Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Inu puppy boy etc., but I DO own all
original characters and the twisted brain that is writing this fic ^_~.
AN: Well, it's finally Xmas break, I've finished FF7, and I'm able to write again. Yay! Enjoy this chapter! Oh, and all the stuff about Ryuukotsusei is obviously inaccurate to the series, but since this IS a fanfic, who cares, ne? And I think I'll write shorter chapters from now on, since it's easier for me and I'll be able to get the chapters out sooner too.
Kaze no kizu- Wound of the wind.
Bakaryuuha- Does anyone know what this attack translates as? I forget ^_^;;
Inu Yasha-tachi- Literally means, 'the Inu Yasha's,' but it is basically translated as 'the Inu Yasha group.'
Oi- Hey.
Youki- A.K.A. shouki. Is also a form of energy emitted from youkai, like jaki.
Uso!- No way! (Lie!)
Ganbare- Good luck.
Teme- Another derogatory way of saying 'you,' often translated as bastard, or bitch.
Nogareru~Break Away
By Otaku-Chan ^_~
Chapter Fourteen~Bakaryuuha
"Will you hurry up? This is a serious mission, you know!" Inu Yasha argued as Kagome and the others strived to keep up with his inhuman pace through the twisting forest path.
"Okay, remind me again why the HELL we have to follow the directions of some STUPID old scroll that leads us out in the middle of NOWHERE?" Kagome complained, more than just a little fed up with Inu Yasha's 'high and mighty' attitude. The group had been walking for a little over five hours at breakneck speed to get to a small, desolate area that resembled an average clearing in the woods.
Jaken took a few nervous steps towards his now human lord. "Ano... Sesshoumaru-Sama, are you sure you translated the text correctly? I see nothing here that would be of any use to us..."
"Do you dare question my knowledge of the ancient youkai texts?! Of course this is the place!" Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance, something he's done a lot lately.
"H-Hai!" Jaken groveled at his feet in apology. Rin giggled to herself at the antics between Sesshoumaru and the toad. She had grown used to being around them, and a feeling of content came over her to know that she was not alone in her mission. There was her friend Kagome, the hanyou Inu Yasha, a hentai Houshi named Miroku and his taijiya companion Sango with her adorable neko youkai, Kirara. Everyone had the same goal: defeat Naraku and end the age old war. Sure, it sounded noble, but could they really pull it off? Could they change the beliefs of youkai and humans alike? She shook her head slightly and took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. 'We can do it!' she thought to herself, then added, 'we have to if we want to survive...'
Miroku and Sango stopped and sat on a upraised tree root, rubbing their sore feet. Kirara curled up next to Sango to take advantage of the break time. Even Sesshoumaru was a bit weary, and he cursed himself for it.
Then, as if hearing everyone's thoughts and complaints, Inu Yasha decided to fill the others in on why they were there. Sesshoumaru, of course, knew a bit more then he did, so he'd let him do most of the talking.
"This is the place. Sesshoumaru, go ahead and explain to these whiny people about why we walked all those hours to get to 'the middle of NOWHERE,' he said in a feminine tone to mock Kagome's earlier complaint. Of course, she shot him a nasty look.
Sesshoumaru walked a little further on ahead of Inu Yasha then placed his hand on an old tree, a slight smile crossing his handsome features. "This is an old friend of our father's."
Everyone but Inu Yasha looked at Sesshoumaru like he had two heads. Rin was especially dumbfounded.
"A tree? We came all this way to hear that your father was friends with a freaken tree?!" Kagome growled, "This is so stupid it's unbelievable!"
"Hmmm, hmmmm. My, it has been so long since I have been graced with the presence of youth!"
Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin as a raspy voice came from the tree. Accommodating the voice, a face appeared as well through the old twisted bark. The taijiya and Houshi were equally surprised.
Then Sesshoumaru continued, "This is Bokusenou, an ancient tree from whose branches the scabbards of Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga were made."
"So tell me, what has brought the sons of the great Inu Taishou to me this fine day? And how have ye located me if ye had never before been here?" Bokusenou asked.
"This," Inu Yasha said casually as he held up the old scroll for the tree to see. "Our father left this to us. After many days of translating it, we found that we should go to you to learn father's ultimate combat technique involving the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga.
"Now I've seen everything... a talking tree...," Sango murmured to no one in particular. Miroku, noticing her apprehension, wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to himself.
"Do not fear Sango. I will protect you..."
