch some wicked scheme?"
"That's ridiculous! I've known my lord from the time I was very small. I never sensed a youkai aura from him. He's as human as you or I. I know it!" Sango argued, trying to deny all accusations towards the man, however, she knew they were probably right. The events that just occurred with the scroll proved it. Yet she didn't want to believe it.
"Yeah, but if he's a really powerful youkai, don't you think it would be an easy task to cast a concealing spell upon himself? You shouldn't overlook something like that," Kagome added. Rin listened to the two halfheartedly. Her mind was elsewhere. She was worried...
'Please be okay, Sesshoumaru...'
**********
"Sesshoumaru, look out! The scroll is coming your way!" Inu Yasha shouted as he deflected another lightning bolt with his Tetsusaiga.
"I will try to expel the evil energy from that scroll, so both of you should get back!"
"What do you think you're doing here Bozu?! You want to get killed?"
Miroku simply smiled at the hanyou. "I'm only doing my duty as a servant of Buddha. And by the way, I'm a Houshi, not a bozu. Now, stand back!"
But it was too late. A temporary flash of red caught their eyes, making them hesitant to see what would happen next. Miroku and Inu Yasha were suddenly blown back by a tremendous force, and as they tried to pick themselves back up, they heard screams of pain and agony.
"AAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"
Inu Yasha wiped the dust from his golden eyes and saw Sesshoumaru...the scroll was attached to his back, causing the youkai lord to writhe in pain. His armor had completely been shattered, leaving him helpless as the scroll pulsed dark magical energy into his body.
"What the hell...?" Miroku questioned as he watched the magic begin to change the youkai...
Sesshoumaru had never felt such excruciating pain in all his life. He burned all over, and he could feel the scroll stealing his youkai energy. His fingers curled up under the palms of his hands to try to lessen the ripping pain. His jaw also hurt immensely, as well as his head. Falling to his knees, cursing his misfortune, he grabbed his head, groning from the throbbing pain. He felt like he would die if it didn't all end soon.
Silver locks of hair began to change to gray, then jet black. The long pelt- like tail slowly grew shorter until it completely vanished from his body. Golden eyes turned a deep cobalt blue. Claws that could once tear into the flesh of any enemy turned into dull, thin, and utterly weak human nails. His pointy, mountain-like fangs shortened until they were as flat as worn down hills. His ears became rounded rather than pointed, and his senses dulled considerably. He could hardly see, hear, or smell the way he used to. But above all of the physical changes, he felt so many emotions wash over him like a tsunami. He then realized what he had just become.
Sesshoumaru, the Lord of Western Lands, and the most feared youkai in all of Japan, now a mere mortal man. He was completely human.
Inu Yasha and Miroku stared in shock. The scroll had disintegrated into nothing more than dust after the transformation was complete.
"S-Sesshoumaru? Y-You're..." Inu Yasha stuttered, utterly perplexed by this development.
"Kuso! That damned scroll!!!" Sesshoumaru cursed as he made a tight fist. Little did he realize, tears were streaming down his cheeks. The sight almost made Inu Yasha feel sorry for him. Almost.
"Keh! Now you know what it's like to be like the species you so loved to kill all the time! Serves you right!"
"Inu Yasha...I may be a weak mortal, but I will NOT allow you to speak to me like that!" he yelled as he lunged at his younger sibling, fists bared. Inu Yasha simply dodged each blow, laughing at Sesshoumaru's clumsiness.
Miroku sighed. 'Well, at least we're all still alive...'
The sky had once again brightened as the last of the jaki dissipated. All three young men turned to see three worried young women come running towards them.
"Sess..." Rin stopped in mid-run, as well as mid-sentence. Was that incredibly good looking guy Sesshoumaru?
Kagome also stopped to gawk at the man. "Whoa..."
Sango looked the most surprised, but for different reasons. "The scroll...turned him into a human? Why would Naraku create such a powerful weapon only to turn his enemy into a human?"
Inu Yasha decided to answer the woman's question, since he had been pondering the answer for a few minutes already. "Well, think about it. If Sesshoumaru is a weak human, then he obviously isn't a threat to Naraku, right? Therefore, Naraku has just become the most powerful youkai in the land...that is, if he even is a youkai. Who knows what he'll do next now that that obstacle is out of the way."
Sesshoumaru grimaced at being called 'weak' so many times. It made him feel a strange knot in his throat. Why did this have to happen to him? Now there was no hope of defeating that bastard Naraku if he couldn't even beat his pathetic half-brother. He couldn't even use the Tetsusaiga...
"We must kill Naraku as soon as possible. I have a feeling that he wants to claim my lands, thus gaining immense power. Even though I can't do much with this useless body, I must try to get back to normal, and if I have to rip his bloody heart out to do it, I will!"
Kagome ran up to Inu Yasha and hugged him tightly. He tensed up, surprised by her sudden action.
"N-Nani?"
"Thank Kami-Sama you're okay! I was so worried!"
He blushed slightly, noticing all the looks he was getting from everyone. He firmly grabbed hold of her arms and gently detached the girl from himself, not wanting to be embarrassed any further.
"Aww, you like him, don't you Kagome?" Rin asked in a teasing voice.
"I wouldn't be talking, you fluffy-lover!" Kagome retorted.
"Hey! He's not fluffy anymore!"
"Um...girls...?" Miroku interrupted.
"WHAT?!"
"N-Nevermind..."
All six of them had large sweat drops on their foreheads.
Then Sesshoumaru walked up to Inu Yasha. "We should go back to my estate quickly and make arrangements to dispose of Naraku," then he turned to glare at Sango, "as for you, I ought to kill you for what you did. You have no idea of the mistake you have made. Foolish wench!"
"Hey! She's sorry for what she did, okay? Leave her alone!" Kagome said, sticking up for the taijiya. "She's going to stay with us from now on, and so is the Houshi."
"Keh! Who says? YOU?"
"Yes ME! Osuwari!"
*Uragh!*
"What'd you do that for?"
"Because you're being a mean jerk! Sango-San was tricked too!"
Then before another argument could start, A'un arrived, ready to transport them all to Sesshoumaru's estate.
"Fine. We all go. But if the taijiya makes one wrong move..."
"I'll protect her from you," Miroku stated. Sango blushed at that. He really was a gentleman when he wanted to be.
Rin sighed. 'I hope things get resolved soon, because I'm afraid of what that Naraku guy has planned for all of us...'
To Be Continued...
AN: Well, I'm almost up to chapter 10! This is the longest fic I've ever written so far, except for my Sorcerer Hunters fic, "Clear Destiny" (which isn't online). I hope no one is upset by my lack of romance writing skills. I'll try harder, I swear! Anyway, it's your que to R+R!