*Slap!*
"Not with your hand on my ass!" she yelled as she left the poor misguided monk to lay on the cold ground rubbing the red hand mark on his swollen cheek.
"Love... hurts..."
"Ahem! As I was saying, we've traveled a long distance and have finally located you. Please, will you tell us how we may perform these techniques... and ...uh... what they are exactly?" Inu Yasha asked as he scratched a furry ear.
The venerable old tree smiled, causing it's bark to make creaking noises. "Haaaa, haaaa! Of course I can fill ye pups in on the secret. First you see... hm? Thou art Sesshoumaru, yet thou art human? How can this be? Well, no matter. As long as the love is in thy heart, you shall be able to wield the Tenseiga. That is part of the key to the technique."
Sesshoumaru looked confused. "What do you mean by 'love' in my heart? Perhaps my love for battle?"
"Hmmm, hmmm. Truly a pup indeed. Your father, Inu Taishou, created both of those swords with the hopes that someday both of you boys will grow to love human kind just as he had. That love is the source of power for both the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. Without that love somewhere within your hearts, neither of you two would have ever been able to wield those fangs. Whether it is love you've had for your human mother, Inu Yasha, or love for another human... And Sesshoumaru, can one of those blushing human females be the one to steal your heart?" The tree smiled broadly, noticing a hint of discomfort from the Inu brothers as well as the two young girls that accompanied them there. He had a keen sense for these sort of things, being so closely associated with nature and all.
Both Kagome and Rin found themselves blushing furiously, knowing who the old tree was referring to, as well as knowing full well where the Inu brother's love was truly centered.
'When Sesshoumaru saved my life... he used Tenseiga. He must've cared then...' Rin remembered, getting a nostalgic look upon her face.
Kagome also had thoughts of herself and Inu Yasha... the sweet kisses they had shared after revealing their feelings to each other... his warm embrace... his bare chest... 'Whoa! Now I'm thinking too far!' she scolded herself for the development of some very impure thoughts.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, fought off a blush, and continued his questioning. "Yes, I understand. But let's get straight to the point. What do Inu Yasha and I have to do to use father's ultimate technique?"
"Well... you two must combine the swords into one blade."
"Okay... so, how do we go about this?" Sesshoumaru was growing impatient with the tree's short answers.
"Well, first, both of you must master your swords. Inu Yasha, have you learned the bakaryuuha yet?"
"Baka~what? Sounds stupid *pun intended*" Inu Yasha smirked.
"I take that as a 'no.' Have you at least learned the kaze no kizu?"
Kagome stepped closer. "If that's the attack where he wipes out a ton of enemies with one swing, yeah, he's learned that. I am a witness!"
Inu Yasha patted her playfully on the head and smiled. "Well, I guess I learned something."
"That is good to hear. Come back after you've learned the bakaryuuha." With that said, Bokusenou's face faded away into the old tree, leaving a slightly annoyed hanyou and even more frustrated Sesshoumaru.
Kagome tried to break the tense atmosphere, feeling that the brothers were about to go off any second and threaten to rip the tree apart if he did not simply tell them the technique. "So, whadaya say we go and practice, ne? Come on! It'll be a good opportunity for you to brush up on your skills Inu Yasha. And Sesshoumaru... you can train a bit too. I believe in both of you! Let's go find some place to practice..."
"Keh! There's no time for this! Hey! Bokusenou! Come back out!!! There's more we need to know!!! OIIIIII!!!!!!" Inu Yasha shouted at the tree, ready to kick it. Kagome then decided to use force...
"I said COME ON!" she growled as she grabbed a now squirming Inu Yasha by a sensitive ear. Rin did likewise with Sesshoumaru, since he too was about to have a bout with the poor old tree. Miroku and Sango laughed at the scene. It was almost as if they were watching a drama between two married couples.
And so, the Inu Yasha-tachi made their way through the forests, fighting weak youkai along the way that dared to attack them. Inu Yasha didn't feel any closer to learning the bakaryuuha, and instead decided to practice with Kirara.
"Go for it Inu Yasha! And try not to hurt Kirara!" Kagome called out from a good thirty feet away. She was comfortably seated on a moss covered log, along with Sango, Miroku, Rin, and Jaken. They were eating some rice balls that Rin had prepared earlier.
"You too Sesshoumaru-Samaaaaaa!!! Now that you're a human you gotta strengthen those nice muscles, ne?" Rin called out to him.
Both of the Inu brothers snorted at the way those females spurred them on. It was ridiculous. Sesshoumaru was especially not used to being talked to in such a way. But he would let it slide for now... as long as he was human anyway.
"Ready Kirara? Here it comes!"
Inu Yasha held up the Tetsusaiga towards the now transformed neko youkai. He waited for the winds of youki to collide, finally revealing the kaze no kizu. For the first time he understood what the attack was. The first time he used it, well, it was a fluke. However, he now knew it's secret and would utilize it to the best of his abilities. But what truly puzzled him was the bakaryuuha. Somehow, he felt that the kaze no kizu was the key to unlocking this new potential...
"Good job Kirara. I see the kaze no kizu, but I will not swing... unless you don't mind becoming Chinese food... charred and crispy." Inu Yasha smiled, sheathing the sword.
*Rowwwww!!!!*
Sesshoumaru was busy practicing some basic fighting techniques. He felt kind of stupid. When he was a youkai, all he had to do was slice and dice with his sharp claws using hardly any effort. But now, he was swinging his sword like a fool. 'Humph! Strengthen my muscles, she says. I'm perfectly fit, and yet it is not good enough for her! Wait, since when do I care what she thinks? Chikusho! Being human is making me soft!' he thought as he continued his sparring session.
Suddenly, the ground beneath everyone rumbled, sending waves of pressure through the earth which split the ground open wide.
"Is it an earthquake?" Kagome asked as she grabbed onto Inu Yasha.
The hanyou sniffed the air. The scent was definitely a youkai. But, what kind of youkai could cause such damage? Whatever it is, it's big.
"Everyone stay together!" Miroku shouted as he readied his staff to protect his friends. Once again, the earth beneath them rumbled louder as more land uplifted, along with bedrock and other buried sediments.
Sango hopped on Kirara's back and readied her boomerang, Hiraikotsu. A loud roar could be heard... deep and fierce.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "Inu Yasha, perhaps now's your chance to learn the bakaryuuha, don't you think?"
"Ryuukotsusei?! What the hell is that dragon youkai doing here of all places??!!" Inu Yasha yelled as the creature rose out of the ground to tower at least fifty feet above the group. "The brother of Ryutaishou, whom our father sealed hundreds of years ago. The battle that ultimately ended his life..."
"Uso! THAT is related to the dragon that killed the great Inu Taishou? Inu Yasha, I think it would be a good idea if we get the heck outta here now!" Kagome panicked.
"S-Sesshoumaru-Samaaaaa!!!! What are we going to dooooo!!!!???? If even your father couldn't defeat one of these, surely you as a human and a hanyou..."
"Jaken, urusei! I fully realize what kind of predicament we're in. And, Kagome, running will do us no good. Judging by the size of him, he'd crush us all in a matter of seconds. You see, his body is tougher than steel." Kagome and the others shuddered at the thought.
Before anything else could be said, the great dragon Ryuukotsusei spoke up in a booming voice. "I smell it! The foul stench of Inu youkai blood in my territory! Especially the blood of that fool, Inu Taishou! The bastard that sealed my brother that fateful day." Steaming saliva dripped off the creature's jagged fangs as a low, menacing growl escaped from it's throat. Everyone noticed that there was a small face on the dragon's forehead that was actually speaking. The sinister creature's eyes were glowing red as it slowly opened it's mouth wider. A bright light formed as Ryuukotsusei prepared to release a huge ball of electric energy upon the unsuspecting group.
"Inu Yasha! Do something before we all fry!" Kagome cried, fearing the worst.
"Don't worry, I already see it... kaze no kizu," he said as he held the transformed fang out in front of him. "All I have to do is cut that spot! Quickly, everyone, run as far away from here as you can. I'll handle this as well as surpass my father!"
"Inu Yasha, I'd help, but in this form, I'm of no real use." Sesshoumaru lowered his head, and Inu Yasha felt pity for him. "But, if you have any remains left after that beast rips you apart, I'll use Tenseiga to revive you."
*Pwik*
A stress mark suddenly appeared on Inu Yasha's forehead. "And I actually thought you were being humble! Keh! Just you watch. I'll tear Ryuukotsusei to pieces with my incredible fang! Ha, ha, ha!"
"Osuwari!"
"What the hell was THAT for?!"
"You're not taking this situation seriously! Now get out there and fight before it releases that ball of energy and reduces us all to ashes!" Kagome yelled, causing him to wince. The girl certainly had a fiery temper...
"Kagome, Rin, you two get on Kirara! The rest of us will run. Quickly!" Sango urged them on, leaving Inu Yasha to fend for himself. Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to face his half-brother one last time.
"Ganbare, Inu Yasha."
"Arigatou... Niisan."
Then Inu Yasha turned to face the great beast. He gripped the hilt of Tetsusaiga tightly. True, he acted fearless in the face of his friends, but he really was afraid. Could he defeat such a powerful adversary without yet mastering his sword? He had no time to think. A light sheen of sweat was forming on his forehead as he focused on the rising scent of the kaze no kizu.
"Playtime's over!" Ryuukotsusei roared as he released the ball of energy.
"Kaze no kizu!!!" Inu Yasha shouted, unleashing the Tetsusaiga's power straight into the dangerous looking tornado-like youki energy that was rushing towards him. He was surprised to see that when his youki clashed with Ryuukotsusei's, many great tornadoes of youki formed, swirling rapidly towards the dragon. Was Tetsusaiga absorbing his youki and using it against him? Yes. He felt it! This was the key to the bakaryuuha! "Eat this, bastard! Bakaryuuha!!!"
"Nani?! What is this incredible energy? Teme!!!"
But before Ryuukotsusei could attack again, the youki tornadoes slammed into his body and began to rip him apart, causing him to release a blood curdling scream. Inu Yasha stared in disbelief, and felt immense joy and pride well up in his chest. He had not only defeated Ryuukotsusei without much effort, but surpassed his own father. He truly was powerful, even for a mere hanyou, and knowing that made him smile.
"Now you can meet your brother... in hell," Inu Yasha said in a low tone as he turned from the pieces of the dragon's corpse and began to follow the scent of his group. "And to top things off, it appears that I can use the kaze no kizu whenever I want! Heh! I guess this trip was worth it after all."
Later...
"Inu Yasha, I knew you could do it all along! I had complete faith in you," Sesshoumaru joked in a mocking sort of tone. Meanwhile, Kagome ran up to the hanyou and gave him a tight hug.
"I was so worried about you! We saw a huge explosion and I thought you were... you were... k-ki..." she began to sob into his haori.
"Shhhh. It's all right. I'm fine, you don't hafta cry... silly girl."
"Next time, we'll be of more help, ne? Now that you learned the bakaryuuha, we're one step closer to defeating Naraku. We should go back to Bokusenou tomorrow since it's getting late," Kagome sniffed, happy that her hanyou was back and safe.
Miroku was busy gathering firewood with Sango, and the others prepared for a night of camping out under the stars. Kagome unpacked their blankets and some food.
"Sesshoumaru... ano, are you proud of Inu Yasha? I mean, that he surpassed your father?" Rin asked, sitting down next to the man who seemed deep in thought.
He looked over to her, the flames of the recently lit fire dancing over his dark umber eyes. Her breath nearly caught. He was gorgeous! She fought a blush as he finally replied, "I envy him. I always used to be the superior son of Inu Taishou. A great youkai lord... How ironic that a mere hanyou could be stronger than that of a full-blooded youkai. I guess in a way I've grown to respect him more."
"When you become a youkai again, will you try to surpass Inu Yasha?"
Sesshoumaru gave a small smile for but an instant. "I honestly don't know if I can, Rin."
"That's all right. As long as you respect yourself, it doesn't matter how powerful you are. At least, that's what I believe."
"For a woman, you sure do think a lot," Sesshoumaru said as he turned back towards the fire.
"Was that a compliment or a criticism?" she asked, turning his face towards her with her hand. A bold move indeed, but at the moment, she didn't really care.
"Rin..."
Sesshoumaru fell speechless as he realized how beautiful Rin looked in the fire light. And to top things off, he seemed to feel an unknown force pulling himself closer to her until eventually they were both sharing the same breath, barely an inch away from kissing each other...
"Oi! Let's eat guys!" Kagome exclaimed, breaking the two out of their trance.
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru." Rin apologized quickly as she took her portion of food.
'Why did she apologize? It was I who was moving in on her, was it not?' he thought to himself, suddenly feeling embarrassed to be caught by everyone. He had never felt such confusing emotions as a youkai. "It was nothing," he said simply, brushing Rin off, and not realizing that with those three words, he had hurt her feelings.
"Oh... hai."
That night, the group ate in silence, thinking of each other, their adventures thus far, as well as what was ahead of them. But they all knew for sure that unless Naraku was removed from the picture soon, there would be no future. Not for themselves or anyone else.
To Be Continued...
AN: The next chapter will be pure sappiness to pick up where this leaves off. More Sesshy/Rin and Inu/Kag to come! Ja ne!
AN: Well, it's finally Xmas break, I've finished FF7, and I'm able to write again. Yay! Enjoy this chapter! Oh, and all the stuff about Ryuukotsusei is obviously inaccurate to the series, but since this IS a fanfic, who cares, ne? And I think I'll write shorter chapters from now on, since it's easier for me and I'll be able to get the chapters out sooner too.
Kaze no kizu- Wound of the wind.
Bakaryuuha- Does anyone know what this attack translates as? I forget ^_^;;
Inu Yasha-tachi- Literally means, 'the Inu Yasha's,' but it is basically translated as 'the Inu Yasha group.'
Oi- Hey.
Youki- A.K.A. shouki. Is also a form of energy emitted from youkai, like jaki.
Uso!- No way! (Lie!)
Ganbare- Good luck.
Teme- Another derogatory way of saying 'you,' often translated as bastard, or bitch.
Nogareru~Break Away
By Otaku-Chan ^_~
Chapter Fourteen~Bakaryuuha
"Will you hurry up? This is a serious mission, you know!" Inu Yasha argued as Kagome and the others strived to keep up with his inhuman pace through the twisting forest path.
"Okay, remind me again why the HELL we have to follow the directions of some STUPID old scroll that leads us out in the middle of NOWHERE?" Kagome complained, more than just a little fed up with Inu Yasha's 'high and mighty' attitude. The group had been walking for a little over five hours at breakneck speed to get to a small, desolate area that resembled an average clearing in the woods.
Jaken took a few nervous steps towards his now human lord. "Ano... Sesshoumaru-Sama, are you sure you translated the text correctly? I see nothing here that would be of any use to us..."
"Do you dare question my knowledge of the ancient youkai texts?! Of course this is the place!" Sesshoumaru growled in annoyance, something he's done a lot lately.
"H-Hai!" Jaken groveled at his feet in apology. Rin giggled to herself at the antics between Sesshoumaru and the toad. She had grown used to being around them, and a feeling of content came over her to know that she was not alone in her mission. There was her friend Kagome, the hanyou Inu Yasha, a hentai Houshi named Miroku and his taijiya companion Sango with her adorable neko youkai, Kirara. Everyone had the same goal: defeat Naraku and end the age old war. Sure, it sounded noble, but could they really pull it off? Could they change the beliefs of youkai and humans alike? She shook her head slightly and took a deep breath of the crisp autumn air. 'We can do it!' she thought to herself, then added, 'we have to if we want to survive...'
Miroku and Sango stopped and sat on a upraised tree root, rubbing their sore feet. Kirara curled up next to Sango to take advantage of the break time. Even Sesshoumaru was a bit weary, and he cursed himself for it.
Then, as if hearing everyone's thoughts and complaints, Inu Yasha decided to fill the others in on why they were there. Sesshoumaru, of course, knew a bit more then he did, so he'd let him do most of the talking.
"This is the place. Sesshoumaru, go ahead and explain to these whiny people about why we walked all those hours to get to 'the middle of NOWHERE,' he said in a feminine tone to mock Kagome's earlier complaint. Of course, she shot him a nasty look.
Sesshoumaru walked a little further on ahead of Inu Yasha then placed his hand on an old tree, a slight smile crossing his handsome features. "This is an old friend of our father's."
Everyone but Inu Yasha looked at Sesshoumaru like he had two heads. Rin was especially dumbfounded.
"A tree? We came all this way to hear that your father was friends with a freaken tree?!" Kagome growled, "This is so stupid it's unbelievable!"
"Hmmm, hmmmm. My, it has been so long since I have been graced with the presence of youth!"
Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin as a raspy voice came from the tree. Accommodating the voice, a face appeared as well through the old twisted bark. The taijiya and Houshi were equally surprised.
Then Sesshoumaru continued, "This is Bokusenou, an ancient tree from whose branches the scabbards of Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga were made."
"So tell me, what has brought the sons of the great Inu Taishou to me this fine day? And how have ye located me if ye had never before been here?" Bokusenou asked.
"This," Inu Yasha said casually as he held up the old scroll for the tree to see. "Our father left this to us. After many days of translating it, we found that we should go to you to learn father's ultimate combat technique involving the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga.
"Now I've seen everything... a talking tree...," Sango murmured to no one in particular. Miroku, noticing her apprehension, wrapped a gentle arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to himself.
"Do not fear Sango. I will protect you..."
*Slap!*
"Not with your hand on my ass!" she yelled as she left the poor misguided monk to lay on the cold ground rubbing the red hand mark on his swollen cheek.
"Love... hurts..."
"Ahem! As I was saying, we've traveled a long distance and have finally located you. Please, will you tell us how we may perform these techniques... and ...uh... what they are exactly?" Inu Yasha asked as he scratched a furry ear.
The venerable old tree smiled, causing it's bark to make creaking noises. "Haaaa, haaaa! Of course I can fill ye pups in on the secret. First you see... hm? Thou art Sesshoumaru, yet thou art human? How can this be? Well, no matter. As long as the love is in thy heart, you shall be able to wield the Tenseiga. That is part of the key to the technique."
Sesshoumaru looked confused. "What do you mean by 'love' in my heart? Perhaps my love for battle?"
"Hmmm, hmmm. Truly a pup indeed. Your father, Inu Taishou, created both of those swords with the hopes that someday both of you boys will grow to love human kind just as he had. That love is the source of power for both the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. Without that love somewhere within your hearts, neither of you two would have ever been able to wield those fangs. Whether it is love you've had for your human mother, Inu Yasha, or love for another human... And Sesshoumaru, can one of those blushing human females be the one to steal your heart?" The tree smiled broadly, noticing a hint of discomfort from the Inu brothers as well as the two young girls that accompanied them there. He had a keen sense for these sort of things, being so closely associated with nature and all.
Both Kagome and Rin found themselves blushing furiously, knowing who the old tree was referring to, as well as knowing full well where the Inu brother's love was truly centered.
'When Sesshoumaru saved my life... he used Tenseiga. He must've cared then...' Rin remembered, getting a nostalgic look upon her face.
Kagome also had thoughts of herself and Inu Yasha... the sweet kisses they had shared after revealing their feelings to each other... his warm embrace... his bare chest... 'Whoa! Now I'm thinking too far!' she scolded herself for the development of some very impure thoughts.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, fought off a blush, and continued his questioning. "Yes, I understand. But let's get straight to the point. What do Inu Yasha and I have to do to use father's ultimate technique?"
"Well... you two must combine the swords into one blade."
"Okay... so, how do we go about this?" Sesshoumaru was growing impatient with the tree's short answers.
"Well, first, both of you must master your swords. Inu Yasha, have you learned the bakaryuuha yet?"
"Baka~what? Sounds stupid *pun intended*" Inu Yasha smirked.
"I take that as a 'no.' Have you at least learned the kaze no kizu?"
Kagome stepped closer. "If that's the attack where he wipes out a ton of enemies with one swing, yeah, he's learned that. I am a witness!"
Inu Yasha patted her playfully on the head and smiled. "Well, I guess I learned something."
"That is good to hear. Come back after you've learned the bakaryuuha." With that said, Bokusenou's face faded away into the old tree, leaving a slightly annoyed hanyou and even more frustrated Sesshoumaru.
Kagome tried to break the tense atmosphere, feeling that the brothers were about to go off any second and threaten to rip the tree apart if he did not simply tell them the technique. "So, whadaya say we go and practice, ne? Come on! It'll be a good opportunity for you to brush up on your skills Inu Yasha. And Sesshoumaru... you can train a bit too. I believe in both of you! Let's go find some place to practice..."
"Keh! There's no time for this! Hey! Bokusenou! Come back out!!! There's more we need to know!!! OIIIIII!!!!!!" Inu Yasha shouted at the tree, ready to kick it. Kagome then decided to use force...
"I said COME ON!" she growled as she grabbed a now squirming Inu Yasha by a sensitive ear. Rin did likewise with Sesshoumaru, since he too was about to have a bout with the poor old tree. Miroku and Sango laughed at the scene. It was almost as if they were watching a drama between two married couples.
And so, the Inu Yasha-tachi made their way through the forests, fighting weak youkai along the way that dared to attack them. Inu Yasha didn't feel any closer to learning the bakaryuuha, and instead decided to practice with Kirara.
"Go for it Inu Yasha! And try not to hurt Kirara!" Kagome called out from a good thirty feet away. She was comfortably seated on a moss covered log, along with Sango, Miroku, Rin, and Jaken. They were eating some rice balls that Rin had prepared earlier.
"You too Sesshoumaru-Samaaaaaa!!! Now that you're a human you gotta strengthen those nice muscles, ne?" Rin called out to him.
Both of the Inu brothers snorted at the way those females spurred them on. It was ridiculous. Sesshoumaru was especially not used to being talked to in such a way. But he would let it slide for now... as long as he was human anyway.
"Ready Kirara? Here it comes!"
Inu Yasha held up the Tetsusaiga towards the now transformed neko youkai. He waited for the winds of youki to collide, finally revealing the kaze no kizu. For the first time he understood what the attack was. The first time he used it, well, it was a fluke. However, he now knew it's secret and would utilize it to the best of his abilities. But what truly puzzled him was the bakaryuuha. Somehow, he felt that the kaze no kizu was the key to unlocking this new potential...
"Good job Kirara. I see the kaze no kizu, but I will not swing... unless you don't mind becoming Chinese food... charred and crispy." Inu Yasha smiled, sheathing the sword.
*Rowwwww!!!!*
Sesshoumaru was busy practicing some basic fighting techniques. He felt kind of stupid. When he was a youkai, all he had to do was slice and dice with his sharp claws using hardly any effort. But now, he was swinging his sword like a fool. 'Humph! Strengthen my muscles, she says. I'm perfectly fit, and yet it is not good enough for her! Wait, since when do I care what she thinks? Chikusho! Being human is making me soft!' he thought as he continued his sparring session.
Suddenly, the ground beneath everyone rumbled, sending waves of pressure through the earth which split the ground open wide.
"Is it an earthquake?" Kagome asked as she grabbed onto Inu Yasha.
The hanyou sniffed the air. The scent was definitely a youkai. But, what kind of youkai could cause such damage? Whatever it is, it's big.
"Everyone stay together!" Miroku shouted as he readied his staff to protect his friends. Once again, the earth beneath them rumbled louder as more land uplifted, along with bedrock and other buried sediments.
Sango hopped on Kirara's back and readied her boomerang, Hiraikotsu. A loud roar could be heard... deep and fierce.
Sesshoumaru smirked. "Inu Yasha, perhaps now's your chance to learn the bakaryuuha, don't you think?"
"Ryuukotsusei?! What the hell is that dragon youkai doing here of all places??!!" Inu Yasha yelled as the creature rose out of the ground to tower at least fifty feet above the group. "The brother of Ryutaishou, whom our father sealed hundreds of years ago. The battle that ultimately ended his life..."
"Uso! THAT is related to the dragon that killed the great Inu Taishou? Inu Yasha, I think it would be a good idea if we get the heck outta here now!" Kagome panicked.
"S-Sesshoumaru-Samaaaaa!!!! What are we going to dooooo!!!!???? If even your father couldn't defeat one of these, surely you as a human and a hanyou..."
"Jaken, urusei! I fully realize what kind of predicament we're in. And, Kagome, running will do us no good. Judging by the size of him, he'd crush us all in a matter of seconds. You see, his body is tougher than steel." Kagome and the others shuddered at the thought.
Before anything else could be said, the great dragon Ryuukotsusei spoke up in a booming voice. "I smell it! The foul stench of Inu youkai blood in my territory! Especially the blood of that fool, Inu Taishou! The bastard that sealed my brother that fateful day." Steaming saliva dripped off the creature's jagged fangs as a low, menacing growl escaped from it's throat. Everyone noticed that there was a small face on the dragon's forehead that was actually speaking. The sinister creature's eyes were glowing red as it slowly opened it's mouth wider. A bright light formed as Ryuukotsusei prepared to release a huge ball of electric energy upon the unsuspecting group.
"Inu Yasha! Do something before we all fry!" Kagome cried, fearing the worst.
"Don't worry, I already see it... kaze no kizu," he said as he held the transformed fang out in front of him. "All I have to do is cut that spot! Quickly, everyone, run as far away from here as you can. I'll handle this as well as surpass my father!"
"Inu Yasha, I'd help, but in this form, I'm of no real use." Sesshoumaru lowered his head, and Inu Yasha felt pity for him. "But, if you have any remains left after that beast rips you apart, I'll use Tenseiga to revive you."
*Pwik*
A stress mark suddenly appeared on Inu Yasha's forehead. "And I actually thought you were being humble! Keh! Just you watch. I'll tear Ryuukotsusei to pieces with my incredible fang! Ha, ha, ha!"
"Osuwari!"
"What the hell was THAT for?!"
"You're not taking this situation seriously! Now get out there and fight before it releases that ball of energy and reduces us all to ashes!" Kagome yelled, causing him to wince. The girl certainly had a fiery temper...
"Kagome, Rin, you two get on Kirara! The rest of us will run. Quickly!" Sango urged them on, leaving Inu Yasha to fend for himself. Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to face his half-brother one last time.
"Ganbare, Inu Yasha."
"Arigatou... Niisan."
Then Inu Yasha turned to face the great beast. He gripped the hilt of Tetsusaiga tightly. True, he acted fearless in the face of his friends, but he really was afraid. Could he defeat such a powerful adversary without yet mastering his sword? He had no time to think. A light sheen of sweat was forming on his forehead as he focused on the rising scent of the kaze no kizu.
"Playtime's over!" Ryuukotsusei roared as he released the ball of energy.
"Kaze no kizu!!!" Inu Yasha shouted, unleashing the Tetsusaiga's power straight into the dangerous looking tornado-like youki energy that was rushing towards him. He was surprised to see that when his youki clashed with Ryuukotsusei's, many great tornadoes of youki formed, swirling rapidly towards the dragon. Was Tetsusaiga absorbing his youki and using it against him? Yes. He felt it! This was the key to the bakaryuuha! "Eat this, bastard! Bakaryuuha!!!"
"Nani?! What is this incredible energy? Teme!!!"
But before Ryuukotsusei could attack again, the youki tornadoes slammed into his body and began to rip him apart, causing him to release a blood curdling scream. Inu Yasha stared in disbelief, and felt immense joy and pride well up in his chest. He had not only defeated Ryuukotsusei without much effort, but surpassed his own father. He truly was powerful, even for a mere hanyou, and knowing that made him smile.
"Now you can meet your brother... in hell," Inu Yasha said in a low tone as he turned from the pieces of the dragon's corpse and began to follow the scent of his group. "And to top things off, it appears that I can use the kaze no kizu whenever I want! Heh! I guess this trip was worth it after all."
Later...
"Inu Yasha, I knew you could do it all along! I had complete faith in you," Sesshoumaru joked in a mocking sort of tone. Meanwhile, Kagome ran up to the hanyou and gave him a tight hug.
"I was so worried about you! We saw a huge explosion and I thought you were... you were... k-ki..." she began to sob into his haori.
"Shhhh. It's all right. I'm fine, you don't hafta cry... silly girl."
"Next time, we'll be of more help, ne? Now that you learned the bakaryuuha, we're one step closer to defeating Naraku. We should go back to Bokusenou tomorrow since it's getting late," Kagome sniffed, happy that her hanyou was back and safe.
Miroku was busy gathering firewood with Sango, and the others prepared for a night of camping out under the stars. Kagome unpacked their blankets and some food.
"Sesshoumaru... ano, are you proud of Inu Yasha? I mean, that he surpassed your father?" Rin asked, sitting down next to the man who seemed deep in thought.
He looked over to her, the flames of the recently lit fire dancing over his dark umber eyes. Her breath nearly caught. He was gorgeous! She fought a blush as he finally replied, "I envy him. I always used to be the superior son of Inu Taishou. A great youkai lord... How ironic that a mere hanyou could be stronger than that of a full-blooded youkai. I guess in a way I've grown to respect him more."
"When you become a youkai again, will you try to surpass Inu Yasha?"
Sesshoumaru gave a small smile for but an instant. "I honestly don't know if I can, Rin."
"That's all right. As long as you respect yourself, it doesn't matter how powerful you are. At least, that's what I believe."
"For a woman, you sure do think a lot," Sesshoumaru said as he turned back towards the fire.
"Was that a compliment or a criticism?" she asked, turning his face towards her with her hand. A bold move indeed, but at the moment, she didn't really care.
"Rin..."
Sesshoumaru fell speechless as he realized how beautiful Rin looked in the fire light. And to top things off, he seemed to feel an unknown force pulling himself closer to her until eventually they were both sharing the same breath, barely an inch away from kissing each other...
"Oi! Let's eat guys!" Kagome exclaimed, breaking the two out of their trance.
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru." Rin apologized quickly as she took her portion of food.
'Why did she apologize? It was I who was moving in on her, was it not?' he thought to himself, suddenly feeling embarrassed to be caught by everyone. He had never felt such confusing emotions as a youkai. "It was nothing," he said simply, brushing Rin off, and not realizing that with those three words, he had hurt her feelings.
"Oh... hai."
That night, the group ate in silence, thinking of each other, their adventures thus far, as well as what was ahead of them. But they all knew for sure that unless Naraku was removed from the picture soon, there would be no future. Not for themselves or anyone else.
To Be Continued...
AN: The next chapter will be pure sappiness to pick up where this leaves off. More Sesshy/Rin and Inu/Kag to come! Ja ne!